Chapter 8

-- In the state capital of Coimbra, at the Matades Castle.

In the audience chamber, Groll's shouts of abuse echoed. The man kneeling before him, his face flushed, was Gadeis, a middle-aged man who had led the reinforcements to Rockbell. In Coimbra, he held a position equal to Wilm and was a seasoned military officer known for his cautious tactics.

"Idiot! What do you think I sent you ahead for? To protect Rockbell from the hands of the bandits, of course!"

"Please, Governor. We marched day and night. If it wasn't enough, no one could have reached before the fall."

Gadeis tried to suppress his rising anger and defend himself. He had been insulted in front of the other vassals by a young man who had never led an army. His pride as a commander was wounded, and his face was twisted. His defense only fueled Groll's anger.

"Is that what a general who commands ten thousand troops should say?! What I'm asking is why you didn't retake Rockbell right away! If you can justify this failure with your silver tongue, then do so!"

"Then I will say it. Baron Barell had already fallen in battle, and the city was completely under control. However, fortunately, we managed to save Lady Sara and the young master. The best course of action was to retreat, regroup, and then attack. The troops were exhausted from the forced march, so I judged that a reckless attack should be avoided."

Gadeis led three thousand men. The rebels in Rockbell numbered about five thousand. The forced march from the state capital had left them fatigued, and attacking a fortified position required proper preparation. Moreover, even though they were a ragtag group, the rebels outnumbered them.

Gadeis, known for his cautious tactics, did not want to waste troops needlessly.

To Groll, this appeared as a lack of initiative. It seemed as if he had shown his back to the bandits. How would this be perceived by the public? The humiliation of a rebellion was already a great shame, and for the prideful Groll, it was unbearable.

"…What a weak-minded way of thinking. It's because of generals like you that the Coimbra army is seen as weak. Elgar, you must never emulate such a spineless old fool!"

He sternly said this to Elgar, who was sitting uncomfortably nearby.

Elgar, at the age of twelve, occasionally attended such meetings to prepare for the day he would inherit the governor's seat. He and Gadeis were not strangers, but he did not know how to respond and could only mumble.

On the other hand, Gadeis, called an old fool, tried to defend himself, spitting out his words. He had adopted a cautious approach, not for his own safety.

"Governor, please wait! I am not a coward! I did it to ensure a certain victory—"

"I will command the troops myself next time! I don't need a general who lags behind bandits! Stand down!"

"Governor, that's too much!"

"Enough talk!"

"…Y-Yes, sir."

When Groll interrupted and shouted, Gadeis bit his lip, bowed, and returned to the ranks of the vassals. His body trembled with anger and humiliation, visible to all.

After observing this, Wilm stepped forward to report.

"Governor, the centurion Cynthia Eadrich, who was in charge of Lady Sara's protection, has something to report. Should I call her in?"

"Yes, go ahead. Bring her in immediately."

As Groll nodded, the heavy door was opened by the guards, and Cynthia entered with Noel, her face tense.

Such meetings were attended only by the state's high-ranking officials, and Cynthia had no experience with them. She was not allowed to speak unless she was at least a centurion. Only the top military officers like Gadeis and Wilm, or high-ranking civil servants, could directly address the governor.

This was the first time since her knighthood ceremony that Cynthia had spoken directly to Groll. If she offended him, her position could easily be lost. There was even a possibility that she would be held responsible for endangering her family.

Even with the gentle Lady Sara, she had been initially very nervous. When faced with Groll, the eldest son of the great Valdeck family and once the leading candidate for the next emperor, her body stiffened.

Conscious of the high-ranking officials standing on either side, Cynthia walked up to Groll and awkwardly knelt on one knee. Noel, standing diagonally behind her, did the same. Despite the tense atmosphere, she felt a hint of amusement, but now was not the time for that.

"C-C-Cynthia Eadrich, c-centurion. T-this time, I was given the important task of protecting Lady Sara and the young master, but I committed such a disgraceful failure—"

Groll interrupted her rapid speech with a wry smile.

"Wait, wait. I have no intention of blaming you. Lady Sara returned with only minor injuries, and my son Elgar is unharmed. I've heard that your efforts were worthy of the Eadrich name. —Your duty as a protector was indeed noble."

"Y-Yes, t-thank you, Governor!"

She struggled to express her gratitude, her tongue trembling. With the fear of being held responsible gone, she felt a moment of relief.

"Then, you said you have something to report directly to me. Speak freely."

"Y-Yes, well, um, at, at Sepidev Fort, N-Noel, um, he, um, well, you see—"

The words she had prepared in her head flew around in her mind, and incomprehensible words spilled out of her mouth.

Noticing the smiles of the high-ranking officials, she became even more confused. Her vision blurred, and her knee trembled. Her tongue wouldn't work properly. Seeing Groll frown, the world began to spin in despair.

Wilm, unable to bear it, cleared his throat and sternly reminded her.

"Centurion Cynthia, there's no need to be so nervous. Just report the events as they happened to the Governor. You are a distinguished Coimbra soldier and a proud knight. You must not lose composure in any situation!"

"Y-Yes, of course!"

She responded with enthusiasm, but her mind was already blank. She had completely forgotten what she was supposed to say. Normally, she would have practiced thoroughly, but the lack of time due to Noel's changing clothes and other procedures left her unprepared. She regretted not writing it down. She tried to gather her thoughts in her boiling mind, but it was all in vain.

After a few seconds, or perhaps several, a heavy silence fell. Then, someone lightly tapped her left shoulder. She turned to see Noel, wearing glasses, winking confidently.

"Please, Governor. Centurion Cynthia is struggling with how to report this. However, this is something that must be conveyed. May I speak on her behalf?"

"Who are you?"

Wilm asked, and Noel saluted before answering.

"Y-Yes, I am Noel from Zoim Village, taken as a volunteer soldier by Centurion Cynthia. I came to repay the Governor's kindness, leading the villagers. For convenience, I temporarily held the position of decurion to lead the group. Please forgive my presumptuous behavior."

Noel spoke the lies as if they were facts. Cynthia could only widen her eyes in disbelief. How could such words come out of her mouth?

Elgar, who knew the situation, stood there with his mouth open, completely stunned. It was as if he was looking at a completely different person. He hadn't recognized Noel when she first appeared. He had found her red hair and expression somewhat suspicious, but now he was completely confused.

"…I see, but volunteer soldiers in Coimbra? I find it hard to believe. Is what you just said true, Cynthia?"

Groll's expression was doubtful. He was aware that he was not popular among the people.

Not only Groll, but all the standing military and civil officials had the same expression. It was a well-known fact that Groll had not earned the people's trust.

"Y-Yes, um, it's absolutely true."

In her heart, she apologized, knowing that most of it was a lie. She couldn't say that they were originally on the bandits' side and had ended up here by chance. Moreover, she couldn't admit that she had been defeated in a duel by this girl and nearly had her head crushed. If it became known that a centurion had been defeated by a commoner, the already poor reputation of the Coimbra army would plummet.

Thus, Cynthia, who usually couldn't tell lies, told a big lie with a pained expression, her face twisted and sweat dripping down, but fortunately, no one noticed.

"…What a surprise. So not all the people of our state are ungrateful. Did you hear that, Wilm!"

Surprised by the unexpected presence of reinforcements, Groll's expression softened. He was aware that he was hated by the people. He had tried