Alright. Here's the plan.
I had been repeating that in my head for the last ten minutes while Horst finished explaining the guard rotation and I waited for a chance to speak.
I had a plan.
It was a good plan.
It was also mostly an excuse.
Not a criminal excuse. I just needed a reason to leave the tent and do what I actually wanted to do. Saying "I will personally handle the perimeter reconnaissance" created exactly the kind of authorized absence I needed.
Nobody questioned someone who volunteered to stand near the dangerous area.
They simply thanked you and hoped you came back.
The plan was real, though. I had also made sure it could continue without me.
"Right," I said after Horst finished. "Everyone. Bring me the map."
They gathered around the table.
The map of Marisport's coast was good. It showed the southern coastline in detail, marked the water depths, and clearly showed the cliffs and beach entrances.
I had been looking at it for twenty minutes while everyone else argued, so I already remembered most of it.
I pointed at the coast.
"The wall is holding, and it should continue to hold. Before anyone asks why it survived that attack, I applied reinforcement compound to the foundation the night I arrived."
Several of the sub-family representatives looked at me.
They had watched a decorative clay wall survive a concentrated spear attack. They were clearly wondering about it.
"Standard Nephi-grade structural paste," I continued. "It sets overnight and triples impact resistance. I do this whenever I stay somewhere new. It's a habit."
Horst looked toward the wall outside, then back at me.
"You reinforced our estate wall on your first night?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because it looked like it might become useful. Moving on."
I put my finger on the map.
"The wall runs from the eastern cliff to the point where the ground breaks toward the lower harbor district. It covers the direct route from the beach, which is where the first attack came from."
I traced the line with my finger.
"It is also where they will attack next if they are predictable."
I looked around the table.
"They are not going to be predictable."
That got everyone's attention.
"The roundabout is here." I moved my finger farther south along the coast. "There is another beach entrance around the base of the eastern cliff. It is narrow, not part of the usual route, and almost completely undefended."
I tapped the map.
"If I were commanding the fleet, I would send eighty percent of the force toward the wall as a distraction. The other twenty percent would come through this route and attack the defenders from behind."
The guard captain on the left was already marking the location on her own map.
Her name was Mira. She had told me during the injury report.
She understood before I finished.
I liked her.
"How confident are you?" the civil administrator asked.
"Not completely. But the drum patterns changed about forty minutes ago. They went from the holding pattern to something I haven't heard before, and new signals during a holding period usually mean they are planning something."
I straightened.
"They are not stupid."
I pointed to the wall.
"Mira's team will stay here in the normal defensive formation. Reinforce the two sections I marked in yellow."
Then I pointed to the second beach entrance.
"I need another squad there before the four-hour mark."
I looked around the table.
"The rest of you will handle supplies, treatment, and communication. The harbor master's people will watch the harbor entrance. If anything gets past both positions, it comes to the central courtyard."
I paused.
"That is the last line, and we are going to try very hard not to reach it."
They asked a few questions.
Horst asked how wide the secondary beach entrance was, which was a good question because it decided how many enemies could come through at once. I told him about twelve could pass through side by side.
The civil administrator asked about evacuating the civilians.
That was also a good question.
I gave them answers, and the meeting started to feel like an actual meeting instead of an argument about whether anyone was allowed to make decisions.
Some people still objected.
Cael, the second-ranked representative now that Reiner was in custody, kept questioning the authority issue. He was not aggressive about it. He was simply not letting it go.
I turned to him.
I did not change my expression or raise my voice. I just looked at him with the kind of attention Josephine von Konrow had perfected over the years.
"Everything that happens in this tent, every decision and every result, will be under my name," I said. "Not yours. Not Horst's. Mine."
I let that sit for a moment.
"Do you think I'm taking that lightly?"
Cael stopped talking about authority.
I appreciated that.
"One more thing," I said. "When this is over—and it will be over—I will take responsibility for any damage to the Tezca estate, any costs caused by the delegation staying longer than planned, and any diplomatic problems caused by the Solidarian delegation being here during a military incident on Carlisle soil."
I looked around the table.
"All of it will be under my name."
Sera tilted her head slightly.
It was the gesture of someone putting important information away for later.
"Alright," I said. "Go. We have four hours. Get ready."
They left.
Julius stayed.
I had expected that.
