Valkyrie's Shadow

The Tiger and the Dragon: Act 2, Chapter 11

The Tiger and the Dragon: Act 2, Chapter 11

Chapter 11

A Shadow Demon appeared out of the darkness in the corner of the room. It drifted to Ludmila’s side, offering a respectful bow to Lord Tian.

“Report,” Ludmila said.

“We’ve located an individual that may be Queen Oriculus,” the Shadow Demon said. “She is seated on a stone throne in a large hall. The door seems magically locked.”

“Where are the Beastmen forces?”

“They are scattered throughout the palace, searching and looting. The Human defenders offer resistance, but can reclaim no ground.”

“Good work,” Ludmila nodded. “Show us the way.”

With a flap of its dark wings, the Shadow Demon turned and flew down the stairs. Lord Tian offered her an appraising look.

“Perhaps it should be expected considering you are Lady Shalltear’s vassal,” he said, “but you appear well-adjusted for a Human.”

He didn’t know she was Undead? There must have been some reason for that…

“His Majesty’s reign has brought peace and prosperity to our lands, my lord,” Ludmila replied. “The trepidation displayed in the past over E-Rantel’s new circumstances was understandable, but one can only spurn His Majesty’s benevolence for so long before being considered an ingrate.”

They made their way down to the next floor. The Shadow Demon was waiting by a half-opened door.

“What’s in the corridor?” Ludmila asked.

“Nothing,” the Shadow Demon answered. “But the Beastmen run this way and that. They may be encountered at any point.”

“Can you conceal your presence, Lord Tian?”

“Of course.”

“Then let’s minimise the number of confrontations from here to our objective. We need to reach Queen Oriculus – if it’s even her – before the Beastmen do. Saiko: stay here with the others and continue collecting information. I’ll let you know when to move onto the next phase.”

The Shadow Demon melded into the wall, the slits of its amber eyes leading them through the palace corridors. It wasn’t long until they encountered the first of many corpses.

Palace guards; household servants; even children littered the hallways in various states of dismemberment. Bloody tracks led in every direction, adding to a sense that the Beastmen were revelling in the slaughter. She stopped at a pool of blood, eyeing the prints of footpads leading from it.

“Can you leave trackless steps, my lord?” She asked.

“Unfortunately not, my lady,” he answered. “I am a Monk. I will mind my steps as we make our way.”

Since many of the Beastmen were leaving tracks as well, it appeared that many of them did not have any Job Classes related to Rangers or at least weren’t experienced enough to leave trackless steps yet. There was also a chance that they never developed the ability. That didn’t mean there weren’t any at all, however.

The clash of battle grew nearer as the Shadow Demon led them forward. It stopped before they reached a large, well-lit hallway.

“The hallway to the left goes forward one hundred metres before reaching another,” the Shadow Demon said. “Fifty metres from there is the entrance to the hall with the throne.”

Ludmila poked her head around the corner. On both sides of the hallway, over a hundred Beastmen were fighting the palace’s defenders, who had holed themselves up in the rooms along the way. Spears and swordpoints jabbed out of the doorways as they attempted to keep the invaders from breaking in.

She stepped back and turned to address the Shadow Demon.

“Enter the throne room and ensure that our target remains secure,” Ludmila told it. “Do not show yourself unless necessary.”

After it vanished into the wall, Ludmila joined Lord Tian, who was standing out in the hallway watching the desperate battle.

“Shall we intervene on the defenders’ behalf?” Lord Tian asked.

“The Queen will need her palace staff for later,” Ludmila gripped her glaive. “Let’s be quick about it, my lord – fighting for too long may attract more and delay us further.”

“Then, without further ado…”

Lord Tian tightened his gloves. The hallway exploded into a maelstrom of gore. The Sorcerer King’s Royal Butler appeared on the far end before the shower of blood rained on the floor. It took several moments for the weapons jabbing out of the doorways to stop poking at their now-nonexistent foes. Ludmila looked down at her glaive before shaking her head.

