――The battle between the Imperial Army and the Rebel Army that erupted in the capital city of the Volakia Empire, Rupugana, has now entered its final phase, sowing chaos everywhere.

It was even more so after “Vincent Volakia” fell to the brutal light in front of the throne of the Crystal Palace at the heart of the capital. The abandonment of duty by the “Nine Divine Generals,” who were ordered to guard the city walls, and the sudden reappearance of the Empire’s main force, which had been declared missing, along with the mysterious group from the west opening a huge hole in the battlefield, were undoubtedly all seeds of chaos.

However, currently, the most significant seed sprouting from this war scene was――、

“――Follow me! The situation is already beyond the realm of armed conflict between the regular army and the rebels! The victory conditions have shifted due to the intervention of a third party!”

Standing atop a mountain of rubble, a man shouted from an impromptu stage.

With sharp black eyes harboring heated reason, his dry blood stuck to his black hair, he voiced a resonant call even amidst the thunderous sounds of the battlefield, a strikingly handsome figure.

In a battlefield ruled by violence――no, within the oppressive grasp of the Volakia Empire, what could one find intriguing in the powerless stance of that man?

Even if one wished to mock him, no one laughed. Instead, they listened intently.

The blood that flowed within them as subjects of the Empire, the very way the man defined himself, kept their ears attuned to the voice resonating from the awkward pedestal.

――From Vincent Volakia himself, who shouted for the throne atop the rubble.

“――――”

The declaration made by Vincent echoed loudly, and those nearby who heard it were quite prominent.

Among them were Goz Ralfon and Roswaal Dunkelken, members of the “Nine Divine Generals,” along with Belstet Fondalfon, the Chancellor of the Empire, and Ubiruku, granted special access to the Imperial Palace as a “Star Reader.”

Given their roles in the recent fierce clashes, facing each other defenseless at this distance could only be termed suicidal.

However――、

“Moguro Hagane is keeping things in check, but what confronts us above is none other than Balroi Temegurif, who should be dead. Somehow, he has been resurrected along with his beloved dragon.”

“I have something to report regarding that matter, Your Excellency.――I encountered Lady Lamia Godwin in the audience chamber. I believe it was indeed her, just as she was back then.”

“You! That report should have been brought forth by me! Your Excellency! It’s not just Lady Lamia; there were other nobles who perished during the ‘Election Ceremony’ as well!”

In response to Vincent’s words, it was Belstet and Goz who answered.

Goz, who continued to offer unwavering loyalty to Vincent despite being missing, was one thing, but Belstet’s shift was a source of annoyance.

That said, Belstet’s interests have always lain in the prosperity of the Volakia Empire, so it was only natural for this old man to act in a way befitting the dire circumstances that threatened the Empire’s existence.

If one could set such grievances aside as trifles, the points of concern for Vincent became clearer.

“Ubiruku, you were aware of the impending ‘Great Calamity,’ weren’t you? Then tell me, is the resurrection of Balroi Temegurif, Lamia, and the other nobles the ‘Great Calamity’ itself?”

“Regarding that, I can only say ‘yes’ and ‘no,’ Your Excellency. I heard whispers suggesting that the trigger for the ‘Great Calamity’ lies in the death of Vincent Volakia and so I schemed various plans to prevent the Empire’s downfall…”

“Are you saying you know nothing of the details?”

In response to the inquiry, Ubiruku nodded with a goofy expression.

It was somewhat of an expected answer, but the reassurance gleaned was a boon for Vincent. The fact that Ubiruku’s adherence to him as a “Star Reader” stood in opposition to the “Great Calamity” was evidently clear, as proved by the very existence of his salvation from his fall.

“If that’s the case, then your presence here is beyond consideration. Just ensure you maneuver so as not to die.”

“Your Excellency! Please allow me to handle this situation and prioritize your safety! I, Goz Ralfon, shall work myself to the bone to redeem the disgrace of my absence――”

“――Be silent.”

