Seeing the splendid flame ascending into the sky, I stood up.

  「It’s the signal…..! Let’s go!」


  When I shouted so, my fellow dark elves in hiding replied all at once.

  We, who had been moving around outside the prairie before the imperial army started their assault, are encamped diagonally behind the imperial army.

  The north and south.

  We sneaked around those directions behind the imperial army.

  I am commanding 2,000 dark elves in the north side and the high elf Alicequiteria is commanding 2,000 troops in the south.

  「We’ll deal with the enemy on this side! Cast wide range earth and fire magic as soon as we’re on the right range! We’ll cast magic while moving south!」


  As I went out from the trees where we’ve been hiding, I saw the back of the imperial soldiers who are attacking the allied forces.

  At the time me and my unit were about to attack, an explosion that sounds like an eruption of a volcano reverberated from the sky.

  Upon raising my face to check it out, wind and shockwave from the magic hit me. The ball of flame in the sky looks like its saying that it’s the new sun.

  Apparently, it seems like the fire magic signal exploded in the sky.

  Was that explosion and not the fireball the real signal?

  「That signal is too flashy, Ren-sama….!」


  Won’t that kind of signal make even your allies agitated?

  「Kyaaah!?」


  To the explosion that resounded and shook the atmosphere, I instinctively duck my body and screamed.

  Looking at it, it was Ren-sama’s signal.

  「Ah, if he used that against the empire instead of a signal, wouldn’t the empire army be annihilated?」


  I looked at the dark elves while saying such a thing.

  Looking at them from the space between the trees, the dark elves’ mouth and eyes are all wide open. They look cute but this is not the time to look at them.

  「Everyone! Let’s start attacking now!」


  When I say so, the dark elves leave the trees in a hurry.

  Even though every one of them received equipments and items from Ren-sama, if a fraction of those 300,000 soldiers turn here, no matter how elite the dark elves are, they won’t be able to endure it.

  In other words, our strategy is to sneak attack from a distance while moving around and avoid counter attack. A lot of mages are arranged at the back of the empire’s army and Ren-sama wants to take them out as soon as possible.

  「Now, I must show the power of a high elf to all of these dark elves.」


  After muttering so, I opened my mouth again to cast magic.

  The supply troops stopped moving after a deafening roar echoed.

  Nonetheless, it can’t be helped since all the horses were petrified.

  I removed my gaze from the supply troops and turned to the allied forces’ direction.

  Seeing the gigantic fire in the sky, I trembled while cold sweat flows at my back.

  「….I never thought,……it was true.」


  Although I received various information, I did not believe any of it because I thought they were all exaggeration.

  Surely, no one would probably think that those were true.

  「….international alliance」


  If one possesses such power, there won’t be anyone in the world that can stop him.

  However, he made an organization called the international alliance where countries cooperate with each other making each country retain its existence and culture.

  From the point of view of small countries like us who can barely compete once a big country makes it move, it is a splendid organization.

  I have to utilize it to empower my country.

  「The most difficult thing to get, I can obtain the material called time using it.」


  After saying that, I turned my back.

  Unfortunately, it seems not only the peddlers but even the elite troops of my country were fascinated by that scenic magic.

  「Hey, let’s move…」


  After muttering to myself, I issued an instruction.

  I was able to gain the honor of being part of the kingdom conquest of the Immenstadt Empire. I was in high spirit all these time.

  Finally, I can lay my eyes on that hateful kingdom.

  There are 30,000 soldiers from the kingdom. On the other hand, I heard that the empire has 300,000 soldiers. The popularity of that beast in human form evil king is only to that extent.

  And when we arrived at the battlefield, me and my colleagues, who I had eaten rice on the same pot with, laughed.

  Looking at the spacious terrain, the vertical difference in topography is minimal. How can someone with only 30,000 soldiers fight in such a place?

  Besides, the great army of the empire will show no mercy to the army of the kingdom. Seeing that they divided their war potential to the left and right, are they even thinking of fighting head on?

  「Oi! It looks like you left behind your men in the middle!」


  When someone said that, the people around laughed. It looks like the skill of their soldiers is insufficient too. I cannot believe that the empire was being overwhelmed by them since I was I child.

  While we were laughing, a messenger on horseback brought the order of the emperor.

  「Lycias-sama’s order!」


  To the word of the messenger, the place quiets down. After confirming it, he greatly breathes in.

  「I order you to bring death to those who harmed the empire! However, don’t just win, show the power of the empire with an overwhelming victory! Strike, crush, and step on the enemy in front of you! Do not leave one soldier alive! Annihilate them!」


  When the messenger issued the words of the emperor, an explosive war cry resounded.

  「Uoohh!」


  I also shout. I shouted until there was no air in my lungs then breathed in and shouted again.

  Being pushed by the feeling of euphoria make me want to run. It seems like every one of us wants to run towards the kingdom’s army.

  「Advance!」


  We were issued a decree so we did not wait anymore and started marching.

  I grasped my sword and my shield as we move forward. I realized that I’m having a ferocious feeling but I did not suppress it.

  Someone is going to meet my sword.

  We’ll murder everyone.

  「O-oi…!」


  When I dropped my gaze to the blade of my sword, my companion next to me gave out a surprised voice.

  No way, are we attacked by the other side already?

  I hurriedly raised my shield and my eyes and saw a fire pillar.

  No, that was a trail of a fire falling from the sky.

  A lump of fire fell to the ground at a place several hundred meters away from us.

  The ground shakes that it is impossible to move along with a roaring sound. After that, wind and dust hit us so bad that it hurts.

  Although we were not hit, I can feel the heat as if I’m being burned. When I opened my eyes that was shut by the impact, I saw a huge rock burning brightly.

  What, is that?

  The soldiers in the front line were unable to stand up.

  While everyone was stunned, a war cry can be heard from the kingdom’s army.

  The feeling I felt earlier cools down as if I was poured with cold water.

  Can we really win in an overwhelming manner?

  That shadow of doubt spreads in my head.

  ********************