It’s a good thing Lord Cocytus didn’t come. He might have cut the palace in half.

She dropped her now-unnecessary concealment and made her way through the mess. The ceilings dripped crimson and bits of Beastman stuck to where they had splattered into the walls.

Fearful faces were framed by each doorway and the defenders only dared to look outside after she walked by. Their expressions were uncomprehending as they blinked at the aftermath of Lord Tian’s passage. A royal household was supposed to contain the best that a kingdom’s nobility had to offer, but, compared to the man standing calmly at the end of the hall, Queen Oriculus’ servants may as well have been fifth-rate tavern staff.

Maybe I should send my footmen to that dojo…

At the end of the hall, Lord Tian was quietly watching a dozen or so Beastmen rend a huge set of oak doors. With how much focus and effort they were putting into it, the material of the barrier was probably enchanted. While they did have the heads of different predatory animals, Ludmila couldn’t determine the hierarchy between them.

“I wonder if there’s an officer in that bunch,” she muttered.

“I’m afraid their attire is unfamiliar to me,” Lord Tian said. “We could always ask.”

“Hey!” A Beastman with the head of a lion finally noticed them standing there, “Who the hell are you?!”

At his call, the group at the door stopped and ran towards them. Each was anywhere between two and three metres in height, their claws and maws stained with blood.

“We have business with the lady inside,” Lord Tian said. “Might you be so kind as to cease your activities?”

“Cease?” The Beastman who first spoke stopped in front of them, “Food has no right to make such demands! Don’t you see we–”

The Beastman wrinkled his nose and turned his head. One by one, the others turned to look down the hall that Lord Tian had come down. A smile crept onto Ludmila’s face as they looked back in unison with drooping whiskers.

After the Beastmen joined the mess in the hallway, Ludmila offered the Royal Butler a Trooper’s Towel. She attempted to gauge Lord Tian’s strength, but her conclusion only came out as ‘ridiculous’. He was comparable to the Sorcerer King’s most powerful courtiers.

“Lord Tian,” she asked. “Are you wearing a Ring of Nondetection or under a similar effect?”

“I am not, my lady,” Lord Tian replied. “Why do you ask?”

“I was just thinking that they really are like cats,” she glanced over the grisly scene again.

Master Tian used the magic item and handed it back to her. He straightened the lapels of his coat.

“You weren’t aware of the forms of these Beastmen before this?”

“I did know, my lord,” Ludmila replied. “I was referring to their behaviour. Cats are predators with a singular focus. They are very easy to distract and confuse. I wanted to avoid making any ignorant assumptions about other races, but I can’t help but think that they share in that behaviour. They were focused on breaking down the door and didn’t notice that the fighting in the hall had stopped. Then they came to confront you and didn’t notice the mess in the hall. Any experienced combatant would attempt to assess potential opponents before confronting them, but they didn’t.”

Smith Kovalev’s assessment was more telling than she realised. Felid Beastman behaviour could be a strength or a weakness depending on the circumstances, and it was likely exploitable in personal combat as it was inexorably tied to one’s instinct and reflexes. How the Beastmen behaved when dealing with things indirectly or on a wider scale, however, was yet to be seen.

No new Beastmen appeared, so they made their way over to the throne room door. As it was magical, the splintered hole indicated that it was entirely broken. Or maybe it was the door with the hole in it? She wasn’t sure how it worked in this case.

“Are you ready, Lord Tian?” Ludmila asked.

“Hmm…now that we’re here, the lines that were handed to me seem a bit embarrassing.”

“They gave you lines?”

Ludmila thanked the gods that Lord Tian had come at the last moment. Marketing presentations just weren’t her thing.

“Perhaps they aren’t as bad as they seem,” Lord Tian said. “Countess Wagner noted my poor advertising skills some time ago, so I can only defer to her judgement.”

Great.

Two people who had no business doing business had been entrusted with opening a dialogue with the Draconic Kingdom. Maybe they would identify a combat Merchant Job Class someday.

