The side effects of the drug will appear at the end of the day.
That's what Ixion said when I took some pills he created.
The effects slow down the emotional burden that will hit me when they wear off.
I was in my pilot suit after leaving Battler and arriving at the palace.
No one was outside, the weird thing is there are always guards.
Because I was imprisoned, I couldn't change my clothes, so this is all I have. Plus, I stink; Ixion sprayed me with perfume so the bad smell wouldn't scare them off.
I entered calmly. The problem came when a group of knights with spears approached me.
I thought I'd have to kick their butts to get in, until a guardian angel appeared.
"Viscount Bradford!"
It was the Queen who was calling me. Without a doubt, it's beautiful to watch how desperately she runs towards me, making her maternal and incredible breasts bounce as well.
Thanks for the view.
After expressing my thanks, she stopped half a meter away.
She was panting heavily because she had come running.
I said, "My Queen, we are under attack."
I know it's the most obvious thing in the world, but this is the opportunity I need to make them understand I'm not a threat, but their solution.
She answered me after recovering some oxygen.
"...I know. Viscount, was it you who defeated them by any chance?"
Her gaze and that of the knights were fixed on me.
So, I told the truth.
"Yes. I killed all the invaders without anyone's help."
The Queen grabbed her long skirt when she heard that. Then, in a shy and adorable manner like a little girl, she asked me.
"...Do you plan to take revenge on us? Or, perhaps destroy us?"
If it were anyone else, I'd say yes just to annoy them.
But we're talking about a charming older woman, one who warned me this would happen if I didn't hand Brynhild over to the palace.
It annoyed me a lot to hear that the palace was pressuring me to hand over my ship, which I worked so hard to obtain.
But she said it in a worried way; she was more worried about me than my own mother.
I answered to reassure her.
"You are mistaken on both counts. I don't want to destroy or take revenge on anyone... well, maybe there is one. The poor devil who destroyed something important to me. And, I got sidetracked; to conclude, saving you all is my reason for being here."
After saying that, Ixion appeared to my right to tell me, "Master, they have arrived."
I looked up at the sky to see my reinforcements while the Queen said, "Is this the famous fairy?" Ixion seemed annoyed to hear that name.
But this is more important than him.
Up in the sky, Brynhild and reconstructed ships from the hangar on my island were arriving.
The skies were protected by them.
From some ships, drones and robots emerged, descending to the ground to help the wounded and remove debris.
The others on the ground were collecting the bodies and burning them.
I looked back at the Queen and she noticed my gaze, I said, "My Queen, take me to the ministers to discuss this situation."
She, for some reason, was blushing when I spoke to her, what's up with her?
Before walking with her and the knights, I asked Ixion something vital.
"How are the girls?" And he replies, "They are safe, but Irisdina stopped to help heal the wounded. She has guards, so she and Alicelotte are safe."
"I see."
With that said, I walked towards the men who run the country alongside the King.
◇◇◇
Inside a spacious room were the kingdom's ministers and officials. Among them was Marquis Balzac in a chair, holding his head with both hands, listening to chaotic reports.
"According to reports, all borders are under attack!"
"Earl Arses and Margrave Nightray have reported they are fighting a huge pirate fleet!"
He was gripping his hair with great force.
"The nobles in the countryside are asking for help!"
"There is a report saying the crest of the Cashmiro Family has been seen with a large mercenary fleet!"
It seemed his head would explode at any moment.
An official from his faction entered; instead of bringing good news, he only worsened his mood.
"There are problems, and big ones!"
"What now?" said the Marquis, whose face was downcast before falling further with what he heard.
"Duke Belmont reported that the [Republic of Ereboreas] is attacking them!! He is on his flagship battling them!"
The officials and ministers stopped running, and their papers fell. Panicked screams shook the entire place.
"The republic is attacking us!"
"This is too bad to be true!"
"Why would the republic attack us? We're supposed to have a mutual non-aggression pact!"
"Prime Minister Balzac, what do we do!?"
