Episode 113. War clouds (3)
I was worried that it had become such a friendly atmosphere after only a week, but there are more important things than that.
After confirming that there was no one in the hallway, I quietly closed the door to the office and entered.
“I have something to tell you.”
“Roan?”
“Let’s listen together.”
Uriel also knew the secret, and since he was the vice-captain of the Knights, it didn’t matter if he heard it.
I sat down next to her and talked about what I had heard from Müller.
Balak’s corps has been withdrawing from the borders of the empire for some time now, and it is said that the withdrawal is almost complete.
I received updated information from Müller every day, so this is certain information.
“In the Empire? I haven’t heard anything.”
“It’s just that the news hasn’t reached the kingdom yet.”
Because information transfer in this era takes a very long time.
However, I was able to know about it before others because I had the means to overcome the barrier of distance and communicate.
“Didn’t the envoy depart a few days ago? Perhaps they will come back with news.”
“… Right.”
The Duke’s expression became serious.
He didn’t say much, but as a general in his youth, he sensed that the situation was unusual.
“Hmm… .”
The Duke is lost in thought.
at that time.
Knock knock.
Uriel taps my thigh.
Then whisper and ask
‘What’s the problem?’
Still lacking in knowledge about the war, she could not sympathize with the seriousness.
On a one-dimensional level, the retreat of the orcs simply means that the borders of the Empire are secure.
But dismissing it so simplistically is too simplistic.
I whispered and continued my explanation so as not to interfere with the duke’s thoughts.
‘It’s not that simple.’
‘yes?’
‘Where will the missing troops go?’
‘Where… . ah.’
I didn’t notice it because I didn’t have enough knowledge, but Uriel is a genius who never missed the first place in the theoretical evaluation of the knights department until I transferred.
With that head gone, even a slight hint made her understand the situation and frowned.
‘… Balak’s army is strong. It’s an empire, so it’s been blocked up until now, but it’s too much for other kingdoms.’
The Kingdom of Teria, which has caught all the demons inside, might be able to stop it because the situation is better.
However, the longer the war lasts, the more open fronts may come out.
And that’s not all.
‘furthermore… .’
The explanation after that was that the duke had finished thinking about this.
“… Maybe it’s not just the orcs. It has been over two years now.”
And this is exactly what I was trying to describe.
It has already been over two years since Corps Commander Ymir died.
It wouldn’t be strange if the next corps commander was decided.
In addition to the accumulated power, I wonder if it is a ulterior motive to target the weak defense.
From the monsters’ point of view, it’s easier to destroy the fortified empire than directly attacking it, and as a result, this will lead to a blow to the empire as well.
Until now, it was a realm of possibility, but now it has changed to certainty after seeing the duke and the idea coincide.
“Do you know where you are aiming?”
“I don’t know that yet. However, I think we need to be prepared.”
As mentioned above, Balak’s army is strong.
Although it is crude, the strength of the army is incomparable to other monster species.
If you don’t prepare in advance, the borders will be breached in an instant and the kingdom will be trampled by the orcs.
Whether it’s to protect the kingdom’s borders.
Or for the support of neighboring countries in times of emergency.
Contrast is necessary.
So I asked the duke.
“Sooner or later, information will be delivered to the kingdom. At that time, I want my father to speak to His Highness.”
“It is not difficult. Even though I left the front a long time ago, I still have deep feet in the military.”
He was in charge of the kingdom’s borders for more than 20 years when he was young, and that’s why he was called the shield of the royal family.
“and… .”
“hmm?”
I cautiously asked for another one.
Originally, it would be an unlikely task, but it might be possible because the level of the Knights was known while catching the dragon.
“If the kingdom is under attack, then I want to step in too.”
“… … .”
For a moment, the Duke’s eyes trembled.
But only for a moment. He soon returned to his original form and nodded.
Tap on Uriel.
I got up from my seat.
“then. I’ll just go.”
Uriel asked as he moved to the place where the knights were.
“Then what do we do now?”
“we? I will be here for now.”
Originally, I was going to leave for another mission immediately after finishing my business, but didn’t the situation change suddenly?
There could be a war, so I won’t move until then.
“How long?”
“Until the outline of the war situation is grasped. It probably won’t be long.”
Not only the Orcs who retreated with some loss, but also the Dark Elves, who had no choice but to hold their breath without a commander, would feel better.
Therefore, in preparation for the upcoming war, he intended to preserve his combat power by training only in his family.
* * *
late morning.
Iris, awakened by the sunlight filtering through the curtains, stretched her eyes open.
When I looked to the side, I couldn’t see Noah, who shared the same room, as if he had already left.
“what… .”
It was because of Roan’s strong insistence that he shared a room with Noah.
The reason was that wizards have strong firepower but lack defensive means, so they are always the number one target for enemies.
“… It’s my escort for now.”
Iris grumbled and stood up.
Of course, this is not an enemy camp, but it was because I thought it would be too insensitive to leave it unattended.
‘Do you hate me by any chance?’
Swallowing in resentment, I drew the curtains.
and screamed
“Huh!!!”
Because Noah was standing at the windows beyond the curtains.
… I thought my heart stopped.
If it wasn’t for the usual training with Roan, he would have turned this place into a sea of fire by unleashing his magic.
After barely calming down, he said.
