Volume 2, Chapter 4
Translator: Skythewood
Editor: Hiiro
Ⅱ
Peshita Fort, Swaran Army Main Forces
“Your Excellency, the commander of the reserves, Second Lieutenant Macier is urgently seeking an audience.”
The Strategist, Brigadier General Rheinbach whispered to the ears of Liberal who was observing the battle.
“What? He didn’t send a messenger, and came personally? What is he thinking, abandoning his post like this?”
“He said that this concerns the survival of the Swaran Kingdom, and he can’t entrust it to a messenger.”
“The survival of the Swaran Kingdom? Let him in right now.”
“Understood.”
Macier then appeared before the group of officers together with a soldier. Liberal took large strides towards the two soldiers who were kneeling on one knee. The policies of the Swaran Kingdom might be set by the Empire, but they still retained their command structure as a nation.
However, this command structure was so fragile that it would crumble on Graden’s whim, so Liberal couldn’t just dismiss Macier.
“Hurry, what’s the issue that might affect the survival of the Swaran Kingdom?”
“…………”
“Why are you staying quiet? Hurry up and say it!”
“……Your Excellency, my deep apologies.”
Macier lowered his head apologetically.
“Apologies… What are you saying?”
Macier didn’t answer Liberal, and said to the soldier beside him:
“This should be fine now. I did my part.”
“Yes, thank you very much. It’s time for the Masked Knight Sharia to shine.”
She didn’t have a mask though. The soldier said this as she stood up without permission, and took off her helmet impatiently. Her silver hair flowed out, and Liberal was stunned by her beauty.
The officers around him gasped in admiration.
“Masked Knight Sharia? Stop this nonsense at once! Report on the matter that concern Swaran’s survival!”
Liberal snapped out of his trance, ignored the suspicious female soldier and yelled at Macier. However, Macier kept his head bowed and kept silent. The female soldier skipped to Liberal’s side, and suddenly put a blade to his neck.
No one knew what happened at that moment— even Liberal who was being held at bladepoint drew a blank.
“W-Why you! Have you gone mad!”
Rheinbach was the first one to react, and pointed his sword at the female soldier. The other officers followed suit. Although she was surrounded by the Swaran’s elites, the female soldier was unfazed and said:
“The survival of Swaran? I don’t know about that. I just asked Mr Macier for help in order to capture your basecamp quickly.”
What the female soldier said caused another uproar.
“You knaves, so it’s treason then!?”
Rheinbach roared angrily, and the female soldier opened her eyes wide in surprise when she heard that:
“Ehh? I’m not plotting treason though. I’m not a Swaran soldier in the first place. I’m a Major of the Farnesse Kingdom, Olivia·Valedstorm. Aside from that, I’m also known as the Masked Knight Sharia!”
Olivia still maintained her playful attitude despite her perilous situation. Liberal couldn’t move freely, and turned towards Macier:
“I don’t know why you are submitting to this crazy girl, but I don’t care anymore… It’s regrettable, but I’m still a warrior, and won’t surrender to save my own hide. Don’t think you can use me as a shield.”
But Macier didn’t answer, and Olivia said in his stead:
“Is that so? That’s fine too, it will just be a bit of a hassle for me. But the others don’t feel that way though?”
“What did you say?”
Liberal realized that the officers all showed complicated faces.
“What are you just standing around there for? Don’t worry about me, end these traitors!”
“… Sorry, but we can’t comply. If Swaran loses you, then our future will be grim. The young King Allen needs you, Your Excellency.”
Rheinbach dropped his sword, and the others followed his lead.
“You guys…”
“You win, we won’t resist. Please spare His Excellency’s life.”
Rheinbach yielded with his head bowed low. Olivia nodded happily at that.
“It’s great that the people of Swaran are so obedient. I will let him go when all of you have retreated. But if you do anything shady—”
Olivia pulled out a dagger from her waist and flicked it behind without even turning. A soldier holding a bow then fell from a tree. A dagger with the emblem of a lion was stabbed right between his brows. Everyone felt a chill at that sight.
“You will end up like this human, and can’t eat tasty food anymore.”
Olivia who had complete control of the place showed a charming smile.
“Your Highness Sara, please reconsider!”
Roland’s voice came from behind Sara who was climbing the stairs.
“No, if we delay any longer, they won’t accept our surrender. There is only a point in not surrendering if we can still resist.”
But right after she said that, Sara was baffled by what she saw at the top of the fort’s wall.
“What is this?”
As Sara was muttering that, a soldier ran over with ragged breath.
“Lieutenant General Sara, the enemies are retreating.”
“I can see that… Did the enemy suffer a heavy set back?”
“N-No. We didn’t do anything…”
Sara left the confused soldier behind, and looked outside the fort again. The Swaran forces that had been attacking relentlessly was retreating slowly now.
(What a conundrum.)
Sara was puzzled at first, but as the Swaran Army retreated further away, the reason slowly became clear. A unit bearing the banner of seven stars and a lion came into view.
“Your Highness Sara, that, that’s the banner of the Seventh Army.”
Roland broke into tears at this sight, his voice shaking. freew(e)bnovel
“… Yes, it appears to be so.”
The cheers of the soldiers shook the sky.
Tears then rolled down Sara’s cheeks.
For some reason, the person welcomed by Sara personally was a girl dressed like a soldier of the Swaran Army. And she was more beautiful than any of the women she had seen in the palace.
