v2c1 - 2

The long, long age of warring states had ended.

The period of conflict, spanning over three centuries and centered on the northern superpower—the Gaz Empire, said to have been perpetually embroiled in its turmoil came to a close with the empire’s collapse.

Known by many titles as <The Taboo Emperor>, <Demon King>, “<Undying King>” ,<Great Sage,> <Supreme Emperor>, <War Maniac>”—and renowned as a formidable wizard, the Gaz Empire’s Emperor, Arthur Gaz. But even this <Monster King> could not withstand the overwhelming might of the allied nations’ forces. He was slain, his body reportedly obliterated and incinerated. As a result, the Gaz Empire, ruled by Arthur Gaz’s iron grip, crumbled with astonishing ease—half its vassals perished, and the other half scattered across the Felbist Continent.

Soon after, the nations began dividing the Gaz Empire’s territories and assets, seizing its magical technology. Exhausted by war, they focused on restoring their ravaged lands and economies, with no state eager to ignite new conflicts.

The dawn of a peaceful era had arrived.

But… the transition of eras does not come with a neatly drawn line.

Being told “the war is over” did not mean everything changed overnight. The protracted conflict had become so ingrained in people’s lives that, paradoxically, the arrival of peace—the end of the warring states had left many unable to embrace it fully, creating an absurd situation.

For instance, this affected manufacturers who had sustained the production of military supplies.

For instance, it impacted merchants who had thrived by catering to stationed soldiers.

Or, it touched those like Toru Acura and Akari Acura—saboteurs from the Acura village, a place that “produced” individuals whose talents shone brightest amidst war’s chaos.

Those whose lives were structured around the premise of war. In a peaceful era, they risked becoming obsolete. Yet, even knowing this, they could not simply abandon the way of life they had known since birth. It was etched into their bodies and minds, an indelible part of who they were.

They had been “left behind by the times.”

And—

Chaika Trabant.

Her true name—Chaika Gaz, The daughter of Emperor Arthur Gaz, known as both <Demon King> and <Taboo Emperor>, she too was among those unable to find a place in this new era.

After a classic dinner, it was finally time for a strategy meeting.

“Well… what do we do from here?” Toru said, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree as he sat.

Akari sat to Toru’s left, while Chaika sat facing the two of them. They couldn’t light a fire taking measures, but thanks to the moonlight, they could at least make out each other’s faces.

Truth be told—five days had passed since they left the city of Del Solant, and this was the first time they could properly talk. Until now, they had been moving day and night to shake off their pursuers, leaving no opportunity for proper discussion. While Toru and Akari managed, Chaika was utterly exhausted.

“We need to decide on a general course of action, at least,” Toru said.

“Mui?” Chaika tilted her head, looking puzzled.

The one at the center of this whole affair—supposedly—was Chaika herself.

It seemed she had intended to keep wandering aimlessly, as she had been, searching for her “father’s keepsake” without much thought…

“I said I’d stick with you on a whim back then, but whether we’re searching for that ‘keepsake’ or escaping those troublesome guys, we can’t do anything without understanding our situation,” Toru said, his face twisting in frustration.

Chaika was a fugitive.

As the daughter of the <Taboo Emperor> Arthur Gaz, she was being hunted by a mixed force of knights, mercenaries, and assassins—all after her and the “keepsake” she sought.

And Toru and his group, half by chance, had clashed with them, ended up siding with Chaika, and taken on the role of her protectors…

“…Understood,” Chaika said, nodding earnestly.

This girl sitting there, she truly looked beautiful, almost doll-like in her delicate charm, but that seemed to be the extent of it at a glance. Her title as a wizard was unusual, sure, but not exactly unique. In other words… she didn’t seem like someone those knights would go out of their way to deem a threat and pursue so relentlessly. Of course… a person’s appearance doesn’t always match their true nature, and whether good or evil, one can be hunted for any number of reasons.

