○
In the year she turned fifteen, Arpina entered the Royal Magic School of the Kakia Kingdom.
It was a much earlier age than her peers.
"Miss Arpina's talent is very special."
"But her bloodline..."
"Tut-tut. Before the path of great magic, all such things are mere trifles."
At this point, she was already a psychologist, and at the same time, an excellent mental magician.
"Miss Maelstrom. Be careful. Peering into people's hearts is like a double-edged sword."
"Yes. Thank you, Professor."
While thanking the professor who particularly cared for her, Arpina inwardly sneered.
She already knew.
The secret that he abused his wife and children every night.
"I'm already being careful enough. Because I'm still keeping your secret."
While watching the professor's face turn pale with cynicism, she manipulated him from behind.
Growing up like that at school, at twenty, Arpina became the youngest professor of her time at the Kakia Royal Magic School.
"Professor. I have something to tell you..."
"Hello, Professor. I have a concern..."
At this point, she had gained fame as the kingdom's top psychologist and counselor.
"Who says that what's in your heart is wrong...?"
"Pour out your true feelings. And become free."
Students constantly visited her office, and she made those numerous students gradually reveal their 'true feelings'.
This produced many individuals with twisted desires within the Royal Magic School, but that problem was completely buried.
"Someone high up has taken an interest in your research."
"It's an honor."
It was partly because all those twisted by Arpina were nobles, but more significantly because it was the royal family who had begun sponsoring her, who had orchestrated this.
"Professor, I..."
It was on one such day.
That she made the great discovery that became the new source of her pleasure and desire.
"I want to erase my memories, can you help me?"
○
On the fourth day after the outbreak of war.
The aura of madness and chaos enveloping the southwestern battlefield grew even more rapidly intense.
Of course, there were several reasons behind this.
Including a few tricks created by Libertas.
"What are these mongrels...? Ah, human mercenaries."
The mercenaries bribed by Evangeline infiltrated the rear of Matepith and roamed around, plundering as they pleased. But their unrestrained rampage came to an end after just three days of the war's outbreak.
Libertas had originally planned to 'dispose' of them after some time had passed.
But fate was truly strange.
As luck would have it, a few days earlier than planned, the paths of these mercenaries wandering to harass Matepith's rear coincided with Nirvana's monsters.
"What should we do? Great Master."
-...
Camellia, the red camellia Alraune leading the monsters, wisely waited for nightfall and received instructions from Libertas.
-Do as you please. There's no need to invest other manpower.
"Run away! Run!"
"Where can we run to! We're surrounded on all sides!"
"Wh-where did these monsters come from-!!"
Just before dawn broke, Camellia commanded the monsters to massacre them brutally. Without missing a single one.
"Let's go."
Her footsteps, along with those of the monsters, headed straight for Matepith's rear.
Currently, Damamollon's forces were relatively stronger, but they had to make sure the people of Matepith were starving as well.
"They're dead? Ha! Good riddance!"
"Damn it, Hret...?"
In Matepith, they saw their demise as karmic retribution, while on the Damamollon side, they gnashed their teeth in anger at the gruesome deaths of their comrades.
This mercenary group was notorious as plunderers in Matepith, but they were the ones who had brought back Viola's remains, the daughter of the Damamollon lord.
The two camps had different opinions, but there was one commonality.
That they both believed the deaths of the mercenaries were the work of the Matepith knight order.
This was due to the cruel marks on the mercenaries' corpses that seemed like 'personal revenge'.
"Here! There are corpses!"
Meanwhile, another incident occurred at the riverside where the Lizardmen had retreated and disappeared.
There, where supply had been disrupted due to unidentified attackers, Damamollon's knights discovered equipment from the Matepith army.
"This equipment... it's Matepith's standard issue! It was them after all!"
"Wait. This seems odd..."
"Let's make them pay!"
"These fucking bastards... messing with our food?"
The opinion that it was strange for them to bring standard equipment for rear attacks and disruption was soon swept away by waves of anger and resentment.
Moreover, when the mercenaries heard that the reason they were fighting on empty stomachs was due to Matepith's actions, they were seized by even greater anger and hatred.
"Let's kill those monkeys...!"
"Tear apart those dogs of the Empire!!"
Retaliation calls for more revenge, and revenge leads to more resentment.
It was even more vicious in that the direction of all this revenge was wrong.
"Ah, Sienna...!"
"Viola... Viola..."
Now, only their families remembered the girl and Viola who had become the starting point of all this tragedy.
"But why is that culprit here?"
"Who knows..."
Except for these women who unintentionally reminded of that initial resentment.
○
According to the analysis of each country's leadership and Libertas's plan, the ignition point of the southwestern front of Heisen was the tragic death of a young girl.
This incident earned Matepith's public indignation and created the initial emotion that would become the fuse of war.
Damamollon amplified Matepith's anger by refusing to investigate the incident, and as a result, intended to draw out their declaration of war.
According to the original plan, this would have ended as a small-scale war.
It would have ended after causing some casualties.
Although feelings between the two countries' citizens would have deepened, they would have learned the lesson that a peaceful state is better nonetheless.
"But why is that culprit here?"
"Maybe they just ran away after seeing things getting bigger."
The culprit who created that emotion was originally supposed to be discovered later by Damamollon's side, handed over to Matepith, and finally end all resentment with an execution ceremony.