When the girl noticed Sara’s gaze, she jogged over.
“Are you Lieutenant General Sara of the Sixth Army?”
“Yes, I’m Sara.”
The girl saluted Sara.
“I’m the commander of the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment from the Seventh Army, Major Olivia Valedstorm!”
The girl then smiled brilliantly.
“Major Olivia—? I see, you are that rumoured…”
Sara already heard about Olivia. Her exploits had already spread through the entire palace. Sara wanted to meet her, but never thought she would meet her under such circumstances.
Sara observed Olivia carefully, when Olivia suddenly spread her legs apart and lift her left arm up diagonally:
“— I also have another identity, the Masked Knight Sharia!”
Olivia looked really proud. Sara was surprised by her sudden actions, and a female officer hurried over to stop Olivia:
“Major! Please don’t play around before Her Highness Sara!”
The female officer, Claudia Jung, bowed deeply towards Sara. Olivia who got chided shrugged and stuck her tongue out, which made Sara laughed.
Sara was very familiar with the Masked Knight Sharia. The main character was a middle aged knight, and Sara loved the series when she was young. The story of that series of drawing books had seeped into Sara’s blood.
(Speaking of which, Sharia would make weird gestures when he introduce himself.)
Sara recalled Olivia’s action, and laughed again. Claudia apologized again when she saw that.
“Please don’t mind, I love the story about the Masked Knight Sharia too.”
“Really—!? No, I mean, is that true?”
Olivia leaned in close, and Sara held her hands tightly with gratitude:
“It’s true. I started practicing swordsmanship because I admire Sharia.”
“I see!”
Olivia smiled brightly when she heard that.
“Please allow me to thank you for your timely support. Thanks to you, the Sixth Army has gotten out of danger.”
“I’m honored by your words.”
“By the way, how did you force the Swaran forces to retreat?”
Sara asked. From what she could see, the reinforcements weren’t numerous enough to send the Swaran Army running at the sight of them.Olivia started to explain smugly—
“— You infiltrated the enemy camp alone…”
Sara didn’t know what to say after listening to Olivia’s explanation. Infiltrating the enemy basecamp by herself, holding their commander-in-chief hostage, and forcing them to retreat. This wasn’t possible for normal people. Roland was clearly shocked as he stared at Olivia.
Sara understood that Olivia’s exploits were no exaggeration at all.
“And the enemy commander you captured?”
“Over here. Claudia.”
On Olivia’s instructions, Claudia and a few soldiers brought an angry man before them.
“If not for that woman, you will be in my place instead!”
The man lashed out.
“Yes, I think so too.”
He was right, Sara climbed the walls earlier in order to wave the white flag and surrender. Sara was just stating the truth, but the man didn’t think so. His face turned red and he started to struggle. As the soldiers pinned him down, Olivia walked over and whispered something to that man.
“——?”
That man turned pale after that. Seeing that he had stopped resisting, Olivia nodded happily, and said as she patted the man’s shoulder:
“After the enemy has completely retreated, please let him go. That’s what we agreed on. That’s all for now, we need to go.”
“Thank you very much. As a member of the royal family, I should reward you handsomely, but we have fallen on hard times…”
Sara said as she looked at the beaten up fort worriedly. But Olivia said:
“Let’s talk about the Masked Knight Sharia when we have a chance next time— No, please have a chat with me when the opportunity arises.”
“… Is that enough?”
Considering Olivia’s achievements, the reward seemed a little stingy. Sara asked again, but Olivia didn’t change her mind. Sara was confused, but still made that promise.
—A few days after the battle of Peshita Fort ended.
After learning from Heat Haze about the battle of Peshita Fort, Rosenmarie couldn’t hide her glee as she ordered Volmar to attack.
Ⅲ
Dessert City Keffin
After rescuing the Sixth Army from imminent danger, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment headed to their original objectives, and was now stationed inside the Dessert City Keffin. Their objective was to replenish food and water supply, as well as intel gathering.
“We have been in Keffin for three days. Still no signs of the Imperial Army.”
Claudia cut the meat on her plate carefully as she said with a sigh. The one she was speaking to, Olivia, was shoving meat into her mouth with gusto.
“Remoob yako~”
Olivia’s reply was incomprehensible. Claudia quietly put down her cutlery and said slowly:
“Major, please speak after you swallow. How many times have I told you that?”
Intimidated by Claudia’s icy glare, Olivia nodded and tried to swallow. Ashton who was dining beside them just watched quietly without interrupting.
He had given up on getting Olivia to change her ways.
“By the way, even though it’s dinner time, the restaurant is really empty.”
The eatery near the entrance of the city, 《Merida of the Desert》 is a famous high class restaurant known throughout the whole of Keffin city. The dishes were mainly seasonal fish and vegetables, and their standards could even match the top level restaurants in the capital. However, there were only a few customers aside from Olivia here.
Dessert City Keffin was a trading hub with a long history. The road that cut through the city from north to south was dubbed 《Stardust Street》, and crystals with prices comparable to gems were traded here. These were called 《Star Shards》.
On top of that, high quality crystals were produced between Spring and Summer, and attracted tons of merchants to the city. When Ashton was young, rings embedded with Star Shards were all the rage with noble ladies, and his parents were ecstatic with their blooming business. It wasn’t as popular as it used to be, but Star Shards were still a commodity where demand outweighs supply.
The crowd here was smaller than he expected, which baffled Ashton.
