Faster Than Stenluze

"So, Lady Rozemyne, what is it that you desire from us in the Ditter?"

Aub Dunkelfelger, who had declared his participation with a beaming smile, asked the question without bothering to hide his excitement. If they could borrow the knights who volunteered, planning would be necessary.

"I will seize Ahrensbach's foundation at top speed. In the meantime, I would like the volunteers from Dunkelfelger to draw in and disrupt the Ahrensbach knights above the castle."

"Oh? You're not asking us to steal the foundation, but to serve as decoys?"

Considering Ferdinand's magic power, we couldn't afford to spend too much time coloring the foundation. Moreover, if entering the supply chamber required a registered magic stone, or if registration required extra steps because one wasn't part of the family, it was better to assume that only the person who colored the foundation could enter the supply chamber when time was tight like this. That was why I intended to color the foundation in one go this time.

"I would like Dunkelfelger to serve as decoys. It takes considerable skill to maneuver in a way that minimizes casualties, and if the Ahrensbach knights are drawn to you, I can go claim the foundation without reducing my escort. ...Of course, as proof of victory in the Ditter, if Dunkelfelger wishes to have the foundation, I have no objection to re-coloring it. I only need the foundation to save Ferdinand."

After saving Ferdinand, there was no problem at all with handing the foundation over to whoever wanted it. If there was a fierce contender who wanted to govern Ahrensbach afterward, I would be happy to oblige, since I was confident I could re-color it by drinking magic recovery potions one after another.

"No, I have no use for a troublesome Ahrensbach that, having allied with Lanzanave, would invite the central nobility's scrutiny. It would be a punishment, not a reward."

...Ah, as expected?

I had thought Dunkelfelger wanted the proof of victory because the Ditter's victory condition was securing the foundation, but apparently that wasn't the case.

"Since we have said we will cooperate in the Ditter, we shall do everything in our power to ensure you steal the foundation, Lady Rozemyne."

"I am most grateful."

It seemed asking for assistance from Dunkelfelger, who would go all-out for the sake of Ditter, had been the right call.

"So, when will the Ditter bell ring?"

"Please consider it already ringing from the moment they harmed Ferdinand, Aub Dunkelfelger."

I looked at the excited Aub Dunkelfelger and let out a soft laugh. For me, the victory conditions were rescuing Ferdinand and defending Ehrenfest. Once Ferdinand's magic power ran out, we would lose—meaning the battle had already begun.

"As soon as Dunkelfelger is ready, I will launch my attack. How quickly can Dunkelfelger recruit volunteers and prepare for deployment?"

In Ehrenfest, we had spent nearly a month working around the clock to prepare Magical Tools and recovery potions for defense, and the escort knights had trained in anticipation of an attack from Ahrensbach. The knights' preparations were already in place so they could deploy at a moment's notice if called upon.

My retainers were no exception. Once I decided who would go with me and who would stay, and gave them their instructions, preparations would be complete right away. The biggest bottleneck in preparation was me. Honestly, the departure time depended entirely on Dunkelfelger.

"Hmm... At top speed, does that mean day or night, regardless?"

Aub Dunkelfelger asked while stroking his chin. His gaze seemed directed at me but wasn't really—he was clearly lost in thought, running through various scenarios in his head.

"Of course. At night, there's less worry of involving commoners, so ideally, I'd like to slip in under cover of darkness."

Even when stealing the foundation at the Temple, I wanted to avoid casualties as much as possible. Since I had no intention of taking lives, I planned to wrap anyone who got in the way in Stappe light bands—but having a Stappe pointed at a noble would only inspire terror. The fewer casualties, the better.

"Under cover of darkness... minimizing damage, then?"

"Until I actually arrive on site and see how Lanzanave and the knights there respond, I can't say for certain. But ideally, I'd like to end the battle over the noble district without causing harm to any civilians. ...That's ideally, of course—not an absolute. What's absolute for me is rescuing Ferdinand."

Aub Dunkelfelger stared at me for a while, rubbing his chin several times.

"How long are you expecting the Ditter to take? The supplies we'd need to prepare would differ depending on that."

"If it's just securing the foundation, one bell's worth of time would suffice. But how long it will take to rescue Ferdinand from there—I can't read that at this point."

If Justus and Eckhart, who were in Ahrensbach, could be contacted and coordinate with us, infiltrating the castle would be much easier. But whether the two of them had managed to rendezvous with Letizia, what Ferdinand's "Go" had meant and where it had directed them—I knew almost nothing. In the worst case, they might also be prisoners.

...If only I knew where in Ahrensbach's castle the magic power supply chamber was... Ah, what about Aurelia!

The instant I wondered whether anyone familiar with Ahrensbach's castle might exist, the person who came to mind was Aurelia, who had come from Ahrensbach as Lamprecht's wife. She had been the lord's niece, so she should have some familiarity with the castle's interior. Of course, I couldn't involve a mother with young children in battle, but asking about the location of the supply chamber should be possible.

