What the hell am I doing?

I know damn well what’ll happen if I pull something like this.

As Lord Road’s knight, it’s a total black mark.

I might even get booted from the military and lose my shot at achieving my goal.

So, what? Should I have just turned a blind eye?

Like that time? Just scream and cry while watching the powerless get butchered?

Now I’ve got power, and there are lives I could save just by stepping in…

A mountain of rubble. A mountain of twisted metal.

Gunpowder smoke mingled with dust clouds swirling across the wasteland.

The lone Knight of the Giant stood there.

Evacuation was already complete. All that remained were Kenya and the Earthguard forces he’d blocked.

“Nearly annihilated… by… just one machine? No way in hell!”

Major Nez’s face drained of color as he surveyed the battlefield.

It wasn’t their full force today, but KOG-wise, they still had about twenty units.

All of them scrapped, combat ineffective, without him even breaking a sweat.

“This is insane. What kind of strength is that? Even as Lord Road’s knight, it’s ridiculous.”

Major Nez trailed off, at a loss for words.

But he was in for an even bigger shock when the next figure appeared.

“Mind taking me to him? He’s my knight, after all.”

“Huh!?”

From the vehicle that pulled up right in front of them stepped a boy in pristine clothes wildly out of place on the battlefield.

If you lived in the Empire, you might see his face every single day.

The de facto No. 2 of the nation.

The second prince of the clan that ruled the world.

“L-L-L-Lord Road!!??”

…

“Haa… What a mess. No excuses left at this point…”

After the battle ended, Kenya’s KOG lingered in place for a while.

He had no idea what to do next.

Then a single car approached.

Kenya tensed up instinctively as it stopped right in front of him.

A lone boy stepped out, carrying something.

The car drove off, leaving just Kenya and…

“Road!?”

“I’ve pulled all forces back. Attacks are halted. Come on down, Kenya—no need to worry. Let’s talk.”

Those words put Kenya at ease.

Trusting Road completely, he dismounted his KOG as instructed.

“Road… sorry.”

“No, this is on me. I knew your personality and sent you into battle anyway. I expected some fighting, but I never thought my brother would order the slaughter of kids too. To think he’s sunk that low…”

Road pulled a fruit from the bag he was carrying.

“He used to have parts worth respecting… Here, eat. Might calm you down with something in your mouth. My favorite.”

It was a plump, deep purple cluster.

“Huh? Grapes?”

Not many people would call grapes their absolute favorite.

Kenya liked them fine, but he wasn’t particularly attached.

The unexpected pick loosened the tension that had gripped him.

“These are good. Prime grapes.”

“You can tell? They are top-shelf, sure…”

“Nah, no clue. Just know they taste great.”

“Haha, figures. But you know, when you think about it, we barely know each other. You had no idea I love grapes or why. Even though we’re entrusting our lives to one another.”

“Yeah.”

“So today, I’ll tell you—nobody else knows this—why I love grapes.”

“The reason behind the grapes? So, like… your past?”

“Yeah. Doesn’t it strike you as weird? Why a royal like me ends up with stuff this good?”

“You gonna toot your own horn like that?”

“Compared to Sis, anyone’s a saint.”

“Heh. Fair point.”

The dark joke drew a small laugh from him.

Munching on the grapes Road brought, the two leaned against the KOG, chatting like old pals.

Before he knew it, Kenya’s guard was completely down.

Seeing that, Road’s speech grew more casual by the minute.

After some light banter, Road turned serious and met Kenya’s eyes.

“Alright, let’s talk. About my past. See, I…”

Popping grapes and staring at them, Road began recounting his history.

“I grew up on a grape farm.”

“Road, help with the harvest?”

“Sure thing!”

This was the edge of the EU.

The Earthguard Empire’s border wasn’t far off.

“You’re eight already, Road. Still a ways off from wine, though…”

“I like grapes better than wine anyway! Wine’s bitter!”

“Oh dear, too young to appreciate it yet…”

The boy munched grapes as he harvested, living happily with his mother.

