"I should have just kept my mouth shut."
Leonardo was consumed by an overwhelming sense of regret for speaking earlier in front of the people gathered.
Battalion Commanders, unit commanders, company commanders, operations analysts, assistants, adjutants, and various high-ranking individuals from the Council were all present, their eyes full of doubt as they focused on him. Beside him stood Hugo.
Hugo, sensing Leonardo's unease, spoke in a somewhat gentle tone, attempting to ease his tension.
"Leonardo, all you need to do is elaborate on what you mentioned earlier. Anything you can provide, whether it’s about the monsters' traits or the terrain—whatever you know."
Although Hugo spoke kindly, the Battalion Commanders, aside from Deputy Commander Amos and Unit Commander Scott, who had already heard Leonardo's earlier words, appeared to be assessing how thorough his operation plan would be.
Feeling the weight of all the scrutinizing gazes, Leonardo surveyed the room. Then, extending his right hand, still wearing the handcuff, he placed it on the table and said, "Give me any pen."
Immediately, someone quickly handed him a pen. Turning toward the person, Leonardo noticed Flynn standing there, watching him. It seemed that as the Commander's adjutant, Flynn had accompanied them this time as well. Seeing the unexpected face, Leonardo’s lips curled into a slight smile before he turned back to face the front and began speaking.
"Listen carefully. I’ll explain it only once."
At his firm tone, those who had planned to simply observe hurriedly pulled out pens and notebooks, ready to take notes.
Leonardo began explaining the entry route step by step, based on his experience at the Elder Millie Peninsula and the knowledge he had gained. His plan wasn’t a simplistic approach of advancing through one stage after another. Instead, he devised a more efficient and safer way to penetrate deeper into the area, taking advantage of the characteristics of the terrain and the monsters that inhabited it. The commanders listening to his explanation murmured in admiration, quickly jotting down his ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ insights.
Afterward, Leonardo marked the primary monster habitats on the map, explaining the interrelationships and food chains of the monsters, as well as detailing their characteristics. The analysts from the operations department began reorganizing the troops based on the scale and features of each unit, utilizing this new information.
"Monsters aren’t mindless either," Leonardo continued. "Even if it’s an active volcanic zone, if there’s a monster nest, that’s actually a good sign. It means the volcanic activity is relatively low there, making it safer."
The commanders nodded in agreement, impressed by this new perspective.
"However, there are only two types of monsters that wander near the flowing magma. The first is the 'Ilaptor.' It’s a reptilian creature that can move on both four legs and two. It’s incredibly fast. These monsters have poison sacs in their teeth, so when you encounter one, the first thing you must do is sever its neck and bury it in the ground."
"And the venom's composition?" one of the analysts asked.
"If the venom touches the skin, it causes swelling and blisters. However, if it enters the bloodstream, it coagulates the blood and paralyzes the limbs. The best thing to do is tie off the bitten area as tightly as possible, then find a plant called 'Degalianif' that grows near their habitats, crush it, and apply it to the wound. It neutralizes the poison and stops it from spreading quickly."
Leonardo paused, then added, "However, you won’t be able to fight in that state. You’ll need to return to base for treatment."
A medical officer spoke up, "It seems difficult to treat with regular healing magic. Should we cut open the wound and extract the poison?"
"That would be necessary for large wounds," Leonardo replied. "But for smaller ones, there’s no need to go that far. The venom of Ilaptors has properties that react with sodium chloride. If you soak the wound in a little salt water, the venom will naturally be drawn out due to osmotic pressure. After that, the Degalianif will neutralize the rest. But without treatment, it’s fatal."
The medical officer nodded in understanding, and Bruno, Deputy Commander of the Southern Branch, spoke next.
"And the second type?"
"The second is the 'Dermocas.' It’s a mammalian monster that inhabits most of the peninsula and lives underground. It’s a quadruped with sharp claws capable of digging tunnels quickly. While relatively docile unless provoked, it becomes extremely aggressive when disturbed. These creatures tend to live in large groups, so their numbers are enormous. Their nests are scattered all over, so pinpointing their locations is difficult."
"Any weaknesses?"
"There’s a protrusion on their backs that resembles a lump. Beneath it is a structure that looks like a human brain. That’s both their strength and their weakness. With that brain-like part, they can emit ultrasonic waves that only their own species can perceive, enabling them to communicate even at a distance. But if that part is damaged, they freeze in place."
"..." Bruno remained silent as he processed this information.
"If you target that part, you can kill them instantly. But be careful—if you cut other parts, they’ll release a green, acidic mucus. It’s best to take them out in one clean strike if possible."
Bruno nodded, deep in thought. Leonardo, sensing their attention, looked around with a sharp gaze and issued a firm warning.
"The fact that these two species roam around an active volcanic zone doesn’t mean they have a tolerance for magma."
He tapped his temple with a finger to emphasize the point.
"It means they’re highly intelligent. Don’t treat them like the average monster. They can think. And they also know how to sense human fear. If you show fear, you’re turning your back on them. Keep that in mind."
