208: The final notice was, you know, necessary.

The imperial officers knew just how bad the situation was.

(You damn bee-looking bastard! We're surrounded on three sides by walls, trapped on a stone-paved flat! How the hell are we supposed to fight here?! We're just like bugs in a cage!)

Those who didn't understand tactics or were blinded by greed didn't get it. But anyone with half a brain could see how dangerous the space beyond the bridge really was.

Still, no one could resist. Not with that bee-man and that bastard Bairoroad around.

When half the imperial forces had started thinking about fleeing, the voice carried on the wind.

'Announcing to the imperial army.'

The speaker stood atop the wall. A boy. Sharp eyes, looking down on the imperial troops.

The imperial army doesn’t know it, but of course this is Kyle Goldendown von Elquisil, the Marquis of the Frontier himself.

Beside Kyle stands Alphard, surrounded by holy knights. Behind Kyle stand Eva, Camille, and Marilyn.

What’s about to happen is the final ultimatum to the imperial army. Originally, it was supposed to be Alphard or Zaid.

But Kyle refused to let anyone else do it. Naturally, everyone around him protested. Yet in the end, it was King Vaindeck himself who settled it with a single word: “If you want to do it, go ahead. But keep him guarded.”

Eva and Marilyn kept their senses sharp for long-range attacks, scanning the surroundings, ready to unleash powerful defensive magic the moment any spell or thrown weapon came near. They stayed on guard against enemies who might be hiding, so Camille never let up on her scouting.

‘To the Imperial Army.’

The same words rang out again.

‘You are encroaching on our territory. Cease hostilities immediately, sheath your weapons, and we will offer you a chance to talk.’

It was a remarkably sweet offer—coming from an empire already in the midst of invasion.

But many of the greedy Imperial soldiers heard it as weakness. It sounded like a declaration that they couldn’t win. Unluckily.

Of course, a few Imperial troops who already understood their disadvantage knew full well this was their final mercy.

‘If you keep fighting like this, our kingdom won’t show mercy to the Empire.’

Half the Imperial soldiers laughed. The other half froze in fear.

‘This is a personal message to each Imperial soldier.’

The Imperial army stirred at Kyle’s words.

‘If you wish to surrender, drop your weapons. Drop your armor. Run to the middle of the great bridge and wait. Your lives will be spared.’

The army buzzed again.

‘A large ship and guides are already waiting in the center of the bridge. Follow their instructions until the war ends.’

Kyle’s surrender terms were too specific. A few soldiers realized it. The kingdom had already prepared everything.

‘We tell you this one last time. Make a rational choice.’

Kyle finished speaking. He stepped back, flanked by his guards.

When Kyle entered Elxir Castle, Eva, who had been standing nearby, finally spoke.

"Lord Kyle. I know it's disrespectful to speak so bluntly to the lord... but I won't do this kind of work again. Please take better care of yourself."

Kyle smiled in reply.

"Yes. I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for the advice."

Zaid, watching from the corner of his eye, thought to himself, *He’ll probably mess up again. Is that alchemist’s influence getting to him?*

Seems like even from afar, the infamous alchemist was spreading trouble.

As for the infamous alchemist—Craft was at home, crying alongside Jabir, utterly consumed by alchemy.

"Uuuuugh! The extra Healing Potions aren’t done yet! Not yet! Not yet!"

"Ugh! No whining! Move your hands, not your mouth!"

"Alphard, you bastard! Just toss out orders like it's nothing!"

This massive new order was simply the refill for the Healing Potions consumed in the first battle by Mizuho's troops. Back then, we'd dumped the entire castle's stock straight into Don's Fort—so now, not only did we have to refill what was gone, but we had to make an emergency batch all at once, right in front of Craft.

Craft and Jabir worked together, churning out ridiculous amounts of potions.

"Not just Healing Potions—Stamina and Mana Potions too! What kind of 'fully stocked' is that supposed to be?!"

