As for that question, General Olivia Rowentour naturally didn't believe it either. She merely smiled and said, "We simply can't rule out the possibility. The divinations from the Starwatch Pavilion say she is entangled in the karma between the Alliance and the World Serpent. So she must be a special esper the Alliance cultivated with the Serpent's help, right?"
Sobek felt that might be the truth. Since it made sense, it was probably close to the truth.
Lieutenant General Rowentour continued gravely, "She took part in the Battle of Dantie City. I fought her there and nearly backed her into a corner. But I let my guard down, and she still managed to escape aboard that strange, cocoon-shaped Leviathan. But if she really had an even larger Leviathan under her command, one capable of sinking two battlecruisers and eight cruisers in half an hour, would I still have my head? Maybe the rebels would have mounted my eyes on a shield as trophies by now. And if she can control such a terrifying creature with her psychic powers, just how powerful is she herself?"
Sobek swallowed.
He looked again at the star map beside him, at the crossed-out system where the Magus fleet had vanished. The image last sent by the fleet was attacking his memory, and the sweat on his back, long since dried, seemed to grow warm again.
He tried to steady himself and asked hoarsely, "So, you think this thing is...?"
"Ha ha ha. That's not my headache. Duke Bairen can deal with it." Rowentour spread her hands with a sly, carefree smile, as if she'd found someone else to blame and could now wash her hands of the whole affair.
"His Grace's flagship will be the Glorious Conqueror, a Titan. A Dragon Ship will accompany it