On the airship above Oroc City Karyana accompanied the dozen or so companions from Skycover's Wings as they formally entered Oroc City's airspace. "Karyana, I heard you got to know Sean pretty well before. What's he like?" one companion asked, and the other witches nearby curiously gathered around to listen. Although Sean Vigil had spent some time at Skycover's Wings headquarters, not everyone had chatted with him. Each person had their own tasks, and some had been too shy to strike up a conversation back then for various reasons. They'd thought there would be time later, but who knew he'd suddenly leave after just a short stay at headquarters? No one had even heard he was planning to go. "Him? How to put it... A bit lazy, always wanting others to handle everything for him." Karyana couldn't really say much; she didn't know Sean all that well. The only thing that stood out was when he'd asked her to draw maps for him every day back then. She could have taught him, but he just wanted her to do the drawing while he never bothered to learn. That had left a lasting impression on Karyana. "But he's a count now, probably used to ordering people around," a girl chimed in. "Back then, he was just a baron." "Still a noble, though," another added. "You'll understand when you meet him." Karyana couldn't really explain it. If it hadn't been for the leader, she might not have bothered with him at all. For the witches at Skycover's Wings headquarters in Riyetis, they'd seen plenty of nobles, including many of high rank. "So, will our life here be tough?" "Would you rather not come? If we didn't come here, we'd be sent to the battlefield." "I'm just saying—coming here is actually pretty good." The dozen or so girls bickered back and forth, nearly starting an argument. "But there's one thing I've always wanted to know: that Sean Vigil, the baron—no, now Count Vigil—what's his real relationship with our leader?" Everyone present probably wanted to know, clustering around. "Isn't it bad to gossip about the leader like this?" "Are you saying you're not curious?" Well, they were all pretty curious. "I don't know much either. I just heard the leader once promised to protect him back in Koga City, so she brought Count Vigil to Riyetis." That seemed to be all Karyana knew. "Hey, do you think he might be the leader's kept man?" They exchanged glances. "Shh..." No one dared to follow up on that.
While the girls were relaxed, Sean was swamped. The report requesting aid for Oroc City should have reached the capital by now, but there'd been no reply, and Sean figured there never would be. The north was at war; the empire had shifted most of its elite troops and supplies to the front lines. There were no spare soldiers to support him. King Simon hadn't publicly tossed his request on the floor and scolded him, which was already a courtesy. And that letter probably never even reached the king. Though he was a count, he wasn't high enough to contact the king directly—there were too many intermediaries. "Are you waiting for the empire's reply, my lord?" Luke seemed to read Sean's thoughts. "There won't be one anyway. It's just a tactic of advancing by retreating." At worst, he'd get criticized, and then the empire would wash its hands of the southeast. If they wanted to intervene, they'd have to respond to his aid request first. "A clever move, my lord." Hah. Sean looked at him. Anyone else could praise his cleverness, but hearing it from Luke felt insincere. Luke was the first among his subordinates to see through it, and the original idea had come from him before Sean dared to act on it. "So, what's our next step?" "What do you think?" Sean wanted to hear his opinion. The rebels had taken a heavy blow and probably couldn't stir up trouble for a while, but wiping them out was still tough. Oroc City was surrounded by dense forests, and even the local mountain folk hadn't traversed them all. If the rebels holed up in the deep woods, Sean would have to pay a huge price to fight a guerrilla war. Not worth it. Especially not during wartime. But he couldn't leave them be forever. Even if they wouldn't come out, he had to find a way to drive them off, or they'd remain a threat. "The biggest uncertainty is the north. The northern battlefield drives the entire Basharan Empire. Do you think we'll win this war?" Sean asked Luke. Luke shook his head. No one could give a sure answer. "The Bogars are strong—at least in Zantabarr, no one can match them." "I've heard that from many people," Sean said. A single war couldn't truly destroy a nation, especially when both sides were massive. The Basharan Empire's tens of millions of people wouldn't be wiped out so easily. What really devastated a country was the aftermath of war—famine, riots, disasters, and chaos. That's why Sean had decided not to support the empire and instead hoard more reserves. If Oroc City sent those few thousand soldiers to the front, they might not achieve much, but losing that grain and money could mean many deaths in the days to come. "The north is the biggest variable. Its outcome directly decides whether the rebels stay here. If the war drags on, the rebels might send more troops or recall their own. If we win, that's the perfect ending. But if we lose..." Sean didn't dare imagine the empire's half-million-strong army collapsing. How would the southern cities defend themselves then? The north... His mind drifted south again. The Adac border was another problem—he'd need to keep an eye on it. He ran a hand through his hair. Leaning back in his chair, Sean felt for a moment that being a lord was too hard. If he'd just become a regular mercenary, he might be chasing girls, drinking, and traveling the world by now. "One thing at a time. We can figure out how to deal with the immediate threat first," Luke said from the side.
Just as they were talking, a guard entered to report that the witches from Skycover's Wings had arrived in Oroc City. Finally here. At least there was some good news. Freylia had never let him down. "Bring them in—no, wait. I'll go greet them myself." He'd been short on capable witches for advice. He was a half-baked wizard himself, and the others weren't even that.