CH 2

Volume 2: Chapter 2 – Bloodstains and Feasts

The front-line of the Second Elven War seemed to have become a stalemate for the last half year. By that it was meant that large-scale sieges occurred once every few days, along with small-scale scuffles, which happened every day. The reason for them was because the battlefield was becoming more and more cluttered, figuratively speaking.

The Imperial Army had constructed a great fortress, which stretched far across the Great Plains of Mi Lou, as a line of defence. In other words, if one were to look from the Elves’ side, the conditions for their victory would be for that to fall into their hands. However, as it was protected by the Mi Lou mountain range itself, it was easy to attack from, a difficult strategic position. Also, as the Imperial Army’s human resources were greater compared to the Elven Army’s, victory was difficult to achieve.

However much the Demons and Demon Beasts raged, however much the Elves attacked it with mighty warriors capable of organic necromancy, the people who would close the gates and devotedly, single-mindedly protect it, were the attack power. From the other side of the mountain range, an abundance of resources were sent, with no sign at all that they would run out, even after six months.

For the Imperial Army, the conditions of victory would be to either exterminate the Elven Army which were in formation on the Great Plains of Mi Lea, or to repel them. Of course, that was not easy either. The Elves, who were overwhelmingly outnumbered, used the numbers to their advantage, employing the tactics to disperse the other side’s fighting strength by scattering their own battle formation out on the spacious plains. And namely, their battle formations were named “The Elven Forest” – a small-scale Elven hamlet.

Even if it was improvised and small-scale, an Elven Forest was an Elven Forest. As well as the abundant spirit flowers and spirit trees, Demons and Demon Beasts also prowled, along with highly-concentrated spirit energy which hung in the air, poisonous to humans. If one were to enter, one’s head would be spinning after half an hour, after one day one’s senses would become disordered, and after three days, one would die.

Consequently, it was nearly impossibly to cut one’s way into the enemy camp.

From the battle formations that couldn’t be broken, some Elves which held great power were accompanied by a select few monsters, and went on a rampage locally – facing this tactic, the Imperial Army had not yet discovered any effective countermeasures to it.

The Human side was enduring the sieges, which the Elven side had started, through their numerical advantage. On the other hand, the Elves made the best use of their advantage, through dispersing the humans’ military force.

This battle, where both sides mutually both were thwarted at the strong points and jabbed each other at the weak points, resulted in a stalemate, shedding blood on the Great Plains of Mi Lea.

The war situation at the time was that the Elven side’s siege forces just had temporarily withdrawn. Conversely, the Human side had broken through the Elven Army’s battle formations from the outside, which lead to sporadic touchdowns and warfare.

In other words, local, spread-out skirmishes, were currently unfolding all over the plain.

When about eight hours had elapsed in the morning – the Great Fortress of Astzeelen’s Eastern Eighth Gate opened, and four horsemen on warhorses ran off toward the plain.

There were four horses, while there were six troops.

Though they were a few too many people for them to be messengers, they were too few to be called an unit.

The soldiers who had gone out to the plain all looked at them, and made baffled faces, becoming wide-eyed at the girls, and those which made their way closer to them.

At the young girl with long, blonde hair, who, dressed in armour, lead the group while straddling a white horse.

Her beautiful features, which seemed to embody the very concept of “dignity” – that that kind of presence was on the battlefield especially caught people’s eyes. As she wore her coat with a cherry blossom-coloured border and clasped the reins with an elegant stance in that empty land, she seemed to be no less than a role model for the equestrian arts.

Slightly late, young boys of whatever age raced at her left and right.

One boy of a large build carried a spear on his back. The horseshoes that the horse kicked out from the ground with were somewhat dull but wide, and had a thick and heavy feeling to them. In contrast, the other boy was slender, and of a small stature. While he gave a girl-like shadow a ride, he still, somehow, staggering, drove the horse forward.

