2nd Day of the Second Moon

Tristan

Well, this is an interesting development…

Good thing I decided to check a final time, or I'd has missed the latest developments. Just when I'd started to think securing the north would be simple…

"So, there is a master in Korea..."

Of course, I couldn't see the south of the peninsula due to the fog of war shrouding the map, but the edges of one's territory was naturally visible to the respective owner, and I know when I'd arrived here yesterday that the bordering land of northern Korea hadn't been occupied. It didn't matter if the South was occupied or not. There was a master in the north of Korea, and they were there now.

"This changes things."

For all I knew, there was a proper standing army right on my doorstep. While I wanted to stay the course and warp back to Ye with the majority of the army to start the westward expansion towards Taiyuan and Hedong, doing so without understanding what sat along my border could prove very costly. Expanding into Korea myself certainly wasn't desirable, at least for the moment, but…

"Delaying the westward expansion by a day or two shouldn't prove too detrimental" I mused as I closed the map.

After all, this may even be the beginning of something… grander… depending on this master's inclinations…

While the army still wasn't in the state I'd have liked, the worst of the dead weight had already been left behind to serve as temporary security and administration for the previously claimed territories. As such, it didn't take overly long to relay the change in plans to the generals, and in turn to the soldiers. Within an hour or so, the army was setting back up the makeshift camp outside the small town, and the four generals I had the most confidence in thus far, along with the thousand men from each of their retinues, followed me through the warp gate to the edge of the border with northern Korea.

Even with the vastly smaller number of men undertaking the crossing, the formation still came out a disjointed mess. I knew the warp gates affected the residences of this world more than it would myself or the others from Earth, but still? Even after all this time, they still-

Good thing I'd left the cavalry behind… that'd have created an even bigger mess.

…Of course, no horses meant it'd be a good day or two's walk back to the camp from where we were now, seeing as the warp gates could only be activated within the city they were connected to. So, make it more like a three or four day delay to the westward expansion...

Oh, this better be worth it…

At least the scenery was nice; grassy plains with a river serving as more or less the technical border. Hod no idea how deep the river was, but even if this other master came through a warp gate to get here, they'd have to cross the river, and even if it was crossable on foot, it would be a slow push across. Plenty of time to evaluate the situation, and try to either establish a line of communication or begin a retreat.

"You were right, my lord. A foreign Emperor has indeed laid claim to this land."

A part of me couldn't help but laugh to myself a little internally as general Xu Tai joined me closer to the river. To them, of course, I must have come off as a young man, or perhaps even still child, of profound intuition. It was not as if they knew about the map each master had in their possession at will, after all; they had no way to know that I'd already knew the land had been claimed. No reason for them to know yet, either.

"Considering how far we've come, I'm surprised it took this long to come across such a sight" I simply exclaimed.

"You spot the enemy yet?! I've been waiting for a good fight since we started this campaign!"

"I, too, wish to prove myself in battle!"

"Does it look to be a place where the enemy could be in hiding" Xu Tai sounded both exasperated and a little irritated as both Chen Rong and Guo Ping made their presences quite known. "To say nothing about the fact that even if they were in hiding your shouting would have frightened them off, should you two not address your lord properly?!"

"It is fine" I interjected with a smile, turning to face the three generals. "Their excitement is quite understandable, given the weeks of endless marching."

"…As you say, my lord."

"That said, I am not looking to start a fight here. Not when the westward expansion still remains incomplete."

Both Guo Ping and Chen Rong visible deflated a bit at the news.

"Of course, should conflict prove unavoidable, I will be relying on the both of you to ensure victory."

"You can count on us, my lord" the two generals spoke in unison.

"If it is as you say, my lord, then why did you desire to come here in person" Zheng Yi questioned, finally joining the rest of us. "Would it not have been wiser to continue with the plan and simply leave a larger portion of the army behind to secure the border?"

"True, that certainly does seem like the best course of action" I mused, nodding in agreement. "But consider this: if I am required to be present to further expand the empire, then does it not stand to reason that whoever this ruler is must also personally be present to expand their domain as well?"

