The Fang Clan's reason for attacking the Northern Fairies was simple: they found the resurgence of a race thought long gone unbearably unsettling.
So, true to their combative nature, the Fang Clan sparked the war.
With the other three clans remaining largely passive, the conflict essentially became a direct clash between the Fang Clan and the Northern Fairies.
The Fang Clan's raiding party vanished without a trace, reinforcements from Manchester never arrived, and their supply lines were completely severed. As these setbacks piled up, even the clan most skilled in battle among the fairies could no longer turn the tide through sheer combat alone.
After three months, the war came to an end. Having lost the majority of their fighting strength, the Fang Clan retreated in disarray.
"Want to rest for a bit?"
Crossing the northern plains where the war had long since ended, on their way to Edinburgh, Shiomi glanced at the shattered armor and broken weapons scattered across the battlefield and asked the Aesc walking beside him.
"I'm fine..." Aesc paused, easing the soreness in her legs for a moment.
With no proper means of travel, they could only make their way across the northern wilderness of Britannia on foot, heading for the Northern Clan's lands. But for Shiomi and Aesc, who could use Magecraft, channeling magical energy to strengthen their bodies made the long trek much easier.
No matter how muddy or uneven the roads became, nothing could halt their steps.
"Your mana control... it feels unstable."
Shiomi steadied her hand, then moved behind her, letting his fingers trace the line of her spine before finally stopping at the curve of her waist.
"The pathway from your sacrum to your fifth cervical vertebra—try to make it more refined."
As he spoke, his mana flowed through his fingers into Aesc's body. Strengthening her legs and boosting endurance, the fatigue weighing down her Magic Circuits began to fade at a visible pace.
"Ah!"
But Aesc suddenly clutched her staff, let out a muffled groan, and crouched down with flushed cheeks, puffing her face at Shiomi.
"Aesc?" Shiomi asked, worried.
"Just say it. Don't touch me." Aesc frowned. "You know that spot is my weak point."
Shiomi quickly raised his hands in defense. "I wasn't teasing you—I touched it by accident!"
"And you even interfered with my Magic Circuits..." Aesc abruptly stood, shoved her staff into his arms, and before he could react, began pounding on him with her fists. "I almost felt it, you know?"
After all, sharing mana had become part of their daily life together. By now, their magical frequencies were nearly in perfect sync. When casting large-scale Magecraft, they could easily draw upon the combined power of both.
"Sorry, sorry, stop hitting me." Shiomi endured the light blows as he pulled her into his arms to soothe her. "I'll be more careful next time."
"Then—"
Aesc spread her arms slightly, signaling him to carry her.
"But I'm tired too, you know."
He chuckled, then gathered her up in his arms and kept walking.
"But it's strange. Your mana control should already be close to perfect." He mused aloud. "Could it be that, since a battle ended here not long ago and so many fairies died, the remnants of death are interfering with your magical stability?"
Aesc brushed her bangs aside. "Maybe. Ever since we entered this area, I've felt a subtle discomfort in my body."
"Magi are naturally more attuned to the spirits of all things. It's not surprising you'd be affected," Shiomi said, glancing at her. "Place your hand on my chest. We'll synchronize our senses. Until we're out of this place, I'll share that discomfort with you."
"No need to change course," Aesc replied. She actually enjoyed the feeling of sharing everything once their senses were synchronized. It felt as if they were truly one—an intimacy completely different from the union of bodies.
"Then I'll speed up."
Shiomi quickened his pace noticeably.
"But why did Tenkei want to come through this battlefield at all?" Aesc asked, more concerned with that point.
"Just to see how both sides fought," Shiomi said. "Even after it's over, you can tell a lot from the traces left behind."
Aesc turned her head, surveying the remnants of the battlefield. "So, what did Tenkei figure out?"
"Plenty. The Fang Clan relies almost entirely on their natural physical strength. Each Fang Fairy fought on their own," Shiomi explained.
"The Fang Clan believes 'strength is justice.' To them, coordinating with comrades is a sign of weakness," Aesc added, giving the reason.
"Meanwhile, the Northern Fairies value cooperation. Most of the armor left here bears marks of being struck by several weapons at once." Shiomi stopped before a shattered set of armor. "If it isn't that the Northern Fairies are skilled at working together, then it must be that their leader, Mab, is a masterful commander."
Rather than relying blindly on strength, they gathered weaker fairies together and fought in organized formations.
Even though their individual combat ability was far inferior to the Fang Clan, the Northern Fairies still managed to hold their ground. Shiomi had to admit, it was impressive.
"Of course, this might just mean Mab is cautious, or simply that it's her nature," Shiomi continued. "But if someone strong enough to crush an entire army alone appears, no strategy or formation would be anything more than a way to delay defeat."
Aesc nodded seriously. "Conversely, if you can't guarantee you can wipe out an army alone, then you should be all the more careful with how you deploy your troops."
At that thought, she couldn't help but remember that night.
Shiomi had single-handedly destroyed tens of thousands of fairies and three Sub-Bells in one extraordinary battle. If she ever faced the same situation, she had to do even better than he had then.
"War is fought for the sake of a nation's gain, not as an outlet for personal grudges. The Fang Clan—or rather, fairies in general—can wage war simply because they're displeased..." Shiomi said. "No wonder the prosperity of each clan is always so limited."
"War is the great affair of the state, the ground of life and death, the path to survival or destruction. It cannot be neglected," Aesc suddenly said. "You mentioned that once before, when telling a war story."
"You remembered that so clearly." Shiomi smiled, narrowing his eyes. "But that's just the opening of the Art of War, its core principle, like a preface. If you're interested, I can study it with you."
"Military strategy... huh."
Aesc nodded quietly. Her instincts told her she would need it.
...
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