“...You ready?”

  “As ready as I am, Lady Alexa.”

  “Good.”

  Alexa turned to Adele, who approached her closely. Her lady-in-waiting placed her hand on Alexa’s enchanted, light steel armor. She began fixing it properly, her hands slightly trembling as she did so. Alexa’s lips curled up into a mirthful smile as she looked at Adele before leaning to her.

  “Worried?” Alexa asked.

  “Of course I am,” Adele said. “I…”

  She had shaken her head. “Alexa, if need be, I changed my mind about the demands of the rebels. If it is really needed, then…then please, I don’t care about anything else other than you surviving.”

  She held Alexa’s shoulders tightly.

  “Tell him that you accept his demands,” Adele said. “Tell him that you’ll give him what he wants, if it means this war will end. I don’t want you to die there. Not less; I don’t want you and I and everyone else to die to the demon horde if we keep fighting.”

  “I thought you were ardently in opposition to accepting certain terms.”

  Adele gritted her teeth. “Because unlike you or Phoebe, I am selfish. I wished to prioritize myself and my family, always. Even now, that’s just what I’m doing. Because I don’t want to lose you, and I don’t want to die either.”

  Alexa giggled at that.

  “Still the same as always, Adele…” Alexa placed a hand on Adele’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I don’t plan to die. I’m not going to knock on Henry’s door without backup after all. That’s why I’m going with Adele and Sir Alfred.”

  “Even so, Henry is powerful. You said he can bend time to his will…”

  “He can. I think. There’s no other explanation for his success.”

  “Even the saintess’s powers aren’t going to cut it if that’s the case, Alexa. If Henry can just come back over and over again, he’ll know how to defeat you.”

  Alexa bitterly laughed. “I know.”

  “Then…”

  “I have a plan, okay?” Alexa said. “I want you to keep yourself together. In fact, can I leave Wilhelm to you? He seems to be driving himself deeper and deeper into unhealthy territory. He barely eats and sleeps already. I can’t have my camp’s brain fall into ruin because he’s working himself to the bone.”

  “I’ll see to it.”

  “Alright. Thanks. I appreciate that you didn’t insist on coming with me.”

  Alexa knew that since Adele found out about her plans, she wanted to come with the trio to Helsdorf. And indeed, in the night before, she did request to come with Alexa. After all, while Adele was nowhere as strong as Phoebe or Alfred, who were monsters in their own right, Adele was still stronger than Alexa…on paper.

  Her stats were still superior; her actual magical control and precision were years ahead of what Alexa could manage. Even her mana reserve was so much higher.

  In practice, Alexa still had the bottomless pit of paper glyphs made using archdemon blood as a crutch. Such power caused her to punch so high above her weight that Alexa was essentially, on her own, a powerful combatant capable of fighting off hundreds of soldiers by herself. That was not the case with Adele, though, so it was only logical to leave her behind.

  Alexa knew that even Adele was aware of this fact, yet her emotions would naturally compel her to come in order to aid her master. Alexa thus had to say no, and only then would Adele accept logic.

  The two hugged each other briefly before Adele pulled off, taking off her handkerchief and wiping something in her eyes.

  “Sorry, I just…”

  “It’s fine,” Alexa smiled brightly. “Commit this image to your memory, just in case this is the last time you’ll see me and Phoebe.”

  “Lady Alexa!”

  “I jest, I jest. Just…calm down, okay? As Wilhelm always says, ‘Everything will be fine.’”

  Adele pouted. “I don’t think it’s ever been alright.”

  Even Phoebe joined in.

  “I’d rather Lady Alexa didn’t copy Wilhelm’s signature quotes,” the saintess insisted. “He always lies!”

  “Yeah, he’s a foul man,” Adele said.

  “And ruthless. Comically ruthless…” Phoebe seemed so distraught as she said that.

  Alexa, on the other hand, just smiled. “He’s always been the darkest member of our camp, but I think, in the end, he cares about all of us. That’s why…”

  Alexa turned her head as someone entered the tent.

  He’s my biggest obstacle for this suicide mission.