He was predictable by now. Good-hearted people stayed. They always stayed. They had things they wanted to say, and they usually knew when it was time to say them.
It was exhausting.
I started rolling up the map.
"Lady Josephine," Julius said.
"Mm."
"I owe you an apology."
I continued rolling the map.
"For going to the ships after you told me not to?"
"Yes."
"I expected you to do it."
He was quiet for a moment.
"That doesn't make it right."
"No," I said. "It doesn't."
I finished rolling the map, placed it on the edge of the table, and turned toward him.
Julius was standing straight, as he always did when he had decided to say something seriously. His shoulders were squared, and he looked directly at me.
There was still some bruising on his face from last night. My [Restoration] had not cleared everything. It would probably fade in a day or two.
"You were right," he said. "About going through the harbor master. About the authority chain. You were right, and I ignored you because I had already decided what I was going to do."
"You had information I didn't," I said. "The children were listed by age. That changes the calculation. I understand why you made a different choice."
He looked at me.
"That doesn't mean I forgive the decision," I added immediately. "You're the crown prince of a foreign kingdom, and you're currently standing on Carlisle soil. If you get killed on a Tezca beach, it becomes a diplomatic incident that will outlive both of us."
I crossed my arms.
"You need to think about what your life is worth to the people who care about it before doing something heroic and stupid. The feeling itself isn't wrong. You just need another thirty seconds of thinking before turning it into an action."
Julius was quiet.
"I'll reflect on that," he said.
He looked slightly to the side when he said it. It was a very small movement, like he didn't want to face the entire thought directly.
Oh no.
That was a flag.
A very obvious flag.
Eros was going to be unbearable.
[Eros is already being unbearable.]
I cleared my throat.
"Since we're here," I said, taking the contract from my jacket, "I prepared an informal cooperation agreement between Solidana and Carlisle. It covers the delegation's help with coastal defense, payment for any Solidarian resources used, the harbor master's report, and your delegation's formal seal."
Julius reached out and placed his hand on the contract.
He did not take it. He just stopped it from moving.
I looked at his hand, then at him.
"I don't need it," he said.
"It protects you if someone questions the delegation's involvement."
"I know what it's for. I don't need it."
"Your Highness, the purpose of the contract is to make the arrangement official—"
"I'm helping because it's the right thing to do," he said. "Not because of a contract."
I stared at him.
"That's very idealistic of you."
"Probably."
"And very inconvenient for me."
"I know."
Was that humor?
Julius continued before I could decide.
"I also know you didn't go to the ships last night only because of the emperor's order."
Oh.
He had figured that out.
I kept my face still.
"You solved the problem with my brothers inside Carlisle territory," he continued. "You made it clean and made it difficult for anyone to use against me later. That was a solution to something that had been troubling you, not only a diplomatic obligation."
He paused.
"The hostages were a real concern. The matter with my brothers was also convenient."
My eye twitched.
He actually said that.
"That is a very unkind way to describe my intentions," I said.
"You told me you weren't planning anything, and I believe you," Julius said. "I also think that not planning something and still benefiting from it can happen at the same time."
I looked at him.
He looked at the wall of the tent.
For a while, neither of us spoke.
"…Do what you want," I said at last. I put the contract back into my jacket. "About the cooperation."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. I'm still annoyed that you went to the ships."
"I know."
This time, there was definitely something in his voice.
It was not quite a smile, but it was close.
I turned toward the tent exit.
I did not look back.
That was the correct choice.
Jane was waiting outside.
This was not surprising. Jane was always somewhere near the place I was about to go.
She had the expression she wore when she had watched something happen through a tent wall—not literally. She simply had a talent for understanding the result of a situation without seeing the whole thing.
She wanted to say something.
"Don't," I said.
"My Lady, I was only going to—"
"Don't."
Jane closed her mouth and nodded once.
"I need you to watch the wall," I said. "Mira, the tall guard captain with the practical face, will coordinate with you. The secondary beach entrance is the priority. If anything comes through before the four-hour mark, tell me immediately."
I looked at her.
"Can you handle communication?"
Jane straightened.
"Of course."
"There will probably be a second attack, and there might be a third. The enchantments should hold as long as no one does anything stupid to the wall, such as driving a cart into it or adding towers."
I looked at her.
"Please make sure nobody adds towers."
"…I'll do my best, my Lady."
"Good."
I started walking.
"My Lady."
