Aurora Scroll

Fatal Soulframe First Form: Horror.
Fatal Soulframe Second Form: Exequies Butterfly.

These two Artes were created by taking inspiration from a horror game series that Viers played in the past.

The first form used the motion of him taking a picture to launch a soul attack. The second form was also a soul attack but it could cover a big area. Both Artes also had hidden functions.

He already had an idea for the third form, but he hadn't found a suitable ingredient yet.

The necromancer was dead. Viers had let him become a Level 4 first to ripen the fruit before devouring it. After personally killing the man, Viers used the Arte Proof of Death. The blood of the Level 4 reinforced the mark on his left hand. There were faint signs of the fourth wing appearing.

With Overbearing Soul Gravity Arte, he had had a great harvest of souls from the necromancer's expired undead. Viers was quite satisfied.

The remnant of Terv's Dead Hand Division, the remaining undead and the living soldiers were destroyed when Croix and his one hundred swooped in. Of course, Viers didn't let the fact that he was a Soul Pathseeker come to light and erased the evidence beforehand.

The city of Founwell was saved. A complete victory for the Red Dragon Unit.

***

Croix led his forces west and along the way, they continued engaging with the Empire's splinter armies.

After Taris and Founwell, the new Red Dragon Unit fought many skirmishes. Viers didn't solve all of their problems. It would be suspicious, and the unit needed the battle experience.

In the third town, the enemy commander used invisibility on his men. The enemy in the fourth battle was a brute of raw power, a perfect match for Boram. The fifth battle was not the one they initiated but the enemy came to them, an aerial ambush in the night. Sakuya's early warning was a godsent.

Sometimes, they were able to stop the Empire from exploiting the citizens and land; at other times, there was nothing left to save.

"Have you fought in a war, Avel?" Croix asked while looking at a devastated town without a single survivor.

"In a faraway land called Tsushima, yes."

If video games counted, Viers experienced uncountable wars. He just picked one for the questions.

"Was that war created as much destruction as this one?"

"...Pretty much all war is the same, Highness," Viers said solemnly. "Started by the powerful, the weak die in droves, sadness and suffering spread like uncontrollable fire."

Croix could find no fault in that. "What happened in the war at Tsushima? Did your side win?"

"An invasion by foreign powers like this one. The destruction gave rise to a ghost. A ghost that turned the tide. We won and the invaders got beaten back, but there's always a cost. I lost a loyal friend there... Rest well, Sora."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I cherish the memories I made there fondly."

"Well then, I'll do my best to end this war as soon as possible."

Croix looked forward bearing hope there will be a better tomorrow. His talk with Avel lifted his spirits a bit.

The ever victorious, the Red Dragon Unit pressed on. The more they journeyed west to the Harkelan-Latias border, the more resembling winter the weather became.

It was reminiscent of the flying fortress battle. The fortress had that effect. Thankfully, there were none in their path so far but they knew for sure that there was at least one above the Grandia Castle, the prime objective of this campaign.

The sixth battle, the Battle of Pulus, proved to be the hardest yet.

It was a big battle. Not as big as the Battle of Gryphon's Reach but bigger than the ones so far. It was actually the left-wing battle of Duke Valentine's main army but for the Red Dragon Unit, it was intense.

They arrived after the battle had already broken out. There were no cities to save, just a straight-up confrontation against the Empire's forces. Rostov the Blanket, the supreme commander of the Latias invasion force, didn't let the duke's forces reach Grandia Castle without a fight.

The enemy was strong, the terrain was complex, coordination with allied units that they were not used to, and unexpected situations. In the end the Latias forces managed to wrestle out a victory and the Red Dragon Unit contribution toward that was not minor.

"Ughh... Your Highness, it's been... an honor."

"Sir Rivvin, you covered me," Croix grabbed the hand of the dying Rivvin in the aftermath.

"Tell Father... I-"

Viers splashed a bucket of healing potion on top of Rivvin's head.

"Tell him yourself."

Rivvin survived because of Viers' potions, which he had a boatload, but because of the chaotic battle, many of the members were scattered. After sending Rivvin to the healers for further treatment, Croix searched for his other missing men. Viers accompanied him.

He found one, alone in the middle of a mountain of corpses.

"Leth, are you alright?"

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

He was one of the squad leaders of the Red Dragon Unit, Leth Silveray. Like Croix, he was also a participant in the Latias Grand Prix.

"He's not here either... That red-eyed bastard."

The cultist killed the other three girls of his group during the Battle of Gryphon's Reach.

After that, he joined the war, was assigned to Croix's unit, and fought with the ferocity of a mad beast, like a man who had nothing to lose.

I thought this sixth son of a baron is a harem MC... The death of his harem turned him into a revenge MC.

Before, Viers remembered Leth always wore light colored clothes, now he was dark and edgy. There was no trace left of his bright and cheery demeanor. He looked like a revenant of vengeance. The most important thing was the ominous black scale armor he now donned.

"The battle is over, Sir Leth. We won. Get some rest and get your wound looked up." Croix showed concern over how wounded Leth was but was still full of fighting spirit.

"There's still Empire remnants around. I'll pursue them," Leth tried to stand up.

"Rest for now, so when Red Eyes shows up, you can destroy him in your best condition. Leave the small fries be. You have a more important prey, no?" Viers said.

"...Very well. I'll take my leave now, Your Highness, adjutant."

The men had begun calling Viers the adjutant. It was because he wasn't a knight and lacked formal rank but he was the number two in the unit, only under Croix. Didn't know who started it, but it stuck.

