We Will Fight Together
Just what in the world was going on?
Once I heard the full situation, it went something like this.
Exactly as Viscount Hadion had said…
Concentrate every force.
He had gathered every scrap of military power scattered across the Hadion Viscounty into a single place. The force he had assembled numbered in the tens of thousands.
It was a truly staggering development. Our supreme commander, Viscount Hadion, turned his gaze on me.
“Young Master Khtun.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“You and Falaon… may withdraw at once.”
“Pardon?”
“There are tens of thousands of lesser demons alone, and no small number of large breeds comparable to ogres or trolls. Above all, the greatest problem is the giant said to stand at their head.”
“A giant?”
“Indeed. Even those massive large breeds look like children beside it, or so I am told.”
“Good heavens…”
I had not seen it myself, so I could not truly grasp its size, but the description alone made it sound enormous.
Certainly.
…If a monster like that exists, even the walls won’t hold.
Perhaps that was why Viscount Hadion already seemed to be bracing for defeat.
“Please withdraw. And if it is possible… would you take the people of my territory with you? I will assign knights and soldiers to accompany them.”
“And what of you, my lord?”
“Someone must remain behind to buy time.”
“Ah.”
The face of the man who said those words was earnest. He truly wanted me to take his people and lead them to Falaon.
It was a noble choice.
Is this really the same greedy viscount?
As a noble, protecting one’s land and subjects is a sacred duty.
And starting a territorial war on a flimsy pretext?
…
Hmm. The ideology of the nobility was a mystery I would never fully understand.
In any case, back to the matter at hand.
The viscount’s proposal was not a bad one for me or for Falaon either. In a world where population was power, Hadion’s refugees might be a burden for the moment, but in time they would become precious labor for Falaon.
And yet.
Really? Is pulling out the right call?
Who was I? The heir of K-Confucianism and a blood relative of Falaon. At the same time, Saint Khtun.
Fleeing with demons before me was not an option I could choose.
So what exactly do you intend to do?
Just a moment.
I looked at the viscount.
“Would it be all right if I gave you an answer after thinking it over a little?”
“Answer as quickly as you can. We will need time to evacuate the residents. There is no telling when those creatures will move.”
“Yes, my lord.”
All hands, assemble—!
It was time for Falaon’s brains to gather.
The brains of Falaon, represented by this body of Saint Khtun, were as follows.
First, Brother James.
An authority on demonology.
Next, the curse sorcerer Ren.
He’s got ties to those vile cultists, so he ought to know something.
Beyond them were the Three Knights, along with the duo of Zeke and Milo. Truth be told, I did not expect much from a pack of muscle-headed knights. I had only summoned them because they counted as commanders as well.
Once every member had been gathered, I explained the whole affair from start to finish—Hadion’s present situation, and the choice the viscount had made.
As expected, the reaction was not encouraging.
“Tens of thousands…”
“Hmm. That does not sound good.”
Even the bravest of knights found a host of tens of thousands a force beyond easy reckoning. And well, that stood to reason.
Tens of thousands, he says…
Think back to elementary school. In my day, a single class held a little over thirty students, and there were about ten classes per grade. Simple math put one grade at three hundred. Gather the whole school and you got roughly eighteen hundred.
Eighteen hundred students. A lot of people.
But twenty thousand was more than ten times that. In other words, more than ten elementary schools’ worth of demons were drooling and charging straight at us.
Comparing it to elementary school kind of kills the sense of crisis… but anyway.
That was how enormous it was.
Perhaps for that reason—
“It would be best to accept the viscount’s request.”
“Evacuating the residents will be difficult, but… yes, I agree.”
The Three Knights, Zeke, and Milo all favored accepting the viscount’s request.
All right, I had their opinions. I turned to the demon expert, Brother James.
“What do you think, Brother?”
“Hmm. I will leave the choice to you, Brother Khtun… but the giant the viscount mentioned bothers me.”
“The giant?”
“Yes.”
What about it bothered him?
“There are a great many kinds of demons, and lesser demons come in such varied forms that classifying them is nearly impossible. But higher up, they divide into something like races.”
“Like the Shadow Demonkin?”
“Exactly. The Shadow Demonkin are intelligent humanoid beings, clearly distinct from lesser demons.”
That much I understood. So then—
“You are saying the giant is one of those kinds?”
“Yes. The fact that they called it a ‘giant’ makes it certain.”
“Are they dangerous?”
“It varies. Just as among us humans a farmer, a soldier, and a knight differ wildly in combat strength, so it is with them.”
“Hmm.”
So what now?
If the giant has intelligence on top of everything else, it’ll be even more dangerous.
This time I looked at Ren.
“Sir Ren, what is your take on this situation?”
“Well…”
Ren seemed to think for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“As Father James said, the giant will be dangerous… and a host of lesser demons and large breeds will be hard to handle. Either way, I’ll follow your choice.”
In short, he had no opinion of his own.
I swear, one of these days I’m going to punch that face.
Perhaps that feeling showed in my eyes. Ren spoke again.
“If we do fight, I’ll make sure the cultists are thoroughly dealt with.”
“The cultists?”
“Yeah. This time the cultists will be pretty troublesome too. There’ll be mages and knights mixed in among them.”
“Ah.”
So there were mages and knights among the cultists as well. Well, of course.
Demon worship doesn’t discriminate by profession.
I reflected on my unconscious assumption that they were all one-trick weaklings devoted only to worship.
At any rate, the party’s opinions stood as follows.
The Three Knights, Zeke, and Milo want to retreat.
Brother James looked as though he would rather stay. Ren was neutral.
