After being attacked by humans who had turned into beasts, I was lining up the corpses along the roadside.
I couldn't just leave them there, so I decided on cremation. There was no way to examine them in detail here, and I didn't have the time to linger.
While soldiers dug holes nearby, I called Shannon and May over to inspect the corpses. Every single one had their necks or torsos severed—they'd been killed in a single blow.
One strike from Novem's staff, transformed into a great scythe, and these half-beast, half-human things had been slaughtered.
May stared at the corpses.
"…This gives me a bad feeling. Something's off. I didn't sense any presence either, but they were definitely moving."
May crossed her arms and sank into thought—she too hadn't noticed any presence. Shannon, on the other hand, covered her eyes with her palm after looking at the corpses.
"They weren't alive to begin with. And it looks like something swelled up from inside them and turned them into something else. It feels really awful."
Both May and May said it gave them a bad feeling. And Shannon was saying they hadn't even been alive.
I looked at the corpses that had turned into beasts and could no longer revert.
"They attacked us on purpose."
It might be a message from Ceres. Not for me—I had already begun my advance. I had a vague feeling that this was…a message meant for Novem.
The panic Novem had shown in battle, the complete absence of her usual composure—for Novem, this must carry meaning—perhaps something akin to a declaration of war.
Indeed.
"Novem, what do you think?"
Novem, who had been standing beside me gazing down at the corpses, looked up sharply and turned toward me. She didn't seem to have heard May or Shannon's words.
"…Yes, I believe you're right, Lord Lyle. They wouldn't have thought they could defeat us with such numbers. If that's the case, we should assume they attacked us on purpose."
I rested my chin in my hand and turned the matter over.
"It's something Ceres would do, so I'm not sure how much meaning it really has. It could just be a provocation, or some spur-of-the-moment idea."
It may have no meaning whatsoever, but it was simply because it was fun — that was the kind of person Ceres was.
The possibility that this was meant as a provocation toward us, and that she had acted on those grounds, could not be ruled out.
Just then, Eva returned from the forest together with several dark elves in robes.
"Lyle, there was nothing unusual in the surrounding area. Well, nothing at all, really. It's almost suspicious in itself — with this many of them, there's no trace they were lying in wait. It could be that we simply arrived here at the right moment, though."
If they had been waiting in the forest, there should have at least been some trace of it left behind. A place where they had rested. Given the season, they would have needed to keep warm. They would have needed to eat as well. And inevitably, they would have needed to relieve themselves.
Hearing that none of those traces existed, I looked toward Shannon and May.
"The more realistic explanation is that they weren't alive. It seems Ceres has stopped being human."
My bad premonitions kept proving correct, and at this rate, it was only a matter of time before Ceres was taken over entirely by Agrissa.
If Agrissa's goal was revival in the modern world, that would be immensely troublesome. At the very least, she would be no weaker than Ceres.
Moreover, it appeared she had also gotten her hands on the drug that turns people into Monsters — and had perfected it. It almost felt as though she was flaunting the finished product for all to see.
"…We'll burn them and bury the remains. I would have liked to examine them more closely if we weren't in a hurry."
I glanced briefly at Novem.
It had been Novem who called for incineration and burial. If Novem, who presumably knew something about all this, had chosen that course of action, then the handling of the bodies was surely correct.
—— The capital of Banseim: Central.
"Ugh, it's gotten so boring. Having my father's tomb built and burying tens of thousands of sacrifices alive was fun, but this…"
Seated upon the throne in the audience hall, Ceres rested her elbow on the armrest and propped her chin on her hand. Though her posture was utterly languid, those lined up before her were nonetheless captivated by the sight.
With nothing better to do, she had been parading the kingdom's key figures through the audience hall since morning, cultivating an atmosphere as though a grand ceremony were about to commence.
And yet, even that much had bored Ceres.
