Chapter 4

"Hey, kept you waiting, huh."

Following the utterly unfeeling, businesslike call, a figure with a patchwork of scars and a menacing face burst out from the tent. The imperial knight, who had been lounging in a corner of the camp with his old friend, stood up, removing the cigarette he had just put in his mouth.

"Welcome back, Captain."

Jose, who had been enjoying a puff of white smoke a moment earlier, replied with a voice that showed no trace of concern. While he did not fully understand the temperament of Colonel Glastov, who had ordered him to stay behind in the camp, he knew that such commanders never neglected to lay the groundwork. The issue was that they talked too much. Therefore, he had expected the wait to be long.

"In this much noise, we can't sit down and talk properly."

"Noisy? It's just the usual."

Jose spoke in a feigned tone. Whether it was the soldiers moving around the camp or the creaking of their armor, people made a cacophony just by gathering. The Imperial Army, which was particularly averse to silence, tolerated a certain level of raucous noise. Normally, Worm would pretend to be oblivious to any troublesome matters, but this time, he had a clear idea of what was going on.

"Jose, did you lose your ears on the battlefield? Can't you hear this?"

"Gii, yaa—ahhh!!"

"Sorry, I was focused on my cigarette. I can hear it now."

The current wailing was carried by the wind. It was not a surprise attack by the enemy. The Kingdom of Creist had no strength left to attack the fortress of Selta. Besides, if a surprise attack had been allowed, the peninsula would be in an uproar. The details were unclear, but it was probably a fight. After all, there was no shortage of troublemakers. Unlike the Principality of Mayard, which retained remnants of a proper culture, the Empire of Haiselk had many who had been hardened by war. Add the imperial soldiers as kindling to the smoldering embers of a battlefield, and it was easy for a fire to spread.

"Who's causing a commotion?"

"Ah, probably Mittmallet."

"That guy. What a pain."

Even as the two of them chatted leisurely, the wailing did not stop. It was not clear what had happened, but there was one piece of good news. At least, the person was still breathing and had the energy to scream.

"Perfect timing. Worm, let's get the introductions over with."

"Meeting beasts is out of the question."

"Don't worry, he's innocent and cute."

A guarantee that could not be trusted at all. When a comrade-in-arms started walking without waiting for a response, the imperial knight had no choice but to follow. Tracing the flow of onlookers drawn by the commotion and the wailing, they quickly found the center of the disturbance.

"Mitt!!"

"Whoa, I've been found."

There was no need to search for the source of the voice. Mittmallet's head stood out even in a crowd. His hair was short and curly, and his skin was darker than a sunburned sailor. Tracing down from his neck, his bulging muscles were a sight to behold. They were not the chiseled muscles of a statue but the violent physique of a natural predator.

"Did you do it again?"

"I didn't do anything!"

Mittmallet, who had found the captain, exaggerated his innocence with grand gestures. At his feet lay a soldier who had been injured somewhere. Not an imperial soldier, but a militiaman made up of former Felius citizens who had defected to the Kingdom of Creist.

"Don't lie!! Can't you even stay put properly?"

"I didn't do anything bad. I just said it was a hassle to go here and there, and he suddenly snapped. I was surprised!"

His blood-dripping fists waved as he proclaimed his innocence. Dwey frowned, understanding the situation, and Jose sighed. It was enough to enrage the group that had switched allegiances from the Kingdom of Felius to the Kingdom of Creist and then to the Principality of Mayard. If it had been out of malice or spite, a single spit would have settled the matter. But the giant in front of them was asking them a genuine question.

"So, why is the guy who snapped now a funny object?"

"Because I hugged him, and when I hugged him, his arm bent."

Mittmallet said it nonchalantly.

"And the others?"

"They tried to draw their weapons, so I just poked them."

One was holding his dislocated shoulder, and another had his jaw hanging out, groaning on the ground. With a mouth like that, he could hardly swallow anything but porridge. Calling it a poke and showing no remorse, the innocent man had not lost his straightforwardness and cheerfulness even after being tempered in a blood-soaked battlefield. His unextinguished purity, when taken to an extreme, brought an inexplicable terror.

"Haha, a guy who can crush heads while laughing."

The imperial knight laughed it off, a form of escapism.

"You figured it out well."

"Huh?"

Worm doubted his ears and asked Jose with his eyes if it was a joke, but it was not. In such a situation, the important thing was whether the victims were enemies or allies. It would be a shame if someone's head was split open by accident.

"Don't worry, so far it's only the enemy. Well, he doesn't regret it, but he does reflect on it."

