Lord Piel (1)
Lord Piel (1)
"Do you perhaps know how babies are made?"
"Wh-what do you take me for! Of course I know!"
Hildea stammered, her face flushed red.
"Don't children come from a male and female mating? Like birds do."
"Do you know what mating actually entails...."
"It's, it's rubbing each other's reproductive organs...."
'At least she knows what sex is.'
Since she was a boy-prodigy Sword Master who rose from commoner orphan, she might genuinely not know what menstruation was.
Usually, an older family member of the same sex would teach you, but she hadn't even had her menarche all this time.
"Listen carefully. There is a thing called the fertile period. Once a month, a woman's body prepares for pregnancy... breaks down the uterine lining... accompanied by several days of bleeding and pain...."
Hildea, though embarrassed, listened intently to my explanation.
"You truly know everything, don't you. Will it be this bad next time too?"
"I lack the information to know if the first menstruation causes that severe a cramp, or if it's a constitutional trait of Sword Masters."
"Mm-hmm...."
"If you feel you cannot endure it, radio me anytime. I'll come running immediately."
And so, we emerged from the residence after several days.
"...."
"...."
I could feel the odd gazes of the court servants, especially the maids.
'Damn, it seems they've misunderstood that we were holed up for days doing only that.'
I discreetly eavesdropped on their murmuring with my directional microphone and in-ear.
"How utterly virile he must be."
"My goodness, holed up for days doing that...."
"If a Sword Master was driven to that much exhaustion, just how incredible is he?"
"Seems it's not just his handsome face—his other parts must be equally handsome and robust."
Hildea, possessing acute hearing, was also turning red-faced.
We walked in silence.
Before leaving, we had to have an audience with the King.
***
This time too, a private audience with only the King, Hildea, and me.
With a Sword Master present, no servant or vassal was bold enough to dare an eavesdropping attempt.
The King, looking uncharacteristically relaxed, offered praise.
"The Standing Inspectorate—truly a brilliant concept befitting a noble. I cannot help but marvel at Lord Valkenhart's insight."
"I am honored, Your Majesty."
"I am particularly pleased with the veto power to block the noble's monopolies. It is an achievement no one but Count Balckenhardt could have accomplished."
Of course. The implicit threat was that any veto would be met with an Aura Blade to the neck.
"It seems this King had been under a misunderstanding."
"Your Majesty?"
"If you had been influenced by the Loosbel family, you would not have conceived such an idea."
It was a disconcerting remark.
Was this truly about my mother?
"However, since they could be biding their time and hiding their true colors, please be vigilant."
"I shall bear it in mind, Your Majesty."
At my request, Hildea subtly posed a question.
"Could you tell us what exactly the Loosbel family was aiming for?"
"They dreamed of an impertinent institution, the polar opposite of yours."
"The polar opposite...?"
"They attempted to create a Commoner Council."
Hildea did not understand, and the King was all the more gratified by her reaction.
"A decision-making body composed entirely of commoners. One that would replace not only the nobles but the role of the King himself."
***
As I came out after the audience, my head was slightly complicated.
'She was trying to deliver democracy, something even I wouldn't do. So that's why the King is worried.'
He seems concerned that his Frontier Count Sword Master might be tainted by strange ideologies.
'But my mother never once revealed such ideas.'
Whether it was truly connected to my mother, or just shared the same name.
I'm dying of curiosity, but it would be dangerous for me to investigate it directly.
Anyway, the King heavily praised Hildea, saying the Upper House was "a truly noble idea to check overreaching nobles."
"Colonel Piel, I shall also grant you the Hapscorten territory as a fief. I entrust it to you."
"I shall do my utmost."
The Hapscorten territory received as reparations was formally incorporated into Hildea's domain.
I decided to entrust its custodial management to Noona.
'The inland folk are complacent with full bellies; there's no need to give them the same treatment as the Northerners.'
If I were to pay their salaries in flour, the rumors would just spread like wildfire. For a while, I plan to run it according to custom.
"So, will the Upper House have a permanent representative stationed there?"
"Yes, since we cannot always stay in the capital."
In the beginning, they'll unconditionally just approve everything anyway, so we can proceed slowly.
