Northern Expedition Camp.
The expedition command, led by Duke Faust, was enveloped in a long silence.
“Excellency, no matter how we think about it, without the Windsor Knight Order…”
“Dealing catastrophic damage would be impossible.”
“Ugh.”
Faust grabbed his head as if annoyed.
The aide-de-camp, sensing the mood, spoke up.
“Apologies are in order…”
“Are you joking?”
When Faust glared, the aide-de-camp shrank back.
“But, it is a fact that we lack a proper method, Excellency.”
At that moment, the Magic Division Commander, Nemesis, stepped forward and pointed at a map.
“This is where the Windsor Knight Order was annihilated. Do you see the Loki Mountain Range ahead of it?”
“Yes. I’ve heard it’s a place where even demons cannot control the monsters gathered there. And once we pass this point, it’s the Demon Race’s territory.”
“Indeed. To put it in human terms, that area is a ‘naturally fortified stronghold.'”
In other words, it was a point where one didn’t necessarily need to deploy troops.
“If you were the enemy commander, Excellency, would you really station an army outside such a location?”
“……”
It was obviously “no.” There was no need to guard it, as the mountain range itself blocked external intrusions. However, to monitor enemy movements, it would make sense to place minimal troops there.
“In short, the victory of the Windsor Knight Order was all ‘pretense.'”
“Haha, that’s a revelation. So, we’ve been fooled by a mirage?”
“No. It’s not completely meaningless. Look here. The current position of the Demon King’s army at the very end of the formation.”
Nemesis pointed to the very edge of the Demon King’s concentrated forces in the center.
A faint smile graced his lips.
“To use a chess analogy, it’s like the rook being positioned here. And from outside the chessboard, the rook was slightly moved.”
The captured mid-level demon turned out to be the rook. This meant that the Windsor Knight Order had planned their operation from the start to target this piece.
“……And so, what are you ultimately trying to say?”
“Isn’t it awfully unsportsmanlike?”
“?”
Nemesis smiled wryly.
“To meddle with the pieces outside the chessboard rather than skillfully competing in tactical strategies. If they feel like they’re bound to lose, they would likely flip the board—a foul player, indeed.”
But Nemesis’ upward curl of his lips showed no sign of fading. He seemed greatly entertained by the current situation.
In contrast, Faust had reached his limit. To him, Nemesis’ smile seemed like mockery.
“How does that conclude to mean there’s no proper method?”
“In short, a person who must get what they want by any means, even if it’s unsportsmanlike.”
“What?”
“Let’s wait, Excellency. She will definitely move at the appropriate time. By following her actions accordingly, we can secure significant gains. Isn’t there a famous saying: ‘Ride the trend’?”
It was, indeed, a well-known saying.
Achieving more success is easier in a battlefield you’re winning than one you’re losing.
It was a phrase that circulated subtly among commanders.
But wasn’t that the most dishonorable thing of all?
As Faust’s expression hardened—
A loud commotion erupted, and one knight burst into the tent.
“BREAKING NEWS! The Windsor Knight Order is moving forward!”
“Hmm?”
Cecilia coughed and sniffled.
Beatrice handed her a handkerchief.
“Are you catching a cold?”
“No. This must mean someone is talking about me.”
‘Surely, someone is hitting on me left and right.’
But Cecilia wasn’t displeased. After all, being hit on was a sign of being attractive.
“But Lady Cecilia, where are we headed to?”
The cute Beatrice asked innocently.
Her lips were slightly blue with the cold.
Cecilia, gazing at the tens of thousands of Demon King’s forces drawing closer, replied,
“A little further.”
“But isn’t this a bit too close for reconnaissance?”
“Huh? We’re going there to fight.”
Beatrice was momentarily confused.
She asked after a while,
“What?”
“I was just thinking. We haven’t had any practical combat training yet, and there’s plenty of demons. So it’s a good opportunity.”
‘It’s practically like automatic mob gathering, it’d be a pity to pass up such a chance.’
The legendary chance to level up!
Even if Cecilia felt a little sorry, she planned to let Beatrice take this opportunity.
