A few hours later, just before noon…

Stripe runs up a tent-covered hill. An armored guard notices her and clutches his halberd into both hands.

「Halt! Password!」

He shouts, staring at the figure dressed in all-black with wary eyes.

「Arhnem!… Or whatever it was! We both know the password is stupid!」

Stripe shouts back, narrowing her eyes at the man through the narrow slit on her masked head. His stance relaxes, and he takes a few steps back into his post.

「…Alright, you can pass.」

The guard waves her in, bracing his weapon's shaft on the dirt. Shaking her head, she walks amidst the tents.

Her golden eyes search for Straf in the chaotic camp. Armored soldiers fill the space between the tents like citizens in a busy city, and the pleasant smell of cooking food fills the air. It's impossible to make anything out from the loud chatter, every now and then interrupted by hearty laughter from somewhere else in the camp. Frustrated by her fruitless search, she approaches one of the men passing by.

「Hey, where are the officers?」

She asks while looking around. The man's head perks up as he stops near her, a little surprised that someone stopped him to talk.

「…They should be somewhere over there.」

He nods his helmet towards the general direction where Stripe was heading.

「Thanks.」

Looking at him, she nods, and walks past. His gaze follows her.

「…Cat eyes?」

The man remarks, furrowing his brows. He shrugs his armored shoulders and continues on his way.

Stripe resumes her search, encouraged by the soldier guiding her. She notices a red dragon with its wings spread flapping in the cold wind on a pole slightly longer than the rest.

She heads its way, and soon after, she sees two plumed guards standing by a large tent's entrance. She heads to it, but the men place their halberds in her way.

「Halt. No one except officers are allowed-」「Ah, it's fine! Let her in!」

The wary guards watch her closely as one of them explains, but then Straf's voice coming from inside the tent cuts in.

「…Go on in.」

They glance his way before returning their eyes to hers, and reluctantly move their halberds out of the way.

「Hey.」

Straf nods his head in a lazy greeting towards Stripe, his face bearing his usual bored grimace as he's slovenly slouched over a seat's backrest. As she's sitting at a small table, officers are surrounding Cycelia, at least from one side. One officer speaking after another in turns on something no doubt important, but not interesting enough for Straf to pay any mind to.

「…Yeah.」

Stripe nods her cloth-covered head back while she hesitantly walks closer to Straf. The officers briefly pause their droning to look at her over their shoulders, then promptly return their attention back to Cycelia. Straf straightens out of his slouch and looks for the IEDs, only to find none. His eyes drift up to meet hers.

「So, how did it go?」

He asks, spreading his hands.

「The bridge is gone. I waited for a few of them to get on, then pulled the pins.」

She replies in a nonchalant, yet grim tone. Straf blinks at her for a few seconds with his brows elevating.

「Like… Poof, gone? Completely? Not just unsafe and unusable?」

His head shakes and his face grimaces in very mild surprise.

「Completely. I could feel the ground shake. Nothing will be going through there for a while.」

Stripe nods, shrugging her shoulders.

Snap.

「Nice. Ninjas and demolition charges are a good combination. Who'd guess, huh?…」

Straf snaps his fingers, grinning smugly. He stands up in a slow, lazy motion.

「…Good job.」

He nods in approval with his fists on his hips. Her golden eyes widen, and she blinks at Straf's face.

「…Thanks.」

After a moment of surprised silence, Stripe quietly replies with a nod, turning her gaze away.

Pat.

Straf places his hand on her covered head and pets her, running his palm over the two bumps on top.

Slap.

「And stop touching my ears already! I didn't give you permission!」

She slaps Straf's hand away. Her glare snaps back to his smugly grinning face. The officers in the tent once again glance at her, furrowing their brows.

「Alriiight, alriiight…」

He rolls his eyes as he places his hands in his pockets, still grinning, then lets out a small, lightly exasperated sigh.

「…Still, I ought to thank those dipshits for sending you to us. No wonder you didn't do well… They didn't know how to put you to use.」

He adds, shrugging his shoulders with a small tilt of his head. The indignant anger in Stripe's vertically slit eyes is instantly extinguished, and she silently stares at Straf's face again.

She continues staring when Straf turns away and approaches the table swarmed by officers.

「Lia, do you perhaps need to be rescued from the mustachios accosting you?」

Straf smirks at Cycelia as he squeezes himself in between the men leaning onto her table.

「Eheheh…」

She giggles softly, tilting her chestnut head at him with a light smile.

「…Even if you're functionally the commander and I entirely trust you to win the war for me, I still feel like it's my duty to listen to what the officers have to say…」

She shrugs armored shoulders draped by Straf's coat, and turns her emerald gaze aside to her helmet on the table.

「…People might die, and I want to be certain that I did everything in my capacity to prevent it. Some casualties are inevitable, but I don't want them to be caused by neglect.」

Cycelia adds, and turns her serious, faintly smiling face back to Straf.

「Well said, your highness.」「Indeed.」「Your father would have been proud, your majesty.」

The officers amongst themselves, broadly praising Cycelia. She quietly, bashfully giggles again.

