Due to the major battle between the Elysian Empire’s forces and the Raddle Axis Alliance occurring within the territory of the Triple Alliance, we moved northward. Fistoa appeared eager to assess the abilities of the two heroes in that battle.

“Princess Yukiha, I permit you to sortie, but do not leave my side under any circumstances. You are an important hostage. It would be troublesome if something were to happen to you.”

The emphasis on “important” made my heart skip a beat, but I kept my composure.

“Understood. I have no delusions that I can contribute to such a grand battle between the overwhelming forces of the Elysian Empire and the Axis Alliance. I am simply here to broaden my horizons and gain experience from this great war.”

As we traveled north, we joined the Axis Alliance forces, comprised of troops from the Valkia Empire and the Ryubel Kingdom. It’s rare to see hostile forces outside of a battlefield, so I took the opportunity to observe them.

The Valkia Empire’s and Ryubel Kingdom’s mass-produced magic machines seemed entirely revamped since the last time I fought them. Producing such a large number of new models must have been a significant challenge. Given that neither the Valkia Empire nor the Ryubel Kingdom has been in good economic shape recently, I found their ability to restructure their systems puzzling.

When we arrived at the battlefield, the fighting had already begun. The Triple Alliance, a member of the Axis Alliance, appeared to be struggling significantly under the overwhelming military power of the Elysian Empire. The situation did not look promising. However, Fistoa observed the battlefield with a relaxed expression.

“Both sides are fighting so incompetently.”
“It’s nothing but a contest of brute strength. A complete waste of lives,” added Lugien, Fistoa’s lieutenant and a key subordinate of the Crimson Machinist.

I couldn’t grasp what was so poor about their tactics, but the two of them continued to discuss strategies while pointing at the battlefield.

“Relay the fundamental strategy to the Axis Alliance forces. We shall deliver a major blow to the Elysian Empire here.”

What surprised me most was that the command authority for the Axis Alliance forces rested with the Crimson Machinist. Just who is Fistoa? The notion that she’s merely a mercenary seems absolutely impossible.

The Axis Alliance’s basic strategy involved using a small force to draw the enemy’s massive army into a specific area, thereby creating numerical superiority in other locations and annihilating the enemy comprehensively. While the strategy made sense, I found it hard to imagine how a small force could draw in the Elysian Empire’s renownedly powerful army. Even if the Crimson Machinist and the two heroes took on this role, it seemed like an impossible task.

As expected, the Crimson Machinist took on the role of drawing the large army. Presumably, they intended to rely on the strength of the two heroes. Still, I couldn’t believe they could contend with tens of thousands of powerful magic machines. Despite my doubts, the confidence radiating from Fistoa’s expression almost made me believe it could be done.