“This place is close to the northern part of the Kingdom, and the Imperial forces might invade to the south at any time. Fearing that, the merchants probably fled long ago. When weighing their money against their lives, it was clear which was more important.”
“Oh, I see.”
Claudia cleared Ashton’s doubts after saying that, and ate a piece of meat gracefully. In contrast, Olivia who was wolfing down her food had the tail of a fish sticking out of her mouth.
Ashton watched their completely different eating manners, and remembered how the citizens looked relieved when the Cavalry Regiment arrived.
(I see. That’s why the guard captain gave us such a warm welcome…)
He figured out why this city’s Guard Captain was so friendly. He was the one who recommended this place to the three of them, and even picked up the tab for Cavalry Regiment’s expenses during their stay here.
It was blatantly obvious that they want the Cavalry Regiment to be garrisoned here for the long term. Ashton felt this was only natural, since there were just 200 Keffin guards. The city was surrounded by walls, but if the Imperial Army was to invade, the guards would be overwhelmed.
And at this time, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment suddenly appeared. It couldn’t be helped that the city held a lot of expectations towards the army that could keep the city safe.
However, Ashton and the others couldn’t stay here indefinitely. Their resupply was already completed, and their scouts would return soon. If they were fast, the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment could head for the Fortress City Emreed tomorrow.
Night had fallen, and the silvery moonlight illuminated the earth through the scattered clouds.
“How delicious.”
“I never imagined that I could eat fresh fish in the desert.”
“That’s fine and all, but you ate too much, Olivia.”
Ashton’s group got ready to leave the restaurant while they were discussing their thoughts. As they stood up, the owner and servers were all smiles as they said: “Please come again.” This was a little overbearing, so Ashton forced a smile and fled back to the tavern the Guard Captain prepared for them.
(Speaking of which, our lodging is very extravagant too. It looks like a hotel meant for wealthy businessmen…)
Ashton wanted to return to that four storey red building, and suddenly realized that Olivia was gone.
“Hmm? Where did Olivia go?”
“Ehh? Sigh, really now, she left without saying anything again…”
Claudia muttered to herself, wondering if that incident about deciding Olivia’s family name made her prone to running away, as she scanned the area. Ashton did the same, but they saw no signs of Olivia. It would take a lot of effort to find her by moonlight, but...
“— Never mind, she will be back when she gets hungry.”
“—Never mind, she will be back when she’s hungry.”
Ashton and Claudia said the same thing. They looked at each other and laughed out loud.
— At the same time.
Somewhere in the urban outskirts, Olivia faced off against a man in black.
“To sense our presence from this distance… As expected, you noticed back then too.”
The masked Alvin asked. The girl sighed heavily when she heard that.
“With the way you guys have been sneaking around, it’s hard for me to not notice.”
“… I don’t recall our group ever coming near you.”
After encountering the regiment at Canary town, Alvin had been cautiously watching them from afar with telescopes. Alvin had dismissed Leicester’s opinion back then, but he still kept his distance. Despite that, the girl still noticed Alvin’s presence without leaving the restaurant. When he locked gazes with the girl through the telescope, Alvin felt a chill went down his back.
“Hmm~ whatever. By the way, I met someone wearing black clothes and mask in Fort Galia too. You are all gutter rats from the same hole, right?”
“Hee~ you are calling Heat Haze gutter rats, huh. What if I say we are?”
After speaking with the girl, Alvin was certain that Zenon had been killed. His reasoning was simple, Zenon would not leave anyone who had seen him alive. Since someone who had seen him was standing right here, then there was no doubt that Zenon was dead.
“Well, I have had enough of all of you, so I will stomp all of you flat. Your numbers have grown even more now. Really now, gutter rats sure breed fast~”
With that, the girl drew her sword and looked around her— there wasn’t any wind, but the leaves were rustling.
“… Do it!!”
On Alvin’s order, four Heat Haze agent pounced towards Olivia. The girl bent her knees calmly in response from the attack from above, and jumped.
““—What?””
The four Heat Haze agents were shocked. The girl who was on the ground just now suddenly appeared above them, so it was only natural for them to be surprised.
“The top of one’s head is a blindspot, but you shouldn’t let down your guard just because you have the high ground. Your enemy might jump to an even higher position. Z often remind me about that.”
No one could reply to her advice. The corpses of the Heat Haze agents who had their head smashed in fell to the ground. When one of the agents fell, Alvin would hear a sound similar to fruits being smashed. When the last corpse slammed onto the ground, the girl landed. She flicked the blood on her mist covered sword onto the ground.
“… What an incredible jump, and swordsmanship too fast for the eyes to track. You really are a monster.”
“I’m not a monster, I’m Olivia. Hey, why do people keep referring to me as a monster?”
Alvin scoffed at Olivia who was tilting her head baffledly. After seeing Olivia movements that was beyond a human, Alvin couldn’t find any other way to describe her.
Normally, she should have been cut to pieces by that attack. Instead, the ground was littered with the corpses of the Heat Haze agents, while the girl was still standing. No wonder Zenon died in her hands, Alvin thought as he reached for the multi segmented whip on his waist.
(To stop the deployed elite units from being wiped out, my only choice is to flee…)
Like Leicester said, the main objective of the Heat Haze was intelligence gathering. Fighting was the last resort.
— However.
Alvin bend down a little, shifting his center of gravity to his right leg. Olivia who was in front of him was smiling, confident of her victory. She lowered down her ominous dark blade.
