June of Amagi Calendar Year 638 has arrived, marking nearly half a year gone by.
These past few months have been hectic for everyone around me, myself included. I’ve participated in the subjugation of several Demise Species and conquered three labyrinths.
However, the biggest event was Hilde’s pregnancy. She’s five months along, and her belly is starting to show a little. The child she’s carrying has a high chance of being a Vampire, which means they would ascend to the throne as the Phantom King of Torencia. The Torencia Royal Family was overjoyed.
Unfortunately, Hilde currently holds the position of Solemne Regional Governor, and her pregnancy has started to interfere with her duties. While the region’s safety has improved significantly in recent years, Solemne is still a place where one cannot afford to let their guard down, making me hesitant to send a pregnant woman there.
Therefore, Hilde will be taking maternity leave until she has given birth and settled in a bit. One of her subordinates has been appointed as her proxy, and I will be assisting with her duties as an Acting Governor. I visit Deseo every few days to receive reports from the proxy and then report back to Hilde, checking for inconsistencies and identifying any problems. This process takes longer for decisions than before, but it’s the only way at the moment.
There was also the idea of appointing someone completely new as Governor, but there was no suitable candidate, so this was the only viable option.
The children are also growing up well. They’re incredibly adorable, but our eldest daughter, Saki, and eldest son, Asma, seem to have entered the “terrible twos,” causing trouble for us and even the butlers who usually interact with them. Yuni’s help as an older sister figure is greatly appreciated, but Alka still has limited staff, so the butlers and Koropokkur’s work often gets delayed.
Because of this, we’ve increased the number of resident butlers in Alka by five. Since we’re busy with work and often venture into labyrinths, we rely heavily on the butlers for childcare. This prompted the increase, and choosing the right people was a significant challenge.
The five new butlers were contracted from the Three Houses of Float. They had good reputations from the Butler’s Guild and were experienced with children. We held discussions with the candidates themselves, Alka’s chief butler, the Butler’s Guild, and Alka’s existing butlers before finally making a decision. Although this involved poaching, the houses they came from have hired new butlers to replace them, and the butlers working at Alka now seem highly motivated, perhaps seeing it as an opportunity. If they are motivated and competent, I believe that’s acceptable, but the actual implementation will be a separate matter.
Even in Alka, the pregnancy of Prim’s familiar, Fluorite, has been confirmed. While Hippogriffs have been known to become familiars before, this is the first time one has been confirmed to be pregnant, so I recall rushing to the breeding division of the Crafter’s Guild.
Both the Crafter’s Guild, who find it an interesting subject, and the Scholar’s Guild, who see it as valuable research material, have each assigned three breeders and scholars who passed through incredibly competitive selection processes to stay at Alka until Fluorite gives birth. However, this is conditional on them following the instructions of Nonno and Alice, the Koropokkur in charge of familiar management. We’ve threatened them with expulsion if they fail to comply. For now, there are no issues, and we expect the Hippogriff’s offspring to be born next spring.
Furthermore, three of Alice’s contracted Silkest Crawlers have evolved into Grand Silk Crawlers. The cocoons that are typically traded as materials can yield one bolt of fabric, but the production of that amount of cocoon is limited to twice a month. However, with three evolutions, we can now secure three to six bolts of fabric per month, much to the delight of the women. As a result, we’ve formalized an agreement with Alice: half the fabric will be supplied to Wing Crest, and the remaining half can be used by Alice as she pleases. Naturally, the wholesale price to Wing Crest is set at or above the price from the Crafter’s Guild.
While living these days, I am scheduled to attend an International Conference at Amagi Castle today. The invasion of Gradia Continent has been decided for July, and we are in the final stages of preparation. Therefore, my participation as the highest-tier combatant is unavoidable. Today, Prim, Mana, Mako, and I have come together. Mako’s presence is essential as she uses the Engraving Divine Artifact with me, and Prim and Mana are also key members of our strongest forces.
“Regarding the invasion of Gradia Continent, I propose we depart on July 10th. What are everyone’s thoughts?” Emperor Reinhardt asked.
“What is the basis for that date?”
“The selection of knights from the Ritter’s Guild has already been completed, and they are currently undergoing familiarization training missions aboard the Wing of Order. They are on a test voyage, visiting Alegria, Torencia, and Valentia in that order. These missions are also intended to serve as aerial combat training and are scheduled to conclude by the end of June. After a brief period of rest, we will commence the invasion, with all preparations to be completed during that time. The earliest feasible departure date is July 7th; however, we have set July 10th to allow for a buffer,” Rex explained.
I see. So, plans are already in motion. It is natural to allocate time for not only the Wing of Order’s familiarization but also for aerial combat training centered around it. Preparations are likely underway, but even with Storage Bags, we cannot transport materials without the Wing of Order itself. Thus, thorough preparations will likely commence after their return. An immediate invasion upon return would not maintain morale, and there’s no guarantee of returning alive. Therefore, a break of about a week is essential.
“If that is the case, I have no objections,” Lord Rex stated.
“Agreed,” said another.
“You mentioned that the selection of knights participating in the invasion is complete, but what is the breakdown?”
“Yes. The Father’s Guild will contribute 200 High Fathers, the Dragoner’s Guild will contribute 120 Hydragoners, the Beestar’s Guild will contribute 170 Beestars, the Soldier’s Guild will contribute 200 Soldiers, and the Facers’ Guild will contribute 30 High Facers. Our Order’s Guild will select 30 Ancient Orders and 250 High Orders, and I, Rex, will humbly serve as the General Order,” Rex replied.
