The world shook, signaling the start of the war.

"What?!"

The three armies, now united, stood their ground as the ground shook.

*ROOOOAR*

A bone-chilling scream froze every single being who heard it, before subsiding into a faint rumble.

Florian, Kamala, and Eric all stared toward the corrupted dome that barely appeared in their line of sight.

"It's time."

May, standing on the side, glared into the distance, a sword in hand.

She clenched its hilt and touched the jewel on her nape.

'Let's do everything we can. Together.'

'---'

Hearing the faint voice of the elemental, she nodded.

"Lord Eric, from this point onward, I'll be acting independently, as we've agreed."

"I will support our men as much as possible while erasing the corrupted with magic."

Eric glanced in her direction, before nodding.

"Please, stay safe."

"No need to tell me. I've already promised to return alive."

While keeping her gaze straightforward, she walked away. A strong wind followed her, making everyone turn to her.

A lone commander silently walked past ranks of men and women who vowed to defend their continent.

Some of them were her previous subordinates, others learned of her feat as a powerful commander who defended the southern border from invasions all these years prior.

With each step, flames rose with each imprint she left behind her.

Her short hair, which had a natural orange color, began to float upward as if gravity were non-existent. Scorching red flame covered her hair, creating a distorting effect around her from the intense heat.

"Elemental, we've been told to go all out. It would be a shame not to meet everyone's expectations, don't you think."

She placed her hand on her left shoulder and unclasped a small metal notch.

Her outfit, which seemed like a very normal officer set of clothes, was slightly improved before she went to battle.

A long, crimson cloak rolled down from her shoulder, before waving in the wind freely.

It was brought up by Karteira before she went to battle.

-

"A cloak? On one shoulder only? Not a cape?"

"Exactly. But really, it could be anything that distinguishes you from the rest."

May placed a finger on her chin.

"But why? Isn't it weird to wear something different on the battlefield?"

"See it however you want, but the fact that you aren't part of the army needs to be accounted for. You are part of our family now, and we need to make everyone understand."

Karteira walked behind her with a rolled-up piece of cloth, and began to sew it on her shoulder.

"We must be careful how people see us from now on. Attracting unwanted attention is unavoidable, so we have to demonstrate that we are independent of most factions."

"Tell me, May. Who are you?"

"Is this a trick question?"

"..."

Hearing her silence, May understood that it definitely was a critical question.

'I can't afford to mess up this question, can I?'

She fell into deep thoughts, which made Karteira smile without noticing.

"In normal circumstances, I would say that I am human."

"Right?"

"..."

But May shook her head.

'I see what she meant. We're not part of any faction now.'

"Alright, I'm done."

Karteira moved away and returned to her seat.

"So, do you have your answer?"

"Yes."

-

She gripped her sword and lifted it in the air. Taking a deep breath, she stood in front of the three armies and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"I am May, member of the Agathions!"

"I stand here in front of you for one single reason!"

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Twisting her body, she glared behind her while dropping her sword in the direction of the dome.

"To get rid of the corruption encroaching on our land! To protect the citizens under our care!"

"Prepare yourself for battle, as this will turn into the worst battle of your life!"

"Grasp every chance, and shelter your own life from the enemy!"

Turning her back to the men and women behind her, she pierced the ground with her sword.

"Do not fear your enemy! I will stand with you from the beginning to the very end!"

Dust clouds began to appear in her vision.

'Here they come.'

May closed her eyes, before delicately opening them again.

"Soldiers, are you ready to place your lives in my hands?"

She glanced at them from behind with a smile, which calmed and soothed the worries of the soldiers.

"YES!"

A unanimous shout thundered through the air.

"Then clench your weapon, and never lose sight of it!"

"To battle!"

She grabbed her sword, pulled it from the ground, and immediately stepped forward.

In formation, soldiers ran past her from both sides, their weapons in hand. With a smile, May followed the courageous humans and beastmen.

From his spot, Eric smiled.

'She's become even more confident. Letting her live freely was a good idea.'

He grabbed his earthen axe, and touched the holster around his waist containing his precious gun made from half of Monolavir's scale.

"You're going too?"

Florian asked with a friendly smile.

"I was never meant to stay on the sideline."

"We'll join you once we notice any changes in their forces."

With a frown, Kamala spoke.

The three of them nodded at each other, knowing that this war wouldn't stop with just a few corrupted beasts.

"Alright, see you later."

With heavy footsteps, Eric walked out of the base, and hurriedly joined his men on the battlefield.

"Now... We observe."

"Yes. We haven't seen the creature that roared earlier either."

Florian and Kamala remained, waiting for the right moment to show themselves.

~

At the same time, in Noctelagia.

"Olivia!"

A humanoid being made of water entered the castle and rushed into the main hall, where Olivia and her twenty-seven maids were waiting.

"Saffira. Did something happen?"

"It's as bad as you were expecting it to be. Twenty thousand corrupted beasts are making their way through the sea and are coming this way!"

With a nod, Olivia acknowledged her information.

"Sea creatures, I believe. I have to wonder, though. How are they supposed to invade inland?"

She shook her head with a faint smile.

"That will have to wait. Saffira, did you retreat the kelpies in a safe place?"

Saffira looked at her with a confused expression.

"No?"

"Huh?"

Both of them looked at each other with confusion.