Jane's voice came from behind me. It was not urgent, but it had a serious tone.
I stopped.
"I have never seen you like this before," she said. "Whatever this is. You're very focused."
I did not turn around.
"It's fine," I said. "Keep the wall standing."
Then I continued walking.
I found a quiet corner behind the water cistern building. It had a roof on three sides, and the area was shaded. It was the kind of place that existed in every large estate between important buildings and buildings next to important buildings.
I sat on a crate and opened the God System.
The familiar green text appeared in a floating window. It still looked like it had been designed by someone who had never thought about making an interface easy to use.
There were several notifications.
The gods had reacted to the recent events. Hecatia had written several opinions. Xipe had mostly stayed quiet.
I scrolled past them.
I needed Selene.
"Selene," I said at a normal volume. "Are you available?"
The screen paused.
Then the text changed.
[Selene has entered the administrator channel.]
[Selene: Hello! I'm sorry for—]
The text flickered and disappeared for a moment before returning.
[Selene: I'm restricted by the same rules as the other gods in this matter. I can't tell you what the fleet is, what they want, or what the quest is about. I really can't. If I could, I would.]
I know, I thought.
I believe you.
[Selene: But I can recommend resources. You should check your Faith Shop. Some things have been unlocked that were not there before. I can't explain why they are available now, but I can say that they are relevant.]
How relevant?
[Selene: Very relevant. Start with the Map UI.]
[Selene is sorry she can't say more.]
[Selene has exited the administrator channel.]
I stared at the screen.
"Right," I said. "Faith Shop."
The Faith Shop opened with the same slow loading screen Selene had promised to redesign several times.
She still had not redesigned it.
[FAITH SHOP]
[Current Balance: 58,600 FP]
I scrolled through the updated inventory.
There were several new items, which was unusual because the shop normally changed very slowly.
Whatever was happening had apparently given me access to more resources.
I passed the familiar categories and found a new section at the bottom.
[NEW ARRIVAL: Navigator's Reckoning — Map UI]
Type: Passive System Skill
Interface Cost: 3,000 FP
Grants the user a spatial awareness interface that overlays real-time terrain data, known entity positions, and active quest markers onto the user's vision.
Functions:
Continuous area mapping up to a five-kilometer radius at base level, extendable through divine power.Entity detection: distinguishes living, undead, divine, and unknown classifications.Active quest integration: quest objectives appear as markers, with proximity alerts and direction indicators.Submap function: stores mapped areas for later reference.Unknown entity cataloguing: new creature types are automatically flagged and stored.
Note: Accuracy decreases beyond the mapped range. Unknown terrain appears as an estimated topographical map. Quest markers update in real time as quest conditions change.
Special Feature: 「Quest Compass」—when a unique quest is active, the Map UI highlights quest-related entities and locations with a gold marker, regardless of range limitations.
Oh.
That was actually useful.
I bought it.
The skill installed immediately. There was no pain or dramatic effect. It felt more like putting on glasses and suddenly realizing that the blurry shape in the distance had been a specific object the entire time.
The world gained another layer.
The wall appeared as a blue line on the map. The fleet in the bay appeared as orange markers labeled [Unknown: Moglo-type] and [Unknown: Mogloko-type].
The system was cataloguing them just as the description had promised.
The estate appeared.
Jane appeared as a friendly green marker near the wall.
And then I saw gold.
The markers were faint, but easy to identify. Some appeared near the edge of the five-kilometer range, while others appeared beyond it.
The Quest Compass was showing me the general direction of things I could not see yet.
I opened the quest window.
[UNIQUE QUEST: Woe is the Tyrant, Who Terrorizes the Ocean]
[STATUS: Phase 0 — Initiation]
[Phase 0 Requirement: Demonstrate clear hostile intent to Quest Entity. Complete to unlock Phase 1.]
[Phase 0 Status: In Progress]
I read it twice.
Demonstrate clear hostile intent.
Right.
The quest had started when I fought them last night, but the requirement had not been completed because I had only defended myself.
I had been holding them back.
I had not attacked first.
The gold markers pulsed.
Oh.
That was what Selene meant.
I stood up.
I went over the wall.
Not dramatically. I simply passed through the gap between two guard positions, moved down the cliff face the same way I had last night, and landed on the beach.
The forward formation was visible from there. Low vessels waited at the edge of the water, with Mogloko standing on the raised platforms.