(But even if I have to flee, I need to wipe that smirk off her face!)
Alvin threw his left arm up, and snapped his whip at Olivia. The instant before the sickle at the end of the whip hit her, Olivia turned and dodged the attack.
(I knew you can evade that. That is a given, knowing your abilities. But you shouldn’t have dodged, you should have blocked it with your sword. It is fatal to dodge this weapon!)
Alvin shouted in his heart, and gently flicked his left wrist to the right. The multi-segmented whip turned and struck towards Olivia’s back—
“—Hmm~ what an interesting weapon. This is the first time I have seen this.”
The multi segmented whip shattered together with the sickle, and fell out of Alvin’s hand. Olivia’s palm struck Alvin’s stomach in a counterattack.
“… W-Why?”
“Hmm?”
“Why… Can you detect an attack from behind you?”
She didn’t have eyes on her back, so that attack should have landed. Alvin held on to his fading consciousness, and asked her again.
Olivia leaned in to Alvin’s ear and whispered:
“The killing intent on your weapon is too strong. Even a sleeping bird would notice.”
What nonsense.
With that in mind, Alvin’s vision faded into darkness.
Royal Army Tavern, Silver Moon Pavilion
(It’s already this late… the Major has been gone for too long, where is she?)
It had been two hours since they returned to the tavern, but Olivia was still missing. Claudia felt she should search for her, so she closed the book in her hands. At this moment, Claudia heard rushing footsteps from the corridor. They got closer and closer, before finally stopping before Claudia’s room.
“Lady Claudia! I’m sorry, but Lady Olivia, Lady Olivia is...!”
After knocking the door hastily, the servant shouted Olivia’s name in panic.
Claudia quickly got up from her chair, and ran to open the door. Before her was a pale faced servant who was trembling.
“What happened to Major Olivia?”
“Ahh, I’m saved. A-Anyway, please follow me!”
After saying that, the servant rushed off without waiting for Claudia’s reply. Claudia followed the servant to the entrance of the tavern, together with Ashton who heard the news.
“Oh, Claudia and Ashton. I’m back!”
They found Olivia who was covered in blood waving at them calmly. Beside her was a man lying prone on the ground. He seemed to be breathing, and wasn’t a corpse yet.
The servant who felt he had done his duty fled to the kitchen.
“Major!? What’s going on here!?”
Claudia was shocked, and rushed to Olivia and patted all over her body— and breathed a sigh of relief. Olivia wasn’t hurt, she was soaked in other people’s blood.
“Is Olivia fine?”
Ashton asked. When Claudia nodded, Ashton’s tensed nerves relaxed, and he sat onto the ground.
“Claudia, it’s fine now, right? That tickles.”
Olivia said as she squirmed.
“Now isn’t the time for that! I was wondering where you have gone off too, and you came back covered in blood… Anyway, who is this masked man?”
She was panicking too much just now, and forgot about that. The man on the floor was wearing a dark mask and wearing black clothes, and was definitely not your average citizen.
“Erm~ His a gutter rat, from Heat Haze or something.”
“Heat Haze...? Y-You mean the espionage agency Heat Haze from the Empire!?”
Heat Haze was known for their exceptional intel gathering capabilities and outstanding combat prowess. Claudia knew about them, and inspected the Heat Haze agent on the ground again.
“Ho~ so they are spies. They are so bad at hiding, that I would never have guessed.”
Olivia was smiling, but Claudia couldn’t smile.
(Heat Haze showing up here is definitely not a coincidence. They are probably, no, they are definitely spying on us.)
She still needed to ask about what exactly happened, but the Heat Haze agent before them was definitely apprehended by Olivia. Anyway, Claudia ordered Ashton to tie the spy to a pillar inside the tavern to stop any escape attempt.
“— Well then, can you tell us how you captured a Heat Haze agent?”
Claudia was furious that Olivia took action without informing anyone, but she suppressed her rage as much as possible, and asked with a smile. Olivia’s face turned stiff, and she started explaining.
“— I see. I understand now. Simply put, Major, when we were leaving Canary town, you already noticed that we were being watched?”
As Claudia’s smile deepened, Olivia felt something was wrong. She wasn’t sure why, but Claudia seemed very scary right now. Olivia learned that she needed to be on her best behaviour at times like this. She was a good learner after all.
“If that is so, why didn’t you tell us earlier?”
“Ehhh… But I did mention gutter rats…”
Olivia protested softly. Claudia’s smile finally reached her limits, and she turned into a demon in Olivia’s eyes.
By the way, the demons depicted in drawing books had loose and messy hair, and chase people around wielding sabers and devious smiles. Olivia felt they were really scary, and nostalgic too. She was spooked by the stories of demons when she was young, and hid under a thick blanket at night, fearing an attack by them.
“Who will understand if you use ambiguous words like gutter rats!?”
Even Olivia was scared after seeing Claudia’s angry face. Olivia seeked help from Ashton who was tying up the prisoner with untrained hands. Unfortunately, Ashton averted his face helplessly.
Olivia was left without any back up.
“Claudia, calm down and listen. I was planning to kill all the gutter rats, but I realized that we can get useful intel if I leave one alive, so I took him prisoner. I did great, right?”
Olivia puffed out her chest and explained proudly. Claudia sighed heavily when she heard that. Your happiness will fly away like a bird if you sigh. Olivia thought about sharing this wisdom with Claudia, but decided against it since it might make her angrier.
