Chapter 45

Holding Lady Alexia in his arms, some time passed. It seemed that she had calmed down a bit, as she had already stopped crying. However, she did not let go of her embrace. Perhaps she had only stopped crying, but her heart was still unsettled.

However, they couldn't stay like this forever. What should he do?

"Hey, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Havoc spoke to him with an apologetic tone. It wasn't just Havoc; Liam and Cornelia were there too. Even Irene was there. It seemed that Irene had persuaded the Vaiscel soldiers, who were probably brought by her. Had they just arrived?

"You all came?"

"Are they acquaintances of yours, sir?"

"Yeah, before I formed a party with Lady Alexia, I used to form a party with them."

While still embracing, Lady Alexia lifted her face, changed her position slightly, and met Havoc's gaze.

"Well, well. I know it's a bit of a mood killer, but don't you think it's time to stop being so affectionate?"

"It's embarrassing to watch."

"You're making it sound like you were seriously looking for us."

"Young love is so sweet."

"Sweet, you say? That's an old man's comment... Wait, don't raise that blunt weapon!"

Slowly turning to them, creaking like a broken tin toy, their faces were full of teasing smiles. Irene's reaction was different. She was smiling, but it was a forced smile that sent shivers down his spine. He didn't want to see it.

"To think that a saint would lose..."

The soldiers Irene had brought were stunned. Had they seen the entire battle?

"How long have you been there?"

"Since Chaos pointed his staff at the girl. No one could say anything when you suddenly hugged her."

"I'm her teacher, after all. If a student goes astray, it's my duty to correct them... I was just being a bit too dramatic."

"Wow, that's so pretentious. I feel like I'm getting heartburn just listening to you."

"But as a girl, I'd like to hear a pretentious line at least once."

"No, you're already past the age to be called a girl... Wait, I'm sorry! Don't start chanting, it's not a joke!"

Emilia, I wish you would take care of Havoc. My face heated up as I was teased by Liam and Cornelia. I knew I had said something pretentious, but it was even more embarrassing to hear it repeated by someone else.

Ah, this will surely be etched into my memory as a page I want to forget.

"Hugging... I was hugged..."

Lady Alexia's face was as red as if it were on fire. She must have calmed down and realized the situation objectively. For a lady as pure as her, being seen hugging a man by others must have been incredibly embarrassing. She suddenly pulled away from me and covered her face.

"I, I was seen hugging the teacher by others, seen, seen—!"

Lady Alexia let out an indescribable scream in her confusion.

"I'm sorry. I lost my composure for a moment."

Lady Alexia apologized, looking dejected. The others seemed to be considerate, but they were still awkward.

"Well, that's not the case. I've been terribly rude to a noble lady, and I'm very sorry."

"No, I'm not bothered. I just wish you wouldn't mention it."

Havoc, clearly not used to formal speech, cleared his throat and continued.

"I'd like to hear an explanation of this situation too."

While Lady Alexia was flustered, Roseline had also woken up. She had been put to sleep by the 'Sleep Cloud' spell. She would wake up naturally after some time. It must have been confusing for her to see Lady Alexia, who had been causing a commotion, now standing there in confusion without fighting.

"This is what I realized from the story I heard from Irene and Lady Alexia's maid, and from what Havoc and the others told me. It seems that the cause of this battle was the machinations of the vampires."

"What?"

Explaining the discrepancies in the stories from both countries' perspectives, he suggested that the vampires were behind the scenes. As he spoke, Roseline's face turned red with anger.

"So that's it! Those despicable creatures!"

In contrast, Lady Alexia remained calm.

"So, it was as I thought."

"Did you know, Lady Alexia?"

"No, I only realized it just now. I had some suspicions about the Commune's movements, but it wasn't until I met Lady Roseline that I understood the whole scheme."

"Then why did you fight Roseline's subordinates?"

"They attacked first. ...Now that I think about it, perhaps my words were not clear enough. I did not take any lives. I had Irene strictly order not to kill anyone, as I had some suspicions."

Roseline's subordinates were only unconscious, not dead. I had thought they were all killed because of the carnage, but I felt relieved to know that she hadn't taken any lives.

"So, Lady Alexia, you were trying to stop this war?"

"Yes. I wanted to use the magic you taught me on the path I believe is right. I will not do anything to tarnish your name."

I see, Lady Alexia is still the same as before. I had thought that everything I had been involved with in this world had gone in a bad direction. But that wasn't the case. My thoughts were very self-centered and arrogant. Lady Alexia had been acting according to her own beliefs to stop this war. Even if I hadn't come to this world, the war might have ended, but it's a relief that she didn't kill anyone.

"The Vaiscel soldiers who sent the Commune envoy's head. I can't say for sure, but I have a suspicion. About a month ago, Vaiscel sent an envoy to the Commune after the Brandenburg incident. The envoy was attacked by Commune soldiers and was wiped out, and the guards who were escorting them never returned. If this was the work of vampires, it's possible that the envoy was impersonated at that time."