Her name was Scarlet. A typical single mom who adored her son, and vice versa.

The world was at peace, skies blue, weather perfect.

On mornings like this, nothing beat napping in the meadow.

The boy and his mother basked in the pleasant sunshine.

Until that day.

…

“Advance!”

The world’s largest empire launched a sudden invasion.

The sky filled with massive black shadows— the Empire’s latest KOGs heading for the EU.

The Earthguard Empire had been tied up with internal strife and resistance lately, staying put.

But now fully unified, governance solidified, forces assembled.

Their target: the massive union dividing the world.

The European Union, or EU.

And so began the large-scale offensive on the EU.

It would later be known as the EU War—the greatest conflict ever.

…

“Scarlet!”

“Brother!”

Scarlet—Road’s mother—rushed to her brother Daniel, an EU army general.

The EU struck back hard, fierce battles raging along the border daily.

But the tide was turning against them.

The EU had KOGs too, but a crippling pilot shortage.

The Empire had poured resources into training elite pilots these past years.

The EU had ample funds from Asia Union aid, but pilots couldn’t be made overnight.

And among the Empire’s ranks, the ace-class Holy Knights shone brightest in this war.

Some would later rise to Holy Knight Captain.

“You two, get out of here! The front’s holding for now, but the border could break any second!”

“No, I’m staying. I’m your sister, after all.”

“But… Road.”

“If worst comes to worst, I’ll use our last resort. Better to stay near the front for that.”

With that, Scarlet handed Road a ring.

Too big for his finger yet, so she made it a necklace and hung it around his neck.

“Mom, what’s this?”

“I’ll explain someday. It’s a charm to protect you.”

Daniel nodded at the sight.

“…Yeah, that’s the absolute last resort, but… fine. At least come to base. If it hits the fan, I’ll drag you out myself.”

“All right.”

And so the war began.

Back and forth at the border—falling, felling.

But the lines crumbled bit by bit.

…

“Damn it!”

Daniel’s roar echoed through the lodging where he, Scarlet, and Road stayed.

“At this rate… not even a week. Three days, tops…”

Sleepless, he pored over maps and models on the desk, running sim after sim.

But no matter how he ran it, this sector’s front would collapse.

Lose here, and the other border lines would domino. They couldn’t afford defeat.

What followed would be hell.

The endless losses and hopeless tomorrows boiled over—he’d shouted in his sleep spot.

“Brother…”

“Ah, sorry. Woke you, huh.”

“Uncle Daniel? What’s wrong?”

“Just some troubles. Sorry, Road.”

Road climbed onto Daniel’s lap.

“What’s this?”

(Time for a breather. Might spark an idea.)

Thinking that, Daniel patiently explained the map and models to Road.

Maybe it’d lead to a breakthrough.

“Right, impressive—you got it first try. This is the enemy, this us. This spot’s the one we absolutely can’t let them pass. A defensive battle.”

“Then this?”

“Enemy base. Take it, we win—but fat chance.”

“Why?”

“Hm? See the enemy here? Gotta get past ’em first.”

“But if you pull this, their piece moves here, right? Since that’s the goal. Then send this other piece around the mountain from the side—boom, you’re there. Enemy rushes back to base, you pursue and pinch ’em?”

“Road, enough! You’re bothering Uncle—bedtime!”

Scarlet grabbed his hand to drag him off.

“Wait, Scarlet.”

“Uncle?” “Brother?”

Daniel had been ready to dismiss it as kid talk, hunting for flaws.

But he couldn’t find any clear holes.

His mind was fixed on defense; the force gap made offense seem impossible.

“No way… But if so, they’d have to retreat… Lure them over the border on purpose? Terrifying idea… but.”

He kept muttering.

No better plan came, no matter how hard he thought.

It was genius—terrain ensured the flanking force stayed hidden.

No one would bait an enemy across their own border. Heart-stopping risk.

Precisely why it’d work.

“Road… you.”

He looked at the boy.

A kid who barely grasped war.

The boy smiled innocently at Daniel.

No one yet knew a devil lurked behind that pure, untroubled grin.