The Western Front
The train rattled and shook violently as it sped along. Through the window, the Beltiode Fortress—responsible for defending the entire Western Front—finally came into view. The endless stretch of towering walls, densely etched with defensive magic circles and bristling with arcane weaponry at every interval, conveyed both the fortress’s overwhelming majesty and just how perilous a place this truly was.
A total of ten squads had been dispatched to the Western Front. The remaining squads were scattered across the other fronts, where they would each spend a week. For reference, every major character from the Abel Chronicles had come to the Western Front. That included heroines like Yuni and Alissa, of course, but also Yas, and even the Apostle Ethan Gloucester.
The professors in charge of the group were Sara and Professor Caelin. The only one left behind at the academy, standing alone in lonely vigil, was the Saintess.
“Alright, everyone! Get ready to disembark. We’re here!”
While I was lost in thought, the train had already pulled right up to the fortress. I slowly gathered my things.
“Luan. You didn’t forget anything, did you?”
“Nope. I’m not a kid, Sis. Why would I forget something like that?”
“…True. You really have grown up, haven’t you?”
At my playful jab, Isis gave a strange reaction. Her eyes flicked down toward my crotch for a split second before her cheeks flushed bright red and she quickly looked away. Then she pretended to organize her luggage—though she had already stuffed everything into her spatial pouch—so the act only came off as awkward.
I narrowed my eyes.
She’s secretly such a pervert.
There was no doubt Isis had just recalled the sight of my cock from the snowy mountain. Otherwise she wouldn’t be this embarrassed. I could understand why she couldn’t forget that moment—it had left quite an impression on me too—but the memory seemed a little out of context here. If she was thinking about it after a comment that had nothing to do with it, just how often was she picturing it normally? It felt suspicious.
Still, it’s probably nothing serious.
Given Isis’s usual behavior and personality, she would at most think about it occasionally. She wouldn’t dare actually do anything about it. After all, we were still siblings.
What a shame.
As I clicked my tongue inwardly, the train—which had been gradually slowing—came to a complete stop.
“We’ve arrived! Everyone off!”
At the command, the students moved with perfect discipline. They poured out from the front like a receding tide, emptying the car in an instant. We were able to disembark just as quickly.
The moment every last one of us had set foot on solid ground, a woman with scarlet hair and golden eyes, clad in full armor, shouted out.
“Cadets! Welcome! I greet you! This is the Beltiode Fortress of the Western Front! I am Vice Commander Leona Solias. I look forward to working with you all!”
Leona Solias. As her distinctive appearance and name suggested, this woman was none other than the First Imperial Princess—the one who could be called Regina’s older sister. Right after graduating from the academy, she had relinquished most of her imperial rights, freed herself from her shackles, and thrown herself into the military on a whim. The reason the empire had reluctantly allowed it was because she was a genius who had reached level 300 before even turning thirty. They simply couldn’t afford to let her go.
Now, she was stationed at the Western Front alongside the husband she had married three years ago.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Vice Commander. The academy has dispatched a total of eighty personnel. We have all arrived safely.”
“Good. Confirmed. By the way, Sara Caiman! It’s been a while. How have you been?”
The region where Sara had been most active during her mercenary days was precisely the Western Front. At level 250, she had been near the top tier among mercenaries, so it was only natural that she had left an impression on the princess.
“Yes. I’ve been doing alright. And you, Vice Commander?”
“Same as always! Anyway, just call me comfortably. We’re not in an employer-employee relationship anymore. Aren’t we the same age?”
“…Understood. Then I’ll call you Leona.”
“Excellent! Straight to the point—I like it.”
Leona gave Sara’s shoulder a couple of friendly pats before turning her gaze to Regina. After a brief silence, she broke into a wide smile and pulled her sister into a tight hug.
“Little sister! It’s been so long!”
“L-let go!”
“Haha! You’ve grown so much. Though your personality hasn’t changed one bit.”
Leona easily overpowered Regina’s struggling and enjoyed the embrace for a moment before finally releasing her. Then she tilted her head as she studied her sister’s face.
“But something about you feels different.”
“…Different how?”
“Did you get yourself a man or something?”
“A man? There’s no such thing!”
Flustered by Leona’s question, Regina glanced at me and shuddered, shaking her head vigorously. The problem was that Leona had noticed. Following the direction of Regina’s gaze, she gave me a quick look and smiled with clear interest.
“Oho… So that’s how it is. Alright, I understand. If you say so, then that’s how it is.”
“It’s not like that. It’s the truth.”
“Sure, sure. Let’s drop it. Shall we head into the fortress? I’ll show you to your quarters. The commander is busy at the moment, so you’ll meet him later.”
Leona casually ignored Regina’s protests and turned to lead the way. Only then did we truly face the fortress head-on.
“It really is impressive.”
“Yeah. Has it been a year already?”
Isis and Regina each let out sounds of admiration as they gazed at the fortress up close. They must have visited during their first year. It hadn’t been the exact same Western Front expedition, but still.
It’s exactly like the game.
It was no different from what I had seen on the other side of a monitor. Whoever had brought me here must have had incredible programming skills. Of course, that was a joke—everything had probably been handled with magic or divine powers.
Following Leona’s guidance, we entered the fortress interior and witnessed the bustling scene inside. Leona continued her explanation.
“We’ve entered harvest season, so monster activity has surged. We’re maintaining full readiness so we can respond at any moment.”