There were also two people on the horse that was at the end of the line. The one who held the reins was a boy, and the one who had put their hands around his back was a girl. The boy was concerned about his dark-red hair, which was dishevelled, lengthened, and scattered by the wind. The boy was concerned about his dark-red hair, which was dishevelled, lengthened, and scattered by the wind. He glared forward, with excitement in his seemingly unfriendly eyes. While the girl pushed herself against the boy so that the hood would not fall off her head, she hugged him in a way that conveyed a strange charm. It was a mismatched group.

The horseman who was the vanguard was a noble, and refined. Though the equestrian arts exhibited by the two next to it were splendid, they were still somehow unsophisticated. And, while the horseman that served as the rear guard’s posture was bad, and the horse inferior, it followed without falling behind.

While they caught the interest of the nearby soldiers, they headed toward their place of destination, which was the south-eastern part of the Great Plains of Mi Lea. From the Eighth Eastern Gate of the Great Fortress, the place was of the battle formation of the forces, a full ten kilometres away.

The location of the Elven Army, which lay scattered all here-and-there on the plains – while the unit that was fighting the single small “Elven Village” eased up the speed, they puzzledly turned their gazes against the approaching party.

At the report that a suspicious Order of Chivalry which was neither a group of messengers nor a supply corps was approaching, and at the report that they wished to meet him themselves, First Lieutenant Arinei Doha raised his eyebrows in puzzledness.

However, as he heard the name of the one who lead that party, those eyebrows drew a large arc, along with his eyeballs. Inquiring of the soldier three times whether they were mistaken of the name, and repeating back three times the question of who had mistaken the name of the royalty, he lost his head and went in haste toward the party.

While confirming her appearance, Arinei, as if he had forgotten his position, croaked.

“P……princess!?”

The girl, who stroked the white horse’s muzzle, turned around and gently smiled.

“It’s been a long time, Arinei. ……No, I should perhaps call you a First Lieutenant here.”

Though they had not met for over three years, it was impossible for him to mistake the daughter of the house that they had served from generation to generation.

“Aye, no…… First of all, you seem to be of good health!”

Arinei bowed at Her Highness the Princess, Milifica Yusala Astzeelen, while standing at attention. Immediately following, he thought “damn”. Originally, he was supposed to kneel, but he accidentally had responded back with military courtesies.

However, Milifica did not reproach him. On the contrary,

“Please do not treat me as royalty, First Lieutent Arinei.”

And she saluted, just like a soldier.

“Princess……?”

“I am, at present, a civilian employed by the military. Just like you.”

“……What would you mean by that!?”

He was not told about those kind of things from the head of the family.

Stretching back for over 200 years, the Doha family were nobles who were retainers to, and served, the Yusala family. Even when the war began and Arinei had received the summons, those bonds were not yet severed. He still, periodically, kept in touch with the head of the Yusala family, Milifica’s father, through letters. He should have written about her present status – though he certainly had heard that she had entered the Drill Academy, the graduation would have been a long way ahead.

The opposite of the confused Arinei, Milifica calmly brushed him off to the side.

“I made you confused, didn’t I…… First Lieutenant Arinei Doha, Officer of the ‘Order of Chivalry of the Wildcats’, of the First Battalion, Second Division, Third Army. Would you be able to let me explain the circumstances of why I entered the military, and why I came here?”

She inquired, her speech persistent; just like a soldier’s.

“Yes, of course…… By all means, please do. I have no idea about anything.”

She spoke briefly to Arinei, who was nodding like a drinking bird.

That, because of the Elves’ attack, the Drill Academy of Yusala was annihilated.

And, that seeing as she had narrowly survived, she was resolved to come to that place with her comrades, aspiring to become a soldier.

That come her volunteering, she had installed as a Commander of the Order of Chivalry of the White Wolves, a garbage dump of crowded-out people, because of General Dali Shukua Astzeelen’s plans. Sure enough, as she was greeted with harassment in order to frustrate her, by Amaïz – the man who governed over the Order of Chivalry – she had gone down to the battlefield with her comrades.

