I've been thinking about this since before, but the Dream Engine stimulates the senses way too well.

Even right now, I feel like I'm going to puke. This thick smoke that triggers my PTSD from my previous life, this nasty blood scent mixing into it...

''Tch.''

Quickly masking my nose with a filter spell, I spread my mana around to grasp the general situation. It seems I am placed right in the middle of a war... which is obvious, but the takeaway is that this one is really a virtual world. I can sense the border, though...

I don't even know how many people have perished, even on this limited map. If this were real life, I would've cried.

Both sides are humans, which means this is likely a territorial dispute of sorts. And my side is... losing. Kay, well.

I'm not sure what to do just yet, and I can't sense my party members anywhere, so... I'll just win the war, I suppose. Thankfully, I can use mana freely here, and my strength appears to be the same.

Even if I might look like an airheaded, big-breasted elf, I am a certified archmage.

Although killing people is not what I want, this is, fortunately, a game, and I need to progress with the plot.

''Hm.''

After deciding that, I figure I might as well finish this quickly by going for the commander of the other side. Right when I am about to take off, a tense soldier approaches me from the side.

''Greetings, Archmage!'' He salutes.

Crap. I'm actually the Archmage.

''Greetings,'' I reply with a solemn expression.

Fortunately, that is enough acting to fool him. He begins to blurt out a report without knowing that I've been replaced.

Wait, am I the doppelganger now?

''It's a good thing you have arrived. Currently, all units have suffered great damage from our enemy.'' He states. ''Archmage, please lend us your assistance!''

''Understood. I shall bring us victory.''

He and I nod at each other assuringly as if we're truly comrades fighting on the front lines.

''Solace to the Goddess!'' The soldier shouts as he salutes.

''...Solace to the Goddess.'' I follow, also saluting.

Watching the back of that soldier as he runs to the battlefield, I find myself contemplating. Not 'Glory to the Goddess' but 'Solace'... I have no idea what that means, but it's probably something important.

Nevertheless, I use telekinesis to lift myself into the air, quickly heading toward the point where our enemy's infrastructure is located. Since it is quite hard to dodge all the spells directed at me, I opt to use a shield instead. At my level, hardly any ordinary spell can hurt me.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Soon enough, I arrive at their HQ, facing a diabolical number of soldiers lining up just to pierce my throat with their weapons.

''This presence... it's their Archmage!'' Someone shouts. ''Prepare the siege formation!''

They visibly tense up. It seems an Archmage here is really something.

Ignoring that, I release a massive burst of mana in the blink of an eye, knocking most of them unconscious. Even the ones who are conscious are on the verge of losing their minds.

I can't believe I would say this like a pretentious cultivator, but this is simply a difference in realms.

With that, I confidently walk into the grandest building, following the mana signal of who I perceive to be the strongest here.

''Tch, an Archmage.''

As expected, a man of considerable strength is inside, already holding his sword and pointing it at me.

''I won't question your belief, as I'm sure you won't allow yourself to be swayed anymore.'' The man starts to yap. ''However, let me give you a warning.''

''Speak,'' I reply solemnly.

''For as long as this land breathes, we, humanity, shall not forsake our light.''

''...''

''We have reached this point in time—it was all because of her, and we shall pay that grace right now. And for that, we shall fight to the very end, even if we were to perish in the process.''

''...I see.''

Yeah, no. I don't understand shit.

It's probably something deep, but I have no context of anything right now, so I can't even begin to feel it. He's quite serious, though. His actions tell me he is a man of conviction.

There might be more to this than I thought.

However...

''Just as you have your faith, I, too, trust in my judgment,'' I continue.

My judgment is I should probably kill this guy and be done with it. I have too little information.

As both of us raise our mana, the fight soon explodes with raging intensity. Against his relentless offense, I calmly put up multiple barriers to protect myself.

Even if I'm casually dishing out spells, he seems to be able to withstand all of them while maintaining his stance.

But alas.

''Kuh—!'' The man lets out a grunt, finally collapsing after enduring my strikes. ''As expected of an Archmage...''

Don't say cliché things like that.

Silently pulling out my Desert Eagle, I lightly massage my temples.

''At least I'll let you go painless.''

''What is that...?''

I heard shooting right at the nasal bone would provide an almost instant death, so...

BANG—!

''...''

Letting out another sigh at the gruesome scene, I bring the commander's body out and declare the end of the battle.

''Listen! I have slain your leader! Surrender immediately, and we shall show mercy!''

----------------------------------------

On the trip back to the capital, soldiers, although wounded, merrily celebrate their victory even though the overall war hasn't ended yet.

Surprisingly, with carriages running on mana, it only takes around two days for us to reach the capital.

During this time, I've learned a bit about this world.

Firstly, the planet is called [Aria], which I don't think is a coincidence. Did the developer run out of names?

Either way, the country I belong to is Aris Kingdom, an ordinary human-owned one. And... uh... the world is quite chaotic right now.

''May we find solace for her at the end of this journey...''

''...''

I can't help but feel awkward, staring at the person sitting across from me in the carriage. With gleaming blond hair cascading down her shoulder and a pair of determined blue eyes adding to her cold demeanor, she is akin to an untouchable flower.

Her name is Falina, the commander of our army.

She is also the only one I'm comfortable talking to right now since the others are quite tense when I'm in front of them. She looks at me quite strangely when I ask her about this world, though.

Either way, the world is in a state of constant war at the moment.

Even though they are also suffering from demons wreaking havoc everywhere, much like us, they are waging war against each other. The root of this problem lies in the goddess that the world is worshipping—Aris.

She, similar to Eve, is in a state of corruption at the moment. While most people are putting effort into finding ways to save Aris, our country chooses to eliminate her instead. Ironically, for a country called Aris Kingdom.

The more I find out about the scenario of this game, the more I feel unsettled.

Maybe the game's end goal is for the player to choose between two factions. Who knows.

Either way, I'll meet the king right after arriving at the capital, so I'll ask him to help me find my party... is what I want to say, but...

''...No, why are you the king??''

''Even if you ask me that...''

Somehow, Anna has become the king of Aris.