At that moment, in Selene’s camp.

The communication ended.

Captain Cabi turned pale and shouted,

“Moby! Moby─!”

No matter how much he called, there was no response.

Cabi immediately grabbed his spear and rushed out of the barracks.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Selene said, but Cabi was raging uncontrollably.

“They might kill my son!”

“It’s dangerous to go out like this. If the captain is caught, it’s like losing the queen in chess.”

“Are you telling me to just watch my son die like this?!”

“I ordered you not to move!”

“I have to go save my son—!!”

Selene and the captain sharply confronted each other.

The spectators watching the situation gasped in shock.

“My goodness...”

Bastina screamed.

“That despicable─! Father, look at that! Are you just going to let this happen? This isn’t a proper match!”

But the duke remained silent.

Bastina’s face twisted in frustration.

“Look at that vile act in what’s supposed to be a test of leadership. Our Selene is practically tied up at the hands and feet!”

“Is there any war without hostages?”

“...What?”

“Is there a humanitarian war?”

The duke looked indifferently back at Bastina.

“Being manipulated by the opponent’s strategy is also Selene’s mistake. In a mock war, this is possible.”

“Th-that is...”

“Whining when cornered. Pathetic, Bastina.”

Bastina’s face flushed red as if burning.

Unable to say anything, she bit her lip hard. Hernan quickly grabbed her arm.

Hernan lowered his voice cautiously, wary of his father’s presence.

“Why say useless things, sister?”

“But—!”

“At noon, the three-year-old allied with Selene will be deployed. Do you know who Selene has allied with?”

“That’s Milan...”

“Yes. My son, Milan.”

Hernan smirked bitterly.

Milan Astra, ranked seventh in order. His Gaho could easily shatter that tactic.

“Erilot and Selene don’t know who the allied three-year-old is. That’s the limit of their intelligence.”

Daymond was a man who lived on his own pride.

He had no relations with other siblings or nobles.

Erilot was also a stubborn girl who inherited her father’s temperament.

The only three-year-olds suitable were the pathetic Dione and Liantin.

So Selene could not have found out who her ally was.

Bastina narrowed her brow, muttering.

“With Milan’s Gaho...”

“Yes. He can easily turn the situation around. So please, sister, don’t get excited, just watch.”

“...”

“You’ll see Daymond’s proud face crumple like paper.”

It was strange that Balderic, who was as eager as Daymond for victory, was calm.

Bastina crossed her arms and chuckled softly.

Selene in the magical scope sighed and said,

“Wait. Your son will be safe.”

“How can you be so sure?!”

“Not me. The reason they took that useless boy soldier was because they knew he was your son from the start. Erilot had planned this situation.”

“Then...”

“Yes. It was to create a rift between you and me. And as long as there is a purpose, that boy can’t easily kill your son.”

Only then did the mercenary commander lose strength.

Selene, seated, closed her eyes firmly.

“Don’t lose strength; prepare for battle.”

“Can we win? It’s frustrating, but their mercenaries outmatch ours.”

“Making them equal is my job.”

“...”

Selene slowly opened her eyes and looked sharply at the mercenary commander.

“Remember this helplessness. And when I create a chance, never miss it.”

“...”

“No matter how skilled they are, their experience as mercenaries can never match yours.”

Selene looked at the mercenaries around her.

“I have the strongest Gaho of the Holy Realm. As long as I don’t give up, we will never lose.”

The mercenaries looked at Selene with emotions rising.

Yes, Selene Astra possessed the Holy Realm’s strongest Gaho, granting her abilities comparable to two-year-olds.

By all accounts, she was the perfect choice for the original illustration.

“Orders!”

“Orders...!”

The kneeling mercenaries shouted.

They did not know about the eyeballs moving beneath the barracks.

The spectators’ gaze shifted to the magical scope focused on Erilot’s camp.

Harold, the staff officer of the Igritz Mercenary Group, observing Selene’s camp with Gaho Dead Man’s Gaze, rode a snow horse toward the camp.