"So the vampires weren't trying to take over a country, but rather to incite a conflict between the Commune and Vaiscel from the beginning. If that's the case, their rampant activities in the country might have been to divert attention and make it easier to invade by cutting off information from outside. The Duke of Numur's inability to communicate might also be due to the vampires."

"If we consider that the vampire king wrote a letter while still alive, it all makes sense. He must have been thoroughly investigating Vaiscel's invasion. It seems like a convoluted plan, but if the goal was to break the unity among humans, it's not a bad strategy."

Unity among humans. He was probably referring to the vampires blending in with humans. Without a map function, and if they looked normal on the surface, it would be difficult for me to determine if they were vampires.

"Although they are now at peace, both the Vaiscel Empire and the Castal Kingdom have a history of expanding their territories through war and becoming great nations. In a world where monsters are rampant, safe land with few monsters is valuable. The reason the wars between humans ended was because the great nations disliked the disadvantages that would arise from conflicts. It was the balance that prevented wars. If Vaiscel were to take over the Commune, it would expand its territory and gain an advantage. It might not happen immediately, but it's not surprising if human wars break out again. If that happens, it would create opportunities for vampires to spread in Vaiscel and Castal."

I thought such a large-scale war would involve Castal and Vaiscel, but I only knew the history that was set in this world. I didn't understand the values of the people in this world or the relationship between the two countries. Given the current situation, it was entirely possible.

How many people would become victims if the Castal Kingdom and the Vaiscel Empire went to war? I shuddered at the thought.

"Let's end this battle. We must not increase the number of victims due to misunderstandings. Lady Roseline, please accompany me to the emperor's presence again. Can you speak directly to the emperor?"

"I understand. ...Chaos, I'm sorry, but I need you to come with me. No matter how much I trust Lady Alexia, I can't go to the enemy camp without a guard."

"Me? Is it okay for me to come?"

"Actually, I prefer you. I want someone I can trust to come with me. ...Is that not possible?"

Roseline looked uneasy. It was natural to be afraid of going into enemy territory, even if she knew Lady Alexia had no ill intentions. Her subordinates were still unconscious, and I couldn't let her go alone. I had made a promise to Raul.

"Alright. I might not be of much help, but I'll come with you."

I didn't know what I could do, but being there might help in some way.

***

Victor listened intently and glanced at Clermont. The sounds from outside the walls were gradually becoming sparse.

(Is the battle over?)

He had received reports that the vanguard had already reached the castle. He wondered if the king had been captured and the resistance of the Commune soldiers had been quelled. After a while, a messenger arrived to report on the front lines.

"Report! We have secured Princess Roseline in Clermont Castle! Lady Alexia is bringing her to this headquarters."

"Secured the princess? Not the king?"

"Yes, sir."

Victor quietly pondered the messenger's report.

(If Alexia has secured the princess, then the princess is not a vampire. If the princess is not a vampire, then the vampire envoy was likely a scheme to incriminate both countries. Alexia seems to have acted on her own suspicion. After attacking the city gates, she ordered the suppression of the city and the rescue of the people. Perhaps it was too much to expect her to take Clermont as well.)

Ideally, he wanted to pin the blame on the vampires and eliminate the Commune royal family, but that might have been too much to hope for, Victor thought with a self-deprecating smile.

"Order a ceasefire to all troops. Princess Roseline is to be received with respect."

"Yes, sir... and..."

The messenger seemed to be choosing his words carefully, hesitating.

"Go on. Speak."

"When securing the princess, Lady Alexia engaged in battle with an enemy mage and was defeated."

"What? Is that true? Is Alexia safe?"

"She is unharmed. However, the news of Lady Alexia's defeat has caused confusion among some of the troops."

Victor inwardly cursed. Alexia was a capable leader of troops, but she was also a formidable fighter. With Irene by her side, it would be difficult to defeat her. In fact, she had defeated all her enemies on the way to Clermont and had become a symbol of the army's morale.

Therefore, the news of Alexia's defeat had caused confusion among the troops. Victor himself had not expected anyone to be able to defeat her.

"As long as she is safe, that's good. But do you know the name of the mage who defeated her?"

"I don't know the details, but I do know the name. It's a mage named Chaos."

"Chaos. Hm, Chaos, you say?"

Victor recognized the name. It was the name that came up when he investigated the Castal Kingdom, which had offered an alliance.

Chaos. The young mage who defeated the Elder Treant, a servant of an evil god, who had attacked the Castal Kingdom. He had disappeared like smoke and his whereabouts were unknown. The Adventurers' Guild had searched for him for a while, but the search was cut short when impostors began to appear. As a result, the name Chaos was not well-known in the Vaiscel Empire.

He was also credited with spreading the recipe for the highest-grade potions and the secret medicine known as the elixir.