A few commanders visibly shuddered at Leonardo’s serious words. He glanced around one last time, then relaxed his expression and concluded.
"That’s all I know. I’ve never been beyond the midpoint myself, so I can’t speak to what lies ahead."
With that, everyone seemed busy processing the information. Hugo, seeing this, spoke up.
"I hope you all paid attention. Every commander should quickly pass this information down to their units and ensure everyone is familiar with it. The operations analysts will redistribute the troops based on this, and once the first operational plan is complete, we’ll reconvene for another meeting."
"Understood!" the commanders responded in unison.
Hugo gave a slight nod.
"Dismissed."
"Dismissed!" came the loud reply as the group quickly dispersed. As they left, Leonardo let out a soft sigh, running his hand through his hair.
Hugo started to place a comforting hand on Leonardo’s shoulder but stopped, instead offering words of praise.
"You did well, Leonardo."
At these unfamiliar words, Leonardo looked slightly uncomfortable. Hugo noted this, thinking to himself, He’s weak to praise.
This time, instead of immediately breaking into a smile like before, Leonardo spoke, his face reflecting some inner turmoil.
"But... what I said was from a few years ago. The situation may have changed drastically by now. I don’t know the full military structure of the Council, so there might be impractical elements in my explanation."
"You don’t need to worry about that. It’s the job of the operations officers," Hugo reassured him.
Despite this, Leonardo still appeared uncertain. Seeing his unease, Hugo calmly asked,
"Do you know who has the final say here right now?"
Leonardo responded as if it was obvious.
"It’s you, isn’t it?"
"Exactly. Everything you’ve said will be taken as operational orders once I give my final approval. So, it’ll be thoroughly reviewed before approval, and if any issues arise afterward, I’ll take full responsibility. You don’t need to worry about it."
Hearing this, Leonardo looked up at Hugo, meeting his gaze. He stared into Hugo’s eyes for a moment, then nodded slowly, the corners of his mouth curving just a little.
"Well... if you say so."
Though he spoke the words, the weight that had been on Leonardo’s shoulders seemed to lift considerably.
Noticing this, Hugo allowed a faint smile to show. Leonardo felt his thoughts being read again and, in response, slightly furrowed his brow and turned his head away.
Just then, a majestic trumpet sound echoed from beyond the gate, followed by the sound of galloping hooves. From the watchtower, a member blew the Council's trumpet and shouted,
"It’s the Knights of Hareth! Open the gate!"
The large iron doors slowly creaked open, revealing a vast cavalry charging in, stirring up a cloud of dust.
"It’s the Knights of the Hareth Marquis family," Hugo remarked, observing the flag of the Hareth family waving proudly at the tip of the spears.
At that moment, Leonardo, feeling a slight tug from the handcuff on his left wrist, turned to where Hugo stood, but noticed that Leonardo had moved behind him instead.
Curious, Hugo asked, "Why are you doing that?"
"...I don’t really want to run into them," Leonardo muttered, his words laced with an air of discomfort.
As Hugo found his response odd, the Knights passed through the now fully opened third gate and began entering Fidele Territory. Despite their evident exhaustion from the journey, they swiftly dismounted and began moving the injured. Among them was a figure in red armor, standing at the forefront.
Deputy Commander Bruno Amos quickly approached the armored figure, gesturing toward Hugo as he conveyed a message. The person, wearing a helmet, nodded and began walking toward Hugo, flanked by their knights.
When the leader in red armor approached, she clenched her right fist and placed it over her heart in a silent salute before lifting her head and speaking.
"Cordelia Hareth, daughter of Marquis Arthur Hareth. Greetings, Duke Agrizendro. Glory to Raina Logia."
Hugo returned the gesture with a slight nod.
"Glory to Raina Logia."
Cordelia then removed her helmet, revealing silver short hair and red eyes. As she held the helmet to her side, she spoke again.
"I didn’t expect you to come in person, Your Grace."
"Call me Commander," Hugo replied.
"Understood, Commander."
"I’ve heard about Marquis Hareth’s health. Is it true you’re personally leading the Knights?"
Cordelia’s face darkened as she answered.
"Yes, my father’s health has greatly declined due to prolonged exposure to volcanic ash and toxic gases. As such, I’m now managing both the territory and the Knights as his successor."
"You’ve been working hard."
"Your words are too kind."
As they continued speaking, Cordelia noticed the handcuff on Hugo’s wrist. Her gaze shifted along the chain, and her expression changed as she saw the figure standing behind him.
"Excuse me... Commander, who is the person behind you?"
Hugo was momentarily caught off guard, unsure of how to explain Leonardo’s presence. Leonardo, sensing the hesitation, stepped forward on his own and stood beside Hugo, his expression a mix of embarrassment and uncertainty.
Cordelia’s surprise was evident as she recognized Leonardo’s face.
"Blaine?"
Hugo raised an eyebrow at her response, while Leonardo gave a strained smile and greeted her.
"It’s been a while, Lieutenant Hareth."
