Chapter 46

The Kingdom of Carpia, the Gajil Frontier Baron's territory.

This is a frontier land located at the southernmost tip of the Kingdom of Carpia. Despite being one of the largest countries in the western part of the Southern Continent, the temperature differences between regions in the Kingdom of Carpia are not particularly extreme.

However, this is not unique to the Kingdom of Carpia; it applies to the entire western region of the Southern Continent. This means that as the capital is experiencing the harshest sunlight of the year, the Gajil Frontier Baron's territory is also in the midst of a scorching hot season.

Remaining in the sun for even an hour can be life-threatening for the elderly and children, making this period, after the rainy season, one of the least suitable times for large-scale battles.

This is a shared value among the ruling classes of the kingdoms of the Southern Continent, so the likelihood of a war breaking out between humans during this period is very low.

However, there are troublesome external enemies in the Southern Continent that do not care about human convenience.

The species best adapted to the hot and humid western part of the Southern Continent. In terms of habitat area alone, they far surpass humans, the dominant species of the Southern Continent.

Carnivorous dragons.

To revive the trade route known as the "Salt Road," which was presumably severed by these carnivorous dragons, the Gajil Frontier Baron's army launched a military operation during this period, the second worst time of the year for marching.

A force of about a hundred soldiers slowly advances north along the "Salt Road."

It is still relatively cool in the morning, but the sunlight is already taking on an aggressive hue, vividly illuminating the green forests lining both sides of the road.

Although called the "Salt Road," a national highway that the Kingdom of Carpia boasts, its construction is quite rudimentary by modern standards. The road is just wide enough for two cars to pass each other, and the surface is exposed dry earth.

The road is slightly raised in the center and shallow ditches are dug on both sides, so the risk of the road turning into a waterway during the rainy season seems low. However, it is hard to imagine that many modern Japanese would be convinced that this unpaved, gravel-less dirt road is the "major artery of the nation."

Even the asphalt-paved national highways of modern Japan, let alone the stone-paved Roman roads of the pre-Christian era, are far superior. Despite the low level of science and technology in this world, the existence of earth-manipulating magic should make conditions more favorable than in ancient Rome. The current state of affairs might be a testament to the overwhelming power of nature here, which is incomparable to that on Earth.

Still, considering the road conditions in Europe and the Middle East after ancient Rome, it is possible that the road construction capabilities of the Roman Empire at its peak were exceptional in the history of Earth.

In any case, the Gajil Frontier Baron's army was slowly advancing along the "Salt Road."

Leading the way are cavalrymen riding large green "running dragons."

There are five cavalrymen riding running dragons, each accompanied by a single attendant, which is a distinctive feature.

The other soldiers follow behind on foot, each holding a short spear and wearing rough but sturdy leather armor. The soldiers, all wearing thick, hooded coats over their leather armor to protect against the sun, are still being mercilessly exposed to the scorching summer sun, which is draining their bodies of water. More than half of the soldiers have already emptied their water bags.

The only exception is the supply troops at the rear, who move in cargo dragon carts pulled by "dull dragons."

While dull dragons are much slower than running dragons, they are stronger and can easily pull heavily loaded carts filled with spare weapons, food, water, firewood, and large pots for cooking, leaving deep tracks in the dirt road.

There are several such cargo dragon carts, and considering that they must satisfy the stomachs of nearly a hundred soldiers until the end of this operation, this amount of supplies seems necessary. In fact, by medieval Earth standards, the transport capacity of the dull dragons, which can handle the supplies for a hundred soldiers on a long expedition with just a few carts, is almost abnormal.

There are five cavalrymen, five attendants for the cavalry, ten supply troops, fifteen guards for the supply troops, and about seventy foot soldiers.

Compared to a typical formation, the number of cavalry seems somewhat small, but this is because the military operation is expected to involve "hunting carnivorous dragons in the forest."

Cavalry, a type of soldier, can excel in open terrain with their high mobility and offensive power, but in a confined space like this, their combat effectiveness is significantly reduced.

In fact, the five cavalrymen, who are few in number, will likely dismount from their riding dragons during combat and leave the reins to their attendants.

"..."

One of the five cavalrymen, a young knight with black hair and black eyes, has been repeatedly taking deep breaths in a way that doesn't attract attention from his surroundings.

Xavier Gajil.

That is the name of this young knight.

The third son of the Gajil Frontier Baron and the only surviving legitimate son. Upon closer inspection, Xavier's facial features closely resemble those of the Gajil Frontier Baron.

However, his physique is vastly different. While the Gajil Frontier Baron, despite his age, maintains a muscular build, Xavier's body appears frail and unreliable.

It is hard to see from his current position on the back of a running dragon, but he seems shorter than Zanjiro. Since Zanjiro is 172 centimeters tall, Xavier might be in the upper 160s or even the mid-160s.

A small, slender young man.