‘How could I be this compassionate, cute, and kind…?’
Cecilia seriously pondered.
It was truly rare for someone to care this much about their subordinate’s level.
Beatrice should obviously be delighted with this…
“……What are you doing?”
Beatrice was quietly attempting to escape.
Her body stiffened at the icy tone of Cecilia’s voice.
“Desertion is punishable by d*ath. Return before I fold you in half and use you as a bathroom mat.”
“Um, I just spotted something I lost… heh heh.”
Beatrice quickly returned to Cecilia’s side.
However, the sight of the Demon King’s army through the snowstorm had an intimidating presence that made her skin crawl. Her eyes watered.
“I’ll just be the bathroom mat…”
Cecilia blinked her eyes, gazing at Beatrice’s chest.
‘It’s probably soft.’
Still, Cecilia preferred a level 99 mat.
She paused her steps and undid the thigh choker she had.
She promptly put it on the frightened Retriever.
“What is t-this…?”
“An artifact.”
“An artifact?”
“Yes. Isn’t it cute?”
The thigh “Choker Made Collection” was also an excellent fashion piece.
The effect was “double proficiency increase” when worn.
Cecilia procured it from the Succubus Queen. Originally, it doubled “that kind of technique,” but Cecilia, who was a fountain of knowledge, knew this.
It also doubled skill experience.
“And this.”
Cecilia slightly lifted her skirt and undid the dagger holder.
She directly equipped it on Beatrice.
“You actually had something like this on too?”
“Yes.”
It was a privilege of female characters to equip their thighs with hidden weapons!
Cecilia obviously didn’t miss such a point.
“This has a certification effect. It’s somewhat powerful.”
“What’s the certification effect?”
“An increase in attack power, but under no circumstances should you draw it. Even a small cut from this blade causes instant d*ath.”
“Instant… d*ath!”
“Mini Muramasa. Wearing it alone adds numerous buffs—what was it? Courage, immune to mental confusion, curse effects on all skills… there was something else, but I’ve forgotten.”
As she was getting older, Cecilia’s memory was becoming somewhat foggy.
Still, it was good she brought it, even if it was originally for the cold in the northern region.
“Achuu.”
Cecilia coughed again. She was getting colder with the courage effect having worn off.
“Thank you. I feel more confident now, as if I’ve become Lady Cecilia!”
“Hmm? Yes.”
Equipped with Muramasa, Beatrice seemed more confident, almost as if she had leveled up from a Retriever to a Shepherd.
At that moment, Beatricia grabbed Cecilia’s wrist and pulled her.
“Let’s go.”
Cecilia instinctively performed her “heroine blush technique” while blushing shyly as she was pulled along.
But then she realized it was not the time and blinked her eyes.
“Stop right there.”
“What?”
Zaaah!
Beatrice looked down at the ground.
There was something like black mud, wriggling.
In front of them, a distant demon whose face could barely be seen grinned and waved his hand.
“Hic!”
Hiccoughing while turning around, Beatrice.
Cecilia explained simply.
“We’re within the Demon King’s army’s range. They use magic, so it’s much farther than ours.”
“B-but you should have said that earlier! I nearly died just now!”
Beatrice unknowingly shouted.
Though it was unusual of her to contradict, the Muramasa’s courage effect was impressive!
“Hmph, it’s all your fault, Betty.”
But Cecilia’s “main character aura” was still powerful.
Beatrice had to work hard to appease the sulking Cecilia.
Finally, Cecilia shared the way.
“Just use Hone Edge here.”
“But, it’s too far.”
Cecilia, drawing her sword, casually spoke.
“I’ll help with that, so don’t worry.”
“Okay.”
Without any hesitation, Beatrice placed her hand on the sword and closed her eyes.
‘An image of eliminating the entire Demon King’s army.’
She calmly brought the sharp image to mind.
And she spat it out.
“Hone Edge (一閃)!”
At the same time, Cecilia cried out to Beatrice’s edge.
“Tempest!”
The linear sword technique that Beatrice launched joined Cecilia’s Tempest skill, spreading wide in the distance.