“For starters,” Toru said, narrowing his eyes, “are you really Arthur Gaz’s daughter?”

“Affirmative,” Chaika nodded. “Genuine princess,” she added, puffing out her slender chest with pride.

For someone in her position, this girl had an astonishing lack of urgency.

“Well, that’s not really something to brag about,” Toru said.

“Respect. Required,” Chaika insisted, pointing to her own face.

Sure, she was his employer, but she was clearly younger than him, so Toru treated her rather casually. Being suddenly told she was a princess or some highborn lady didn’t help—Toru had no clue how to deal with such lofty figures. Perhaps that was why Chaika seemed a bit dissatisfied with his attitude.

“More importantly… what exactly do you want to achieve in the end?” Toru asked.

“Gather. Father’s remains,” Chaika answered promptly, without hesitation.

That’s right. Chaika was collecting her father’s remains, the body of Emperor Arthur Gaz, once called the “Demon King.”

It seemed that during the war to topple the Gaz Empire, Arthur Gaz was slain, and his body was divided into pieces, taken as trophies by the “heroes” of the campaign.

Objects imbued with strong thoughts over time can serve as a source of magical power—a magic source. Typically, fossils of certain intelligent creatures are processed into magic sources called fossil fuel but the remains of Arthur Gaz, considered the greatest and most powerful wizard in Felbist Continent history, could also serve as an immensely potent magic source. Depending on the stored magical energy or its purity, such a source could be worth several times its weight in gold.

In other words, Emperor Gaz’s remains were war spoils, divided among the “heroes” who directly defeated him.

Of course, this was unofficial.

Officially, Emperor Gaz was said to have fought the “heroes” and been obliterated by magic, leaving no trace of his body.

Only those ignorant of Emperor Gaz’s legend would question why such measures were necessary. Some even claimed the “Demon King” wasn’t human, a testament to how deeply the great powers feared him.

At any rate…

“Even if you ask for them, they’re not just gonna hand them over,” Toru muttered, sounding exasperated.

In a sense, the <heroes> had pocketed spoils that should have been shared and divided among the entire allied forces. They’d likely refuse to even admit they had them.

“Do you even know who’s holding them?” Toru asked.

“……” Chaika shook her head vigorously.

“That’s where we’re starting!?” Toru felt a wave of exhaustion crash over him.

To begin with, the “heroes who directly defeated Emperor Gaz” weren’t publicly named. The issue lies in the word “directly”… Does it include wizards providing rear support at the same location? What about those who held off the emperor’s vassals rushing to his aid? The criteria were vague.

Moreover, since the Gaz Empire was defeated by a coalition of allied forces—a ragtag assembly—some nations, during postwar territory divisions, began claiming “our knight was the hero,” inflating the definition of “hero” to bolster their claims. “We defeated Emperor Gaz, so we deserve a larger share of land and wealth,” they argued.

Officially, it’s said that eight members of a special assault team fought Emperor Gaz directly, but due to the political maneuvering between nations, individual names were never disclosed.

Like the lord of Del Solant, rumors might circulate in a city, but common folk had no way to verify their truth.

“But. Information. Provided,” Chaika said, raising her index finger.

“Huh? Someone’s giving you info? Who?” Toru asked.

“Unknown person,” Chaika replied.

“……” Toru furrowed his brow.

As he pressed Chaika for details… it seemed there was a mysterious figure who occasionally appeared before her, provided information about the owners of the remains, and then vanished.

But who could this person be?

What did they stand to gain by doing this?

“That knight mentioned something about ‘forces plotting to revive the Gaz Empire,’ right?” Toru mused.

The knight had claimed there were people aiming to restore the Gaz Empire, propping up Chaika—the legitimate heir as their figurehead.

“…?” Chaika tilted her head.

Was she confused by the question, or had she not paid attention to what the knight said? Either way…

“Sounds fishy,” Akari said, crossing her arms in judgment.

