Night Knight.

This time, the operation was entirely Inaya's own idea. She hadn't informed anyone in advance about her movements. It wasn't that she deliberately concealed her intent—the thought had simply sprung up during one of her idle strolls, and instead of turning back, she went straight to the Davole army encampment.

According to the intelligence they had, Davole had stationed two legions here, each with about six thousand soldiers, and another legion was still on its way. The battle would likely begin once that third legion arrived. Until then, the three divisions along the Tisser–Ajiti defensive line could only do their best to improve their fortifications.

The Fourth Army Group had previously tried to go on the offensive, but even just the magical barrier alone rendered the "god of the battlefield"—artillery—unable to exert its true power. In close combat, Dazilet troops were not a match for the Davole Holy State Army either. In fact, defending gave them more advantage: fortifications could inflict some damage and delay the enemy. Thus, the Fourth Army Group had fallen into a strategy of defending while slowly retreating, awaiting reinforcements from the General Staff—the Night Knights. Some even suggested staging a massive rout to force the General Staff to deploy an aerospace warship. But the army commander and his responsible officers were not about to gamble their careers that way.

"I am a messenger of the Ninth Legion. Here is a letter from our legion commander."

The hurried rider had been spotted from afar by the guards, but they relaxed once they saw his attire. When he displayed the message tube tied with a golden ribbon, they let him pass.

Inside the camp, the messenger led his horse at a slow pace, secretly observing every detail around him before finally bringing the horse to the stables. Then, in the blink of an eye, he shifted into the form of an unremarkable camp servant, blending in with a group of laborers heading off somewhere. After winding through the camp, they arrived at an area distinct from the other tents—its banners and ornaments were different, and the air was heavy with the scent of incense. This was the quarter where, according to rumors and battle reports, the "Red Robes" resided.

The patrolling soldiers in that quarter knew the laborers were there to clean up refuse, so they didn't interfere. That was precisely why Inaya chose this form, though she hadn't originally expected this group to bring her here. Following suit, she split off into one of the tents. In a discreet instant, she shifted into the shape of a small black cat—giving her the freedom to explore openly.

She first slipped into the nearest tent, where five people in crimson robes sat with eyes closed, gathered around an incense burner in the center, meditating or chanting silently. Four wore plain red robes, but the one seated in the middle had simple golden trim on his robe, marking him as their leader.

The little black cat padded silently through the incense-filled tent without disturbing them. She found nothing valuable inside. She had expected the Red Robes to wield some rune-carved tools, but aside from the black bracelets on their wrists, she saw nothing magical. Apparently, their spellcasting means were not as impressive as she imagined—even when she had once worked under a Lexomancer, she had seen better gear than what these "regular troops" possessed.

Finding nothing useful, Inaya scouted several nearby tents. They were all similar. So, judging from her earlier observations outside, she slipped into the main tent of the quarter. As expected, there she found something different.

In the center of the spacious tent stood a tall stone pillar of black-gray hue. Its shape was simple, just a perfect cylinder, flawlessly smooth without any irregularities, carved all over with runes painted in some special pigment. Inaya could feel the heavy concentration of magical energy around it, and the runes shimmered faintly gold under that power. Around the pillar, forty or fifty Red Robes sat chanting softly with their eyes closed.

Such a pillar inscribed with so many runes clearly had a special purpose. Yet Inaya could not read them, nor understand what effect their combination could produce. The only certainty was that this thing was important.

Marking the pillar in her memory, she left the Red Robes' camp and shifted back into the form of an ordinary soldier outside. Alone, all she could do was quietly gather intelligence—without knowledge of the enemy's details, reckless moves would only put her at a disadvantage. It was a lesson she had learned the hard way in her earliest missions as a shapeshifting assassin.

So, the final place she needed to investigate was…

Inaya recalled the large tent she had seen from above, in the center of the camp. That must be where the legion's leaders lived and worked.

The camp was large, and though remaining a cat was the least noticeable option, it was slow and tiring. For infiltration, Inaya preferred using her shapeshifting skills to quickly assume different identities—a mark of an experienced hand. Still, for slipping into a commander's tent, a cat was best. And indeed, the legion commander seated at his desk had not noticed the small feline creeping in.

"Legion Commander."

Before long, a man in crimson robes entered, bowing slightly. The commander returned the gesture. It paid to wait.

"Priest, I have called you here to discuss once more the placement of the Gus Sacred Pillar."

"What are your thoughts?"

The old man's robe was unlike the others Inaya had seen. It was richly decorated, and he leaned on a staff topped with a blue crystal. Though he did not seem to need it for walking, he wielded it as a symbol of authority, enhancing his presence.

"I think we should move the Sacred Pillar forward three hundred meters, so our forces can fight under its protection with fewer losses."

"The placement of the Sacred Pillar is the will of the Holy God. You know this."

The old man had no intention of negotiation; his words cut off all discussion. The commander blinked, but in the end, he could say nothing more.

"Your teaching is correct. This is the Holy God's trial for us. We must prove our courage and loyalty."

"Indeed. We have always lived under the Holy God's blessing. Now we must show our resolve to sacrifice for Him."

From behind a crate, Inaya listened closely, piecing together the clues.

Fewer losses under the Sacred Pillar's protection? Could it be that the pillar generated the magical barrier?

It wasn't hard to guess. That pillar was the only remarkable magical object she had seen in the camp. Before, she wasn't sure if they had others hidden away, but now with confirmation from two figures of authority, the truth was clear enough.

"Also, Legion Commander, it seems we have another guest here who wishes to hear the Holy God's teachings."

The old man's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he struck the ground with his staff. A deep resonance tore into Inaya's consciousness. Her shapeshifting magic had been dispelled?!