And then, in brief, the close-by battle formation, the force to which her friend belonged, had been the “Order of Chivalry of the Wildcats”, and she had come there in order to ask a favour–.

“And t, that that may be……”

For Arinei, who had watched over the Princess since her early childhood as a retainer, the story came as a shock. So much that he was about to faint of astonishment, pitifulness, and resentment. However, what made Arinei even more astounded, were the words which Milifica continuously fired at him. She spoke of things that he doubted his ears on.

“For this reason, I am most sorry to bother you, First Lieutenant. Since would like to get a few Demons’ heads from now on, would you be able to permit us to attack? Because, as soon as our business is finished, we will withdraw.”

“Huh!?”

What a joke. Surely, she didn’t go crazy?

That kind of disrespectful guesses passed through his head.

If one were to look, Milifica was accompanied by both boys and girls of the same generation. Of course, there were people younger than them among the soldiers, as there was no shortage of ages, and seeing the clothes it seemed that more than half were students of the Drill Academy. Guessing from their manner, they had not yet been out on their first campaigns. The two that weren’t in uniforms could have been mercenaries hired during the group’s travels, so it was unlikely that they would be reliable in a place like that.

Of course, before that, the number of people also was a problem. Only six people – even though it was not unusual that a Group of Ten would be annihilated against one single Demon despite their efforts in this war against the Elves. Did she come here without knowing such a thing?

–Such infantile bravery.

Arinei bit his lips. Though he, deep down, was angry at General Dali’s wretched plans, he even more than that scolded her ignorance and foolishness – he had to protest those virtues which she had thoroughly pursued. Being a tomboy was also, if it was excessive, a sin.

When he opened his lips as if to shout “How about I send a letter to your esteemed father”, “Return at once”, or “This isn’t a good place for a child to be at”,

“Milifica, as one would expect, we would be out of our league asking that kind of favour.”

The boy that stood behind her spoke laughingly, with a faint smile.

It was one of those who were not wearing the uniform of the Drill Academy. His black overcoat was slightly dirty, and looked shabby. His eyes, which peered out from the opening in his dark-red hair were awfully sharp, emitting feelings of him being ill-bred and savage. And above all, even if the Imperial Princess was to be called by name as a joke, his attitude.

“Princess, who is this person? Have you, by any chance, been enticed by him?”

Though Arinei scowled at him, the boy was not perturbed at all.

“Been enticed, you say. Well, certainly, there’s no difference.”

“Oi, what’s with that way of speaking!”

Unexpectedly, Arinei lost his cool. The boy completely ignored Arinei, who had taken a step forward and gripped his sword.

“Sashtal, Raimi.”

He shifted his line of sight to his comrades who similarly were waiting behind Milifica – the boy with a seemingly flippant manner, and the seemingly timid girl, who wore round-lensed glasses.

“Can you grasp the battle formation of this Order of Chivalry, and their situation of war?”

The boy – who seemed to be Sashtal – nodded, while stroking his fine hair.

“Aye, it’s fine. Before we entered the camp, I took a lap around it, y’know.”

“I, it’s not a problem!”

The girl named Raimi followed the boy. It was obvious that she was nervous from her voice which flew upwards, squeaking. However, the words that followed were enough to stop Arinei’s thinking through shock.

“Errr…… The ‘Elven Forest’ is circle-shaped, approximately twenty metres in diameter. Our army is deploying a crane-wing formation

Without stopping the movement, twice, thrice. He repeated the strikes with the power of his entire body. Changing his position was toying with it, keeping the distance was drawing nearer, faster than the opponent could counterattack.

Of course, the opponent was unperturbed. Defended by its body hair, it was not given a single wound. However, the more you slashed at it, you could slash it, as the crimson sword blade stole spirit energy from the inside of its body.

There was no need to steal the spirit energy from the other party’s attack. Even with the impact from that, the inorganic necromancy was invoked. Of course, because the effect was remarkably lower compared with the time of unleashing, it was compensated for with numbers. When the quantity of stored spirit energy was below the threshold, the blade never emitted light.

