"So, it failed... it was such a good chance to remove that eyesore from my sight..."

"I apologise."

Kuna, the captain of First Imperial Prince Girai's private troops, reported the failure of their mission, her legs kneeling in the ground, and her forehead kissing the floor.  

"......Hmm, sometimes situations are unpredictable. It would make no sense to lose our card over impatience. If you'd pursued them too far outside our jurisdiction, someone might trace it back to me. What matters now is identifying the cause of failure, and making unshakable advances.”

"Thank you for pardon, my liege. We'd been noticed mere steps away from Martin Plaza, where we'd supposed to trap them. ...I dare say, our presence had been picked by Allen Rovenne's wind magic." 

Girai's face scowled in annoyance. He once had been on good terms with the Archduke Indina. However, when his daughter, «Stellar Prodigy» Grayfia Indina, showed her support for that bum Arichi, Archduke’s family changed their allegiance to being neutral in this succession war. 

He tried all possible to change their stance, but nothing came to fruition when Grayfia remained stubborn in her support for Arichi. And at present, every faction's intelligence department had been working overtime to find out any information about that brat from the neighbouring kingdom, having defeated that generation prodigy. 

Their investigation led them to the whispers about spirits, miraculous transportation capability, or the newly invented mana vehicles—but, all of them sound so absurd it became impossible to parse the true strength of Allen Rovenne. 

This had Girai irked. What he disliked most was the unknown, incomprehensible element he couldn't control. He had serious doubts the persona called Allen Rovenne was a character played by a bunch of performers, which Kingdom was selling as lightning in the bottle moment to put other nations into check while the . 

Well, maybe the multiple-actors theory was a stretch… but even so, Girai was almost certain that someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes, a producer carefully crafting the boy’s image for maximum effect. After all, his rise to prominence with startling speed, and the kind of sensational, attention-grabbing reports swirling around him were far too numerous to ignore.

“Have you uncovered anything new about Allen Rovenne?” Girai asked sharply.

At the question, Kuna’s expression turned grim.

“Yes. First, just as investigated, his detection range exceeds fifty metres. What’s more unbelievable is that he seems capable of piercing through anti-detection mana devices from that distance.”

There's no other way to describe Girai's shock. Typically, they'd use the mana tools to create a static noise among mana particles to prevent anyone from eavesdropping via enhanced hearing. If he could break through it, then he feared Allen Rovenne was knowledgeable about some advanced techniques, ones that involved circulating mana to extend perceptual awareness.

Frankly, it was hard to believe. But Kuna nodded with conviction.

“No doubt about it. In fact, as if to flaunt that ability, he smiled and waved at an assassin we’d hidden at a distance.”

Girai stared blankly for a moment, as if his brain had stalled.

“W–waved? At the assassin? What in tarnation was his intention?”

“I can’t say for certain. He is still just a child, perhaps he was simply showing off his power? If that’s the case, he may be easier to manipulate than expected.”

Girai stroked his chin and nodded slowly.

He, too, had heard about Allen Rovenne's outlaw-ish behaviour, but in the end, he was still thirteen. At that age, it was hard to believe he would have any real combat experience. It was an inconceivable act for a kid to experience moral situations. He could be trying to show off, though he overdid it. 

Girai had initially wanted to besmirch Indina Family's reputation, while also secretly killing off the brat, who might later become an albatross in the neck of Empire, and then put the blame on Arichi, their escort. The scenario he wrote was perfect to eliminate that eyesore Arichi, while he would also get a chance to kick start war with Yuglia. And since Indina Family was an Anti-Yuglia faction,  he could also turn them into his allies. 

The throne wasn't far for him then, as long as he could turn Indina Family into his side and rack in military achievement. 

But, now that they'd met failure, this plan would never see the brilliance again. After all, everything about surprise attacks came from its unpredictability. Of course, he hadn't stepped into the battlefield in his life to ever learn about strategies, but such was the wisdom he learned from the book now spread out over his desk. They now had to come up with different plans. 

"And just as intel had said, Allen Rovenne's primary weapon is a short bow. ...The report says he intercepted an arrow meant to target the horse to slow them down. Though I would like to chalk it as mere coincidence, I can't entirely deny its plausibility..."

Girai scoffed through his nose.

“Of course it's a coincidence. Do you seriously think a little brat like him, barely thirteen, no real combat experience, could pull off something that absurd in the middle of a surprise ambush?”