Lord Tian raised a gloved hand and knocked on the intact door. Ludmila straightened in place and smoothed out her skirts. After a few seconds’ thought, she closed her forest green mantle around herself. She didn’t want to influence the negotiations negatively with what some might consider a brazen appearance.

Several more seconds passed in silence. Lord Tian knocked on the door again. Nothing happened. Ludmila frowned. There was no sound on the other side – only the faintest trace of alcohol wafting out of the hole to mix with the scent of carnage in the hallway.

?Is our target still in there??

The Shadow Demon in the throne room poked its head out from under the door and nodded. Ludmila exchanged a look with Lord Tian before he knocked on the door once more.

Ludmila heard bare feet padding over the floor.

“Wh-who is it?”

From the other side of the door came a woman’s voice. It was small and tentative, almost seeming as that of a child’s.

“Ah, excellent, someone is in. I beg your pardon for our intrusion, Madam, but we couldn’t help but notice your predicament. Might you be interested in hiring security forces from the Sorcerous Kingdom?”

Draudillon dug out her ears. Was she hearing things?

“Th-the Sorcerous Kingdom?”

“Yes, madam,” the man’s rich voice seemed to suffuse her belly with warmth. “My name is Sebas Tian, a humble servant of the Sorcerer King.”

Who in the world was the Sorcerer King? What was the Sorcerous Kingdom? She forced aside her frayed emotions and made her exhausted mind work, but she couldn’t recall anything of the sort nearby. Were they from one of the nations deeper in the continent? The presence of the Beastman Kingdom made diplomacy with nations further east next to impossible, so she couldn’t figure out how or why they would have come if they were.

No, that’s not what I should be worrying about right now!

“The Beastmen…what happened to them?”

“We asked them to stop.”

“…and then?”

“Unfortunately, they would not. You have our apologies for the mess.”

They killed them? To make it into the palace being overrun by Beastmen…how many soldiers did they bring? He said something about hiring security forces. Was it some sort of powerful mercenary group? Certain nations in the world beyond made war their primary industry, specialising in creating armies that other countries could hire.

Could it be that they had come, seeing an opportunity in the Draconic Kingdom? Draudillon swallowed, daring to hope.

“You said something about security forces – how many soldiers did you bring with you?”

“At the moment, I have come before you with one other. It would be a breach of protocol to bring an army into a sovereign state without their approval first.”

“But…but how did the Beastmen…what spell did you cast to get rid of them?”

Even if he was an Adamantite warrior, there would be a great deal of noise made fighting so many Beastmen in the palace. It stood to reason that this Sebas Tian was a powerful magic caster. One that perhaps used spells that influenced the mind or inflicted death effects to silently kill his adversary.

“Well, if one must frame it in those terms, I cast ‘fist’.”

She had never heard of that spell before.

So a foreign representative has come to offer an army. Ei, what am I waiting for?!

“Just a moment,” Draudillon called through the door, “I’ll…erm, just to be sure, you are not a Beastman, yes?”

“Most assuredly not, madam.”

Considering that he had removed the Beastmen that were already breaking down the door, it wasn’t as if keeping the door closed would keep him out if he wanted to get in. She went over to the side and released the magical lock on the throne room entrance.

As the door slowly swung open, Draudillon’s mouth fell open. She slammed the door shut again, her heart hammering in her chest.

Wh-what was that?!

He was gorgeous. Stunning. Amazing! The vocabulary of an overexcited teenager swam in her head as she fought to regain her composure.

The man’s rich voice floated through the hole in the door again. Her stomach did a little flip.

“Is something the matter, madam?”

“I, um, er…just a minute!”

She turned her back to the door.

The broom…where’s the broom!

Her throne room was a mess. Bottles, broken glass, scraps of trash and boxes of supplies were scattered over the floor. Though there was a hole in the window, the place still smelled.

Draudillon sniffed herself. She was a mess. When was the last time she had washed? Yesterday? No, the day before? Everything seemed so pointless with her world crumbling around her.

