Chapter 5: "Fragrance Ring Art and the Flow of Spirits"
Crimson Lotus Kingdom - Tactical Bureau Fragrance Ring Room.
The air was sweet‚ soft‚ and swaying.
Fragrance Ring Art user Serina Noctia was blending the flow of scents.
Yug Sarion kept his poetry collection open and gazed at the scent's trajectory.
On his shoulder‚ the spirit Lux was perched.
Tiny particles of light trembled faintly‚ reacting to the scent.
（Spirits that react to scent... are you really specialized in narration?
……No‚ because the fire of narration is wrapped in scent‚ so you are wrapped in it too. The logic of spirits is difficult.）
"Fragrance Ring Art is like a membrane that wraps the fire of narration.
It prepares the space with scent so that spirits don't escape."
Serina said while rotating the fragrance ring.
Her hand movements were graceful‚ yet without hesitation.
"Scent touches memory.
Before the narration reaches them‚ the scent opens the hearts of spirits.
……Well‚ I'm not sure if spirits even have what you'd call a 'heart.'"
Yug nodded.
"Narration is fire. Scent is wind.
If fire is wrapped in wind‚ it will spread and burn.
But if the wind is too strong‚ the fire will be extinguished."
（The fire of narration is wrapped in scent‚ and the spirits react.
But if the scent is too strong‚ my stomach reacts. ……Lux‚ are you strong against scents?）
Lux floated gently‚ circled once inside the fragrance ring‚ and returned.
Yug smiled slightly.
"……You seem to be strong. The sense of smell of spirits should not be underestimated."
At that moment‚ Illmina Ferna raised her hand slightly at the edge of the formula diagram.
Without speaking to anyone or being spoken to‚ she was simply adjusting the trajectory of light.
"……The flow of the fragrance ring‚ the coordinates…… they're not off…… I think……"
Her voice was trembling‚ but the light coordinates were precise.
Lux floated gently‚ circled once above Illmina's formula diagram‚ and returned to Yug's shoulder.
（Lux‚ did you approve of her too? Her light does not disturb the scent.
When narration is wrapped in scent‚ her light illuminates the path.）
Serina said while adjusting the fragrance ring.
"Illmina's light has good compatibility with scent.
It guides the scent without disturbing the silence.
The light draws the trajectory so that the fire of narration does not lose its way."
Lumina Valtia spoke quietly from the place of silence.
"Silence‚ scent‚ and light. The triple field that wraps the fire of narration.
I'm beginning to see‚ little by little‚ why the spirits do not escape."
Yug closed his poetry collection.
"Narration is not structure‚ but emotion.
But emotion alone cannot reach.
Only when there is silence‚ scent‚ and light does narration become a field."
Lux trembled slightly on his shoulder and gently touched the cover of the poetry collection.
（You are the only spirit that stays close to the fire of narration.
But because you are here‚ I can continue to narrate.
If you shine even within the scent.）
| Fragrance Ring Art and the Flow of Spirits.
| The fire of narration was wrapped in scent and reached the spirits.
| The scent touched memory and turned the fire into prayer.
| Still‚ no one knows.
| That the day will come when this fire turns the battlefield into prayer.
Chapter 6: "The Empire Sharpens Its Fangs for a Swift Attack"
Empire - Tactical Research Institute.
In an underground room surrounded by cold stone walls‚ Leonis Valgray was staring at the tactical map.
Behind him stood his adjutant‚ Schvir Kainess‚ and staff officer Milfi Elna.
Narration and poetry did not exist here. There was only structure and speed.
"……The Crimson Lotus Kingdom's new tactic. Tactical design through narration?"
Leonis's voice was low‚ but his eyes were burning.
Having become a soldier at 16 and called a hero of the Empire‚ he was now at the center of ambition aiming for world unification.
Milfi presented the documents.
Her movements were precise‚ and her voice was clear and resolute.
"Abnormal reactions in the spirit field have been confirmed.
There are also multiple cases where soldiers' morale collapsed due to narration.
……It's a poetic tactic‚ but we cannot ignore it."
Leonis frowned.
"Fighting with poetry? That is not a tactic.
A structure dependent on emotion is unstable in military affairs."
Schvir spoke quietly.
"However‚ if it reaches the hearts of soldiers‚ it has value that cannot be measured by speed alone.