「Well… If their drivel isn't bothering you…」

Straf shrugs, rolling his eyes.

「…Besides, two heads are better than one, right?」

She asks, tilting her head with a smile. Straf nods along in lukewarm agreement.

「Yeah, I guess. There's diminishing returns though, especially on dogs…」「…Dogs?」

He replies, smirking as his eyes aimlessly drift up and aside to the tent's ceiling. Cycelia lightly furrows her brows.

「Minister!… Minister!…」

A man disrupts the meeting, shouting with his arm raised and flailing above his head to get Straf's attention. Everyone in the tent looks at him as he gasps for air.

「…Scouts reporting! They have confidence the enemy's main force is building up at Tollenheim! They are harassing the units already there!」

The man shouts as he points his finger at the entrance.

Clap!

「Right! Showtime!…」

Straf declares with a loud clap of his hands, quickly stealing everyone's attention.

「…Officers! Stop flapping your mustaches and board up the troops! Pack the camp! Combat-ready formation! We're meeting their force at Tollenheim!」

「Yes minister!」「At once!」「Right away sir!」

The officers swarming Cycelia salute, and run out of the tent one after another, passing by the messenger catching his breath with his hands on his knees.

「…Straf, are you sure you don't want the dragon cultists under your command?」

Cycelia asks, standing up from her table.

「Nope. Keep them around in case something happens. I already won, we just have to let them know.」

He grins and turns for the exit as well. Cycelia slips her helmet onto her head, twisting it a little so it fits snug. Stripe glances at her briefly, then jogs after him…

…

On a field by Tollenheim, nearby the Nahr river…

A man enters a tent, bowing to King Telas in his ornate armor. His armed guard scattered all over the large tent watch him warily.

「King Telas, our men are skirmishing with their scouts. So far the battle is indecisive.」

The messenger reports, straightening out before the king in his mobile palanquin throne.

「…And the heavy infantry? Have they arrived yet?」

The king asks, tapping his temple with his finger in a rapid rhythm.

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「No, your highness.」

「The cavalry?」

「The cavalry too, your highness.」

The man replies, apologetically bowing his head.

Slam!

The middle-aged king slams his fist on his armrest, then brings it back up to rest his mouth upon it, thinking deeply while blankly staring aside.

「…What is going on here?」

He mumbles under his breath, and turns his angry gaze to the now-unnerved messenger.

「Do the officers know when they will arrive?」

「They all said they should already be here by now, your majesty. Perhaps they encountered some issues.」

The man shrugs, helplessly spreading his hands while the angry king glares at him.

「…This is unacceptable! The enemy could be here at any moment!」

King Telas shouts through his teeth, clenching his fist in anger and crushing the air within.

「Send messengers to the missing units! I demand an explanation!…」

He turns his head to the nearest guards, who run up and stand at attention.

「Right away, your majesty!」

They nod, and run out of the tent. The king lets out a long, angry sigh.

「…Have I been betrayed? What is going on here?」

King Telas stares at the floor in front of his feet with a grim, angry grimace, fingers interlocked on his stomach as he's slouched back in his palanquin throne…

…

Three hours later…

The panicked messenger returns to the king's tent.

「Your majesty!…」

He stands before the king, and gulps nervously. The king raises his head from his fist.

「…Well? Where's the forces?」

King Telas asks, throwing his armored hand up.

「…The bridges are gone, your majesty. They can't cross the Nahr.」

「What? What do you mean the bridges are gone!? Gone how!?」

The king stands up with a loud clatter of his ornate armor, eyes wide open.

「…They've been destroyed. The bridge back to Tollenheim is gone too. The bridge back to the capital is still standing.」

The man apologetically lowers his head and helplessly spreads his hands while the king huffs and puffs in front of his face, glaring at him.

「And, uh…」

「What!?」

He shouts at the increasingly nervous man.

「…The scouts are reporting Redwing Kingdom's forces nearby. They're prepared for battle, your majesty.」

The messenger quietly replies after a gulp. King Telas clenches his teeth and grips his sword.

Ssssshwing!

「Khhhhh… Men! We'll fight with what we have! Prepare for battle!」

He draws his weapon with the sound of a sword being drawn, and stomps out of the tent. The guards rush after their king…

…

Half an hour later, on one of the hills overlooking the field…

Straf, Cycelia, and a group of officers are watching the infantry assemble in front of the enemy army. Hundreds and hundreds of shiny men are glittering in the sun, marching in stretched rectangles across the field in the distance, appearing ant-like. Straf glances at the infantry waiting down the hill behind them, all sitting on wagons, shields and swords in hands, watching the officers above with uneasy eyes.

「…Minister, is it really wise to keep so many men waiting?」

One of the mustached officers walks up and asks, looking down the hill at the idle wagons.

「Absolutely vital.」

Straf bluntly declares, watching the Rat Hunters march in formation side by side with the world's first grenadiers. Volleys of projectile fire are exchanged by the archers and crossbowmen at the infantry on both sides, attempting to thin some of them out, but most of the bolts and arrows either plummet into the dirt or break on raised shields. Cycelia watches on with a nervous, tight-lipped grimace with her gauntlets on her sword's pommel as its tip is resting on the dirt. Another officer approaches Straf's side with his brows furrowed.

