Chapter 54
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Parting Words and Strange Rumors
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My squabble with Dajin continued for over twenty minutes, despite Rireu and Bellua’s attempts to stop us. This was the first time I’d realized I had the stamina to argue with someone for that long. It was probably thanks to the damn deer in front of me, who relentlessly got on my nerves.
“Yes, yes, that was quite an enjoyable conversation. Do call me if something this amusing happens again. Since you don’t seem to like it, I shall refrain from watching you twenty-four hours a day.”
“This bastard, talking as if he’s doing me a favor…”
“Thank you! Now, Sir Bin! What do we say in times like these? Sir Dajin has granted our wish!”
“That’s right, General! You have to be a good boy here! The spirit said he’d be considerate to a degree, so you should just say thank you and end it!”
Rireu and Bellua grabbed hold of me as I was about to fire off another sharp remark at Dajin, scolding me as if I were a child.
…It seemed they, too, were exhausted from trying to break up our argument.
“If you want to watch me, at least give me a heads-up that you are. That's the most I'm willing to concede.”
“Hmph, a heads-up is something I can manage.”
Dajin replied, lifting his head arrogantly.
“Seriously, ever since a minute ago, he’s been acting like he’s doing me a huge favor…”
“Wow! Wow, wow… Thank you! Right? Sir Dajin granted your request, didn’t he? Right?”
“Hmm, it seems the transcendent being acknowledges you, General! Hmm, hmm!”
Rireu clamped her slender hands over my mouth, stopping the harsh words before they could escape. She brought her face close to mine. Her large eyes pleaded desperately, ‘Let's stop now, please…’
Bellua, too, gave me a look, clearing her throat unnaturally several times. It was clear she was just as burdened by this situation, with a transcendent being and her superior bickering back and forth.
“R-right? Sir Dajin granted your request, didn’t he?”
I gave a silent nod to Rireu, who was still covering my mouth with that desperate look in her eyes.
She nervously, slowly, removed her hands from my mouth.
“…”
I gradually turned my head to look at the deer, which was staring down at me with arrogant eyes.
Rireu remained on high alert, ready to clamp my mouth shut the moment I uttered a single curse, while Bellua seemed worried I might suddenly lunge at the deer of lightning.
“Well, yes.”
I answered, trying to be polite for the sake of their efforts.
*Pfft.*
The deer bastard let out a snort, as if intentionally trying to provoke me.
“How cute.”
“…”
Seeing the corner of my mouth twitch, Rireu quietly grabbed the sleeve of my robe.
‘Please… just bear with it a little longer…’
“Ah. Yes.”
Reading the message in her eyes, I forcefully swallowed the curses trying to escape my throat and responded coolly to Dajin.
“Tsk, it’s no fun when you hold back.”
Dajin clicked his tongue and turned his head away, seemingly having lost interest now that I was reining in my anger.
*Fizz!*
Immediately after, the lightning bolts that formed Dajin’s body scattered into the air before calmly seeping into my right hand.
It was a warm and gentle sensation. I had no idea how lightning could feel like this.
“…Is he gone?”
“How should I know? For all we know, he could be holding his breath and secretly watching us like some pervert.”
“A transcendent being's words carry a weight on a different level from a mortal's. I doubt he would do that.”
Rireu patted me on the back as I stared suspiciously at my right hand.
“I don’t know about you, General, being a genius mage and all, but I, for one, do not wish to incur the wrath of a transcendent being. So please, if you’re going to fight, do it where no one is around. You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
Bellua finally let go of her tension and slumped to the ground with a sigh.
“What would you have done if he had gotten truly angry and ordered us all out of this forest immediately?”
“He probably doesn’t have the power to do that. The bastard couldn’t do anything about the Mazoku defiling his forest and was trapped inside a rock.”
“…Still, it’s terrifying. As I said before, I don’t know about you, General, but to most people on the continent, a transcendent being is no different from a god. Please, don’t cause this kind of absurd trouble.”
“A god? That bas…”
*Slap.*
A slender hand clamped over my mouth once again. I stared at Rireu, dumbfounded.
She was the one who said a transcendent’s words carried weight, that he wouldn’t be secretly watching us. What on earth was she so worried about that she had to shut me up?
“…I’m sure he’s not listening, and a transcendent being would never do such a thing, but! There’s always a ‘what if,’ so let’s *we* watch our mouths.”
…‘We’?
It seemed that deep down, she also found Dajin rather disagreeable.
“Hah… Anyway, General, I have a report on the progress of the operation.”
Bellua, who had been sitting on the ground catching her breath, slowly stood up and spoke.
