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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Over the past two days, the Southern Republic had suffered a series of crushing defeats.
Fire magic capable of vaporizing hundreds in an instant in a massive rune that threatened to obliterate an entire castle.
Lorraine knew the enemy possessed far more magical power than he had anticipated.
But they weren’t at a disadvantage yet.
Now that they knew about the mages, they could avoid a repeat of their previous losses. And, more importantly, they still significantly outnumbered the suppression force.
Even if their troops were less skilled, they could overwhelm the enemy with sheer numbers.
To do that, however, he needed to bolster their morale.
He needed them to believe that the fall of the Southern Republic meant a return to slavery.
He needed them to fight for their lives.
But that conviction was beginning to waver.
“Who will lead the beastmen now that Darius is gone…?”
“I heard the suppression force retrieved Darius’s body and held a funeral for him.”
“What? They probably just threw him in a ditch.”
“No, I heard they held a proper state funeral. Remember the lanterns the other night? Those were for Darius.”
“Really?”
Rumors were spreading.
The suppression force was offering freedom to all beastmen in the South.
They wouldn’t requisition supplies or collect taxes until the rebellion was quelled.
Before, such rumors would have been dismissed as lies. But after Darius’s death and the subsequent funeral, the beastmen were starting to doubt.
Perhaps the suppression force was telling the truth.
This has to end quickly.
Lorraine knew that if he dragged this out, the doubt would fester, fracturing the Southern Republic.
The aggressor sets the pace.
The Southern Republic, which had been preparing for a defensive war against the Imperial Army, was now on the offensive.
But mages were most effective in defensive sieges. He was being forced to fight his worst enemy in the worst possible scenario.
He knew who was responsible for this predicament.
Schlus Hainkel…!
The man who had recently joined the suppression force.
The man leading the Imperial University mages, acting as the de facto commander.
The man behind the surprise attacks and the policies that were swaying the hearts and minds of the beastmen.
There was no other explanation for the sudden shift in the suppression force’s tactics and policies.
“Do we still have any contacts within the Fourth Castle?”
“Yes, sir. About forty, excluding those who have gone silent.”
“Have them monitor Schlus Hainkel and the university students. Report every move they make.”
“Yes, sir.”
If he was going to strike, he had to aim for the head. He wasn’t thrilled about targeting university students, but he was desperate.
Can we even kill him…?
Lorraine took a deep breath, forcing himself to think rationally.
Schlus Hainkel was meticulous.
He had concealed his involvement with the suppression force until the last moment, ensuring we wouldn’t anticipate their magical capabilities.
He had undoubtedly taken precautions against assassination attempts. The reports would confirm it, but Lorraine was certain Schlus would be heavily guarded.
‘We have to strike when he’s away.’
Perhaps it was better to target the other mages instead.
When Schlus Hainkel left the castle, for whatever reason… that would be their best chance.
‘If we fail, it’s over.’
Targeting university students… it was a desperate gamble, one that would tarnish the Southern Republic’s reputation. And if they failed, it would be the end.
Lorraine steeled his resolve.
He would do whatever it took, even resorting to underhanded tactics, to achieve independence for the Southern Republic.
That was the only way to honor his promise to Darius.
Sparring with stronger opponents was an excellent way to improve one’s skills. But it came with a significant drawback. It was incredibly demoralizing.
Being beaten to a pulp dozens of times without landing a single blow… facing an insurmountable wall… the despair was crushing.
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“Gah!”
“Oh dear, are you alright? I think I might have cracked a rib…!”
Sparring with Pelaine was a humbling experience.
Trie would go easy on me, adjusting her strength to match mine.
Pelaine, however, showed no mercy.
She would aim for vital points with a terrifying intensity, reassured by the presence of Iris nearby.
I had narrowly escaped death several times.
“Damn it. This isn’t working.”
I dismissed Vafe with a sigh.
I had hoped that since beastmen seemed to be wary of it, it would give me an edge in combat. But once the fight started, Pelaine didn’t seem to care.
It was unsettling, but not enough to cripple her.
“No, it’s working.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m serious. It’s still frightening, but I’m getting used to it. At first, I wanted to run away.”
“But you didn’t. Which means you can overcome your fear if you’re determined enough.”
“That’s true, but… I think inexperienced soldiers might panic and flee.”
“Thanks for the encouragement.”
“I wasn’t trying to encourage you! I’m just stating a fact!”
I took her words with a grain of salt.
It seemed Vafe’s fear-inducing effect on beastmen wasn’t as potent as I had hoped.
I would be lying if I said I hadn’t imagined beastmen fleeing in terror the moment I drew Vafe.
It was a bit disappointing. I had been looking forward to an easy victory.
“How’s the horse? Are you two bonding?”
“Not really. We haven’t quite reached an understanding yet.”
I was talking about the black horse I had chosen, the one that wasn’t afraid of Vafe.
After several more falls, it had finally stopped throwing me. But it still snorted whenever I touched it, as if displeased by my presence.
“It’s still a handful, but it obeys my commands.”
As long as it did its job, that was all that mattered.
