Three hours before the Gingerbread Castle appeared above Tirna.
Mayor Deliphiros was facing the Wise King.
"Deliphiros."
Click. Click. The Wise King opened and closed the aperture of one artificial eye as he stared at Deliphiros.
"Why didn't you do as I instructed?"
An interrogation with little emotion contained in it. But for Deliphiros, it was pressure more violent than any wave.
"I told you. At the place where the five mayors gather, to relentlessly bite at the other party's weaknesses. This current time was the most optimal moment to diminish Mayor Rumpelstiltskin's reputation. It was a situation where you could raise your influence. While reducing the witch's influence."
Wise King Solenon could see everything in the city. Within the flowing situation, he devised a method for how Deliphiros could expand his influence.
He had thought through and informed him of the optimal method. Yet Deliphiros did not listen to Solenon's words.
"Lord Solenon. If I had done so, my influence might certainly have risen as planned. I would have scratched the overwhelming status that the proud Golden Witch possesses."
Deliphiros asked.
"But by doing so, what help would that be to this city?"
One of Solenon's eyebrows rose. The wrinkles carved into his face deepened. Just as anger could be felt, Solenon curled his lips and smiled with a hiss. It was a disgusting smile just to look at.
"Deliphiros. I know you're not asking me that out of genuine curiosity. You have rejected my command. Even though you climbed to that position thanks to me, you've grown quite big."
"I won't deny that I had your help. But that's not all there is to it."
"Hehehe. Yes, I knew you were this kind of fellow. You've become mayor, so you have nothing left to fear."
"No. There are many things I fear. As long as I'm human, that's not easy. Controlling emotions. I keenly feel how difficult that is. I know better than anyone what happened to those who tried to resist you until now, having watched from beside you."
Deliphiros chuckled.
"That's why. Because I'm human. Because I'm a human who fears everything. That's why I'm doing this. If I just bow down because I'm afraid, what difference is there from a beast? So I made a choice. Even if the object of that fear is you."
"You've grown quite big. Quite big. That foolish brat."
Solenon looked at Deliphiros and recalled the past. It was he himself who had picked up and raised the child from the back alleys who had nothing. He fed him, gave him a place to sleep, taught him, and spared no support so he could enter Tirna's politics.
"And yet you betray me like this."
"I'm not the brat you think I am. I'm a proper adult now."
Deliphiros said.
"And you didn't bestow grace upon me. You just did it to make a convenient chess piece to use. You chose and raised me? Did you think I wouldn't know that to make someone like me, you selected and discarded countless children similar to me?"
Deliphiros knows that he is merely the most successful work among countless attempts. If he had slipped up even a little, he too would have become a discarded product.
Their final fate—Deliphiros knows it well, precisely because he is who he is.
"You made me like this. To become a mayor for humans. To drive out all other demi-human races. From childhood, through persistent education, you planted such thoughts in me like seeds. But you know what? I'm different from other children. I don't blindly worship the knowledge that was instilled."
"......"
"Everything I've done until now. It was nothing more than an act to suit your tastes. But that's over now."
Boom!
A tremendous impact sound rang out from the ground. It was the sound of explosives. It was also a moment of invasion that should never have occurred here.
"Thanks to the typhoon brought by the sea dragon, your surveillance system was badly damaged. I had a hard time bringing forces here through that gap."
"......"
"You made me like this, but there were things among what you instructed that I sincerely followed. Especially the part about being for humans moved my heart."
But Deliphiros continued.
"You are not human."
He declared in a cold and solemn voice.
"An old and shabby monster who wants to live longer and endlessly prolongs life. That's what you are. Living miserably while trampling on others' lives, and just living without purpose. That's what you are, the monster called Solenon. Look at that appearance. Who on earth would see you as human?"
Bang! Bang! The sound of explosions gradually drew closer. It meant they were rapidly reaching the location that could be called the deepest part of security.
"That's why. Since you were the one who claimed it was for humans, you'll understand this choice of mine, won't you?"
Even though he was cornered by betrayal from Deliphiros, whom he had personally raised, Solenon's expression was calm.
"Deliphiros. You see, I don't think all humans are equal."
"What are you suddenly talking about?"
"A person's value is determined from birth. Of course, in the current era, it can be said that it changes due to environmental factors and effort after birth. But ultimately, innate nature cannot be changed. That's what a human being is."
Despite being betrayed, Solenon did not get angry. He was just calm, as if he had prepared for such a moment.
"Difference in temperament. Even if you try something through effort, you can't change the essence. Even if you decorate the exterior, the contents remain the same. That's why I decided to focus on value rather than humans. And what has the highest value? That is knowledge."
"Knowledge?"
"Yes. Knowledge. What you know. The power of knowing. The more and deeper the knowledge, the higher the value rises. You can pass it on to future generations. The more knowledge one has, the higher their value. Yes, I can say with certainty that I am the most valuable existence in the world. In order for this knowledge not to perish before time, I had to survive. To give more knowledge to future generations. Even with this shabby appearance."
Deliphiros listened to those words and laughed as if it was absurd.
"For knowledge? To increase value? Stop spouting such bullshit. A person who values worth so much, why have you been eliminating all excellent people until now? Your words are full of contradictions. Wise King Solenon. No, now it's embarrassing to even call you Wise King. You simply want to live. You're just a shabby monster bringing up all kinds of excuses because you're afraid of dying. So die. For the city, for humanity."
Before long, the explosions that had been continuing stopped. Footsteps could be heard trudging through the darkness.