“— Sigh, let’s leave it at that. You are right, intel from Heat Haze is valuable, but I don’t think he will give them up so easily.”
Claudia glanced at the captured man, and seemed to have forgiven Olivia. Olivia sighed in relief. She decided to call them flies instead of gutter rats next time, so Claudia would get what she meant.
“Ugghh…”
“O-Olivia. He seemed to have woken up.”
Ashton quickly stepped away from the man from Heat Haze. The man shook his head a little, then raised his head slightly:
“… It seems that I have been taken alive.”
After looking around him, he realized he was tied to a pillar. He then showed a cold smile.
“Why didn’t you kill me? Isn’t that the norm for a monster like you?”
“I’m not a monster though. I told you many times before, my name is Olivia. Tell us your name.”
With that, Olivia pulled off the man’s mask. The unmasked man stated his name Joey with a bitter face.
“Mr Joey, huh. We have some—”
“Major, please wait.”
Claudia interjected. She walked to the man, squatted down and looked into his eyes. After a moment of silence…
“He was definitely lying.”
Claudia grunted with that.
“Ahaha, I see. Claudia’s eyes sure are convenient. They really are a celestial blessing. I will ask you again, what’s your name?”
Olivia pointed at the man’s jaw. He said his real name was Alvin.
“—He is telling the truth this time.”
Alvin was shocked by Claudia’s words. Ashton was baffled by their interaction.
“Well then, Mr Alvin, sorry, but we have some questions for you. If you answer honestly, I can let you go.”
“Major, that’s—”
Claudia objected, but Olivia’s mind was set.
“Hahaha. But that girl has no intention of letting me off though?”
Alvin who had calmed down a little smiled coldly again.
“Don’t worry, I give you my word. So, how about it?”
Olivia was fine with cutting Alvin’s head open if he refused to cooperate. Z would be happy to get more food too. Olivia would stand to gain no matter how things turned out.
“— So, what do you want to know?”
Alvin hesitated for a moment, then spoke reluctantly. Claudia was surprised about that, but Olivia asked without missing a beat:
“First, tell us why are you stalking us?”
“… Hmmp, there’s no harm in telling you that. We are gathering information on the Seventh Army’s movements.”
“Does it have anything to do with us taking Kasper Castle?”
Olivia’s question impressed Alvin.
“Oh~ you are sharp. That’s right, the Seventh Army decimating the southern forces had infuriated the commander that conquered the northern territories of the Kingdom. If you get it, then stop idling around here and hurry up north. You can get killed there… But I can’t imagine a monster like you dying though.”
Alvin then showed a twisted smile. Even Olivia felt uncomfortable after seeing his sinister face. Suddenly, an angry roar came from the side:
“You jerk! Enough with your yapping about monsters!”
Claudia waved her fist in rage. Even the mild mannered Ashton looked angry, something Olivia had never seen before. Olivia was surprised by their reaction, and smiled bashfully:
“Claudia, Ashton, it’s fine. I don’t mind.”
“But I do mind!”
Claudia’s punch was stopped by Olivia in the nick of time.
“Major…”
Claudia looked dissatisfied. It wasn’t really necessary to stop Claudia, it would just be troublesome if she knocked Alvin out.
“Oooo, the monster seems popular with you people.”
Alvin taunted again. Before Claudia could speak, Ashton said with an icy glare at Alvin:
“Olivia, why don’t we just kill him? We already got the answer, so he is useless to us.”
“Ho, Ashton, saying that doesn’t suit you at all.”
Olivia drew her sword with a smile, and swung it down at Alvin. It just cut his rope without hurting him.
“… So you are really letting me go?”
Alvin got up slowly, and moved his limbs to check their condition.
“I already gave you my word. That aside, can you pass a message to the commander you mentioned?”
“… Let’s hear it.”
“Clean your neck and wait. Your head is mine. That’s all.”
Olivia smiled faintly, and Alvin nodded with a twisted face.
“G-Got it. I will pass the message along.”
“I’m counting on you, Mr Alvin.”
Alvin backed away cautiously from Olivia’s sword, and left the Silver Moon Pavilion.
“—Major, is this really fine?”
Claudia was still fuming as she glared at the open door. Olivia was happy that Claudia got angry for her sake, and answered:
“Yes, we figured out the enemy’s objective after all. Ashton is right, as expected of our strategist.”
Olivia clapped and complimented Ashton, and Ashton scratched the back of his head a little bashfully:
“Putting that aside, Olivia, why are you taunting them? We will just earn the enemy’s ire without any benefits.”
“I think so too.”
“Well, since I said that, our opponents will stay put and wait for us cautiously. From what he just said, the enemy seemed really to be obsessed about us.”
“Which means, that will ensure the Imperial forces in the north won’t invade the central war theatre, huh…”
“That’s right, this is a strategy.”
Olivia lifted a finger and said proudly. Battles weren’t limited to swordsmanship and unarmed combat. If words could constrain the enemy’s movement, that would be a great trade.
Ashton understood Olivia’s intention and nodded, impressed by her.
“Alright… After exercising, I feel famished.”
Olivia looked towards the kitchen as she rubbed her tummy. The servant observing the situation from under the table screamed in terror.
“Really now… Major, you are always so free spirited. Got it, I will get them to prepare some supper.”
“No need, I prefer Ashton’s special mustard buns.”
“Hah? The food in this restaurant is better than mine though.”
