Count Sigma had become 46 years old. His large physique and stunning black beard was wrapped in luxurious silk clothing. In his thirties, the kingdom sponsored him to join in battle. He always earned remarkable military services in battles against Goldonia and Empire.

His talent was also shown in the courts. Due to his skill, he was able to acquire a power which could silence even the King.

There was a difference between confidence and arrogance. There was no fear in his eyes.

Still, confidence became overconfidence, which often led to cruelty. Though he continued such actions, no one stopped him.

Marquis Trump, his close aide finally decided it's time to takeover kingdom. He still some reservations, but Count Sigma insisted their faction to attack the Mallorca palace.

 “How deplorable. Instead of suicide, he settled for such a pathetic thing. He didn't care about the kingdom. He let the country ruled by two little girls. Now the weakling Duke is even bringing despicable mercenaries into Treia war. The nation had fallen to such pathetic state!"

After relentlessly abusing his nemesis verbally, Count Sigma nodded and continued his words.

"Duke Cheney seems to assemble mercenaries to defend Mallorca palace. What should we do, Count?" Viscount Romeo informed.

“He wishes to ask me? Does he expect me to help this shameless action?”

The Sigma's thick hands shook as the aristocrat continued speaking.

“Think about it. Even an aristocrat who is beyond your help may be useful, your excellency. Your mercy may become effective in fighting Count Reyes.”

The war between Marquis Trump and Count Reyes was unavoidable.

It was recognized by the domestic aristocrats. The citizens thought so as well.

Duke Cheney was king's cousin which meant he had royal blood. 

The present King had neither brother nor son, only a daughter, Scarlet. Neither would compromise on the position of who would ascend to the throne.

“Will you answer their terms before Duke Cheney... It may act as a catalyst for those who still waver.”

However, Sigma refused.

“Though it is not a bad plan, I will not do such a thing for a coward.”

After the guests left, the Sigma called a servant after a sudden thought.

“Prepare a map.”

Looking at the map brought by the servant, he confirmed the location of Mallorca.

“So this is royal land.”

A sigh of disappointment leaked from Count Sigma.

After thinking for a while, he called for his son.

“You called for me, Father?”

Joe appeared before his father. He was a young noble with an appropriate appearance and garb.

“I wish for you to do something.”

Count Sigma beckoned to his son and pointed at a place on the map.

“Do you know of Mallorca? Take a thousand soldiers with you and burn it to the ground.”

"Is this for getting the throne for Marquis Trump?"

"Yes. Also to stop Treia from falling to ruin."

“The King is absent. Though the land is hardly worth taking, I would rather Reyes not plunder it. It would be even more troublesome if Magrado took control.”

"I, Count Kim and Viscount Romeo shall also participate. Kill all who resist, capture and take all you can carry. We can sell the objects and people to our demesne. Any women, you can give to the soldiers.”

Joe was delighted to hear his father's words.

“Thank you, Father. This will help with soldier morale as well. I suppose it will be unnecessary to gather the soldiers then.”

“No, take at least one thousand soldiers. Pass through the lands of other nobles and display your strength. Show them our family's strength.”

“As you wish. By the way...”

Joe lowered his voice, now speaking as father and son.

"Demia Connery..I want to take her as my slave." Joe was always crazy about the hot Demia.

"As you wish."

Thinking about it, though, he had no reason to disobey especially he could get the woman he always long for.

He bowed his head. After preparing his troops, he set out for Mallorca.

****

Under Duke Cheney's command, 100 soldiers would head to Mallorca.

Though only one-third the number of enemy, there were many circumstances.

First, he gave priority to speed.

A large army's movements were dull.

It also took time to prepare the weapons and food needed to feed the soldiers. It was also necessary to pass through the path in the Mallorca hills.

But the number could not be too small, or else they could not fight.

Due to these factors, 100 troops were deemed necessary.

It was composed almost entirely of cavalry. As for the horses, three times the number was prepared.

A large amount of substitution horses were prepared so as to increase the marching distance.

