The sight that spreads around is the sight of everything... and of all people burning.
　the wreckage of tents, the wreckage of horse-drawn cars, the wreckage of weapons and armor, and... the wreckage of men.
　Even if it's the wreckage, it's all turned into charcoal, and it's a scene where even a small shock would collapse.
　Ray was in such a strange position that up until a few hours ago there were nearly 6,000 people living in.
　However, he did not have the attitude of being arrogant as usual, and stroked Seto's head, rubbing his head against him as if he were tired.

"Grull".

　Ray opens his mouth with a wry smile at Seto, who cries comfortingly.

"Don't worry. I never expected that to happen. Besides... I have accomplished my main purpose, and I have accomplished my secondary purpose. If you look at the results alone, everything will be successful. though I never expected it to be so hard."

　Mumbling, I turned my gaze to the mistling on my right arm.
　It contains provisions, weapons, protective equipment, fodder for military horses and horses pulling horseriages, horse-drawn horses, war funds, and even tents in the positions of the punitive forces.
　Mistilling was unable to store living things, so it did not contain any war horses or horses that the punitive force was leading, but it was still successful in securing many supplies to support the punitive force of 6,000 men.
　This was Ray's gain while the shortstop was desperately trying to escape from the barrier door.
　As a result, it turned out to be exactly what I had been aiming for from the beginning, but why Ray is so exhausted. It's in the fire whirlwind Ray himself created.
　The fire whirlwind created in the previous war with the Vestian Empire was when the Lv of the wind's hand was two, and it certainly moved a little, but basically only an error.
　But the windy hand Ray used this time was Lv.3 and as a result, he moved incredibly around compared to what he had made before.
　Still, Ray learns that he can manage to some extent with the help of the wind, so he robs goods while moving the fire whirlwind.
　Even if you say you can control a fire whirlwind, it's just a rough idea to move it that way or that way, and it doesn't mean, for example, that you can't order it not to leave this position.
　That is to say, the fire whirlwind that was trampling through the position was the result of Ray's efforts to keep him from moving out of the position.
　Under such circumstances, Ray and Sett had been running around in positions, ripping off as many supplies as possible, including tents.
　Of course, some of them were in the expeditionary force to find out what Ray was like, but they were excluded by Seto, who tried not to interfere with the work of controlling the fire whirlwind and capturing supplies.
　the annihilation of the enemy's punitive force and the capture of supplies Ray's move, which he said would be burned anyway, turned out to be as successful as expected... or worse than expected.
　However, the capture of supplies this time is a feat as a shortstop unit, but it is not a feat as an individual Ray.
　Although I received a message from Theoreum asking me to look forward to the reward after the civil war ended.

"Captain Ray!"

　Watching the remains of the position, Ray suddenly comes to himself with that voice.
　The voice was heard by Pearnicus, who was also the actual commander of the squadron.
　But Ray looked mystified, and Seto tilted his head with his throat on his shoulder, accompanied by several soldiers from the shortstop behind Perenicus.
　In Ray's eyes, he seems to be trained to some extent, but it doesn't seem to be his real job.
　But his eyes. He has bandages around his right shoulder, ropes tied around his waist, and soldiers of the detachment standing on both sides are watching him.
　Despite the situation, the man's gaze was pointed cleverly at Ray and his neighbor, Seto.
　Given its appearance and the quality of its equipment, it is clear that it is not like a soldier in the expeditionary force.
　While they are being observed in that way, Ray also observes the man, and the Pearnicans arrive close.

"Well done, Perenicus. And what about this man? He seems to be a very famous man."
"Yes, this man is Sobre, a man of great resource among the factions of His Highness Kabazid." He succeeded in taking prisoner of war when he fell out of the group that had escaped from this position during the night attack. Unfortunately, most of the people who escaped with me escaped..."
"Don't worry, it would have been nice if we could completely wipe it out here, but it wouldn't go so well for us. There are probably some others who have survived. But, Soble? Oh, I see."

　Ray's expression of satisfaction at the name that came out of Pearnicus' mouth.
　His name was heard as a troubling opponent in the First Prince's faction, and above all as the man who launched the attack on the White Rose Knights.
　That's why I'm a little surprised that such a person is in front of me.

"Did you take him prisoner?"
"Yes. Fortunately, I knew this Soble face, and the course of the battle was fixed."

　Originally, it was only natural that Soble, who fell from his horse after being pierced down his right shoulder by an arrow, had lost his life.
　In fact, the shortstop soldiers tried to shoot arrows again at the Sobre, which had fallen on the ground, but Perenicus stopped them.
　The reason Perenicus was there was that, when the auxiliaries came and settled for a moment, the new sound of destruction came in mind.
　They must be important because they realized that it was a diversion at the expense of many of their allies, and that they were trying to escape with all the damage they had done. When I checked his face just in case, I found him sovereign.

"Are you going to take him prisoner? I think he'd better kill him here, considering that there's going to be an unnecessary disturbance that's going to be an unnecessary disturbance."
"No, this man must be of great importance to His Highness Kabazid," That being the case, it will be a bargaining chip for us."
"...but, yes." What do you think of yourself?"