"I was thinking I'd just casually issue whatever commands came to mind, but it's dull. Knights slaughtering each other has grown tiresome, and torture isn't enjoyable either when the victims lack even the backbone to resist."
Something that captivated those around her — something akin to Septem's ability.
Because of this, there were many humans who wouldn't mind being killed by Ceres. In fact, once torture began, they would eventually come to delight in the pain.
As Ceres's power grew stronger day by day, this tendency only intensified. Unconsciously, those around her would rely on Ceres. They would worship Ceres.
However, Ceres had no intention of suppressing her ability in the slightest.
From the Jewel in the staff she held, Agrissa's voice could be heard.
'So you've already mastered Septem's power to that extent? As expected, Ceres, you are truly wonderful. Even I couldn't reach that level at your age.'
Ceres answered Agrissa without caring that people were around her. To others, it looked as though she was talking to herself, but no one found it strange.
If Ceres was doing it, then it was the right thing. Even if she took lives irrationally, if Ceres did it, it was justice for them.
"The stronger my power becomes, the more boring it gets. So, did you come up with all sorts of ideas too?"
Agrissa, known for her cruelty, was chuckling. Being called "you" by Ceres didn't anger her. If it were anyone else, she would show them the very hells of this world.
'Boredom is poison for me too. Besides, I hate waiting. Waiting for more people to arrive is a waste of time. And I also despise doing things bit by bit. ...Come to think of it'
The Agrissa within the Jewel twisted her pretty lips. Despite being beautiful, she unnervingly stretched her mouth into a crescent moon, laughing as she spoke.
'That time was fun. The ancestor of my cute Ceres stood up against me. I don't know if Novem was supporting her from behind or was the mastermind, but she defied me and challenged me to battle. For me, bored as I was, it was the best time.'
However, unlike Agrissa, Ceres grew irritable. A frown appeared between her brows, and she clenched her back teeth.
"That bug. That piece of trash... It makes me furious just thinking about that trash who is only liked by Novem defying me. Giving them every conceivable pain in this world wouldn't be enough. Killing them, killing them over and over again, no matter how many times, wouldn't be enough. Just them existing makes the air I breathe taste foul. Just them being there makes me irritated. Hey, when will it finally be okay to kill them?"
Ceres finished in a flat, expressionless tone, while Agrissa continued to laugh.
'To think there's someone who can make you show that much emotion. Just killing them wouldn't be amusing, would it? I was angry with them at first too. But the first one to make me that aware of them... was your ancestor, the lovely Ceres, Lyrel.'
Hearing that, Ceres raised her staff and brought it down. The right armrest of the throne blew apart, shattering even the stone floor.
"...That I'm aware of them? Yes, I am. But unlike you, I don't talk about love or anything like that. All I feel toward them is disgust. Do you have any idea how much pain their very existence causes me?"
Agrissa was enjoying watching Ceres's reaction.
'You haven't changed from the beginning. But that's what makes you adorable. Now, since we have the opportunity... Why not prepare to welcome that modern Lyrel, who has challenged you?'
Then, a hint of panic flickered across Ceres's face.
"...Are you sure it's okay to provoke Novem? You've been telling me never to lay a finger on her this whole time."
Agrissa's expression turned serious inside the Jewel.
'Ah, it's fine. It's more of a grudge, you could say. Besides, you're more than capable of standing up to Novem now, Ceres. There's no need to act submissive like you did back when we made that deal. You hated it too, didn't you? Every time she came to the manor, you'd cower and run around in fear. Even though I told you not to touch her, you still went after Lyrel. You were terrified that Novem would find out.'
Provoked by Agrissa, Ceres crushed the armrest in her left hand.
To anyone watching, it would look like Ceres had simply grown irritable out of nowhere.
"I was scared? Don't be ridiculous. I only did it because you told me to! Me, scared? Give me a break. Do you even understand your position? You can't do anything but talk."
Agrissa smirked inside the Jewel.