So he was here. If the stories were true, it was not surprising that he had the strength to challenge Alexia.

"Keep Alexia's defeat a secret and inform the troops that she is safe. With the troops dispersed in the city, we cannot afford any more confusion."

"Understood."

As the messenger ran off, Victor muttered to himself.

"Troublesome."

The defeat of the saint. This defeat had significant implications. Alexia was called a saint because the Church of Brandenburg recognized that she had received divine revelation.

In other words, if it became known that a saint who had received divine revelation was defeated by a mage who had not, the legitimacy of the saint and the Church itself would be questioned.

Victor himself did not believe in a god he had never seen, but the authority of the Church and the saint still had value. The fact that only some of the troops knew about Alexia's defeat was the only saving grace. This information must be kept secret at all costs.

While waiting for the arrival of Princess Roseline of the Commune, Victor pondered how to handle the post-war situation.

***

Afterward, Princess Roseline de Commune of the Commune and Emperor Wilhelm Victor von Vaiscel of the Vaiscel Empire held talks, and the war came to an end. Thus, the Commune Liberation War concluded.

The Commune Liberation War was a human conflict that had not occurred for over a century, and its occurrence shook the world. It was recognized as a tragedy orchestrated by the vampires, which caused considerable damage to the Commune. However, thanks to the efforts of the saint Alexia and the mage Chaos, who sought to avoid casualties, the war was resolved more quickly than expected, resulting in fewer casualties than anticipated.

While the public perception of Chaos's role in ending the Commune Liberation War remained unchanged, some facts were distorted. Chaos, who fought against the saint Alexia, was said to have matched her strength. Despite being injured, he revealed that the entire incident was a vampire plot, and together with the enlightened Alexia, they brought the war to an end.

Although some facts were distorted, the name of the mage Chaos, who had saved the Commune from dire straits and matched the saint Alexia in the Brandenburg Defense War, became known to the people across the country.

The Great Deeds of the Hero Chaos

- Rescued Princess Roseline de Commune and escorted her to Charenton.

- Defeated the vampire king in the battle to retake Clermont and reclaimed the city.

- Persuaded the saint Alexia to end the Commune Liberation War, leading to its conclusion.

"Aaah, it was going so well..."

Carmilla sighed as she gazed at Clermont in the crystal. It had been exhilarating to watch humans turn on each other at the hands of the vampires, but the battle did not develop as expected and ended prematurely, leaving her feeling unsatisfied. She was deeply disappointed.

"The time and effort I put in did not yield the desired results. There were some achievements, but this feels like a failure. Ah, how will I explain this to my master?"

Since she had led the operation herself, the failure left her feeling unfulfilled. The thought of how to present it to her master made her feel gloomy.

However, her master would not be too concerned. Her master had his own plans. As long as they did not interfere with them, her master allowed his subordinates to act as they pleased. This level of autonomy was one of the reasons Carmilla was devoted to her master.

"Well, there were some enjoyable moments, so I'll take it as a win."

Carmilla's expression softened as she recalled the fun. It was fun to trample and crush those begging for their lives, to destroy towns and villages on a whim, to make vassals of the lords and impose heavy taxes on the people, and to torture and kill those who disobeyed.

She might have been a bit too focused on hunting humans. Perhaps she had gone a bit too far, she thought, licking her lips.

Her gaze was drawn to the three figures in the crystal. The young man in the robe, flanked by two girls. Carmilla's expression darkened.

"A saint. If she hadn't been there, things might have gone better."

The speed of the Vaiscel Empire's invasion was unexpected for Carmilla. She had seen the saint's prowess in Brandenburg, but in a war, her presence, which strengthened the troops, was more of a hindrance than she had imagined. The Vaiscel Empire's rapid advance was largely due to her influence.

The original goal was to exhaust the Vaiscel Empire and the Commune by making them fight each other, and to some extent, that goal was achieved. However, the damage to the Vaiscel Empire was less than Carmilla had anticipated.

"Ultimately, it's probably because of this boy."

She traced the face of the young man in the crystal.

An irregularity in this world. A visitor from 'the other world.' When she learned that there were other visitors from 'the other world' besides her master, Carmilla was elated. He might be a savior of monsters like her master, she thought.

But reality was different. The impact he had already had on this world was causing significant disruptions to the plans and strategies of the monsters.

The incident in Vaiscel. And this time. If he hadn't raised the saint, things might have gone more smoothly.

Upon investigation, it was revealed that he was the one who defeated the Elder Treant in the Castal Kingdom.

It couldn't be dismissed as a coincidence. After being obstructed three times, it was clear that he was actively trying to thwart the plans of the monsters. This meant that he could also interfere with her master's plans.

She tapped the face of the young man in the crystal with her nails.

Perhaps this young man should be eliminated, Carmilla thought. It would be best to take action before he became an obstacle to the next plan.

"I guess I have no choice but to get rid of you, visitor from the same 'other world' as my master."