"I… That does stand to be most probable."

"Then, working under that assumption, does it not also stand to reason that, if I am in the process of attempting to expand the empire as rapidly as possible, that other rulers would also be seeking to do the same?"

"…Then this is a diplomatic mission."

"That is the intent, yes" I confirmed.

"But how do you know this foreign Emperor will make an appearance here?"

"I don't" I smiled. "I am simply placing a bet on their showing. The risk is minimal, so why not take this opportunity while it is available?"

"But if this is a diplomatic meeting, then what are we doing here" Chen Rong questioned. "We're soldiers, not diplomats! Isn't this a job for the Chancellor, or some diplomatic envoy?!"

"The Chancellor is dealing with other matters that our lord has personally assigned him prior to our departure" Xu Tai sighed.

"…I've come to find that a bit of a… display of power… is a benefit when it comes to making first contact with others" I let the words hang in the air as I turned my focus back to the river, recalling my first run-in with a certain priest all those years ago. "There's quite a bit that can be gleamed based on the reactions to the display, even if discourse breaks down between parties."

"Sounds great and all, but we don't even know how long it'll take for this other Emperor to show up, if they'll even show up at all! What are we supposed to do in the meantime; there's nothing around in all directions!"

It was hard to keep a straight face as Chen Rong finished his amusing tirade.

"Your manner of speaking is one thing, but now you're causing a scene" Xu Tai chastised. "What do you think the soldiers are thinking, seeing this unfold before their very eyes?"

"They're thinking the same thing I am! The endless marching was better than this!"

"I don't know. I think this change in pace is exactly what you need" Zheng Yi mused. "Still your mind and take in the landscape before you. You can even join me in my poetry writing."

"Bah! My mind has been still since we started this campaign! What I need now is some action, not your nonsense poetry" Chen Rong grumbled. "Forget this. Guo Ping!"

"Y-Yes?!"

"I need something to distract me, and with no enemy to face you'll have to do. Twenty-five rounds, right here, right now!"

"What?! But we- That- I-" Guo Ping frantically looked back and forth between Chen Rong and myself.

"No sparring" I intervened, stopping the idea dead, much to Guo Ping's obvious relief. "Can't have you doing anything the soldiers wouldn't be allowed to do; sets a poor example. However, if you must do something, you have my permission to run the soldiers through some light drills. Emphasis on light; they must be in formation at a moment's notice if needed, and it won't do to have them falling over from exhaustion before the enemy either."

"Now we're getting somewhere. Understood, my lord" Chen Rong sounded satisfied enough with that as he turned around and started making his way back towards the troops.

"Guo Ping, go with him" I added. "Ensure the drills actually remain light on the soldiers and don't get out of hand."

"Yes, my lord!"

It wasn't until a couple of minutes later, when the sound of soldiers training could start to be heard, that Xu Tai finally spoke up.

"My lord, if I may…?"

"Of course. Speak freely."

"You are far too lenient on Chen Rong and his actions. He is rash, lacks proper etiquette, and sets a poor example for the soldiers under his command. He is a liability and should be removed from his position."

"…"

"…"

"…Feel better having gotten that off your chest" I couldn't help but smirk.

"Yes, but that fact does not invalidate any of what I just said."

"Correct, but quite honestly, I rather prefer his… direct approach… in his manner of speech. I deal with enough proper etiquette from the court as it is. It is rather refreshing to not have to deal with it all out in the field as well."

"Nor do I think it is fair to say he is rash" Zheng Yi commented. "Overly passionate, perhaps, and hot-blooded, certainly, but even you cannot deny when it came to serving as the vanguard, he performed his duty to the letter."

"You would actually defend his way of doing things?"

"Simply trying to remain objective. I may not agree with the methods or behavior, but his results in the field, little opportunity there has been, speak for themselves. As for the etiquette, if our lord has no issue with it, then our opinions on the matter are rather… irrelevant, no?"

"Hmph."

"Regardless, compared to the void we've been marching across for the past weeks, the scenery here is rather something. It will serve as the perfect inspiration for my next work."

