“Huh? Me?”
Just as I was enjoying a blissful moment, Christine, slightly annoyed, entered with Alana, who declared, “I raised my score this time!” We were in the middle of enjoying ourselves when Alana, gasping for breath, delivered the important news: “By the way, the Commander was called by the Army Commander.”
“Why would they call me at a time like this? If they had to remember, I wish they’d do it after everything’s over. But since I heard it, I have to go see them quickly.”
I silenced the two of them with Mode Three and hurried to the central Lord’s mansion where the Army Commander was. The town was quiet, unlike the area near the North Gate. Had the townsfolk fled?
Upon arriving at the Lord’s mansion, I was appointed as the commander of the Third Army without even a greeting from the Army Commander. Apparently, the previous commander of the Third Army had died in a Cyclops attack. Normally, a Lord or Knight from Harm would be chosen as the commander, but it seems anyone suitable had either died or fled.
“I’m a mercenary, and also a noble of the Asht Empire. Becoming a commander in Harm…”
“It can’t be helped. This is not the time to be discussing that. Even with troop reorganization, we can only form two armies. Furthermore, the Third Army will have less than a hundred men assigned to it.”
A single army is supposed to consist of two hundred men. If we can only form two armies, and our unit has less than a hundred men, the entire force would be three hundred.
Had five hundred men been killed without my knowledge? I suppose it’s better to think we did well just preventing them from crossing the castle walls.
“The enemy has also suffered devastating blows, but we will abandon Schreiaschwald. We will now regroup with our allies gathered at the Royal Capital. Shin, you will move here with the Third Army to the Royal Capital the day after tomorrow. That is all.”
So, we’re the rearguard. Is that why they made me a brigade commander? This isn’t just to offload the troublesome task, is it? Still, the decision is too hasty.
“Are you dissatisfied? I hear the neighboring town, Andorf, fell swiftly. This opens the road to the Royal Capital. Its strategic significance has diminished, and we will gather all our forces to fight at the Royal Capital. You too, do not be late.”
From Lauenstein, which controls the Nebel Bridge connecting to Nordland, to here, we haven’t exactly lost, but strategically, we’ve been losing, and we are forced to retreat to the Royal Capital.
And to top it all off, I end up stuck as the rearguard. No battle is easy, is it? The enemy likely doesn’t have the strength to attack today or tomorrow, so we can probably go to the Royal Capital at our leisure, but a journey where we might be attacked won’t be pleasant.
“Understood. The Third Army will depart the day after tomorrow.”
After this, I have to deliver some unpleasant news to the Third Army, but I’ll leave that to Christine. The surviving skirmishers would die for Christine, and the number of surviving Third Army soldiers won’t be large either.
Today and tomorrow will probably be so quiet it’s boring. The enemy has also suffered heavy losses, and the White Lily Corps can easily handle them. The only problem is that the enemy has so little remaining strength left to deal with.
It’s going to be busy, at least for me. Will I get any sleep in these two days? No, will I even survive? Since the town is being abandoned, it doesn’t matter what we do, and if word gets out about running wild, I don’t know what Rufina will do. …Rufina first. I left the Lord’s mansion, mulling over my countermeasures.
“I have been appointed commander of the Third Army.”
Silence is golden. I returned to the skirmishers and reported to all the members of the White Lily Corps and Richarda, but there was no applause. As an entertainer, this is a failure. As a mercenary, it’s probably fine, though.
“And so…”
How cold. I’ve been promoted, even if temporarily. Where are some words of encouragement or a congratulatory kiss?
“So, um, we are being incorporated into the Third Army, and with the remaining forces, we will become the Third Army. Our first mission is to defend the town of Schreiaschwald until the day after tomorrow.”
“And so…”
“So, um… regarding the town’s defense, the enemy has suffered devastating damage, so they probably won’t attack. The day after tomorrow, we too will retreat to the Royal Capital.”
“And so…”
That’s all there is! If I say only that, don’t you know what to do? How many years have you been a mercenary? Why are you glaring at me? It makes me want to run away.
“So, until then, we wait. If we just send Doron out for reconnaissance…”
“And so!”
Did I forget something important? Maybe food? They’ll provide rations, and the inn is empty, so we can use any of them.
“Ah, after that, it’s free action…”
Priscilla approached me, gripping her Halberd. So, she’s going to demand payment first. But I have to take care of Rufina first, or the town will be destroyed.
“Hurry up.”
I whispered a death sentence into her ear. It’s just like Priscilla, but the town being destroyed would be bad. I looked at Rufina for help.
“I am busy. I must collect the precious dragon’s blood. I can wait until later.”
I feel both saved and not saved. The town won’t be destroyed now. I want to believe it’s a good thing, but everyone else seems to disagree.
I followed Priscilla. Of course, after picking up the Halberd. I can probably leave the rest to Christine.
“Hurry up!”