"Aub Dunkelfelger, please prepare for the battle in Ahrensbach with two bells in mind. We will bring some Magical Tools and recovery potions ourselves, and any that were used in this Ditter will be replenished later."

"Rozemyne, negotiate properly. Don't just agree to everything so readily."

Ehrenfest's defense preparations had cost money too, so my adoptive father scolded me—but I shook my head.

"You can think of it as money spent to save time on negotiations. Besides, I'm going to Ahrensbach purely on my own whim. I'll compensate Dunkelfelger from my personal assets, so you don't need to worry, Father. I also have money inherited from Ferdinand. If it's being used to save Ferdinand, no one would complain, right?"

...Not that I'd mind using my own money, but Ferdinand would probably make me pay back five times over if I did.

"I do intend to pay, but let's discuss the financials another time. More importantly, let me discuss the precautions for this Ditter. Ahrensbach, which has ties to Lanzanave, very likely possesses silver cloth that completely blocks Magic Power."

I laid out the points of caution for fighting Ahrensbach and Lanzanave. Since their weapons weren't stappes, the Ditter was unlikely to proceed as it usually did.

"Be sure to carry weapons other than stappes. Given that Dietlinde used powdered poison on Ferdinand, cover your mouths with cloth as protection against poison. And for safety's sake, please carry extra recovery potions, antidotes, Jureve, and the like."

"Hmph, if that extent of preparation will suffice, we should be able to finish knight selection by the time the date changes."

...That's fast! Wait, could most of the preparation time actually be spent on knight selection?

"The preparation to head to the central territory should take about the same amount of time. However, we will only move when we receive a request from the royal family. Without a request, moving on our own would invite accusations of treason."

"Indeed," my adoptive father agreed with Aub Dunkelfelger's words. No matter how well-intentioned the action on behalf of the royal family might be, marching on the central territory with a large number of knights without orders or a request would be problematic. Whether they actually deployed or not was naturally up to the royal family.

"I will convey to the royal family that Dunkelfelger is willing to provide assistance. However, our opponents are those who have obtained the cooperation of Lanzanave, which plays by different rules than before. Even the Central Knights can be expected to face confusion and hard fighting. We in Ehrenfest also intend to request cooperation from the higher-ranking duchies, so it would help if Aub Dunkelfelger also reached out to them. ...Ehrenfest still has weak ties with the higher-ranking duchies."

Aub Dunkelfelger's eyes gleamed with amusement at my adoptive father's request.

"I don't mind reaching out, but if we take the initiative, Ehrenfest won't be able to monopolize the credit, will it?"

"Ehrenfest is in the position of asking for cooperation, so we have no issue with Dunkelfelger claiming all the credit from the central territory."

"Oh?"

Aub Dunkelfelger moved his chin, urging me to continue. My adoptive father tucked his chin in slightly and went on.

"Can Dunkelfelger read the impact of rescuing Ferdinand? If Ferdinand was poisoned because he holds some sort of information, Ahrensbach might band together and attack with everything they have to kill him. If Rozemyne obtains the foundation, the Ahrensbach nobles will have no choice but to submit—but how the old Werkestock nobles would act is another matter entirely. Even if Rozemyne rescues Ferdinand, Ehrenfest would be busy enough simply preparing for whatever Ahrensbach does afterward."

At my adoptive father's words—offering to propose assistance to the higher duchies while simultaneously saying Ehrenfest itself couldn't participate—Aub Dunkelfelger grimaced and muttered, "The old Werkestock, eh..."

"It must be managed, but the fact that it can't be treated the same as one's own territory makes it all the more troublesome."

Reading the genuine feeling behind his words, I could sense that managing old Werkestock was difficult even for Dunkelfelger. Then Aub Dunkelfelger let out a bitter smile. After that, his red eyes—very much like Lestenaut's—shone with an intense light as he fixed his gaze on me.

"Even if you look through history, obtaining the foundation is the easy part. What comes after is what's hard. That's precisely why a true Ditter rarely comes to fruition."

To govern the territory they had obtained, a new Aub had to bring people, supplies, and money from their original territory. That was why, Aub Dunkelfelger pointed out, conflicts over foundations that spanned territories rarely occurred unless the circumstances were extraordinary, and acquiring a territory larger than one's own was the height of recklessness.

"I am very much looking forward to seeing what you do after obtaining Ahrensbach's foundation. We merely enjoy the true Ditter—but what awaits you is deciding what to do with the foundation you've claimed. Rescue Ferdinand, and... it won't end there. If you're not careful, you'll bring down Ehrenfest along with it."

The Aub wore a detached smile, as if cutting me off: this is what you're getting into by obtaining Ahrensbach with Dunkelfelger's involvement. His words carried an unspoken warning—if you're going to back out, now's the time.