The ministers and officials were in a panic and hoped the man with the most important position would advise them.
But...
(Me... what am I supposed to say!)
...That man was so incompetent he never thought this would happen.
(Something like this was impossible to foresee!)
(That Kingsfort bastard betrayed me. It was supposed to be that an enemy fleet would be sent today for my forces to shoot down, but this is utter stupidity!)
(Why are we being attacked from different sides?)
Marquis Balzac was terrified, and the important and not-so-important men asked him, very concerned.
"Please advise us on what measures to take!"
"The nobles in the countryside urgently request reinforcements!"
"Say something, Prime Minister!"
A door opened, and then...
"That man is not the Prime Minister."
...An unimaginable man entered.
It was...
"Who told you there's already a new Prime Minister? Don't kill me off so quickly, you bunch of incompetents!"
Mayer.
Dressed in what looked like intensive care clothing, his top half in his minister's uniform and trousers with sandals.
A man returned from the dead.
He had a bandage on his neck and walked accompanied by some knights.
Balzac saw him, and a great cold sweat ran down his body.
"Ritzburg-dono, you were supposed to have passed away!" shouted the Marquis, but Mayer immediately replied.
"I thought so too, I never imagined the acidic food my late wife used to make had damaged my throat so much, to the point that my body could repel the poison going down and force it out by injuring myself."
The ministers heard that. Mayer sat in a chair because he was tired.
"Listen well. Find out from all the nobles on the border the total number of their enemies, only then can we know how many there are and be able to send reinforcements if the capital isn't invaded again."
Upon hearing that, ministers, whether from the Marquis's faction or not, got to work.
"...And Moldred." Mayer said in a very low tone.
"Don't you dare escape. The windows and doors have eyes."
With those words, Marquis Balzac showed his frustration.
◇◇◇
In a private room of the palace. Siegwald was talking with his son, who was recovering.
"Father, is it true that the Marquis poisoned the Prime Minister?"
Vayne asked his father, who was reading reports from his territory, awaiting orders.
"That's how it seems, Mayer himself confirmed it. He said he had no proof, but the evidence of him seizing the position without even having a ceremony was the only proof."
Siegwald continued reading the report while speaking.
"Lecia, the Queen, said she found him collapsed when she wanted to ask him something. She called her trusted maids and moved him to a secret area only the royal family knows about."
He put the document down due to a laugh that escaped him for no reason.
"Father, what are you laughing at?"
Siegwald was still laughing for some reason. After a short while, he stopped and answered his son.
"It's just... all of this is very curious and funny."
"Funny?" said Vayne.
"You see. The situation out there was brought under control in a span of 30 minutes."
"That's true, what about it?"
Siegwald smiled.
"The man who did it was Viscount Bradford."
Vayne's face was one of astonishment upon hearing it.
"I heard his armed unit flew out on its own. Then his ship did the same, and some mysterious ships accompanied it, and now they're in the sky."
"Does that mean Rudel-kun is someone to be feared?"
"Of course not," said his father.
"That boy, from what I've seen and heard, from spy reports, and especially from my daughter's mouth, would never have the guts to attack the palace or seize the country. I don't say it as an insult, but he lacks the motivation."
"But, Rudel-kun was unjustly imprisoned, why would he help us instead of escaping?"
Once again, his father laughed.
"Despite being a knight, I've never seen him act like one. Besides, according to him and Alisa, on the cruise ship, it seems he swore to be her knight."
Vayne seemed to understand what his father was saying.
"Alisa was raised to be an overly perfect example of how an aristocrat should be. She will never abandon the kingdom, therefore, if that boy wants to protect her, he will have to protect this kingdom."
Siegwald blindly trusted that Rudel would protect the kingdom because of his relationship with Alisa.
He closed his eyes and let out a sigh.
"Truly, we were fortunate that that misfortune occurred. It's not something that makes me happy, but, to lose the chance to legally destroy Kingsfort, only to gain the most terrifying ally of all."
