On this day, Kairos was deeply acquainted with the capacity for drama that almost all girls are born with.

The 17 year old commander that have traversed across Gaia on horseback to bring home countless victories are now facing total defeat and complete annihilation.

He looked at the three girls all pouting at him. It was as if the ground wasn’t splattered with blood just a moment ago.

He turned his eyes towards the youngest of the three. Hope rests in his heart that perhaps this eight year old girl was just… no, that cheeky glint in the girl’s eyes.

Kairos sighed inwardly. He is being toyed by three girls, the youngest eight and the oldest over a hundred years old. For daughters born during a time of strife, they can understand wars as well as adults. It was to the point that even eight year olds did not lose humour in bleak times.

Kairos stared at Linda who did not last even a minute and started giggling. The two princesses also stuck out their tongues.

The others seeing this laughed and finally Kairos threw his hands up and gave the girls a sign of defeat.

Then after a moment he promised with a smile, “It will only be a stroll. We will be back really fast.”

Hearing his declaration, everyone stared at him with doubt.

Especially Lulatia, Clef, and Boink.

The three of them – although they are not gnomes – are very aware of the strength behind one of the major race of the Axis.

However, because they were hesitant in battle before, they felt embarrassed now to raise their doubts.

Kairos took one look at them and became very aware of their concerns and he sighed.

After Leo and Linda left with Sparrow, Kairos said, “As soldiers, every order should be carried out without delay. I don’t need questions asked during battle.”

His words were harsh and demanding. Yet, it was crucial.

The three who just joined his party thought hard on his words. The bodyguard quickly accepted it. Boink was not someone who questioned everything in the first place, and saw no fault in what Kairos said. He is the commander now, and as long as he walks along the path of light, the bodyguard will follow along and protect him.

The Hyena Mage, Clef, quickly accepted as well. For someone who had done the most evil in this group, he understands the necessity behind Kairos’ words.

Once on the battlefield, timely carrying out orders is vital to the survival of everyone and the success of the mission.

It was folly to have delayed because the targets were elderly. It was naïve to worry about little children getting caught in their crossfire.

Those concerns belong to Kairos alone. If there were any mishaps during the mission because of the orders, the commander will be fully responsible, and it was not up to them to give a superior a piece of their mind.

Boink quickly nodded while Clef shamefully apologised, “There will be no repeat of this.”

Not everyone understood apparently.

Kairos looked to Lulatia, the only one left.

The Shield Magus frowned, “But what if your orders were wrong?”

Kairos did not deny it, “It will be my responsibility.”

“What if there are better ways?”

“I’m open to suggestions, but only when there is actually time.”

The elf struggled a little, until Clef chided her, “If you don’t trust him, why follow after him? If you follow after him, then why doubt his words? In the first place, the young master would not be chosen as the holy element’s champion if he wasn’t worthy.”

Kairos did not respond but look straight at Lulatia.

The Shield Magus blushed and nodded.

It was a mistake to look at Kairos as though he was the same as those commanders she worked with in the past.

On the other hand, Relestia did not feel much. So what even if Kairos asked them to kill the elderly or children? Those were enemies.

The princess immediately turned pale at her own thoughts.

It is not okay to think like this!

Since when did she felt it was tolerable to cut down her foes regardless who they were?

The devil’s influence had been unceasing, and worse of all, mostly undetected.

Relestia shook the dark thoughts out of her head, then turned towards Kairos and affirmed her resolve.

This boy had been protecting her since four years ago. Silently watching over her since the devil tried to take over her body.

In turn, she wants to protect him as well, with an almost frenzied need.

And this time, she can finally do something for him.

Her cultivation has reached Entry C rank after four years of stasis.

Compared to Kairos who is at Rank S, she is far behind, but do not forget that she was only ten years old back then. Even with her royal family’s superior cultivation method and the Heavenly Energy gathering stratagem exclusive to the Vestimore family, she was only D rank at that time.

To reach C rank without actively cultivating Ki is testament to her talent.

As a young princess, Relestia never had to fight for her life, much less for someone else. She cherished the chance to do something for Kairos, but never did she expect to feel okay harbour such dark thoughts.

Relestia chided herself silently.

“Buck up Relestia! Your royal father protected you long enough. Now, big brother too. You’re a big girl! It’s time to behave like a real princess. Brave. Strong. Regal.”

The girl repeated the last three words in her mind.

Brave, strong, and regal, these are Relestia’s ideal qualities a princess should possess. Yet, she could not help trembling when she wake up in the middle of the night. Relestia is but a ten year old child who woke up in a fourteen year old’s body.

It is but a brave front for a child to handle this strange new world.

The strength she displayed when she found herself possessed by a devil was like house of cards – pretty but will come crumbling down at the smallest gust.

The things it did using her hands.

Relestia can still feel blood drip from her fingers whenever she closes her eyes.

