The Next Day — War Room
The table was covered with maps, documents, and intelligence reports.
Kaito presided at the head.
To his right, Adelheid stood with a serious expression.
To his left, Lilith calmly reviewed papers.
And in front of him...
Naporia.
Standing. Studying the map like a general examining a battlefield.
"So," Naporia said, pointing to three locations. "You have three confirmed bases."
Lilith nodded.
"Correct. One in the northern caverns. Another in the tunnels beneath the border city of Graustein. And the main one…"
She pointed to a marked location.
"Here. An underground fortress called The Chasm. Old mining tunnels converted."
Naporia smiled.
"How many?"
Lilith checked her notes.
"We estimate three hundred total. One hundred per base."
Adelheid intervened.
"But those are estimates. There could be more."
Naporia shrugged.
"It doesn't matter. Three hundred or five hundred. They die the same."
Kaito looked at her.
"I want a plan, Naporia. Not a blind massacre."
Naporia met his gaze.
Mon général, the best planning is knowing where the enemy is and eliminating them."
She paused.
"But if you insist…"
She traced lines across the map.
"We strike the two smaller bases first. Simultaneously. Small, fast units."
She pointed.
"Adelheid leads the assault on the northern caverns. I'll take Graustein."
She looked at Lilith.
"And you… make sure no one escapes to warn The Chasm."
Lilith smiled.
"I can do that."
Naporia continued.
"Once the minor bases are eliminated, we converge on The Chasm."
She tapped the map.
"Coordinated assault. No survivors."
Kaito frowned.
"And the civilians? Graustein is a city."
Naporia looked at him.
"The tunnels are separate. We won't touch the surface."
She paused.
"Unless someone interferes."
Kaito's gaze hardened.
"Naporia. Minimal civilian casualties. That's an order."
Naporia held his stare.
Then nodded.
"As you command, mon général."
Adelheid spoke.
"How many soldiers will we need?"
Naporia considered.
"Twenty for the caverns. Twenty for Graustein. Forty for The Chasm."
She looked at Kaito.
"Eighty total. Your best."
Kaito nodded.
"You'll have them."
Naporia smiled.
"Perfect. We move at dawn."
She turned to leave, but Kaito stopped her.
"Naporia."
She paused.
"I know you want to prove your worth. But remember…"
Kaito stood.
"You're not conquering an empire. You're protecting a kingdom."
Naporia studied him for several seconds.
Then nodded.
"Understood."
And left.
When she was gone, Adelheid spoke.
"Commander… she is…"
"Unpredictable," Kaito finished. "I know."
He looked at Lilith.
"That's why I need you to watch her."
Lilith smiled.
"I was already planning to."
She stood.
"Let me speak with her. Woman to woman."
And followed Naporia out.
Kaito remained alone with Adelheid.
She stepped closer.
"Do you trust her?"
Kaito exhaled.
"I don't know. But I need this to work."
He looked at the map.
"The Guild killed ten of ours. They need to pay."
Adelheid nodded.
"Then tomorrow… we begin."
---
That Night — Fortress Balcony
Naporia stood alone, gazing at the mountains.
Her red cape fluttered in the wind.
Lilith approached silently.
"Beautiful view."
Naporia didn't turn.
"Have you come to spy on me?"
Lilith smiled.
"I came to get to know you."
She leaned against the balcony.
"We're… coworkers now."
Naporia finally looked at her.
"Coworkers? We're rivals."
Lilith tilted her head.
"Why rivals?"
Naporia gestured toward the fortress.
"Him. The commander."
Her eyes gleamed.
"We all want to be his favorite."
Lilith laughed softly.
"Oh, dear. I already am his favorite."
Naporia arched a brow.
"Really? And how do you know?"
Lilith smiled.
"When he needs diplomacy, he calls me. When he needs intelligence, he seeks me."
She stepped closer.
"You're new. You still have to prove yourself."
Naporia smiled as well.
"And I will prove myself tomorrow. When he sees what I can do."
She paused.
"And when he sees I'm more useful than the two of you combined…"
Her eyes sharpened.
"Then we'll see who the favorite is."
Lilith studied her.
"You're direct. I like that."
She turned away.
"But be careful, Naporia. This isn't an empire you can conquer with a sword."
She began to walk away.
"It's a kingdom built on balance."
"And if there is no balance…" Naporia called out.
Lilith stopped.
"Then I'll create it myself," Naporia finished. "By eliminating what is unnecessary."
