Side Story – Strategy [3]
Silence.
Silence had descended upon the battlefield. The humans and elves who had survived the battle stared blankly at the space where the White Tower once stood. In that place, the White Tower no longer existed.
A radius of several hundred meters around where the White Tower had been was fractured and swirling in a chaotic dance. However, it wasn’t truly fractured; it was merely the ‘trace’ left behind.
The area overlapping with the World Tree’s domain had completely detached from the reality plane and settled beyond the world. What people were witnessing was merely the ripple created by the residue of the space that had sunk into the void.
Even if one reached out toward the void, there was no way to interfere with the space that had settled beyond the world.
The Demon King was undoubtedly sealed.
At great cost—White Tower, the mana vein near the White Tower, part of the World Tree’s domain, its sacred artifact, and its guardian Ramenta—the Demon King had been successfully sealed.
Yet, no cheers erupted. The battlefield remained silent. Those who had witnessed the clash of transcendent powers far beyond mortal comprehension held feelings of powerlessness, perhaps even despair or skepticism, in their hearts.
Only after a long while did the faint joy of survival or victory begin to emerge.
By then, everyone’s gaze had already shifted to Luna.
Was she… really human? Such doubts flickered across their minds and vanished.
Luna landed on the ground with her usual cold, composed expression. Though the battle had ended, death and heat still lingered over the land.
After silently confirming the unpleasant landscape, Luna turned her back. Since the White Tower that had restrained Speira had also collapsed, it was time to return to the Imperial Capital.
“…”
It was almost over now. Everything had progressed according to the original plan without deviation. The conclusion was within reach.
Thus, Luna departed the battlefield with a calm sadness lingering on her lips. Everyone watched her retreating figure silently.
*
The Sacred Country had collapsed. Not long after, the Demon King was sealed.
During the brief period between these two events, the continent suffered losses so massive they were hard to quantify in terms of material and human casualties. If sealing the Demon King could be called a victory, for the people of the continent, it was nothing more than a painful win filled with scars.
The sky remained red, making it difficult to feel any joy. Naturally, restoration efforts should have followed the war’s destruction.
However, meaningful reconstruction efforts were practically nonexistent outside a few strategic locations. The forces of the Empire and other continental powers lacked the resources to restore what had been lost since the Great War began. The continent had been crumbling ever since, and all anyone could do was slow down the collapse.
From that perspective, sealing the Demon King was indeed an extraordinary achievement. If left unchecked, the Empire would have split in half within a month.
However, the price paid to seal the Demon King was not light. Especially, the mana vein beneath the Imperial Capital was damaged due to the operation led by the Empire.
With the damage to the mana vein, the defensive capabilities of the Imperial Capital inevitably suffered a significant blow. Therefore, Speira selected specialized ambush-capable demons to prepare for potential strikes against the capital at any moment.
Given the damage to the mana vein, someone with the strength of either Luna or Johanna would need to remain stationed in the capital to effectively counter Speira’s chosen demons.
Speira’s judgment was quite appropriate. By strongly hinting at an intention to raid an empty house, she managed to tie down one of the Empire’s core forces in the capital.
There were even suggestions within the Empire to abandon the Imperial Capital. While this suggestion was quite persuasive when considered pragmatically, it was impossible.
This was not a matter of symbolism or justification. Ray rested in the capital. Abandoning the Imperial Capital meant abandoning Ray.
Hence, the idea of giving up the Imperial Capital was never going to succeed.
“…”
Speira exhaled slowly, lost in thought. Although it was a desperate measure, she had managed to limit Luna’s range of action to the Imperial Capital. However, that was about as far as she could go.
“…There aren’t many cards left.”
Anthonyus had been sealed. Given the thoroughness of the plan, it was unlikely he could break free on his own.
Now, Speira needed to take more active steps. However, Speira herself could be easily located by the White Tower.
Directly moving and employing guerrilla tactics had clear limitations. Assuming an honest power struggle, Speira might have been advantageous, but overwhelming the entire continent would still prove difficult.
“…Where should I strike?”
The World Tree. Or the Empire.
Battling elves within the World Tree’s domain was extremely challenging. Without first weakening the influence of the World Tree rooted in the earth, even Speira would find it difficult to dominate the elves outright.
Of course, in a few years, the erosion of the Demonic Realm would begin to render the World Tree’s domain powerless. But Speira didn’t have the luxury of waiting those few years.