And, his body remembered when the threshold of just how much energy was accumulated was exceeded.

Three more hits. Two hits.

“With this……”

One hit – invocation was possible.

“Number five!”

“Exellis”, which swept down, left behind a crimson phosphorescence on the Troll’s neck. While the spirit energy, which was being substituted toward the power of destruction, became a shapeless power of destruction, it was diffused from the sharpness of the blade, and cut off flesh and bone.

The Troll, which had lost its head, crumbled down while blood spurted from the opening of the wound. There was already nothing which moved within three metres of Imina. Lying at his feet lay four pieces of meat. They were the torsos and heads of the two different Trolls.

His mouth faintly warped into a smile. His hand, which held the sword’s hilt, was numb. Though he had many wounds, there were none on his bones or internal organs. His entire body was tormented by feelings of fatigue and pain. His head was faint from the exaltation of battle. His thinking didn’t work too well.

Instead, his line of sight flew around.

As a whole, the progress of the battle leaned toward the advantage of the Order of Chivalry of the Wildcats. The numbers of Demons and Magical Beasts had been greatly reduced. With the left-wing unit receiving the gains from Raimi and the others’ backing, it seemed that about half of the monsters had fallen back to distract the left-wing unit, pursuing them.

And – looking out over the battlefield, suddenly.

The corpse of a soldier which the Trolls had tormented a little while ago caught his attention.

She was still a young woman.

She could have been in the middle of her twenties. Her face was almost intact. Instead, he was obsessed with the body. He wondered how many times the stone axe had been swung down. From her abdomen to her back, it was like a carpet made out of blood, dirt, and intestines, all sloppily intermingled. What retained its original shape was one breast of hers.

Her expression had warped into one of anguish and despair. In front of her right arm, which was stretched out as if it was trying to grasp something, fell a magical sword. Her left arm only went up to her elbow. It had probably been eaten by the Troll.

Looking at her, the depths of his stomach unexpectedly cramped.

“……uh!?”

It was not nausea. What was rising up from his stomach was not vomit.

It was something else – though it had no mass, it was the most heavy thing that existed in the world. It was muddy, yet it clung to the targets that it clung to more firmly than everything else. It was tremendously cold, yet hot enough to burn everything.

In other words, it was hatred, or an intent to kill consisting of hatred.

It was as if it was scattered about among the corpses that lay here and there on the battlefield. Why did this soldier’s corpse give him that impulse? Well – there probably was no reason to it. Unexpectedly, her face, tainted by anguish and despair, entered the gaps of his relaxed mind after he had finished the battle.

And, the human named Imina’s heart was so brittle that hatred overflowed from him from only that kind of trivial occasion.

–The scenes from his birthplace had become sparks and was played in the depths of his head.

Holding his sword, he was filled with strength. The numbness from when he parried the stone axe a while ago changed into a darkish feeling of intoxication that, before he knew it, encroached on his body. It hurt. The sweet intent to kill hurt.

Why, for what was he vaguely standing about? Wasn’t the best yet to come? Was it enough to kill only five Demons? After all, because the Demons and Magical Beasts were mere substitutes, however many he would kill, he would not feel satisfied.

Beyond that point lay the “Elven Forest”. Them, carefully watching the fight with careless faces with sharp ears – he would pierce that abominable tribe which had ears just like Shirjis.

He took one step forward. He though that they probably had gone outside. If he were to wait for another few seconds, wouldn’t the walking probably turn into a sprint? What did not let him, was his name being screamed.

“……na, Imina!”

Vaguely turning back, a woman who had the face of his elder sister was just close to him.

“Uruha”, he spoke, taken aback.

Even though it resembled her, it wasn’t his elder sister. It was the princess of the country, who also now was Imina’s friend,

“Mili, fica……?”

His mind, which was foggy, cleared up in an instant. He shook his head. He was aware of his heartbeat. He put his strength in his extremities. His stomach, once again, was engulfed in the urge to kill and hatred, which had settled in his chest.

“What’s the matter? Are you injured?”