The palace’s cleaning supplies were of course not in the throne room. Neither was a change of clothes. They were quite far away, in fact. Getting them would involve opening the door, which would result in her destruction. A crisis had come upon Draudillon Oriculus, and, once again, she was caught powerless and unprepared.

World Teleportation…I should have asked my great-grandfather to show me that!

It was magic that came in handy for occasions just like this, but it was too late.

“Madam…”

Draudillon froze. She looked over her shoulder to find that the broken door had drifted open. Sebas Tian’s steely grey gaze went from her to her throne room.

Ah, I want to die…

Never mind the dignity of the Draconic Kingdom, she was a failure as a woman. She fiddled with the thousands of souls she had collected from the city. Maybe she should just burn everything and herself along with it.

Someone cleared their throat beside her. Draudillon turned to find that the door had been closed. A tall woman remained inside with her, proffering a fluffy white towel.

“A magic item that casts the Clean spell,” the woman explained in a mellow voice. “Our time is limited, so please feel free to use it.”

Draudillon received the item, then she felt a comb gently running through her hair. She started tearing up – there were good people in the world, after all.

She wiped her eyes and used the item. Feeling a bit refreshed, she walked over to her throne, trying her best to ignore the clutter on the floor. She picked up the crown lying beside the throne: a golden diadem with the sweeping horns and frills of a metallic dragon. After checking it for dust and debris, she plopped it on her head. Then she plopped herself on her throne.

The nice woman who had attended to her looked up to the throne with a question on her face. Draudillon nodded, and the woman went to open the door. Crisp steps sounded as Sebas Tian came forward to stand before her.

Ah…I want to touch his beard…

“Your Majesty,” Sebas Tian said with a bow, “forgive us for our unsolicited intrusion. Once again, I am Sebas Tian – a representative of the Sorcerous Kingdom.”

“Umu,” Draudillon nodded. “You are forgiven, and you have Our most heartfelt thanks for your assistance. We are Draudillon Oriculus, the Black Scale Dragon Lord and Queen of the Draconic Kingdom. I believe you have come to Us with a proposal…?”

She fought to keep a light and childish tone from creeping into her voice.

Dammit! It’s become a habit…

Would he actually prefer that? All of her vassals and subjects did. Except she was currently her adult self, so it would probably sound rather strange.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he rose from his bow. “The Sorcerous Kingdom has recently established itself in the region, and I have come as part of the delegation to open diplomatic and economic relations with your country. We have been busy settling our internal affairs until recently, so you have our apologies for sending an envoy so late after our appearance in the region.”

Draudillon resisted the urge to swallow. His demeanour, while respectful, also spoke of one who was in control. The words were that of someone looking in from the outside – someone who had gauged the situation and determined that something could be gained from it. In a sense, it was a relief. Those that came freely offering gifts were the most suspect.

“We thank you for coming nonetheless,” Draudillon offered him a regal nod. “But why would the Sorcerous Kingdom come at this late hour? It pains Us to say so, but We have little to offer anyone with things as they are.”

“His Majesty the Sorcerer King, Ainz Ooal Gown, is a sovereign of supreme means. But not all things are not born of power, wealth or renown. What the Sorcerer King desires is…friendship.”

“Friendship?”

She clamped her mouth shut. Her outburst was a mistake, but, at the same time, it was not something that a head of state would randomly risk war to obtain. If friends were what the Sorcerer King desired, however, she would happily become his friend to save her people. They could even be like the royals in the legend of the Thirteen Heroes and embark on grand adventures.

“Indeed, Your Majesty,” Sebas Tian replied. “Friendship between our two nations. We believe that establishing mutually beneficial relations with our new neighbours is for the best.”

Oh, that sort of friendship. It was silly to think that help could be purchased so cheaply.

That much was common sense and it was especially important for new countries. States isolated from diplomacy and trade inevitably lost ground against their neighbours. The Draconic Kingdom’s situation was a painful reminder of this. While there were exceptions, very few nations had the resources to simply ignore or overwhelm whatever came their way.