I just needed it to turn when I pulled the reins and accelerate or decelerate on command.
“Pfft. That means you’re practically best friends.”
“What?”
“If you hadn’t bonded, it wouldn’t even let you on its back. Obedience is a sign of acceptance. It recognizes you as its master.”
“I see…”
That was unexpected.
A tsundere horse.
I had been tempted to turn it into jerky every time it snorted at me. But now that I knew its grumpy behavior was a sign of affection, I saw it in a different light.
“So, now that you’ve bonded with your horse, are you ready to leave?”
“….”
It was time to make good on my promise.
I had declared, in front of all the commanders, that I would go to the Great Forest as the Emperor’s representative to negotiate with the Elder Council.
And now—
I’m screwed.
I was filled with a sense of dread. It was all because of my shop coins.
Forty-nine.
I was one coin short.
I had hoped a quest would appear during my riding lessons, but nothing had happened.
“Yes. We can’t delay any longer.”
But I couldn’t wait around for a quest to appear. The rebels wouldn’t make a move until I did. And if neither side moved, there wouldn’t be any quests.
I had to take the initiative. I could only hope a quest would appear on the way to the Great Forest. If it didn’t… I was doomed.
My week-long break from classes was almost over. I had to take a gamble.
“Who are you taking with you?”
“….”
Pelaine stood beside me, her ears perked up, waiting for my answer.
Looking at her eager expression, it was hard to imagine her as the ruthless warrior who had cut down dozens of enemies.
Surely she wasn’t hoping I would take her…
“Not you, for starters.”
“Oh…”
Her fluffy cat ears drooped. So she had been hoping to go. She was trying to maintain a neutral expression, but her ears betrayed her true feelings.
“The suppression force needs you here. If I leave Kane in charge, he’ll probably find a way to get everyone killed.”
“Aha. I suppose that’s true!”
“….”
My thinly veiled compliment perked her ears right back up. She was so easy to read… She would be terrible at poker.
“Ainz and Erica are out of the question. It’s too dangerous.”
“Hmm…”
We had to be prepared for a rebel ambush.
Their reluctance to attack messengers was a luxury they could no longer afford.
Lorraine, in his current predicament, would likely order his troops to attack anyone, regardless of their status.
Ainz and Erica wouldn’t survive an ambush.
They were physically and mentally unprepared for such a situation.
“So, you’re taking Trie?”
“No.”
“Is there anyone else suitable?”
Trie was the obvious choice. She was stronger than me, and her resolve was unshakeable.
But that was precisely why I couldn’t take her. She had to stay and protect the Fourth Castle.
There might still be rebel spies within the walls.
While I was gone, Trie had to take my place. I trusted her to protect Ainz and Erica.
“So, you’re taking… Kane?”
“No. I haven’t lost my mind.”
He might be strong, but I didn’t want to take him.
“I’m taking Iris.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yes. Taking Iris will significantly reduce the risk of being attacked.”
“That’s… true…”
Even Lorraine wouldn’t dare harm the Saintess. It would be a blatant violation of the unwritten rules of war.
Harming the Saintess would be seen as an act of defiance against Aegis, the continent’s one true god, turning every nation against him.
Lorraine wasn’t that stupid.
“And there’s something only Iris can do.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Not even me, the Commander-in-Chief?”
“No.”
“Not even the commander of your favorite knight order?”
“No.”
“….”
It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Pelaine. I was just being cautious. I didn’t want anyone overhearing our conversation.
Her ears drooped again.
She seemed a little hurt, even though she didn’t say anything.
I instinctively reached out and patted her head.
“It’s not that I don’t trust you. I’m just being careful.”
“Okay…”
“I still trust you, Pelaine. More than any of my other companions.”
That wasn’t entirely a lie. It was only half a lie.
While I didn’t trust her as much as Iris or Trie, I definitely trusted her more than Ainz or Erica.
I knew, as the author of the original story, that she was stubbornly loyal and fiercely protective of those under her command.
“I trust you and your potential, Pelaine.”
“My potential?”
“Of course. You will continue to grow stronger. You might even reach the pinnacle of the Empire.”
“Ahaha… you’re kidding, right? I only beat the Imperial Knights Commander because of my weapon.”
“Tsk. Let me rephrase that. You will reach the pinnacle of the Empire. That’s a guarantee.”
It seemed that Pelaine in this world lacked the confidence she had in the original story. In the original, she had single-handedly rallied the suppression force and led the counterattack.
My intervention had diminished her role.
I had to boost her confidence, even if it was artificially.
“….”
“….”
She didn’t respond for a long time, and I thought I had made things worse. But then, she leaned her head against my shoulder.
“Thank you. Thank you for everything…”
Don’t mention it.
I was the one who should be thanking her. She had persevered through difficult times, nurturing the Holy Knights and bringing us to this point.
“I’m the one who should be thanking you.”
“….”
I gently stroked her head.
Her fur was so soft and fluffy… I couldn’t stop petting her. I was becoming addicted.
She purred contentedly.
I decided to continue for a little while longer.
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