「…Would it not be a better idea to send the cavalry to flank their mages, minister? The casualties could be light, they do not seem to have enough spearmen protecting them-」

The officer points his hand at a distant, small group of mages on a hill watching the battlefield like hawks. Their hands are lowered, and they have not cast anything yet.

「Tsk… Man, will you guys shut the fuck up and let me do my thing?…」

Straf clicks his tongue, rolling his eyes in frustration. He turns his slanted mouth to the group of officers.

「…I know my history, and I played enough RTS games to make men with mustaches more famous than yours shave theirs in shame.」

He adds, pointing his hand at the infantry advancing towards each other.

「Shouldn't they at least try and flank the enemy, minister? This will be a massacre, even if we win!」

Another officer chimes in, desperately trying to make Straf reconsider his tactics. Cycelia turns her concerned face to Straf. He meets their gaze with his mouth scrunched to the side.

「…Yeah. It'll be a massacre, but there is a nuance. War is all about who can surprise who better.」

Straf shrugs, spreading his hands while speaking in a nonchalant, blunt tone. He turns his eyes back to the upcoming battle.

「…I bet all the good generals would make kick-ass birthday party organizers.」

He thinks out loud, rubbing his chin with gently furrowed brows…

…

Below the hill, down at the open field…

The First Rat Hunters are advancing towards the enemy right beside the formation of grenadiers along the enemy's center. Julius stares nervously at the armored men approaching them.

「Calm down, calm down… Not your first time… 」

Julius repeats to himself, hiding behind his shield.

「Focus, Julius! Just more of the same! We have a proper army now unlike the last time!」

William shouts from his side, his voice echoing in his helmet.

「Yeah, but so do they, William!… How are we even supposed to get through all of them to the mages!?… Never mind them, how do we deal with the mages without dying!?」

Julius shouts back with a cracking voice on the verge of panic.

「…I'll think of something, Julius! Just don't get killed like an idiot!」

William shouts back after a prolonged silence. The arrows and bolts have stopped coming, both forces now too close for arc fire, and the ranged units have begun repositioning.

Tooot toot toooooot!

「All uuunits!… Halt!」

A loud, confident voice shouts from behind their ranks after a bugle signal ordering the same.

「Grenadiers! Ten paces for-waard!」

Another voice from the side shouts. Julius gulps nervously as the formation at their side advances exactly ten paces, then stops while the enemy forces are approaching.

「Grenadiers! Prepare IEDs!」

A mustached officer paces behind the ranks of the world's first grenadiers with a sword in hand, shouting out commands.

The grenadiers take an IED out of their pouches, and still holding their shields up, hook their fingers in the pull ring.

「Grenadiers! Spread three paces!」

The officer barks out another order, and the men take a few steps aside, giving them ample room to swing their arms.

「Grenadiers! Ready!…」

He shouts again as the infantry ahead of the grenadiers transitions from an even march to a jog. The enemy unit almost makes it within throwing distance.

「Grenadiers!… Throw! Prepare IEDs!」

The officer waits a few seconds, then screams another order. The grenadiers pull the pins and throw the IEDs towards the enemy, scattering them in front of the charging troops. As the enemy infantry runs over them, they briefly glance down at the strange rectangles scattered all over the ground.

「Arrrrrrrrgggggh!…」「Hyaaaaaaaaah!…」「Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!…」

They quickly return their eyes back to the Redwing Kindom's forces, raise their weapons, and let out ferocious war cries.

…Clink! Clink! Clink!… Clinkclinkclinkclink!…

A faint sound of something glassy shattering emanates from the rectangles scattered about the grass, barely audible over the screams of the charging men meant to intimidate the enemy.

The rectangles glow incandescent white.

POPOPOPPOP- BOOOOOOOOM!!…

Multiple magic reactions send hot metal fragments whizzing through the air everywhere, along with multiple shockwaves. Limbs and bodies fly, either whole or in parts, throwing dirt up and sending it down as a rain of bloody mud. Everyone on the battlefield jumps up and freezes in their tracks while they watch the blood, dirt, severed limbs, bodies, and their organs come down from the sky. The grenadiers' officer stares wide-eyed at the completely devastated enemy unit that was charging them just a few seconds ago. The field that was once filled with shouted orders and clattering of armor is now deathly silent.

「…AAaaaaaaaaaaa!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!」「…Aaaaaaaaaagggggghh!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!!」「…Aaaaaaaaa!! My leeeegs!…」

For a moment, at least, before agonized screams of the handful of survivors fill the air. The mustached officer appears unsure what to do, completely startled by the scale of the damage.

「G- Grenadiers!… Advance! Advance!」

He walks out in front of the men and points the sword at the enemy unit ahead. It takes him a moment to regain the previous confidence his voice had.

The grenadiers exchange wide-eyed, tight-lipped glances, and advance shoulder to shoulder in formation along with the officer past the crater and the screaming.

While the grenadiers are moving, the rest of the battlefield is still shocked and in awe at how quickly over a hundred men could evaporate…