“What is it?”
I asked, pushing Rireu’s hand away from my mouth. Rireu also turned her head to look at Bellua.
“The construction of the outpost is complete. As of today, the outpost construction operation is over.”
“But I saw people still working late?”
I asked, a puzzled look on my face.
“…That’s just them insisting on carving useless decorations and initials. The basic construction is finished.”
What kind of race were dwarves…? To give up their break time and pull all-nighters just to add decorations to a military outpost…
“I will have a carriage prepared. You, General, should return to the capital, report on the work status, and request more supplies to be sent to Vellaland.”
The reason for building an outpost in the Akilliptus Forest Zone was that it could serve as a major supply route, connecting the capital in a straight line to a battlefield called ‘Vellaland,’ where a war of attrition had been raging for months.
So, Bellua's report was perfectly appropriate.
“What about you and your troops, Bellua? If you’re returning, wouldn’t it be better to go together?”
“Our unit's mission doesn't end with the construction of this outpost. Guarding this outpost and the supply route is also part of our duty.”
“Which means…”
“Well, it means we say our goodbyes tomorrow. You’ve worked hard, General.”
Bellua stated the end so calmly.
“What do you mean I’ve worked hard? I haven’t done anything.”
Constructing the outpost and maintaining the roads was the dwarves’ and Bellua’s job. Eliminating threats and standing guard was handled by the mages and rangers.
Ultimately, all I did was lie sick in bed, rest, and clear a dungeon.
Even with the dungeon, Trian and Rex did most of the work. What I did was truly insignificant.
“Doing nothing was enough. Just having a mage of your and Sir Alter’s caliber was enough to let us infantry work with peace of mind. The Mazoku probably haven’t launched any additional attacks to retake this place thanks to you and Sir Alter.”
“You don’t have to go that far.”
“Then, how about you share a few light words with the troops at morning roll call tomorrow? I’ll be heading back first.”
With that, Bellua clapped my back a few times with her thick, large hand and walked off with a smile toward her tent. Her back was covered in beads of cold sweat that were just beginning to dry in the wind.
“Should we head back, too? We need to have dinner.”
Rireu slowly started walking toward the tent built for me, Alter, and herself, following Bellua who had already disappeared.
“…”
I stood still, watching her walk away.
“Why are you just standing there?”
Rireu looked back at me, puzzled that I wasn't following.
“I can’t walk.”
The backlash from screaming and swinging my fists and feet in the air for twenty minutes had finally hit me.
“…Seriously?”
Rireu stared at me with a pathetic look.
“Just let me borrow your hand.”
“Why don’t you just ask for a piggyback ride?”
“Oh, will you give me one?”
“No.”
Rireu answered curtly and extended her hand to me. I took that slender hand, the same one that had covered my mouth several times today, and slowly put one shaky leg in front of the other.
“…This is frustrating.”
“I told you to ask for a piggyback ride.”
“I said no.”
Rireu grumbled as she watched me move as unsteadily as a toddler just learning to walk.
But contrary to her complaining mouth, her hand never once let go of mine until we reached the tent.
***
The next morning.
I was to part ways with Bellua’s squad.
Honestly, I hadn't grown that attached to them. There was a difference in rank and roles between us, so the absolute amount of time we spent together was quite limited.
Among Bellua’s squad members, I had spent a fair amount of time with Trian… but thanks to his uniquely insolent attitude, he wasn't exactly a likable fellow.
“If you’re going, then just go. Why make such a big deal out of it and bother people in the morning…”
…Well, I wasn’t expecting much, but still, that’s a bit harsh.
Trian was twisting and tying his long blond hair, blatantly sending a signal to ‘keep it short.’
…I know a vice principal's lecture is the most boring thing in the world, but is it really okay to show such an openly annoyed expression?
I’m a general, you know.
“Well, you all have worked hard for nearly a month. I will be returning to the capital. I need to report on the operation's status and prepare for my next mission. I will make sure to convey all the hard work you’ve put in.”
“…What is he talking about? Our work isn’t done yet.”
“The buildings are just barely functional. True art lies beyond mere function.”
“Hey, White Anvil! Is your team done with your work?”
“No, our project isn’t done yet either. I don’t like the color of the roof. The paint doesn’t dry well here because the forest is so dense, and it’s hard to get the color I want.”
The dwarves in the formation looked bewildered, then began to murmur in low voices.
…I don't understand why a military building needs artistic merit as long as it’s functional.
“Ahem! Ahem!”
As the dwarves of the squad began to whisper, Bellua cleared her throat, bringing their scattered attention back to the front.