"To be honest, if Alisa hadn't gotten involved with him, our territory or we ourselves might have been destroyed by the Viscount, since I understand those idiots a little - a man can't have so much power and expect no one to tell him what to do unless he wants to destroy everything. Truly, we are fortunate, unlike that time."
Siegwald's tone seemed very melancholic.
"Father, are you thinking about that day again? You yourself said you had no choice."
His eyes opened to look at his son.
"It's not that I feel guilty about it; it's not the first time in the kingdom's history that innocent blood has been spilled. Especially in our family. It's just, if I had had that boy right there; I would have killed him with my own hands. I never imagined that little Nosferatu vermin would become a monster."
"Father, I know, from what the Queen says, that they were a loyal knightly house. But their son, from childhood, showed very terrifying behavior. Cut-up animal bodies and servants beaten severely. Don't regret not being able to finish him off, but do regret his family's fate."
"...I wanted to let them live, but if I hadn't. The head of the Kingsfort back then wouldn't have supported me on my path to raise our house and become a minister. I thought my relationship with his son would be good, but reality was different."
Someone knocked on the door. Siegwald said to enter, and it was a maid.
"I apologize for the intrusion, Duke-sama, but the Queen requests that all ministers gather in the King's chamber."
Siegwald said, "I understand."
And he proceeded to leave, but not before saying goodbye to his son.
◇
Before reaching the room where the ministers were, a commotion was happening. The Queen told me to wait in a room until everything calmed down.
She tasked a maid with taking me to a private room and having me change into more presentable clothes.
I obeyed, and after finishing my shower, Ixion notified me of several things I didn't know.
Apparently, they tried to kill Mayer-san.
My family was under house arrest, but no longer.
Marquis Balzac seems to have been betrayed by the family of that bastard Klein.
Without a doubt, it's been a very heated day in every sense of the word.
Now I rested until I was called.
I was about to tell Ixion to go investigate the meeting where the Queen was, but someone knocked on the door.
Ixion had his laser eye ready in case it was an assassin sent for me. I told them to enter and was surprised to see who it was.
"Mayer-san!"
"I'm glad to see you're safe, Rudel-kun."
The Prime Minister, accompanied by knights, came to my door.
I told him to enter, and he asked his knights to stay outside.
"How was your day?" he asked me as I served him tea.
He declined because his throat hurt.
I replied, "Very well, I killed hundreds and am relaxing peacefully," as I wanted to ask him something important.
"Mayer-san, why didn't you ask for my help?" My face was very serious when I said that.
He answered by saying.
"A child's problems are not the same as an adult's. I can't involve you in something that isn't your problem. But, those useless old men seem to have laid their hands on you and your family. I'm sorry I couldn't protect them properly."
I wanted to know how they were. Ixion said they were doing very well, although Lyle was the most affected. He was cursing me while I was gone, that damn eldest son bastard.
"No. I appreciate your intention, but, if you had tasked me with investigating Marquis Balzac, this might not have happened."
He sent me to destroy corrupt nobles and pirates. Why didn't he do the same this time?
He looked at me and sighed for a long while. His eyes were closed, but he was still staring at me intently and said.
"If I had done it, what guaranteed that nothing bad would have happened to you anyway?"
"Eh?" I made that sound in response to what I heard.
"Think about it. You sought evidence to destroy Moldred, and you succeeded. What guaranteed that the other ministers wouldn't see you as a threat? You would only prove you are someone to be feared even if you worked for the palace. I wanted to make you a member of my faction to guarantee you could live your life peacefully; I know you're a good kid with a bad personality, but it doesn't make you a horrible person. But the situation outside, what you did, and what is happening in the country right now, says that regardless of the outcome. You are going to cause a change in both this country and your life; you won't be able to live peacefully whether the kingdom wins or loses."
That left me very dismayed.
And, with a big question.
"What do you mean by win or lose? It's not just an attack by some idiot group."
Mayer-san looked at me and said, "Drink your tea, I'm going to tell you a bombshell that happened this morning elsewhere."