But by an unexpected coincidence.
The culprit, fearing the crisis of death, hid in the mountains and ended up encountering Kamaya's group who were already hiding there.
"I-I'm sorry...! Please! I only did what I was told!"
"No, I should be grateful to you."
"What...?"
"So I'll send you off in one go."
The hand holding the polearm was raised towards the sky.
Libertas's forces had gained a great opportunity thanks to this mercenary.
But there was no reason to keep him alive. Because he happened to discover the appearance of 'suspicious people' with the sleeping Viola.
"Wait a moment, Your Majesty."
"Hmm?"
Josephine stopped Kamaya. She had found an interesting part in his last words.
"Who told you to do what?"
"Huh...? Aren't you from Matepith? To investigate that incident..."
Kamaya and Josephine's eyes met.
The culprit seemed to have misunderstood due to Josephine's noble attire and their hiding in a shabby cave.
That they were investigators dispatched from Matepith.
Josephine acted quickly before the culprit could become suspicious.
"Yes, that's right."
"I-I see. But I only did what I was told! I did as those who kidnapped my wife said! They said they'd return her if I did as they said...!"
As Josephine calmly nodded, the culprit began to spill everything without hesitation.
Although he didn't mention it directly, his words were full of elements implying that the fundamental cause of this conflict lay in Matepith's plan.
Swoosh-!!
Right after spilling everything, the culprit fell under Kamaya's blade.
As she had said at first, it was a strike so fast that he couldn't even perceive his death.
There was no reason to keep him alive in an uncontrolled state.
Even if this information were to be used, Libertas had the power to recreate everything necessary with just his corpse anyway.
"Killing one's own kind to maintain power. While cherishing their own children so much, the children of neighbors who aren't even enemies are mere tools?"
"..."
To Kamaya's muttering while wiping her crescent-shaped blade, Josephine silently nodded.
She too empathized with those words.
Kamaya and Josephine were people who knew how to cherish others' children as much as they loved their own.
Just cold enough to be able to 'choose' when the time comes.
"Reporting to Master."
The Harpy Queen opened communication to Libertas.
Her calm and heavy voice was as composed as ever.
-Well done. There was no need to report.
"I thought you should know about all anomalies."
-Yes... Your loyalty always pleases me.
At Libertas's words, a small smile crossed Kamaya's lips.
Although it was just for a moment, the emotion it contained was clearly excitement.
-Wait a little longer. There will be movement from the north. If the Harpies provide an aerial view of the battlefield, it will be of great help to Elena.
"Understood."
Kamaya nodded, then clenched her fist and thumped her chest.
"I look forward to seeing you again, Master."
-Yes. Good work.
As the communication ended, Kamaya turned to Josephine.
The human noble woman had already finished preparing for the journey on foot. To bring Viola to Libertas.
"Are you sure you don't need an escort?"
To Kamaya's gruff but caring question, Josephine smiled while trying to hide her blushing face.
"It's alright. Now that war has broken out in the south, it's natural for the Marquis to tighten control over the territory, and all thieves will be cautious too."
"What I'm worried about is your faces being discovered by that Marquis."
Kamaya's concern was justified.
Josephine had an appearance that was recognizable as noble at a glance, and Viola also boasted outstanding beauty befitting a young lady of high nobility.
An awake noblewoman and a noble girl sleeping in a carriage would attract attention anywhere.
However, Josephine just smiled leisurely.
Because she already knew that reliable insurance was nearby.
"Then, I think we can get help from Miss Elena. She might have made preparations in advance."
"That's true."
Kamaya quickly agreed.
This area nearby was already in their hands.
More precisely, in the hands of one small but great Dungeon Lord.
"Then, as you said, I'll return first. I'll see you at the dungeon."
"About that..."
As Josephine hesitated to speak, Kamaya's eyebrows slightly raised.
"Is something wrong?"
"Was I really helpful?"
"Of course. You were of great help."
"Then..."
Josephine's voice became smaller.
While feeling puzzled by the embarrassment in it, Kamaya listened carefully.
"May I ask Queen Kamaya to give a reward?"
"A reward...? If it's something I can grant."
Kamaya nodded readily.
Thinking that she must have a desire for recognition too.
It was common for a subordinate who had rendered service to request a reward from the leader of the group.
She was, so to speak, not the leader but a sub-leader, but it wasn't that she had no authority to give rewards, so it was easy to understand.
"Then..."
And right after, Kamaya's eyes widened upon hearing Josephine's request.
Because it was such a simple and modest wish.
"Yes."
"Alright."
Flap-
Without hesitation, the Harpy Queen spread her wings that had been hidden under the mercenary's hood. And she warmly embraced Josephine's entire body.
'Ah...'
In the comfortable and warm embrace, Josephine's face turned red.
Kamaya, not fully grasping the situation, just comforted her kindly.
Thinking that there must be a reason for requesting such a reward.
"Woman of humans. You seem to have potential. You can do even better in the future, and Master will recognize you too. Your family can prosper again."
"Thank you..."
There was no way Josephine couldn't feel that sincere consideration.
Her face was still red when she parted from Kamaya.
"Are you alright? You seem to have a fever."
"No, no. I'm fine. Thank you."
Seeing Kamaya's expression full of questions, her intelligent daughter watching from the side gave a subtle glance.
'Ah...'
It was a meaningful smile that had noticed something.