Kwaaaang!
The demons struck by the sword technique were bisected. The shockwave caused a snowstorm to whirl.
“Se- Success!”
Beatrice shouted joyfully. Cecilia had already dashed ahead, toward the camp of the Windsor Knight Order.
“…Eh?”
The bewildered Beatrice turned her head again. Through the snowstorm, a fully enraged Demon King’s army was rapidly charging at them.
Their hands carried powerful magic orbs filled with enormous magical energy.
“Let’s go together!”
Beatrice fled while the Muramasa’s courage effect also reached its limit.
This “hit and run” was repeated endlessly. Beatrice continuously practiced this until her magic power was entirely depleted every day.
Around twenty full-strength Hone Edge techniques a day. The effects were already showing.
“Betty, you’re sparkling.”
Cecilia, brushing her teeth, said this while seeing Beatrice.
Beatrice’s body was indeed faintly glowing with a golden edge.
“Why is this happening…?”
“Isn’t it obvious? There’s no maternity leave during war.”
“…Please refrain from discussing such topics in front of men.”
Cecilia spat out some toothpaste and explained Beatrice’s condition.
“It’s like Pikachu evolving into Raichu.”
Of course, no one in the Windsor Knight Order could understand that.
Fortunately, the senior knights congratulated and explained.
“It seems the hard work of catching demons these few days has paid off. That’s a sign of growth in your rank.”
“My rank?”
“Hmm. It varies from person to person, so it’s tricky to explain, but in short, Betty, you are now a knight capable of using ‘The Ultimate Technique.'”
“The ULTIMATE?!”
Beatrice screamed in shock, but the senior knights chuckled.
“Normally, it takes about 30 years to use the Ultimate Technique from that state. You are not yet qualified, you haven’t achieved enlightenment yet, and many knights never reach it.”
“Wow, still, it’s quite early, huh? Aren’t you around 20?”
“I’m 19.”
“About 7 years earlier than others. Well, it’s not that rare in the Windsor Knight Order, but still…”
“It’s still an incredible achievement. Keep striving. You might want to start imagining and shaping the form of the Ultimate Technique from now on.”
“But at least stop glowing like that. It hurts the eyes.”
In the Windsor Knight Order, about 70% of knights could use the ‘Ultimate Technique’.
Still, most knights remain regular knights.
Because using the Ultimate Technique doesn’t automatically make you a high-level knight.
But it was enough to teach Beatrice.
Cecilia smiled warmly.
‘Luckily, I’ve managed to bring Betty to a certain growth within the set time.’
Cecilia walked around feeling a sense of completion.
It was to calculate the route in secret before defeating the Demon King.
Then she met a suspicious magician.
Nemesis, the Commander of the First Magic Division of the North.
“Are you preparing to move now?”
“…”
Cecilia stopped.
‘Black hand?’
Looking at Nemesis with very suspicious eyes, he raised both hands.
“Please don’t misunderstand. I’m merely hypothesizing based on the operations Lady Cecilia has done so far.”
‘So obviously an intelligence character.’
Cecilia tensed up.
If she made a mistake and revealed her intentions, it would be like letting a secured fish slip away.
“Since you do not deny it, my suspicions were indeed correct.”
Though Cecilia didn’t fully understand, she slightly nodded.
“…I doubted it, but it really is true. Extraordinary.”
“…”
Nemesis displayed an extremely surprised face.
‘What’s he even talking about!’
Cecilia was confused.
“This is alarming. You wield such immense power and possess such an incredible strategy. Your ability to excel in both literature and military affairs is truly remarkable. I deeply understand why the term ‘all-rounded’ applies to you. Then, what remains for us to do…”
Cecilia was getting uneasy.
Nemesis seriously said,
“It seems we must do ‘that’?”
“…”
“Since you’re not answering, I’ll take it as a yes. We will be busy from now on.”
Nemesis smirked.
“Rest assured. Your grand plan will certainly come to fruition.”
‘And what is this plan supposed to be!’
Cecilia was very frustrated and decided to tie her hair up in a ponytail when she returned.
