Now, while the ostrich army led by Dele was kicking and scattering the undead while complaining, "Stinky! It's too stinky!"...
A fierce and magnificent battle was unfolding back in the royal capital of the Nagan Kingdom.
It was the clash between the "Tactician"—a special strategic force—and the "Necromancer," who aimed to rebuild multiple entire countries into her personal undead puppets.
That said, as the Necromancer herself well understood, defeating the Tactician in a pure battle of wits was practically impossible. By her own calculations, she would need to make absolutely flawless, exhaustive preparations and strike while the Tactician was physically absent just to achieve a temporary stalemate. In other words, she was fighting against the defensive measures the Tactician had already prepared in advance. Armed with a top-grade material: the corpse of the Beast King.
(I am quite certain that based on what I know of the 'Tactician,' he has thoroughly prepared countermeasures against Necromancers like me~.)
Her current invasion of Nagan—to state it precisely—was a grand operation to teleport directly into the royal capital, seize the royal palace, and secure the King. She had invested an immense amount of resources and time to realize this.
She had established a total of 28 hidden bases within the Nagan capital. Every single one of them was located in a spot structurally and magically difficult to detect. Even if one base was compromised, the others would suffice; all of them met her rigorous standards, and all of them were fully equipped with operational teleportation arrays.
Her objective was to leap into the capital and secure the King, the apex of the nation. According to the intelligence she gathered, the Tactician seemed to harbor deep respect and gratitude toward the King of Nagan. Furthermore, they were lifelong close friends. She had also uncovered some bizarre, confusing pieces of intelligence used as bluffs—such as "He has a beloved wife" or "He is in love with the Red Knight"—but they lacked logical consistency. After all, the Tactician was thoroughly unmarried.
(Well~, if I can just bring the King, the head of the state, under my control, I can manage somehow. Just in case it failed, I planned to secure everything, including the bluff information, but... as expected, they've all been crushed, haven't they?)
"Splendid as always, Tactician-kun~," she murmured aloud.
She had activated the teleportation arrays, but the desired response failed to return. To be precise, every single response returning to her was a trap. In other words, all 28 locations had already been dealt with. Her intuition was entirely correct; the Tactician had already made his move.
In the midst of his expedition to the Beast Kingdom, the Tactician had received a report from the Red Knight, whom he had sent back ahead of time, stating: "We have discovered facilities outfitted with highly suspicious equipment." Reading the commotion the Necromancer had caused in the Beast Kingdom as a "high probability bluff," he immediately spread out a map of the Nagan capital. From there, he listed every single location where an entity hostile to Nagan might hide, and instantly dispatched that information to the capital.
(Returning to the Nagan capital from here is too difficult due to distance and time. Furthermore, the bases discovered in the capital could themselves be a bluff. Rather than making a careless move, I will formulate a plan to definitively finish them over there. ...Fortunately, the traps meant for the Beast King have already been transported back to the capital. I leave it in your hands, everyone.)
Receiving the information on potential enemy hiding spots, the Red Knight and her forces instantly sprang into action.
They successfully suppressed all 28 bases prepared by the Necromancer. There were locations where quasi-special strategic force-class undead had been stationed for defense, but they were utterly destroyed by the Red Knight, Dorothea, who had grown significantly after fighting against the Elf Amelia and learning of the extraordinary existence that was the Ostrich Chief, Wraith.
Furthermore, they modified all the teleportation arrays. The moment the enemy attempted to jump through, a trap would trigger, redirecting the teleportation to a point 3,000 meters beneath the earth of the Nagan capital. It was a literal "teleport into solid rock" strategy.
The Tactician, who was providing remote instructions, would have preferred to order the complete destruction of the arrays or the buildings themselves if possible. However, the structural durability of the magic circles was incredibly high, making them difficult to dismantle quickly. Moreover, the buildings themselves were rigged with a mechanism where destroying even one would cause a chain reaction, detonating high-output magic bombs throughout the capital. Since they didn't know when the enemy would strike, they couldn't afford to spend too much time on bomb disposal.
They chose to perform "minimum necessary treatment," prioritizing the traps on the teleportation arrays.
In other words, while it looked like a flawless countermeasure on the surface, it was actually a desperate, time-constrained compromise.
"But even so~, I've already factored that much into my calculations~."
Detecting an anomaly just before the teleportation arrays fully activated, she shifted into action. First, she sent a single lowest-grade undead into all 28 magic circles as a decoy. Although the undead were instantly sent deep underground, the exact moment they arrived, they transmitted the surrounding layout data and their magic paths back to their master.
"Hmm~, then let's go to Base No. 6~."
Observing that Base No. 6 possessed a relatively "normally functioning magic circle" and boasted a large facility size, she decided to teleport there and moved immediately. Naturally, she did not forget to send undead with power levels ranging from 500 to 1,000 into the remaining 27 locations as a bluff.
