「……I see, Frizione is making some suspicious moves, huh? I certainly understand her thoughts, I can see why. But……she seems to have been a little slow to act. Well, considering her character, I guess it’s understandable.」

Kabajid muttered as he looked over a report submitted by his subordinate.

The smile on his lips was so charming that it would catch anyone’s eye.

His expression contained a mixture of elegance and dignity. It was like a painting with the soft autumn sunlight pouring in through the window.

「……Ah! Oh, no. Yes. Considering Princess Frizione’s character, I think she wouldn’t accept a fight between blood relatives. That’s why she seems to have sent a messenger to the rebel army……no, to Prince Mercurio.」

The man who had brought the report to his master hurriedly responded after realising he had been captivated for a few seconds.

He didn’t have a thing for men or anything similar, but even so, he was flustered by his own inability to stop his eyes.

However, Kabajid didn’t seem to care at all as he nodded in response.

「That’s true. Even I would have chosen that method if I didn’t want a fight to break out in the current situation. But……it’s too late now. If this had happened before Bratta and the others had been defeated, it might not have been impossible.」

「Would there have been a possibility?」

「Yes. Of course, things would have been a lot more complicated in that case. Plus, there’s the question of whether Mercurio would have accepted it or not. But……」

Kabajid suddenly turned to look towards the window.

Outside was a garden with beautiful trees growing in harmony.

The trees sparkled in the sunlight and despite it being autumn, there was no sign of them withering.

If someone with the right knowledge were to see the garden, their eyes would go wide.

The many trees in the garden, even those that would only sprout in spring and summer, were all still there with fresh leaves.

Anyone with knowledge of gardening or magic would be shocked as Kabajid looked out with fond eyes.

He remained in that position for a few seconds. Eventually, perhaps satisfied by the view outside his window, Kabajid turned to his subordinate as he spoke again.

「He’s fought me once. I’m sure he won’t back down that easily.」

「……Yes.」

Nodding at his master’s words, the man moved onto the next report.

「As for Rhodes, his strength has increased thanks to Pelfiel’s training. I think he will soon be able to use the Fire Eater that was shown to him.」

「I’ve heard it puts a considerable strain on the user, how is that going?」

「Well, that is……」

The man hesitated, but with Kabajid urging him on, the man finally spoke.

「It was a bit of a surprise. I suppose he is the son of the Axe of the Thunder God after all. There seems to be some strain, but it’s a far cry from those who tested it before.」

The man’s expression held some of his surprise.

That was only natural. The magic item that Kabajid planned to give Rhodes had been created by an alchemist in the Bestir Empire. However, it was a cursed item that no one had ever been able to use.

Even if you’re lucky, you would feel fatigue all over your body and be unable to move for several days. Those who were unlucky would have the flames of their life devoured, just as the name of the magic item suggested.

Fire Eater. A giant tornado of fire had been the trigger for the defeat of the Bestir Empire’s army in the Spring War. This magic item had been created to counter it.

In other words, since it was created to deal with Rei’s fire tornado from the beginning, Rhodes, who was hoping to defeat Rei, couldn’t ask for a better magic item.

As its name suggested, it consumed flames created using magic power……absorbing it and turning it into the user’s own magic power. When it was first being developed, there were cases where the user would explode and die if they absorbed more magic power than their body’s capacity allowed. However, any excess magic power would now be released externally, so no one would die from absorbing too much magic power.

This still placed a large burden on the user, but since the user this time was a talented person like Rhodes, it wasn’t a problem, just as the man’s report said.

「Even so, I am surprised. To think that they could create such a magic item less than a year since the Spring War……our country’s alchemists are truly excellent.」

「Yes, of course, it is true that our country’s alchemists are excellent. But, it’s also true that they’ve been researching the basic theory behind the Fire Eater for a long time.」

「……Is that so? You’ve known about Crimson for a long time?」

In the man’s mind, fire and Rei were linked together, so he asked Kabajid in surprise.

it was true that Rei had unparalleled abilities among those who could use fire magic, so his question was only natural. However, Kabajid shook his head and denied the man’s thoughts.

「No, that’s not the reason. As you know, there are many types of magic. Even experts in the field would be confused if they had to classify everything according to minute differences. However……out of the many, dozens, or even hundreds of types of magic, what do you think is the most used in battle?」

「That is……fire.」

Kabajid nodded with a smile, as if to say ‘well done’.

「Of course, it will vary depending on the location of the battle and the surrounding environment. If it’s a battle on the coast or on a ship, water and ice magic would be more effective. In the mountains, earth magic would be better. But, if the Bestir Empire is fighting as an army, then fire is the most lethal and wide area magic.」

The man nodded in agreement.

If the Bestir Empire had access to the sea, things might have been a little different.

Unfortunately, most of the land surrounding the Bestir Empire was mountains and plains, and as a result, there weren’t many people who used water based magic.

「So, does that mean it’s been under research for a while in order to deal with fire magic?」

「That’s right. This kind of magic item isn’t something that you can just research today and get results tomorrow. What’s important is the accumulation of results over many years. There’s not always a flash of genius after all.」

Yes, this……this Fire Eater was what Kabajid had in mind as a trump card to deal with the fire tornadoes Rei could unleash.

