"I am taking command of the Sanctus Lux Fortress for the duration of this crisis."

The words of Legatus Augustus were met with shock and silence.

The Centurions in the room look at the Legatus, the Imperatrix, and amongst themselves. It is clear what they were all thinking: what is he talking about?

The Legatus spoke once more.

"Everyone except the Imperatrix, leave the room."

However, nobody moved a muscle or stood up to acknowledge his arrival.

Noticing the officer's lack of compliance, Legatus Augustus spoke much louder.

"Didn't you hear me? I said out!"

Once again, nobody did as he ordered.

This time, the Imperatrix spoke.

"Legatus Augustus, what makes you think you can just barge into my office, announce you're taking over, and order my men around?"

It was barely a whisper, but everyone heard her.

Augustus, having the rank of a legate, or Legatus, does outrank an Imperatrix- technically speaking. But what Augustus demands from Demetra is, for lack of a better term, ridiculous and unprecedented.

A Legatus commands over a legion, typically stationed in certain parts of the Republic. However, that does not give them the authority to take over a Fortress with an appointed Imperatrix who has been running it for over 20 years. At best, his opinion will be heard should Demetra ask for it. But he has no say in anything that goes on in the Fortress.

In real life, this would be the equivalent of a governor from another state barging into a mayor's office in New York to say he'll take over because there's an emergency.

And even if there was such an emergency, there is still nothing a Legatus can hold over the Imperatrix unless there is an order directly from the Lorikan Senate. Although Legatus Augustus has yet to confirm whether he has one such order, his behavior and appearance indicate that there is none.

Judging by his entrance and the first word that came out of his mouth, it goes without saying that he did the most disrespectful action possible while visiting the Fortress. Demetra has the right to put the Legatus in a cell and file a formal complaint to the Senate for the unprofessional conduct.

"What happened?" said the Imperatrix. "Tell me. Now."

It was an order. Her men did not miss the undertone, and neither did the Legatus.

"Mind your tone, Imperatrix," snarled the Legatus. "I will not be addressed in this manner."

"You will be addressed in whatever manner I deem fit, Augustus," said Demetra. "For as long as you are in my Fortress, you are under my authority."

Silence.

Demetra's gaze is piercing through the Legatus. It was so intense that he visibly faltered. If he had been covered in sweat earlier, now he looked like he had dived into a pool of sweat.

And it wasn't just Demetra's gaze either. Her men look at him as if he were a target; some openly adjust their weapons' scabbards. They are ready to execute an order to attack if the Imperatrix declares it.

The tension for the next few seconds was palpable.

Although Demetra didn't say it, it is clear that Legatus's following words might be his last should he not choose them well.

Fortunately, he chose wisely.

Whatever state of insanity the Legatus was under, he managed to bring himself out of it. The words and tone of his mouth made a complete reversal from his earlier actions.

"Please, forgive my rudeness, Impertrix Demetra," said the Legatus. "I made the grave error of forgetting proper etiquette in light of what happened. I formally request a meeting with you to discuss an urgent matter."

The audacity of what he did will be the talk of the Fortress for years to come- and perhaps, the entire Republic, once the incident spread. Needless to say, this is a bizarre incident.

But for now, an apology was made, and he admitted his error.

The way Demetra handles this will also be the subject of talk. Such is the complicated nature of politics.

"I will decide whether to accept your apology after you explain what happened," she said coldly. "Speak, Legatus."

"Can we talk about this in private?" pleaded the Legatus. "As I said, it is an emergency on a national level."

"If it is a national-level threat, then all the more that my officer needs to know," responded Demetra. "Legatus. Speak."

"Very well, Imperatrix," said the Legatus resignedly. "The Senate tasked me to deliver a certain item."

"What item, and to whom?" inquired Demetra.

At this, the Legatus took a moment to give Demetra a meaningful look before continuing.

"I was tasked to deliver the Antikythera Device," began the Legatus. "And it was meant to be delivered to you."

Demetra was caught off guard. Whatever the reason the Legatus was about to say, this wasn't what she expected.

"The Antikythera Device?" asked Demetra, sounding genuinely shocked. "Why would the Senate pass such a dangerous item to me?"

The Antikythera Device is an artifact from the Primordial Age that can create portals allowing one to travel to remnants of other worlds- also called World Fragments. These are packets of remnants of other worlds, typically in ruins with nothing but monsters. However, some World Fragments contain valuable items or resources for developing a nation's power.

