"The 'Witch' and the 'Sage,' so well known across Britannia—have you come once again as envoys for the Northern Fairies?"
The chieftain of the Wind Clan was a fairy woman of refined beauty and gentle grace, yet she exuded a sharp, calculating air. Her name was Minerva.
At this moment, Minerva received Aesc and Shiomi and raised her question.
Inside the main command tent, luxuries far too extravagant for a battlefield gave away the nature of this Wind Clan fairy. Even when leading troops to the front, she refused to abandon her sense of elegance and taste.
"No," Aesc answered softly, meeting Minerva's eyes. "We've come only to put an end to this meaningless war."
"Meaningless?" Minerva reclined on a fur-draped chaise, her gaze languid. "The Northern Fairies grow stronger by the day. Sooner or later, their lands will spread south. Better to resolve that threat now than wait until the conflict forces itself upon us."
Shiomi sneered inwardly.
That was the way with the Wind Fairies. Outwardly, they spoke with logic and poise, but their true intent was something else entirely. Their motives might be as petty as simply disliking the Northern Fairies.
"If we are to speak of future crimes, then allow me a word. I ask the Chieftain of the Wind Clan to listen." Shiomi stepped forward, signaling with his eyes that he would take over.
He was far more adept at this kind of debate.
"Go on."
Minerva replied with feigned indifference, though her eyes never left Shiomi.
A human so strikingly unique was a rarity. Keeping one as a pet would surely be amusing—enough to pass the long hours of boredom. But that would mean dealing with the 'Witch'... and Minerva found that rather troublesome.
"The Northern Fairies are nothing more than a force gathered under Queen Mab. At the current rate, it would take hundreds, perhaps even a thousand years, before they could grow strong enough to threaten the southern clans." Shiomi glanced toward the map of Britannia spread across the tent. "If such an outcome isn't even certain, yet they must be suppressed so urgently... then what of the Fang Clan?"
"The Fang Clan?" Minerva mused. "Have they done something?"
"Not yet. But they could do anything—and Lady Minerva understands that better than I." Shiomi smiled calmly. "This war against the Northern Fairies was led by the Fang Clan. They are the ones locked in stalemate with Mab's forces on the front lines."
"The Northern Fairies are more stubborn than expected. Their leader Mab has ability enough to hold even the Fang Clan at bay." Minerva was aware of the situation.
"But we traveled south through the battlefields and saw their condition ourselves," Shiomi continued. "The current stalemate is only temporary. Even if the three clans, Wind included, hold back their support, the Fang Clan still has the advantage. Within a month at most, the war will be over."
That matched the reports Minerva had received—victory after victory claimed by the Fang Clan, followed each time by demands for supplies and reinforcements.
"Another month, then?" Minerva chuckled. "Perhaps we're already too late, Sage. Did you come after the time had passed?"
"No. We came in time." Shiomi no longer looked at her but fixed his gaze on the map. "If the Fang Clan wins this war and, carried by that momentum, turns to question your lack of supplies and reinforcements... how will the leader of the Wind Clan respond?"
Clink.
The gem Minerva had been toying with slipped from her hand and fell onto the carpet.
That was exactly her fear. Yet neither the Wing Clan nor the Earth Clan had shown any intention of withdrawing, leaving the Wind Clan no choice but to remain bogged down in Manchester.
"If the Fang Clan's chances are that high, then even if the Wind Clan withdraws, won't things stay the same with the other two clans still supporting them?" Minerva asked.
"As long as the Wind Clan shows the intention to withdraw, I can persuade the other two clans on your behalf." Shiomi stepped forward, picked up the gem that had fallen to the ground, and handed it back to her. "The Fang Clan tried to send a squad to circle behind for a surprise attack, but they ran into the Northern Fairies' ambush force instead. They were drawn into a trap and wiped out. Even as we speak, the Northern Fairies are closing in on the Fang Clan from both front and rear."
By this point, Shiomi was certain Minerva understood.
They could, of course, keep supporting the Fang Clan and help them secure victory—only to risk the Fang Clan turning on them afterward, using the war's complications as an excuse.
Or they could stop supporting now, let the Fang Clan suffer a crushing defeat, and watch their overall strength collapse. Then they would no longer be able to flaunt their power and drag other clans into wars like this one.
The 'Sage' had now laid both options before the Wind Clan.
"Sigh... The Fang Clan has long bullied the others with brute force. If this continues, we'll be destroyed before the Northern Fairies ever are." Minerva spoke with righteous concern.
To put it simply—she didn't trust the Fang Clan to behave once they had won.
"As expected of the Wind Clan's chieftain. Such keen judgment," Shiomi said with a light clap and a smile.
"But what if the Fang Clan loses and decides to vent their anger on us?" Minerva suddenly pressed.
Shiomi caught the hidden meaning in her words.
"Rest easy. By then, the Fang Clan will be no threat. Besides, the Northern Fairies have already cut off their supply lines and reinforcements, haven't they?"
His answer, half-question and half-assurance, finally put Minerva at ease. She accepted their mediation.
When they left the Wind Clan's quarters, Aesc was at a loss for words. After a long silence, she finally muttered,
"Really... there's nothing one can say."
"Anyway, all it takes is pointing out which side is the greater hassle. No matter how slim the odds, they'll treat it as certain." Shiomi glanced toward the town beyond the camp. "After all, they never liked each other to begin with. That alone is enough. Profit and loss just make their actions sound reasonable."
"No wonder we had to do so much groundwork before coming here." Aesc looked thoughtful. "But the Fang Clan's ambush unit—"
"It doesn't matter. The Northern Fairies won't let us take that credit," Shiomi replied. "Besides, the Earth Clan and Wing Clan fairies have already seen us."
"Let's hope we're done before nightfall. I'd hate to spend the night in this town." Aesc's disdainful tone carried a faint hint of petulance.
Shiomi, however, lit up with joy, as if seeing a long-lost treasure.
It had been so long since she'd shown that kind of emotion.
"Yeah. I'll make it quick."
He agreed gladly.