　Ray stops talking to Perenicus and turns his eyes to Sobble.
　Sobble takes the gaze head-on.
　He doesn't seem to be at all upset when people talk about what will happen to his life in front of themselves.

(Oh, you've got the nerve.)

　Despite being impressed by the Sobble's appearance, Ray remains motionless.
　We look at each other silently for about 30 seconds.
　Then the Sobble opens his mouth.

"Crimson. I can't believe he was really on the side of the rebels."
"Did you expect that you could say so?"
"There was information that it might be so. But given that they did not show up in the last battle, they are unlikely to join. I thought so, but... I should have brought Rodos."

　Rodos. Ray's eyebrows twitch the moment the name comes up.
　It's a level of agitation that you wouldn't normally have to worry about.
　In this case, however, the other party was too bad.

"Do you know Rodos?"

　When Soble asks him to confirm something, Ray nods back, taking it for granted.

"I know that," Rodos and I had known each other since we were in Guilm, and we asked for a bodyguard until we came to the Empire of Bestia. And what's more, I fought at a competition."
"...that's all?"
"You seem to have misunderstood something..."

　So he pauses, and the next moment he swings the death-size from the mistling and puts a blade at the neck of the Sobble.
　For a moment... in Sobble's eyes, the blade was there, almost unaware of what had happened.
　Sobble turns to Ray as if it doesn't matter to him, as he tells him in action that he can always reap his life.

『……』

　Once again, the time comes to cross eyes silently, but Perenicus watches over their actions without saying a word.
　This is because even Perenicus wanted to see how much Ray was.
　It goes without saying that combat power is the fastest.
　It was like the war on the Celemus Plain in the spring, and it was like a trampling on the position of the punitive force that took place just now.
　Then the next thing was... so I brought Sobble here.The first to break such a silence was Ray, who brought the death size back to Sobble'

"You have to reflect on your position before you speak." You're the one asking the question, and all you can do is take some blame for not answering it, or answer quietly and buy your own safety. Well, there are a lot of people in our army who hate you for trying to arrest Mercurio and take his life."

　Sobre is surprised that he did not use the honorific title Mercurio.
　Perhaps the man in front of him is now the biggest rival of Kabazid, and if he can defeat him, he has a good relationship with Mercurio, who can outstrip those who seek the position of emperor at once.
　However, unlike Ray, he didn't do anything to express it.

"Why don't I sell information about my lord so easily?"
"As for that matter, you can judge for yourself. It is the mutineers who interrogate and torture you, not me."

　Take me with you.
　When ordered so briefly, Perenicus calls out to his two men, who were overwhelmed by Ray's atmosphere.
　Seeing off the back, Ray thinks about his actions as he caresses Seto, who rubs his head against him.

(Regarding Rodos... were you all right? That's what I did because you know me. I hope you'll misunderstand me like that.)

　I understood that I was not good at ventrilogy, but it was a painful failure to show a subtle expression there.

"You have to be careful from now on."

　He muttered as if he had changed his mind, and looked around him again.
　This place, which had been called the site of the punitive force until a short while ago, had already become a scene that could only be called the site of the battlefield.
　It is also a battlefield as a result of unilateral attacks.
　At the very least, no one would think this was a peaceful sight.

"Anyway, now the first and second arrows fired from the empire are broken together. The third arrow is going to join us... will it be a struggle for a while? No, if Fritzione takes action to join the rebels, I shall have to touch it."

　That being the case, Ray understands that both Schles and Kabazid still have a lot of energy left.
　The reason why he organized the first punitive force was that he recognized that he was useless among the second prince's faction, and there must still be many capable men left.
　And the punitive force formed by this first prince group.
　They were not useless as the first punitive force, but rather, they were composed of highly capable people.
　It would certainly hurt the Kabazids that they could barely survive and were almost wiped out.
　However, for the first prince's group, which has many talented people, it is certainly a painful but not irreparable one.
　In other words, both the First Prince's faction and the Second Prince's faction, which are still opposed by the rebel forces led by Mercurio, have sufficient military power.

(The last battle and the last one resulted in a landslide victory for us. But... don't think it's easy to continue fighting like this. If they hadn't known that I was here, they might have done the same thing again.)

　Whispering inward, Ray's mind just conjures up the figure of a Sobble with whom he met.
　Those who were with the sovereign have succeeded in escaping from their positions. If that happens, they will know how this battle proceeded.

(It would be nice if only the covered person could carry the information... would it be difficult?)

　Ray thinks so, having not been informed that the devastated expeditionary force was mixed with Schles's hands.
　In this battle, he was caught off guard knowing that he was in the rebel army, and that he was camping in this place about a day from the imperial capital.
　I never expected the same technique to work.
　Then the next thing to be done would be a head-to-head clash...

(The next battle is going to be pretty tough.)

　Looking up at the shining moon in the night sky as if he were not interested in fighting on the ground, he murmured inwardly, regretting the sound of insects that he could no longer hear, perhaps because of the fire whirlwind.