The other side has impressive numbers.
As for us, we have ten mastis led by Marf...
and Aymer.
If only Eldan were on our side, too.
Even if Eldan has his doubts, I wrote back that he should follow orders.
But wasn't there another letter after that?
About the other side's military might and when he should plan to switch sides?
He has a laudable dream.
I told him not to risk ruining it.
Shouldn't we have the onikin here?
Or at least Lady Alna?
I promised to keep the onikin village a secret,
and Alna has the important duty of hiding ours
and our people with Concealment, should it become necessary.
In other words, this falls on us alone.
Yeah. I hope this works, everyone.
Sir!
Woof!
To be honest,
it's easy enough to rebuild our yurts, and we have those carriages.
We could have run all over the plains to evade them.
But that would've meant abandoning the garden Senai and Ayhan
have put so much love into.
As their lord, and as their kin, I must defend their emotional supports.
Dias, what is that?
It's a war bell.
It's for signaling commands during battle.
A series of clangs means all forces are to charge.
Once it stops, they'll come running!
Lord Dias, do we stick to the plan?
Yeah.
We'll go with Aymer's strategy.
Run around and lead them into the pitfalls!
We'll find a way to split up the enemy forces,
then take Diane down with a surprise attack.
I'd rather avoid any of the kingdom's subjects having to kill one another.
Although I'm not sure that's going to remain an option.
The heavy infantry halted?
The left and right flanks haven't even budged.
What kind of tactic is this?
Oh, attendants just went running from Diane to each flank.
Messengers?
Then why'd they bother bringing the war bell?
What now?
We wait and watch until they make a move.
Lord Eldan!
Did you not hear the order for all forces to charge?!
I'm honoring my father's dying wish
that I always comport myself as a noble and observe teatime.
You think that reckless remark justifies your defiance of a royal decree?!
I've obeyed the royal decree.
Indeed.
We've furnished you with more than enough provisions, funds, and troops.
Now you wish me to send in my forces?
No decent person would stoop to siccing a thousand men on a mere two opponents.
But if you still insist, I think waiting until teatime's over
would be the polite thing to do for the party requesting help.
Another plot... I mean, another pot, please.
By all means.
I thought there was somethin' funny about this.
None of the other bands would touch this job.
Captain Gordon, should we just be standing here?
We're leaving.
Huh?
But there's only two of them!
And the payout is huge.
Listen here.
If we go against Dias,
every mercenary in the kingdom will turn on us.
He saved a whole bunch of mercs during the war.
But...
Any fool in this business who'd challenge him
is either a coward who sat out the war or no better than a bandit.
You louts!
What are you doing?! Take up your arms and charge!
When you don't tell us who we're up against on hire, we've got a problem.
That's your advance back.
Huh?!
For some reason, the mercenaries are withdrawing.
Eldan is having tea. Buying time, I guess.
It doesn't seem like Diane's plan is going too well.
That just leaves us to face the fifty troops in the center.
Looks like they're lacking in both morale and experience.
I doubt we'll lose if we work together.
Let's change up the plan.
We'll best and neutralize the soldiers,
then give Diane a good whack, too.
That ought to bring her to her senses.
Aymer, cover your ears.
Okay.
That was a good battle cry.
If Dias refuses to lay a hand on her, we'll have to handle this ourselves.
It's important for wives to support their husbands on the battlefield.
Right!
We of the Iluk Wives' Club will do our part!
Safety. Treasure. Good news.
Success. Reverberation?
"Reverberation" makes me wonder a bit,
but with these tidings, I think we can rest assured.
Lady Maya.
How did it go?
Just fine. No need for concern.
Oh, that's good.
And it's not as if your fortune-telling has ever been wrong.
Thank you, Lady Maya.
Thank you.
I made a promise.
That I'd protect everyone...
and return alive!
That leaves about half of them.
I'd say!
Their movements are superb, just like we trained.
Plus, they have those fangs and cloaks made from earth dragon materials.
Klaus thought up this equipment for the small-ilk,
and it's making a huge difference.
Okay, just a little more...
Kamalotz, how would you evaluate the way they fight?
Let me see...
First, the most striking things are Lord Dias's seemingly endless stamina
and his tremendous, devastating strength.
Yet he's holding back.
I'm at a loss for words.
I daresay Sir Klaus functions perfectly as Lord Dias's right hand.
The exploits of the small-ilk are also captivating.
It would seem we undervalued them.
I'm ashamed to admit it.
I was blind as well.
Who would have guessed they could fight so well?
Lord Dias is doing all the teaching here.
The mercenaries fled, and the Kasdeks brat won't do as I say!
The soldiers I brought are worthless and weak!
And what use is the first king's scepter
that "reduced ten thousand to ash"?!
It's not even smoking!
What? What's going on?
Where'd those come from?!
What now, Lady Alna?
Should we bite her? Bark at her?
First, I want you ladies to grab some spoils.
The horse and that weird-shaped rod thing.
I'm going to drive her deep into the eastern forest.
Concealment won't work on you once I move away,
so keep your distance from the enemy.
Will do.
I'm going to teach you a lesson in fear so you never try this again.
It'd be much faster to just end her,
but Dias seems to have a distaste for killing.
If those are my husband's wishes, I'll simply support him.
We're in luck.
Good thing Dias hasn't killed you yet.
Begging your pardon.
Okay, and we've safely recovered the seal, too.
We're late to the party, but it everything worked out.
If you hadn't checked out all those eateries,
we'd be long done with this job!
Come on, now.
Who's there?!
Was one of Dias's men chasing her even now?
Hey! Hold on a minute!
We aren't Dias's enemies! In fact, we're on his side!
