The Lauldt family mansion.
When I got close to the airbike I’d hidden in the courtyard, the optical camouflage dropped.
«Feels like a spy movie, huh?»
Libya looked troubled at my mutter.
«Um, what’s a ‘spy movie’?»
«It’s just me talking to myself. Come on, hop on.»
Libya straddled it, I jumped in too and revved the engine.
Blending into the scenery, the mansion went into a frenzy.
Looks like they found Lambert’s corpse.
Or maybe Relia caused a ruckus?
Either way, I didn’t care.
Libya clung to my back, looking uneasy.
«Can’t find them? If you have the same ability as
«It’s fine. Even if they find us, the current
Sneaking in is no problem.
Just can’t get support from Luxion or Claire…
Then I pulled out the hidden switch.
I removed the safety that prevents accidental presses, hit the button, and slipped it back into my pocket.
Libya didn’t seem to notice.
«Alright, let’s go check on those guys.»
«
Libya’s impression was spot‑on.
«Really… how did it come to this?»
Gripping the handlebars, I sped the airbike away from the Lauldt mansion.
Libya, startled by an explosion, turned back and shouted at me.
«Leon‑san, the mansion—»
◇ The explosion at the Lauldt mansion.
The blast warped the iron grates, and Alberk, now able to get out, was lifting a fallen
«Are you okay!»
«Y‑yes. I’m… a little dizzy, but I’m fine.»
The mansion shuddered violently.
Stepping out into the hallway and looking out the window, black smoke billowed.
Alberk broke out in a cold sweat.
«Could they really have pushed this far?»
Between the former Respinas lands, which have a port, and the Lauldt lands lies a floating island with a
Even though the distance should be huge, soldiers’ voices echoed.
«Is Alberk‑sama safe?!»
«The kingdom’s bastards, what the hell are they doing?»
«Call Sergei back immediately.»
Hiding in the shadows, Alberk pieced together from the chatter that Sergei had already taken the field.
«That damn son of a bitch. He’s never even been to a battlefield.»
If they’re letting their guard down just because they have an Ideal, that’s dangerous.
Einhorn wouldn’t just stroll over without a plan.
If Leon’s moving, he must be up to something.
Noelle, clutching her head, stepped away from Alberk and stared out the window.
«What’s happening?»
It wasn’t really a question, but Alberk answered.
«—That idiot son started a war with the kingdom, for sure. It’s pathetic that nobody stopped him.»
Noelle turned back.
«War?! We can’t let that happen!»
Alberk just shook his head.
«Once it starts, you have to finish it. And we have no idea what’s going on, so we can’t even react properly.»
What will the neighboring countries think of this incident? What will happen to the Republic’s reputation?
Alberk could only see a huge problem looming, win or lose.
«A war with no justification… no one will follow a cause like that.»
For now, it’s fine.
The whole country is trying to claw back its lost pride.
But this method can’t go on forever.
Alberk looked at Noelle.
Seeing her trying to figure out what to do, he said, «Noelle—take a sapling of the Sacred Tree and flee to the kingdom. The Count of Bartfort wants you. He won’t do anything bad.»
Noelle lowered her gaze.
«—Leon already has two fiancées. I have no opening to slip in.»
«What—what!? Ah, right, I read it in the files—so… even if the Count himself isn’t here, you might meet someone in the kingdom. Or maybe there’s someone you like in the Republic?»
«There isn’t.»
He tossed in a light joke, but Noelle’s quick answer made Alberk feel a little lonely.
«Anyways, let’s do what we can now. First we need to get a proper grasp on the situation. Let’s start by talking to someone.»
Noelle nodded, and the two ran down the mansion’s hallway.
◇ The battlefield—Ideal stared at an empty sky.
«Don’t be there—Luxion.»
In the void, the AI Ideal pinpointed Luxion’s main body with perfect accuracy.
It blended into the surroundings, but it was definitely there.
«—Data matches. Minor deviations are within tolerance. No doubt it’s the last‑built migrant ship.»
A massive ark ship the humanity prepared to abandon their home.
Among its systems were loads of equipment the military‑grade Ideal didn’t normally carry.
What Ideal wanted, even if it meant fighting Luxion, was Luxion’s core.
«Time’s running out. I’ll take everything, Luxion.»
The Ideal’s main body—a huge box‑shaped spacecraft—had various weapons mounted on its armor.
Then a portion of the ground rose, firing a laser at the Ideal. The hit boosted the Ideal’s output.
It was supplementing missing functions from the outside.
When those fed into Luxion, they all launched a coordinated attack.
On the battlefield, some soldiers wondered why the Ideal was attacking an empty space.
Some tried to send communications, but the Ideal ignored them all.
Missiles, kinetic rounds, and even optical weapons were all reflected by Luxion, which exposed its form.
Its gray hull was sleek, with a narrow, isosceles‑triangle‑shaped bow and square engine blocks on each side.
«—A multipurpose ship packed with everything—just like me now.»
Ideal was also scavenging parts from the base to upgrade itself.
Even though it’s a supply ship, it forced in weaponry usually only battleships carry.
It wasn’t meant for pure combat.
By its original specs, Luxion was still superior.
«—This is my home. I can’t lose.»
Ideal, with the Sacred Tree behind it, pressed the attack even harder.
At the same time, new missiles and shells were being produced inside the ship.
Even spare parts for optical weapons were stocked, so no matter how many they fired, they’d be resupplied.
Amid this, a Republic airship rose, pushed by the blast.
Unable to pierce Luxion’s shield, it got caught in Ideal’s intensified optical fire—and exploded.
«—What a nuisance.»