'Don't be angry, my adorable Ceres. Besides, I told you that you could win now. Even against Novem, you could win now.'
Ceres rose to her feet and raised her voice.
"From now on, prepare to intercept the rebel army at Central! I mean it — kill every last one of them. I'm going back to bed."
Ceres declared she was going back to sleep — in the morning, no less — and swept out of the audience chamber. Crown Prince Rufus chased after her. With his short, curly red hair, Rufus followed Ceres out of the audience chamber, surrounded by guards.
"Ceres, you haven't been sleeping with me lately. We're husband and wife — couldn't you show me some affection too?"
Watching the clingy young man, Ceres felt nothing but irritation. To Ceres, Rufus was a useless existence.
However, Rufus held value in one single regard. Not because of his position as Crown Prince. To the current Ceres, the royal family and the throne held no meaning whatsoever.
It was simply that Agrissa would grow displeased. Ceres, always teased and prodded by Agrissa, kept Rufus around because Agrissa despised him — despised the Banseim royal family. That was why she hadn't laid a hand on the Banseim royals. They were still alive because of it.
"Tonight, I'm sleeping in a row with Father and Mother. If I'm in the mood tonight, I'll give you some attention."
But Rufus wouldn't let it go.
"Wait, Ceres. I don't mind whoever you sleep with. You're that magnificent. But I'm your husband. Just a little is fine. Just give me a little..."
Watching the once-beloved crown prince reduced to this, Ceres felt her mood lighten ever so slightly.
In contrast, Agrissa grew displeased.
"Very well. Then I'll think about it, just a little. Look forward to tonight."
As Ceres turned to walk away, Rufus was overjoyed. He immediately declared he would start preparing and headed straight for the bedroom.
Agrissa turned to Ceres.
'…So you're going to keep a Banseim human as a pet. I told you to stop, didn't I?'
Hearing those words, Ceres smiled.
"If it's just keeping him on a leash, there's no burden on my end. Besides, if you're that upset about it, doesn't that mean you like Rufus too?"
At Ceres's retort, Agrissa scowled yet still smiled.
"Well now, lovely Ceres. You've certainly learned to talk back. But sooner or later—"
Having rejoined the main force, I was receiving a report from Baldoa.
In one of the mobile fortress's rooms, I spoke with Baldoa while reading through the report.
"Perhaps the home visit was an unnecessary move. I apologize—my unilateral decision may have only increased the burden."
To Baldoa's apology, I responded calmly.
"If Walt's soldiers had ignored the defense and attacked from behind, our casualties would have been severe. The visit served its purpose. Don't apologize."
Still, there was one thing I had already decided in my heart.
"That said, I may never go back there again. There are too many people for whom my mere presence is a burden."
As a practical matter, House Walt's territory was poorly suited for governing the continent. With enough development it could be made to work, but it would take time.
On a continental scale, the location was disadvantageous.
Did Baldoa understand this as well?
"Shall we make Central our base going forward?"
Central certainly had everything in abundance. The Kingdom of Centros, the unified continental state that existed before Banseim, had also used it as their capital.
Having finished reading the report, I stretched my back.
"Honestly, I'm not so sure about that either. Monica said something interesting—maybe we should go with her proposal."
"Miss Monica? She isn't saying something outlandish again, is she?"
To the uneasy Baldoa, I replied with a smile.
"She told me that if I wanted to build my kingdom, I should just build a new capital. Well, it's not bad. If we're thinking about the postwar period, that approach would probably be faster than reconstruction."
I stood up and opened the room's window. Outside, I could see the sight of numerous encampments set up in every direction.
The allied forces were gathering one after another, and an army of over six hundred thousand was converging on the area.
Baldoa looked at me and said:
"A new capital? That does seem like the better option. If the report is true, then people would be reluctant to settle there."
According to Rauno's report from Darion, my prediction had been correct. Ceres was the one who had revived the dead—or was controlling them.
Central had become a city of the dead.