Extra in a Romance Fantasy

146 – War (3)

“This… seems to be a bigger deal than I thought.”

Ethan said with a serious expression.

I had just finished explaining to Ethan everything I had been through.

Why I was falsely accused, and why I had appeared at the grave while hiding my identity.

Even the existence of the order that was the cause, and its purpose.

So he must have understood.

How dangerous this situation was.

“A war, huh….”

When I first heard that rumor after emerging from the forest, my expression twisted in shock.

It couldn’t be helped.

From my perspective, it was nothing short of the sky falling down.

—

Since leaving the academy under a false accusation,

I have been tirelessly working to thwart the plans of the ‘Order.’

Though it wasn’t my intention, by defeating Hamel,

I liberated Agilhem from the Order, and just before that,

I even dealt with the resurrected legendary monster, Armianon.

However, a war has broken out.

And it involves two empires as the main players.

“…I need information.”

Even in a situation that felt like my mind was going blank,

I did not remain still.

If the rumors were true,

I couldn’t afford to be dazed like this.

Thus, Ethan and I began gathering information

to verify whether the rumors were indeed true.

We traveled to various places,

listening to rumors, paying informants for information.

And at the end of that process,

“…Damn.”

I was certain.

That a war had truly begun.

“It seems the instigator is the Rainberg.”

“……”

Hearing Ethan’s voice, heavier than usual,

I stiffened my expression.

As he said, this war had, in fact,

originated from Rainberg.

Rainberg, which had appeared quiet on the surface,

suddenly began to exert pressure on neighboring countries one day,

and that was the catalyst.

This created a tense atmosphere,

and the Crown Prince of Elbrent, Kairn,

openly showed signs of discomfort,

thus igniting the spark of conflict between the two empires.

In other words, it could be said that Rainberg was the one

to instigate the war.

‘…Why?’

Questions surged within me.

The target of those questions was Rainberg, and Estelle.

It was an undeniable fact that Estelle’s will

would have been reflected in Rainberg’s sudden change.

Estelle is practically in a position equivalent to that of the Emperor of Rainberg,

and it is only natural for the empire to follow the Emperor’s intentions.

No, perhaps Estelle’s influence within Rainberg

is certainly greater than that of the Emperor of Elbrent.

Considering the power struggles,

it would not be an exaggeration to say that

Rainberg’s power is concentrated solely in Estelle.

Thus, it should be deemed impossible

for Rainberg to act against her will.

In other words, it was correct to view

Rainberg’s sudden display of aggression as her intention.

“Why on earth…?”

I couldn’t even begin to guess the reason.

Perhaps others would fear such a situation and worry, but they wouldn’t find it puzzling.

From the perspective of public perception, Estelle was a tyrant devoid of blood or tears, someone whose actions were utterly unpredictable, and the rumors surrounding her were all grim.

But I knew.

I knew that Estelle was not that kind of person.

I knew she was someone entirely different from the rumors.

The Estelle I knew would not lash out for no reason, simply because she felt slighted.

Moreover, I believed she was not someone who preferred war…

She must know how much death and destruction war brings.

That’s why I couldn’t hide my doubts.

I couldn’t fathom why she would instigate such a thing.

She was even vaguely aware of the existence of the “Order.”

Even if she didn’t know the details, she was certainly aware that a group was scheming to incite war.

Yet, she created this situation.

I was so curious about the reason.

“So, what are we going to do now?”

Ethan asked me with an expression that was dead serious.

It was a look I had never seen on Ethan before, nor would I have expected it.

Perhaps he too recognized the gravity of the situation.

“How… do we…”

After mulling over Ethan’s question for a moment, I opened my mouth.

“…We have to stop it.”

The answer had been predetermined from the very beginning.

War had to be stopped, without fail.

It wasn’t just because I feared whatever the Order was plotting.

It was because I understood how much devastation war causes, how many lives it takes, and how many lives it ruins.

War must not happen.

Especially if it’s a war led by the two empires.

