The Imperial Army, Rosenmarie’s Camp
Rosenmarie looked up at her finished “stage” and gave an approving nod. “For a thing you built in a day, this is fine work.”
Oscar, who also looked up at the construction, now turned to Rosenmarie with a sour expression. “My lady, just what is your purpose in building a thing like this right in front of Kier Fortress?”
“That’s a surprise,” she replied. “Really, though, who’d have thought the Royal Army were such cowards without Death God Olivia around? Even animals don’t hold back when going after tasty prey that wanders across their path.”
“The Royal Army are not animals, my lady. They can hardly help but suspect a trap when we’ve been so brazen. For what it’s worth, if I were one of the enemy’s commanders, I would take care to avoid any rash action—especially if my objective were to keep us pinned down here.”
“Even then, if Death God Olivia were here, she wouldn’t be watching quietly. She’s that sort of woman.” With a smirk, Rosenmarie scrambled nimbly up the ladder beside them.
Not even Oscar, her chief of staff, was privy to exactly what it was that Rosenmarie planned on doing next. Perhaps the only ones who knew were the soldiers who followed her up the ladder with large wooden boxes strapped to their backs. Naturally, Oscar had questioned her about it at every available opportunity. But her answer was always the same—that it was a “surprise.” So long as Rosenmarie wouldn’t talk, Oscar had no choice but to guess. He racked his brains, and yet in the end he had still not arrived at an answer.
With even our own side in this state of chaos, the Royal Army must be at their wits’ end. Perhaps Colonel Guyel would have worked it out, after he served under Lady Rosenmarie for all those years. Not that there’s any way to ask him now...
Oscar sighed heavily as he grasped a rung of the ladder to go and see what Rosenmarie was up to.
Rosenmarie was in high spirits as she mounted the stage. With the same momentum, she went to stand front and center, planting her hands on her hips as she scowled imperiously down at the Royal Army below.
“A glorious view.”
Even at this distance, the confusion of the Royal Army troops deployed on the front line was palpable. In contrast, the Winged Crusaders showed no such uncertainty. What her bird’s-eye view from atop the stage had revealed to Rosenmarie was that the Winged Crusaders were preparing to retreat. As long as one was on the ground, it probably only looked like they were arranging their formations.
That implies they haven’t told the Royal Army about their plans. That’s odd...
Rosenmarie had no way of knowing the nature of the alliance between the Kingdom of Fernest and the Holy Land of Mekia. There was no doubt that it was an alliance purely of convenience, but even so, Rosenmarie couldn’t make sense of why Mekia would decide to retreat before it was clear which way the battle would go.
Oh well. If you want to retreat, be my guest. You still owe us for Fort Astora. Once I’m done wiping the Royal Army off the map, we’ll have plenty of time to enjoy ourselves. Her gaze drifted naturally to the Royal Army’s forces spread out at the very back. Like the Winged Crusaders, there was no sign of concern there either. There you are, Invincible General. So this little game isn’t enough to shake you. Nothing less from the man who outplayed Gladden.
The rematch with Olivia that she had been holding out for might have been delayed, but Rosenmarie had by no means entirely lost interest in the battle. Her crimson eyes roved around for the aged hero she had yet to regard.
“Lady Rosenmarie!” A Crimson Knight in Royal Army armor came up to her, sounding cheerful. “We’re ready at your command.”
The preparations, it seemed, were complete. Rosenmarie took the deep crimson cloak presented to her and donned it with a flourish.
“Then let’s begin, shall we?” Rosenmarie sang, announcing the opening of the show.
The First Allied Legion, the Front Line
The standoff between the Royal Army and the imperial army continued, concentrated around the rapidly constructed watchtower, when the sudden sound of battle drums emanating from the structure drew the Royal Army’s attention afresh. After a time, the drumming died away and a brass instrument started up with a sweet melody in its place. The melody, which might have been pleasing to the ear in peacetime, sounded nothing but eerie on that field ravaged by pure violence.