“We are unfamiliar with this ‘Sorcerous Kingdom’ you hail from. You say that we are neighbours…might We ask where it is?”

“Its capital region is the Duchy of E-Rantel, on the opposite side of the Katze Plains.”

E-Rantel?

The last she heard, E-Rantel was a territory of the Kingdom of Re-Estize. Her Prime Minister had mentioned something about a ridiculous declaration from a magic caster over a year previous…

Was it not so ridiculous after all? But why would Baharuth or Re-Estize permit the founding of a new state in such a strategically critical location? Furthermore, magic casters were limited in their destructive capacity: they could only do as much as they had mana for and mana regeneration was slow.

The Duchy of E-Rantel was a highly-desirable territory despite its proximity to the Katze Plains. It was the only land corridor that existed between the Kingdoms of the north and the lands to the south on this side of the great barrier range that stretched halfway across the continent. Any power that carved out that relatively small territory as a sovereign state would need to keep its military at home or risk a swift occupation by its neighbours.

As much as she would have liked to believe that they could back up their claim, it was too unrealistic. Sebas Tian was certainly powerful, but even parties of Adamantite Adventurers could only delay the Beastman Kingdom in one place at any one time. Perhaps he was playing with her heart in order to swindle what little she had left before abandoning her to her fate.

“We are not opposed to this,” she said, “but please understand that your claims are difficult for Us to believe. The forces of the Beastman Kingdom run rampant over Our lands and even powerful Adventurers cannot contain them. Furthermore, this invasion is orders of magnitude greater than that which the Draconic Kingdom has faced in the past.”

“Your Majesty’s position is not unreasonable,” Sebas Tian replied. “May we have permission to enter your country with our forces?”

He didn’t even pause at her doubts. She analysed his every action and word, trying to discern any duplicity or malice. After finding nothing, Draudillon nodded.

“Very well,” she said. “You have Our permission.”

Sebas Tian turned to face the woman who had come with him.

“Provide a suitable demonstration for Her Majesty,” he told her.

The woman dipped into a curtsey before slipping out of the throne room without a word.

That one is a Noble…

Her movements; looks; the telltale mask. The way she seamlessly moved to help prepare her for her audience. Going by that, she was the one who should have been attending to her while Sebas Tian went to ‘provide a suitable demonstration’.

“You are not going with her?” Draudillon asked.

“No, Your Majesty,” Sebas Tian smiled slightly behind his neatly-groomed beard. “I am here to attend to you and keep you safe. Please let me know if there is anything that you desire.”

Draudillon licked her lips and swallowed as he came to stand beside her throne, her heart hammering wildly in her breast.

?Saiko, we’re clear to begin the next phase. Secure that tower and get set up.?

Ludmila returned the way from which they had come, walking back up the hallway painted in Beastman. While the mess was still there, the Human defenders were no longer in their rooms. Dozens of crimson footprints led in the opposite direction. She followed them through the palace until shouts and roars echoing from further on quickened her pace.

She found the palace guard – or at least she thought they were the palace guard – at the top of a wide spiral staircase. Upon closer inspection, they were a hodgepodge of men and women and only a few appeared to carry themselves as warriors did. The rest clutched a variety of polearms, presenting a bristling barrier against several Beastmen who were trying to make their way up.

Whenever the Demihumans looked like they were about to break through, several men with greatswords stepped through the makeshift spear wall and slashed down at them. Ludmila nodded to herself. Whoever was organising the defence knew what they were doing. This was especially the case when she considered what she had observed of the Beastmen in front of the throne room.

Steps sounded from behind her, followed by a gasp. She turned to see a young woman carrying a small crate in her hands.

“Y-you…you’re the one that…”

Ludmila frowned at the woman’s stammering, which only seemed to turn the woman pale.

Ah…they must think I was the one responsible for the hallway…

“Lina, where the hell are those potions?!” A roar sounded from the stairs, “You better get the hell ov–wait, you’re the one that…what are you doing here? Is the Queen safe?”