If narration becomes a weapon‚ it could also become a power to protect."
Milfi lowered her gaze for a moment.
"……I might have been slightly drawn to narration as well."
Leonis looked at her but said nothing.
Instead‚ he rewrote the tactical map in one go.
"Then we crush it with a swift attack.
We suppress it with structure before the narration reaches.
We can just trample the spirit field."
Milfi traced the map with her fingertip.
"The fire of narration takes time to ignite.
Then we surround it with speed and crush the spark.
Poetry will not make it in time on the battlefield."
Schvir muttered quietly.
"Poetry collections are paper‚ after all. More like paper bombs than sparks. They seem weak to moisture."
Leonis laughed.
"But fire is fire.
We blow it away with wind before it spreads.
Our swift attack leaves no margin for narration."
At that time‚ in the Crimson Lotus Kingdom‚ Yug was opening his poetry collection.
Serina was blending the fragrance ring‚ Lumina was preparing the place of silence‚ and Illmina was drawing the contours of light.
On Yug's shoulder‚ the spirit Lux was perched.
A tiny particle of light that reacts only to the fire of narration.
It was quietly staying close to Yug's narration as he devised measures against the Empire's swift attack.
"……The Empire has started to move.
It seems they are designing swift-attack tactics to counter narration."
Serina's voice swayed like scent.
Yug closed his poetry collection.
"Swift attack‚ huh. They plan to crush the field before the narration reaches."
（Narration is fire. But igniting the spark takes time.
The Empire's swift attack is like a boot sole trampling the spark.
……It would be nice if the poetry collection had fire resistance.）
Lumina spoke quietly.
"The margins of silence are erased.
The fire of narration will no longer reach."
Illmina muttered while drawing the formula diagram‚ thinking no one was listening.
"……The spark‚ we might be able to…… protect it…… with light……"
Lux floated gently‚ circled once above Illmina's formula diagram‚ and returned to Yug's shoulder.
（Lux‚ did you approve of her too? Her light does not lose to swift attacks.
Before the narration is crushed‚ the light creates a path.）
Serina smiled.
"That's like a magical ideal."
Yug narrowed his eyes.
"It's just analysis results. Also‚ do swift-attack soldiers even have time to read poetry?"
Lumina spoke quietly.
"……That phrasing‚ I've been hearing it a lot lately."
Illmina smiled modestly.
"It might even be contagious to spirits."
Lux trembled slightly on his shoulder and gently touched the cover of the poetry collection.
（You are the only spirit that stays close to the fire of narration.
Even if chased by speed‚ as long as you are here‚ the narration will not disappear.）
| The Empire Sharpens Its Fangs for a Swift Attack.
| The fire of narration was chased by structure and nearly lost its field.
| Even so‚ the fire did not go out.
| Still‚ no one knows.
| That the day will come when this fire reaches memory beyond speed.
Chapter 7: "The Dying Embers of the Six Stars‚ Design Complete"
Crimson Lotus Kingdom - Tactical Bureau Underground Archive.
Yug Sarion sat in the place of silence with his poetry collection open.
Scent swayed‚ light drew contours‚ and spirits began to gather quietly.
On his shoulder‚ the spirit Lux was perched.
A tiny particle of light that reacts only to the fire of narration.
It stayed close to Yug's narration and watched over the completion of the trajectory.
（The fire split into six. Like a constellation.
If spirits dwell in each star‚ narration will become a tactic that draws the night sky.
……But when my delusions reach astronomical scale‚ my stomach can't keep up.）
"……The dying embers of the six stars. The fire of narration has split into six trajectories."
Illmina Ferna muttered while drawing the light formula diagram.
She did not make eye contact with anyone and focused solely on the diagram.
"The contours of memory correspond to the six spirits.
Each is reacting to a different aspect of the narration."
Serina Noctia said while adjusting the fragrance ring.
"I divided the scents into six types as well. Designed so that spirits dwell in the 'scent of memory.'"
Lumina Valtia spoke while deepening the place of silence.
"Silence is also divided into six layers. The margins of narration become the dwelling place of spirits."
Yug closed his poetry collection.
"By splitting the fire of narration into six trajectories‚ the spirits can dwell stably.
This is the dying embers of the six stars. The tactical design of narration is complete."
