Megalophobia stems from an instinctive wariness of large wild animals or natural disasters.
Even in Terra, some people still experience fear reactions to "steel Behemoths " such as moving warships.
Kester had seen this report in the Victoria weekly and initially dismissed it as the delusion of a wild, ignorant peasant.
She was born in Londinium, the most prosperous capital of Victoria.
Countless times, I have looked down upon the wilderness from the hundred-meter-high city wall and witnessed the complete process of warships being built from scratch.
According to Kester, megalophobia is nothing more than the weak submitting to an object they cannot resist.
She felt no fear. As one of the eight dukes, possessing numerous fleets, she was at the very top of the pyramid across the entire Daichi.
After the old king's death, there was a possibility of advancing even further to this top position.
Like most dukes, Kester was an ambitious man.
With Aslan as her ancestor and sharing the same bloodline, she was destined to conquer that royal city.
They invested in various places, won over the hearts and minds of the people, and developed the army.
Kester never misses an opportunity to weaken his opponents or strengthen himself.
She always succeeds.
As history records, Aslan was like a god favored by heaven; everything would submit to him if he so desired.
And that is indeed the case.
Of the eight dukes, the strongest, the Iron Duke, is old, while the second Windermere, has no intention of participating in the war.
Therefore, Kester, who possesses the bloodline closest to royalty and whose strength is second only to the two, undoubtedly has a very high chance of winning.
This is how it should be...
"Roar--!"
Amidst a terrifying, twisting sound, the armor, capable of withstanding Catastrophe, was torn apart by the giant teeth.
The engines were still roaring, the gears that crushed the Daichi were still turning, but the warship itself remained stationary.
The dragon breathed excitedly, embracing the warship like a lover, licking its beloved's neck.
The steel dome was torn apart, exposing the perpetually sunless passageway to the air.
Reshiram continued to arch towards the ship's interior, while Kester inside continued to escape.
The ship was a kilometer long, the journey was long, and the people were tired, but the dragon was very happy.
His fine clothes were tattered and stained with soot; the once-neat-looking Kester now resembled a refugee.
"Your Grace! It... it's catching up!"
"Please think of a way, Your Grace!"
"Your Grace! Please say something, Your Grace!"
His usually astute subordinates were now in complete disarray, but Kester had no desire to reprimand them.
Rather, the fact that she hadn't fainted was a testament to her physical strength.
To help their neighbor as quickly as possible, Kester led an elite fleet.
However, the Red Dragon's surprise attack caused these elite troops to suffer shocking losses.
If that were all, Kester wouldn't be so heartbroken as to be utterly devastated.
What truly drove her to despair was the damage to the Dreadnought-class warship beneath her feet.
Although the initial wounds inflicted by the dragon were enormous, they were not considered serious for a ship that was a kilometer long. However, as Kester and the others escaped, the dragon burrowed into the ship's hull like a worm.
With one drill, this work, which embodies the hard work of countless Victoria craftsmen, becomes a pile of scrap metal.
In Terra, where there are no satellites, fleet communications are controlled by the flagship, which acts as the command center.
Without the Dreadnought-class battleships, Kester's fleet became like a small army without a general.
If the news hadn't spread, the survivor, Kester, might have been able to urgently convert a temporary flagship.
Unfortunately, she had just recently spread the news that the Grand Knight Territory were about to crash into the Iron Duke's territory.
Given the efficiency of those intelligence organizations, news of the Red Dragon destroying the fleet should already be on the desks of the various dukes by now.
Kester realized he was finished.
He might be able to retain his title and some territory, but the throne was destined to be out of his reach.
Rumble--
The dragon charged forward once more, its massive head tearing open the narrow passage and spewing out large amounts of coolant from the broken pipes, like a light rain.
Snap--
Kester fell down.
One of her subordinates, who had been supporting her, was missing and was fleeing along the passageway.
Those were her blood relatives, her nephews and nieces whom she had personally promoted and on whom she had placed high hopes.
Watching the other person's disheveled retreating figure, a surge of frustration rushed from his chest to Kester's forehead.
So embarrassing...
Behind them, the dragon's scorching breath swept over them like a storm.
Kester collapsed to the ground again, then gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand up.
She straightened up, slowly turned around, and looked at the culprit who had destroyed all her hopes.
Reshiram was somewhat surprised, lowering his dragon head and gazing at this tiny "enemy".
After calming down, I gazed at the giant dragon before me from my own perspective.
Kester with a mixture of fear and shock.
Fear is not shameful.
This Behemoth, capable of trampling fleets at will with its physical body, can only be described as Catastrophe.
Is it strange that humans fear Catastrophe?
It's not surprising that it was shocking.
Kester was proud of his lineage and naturally understood the history of the past.
Although this glory was attributed unjustly, it is an undeniable fact that Aslan replaced the Red Dragon and became the master of Victoria.
"My ancestor actually defeated a monster like you."
Kester sighed and reached out to touch it, but was pushed back two steps by Reshiram's displeased snort.
"How beautiful it is..."
