Chapter 164: Masked Stranger

- Central Abelis, Plains of Opportunity, Several Weeks Later – Daisy de la Amchier's POV –

The last few weeks of battle had been fairly consistent with expectations. After the initial shock of learning of the Church’s newfound technology to intercept Image Stone transmissions, we quickly adapted our wartime strategies to use conventional means. A somewhat easy task considering that most career soldiers are used to such restrictions. Image Stone deployment is not quite inexpensive enough to give every troop one for use so traditional command structures are used frequently. It had been a big change for our spy agencies however as they had to resort to more traditional intel drops to exchange information with our spy networks within Church-controlled territory to avoid revealing our moles.

[Ma’am, the goblin troop under command of Prince Yeetsil has run into unexpected resistance from Church forces! They are requesting reinforcements to shore up their forces!] - Unnamed Messenger

[I’ll go personally, I’ve been wanting to get a bit of exercise and none of our current forces can spare the troops.] - Daisy de la Amchier

[B-But ma’am!] - Unnamed Messenger

[No but’s. Keep everything under control while I deal with this minor inconvenience honey. I’ll be right back.] - Daisy de la Amchier

[I got this sweety, you go have fun. Goddess knows we rarely get the chance to really go wild anymore... It was my turn, but I’ll be the dutiful husband and let you have a good time. I call the next one though.] - Richard de la Amchier

[Oh boo, won’t you let your beautiful wife have a little bit of fun instead of dwelling on who’s turn it is or isn’t?] - Daisy de la Amchier

[Honey, I love you, but I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to let loose for anything in the world.] - Richard de la Amchier

We were nonchalant about the whole thing, we had no reason not to be. With us in command of this front of the battle it was nearly impossible for the Church to actually force their way through. Anything that threatened us was long dead, or not friendly with the Church, so what did we have to fear? Afterall, we’d defeated one Summoned Hero so what else could the Church throw at us. We’d learn to rethink that before the end of the day however...

- Central Abelis, Plains of Opportunity, Pope’s Command Tent – Undercover Spy's POV –

I was in shock. Initially, when I’d been tasked with my mission to infiltrate a brothel on the border between Church-controlled territory and the Alliance, I’d assumed that I’d gather a bit of information from soldiers patronizing the establishment. In the course of my work, I’d lucked into gaining the affections of a mid-level military officer, expanding the scope of my information gathering abilities. Now though? Now I had gone beyond mere information gathering and possibly become the lynchpin for the entire Alliance war effort.

[I’ve been told of the failures of your predecessor, Lord Jacobs. One can only hope that your own abilities do not reflect that of your former superior. Losing most of his army in a siege... shameful display really.] - Cardinal David

[I tend to agree with my... esteemed colleague. I don’t see why we should allow someone that worked under that fool to interrupt our strategy meeting. Especially with such... trash present.] - Cardinal Maria

[They are present because I called them here at the behest of the Pope, do either of you wish to tell His Holiness of your opinions to his choices? My late brother may have been a fool, but his remaining forces comprise the largest group of soldiers other than those present here. Their presence is needed.] - Cardinal Cain

[I’m surprised the Pope allowed for a heretic to follow however, surely, he didn’t anticipate it’s presence as well?] - Cardinal Abel

[I was also present when the Pope brought this mission to our colleague, apparently the Pope was interested in this... female that was so instrumental in General Devotion’s victories. He expressed a desire to speak with this would-be convert.] - Cardinal Adam

It was a risk, yes, but one that came with the possibility of great returns. Using my knowledge of Alliance patrol patterns, as well as some troops that I’d been told were not tactically significant, I’d guided the newly promoted Devotion safely into several key wins as we navigated our way to the Central military campaign with most of the troops from the Northern push. Leaving behind a token force to keep the Alliance occupied I’d successfully managed to ingratiate myself into the military command structure of the Church. Gaining a status as an advisor, albeit unofficially.

Further, I’d been informed that the Pope himself was impressed with my military insight. A fact that made this risky move even more so. Only one wrong word and I’d be outed as a spy. If it came to that, death would be the best outcome, I’d often heard of what happened to spies when they got caught...

