NSLICE-00P and company returned to the Mage’s Academy, where they separated from Sidonia and returned home. Sidonia gave some greetings to her friends and colleagues before returning to her room. Once she did, she started to rub her chin.

“Well that confirms it. She’s definitely a hero with all that Holy mana she was tossing around. And that mana regen…she shouldn’t have been able to keep up that many spells for that long from the mana signature I was detecting. She probably has some sort of mana-related hero skill, then.”

Sidonia thought back to their trip and nodded.

“I should also note the powerful senses. She didn’t miss any traps or ambushes the entire time. Long range senses too, I don’t think she took a wrong turn even once. That or she’s lucky beyond all reason, but it's safer to assume the former.”

She rubbed her chin and hummed once again.

“Well, I didn’t get to see whatever trick she used on Caelinus’s legions. Solo-casting strategic magic is impressive but the spell she showed shouldn’t have broken an Anti-Archon Formation like the survivors claimed. Her regen rate aside, her overall mana signature and displayed power wouldn’t be superior to the Sun Elves, or one of the old demon lords. So she definitely has something else up her sleeve, maybe extreme magic penetration, or a powerful magic dispel? The Anti-Archon Formation should have been able to handle those but who knows what hero skills might be capable of? There was that thing she used on Nonus...if she can scale it up, then maybe?”

She sighed and then stepped over to her desk.

“Well, there should be enough to brainstorm some countermeasures, keeping in mind that she’s a hero who likely has access to impossible skills. Guess I better write up this report while the memories are fresh.”

Legate Lucceius marched into an office in the Corvanus Legion Keep and gave a salute. The man behind the desk, Magister Peditum Ausonius nodded at him.

“At ease.”

Legate Lucceius relaxed.

“Sir, here to report on the Verdant Forest mission, as requested.”

Magister Ausonius nodded.

“Good work. It’s not every day we see a corrupted dungeon defeated with no casualties.”

Legate Lucceius nodded.

“Our reinforcements were most appreciated.”

Magister Ausonius sighed.

“Yes, which brings us to the next point. I believe your orders were to bring Miss NSLICE-00P nominally under your command to the maximum extent possible? This does not seem to have occurred. Can you explain yourself, Legate?”

Legate Lucceius saluted once more.

“Yes sir. As you said, I was to bring Her Majesty under my command to the maximum extent possible, but to defeat the corrupted dungeon at all costs. As she is an Amiciti Populi Elteni and the Queen of the Dobhar, I judged the maximum extent possible to be treating her as an ally of equal standing.”

Magister Ausonius clasped his hands together.

“I believe you were aware she had been recruited by our contact at the Mage’s Academy on a mercenary contract? Did you consider making her compensation contingent on her cooperation with your command?”

Legate Lucceius shook his head.

“I did not, sir.”

“Why, may I ask?”

Legate Lucceius frowned.

“Because there was a corrupted dungeon only a frightfully short march from Corvanus that my troops could not handle, sir. We needed help to defeat it, so I prioritized that mission.”

Magister Ausonius tilted his head.

“What about Senior Mage Sidonia, or waiting for reinforcements from a knight order?”

Legate Lucceius shook his head.

“Senior Mage Sidonia informed me she would not be able to handle the situation alone due to the unfavorable attribute of the dungeon. And I was informed that I was to handle the situation with only the reinforcements from the Mage’s Academy, so I did. With respect, sir, a corrupted dungeon is too dangerous to delay our response, given what I’ve heard of their growth rate. I judged I did not have time to argue with an Imperial ally over the details of command when she was already willing to help. And I have already stated in my report that Her Majesty's help was critical to our success.”

Magister Ausonius nodded.

“Understood. Well, under the circumstances, you made the right call. Just be aware that not all of the higher ups are pleased with it.”

Legate Lucceius took a deep breath.

“Permission to speak freely, sir?”

Magister Ausonius raised an eyebrow but nodded.

“Granted.”

“What exactly was the point of that order? Her Majesty is an Imperial Friend and ally. Insisting on her falling under Legion command goes against all our protocol for that situation, and in my opinion she has already proven herself trustworthy. And it’s not like she’d join the Legion just by listening to my orders for one battle, even if she agreed.”