Their masks were carved and painted, and their blue eyes watched me through the holes.
They were holding spears.
They saw me as soon as I landed.
The drum signals changed at once.
Alert pattern.
Threat recognized.
Okay.
I had about three seconds before they understood what I was doing and coordinated a response.
I used all three.
I activated [Gravity Field] across the forward formation at ground level. It did not crush them. It only doubled the effective weight of the creatures standing on the ground.
Then I activated [Holy Flame Lattice] in a wide circle around me. It was the defensive version, so it did not kill anyone, but walking through it would be very unpleasant.
Then I moved.
I had not fully understood the Ashkart style until using it in an actual battle. I had only practiced it in halls and during repeated training.
At its core, it was a style for fighting stronger opponents.
That meant it focused on efficiency.
There was no wasted movement. Every contact redirected force instead of taking it directly.
The first Moglo charged with a spear, but I was no longer standing where the spear was going. Its momentum carried it forward, and I was already moving toward the next one.
The best comparison was a very efficient trip to the market.
Target.
Redirect.
Next.
The blowdarts were easier to deal with because they needed close range, and [Gravity Field] made movement difficult for the creatures on the ground.
The Mogloko on the elevated platforms were more troublesome.
So I went up.
The platforms were not difficult to board. I cleared three of them one after another, redirecting the Mogloko when possible and firmly placing them on the deck when redirection was not enough.
All of them were still breathing.
I had about four minutes before the fleet started a serious coordinated response.
Then the quest window changed.
[Phase 0 Complete!]
[Phase 0 Reward: +500 FP · +Unique Entity Data: Moglo (catalogued) · Mogloko (catalogued)]
[Phase 1 Unlocked!]
I returned over the wall before the second coordination signal finished.
I landed on the estate side and straightened my dress. It was still intact, which was good, because I was technically still hosting a delegation, and appearing in public with a ruined dress would create an entirely different problem.
I opened the quest window.
[UNIQUE QUEST: Woe is the Tyrant, Who Terrorizes the Ocean]
[Phase 1: The Teeth of the Deep]
The fleet in the bay is not the origin. It is the response.
Somewhere in the southern sea, the pillars stand. They were raised by hands that existed before the current age of humanity. Each one is a signal. Each one is an anchor.
The fleet will not leave until the pillars are silenced.
[Phase 1 Objectives:]
→ Locate and destroy the Sea Pillars: 0 / 7
→ Estimated locations: scattered across the southern sea islands, maximum range from Marisport: 200 km
→ Each pillar destroyed will reduce the fleet's coordination capacity by approximately 1/7
→ All seven must be destroyed to complete Phase 1
[Note: The Sea Pillars are held in place by old divine architecture. Normal destruction methods will not be enough. Investigating the construction of the pillars is recommended before attempting to destroy them.]
[Phase 1 Reward: ???]
[Failure Condition: If the fleet completely breaches the settlement perimeter before Phase 1 is completed, the quest will fail and the fleet's objective will be achieved by default.]
I read it twice.
Then I opened the Map UI and checked the locations.
The nearest pillar was forty kilometers south-southwest. It was on a small, rocky island that was barely visible on the estimated map.
The farthest was about two hundred kilometers away, somewhere deep in the southern sea.
I looked at the fleet.
Then the map.
Then the objective.
Seven pillars scattered across two hundred kilometers of open water, while a fleet continued trying to break through the city's defenses.
"…Okay," I said to nobody.
I sat back down on the crate.
The last piece of fruit in my jacket was a small southern plum. I ate it while staring at the quest window.
It was excellent.
[Hecatia makes a quiet, sympathetic sound.]
[Xipe sends something that might be support.]
[Trynda looks out of my pocket, checks the map, and sits down again without saying anything.]
"Two hundred kilometers," I said.
[Trynda: It is what it is.]
I looked at them.
"Did you just use that phrase on me?"
[Trynda ruffles their feathers smugly.]
I looked back at the map.
Seven pillars.
A fleet that would keep attacking.
An enchanted wall that was buying time instead of solving anything.
Somewhere out in the open sea, seven stone figures were standing in the water and continuing to stand there.
"Right," I said.
I stood up.
This was not going to be quick.
Apparently, this was what I was doing now.
I tucked Trynda back into my jacket, straightened my shoulders, and went to find a boat.