Acceleration (3)
East Sea of the Jincheon Empire.
Where Seongeum's tone warped space and arrived was the near sky above a white sand beach.
"Advance! Advance! Do not retreat!" On the sun-drenched sand, Jincheon's army and the legions of Hell were clashing along the shoreline.
Their sounds merged into a white noise that pierced the eardrums, and Shirone turned to look out over the sea.
In the distant waters, sea-beasts the size of sailing ships bobbed.
From the beach, tentacled monsters struck down soldiers from several meters up.
"This is bad."
From his vantage in the sky, he could see one thing clearly: the coastline would be overrun in no time.
There was only one reason Jincheon had managed to hold so far.
An overwhelming mass attack, enough to rival the legions of Hell.
"Humans over there!"
Beastfolk with spearlike beaks beat their wings and flew at Seongeum.
"Aether wave!"
When Seongeum bent space, the scene folded in on itself and the beaks of the demons pierced their comrades' bodies.
"Kreeeee!"
Watching hundreds of beastfolk fall into the sea at once, Seongeum turned to Shirone.
"On land, Hell's forces are advancing, taking the Seven Eastern Kingdoms. If we don't find a way out here at sea, Jincheon will be destroyed."
To Shirone, Jincheon's value was equal to any other nation, but strategically it was even more important.
"I'll fight immediately. Let's head for the white beach." Rian grabbed the hilt of his greatsword and readied to sortie, but Seongeum shook her head.
"No. That's not what I'm asking. You have a different task."
Her gaze wavered as she watched the soldiers dying.
Still, she hardened her expression and swept her hand to cast an aether wave.
As if folding a carpet, the landscape was drawn away and the view of the imperial capital, Hwangseong, poured in.
Forests and buildings flowed like a torrent, and piercing two thick walls brought them to the great hall where officials had gathered.
"We cannot retreat! If we don't retake the coast, they'll be pouring into Hwangseong in an instant!"
The officers were split into two camps, arguing heatedly.
"Do you expect us to keep fighting this losing battle? Attrition has its limits! If this goes on, we'll be wiped out!"
The shouting made the hall feel like a battlefield.
"This way."
Seongeum walked toward the dragon throne with Shirone and Rian trailing behind.
"Your Majesty!"
Jin-gang, who had been listening to the officers with his chin propped on his hand, turned his gaze toward them.
"You have come?"
Even as the empire rushed toward disaster, no trace of anxiety showed in the emperor's eyes.
'Indeed. A very different sort of ruler from Woorin.'
Calmer than a frightened man and easier to deal with, Shirone—though a guest of the Ivory Tower—followed Jincheon's court etiquette.
"It's an honor to meet you."
"You needn't be so servile. We're the ones who need help."
Shirone relaxed his cloak and spoke.
"These are hard times for every nation. You must be greatly distressed."
"Distressed? Ha."
Jin-gang lifted a corner of his mouth.
"If it's going to fall, it will."
The noisy hall fell silent.
The inspector of the Jincheon Astral Bureau stretched both arms and prostrated himself flat.
"Your Majesty, Jincheon will not fall. We are devising the best strategies; the tide of war will be turned."
"'Best' is an illusion." Jin-gang rose from his seat; every courtier straightened and knelt.
"Do only what you can. That is the strongest point. Trying to use what doesn't exist only makes you weaker. As I always say…"
A deep conviction showed in Jin-gang's eyes.
"Simplicity defeats complexity."
The officers fell into thought.
"If you've done everything you can, then strike. Something will come of it. Even if it falls when it falls, don't spend your time trembling with fear."
"We will obey that solemn command." As the soldiers bowed, Jin-gang clasped his hands behind his back and approached Shirone.
"You seem to have something to say?" Shirone shook his head.
"No. I agree entirely with Your Majesty. Facing reality is efficient."
"I see."
Jin-gang gave a wry smile.
Even to a mage of the Ivory Tower, Jincheon's situation looked dire.
"I suppose we can only pin our hopes on you."
"I'll go to the East Sea. If we bring down their commander, the demons' morale will break."
"No. It's dangerous, but Jincheon isn't that weak. Seongeum will tell you what you must do."
When Jin-gang looked at Seongeum, she met her father's eyes with a complicated expression.
"I'm sorry I can't give you much time."
Seongeum loosened her mantle.
"I'll go first. Preserve your body."
It sounded like a farewell.
"All right. Don't worry about me. And mage of the Ivory Tower, though the world stands on the brink…"
It was the last favor a father could ask.
"Respect Seongeum's wishes."
"What do you mean—"
Before Shirone could finish, Seongeum cast an aether wave and shifted away.
The great hall slid back and Seongeum arrived at the palace where she stayed.
"You're here, my lady."
Captain Mungyeong of the Sambo came to greet her.
He was someone Shirone had seen at the Ivory Tower's exam, but his eyes were swollen as if he'd cried through the night.
'Is something wrong?'