Lux floated gently‚ circled the center of the six trajectories once‚ and returned.
Yug smiled slightly.
"……You approve too‚ huh. A spirit at the center of a constellation is pretty cool."
At that time‚ in the Empire's Tactical Research Institute‚ Leonis Valgray was staring at the tactical map.
Schvir Kainess stood quietly behind him.
Milfi Elna kept silent while organizing the documents.
"……The dying embers of the six stars. They plan to dye the battlefield with poetry?"
Leonis's voice was cold‚ but his eyes were burning.
"By dividing the fire of narration into six‚ they stabilize the spirit field.
As a structure‚ it's interesting. But it's slow. Far too slow."
Schvir spoke quietly.
"However‚ if it reaches the hearts of soldiers‚ it has value that cannot be measured by speed alone.
Even the world you aim for may need narration."
Leonis fell silent for a moment.
"……I will unify the world.
Burn away the corrupt old system and build a permanent order.
Narration is an ideal. But ideals should follow structure."
Milfi spoke quietly while tracing the edge of the documents with her finger.
"……The fire of narration touches memory.
Narration reaches places structure cannot.
It feels a bit of a waste to dismiss it as 'slow.'"
Leonis looked at her but said nothing.
Instead‚ he rewrote the tactical map in even finer detail.
"Then we crush it with a swift attack.
We suppress it with structure before the narration reaches.
We can just trample the spirit field."
That night‚ in the Crimson Lotus Kingdom‚ the dying embers of the six stars were completed‚
and the spirits dwelled in their respective trajectories.
Narration was fire.
Fire was memory.
Memory was spirit.
Yug opened his poetry collection and spoke quietly.
Lux trembled slightly on his shoulder and gazed at the six trajectories.
"……If this fire can protect someone.
If this narration can become someone's sword.
I will continue to narrate."
（But I'll keep stomach medicine on hand. Spirits are kind‚ but my delusions are extreme.）
| The Dying Embers of the Six Stars‚ Design Complete.
| The fire of narration split into six trajectories and dwelled in the spirits.
| The Empire sharpens its swift attack‚ and the Crimson Lotus lights the narration.
| Still‚ no one knows.
| That the day will come when this fire changes the world.
Chapter 8: "Narration Reaches the Battlefield"
Crimson Lotus Kingdom - Northern Frontline.
In the foggy hilly area‚ a narration formation was set up.
Place of silence‚ flow of the fragrance ring‚ trajectory of light.
The dying embers of the six stars were deployed in actual combat for the first time.
Yug Sarion stood at the seat of narration with his poetry collection open.
On his shoulder‚ the spirit Lux was perched.
The tiny particle of light stayed close to the fire of narration and trembled faintly at the presence of the battlefield.
（Reading poetry on the battlefield is madness when you think about it calmly.
But ideals only light up in the midst of madness. ……Lux‚ aren't you going to run away?）
Lux floated gently‚ circled the narration trajectory once‚ and returned.
Yug smiled slightly.
"……You won't run away‚ huh. The courage of spirits should not be underestimated."
Serina Noctia said while adjusting the fragrance ring.
"Scent stable. Spirit field reacting.
The fire of narration is ready to reach."
Lumina Valtia spoke while deepening the place of silence.
"Margin secured. Narration vessel stable.
Spirits are beginning to dwell in the silence."
Illmina Ferna muttered quietly while drawing the light formula diagram.
"……Fifth trajectory‚ light intensity…… stable.
Spirits…… are reacting…… I think……"
Yug opened his poetry collection and began to narrate quietly.
"“The dying embers of the six stars dwell in the trajectories of narration and turn the battlefield into prayer.”"
At those words‚ the air trembled.
Scent swayed‚ silence deepened‚ and light drew contours.
Spirits began to gather along the trajectories.
Lux lit a quiet light at the center.
At that time‚ the Imperial Army was deploying swift-attack tactics.
A structure-focused assault formation designed by Leonis Valgray.
The speed that would suppress the field before narration could reach was about to swallow the Crimson Lotus frontline.
Schvir Kainess spoke while giving instructions at the front.
"……Break the formation before the narration reaches.
That is Lord Leonis's tactic."
Milfi Elna muttered quietly while recording in the rear.
"But if it does reach…… what will happen?"