Affirming Kuna agreeing with him, Girai continued to string his assumptions.

"But a bow huh... I am truly astonished that someone graced with Dosperior's talent chooses not the sword, not the spear, but a simple short bow whose entire firepower depends on the kind of equipment you use? I guess, he truly is lacking in wits. Why would one not opt out for a sword, or spear, the truly tested weapons in humanity's history. ...No, wait a minute. Could it be, he's not graced with martial talent, hence he's mastering the way of scouting, and putting a smokescreen to hide that fact? Kukuku... so that's how it is. A paper tiger. Indeed, I think we can make use of him."

Eventually, Girai descended into the depth of his conjured speculation. Kuna kept her silence, something she had learned to do. 

He might be putting on the appearance of a leader who lends his ear to his subordinates' thought, but beneath that exterior, he truly despises when someone beneath him disrupts his 'intellectual' conjunctions. The outburst he would have then wasn't something she would like to go through.

—“A schemer drowned by his own schemes.”

It was an old saying, something prominent not only in the strategical books of modern and past, that he had learned from, but also a common phrase in the world. And yet, despite boasting about his brilliant intelligence, he had never truly understood the essence of the saying.

Yes, surprise tactics only work because they come at the most unlikely of moments.

But to make such a moment, one must first push forward through the standard means, relentlessly and predictably… until the very end, when the unexpected curve ball finally lands.

That, and that alone, is what makes this stratagem worth its name. 

◆◆◆

A wry smile clung to King Patrick's mouth once he was finished with the report Ronfo had written to him, delivered by Justin. 

It briefly summarised the incident caused by Adventurer Ren; his solo subjugation of Steinberg, and discovery of priceless ruins. Plus, how they'd dealt with the aftermath. They report also point out that the rumours might make it to the Empire, and then he could be probed around during his diplomatic trip.

"......Good grief. I thought this would be the follow up report over the Emergency State declaration in Eclair. But what do we have here? Never a boring day for him, huh."

His words leaving in exasperation, he passed the report to Commander Randy, who stood at his side. Randy gave the letter a quick cursory glance, and at the end, he, too, exhaled in amazement, shaking his head. 

"Haa... It appears Allen is in need of strong guidance, and that he should learn to protect himself." 

He was proud of his nephew's achievement, a look at his eye and it would be obvious. But, either of the events were tethering at the brink of life and death. If anything, it was his luck that he made it this far, alive. The description in the report had vividly painted the perilous situation he was in. 

The spirit to risk one's life for people was an admirable virtue, but just how many would be left devastated if harm befell him? He, perhaps, had no idea how many people cared for him. Randy thought to himself that someone needed to sit Allen down and have a long, heartfelt talk.

Once Randy had finished reading, Patrick’s expression turned serious again.

“Now then. Tell me, Justin. Why did Olina go so far as to send you in person? Certainly, the matter could have diplomatic ramifications, but it’s only a matter of time before the other nations find out anyway. Magic bird messenger would have sufficed, no?”

Prodded by the king, Justin nodded solemnly.

"As you may have guessed, there's indeed another piece of news from Ronfo-san. However, since the content was too risky to leave on the paper, it was to pass verbally. The just conferred report was meant to be a diversion if I am captured."

He proceeded to describe the acute details of 'priceless Ruins' that were meant for report. 

“—Based on the above incident, the explanation provided by Allen Rovenne, stating that the Moon Dragoon’s secret laboratory was completely obliterated, is judged to be highly plausible. This information has been designated ‘Top Secret’ by mutual agreement with Marquis Dragoon. 

While the discoverer himself appears to lack adequate awareness of the potential dangers involved, we consider this a significant risk factor. I recommend that His Majesty—currently abroad—be immediately informed by secure means, and that Allen be questioned directly under the pretext of ‘urgent diplomatic necessity requiring his presence in the Empire.’ Additionally, if possible, efforts should be made to limit his interactions with foreign agents.

Signed: Commander of the Draglaid Base, Ronfo Barland. …That concludes the report.”

As the weight of Ronfo’s report sank in, both King Patrick and Commander Randy visibly stiffened, their expressions tightening. “…Bring him in. At once,” Patrick ordered.

At that, Justin scratched his head awkwardly. 

The unusual hesitation in his voice made both Patrick and Randy's shudder with a grim premonition. 

"He’s… gone missing.”

However the tension soon left them like a deflated balloon when it didn't appear to be so.