By the rules of democracy, retreat would be the correct answer. But this world was an absolute monarchy where democracy had not yet even sprouted, and I was a no—ble with the qualifications of a sovereign!
And besides…
…I didn’t ask because I wanted to retreat.
Earlier and now, my heart had not changed. I would not run. In the name of Saint Khtun, I would tear the demons apart!
“Everyone. If I choose to stand and fight, what will you do?”
“You mean to fight, Young Master?”
“Hmm.”
The Three Knights looked troubled. It was then that Zeke spoke.
“Young Master.”
“Speak, Sir Zeke.”
“You need only give the command.”
Was he giving me attitude?
…No.
Zeke wore an expression that said he would follow whatever choice I made, with complete sincerity. How to put it?
Damn, that’s reassuring.
Perhaps because of Zeke’s bearing, the others’ eyes lit up as well.
“We too will follow your decision, Young Master.”
“I-I as well! This Milo is the same!”
The Three Knights were sincere too.
Milo looks like he got half shoved into it, but…
I looked at them, then carefully opened my mouth.
“Then… shall we give fighting a try?”
The answer was brief.
“At your command!”
“At your command!”
Ah, truly dependable.
Meanwhile, the Ancestor asked with a note of puzzlement.
What’s gotten into you? I thought you’d bolt.
What’s gotten into me?
This is Valhalla, you know.
Someone once said there are times when you must fight even knowing you will lose. I did not know how this battle would end, but by the spirit of Valhalla, this was a fight that had to be fought.
Good. Opinions had been collected.
“Everyone, prepare yourselves. I will go speak with Viscount Hadion.”
“Yes. We will stand ready.”
And so I arrived at Viscount Hadion’s audience chamber. The viscount had been discussing something with Shuren and the rest of the command staff; he brightened and welcomed me.
“You’ve come. Well then, what have you decided?”
“We will fight alongside you.”
“…What?”
The viscount froze, as though he had heard an answer he had never expected. Only for a moment. Then he bowed his head.
“Hadion… Hadion will never forget this day.”
Damn right he shouldn’t. Of course not.
After a brief strategy meeting, Viscount Hadion dismissed the command staff.
“Knights, this way…!”
“All soldiers, assemble!”
The command staff hurried off to carry out their assigned roles. Amid it all, one person looked thoroughly dejected.
Who was it?
Shuren.
“…”
Once the entire command staff had filed out and only the viscount and I remained, Shuren kept his head bowed low. Why was he like that? The reason was obvious. The viscount had excluded Shuren from this battle.
“Father. I… I want to fight as well.”
“No.”
“Everyone else is fighting. Even Young Master Khtun of Falaon has decided to join us. And yet I, the legitimate heir of Hadion…”
“Enough.”
Viscount Hadion cut off Shuren’s pleading.
“Did I not tell you? You will lead the people of the territory to Falaon.”
“That task could be given to other knights…!”
“Do you truly mean to snuff out the line of Hadion? Someone must live to carry on the name! Even if the land is taken, so long as the people survive, that is enough!”
“But…!”
“Enough. I will hear no further argument. Return at once and make ready.”
“Fa—”
“At once!”
“…”
Shuren’s eyes wavered as his lips worked soundlessly. Only for a moment.
“…I understand.”
He bowed his head deeply and left the room.
How to put it? The whole thing was extremely awkward.
I should have left earlier myself.
I started to rise, intending to slip out even now, when Viscount Hadion’s voice stopped me.
“I am sorry. That was not a conversation to have in front of a man who has staked his life for another’s territory.”
“Pardon? No, not at all. Falaon already has its legitimate heir in my elder brother Wilhelm, after all.”
“Hmm. I am still sorry.”
I said it was fine, and he kept at it. And honestly… wasn’t it true?
A bastard son can drop dead for all it matters, right?
With the legitimate heir alive, what was there to worry about so much?
Are you sure you’re fine? You look a little put out.
Ah, I told you I’m fine.
I started to rise again. Or rather, I tried to—had Viscount Hadion’s voice not reached me once more.
“I raised him too soft.”
“Ah.”
“It was that way from childhood. Outstanding talent, but so much fear. How many times I thought how fine it would have been if I had been born with talent like his.”
Hmm. Was this a doting father’s boasting about his child, or a petty man’s jealousy even of his own son’s gifts? I did not know. Nor did I need to.
Even so, Viscount Hadion’s words continued.
“Do you know? This is the first time that boy has ever found his courage.”
“Is that so.”
“And I crushed that will.”
“How truly sad for you.”
“It cannot be helped. A territory may vanish, but a name must not. And… I am a father who cannot help himself. I want my child to live.”
“My own father would have felt the same.”
“…”
What? Did I say something wrong? When I stared at him blankly, Viscount Hadion gave a short laugh.
“The baron must have had quite a time of it with you.”
“Pardon?”
What was that supposed to mean all of a sudden? My eyes narrowed of their own accord as the viscount rose from his seat.
“In any case, I am truly grateful. Hadion will never forget this. Falaon, and your goodwill.”
“Ah… yes.”
“I will take my leave. I have preparations of my own to make.”
With that, Viscount Hadion left the audience chamber. His shoulders, somehow, looked tremendously heavy—as though he were carrying a burden he could not possibly bear.
I watched his back for a moment, then rose from my own seat.
We should go as well.
I steeled myself. This was merely the gateway leading to a great and holy war that would adorn a page in the chronicle of Saint Khtun—a battlefield of promised victory.
You will not regret this?
No.
The demon host arrived at Hadion the following day.