Furthermore, she had rigged the magic bombs scattered across various locations to detonate in a chain reaction the exact moment the bluff undead perished.
However, her opponent was the Tactician. That much was well within his expectations.
"Please do not underestimate us. We have already cooperated with the Church authorities and handled the situation."
The "minimum necessary treatment" mentioned earlier referred to the destruction of the magic paths connecting the magic bombs. If it was going to detonate in a chain reaction, one simply had to sever the root. Although they remained dangerous items capable of blowing up the entire vicinity the moment they received an external supply of magic power, cutting the fuses significantly lowered their threat level. Furthermore, a newly installed magic circle designed to overlay the teleportation array suddenly assaulted the appearing undead.
"Holy Cleansing Barrier (Consecration)!"
"...Oh?"
To begin with, Base No. 6, which the Necromancer had selected, was itself a deliberate lure left behind by the Tactician. He purposely left the array in a relatively pristine state to draw the enemy in. Gathered at that base were the high-ranking clergymen serving the Church of the Nagan Capital, who had constructed a holy cleansing barrier. It was a holy-attributed barrier that dealt devastating damage to the undead; furthermore, despite being improvised, it was crafted by high-level casters who had climbed to the rank of Archbishop. Once trapped inside, even a special strategic force-class undead would not escape unscathed.
The moment she materialized, the rapidly generated barrier enveloped the surroundings with a blinding, brilliant light.
...And yet.
"Rotten Flesh Barrier (Carrion Field), I say~."
That pure light was instantly painted over by a foul, dark crimson. A hemispherical mass of rotten flesh, deployed to shield the undead, shattered the barrier from the inside, scattering putrid meat all over the vicinity. Showering down upon the clergymen, their escorting Holy Knights, and the Nagan Capital Defense Corps, the flying gore instantly created numerous blind spots.
"Just neutralizing them is fine~. Dealing with Church forces is tedious, after all~. Make sure to bind them securely, okay~?"
The moment she spoke, the undead waiting in her rear moved in unison. It wasn't just beastman undead; a line-up of masterpieces she had collected and crafted over her lifetime surged forward. Having taken care of the soldiers in the blink of an eye, the Necromancer summoned a cargo-carrying undead and pulled a massive insect out of a bag.
"Nfh~, a clergyman. And at the Archbishop level, how wonderful~. ...Hey, old man, do you know what this is~?"
"...!"
"My~, what a scary face. Let's cover it up with this then."
Saying so, she attached the insect—a type of monster used for torture in certain regions. Its name was the Facehugger. Possessing a crab-like skeletal structure and a long, scorpion-like tail, it firmly grasped the Archbishop's face, wrapping its long tail securely around his neck. Modified into an undead state by the Necromancer, its purpose was not to kill the target, but to keep them alive.
By converting the magic power possessed by the target and supplying it to the Necromancer, an improvised, living magic tank was completed.
"Undead magic tanks have their limits, after all~. When I kill you, I want to do it all at once, so until then, please become my magic power, old men~. Yes, yes, goodbye~."
Leaving them behind, she walked out of the hidden base. If the Tactician had been physically present in this capital, she would already be dead, and she fully understood that. In fact, if he were here, she would have postponed the plan entirely. But he was not here.
Soldiers who caught wind of the commotion rushed to respond and assaulted her, but they were all swiftly neutralized by her powerful undead. Managing to step outside without any difficulty, she noticed that the Nagan capital had yet to suffer any severe damage.
"Oh dear~, have the magic bombs been taken care of as well? Oh well. It's better if it turns into a commotion... perhaps I'll have someone go detonate them manually~."
With that thought, she selected a number of neutralized soldiers equivalent to the remaining magic bombs and claimed their lives.
"Necrotic Rebirth (Undead Reverse)."
The moment she chanted the spell, the soldiers who should have been dead stood up all at once, moving with an artificial will. The command imposed upon them was to track down the magic bombs and release all of their internal magic power on the spot. If individuals who weren't even mages did such a thing, they would explode and blow themselves apart. But to her, that was exactly the point; the localized explosions would trigger the larger bombs, instantly plunging the royal capital into absolute panic.
Once that happened, infiltrating the royal palace would be child's play.
"But still, going straight through the front looks like it might be difficult~. Even if I have Beast King-kun, I'd like to avoid unnecessary consumption of forces. ...Ah, that's right. There was a hidden escape passage leading out of the royal palace, wasn't there? Yes, yes, let's just trace that backward. Now, everyone~, follow your master~."
◇◆◇◆◇
(The sound of explosions echoing through the communication device, alongside a woman in a black robe leading powerful undead...)
The Tactician deduced that this must be the individual Lord Wraith referred to as the "Thief." While they hadn't lost yet, the situation was far from ideal. From the Necromancer's perspective, the Tactician's complexion must look quite grim right about now, he mused to himself.