Leth walked back with heavy steps. Croix sighed in sympathy at the sight of his sad back.

"Hmm," Viers stroked his chin.

He's going after Red Eyes, which is understandable, but Leth isn't anywhere strong enough to defeat him. Or so I thought. His abilities have jumped quite a bit since the tournament. I also don't know where he got that cursed armor but it's one mean artifact. As expected of one I suspect having an MC Factor. When it needs to happen, they get power up from the universe. Oh Red Eyes, you stupid idiot. Villains like you who live for battle and leave their opponents alive to fight a stronger version of them in the future are always eventually defeated by the MC that you created. Braindead villains. Guys like you give us a bad rep.

"Leth Silveray!" Viers called him from behind. Leth stopped in his tracks and made a half-turn to look back.

"You will meet your nemesis again," Viers channeled his mysterious expert persona and said it with absolute confidence. "It is fated."

Leth said nothing but he dipped his head a little as a show of appreciation before continuing on his way.

"You sound so certain. How do you know?" Croix asked.

"Ripples of inevitably in the Grand Tapestry."

Viers left the flummoxed Croix alone with his thoughts by saying a bunch of nonsense that sounded cool.

In the end, the Red Dragon Unit had been reduced to 67 men. Their numbers before the battle was 112. Fortunately enough, all the squad leaders from the beginning survived.

***

An army requires administration to function. Organizing highly personalized individuals, logistics, processing intelligence, and so on.

Ciel Valentine, who had been a Silver Legionnaire that stood in the front line against enemies of humanity like the life-corrupting demons, was forbidden from going to the front by a stubborn entity that she called Father.

Since he wasn't going to budge, Ciel might as well do something useful in the backline. By her personal strength and birth, she had a seat among the decision makers of her father's army.

One of the important duties of this esteemed group was the responsibility of bestowing rewards for those with war merits. The scale of the Battle of Pulus meant the list was long.

"Next is the Red Dragon Unit led by Prince Croix Ash Latias."

"They accumulated quite a lot of merits. However, the matter of them taking independent actions should be addressed," said one noble.

"Indeed. He might be a prince, but disregarding the military chain of command won't do. I propose a slash in the rewards," said another old-timer noble.

"Am I to understand that the Prince's actions and those of his men, who saved thousands of lives, defeated a great number of foes by putting their lives on the line, and doing the right thing will be paid back by ungratefulness by this administration body?"

Ciel cut in with a sharp tongue and even sharper intent. The noble instantly looked uncomfortable, like a rabbit being looked at by an eagle.

"Certainly not, Miss Ciel, but rules are rules."

"The clause of extraordinary circumstances can be attributed to Prince Croix's action. Not to mention he and his unit have handled the situation in a more than satisfactory manner."

"But-"

"How many of our other units weren't able to dislodge the Empire's presence in our Kingdom? Lost entirely? Prince Croix's Red Dragon Unit and Prince Lutz's Yellow Dragon Unit are the only ones that are undefeated. Their feats should be commemorated!"

Ciel's voice was firm and brooked no argument. She was determined to fight the old guys who didn't know the reality on the field and only thought about themselves. She would get those men fighting for the cause the merit they deserved.

"Hmm... These are great feats indeed. Too great, in fact. Can these truly be achieved by a Level 3 unit? I think we should be suspicious of embellishment," A man said with a cigar in his mouth.

Another noble opened his mouth. A lot of opposition today, Ciel thought. No matter, she would swat any opposition.

"The veracity of their claims has been verified by our staff. They don't give their stamp of approval without concrete proof, and I reviewed the document myself. If you put your feet anywhere near the battleground, Sir Viscount, then you should see a dragon destroying one of the Empire's great war machines. Or do you know any other person with a True Dragon familiar? As far as I know, only one other person has one, and she is very far away."

"Young Miss, they might be your former teammates but your fondness towards them shouldn't be an excuse for giving them special advantages," the white-bearded cigar Viscount said as if explaining to a child.

"My, how strange. Are you insinuating that I, someone with a Profound Codex related to justice, am acting unfairly? Because if so, I must challenge you to a duel for besmirching my honor."

Ciel eyed the Viscount, a Pathseeker that had not engaged in combat for decades, like she was about to throw gloves.

"At ease, Young Miss. I was just-"

"Red Dragon Unit, full distinction and honor, moving on."

Duke Sterling Valentine's voice ended the heated discussion before there was a house fire. Ciel took this victory and relaxed her pose. She would pick the best quality items herself and personally deliver them. She hadn't seen them since the sortie from Gryphon's Reach three weeks ago.

The rest of the men aside, Ciel knew what was best for Croix and Boram. There were plenty of suitable Pathseeker resources for them.

The tricky one was Viers' portion.

I wonder what he actually needs? He's got a rich Biome so money is definitely out. Magic items don't seem to be his thing. Artes? But he possesses many original ones. What to do, what to do... Rare monster cores, perhaps? Nonono. Okay Ciel, how about something with a personal touch? Wendy did say every guy will like handmade things from a girl. Hmmm, something handmade...

While the meeting went on, Ciel was only half listening. A part of her mind was in the clouds. She'd even broken a little smile while thinking various ideas, like a normal girl her age thinking about a date.

The other people at the table, the uncles and grandpa that had experienced many years of life's joys and sorrows, naturally had an inkling of what the only woman and the youngest among them was thinking.

Was this the same fierce lioness from earlier? Viscount with the cigar wanted to scratch his thinning head.

They tried their best to ignore it, including the woman's father.