As the JSDF depart with the captive senators rescued, Zorzal and his men realize how small the forces attacking the capital was. Enraged at being made a fool of, he orders 4000~5000 men to pursue the enemy.
Meanwhile the rescued peace-treaty supporting senators such as Kikero are amazed at the flying vehicle as they depart the capital.
Misery and others from the slums bids farewell to Kuribayashi, as they head out to gather food from the land before returning to the capital. They plan to sell them at high costs as they predict there will be shortage of food in the aftermath.
Meanwhile Bozes tries to force her way to the palace to find Princess Pina, but stopped by the soldiers. She takes arrow in her shoulder and thighs, but Vifeeta arrives just in time to save her. Vifeeta attempts to flee from the capital carrying Bozes, but her pursuers closes in.
Meanwhile, Kengun orders his men to stand down and wait. The VIPs at the Jade Palace have been evacuated, and only his CH47 Chinook is left. He could not understand Vifeeta's words, but he had the feeling she told him to "wait".
Just as they were about to give up and lift off, his men spot Vifeeta on horseback, being chased by the imperial cavalry. Vifeeta has been hit by some arrows, and it was only a matter of time before the army catches up to her. Kengun and his 30 men open fire on the cavalry, but they are only able to remove some of the closest threat, as the enemy completely outnumbers them.
In a fierce struggle Kengun manages to carry Vifeeta into the Chinook, but many of his solders are severely injured for the onslaught. It was only after the helicopter was far in the sky that Kengun noticed he was still carrying Vifeeta in his arms, and she asks him to put her down.
As the Chinook flies over the imperial palace, Bozes spots Pina on the roof looking sadly at the helicopter. She pleads them to rescue her, but they have no fuel for another landing, nor can they risk it. As the heli flies away Bozes collapse in tears.
Visualizza allegato 161902
As the helicopters arrive in Alnus and the injured or fallen Rose Knights are being carried in, Komurazaki, the journalist, takes the opportunity to turn the camera on the injured women and accuse the JSDF of excessive violence resulting in unnecessary casualty to the public eye.
Upon hearing the news of the Flame Dragon's defeat, the refugees of Koda village, including the mayor, return to find their homes destroyed and ravaged. Shocked, they search for any villages still intact, and comes across a horde of goblins and orcs led by imperial troops plundering a village. Two children runs to the mayor for help, and as he flees the scene with the children in his wagon, the imperial troop sends centaurs and hellhounds after them. As his horse dies, the mayor prays to Emroy to bless him until his last breath as he readies his sword.
Rory arrives on the scene, blessing the old man and killing the hordes after him.
Scene goes back in time to when Lelei announced her findings at the academy...
The academy was shocked at her findings. She most certainly deserved the rank of arch mage with this, but the consequence may be far more lives lost in warfare involving magic.
As for the assassination, Lelei wore a wyvern armor under her robe, protecting her form Shandy's blade.
They question her what the Piper told her to make her do such a thing.
Apparently she was told of the situation in the imperial palace. Even Prince Diabo had fled from the palace as his brother took over the Capital. Shandy's mistress, Princess Pina is held in captivity, and she was told to bring Lelei's head to show her loyalty to the throne.
Sandy said she even rushed to Elrond to confirm the reports true.
She pleads Grey to continue her mission to save Pina, but Grey tells her it would be far more realistic to simply ask Lelei's team to help them rescue the princess. Shandy cannot believe that option is feasible, as the palace is guarded by tens of thousands of men.
But Grey knows the might of Rory and others, he actually finds the feat to assassinate Lelei a much harder option than infiltration of the palace.
Grey tells Itami that going after the Piper is likely futile, and to end this going after the source is a better option. Shandy cannot believe her ears, as he is suggesting treason to the throne and killing a royal. Grey tells her he is not of noble origin, and is not bothered by such action if it meant saving her highness.
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After the initial chaos has subdued and Misery and others made off with selling food at inflated price, Tuwar (the young teen harpy girl prostitute that predicted the earthquake) is bidding farewell to Misery. Her young boyfriend, a good natured man named Prairie proposed to Tuwar and they are going back to his village to raise a family and tend to the farm.
Prairie was a grunt working under the Gonzola family, one of the powerful mafia running the slums. The young boss of the Family gave farewell along with Misery. After the couple left, he makes a move on Misery, perhaps wishing the same type of happiness his underling found. But Misery has no intention of quitting being a whore, and rejects him.
He forcefully grabs her hand, but is stopped as Rory arrives and puts her halberd on his neck.
Itami greets Misery, and she recognizes him as Kurokawa's boss.
Itami's girls reacts to their acquaintance, suspecting him of going to whores and begin questioning Itami.
Zorzal and the hawkish senators debate on how to fight against the enemy's firearms.
They assessed the armor would need to be triple layered to even stop these bullets, but Zorzal has a better idea. He orders to use powerful monsters as meatshieds. He shows them a prototype solder - a Giant Ogre wearing massive and thick plated armor. Using giant monsters have been a dangerous idea and has failed in the past, but he insists they have it under control.
