“Welcome back, Lord Hugo! Oh, and Lady Lily, you’ve come too! With you here, we’re a hundred times stronger!” soldiers exclaimed as they noticed Hugo entering the town of Murasta, rushing over from their break.
“Yes, I apologize for my absence. My daughter will also be sent to the front lines, so you can count on her as reinforcements!” Duke Rüdiger’s friendly demeanor, despite being their lord, created a close bond. It was clear they saw each other as comrades who had fought together on the battlefield. This was likely due to Hugo’s personality. He accepted and loved his people not as subjects or in consideration of his noble status, but for who they were. It was precisely this quality that made him beloved by both his subordinates and his people.
“Apologies, but I need to get my equipment sorted. Please bring my horse,” Hugo requested. “Yes, sir!” The soldiers scurried to bring Hugo’s and Jared’s horses. After dismounting, the Duke led them to a building.
“This is where we keep our weapons and armor. Jared, you seem to have combat armor, a knife, and a dagger, but you might want a spear or a long sword as well. If you can use them, feel free to take a bow and firearms too,” the Duke offered. “Thank you. Then I won’t hold back,” Jared replied. He picked up a revolver.
“Oh, you chose that, did you? I thought you’d go for a spear— ah, right, you’ll be conjuring a spear with magic. I’m envious. I have no magic power, so while I’d love to use magic, there’s no point in wishing for what I don’t have.”
“Magic is just a tool,” Jared stated casually as he equipped a leather belt over his combat uniform, sheathing two guns on either side. He also carried spare ammunition. The Duke’s eyes widened at Jared’s nonchalant dismissal of magic, and then he burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! You call magic a mere tool, especially you, a magician who will become a Court Mage? I like it. I really like it! When Lily said she wanted to marry you, I was admittedly annoyed, but I like you, unlike any magician I’ve ever known. Please, accept her as a consort!”
“Ah…” Jared thought, genuinely impressed by the Duke’s bluntness. If he were to carelessly agree now, Lily might become a consort. Jared himself didn’t fully understand Lily. While he understood why she used a pseudonym as his secretary officer for this matter, she hadn’t revealed her true feelings. With Olivier as his fiancée, Jared couldn’t, and currently had no intention of, accepting Lily with a simple “Yes, I understand.”
“Father, please don’t trouble Jared-sama. I’m sorry, but Father is like this, so please don’t take it too seriously and just brush it off,” Lily said, lightly hitting her father’s head with her scabbard. However, it seemed unlikely Jared could simply ignore the Duke’s words. He glanced at Ernesta for help, who, with her hand covering her mouth, was suppressing a smile. It seemed amusing from her perspective.
“This is out of the blue, but are you really going to fight, Lily?” “Of course. Even if the ghoul horde was unexpected, as the lord’s daughter, I have no choice but to fight,” Lily replied firmly.
“As Jared-sama’s secretary officer, danger is to be expected. But don’t worry, she’s been a tomboy since childhood, and since I found her challenging, I trained her well. She wasn’t trained to fall behind against mere ghouls. If she dies, it’s at her own risk,” the Duke stated, the last part sounding cold. However, it was quickly apparent that he loved his daughter dearly. While not doting, he clearly trusted Lily’s abilities. The problem wasn’t the ghouls themselves, but the sheer number of them, and both the Duke and his daughter were determined to fight. While reassuring, it also caused Jared some concern. Honestly, fighting alongside his secretary officer, whose skills he didn’t know, was daunting for Jared, who wasn’t adept at cooperating.
However, she clearly had no intention of backing down. Dressed in practical blue trousers as combat attire, with brown laced boots reaching her knees and a lightweight chest plate, a long sword sheathed at her hip, she looked like someone experienced in combat. There was no wasted movement, no fear, and her calm demeanor in the face of a potentially deadly battlefield suggested extensive experience.
“Ernesta-san, are you also going to the battlefield?” “Of course. If Jared-sama and Lily-san are fighting, there’s no way I wouldn’t. I am, after all, a Member of the Royal Mage Corps. Please don’t worry,” Ernesta replied. She, too, wore a white Royal Mage Corps uniform, a deep blue robe over it, and carried a staff as tall as herself. She was a classic magician, and like Lily, she appeared calm and collected. Members of the Mage Corps were elite magicians, and she undoubtedly possessed extensive combat experience.
“In case of an emergency, I will assess the situation so as not to hinder Jared-sama. Please trust me,” Ernesta said. “…I will. But please, don’t do anything reckless. If you are my secretary officer, that’s a promise I need you to keep.” “Understood. I promise.” Jared decided to accept her promise not to do anything reckless for now. As for Lily, since she was determined to fight, he had no choice but to trust Ernesta, who had offered to look after her. No, he *should* trust her. She was, after all, the secretary officer Jared himself had chosen.
“Are you ready, Jared?” “Yes. By the way, are there any residents left in this town?” “No need to worry. The women, children, and elderly have been evacuated to my mansion. The only Territory Residents remaining are those brave enough to fight.” It wasn’t uncommon for citizens, not just soldiers, to rise up and fight for their territory, especially when their lord’s family was deeply loved. The Territory Residents fought for their lord, and more importantly, to protect their homes.
“I am honored to fight alongside such courageous people.” “I feel the same. Now, let me explain the simple plan. We will draw back the soldiers currently at the front line, and at the same time, we will advance to the front. Before sunset, we will eliminate as many ghouls as possible, and if possible, annihilate them all.”
“It’s a simple and good plan. Let’s finish this during the day when their movements are sluggish. There’s no need to prolong it until night,” Jared suggested. “Well said! Then, let us march! While I may not be part of the Knights now, I’ve continued my training. I’m honored to fight alongside a young man as talented as you, Jared!” Hugo’s valiant voice stirred Jared. As they stepped outside together, Hugo introduced Jared and his group, which was met with a cheer. The soldiers of Duke R’s territory welcomed the participation of the young man who was destined to become a Court Mage. To live up to their expectations, Jared resolved to defeat the ghouls as quickly as possible.