I should build a grand and imposing Upper House Capitol to display its full authority.
True authority, after all, stems from magnificence.
"The Dvil Unit has also returned to Count Anbelrum's territory, so all we need to do now is leave."
"Hmm... Colonel Piel, if you're not in a hurry, could we take our time returning?"
"Let us do as you wish."
"Will you really let me do exactly as I wish?"
The face asking with twinkling eyes was so cute I nearly burst into laughter without realizing it.
"Of course."
"Then let's leave the palace immediately and change our clothes first."
"Huh? Clothes?"
I wondered what she meant, but Hildea wanted to play in the capital dressed in civilian attire.
It seems she wanted to put down the heavy duty of being a soldier and the Commander-in-Chief for a while.
I gladly went along with it.
It was amazing—just taking off our military uniforms, and people didn't recognize us at all.
Of course, Hildea's looks were so dazzling that she drew attention regardless.
'She's pretty in her uniform, but in a dress, her beauty is truly insane.'
It felt like 0.8 of Our Mom. Maybe even up to 0.9....
"Wow, how can this be? I had high expectations for the capital, but the food here is uniformly tasteless."
"My maternal family is rather exceptional, you see."
"It seems the Marshall family's true weapon isn't magical devices, but food. Rather than mortars, the Marshall Burger, samgyeopsal, steak, whiskey, and also.... Anyway, the food is far more formidable."
"To make those foods, we use truly colossal magical devices, you know."
"Really?"
Hildea's eyes sparkled.
If she ever sees the crop-dusting planes, the big beautiful tractors and combines, and the factory-style slaughterhouse, she might faint.
After touring all the famous high-end restaurants in the capital, Hildea briefly commented.
"It seems they'd all be utterly crushed by the beef brisket combat rations? Or perhaps the pepperoni square pizza."
That's a bit..., but I couldn't say that—such is the sad reality of the medieval era.
While we were having a rare bit of fun, I suddenly felt a sense of incongruity.
"Hildea-nim, hold on a moment. It seems your chest has grown a little?"
"Huh? Really?"
We moved to a secluded spot away from prying eyes, pulled up her dress, and measured the size.
Confirming the numbers, my hands trembled and my heart pounded.
"It's a B-cup...."
"I don't know what that means, but it means it got bigger, right?"
"Yes, it's not a full B+, but you've escaped the A+ cup nonetheless."
I felt rewarded for having stuffed her subspace necklace full of Calova CX bars and making her snack on them at every opportunity.
'When the breasts achieved unification under heaven, was this how Soha felt?'
We embraced each other, sharing our joy.
***
Luna, the Wind Mage, was issued a large-caliber sniper rifle as her primary weapon.
Her marksmanship was passably decent.
But its true purpose was long-range reconnaissance using the high-magnification telescopic lens.
If she spotted something suspicious during flight, she'd check it with binoculars, then accurately observe it again through the sniper rifle's lens.
Just like now.
"What is that?"
Luna, pausing in the sky, lowered the binoculars around her neck and confirmed once more through the rifle's telescopic lens strapped to her back.
"It's a pod of ivory whales. They're carrying a Plant Legion on their backs too."
A knowing smile spread across Luna's face as she gripped her radio.
"This is Luna. 120th Gun Unit, come in."
-This is Dvil. 120th Gun Unit.
"Discovered Elf Legion on ivory whale pod. Distance approximately 15km. Standby for bombardment."
-Elf Legion. Distance 15. Standing by for bombardment.
"Commence bombardment once they enter within 500m."
-Distance 500. Commencing bombardment.
The maximum range of the 120mm mortar was about 7,200m.
But there was no reason to reveal the maximum range early on.
"Hihi, it's an explosion. An explosion."
Hugging her fluttering heart, Luna watched the ivory whale pod from the sky.
But then....
"Huh? Where are they going?"
-Brigadier General Luna-nim, what is the matter?
"It doesn't look like they plan to land? They keep heading south."
-Perhaps now that both the 1st and 2nd infiltrations were wiped out, they are trying to avoid Count Anbelrum's territory?
Luna quickly checked the terrain and their movement path, then analyzed it with her sharp mind.