"Ah, not so fast" I stretched out my arm to stop Zheng Yi as he was about to take a seat on the grassy plain.

"But, my lord…"

"Nothing the soldiers wouldn't be able to do" I grinned. "At least, nothing so visible as being able to take a seat and write some poetry. Now, as one of my top officers, if you don't wish to join in on the drills, you have my permission to relax, so long as it would appear to the soldiers behind us that you are indeed doing something befitting your station, such as, say, discussing strategy with your lord."

"…But certainly such a discussion could take place in comfort" Zheng Yi let out a slight laugh.

"I suppose I am simply fortunate to find comfort in standing on my own two feet. Surely you wouldn't take a seat before your Emperor while in his presence. I could only imagine that to be… poor etiquette."

Even Xu Tai, ever serious and focused, couldn't completely mask his amusement as Zheng Yi resigned himself to his fate of standing.

"You are too kind, my lord, to consider one such as I as one of your best."

"What, did you think I would just take anyone with me for this little detour" I raised an eyebrow. "For something such as this, I would naturally only take who I deemed the best."

"I, too, am grateful for your words, but I can't help but feel conflicted all the same."

"Which is perfectly fine, Xu Tai" I laughed. "I would much rather hear you all speak your minds, than attempt to say what you think I want to hear. Especially if it prevents conflicts from occurring within the army."

"…Understood, my lord" Xu Tai seemed to catch the underlying meaning.

How long we ended up standing there, I couldn't say. While the scenery wasn't anything truly special, at least compared to what I've seen throughout my life, it certainly was nicer than the endless white of unclaimed territory we'd been marching through day after day. At some point though, the familiar sound of a warp gate opening up could be heard from across the river, and two figures stepped out onto the grassy plain.

Of the two men, the taller was clearly a servant. While the lamellar armor shared similarities to the kind worn by my own soldiers and generals, there was a level of… brilliance… that caused it to stand out as being more than just another set of lamellar armor for the common, or even commanding, man. Some kind of metal helmet, likely steel, sat upon his head. It rather resembled the kettle hats of Europe, if not for the lamellar flaps attached to its sides, serving as neck guards.

Really though, it was the man's weapon which stood out the most. Couldn't tell what kind of a sword it was, considering it was sheathed in its scabbard. Even then, I wasn't sure if it being out in the open would help me all that much either, considering just how big it was. Even from across the river, I could tell that thing had to be along the lines of five or six feet tall, which, for anyone not a servant, was simply absurd, I'm sorry. Might as well just train with a spear, halberd or pike at that point, honestly!

The other man beside the wielder of such a large blade, then, was in all likelihood the master of said servant. While the use of warp gates didn't strictly require a master, seeing as they could control who within their empire could use them, I would have been very surprised if any master besides me would go anywhere without their servant alongside them.

Such an act in a Holy Grail War was typically suicide, after all.

While the servant looked completely unfazed by what he saw, the master had a look of shock hit him near instantly the moment he saw clearly what lay before him. To his credit, he didn't do a terrible job at masking it relatively quickly, but it wasn't enough. He was unnerved, on edge, and outnumbered. Even without Caster present, unless this servant was a real monster, what I had present would be enough if things escalated to the point of immediate conflict.

That said, the servant had definitely made his own presence known, as even Xu Tai sounded guarded, despite the number difference.

"My lord…"

"I will be fine" I smiled in reassurance as I reached into my robe and pulled out my book. "Of course, get the soldiers ready and in formation along the river, just in case, but no one is to act unless I give the signal, no matter what. Is that understood?"

"Yes, my lord."

With the book in my left hand, I reached out with my right and spoke the needed command.

Δύο

Before me, a wave of frost washed over the river, coming to a stop at the edge on the opposite side. Along its length in both directions the river froze solid, stretching further than I could see.

Now that… that is satisfying, after all this time...

"May you find success, my lord" Zheng Yi offered as I began walking across the frozen river, keeping my focus on the two men on the other side of the river.