- Central Abelis, Plains of Opportunity – Daisy de la Amchier's POV –

We’d lost the front. My arrival at the battle had turned the tides in our favor, the little goblins really doing their best to hold their own and prove their worth in the alliance between them and Abelis. It was awe-inspiring to see as someone that had met plenty friendly goblins back when I’d been an adventurer. Although the majority of them were bloodthirsty, violent monsters, it was their culture that made them that way rather than anything intrinsically within them. It didn’t help that most non-goblin societies would also attack first and ask questions never, which made even the less violent groups wary of outsiders. This new group was the first time I’d heard of a group successfully forming an alliance with a major country though and they were really doing their hardest to put their best foot forward. Especially that Prince Yeetsil fellow. I’d heard a bit of his story from my adorable granddaughter, but I was impressed when I finally did meet him. I’d heard that he was a bit cowardly and weak but honestly, I didn’t see that as he remained at the front of his soldiers even as they were pushed back bit by bit. Somewhere along the way he’d found his courage it seemed.

Unfortunately, that had not helped when part of the line seemed to break in an instant, forcing me to shore up that side all on my own. Leaving the center to the young goblin I rushed to the rout only to find a strange human female, quite young, with a mask and ominous-looking collar. Her blank expression when I arrived was unnerving.

[Are you the reason the battle is going so poorly?] - Daisy de la Amchier

[…] - Masked Woman

[If you retreat now, I’ll allow you to live. I have no wish to kill someone so young without purpose.] - Daisy de la Amchier

[…] - Masked Woman

[What’s your name, child?] - Daisy de la Amchier

[You feel like him.] - Masked Woman

[Who? I feel like who?] - Daisy de la Amchier

[He’s my... my... You’ve been designated as Priority Target #2. Prepare to die.] - Masked Woman

[Woah! I guess we’re doing this then?] - Daisy de la Amchier

Lunging forward with speed approaching my Honey’s max I nearly didn’t react in time as a blade swept through where my neck had been moments before. Somehow, as if she didn’t really feel emotion, she’d gone from completely non-hostile to attempting to kill me without any change in demeanor. Something about the way she spoke bothered me, it was like... a doll, trying to convince a child that it was real. Either way I needed to focus on the unexpectedly hard, although not yet dangerous, fight. I’d never thought to find someone that could actually force me to put in this much effort outside of those inhuman freaks. If they had more soldiers like this, I might even be in trouble.

[Hmph! You’re 100 years too early to threaten me young one. Now back down!] - Daisy de la Amchier

[Ugh! Reevaluating threat assessment.] - Masked Woman

Dodging yet another fast swipe of the masked woman’s sword I quickly let loose a blast of fire into her abdomen, throwing her back a dozen meters. As dangerous as the woman might have been to a normal soldier, she was still a slightly more powerful kitten in comparison to my husband and me. She wasn’t a true threat.

Seemingly realizing that she wouldn’t be able to actually defeat me the woman froze in place once more, her demeanor taking on that same doll-like rigidness. It was like she wasn’t truly alive, yet I knew that was false because I could still feel the life within her body. It was... strange.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get much time to actually examine the abnormalities around the human girl as her head suddenly whipped around to the fleeing goblins in the distance, their forces backing away from the fierce fight of two powerhouses.

[Threat assessment complete. Changing priority target.] - Masked Woman

[Oh no you don’t!] - Daisy de la Amchier

Even with realizing what the woman had planned I was still a moment late to react as she blasted through several dozen, unfortunate, terrified goblins. Saying a prayer to The Lady I prayed for their forgiveness in not reacting in time as I swept my tail around, forcing the woman to abandon her slaughter. The thousand yard stare that I could still see despite her face not being visible told me that she planned to repeat the same thing regardless of my intentions however and, with the presence of the Church forces slowly closing in I wouldn’t be able to protect the goblins from both at the same time without endangering them by using my full power.

Once more cursing my magic’s indiscriminate power I made the only decision I could.