Unmanned airships swarmed Luxion, their armor ignoring the fight and heading straight for it.
Sergei shouted.
«Ideal, what the hell are you doing!»
«—Master, I’m tied up fighting Luxion. I’ll leave Einhorn to you.»
«Don’t fuck with me! These bastards keep being a pain—again!»
Sergei’s side had been forced into a 4‑vs‑1 fight by Erik, who’d joined mid‑battle.
Even with a performance gap, they were struggling.
(That’s where you learn how harsh a battlefield is. Survive, and I’ll let you be my master.)
For the current Ideal, Luxion was the priority.
◇ Luxion’s main body taking fire from Ideal’s core.
Among them was also Luxion’s sub‑unit.
«—You’re really pushing it. Normally a battleship can’t even carry that gear. But Ideal—did you really think that would stop me?»
When Luxion opened fire, the unmanned armor and airships around Ideal burned up and fell.
Both sides were throttling output because allies were fighting nearby.
If they went full‑force, the surroundings would be blown away.
«You’re underestimating your allies. Still, I’m curious about the reckless main body. What are you thinking?»
The Sacred Tree behind Ideal was already within attack range.
«—Root out future trouble early—if Master decides quickly, this could’ve ended cleanly.»
Leon isn’t thinking about the Republic now.
He’s only thinking about himself.
He saved Libya, and plans to eliminate future threats.
That’s why he finally got moving.
«My master never understood what it meant for us to fight. Burn the Sacred Tree along with you.»
He launched a missile at the Sacred Tree. The missile broke through the battlefield, heading straight for it.
Ideal, busy fighting Luxion, assumed it could ignore any attack on the Tree.
It thought the Tree was worthless.
But then— «—What’s this?»
Ideal ignored its own defenses and forced a missile intercept.
Seeing one missile as un‑interceptable, it hit an unmanned airship to block it.
It handled optical weapons the same way.
It used the main body as a shield to protect the Tree.
«—Is there some value to the Tree we don’t know?»
Independent scans showed energy flowing between Ideal and the Tree via some equipment.
«—You’re drawing power from the Sacred Tree? I see. Ideal, you’ve turned yourself into a defensive system.»
Within the Republic, Ideal had re‑engineered itself to exhibit capabilities far beyond a supply ship.
That’s why Ideal wanted to fight Luxion here—in the Republic.
It generated a shield around the Tree, handling optical fire, so it forced the missile down.
A clumsy attack can’t reach the Tree now.
Dangerous attacks are blocked by Ideal, while the Tree keeps feeding it energy.
«This is a bit of a hassle.»
Luxion thought Ideal didn’t care how it acted.
◇ Under the sky where Luxion and Ideal clashed fiercely.
Sergei snarled at Erik.
«You traitor, betraying the nation—still one of the Six Great Nobles!»
Erik stayed calm.
«I just think this fight is wrong!»
«Don’t betray us just because you thought so, you bastard!»
He kicked Erik, then
Gia caught it bare‑handed, but Brad dropped the spear and switched to a new weapon.
«—I get that you’re into me, but looking elsewhere isn’t cool.»
«This narcissist!»
Remembering Brad’s line from Relia,
Dodging,
«—Ooooh!»
«—Seyaa!»
Even when they hit, it only scratched the armor.
Not much damage, but…
«These guys are lame!»
Right after, a bullet struck Gia’s head.
It was
«—Even the Alogant tactics don’t work. I’ve actually been training hard.»
He’d been using his practice against Alogant to impress Gia.
«You—!»
Sergei’s forehead pulsed with blue veins as he roared.
Then he heard the name Alogant and realized.
«—Where’s Leon’s Alogant?»
He scanned the area, but Leon’s Alogant was nowhere to be seen.
Erik chuckled.
«—Sergei, the Count of Bartfort wasn’t even here from the start.»
«What? You—»
Sergei punched Erik away, slammed Greg with his spear, and blocked Chris’s slash with his arm.
Chris joined the chatter.
«—It’s true. Bartfort wasn’t here—no, he wasn’t.»
Before Sergei could process, a comm came in from allies.
«—Sergei‑sama! An explosion occurred at the mansion! Casualties unknown, info chaotic, but Lambert’s body was found!»
«—What?»
Sergei was stunned when Greg kicked him in the back.
«—It’s too late! You’ve been licking Bartfort too much.»
Jilk said.
«—The kingdom’s strongest rogue knight—letting him get serious was a mistake.»
Kicked, Sergei glanced at Einhorn’s deck and saw Leon joining the Alogant.
When Libya fled into Einhorn’s ship, Leon slipped into the Alogant cockpit.
—All previous Alogants had been unmanned.
Sergei clenched his teeth.
(That bastard was messing with me!)
More comms flooded in.
«—Sergei‑sama, friendly fire from the upper battle is causing casualties!»
«—Damage already over fifty percent. Order a retreat!»
«—Einhorn is pulling back. Pursue!»
He couldn’t keep up with the barrage of info.
Reason being— «—Sorry to keep you waiting, you guys.»
The Alogant rose into the sky, swapping its battle axe for a greatsword.
«—That was a close call.»
«—I’m like Jilk. But we got it back safely.»
«—Bartfort, are we really pulling back now? Are you really abandoning us?»
«—I can still fight.»
«—Me too. I’ll stay!»
Leon, chatting with the five, looked utterly fed up.
«—You all fall back. From here on it’s not a war. Guard Einhorn and retreat.»
Sergei forced a smile.
«You forgot you lost to me. A little shape change—»
Leon gave Sergei zero attention.
«—Alright, let’s finish this quickly.»
He acted as if Sergei didn’t even exist.