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50.

Cassian Artez brushed the clinging snow from his shoulders carelessly as he approached me.
"Roselita, His Majesty says it's time ‌‌we prepare to make contact with Snowland."
"Even on an expedition, all the work falls to us?"
The Winter Palace Administration brought only two administrative officials ‌‌‌with them?
"Hmm, strangely enough, only our officials seem to have their strength intact."
Cassian clicked his tongue as he observed ‌‌the administrative officials showing signs of severe exhaustion, barely able to eat properly.
Seeing his expression, ‌‌those who had only just begun ‌‌‌‌eating hurriedly resumed their meals, as if seized by an ominous premonition.
"And His ‌‌Majesty also instructed ‌‌us to prepare to divide our forces."
"To prepare for the Flare Dragon?"
"Yes, though officially they say the Holy ‌‌Maiden and her forces will join us in the second wave and be sent to handle the dragon."
Cassian's smile turned skeptical, as if he held no expectations whatsoever.
"The ‌‌‌‌‌priests who came along were making ‌‌‌quite a show of their ‌‌‌importance, even though this was originally a Temple matter."
"They say they reduced the Holy Knight Order's numbers to avoid discord."
Of course, it was a nonsensical excuse.
The simple truth was that the Holy Knight Order's ‌‌‌poor treatment meant there ‌‌were no volunteers unless they possessed exceptional conviction.
As a result, the Holy Knight Order had ‌‌‌managed to dispatch only about a single platoon.
And their capabilities were hardly worth expecting.
"In any case, His Majesty says he's giving me an opportunity to earn merit." ‌
"You accepted it, of course?"
"Of course—how could I go against ‌‌something you so earnestly asked of me?"
Cassian raised his hand and gently brushed away the snow accumulating on my hair as he spoke.
"But why do you worry so much, my dear aide?"
The hand brushing the snow from me descended naturally, flowing to the side as his ‌‌‌fingers gently traced through my hair.
"Do I not inspire your trust?"
"No, I believe you'll do well, Your Highness." ‌‌‌
The Holy Maiden will come too.
"Who else in the Empire could face a dragon if not you?"
Or rather, in this entire world, for that matter.
And recalling the original narrative, I suspect ‌‌there will be no real problems.
'Though I have caused quite a bit of destruction myself.'
That one-in-a-million chance remained a small source of anxiety.
"Then ‌just trust me, Roselita."
Cassian leaned his cheek against my hand and laughed softly, like a contented cat.
"I'd hate ‌to see you waste even a speck of your concern."
Cassian spoke as if he truly wished for me not to squander a single moment of my thoughts.

*

"Hahaha, it's been ‌‌ages! Your Imperial Majesty!"
"Where did you pick ‌up this 'Emperor' nonsense?"
"Oh come now, why must you be so cold between old friends?"
The following day, the Snowland King and the Imperial Army successfully made contact according to plan.
"You march in with your entire military force, yet you speak such honeyed words—I knew you still cared for me, Your Majesty."
The Snowland King ‌‌‌laughed heartily and clapped the Emperor on the shoulder.
Though the Emperor's brow twitched slightly, the fact that he didn't reprimand him for such rudeness suggested there was indeed some camaraderie between them.
"Watching His Majesty ‌‌feign such magnanimity, it seems he's concerned with appearances after all."
Though the interpretation from my own son differed greatly.
I had briefly entertained a favorable view, but I quickly found myself agreeing with Cassian's assessment.
"As Emperor of the Empire, I merely extend benevolence to a struggling nation—do not misunderstand!"
The Emperor promptly proved Cassian's point for him.
Fortunately, the two sovereigns' banter did not last long.
It was thanks to Cassian, who had remained silent until then, cutting off the conversation at an opportune moment and beginning to discuss how to handle the ‌‌‌‌magical ‌‌‌beasts and contingency plans should the Flare Dragon truly awaken.
"-I don't believe there's much cause for concern. Has not Snowland observed the Flare Dragon's movements on numerous ‌‌‌occasions until now?"
The Snowland King spoke with an untroubled expression.
"You speak of repaying Snowland's debt, Your Majesty, but surely such words only hold meaning if the dragon actually appears?"
"Still spouting such carefree nonsense!"
"Ah, ah, that's your problem, Your Majesty. You've always been quick to anger."
The Snowland King waved his hand dismissively, speaking as though teasing the Emperor.
"If it awakens, Snowland will naturally owe the Empire a great debt. But if it doesn't?"
"What do you mean?"
"Then the Empire will have merely taken credit for nothing, will it not? Dealing with magical beasts isn't particularly difficult, after all."
Despite his utterly lighthearted manner, the will to not lose in this battle of pride—as befitted a sovereign—was evident.
"Should the Flare Dragon awaken, Snowland will comply with the Empire's demands. Therefore, if it does not awaken, the Empire's excessive demands upon us would be—"
But such a battle of pride held meaning only—
ROOOOOAAAARRR—!
"No, this is dire! The Flare Dragon has awakened!!"
—when disaster did not strike.

