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Author’s note:

As it seems that the geographical relationships may be getting confusing, I’ll share the map I created for the comic serialization reference.

Although it’s not marked on the map, the southeast side of Setulev faces the Sylnir Sea. There is also land extending to the east of Gufare, and the Belmar Volcano is located in that area.

Having conquered and assimilated many countries, Maltgartz stood out as a significantly large nation in the region.

To the north and west, there were no more enemies. Only small nations remained, prostrating and begging for mercy. Beyond them lay the realm of dragons, and even Maltgartz, formidable as it was, refrained from encroaching into the dragon territories. Similarly, dragons did not attack human nations. In essence, the situation could be likened to having already completely conquered everything.

In the current state, the Gufare Union to the east could be considered the last check. If Gufare fell, there would be no one to target Maltgartz’s back, and Maltgartz would likely direct all its swords southward.

Compared to Maltgartz, Gufare was less than half its size, but it managed to withstand due to support from southern nations fearing Maltgartz’s hegemony. Above all, it barely held its ground because Emperor Richard, who would have easily tipped the balance, was currently unable to take command in the war. If Emperor Richard in his prime had been on the battlefield, Gufare would have fallen in about three months. If he had been overseeing the rear in decent condition, it would have taken about two years.

The quagmire of war, exhausting both sides, persisted for fourteen years and entered a new phase.

The Setulev Kingdom declared war on the Maltgartz Empire.

Like rain predicted by watching approaching clouds, the declaration was accepted by the people without much surprise.

Gufare’s borders were predominantly surrounded by dragon territories—north, east, and south—leaving only the western side shared with Maltgartz and the southwest with Setulev.

Setulev, historically, served as a corridor for people and goods, as southern nations supported Gufare. In that sense, Setulev could be considered already involved in the war, facilitating support but maintaining a neutral stance, sticking to its role as an intermediary for business rather than taking a side in the conflict.

However, Setulev finally took a step forward.

This came after the condemnation issued by the Papal See. The land-ruining tactics employed by the forces of Marquis Angus during the battle north of Mount Kuguse earned the wrath of the Temple forces, who championed the survival of the human world.

The news spread not only to those nations cautiously observing the situation, deciding whether to ally with or oppose Maltgartz but also to others. Aligning with the winning side was advantageous. When it seemed like everyone was ready to collectively reprimand Maltgartz, the momentum became an unstoppable avalanche.

Setulev followed suit.

Perceiving victory as feasible, Setulev opted for a completely hostile stance.

Setulev, with the Regalia “Wisdom Eye Vortex,” deployed on the north side of Mount Kuguse. Supported by southern nations and a small number of Gufare’s reinforcements, they invaded Maltgartz.

The forces of Marquis Angus, facing Setulev, had suffered catastrophic losses in the previous battle, making it impossible to resist this invasion.

The autumn deepened around Mount Kuguse.

A bit up the mountain from the town of Kugutfulm at the southern foothills, the Queen of Mount Kuguse had moved her nest.

In a clearing carved out of the mountain forest, there was a gigantic stone hut, its walls reinforced with magic.

Normally, even such a structure wasn’t necessary for a dragon. Rain, wind, heat, or cold—none of these could harm a mighty dragon.

However, dragons, too, required many things to live more comfortably if they chose to do so.

Beyond the spacious area where a dragon could comfortably lie down, there were modest facilities resembling a typical human house.

Behind windbreak walls, there was a cooking area, a reading space with a bookshelf, and a human-sized bed for two. Although it might feel out of place, these were arrangements made by Kafal, the primary inhabitant of the nest.

Currently, as Kafal was away, the nest was empty and spacious.
The girl left in charge was alone, and the sound of a boiling pot echoed in the nest.
Inside the pot, colorful fruits emitted a sweet aroma.

“Having access to sugar is such a luxury…”

Recalling the autumn from last year when she sun-dried fruits to make dried fruits, Lucella, the girl making jam, murmured to herself.

Kafal had recently moved the nest near Kugutfulm, in the midst of summer.

However, as soon as the source of the dragon aura, Kafal arrived, the mountain reacted intensely. Flowers bloomed wildly around the nest, trees bore fruit, and now, those fruits were ripening sweetly.

The extraordinary energy, the dragon aura, possessed by dragons had an abnormal effect on natural elements like plants, minerals, and monsters.

The surroundings of the nest appeared like an orchard, with fruits not found in any botanical guide abundantly ripening.

It was an amount Lucella alone could never eat or harvest entirely.

She attempted to make jams, but now, how many barrels of jam would it take to consume all of them?

The war has started, and in Kugutfulm, the demand for “Mount Kuguse-related” items is increasing.

Comparatively speaking, plants have a less pronounced effect on cultivating Variants compared to the scales and fangs, and legally selling them might serve as a deterrent to illicit harvesting… perhaps?

Although Kafal moved the nest near Kugutfulm to distance from the battlefield, Lucella still felt the presence of the war every time she went into town.

Kugutfulm served as the gateway to the battlefield and a supply point.

Goods transported to the battlefield, knights, soldiers, mercenaries heading to the front lines – she observed them all. And among them were those who returned from the battlefield.

Injuries could be healed instantly with recovery magic or potions. However, with repeated healing, the body, mended like patchwork, gradually distorted. This condition was commonly known as “Healing Illness.”

In such cases, it became necessary for individuals to leave the front lines for recovery.

Kugutfulm served as a sanatorium, and many doctors settled there anticipating prolonged stays from recovering patients.

Patients with war injuries began streaming into the doctors’ clinics. Regardless of how straightforward a battle might have been, victory without injury was impossible, and occupied territories continued to face retaliations resembling harassment. Inevitably, there were those who were wounded.

