Chapter 304
Chapter 304
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 304
Chapter Title: The Northern Frontline - Colonel Gracia Detmeron
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Dawn the next day.
—The Northern Frontline.
*Swoooosh…*
The relentless blizzard, the harsh environment of the frontline where one could freeze just by existing—it was nothing short of a living hell.
*Thud…!*
The periodic onslaught of monster hordes and the occasional appearance of an Apostle wore down officers and soldiers alike, making it one of the reasons the northern frontline was considered the most brutal of all.
“Hah…”
As an officer exhaled, his breath instantly froze in the frigid air, leaving a visible trail.
He was a middle-aged officer, a veteran who had cut his teeth among the northern ranks, yet the battlefield before him remained unchanged year-round.
A faint breath escaped from between the layers of his thick fur coat.
—Colonel Gracia Detmeron.
Responsible for the northern sector's western wall, he stared blankly, his vision blurring.
“How strange…”
The atmosphere on the frontline was never good.
The number of assigned personnel was steadily decreasing, and their situation, having to defend the north with fewer people each year, was always dire.
Maintaining the morale of the officers and soldiers was also a struggle.
No matter how much better the pay and treatment were compared to other frontlines, few could endure this place.
With each passing year, countless officers begged and pleaded for reassignments, and it was undeniable that the desertion rate among soldiers, who couldn't even make such requests, was quietly rising.
*Rustle.*
As he endured the sharp, cold wind, he couldn't shake a strange feeling he'd had recently.
It was more sinister, a gut feeling that a crisis was approaching.
And his intuition had never been wrong. Major incidents might seem sudden, but there were always omens if one looked closely.
On the frontline, that intuition was more important than anything else.
“…”
That was likely why he had been spending more time on the walls lately, breathing shallowly.
*‘Something is out there.’*
…But lately, he was starting to doubt himself.
Before, he could at least figure out what it was, or what kind of omen it was.
But recently, no matter how many reconnaissance teams he dispatched or how high he raised the alert level, he couldn't find any clues.
…It was like a formless fog rolling in.
The fact that he couldn't even see the fog's outline, not even a hazy distortion in the air, made it all the more eerie.
*Rustle.*
He rubbed his eyes blankly, killing time on the wall before the morning arrived.
“…Colonel Gracia.”
He sensed someone approaching.
“Evangeline, is that you?”
“Yes, sir. The officers and soldiers are on high alert. If you don't take care of yourself, sir, how can they find a moment to breathe?”
A small chuckle escaped him at the officer's carefully worded advice.
He was a rare one.
—The Evangeline County.
It was strange enough for the eldest son of a count to be serving on the northern frontline, but he even endured it year after year without any thought of leaving.
This young man, who bore the great responsibility of his family—a man I couldn't hold back even if he requested a transfer—was somehow persevering on this frigid frontline.
*‘And he doesn't even show any signs of hardship.’*
Glancing to his side, he saw the man's long, emerald hair. Though it wasn't typically masculine, his bearing was, making him quite a peculiar fellow.
“Yes, I'd like to catch my breath too.”
“Then why are you on the wall at this early hour? I know it's rude of me to say so, but I truly believe you need to rest, Colonel Gracia.”
He understood the meaning behind the man's calm but assertive gaze.
A commander leading from the front could be seen as admirable. It set an example for the other officers and soldiers.
But when it came to rest, it could also feel more demanding for them.
Only when he rested could they relax a little and manage their stamina.
Indeed, he could clearly see the officers and soldiers on standby on the nearby wall were extremely tense.
“…”
He took a moment to catch his breath, his gaze returning to the pure white snowfields beyond the wall.
It was quiet now after the onslaught of the Apostle and its monster horde just yesterday. He knew that if there was a time to rest, this was it.
…And yet.
“I'm uneasy.”
“…What makes you uneasy, sir? If there are any shortcomings, I will see to them immediately.”
Hearing the straightforward reply from the Evangeline heir, he shook his head.
This anxiety he felt wasn't something that could be explained with words.
Intuition.
It was a survival instinct honed by more than ten years of service on the frontline.
His skin felt pricklier than usual, and breathing wasn't as easy.
Just as animals instinctively migrate before a natural disaster, surviving near-death experiences for so long left a natural imprint on the body.