*

"Quite the ‌‌‌spectacular sight, wouldn't you say?"
"Indeed."
Flames erupted ‌from the highest peak ‌‌of Snow Mountain, ‌‌where the snow lay thickest.
Knights scurrying about in confusion, and two sovereigns ‌‌‌with grave expressions.
Yet amidst it all, only ‌‌‌‌Cassian Artez and I maintained our composure.
"If there's one thing to worry about."
Cassian Artez checked the scabbard fixed at his waist while regarding me.
"It's that the Holy Maiden hasn't arrived yet, and I have to take Roselita with me."
"That's two things."
He let out a small laugh at my composed reply.
"Roselita does seem preferable to these frightened knights, I'll admit."
With a soft metallic sound, Cassian Artez drew his blade ‌‌‌slightly from its scabbard before sheathing ‌‌it again.
Despite his words, he gazed at me with visible displeasure.
"It's rather irritating that I have no choice but to bring her."
Of course, not with you—with this situation.
Cassian Artez sighed while glancing around, as if to forestall any misunderstanding.
We were still coordinating opinions with the Snowland King, so ‌‌‌we hadn't even broached the subject of coordinated operations yet.
"Still, we must do what needs to be done."
I said so while handing over the documents.
The Emperor had instructed us to prepare to divide the forces before meeting with the Snowland King, but ‌‌we had already completed our preparations.
No matter how thoroughly we prepared, a battlefield remained a battlefield.
No one could predict what might happen, as it was now.
And when we weren't prepared, it was we—the frontline operatives—who bore the blame.
"Right, His Majesty seems quite flustered by his first real combat in so ‌‌‌long."
Cassian ‌‌Artez donned the gauntlets he'd removed, entrusted the reviewed documents back to me, and ‌‌‌‌turned toward the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, the Dragon Subjugation Squad shall advance as the vanguard, as we have prepared."
"Cassian Artez...!"
At his son's words, the Emperor snapped to attention and hastily composed himself with dignity.
"Your Majesty, please secure our rear so that the ‌‌‌Knight Order may fight with confidence."
"So it shall be!"
A satisfied smile ‌‌‌bloomed across the Emperor's face.
Nothing had been accomplished yet, but he seemed content enough simply knowing that our preparations proceeded swiftly in our area of responsibility, faster than the floundering Snowland King.
"Roselita!"
Cassian Artez tossed me a short dagger.
He could have given it to me earlier, but this was a show of temporarily borrowing my hand for the troop arrangement. ‌
I caught the blade and ‌‌‌‌‌walked ‌‌‌‌toward the Knight Order positioned in the rear alongside the Emperor.

*

The Knight Order moved toward the peak of Snow Mountain.
The formation was ‌‌‌centered on the Winter Palace's direct knights, supplemented by Imperial Knights who had previously coordinated with Cassian Artez.
Cassian had consistently made time to participate in the Imperial Knight Order's joint training exercises, not just with the Winter Palace's direct knights, so there seemed to be no major issues with ‌‌‌his command.
My one concern was whether the knights might view me as dead weight.
"Will you cast magic ‌from the rear?"
"Pardon?"
"You're quite famous! They say the Winter Palace never loses when the Witch is present!"
"...Pardon?"
The rumors seemed to have spread ‌‌‌‌in a rather peculiar way.
When I cast my gaze toward the Winter Palace's direct knights, they cried out indignantly.
"No, Advisor Roselita! We would never be the cursed sort to praise you in such a manner!"
Praise, you say?
"That's right! We said you were ‌‌‌the Goddess of Winter ‌‌Palace's Victory! Those idiots simply misheard us!"
"I told you to clean your ears regularly, you filthy lot!"
Goddess of Victory...?
My mind stuttered and even froze at this favorable epithet I had never heard since arriving at the Capital City.
Cassian Artez chuckled softly at my bewilderment.
"See? Our knights really do like Roselita."
At his words, the knight who had brought me started in surprise and spoke.
"Did you think we didn't like you, Advisor? Are all our faces just naturally fierce?!"
At his self-deprecating remark, I quickly denied it.
"Of course not—you knights have always been courteous."
"Good to hear. If any of them had ‌‌shown ‌‌you disrespect, I was planning to confiscate their horses on the return journey."
You were going to make them run back...? ‌‌‌‌
I laughed softly at the knight's characteristically tough words.
"I was simply feeling guilty for asking so much of you whenever the Winter Palace was busy."
Speaking honestly, the knight quickly shook his head.
"Nonsense, Advisor! Thanks to you, we don't have to argue every time we receive our stipends!"
"Exactly! Before, the Rose Palace handled our pay processing, and you wouldn't believe how much we suffered ‌‌‌on payday."
At the other knight's addition, I found myself nodding in understanding.
Right—someone who pays wages properly is the best....
Frustrated by the Rose Palace's games with our salaries, I had stormed over there trembling with rage, even though I'd only recently arrived at the Winter Palace.
After that incident, I'd been gradually bringing budget-related matters to the Winter Palace, which had led me into a work hellscape....
We continued on warmly, exchanging such casual conversation.
"A pack of lizard-type magical beasts ahead!"
With ‌‌‌‌the Scout Knight's cry, obstacles appeared on the path toward the Flare Dragon.

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