[Prince Yeetsil, are you still there?] - Daisy de la Amchier

[H-Here Lady Amchier!] - Yeetsil

[Order the retreat. I’ll keep the Church occupied while you do so.] - Daisy de la Amchier

[I-But I...] - Yeetsil

[Do it. This is an order.] - Daisy de la Amchier

[I... I understand. Sound the retreat! Everyone, retreat!!!] - Yeetsil

Turning back towards the forces closing in on me, that strange woman at the front, I prepared myself for one of the largest fights of my life. Fighting against such large odds wasn’t exactly unfamiliar to me but I’d never fought against an army quite so big. Time to see if my skills have gotten rusty!

- Central Abelis, Marcobus City, Several Days Later – Rose's POV –

The next few weeks after we successfully defended Iacobus City our entire troop was transferred to the central front. It seemed that, after the joint loss of both the siege and our own battle, the Church had decided to concentrate their forces into a single large army, one that rivalled the Alliance’s own. Buttressed by the forces from their Church-controlled states their army had swelled to nearly a million soldiers, each coming from a wide range of several dozen different nation-states. Our own, while similarly sized, was slightly less numerous because of several factors such as not instituting a draft in Alliance member states. Apparently, it had been discussed but decided against, opting for a more balanced approach to recruitment. Luckily, most of the Allied countries had their own standing armies, except for a few of them that broke from the mold to levy soldiers despite an agreement not to. Annabelle had told me that it was unlikely to be pursued considering the circumstances.

Unfortunately, I had something a bit more important to focus on.

[Grandma! Are you okay!?!] - Rose

[Haaaah... So, you’ve made it then? You look healthy.] - Grandma Daisy

[~Sniff! Forget about me! How are you feeling?!?] - Rose

[Ah, yes. Well, I’m actually doing quite well, a bit exhausted, a few scratches, but in perfect health otherwise. The hospital bed is only a precautionary measure to be honest. Your grandpa insisted.] - Grandma Daisy

I’d never thought it was possible, grandma and grandpa were the paragons of invincibility to me. A part of the stabilizing factors in my life. I’d never even imagined that I’d see my beloved grandma looking so drained and weak. Pale, paler than she had any right to be, as she sat on her white hospital bed propped up against a pillow, she looked old. Older than I’d ever seen her before. Gone was her energy and vitality that seemed to be beyond her years, instead a feeble old woman sat in the place of my grandma. I wasn’t sure how much of it was just the setting, but my intuition told me that it was more than that. Despite lacking any clear signs of injury, I could tell that the events of a few days ago had deeply affected her. Even as momma and papa had tried to play it off as not that big a deal, even now I could tell that they also were affected by this in the same way as their tense expressions gave away their true feelings.

[Of course I did sweety. You held off an army of several thousand while also fighting someone comparable to a Summoned Hero, I’d never allow you to just play that off as “no big deal”.] - Grandpa Richard

[Oh p’sha, I still think that you’re being a worrywart. I’m fine. See...?] - Grandma Daisy

[Grandma/Mom!] - Rose and Lily

Perhaps to alleviate our worries, or prove her own health, grandma went to rise out of the bed, only getting her tail under her before nearly folding forward face-first into the ground. It was only the quick reaction of momma and I that kept her from injuring herself as all our fears were proven correct. This was much more serious than “a few scratches”.

[O-Oof! Perhaps a bit dizzy...] - Grandma Daisy

[That’s what you get for being reckless! Don’t try something so stupid again or I’ll strap you to the bed myself!] - Grandpa Richard

[Heheh... Is that a promise?] - Grandma Daisy

[You silly woman.] - Grampa Richard

[Ow... Be careful, I’m fragile right now.] - Daisy de la Amchier

Cute! Also... ew...

Helping his wife back into the bed, grandma caused a wave of uncomfortable grimaces from everyone present with his off-color joke. But this really brought to mind what could have possibly pushed my towering grandma to this point. Who was that masked woman I was told about? A new Hero? Also, what was that about her feeling?

Grandma had told grandpa how the strange woman had said that she “felt” like someone? Who?

Continuing to think about all the questions that were around the identity of the woman that did this to my family one emotion permeated my being, an emotion that I’d not felt towards someone since the Arena. Rage.