“――!”

With a single glance at the impassioned Goz, Vincent quelled his fervor with a word.

Goz, whose loyalty to the Emperor and the desperation stemming from having missed such a crucial moment craved redemption, had already fulfilled a substantial role by aiding Vincent’s escape from Chisha’s rebellion.

Without Goz’s efforts, Vincent would likely have been captured by Chisha, and under the current circumstances, such a scenario could not even have materialized.――Indeed, the situation is being crafted.

“――――”

Rubbing his chin, Vincent mentally drew a map of the capital, piecing together the scenario.

The blood shed and the depleted stamina impacted his cognitive abilities, but fortunately, the pain from the collarbone strike he received from Chisha in the throne room stimulated his awareness. His spirit remained robust.

Surely, he didn’t consider that this pain might play right into Chisha’s schemes――、

“Um? I apologize for interrupting your spirited conversation, but I do have a role in enchanting the world, so would it be alright if I took my leave?”

“What!? General Cecilis!? What are you saying!?”

“Well, I’ve caught wind of the title of general a couple of times, but I’m afraid it hasn’t stuck in my head at all due to lack of interest. If that’s the case, how unfortunate for whoever gets compared to me!”

In that situation, it wasn’t just Vincent’s mind racing around.

Within a radius of several dozen meters――in the range of a single step for the giant Moguro, the battle between the dragon “Mezoleia” and Balroi continued.

The water from the shattered reservoir was visible as it gushed forth, and it was only a matter of time before waves came crashing over the entire capital. On top of that, the one causing the ruckus was the diminutive Cecilis.

Despite Goz, Belstet, and Roswaal awaiting Vincent’s decision, this young thunderbolt was clearly outside of their expectations.

Even his appearance matched with a juvenile disposition, Cecilis was hardly swayed by Vincent’s declaration, looking instead with eyes that could not fully yield to the situation.

“Your earlier speech was quite impressive! Surely the fact that you are the Emperor of Volakia holds some truth, but unfortunately, I will not bow to others based solely on that! If you wish to alter my path, then you must prepare a flower road for me!”

“――Just like Natsuki Subaru did, huh?”

“――? Unfortunately, I don’t know who that is. The name resembles someone I’m familiar with, but I feel like we just talked about it with a pretty lady earlier.”

Tilting his head and awkwardly flailing his short legs, Cecilis answered.

What worried him about that “pretty lady” remained undisclosed, but Vincent was certain now that with the unexpected group ravaging the battlefield from the west, it was Natsuki Subaru leading them, who had likely brought Cecilis along.

And――、

“Your refusal to follow my command is not a new occurrence. Go on and run as you wish.”

“Oh? A conversation partner I can understand. Though, let me be clear: I have no intention of obeying like a good little boy!”

“Cecilis.”

As Vincent made the decision to let him go, Cecilis waved goodbye and was about to leap into action. But upon hearing his name called, the young lightning bolt turned to respond, “Yes?”

To those eyes, still bearing the same difficulties as their first meeting,

“I shall prepare a stage for you to shine, just as we agreed upon long ago.”

“――Ah ha!”

With Vincent’s brief declaration, Cecilis left behind a small laugh before vanishing.

Such speed that left no trace behind; he remained the strongest in Volakia, even if still incomplete.

Regardless――、

“Your Excellency, was that acceptable? General Cecilis…”

“Much like your and Ubiruku’s treatment, there’s no time to be occupied with trifles. More importantly――”

Rather than fussing over the management of the vanished Cecilis, more pressing matters required attention.

Vincent faced Belstet’s narrowed eyes and announced in a voice loud enough for Goz and Roswaal to hear.

That was――、

“――We will abandon the capital. We shall retreat while preserving as much fighting force as possible.”

△▼△▼△▼△

Riding a red whirlwind horse, a group dashed through the swirling chaos of the capital.

