A little over two hours later, in the early evening, outside the Redwing palace…

Straf enters the palace perimeter with his hands in his coat's pocket. The guards look at him with troubled faces, causing him to raise one eyebrow as he passes by.

「…What the fuck?」

He utters out when he sees the maids and the palace doctor tending to blue-robed men, who are lined up against walls and sitting on the floor, wrapping blankets seemingly intended for the palace beds around themselves. The mages shake heavily, rocking back and forth, seemingly in a daze. Cycelia notices Straf enter while talking with one of the men, and runs up to Straf.

「Straf! You're back!…」

She exclaims with a troubled face, jogging up. Her large chest bounces up and down in her shirt. Straf takes his eyes off of it to look around the moment it stop.

「Yeah… What the fuck is going on here, Lia? They're not the same guys that just left, are they?」

He asks, furrowing his brows in great confusion.

「No, Straf!… Listen! Just a moment after you've left, a couple of rich citizens stopped by in autowagons! They rode to the crash site way ahead of you, and found survivors!」

Cycelia shakes her head, then quickly explains with her emerald eyes wide open.

「What?… So that's what those tracks were. Are you serious? How the fuck did they survive? I was there, and it was fucking rubble. Gone. Poof.」

Straf becomes further perplexed, and turns his narrowed gaze at the dazed men covered in cuts, scrapes, and bruises.

「…W- We were lucky…」

「Huh?」

One of the shaking men replies from the floor while rocking back and forth. Straf and Cycelia turn to him.

「…Most of us survived by pure chance. We were in non-hazardous magic materials warehouse when hit. I don't know what happened after all, I just remember being thrown around.」

The man adds with his vacant gaze directed up at the two, though also at neither of them in particular.

「Our part broke off from the battle fortress. I crashed through some wooden crates packed with cloth…」

Another man chimes in while rocking back and forth, wrapped in a blanket.

「…How many of these guys are there? Don't tell me all 300 survived.」

Straf asks as he turns his eyes to meet Cycelia's.

「No, there's a little over 20 of them… Most are in pretty bad shape, too…」

She shakes her head in response. The balding, elderly doctor approaches the two with a troubled face.

「Your highness, I've finished diagnosing them… Most are pretty badly beat up, but that's all the extent of their injuries. A few of them have fractures, including some internal ones…」

The palace doctor awkwardly scratches his bald head with his finger as he briefly glances over his shoulder.

「…And a few less lucky ones have signs of internal damage. They're not critically wounded, but they won't last without a healer. All in all, I think all who were meant to die already have.」

He adds, and shrugs his arms while grimacing slightly.

「I see… Thank you doctor. Please instruct the maids to get some healers to help them. I'll pay for their treatment, of course.」

Cycelia nods, then glances at Straf's face bearing a slanted mouth.

「As you wish, your highness… I will get to tending to their fractures as soon as I'm able.」

The doctor nods his mostly bald head, then rushes towards one of the maids that is tending to the survivors' needs.

「…Did you find those people, Straf?」

Cycelia asks, tilting her chestnut head at him.

「Yeah, I did.」

Straf nonchalantly replies as he walks down the hallway deeper into the palace.

「And? What did you tell them?」

Cycelia walks by his side, blinking her emerald eyes at Straf's bored face.

「That they're shit out of luck and to hang in there. The battle fortress might be gone, but Magictown will chug along just fine.」

「Magictown?…」

「Yeah. It's a tent city now, Lia… Kinda pretty and picturesque there. We should stop by sometime.」

Straf nods in reply, shrugging his shoulders.

「…Tent city? You mean they're camping out in the snow? In winter?」

Cycelia abruptly stops in her tracks, causing Straf to partially turn around.

「Yeah, what's the problem? Their supplies will last to springtime… After that, good luck! If I've built my own city, they can build theirs!…」

Straf scoffs, shrugging his shoulders as he and Cycelia continue onward. She furrows her brows in worry, and her eyes drift down to her feet.

「…More importantly, that attack on Lily is still fresh on my mind. She might be just an honorary member, but nobody gets to try to kill my harem.」

He adds, grimacing slightly as his eyes narrow with malice in them.

「Yes, it surprised me as well… And to use your weapons for that end, too…」

Cycelia nods along, fidgeting with her silver medallion in her fingers while pensively staring at the ground as she walks alongside him.

「…That's why I think a new ministry is in order, Lia.」

Straf nonchalantly declares, and shrugs his shoulders.

「Huh? A new ministry? Why? For what purpose?」

Her chestnut head perks up in surprise, and she blinks her confused eyes at him from the side.