The man who spoke was a warrior adorned in plate armour that had seen better days. He lowered his greatsword and lifted his visor, revealing a pair of brown eyes under bushy grey eyebrows.

“Her Majesty is secure,” Ludmila replied. “Are you an officer?”

“Captain Scavo of the Royal Guard,” he touched the tips of his gauntleted fingers over the opposite shoulder.

“I have a few questions for you, Captain Scavo,” Ludmila said. “But first…”

She drew a longbow from her Infinite Haversack, nocking a broadhead arrow to its string. After hopping onto the railing overlooking the stairs, she loosed an arrow into the neck of a Tiger Beastman. She loosed another as it tumbled down the stairs, finding the chest of the next. The remaining Beastmen retreated and she frowned.

What’s going on here?

For Demihuman Warriors, they were far weaker than anticipated. Their equipment was notably lacking, as well.

With the immediate threat removed, the men and women of the spear wall collapsed on the floor in relief. Ludmila hopped off of the railing and put her bow away. The woman with the crate set it down on the floor nearby, opening the lid to reveal a dozen carefully-packed potions. She distributed them to the defenders, who each offered their thanks before quaffing the concoctions.

After checking his men, Captain Scavo nodded in Ludmila’s direction.

“Thank you, miss…”

“Zahradnik,” she replied. “Baroness Ludmila Zahradnik, of the Sorcerous Kingdom.”

The Captain furrowed his brow.

“A Noble…?” He murmured, then shook his head, “Thank you, my lady. Your assistance was most timely.”

“Is there something wrong with being a Noble?” Ludmila asked.

“Ah, no, my lady,” the Captain bobbed his head several times. “Just unexpected. Nobles don’t run around alone here. They might lead troops from the back, but they usually don’t participate in the fighting.”

“Then you aren’t one, I take it.”

“Me?” Captain Scavo snorted in amusement, “Scavo’s just an old Captain in the palace guard. I’m not cut out to do Noble things.”

?Lady Zahradnik, our forces are arriving now. Will you be coming to the war room??

She raised a hand to her ear. Captain Scavo gave her a puzzled look.

?I found a local officer, so I’m trying to get some information out of him. Keep the squads there for now. Use Wraiths to clear the palace of Beastmen.?

?…will Wraiths be sufficient??

?It sounds strange, but I think so. Let me know if they meet any real resistance.?

Ludmila lowered her hand.

“Apologies for the interruption, Captain,” she said. “My adjutant contacted me.”

She frowned at his uncomprehending look. Were they not familiar with magical communication? As a Captain, he should at least be able to cast his voice. Ludmila cleared her throat.

“First of all, is there a map of this city available?”

“We have maps, my lady, but–”

“Her Majesty has requested that I provide her with proof that my forces can fight the Beastmen. You may ask her if you wish, but the people of the city are dying by the second.”

That probably wasn’t a fair thing to say considering that they themselves had been trying to ‘time’ their entrance for maximum effect. The Captain fell silent for a moment before speaking again.

“We can’t ask her.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Her Majesty…she sent us away. Told us to leave her and save ourselves. Told us she didn’t want to see our faces again.”

“You’re still here.”

“We are,” Captain Scavo’s expression firmed. “She told us to go away, so we did. We just didn’t go very far. But we can’t see her again unless she rescinds her command.”

Ludmila covered her smile with a gauntleted hand. It seemed stupid, but she would have probably done the same were she in their position. The Captain glowered at her reaction.

“It’s a good thing that you didn’t run, Captain,” she told him. “The Beastmen have cut off the Draconic Kingdom from the rest of the world. They’ve sunk the ships in the harbours and have blocked off the northern border. Your loyalty to your Queen has saved you, and if you did not stay, we would probably not have made it in time.”

Captain Scavo’s glower transformed into a flustered look.

“That’s, erm…I’ll have one of the footmen get you a map. Do you really mean to save the city?”