Meanwhile the senate also discuss on what to do with Pina. Her knights have betrayed them, and surely Pina is involved in their uprise. He orders them to bring her to questioning.
Itami & co arrives at the palace, with the armored vehicle disguised as a wagon. Itami recalls his meeting with the JSDF leaders. They saw what the Empire was doing to the villages, destroying them and blaming the act on JSDF. They know something has to be done against this.
The leaders gives permission to Itami on operation to rescue the princess, but under the condition to not assassinate Zorzal. He is currently the enemy leader, and killing him outright would not be a good move at this point.
The two options is to make Zorzal fear for his life, that if he doesn't call off the assassins, his own life may be in danger. The other is to spread rumor around that Zorzal ordered assassination of Lelei, who is hailed a hero in the Empire right now by the Emperor himself.
Lelei and Rory are welcomed into the palace. One is a Dragonslayer hero, and other, the Apostle of Emroy. They are to be treated with highest regard. Itami accompanies them, and is thought to be a slave by Nei, the grand chamberlain.
Rory asks to see Malt, the Emperor she casually refers to by his first name, but Nei respectfully declines admission stating his majesty is ill, and cannot see anyone right now.
Itami reports as code name Avenger to the Spec Ops. The Spec Ops are in place to begin the diversion.
Pina is brought to the court, as the Senators mock her as a traitor and a foolish little girl.
She laughs at their face for calling this a fair trial, and refuses to give them any insight.
She mocks at the heavily armored Giant Ogre, as that would do nothing to stop JSDF, and only pose a threat to the Imperial troops. The reason why heavily armored monsters are never used in warfare, is because they become uncontrollable. The imperials use the monsters with fear. But giving unpenetrable powerful armor to a powerful monster such as a Giant Ogre, they become no longer fearful of their masters and turn on them.
Pina says whoever came up with this idea is a clueless moron. Zorzal enraged at his sister's words, orders the guard to make her shut up.
Tyuule laughs at this farce. She finds joy in seeing the royal princess brought down to her level.
She wishes misery and suffering on all of the Empire. But the farce is cut short as the door is blown open.
Rory had busted the door open, and tells Itami and Lelei that she'll secure the way out.
Itami and Lelei approach the throne.
Zorzal reels in fear at seeing Itami, as it was he that brought the nightmare that day.
Tuule laughs with even more joy seeing him cower in fear.
Pina clings to Itami, thanking him for coming to save her.
Zorzal orders the Armored Giant Ogre to kill the intruders. Itami is excited to see the visual of the armored ogre, almost resembling a full armored robot. He shoots the ogre, but his gun have no effect on the thick armor.
However his action bought enough time for Lelei to use her magic. She sends her funnels to the ogre, which sends explosive force funneled through Neumann effect right into its body, killing it instantly. The same spell she used to harm the Flame Dragon.
Lelei approaches Zorzal, who is shaking in fear. He tells her who she is, and demands he stop sending her his assassins.
Zorzal tries to claim innocence, but the Dragoslayer's words ring true.
Itami takes a golden goblet held in Tyuule's hands, and puts it in Zorzal's hands.
Itami calls out to "Archer", and the sniper shoots a hole through the goblet.
Zorzal drops the goblet in fear as Lelei tells him if he does not pull back his assassination orders, they will put a hole in your head just like this goblet. We will be watching you from afar always.
He nods repeatedly while shaking.
Itami and Lelei retreats as Rory slaughters the guards.
The three gets back to the armored vehicle and fends off the enemy while they wait for the rest of the team.
Kenzaki and rest of the group joins in along with the rescued Emperor, his loyal servant Count Marcus, and Hamilton.
Lelei drives the car through the streets of capital as the imperial guards pursue.
The Emperor wakes up and explains to others what he suspects Japan's intention is.
With both Pina and Malt at their side, they could claim Zorzal's succession to be an uprise, and his seat of power illegal. Pina is worried that this will split the empire into a civil war, but Malt tells his daughter a civil war is inevitable at this point.
He tells her he will appoint her the Crown Princess. It will be up to her whether she wants to split the empire and rule them separately, or take up arms and overthrow Zorzal.
Matoi ("Archer", the sniper) gets rid of the closest pursuers using claymore mines he set ahead of the operation, and the group makes their way out of the capital.
Zozal flees the capital in fear of the sniper, and heads north to distance himself as far as possible from Alnus.
Furuta asks Tyuule if he could be of any help. She looked troubled, and he wanted her to talk to him of what's on her mind.
She mutter why anyone won't try to save her.
... When Itami nodded to her back in the palace, for a moment she thought perhaps he was going to save her, like he did Noriko. But in the end he just wanted to take the goblet out of her hands.
If he had said he came to save her, and reached out his hands, she probably would have taken those hands without even thinking.
End of volume 3