This someone was not only privy to obscure details but likely aware of Chaika’s true identity. That suggested considerable intelligence-gathering and operational capabilities.

But if such a collaborator existed… why was Chaika wandering alone, searching for the remains?

She had been lucky to encounter Toru and his group, but otherwise, she could have died in the Del Solant mountains. Or been caught and killed by those knights as a dangerous figure.

If someone was plotting to revive the Gaz Empire with Chaika as their figurehead, their plan seemed far too haphazard and poorly thought out.

“What do you plan to do with the remains once you’ve gathered them?” Toru asked.

Her goal was clear: to collect Emperor Arthur Gaz’s remains.

But what lay beyond that was murky.

Was it to revive the Gaz Empire? To seek revenge on the allied nations?

Or—

“—Mourn,” Chaika said simply.

“Oh… right. That’s it,” Toru nodded, understanding.

It seemed he’d been swayed by grandiose terms like “empire,” “emperor,” and “princess,” overcomplicating things. He’d assumed gathering the remains was a means to some greater end, a stepping stone.

But this girl simply just wanted to properly mourn her father’s remains.

That wasn’t strange at all.

It had nothing to do with being a <Demon King> or a princess, it was a perfectly natural familial sentiment.

However…

“Even if that’s all, the world’s not gonna leave you alone you know,” Toru said.

“…?” Chaika looked puzzled.

As mentioned earlier, Emperor Gaz’s remains weren’t just powerful magic sources; they could also serve as a symbol of the former Gaz Empire. Gathering them all could proclaim to the world that she was the rightful successor to that authority.

At the very least, those knights feared as much.

Though the empire was destroyed, it had been a northern superpower for centuries. Countless individuals such hundreds of thousands, millions—still had stakes in its legacy, and some surely dreamed of its revival.

“Look…” Toru said, his expression a mix of exasperation. “Do you even realize you’re at the center of some massive mess?”

“…?” Apparently, she had no awareness of this whatsoever.

As she said, she truly only wanted to “properly mourn her father’s remains,” and that singular focus made her unwavering but Toru also thought it made her vulnerable.

Pure intentions are easily exploited by others.

“Father. Gather. That’s all. Then. Begins. My… tomorrow,” Chaika said.

Come to think of it, she had said something similar the other day.

That her time had been frozen since the Gaz Empire’s fall five years ago.

That she couldn’t face tomorrow without settling yesterday’s debts.

Toru understood the sentiment.

Though in a different form… he too was bound by his past.

“Speaking of which...why was the Gaz Empire destroyed in the first place…?” Toru said, crossing his arms.

To be honest, Toru had spent his days training in the Acura village, only venturing out after the war ended. Until then, he’d only heard fragmented tales from traveling merchants or returning villagers. He knew the broad strokes of world events but was clueless about the specifics of each nation’s affairs.

“Nii-sama. You’re so hopelessly ignorant of the world,” Akari said, shaking her head with exaggerated theatricality.

For someone whose emotions rarely showed on her face, her gestures came off as overly dramatic, even irritating to Toru, who was used to her.

“Sorry about that,” Toru muttered.

“But that’s what makes you endearing,” Akari added.

“Shut up already,” Toru growled, glaring at Akari, who clenched her fist with fervent insistence.

“Anyway, if I’m ignorant, you’re not much better,” he shot back.

Like Toru, Akari had barely left the Acura village until it was gone. Her knowledge of the world should be about the same as his…

“I’m a woman,” Akari said, puffing out her chest.

Unlike Chaika, she was… well, quite developed. Her outfit, which hugged her figure, only emphasized this further—

“A woman has woman’s weapons,” she declared.

“Huh?” Toru blinked.

“While Nii-sama was lazing around in Del Solant, I used these woman’s weapons to gather information on our surroundings,” she said.

“Woman’s weapons, huh…” Toru muttered.