“Ah, no, it’s all right. Nothing.”

“Ellis told me. That you seem to have achieved your goal. That’s why I wanted to withdraw, but even if I went close and shouted there was no reply.”

The white horse snorted behind her. It seemed that it had been anxious since she had stepped down from the horse.

“Sorry, I was thinking a little…… We’re pulling out, you say? Got it.”

He shook his sword, the blood splattering off, and put it in the sheath which was installed on his waist, behind him.

(That’s right – what am I losing control for?)

Ultimately, the purpose of that battle was to surprise everyone in the “Order of Chivalry of the Wildcats”, and to earn certain merits of war. Furthermore, it wouldn’t be good to overdo it and snatch away the merits of war that the Order of Chivalry of the Wildcats were to attain. To say nothing of entering the “Elven Forest” alone and bringing down the enemy army’s heads.

Something was wrong with him. That was a no-go.

“Hurry, Imina. The soldiers have started to notice that there is a leeway that they can overcome the trouble with. (?) Because the right flank will turn around and attack soon too, so before it becomes troublesome……”

“You see, Milifica.”

Imina resolutely spoke to the appearance from behind, who had her feet on the horse’s stirrup.

“What kind of face did I have earlier?”

“……That would be.”

She was silent for only a few seconds.

Before long, she turned around toward him, and spoke with a somewhat sympathising voice.

“I’m so sorry, just a bit more…… Until you return to the fortress, please stay in a valiant figure. As for me, I need that power of yours.”

That was also the answer directed toward the question.

“Got it. I’ll pick up the Demons’ heads. Tell Ellis to turn the horse around, will you?”

“Right. ……Sorry, Imina.”

Kicking the horse’s abdomen, she raised her face into a dignified posture. She sonorously told the soldiers on the battlefield her words of farewell.

“With this, we will return.” The meaning was that she thanked them for allowing her to struggle jointly with them. And, that the Order of Chivalry of the Wildcats’ daring fighting style left deep impressions as a result, that the newbies such as her had a lot to learn from them, that she was roused – she did not forget to add more flattery.

Returning that, cheers came from all around.

“Well, you as well, and so on – you are such brave warriors”, and so on. There were even people who wished the Princess eternal life. Though there at least were people that thought that Raimi’s backing and Imina’s hard effort saved lives, was it really like that within that left-wing unit? In any case, it could be some kind of destiny.

“Imina, you’ve done well.”

Ellis approached with the horse. She handled the reins quite impressively with her small body. But, it was cute because her feet did not reach to the stirrup because of her short height.

“Ah, it seems like you’ve done well too.”

“Mm, I got a little nervous, but…… I also went hunting at Mount Boleanu.”

When he was told that, he remembered when they were confined to the mountain. For those four years, Ellis did not utter any complaints even once, but was completely devoted to supporting Imina. They always procured food together. Holding the bow, which wasn’t really his strong point, killing an animal for the first time since he was born, taking out the entrails from its body with a dagger – surely, if he hadn’t done those things, he would probably free-spiritedly braid some milkvetch or something, with his small hands.

Them standing on the battlefield in that moment was all because of Imina.

Despite that, how was he? Surrendering himself to his urge to kill and hatred, only thinking about killing his enemies. Moreover, that enemy was not only Ellis’ brethren as an Elf, but also Shirjis, her brother–.

Feelings of guilt tormented his chest.

He felt sorry that he had changed his fate, and turned it onto a road full of severity.

However, Imina did not say a single word of apology. Because, conquering the road to revenge together with Ellis, was exactly what Imina had decided. Also, displaying the feelings of regret themselves, would be a betrayal against Ellis – and his murdered mother and elder sister, the people of his birthplace.

“Ellis, what face am I currently wearing?”

Instead, he asked that.

The same thing that he asked of Milifica some time ago.

Ellis answered, gently smiling.

“There’s blood on your cheek, you know? You have to wash your face when you come home.”

Therefore, Imina laughed as if to reciprocate.

