Nedric spoke with a surprised face.
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“The Saint will go herself?”
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Though it was a courageous statement, it did not convince Nedric, and understandably so.
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Everyone in the room knew her flaw.
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The problem was her eyes.
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“But Saint, you are...”
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“It’s fine. I’ve traveled all over the continent with this body. I can take care of myself, so don’t worry.”
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Nedric closed his mouth.
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His eyes turned toward Vera.
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His gaze was asking why he didn’t stop her.
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Vera addressed it and spoke.
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“There’s no need to worry. I will personally be responsible for the Saint.”
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His words meant that no further argument would be accepted.
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Nedric quietly indicated his agreement.
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As the atmosphere in the conference hall became strange at Renee’s shocking statement, Vera moved on to the next agenda.
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“Let’s move on. First, Friede.”
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“Go on.”
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“Have you heard anything else from Aedrin?”
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“No. Mother merely left a message asking for a favor. As you know, she can’t be of much help as she is still a seedling.”
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“Alright, that will do.”
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The conversation went back and forth.
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After confirming Aedrin’s absence, Vera looked around the conference hall and spoke.
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“This war doesn’t just involve us. I assume some of you have expected that.”
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Murmurs flowed around the room.
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Vera leaned forward.
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“The AncientSpecies will appear. The atrocities of Alaysia will be difficult for them to ignore.”
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“...I never expected to see all of the Ancient Species in my lifetime.”
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Nedric’s murmured in a hollow voice.
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It was a kind of emotion that was fully understandable.
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The word ‘Ancient Species’ carried its own weight.
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This was a war where the transcendent beings, who have been with the history of this land since the beginning, were directly involved.
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They were unable to feel any other emotion than a feeling of distance.
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“Does bringing up this topic mean that we need to prepare?”
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Nedric’s question, posed in this manner, contained an undeniable desperation.
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Those present there knew.
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That the Sword of Oath had crossed paths with the Ancient Species he had mentioned and that he had met all the existing Ancient Species on the continent and had returned alive.
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Under their focused gazes, Vera nodded.
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“Yes, I have something in mind.”
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“Oh, that’s a great relief! Could you please tell us? I think the biggest problem is the Cradle’s Maleus. The land he walks upon will die, so we need to come up with countermeasures...”
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“You don’t have to worry about him. He’s a moderate person.”
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A question floated over Nedric’s face.
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Gorgan, who was sitting on Renee’s lap, chuckled quietly to himself, and Hyria licked Gorgan’s finger while whining.
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Vera also momentarily felt awkward.
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‘...I didn’t think of this.’
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He belatedly realized a fact he had overlooked.
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They did not know about the tendencies of the Ancient Species.
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They had yet to determine which of the Ancient Species was friendly and which one was dangerous.
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This was a serious problem.
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In other words, they might be distracted by these unnecessary things in their future battles.
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Vera furrowed his brows for a moment, then immediately exhaled and spoke.
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“...I apologize. I didn’t give you enough explanation. I will quickly go over the characteristics of each Ancient Species, so please make sure your soldiers are familiarized with them.”
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Nedric nodded, followed by the others.
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While he organized the thoughts in his head, Vera felt the need to change the plan.
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‘Should we delay the schedule?’
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If you look at the facts, it was true.
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This was now a wartime situation, and this place was the enemy’s territory.
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Given the likelihood that the enemy would make a different move, it made sense to move quickly.
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However, Vera did not do so.
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Given that much was still unclear about the enemy, he chose to fortify the defenses and prepare thoroughly instead of acting rash.
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This was the situation he had prepared for.
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Faced with an unexpected problem, Vera contemplated whether it was wise to delay further, but he soon shook his head.
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‘...No, if we delay any further, there’s a chance they’ll strike first.’
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The army had already been stationed here for over two weeks.
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Further delay would be risky, as it was uncertain what the enemy might do.
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‘We will stick to the original plan and end this within three days. The Ancient Species should arrive here within a week at the latest.’
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It was necessary to lift up the fortress and send out reconnaissance in advance. By gathering information, they would be able to respond effectively to the movements of the Ancient Species.
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Vera believed that three days was the most appropriate timeframe.
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“...Then I’ll start the briefing quickly.”
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Just a little more training.
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Vera decided to sacrifice his sleep to address the gaps in their preparation.
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Late at night, Vera, who was contemplating military strategies in the barracks, suddenly sensed a commotion outside.
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‘...What’s happening?’
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He heard something like a scream.
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He heard someone’s outcry, the sounds of someone running, and the clattering of weapons.
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Vera stood up and grabbed the Holy Sword that was leaning beside him.
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The moment he sensed that something was amiss and opened the entrance to his tent…
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“Sir Vera!”
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Norn appeared in front of him, panting as if he had been running all over the place.
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Vera furrowed his brow at the sight.
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“What’s going on?”
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Panting, Norn lifted his head.
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He delivered the news with a grave expression.
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“The corruption...!”
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“What?”
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“A soldier has been corrupted!”
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The worst-case scenario Vera had anticipated was unfolding right before his very eyes.