Leonis spoke while looking at the front.
"Don't let it reach. Narration is fire.
Crush the spark. Burn away the ideal with structure."
At that moment‚ the fire of narration lit up in the Crimson Lotus formation.
Yug's voice reached the battlefield.
"“Even without drawing a sword‚ prayer reaches.
Fire touches memory and shakes the heart.”"
The Imperial soldiers' feet stopped slightly.
Scent swayed‚ silence enveloped them‚ and light drew trajectories.
Spirits began to float around the soldiers.
Lux floated gently‚ circled the center of the battlefield once‚ and returned.
Yug closed his poetry collection.
"……Narration reached.
The fire burned.
The spirits responded."
（But I forgot the stomach medicine. If my delusions run wild on the battlefield‚ I'll collapse before the spirits.）
Serina smiled.
"Your narration reached the battlefield.
The spirits are responding to the prayer."
Lumina spoke quietly.
"Silence protected the narration.
The fire dwelled in the margin."
Illmina muttered quietly while looking at the formula diagram.
"……Light reached.
The spirits…… didn't run away……"
Lux trembled slightly on his shoulder and gently touched the cover of the poetry collection.
| Narration Reaches the Battlefield.
| The fire crossed structure and touched memory.
| The spirits responded to prayer and stopped the swords.
| Still‚ no one knows.
| That the day will come when this fire changes the world.
Chapter 9: "The Shaken Empire‚ the Margins of Narration"
Empire - Frontline Command Room.
In front of the wall lined with tactical maps‚ Leonis Valgray was silent.
The fire of narration had reached the battlefield.
Soldiers' feet stopped‚ and spirits trembled.
"……Did the narration reach?"
His voice was low‚ but it was clearly trembling.
Next to him‚ Schvir Kainess spoke quietly.
"The soldiers stopped before drawing their swords.
It seems the fire of narration reached them through the spirit field."
Milfi Elna chose her words carefully while looking at the records.
"It's a reaction that cannot be explained by structure.
Perhaps the narration touched the soldiers' 'memories.'"
Leonis frowned.
"Touch memory? Tactics are speed‚ not memory.
Narration is nothing more than noise that disrupts structure."
Schvir lowered his eyes slightly.
"But if noise shakes the heart‚ it may not be a weapon‚ but a prayer."
Milfi spoke while tracing the edge of the documents with her finger.
"……I might have been slightly drawn to narration as well.
Narration reaches places structure cannot.
It feels a bit of a waste to dismiss it as 'slow.'"
Leonis looked at her but said nothing.
Instead‚ he rewrote the tactical map in even finer detail.
"Then we strengthen the structure.
We crush the margins of narration.
We can just trample the spirit field."
At that time‚ in the Crimson Lotus Kingdom‚ Yug Sarion was opening his poetry collection.
On his shoulder‚ the spirit Lux was perched.
A tiny particle of light that reacts only to the fire of narration.
It was quietly watching over the Empire's shaking.
（The Empire shook. The narration reached.
But the shaking is only for a moment. The structure will be reinforced immediately.
……Lux‚ do you dwell in that moment?）
Lux floated gently‚ circled the narration trajectory once‚ and returned.
Yug smiled slightly.
"……You dwell in it‚ huh. The judgment of spirits should not be underestimated."
Serina Noctia said while adjusting the fragrance ring.
"The Empire's spirit field is shaking.
The fire of narration slipped into the gaps in the structure."
Lumina Valtia spoke while deepening the place of silence.
"Silence reached the Empire's structure.
The narration vessel is beginning to spread to the enemy camp as well."
Illmina Ferna muttered quietly while drawing the light formula diagram.
"……Sixth trajectory‚ reaction…… on the Empire side too…… spirits are shaking……"
Yug closed his poetry collection.
"Narration is fire.
But fire rides the wind.
It enters the gaps in structure and touches memory."
Lux trembled slightly on his shoulder and gently touched the cover of the poetry collection.
（You are the only spirit that stays close to the fire of narration.
Even if the structure shakes‚ as long as you are here‚ the narration will not disappear.）
| The Shaken Empire‚ the Margins of Narration.
| The fire entered the gaps in structure and touched memory.
| The spirits responded to prayer and stopped the swords.
| Still‚ no one knows.
| That the day will come when this fire changes the world.
|