“It’ll have to stay like that for a little longer. Besides, I’ll need to hang those Demons’ heads when we return. It seems that I have them. ……If you hate that, you can maybe get on Milifica’s, or Fream’s horse?”

“No, Imina’s back is fine.”

“I see.”

Picking up the Trolls’ heads, he threw them at the horse. Ellis, who received them, took a few arrows and fastened the hair on the heads to them, fastening them to the rear of the saddle. Just like when they lived at Mount Boleanu, and brought back pheasants that they had brought down.

Directly under the Eastern Eighth Gate, overlooking the Fortress’ walls, soldiers were assembled. Their numbers were a hundred or so, all members belonging to the Order of Chivalry of the White Wolves.

Occupying the observation platform and its environs, they made merry, and gambled.

The drinks as well as the gambling were directed towards the same things – in other words, they were in the midst of being excited about the outcome of the violent acts carried out by the party of the new Commander which had been appointed just that morning.

About one third participated in the drinking bout. Because they had no interest in the first place, the remaining two thirds were not to be found in that place. Only participating in the betting, they then returned to the lodging house. Even if one thought of seeing the results with one’s own eyes as to assure oneself, it was a literal drunken craze.

There were three baskets which the wagered tokens were thrown into. Would they scurry home with dispirited faces, or return as corpses, or would they not return back regardless of life or death? Though all sorts of expectations had come, they eventually settled on those three.

Anyhow, they were mere new recruits which just had left the Drill Academy, and to make matters worse, their numbers wouldn’t even make up a Squad of Ten. So, therefore, the alternative named “Winning and returning” didn’t exist from the start. The essentials of their predictions was, how their real natures would become transparent.

If they were shameless people with big mouths, the would disgracefully scurry home. If they were to have a reckless death-wish, they would be transported back as corpses. If they were boasting cowards, they wouldn’t return back in the first place.

The most predominant was “Not returning”. The runner-up was “Returning as corpses”. The one which was the least predominant was “Escaping”.

The reason for why “Escaping” was the least popular was because of the boy with them, who had let forth his bizarre bloodlust. That presence was somehow different from simple recklessness and disdain brought about by ignorance. He would, perhaps, fight to the last, involving his allies – many people thought so.

Also, as relish to the alcohol, who among those three women was the most attractive, what kind of howling screams would the Princess make if she was forcibly violated, what kind of jeers were they to make if those people were scurrying back, they were doing what they pleased, they ranted on with that kind of low-life prattle. While the guards, who were about to leave, frowned, they passed by without stopping as if it would be troublesome to be involved with them.

The merry-making scene itself was by no means unusual.

Even if they were said to be at the front-line, not every soldier of the large army’s 30,000 troops was put into battle day after day. Normally, regarding small skirmishes, the amount of people who came onto the plains was about 10,000. Even in times when the fort was attacked by the enemy army, the limit of troops able to participate in a defensive battle was about half, at best – the other half would be appointed to stand by at the rear guard. In other words, the soldiers fought every three days on average, the remaining two days being days off. And, speaking of what people did during those days off, the majority of the soldiers drunk.

However, ordinary soldiers wouldn’t behave as if they were in an uproar, occupying the castle without considering what a nuisance it would be to their surroundings. Were the ones who did it a unit glad of their victory which they were just about to win through in the great war, or a crowded-out group of people which didn’t take into consideration that they were disturbing their environs? Of course, it was the latter, and the guards frowned at them too.

“A mishmash of troublesome people” – that was the assessment that the Order of the White Wolves had received from the other Orders of Chivalry.

People who disturbed order, with bad manners. A bunch that though they were skilled, never listened to orders. People holding criminal records who volunteered for the job, wishing for amnesty. It was established so that that kind of people could be enclosed in one place, so to speak, an Order of Chivalry like a place for the disposal of waste.