Attacking the Empire wasn’t easy either. Even with Luna tied down in the capital, the Empire still possessed formidable forces like Ulte and Johanna, not to mention unpredictable factors like Delun.
Still, the continent continued to crumble in real-time, with more land falling victim to the Demonic Realm’s erosion every moment. Within a decade, the continent would inevitably collapse under the depletion of physical and human resources.
Ultimately, time was on Speira’s side. At least, she once thought so.
But now, Speira understood how fatal a mistake it was to give Luna time.
After much deliberation, Speira made her decision.
“…Obelisk.”
Speira revised her primary target. Using every available means, she would collapse the Obelisk as quickly as possible.
The Obelisk was essential for Luna to manifest meteors and functioned as the control tower for the White Tower. Moreover, during the Demon King’s sealing, it served as the facility mediating the overlap of two different spaces.
The Obelisk drew immense mana, damaging the Imperial Capital’s mana vein, to maintain the overlap and fusion of the two spaces. If the Obelisk were destroyed, the spatial overlap would collapse, and the Demon King’s seal would no longer hold.
Now, the Obelisk was both the core of the Empire’s defense and its weakness. The moment the Obelisk collapsed, so would the Empire.
Therefore, the Empire would undoubtedly desperately defend the Obelisk.
“Hmph.”
Speira rose from her seat, emitting a derisive laugh. A more intense dark radiance surged from her. She glanced at her reflection on the blade of the Sacred Sword before vanishing from the spot.
*
The Demon King had been sealed. And yet, the continent remained engulfed in war.
The people of the continent despaired, feeling that none of their problems had been resolved despite the Demon King’s sealing. It was inevitable. Ordinary individuals could never understand the grand flow of this enormous conflict.
Luna took a brief rest after the Demon King’s sealing. During this rest, she visited Lea, who had requested to see Ray.
Surprised by Luna’s visit, Lea hesitated momentarily but soon smiled when Luna agreed to grant her request. Walking ahead of Lea, Luna guided her to where Ray lay.
Rarely breaking her silence, Luna began a personal conversation with Lea as they walked.
“…Your Majesty.”
“Y-yes…?”
“When Bella was pregnant with you.”
Startled by the unexpected topic, Lea froze.
Addressing the flustered Lea, Luna continued calmly.
“At the first crossroads we faced, Ray didn’t hesitate.”
When the moment of choice arrived, Ray made his decision without a moment’s hesitation.
“For Bella alone… Ray unhesitatingly turned his back on all of us.”
Ray was distressed at the first crossroads but didn’t agonize. He may have been troubled, but he didn’t hesitate to make the ‘choice.’
“And… the second crossroads came.”
“…”
“Do you remember? The day Ray pushed you away.”
“…”
Lea felt an illusory tightening in her chest.
Turning to look at Lea, Luna carried a faint sense of sorrow in her voice.
“Ray agonized.”
Reincarnated as the son of a prostitute—a sentence that seemed comical to some—summarized Ray’s life.
Bella stood at the beginning and end of Ray’s life. His first struggle was for Bella, and his final struggle aligned with Bella’s wishes. She was everything to him.
But…
Over time, Ray spent more time with others than with Bella. Despite the clarity of his initial vow, Bella’s presence in his heart gradually faded.
As memories blurred and emotions diluted, Ray wandered amidst new affections. Just before the final choice, everything about Bella had become vague to him.
Bella’s face, her voice, her warmth, the meals she prepared…
Even how much Bella loved her daughter Lea had grown faint in his memory.
But then, when Ray kicked Lea away and saw Bella sobbing and pleading…
That was when Ray fully understood. He accepted that Lea had become everything to Bella.
“…”
Luna smiled faintly.
Should she rejoice that our existence had taken such a strong hold in Ray’s heart that he had to agonize over his choices? Or should she mourn Ray’s resolve not to break his oath to Bella?
Reflecting on that day’s memories, Luna moved her lips.
“…Ray was a kind person.”
“…”
“Even though he guarded against your presence, Ray still loved you.”
That’s why Lea felt warmth from Ray and cherished those warm memories from her childhood.
“But Your Majesty.”
“…”
“Salvation isn’t here.”
Luna stated this decisively yet smiled gently.
“Still, don’t lose hope. And… when Ray awakens someday, smile brightly at him, even if it feels awkward.”
Just as Ray had done in the past.
“Welcome Ray warmly.”