He had issued evacuation orders to the buildings located near the magic bombs well in advance. Furthermore, removal of the magic bombs had already been completed from critical facilities required for human rescue—such as the Church, supply storage areas, and soldier barracks. While damage would occur to the town infrastructure, it wouldn't become catastrophic. Rather, the buildings being blown up were mostly dilapidated structures that required rebuilding anyway; for now, casualties and severe losses were kept to an absolute minimum.
(While lives have unfortunately been lost—forcing me to deeply reflect on my own oversight and provide proper support to the bereaved families... things are proceeding smoothly for now. Exactly as anticipated, she has advanced into the hidden passage leading to the royal palace.)
His master, the King, was a man who would absolutely never choose to flee alone if his citizens were facing a crisis. In reality, the King possessed the indispensable political calculation and willingness to make sacrifices required of a ruler, but externally, he maintained that ideal persona. While it was true the Tactician had fallen in respect for that humanity, as a strategist, he preferred the King to flee the moment danger was sensed. While the King possessed a proper ruler's perspective, it was undeniable he was slightly too good-natured. In a crisis like this, that trait became a minor flaw.
"A luxury, I suppose."
"? Lord Tactician, did something happen?"
"No, no, it is nothing, Lord Mathilde. Come, I have fulfilled my role by assisting with the preparations here; from this point onward, it is your turn to claim military merit."
"Understood! Since you have set the stage beautifully this far, I swear I shall not show you a clumsy display. All forces! Prepare to charge!"
Concealing the earphone-like communication magic tool near his ear, he conversed with Lord Mathilde of the Heed Kingdom. The battle on this field was already settled—or rather, it had been decided before it even began. All that remained was a race against time to process the remnants quickly and minimize casualties. ...Though, no matter how much they hurried here, returning to Nagan immediately was physically impossible due to the distance.
(Judging from the reports, the enemy is not committing unnecessary slaughter beyond what is required. Furthermore, given that she headed straight for the royal palace, her target is undoubtedly His Majesty.)
He had hidden numerous individuals specializing in presence concealment within the capital. According to the reports from those scouts, she indeed possessed knowledge regarding the hidden passage leading inside the palace. To minimize the possibility of a brute-force breakthrough from the front, he had stationed a massive amount of military strength along the main roads leading to the palace, which seemed to have paid off by funneling her.
Upon receiving the report that all the Necromancer's forces had entered the hidden passage, the Tactician instantly transmitted an order to his entire network.
(That royal palace is no ordinary palace. It was constructed specifically to ensure that any unauthorized intruders could be definitively executed in the event of an emergency. ...However, as long as the undead Beast King is in her possession, those defenses will likely be neutralized by sheer brute force.)
Fortunately, the Tactician possessed a method to neutralize the Beast King. It was an anti-Beast King trap that had originally been secretly installed within the Heed Kingdom. Because its uses were strictly limited, he had issued instructions to transport it back to his home country the moment he received the report of the ostriches' victory, placing it within the palace for defensive purposes...
"It can only be activated once. However, there is a possibility the opponent has prepared countermeasures against it. ...A difficult situation."
The Necromancer's information-gathering capabilities exceeded the Tactician's initial estimates. Of course, since all the leaked critical data consisted of intentional bluffs, it posed no real issue, but the enemy was moving while predicting those bluffs. Based on the information she was supposed to have seized, if she had been trying to counter the Tactician directly, she would have immediately run around the capital searching for his 'non-existent wife.' Instead, she showed no interest in that and went straight to secure the King.
"Neutralizing rather than killing immediately, and targeting the King. ...Most likely, she won't kill him. A hostage situation."
Within his mind, numerous scattered dots began to form and connect into a single line. A few seconds after initiating his thoughts, he accurately grasped the Necromancer's ultimate objective. And with that, he felt a small wave of relief. It aligned perfectly with the enemy objectives he had anticipated; even if the royal capital were to temporarily fall, the situation remained entirely recoverable.
"While it seems my own safety may be put at a slight risk... it will be fine. If we can kill her at the palace, that is the end of it; even if we cannot, she still has a use."
Murmuring those words, the Tactician contacted the Red Knight, who was currently guarding His Majesty inside the palace.
"Lady Dorothea? There is no change to the plan. Please make absolutely sure to tell His Majesty not to overexert himself."
『U-Understood. ...Um, about this person...』
"Yes, it is exactly as you think. Ah, also, I have already handed the entire script over to your side, so please rest assured. Just move according to the instructions."
『U-Understood! I'll do my best!』
Receiving the Red Knight's acknowledgment, he slowly powered down the magic tool. Although he maintained his vigilance, everything was within the boundaries of his calculations. If the opponent had been a type to push purely with overwhelming numbers and brute strength rather than relying on schemes, he might have been backed into a corner... but that was already an impossible scenario.
"Now then, shall we begin our little performance?"
"Did you figure out what they're doing?"
"Dunno!"
"Too hard!"
"Food!"