“Heh heh…”
A quiet laugh suddenly escaped him.
“Evangeline, alright. I'll do as you say.”
“…Thank you for listening to me, Colonel Gracia.”
He shook his head, trying to dismiss his anxiety, and turned around to see the young man bowing respectfully.
…An admirable young man.
And he knew, just as the young man worried, that he was overdoing it.
He knew he was placing a greater burden on the officers and soldiers who needed to rest properly, and that he'd been doing this for days now.
Pushing them like this meant they'd be too exhausted to respond when a crisis did come.
That would defeat the purpose.
*Clomp. Clomp…*
Aware of the young man's footsteps echoing his own, he spoke in a lighter tone.
“So, Evangeline. Have any women caught your eye recently?”
“No. I haven't.”
His immediate reply was simply surprising.
The application rate for officers on the northern front, and the desertion of soldiers.
He knew that in a situation where those rates could accelerate drastically, this young man was the reason quite a few female officers and soldiers remained.
His handsome looks, upright character, noble family, and righteous spirit.
With nothing to fault, it would be strange if they weren't smitten with him.
“That's odd. I know there are some rather eye-catching female officers among the ranks.”
*Clank.*
As they stepped inside, he glanced at the young man again, who smiled wryly.
“That's true. But I suppose my standards are high.”
“Just how high are they?”
He was curious as he spoke.
Here, there were plenty of female officers from good families and with stunning looks.
To be an 'officer' was to be proven in both martial and civil arts. Just achieving that rank made one an impeccable figure within the Empire, yet he claimed they weren't enough.
“Colonel Gracia, do you… happen to know about my younger sister?”
“I do. Of course. Wasn't she the one who served with distinction on the frontlines? Her name was… Adelia, I believe.”
“Yes. That's correct.”
Seeing him smile brightly as he spoke, the colonel let out a hearty laugh, thinking, *surely not*.
“Well, I'll be… Are you trying to tell me your sister is the one who raised your standards?”
“That's right. Having lived with her for quite some time, my standards naturally became higher. So, I think a woman would have to be more beautiful than my sister to capture my heart… but in all these years, I haven't met such a woman.”
The young man's declarative tone was simply absurd.
*‘Adelia Evangeline, huh.’*
As a nursing officer, she had performed so admirably that her reputation had reached even here in the north.
Officers who consistently showed outstanding performance were always widely publicized within the Empire to enhance their honor.
The current Imperial Family knew that officers were the most crucial assets in defending the Empire, which was why they actively promoted them.
*‘I suppose it's only natural.’*
The frontline was a harsh place where one had to sacrifice their time, as if throwing away their very life.
To entice nobles, who lacked nothing, to come to the front, the imperial family knew what held the greatest value.
*‘Honor.’*
Some called it humanity's greatest desire, and he did believe it held great meaning.
“I heard she's at the academy now. How do you feel about that?”
He suddenly became curious.
His sister had served for many years and now seemed to be settling down at the academy.
That alone was a great contribution to the Empire, and no one could fault her for it.
But this young man, who had stayed even longer…
“I think it's a relief.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes. And that's why I believe I should stay on the frontline a little longer.”
His gentle smile as he replied showed what a good person he was. He was a rare talent these days, and the colonel felt fortunate to have him here.
“Still, you're of age now, aren't you? It's time you started a family. I'll see if I can arrange a meeting with a woman who might meet your standards.”
“…That's alright.”
“Consider it a small favor from me.”
He grinned, having changed his mind a little.
Still.
He felt it wouldn't be long now.
He wished there were more families like this, but at the same time, a part of him hoped this young man, who had contributed so much to the Empire, would live a comfortable life.
Even if he tried to remain detached by not using his first name, he couldn't help but grow fond of him as the years passed.
On the way to his office.
*Thud.*
His steps suddenly halted.
“…”
He turned his head unconsciously, a burst of mana erupting from his entire body.
*WHOOOOOOSH—!!*
Amidst the vast, spreading aura of mana, his heart sank.
“Colonel Gracia?”
Despite the young man's confused voice, his mind shifted into full combat readiness.
“Immediately raise the alert level for all officers and soldiers to maximum. We are moving to Code Red!”
Something…….
Was definitely there.
And it was unbelievably close.