◇◇◇
Marquis Balzac had spoken with Borzak of the Commonwealth.
He told him to send a small enemy fleet so his forces could crush it to celebrate the day of his appointment as Prime Minister.
It was accepted on the condition that no alarm should be raised.
The Marquis agreed; no one knows this but himself and Borzak.
All the palace knows is that an enemy fleet was approaching one of the borders.
A small fleet of kingdom forces intercepted them and was destroyed.
Then, a man who was a minister of the kingdom's salvation suggested that he and his followers would take care of those enemies.
High Priest Dixit was outside the sanctuary.
"Followers and members of the Holy Church! I am pleased to inform you that we will support the palace in our first crusade!"
Hundreds of members; men and women, young and old, noble and commoner, knight and bourgeois, gathered.
"Do not fear, even if there are only 10 or 20 enemies! We will defeat them all since this kingdom is blessed by Saint Erselica!"
Erselica appeared from behind a door. She wore a white dress and held her staff in her right hand.
Anyone who saw her would say she is very beautiful. Sadly, those compliments should have been for Airi.
Dixit continued speaking while Erselica thought.
(It seems that, finally, the Bismarck Household has decided to attack the kingdom.)
(Her daughter didn't fall into ruin, but her house did. It's the perfect opportunity to destroy them along with that bastard Rudel.)
Dixit finished speaking, and everyone applauded.
They headed to their ships.
A man named Bourdon told him that the flagship, where he and the other important or high-ranking members of the sanctuary would be, was ready.
Erselica would be on another ship, called the White Phoenix, referencing Liam's nickname and her clothing.
As she boarded, Erselica thought everything would end quickly.
(I've played this scenario many times. Everything should go the same way even if the prince and the others aren't here.)
The enemy fleet could be seen in the distance.
It was only 11 ships.
Dixit, upon seeing it, spoke using a magic stone that amplified his voice.
"See, my followers! Their numbers are low, luck and victory are on our side."
Everyone clamored for glorious victory, even Erselica thought the same.
(Maybe you haven't fallen into ruin, Alicelotte, but your family has. I can't wait to see your expression when—)
"Report!"
A holy knight interrupted Erselica's thoughts. She was about to ask him what was happening when the holy knight said in panic.
"The fleet in front of us is not from the Commonwealth!"
Erselica knew that was true; in the game, Alisa's house disguises itself as an enemy fleet to attack them. She knew that and didn't see the problem, but the issue came when she heard the following.
"The crest isn't from the Commonwealth... it's... it's from the Kingsfort Household!"
Erselica made an idiotic "Eh?" sound at what the holy knight said.
She grabbed her magical binoculars and observed something in the distance she didn't recognize.
"Ehh! That crest is from Klein's house and... why are the ships made of pure steel when they're supposed to be wood and hot air balloons!"
The fleet was made of pure steel and metal. It looked like a gigantic almond.
It had fins on the sides that helped propel it.
On the sides of the command cabin were two large cannons never seen before.
The Kingsfort family crest was engraved on their hulls.
On the flagship in the center, which was also the largest. Klein was sitting as the captain.
A servant was by his side, serving him wine of the highest price, and he drank it like water.
He stopped drinking from his cup and chatted with his butler.
"Hey Keyes, is this what Father said I was in charge of?"
The servant with dark skin and blonde hair responded politely.
"It is as you see. Your father said your punishment would be removed if you eliminated all of them."
Klein smiled. It was a disturbing smile.
"I'm grateful to that stupid, what was her name? Ah, doesn't matter. Keyes, tell the others I'm hungry."
The butler told his companions to bring the food.
It was duck à l'orange with lobsters around it.
Seeing the servants, Klein said.
"Hey, isn't one missing? I remember there was a small one?"
The servant again, politely answered while cutting the duck into small pieces.
"Yes. His name is Allen, for some reason he didn't want to come when I told him everything would return to normal."
Klein bit into the food like a dog.
"Who cares. Begin the attack."
While the weapon was charging magical power to function; because it was an ancient technology. Klein asked, very intrigued.