“Whatever, I just want Ashton’s buns.”
Ashton’s face softened after hearing that.
“Is that so? I will make some for you now.”
He then headed to the kitchen in high spirits.
“Sorry, can I borrow your kitchen for a while?”
“O-Of course! Please go ahead.”
The server fled the kitchen and rushed down the stairs without turning back. After watching the server leave, Claudia pushed Olivia’s back hard:
“While Ashton is making your buns, hurry and change your clothes, Major. Your appearance is unsettling for the other guests.”
“Yes, got it!”
Olivia replied energetically, and went to her room with light steps.
Ⅳ
Imperial Capital Orsted, Listerine Castle, Chancellor Dalmes’ Office
As the Imperial Chancellor, Dalmes’ office befitted his status, and no expense was spared. The most prominent thing about the office was how vast it was, large enough to accommodate 100 guests. Ample sunlight shone in through the large windows, and elegant red curtains with golden threads were pulled to the sides. Aside from that, there were plenty of famous paintings and art pieces. Even the desk at the side of the wall was a work of grace and grandeur.
“— That concludes the report.”
“Thank you. But the Swaran army is too weak if they can’t even seize that archaic and crumbling fort.”
“It can’t be helped, since the enemy reinforcements includes that rumoured monster…”
The woman in a dark cloak said in a heavy tone. She was the head of the Intelligence Bureau ‘Dawn’, Flora Ray. Unlike Heat Haze, this Bureau was working directly under Dalmes.
“A monster, huh…”
“Your Excellency?”
“No, it’s nothing. You are dismissed.”
“Yes Sir.”
“Oh right, make the arrangements to not let anyone come to my room for the time being.”
“As you wish, Sir.”
After seeing Flora out, Dalmes looked to the right. Over there was something that fitted very well in this unique place. A huge book shelf that reached right to the tall ceiling.
(I should make my report…)
Dalmes took out a red book from the drawer of his desk, and went to the book shelf. There was an unnatural gap for a book in the middle of the shelf. Dalmes glanced at the book in his hand, and inserted it into the gap. There was a click, and the shelf started moving to the side with a dull thud. Before long, the book shelf stopped moving and stairs leading down was revealed.
Dalmes lit the lamp at the entrance, and carefully descended the spiral steps. Despite his caution, he almost tripped a few times before reaching a room surrounded by stone walls. Unlike the office, this place felt hollow and empty.
Dalmes lit the candles on the wall one by one, and his shadow turned darker as the sources of light increased.
When all the candles had been lit, Dalmes walked to the center of the room, and prostrated on the floor. Dalmes shadow started to twist, and extend forward. The shadow started squirming as if it was alive, and after expanding and contracting a few times, it took on a humanoid shape.
“—Dalmes. Raise your head.”
The shadow flickered like a phantom flame, and Dalmes looked upon the solidified shadow.
“Yes!!”
Dalmes raised his head respectfully and greeted:
“‘Lord Xenia, how do you do—”
“Save your frivolities and get to the point. Humans are so long winded, and your language is such a pain to use.”
The voice that seemed to come from the abyss made Dalmes shiver.
“M-My apologies.”
“Well, what is it?”
Xenia asked in a cold voice. Dalmes was great at reading the mood of others, but that was useless before Xenia, since there was nothing he could observe from it. There was nothing he could do before this intimidating presence.
Dalmes gulped to moisturize his dry throat, and continued:
“It’s a follow up report on the dark sword that caught Lord Xenia’s attention.”
“I see. Go on.”
“There were many reports saying that the dark sword gives off some sort of dark mist. According to the analysis by Sorcerers, it might be the work of Sorcery.”
Xenia’s figure wavered a little, but there was no further reaction. Dalmes wiped the sweat from his brow, and asked timidly:
“Lord Xenia?”
“You got one thing wrong. That dark mist isn’t a counterfeit on the level of Sorcery.”
Dalmes was dumbfounded by that. He didn’t completely believe the Church of Saint Illuminas and the “Bible White”, but Sorcerers do exist, and they could use Sorcery which was lauded as a miracle of god. Despite that, Xenia called Sorcery a counterfeit, which confounded Dalmes.
“… Pardon me for asking, Lord Xenia, but what do you mean when you call Sorcery a counterfeit?”
“I mean it literally.”
Xenia answered, which confused Dalmes even more.
“Even if you say that, I still don’t understand…”
“Do I owe you an explanation? If I stand to benefit, I won’t mind explaining it to you.”
“Not at all! I have misspoken!”
Dalmes threw himself down in terror. After a moment of silence, Xenia ordered him to raise his head, and Dalmes complied.
“Forget it, it’s only natural for you to be curious. I will explain it a little.”
“Ohh! I’m deeply honoured for the chance to learn from your vast wisdom!”
Xenia’s knowledge was a treasure cove. Dalmes perked his ears to avoid missing a single word.
“That dark sword was probably crafted with the powers of my brethren. That is the reason why it gives off that dark mist.”
“I see… That dark mist doesn’t stem from Sorcery, but from your brethren's power.”
Dalmes carefully minced those words. Xenia could wipe out a mountain at a snap of its fingers, so if he spoke carelessly, humanity might be reduced to dust.
“That is correct. Hence, the human using that dark sword is my brethren’s toy.”
“—Toy?”
“A weirdo with queer interest. Deriving joy from humans under the guise of ‘observation’.”