"He's optimistic. I envy him."

"Indeed. He's living in the moment."

While Jose engaged in small talk, he could not be a mere spectator.

"Jose, stop chattering and give them first aid. I'll go talk to these guys' heads."

"I can reset shoulders and jaws, but I can't fix broken arms. Tsk, we're short of healing mages."

Mittmallet, hearing the complaint, said with a smile undiminished.

"I'll help too."

With the ease of snapping a twig, Mittmallet reached out to the hanging shoulder. Naturally, the militiaman resisted fiercely.

"Stay back, you monster!"

Seeing the giant who had destroyed him approach with a smile, he was terrified. Even at first glance, he did not seem to be a skilled person. He might finish him off as easily as breaking a leek. Before Worm could intervene, his owner, Dwey, ordered him.

"You just look at the sky."

Shrugging, Mittmallet really did look up at the sky. Though he still had much to learn, his loyalty to orders made him a good soldier.

◆

A thief rat, a meat mallet. Worm, who had become acquainted with the cheerful members of the punishment squad, welcomed the old acquaintance with genuine warmth.

"Moritz, you look well."

"Sir Worm, it's good to see you safe and sound."

In his hand was a gift of dried trout, and his words were full of concern. Even among imperial soldiers, there was a world of difference between those attached to headquarters and those branded.

"Is the wound deep?"

"It's a light injury, not as bad as it looks. Fortunately, it didn't reach the bone. I owe it to eating the poisonous fish that made everyone else sick."

Moritz patted his belly with satisfaction. The fat he had stored was a valuable asset.

Originally a servant at headquarters, Moritz, who also served as a taster, seemed to treat poisonous fish like fresh fish. His gluttony had become a skill. A fine imperial soldier who could withstand the pressure of food shortages.

"How about the infection of the wound?"

"Thanks to Lady Mya, there's no infection. It's clean."

"Mya, huh... How are they doing?"

"I'd like to say they're well, but they're down after losing Lord Justan. Lady Ayane is also exhausted from daily treatments, but she's still dedicated to her duties."

"I see. I can't easily tell them not to overwork, but I'm worried about their health."

There were words he wanted to say. But they were fighting in their own fields, on their own battlefields. Too much concern could become a burden.

"Sir Worm, you're also busy. I'll pass on the words you entrusted to me when the time is right."

"Thank you."

"No, it's a fulfilling and enjoyable task to pass on people's words as a messenger."

Moritz, who had been smiling reassuringly, tightened his expression and returned to his role as a messenger.

"Message from Colonel Justus."

"Is the colonel in the capital?"

"No, he's involved in the pacification of the Yarkk territory."

The imperial knight, who had interrupted, gestured for him to continue.

"Um, I killed the brave ones. I had to send them to the underworld from Dandueg, where we shared hardships. Many died. But some were saved by imperial knights. Thank you for your help. That's all."

The sacrifices on the front lines were immeasurable. Many people had died in a brutal battle, leaving their bodies exposed. What about the rear headquarters? No arrows flew, no attack spells exploded, and no blades shone. There might be no direct casualties, but did that mean they had sacrificed nothing? Whether it was morality, conscience, or benevolence, they ran on human nature as fuel.

The order to die had been given. It was a cruel order. But at least there was no lie in it. The soldiers had fought under the honest command of Justus. The dead would not come back to life, but it could be a comfort. Worm wanted to believe that.

"Thank you for telling me."

After a long silence, the imperial knight expressed his gratitude. He must have looked terrible, but he felt somewhat relieved.

"It's my pleasure... Also, there's another message. Captain Aura, who was a squad leader in the Flueg company, has taken over the unit. Combined with Deborah's training company, they form the core troops and have incorporated the militia into a makeshift battalion."

Even though they had won, it was a hard-fought victory in their own territory. The post-battle work was enormous. Units organized by community and region showed special solidarity but could also be thorns in the side. The defected militia could not be used as is and had to be diluted and mixed into their own army.

The conversation ranged from the situation to the military and civilians, and even to small talk. Just as the topics were about to run out, the messenger revealed his words with effort.

"...Guard Commander Worm, I have a request."

"Go ahead."

It was not a message entrusted to him. It was a heartfelt wish from Moritz.

"Please rely on the homeland, on the motherland."

Such a heavy request. It was impossible for one person to fulfill. Still, he could not refuse. It would be a hollow promise, a mere comfort. But in front of a subordinate who had shared hardships, the imperial knight put on a brave face.

"...Yeah, leave it to me."