I'll Find Out Myself
I'll Find Out Myself
Thanks to Frien's performance, the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Battalion had achieved an easy victory.
A victory, at that, won from an ambush despite the enemy holding the numerical advantage.
Thanks to this, the soldiers fervently chanted Frien's name, elevating the title of 'Saintess' ever higher.
However, Frien had merely stared fixedly at one spot, as if none of it stirred any emotion in her whatsoever.
A faint sorrow had bled into her eyes, where emotion was dim.
Just what was she looking at, and what was she thinking?
The battalion commander, who had been watching Frien with a sense of awe, cautiously opened his mouth.
"......Captain Frien?"
Frien, hearing the battalion commander's voice, had shifted her gaze.
Hiding her emotions, Frien had answered with the same gentle smile as always.
"Yes. What is the matter?"
"Ah. It's nothing, really. It's just—goodness, I feel like a fool for not having believed in you, that's what it is. I suppose I should say I had heard the rumors, but I never knew you possessed abilities this overwhelming."
"Ahaha. It's alright. It's only natural not to believe at first."
The battalion commander, who had been standing there somewhat awkwardly for a moment, cleared his throat.
"In any case, thanks to you, we were able to achieve a great victory despite being ambushed. I convey my gratitude on behalf of the entire battalion. So, what I'm saying is......."
The battalion commander, who had been gauging Frien's reaction, continued.
"How about coming with me when I report to the division commander? Since you've made such a great contribution, I thought it would be better to report the results of the battle together in front of the division commander."
It was the battalion commander's own way of showing consideration, saying he would personally let the division commander know just how great her contribution was.
However, Frien had merely shaken her head as if it was fine.
"I cannot go to see the division commander. The work I have to do from now on......."
Frien's eyes had gently narrowed.
"Is truly tremendous."
*
Daniel had listened to the battalion commander's report in the division commander's office at the command post.
The gist of the report was that they had been ambushed but had achieved a great victory thanks to Frien's performance.
Having heard the report, Daniel couldn't help but be confused on multiple levels.
'The Republic knew in advance that we were going to launch a reconnaissance in force?'
Being ambushed by the enemy was a common occurrence in war.
But the fact that they had been lying in perfect ambush along the route of the reconnaissance in force meant that the Republic had possessed that information beforehand.
'On top of that, the enemy reserves had anticipated our army's escape route and were waiting in dug-out trenches.'
No matter how temporary a trench was, it usually took half a day to complete.
Thus, it was tantamount to saying the Republic had perfectly known the Imperial Army's reconnaissance in force route.
Having pieced together all that information, Daniel had reached a conclusion.
'It seems there's a Republic spy among our own forces.'
It wasn't a particularly strange thing.
Because the Filoena Highlands had been isolated from the central command for a long time.
No matter what bizarre incidents occurred in the Imperial Capital, to the soldiers guarding the Filoena Highlands, it must have sounded like a story from a distant land.
'And when they heard the Republic had entered the war, there were surely some personnel who started to think the Empire might just collapse like this.'
Seized by the thought that the Empire might be defeated, some personnel would have joined hands with the Republic to seek a way to survive.
If they were still acting as spies for the Republic, the current situation became more than understandable.
'......Things have gotten more complicated than I thought.'
His head had throbbed, but the fact that they had won a great victory in this reconnaissance in force at least came as a comfort.
Because the Republic division, having experienced defeat even after setting an ambush, would have its morale drastically reduced and would enter a lull, however temporarily.
By now, they would have also received the news that they failed to destroy the communication relay station, so they wouldn't advance toward the highlands for the time being.
He had bought time.
And the one who had bought him this time was none other than Frien.
"Where is Frien?"
He had wanted to see her face, if only to commend her for her war achievements.
However, the battalion commander had merely worn a troubled expression.
"My apologies. I thought you might look for her, so I suggested she come with me to give the report, but she declined, saying she had too much work to do. It seems she likely returned to the medical unit as soon as we came back."
"To the medical unit?"
"Yes. If you wish to see Captain Frien, I shall summon her."
Daniel, who had been thinking for a moment, shook his head.
He didn't want to go out of his way to summon someone who had gone to the medical unit claiming she had a lot of work to do.