It is for these resources that the device is considered to be a national-level artifact.

Depending on the World Fragment, it could be a treasure trove, a den full of monsters, or a combination of both. Typically, it is a combination of both.

Thus, a World Fragment is treated simultaneously as a threat and an opportunity. For this reason, activating the Antikythera Device is only done every few years and only under the supervision of Lorian's top mages, warriors, and explorers.

The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

The reason for this is simple. If a portal leading to a particularly dangerous World Fragment has been opened, it may threaten the entire Lorikan Republic. Should the threat within a World Fragment prove too massive for the Lorikan's elite to handle, there is a risk of the World Fragment's portal breaking and causing whatever threat lurks within it to be unleashed in the Lorikan territory.

"Why am I only hearing this now?" inquired Demetra.

Judging by the less-than-presentable look of the Legatus, Demetra feels something went wrong with the mission. But instead of just going by her assumption, she wanted to hear it straight from the Legatus.

"Well, that is- I- it was..." mumbled the Legatus.

"Stop mumbling, Legatus," interrupted Demetra. "Speak plainly so I might be able to help you."

Legatus Augustus took a deep breath before speaking.

"The Senate deemed it imperative that only a few would know that the Antikythera Device is being transferred. You can do little while the device is en route, so the Senate judged there is no reason for you to be notified beforehand."

"The fewer people who know of the device's transfer, the better."

"As for the reason, an ambassador of the Senate was scheduled to arrive in person via Griffin to explain this purpose- once the device is successfully under the Sanctus Lux Fortress's protection. But my friends at high places had already told me in private why. The Senate wants to open a series of portals and ask the Otherworlders to explore it on the Republic's behalf."

"The first and immediate objective is to find the source of the dark energy that has engulfed the Undead Regions. Once we find the source, we will try to cut it off so that the formation of undead monsters will be significantly minimized all across the region. Then, you can go about your plan to develop the Undead Region- thus adding one massive territory for the Republic to draw resources from."

Upon hearing the explanation of the Legatus, Demetra nodded in understanding.

It has been known for centuries that the source of dark energy causing the undead to form at a significantly higher frequency in the Undead Regions comes from a World Fragment that Lorikan mages have come to refer to as Necropolis. The most commonly proposed solution is to open a portal and send someone to the realm, find the source of the dark energy, and destroy it.

Thanks to the Antikythera Device, opening a portal is not a problem. While opening a portal may take several attempts, that in and of itself is not an issue, as the device is equally capable of closing the portal.

The real issue is that someone must first enter and explore the portal to confirm if the right one has been opened. But assuming the wrong portal has been opened, and it is expected that it will take a few attempts before they find the right one, the best-case scenario is for the explorers to be able to return before the portal is closed.

However, suppose the portal that has been opened turns out to be a dangerous realm. In that case, there may be no other option but to suffer the losses of Lorikan explorers and close the portal, leaving elite Lorikan personnel to their deaths. Furthermore, in an extreme case, the portal may become a path for powerful monsters to invade Lorikan territory.

This is a gamble that the Lorikan Republic will not take, especially as raising and training capable personnel takes a lot of resources. Not to mention, the few elites qualified to explore a World Fragment are few and far between.

But what if a group of unique individuals capable of resurrecting is sent instead?

The arrival of the Otherworlders would make it possible for the Lorikan Republic to open as many portals to several World Fragments with little loss to Lorikan life.

"I see. The Antikythera Device would make it possible to open a portal leading to Necropolis," said Demetra, understanding what the Senate was aiming for. "The Otherworlders might be interested in exploring it on our behalf. But we still don't know if they can resurrect here or if they will be trapped for all eternity in the realm they died in."

"The Senate deemed it necessary to test the theory, " said Legatus Augustus with a shrug. "They wanted you to ask the Otherworlders to go through the portal for us so we may learn more without risking Lorikan lives."

"So we risk their lives instead," said Demetra with a hint of objection. "Augustus, they are not part of the Lorikan Legion. I cannot simply order them around for an experiment."

"You have confirmed they are capable of resurrection, did you not? Even if trapped in another realm, they can probably still revive," countered Augustus. "Based on your report, they seem to be an adventurous lot. I imagine it won't take much persuasion to make them do it."