But I had absolutely no intention of backing down. Gazing at the Aub with eyes that conveyed my unwavering resolve, I smiled.

"I am fully aware, Aub Dunkelfelger. Please look forward to what comes next."

Before the Lord's Conference, I was set to become the King's adopted daughter and obtain the Grutrissheit. I could redraw the duchy borders and establish new foundations. I had no intention of bringing down both Ehrenfest and Ahrensbach.

"The eyes of one who has made their resolve are very appealing. It's a pity Dunkelfelger couldn't welcome you. ...Now then, Lady Rozemyne. Where shall we send the volunteers who are ready?"

"As the date changes, I will come to Dunkelfelger's national gate to escort them. Please open the boundary gate and wait for me there."

"...The national gate!? That means..."

Aub Dunkelfelger's eyes went wide, his mouth hanging open in speechless shock. I merely returned a composed smile without giving a direct answer.

"I see... Hahahahaha! So that's how it is!"

Aub Dunkelfelger clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Now this is getting exciting!"

"When I arrive, I will only take those who are present at the time. I've said it many times, but the victory condition for this Ditter is rescuing Ferdinand. I will seize Ahrensbach's foundation faster than the Goddess of Swiftness, Stenluze!"

"Aye! Faster than Stenluze!"

With the exhilaration of impending deployment surging through his entire body, Aub Dunkelfelger clenched his right fist and struck his left chest twice.

Immediately after, the water mirror communication seemed to cut off, and the Aub's figure vanished.

"...You're quite skilled at riling people up, aren't you?"

"It's not for nothing that we face Dunkelfelger in Ditter every year. Their motivation is the key to this victory."

As my adoptive father watched the now-disconnected water mirror, he wore a hesitant smile. I got the impression he was slightly taken aback, but getting Dunkelfelger fired up was a major win. There was no greater outcome.

"I need to prepare for departure with my retainers as well... Ah, but first, I need to contact the royal family and the higher-ranking duchies."

I thought irritably about how there was so much to do despite wanting to leave as soon as possible, but preliminary groundwork was crucial. I had to convey that we had warned the royal family to be cautious about unsettling intelligence, and that we had contacted the higher-ranking duchies, starting with Dunkelfelger, to request their assistance.

"Since you have your pretext all thought out, and Dunkelfelger is backing you, I—Aub that I am—will handle the communication on that end. You prepare for a midnight departure. Make sure you aren't struck by drowsiness like last time."

Being reminded of the time I had fought Gretze while battling sleepiness to gather Jureve ingredients, I stammered, "Ugh..." If the departure was indeed at midnight, a nap and an anti-sleepiness potion might be necessary.

When my adoptive father urged me to "leave this to me and go quickly," an Ordnanz flew in.

"It's the transfer chamber. An urgent message from the Academy to the Aub. Justus and Eckhart have arrived at the Aub's dormitory in the Academy and are requesting a meeting. They're being kept waiting in the tea room—how should we handle this?"

While the Ordnanz repeated itself three times, I exchanged a look with my adoptive father. The two of them—Justus and Eckhart, who should have been in the thick of things—appearing at the Academy's dormitory was hard to believe at first glance.

...I can't imagine Aub Ahrensbach would grant permission to use the transfer circle.

For a moment I wondered why, and then I figured Ferdinand must have made some preemptive move. His "Go" to the two of them must have meant "Go to my adoptive father." It seemed he had arranged things so that if anything happened, they could contact Ehrenfest immediately. And the fact that the two had managed to relocate to the Academy meant that Letizia—who had supposedly burst out of the supply chamber—had been able to pass Ferdinand's words on to them.

"I wish your story hadn't been true, but it seems to be an indisputable fact. Otherwise, those two would never have left Ferdinand's side."

After furrowing his brow and making a displeased expression, my adoptive father took out his Stappe, lightly tapped a yellow magic stone, and summoned another Ordnanz.

"I'm going to the Academy to hear what those two have to say and to complete the communication with the royal family for accepting them in Ehrenfest. What will you do?"

Only an Aub could create a brooch for entering and leaving the dormitory, and only an Aub could decide whether to accept someone who had left the territory. Without my adoptive father going, nothing could be done.

...But what about me?

I wanted to go to the Academy. I was anxious. I wanted as much information as I could get, and I wanted to see with my own eyes that the two of them were safe.

"I will focus on preparing for battle on behalf of the two of them as well. Once Father has heard their account, please tell them to come to my Library. There are no allies more reassuring than those two when it comes to rescuing Ferdinand."

I asked my adoptive father to have them deliver the recovery potions I carried at my waist to the two of them, then turned on my heel to give instructions to my own retainers.

The discussion with Stenluze.

Rozemyne has no intention of being selective about her methods.

She will use the national gate to reach Ahrensbach at top speed.

And then, the two who returned.

Next—it's the rendezvous and departure.