At the forefront was none other than Natsuki Subaru, flanked by the accompanying cavalry Idra Misanga and the powerful girl, Tanzer, making the Pleiades Battalion’s breakthrough strength apparent.

“And now, we have Beatrice and Lui as our strongest backup, riding along with us!”

In the front, Subaru’s short arms cradled Beatrice, while Lui clung to his back, snuggling in.

Unexpectedly, the adult Idra was leading the four younger members, but――、

“――Miiina!”

“Uahh!”

“My apologies!”

Beatrice’s violet arrow, released with a wave of her hand, and Lui’s omnidirectional attacks moved unabated, while Tanzer’s fierce fists swept away foes, clearing the path.

Diving past the ruined wall into the capital city, Subaru and his comrades aimed for the distant Crystal Palace――the sparkling castle where the false Emperor resided.

If they could defeat the false Emperor, the ephemeral chaos that Subaru had been involuntarily drawn into within the Volakia Empire could find closure.

Believing that, they charged forth with reckless abandon.

“Schwarz! They just keep popping up wherever we go! What the hell is going on!?”

With a voice strained by primal fear, Idra exclaimed.

The unease in his grip rippled through the stormhorse beneath him, but even that was a ruthless demand for restraint.

Because――、

“What the hell are these pale-faced guys!?”

Once they set foot in the capital, it was expected they would encounter fierce resistance from the Empire’s soldiers.

However, after the initial welcome, the ones blocking Subaru and the others were all bizarre beings, unsettling in their pale complexion.

These creatures, with white faces and golden eyes, bore cracks across their bodies like glass and obstructed Subaru and the others with a chilling detachment.

――No, they didn’t merely obstruct Subaru and his group.

“Schwarz-sama, those fellows are also attacking the Imperial soldiers!”

Shoving one of the pale-faced beings away and slamming it against the wall, Tanzer reported back.

As she indicated, what unfolded at the corner of their eyes was a reality where the “enemy” tortured the Imperial soldiers stationed in the city, rather than head toward Subaru and his group.

Naturally, those “enemies” had no regard for Subaru’s feelings. They wielded their weapons mercilessly to take lives.

And so――、

“――Tanzer! I’m counting on you!”

“I know.”

Hearing Subaru’s reckless request, Tanzer sprang into action.

She charged toward the enemy lines, pursuing the grouping intent on claiming lives, striking them down with the weight of her thick-soled shoes.

“――!?”

A short grunt could be heard as the “enemy” was catapulted into buildings left and right.

As structures crumbled and clouds of dust rose, the soldiers saved by Tanzer were spared a grim fate. Tanzer glanced at them and said, “Get out of here,” urging their escape.

Fortunately, the rescued soldiers did not pursue Tanzer but chose to flee.

“That’s a relief… but these guys are…”

While Tanzer’s intervention spared unwanted casualties, Subaru found himself caught in Tanzer’s kick, gasping at the sight of the ruined remains of the “enemy” smashed against the buildings.

The reason the “enemy” didn’t rise again after falling was partly due to Tanzer’s overwhelming strength but primarily due to their inability to stand at all.

The bodies of the “enemies” were shattered and broken, not grotesquely decomposed but rather in a manner akin to a ceramic cup dropped on the floor.

There wasn’t even blood flowing. It was as if no blood existed within them at all.

“What kind of mechanism is this? Like puppets or robots…?”

“――Could it be the ‘Secret Art of the Undying King’?”

“――! You have some clue, Beatrice?”

Leaning into Subaru’s chest, trusting him fully, Beatrice didn’t let Subaru miss her words.

In response to Subaru’s reaction, Beatrice slightly tilted her chin.

“Once a body dies, a spell that calls the soul back into it… It could be some form of forbidden magic. Originally, it was something my mother researched, but it should have ended in incompleteness.”

“So, it’s a necromancer-type magic for reviving the dead. My brain’s a bit foggy, but your mother sounds pretty awful!”

“Well, it’s not the first time you’ve spoken ill of her, but I should warn you, if you keep saying it, Betty will get angry.”

