We had crossed the Empire's border, conquered a legendary Fort, killed a renowned Commander, and pulled off a successful raid on the Imperial Cathedral. I'd even gained twelve levels from the Magic Mines going off, but I couldn't celebrate that or any other victory, as Lucia had not woken up for the past two days. Matilda cimed she was not dead, but... if she was mistaken, would I be able to forgive myself?
I felt some reservations about the idea from the very beginning. We really should've fought that Bishop together, I thought to myself as I started imagining different scenarios. Maybe I could've given Batti the Magic Masher and had the party support him instead, but... That could've led to more losses. Eventually realizing that this would lead me nowhere, I gave up, thinking, Ugh! I don't know! when I happened to notice a soldier running out of the tent. Why's he coming here? I wondered as he approached with a smile.
"C-commander Daphne, she's waking up!" He broke the news to me, and I was back on my feet before I knew it. With a renewed sense of vigor, I ran with the soldiers through the grassnds to the tent that had shrunken in size. The Company adventurers and soldiers were trying to take a look, so there was a small commotion outside. Luckily, they cleared the way for me as I entered with anticipation in my eyes.
"Lucia!" I ran into her room at full throttle and hugged our hero with all my might. "I was so worried!"
"I'm... sorry," She apologized in a somewhat flustered tone of voice.
"Don't ever act so recklessly ever again!" I decred as I separated myself and went full-on Commander mode on her.
"Yes, Commander!" She stiffened up her posture and saluted with the most serious look I'd ever seen on her, before bursting into ughter with the rest of us. The room had a nice, warm atmosphere, and I was gd she still had the energy to crack jokes like that. We should probably get her something to eat, I thought to myself and just as soon as it crossed my mind, I felt a strange sensation on my skin. It was so... weird, almost as if we were underwater, floating in some kind of unseen current, but Lucia seemed to have other ideas.
"No, no, no, no, no!" I'd never seen her look so scared before, which was honestly unsettling.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Someone is teleporting us!"
"What?! Where?!" I asked in a sudden panic.
"I don't know!" She answered while cradling her head in her hands. I knew the Empire was most likely behind this, but that did nothing to ease my nerves. Fuck! How were we discovered?! The mist had been surrounding us at all times. Did she set me up? Isis didn't seem like the type to go back on her word, but perhaps I had misjudged her. Ah, it's no use... I couldn't stand around assigning bme. I have to think of a way out, I sharpened my resolve, but it was all for naught, as in a fsh, the scenery around us changed...
"N-no way," The words naturally flowed out of my mouth as I peeked outside the tent. I tried to avoid this... The overwhelming military might of the Empire was on full dispy, their organized, powerful ranks as imposing as they were awe-inspiring. Promoted units of all kinds led various ptoons, and some squads seemed to be comprised entirely of promoted units. It can't be... I'd probably seen up to twenty different squads pcing Generals at the front like common soldiers with Sages, Druids, Bishops, and Valkyries at the rear.
I would occasionally gnce at a Sniper or two when my eyes happened to notice something frightening. Moving ballistae?! I felt like dropping to my knees and surrendering on the spot, as it didn't look like the Kingdom was in a better position. They had organized a tactical retreat and were now guarding the capital with the battered forces they had left. I could see this from the other side of the tent, as we were wedged right in the middle of everything. The skies were clear, a cool breeze ran through the Great Pins, and our tent inconspicuously stood before the full might of the Empire.
The Company soldiers and adventurers outside had already dropped their arms, and I couldn't even bme them. How could we possibly win against this? There was no miraculous strategy I could think up nor anything I could say or do to boost their morale. As incompetent as I was, it was a miracle I could keep calm in such a situation, but my "calmness" could've been an extreme detachment from the situation or just pin denial. I couldn't put a finger on which...
Oh, there's some movement there, I observed. It was a well-built man, probably in his mid-thirties with long, red hair and bck eyes. With a round shield in his left hand and a spear in his right, he looked like a spartan warrior without his helmet, but Hertz was shaken at the mere sight of him.
"E-emperor Iskandar the 14th!" He excimed, and an air of despair started hovering over the room. The Emperor?! I remembered Isis' warnings about him. I never imagined he would take to the front lines. It was a terrible oversight on my part. I had taken my preconceived notions about rulers and projected them onto this world.
"Are these the so-called heroes of the Kingdom?" He decred in a loud voice for everyone to hear. "Are these the ones who conquered Fort Zaraban?" He asked as he began his slow and steady approach. "Are these the ones who killed Fargus?" He gred at the Company while tightening his grip on his spear, but it was like he was looking directly at me, and I felt my blood go cold. W-what incredible power, I could sense it as he slowly closed the distance between us. We'd lose even if the Company teamed up against him. I doubt a Battalion could even faze such a monster. A 3rd tier css.
"Ha, ha... ha, ha, ha... HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" As the reality of our situation finally dawned on me, I burst out into an uncontrolble fit of ughter. We're dead men walking! We couldn't do a thing against a monster like him, and we couldn't even run from such a situation. I've been so foolish, I remembered everything I'd done since coming to this world, all the training, battles, hopes, and aspirations. I didn't want to believe it was all for naught, but the reality of our situation was right before me, so I clenched my bow in my hands and resigned myself to my fate.
