Scarlet

I frown as I stand on a cliff overlooking the camp our forces have set up for the operation along with the snow-covered forest around it. The base camp itself is mostly just tents, but there are also several smaller buildings created by earth magic users and the like. Meanwhile all across the camp there are a total of three thousand one hundred and eleven Class IVs and another fifteen thousand Class IIIs all within the range of my senses.

The Class IVs are mostly in the inner areas of the camp with the Class IIIs around them. But there’s also another ring of Class IVs around the Class IIIs, surrounding them on both sides to make sure the vampires don’t attack.

But I’m the only Class V here, with the other eighty or so Class Vs of the human Guardians spread around the world. Although I think only about sixty-five of those Class V Guardians are actually helping with the war against the demons.

If I remember correctly, about seven of the Class Vs are Rogues, not Guardians. Criminal contractors. Meanwhile the other eight or so Class Vs are uninterested in the war, most of them having ways to hide from the demons even if the demons take the world. Including the two Class V space magic Guardians who can create their own little rifts in reality to live in, secluded away from the world.

Or, well, some of them are uninterested. Others simply aren’t mentally fit to join the war. Whether they have mental issues or a friendly fire issue that had them banned from participating.

It’s a pity, but it also means I get both these Nobles to myself.

I look out over the base camp as the snow falls around us, trying my damndest to ignore the reporters currently pointing their cameras at me from both the bottom of the cliff and behind me. Something that they’ve been doing rather often since I started the preparation for this operation.

The idea of bringing reporters to the frontlines is ridiculous.

Just why? I understand that the people want to see what’s happening, and that it would improve morale and shut up the idiots amongst the citizens, but still… it’s just reckless.

“Because humans are strange creatures,” Tar answers while in the in-between. Because apparently having a tanuki sitting on my head or shoulder damages the image they’re trying to present of me being cool and all. “They care too much about things that don’t matter rather often. And some humans are just plain illogical.”

Yeah… at least the demons have the excuse of the curse for their actions. But some people can just be plain stupid.

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Worrying about PR while in the middle of a major war that determines the fate of the world. Not to mention a Class IV council member trying to order me around like he has the power to do that.

It’s just sad.

Thankfully I never saw the idiot again after that. Probably because the government most likely pulled him back after I sent him walking out of the military headquarters as he was shouting his head off.

“I have to admit, that was funny,” Tar says with a laugh that has me smirking slightly. Which leads to the reporters taking a picture of me at that very moment.

I hold myself back from grimacing.

Annoying.

Normally I ignore reporters whenever I’m in the city. And any fans and the like.

It’s a rather easy and simple thing to do when I can quite literally turn myself into blood.

But the entire point of this operation is to let them do their jobs. Even if I still draw the line at talking to them.

“Commander, I have a report,” the second in charge of the operation’s voice enters the area as the woman herself appears right next to me, using her spatial magic to teleport. Something I would probably be jealous of if I couldn’t already move faster than she can teleport.

“Speak,” I tell her while folding my arms under my chest and continuing to look out over the base as the Guardians keep watch, the soldiers not needing anywhere near as much upkeep as normal humans. Which is definitely a benefit for military operations.

“The diviners have determined the enemy force’s location, and the vampires are completely unaware of our presence as planned,” the high leveled Class IV Guardian known as Divider states while holding a clipboard to her chest.

I glance at her for a second, ignoring the reporters in the process.

Divider from what I’ve heard is about fifty-four years old despite looking like a nineteen-year-old. She has deep blue hair with faint tints of violet in it and violet eyes, with a strange purple light occasionally flashing from her veins. And her specialization of spatial magic focuses on combat. With her directly splitting space itself.

I turn away to look out at the base again as I answer, “That’s good.”

Looks like Purple is really helping us. I was rather surprised to hear that she offered to help of her own volition for the operation by hiding us from scrying and any other senses.

She normally isn’t exactly the most gung-ho person when it comes to… well… anything. Except when it involves staying held up in her tower by herself.

“She might be doing it because of you saving her life,” Tar suggests a possibility, and I have to admit, that’s the only reason I can think of as well.

“Keep watch on them,” I tell her while looking out over the city, having long since decided to take my role as commander of this operation seriously. “Wait until they reach the coast beneath the cliff north of us. We’ll launch our assault then.”

“Understood,” Divider states with a nod before teleporting away.

I sigh as the reporters snap another picture, most of them still recording as well.

This whole leading an army thing is a pain in the ass. Even if the only responsibility I have is coming up with a basic plan and leading the charge personally. The latter of which I do all the time anyways during the war. And the former being something I feel I should do, since while I am detached from people I don’t know most of the time, I’d still probably feel bad if thousands of people died under my orders.

Another camera flashes, making me struggle to hold back a twitch of my eye in irritation.

The reporters are still a pain in the ass though.

I just have to think about how I’ll never be dealing with them again after this.

The corner of my mouth quirks up slightly at that thought.

It’s certainly a nice thought.