“Well, as for things like painting the buildings, I suppose you can coordinate the schedule with your squad leader to resolve it.”
“Coordinate… the schedule…? Why do we have to do that? Can’t we just work on it all day?”
“Damn it, my baby still has so many walls that need painting…!”
Their faces were filled with dismay at my words. I couldn’t even begin to guess what that damn paint job meant to them.
In any case, to wrap things up, I looked each of the soldiers gathered before me in the eye and continued speaking.
“Before we set out, do you all remember the promise I made to you?”
“The one about you bowing your head when it was all over?”
A familiar voice piped up from the archers’ ranks. It was Trian, who had been glaring at me with a ‘hurry up and finish’ look from the start.
“…”
I forced a smile and looked at Trian.
“What.”
He said defiantly as he arranged his long blond hair. The dwarves glanced at Trian, then sighed at his impudent attitude or covered their eyes with their thick hands.
“Why is everyone looking at me like that? Focus on the front. The General is speaking.”
The truly scary thing was that the guy had no idea what he was doing wrong.
A madman to the very end.
“Well, Sergeant Trian’s words are not entirely off the mark. I did promise to bow my head to you all before we set out.”
“Oh, so you’re finally trying to show some courtesy. It’s a relief you’ve come to your senses, albeit late.”
…Someone shut that crazy elf up.
“Hmph, well. Yes, anyway, I decided I would bow my head to you. I made the mistake of not carefully reviewing the contract, and you all had to prepare for a battle that you shouldn't have had to fight.”
I did my best to keep my eyes away from Trian. If I kept looking at that lunatic’s face, I might just explode and start cursing.
“I made a mistake. And…”
For a moment, the smell of the corpse wagon brushed past my nose again.
The image of Rex’s back, seething with anger, flashed before my eyes.
…And the words he said to me before he left for the expedition echoed in my ears.
*None of us are perfect.*
Even the great Sword Saint makes mistakes, and comrades and subordinates exist to make up for those mistakes. No warrior complains that the situation wasn't perfect.
What would Rex, who wasn’t here, think if he saw me about to finally bow my head in front of common soldiers?
Such useless thoughts wouldn't leave my mind.
“…”
I fell silent and lifted my head.
I needed a moment to think.
The sky, today as well, was too clear for a thunderstorm.
The clouds nestled in the foliage, unlike those that carried lightning, were white and transparent, gathering and scattering with the wind in an endless cycle.
“…Well, mistakes can happen. I’m only human. No one died or got hurt, so it doesn’t matter, does it?”
I had inadvertently blurted out the thought that had just crossed my mind.
“Haha!”
An unnamed dwarf platoon leader in the front row burst into a hearty laugh.
Seeing the dwarf laugh so freely, I laughed along with him.
“I’ll make mistakes again. So I’d appreciate it if you could help this inexperienced mage out a lot.”
I didn't know why the words “I’ll make mistakes again” came out so easily.
It was probably because of those clouds. The clouds, scattering and regrouping as they pleased, must have been what had shaken my heart so lightly.
Yes, let’s just blame it all on the clouds.
“Haha! You’re so reckless!”
“To be honest, we didn’t really want an apology! As soldiers, we fight with the expectation of getting hurt, but you were treating us too much like children!”
“No one even got hurt, so it turned out for the best! We got to reduce the number of those damn Mazoku!”
The dwarves laughed at my words and chattered away.
“Tsk. How arrogant.”
Only the elf in the archer corps seemed to view my attitude with displeasure.
…Actually, most of the elves seemed indifferent. Only Trian, standing among them, was staring at me with a very sour face.
Look at the glare on that guy. He looks like he could eat someone alive.
“Well then, keep up the hard work. Thank you for everything.”
After a brief farewell to the infantry who had toiled for nearly a month, I climbed onto the carriage where Alter and Rireu were waiting.
The dwarf acting as the coachman also guffawed loudly when he saw me.
“Of course, a man who can tame a spirit has to be like that!”
…?
A strange sound reached my ears as I settled onto the military carriage.
“Haha, that’s right! He’s someone who tamed a spirit; it would be awkward for all of us if he bowed his head!”
…What are they talking about?
I stared, dumbfounded, at the backs of the dwarves who were dispersing to their posts after the morning roll call.
“Wait…”
*Crack!*
Before I could say anything, the laughing dwarf cracked the whip, and we set off. The wheels rumbled along the paved road, and the dwarves’ backs quickly receded into the distance.
“…”
Not understanding what I had just heard, I looked back and forth between Rireu and Alter.
But it seemed they were just as clueless about the situation as I was.
…What is this now? Seriously.