“I feel that it is sufficient proof of our capabilities,” Ludmila replied. “On that note, I have some questions about these invaders.”

“What would you like to know?”

She gestured to the clearly-not-warriors who had formed the spear wall at the top of the stairs.

“These people fighting under your command: who are they?”

“Palace staff, mostly. Got a few of my men in the mix, but the rest belong to the royal household. Maids and such.”

“You were using them to great effect,” Ludmila noted. “If regular household servants can manage that, how did the Beastman get this far?”

“It doesn’t work in the long run,” Captain Scavo replied. “Eventually, one comes along that can break through and that’s it for us.”

“How often do one of those appear?”

“It’s the Lord-types, usually. Some might also be their warriors.”

“Do you mean to say that the ones you’ve been fighting aren’t their warriors?”

“Yes, my lady. Well, there were probably a few in the mix, but nothing crazy. Probably a tribe looking to make a name for itself.”

She narrowed her eyes at his answers.

“So this Beastman army is made up of different tribes?”

“That’s right.”

“If that’s the case, how does their command structure work?”

“Erm…we’re not sure exactly how it works, my lady,” Captain Scavo said, “but the tribes are all part of one clan or the other and the clans run the show.”

“Do they have a general or some war council that leads them?”

“They do,” the Captain nodded. “We had Crystal Tear – the Adamantite Adventurer party here – go and kill them. Figured we could stop the invasion like that.”

“What happened?”

“We killed them. Then the Beastmen sent a group to kill Crystal Tear right while they were celebrating their win in the throne room here. After that, the countryside was overrun.”

“Where did those Beastmen go? Are they in the city?”

If there was a group of Beastman capable of besting an Adamantite Adventurer team, they would probably also be capable of destroying a Death-series servitor.

“We don’t know,” Captain Scavo shook his head. “Probably not. Attacks like this are usually just a bunch of tribes hungry for food or glory. We’ve been trying to starve them out, so probably the former.”

The footman Captain Scavo sent out returned with a rolled-up map. He handed it over to Ludmila.

“Thank you,” she said. “Captain Scavo, would you like to advise my general staff while we take back the city? Someone with local expertise would be of great help.”

“I’m sorry, my lady,” the Captain said. “We’d love to help you, but we can’t abandon our posts.”

Ludmila nodded before going on her way. The palace would probably be clear of Beastmen shortly and she doubted anything could threaten Queen Oriculus with Sebas Tian guarding her. Still, she could only respect his resolve and had no right to undermine it.

She returned to the tower where they had arrived, which had by that point been converted into a command centre. Death-series servitors filled the ground floor and the second floor had been converted into a war room. Tables and other pieces of furniture had been carried in by the forces that arrived via Gate. Ludmila placed the map of the city on the table. Olga and Raul – who had come with the Linum sisters – reached out to unfurl it before them.

“How’s the palace looking?” Ludmila asked.

“The third and second floors have been cleared, my lady,” Lluluvien replied. “We’re scouring the main floor and the basement levels now.”

“Any notable resistance?”

“An individual was found who destroyed one of our summoned Wraiths,” Saiko reported. “It attempted to leave the palace grounds after that, so it was eliminated.”

That was a shame. Capturing and interrogating a Beastman Lord would likely yield valuable insights into their overall strategy and the rationale for the way that they conducted war.

“We’ll have to keep an eye out for more Lord-class Beastmen,” Ludmila said. “See if we can’t find a jail or something suitable for detaining any that we capture.”

“Yes, my lady. Shall we begin scouting the city?”

“Since we already have a map, move on to the second stage of reconnaissance. I want to start as soon as the Elder Liches are done clearing the palace and ready to move out with their squads. Is your communication range large enough to cover the city yet, by the way?”

“It’s about three kilometres to the furthest wall? It shouldn’t be a problem, but we’ll let you know if we experience any strain.”

“I’m headed out, then,” Ludmila said. “Saiko – you’re with me.”