“Observation… Should I pass down instructions to not harm her.”
Dalmes didn’t want to earn the ire of Xenia’s brethren that must be equally powerful.
“Don’t do anything unnecessary. Leave the toy be.”
“But why? She might be a human, but she is still Lord Xenia’s comrade.”
Referring to humans as toys befitted the style of a Death God, but she was bestowed with a sword by a brethren. When Dalmes thought about that, he realized Xenia’s figure seemed to be expanding with rage. The fire of the candles also turned more intense.
“Lord Xenia?”
“Didn’t you hear what I said? That’s a toy of my brethren. Or did things change with humans, and you started referring to your toys as comrades now?”
“M-My deep apologies!”
Dalmes wanted to press his head onto the ground, but he couldn’t even move a finger. Cold sweat was pouring from every pore in his body.
“Don’t keep repeating the same mistakes. It’s unpleasant.”
Before he realized it, Xenia’s shimmering left hand was pointing at Dalmes.
“I’m… very… sorry… I will be… careful from now on.”
Dalmes apologized with all his might. Xenia put down its left hand, and Dalmes regained control of his body. He pushed his flailing body up with his palms.
“Hah, hah, hah………”
“As long as you understand. Drag out the war as long as you can. That’s the reason why I bestow you with ‘power’. Send as many humans to their death as you can.”
“Yes!! I will keep that in mind. The Emperor is no different from a puppet now. It will be a breeze to manipulate this war.”
“Good. What about the ‘Netherworld Chalice’?”
“Everything is going smoothly. It’s one third full now.”
Inside Dalmes’ chambers, there was a dark chalice filled with countless souls. For those without power, it was just a normal cup, so Dalmes displayed it openly in his room.
“I see…”
Xenia nodded satisfactorily.
“Lord Xenia, erm… you see...”
Dalmes started to stutter. Xenia slowly reached into his robes, and took out a small transparent bottle. Inside the bottle was a dazzling rainbow coloured fluid. It was definitely not of this world.
“Do not worry. When you fill the Netherworld Chalice with souls, I will bestow you with the ‘Soul-bound Cursed Elixir’. But it’s strange that you want something like this.”
“Thank you very much! I will definitely fill the Netherworld Chalice.”
“— Do your best.”
With that, Xenia vanished. Dalmes stood up and carefully evened the crease on his cloak.
(Strange, huh… Lord Xenia won’t understand the feelings of short-lived humans.)
Dalmes’ ambition was to conquer the Dubedirica continent. Not just humans, everything that lived were bounded by their lifespan. Even if he conquered the whole continent, he could only rule over it for a few decades at the most.
— I want to rule over the Dubedirica continent forever.
The only existence that could fulfil Dalmes insane ambition was a Death God, and their rainbow coloured elixir that could turn humans into undead. If Dalmes could obtain that item, he didn’t care if he had to deal with Death Gods or devils.
If they require sacrifices, Dalmes wouldn’t bat an eye if tens or hundreds of thousands of people die. Dalmes didn’t know where Xenia wanted to collect human souls, but it must be for something beyond human imagination. In any case, humanity was overpopulated, so building a new Empire on the corpses of all those people would be just right. Dalmes shouted in his heart:
(Thanks to that monster girl, this war which is reaching an end can be extended further. Wield that dark sword of yours more for the sake of my ambition.)
Dalmes stood right there for a long while, with a sinister smile on his face.
Chapter 4: The Hero and the Knight
Ⅰ
Farnesse Kingdom, Fortress City Emreed, Command Center
Hosmund reached Emreed before the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment did, and held a war conference. The agenda was on what to do about the Imperial Forces they found in the Almheim plains, to the north of Emreed.
“Your Excellency, I humbly propose that we hold the fort and wait for support from the Autonomous Cavalry Regiment.”
“I concur with the Major.”
“I agree.”
Hosmund’s adjutant— Major Selim wanted to exercise caution, and the other officers agreed with them.
“… Do you all want Emreed city to be ravaged by the enemy?”
Hosmund asked the group before him in a harsh tone. Selim protested on behalf of everyone:
“Your Excellency, you are mistaken. Emreed is a sturdy fort, I’m certain the battle won’t cause collateral damage to the city.”
Emreed was called a fortress city because it was surrounded by strong walls. A moat lined the outside of the wall, and if the drawbridge was raised, it would be difficult for the enemy to reach the walls.
Selim was right, if they focus on defense, the battle would progress in their favour. There was no guarantee that the enemy would retreat by just defending though.
“Selim, you are too optimistic. It’s not certain yet, but the enemy might have siege weapons.”
“But maybe they don’t have siege weapons.”
In response to the question by a naive officer, Hosmund warned:
“That might be so, but we must always prepare for the worst on the battlefield. Fighting in the city can only be used as a last resort.”
This place was different from a fort, if the gates were destroyed, the Imperial Army could charge inside the city. The men would be killed and the women would be ravished, with screams and howls echoing throughout the city as the place was transformed into a living hell. It would be too late to regret it when that happens.
“But Your Excellency, you must have heard the report, and know what it means since they are in crimson armour.”
Crimson armour— which meant their foes belonged to the Crimson Knights. Everyone knew that the Third and Fourth Armies were crushed by the Crimson Knights. They might not be as famous as the Azure Knights, but the Crimson Knights were still renowned throughout the Dubedirica continent.