Kester was not annoyed. He straightened his no longer splendid clothes and began to comment as if he were at a noble banquet.
She praised the dragon's massive body and its godlike power, which seemed like Catastrophe, and the countless words that would make bards feel ashamed kept flowing from its mouth.
The subordinates who hadn't left looked on with despair.
Having spent years with Kester, he knew that the Duke had given up.
Praising the enemy is not madness, but rather a final act of self-respect.
Fighting such a powerful enemy, defeat is to be expected, isn't it?
It wasn't my fault, just bad luck.
Under the oppressive reality, Kester spontaneously grasped the true meaning of the Ah Q spirit.
She understood, and she put it down.
But the dragon was not happy.
The prey no longer fled, but instead offered itself up, leaving Reshiram feeling utterly bored.
A fully grown dragon wouldn't have this dilemma; why wouldn't it eat food offered to it?
However, Reshiram is still in the mindset of a young dragon at this moment, is clearly not included in this category.
If all that was needed was food, the meat provided by Vera and the others would be enough to satisfy their hunger.
But the dragon's instincts urged Reshiram to find suitable prey.
The prey escapes, the hunter pursues, the prey fights back, the hunter wins, and the hunter enjoys the final spoils.
Although Kester was weak, her demeanor barely met the standards of a prey, but as she gave up, that demeanor disappeared.
The lavish feast turned into mere meat to fill the stomach, tasteless yet too precious to discard.
Just then, Gregor's roar rang out.
In Kester's eyes, the giant dragon before him slowly straightened its neck.
The dragon opened its mouth, and a roar that could shatter eardrums came along with the shockwave.
The two of them tumbled and rolled deeper into the passage, Kester Reshiram shook his head in dissatisfaction and took off into the air.
After a while, Kane, the subordinate, hurriedly shook Kester.
"Your Grace! Are you alright, Your Grace!?"
"... Help me up."
"Yes!"
The two helped each other to the edge of the passage, but the dragon had already left and disappeared into the fiery clouds in the sky Grand Knight Territory.
"Your Grace, it's gone..."
"..."
"Your Grace, what should we do next?"
"..."
"Your Grace, shall we contact the remaining fleet?"
One question after another was raised, but Kester had no intention of answering them.
She survived, and was spared in a humiliating way.
He did not die in the battle against the powerful enemy, but most of his possessions, on which he depended for survival, Destruction.
At that moment, Kester seemed to age instantly, and his face looked like that of a person his age.
Seeing his duke's self-destructive state, Kane gritted his teeth and tried to dissuade him:
"Your Grace... we still have a chance!"
"... Chance."
Kester leaned against the wall, struggling to catch his breath.
"No need for comforting me, I know what you want."
"Let's go... there's still a lot of treasure in the mansion. Let's hurry back, take it, and leave."
"Before I change my mind."
"No! You've planned this for so many years, are you just going to give up here?"
Kester remained unresponsive. Anxious, Kane gazed at the distant city, his eyes suddenly lighting up:
"We can unite with Kazimierz!"
A silence fell over the room, Kester slowly straightened up.
"Why should I?"
"Because we are the victims!"
Kester silent.
In every sense, they are indeed victims.
From beginning to end, Kester never intended to attack the Grand Knight Territory.
As for the actions of the Business Federation...
On this Daichi, not stepping on danger when it arises is already considered a sign of kindness.
And Kester, who was only targeting the Duke Wellington from beginning to end, was indeed just an observer to Kazimierz.
Conversely, Kazimierz, whose city had intruded into Kester's territory, was in the wrong.
"As you saw, the Red Dragon flew in from the city, and Kazimierz is also a victim."
"In that case, we two [victims] should unite."
This was quite shameless, but it suited Kester's taste perfectly.
Based on her speculation, Kazimierz would most likely not refuse.
When the Grand Knight Territory, the capital, suffers an incident, a period of turmoil within its borders is inevitable.
With Leithanien and Ursus constantly eyeing the border, the pressure on Kazimierz's defenses will undoubtedly increase significantly.
In that case, the Grand Knight Commander probably wouldn't want to have another enemy.
Kazimierz provides her with assistance, and Kester can reciprocate; if both sides are willing to cooperate deeply, it is not impossible to strengthen each other's border defenses.
Without a doubt, as one of the eight dukes, she possesses power comparable to that of a duchy.
"... unify the remaining fleet, and refuse all letters from the other dukes!"
"Yes!"
Kane was ordered to leave, Kester remained silent in the passageway.
Is things really as good as we think?
Of course not.
Even with an alliance with Kazimierz, the army's losses were still irreparable, and she had no leverage to get Kazimierz to help her become queen.
I no longer have any chance of becoming king...
"M-Duke, Your Majesty?"
A cautious call came; it was from the subordinate who had previously fled.
Looking at that face he usually liked, Kester recalled with mixed feelings.
The junior he values most is like this; he's not even as capable as his secretary.
For the first time, Kester became aware of another aspect of his weakness.
There is no one to carry on the legacy...