There was hardly any chance that they were to be given any important missions, nor any expectations of military gains, and their military duty once every three days also ended with just dealing with stray Demons and Demon Beasts while taking a light stroll on the battlefield. It was rumoured that they were in that state without dismissal, because they otherwise would become bandits and robbers pursuing the army, and causing damage to the country; for the sake of becoming sacrificial pawns, thrown into a bloody battle, when the time came.

Did they understand that themselves? They never held back from their defiance. As if they were to forget their lives which they had reached their limits of, and their futures which had no destination, they spent their days self-indulgently.

Therefore, the matter of the new Commander Milifica and her followers was the perfect new amusement.

“Uh, what’s the time?”

While gulping down a bottle of wine, someone asked that question.

“How long until you guys are leaving?”

“Hasn’t something like two hours passed, yeah?”

Another person answered, while filling their cheeks with dried meat.

“I’m gettin’ tired of this half-arsed waiting. I’m fackin’ sleepy ’cause I got up early, yeah?”

“Well, we haven’t decided to stop it, yeah? If number one is correct, waiting forever is a waste too. Around this time, those guys should have returned sneakily through some other gate somewhere, and already are in the middle of the mountains.”

“Nah, if you think hard, there ain’t no meaning in waiting for number two, right? They’re outnumbered, and even if a comrade of theirs dies, they can’t bring it back, and they’ll be annihilated all the more.”

“Are you a fackin’ idiot? Not to mention those other brats, that new Commander is from the Royal Family. If she is taken home even as a dead effing corpse, you’ll get a reward. Even if they’re annihilated, won’t someone from another unit come for it then?”

“Huh? You’re the idiot, you bloody half-baldie. Even if they’re gonna get a reward, how many guys on the battlefield know that she’s royalty in the first place, huh?”

“Kakakaka, you ain’t wrong!”

“……ut the fuck up! There might be someone who knows, fuckface!”

With dirty words and belligerent manners, they roared with laughter.

Within them – a single soldier brought up a subject with a group of people which quietly stood in a corner of the fortress.

“Hey, Ziadrene, what number did you guys bet on?”

Their surroundings gazed at them from all around.

Though they were quiet, they were a group which emitted a frightful presence. In the middle of them was a muscular, bearded man, and a beautiful woman in the prime of her youth, who in a slovenly state was embraced by his arms. Furthermore, surrounding them, there were about twenty followers, which revered him as their leader. Obviously different from the other, gloomy people, seemingly trying to rid themselves of the alcohol day after day, an unusual presence followed their bodies. It seemed that the other group members also acknowledged his superiority, the tumult had dying down just like the receding waves.

Before long, the man in the centre, who was named Ziadrene, gulped down from a wooden barrel containing ale, and spoke.

“I ain’t betting on any of those numbers.”

“Oh, but you guys, didn’t you throw any bets in the box just a little while ago?”

Next to the three baskets where the betting tokens were to be put, lay a wooden box with a heap of silver coins. It was expected to be split equally between those who won. Attention was drawn to the box, and to the soldier who guarded the box, in the role of a bookmaker.

“Oi, Distah, you listening?”

“Er, erm, I’m listening. I’m listening, but you know……”

Distah, who was in the role as a bookmaker, was at a loss. He had a grimace that seemed to say that he was hesitant to speak of his own accord. The woman in his arms, who was smoking a cigarette, answered instead.

“I too have the same viewpoint as this person. I’m not betting on anything.”

“Madam Fiene, by that you mean……”

Ignoring someone’s inquiry towards the woman – Fiene,

“Well, it’s like half and half or something.”

While Ziadrene spoke to no one in particular, he gazed far-away from the rampart, and onto the Great Plains.

“It was pretty good, that bloodlust. Without ability, you can’t release that kind of sword-spirit. However, Demons and Demon Beasts are completely different from their human opponents. I wonder if that youngster understands that.”

“That red-haired boy? It surely did look like he was skilled…… But, if only one person of skill is mixed in among them, there ain’t no meaning, right? No matter how you look at that other lot, you can only feel that they’re wet behind their ears.”

Fiene sneered at the objections that the crowd had raised.