“Selene Astra’s mercenaries have calmed down.”

“Already?”

“Selene saw through our tactics and calmed her mercenary commander. The mood wasn’t suitable for movement.”

“As expected from Selene’s side...”

Erilot’s gaze, fiddling with dice, deepened.

Harold let out a faint sigh.

“Selene knows how to raise morale.”

“Everyone thinks her greatest advantage is her powerful Gaho, but that’s not true.”

“What?”

“Her greatest strength is her unshakable, diamond-like mental fortitude.”

So even under pathetic parents like Bastina and Mistro, she never wavered.

It was the same during the real training three years ago to fight monsters.

While others were terrified facing huge monsters, Selene alone remained calm.

Erilot slammed the dice on the table with a clack.

“Troublesome. When the opponent is this admirable, I want to act mischievous.”

“What will you do?”

“Maybe I should just cut Moby’s neck to ensure they split completely.”

“What?!”

Erilot shrugged and chuckled.

“Just kidding. Do you think their captain would go mad and do something reckless if I moved rashly?”

Leaning deeply into the chair, Erilot smirked crookedly.

“But I do want to provoke them.”

Balzac, watching through the magical scope, swallowed dryly.

Then he asked Lismond and Joshua.

“You know, doesn’t Erilot look like a villain?”

“...”

“...Quiet.”

They knew, but no one said it aloud.

It was the complete opposite atmosphere compared to Selene calmly commanding the mercenaries even under crisis.

Joshua glanced around.

The invited nobles were watching Selene’s magical scope with excited expressions.

‘Troublesome.’

In every world, people learn morality through countless stories.

The hero defeating the evil dragon.

The good saving those suffering from villains.

Even in romance stories, the wicked stepmother is defeated and love is won.

Even in rebellions, the first thing done is to fabricate the justification that the people suffer under a tyrant.

Most people admire a kind hero.

“The mood has already shifted to Selene’s side.”

The atmosphere shaped into hero Selene and villain Erilot.

If Erilot didn’t achieve a perfect victory, public opinion would not be favorable.

At that moment, it was noon.

An alert sounded from the magical device transmitting video.

“3 minutes to troop deployment.”

“2 minutes to troop deployment.”

“1 minute to troop deployment.”

“Deploying troops. Deploying troops.”

Milan approached Selene.

“Thanks for coming.”

“You’re welcome.”

Milan shrugged.

While waiting for Milan, Selene shouted after locating Erilot’s position via a tracking magical device.

“Advance!”

“Waaaah—!”

Selene’s mercenaries began pouring into Erilot’s camp.

Kali, the leader of Erilot’s mercenaries, swung his axe in front of the vanguard mercenaries.

Kuun—!

With a heavy noise, a mercenary was blocked.

“You came in recklessly, so you won’t keep your lives, bastards!”

Kali laughed heartily and stretched his hand like a pot lid toward the mercenaries.

At that moment, Milan activated his Gaho.

Erilot’s expression stiffened.

“Fall back, Kali!”

“Eh?”

At that moment, chains of light wrapped around Kali’s body with a clang!

Milan smirked.

“They say Steel Body is a Gaho. You believed a flimsy Gaho and left yourself full of holes, Kali Muso.”

The chains of light pierced Kali’s body.

“Guhk!”

“Good. Stay still.”

Milan leisurely walked up and patted Kali’s shoulder.

Veins began popping in Kali’s eyes until they turned blood red.

“Thanks for saving a good dog, Erilot.”

“Milan!”

Milan’s Gaho was .

It was a mental-type Gaho that ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) infiltrated gaps, bound the opponent with magic chains, and controlled them.

“Good job, Milan!”

Hernan, watching the magical scope, burst out laughing.

Balderic looked at Daymond with a sneer.

“Now Selene also has a hostage, brother.”

“...”

“Haha, Kali Muso was half their power. Erilot’s situation just got tougher.”

Balzac gritted his teeth.

“Damn it!”

Kali Muso was a perfect brute-force man.

