The Siege of Byron
Nox's sudden intrusion had been a heart-stopping shock, but that didn't mean there was any reason to reject her surrender. She was a formidable asset on par with a Tier 4 combatant in her own right, meaning that having her and her operatives switch to our side would create a miraculous exchange rate: the enemy would lose strength while we gained it. On top of that, the intelligence she brought from the capital was extraordinarily valuable. When the march halted for a meal, I gladly asked the knight guarding our carriage to request an audience with Adelheid, and her approval arrived in less than an hour.
"How utterly absurd. Not only did the Emperor's blade betray its master while sent to assassinate rebels, but it has willingly placed itself into the hands of the very target it once aimed for, appearing before me like this."
Yet, just because permission had been granted so readily did not mean the atmosphere was at all pleasant. It had seemed tolerable at first, but the moment Adelheid saw Nox clinging to my left side—almost as if mimicking Bell, who was stuck to my right—her eyes narrowed sharply. An ominous chill radiated from her, creating a suffocating pressure that seemed to warp the very air around her.
Even without knowing her deeply, I could tell at a glance: she wanted nothing more than to sever Nox's head on the spot and was barely holding herself back. If someone like me, who wasn't even the target, felt nauseated by the sheer pressure, I could only imagine what Nox was enduring while taking the full brunt of that bloodlust.
"..."
Having dropped to her knees the moment the princess's gaze fell upon her, Nox kept her face hidden, but her expression couldn't possibly be pretty. Even while bowing prostrate, she kept making subtle attempts to glance my way, desperately pleading for my support.
"Uh, Adelheid? May I have a word?"
Adelheid's expression softened so instantly it made me wonder if she was even the same person who had just been glaring daggers at Nox. The abrupt shift was almost more terrifying, but I didn't let it show on my face.
"Romul, if that creature has threatened or offended you in any way, speak without reservation. I shall ensure it pays the price for daring to approach you once more without knowing its place..."
"No, I was startled, but nothing of the sort happened. She was merely following the Crown Prince's orders, and I didn't suffer any harm."
"The mere fact that it startled you is reason enough to hang its head from our vanguard."
Nox's prediction that she was in dire straits hadn't been an exaggeration in the slightest. Looking at Adelheid's demeanor, she wasn't deliberating whether or not to spare Nox; she simply wanted to slaughter her on the spot and was merely checking if there was any compelling reason she shouldn't.
"Yet you seem keen on keeping it alive."
Adelheid let her smile fade even as she looked at me, though her gaze held no murderous intent. If I had to put a name to the emotion lingering in that expression, it was closer to hurt disappointment. I had no idea why she felt that way, but there it was.
"She is already a formidable Tier 4 powerhouse, and as an infiltrator and spy, her talents are exceptionally rare. While I know little of Nox as an organization, its reputation is renowned among the imperial family and high nobility. If their leader bows her head of her own accord and you accept her, the political fallout will be immense."
The Imperial Seal certainly symbolized the Emperor's authority, but it was, quite literally, just a symbol. Just as the imperial royal who originally fled with it died in a futile bout of infighting, its true efficacy came from being wielded by someone of Adelheid's stature; on its own, it was nothing more than an exorbitant stamp. But Nox was fundamentally different. As the dark blade wielded by the Emperor, they were not merely a symbol of power, but one of the very pillars upon which that power was built. While their clandestine nature prevented grand public declarations, holding one of those foundational pillars alongside the symbol would vastly reinforce Adelheid's legitimacy.
"...I am listening."
Though personally dissatisfied, Adelheid could hardly be ignorant of those facts, so she chose to hear me out.
"Under the late Emperor, Nox never wavered, did they? If operatives of that caliber abandon the Crown Prince to side with you, some may brand them traitors, but many more will suspect that the Crown Prince must suffer from fatal inadequacies. That will force people to reconsider your standing—no longer seeing you merely as a rebel, but asking themselves: Is she truly the one destiny favors?"
"To shatter the capital's solidarity?"
"And there are two other critical reasons."
"I can roughly guess, but go on, Romul."
"First is the intelligence they possess regarding the capital. Nothing is more paramount in war than an accurate analysis of the enemy, is there?"
"You mean details such as the Venerable 'Azure Sky' staying out of this conflict."
"Not having to dread a Tier 5 asymmetric threat lifts a massive weight from our shoulders on its own. Furthermore, piecing together the intel Nox provided will give us ways to sway or suppress the other Tier 4s. On top of that, she claims to know secret passages unknown even to the imperial bloodline."
"And the other reason?"
"The Crown Prince remains completely oblivious to her defection."
"Oho?"
"It is a gambit we can only play once, but he will gladly admit a Tier 4 assassin whom he presumes to be an ally deep into his stronghold. Wouldn't the possibilities be endless?"
"Such as assassinating the Crown Prince?"
"The Crown Prince himself is a Tier 4, and he'll be surrounded by guards. Even for Nox, that would be far too reckless a gamble. With our own assets being so scarce, we cannot afford to squander them in vain."
Assigning a suicide mission to someone who surrendered purely for survival would only breed resentment, but I saw no need to voice that thought aloud.
"Even without targeting the Crown Prince, merely neutralizing one or two of his most lethal trump cards and crippling the capital's defensive installations would be a tremendous help."
"Indeed. Opening the gates from within... If a Tier 4 assassin, and Nox at that, commits her entire cadre, they can easily pull it off, even if it incurs some casualties. But will that creature truly follow through?"