“No, what are you doing there!”
“I was looking outside.”
“You can draw the curtain and see.”
“… Because you are sleeping.”
“yes? Umm… .”
If that’s the case, I can’t even get angry.
He is a very unpredictable person.
And Roan is as unpredictable as Noah.
He’s good, but he’s bad.
smart yet stupid
You know what no one else knows, surprisingly well, but you don’t know what everyone else knows, to the point of frustrating.
So if you look at him, he’s someone who makes sure you don’t get depressed, but sometimes it’s a bit frustrating.
“We are leaving too.”
When you go outside, you can see the knights training while sweating profusely.
As the leader, Roan was controlling and training the members.
“Everyone is suffering.”
“… … .”
After Roan returned, the training of the Knights was certainly arduous.
You might wonder how hard it would be if the training was not even real combat, but seeing the knights training like that blows my mind away.
“Move faster! I see your feet!”
Roan was a demon.
As if he had learned how to roll people effectively, he rolls thriftly without a single player.
Even so, it was really bad that he never made me do something I couldn’t do.
According to his explanation, all family knights do this… .
“yes?”
“You mean us?”
“You’ve never participated in our training before, have you?”
When I see the knights from the family raise question marks with expressions that they are hearing about it for the first time, I don’t trust them very much.
Well, it was a word that didn’t apply to me, who wasn’t an article anyway.
‘What am I doing?’
‘Still, I need stamina… . Running with Noah, even inside Yeongji?’
So the two of us don’t really do anything other than run in the morning and evening.
I wasn’t bored though.
There were many unique people in the Knights, so there was no time to get bored just observing them.
After finishing the morning run and returning to the territory, the knights also stop training for a while and take a break.
“thank you for your effort.”
“… yes? Oh, thank you.”
When I handed over the drink I had prepared in advance to Uriel, I took it with both hands and drank it.
It was then.
There is a sound of metal colliding and clattering from the side.
“huh?”
Looking to the side, Noah, who would never tie his hair even if he offered to do it, was putting his long hair back in a ponytail.
Thanks to this, the white nape of the neck is revealed, and the necklace with a very crude design is revealed who chose it.
The metallic sound came from there.
‘… Ugh.’
I could tell
that it was done on purpose.
And it’s honestly obvious who asked to see it.
Because there is only one person in our knights who can boast about that not-so-pretty necklace that Roan gave her.
“ah.”
As expected, the necklace fluttering in front of him caught Uriel’s attention at once.
Soon, a fire flickered quietly in his eyes.
“… … .”
She lowered her head, then opened her mouth to Roan, who was returning.
“Why don’t I have something like that?”
“Yes?”
“I went to the festival with me too… .”
Uriel boldly asks if Noah’s provocation increased his fighting power.
However, the opponent was strong.
Roan blinked once and replied with a tone of what was the problem.
“You bought me apple candy instead. It’s more expensive because it’s limited quantity?”
“Annit… !?”
This absurd answer made Yuriel speechless.
Soon I close my eyes.
I shouted inside.
From noble mtl dot com
‘… No!’
I know how you feel, but you have to be patient.
Because if you get angry, you lose!
As if this cheering was a source of strength, Uriel took a long, deep breath.
“Whoa… .”
Soon, with a rapidly calm expression, he continued to speak softly.
“The price is not the issue.”
“huh?”
“… Listen.”
Uriel calmly explains what a gift is.
“By the way… .”
After listening for a while, Roan answered.
“You seem to like the real thing.”
“… … Yes, yes.”
Something came to a strange conclusion, but Uriel agreed with a weak voice, perhaps because he had decided to compromise at this point.
That look is a little sad.
“Now, my birthday is just around the corner. I like small, expensive and shiny things, so know that.”
“Ah oh.”
The only small, expensive and shiny things anyone can see are jewelry accessories.
And honestly, it’s hard to know what it means to ask for it as a gift unless you’re an idiot.
But as I said before, Roan is a ‘smart fool’.
A person who knows what no one else knows and doesn’t know what everyone else knows.
Since it is so, it is unclear whether that small courage would have been well conveyed.
That’s why when I look at it with a sigh from a far away place.
who pulls up the sleeves
“Huh, huh?”
It was Noah.
what?
She was staring this way and pointing at Roan.
“why?”
“… … .”
“… ?”
“… … .”
“… Oh, me!?”
I belatedly realized the meaning of the gaze and asked in surprise.
Noah nodded.
I deliberately answered out loud.
“Absolutely not?”
… In fact, it’s not such an outrageous suspicion to be so outraged.
In fact, when I first found out that Roan and ‘that person’ were the same person, I thought of fate, even for a moment.
But it was really fleeting, and it wasn’t even rational.
If I, the princess, want it, there’s a high probability that the other party will lose it.
I hate that.
So I changed the route.
Both Roan and Yuriel are precious to me, so I decided to help them succeed.
“It is.”
“… … .”
A quiet gaze stings.
Was this explanation insufficient?
I asked in bewilderment.
“Why, why?”
“… … .”
Noah looking at this side carefully.
She left a word with a nonchalant expression and then slowly disappeared.
“Then be careful.”
Be careful.
It was a word I couldn’t understand the meaning of.
“… … ?”
It was strange.
What did that mean, I couldn’t ask.