"And if they require more persuasion, the Republic will not hesitate to grant you funds to entice the Otherworlders to continue working for our cause."

Although the Lorikan Republic is one of the most powerful countries in Pangea, they still deemed it wise to attract Otherworlders to work for them instead of threatening or antagonizing them. There is no telling how the immortal Otherworlders would react if forced to work against their will.

"Yes. Indeed, they are," admitted Demetra. "But even if they're willing, they may not be strong enough to explore World Fragments."

"The Senate wants us to wait until they reach at least the 4th Star rank," explained Augustus. "Until then, the Senate recommends you put them to the task of hunting powerful monsters to facilitate their growth faster."

Demetra once again nodded in understanding.

There is no such thing as a recommendation from the Senate; it is a direct order.

"Very well, Augustus," said Demetra. "I understand. I am already planning to send them to hunt powerful monsters anyway."

"Excellent, Demetra," replied Augustus while nodding. "Hopefully, they will be strong enough to survive and explore these World Fragments for us in the immediate future."

The Legatus continued.

"This is an opportunity for the Lorikan Republic to gain an advantage over the other nations regarding resources."

"Our spies report that New Camelot and Xing Na are already preparing their Otherworlders to do the same. This is a race of information and resources we cannot lose."

"Aside from them, I do not doubt that the other nations are interested in recruiting these immortal Otherworlders to serve their causes. Fortunately, many Otherworlders arrived here far from the other two nations' reach."

"As I said, I will do as the Senate wills," repeated Demetra. "Very well, then. Augustus, where is the device now?"

At this question, Augustus began to sweat once more. Then, he took another deep breath and answered briefly.

"It was taken."

Demetra already suspected as much, so it didn't come as a huge surprise. Instead, she calmly asked for more details.

"Tell me what happened. Leave nothing out."

At this point, Legatus Augustus' desperate demeanor has returned.

"As I said, I was tasked with delivering this artifact to you. But when I heard you invited several nobles to discuss plans to develop the Undead Regions, I asked them to join me as I head here."

"Unfortunately, two days before we arrived here, we encountered a horde of trolls- about a hundred. And in the confusion, I lost most of my men and the device."

Upon hearing this, Demetra interrupted.

"Lost most of your men?" she asked incredulously. "To a horde of trolls?"

"Demetra, you have to understand," Augustus pleaded. "I didn't have enough men."

The Imperatrix didn't buy Augustus' excuse.

"Tell me, Legatus Augustus," she roared. "How did a full legion lose to a mere horde of trolls!?"

"Please, Demetra!" exclaimed Augustus. "I did not bring a full legion with me. I only brought a single cohort."

There was an audible collective gasp in the room. The Centurions, silent listeners throughout this exchange, were surprised at hearing this. In contrast, Demetra was rendered speechless.

Each Legatus commands a legion- a total of 5400 elite fighting men. If one were to put it in terms of a player's level, the average Legionnaire is at Level 140. This legion is divided into smaller units, called a cohort, of around 480 men.

The Legatus is saying that he, tasked with delivering a powerful device and took it upon himself to escort several nobles of his own volition, only brought a tenth of his forces.

"You're telling me that the Senate only allowed the dispatch of a single cohort- less than 500 men?"

Demetra's tone was barely a whisper but laced with disbelief. She cannot believe how the Senate implemented such a foolish decision.

"Well, Demetra," said Augustus in a trembling voice. "The Senate did order the full dispatch of the legion under my command."

"So, why did you only have a cohort with you!?" demanded Demetra.

At this point, Augustus' answer sounded more like self-justification than an objective relay of information.

"You see, I invited the nobles to join me. And when they agreed, I thought moving with a full legion would slow us tremendously. So I only dispatched a tenth of the legion to escort the nobles and deliver the device as quickly as possible."

"I wanted the nobles not to experience little to no inconvenience as I escort them. But I did not know we would encounter a horde of trolls."

The Legatus took a deep breath. His behavior earlier now makes total sense. He needed the force of the Sanctus Lux Fortress to fix the mistake he had brought upon himself.

After failing spectacularly at his mission, his outrageous behavior earlier would be deemed nearly insignificant in light of recent events.

Demetra took a moment to process this. It is clear to her that it is now up to her to clean the mess that Legatus Augustus had made.