Having not spared Nox a single glance while conversing with me, Adelheid looked down at her once more. Her gaze resembled that of a merchant appraising goods or livestock rather than viewing a human being.
Nox, who had been holding her breath while gauging the tension, lowered her head even further the instant Adelheid finished speaking.
"Imperial Princess, though I was acting on the Crown Prince's orders, if you grant me the chance to wash away the crime of attempting to harm Your Highness's honored guest, I shall undertake it without regard for my life. If that sacrifice is a death required by the Empire, Nox fears it not. I beg of you, let our lives burn for the sake of the Empire."
"You speak well."
Contrary to her icy words, Adelheid's demeanor had softened ever so slightly.
"Since my honored guest, who suffered the greatest threat at your hands, defends you so earnestly, I can hardly refuse you a chance."
"If you take in this masterless blade, I shall never forget this grace—neither toward Your Highness nor toward Prince Romul."
"Written pledges are meaningless to an organization whose very existence is officially denied. Thus, this princess has neither the means to verify your submission nor any trust in you. The moment you depart from this tent, we will continue to treat you as enemies. We shall maintain our present march, encircling the capital before tomorrow ends, and launch our assault before dawn breaks two days from now."
"When dawn breaks, I shall strike where the enemy's garrison gathers thickest, throw open the gates, and welcome your arrival."
"Begone."
No sooner had the words left Adelheid's lips than Nox bowed deeply once more. Rising cautiously, she dipped her head toward me before vanishing into thin air. I tried tracking her departure with my eyes, but only a few steps later, the moment she stepped into the shadow of a horse beneath the drifting clouds, her silhouette dissolved like a mirage.
"Was that magic, or an Ego manifested through aura?"
"The disguises utilized by Nox operatives are rooted in magic, but their commander's stealth is known to be an Ego. It is the mental manifestation of one who ascended to Tier 4 by honing nothing but assassination and infiltration. Even this princess has never witnessed it firsthand until now."
Whether she had lost sight of Nox as well, Adelheid's answer carried a touch of genuine admiration.
"By the way, it seems you have learned yet another palace secret, haven't you?"
With only the two of us remaining in the tent, Adelheid offered a mischievous smile, pressing me in a teasing tone as to how I planned to take responsibility.
"Uh, well... shall we bind it with contract magic? Or perhaps wipe my memory?"
"In the Empire, magical contracts are deemed vulgar practices, fit only for master-servant bonds or parties utterly devoid of trust. This princess has no desire to treat an honored guest in such a manner. Besides, what if tampering with your memories were to flaw that fine mind of yours?"
"...Then what would you have me do?"
"What is there to do? You need only keep your lips sealed. This princess has no choice but to trust in your discretion."
"Isn't it a secret that everyone will learn in two days anyway? You said yourself that those who need to know already know about Nox."
"Even so, having more people added to that list is hardly desirable, wouldn't you say?"
"Right... Well, I'll mind my tongue."
"Fufu, I trust you. And Romul, I find myself indebted to you once again. To the point where I fear I may go bankrupt paying off my debts to you once I become Emperor."
"...I'll give you a discount, so just make sure you win first."
"Naturally. When you have set the board so splendidly, how could this princess dare ruin it?"
Two days could feel either long or short, depending on how one measured them. Just as Adelheid had anticipated, around sunset the following day, we granted our soldiers their final rest within sight of the massive stone ramparts encircling the entirety of the imperial capital, Byron.
"Support from the Eastern Duke has fallen through, and the relief forces from the other dukes haven't even mobilized yet. Consequently, the combat troops available in the capital amount to barely three thousand."
Thanks to the intelligence Nox had leaked two days prior, we possessed a remarkably detailed breakdown of the enemy's troop strength.
"Out of our ten thousand soldiers, our combat force numbers seven thousand... More than double their size."
"Of course, defense always holds the tactical advantage over offense, so victory is by no means guaranteed. Above all, they possess a greater number of Tier 4s."
"Mmh..."
Even with our army numbering more than double theirs, groans rippled through the commanders at the disparity in Tier 4 powerhouses. Of everyone gathered in the command tent, only Adelheid and I were aware of Nox's defection.
"I have devised a measure regarding that matter. If all goes well, it will tilt the scales, but stay vigilant as nothing is certain."
"Your Highness, how do you intend to deploy our forces?"
Byron's fortifications featured four gates facing the cardinal directions—North, South, East, and West—demanding a strategic distribution of troops to encircle the enemy. Even if we emerged victorious, should the Crown Prince and his inner circle slip away to rendezvous with the ducal houses, the conflict would devolve into a protracted war. Just as the Crown Prince had dreaded a prolonged civil war, so too did Adelheid.
"To hold us back, they will have no choice but to concentrate their forces. Commit four thousand soldiers to the South Gate, and assign one thousand to each of the remaining gates. Breach them."
There was no objection to this straightforward yet textbook deployment, and the officers departed the tent to oversee preparations and rest.
"Romul, my heart races. It terrifies me to know that whether history remembers me as a villainess or a hero hinges entirely on tomorrow."
It was a vulnerable side she never showed her subordinates. A weakness she could only lay bare before me—an ally and benefactor outside the Empire's hierarchy, with whom she had joined hands merely to survive.
Adelheid reached out a trembling hand toward me, then paused to catch her breath before clenching it into a firm fist.
"Enough of such timid talk. Watch closely, for I shall never squander the opportunity you have carved out for me."
And so began the clash that would forever be etched into the Empire's annals—the conflict later known as the Siege of Byron.