If there was no one who could use it safely, he would have let someone else use it, even if it would put their life at risk. That was when Rhodes appeared.

He was the son of a titled A rank adventurer and had great potential. At the same time, he harboured feelings close to hatred towards Rei, which made him the perfect person to use Fire Eater.

Above all, since Rhodes wasn’t originally one of his subordinates, even if he died because he couldn’t properly use Fire Eater, he wouldn’t suffer any direct loss.

(I had received various reports of suspicious behavior from him, but……he more than made up for it with the results he brought.)

Rhode’s face flashed through Kabajid’s mind for a moment, but quickly disappeared as his subordinate spoke.

「But what Crimson uses is a fire tornado. It’s literally a fusion of fire and wind. Even if Fire Eater absorbs the flames from the fire tornado, wouldn’t the tornado still be there>」

「That’s certainly true, but look at all the battles he’s fought so far, you could say he’s basically a mage who specialises in fire……no, rather a magic warrior. It’s true that he can unleash a variety of spells from his scythe, but compared to the fire magic that earned him his title, it’s clearly several levels below.」

Kabajid’s explanation reminded the man of the fire and wind magic he had seen several times before in the arean and he soon understood.

That was only natural. Kabajid’s guess that Rei specialised in fire magic was correct. But it was more accurate to say that fire magic was the only magic Rei could practically use.

Attacks like Flying Slash, which Rei had hidden under the guise of wind magic, were the result of the Death Scythe’s skills. Unlike his magic, which could become more powerful by putting in more magic power, the power of his skills was directly tied to the level of the skill.

That was why the various attacks Rei unleashed using the Death Scythe’s skills were far less powerful than his fire magic.

Of course, it was impossible for Kabajid, who had no knowledge of the Magic Beast Art, to know that.

「But surely the existence of a tornado would be troublesome in many ways.」

「Tornadoes are certainly troublesome, but what’s even more dangerous is when it’s combined with fire. People die form the heat and the fire burns everything around them. Fire also instinctively scares people.」

Having said so much, Kabajid must have gotten thirsty. He filled a glass with water using a jug at the edge of his desk.

Naturally, the jug was also a magic item.

It was designed to prevent assassinations, as even if poison was mixed in, it could be neutralised, although there was a limit to how much could be neutralised.

As the First Prince and leader of the largest faction in the Empire, aside from the Emperor’s, Kabajid had his fair share of enemies.

That being the case, it was natural that he would need to take measures against assassinations and there were guards secretly hidden in his study.

Moistening his throat with water, Kabajid spoke again.

It was a voice pleasant to the ears and would leave a strong impression on others.

「Also, during this night attack, Bratta didn’t see the moment the tornado was created, but we already know from the Spring War. The fire was merged into the wind tornado in order to exert that power, so if we remove the fire before that stage……」

「I see! There’s a high chance that the fire tornado with disappear!」

「I can only say that it is likely. But if we’re fighting the rebel army……no, Crimson, we have to do something about the fire, whether it’s the fire tornado or some other magic.」

「So, the Fire Eater……」

Kabajid nodded at the astonished man, but inside, he had mixed feelings.

(It’s true that Fire Eater would work against normal fire magic, but Crimson is no ordinary person. I wonder where Vihera found such a man.)

Kabajid’s subordinates, of course, included mages. And some of them had the ability to sense magic power.

If what he heard from his subordinates at the fighting tournament were true, and he didn’t doubt his subordinates’ words without good reason, Crimson’s magic power was truly monster class.

How could a magic item made to absorb fire handle the magic power of such an opponent? That was what he thought.

(A different trump card……I might have to seriously use that.)

His other trump card crossed his mind. He was half confident that if he used it, the battle would probably end in victory for them.

But, the reason he hadn’t used it from the beginning was because the price was too high.

It was a price that Kabajid, who made ruthless decisions to ensure victory, wanted to avoid as much as possible, given the situation that would likely occur after the civil war.

(But if I hesitate and end up losing, it will all be meaningless. So……what should I do?)

He quickly calculated the risks and rewards in his head, added Rhodes and Fire Eater, the punitive force to be sent in cooperation with Shurus, and Bratta, who was eager for revenge……

「It might be fun to try it in the next battle.」

「Your Highness Kabajid?」

The man asked in response to Kabajid’s murmurs, but all he got back was a smile.

The man didn’t ask any more questions as the conversation moved onto the matter of organising the punitive force.

Last time, Sobble had made all the arrangements by himself, but not that he had been captured by the rebels, it was obvious that he couldn’t leave it to him.

That was why one of Kabjid’s subordinates, who was relatively good at that kind of work, had been called to his study.

Although the man was honoured to be called upon, he was also made to realise just how capable Sobble had been.

「We’re hoping to leave in about two weeks. I’d like you to have everything ready by then, if you can.」

The man could only bow his head in understanding at Kabajid’s words.

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