Chapter One: On the Royal Capital’s Outskirts

Things are going smoothly, oddly so, was the thought on Ein’s mind when he saddled up in the morning. The Ishtaricans marched towards Heim unimpeded, without a chimera or Heim soldier to be seen along the way. This strange phenomenon led the prince to furrow his brows cautiously.

“This march is going well, too well,” Dill muttered as he rode his steed, trotting only a few paces behind the prince. The knight’s words made it sound like he’d just read Ein’s mind.

Considering that he was galloping alongside the knight, Majorica could easily overhear Dill’s grumbling. “Well, Heim did just suffer a fatal blow to their manpower,” the eccentric replied before he continued, “Perhaps they’re mounting a defense of Roundheart’s port? After all, wedid blow them away with the ship’s cannons upon our arrival.”

The cannons were first fired in Rockdam, then again in Bardland. Needless to say, those devastating blasts had ripped through the kingdom’s soldiers. Then, as Ishtarica continued its push, Heim had been undoubtedly put on the back foot.

In other words, Heim was running out of options to fall back on. Even with chimeras at their disposal, no one could deny that the kingdom’s resources had been pushed to their limits.

“Oh dear, it seems the expression on your face says otherwise,” Majorica said.

“Ah, it’s nothing like that, Master Majorica,” Dill replied. “Your theory is sound, but there’s something that still bothers me. You know as well as I do that we can’t get a read on the red foxes’ motives. I can’t help but try to decipher their actions.”

“Whatever do you mean?”

“We don’t knowwhy the red foxes are acting this way,” Ein chimed in. “What’s the reason behind it all?”

“But if we were to look at the foxes’ base nature, Your Highness, are they not creatures who simply take pleasure in war and chaos?”

“I don’t think you’re wrong. That tome—Aunt Katima’s book—did me