He hardly looks like a reliable commander. Perhaps aware of this, he has been sitting stiffly on the back of the running dragon, trying to appear as large as possible.

Leading the way on the back of a dragon gives him the illusion that a hundred soldiers are watching his every move from behind.

Of course, this is a complete illusion. Even in the early hours of the day, the foot soldiers, who are forced to march in this scorching heat, have no spare time to constantly watch the commander at the front. Xavier's anxiety is unfounded.

"Lord Xavier..."

A pale young attendant, carrying a spear, looks at the mounted Xavier with concern, but Xavier is too tense to even notice the gaze.

Even in such a state of tension, his riding posture is impeccable, a testament to his rigorous martial training despite his frail appearance.

However, if he continues to maintain such a rigid posture, it is only a matter of time before he exhausts himself and makes a mistake.

"Lord Xavier, I propose we take a long break a bit earlier than planned. There is a suitable open area a little further ahead where we can set up camp. What do you think?"

A middle-aged cavalryman, riding a running dragon diagonally behind Xavier, made this suggestion with a hidden smile.

He is probably in his early to mid-forties, with a black mustache. Xavier's body trembled, and he turned his head back.

"Sir Josep..."

He called out the name of the knight, who is a trusted confidant of his father.

Knight Josep, a seasoned veteran who distinguished himself in the last great war, usually serves as an aide to Xavier's father, the Gajil Frontier Baron. He arrived in the frontier baron's territory by teleportation magic from Queen Aura, carrying a letter of authorization and a marching permit.

If it were just to deliver the letter and the permit, there would be no need for a knight of Josep's caliber.

His father probably sent him to ease the burden of Xavier's first military campaign.

Xavier felt both grateful and embarrassed by his father's thoughtfulness.

Shaking off the tendency to become overly self-critical, Xavier spoke to Josep.

"Isn't it a bit early for a long break, Sir Josep? According to the plan, we were supposed to cover more distance in the morning, weren't we?"

The seasoned knight, riding alongside the young lord and his riding dragon, replied in a gentle tone, as if trying to calm the young man's tension and sense of mission.

"Yes, Lord Xavier. That was the plan, but today's temperature is higher than expected. The foot soldiers are already starting to tire. Pushing them further would be dangerous."

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing the suggestion from his subordinate, Xavier let out a surprised voice. Observational skills come with experience, and there is no way around it.

If Xavier had been walking on foot, he might have noticed the fatigue of the foot soldiers through his own exhaustion. Unfortunately, as a commander, he is riding a running dragon to maintain his dignity.

While riding a running dragon for a long time is certainly tiring, it is incomparable to the fatigue of the foot soldiers marching in this scorching heat.

As a young frontier baron who has received thorough military education, Xavier nodded and turned his body to face the soldiers following behind, raising his voice as loudly as he could.

"We will take a long break at the next open area! Just a little further, everyone, keep going!"

The soldiers, understanding that they would be able to rest soon, showed a hint of joy on their faces for the first time that day, lifting their heads slightly.

Seeing this, Xavier realized his own shortcomings anew.

(Indeed, everyone seems quite tired. I need to be more aware of these things before Sir Josep has to point them out...)

Perhaps he is naturally serious and conscientious. Xavier, the third son of the Gajil Frontier Baron, clenched his fists so hard that his small body trembled on the back of the large running dragon, repeating these words to himself.

◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆

While the hundred-strong expedition led by Xavier Gajil, the third son of the Gajil Frontier Baron, was taking a long break by the roadside in the scorching heat, in the courtyard of the royal palace of Carpia, Queen Aura was hosting a non-formal luncheon meeting with nobles from home and abroad.

During the hottest part of the year, it is common to take a long midday break, but there are always exceptions.

Due to scheduling constraints, if she missed today, it would be a long time before she could find a suitable day. Reluctantly, Aura had to use even her private lunchtime for diplomatic purposes.

However, it was far too hot to have lunch in the palace dining room as usual during this period.

Taking this into account, the luncheon was held next to a fountain where water was gushing high.

A building with a roof supported by four pillars, open on all sides, allowing the wind to blow through freely, was chosen by Aura as the venue for the luncheon.

The roof blocked the aggressive sunlight, and the absence of walls allowed the cool breeze from the nearby fountain to provide some relief.

In this courtyard, where all possible measures against the scorching heat were taken, Aura, tearing a flat, hard bread and dipping it in a spicy, hot soup, suddenly turned her gaze to a middle-aged noble sitting to her right.

"Understood, Lord Zamado. The purpose of this military deployment is to hunt the carnivorous dragons that are suspected to have appeared on the domestic road, and the forces are directed solely within the country.

I would appreciate it if you could convey this to the Kingdom of Navarre."

The Kingdom of Navarre is a mid-sized country located in the south of the Kingdom of Carpia. Although it is far inferior to the Kingdom of Carpia in terms of pure national power, it is a proud country that managed to maintain its independence throughout the last great war.

Aura wants to avoid any careless handling of the situation.