Relestia desperately wanted to fly into the arms her royal father. He will hold her tight and tell her that no one in this world can harm her because he is the emperor.

But, her royal father, the pillar of her sky, had been captured and even being tortured right now. More than anything she wants to return to Gaia.

She tells herself she needs to be strong, to support Kairos, to return home, and to free her father.

Maybe, it is fine to cut down foes even if they are children or the elderly.

…..

Back at Hogard’s castle, Sparrow had just brought Leo and Linda over. The King looked down at the two of them with a smile on his face.

“Rest assured, our troops are mobilising. We will not stand for them to invade us even if we are allied. They shall pay for breaking centuries of trust.”

Hogard had heard of the lad’s actions.

No, this is a sore understatement. The entire dwarven kingdom are in astonishment to hear that the gnome embassy was destroyed last evening.

When the gnomes had the impudence to scour through Blacken Soot city for Kairos, the dwarves took a wait-and-see attitude. The dwarven king wanted to know what kind of person Kairos is and judge if it was worthwhile to aid him.

This swift retaliation was his response.

To be capable of easily decimating an elite group made up with Stage 7 and 8 fighters, including two very powerful representatives, is enough proof that he is worthy of being aided.

Kairos’ actions were indeed to encourage Hogard to make a move. He could understand that the dwarven king needed an excuse to take action against the gnomes. After all, the two species are allies.

Now that the gnomes are invading, the dwarven armies are rallying as well.

In other words, war has begun because of a single lad.

But while Hogard is now ready to send his armies, Kairos is unwilling.

Leo took out a letter addressed to the king.

Hogard went silent after reading it.

Historically, bigger scale of mass destruction had happened for much less, however Kairos did not intent to let that those uninvolved die.

The words were polite. Too polite.

Hogard wondered if his wait-and-see attitude had changed things.

It did.

If the dwarves took action when Kairos faced the unfair magical egg gamble, or when they tried to swindle him after he won, or as the gnomes waited for him after he returned the books he won, or even when the enemies are in the gnomish embassy discussing how to capture him, then it would have been timely help and greatly appreciated.

However, taking action now when he displayed overwhelming strength is just icing on the cake.

There is a world a difference from acting after careful thought and acting in pure faith.

As a King, Hogard should choose the former and he did, but as risk and reward goes hand in hand, the dwarven king had lost the opportunity to further strengthen the relationship with Kairos.

Was it wrong? No, it was a wise and prudent decision to wait and see if Kairos was worth being invested in.

But since the level of appreciation is different, Kairos’ manner of conduct towards the dwarves is different as well.

In the letter, Kairos mentioned certain information for Hogard to see. There wasn’t any advice nor request. Merely data.

But those words imprinted themselves in the old king’s mind, as though engraved with fire.

The audience hall fell silent with the king’s grim expression, and then suddenly the old dwarf stood up and struck his sceptre against the floor.

“Summon the city defending general now!”

Following his summoning, the officials in the hall went quiet with trepidation. A few moments later, the defending general was brought in. She is a petite little thing even for dwarves, and had a look similar to Sparrow.

It isn’t surprising because this is also one of the king’s granddaughter.

The general took a look at the king’s stoic expression and realised that something serious had happened.

Then, against everyone’s expectation, she pouted and looked at King Hogard teary eyed, “Grandfather, what’s wrong? Starling is scared.”

The king looked at her exasperated.

He reined in his temper and then said, “General Starling, take a look at this.”

The King handed Kairos’ letter to a court attendant and passed it over.

The city defending general took the paper gingerly in her hands and started reading. At first it was cordial greetings, then soon the letter became a list of names.

The first name she read already caused her to frown, because the person named is a gnomish spy that is already known.

The second person mentioned is just as astonishing, the name of a traitor.

Starling quickly read through a dozen over names. Each of them are people known to be dangerous elements living in the dwarven city.

As the name list went on, there are more and more people that she didn’t expect to see.

“Albermitch… No, even Gabriella too?”

Over two dozen names and three of them are high ranking officials. But, the two names Starling mentioned were directors of core dwarven technology.

This means that the gnomes have access to some of their most secretive advancements.

The city defending general realised the reason behind her king’s temper.

Starling hurriedly flipped to the back side of the letter, hoping that there will not be more names written.

Fortunately, there wasn’t. After all, even if the two races are allied, it isn’t that easy for spies to infiltrate. Kairos discovered only these people because the gnomes had mobilised all their forces, including those hiding within the dwarven city.

However, the back of the letter is not empty but has a magic circle drawn on it. It actives the moment a person set eyes upon it, and turn into a miniature model of the city. This mana replication of the Blacken Soot city clearly displayed the movement of the gnomish invaders within the last 24 hours.

To sift out spies and traitors is one thing, to hold detailed information over everything that is happening within Blacken Soot city is another.

Just thinking about this caused Starling to turn pale and shudder involuntarily.

The king waited to see. Here, in this letter, lies Kairos’ answer.