「For the purpose of ministering the ministries…」

Straf replies while rubbing his chin, thinking.

「Huh? A Ministry of Ministries?-」

A little baffled, Cycelia tilts her head as the two randomly stop in the hallway.

「No. In the sense of, who watches the watchmen, Lia?」

Straf asks, and her gaze drifts away sideways as she ponders.

Snap!

「See? You don't know. Theoretically, I do…」

Straf snaps his fingers and points at Cycelia, smirking a little.

「I see…」

Enlightened, she nods along with her brows gently furrowed.

「…Now, allow me to make a few things clear… Theoretically, I do, but realistically, I cannot be everywhere all at once to watch everyone…」

Straf leans onto a nearby wall with his back, briefly crossing his arms before spreading them.

「Yes, that makes sense…」

Cycelia nods, following along so far while looking at Straf with a focused gaze.

「…And in practice, I have no fucking mental energy to do that, so I propose a solution!…」

Straf admits, shrugging his hands with a fatigued smirk before letting out a sigh. He then extends his index finger and raises his brows high.

「A solution?」

She echoes, tilting her head.

「…The Ministry of Internal Security!… And Terrorism!」

Straf proudly declares with his arms spread a grin on his face.

「…And terrorism?- Ah! It's what those big fake wars started ove-?」

「Sshshshssshhh…」「…Eh?」

Cycelia asks, but Straf interrupts her, loudly hushing her with his teeth clenched. Confused, she blinks her emerald eyes at him.

「…Lia, you can't say that out loud. You're going to offend a lot of people…」

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Straf informs Cycelia in a hushed voice, leaning in with his hand on her shoulder. Further confused, she furrows her brows.

「…More importantly, missing WMDs aside… That attempted assassination kind of falls under terrorism, you know?… Placing the vampires' dubious ability to be afraid aside…」

He rubs his chin, thinking with his pensive gaze turned aside towards nothing in particular.

「…I mean, that guy wanted to inflict terror to achieve a political goal. That sounds like terrorism to me… Therefore!… Ministry of Internal Security and Terrorism!」

Straf shrugs, then once again proudly declares with his arms spread. A troubled grimace appears on Cycelia's face.

「Nnhhh… Straf, while I do think that it's a good idea…」

「Yeeeees?…」

Cycelia groans a little as her eyes escape aside. He waits for her counter-argument, waving a small circle with his hand while nodding his head.

「…Don't you think you're a minister of far too many things alrea-?」

「Ah! Knew you would say that!…」

Cycelia asks, but Straf gleefully interrupts her with a finger pointed at her face and a smug grin on his face.

「…That's why, Lia… I officially nominate Nona as the minister of Ministry of Internal Security!」

He proclaims while spreading his hands.

「…Nona? Isn't she a head interrogator already?」

She asks, tilting her chestnut head a little.

「That's right. And true, she'd lose her position as the head interrogator for the Ministry of Security…」

With his fists on his hips, Straf nods in reply.

「…However! She also knows how Ministry of Security works, and this way, with her heading a different ministry, the MOS can't be accused of investigating itself and finding no wrongdoings!」

He adds, once again extending his index finger out.

「Hmmm… Yes, it was a problem. I had to ask Will and the marshal to handle it, since I didn't know who from the Ministry of Security could be trusted.」

Cycelia lowers her chin between her thumb and finger, furrowing her brows as she thinks.

「Exactly!… I have a few candidates that can take Nona's position in her stead, but I think she's the perfect pick for the Ministry of Internal Security!」

Straf returns a powerful nod of his head, smirking.

「…What will the Ministry of Security do, if the Ministry of Internal Security will take over the functions of investigating other ministries and such?」

Cycelia asks, tilting her head slightly as her eyes return up to Straf.

「Simple. They'll continue their mundane security tasks, but whenever there is a big and important problem, the other ministry takes over! Genius, isn't it?」

With a casual shrug of his shoulders, he replies.

「…I see. Yes, I think that's rather well planned. I will draft a-」

「Nononono, let me draft the new legislation for it, Lia. I'm part of the government, after all… Remember? It'll look more legitimate if I do it…」

Cycelia nods and smiles a little, but Straf quickly interrupts her with a shake of his head and rapidfire disagreement.

「…Moreover, aren't the people suspicious that I'm consolidating too much power? Well, here's a branch split for you!… And under a different minister!」

He adds, grinning with his hands spread.

「…Very well. I'm glad you've decided to take things easy for once, Straf.」

「Pft-」

「Hm?…」

Cycelia nods with a smile as she replies, almost causing Straf to burst out into laughter. He stares at her with a tight-lipped grimace while she blinks back at him.