All the maids looked at Seongeum with pitying eyes.
But Seongeum pointed at Shirone without much expression.
"I have something to discuss with a friend. Prepare a room."
"Please come this way."
Mungyeong led them through Sambo's street, and the other maids guided Seongeum from their posts.
'Still the same.'
Shirone knew of her aversion to spatial proximity.
Even so, those allowed close had to be granted permission by her.
Because she had been present, Mungyeong could say nothing against Shirone.
"If she's the one my lady loves, I will step back. It's only sad that it's at a time like this."
"Enter."
When Mungyeong opened the lodging, the neat annex held a round table and a bed.
Exactly to Seongeum's tastes.
"Everyone out."
"But my lady, as for this man—" Mungyeong protested. "The only person you've permitted is Shirone. You can't put Rian in such a cramped room."
"It's fine. I allow it."
Seongeum looked to Rian.
They had once been surprised by Mu-wi—who had felled a clone of Imir—but he had grown far beyond that now.
'I'd say he's among the strongest in the world.'
Would Shirone go into battle with a man like that at his side?
In any case, for Jincheon's sake this was good, so Seongeum gave him some leeway.
"Zero point one bo."
She wouldn't grant him the exact same space as Shirone.
Rian shrugged and entered; Mungyeong had no more to argue.
"We'll wait outside." In the slightly awkward silence, Shirone, Rian, and Seongeum sat around the round table.
"First, let me apologize. I can imagine how busy you must be now that you're a star of the Ivory Tower."
"It's fine. This is my duty. Besides, what do you need me to do here? And why did the emperor—"
Seongeum looked up at the ceiling and recalled the past.
"Do you remember? When I brought you to the Ivory Tower, I asked you how much time you could give me."
"Huh? Time?"
Shirone had answered casually then; he rummaged through his memory.
"Oh, right. Did I say ten days?"
"Yes, ten days."
Shirone smiled awkwardly.
"But that's difficult now. I'll keep the promise after the war."
"You don't have to. Forget it."
Seongeum smiled, but there was no life in it.
"Time is scarce. Even now countless Jincheon citizens are dying. That's why I ask—setting the promise aside…"
Seongeum looked at Shirone with earnest eyes.
"Just one day. Give me just one day."
Rian made a low sound, and Shirone blinked.
"One day?"
Shirone couldn't tell what she was thinking.
"What's all this about?"
—
Havitz and Gustaf's unit had set up camp about twenty kilometers from the front.
Following Balkan's orders, they'd slaughtered every human in the towns along the way, but there were still spoils to take back for Smoth.
"Ugh. Uhh."
About two thousand young girls were bound and lined up.
Zettaro, sitting on the ground plucking at grass, said, "You said you'd take every woman in the world. Honestly, it's a pain to carry them all, so I killed a lot. I don't know the boss's tastes, so I picked roughly by my standards."
Natasha tried to count and gave up.
"If we took ten a day it'd take forever. Smoth, don't overdo it. You'll wear yourself out."
"Don't worry."
Smoth didn't know the meaning of giving up.
"So humans are tools, see."
He snatched a volley crossbow from a soldier and grinned at Natasha.
"Anyway, you just have to shoot, right?"
Arrows—dozens per second—rained into the crowd.
"Kyaaaah!"
Girls dying. Screams filled the air, and those bound with ropes were trampled.
"More! More!"
When one volley ran out, men brought another crossbow, and the brutality continued without end.
After six hundred shots, their bodies were nearly broken from the recoil.
"Wow, this is exhausting. Zettaro, you joining in?"
"Kekeke, why be greedy?"
Zettaro gripped two crossbows and, ignoring the recoil, began firing arrows wildly.
"Kahahaha! Kahahaha!"
Blood and tears streamed from Natasha's eyes as she danced beautifully behind them.
'They're insane.'
The soldiers seriously questioned whether this was a right given to humans.
'Someone should stop them, no?'
Balkan sat on his horse, busy with a map.
Havitz leaned against a patch of grass in the corner, idly drawing on the ground.
"Hah! Hah!"
When the two thousand were finally all down, Smoth threw down his crossbow, panting.
"This is really tiring."
"Yeah. Truly."
Zettaro sank down to catch his breath as Smoth looked to Balkan.
"Hey, commander. How many have we killed so far?"
Balkan tapped his chin and looked up.
"Hmm. Roughly between six hundred million and seven hundred million, I'd say?"
"What? Six hundred to seven hundred million?"
Smoth's face went blank.
"We slaughtered indiscriminately and it hasn't even cut down half. How can there be this many humans?"
Balkan nodded.
"It's taken longer than expected. Looks like the Valkyrie has decent forces. They're minimizing losses."
Humanity had no army capable of stopping Hell's legions, but even so their response was clever.
'Who could be like that?'
Someone whose mind could counter a mass attack.
Balkan's gaze fixed on someone in the enemy lines whose name he didn't even know yet.