“Lord Rex, you have a track record of defeating Demise Species and are level 90 or higher. Does anyone have any objections to you serving as General Order?” Emperor Reinhardt inquired.
Rex is currently level 94, the highest level outside of Wing Crest. His two children are also one year old, and he has entrusted them to their grandparents, while his wives will also be participating, thus shouldering a significant portion of the strongest forces alongside us. Therefore, it is only natural for him to serve as the General Order, and given his past achievements, there are no grounds for complaint.
“A total of 1,000 knights will be participating in the invasion. What about the Hunters?” Mako asked.
“To answer your question, the Hunters participating this time are limited to Wing Crest, Holy Grave, Falcon’s Beak, Lily Wish, and Furious Lady. The reason for this selection is that all of these Unions have evolved to High Class, leaving no members behind on the Philia Continent,” Rex explained.
The Hunters participating in this invasion, including us from Wing Crest, are from only five Unions. The reason for this limitation, as Rex stated, is that all members have evolved to High Class. Other Unions with Ancient Hunters also have many High Hunters, but they also have a few Normal Hunters. This expedition is to Gradia Continent, a perilous land, and even High Class individuals might falter. Therefore, Normal Class individuals would only be a hindrance. They were not considered for participation from the outset. Additionally, the Philia Continent currently faces both labyrinth and Demise Species issues, so we cannot afford to send too many Hunters on this expedition. Consequently, we decided to limit participation to Unions where all members have evolved to High Class and possess proven strength and achievements, thereby enhancing the quality of our forces. The five chosen Unions are Wing Crest, Holy Grave, Falcon’s Beak, Lily Wish, and Furious Lady. Well, Furious Lady was, in a way, forcibly included.
“If my memory serves me correctly, Furious Lady was the Union of Sayuri, Certina, and Hitomi. Are they participating?” Emperor Reinhardt asked.
“We tried to dissuade them, but all of them were resolute,” Rex admitted.
Indeed, that was the situation. Certina has a deep connection with the guests, Hitomi is a descendant of Shinichi, and Sayuri is a guest like us. While the three of them have their own grievances with the Divine Emperor, they forcefully pushed for their inclusion. This is why Emperor Reinhardt and Rex could not refuse them. We understand their feelings all too well, as we share them.
“Ah, I see the circumstances. Certainly, that cannot be helped,” Emperor Reinhardt said.
“It is even more so considering Sayuri and Hitomi have evolved to Ancient Class for this very purpose,” Rex added.
“Indeed. Therefore, I granted them permission with certain conditions,” Emperor Reinhardt replied.
The conditions imposed by Emperor Reinhardt included obeying his and Rex’s commands, and not engaging the Divine Emperor, as that task was for me and Mako. The three of them readily agreed, understanding that they could not achieve these goals themselves. Their grievances are undeniable, and they might voice complaints, but given what the Divine Emperor has done, such matters are of little consequence.
“I understand. So, the invasion of Gradia Continent will be a direct assault on the Divine Emperor’s castle?”
“Yes. Under the original plan, about 500 Hunters would have accompanied us to ensure our rear was secure during the advance. However, this is not possible under the current circumstances. Therefore, we will utilize the maneuverability of the Wing of Order and head directly for Arrogentia (Capital City),” Rex announced.
This operation is a lightning strike, aiming to quickly approach with the Wing of Order and defeat the Divine Emperor in Arrogentia. Lingering in the siege of Arrogentia would risk reinforcements arriving from other towns and cities. However, Abaricia’s forces suffered significant losses of High Class individuals during their invasion of the Philia Continent two years ago. The High Demons, who utilized Demon Crystals, were forces comparable to Ancient Class. With the complete loss of all forces dispatched to the Philia Continent, Abaricia’s combat power has likely been greatly diminished. Of course, we cannot be complacent, and we estimate they will have at least an equal number. However, if we are delayed, there’s consideration for employing a last resort tactic known as Mythical-tier Magic. It is reliant on us, but given the opponent, this is acceptable. The subjugation of the Divine Emperor ultimately depends on us anyway, so this is hardly a new development.
“In a way, this is a payback for the invasion operation the Divine Emperor conducted two years ago.”
“Yes, that sentiment is also included.”
The Divine Emperor two years ago, after stopping by Kobaldia, likely intended to attack Float directly. We were able to anticipate this, so it did not happen. However, if another city had been targeted, it would have been dangerous. Therefore, we are undertaking this mission with a sense of retribution. The Divine Emperor is a proponent of Engraver supremacy and looks down on anyone other than Engravers and Creators. He likely never dreamed of aerial attacks or the development of Airships by the Helios Orb people. That is precisely the Divine Emperor’s weakness and a significant opening for us to exploit. Of course, this alone will not defeat the Divine Emperor, but it can cause confusion among the Demon Race and serve as a surprise attack, making it possible to launch a largely one-sided assault. However, prolonging the engagement could alert the Divine Emperor, making postponement of the operation undesirable. Therefore, this lightning operation is being carried out, accepting some degree of recklessness. If we miss this opportunity, in the worst-case scenario, it could lead to a full-scale war between Philia Continent and Gradia Continent, resulting in the annihilation of the Helios Orb. Even if that doesn’t happen, as long as the Divine Emperor lives, the destruction of the Helios Orb is inevitable. Therefore, with the intention of repaying a debt, we are determined to ensure the Divine Emperor’s death in this operation. To that end, I will do everything in my power.
With only one month left until the commencement of the invasion, we must settle this.