"Yes, I have heard your words, Your Majesty. I promise to convey them to my country."

Upon hearing Aura's words, the middle-aged man, Lord Narbia Zamado, a noble of the Kingdom of Navarre, bowed his head slightly.

Lord Zamado is a very ordinary middle-aged man with no particular distinguishing features. He is of medium height and build, with the common brown skin of the western part of the Southern Continent. His hair and eyes are black.

In general, the further south one goes in the Southern Continent, the darker the skin and hair color become, but there is almost no ethnic difference in appearance between the neighboring Kingdom of Carpia and the Kingdom of Navarre.

However, in this setting, everyone is wearing a simplified formal attire representing their respective countries, making it not too difficult to guess their nationalities.

Lord Zamado, dressed in a simplified formal attire with yellow as the main color, representing the Kingdom of Navarre, put down his silver spoon next to his soup bowl, met Aura's gaze, and continued speaking.

"However, with all due respect, if the disturbance on the Salt Road is truly due to the appearance of carnivorous dragons, it is not a matter that can be ignored by our neighboring country.

Your Majesty, may I include this in the letter I send to my country and advise them to be on alert at the 'northern border'?"

In response to the words of the noble from the neighboring country, Queen Aura nodded with a powerful smile.

"Of course, that is fine. Carnivorous dragons do not recognize borders. While we cannot take a stand to cooperate, we are not so petty as to hinder you."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Upon hearing Aura's words, Lord Zamado bowed deeply from his seated position.

It was a somewhat insincere exchange.

While it is true that the Gajil Frontier Baron's territory and the Kingdom of Navarre share a border, a rugged mountain range serves as a buffer zone between them. Unless something extraordinary happens, there is little risk of carnivorous dragons appearing in the Gajil Frontier Baron's territory crossing the border into the Kingdom of Navarre.

Both Lord Zamado and Aura are well aware of this.

However, Lord Zamado's request for "permission to issue a warning to his country" was not out of concern for carnivorous dragons but for the military forces of the Kingdom of Carpia. In simpler terms, he was saying, "If this report turns out to be false and the Kingdom of Carpia invades us, we will prepare accordingly."

From the perspective of the Kingdom of Navarre, this is a perfectly reasonable response. It would be a mistake for a country to not be on guard when a neighboring country is conducting military operations along the border.

Aura, who had anticipated this response from the beginning, understood the underlying meaning and gave her consent to Lord Zamado's request.

For Aura, it is acceptable for the Kingdom of Navarre to take precautionary measures on the other side of the border.

Sipping the spiced soup with a silver spoon and lightly sweating on her forehead, Aura thought to herself.

(Well, considering the significant power difference between our countries, I don't think they would do anything foolish, but we cannot afford to be careless.)

The Kingdom of Carpia is one of the largest countries in the western part of the Southern Continent, while the Kingdom of Navarre is just one of many mid-sized countries.

Even if we were to show a slightly inconsiderate attitude, it is unlikely that the Kingdom of Navarre would take a more aggressive response beyond mere vigilance. However, international diplomacy is fraught with unexpected pitfalls. If we can prevent an unfortunate incident by simply communicating with the diplomatic channels of the other country afterward, it is a small price to pay.

This is possible only because the Kingdom of Carpia is a great power. If the power dynamics were reversed, the situation would be much more complicated.

In such a case, it would be unacceptable to seek "post-facto approval." Instead, the first step would be to seek permission from the neighboring country, explaining, "We will be moving our troops along the border, but it is not a military action against you," and obtaining a "permit" in the form of "understanding."

(Considering this, I cannot complain about the effort required for this level of diplomacy.)

Aura, who had to use this informal diplomatic setting for what was supposed to be a private lunch with her husband, comforted herself with this thought.

After moistening her throat with lukewarm water from a silver cup, Aura consciously put on a satisfied expression, nodded dramatically, and shifted her gaze to the side.

There, she saw a man dressed in a foreign-style simplified formal attire with a purple base and white lines.

Moreno Militero, the diplomat from the Kingdoms of Sharowa and Gilbert.

Upon receiving Aura's gaze, Knight Militero, ready to fulfill his role, cleared his throat dramatically and slowly began to speak.

"First of all, it is fortunate that no minor misunderstandings have arisen between our two countries. I admire both Your Majesty's consideration and Lord Zamado's wise judgment.

Indeed, our country also hopes to build constructive and meaningful diplomatic relations with neighboring countries, following the example of both of you."

"Thank you, Sir Moreno."

Upon hearing Knight Militero's words, Lord Zamado, maintaining a nearly perfect poker face, returned with a slight hint of relief in his voice.

It goes without saying that the presence of Moreno Militero, the diplomat from the Kingdoms of Sharowa and Gilbert, as a third party in this informal diplomatic setting, is part of Aura's consideration for the Kingdom of Navarre.

Considering the power disparity between the Kingdom of Carpia and the