---

Gilbert calmly closed the Main Scenario notification window with steady eyes.

Having experienced the twists and turns of the main story multiple times, he felt no emotional turbulence.

Even though he had never encountered such an extreme Sub Scenario before, being forced to accept it didn’t surprise him much. The story had already deviated significantly from the original scenario, especially with the emergence of the New Resistance and the Academy suffering near-catastrophic damage.

This was something that never happened in the Tactical Combat he had played before, so the distortion of the Main Scenario had clearly started long ago. The beginning of the Main Scenario now seemed like an extension of those events.

The Main Scenario, the Throne Succession War, was also a scenario available in Tactical Combat. However, it was supposed to follow a specific narrative, and the Throne Succession War wasn’t supposed to happen at this time.

In the original game, the Emperor’s health would deteriorate before appointing a successor, leading to a life-and-death struggle. Naturally, the princes and princesses with succession rights would all vie for the throne, starting the Throne Succession War and drawing in factions, eventually leading to a civil war.

This was the inner workings of the Throne Succession War that Gilbert knew. However, with the Emperor’s health currently stable, the sudden start of the Throne Succession War felt premature.

Gilbert couldn’t understand why the Throne Succession War was starting so abruptly. The Emperor, a war lord and the Empire’s conquering hero, had always wanted a perfect successor, which was why he hadn’t appointed a Crown Prince or Crown Princess, allowing his children to compete.

The most prominent figures were the First Prince, Richard, and the First Princess, Seraphina. Both had shown remarkable achievements in their respective fields and possessed exceptional talent worthy of being considered for the throne.

Yet, the Emperor, driven by his ambition to choose the most outstanding successor, had delayed appointing one until now. It was highly likely he would wait until his health deteriorated, as in the game’s narrative.

But the start of the Main Scenario meant the Throne Succession War was beginning.

Gilbert stroked his chin, unable to grasp why the Emperor, known for his stubbornness, had decided to start the war now.

Even though Tactical Combat was a game with high freedom, it still had a set framework and prepared narratives for each character. The Emperor was supposed to delay appointing a successor until his death, leaving the Empire in chaos. But now, that narrative had changed. Even considering this as reality, it felt too sudden.

Or was it because of the recent destruction of Demia Academy?

Reflecting on recent events, that seemed to be the only plausible reason.

Demia Academy had long been a symbol of the Infractus Empire. Attacking the Academy was akin to attacking the Empire’s symbol. The recent assault had caused significant damage, undoubtedly wounding the Empire’s pride and prestige.

Moreover, the fact that the Empire’s inspection team had visited the Academy before the attack only heightened the severity of the situation.

The Emperor, known for his strong pride, wouldn’t let such a challenge to the Imperial Family go unanswered. Having delayed appointing a successor to ensure a perfect legacy, he would undoubtedly want to resolve this situation flawlessly.

So, what could be the solution in such a large-scale crisis?

Perhaps using the media to cover up the issue, as often done in modern times, could be an option. Sensational news could easily divert attention.

Maybe the Empire and the Emperor wanted to shift the continent’s focus through the Throne Succession War. The political landscape could drastically change depending on who became the Empire’s successor. While it was just a possibility, the exact reason would soon be revealed.

Gilbert laid out two notes he had just received side by side.

*[I want to meet.]*

*[Come find Priest Yeol.]*

Gilbert, who had maintained neutrality until now, realized the moment of choice had come.

***

Ian burned the note he received from Prince Richard, ensuring no one saw it, and let out a heavy sigh. The note was brief.

*[The time has come.]*

It meant the First Prince’s faction, which had been lying low, was now ready to act. In other words, they were moving to seize the throne.

For Ian, who wanted to leave a clear mark on the world, this was a welcome development. With Gilbert’s name being mentioned again as a key figure in the recent Resistance incident, Ian realized aligning with Prince Richard was his best bet.

Gilbert had the backing of the First Princess and the Swordmaster. In contrast, Ian lacked such solid support.

While the Line Barrel family was a wealthy Count family with significant political influence, the Lion Heart Count family, with its long history of border lordship, was equally prestigious. Thus, Ian had to rely on other connections, which he lacked.

Originally, he had planned to join Princess Seraphina’s faction, but being in the same faction as Gilbert would overshadow him. Gilbert was the Swordmaster’s disciple, and Seraphina was his student.

Ultimately, Ian had no choice but to align with Prince Richard, the other strong contender for the throne.

“Ian, is this the right choice?”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Ian, preparing to meet Prince Richard, turned to Fressia, who had suddenly spoken up.

“I mean siding with Prince Richard.”

“So, what are you saying? In this situation, if I don’t side with Prince Richard, what else can I do?”

Ian stopped what he was doing and sat in front of Fressia’s core. Having heard constant objections since joining Prince Richard’s faction, he couldn’t brush it off lightly.

While Fressia was a valuable and important presence to him, she couldn’t dictate his life. His life had to flow according to his choices, not others’ opinions.

Of course, he didn’t plan to ignore advice, but they had already discussed this extensively. Bringing it up again made Ian’s tone sharp.

“Fressia, I respect you and think you’re right, but this time, I believe I’m correct. In this situation, siding with Prince Richard is our only option.”

“We should consider remaining neutral.”

“Then I’ll just remain an average figure. I can’t accept that, especially being rated lower than Gilbert.”

Fressia had to admit that Ian was too determined to be persuaded. His ambition for success and honor was stronger than she had thought.

Fressia partly agreed with Ian. Even if he joined Princess Seraphina’s faction, surpassing Gilbert was nearly impossible.

With her support, Ian was talented, but Gilbert was already a near-perfect human, especially in Colossal Mech Piloting.

Remaining neutral, as Fressia suggested, risked falling behind. While neutrality wasn’t inherently bad, in such turbulent times, it wasn’t a good choice for someone seeking success.

Not supporting any side meant no losses, but also no gains. For Ian’s ambitions, neutrality wasn’t worth considering.

However, Fressia still believed neutrality was the best choice, with joining Princess Seraphina’s faction as the second option.

The reason was simple: Gilbert was in Seraphina’s faction.

Fressia had observed Gilbert Lion Heart closely and concluded he was an extraordinary man. His piloting skills were beyond human limits.

When Ian first contracted with Fressia and piloted a Colossal Mech, she was amazed by his high synchronization rate despite his inexperience. According to her calculations, Ian’s talent was in the realm of genius.

Fressia had vowed to make Ian the greatest Colossal Mech Knight, seeing it as her mission as the supreme Artificial Spirit.

But all her vows shattered when she synchronized with Gilbert. Even after some time, she couldn’t forget that moment.

His mana instantly took control, overwhelming her. Though she tried to regain control, his mana was wild and unyielding.

However, Fressia quickly accepted his mana, realizing the potential of synchronizing with Gilbert. Her world completely changed.

While her synchronization with Ian had shown the possibility of perfect alignment, with Gilbert, it was on a different level. It was as if she had become the Colossal Mech itself, an indescribable sensation.

Gilbert’s mana was peculiar—wild when resisted but gentle once accepted, flowing smoothly into her core. Yet, it remained dominant, refusing to be controlled.

Despite this, what truly amazed Fressia was his piloting skills. His control was beyond anything she had imagined, as if a god had poured all talent into one person.

Fressia looked at Ian with pity, worried his spirit might break knowing the gap between him and Gilbert.

“I understand. If that’s your decision, I’ll follow.”

“Fressia, I appreciate your concern, but trust me. I will become the best. It’s destined.”

Ian clenched his fist with determination, but Fressia couldn’t bring herself to agree.

 

---