The West was famous for its fertile plains. While the Beltiode Fortress existed to repel the demonic beasts pouring out of the Mageong, they couldn’t ignore ordinary monsters either. Every person harmed by those creatures was a family member of the soldiers stationed here.
“And that is exactly your role. Each squad will be assigned a sector and tasked with stopping the monsters. You’ll be deployed starting tomorrow. Stay sharp, everyone.”
With a wide grin, Leona looked over all of us before continuing onward. As she led us to the lodging area, she gave a concise explanation of the fortress.
There’s nothing here I really need to pay special attention to.
Since we were nothing more than academy students, the information she provided was at a level anyone could easily look up. There was no real need for the vice commander herself to explain it. The only reason she had stepped forward was to spend even a little more time with the sister she hadn’t seen in so long.
It was then that it happened.
A blue-haired man standing in front of a magical weapon with his arms crossed, inspecting its mana circuits, widened his eyes when he saw Leona.
“You… I mean, what brings you here, Vice Commander?”
“Didn’t I tell you yesterday? The academy is sending reinforcements. I’m showing them to their quarters. What about you, Mage Division Commander? Is there a problem?”
“No. I just came by for a routine inspection. Don’t mind me—please carry on.”
“Hmm… Understood. Keep up the good work.”
Leona passed by as if it were nothing, but the affection in her eyes revealed exactly what their relationship was.
Was his name Ike?
This man was Leona’s husband. I had heard they normally had a very loving marriage, but since they were on duty, it seemed they were deliberately keeping things strictly professional.
Soon after, we arrived at the lodging area.
“This is as far as I’ll guide you. Rest until lunch. See you later.”
Leona’s eyes were still filled with the desire to spend more time with her sister. Although she had distanced herself from the imperial family, it wasn’t because she lacked familial affection—it was simply to pursue her own freedom. Still, as vice commander, she couldn’t neglect her duties any longer.
Just as Leona was about to turn away—
Ding-ding-ding-ding—!
The warning bell rang out loudly. While the surrounding soldiers’ faces stiffened, Leona’s lips instead curved into a smile.
“Looks like the demonic beasts are launching an assault! Perfect timing. Attention, academy personnel! Drop your luggage where you are and follow me immediately! Understood?!”
[Yes! Understood!]
As expected of students from a prestigious academy. Despite the sudden order, instead of voicing questions they chose disciplined action. In normal times it might have been different, but this was a battlefield. Disobeying a superior’s command in a place where lives were on the line wasn’t just throwing away my own life—it was throwing away everyone else’s as well.
Not wanting to stand around empty-handed, I casually set down the luggage I was holding and followed behind Leona. At Sara’s instruction, everyone formed neat lines and moved with their respective squads.
Before long, we had climbed the fortress walls and taken in the entire battlefield at a glance.
—Kiiiieeeeeeek!
—Kwooooooooor!
Demonic beasts were pouring out from the black forest. There were so many that the swarm looked like a pitch-black wave rolling forward. The creatures ranged from small monsters like gremlins and goblins to orcs, trolls, ogres, and even cyclopes. Their skin was stained pitch black, making them far stronger than normal specimens due to the influence of demonic energy. The sheer pressure of their charge reached all the way up to where we stood.
Gulp!
The first-year students seemed tense at the sight; the faint sound of nervous swallowing could be heard. At the same time, all eyes turned to Leona. The unspoken question—You’re not telling us to fight those things, right?—was written clearly on their faces. Leona burst into roaring laughter.
“Puhahahahat! Still just fledglings, I see—how timid! Don’t worry. I’m not ordering you to fight. The commander will clean them all up by himself anyway.”
“…By himself?”
Someone’s quiet murmur voiced what everyone was thinking. In response, Leona jerked her chin toward the fortress gate.
Rumble—!
Right on cue, the massive gates opened and a giant of a man stepped out. Wearing nothing but pants, his upper body completely bare, he strode confidently toward the oncoming wave of monsters.
“That’s right. That man is the one in charge of the entire Western Front—Commander Bruno Custis.”
The moment Leona revealed his identity, the commander raised a hand toward the sky. Brilliant lightning erupted from his entire body, and in his grasp a battle-axe made entirely of electricity took shape. The instant the weapon stabilized—
[You bastards! Let’s have some fun!]
Commander Bruno’s thunderous voice rang out as he swung the axe forward.
Kwaaaaaaaaang—!
In the next instant, lightning descended. Centered on the area where the axe struck, a massive surge of electricity exploded outward, sweeping up every monster in its path. Even the house-sized giant monsters were hurled into the air like toys. Dozens of beasts were shattered in a single strike.
But what was even more shocking was the fact that this attack hadn’t been at full power—it was nothing more than a casual greeting.
Come at me, you bastards! If you run, I’ll kill every last one of you!
Boom! Kwaaang! Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwaang!
Every time the axe swung, the earth split and the sky trembled.
—Kweeeeeeek!
—Kwoooooooong!
The monster horde screamed as if struck by a natural disaster and fled. Their cries seemed to say only one thing:
You weren’t planning to let any of us live anyway, you crazy bastard!
They were right. The commander showed not a shred of mercy to the monsters that, driven by panic and broken survival instincts, mindlessly charged at him. He slaughtered them all without exception.
Less than three minutes later, every last monster had met its end, bringing their miserable lives to a close.