Lilith smiled without turning.
"Try it. And you'll discover why they call me the Poisoner of Faith."
And disappeared.
Naporia remained alone.
Looking at the stars.
"Interesting," she murmured. "Very interesting."
---
Dawn — Preparation
The courtyard was filled with activity.
Eighty soldiers divided into four groups.
Adelheid checked the Northern Group's equipment.
Naporia inspected the Graustein Group.
Lilith organized her spy network.
And Kaito…
Observed everything from the platform.
Gorman approached.
"Commander. Everything is ready."
Kaito nodded.
"Do the soldiers know what they're facing?"
Gorman nodded.
"I told them the truth. We're avenging ten of our own."
He paused.
"They're motivated."
Kaito looked at the soldiers.
Some veterans. Some new.
But all with the same expression.
Determination.
"Good."
He stepped down from the platform.
Moved to the center of the courtyard.
All eyes turned to him.
"Today we don't just avenge our fallen," he said clearly. "Today we prove that Neudämmerung does not tolerate threats."
He walked among them.
"The Shadow Guild thought we were weak. That they could strike us without consequences."
He paused.
"Today we teach them how wrong they were."
The soldiers struck their shields.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Kaito continued.
"But remember: we are not murderers. We are soldiers."
He looked at Naporia.
"We eliminate threats. Not innocents."
Naporia nodded slightly.
Kaito turned to all of them.
"Forward! For Neudämmerung!"
The shout was unanimous.
"FOR NEUDÄMMERUNG!"
---
Hours Later — Northern Caverns
Adelheid led her group through dark tunnels.
Twenty soldiers behind her.
Silent. Disciplined.
They reached an opening.
Adelheid raised her fist.
Everyone stopped.
From the shadows, she observed.
The Guild's base.
Campfires. Guards patrolling. Improvised structures.
She counted quickly.
"Thirty-five. More than estimated."
One soldier whispered.
"How do we proceed, commander?"
Adelheid smiled.
"Fast and lethal."
She signaled.
The soldiers split into three groups.
Triple flanking maneuver.
Adelheid waited.
Counting.
Three… two… one…
NOW!
All three groups attacked simultaneously.
The Guild guards barely had time to react.
Adelheid moved like a storm.
Her sword cut with surgical precision.
No wasted motion.
No survivors left behind.
In five minutes…
The base was silent.
Bodies everywhere.
Not a single Neudämmerung soldier injured.
Adelheid cleaned her blade.
"Search the area. Document everything."
She turned.
"And burn the bodies."
---
Simultaneously — Graustein
Naporia walked through the tunnels as if on a leisurely stroll.
Her twenty soldiers followed, tense.
"Commander Naporia," one whispered. "Shouldn't we be more cautious?"
Naporia didn't stop.
"Cautious? Why?"
She pointed ahead.
"They should be cautious of us."
They reached the base.
Larger than the northern one.
Naporia counted.
Sixty.
She smiled.
"Perfect."
She unsheathed her sword.
"Stay here."
One soldier blinked.
"Commander?"
Naporia began walking toward the base.
Alone.
"I said stay."
The soldiers exchanged glances.
But obeyed.
Naporia entered the base walking.
Not running. Not hiding.
Simply… walking.
Guild members saw her.
One laughed.
"A woman? Alone?"
Naporia stopped at the center.
Looked around.
"You killed ten of mine."
Her voice was calm.
"By order of my general… you die."
The group leader approached.
A massive man covered in scars.
"And who are you, little one?"
Naporia smiled.
"Naporia. The Empress of the Bloody Sword."
The man laughed.
"Never heard of you."
Naporia shrugged.
"Normal. The ones who know me… are dead."
And she attacked.
So fast the man didn't have time to raise his weapon.
Naporia's blade pierced his throat.
She let him fall.
Then turned to the rest.
"Next?"
What followed was not a battle.
It was an execution.
Naporia moved among them like a deadly dance.
She didn't block.
She evaded.
Every movement ended with someone falling.
The soldiers of Neudämmerung watched from the entrance.
With horrified fascination.
In ten minutes…
Sixty bodies.
Naporia stood at the center.
Covered in blood.
But without a single scratch.
She sheathed her sword.
"Search the area."
She walked toward the exit.
"And inform me if you find anything interesting."
The soldiers stepped aside automatically.
Letting her pass.
With a mixture of fear and reverence.