"Keyes, what is that thing?"
The butler looked at the strange cannon that seemed to split in two from the huge window covering the command cabin.
A magic circle began to form while he told his master.
"If I remember correctly, your father said it was something called a rail cannon or something like that."
"Klein-sama, will you attack the Saint despite being the one who saved her?"
Upon hearing that, Klein thought for a while as the cannons charged.
"You're right," he said, but then added, "She's on the ship that looks like a bird, right? Blow it up last."
Klein smiled as he said that.
Meanwhile, Erselica was…
(It can't be!)
(Why is Klein's house here and not the Bismarck's?)
(Klein is supposed to be at home waiting for all charges to be dropped.)
Erselica only knew of Klein; she didn't know if he had other relatives or not. So, for her, Klein was inside there.
At that moment, Dixit spoke.
"Oh, great Saint Erselica! Please help us defeat these pagans with your holy power!"
She heard that and immediately remembered.
(That's right! I am the Saint, and that girl never lost.)
Erselica materialized several water shields that shone with sunlight. They looked transparent due to the reflection.
She could create several thanks to certain measures she had taken. The entire front fleet was covered by shields.
(I am the Saint! I am invinci—)
At that moment, the rail cannon finished charging its crest, and a small missile infused with magical power shot directly at Dixit's flagship and the other important members.
Both Erselica and the others turned to see how the shield was effortlessly destroyed and the flagship burst into flames as it fell into the sea.
Not just that one, the ship to its right as well. Then the one in the upper left corner, and so on; the enemy fleet fired, destroying the fleet of the late Dixit and the Saint.
Meanwhile, inside the enemy flagship, Klein was jumping for joy like a child.
"Ahahaha, what the hell is this! It's so much fun, I want to try too!"
With that, he got up and went straight to remove an operator from the cannons and sat down himself.
The operator told him what to do, and Klein...
"Yes! Hell yeah!"
...Like a deranged child, he fired.
"Fall, you kingdom rats! Fall, ahahaha!"
The kingdom's fleet was being effortlessly destroyed.
It was like pouring hot water on an anthill.
"Stooooop!"
A holy knight said to Erselica.
"Saint-sama, please protect us!"
She was kneeling on the ground, crying like a little girl.
Not just the knight, several bishops were saying the same thing, but she.
"I can't!"
She couldn't withstand the pressure.
"I lied! I'm not a Saint or anything! That fat man was impressed at the first opportunity and praised me as the Saint!"
Just then, an escort ship serving as a shield was sent flying backward from the impact.
Erselica lifted her head at that moment and, as if in slow motion. She saw the ship in flames being pushed backward as if in reverse. Several men and women were thrown from the ship as well, some were on fire and others were missing body parts.
Seeing it...
"Noooo!!"
Erselica broke.
"Brother, save meee!!"
The bishop who heard her say she was a fraud screamed, "About face, we're returning to the kingdom!".
Very few could follow that order as the explosions of the allied ships were extremely large, making retreat almost impossible.
The enemy fleet did not pursue them. They just stayed in the same position, firing until they were out of range.
The number of ships that returned safely, though not intact, was 5, but only 3 remained because the others collapsed as soon as they touched the port.
◇
My tea fell from my hands upon hearing such madness.
"...Tell me it's a joke in bad taste, please."
He responded, "I wish it were the cruelest and worst joke in the world, but it's reality. The Duchy of Kingsfort has allied with the Commonwealth of Talis and declared war on the kingdom."
I knew Klein was trash, but this level is unimaginable.
"Currently, we have in total a fleet of 5000 ships and 3000 registered mobile knights."
I was glad to hear that.
"The problem is..."
But that didn't last.
"...That we are being attacked by unknown enemies on all sides of the border. They can't send reinforcements. The combined enemy fleet is coming from Kingsfort territory, which means the capital only has what's on hand."
"I don't know the total, but in the capital, we don't even have 1000 ships or 500 mobile knights."
Everything he says turns my stomach.