If there was a problem…

“Is there a way to stop it?”

That was the problem.

How can we prevent the war?

“Are you going to barge in and cause a ruckus while the empires are fighting?”

“That… wouldn’t work.”

My current power is certainly not ordinary.

If I wanted to, I could change the course of the war; I definitely have that strength.

And if Ethan were to help me, it would be fair to say that we would possess a tremendous force, without exaggeration.

However, even with that, we cannot confront the empires head-on.

Especially if it’s two empires we’re dealing with, it would be impossible to stop them by force.

…No, perhaps it might be possible.

If it’s now, and with the Hero’s sword, I might be able to momentarily halt the fighting through the use of force.

However, such a method would inevitably come with sacrifices.

Therefore, it cannot be deemed appropriate.

In the first place, as long as the church is lurking, there’s no telling what kind of interference they might cause.

So, what should I do?

“First… I need to meet with Estelle.”

To stop a war that has already ignited, it is ultimately necessary to move someone with enough authority.

In this case, it would be the emperors of both empires or someone of equivalent status.

Naturally, there’s no way I could meet the Emperor of Elbrent, so my options are naturally narrowed down to just Estelle.

Moreover, I have a friendly relationship with her.

“How?”

“……”

At that question, I pondered for a moment.

No matter how much I have reached a new level, approaching someone like an emperor of an empire is not an easy task.

Just the number and quality of the guards would be beyond imagination, and the magical defenses would be on an extraordinary level.

Especially in a situation where the atmosphere has turned tense, it would be even more so.

They would have defenses in place that wouldn’t allow even an ant to approach.

Considering that, it’s likely that I would be detected or blocked along the way.

Then what?

“…We must reveal her identity.”

I thought that the only way to approach Estelle was to secretly find her and uncover her true self before having a conversation.

It seemed there was no other option.

“Hmm… Alright. It’s better to at least give it a try.”

Ethan had a contemplative look, but in the end, he nodded his head in agreement.

Thus, we set off again on our journey without even properly recovering from the fatigue we had accumulated in the forest.

Our destination was, of course, the academy where Estelle was located.

It was shortly after we had embarked on our journey that we heard the news: the armies of both empires were gathering towards the academy.

*

Perdion Academy.

In a room on the top floor of a building that stood out for its extravagant beauty among the many structures there.

Inside a room so lavish it was hard to believe it belonged to an educational institution, a man was kneeling.

“I have summoned the troops as you commanded.”

In the direction the man was facing, a woman sat.

Her long, silver hair seemed spun from starlight itself.

Her skin was flawless, resembling sculpted white jade.

And in the dim light of the room, her violet eyes emitted a shimmering, dreamlike glow.

She possessed an otherworldly beauty that made one wonder if this was what an angel in the heavens might look like.

The fact that her expression revealed no emotion only heightened her surreal beauty.

It felt more convincing to say she was a doll meticulously crafted by a deity than a mere human, such was the atmosphere she exuded.

Yet.

She was not a doll; she was undeniably a living, breathing human.

“Good work.”

With a voice that was beautiful yet devoid of any emotion, she responded to her subordinate’s report.

Then she said,

“Leave now.”

With that, she issued a dismissal.

At her command, the man immediately vanished from sight.

As if his very existence had evaporated from the room.

And then, she was left alone.

In the dimly lit dark room, amidst the quiet stillness, she sat there, unmoving.

How much time had passed in this silence that felt as if time itself had stopped?

At last, the woman showed her first sign of movement.

She raised her left hand, bringing it before her face, and began to gaze intently.

No, to be more precise, at the ring on her left hand.

A ring made of an unidentifiable metal, with a design that could hardly be called ornate.

Considering the woman’s status, it was certainly not an object she should possess.

The woman reached out to the ring.

Then, with a cautious touch, she began to caress it.

That touch was infinitely gentle, yet also filled with sorrow.

“……”

The motion continued, unceasing, until the moon hanging in the sky began to tilt.