  +++

  Once again, Wilhelm and Alexa argued over the details of the mission.

  The entire debate was fiery and vicious, with both parties nearly screaming at each other, as Wilhelm insisted that he had now formulated a new hairbrained plan to make Alexa’s plan unnecessary, and Alexa insisted that his plan was silly and that there was no way out. By the end of it, both Adele and Phoebe, who was standing at the side, had sweat running down their brows.

  Alexa and Wilhelm seemed almost like a lion and a lioness fighting each other with roars, yet the fight wasn’t so that someone would win. It was a fight for them to protect each other, with Alexa refusing to back out of her plan, knowing that Wilhelm might die while fighting the demon horde, and Wilhelm still unable to accept the idea of throwing Alexa straight at Henry’s jaws.

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  But soon, the argument ended, both of them red-faced with rage, but they were now speaking in a level-headed manner. Wilhelm still gritted his teeth as he spoke.

  “My men are now conducting their tasks faithfully,” Wilhelm said. “We have all of the enemy units pinned and in combat. If you give me any further time, I can get their reserves too—”

  “Enough with it, Wilhelm. We’ve gone over and over this already. Besides, I already told you, I don’t wish to crush the revolutionaries anymore. I need them to fight for me too. I need them to defend the empire. I need them to defend mankind.”

  “And Alexa, I need both of you and Phoebe to defend mankind.”

  “You know we cannot do that ourselves alone. Not if the armies of mankind broke itself fighting each other.”

  Alexa held her chin high haughtily. “In any case though, you are my knight, Wilhelm. I can tolerate much of your insubordination because you’ve always been, at the end of the day, faithful at enforcing my interests.”

  “I am maintaining your interest in not being fucking dead right now.”

  She ignored the fact that this was the first time he actually crudely cursed in front of her. “That may be so, but, at this rate, I will die anyway if I am unable to produce a miracle. The only difference is the timeframe, Wilhelm.”

  “You know it’s not that simple. Even if we lose badly, we can throw bodies at them later to stabilize the line.”

  “And I would rather I have my guts spill out than hear you talk of my subjects like they’re just worthless meat for me to sacrifice in order to live. Sorry, Wilhelm. Your plan is not the plan anymore. That’s final.”

  And with that, Wilhelm grumbled. “Your Highness, I resign my post as your knight.”

  “You will not. I applaud that sly move there, Wilhelm, but you’re still under my punishment. I told you that I will work you to death after what you did to Perlenstadt. I assure you, that will not cease today or tomorrow.”

  “Damn it…”

  Wilhelm’s right hand turned into a fist, crumpling the paper that detailed his earlier report to her. As he did that, Alexa sighed. “Is there anything more, Wilhelm?”

  “No, that is all. I guess this is going to be the first time for me to actually start praying.”

  “I hope you do, Wilhelm.”

  Alexa then stepped forward, taking Wilhelm’s left hand and squeezing it gently.

  “I’m going to come back,” Alexa reassured. “Don’t worry, this pretty face isn’t going anywhere.”

  “That’s not what I care about.”

  “Oh, are you perhaps saying I look unsightly? How rude, doing that to someone about to do something so heroic.”

  “I’m not talking about that at all!”

  “Pfft, you’re so easy to get a rise out of,” Alexa tried to laugh. “But, seriously, we’ll do our best. And I expect you to do your best. That’s all.”

  “...”

  “You’re my best advisor, Wilhelm.”

  She patted his shoulder before walking past him. Calling out to Phoebe, she finally left the tent to meet up with Alfred outside. Wilhelm, on the other hand, just looked down at the teacup Alexa left behind on her table.

  “...Then why is my advice meaningless now?”

  +++

  “B-brother, why?”

  Henry woke up suddenly as his office was rattled. While it wasn’t hit directly, it appeared that another strike from the enemy’s artillery managed to nail central Helsdorf again. Screams and shouts could be heard from outside, but most likely, they probably only struck the nearby crossbow manufactory again, which they had been targeting repeatedly.