Told by the frowning Beatrice, Subaru stuck out his tongue and closed one eye in apology.

However, he couldn’t ignore the adorable Beatrice’s opinion. If it was that “Secret Art of the Undying King,” generating those “enemies,” it conjured a deeper concern.

“Are there necromancer-type guys among the ‘Nine Divine Generals’ of the Empire?”

“If there’s such a thing, then Abel should’ve discussed it beforehand. Plus, that would imply they can’t distinguish friend from foe.”

“Given the Empire’s ethics are already warped, that wouldn’t be surprising… Wait! You know about Abel!?”

“…I do know.”

At the unexpected mention of a name from Beatrice, Subaru’s eyes widened. To his surprise, Beatrice confirmed it with a grim expression.

Seeing that Beatrice had an established connection to Abel—a mere coincidence is unlikely, given her serious demeanor.

As for Abel, known for having conflicts with everyone, it would be no surprise that he clashed with Beatrice too.

Just thinking about the type of insufferable attitude he could have inflicted upon her churned Subaru’s stomach.

“――Of course, he’s here, isn’t he?”

In this crucial moment, it was hard to believe Abel would not be present amid the conflict, but not knowing the exact structure of the rebel forces, hearing it bluntly struck a different chord.

If Abel was indeed present, Subaru would have to adopt a strategy that accounted for that.

“So, should I leave the zombie countermeasures to him? Or maybe I should dash off with cute Beatrice, who knows a lot about zombies… Ouch, ouch, ouch! What!?”

“Muu, you seem to have an irritating look on your face.”

“Why!? This cute yet cheeky glare is just how I was born!?”

“Seeing your oddly calming reaction to hearing Abel’s name irritated me.”

As Beatrice pinched his thigh, Subaru twitched his mouth in a frown.

Although he couldn’t quite pinpoint how he felt about it, he sensed that in the time apart, Beatrice’s gaze on him had grown stern.

Sure, he acknowledged Abel’s aptitude, but he would never feel perfectly at ease simply upon hearing that name during such a large-scale conflict.

In all honesty, it was a more delightful affair to simply meet Beatrice than to deal with Abel.

“You’re the one for me, Beatrice, so don’t get it twisted.”

“In that case, you should prove that going forward.”

“Yeah, of course!”

In response to Beatrice’s demand for evidence, Subaru slapped Idra’s shoulder and forced the stormhorse to a halt.

There was no signs of enemies or civilians nearby, but they needed to decide on their strategy moving forward.

“Schwarz-sama, now that your playful shenanigans have concluded, what will you do?”

“You’re such a prick! I wasn’t messing around! And, Beatrice! Does that zombie magic stop if the caster goes down?”

As Tanzer’s expression turned cold, Subaru sought Beatrice’s detailed opinion. After being asked, she fiddled with her own curls while responding.

“Magic that interferes with another’s body typically falls under light or dark magic. Generally speaking, if the caster gets taken out, the magic effects typically cease. Hence, I’d like to think this falls into that category as well.”

“That’s a bit wishful thinking, isn’t it? You’re not sure?”

“Even Betty is seeing ‘The Secret Art of the Undying King’ for the first time! I can’t just casually jump to conclusions about that without proof—it’s a rather childish irresponsibility!”

“Calm down, calm down! So, does that mean the effective range, or where the magic is being enacted, is still unclear?”

“……Regrettably, it all depends on the user.”

Perhaps realizing she might provoke Tanzer with such a response, Beatrice glanced towards her, but Tanzer didn’t criticize her for her moment of vulnerability.

In that regard, Tanzer had a quaint sense of not belittling others, even if they didn’t quite match.

“This isn’t the time for squabbling, and that’s a relief. Thank you, Beatrice.”

“That’s quite a compliment, but not a good answer.”

As he stroked her head in gratitude, Beatrice puffed her cheeks. The urge to poke her plump cheeks was strong, but the situation felt too dire to indulge in that.