"For that reason, Rudel-kun, would you help this country avoid its end?"
I was about to give him my answer when something happened outside.
A knight entered without permission and said very excitedly.
"Prime Minister-sama, there's a severe problem!"
We both said, "What now?" and went to see.
◇◇◇
Lecia was speaking with the ministers.
The King was behind her.
Liam was said to be in the palace with his friends, but she couldn't find him, so she sent knights to look for them.
She, in her role as Queen, told the ministers.
"It doesn't matter who is to blame!"
All the ministers were gathered. She spoke to them with firmness and certainty in her words.
"No one will be punished for now; instead, this is the opportunity to earn your forgiveness!"
Everyone listened to the Queen speaking.
"Our kingdom is in danger! Viscount Bradford defeated the invaders, but that doesn't mean the threat is over! I have received a report that 2200 enemy ships are approaching the capital!"
The ministers started chattering among themselves.
Lecia smiled at what seemed like a meticulous confirmation.
"We must warn the people of what is happening! Call upon the nobles and aristocrats of the capital, along with the knightly houses, so we can unite and protect our country!"
She smiled with certainty, that the nobles would burn with passion to protect their country.
◇◇◇
"Chiiii~~"
That was the sound Lecia made along with a strange face after seeing the nobles and knights run after it was announced that war had begun.
Her face was a very comical one, but adorable.
Her eyes were wide open like plates and her iris seemed like a dot; her mouth was forming a triangle and 2 of her front teeth looked like a rabbit's.
Lecia couldn't believe what she was seeing from the balcony after the King's announcement.
"War, you've got to be kidding me!"
"Who the hell would stay to fight for this filthy kingdom!"
"I'm going east, I bought land anyway and can buy a title too!"
There was a huge crowd of nobles, many aristocrats and knights fleeing in all directions.
The port was also plagued by rich men. Many boarded their ships and quickly escaped from the harbor.
Among them was an acquaintance of Rudel's called the Great Baron Lebron, who was fleeing with an undisguised group of handsome, shirtless young men.
Even inside the palace.
"We're finished!"
"To hell with the kingdom, the palace, and the royal family!"
"I worked so hard and still get paid with my house fighting for this hole? Don't screw with me!"
The ministers, whether allies of Balzac or any other faction except Ritzburg's, ran out along with several knights and servants.
Rudel and Mayer were at the door watching everything.
Rudel's thoughts said only one thing.
(I don't know what she's surprised about? Although that expression is very cute, it was still obvious this would happen.)
Both saw a trusted maid fleeing with several gold ornaments.
No one tried to stop her. Siegwald even sat down to utter unexpected words.
"I expected a few to do it, but really, this is worse than I imagined."
While Rudel answered him in his head.
(Hah? What are you surprised about, I always said it! They're scum, nobles are scum who think only of themselves! The rats will run when their lifestyle is interrupted, it disgusts me to be a noble like them.)
At that precise moment, Rudel smiled in a macabre way.
He turned to look at Mayer and tell him.
"Mayer-san, would you like to hear my proposal? I guarantee that, with this, both I and you will be happy."
Mayer didn't understand what Rudel was saying, but they went to the same room they were in earlier, and this problematic kid told him something that made him see, for the first time, the eyes of the second most important man in the country.
He answered in a very anguished tone.
"Rudel-kun, do you understand what you're saying? You're asking me to betray His Majesty the King."
But the kid with the terrifying smile told him very calmly.
"You're mistaken, you won't betray anyone, you'll just turn your face away and not hear anything. With this plan, I will finally stop being a noble and escape this country safely."
Rudel smiled at Mayer, but he had another thought, too.
(That's right, I'll get rid of this nuisance and go live far away with Ixion. But also, I'll use this opportunity to find out exactly what that little pest knows, and then, I'll eliminate her.)
A wicked smile showed on that terrifying face.
______________________
The arc "The End of Altfode" is concluded.
Now begins the final arc of the 1st year, "Total War! Super Technology Vs The Black Thing".