We're here by order of Richard,
who was Dias's apprentice... His student, maybe?
Look! These are gold coins Richard sends for Dias!
I'm gonna leave them for you!
Things'll work out best for Dias if we turn this woman over to Richard!
Please believe me!
F-Fine!
You can have that pouch, too!
Okay.
Let's get outta here.
Y-Yeah!
He must be involved with an orphan Dias raised,
but his Soul Appraisal was white tinged with red.
Anyway, I'll head back and inform Dias of this.
He's probably tired from all the fighting.
I'll make him something delicious.
In fact...
Great job, Dias. It's massage time.
Just make yourself comfortable.
Leave everything in my hands. All of it.
THE FRONTIER LORD AND THE GRASSLAND BATTLE
Looks like it's over.
Yes, sir!
You all did well!
Let out a cry of triumph!
Victory is ours!
No losses on our side.
The enemy soldiers probably suffered a few injuries, but no fatalities.
It's too bad their ringleader, Diane, got away.
I wanted to give her a piece of my mind.
Ow!
If you didn't want to kill anyone,
you should've used the pitfalls like we planned!
The way you fight, I'm surprised you survived the war!
In the war, I had a comrade who was good at tactics,
so I fought the way he said to.
Lord Dias!
I've come to surrender and discuss the release of prisoners!
Eldan.
Negotiating about prisoners is one thing, but surrendering?
What are you thinking?
We led an invading army into your territory.
Royal law considers this a border violation and an act of aggression.
Okay, but to call it an aggression is...
Diane has fled, and the credibility of that royal decree is in question.
We must surrender to you immediately and sue for peace.
Yes, but you were never...
Dias.
Eldan wants to be able to say he surrendered and reconciled with you.
All right. Then I accept your peace proposal.
You've done right by me, so I'm fine with you setting the terms.
I'm grateful for your generous gesture.
I plan to seek an audience with His Majesty,
so any additional bargaining chips would be helpful.
You're going to bargain with the king? Impressive.
Well, feel free to mention my name or whatever you need.
Thank you kindly!
Looks like today was a big win, Dias.
I have to say, you were very manly.
Alna!
I was chasing after Diane,
and I came across a messenger from a child you raised.
His name is Richard, apparently.
Richard?
I was told that Richard would pass judgment on Diane.
He also sent along this money for you.
Talk about a boy who values his father figure!
Richard? Did I know a kid named that?
The Iluk Wives' Club is making it easy to haul the spoils.
Yeah.
The reparation goods from Eldan meant more to lug, so I appreciate it.
By the way...
What?
I thought I asked you to stay behind so you could hide the whole village
if it came down to that.
And I told you last night...
The Wives' Club will be there tomorrow, too.
M'kay.
Did you just answer automatically?
I'm sorry.
Honestly! How could I hole up in the village during such an important battle?
Welcome home, Dias!
Welcome home!
We're back.
Canis!
Klaus!
I kept my promise!
Thank you for coming home.
We'll sort this out tomorrow.
Yeah, good idea.
Looks like Klaus is busy anyway.
I love you, Canis.
I love you too, Klaus!
Excuse me.
Could I take a look at that rod?
There are signs that magical energy is stored in that gem.
Want me to test it by adding some?
Intox, iko, fifte...
Tefif, yurst, steek, tolnee...
Nothing's happening.
This feeling...
It reminds me of my battle-axe.
THE ROYAL CAPITAL
Please, give me one more chance!
Next time... Next time, I will kill him!
What can I hope for from someone who's failed thrice before?
I beg you!
Without your funding, Prince Meiser, I—
I have no more money to spare on an incompetent like you!
Go die in a ditch.
Please, wait!
Just one more chance!
I swear I won't fail!
Diane incurred Father's wrath, and she's been confined to the temple.
And it's come out that Prince Meiser
appropriated the money and goods meant for Dias.
Meiser claims a noble in his faction acted on his own,
so he's escaped any direct punishment, but his faction has also collapsed.
Which means you're a big step closer to being the next king, Richard.
That it does.
Prince Richard?
Yeesh.
Why's he in such a bad mood?
It would appear that Prince Richard is the sole winner here,
but he says the true victor was the lord of Kasdeks.
You mean young Eldan?!
When he had his audience with His Majesty,
the lord of Kasdeks asked for several rewards.
One of them was...
I request a three-year tax break for my territory
as well as Lord Dias's.
Fine by me.
After all, I erred in all this too by allowing the seal to leave my presence.
Kasdeks controls all western trade.
If they pay no taxes for three years,
it will strengthen them excessively.
That's a problem we can't ignore.
But it was young Eldan who outed Meiser,
and the king adores Dias, so how could he refuse?
And to complicate things further...
If I may offer my humble opinion,
I believe Prince Richard would be a fitting choice as the next king.
Yes, indeed.
Now that it's come to this,
it'd be difficult to urge His Majesty to revoke the tax exemption.
Because he can hardly go undercutting his own supporter.
It's no wonder Prince Richard is annoyed.
That young lord sure knows what he's doing, though.
Yeah.
He excels at exploiting opportunity,
although it was Dias who gave him this one.
This whole chain of events started with him.
I'll say. I'm just glad I didn't run across him.
Oh, that reminds me.
I managed to recover the seal, but the royal scepter is still missing.
That rod is great!
It's easier than flint!
Here, I'll put more magical energy into it.
Alna?
Dias, if you're worried about anything, you can come to me anytime.
Thanks?
Let's turn in for the night.
We're tired, and we can't let that mess up tomorrow.
NEZROSE DOMAIN STATUS REPORT 23 MASTI, 25 SENJI, 30 SHEP THE TWINS' GARDEN, WAR BELL, CISTERN