Magister Ausonius bit back a sigh, and muttered under his breath.

“What indeed…?”

“Sir?”

Magister Ausonius shook his head.

“I am not at liberty to describe all the plans in action here, Legate, but I can tell you this. There is great interest in Her Majesty NSLICE-00P and in establishing as firm and cordial a relationship with her as we can.”Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

The Legate nodded at that.

“Understood. Will that be all, sir?”

Magister Ausonius nodded.

“Yes, you are dismissed. Excellent work once again.”

Legate Lucceius saluted and then left the room. Once the door closed Magister Ausonius sighed.

“I tried to tell Magister Verrucosis that was pointless, you know, but he has some strong ideas about the ‘glory thief.’ Thank the Aesdes the order was vague and Legate Lucceius has a good head on his shoulders, this could have been a disaster otherwise. What was he thinking, holding back the knights here? Letting a corrupted dungeon grow out of control on the doorstep of Corvanus wouldn't be what I’d call a glorious victory.”

Magister Ausonius shook his head once again. Magister Verrucosis might be good at waxing poetic on military strength during the Imperial budget meetings, but his actual command decisions were a bit…optimistic, Magister Ausonius decided to say.

So Magister Ausonius understood exactly why Legate Lucceius had decided to essentially ignore the order and deal with the problem at hand. Any sane officer with an inkling of experience would have done the same, Magister Ausonius included.

The problem now being that Magister Ausonius would have to try and explain that to the most definitely sane and experienced Verrucosis, while…advising him on any impulsive follow-up orders. Magister Ausonius rubbed his chin.

Well, the Legion had sent an assault team along with NSLICE-00P and it was Senior Mage Sidonia who made the deal with her, so that wasn’t on Legion record as a mercenary contract. Likewise, only the assault team themselves actually saw NSLICE-00P take on the dungeon. So…if Magister Ausonius modified certain reports to downplay contributions by certain individuals…the Legion might receive a bit of a publicity boost. And most of all, a certain boss of his might be pleased to hear ‘his’ troops had defeated a corrupted dungeon.

Magister Ausonius took a deep breath.

Of course, the biggest issue was…would the woman herself be ok with that? Magister Ausonius got a massive migraine just thinking of the possibility that she would be as concerned with glory as some other people he knew. But he put that horrifying idea aside and tried to look at the situation logically. From all the reports and rumors he had on her, she didn’t appear to care about her public image whatsoever. She threatened that Drusus idiot in the streets, after all, and made no mention of her impressive deeds on her own. She seemed entirely focused on her own affairs.

In that case, if Magister Ausonius lent her some assistance on the side, maybe, just maybe, she’d be ok with him not giving her due credit in this report. Maybe. Possibly. Hopefully.

Magister Ausonius held his head and heaved another sigh. He couldn’t believe he was saying this, but sometimes he missed the days of running from cave trolls.

“I see.”

Aedile Hortensus rubbed his chin as he read over the report. He was still lying on his couch, though his hall was currently empty, save for the woman reporting to him. She nodded.

“What is your command?”

Aedile Hortensus shrugged, and tossed the report into the air towards her.

“Same as before, don’t approach. Let’s arrange a convoy to Turannia and see if we can’t establish some deals…give slightly favorable terms this time.”

The woman looked up and blinked with wide eyes. Hortensus narrowed his eyes.

“You disapprove?”

She lowered her head.

“Of course not, it’s just…”

Hortensus smiled.

“You think I’m foregoing an opportunity?”

The woman paused, before slowly nodding.

“By all my observations, this NSLICE-00P should be extremely easy for you to manipulate. She does not appear to understand what is going on around her, and directly states whatever she’s thinking. She has no concept of hiding her motives. She is either a master of deception who has completely deceived me…or she’s a naive child waiting to be preyed upon. If you do not take advantage of her, someone else will.”

Hortensus rubbed his chin and nodded.

“Well, you’re not wrong. Tell me, Helleria, what do you know of the Battle of the Pass of Teeth?”

Helleria tilted her head.

“I…am not familiar with that battle.”

Hortensus nodded.