Selim and the other officers wanted to exercise caution because of their fear towards the Crimson Knights. Even Hosmund himself felt that the Crimson Knights couldn’t be trifled with.
— And that was exactly why the war merits would be great if they could defeat the Crimson Knights.
(There are no battles that have no risks. The more dangerous the opponent is, the greater the reward.)
When he thought about that, a shiny two star rank emblem flashed across Hosmund’s eyes.
“I understand your concerns, but relying on the city’s defences should be our last resort. We will take the initiative and attack. According to the report, the enemy is 3,000 strong, which match our numbers.”
“Your Excellency! It’s dangerous because our numbers are equal! Please reconsider!”
Selim objected emotionally. All the officers all protested.
“Selim, and all of you, listen up. I made my decision, this is an order.”
Selim had no choice but to stay his tongue and nod reluctantly. The rest followed suit. They wanted to speak further, but the orders had been given, and they would be subjected to court martial if they still object. That was how the military worked.
“What about the enemy’s movements?”
“Scouts report that the enemy is camped on the Almheim plains and showed no signs of moving. The reason remained unclear.”
“I see, that’s strange… alright then, we will prepare to attack and observe the enemy. Get the scouts to send the message out. That is all, dismissed.”
With that, Hosmund left Selim and the others who were saluting with bitter faces, and left the Command Center.
Imperial Army, Almheim plains
“—Lieutenant Colonel, they are not reacting.”
The Executive Officer Captain Lamia reported with a hint of disappointment. Volmar slowly got up from the beer barrel he was using as a chair. His build was so burly that the heavy war axe on his back looked just like a hand axe. His armour couldn’t hide his powerful muscles, and his disheveled hair and beard looked just like a feral beast. Volmar gave off the aura of the strong.
“How boring. Are they serious about retaking the north? Hey, you lot, go yell at their gate, tell them to bring out the rumoured monster! Five gold coins to anyone who manage to do that!”
The face of several soldiers changed when they heard about the five gold coins. That was enough money for them to play as much as they want for two years.
“Sigh, how can we pull the monster over? She isn’t wearing a collar. Please don’t tease the impressionable troopers with your jokes.”
Lamia shrugged exasperatedly, which made the soldiers around them laugh.
The girl that made thousands of soldiers tremble in fear. Volmar wanted to fight her with his war axe as soon as possible.
The reason was simple. He wanted to know what kind of song that monster would sing.
“Jokes aside, is the report that the Seventh Army had entered the fortress city true?”
Lamia put his telescope back to the utility pouch on his waist, and nodded affirmatively:
“It’s true, there are many reports of a unit bearing the flags of the Seventh Army entering the city. It matches the report sent in by Heat Haze too.”
“Good. If I can’t return the favour, I will be letting down Lady Rosenmarie who sent me here.”
“I don’t think it will be a problem. With the Lieutenant Colonel’s incredible strength, that rumoured monster will get blown away. That’s why you are called the ‘Perisher’ after all.”
Lamia’s sarcasm made Volmar sigh heavily.
“Enough about that. Really now, who gave me that nickname? Thanks to that, people think I’m a bloodthirsty murderer.”
According to Lamia, Volmar’s opponents always end up as dismembered corpses, which was the reason behind his nickname. Volmar didn’t mean to do that, that was just the result of his immense strength. He couldn’t stand the nick name of Perisher.
“Hah!? There you go again. It’s a fact though, is your head okay?”
Lamia blinked and looked at him incredulously. Volmar looked at the others, but they all averted their gazes. The misunderstanding seemed to be deep.
“Let me make this clear, this is a mistake. I just like the song that my opponents sing when I crush them with my war axe. I don’t particularly care about killing them.”
“Sigh… Lieutenant Colonel, that means you are no different from an indiscrimate killer who enjoys murder.”
Lamia sighed, and Volmar sighed heavily after hearing that. Volmar was lamenting that he couldn’t find anyone who could appreciate art.
“Hey Lamia, you should put more effort into art. Then you can be like me, and be enriched on the inside.”
Volmar put his hand to his chest and said seriously:
“When you say such delicate words with your huge bear-like body, it feels very surreal. That aside, what should we do? Since the enemy isn’t moving, why don’t we take their city with our siege weapon? This will be a good chance to test out the performance of the prototype.”
Volmar followed Lamia’s gaze, and caught a glimpse of a wheel. That was the prototype small catapult from the Technology Development Division of the Imperial Army. It was twice as strong as the previous version, and could shatter wooden fort walls in one hit.
“This will be our last resort. Colonel Gaier’s instruction is to take that city in as good a condition as possible, since that will become our base to invade the Central War Theatre.”
“Then what should we do? Sit here and wait?”
Volmar stroked his chin in deep thought. Lamia was right, they couldn’t just wait here. It was almost time to take concrete action.
“Well… Let’s send them an invitation.”
When he heard that, Lamia’s expression brightened.
“That’s a great idea. Once they receive the invitation from the Lieutenant Colonel, they won’t sit around and wait any longer.”
“I will leave it to you then?”
Lamia nodded firmly and accepted:
“I will make arrangements to cut down a few trees and get the material ready.”
Lamia hummed as he summoned a few soldiers to follow him, and move away from Volmar.
— The next morning.
As the morning sun slowly rose above Mount Gransoles and illuminated the land, three crucified figures became prominent.
One were missing its nose and eyes.
Another was missing its limbs.
The last one had been completely skinned.
And by their feet were the uniforms from the Royal Army.
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