The crossing didn't even take a minute to finish. In fact, I nearly didn't even make it off the river. Only a step or two after finishing the crossing I was mere feet away from the presumed master and ruler of this land. I hadn't expected him to come up and greet me, but I certainly wasn't going to complain about it. The closer I was to my reinforcements the better, just in case…

"Ah, it's good to see a master after all this time" I grinned, doing my best to start the dialogue on a friendly term.

"So, I'm not the only one just making contact with a master then" the guy sounded monotone, but also forced, like he was trying really had to reveal as little as possible into his current thoughts and emotions.

"I suppose not" I laughed. "But then again, maybe it shouldn't be all that surprising, considering how few of us there are and how big the world is."

The guy couldn't have been all that old. At most, maybe he was twenty-seven or twenty-eight? I could tell it really unnerved him though, the fact that, to him, it looked as if he was talking to a teenager, or even a child.

"Still seems rather foolish to be walking around without a servant."

"Oh? And how do you know I don't have my servant here?"

"I don't sense any magic in the area coming from anyone besides myself, my servant and you."

"Well, I suppose Assassin would have to be bad at their job if you could sense them."

You could have almost fooled me into thinking I'd sent out another wave of frost with how quickly the temperature in the area seemed to drop. Behind the guy, I could sense a shift in the alertness from his servant. It wasn't like his servant hadn't been alert in the first place, but now, it was like DEFCON 5 levels of seriousness.

"…You're lying" the guy eventually said.

"Hmm… perhaps" I kept up my smile despite how serious my compatriot was set on being. "But would you care to test that is the question?"

"…"

"…"

The guy was clearly Korean now that I'd gotten a good enough look at him up close. Which was fine and all, but I'll admit it threw me for the slightest bit of a loop. Of course, magi from all over the world attended both the Mages Association and the American Institute, and it wasn't like no one from Korea was tied to the Spiral Manor. Yet… while I couldn't say for sure just yet, with his servant looking also distinctly Korean now that I could see him up close… could it be that this magus was from some Korean group? I hadn't distributed any invitations anywhere outside of the major groups, which could only then mean…

Did the Spiral Manor pawn off their invitations to other parties?! What the fuck?!

Was no group going to take my invitations seriously?! It was starting to feel like it, that's for damn sure!

"…I didn't realize you western magi sent children to fight your wars for you" the guy spoke rather dismissively. "I don't care who you are or why you're here, but you will leave immediately; I have no interest in dealing with children. You're… how old? Fifteen? Sixteen?"

"Well, I certainly understand the misconception, giving-" I spread out my arms and glanced down towards the ground to accentuate the point.

…Only to have to swiftly grab the arm rushing towards me.

"Too obvious" I sighed, staring down the length of the massive blade of the servant as I held the right arm of the master, a dagger in hand. "Though credit to you for attempting to keep your magecraft a secret and going for a more physical approach."

"Let my master go" the servant spoke in a deep, steady voice.

"By all means" I grinned, letting go of the arm and taking a step back towards the river for some space. "But let it be known that it was your master who made the first move, not me."

The servant didn't say another word, but did lower his blade down to his side.

"But as I was saying," I continued, "while I certainly understand the confusion, I am no child. I am not tied to any western magecraft organization. In fact, I'm not even a magus, though I am indeed a master nonetheless."

"...But if not…" the master muttered, more so in general than anyone in particular, "That there was... Then you're-"

"Yes" I laughed. "I am Satanael, First of the Fallen, and he who shall shatter the shackles of law and order which weigh down humanity. Now, perhaps, you'd be interested in... negotiations?"

It felt so satisfying, watching the guy's servant step between him and myself as pitch black, spike tipped chains shot up from the ground around me, twisting and coiling with my will, raising me into the air slightly as I sat upon them.

Finally… the game has truly begun!


A/N

Well folks, I don't really have all that much to say here, other than I hope you all enjoy. This will likely be the last post of 2022, considering I doubt the next post will be ready to go until Jan 2nd, but who knows? Maybe I'll manage to crank one last post out.

Regardless, I'll say it here now, just in case: Happy New Year everyone \o/ Here's to an even better 2023!

See y'all in the next post o7