“Once upon a time, Potitus Opsius Ianuarius was the greatest strategist in the Empire, winning countless battles against the Empire of the Sun and repelling the invasion of High Archon Bhukluih Phani. One day, a clan of ogres set up camp in the Pass of Teeth, launching raids on the nearby Imperial settlements. The local Legion responded but they were defeated. The Empire was humiliated by this loss to a bunch of savages, so it called in its most illustrious commander to deal with it.”

Hortensus took a moment to sip from his wine glass.

“Potitus pulled out all the stops, and orchestrated a brilliant and elaborate plan. The ogres would be drawn out of their fortifications by a small and agile force, and lured into a trap. Once they left, the knights would flank them and set fire to their fort, depriving the ogres of their supplies. After a long chase, when the ogres would be exhausted and hungry, they would be led into the trap. Heavy defensive fortifications would block their approach, the knights from behind would cut off their rear, and the ballistae would pick off their chief. They would be leaderless, exhausted, starving, and surrounded. It was expected that they would scatter and fall.”

Hortensus took another sip.

“And it worked like a charm. Events transpired exactly like Potitus had predicted. The ogres were lured out, their fort burned, and they walked right into the trap. Their leader was killed shortly after. And do you know what happened then?”

Hortensus smirked.

“The humiliation of Potitus. You see, the ogres did not scatter upon the death of the leader, but instead flew into a rage and assaulted the fortifications. The Legion was caught off guard and the defensive line broke. It turned out…the ogres didn’t care that their fort was burned or that there were knights to their rear because they never bothered to look behind them. They never realized they were in a trap to begin with, and didn’t bother to consider their supply situation, so their morale wasn’t affected at all. And killing their leader just made them mad. Potitus was not prepared for such a ferocious assault at that stage, so they broke his formation and he was forced to retreat. The leaderless ogres then spread across the area to terrorize its residents, leading to a long and frustrating campaign of hunting down individual monsters.”

Hortensus took a deep breath.

“The most brilliantly constructed plan can be shattered by brute force. This NSLICE-00P may not have a clue…but what she does have is overwhelming power, an easily provoked temper, and enough status to get away with it. So yes, I could likely dance circles around her, and have her at my beck and call with ease. But if she ever discovers the duplicity, if anything ever sets her off, she could burn down everything we’ve built in an instant. She is like a dragon, there is a risk of catastrophic failure to every interaction with her no matter how clever we are.”

Helleria slowly nodded at that. Hortensus continued.

“Well to be fair, if I thought she was amenable to wealth and luxury, I’d invite her here and show her our greatest hospitality. But from all our accounts, she does not care for niceties or material pleasures. She will fail to either notice or appreciate any sort of social gesture. As such, I think our best play is to avoid contact, take the business opportunities her existence presents in a non-offensive manner, and then subtly hinder the others’ schemes. Do keep an eye out for any way we could get into her graces, but do not take any action that could be construed as an insult. Let the proud bastions of Imperial tradition and the glory-hungry Legion fanatics test the dragon if they wish.”

Helleria bowed her head.

"As you wish."

Senator Balbus sat in a villa of egregious disrepair. It took every ounce of his willpower not to scowl at his surroundings. Or at the man of questionable hygiene sitting before him.

Right now, Balbus had need of these people. The man in front of him grinned with a crooked smile.

“You have yourself a deal, Senator. Your order will arrive shortly.”

Senator Balbus smiled, and managed not to wince as he shook the man’s smelly hand.

“Excellent.”

The man chuckled.

“We look forward to your continued patronage, esteemed Senator.”

“But of course. And I look forward to your continued service.”

With that, Balbus exited the villa, quickly climbing on an unmarked carriage that ran off into the night. He took a deep breath.

With that, his preparations were complete. Now all he had to do was figure out how to separate the beast from both her barbaric liege and the lowborn seductress calling herself a princess.

But as the Senator absconded in the night, a drunkard stirred on the ground of an alley close to the ruined villa.

A drunkard with a strangely large, curled up body under a ragged blanket and sharp, snake-like eyes.

“Well well well, look at what esteemed company the Senator’s keeping these days. Whatever could he be doing here, I wonder?”