Meanwhile, on the deadlocked battlefield.
As brilliant beams of golden light descended from the sky, figures who had fought until the very last moment dissolved one after another.
Germany, by the Rhine River.
The afternoon sun appeared and vanished behind thin clouds. A breeze from the Rhine rippled across the water, carrying the coolness of the river. It was just enough to keep one from sweating—perfect weather for sunbathing.
In an inconspicuous corner, tall, sturdy oak trees cast deep, swaying shadows that rustled softly in the wind.
On a wicker chair scented with nature, a white-haired young man in a crisp black suit and black-rimmed glasses seemed to awaken from an afternoon nap, opening his muddled eyes.
He was tall and lean, his slightly brown skin proof that he had bathed in dragon blood.
Like his face, he was quiet and sparing with words, yet the air he gave off naturally called to mind his fine upbringing. He was the sort who spoke plainly and communicated using only the necessary minimum.
The damp breeze brushed across his face as the man looked around in confusion.
In the Delta Square beneath his feet stood a bronze statue of Emperor William, cloaked and charging on horseback with sword raised. It towered atop a pedestal over twenty meters high, enclosed on three sides by curved walls shaped like armchairs. This grand ancient monument displayed the imposing spirit of reviewing the troops in years past.
In the open-air square, elderly couples with blond hair and blue eyes, as well as young lovers in sunglasses, lounged comfortably in wicker chairs, basking their pale skin in the sun. Several young mothers coaxed their babies down slides. A flock of cooing pigeons landed nearby, pecking at scattered bread crumbs, their tiny eyes rolling around as they curiously