  Factories in the Imperium at the moment weren’t exactly common or widespread; after all, to Henry’s estimation, this world was still proto-industrial and probably had been for centuries due to the existence of magecraft, though it was clear that outside of advances in weaponry, they hadn’t truly moved the needle into actually industrializing. The Empire’s manufacturing economy was highly decentralized, with Henry himself having the headache of having to contract thousands of artisanal workshops just to produce crossbows, uniforms, armor, swords, bolts, and many other weapons for his armies. Largely, only shützes were produced in primitive factories that housed workers and the tooling for their production.

  And there were only a few of them, especially in Henry’s territory. The same was true for his crossbow factories. They only captured three of them, and this one in Helsdorf was the biggest one, once producing three hundred units per day. It was quite meager, but it was still already a massive asset for him and his republic. It was why Henry wanted to modernize the Empire; it already had the right conditions for it, someone just had to push for it radically.

  Now though, that dream was snuffed out. They were surrounded by the loyalists in the south and by the incoming demons from the north. As such, he had already long ordered the workshop abandoned, so there must have been no deaths from those attacks. The enemy targeting it were just wasting their magic crystals for it. Not that, it wouldn’t stop the citizenry from panicking whenever it was struck and an explosion happened, of course, but…

  Well, it was quaint here. The sounds of multiple armies outside of Helsdorf still dominated the city. All of his units were now here, stuck in a last-ditch defensive action to fight for the terms that would secure them long-term political power. On the other hand, it seemed that the crown princess, determined to keep her role as a proper monarch, sent the entire 1st and 2nd Group Armies to dismantle them.

  She called me "brother" once.

  Henry stood up to look at the sky from the glass windows of his office, noting that the clouds had already turned grey. It sent a strange premonition for him, but also, his strategic mind was gleeful as he looked up at it. If a thunderstorm, or, best of all, a sudden blizzard were to occur, the enemy would be heavily disrupted by weather. That would be good news for the defense.

  Why though? Why would she call me that way?

  Henry had been running his thoughts about this since that day. He never came to a concrete answer. Now, to be fair, Alexa Theresa did remind Henry of his annoying little sister. It was why he gave that novel to her back then. It was just harmless fun to poke at her.

  Then, that frail girl died.

  He sighed. He had been considering this ages ago, but there was no possibility. She probably was just mistaken. But every time he looked back at the events of the last loop, where the two managed to talk to one another for the first time in a way that wasn’t veiled by deceit, her eyes widened.

  As if she realized something. It was enough for Henry to charge one last time to stab her before he himself died. But…

  What did she even see in me? Why would she think that I’m her ‘brother’?

  That was when a powerful kick blasted the door to his office open. The door flew straight at Henry, but expertly, he swiped it off with his bare hands. He swerved to look at the man who did that—the red-haired knight of the crown princess named Alfred himself.

  The knight had his sword drawn out, aimed straight at him. But someone placed her hand on Alfred’s shoulder.

  “Easy now, Sir Alfred,” the voice of the brat that was Henry’s mortal enemy reverberated through the room. “Apologies, Sir Henry, for the rude manner in which I’ve arrived here. Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, I and my good friends had to sneak here as well.”

  Her pink hair swayed gracefully as she stood in front of him. Then, she performed a small curtsy.

  “I’m glad to meet you again, self-proclaimed president of the ‘republic,’” Alexa said, her pink eyes locking on him. “You wouldn’t be so uncouth as to refuse royalty as your guest, right?”

  “...”

  Henry stared at Alexa blankly, then at Phoebe, then at Alfred, before laughing.

  “Ahahaha, I see, I see. So you wish to talk!”

  Henry then calmly walked to one of his cabinets and grabbed four fine glasses before placing them on his table, which had a bottle of white wine on it. It was pretty good too, as it was 37-year-old aged Helsdorf Wine, produced by nearby vineyards owned by the now dispossessed local nobility.

  “I’m not sure if you are fond of wine like this,” Henry said as he uncorked it. “But, I believe a few drinks must be served to one’s guests, and this is what I have. This will suffice, no?”