As saboteurs, Toru and his group specialized in covert operations—sabotage, intelligence gathering and manipulation, assassination, incitement—tasks that stayed out of the spotlight. Though they’d never seen actual combat, they’d been trained for it in the village and naturally, female saboteurs were taught techniques like seducing enemy commanders or infiltrating as courtesans. Though, compared to other female saboteurs, Akari’s high physical prowess meant she often trained alongside the men, so…

“When did you…?” Toru trailed off, imagining Akari coaxing information from men in intimate settings, a thought that left him oddly unsettled. It wasn’t unusual for a female saboteur, but still.

“Indeed—” Akari said, not a hint of shame in her voice, but rather a faint pride. “Gossip at the well,” she clarified.

“Your idea of ‘intelligence gathering’ makes me seriously question your values,” Toru said.

“I’m deeply honored,” Akari replied.

“I wasn't complimenting you!” Toru roared.

“But, Nii-sama, the information flow among the ladies of the world is not to be underestimated. Men can’t exactly join those circles,” she said.

“Sure, but vague rumors aren’t much use, no matter how many you collect,” Toru countered.

“No. The more vague rumors you gather, the clearer the outline becomes. Didn’t they teach you that?” Akari said.

Well, fair enough… where there’s smoke, there’s fire.

No matter how vague or sloppy a rumor, there’s always a kernel of truth at its source. Conversely, by sifting through a mass of rumors, identifying common threads, and trimming away embellishments, you could sometimes extract reasonably reliable information.

“Anyway… the general consensus is that Emperor Gaz was defeated as the root of all evil on the Felbist Continent,” Akari said.

“I know that much. But why did it come to targeting only the Gaz Empire? In a warring states era, everyone’s basically an enemy, right?” Toru asked.

“There’s a view that the Gaz Empire’s existence was the cause of the war’s prolongation,” Akari explained.

“—Huh?” Toru furrowed his brow.

“For starters, the development of magical technology caused the war to escalate in scale,” she said.

“You mean communication and transportation—large-scale magic?” Toru asked.

Magic varies in scale.

There are spells cast by individuals using a <Gundo>, and then there are large-scale spells requiring multiple casters and massive equipment—floating castles, communicating across distances that would take days by machine carriage.

Most modern magical technology was pioneered by the Gaz Empire. More precisely, before the empire, magic was a cumbersome, impractical art. But led by Emperor Arthur Gaz, a team of brilliant magical engineers developed the Gundo and related technologies.

This is why the emperor, sometimes called fearsome names like “Demon King” or “Taboo Emperor,” is also honored with titles like “Wise Emperor” or “Great Sage.” Without the Gaz Empire’s magical advancements, the cultural and technological level of the Felbist Continent would likely be far lower.

However…

“Improved communication and transportation naturally fueled each nation’s territorial ambitions. There’s no point in expanding territory if you lack the means to govern it. Conversely, as the ‘range of sight’ and ‘reach of hand’ expanded… that’s what drove it,” Akari said.

“…I get the logic, but still,” Toru said, crossing his arms. “Doesn’t that feel a bit forced?” he asked.

Sure, the Gaz Empire’s magical technology played a role in escalating the war but to pin the blame on the empire as the root of all evil felt overly convenient.

The great powers were the ones who used that technology to wage war. The sin of killing with a sword lies with the wielder, not the blacksmith who forged it.

“I agree it’s a bit forced,” Akari nodded.

“But that’s the reasoning generally accepted out there,” she said.

“Hm…” Toru mused.

At any rate—those knights weren’t chasing Chaika for no reason or on a whim as someone must have perceived a tangible threat, prompting their deployment.

“Well… we’ll figure that out eventually,” Toru said.

For now, rather than dwelling on the fallen empire’s affairs, they should focus on ensuring their own safety.

“How far we’ve shaken off those troublesome guys—but,” Toru said, his thoughts drifting to their pursuers, particularly the young knight who displayed such astonishing skill. He let out a weary sigh.