***

"Finally, Trump makes his move. He goes straight to us, not even bothering Duke Cheney and Count Reyes. Probably instigated by Count Sigma." Scarlet calmly said.

"Including the troops my father gave us, we only have a little over 400 men while they got over 1,000." Demia complained. 

"Other noble families even abandon us. This is the present state of our kingdom." Scarlet sighed.

Though Demia was heated up, Scarlet countered gently. Now there was only silence.

Before long, Demia finished donning her armor. The gauntlets, greaves, and breastplates emphasized lightness and ease of movement. There was no helmet.

Scarlet wore a different armor, her body was encased in a hardened shell. Scarlet was a princess, and she held the argent longsword. Demia would never go to the battlefield with such an appearance.

“With fewer than half the enemy, can you win?”

“It is possible but not probable.”

Hearing Demia's words, Scarlet responded as if it were nothing.

“First, we have the geographical advantage.”

Seeing Demia glance at him from the side, Scarlet began explaining.

“Though it's true we have an advantage in terms of geography, people following Sigma have visited Mallorca in the past. It has been a few years since then, but it is possible they have marked the area down. Still, I can draw a map, and if we return to our palace, there is an even more elaborate map drawn by my grandfather.”

“I see, they think of Mallorca as a kind of resort. They won't expect resistance.”

Hearing Scarlet's words, Demia responded happily.

“I have heard Trump is at odds with Duke Cheney and Reyes. Trump can't spare too many forces to attack Mallorca. That should give us a good opportunity.”

Seeing her bright red irises filled with a will to fight, Demia looked at Scarlet once again.

The armor Scarlet wore was beautiful in itself.

However, it was not perfect.

With the light in her eyes, she was complete as a warrior princess.

****

Sigma advanced before his one thousand one hundred strong army with a grand attitude atop his large steed. Behind him was Joe, Viscount Romeo and Count Kim. 

Though they had passed through the territory of nine or ten nobles, he had not encountered any interference.

Everyone feared the house of Count Sigma.

Sigma felt comfortable.

“As soon as we burn Alsace, we'll send the hostages ahead and stop by these regions. It might be good to have them pledge loyalty, and we can grab their wives and daughters...”

His father might be pleased as well, since his battle with Reyes would follow soon after.

Joe thought of such things cheerfully when a scout returned to report.

“The residents have taken shelter?”

“It seems the majority have fled to the forests and mountains.”

“The rest?”

“They have barricaded themselves within the church. We cannot interfere.”

“Crafty...”

Joe's teeth were seen.

“Very well. Let's leave the villages for now and head for Mallorca first.”

“No, that's fine. We'll continue to Mallorca as we are.”

Sigma shook his head hearing his subordinate's proposal.

“Certainly, we can't destroy the temple, but we can destroy everything else. We just have to burn it all. The people will give up and leave the temple for sure.”

Joe smiled when another subordinate appeared to report.

“Someone has arrived, claiming to be a man from Mallorca who wishes to act as your eyes, Lord Sigma.”

“What kind of person is he?”

“He has two names. The old man seems reasonably influential as well.”

Sigma, having been told bluntly, lost interest.

“Kill him. Throw his corpse in the town.”

The man with two names was the first victim from Mallorca.

The wall enclosing Mallorca was not too high or thick. Attacking it would not require siege weapons.

It would not take much time to destroy it.

The castle gate could be broken using an axe or a spear. 

“Surround the church. We will raise our voices and tire them mentally and physically. Not only will we deprive them of their freedom, we will burn their home.”

Joe spoke loudly, and the soldiers' chests swelled with expectation.

“However, it is important not to kill or destroy too much. Treat the women with courtesy, and punish the rest.”

This was not a fight but a pillage.

He gave approval to the soldiers to release their rage and brutality.

They would break into houses, took the money and possessions, then set fire to the building.

Those who ran and screamed, trying to escape, would be assaulted. Those who resisted would be pierced with a spear. Their blood painted the earth.

The wreckage and rubble of buildings and stalls were scattered, the gardens and vineyards were mercilessly trampled. With a sword in the right hand and a bottle, stolen from somewhere, in the left, the soldiers staggered about town, intoxicated on alcohol and destruction.