"Azimuth 210, distance 5,200. Prepare for bombardment."
-Azimuth 210, distance 5,200.
"Proximity fuze set to proximity mode, 5 meters."
-Proximity mode, set to 5 meters.
Luna waited with a pounding heart for the targets to enter the designated bombardment coordinates.
And finally, the moment they entered the virtual coordinates.
"Commence bombardment."
-Commencing bombardment.
Kung! Kung! Kung! Kung!
The faint sounds of launch rang out from afar.
Luna soared high into the sky and watched the rapidly flying shells with ecstatic eyes.
The horrifying destructive power hidden within those airborne objects the size of small birds.
She anticipated the despair they would unleash.
'Bulkhanus....'
Luna still vividly remembered the blazing fury of the Elf Forest as it was burned day and night by 5,000 incendiary grenades.
Kwakwagwang! Kukwagwang!
The electronic fuze of the mortar shells approaching the coordinates triggered an airburst according to its set mode.
Showered with shrapnel, the Ancient Tree monsters displayed agonized, branch-flailing movements.
Shells fell without pause.
"Kyahaha! Kyahahaha! Die! Die, all of you!"
The ivory whales inflicted even more severe damage on the Elf Legion.
The ivory whales, pelted with the explosion shrapnel, thrashed in pain before submerging beneath the water's surface.
The Ancient Tree monsters began drowning in the seawater and dying.
The ivory whales that weren't caught in the explosions turned away in fright and fled south at full speed.
Under Luna's direction, the mortar unit continuously shifted coordinates and bombarded without rest.
After unfolding that exhilarating long-range bombardment....
"Cease bombardment."
-Cease fire. General-nim, what is the situation?
"Approximately 80% have been annihilated, and the remainder have turned direction and are currently heading south. About 100 of them, roughly."
-That should serve as a suitable rearguard disruption.
Piel's directive.
Unless they are invading Count Anbelrum's territory, there is no need to block them 100%.
We just have to let enough through to make the rear territories sweat bullets struggling to fend them off.
"It seems they've truly given up on attacking Ainshuvan. They are now only approaching the western coast."
Luna murmured while watching the ivory whale pod fleeing in a fluster.
"Ah, I want to set off an incendiary package.... I want to see my Bulkhanus...."
***
After enjoying a final date with Hildea in the capital, we departed for the Northern region.
Arriving at the Dwein River, we changed back into our military uniforms.
"Soon, once the administrative processing is finished, I should be able to make you a general."
"I am looking forward to it."
The King had promised Hildea one brigadier general star which she could award at her discretion, and it was going to be given to me.
The rank of star and above requires a personnel report to the royal family, but Hildea boldly decided to falsify the records.
"This, too, is faithfully following His Majesty's last command. So, it's fine."
To think she's so nonchalant about military record forgery.
Our Hildea has truly become a full-fledged warlord.
"Then let us cross the river."
"Yes, Hildea-nim."
I piggybacked on her, and Hildea crossed the river using her Feather Step.
'Ugh, Feather Step. What a waste, these are all calories that should be going to her chest....'
Finally, the super-sized palanquin official residence waiting far to the north of the river came into view.
I could also see Rebecca waiting on the riverbank, and the palanquin soldiers standing by at a distance behind her.
'I've returned...!'
It hadn't even been a few weeks, but it felt like I was returning from a years-long overseas deployment.
Rebecca, a blonde, glamorous beauty in her late 170s, greeted me with a bright smile.
"Welcome back, Piel. I've truly missed you."
"Rebecca-nim."
Chulleong-chulleong. Deopseok. Mungkeul....
Rebecca pulled me into a deep, slightly forceful hug.
'Ah yes, this is what a chest is....'
As I closed my eyes to fully savor the soft, mungkeul sensation, I felt a somewhat cold gaze.
I glanced back to see Hildea sending a stinging look before subtly averting her eyes.
"Piel, right now, in my territory, Marshall Stew is incredibly trendy."
"Pardon? Marshall Stew?"
"They also call it the Unit Pizza Beer Stew, shortened down."
This is insane.
Of all things, to slap my name onto that kind of chimera food.
I suddenly understand exactly how my ancestors felt about the ancestral ritual soup....