Given the circumstances, that zombie attack clearly reflected an unusual situation.

Knowing that Imperial soldiers had been targeted, it indicated the presence of a necromancer among the rebels, and Abel’s deceased humanity might be orchestrating a strategy that disregarded human life. While it was possible, the method of deployment unsettled Subaru, and the emergence of those zombies felt off-kilter.

These zombies didn’t appear to have entered the city from outside but instead seemed to have manifested inside, wreaking havoc.

If it were Abel’s plot, then initiating an exhausting war from the start seemed the more prudent choice. It could be that tactics unknown to Subaru were at play.

“I’ll need to reconsider how I deal with these zombies, in that case.”

Moreover, although only a vague feeling, Subaru sensed Abel might politically utilize “death” but would avoid using the “dead” as a combat force.

It felt like the very nature of Abel’s perspective on life and death was incompatible with that.

Thus――、

“The existence of this Zombie Master must be an aberration. If we strike down the false Emperor in the castle and the war doesn’t end…”

“What then, Schwarz? We’ll follow your lead.”

“Idra…”

As Subaru placed a hand on his chin, Idra turned just his head, offering his trust in Subaru.

This was not him passing the responsibility off onto Subaru, but rather a testament he was willing to gamble with his own life alongside Subaru in these dire straits.

In this way, Subaru willingly accepted that stance.

He needed to fulfill his obligations. Thanks to Idra and the rest of the Pleiades Battalion, Subaru’s ability to act had broadened compared to before.

“This feels a bit lacking in decisiveness, but ultimately… Ow ow ow! That hurts!”

“Subaru!?” “Schwarz-sama!?”

Acknowledging his newfound sense of responsibility, Subaru was yanked out of his thoughts by a sudden pain, drawing shock from Beatrice and Tanzer.

This time, the source of his discomfort wasn’t Beatrice or Tanzer, nor was it Idra――、

“What the hell, Lui! Don’t pull my hair! I worked hard to maintain my luscious locks, seeking not to suffer as I age into baldness…”

“Uahh! U! Ah! Au!”

“What is it!?”

While protecting his scalp from the tug, Subaru noticed Lui desperately trying to convey something to him.

She was tapping his back, pointing toward the north of the capital――the direction of the Crystal Palace, though slightly aside from there, gesturing incessantly.

He understood she was encouraging him to go that way.

“What’s over there?”

“Ahh!”

In reply to Subaru’s question, Lui called out again in a higher pitch.

Though it felt wrong to say this, she appeared to be quite mentally stable since reuniting with Subaru. Despite their complicated relationship, he genuinely felt relieved by her safety.

With that in mind, if Lui was energetically urging him toward something important――、

“――Beatrice, let me ask you one thing. Is everyone together?”

“……Not everyone is.”

Responding to Subaru’s quiet inquiry, Beatrice’s answer was deliberately evasive.

However, it was not because she wished to keep things buried, but rather to shield Subaru from further shock. Understanding the rationale behind her hesitance only made him realize she did so out of care.

So――、

“Tanzer, Idra! And Beatrice and Lui too, change of plans!”

Summing up what needed to be done, Subaru called out to his group centered around the stormhorse.

It seemed the battle surrounding the capital would not calm down but rather escalate. Given the unknowns that surrounded the zombies and their master, they needed to prepare.

That logic was perfectly sound, but――、

“First, we’re heading toward where Lui is pointing! We need to pick up something important there!”

“Something to do with Lui… is someone ahead over there?”

From Subaru’s proclamation, Beatrice grasped that something lay ahead in the direction indicated by Lui.

Nodding at Beatrice’s words, Subaru turned to Tanzer and Idra who were gazing at him intently, continuing.

That was――、

“――We’ll pick up Rem and escape the capital with as many people as possible! It’s a race against time!”

And so, the decision unconsciously mirrored that of a man who was not present at the scene.