Laughter reminiscent of a barbarian was mixed in with the sounds. Black smoke streaked the sky.

Though the dead numbered few, this was due to Joe's strict orders. The elderly who were not considered worthwhile were mercilessly slaughtered.

“Hm, this village is so tiny, it was easy to demolish.”

Joe was away from the army with the horses, watching calmly. The sight of people begging and trying to escape filled Joe's heart.

He diverged from his father's main army with 300 men to pillage a town.

Then, he found a dark blue haired girl with voluptuous body. He was turned on. 

"Come here, girl. I want to rape you!" He shouted and descent from his horse, chasing the girl.

His two eyes looked over her body, as if licking it. She shuddered from the ill feeling.

“What a good looking girl. If you bow down to me, I might even hold you.”

“... Please leave.”

The dark blue haired girl squeezed those words out of her mouth.

Joe looked doubtful and laughed as he brought a hand to his ear.

“Did I hear you wrong? Is village girl really that stupid? Please, say it again.”

“... Go away.”

“What?”

“I told you to go away!”

"Stop the massacre!"

“Abusive language has a heavy crime. Looks like I'll have to teach you the hard way.”

Her eyes opened widely as she breathed in deeply. She retreated, one step, two steps.

Joe held back his laughter in his throat.

The glittering sword drew an arc. Her skirt was greatly torn, her pure-white thighs, nearly showing their base, were bare to see.

“What is it? If you don't hurry and run, I'll cut your leg next.”

She turned her back on Joe and ran to the back of a shop. Joe followed after her with a cruel smile, as if hunting prey, moving up the steps  slowly.

She climbed into the shop through the window. Then, she climbed to the first floor, to the balcony. 

The sound of something breaking could be heard below her. There was another door to the balcony which she closed. 

When she turned around, she noticed Joe had used his sword to create a hole. After breaking through the bolt, he kicked the door down, standing with a distorted smile.

“We're done already?”

She grasped the knife in both her hands, pointing it toward Joe who continued to laugh scornfully. 

But Joe felt something was weird as the girl was calm, unlike her panic reaction when he found her on the street.

She attacked him calmly. Joe stepped into the room and brandished his sword.

He knocked the knife away in an unsatisfying manner. 

Joe gripped her shoulders and threw her down, her large breasts jiggled.

He put his weight on the girl.

 It sounded.

A short, slow, sound.

“Wh... at?”

Joe could not believe it as he looked at his hand.

It was the hand he had just stretched out to fondle the girl's breasts.

An arrow was running through it.

" Where...?"

Rather than feeling pain, it was a chill that ran down Joe's spine.

It would be difficult to aim through the narrow gap of a balcony railing, especially since this was the second floor.

He stood up and tried to find a place to hide. 

He heard a sound of something flying in the air.

"Damn it, arrow? How far he shot it from?"

He tried to dodge it but it still hit his left leg. 

"Aaaaagggh."

He collapsed. He tried to stand but his another leg was shot.

No longer able to stand, he rolled to evade another 3 arrows but an arrow hit his another hand.

Now his 2 hands and 2 legs were useless.

"Are you fine, Yoguri?" A female voice was heard.

"We got him." The blue haired girl stood up.

Joe became panic as he started to think this was a trap.

A pink haired girl with considerably large boobs , but smaller than the blue haired girl appeared.

The pink haired girl drew a sword and stabbed his neck.

Joe died. 

"Nice job, Yoguri and Melissa. Now, to take his head and parade it the their soldiers." A tall tanned red haired muscular girl with medium length hair appeared. She swung her sword and decapitated Joe's head. They took Joe''s head and escaped from the shop.

Yoguri then called,

"Skeleton ninja."

The red haired girl threw the head but it didn't fall to the ground.

Joe's head was floating in the air as if something was holding it.

Yoguri then ordered, "skeleton ninja, bring that head to the middle of the soldiers, to a group of men riding horses with golden decoration."

Then, the floating head moved in the air as if something was carrying it to the middle of Count Sigma's marching troops.