At noon, the blazing sun hung high above the plain, where an army of gleaming silver puppets stood in formation. At the front stood Silver Knight, a sword at his waist. Unlike the puppets behind him, who were visibly excited, his crystal-like eyes held a trace of resignation.
Yes, resignation.
It was their first time following Isaac into battle, but—
Silver Knight knew they would have no part in the fighting. Isaac would do the work; they were only there to clean up afterward.
The news had doused his rising excitement like a bucket of cold water.
Still, there was nothing he could do about it. After all—
They really would be no help in the coming fight.
That did not mean their mission was easy, though. They could not charge into battle for Isaac, but Silver Knight had learned their true purpose from Meixiukante: to put on a show of force!
If they performed well, the Puppet Legion would receive a major upgrade. Then, as a mercenary force, it would join the wars in the New World and earn Isaac a steady stream of wealth.
They would also gather intelligence on the New World along the way.
Above the front of the Puppet Legion, Isaac stood in midair, his white Wizard Robe billowing in the wind. Lapis Lazuli stood expressionless behind him in her usual black-and-white maid uniform. Perched on her shoulder was Little Mouse, her gray fur ruffled as she clutched a Virtual Divine Spark and gnawed away at it.
She was not actually eating it, of course. A Virtual Divine Spark was not edible. Gnawing on it was simply her way of studying the deathly Divine Spirit Power within.
Isaac had originally wanted Little Mouse to merge with this Virtual Divine Spark and gain the power of