Behind Deliphiros, Tirna's special forces revealed themselves. Every single one of them was an excellent expert and heavily armed. Leading them at the front was Sestain.
"Phew. Who would have thought such a place was hidden in the city. And not anywhere else, but underground where the mayor resides."
"Executive Sestain. Well done."
"Well, that was the deal. Now I just need to eliminate that thing."
Solenon was docile even as invaders approached right before his nose in his own domain. Was it that he was too old and had no strength left to resist? If not that, did he have some other scheme?
It was the moment Deliphiros' eyes sharpened.
Sssss.
Solenon grinned. It was a disgusting smile that sent chills down one's spine just looking at it.
"To be betrayed like this by a child I trusted. How unfortunate."
He said that, but he didn't seem regretful at all. Rather, as if he knew this would happen, his voice was even indifferent.
"But Deliphiros. You took me lightly. You said so, didn't you? That I want to live. Yes, I want to live longer. I absolutely cannot tolerate discarding this knowledge along with death. That something valuable perishes helplessly in the passage of time is far too cruel. If that's the law of the world, I will twist even that law."
Creak.
The mechanical devices around Solenon moved. Among them, one of the old and worn mechanical arms brought a mirror fragment before Solenon.
"......!"
Recognizing the mirror fragment, Sestain immediately placed his hand on the sword at his waist.
"Everyone fall back!"
The moment Solenon drew his sword from its sheath along with the warning. A massive light burst forth from the mirror fragment and swallowed the surrounding area.
Osian, who climbed to the rooftop of a building, saw the giant Gingerbread Castle floating in the sky.
That Gingerbread Castle appeared without any interference, as if mocking Tirna's air defense network. Like a mirage.
'That is the witch's power. Witchcraft.'
A transcendent ability that defies logic.
Soon the Gingerbread Castle began sounding its trumpet fanfare. The citizens must have heard it too. The city's alarm sounds mixed with the Gingerbread Castle's trumpet fanfare.
Below, frightened citizens could be seen fleeing in terror. But Tirna's response was also quick.
As if they had foreseen this would happen, air force units immediately deployed. On the ground too, guards quickly guided citizens and maintained order.
However, considering the military power the Gingerbread Castle had shown before, no matter how quickly they responded, the damage would not be small. Just the malicious Gingerbread Castle pouring down bombardment would turn the area into scorched earth, and countless citizens would die.
'So I must step forward.'
Osian wore the Starlight Armor. Pure white starlight swallowed his entire body. A cloak that wrapped around the night sky flowed down over his shoulders.
It didn't stop there. Behind Osian's back, the Sun, Moon, and Stars rose.
He aimed the Starlight Sword at the sky. The target was the Gingerbread Castle floating in the sky. Did they feel this wave of power from over there as well? He could feel the candy cannons on the Gingerbread Castle aiming this way.
"It's already too late."
The power flowing from the emblem of the Sun, Moon, and Stars transformed into a tangible sword. As soon as the sword was completed, it shot toward the Gingerbread Castle, creating a pure white line in the empty air.
The Gingerbread Castle itself had powerful protective magic cast on it. It was sturdy enough to be unscathed by ordinary bombardment. But it was useless before the sword of the Sun, Moon, and Stars.
Flash!
Kwaaaaang!
Along with the moment the flash glinted, a massive explosion occurred. The shockwave swallowed the surrounding area. And most of the aftermath swept through the Gingerbread Castle.
The Gingerbread Castle is solid. Though it's made of things like biscuits and cookies, its hardness exceeds metal. After the last incident, whether Hansel and Gretel had worked harder on reinforcement, the outer walls looked thicker and sturdier.
But it wasn't only them who had become stronger. Osian too had become incomparably stronger than when he shot up the Sun Ring Sword last time.
The result was right now.
Thirty percent of the Gingerbread Castle hit by Osian's sword was blown away. A corner of the castle, which was so massive it even felt artistic, completely collapsed, dropping countless candy debris to the ground. Mixed in with it were even soldiers made of candy.
The sight of it collapsing as if a child had kicked over a sandcastle was unrealistic. It collapsed so refreshingly that it even felt exhilarating to watch.
Indeed, the power of the Sun, Moon, and Stars was strong.
It was similar when he threw the Sun Ring Sword, but now it was much easier and produced a far more powerful effect than then. The parts close to the center of the explosion were completely annihilated without even leaving debris. It was fair to say it had been gouged out.
"Still, it holds on."
The Gingerbread Castle wasn't shot down, but having suffered a fatal blow, it neither sounded its trumpet nor dropped jelly or candy bombs to the ground. They must have felt quite a shock. Either the Gingerbread Castle's functions were paralyzed, or those controlling it had fallen into panic.
He should feel relief just from that, but Osian did not.
'It hasn't even started yet.'
The Gingerbread Castle was merely a part of the power they possessed. The ones that could be called the main force hadn't appeared yet.
The Gingerbread Castle had appeared suddenly as if mocking this side's air defense network. Then what about the others? The familiars and witches who joined hands with Mother Goose.
There was no guarantee they wouldn't appear in a similar way. Rather, they would certainly appear that way.
[Emergency!]
It was a sound that flowed from the radio Alensia, who had followed Osian up, received.
[District 26! A giant has appeared here! It's, it's ridiculously huge!] [Mother Goose's familiars have appeared in District 32!] [District 42...!]
Noises echoed from all over the radio. They were cries mixed with the fear of being attacked by Mother Goose throughout the entire city.