She didn’t seem to like me following behind, so she raised her voice a bit, but when I walked next to her, she linked arms with me. Looking closely, her clothes, scorched by the Cyclops’s flames, had a certain charm. I wanted to keep watching her from a distance, but making her angry wouldn’t be wise.
After walking for a while, we didn’t seem to be heading for the plaza or outside the walls. Two mercenaries, armed with Halberds, would probably scare ordinary people, but I felt good. It would be even better if we entered an empty house somewhere and stayed there.
“Let’s hurry…”
So, you’re going to kill me after all… Priscilla and I faced each other in a slightly open area near the wall. Halberd against Halberd. Godspeed against Lycanthrope. Maybe I’ll go all out for a change.
“Let’s hurry. I’ll finish this in a minute.”
“Don’t underestimate me, damn you!”
With a roar of rage, Priscilla transformed into a golden Lycanthrope. I dislike that because it ruins the “clothing removal” vibe. But then again, Priscilla with her soft fur is nice too…
“Die!”
Never! Her Halberd swung in rapid succession, a blow that even Godspeed-user me could barely dodge. I counterattacked with Mode Two.
From upper to lower thrusts. From close-quarters combat with thrusts to striking with the shaft. This time, Priscilla was pushed into a defensive position.
“How is it, Priscilla? The Halberd is quite useful, isn’t it?”
“Damn it! Since when did you get so good! It’s not over yet!”
Another roar of rage that shook the air. This time, it was different. Priscilla’s golden fur bristled, and a golden light erupted like an aura.
“Priscilla, I’m sorry. It was a joke. I got a little carried away. Please forgive me.”
This is bad. This must be related to extinguishing the Cyclops’s flames. I could deal with it using Mode Three and Mind’s Eye, but I don’t want to do that for a real battle right away.
I should have knocked her out sooner. Then I could have enjoyed the clothing removal scene! I won’t be forgiven. It has to be Mode Three… Die for my pleasure!
Godspeed Mode Three! Mind’s Eye!
But before I could even ready myself, a shining disc flew at me? It passed by the joints of my limbs, and I fell, spurting blood spectacularly enough to please Rufina. It was as if my arms and legs had been severed, like a Daruma doll…
“Guaaaaaah!”
What in the world happened?! Was it a high-speed slash from Priscilla?! Or did a demon attack?!
“That idiot. I told you to hurry…”
Who are you calling an idiot?! What do you mean, “hurry”?! I want to roll around in pain, but I can’t even roll around without limbs.
“Guh! It, it hurts, P-Priscilla, you, you’re overdoing it!”
Priscilla, looking down at me, had eyes of pity rather than victory. Priscilla didn’t kill me, did she?
“That’s why I told you to hurry. Ah, well, they came skipping along.”
From my perspective, with only my head able to move, I couldn’t see the direction Priscilla was facing. I could only hear the sound. *Zaza, zaza*, a demonic skip.
“Are you finished?”
“Not yet. What are you doing now, Sophia, when we’re just getting started?!”
It was Sophia after all?! Why are you interrupting our romantic reward? More importantly, fix my limbs quickly.
“You were matched, so I thought you were finished. Besides, after this battle ends, I’m supposed to receive my reward. Right, Commander? Right?!”
Did we talk about that? More importantly, fix my limbs! It really hurts!
“S-Sophia, please fix it quickly. It hurts, it hurts!”
I propped myself up on my head and looked towards Sophia. White glowing spheres were floating around Sophia, like will-o’-the-wisps. Had she finally acquired that kind of power? Is she a white mage Necromancer?!
“What is that Sophia has?”
I’m also curious about that. Is it something a healing-type white mage can use? They’re glowing, so it’ll be safe on the road at night. Hurry and fix it.
“Think of this as a variant of Platinum Laser. For the output of one laser, it can float eight spheres constantly. Be careful if you touch it, Priscilla. It’s just like the laser; you’ll lose your hands.”
Lasers are straight beams of light. I remember something about concentrating light into a laser, an incredible magic. Now, instead of a beam, it’s in spheres floating around the body. Hurry and fix it.
“Can it be used?”
“Yes! As you’ve seen, its destructive power is considerable. If I make it disc-shaped, it can cut things cleanly, and if I feel in danger, it will automatically defend me.”
I know its destructive power firsthand. With power like that, it probably defends well too. Hurry and fix it!
“So, you interfered with my reward…”
“Interfered? Not at all. I merely asserted my priority.”
They’re glaring at each other, and there’s no room to slip in. Hurry and fix me. Please…
“Excuse me for interrupting your conversation, but I’m dying…”
Before I lose consciousness, both my arms are healed by Sophia’s healing magic. It’s anticlimactic.
“Aren’t you going to attach my legs?”
“Legs are just decorations. Important people don’t understand that.”
I struggled with Schreiaschwald abandoned and while retreating, with no legs… I did various things.