「…Had a little sneeze. Sure is cold out there, huh?」

He nonchalantly declares, and continues walking down the hallway. Cycelia joins him, and the two cross a corner.

「Yes, it really snowed a lot this year!」

Cycelia says with a cheery tone.

「…Anyway, I'll write it all up tomorrow. Do you mind if I take that big bedroom for myself, Lia?… It's out of use anyhow, isn't it?」

Straf asks, glancing at her smiling face.

「Hm? My parents'?… Ah, yes, I don't mind. In fact, it's probably for the best. I think my father would want someone to appreciate all his fine oak. Some of it was imported from afar, you know!」

Briefly tilting her head, Cycelia nods as the two move on…

…

Around the same time, in the Mage Federation Autonomous Zone, in the Academy of Magic…

Corvus walks down the wooden stairs to the foyer to meet the large group of battlemages waiting there. Professor Aria and a few other are also present, watching him descend with their brows furrowed. The blue-robed mages bow their young and old heads towards the headmaster, before their ad-hoc designated leader steps forth.

「Headmaster Corvus… We've come with an official request for shelter.」

The mage says in a solemn tone with a grim expression on his face.

「…So there were survivors?」

Corvus asks tentatively, doing a quick headcount of the mages with his eyes.

「Um… No, not quite. It's unlikely, at least. We've been dispatched to Draconis as a diplomatic delegation, but… Well…」

The emblemless mage briefly glances over his shoulder at the rest of the group, before helplessly shrugging. With his brows furrowing in worry, Corvus strokes his chin.

「…I see. So you're all that's left of the Federation. You've escaped her majesty's forces?」

The headmaster asks with a heavily troubled face.

「No… Actually, we've decided to go straight to the palace and surrender. She agreed to a peace on the promise of no longer opposing her…」

The man shakes his head as he replies. Corvus perks up out of his worry-laden slouch, and his haggard face appears to brighten a little.

「…She let us go. It seems like she no longer recognizes the Mage Federation. It no longer exists, even, according to her.」

The battlemage adds, shrugging his arms.

「I see… I see. That's good, for what it's worth… I knew her majesty was a level-headed and a kind ruler…」

Corvus lets out a relieved sigh, nodding his head as he glances at Aria, whose mood also seems to improve.

「It's the fault of those madmen, Magnus and his faction. They've lead the grand master astray, and now we're all in this mess!-」

「Shut up, idiot! Shouldn't you be glad!? Maybe it was the Watcher's doing!-」

Two men from opposing factions begin bickering anew in front of the headmaster, shouting over each other.

「Enough!… Enough. I don't care enough about the battle fortress's internal politics, nor care about what exactly lead to this…」

The headmaster raises his voice, only to immediately lower it and adjust his glasses. The shouting match quickly shuts down as all eyes turn to Corvus.

「…The grand master had the final say on all matters. It doesn't matter if he was lead astray or not. The decision was ultimately his, just like mine are for the Academy…」

He continues explaining with a stern face, but a calm and usual voice as his eyes glance at each of the battlemages. He recognizes some of them.

「…Whatever factions you've had there, leave them at the gates. This is an institution of learning.」

Corvus adds with an insistent tone. Both factions' members grimace a little.

「…Yes, headmaster.」「Yes headmaster.」「As you wish, headmaster…」

Both factions' battlemages begrudgingly agree to a truce, still exchanging glares between each other.

「If you're in need, you are welcome to stay, of course… Still, what a pain in the neck this has become… The academic year has now come into question…」

The old headmaster adjusts his glasses and lets out a weary sigh as he places his hands behind his back.

「…And with the grand master gone, it looks like I have become the world's highest-ranked mage… Unless there are objections?」

Corvus idly remarks, before growing a little self conscious of his own words. His gaze quickly jumps up off the floor to the battlemages, then to nearby professors. No one says anything.

「…I think it's a good thing, headmaster. If we're all that's left of the Mage Federation, then perhaps its grand master should be a good administrator such as yourself. It will certainly need it.」

Professor Aria remarks, shrugging her bare shoulders as she turns for the stairs.

「…Very well then. Please make yourselves at home. I believe you know where my office is?…」

Headmaster Corvus nods with his bushy brows furrowed. He glances over his shoulder up at the stairs as he asks, then shrugs.

「…Come visit at any hour if you have a pressing issue. Now excuse me, I have a lot of work to do.」

Corvus excuses himself with a somewhat deep bow towards the battlemages, then follows after Professor Aria up the stairs…