Brute-types had strong attack power but weak mental resistance.

Milan glanced at Selene through the magical scope.

Selene approached and said to Erilot,

“The situation has reversed, Erilot.”

“Taking hostages? That’s unlike you.”

“Is there justice in war?”

Selene looked at Erilot’s mercenaries.

“I’ll return the threat you gave my boy soldier. There’s no mercy in Astra. If you don’t back down, I can’t guarantee the precious captain’s life.”

The Igritz Mercenary Group was gathered around Kali Muso.

They were men who abandoned the prestigious central knight position to follow Kali Muso.

Kali had carefully raised each soldier.

To the Igritz Mercenary Group, Kali was both father and lifelong role model.

The first to lay down his weapon was Luka.

“Luka!”

Staff officer Harold shouted, but Luka raised both hands lightly.

“We can’t lose the captain in a kids’ match.”

“...”

“Everyone drop your weapons. Are you going to watch the captain die like this?”

Tsk, Kendal clicked his tongue and threw his sword to the ground.

Everyone reluctantly began to drop their weapons.

Kang!

Kang, kang!

As the Igritz Mercenary Group dropped all weapons, Selene glanced at Erilot.

“Now it’s you whose hands and feet are tied.”

“Damn...!”

“You’d better surrender peacefully.”

“Never! Do you think I’ll quietly back down like this?!”

Erilot shouted, flustered, and Selene raised her eyebrow.

“In that case, too bad. Your mercenaries will lose one limb each as punishment for contracting with you. Cabi!”

When Selene shouted, her mercenary commander Cabi came walking with a grin.

“Guys. Tear these—these magnificent people to shreds. Pay back double what we suffered.”

Crossing his arms and watching, Milan said,

“Now why don’t we release the barrier and switch to amplification? Amplification doubles when the barrier is down.”

“...”

Selene silently looked at the mercenaries.

Cabi shook his head with one hand.

“We have swords and spears. Why would we need amplification too?”

Milan said,

“Better to beat them with fists. Using swords and spears would kill all Erilot’s mercenaries.”

“...”

“You going to just watch them die? What a waste. Such great skill. Catch them and offer them to your grandfather, maybe you’d gain something.”

Erilot shouted madly as well.

“Astra’s noble wolf? In the end, you’ll win only with other cousins’ help, what a ridiculous nickname!”

“You better shut your mouth, Erilot.”

“You’re just like your incapable aunt and uncle who always rely on others!”

“I told you to shut your mouth.”

Magic rippled around Selene.

“From now on, I think it’s better to call Selene ‘Little Bastina.’”

At Erilot’s words, Milan burst out laughing.

Bastina watching the magical scope shouted,

“That girl...!”

The mercenaries of Aileen’s Ideal had symbols flash on their foreheads, changing their appearance. The vines surrounding the chalice disappeared.

The barrier was lifted, and amplification strengthened.

At that moment—

“Milan!”

Erilot shouted.

‘What? Calling Milan?’

‘Why Milan...?’

‘Huh?’

The watchers of the magical scope widened their eyes in surprise.

Milan stomped the ground strongly.

Light spread as if the ground cracked, then chains wrapped around Selene’s mercenaries.

‘What is this...?’

“Milan!”

Selene called, and Milan shrugged.

Then he passed her and walked toward Erilot.

Selene shouted with a frozen expression,

“What are you doing!”

“Sorry. I’m not allied only with you.”

Milan flung off the shoulder band proving his allegiance to Selene’s side and took out a new one from inside his robe.

A red shoulder band.

The same color as the shoulder bands binding Erilot’s mercenaries.

“You don’t mean...”

Erilot, who had been bowing her head, smirked.

“There was no rule that allies have to be cousins.”

“No way. Uncle Hernan...!”

Milan smiled slyly.

“I listen to my mother more than my father.”

The Duke Astra clenched his fist tightly.

‘Yes!’

That was it.

The strategy to think ten steps ahead of the opponent.

The first and foremost ability a head of the Astra family must have—!