“Ha! You guys, you ain’t got the discerning eyes of a woman. I guess it’s because you only fuck cheap prostitutes.”

“Of a woman? Where the fuck is the woman in her……”

“Hey, everyone.”

Exhaling purple smoke with a puff, and sighing at the same time, she shrugged her shoulders.

“Everyone, that Princess, that silver-haired girl, and that chick with glasses. They’ve got guts. That kind of good women are close to us. Even on the boys’ side too, they have a promising future too, right?”

Everyone was taken aback. But it seemed unlikely that she was joking.

But, no-one laughed carelessly laughed. Because the party of Ziadrene and Fiene had earned themselves that much fear among the Order of Chivalry of the White Wolves. The voice which tore through the silence, which seemed to say “How should I react?”, came from the top of the observation platform.

“Heeeads!”

A man, which was a follower of Ziadrene, shouted.

He moved the telescope to the side and gave it a big turn. After that, he pushed out his opened palm in front of his face.

“Hey…… Erm.”

The leader’s bearded face warped immediately, as he shouted while roaring with laughter.

“Five of them? Now, ain’t that more than expected?”

“You serious!”

“Hey, that’s amazing!”

“They did it!”

Mimicking the boss, the followers one-by-one raised cheers of joy.

“Somehow or other, it seems like the bet is our win.”

Together with Fiene’s words, one party walked up to the bookmaker, and lifted up the wooden box. The bookmaker, gaping, opened his mouth in astonishment, while staring only at the mountain of silver coins being carried away. Ziadrene struck his palm with a fist, and stood up.

“Well, assholes, it’s a greeting! Our new Commander and those awesome fucking brats are returning!”

Spilling their alcohol and throwing away their meat, Ziadrene’s gang went down the rampart’s stairs.

The other people couldn’t understand.

“What the fuck just happened?”

“What the hell, is this……”

Though their non-understanding faces, with puzzled expressions on, met for a short while – before long, without any particular reason, they approached the rampart, made an appearance at the edge, and looked down over the Great Plains.

Then,

“Hey…… What?”

Under their eyes, they discovered a group riding on horses, riding straight toward the Eighth East Gate, and became speechless.

Traveling as the vanguard, was the blond-haired princess, perched on a white horse.

And following that, five boys and girls. It was the same number as when they had left. They had returned without being short of anyone.

There was not a neat person. Everyone was, more or less, covered in dust and blood. They were not dirty as if they had played in it. It was, beyond doubt, proof that they had wielded their swords at the boundaries of life and death. Among them, especially the red-haired boy caught their eyes. He wore a completely tattered overcoat without bothering to wipe off the darkish blood splattered across his cheeks, and laughed weakly while giving off an oddly dreadful presence even from a distance. It was as if the excitement of battle still lingered within him. With a face that seemed to say that the battles were insufficient, and that the the killing was insufficient.

A girl with bluish-silver hair clung to the back of the saddle – what was suspended from her both sides was inhuman; five monsters’ fleshly severed heads.

It was incredible.

However, it was unlikely that it was a trick.

Assuming that they, with only six people – had raided the battlefield and acquired the Demons’ heads. A Squad of Ten which appeared together could boast of having the strength of narrowly being able to get one, even so, five heads.

“……What’s that.”

It was a voice filled with admiration, where even the colours of despair could be heard.

“What are they, those guys.”

When they had left the gate, facial expressions of mockery and contempt had been seen on the the people’s faces, but now, they were of surprise and horror, and later on, awe.

Some people even began to shiver as they remembered their bad behaviour in the morning.

The princess – Milifica Yusala Astzeelen stood before the gate, and shouted loudly.

“Open the gate! The Third Army, Second Division, Eighth Battalion ‘The Order of the White Wolves’…… has returned!”

Though it was the name of the Order of Chivalry that they belonged to, she had made a sound that was unknown to them. It was as if they somehow were a heroic and honourable unit.

Footnotes:

A traditional Japanese battle formation, as seen here.A Japanese cutting technique, beheading someone while following the spine.