Chapter 38 – Solo Mission
The season was already running toward the end of autumn.
That word meant the same thing as General Dong approaching the Vulkan Mountains.
The flow of time is a very fleeting law.
It had already been nearly three weeks since I was dispatched to the Eastern Front at the request of the Demon King.
Are humans also animals of adaptation?
At first, it was such a strange and uncomfortable land, but now I felt like I could live in my own way.
With the exception of the first week, during the night battles for the Hamburg Fortress, I spent most of my time in pastimes.
Perhaps because the aftermath of the last battle still lingers, there are many parts that need to be repaired in the large and small magic circles carved on the walls of other places, and the commander-in-chief, Dorothea, can’t come out to the field every day to supervise, so she is known as the second most capable wizard after her. I was entrusted with the leadership of the magician unit.
Among the Demons, there were especially many wizards from the Imps, and the Imps, who naturally knew how to respond to mana, had high average magic skills, which was of great help to the fortress.
There were occasional communication problems just because of the unusual way of speaking, but when that happened, Camilla always translated it into the standard language, so we were able to solve it somehow.
“In the next two weeks, except for the minimum number of troops to defend the fort, I plan to send all the rest of the troops to the rear. It’s been a while since I left home, so the soldiers’ families will be worried.”
Dorothea, who called me out today as usual for a masterpiece, sipped whiskey in an ice glass and said,
I sat across from him and asked while eating fruit snacks on the table.
“It seems that the fortress has entered a period of stability, right?”
Then Dorothea replied with a smile on her drunken face.
“You and I have been working tirelessly for the past few weeks. We’ve worked so hard, but if we can’t solve this much, we’ll have to step down as commander-in-chief.”
As she said that, she set her glass down on her table and asked with a serious face.
“I’m thinking of leaving you with the role of leading the soldiers at that time. Can you do that?”
I nodded without much hesitation at Dorothea’s suggestion.
“If they want to go home, they will follow me.”
No matter how strong the demon soldiers are in the first place, I’ve been through the whole army twice.
He knew all too well how to legally kill a disobedient soldier.
“Anyway, then that means there are two weeks left until I return to the Devil Castle.”
“Right.”
“When will you return to the Devil Castle?”
Then, as if she misunderstood the intention of my question, Dorothea smiled and asked playfully.
“Why do you hate breaking up with me?”
“No, it’s not really like that. I wonder if the Commander-in-Chief doesn’t have a vacation with soldiers.”
When winter comes, in effect, humans and demons enter a temporary truce.
Since the army is like a money-eating hippo, money goes out even if you just breathe, so in winter, when a lot of supplies are needed, there were many cases in which soldiers were deliberately sent back to their hometowns to save maintenance costs.
Then, when spring comes again, they will be conscripted.
After hearing my explanation, Dorothea pouted his lips as if he were losing steam, but he answered honestly, probably because he knew there was no bad meaning.
“My term as Commander-in-Chief is one year. It’s now October, so in about two more months, I’ll be released. After that, I’ll go back to the Demon Castle and wait for an appointment.”
“Originally, the commander here changes frequently, right?”
“No, it’s not really like that. I just applied for a short-term assignment because I thought it would be better to go to the frontline for experience rather than keep being broken by you. Usually, I sit here and do it for several years.”
In other words, Dorothea’s appointment as commander-in-chief on the Eastern Front was partly my fault.
‘Well. Did I push myself that hard?’
While reflecting on my past actions, I confirmed again with Dorothea.
“Then, the capture of the Hamburg Fortress this time will be reflected in your major?”
“Isn’t that so? After being appointed as commander-in-chief, I haven’t had any particularly noteworthy results.”
“Then, I have a good suggestion, so would you like to hear it?”
“What?”
I sneakily pulled out an envelope from my bosom.
“Actually, I have an item that can help you.”
When I said that, Dorothea reached out with a look of interest.
“What is that?”
I smiled and handed the letter I was holding to Dorothea.
“It’s a copy of a handwritten letter from Rachel von Hamburg, daughter of the Marshal of Hamburg.”
The original was already burned and lost, but it was a letter that perfectly transferred even the smallest habits.
Dorothea skimmed through the contents of the letter as if she were going to chew on it.
Then, as if thinking the same thing as me, he raised the corners of his mouth.
“Certainly, this might be possible.”
“In exchange for handing it over, there is one condition.”
“…What is that?”
Dorothea was worried that I would use this as an excuse to ask for something unreasonable, but unfortunately, she had no intention of making such a request.
“Even if you go back to the Devil Castle, pretending to know me is my condition.”
“Is that all you need?”
“Wouldn’t it be less suspicious of me if it became known that I was close with the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings?”
Right before I assassinated the demon king, I betrayed the hero and joined the demon king’s army.
No matter how much the demon lord Nero guarantees my identity, this fact will follow me like a tag, and there will surely be people among them who think I can betray them again.
Being friendly with Dorothea, the Four Heavenly Kings, would be a safeguard to avoid such unnecessary suspicions.
I can’t just criticize a person who guarantees his status not only to the Demon King but also to the Four Heavenly Kings.
After hearing my explanation, Dorothea finally showed an understanding expression, but she belatedly asked in a worried voice.
“But according to the contents of this letter, you have to deliver this letter to the Margrave of Hamburg yourself. Will it be okay?
I shrugged and smirked.
“Do you think I’m going to kill you as someone who would die quietly?”
“…If that’s the case, I’m glad.”
“Are you worried about me?”
“Dah, it’s not really like that!”
Dorothea cried as she blushed.
She is a really easy-going guy.
Although she has a rough corner like a cat, she tends to be comfortable with me once I get to know her.
I teased her with her giggles, her laughs, and then said her belatedly with her serious expression.
“First of all, I’m thinking of going to deliver the letter right away, even tomorrow. Originally, I was planning to do it a little slower, but if there are only two weeks left until I return to the Devil Castle, I think I need to hurry a little more.”
Perhaps because Dorothea knew she couldn’t stop me, she smiled bitterly and shook her head.
“If you need anything, just tell me. I’ll ask Eva to give it to you.”
I decided not to decline her favor.
“Then, I would like you to bring a horse that can go to the county, three days worth of preserved food, and a few magic stones.”
“Are you okay with just that?”
“Even if it runs out in the middle, you can go to the county and buy it with money. No one will know that I am the great mage of the warrior party, Kaldrash.”
Unless you wear a name on your face, there is no way to recognize the face of someone you don’t know at once by hearing only rumors in a different world where information media is underdeveloped.
At least the hero had his trademark holy sword, Excalibur, but there was no way that ordinary people would know that I, an ordinary blonde bully, was the same person as the great mage, Kaldrash, without holding a staff.
When the story of her letter came to an end, Dorothea let out a sigh of relief and said,
“I’m saying this again, but don’t overdo it. If you think the operation will fail, run away unconditionally. I won’t say anything.”
Now, the way she was openly worried about her seemed so foreign to me that I wondered if she was the Dorothea I knew.
Maybe it’s because she beat her rice cake whenever she had free time for the past 3 weeks, but the attitude she treats me is very harmful compared to her first time.
Perhaps because she knew it herself, she didn’t bother to say anything rude.
I stared at Dorothea’s face without a word, then spoke in a calm voice.
“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
She said and stroked her soft red hair.