'However.......'
If it were the Frien Daniel knew, she would have come to his office, if only because she wanted to hear praise.
She would have bragged, albeit subtly, about how great her performance had been and sought recognition from Daniel.
But even so, Frien hadn't come to his office.
As if there was something more important than that.
Though Daniel had found it curious, he decided not to dig any deeper into it.
Because right now, as a division commander, he had a mountain of tasks to deal with.
*
While Daniel was receiving his report, Seraile was also receiving a report at her own mansion.
"You lost, even after setting an ambush with numerical superiority?"
When Seraile, who had been utterly dumbfounded, asked again, Palome had let out a stifled groan.
Palome, who had been bowing his head as if he could not bear to show his face, slowly lifted his gaze.
He could see Seraile's back as she observed the stars through an astronomical telescope.
"......As I mentioned before, the one called Captain Frien used healing magic to turn the Imperial soldiers into deathless warriors. They said no attack could kill them unless it was near-instantaneous death."
"Healing magic, you say."
Seraile, who had paused briefly, continued.
"I'm sorry, but that isn't healing magic."
At that, Palome could only blink vacantly.
"Do you have any grounds for saying it is not healing magic?"
"Grounds? I am the grounds. As you know, I am well-versed in almost all magic. Did you think I never dabbled in healing magic? But no matter how much I researched, healing magic had clear limits."
"......What do you mean by clear limits?"
"I mean that while it's possible to quickly mend wounded flesh, it's impossible to reattach a severed limb. Yes. I can assert it without hesitation. It's impossible."
At Seraile's words, doubt had flickered in Palome's mind.
"Then what in the world is the magic that Captain Frien displayed?"
"Are you even listening to what I'm saying, you blockhead? Listen well. That is neither healing nor magic. It is closer to a kind of void, passed down from ancient times."
"A...... void, you say?"
"Yes. My description is a bit limited because I'm not sure myself. In the first place, there's only about one person per century who uses black mana. So it's difficult even if I want to study it, I suppose."
Seraile, who had taken her eyes off the astronomical telescope, rose from her seat as if realizing something.
"One thing that's certain is that this woman named Frien has the highest compatibility with black mana among all its users in history. That's because I've heard she allocated her mana to personnel on a battalion scale."
Though many records had been lost, people possessing black mana had always been sighted throughout history.
Since its color was different from ordinary mana, it was enough to draw the attention of the public.
Among them, there had been those who lived as ordinary small-town citizens and met a peaceful end, those who suddenly vanished after committing all sorts of crimes, and those who had been persecuted as witches and banished from the world for possessing strange abilities.
But none among them had been able to freely wield their abilities like Frien did.
'And in such a short time at that?'
She had heard that Frien had led a company-sized force at Penbark.
But as far as Seraile knew, the ability Frien had showcased in Penbark had not been as all-purpose as it was now.
Not only was the recovery speed slow, but it had also been impossible to cleanly reattach a severed limb.
Yet now, Frien, like someone who had mastered her ability, had turned the entire battalion's personnel into deathless warriors, making them rise to fight again even after falling.
What did this signify?
Seraile, who had been stroking her chin, recalled the fate of Frien she had just seen through the stars.
'Come to think of it, it had changed. As if she had become a completely different person.'
Frien had originally not intervened in the reconnaissance in force.
'So I had been caught off guard, thinking this ambush would be successful.......'
She had suddenly intervened in the reconnaissance in force and turned the Republic battalion into a complete wreck.
When Seraile had heard that news and checked Frien's fate, her entire course of action had changed.
'Just what in the world has caused this?'
Seraile, who had agonized over it repeatedly, shrugged her shoulders.
Because she was certain she would find out soon anyway.
"Alright. In any case, the fact that you came to find me means you're desperate for my help, right? It makes me a bit uneasy since it feels like I'm covering up your incompetence, but I have received things from the Republic as well, so I suppose."
"......Thank you. But specifically, in what manner do you intend to help?"
"I'm going to move a doll I've hidden in the Filoena Highlands."
A gleam of interest had flickered in Seraile's eyes.
'If my prediction is correct.......'
Since Frien would surely show it through her actions.