My focus now shifts entirely to guarding against other dukes; to whom should I entrust the affairs of my territory?
Upon closer reflection, Kester was astonished to discover that no one in his family was capable of taking on the mantle.
In a daze, a young face appeared in her mind.
That was a distant relative of hers who had come to Victoria from a remote, small country to study.
Out of habit, she paid the other person's tuition fees and had a brief conversation with them at the farewell dinner.
He went abroad to study and hone his skills for his hometown, something he looked down on at the time, but now, looking back... he was a rare example of great courage and determination among the younger generation.
Kester sighed.
If I had known this would happen, I should have kept him and trained him from the beginning.
With no answer from his nephews and nieces standing nearby, Kester walked past them and left.
She needs to figure out how to officially integrate with Kazimierz. Previously, it was always others who tried to please her, but now the situation is reversed, which makes Kester quite uncomfortable.
It would be great if there were a middleman who had connections with both parties...
"Lord SilverAsh, can you take responsibility for what you've said?"
"SilverAsh is willing to stake his life on it."
Russell took a deep breath and ordered the entire army to remain silent.
The fiery clouds in the sky continued to spread, and the monsters in Sector Zero continued to grow.
Russell was in a state of utter confusion.
Just now, she learned the monster's true identity.
Gregor...
The benefactor who gave Cyril a second life, Kazimierz.
However, it is the culprit that has caused the international uproar and brought Trimounts to a standstill.
Should she believe Him?
The Flame Demon... that's the enemy of the entire Terra, and its terrifying power has just been witnessed by everyone.
But Gregor kept his oath.
The city finally came to a stop; he did not allow it to separate, even if the price was that the four cities were forever welded together.
Even when His army entered the city, He never harmed innocent civilians; instead, He devoted himself to suppressing the unrest.
He resolved all difficulties with supreme force, yet even so, Russell still found it hard to feel at ease.
Perhaps it's the influence of being in power for too long, or perhaps it's an instinctive resistance.
Russell subconsciously thought--
He can easily stop this city, and he can easily destroy it.
Thinking this, Russell's breathing became more and more rapid.
"Calm down, Your Knight Commander."
Opposite Russell, SilverAsh remained remarkably calm.
Even if the flames in the sky cause the temperature to rise continuously, causing someone's hair to stick together with sweat.
I know what you're worried about, but there's no need to worry so much.
SilverAsh fiddled with the tea set in front of him and brewed Russell a cup of black tea.
"Although it's somewhat rude... since there's no way to resist anyway, I might as well accept it calmly and find a way out of this predicament."
"... You seem to be quite experienced."
Seeing SilverAsh's trembling arm, Russell inexplicably relaxed a little.
"I do have some experience, after all, Kjerag has always maintained such an awkward position among the nations, so I always have to make some preparations in advance."
"... If you have any further plans, you might as well let me know in advance."
SilverAsh knew this was Russell's accusation.
Since the two sides have formed an alliance, they should share intelligence.
But...
Didn't the Nearl tell you?
"Nearl? They know about it too!?" Russell's expression stiffened, SilverAsh asked curiously:
"Perhaps they know it before you do?"
It was clear that more than one person had seen Gregor's face.
But coincidentally, the moment Margaret and the others learned the truth, they did not doubt or panic, but believed the other party without hesitation.
Russell rubbed his temples and, unusually, began to complain.
"Cyril really should be put in a good position with them."
"Perhaps Miss Margaret and the others simply think it's not a big deal?"
SilverAsh offered an explanation, Russell could not understand.
"Not a big deal? That's the Flame Demon!"
"I see. Perhaps your perspective is limited by your status. Let's look at it from a different angle..."
The black tea was brewed, and the rising steam blurred their vision.
"Are you willing to trust our mutual friend?"
Friend...
In the silence, Russell recalled Gregor's question from back then.
If the judges themselves have lost their justice, where can the asylum seek peace?
"Ha... I'm getting older, and I'm getting more and more confused."
Russell shook his head. How could someone who could ask such a question be a bad person?
You just need to rest.
SilverAsh offered Russell a cup of black tea, which he gladly accepted.
"We can't rest now. The temperature in the Grand Knight Territory is rising steadily. Is His Majesty aware of this?"
"Trust us, our friends will not let us down."
As if sensing something, Russell looked outside.
In the dark city, pillars of burning torches converged toward the center.
Russell went to the window, where the crowd outside the stronghold was in an uproar.
From the commotion, Russell learned the whole story.
The Fire Grand Knights have begun their migration.
At the same time, the fiery clouds in the sky began to dissipate.
SilverAsh stood up and they went to the window together.
"As you can see, it's over..."
In the center of the city, the terrifying figure vanished along with the flames.
Kazimierz was plunged into darkness once more, with the Fire Grand Knights providing the only remaining light.
As the last glimmer of light vanished into the void of Block 0, the cheers of the Grand Knight Territory arrived belatedly.
"No..."
Despite the heat, Russell downed his black tea in one gulp and strode outside.
"This is just the beginning."