Before the war started, Alphard had told Craft the reserves were more than enough. Truth is, that hasn't changed—not one bit.

So why did Alphard ask Craft for a large amount of extra work? Three reasons.

One was the imperial army's collective ritual magic being powerful.

There's more than enough stored away, but just to be safe—Alphard's thinking, better to tap the bridge before crossing.

One was to keep Craft from doing anything unnecessary after the battle began, and focused on alchemy.

If we leave that damn alchemist idle, he’ll probably come up with some alchemical gadget that flips our strategy on its head again. Even if it’s useful, trying to bolt it into our plans without preparation? Just chaos.

Anyway, it's a bulk order—just so they don’t get any funny ideas.

The last one’s Maina’s business.

Maina, who looked up to Craft like a brother, was clinging to Kyle as tightly as ever now that he was busy.

That way, keeping Craft locked inside the manor meant Maina was automatically inside too—safety was easy to guarantee.

After the war broke out, the academy would be closed, of course. So being able to keep the lately unpredictable Maina in one place was Alphard’s biggest advantage.

…Though, naturally, Kyle’s alchemist, Jitarou, ended up just as busy as a result.

Jitarou knew Alphard’s plan, but still thought actually freeing Craft would be too risky. So he grumbled and sweat through the work with Kyle.

The shadow hero no one knew about? That was Jitarou.

Maina, meanwhile, watched the two desperately alchemizing with a grin. And Persia watched Maina with a happy smile.

In the midst of war’s final push, this one corner remained absurdly peaceful.

Meanwhile, in stark contrast to the peaceful alchemist’s house, the imperial army was cornered.

As Kyle spoke, the bee man stared at him, unmoving.

When Kyle stepped back, he snorted through his nose and called for the imperial commander.

“Hey. I’m stepping out for a bit. You all go ahead and attack while I’m gone.”

“H… huh?”

The commander of the main force, tasked with directly assaulting Golden Dune, twitched at the words.

“Bring me Bella. That’s what I was told—find this Kyle guy and call him.”

“Ah… um… does that mean you want me to bring Lady Bella to the front lines?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said. Just bring her. And you’d better at least knock down the city gate while I’m gone.”

The commander, unsure how long it would take the flying alien to return with Bella, grimaced even harder.

Even if the castle siege’s already tough, I can’t back a charge under these worst-case conditions.

“Commander. Better yet, our forces should retreat to the great bridge and flank the fortress. We risk being flanked ourselves, but take that fortress down, and we’ll have room to maneuver on the castle.”

The commander’s logic was sound. We should’ve flanked the fortress the moment we took the rear.

But the bee man wouldn’t budge.

“…You deaf? You gonna ignore my orders? You human, think you can defy a demon lord?”

The commander heard it.

“Demons…”

That ancient race. The ones who slaughtered humans without mercy, toyed with them for sport, left nothing but blood and ash.

The ones humanity drove out, after mastering magic.

I’ve thought it before. More than once. But it’s ridiculous. I can only deny it.

If, by some miracle, that bee man was a demon, there’d be nothing left to fight back with.

The great magic civilization that wiped out the demons? Gone.

That’s why I’d been trying not to think about it.

But the bee man said it clearly. Demon.

And as he said it, his sharp twin fangs clicked together.

“Listen. Break that cursed gate before we go back. Or else…”

“Y-yes, sir! The Imperial Army will launch an assault on the gate immediately!”

The bee man started to say something more, then shut his mouth.

“Work if you want to live.”

That was all he left behind. Then he hopped off the great bridge, leaping just above the water’s surface, vanishing backward into the distance.

Now there was only one thing left for the commander to do.

“All units! Attack!”

And so, a new front of war was opened.

The manga adaptation, Copper Alchemy, is restarting its serialization on MangaUp starting January 4, 2023!

Now, with a fresh start under the new system, illustrated by the talented Odayaka-sensei.

Stay tuned for more!