"Olivia, we're going to fight alongside you. We kelpies have a debt of life toward you and that man."

"This time, it's our moment to protect you."

Olivia blinked furiously and took a second to understand what she had heard.

"I thought the kelpies were a peaceful faction? Why are you taking part in the war?"

"Do I really need to spell it for you?"

With a faint smile, Saffira asked, but noticing even more confusion on Olivia's face, she sighed.

"Because we're friends. Do I need a better reason?"

"Oh..."

The young Lord suddenly felt her brain freeze. She wasn't expecting such an answer, yet, it made her heart warm up.

Each maid behind her showed a smile too.

"I-I see. Well, I'm glad to hear you feel the same way."

She coughed dramatically to switch the subject to a more serious one.

"So, where are your forces?"

Saffira nodded, losing the smile she had previously. Everyone in the room became serious once again.

"They are waiting a little away from the shallows."

"Can you make them come on land?"

"It should be possible? Why?"

Olivia turned to her maids, and answered.

"I would like to avoid having them inadvertently injured."

Marie, the head maid and most trusted confidant of Olivia, suddenly opened her eyes and looked at her master.

"Milady, are you trying to say that we would hurt innocent people 'inadvertently'?"

"That what I said. Marie, are you sure you will be able to contain your strength without causing me trouble?"

"..."

Her friend looked down for a moment, before looking at her in the eyes.

"I don't think so."

"Of course you won't. That's why I want the kelpies to act as support in that case."

Olivia turned to Saffira.

"Now that I have the kelpies' help, I have the perfect plan to defend Noctelagia."

A scary smile formed on her face.

All the maids closed their eyes, and faintly smiled.

'That's our master.'

They all thought the same thing.

...

On the beach leading to the Carmel Sea, the defenses were installed.

A direct order issued from Olivia, the Lord of Noctelagia, forced the citizens to stay inside their houses.

No one was authorized to leave it.

In the middle of her own battlefield, Olivia looked at her outfit.

"Is it better?"

"I think so, Milady."

"I hope it is. I don't wish to repeat the same mistake again."

This time, she removed her personalized maid outfit and changed into a battle dress made of linen cloth.

Olivia, who rarely wore anything else than a dress, unexpectedly switched to dark gray pants that were easy to move in. She wore a gray shirt under a black coat with long sleeves that stopped slightly under her hips.

To keep the coat from hindering her movements, she strapped a belt around her waist to tightly maintain it in place.

Moreover, to avoid tripping needlessly, she changed her previous shoes, which had elevated heels, to a pair with no heels.

"You look great in that outfit. Are you going to show it to your lover?"

Olivia glanced at Marie, and frowned.

"Are you mocking me? I thought you disliked him?"

"I tried to lift the mood a little."

"Marie... Why do you hate him so much? Is it because he-"

"Yes. Because he took you away from us. But to be fair, I don't dislike him as much anymore."

"Why?"

Her maid looked into the water crashing on the beach.

"Because he placed your life above his, just like us."

"He also goes to great length to protect the very things you worked your whole life to build."

All the maids nodded alongside her words.

"So, the incident with the kelpies the turning point for you?"

"Exactly. I have learned to respect him, and wouldn't mind following his orders."

"Coming from you, this certainly feels strange."

Olivia smiled warmly.

"Oh, by the way. I told him about all of you. He asked for a match against you."

"Against me?"

Pointing at herself, Marie blinked.

"Uh... Not exactly."

"Against 'all' of you."

"..."

The maids looked at Olivia as if she had spoken a different language.

"Haha..."

A drop of sweat trickled down Marie's cheek, as she tried to wrap her head around the matter.

"I... see."

Looking at her peers, Marie noticed that some of them looked rather eager to try fighting the man himself. So, she made up her mind.

"Sure. Why not? Nothing will happen to us anyway."

"I will let him know-"

Suddenly, Olivia and her maids turned toward the sea with a severe expression.

"Sonia, Ollie, Marina, Laure, Niya, and Haileen, defend the far-left side of the beach!"

The maids who were pointed out immediately ran in the direction they were instructed to go.

"Angie, Celeste, Isa, Grace, Helen, and Kate, you defend the far right!"

Six other maids went the opposite way.

"Alma, Chloe, Martha, Zara, Claire, and Alisa, I want you to defend the left side, right there!"

Olivia pointed to a place close to her, closer than the other group that went further away.

"Serena, Lilian, Rene, Noelle, Marisa, and Helena, you take the last spot. Right there."

Pointing to the right side, where the last spot to defend was, the maids nodded and ran past her, taking their place, ready to strike.

"Alice and Eden, you protect the kelpies. I want no failure on your part, you understand?"

"Yes, Milady!"

The two remaining maids hurriedly joined the kelpies, which were posted behind Olivia, past the beach, at a higher elevation.

"Marie."

"Milady."

"With me."

"Yes!"

Marie's long maid dress dropped into the sand. Wearing a jumpsuit under her maid dress, a deformed smile appeared on her face.

"Permission to remove the threats?"

"Permission granted. Marie, kill everything on your way."

Her body began to tremble as she hugged her body in a twisted manner.

"Thank you, Olivia."

Olivia sighed.

'That's right. I sometimes forget...'

'That they are all twisted women.'

A bloodbath was about to happen on Noctelagia's beach, caused by a handful of women.