Currently, the situation was relatively calm, but if the intensity of the battle increased in the future, the number of recovering patients would likely rise. In that case, the medicinal herbs grown on the mountain under Kafal’s dragon aura would likely see increased demand. While these fruits may not match the potency of herbs, they should have proven valuable as nutritious food.

As the value increased, there might have been a rise in those attempting to steal…

As Lucella made jam, deep in thought over these matters, she felt a tingling sensation on her neck—the first wave of an approaching dragon aura. Soon, a mighty wingbeat echoed from the sky, and a large shadow cast over the substantial rock shelter.

It was the return of the Mountain Queen.

“Mom, welcome back!”
“I’m home, Lucella.”

Kafal, who had flown through the air, landed in front of the nest. The enormous Red Dragon narrowed her eyes as she looked at Lucella, who had come out to greet her, then rubbed her face against Lucella’s using her snout.

Meanwhile, she was stepping on a furry giant beast.

It seemed she had grabbed it with her hind limbs while flying.

“What… is this? An Ice Mammoth?”
“I went a bit north this time. Tried various things, but this was the most delicious.”

A chubby giant beast with a long trunk and tusks—an elephant monster that inhabited cold regions, manipulating snow and ice.

Kafal often went hunting to stockpile food, not wanting to decrease the population of mountain monsters or Variants. As a side effect, she would bring back souvenirs for Lucella.

“Now, where do we start eating? How should we cook it?”
“Um, cook it in the mouth.”
“Oh… Is that okay?”

Upon hearing Lucella’s response, Kafal seemed a bit surprised.

Kafal had set up a kitchen in the nest and was studying human cooking. That was fine. Cooking together was enjoyable, and Lucella wanted to try various dishes. While dragons seemed fine with raw meat alone, it posed both psychological and nutritional issues for Lucella. However, it wasn’t that she disliked simple roasted meat, like what Kafal had given her in the past.

“Today, I’m in that kind of mood.”
“Got it, I’ll prepare it right away.”

Kafal eagerly tore into the prey, taking thick chunks of meat along with the fat. Then, she circulated flames in her mouth, letting the fire spill between her fangs, filling the air with the enticing smell of the roasting meat.

Eventually, Kafal expelled a charred meat chunk that seemed even heavier than Lucella. The surface, covered in sizzling fat, was mostly charred. With a bit of scraping from a knife, well-cooked portions revealed themselves.

Lucella roughly cut it and sprinkled salt and pepper on it before eagerly taking a bite. The flavor was rustic, with blood and fat seeping out.

Next to her, Kafal buried her nose in the carcass of the giant beast, pulling out the entrails to eat them raw. Lucella used to feel the necessity of consuming magic beast entrails, but the strong taste made her nearly vomit. Now that they could obtain ingredients from outside the mountain, this became a necessary source of nutrition for Kafal rather than Lucella.

“Oh, did I intrude during mealtime?”
“Viola!”

As if lured by the scent of roasting meat, a mage emerged from among the fruit trees.

Viola, a young woman in a shabby robe and thick glasses, appeared. She was a member of the adventurer party Golden Helmet, to which Lucella belonged, and was a Wizard.

Seeing the bloodied ribcage of the Ice Mammoth exposed, her glasses gleamed.

“Ahhh! A fresh Ice Mammoth in such a place! C-C-C-Can I observe the ivory!?”
“If you want, you can even skin it. We’re using it for meat anyway.”

For Viola, who considered studying the ecology of magic beasts her greatest hobby, the opportunity to observe a magic beast that should normally reside in a distant place up close was more precious than any gem.

“Is it an urgent quest?”
“No, I just brought some news. The day after tomorrow, Setulev plans to reconfigure the Regalia Lines in the occupied territory.”

Excitedly starting to sketch while speaking at her usual rapid pace, Viola conveyed relatively significant information.

The humans used a tool called “Regalia” to control the wild nature, creating areas where the fragile human race could survive. The Regalia Lines were the paths through which this power efficiently spread throughout the country.

Setulev had invaded and occupied the former Angus Marquisate, and the environmental control in that region was still being handled by the Regalia on Maltgartz’s side. Reconfiguring the Regalia Lines meant cutting off the influence of the opposing Regalia and having Setulev’s Regalia, known as “Wisdom Eye Vortex,” take over the environmental control in the occupied territory.

“Quite delayed, but it is finally happening, huh?”
“Well, reconfiguring the Regalia Lines is a decisive act of occupation. It’s quite a stimulating move. That’s why we’ve been cautious.”

Reconfiguring the Regalia Lines was, in essence, a statement of intent to own and rule over that land. However, it was a different story from simply stationing troops, especially in the minds of the people who would be affected.

“The northern side of Mount Kuguse has been an old territory of Maltgartz even before the conquest wars began. That’s why the loyalty of the people there is high. When it comes to occupation, we need to be extremely cautious. Especially for Setulev, as this is intended to become their future territory. We have to be careful from now on to prevent any backlash. I don’t expect much to happen at Mount Kuguse… but just a heads up.”
“Thank you for letting us know.”

Viola didn’t reveal the source of the information, but Lucella sensed it. Though Lucella hadn’t met Viola’s ‘grandfather,’ Duke Foster, she suspected him to be a cunning and meticulous man. As long as their interests aligned, he would be a reliable ally.

“…Oh, by the way, if you’d like, take some meat and fruits from around here. It should boost the stamina, so please make sure Monica gets some.”
“Oh, thank you so much for that. She tends to push herself too hard, that girl. I wonder who she takes after,” Viola said with a happy chuckle.