Northern Fortress Defense (7)
"Burn the fortress...?"
At Kalintz's words, Taltin nodded.
"Yes. It is our lord's command."
"That... that can't be."
Kalintz bowed his head, his fists trembling as if he simply could not accept it. I, however, found Lin's decision remarkably sound.
From the Brans Army's perspective, this fortress has almost zero strategic value. If Serpina's forces seized it, it would become a lethal blade pointed straight at our own troops. The only reason they had tolerated its existence until now was that Kalintz himself was the one holding it. But the moment he went off on his own, chasing glory, trusting him any further became impossible. Ordering him to burn the fortress and return is the most rational call she could make.
In fact, I had expected from the start that a mind with Intelligence 100 would predict exactly this: destroy the fortress and flee.
Still.
If she was going to issue this order anyway, she should have done it the moment Kalintz was taken prisoner. Instead she ordered him to hold the fort—and only now, after he had actually succeeded in defending it, she told him to burn it down?
That detail made her true intentions a little easier to read.
I won't be able to stay with the Brans Army much longer.
Even if I could endure it myself, I could not keep putting Airen in danger forever. The time to change banners was drawing near.
"...Damn it all...!"
Kalintz Brans held a fairly high standing within the Brans Army—but that standing came solely from being a member of the Brans family. No matter how high he flew, he could not refuse an order from his lord, Lin Brans.
"I've delivered the command, so I'll go prepare. Please have everything ready for departure by the end of the day. That will be all."
Taltin bowed his head and quietly left the room.
Once he was gone, Kalintz let out several long sighs before turning to me with a look of genuine regret.
"I'm sorry, Swen. To think we must tear down the fortress you risked your life to protect..."
Well. I hadn't exactly risked my life—but there was no reason not to let the misunderstanding stand.
"It's all right. If I was able to serve Lord Kalintz, that alone is enough for me."
"Is that so?! Do you truly mean that?"
Hearing my flattering courtesy, Kalintz suddenly stepped closer and clapped a hand on my shoulder.
"I'll try persuading our lord one more time! If you could perform that... that ritual of yours, the one that calls down Heaven's will, just once more! We could wipe out Serpina's army in a single stroke, gather our forces, and this time plant the Brans banner across the entire north! Well? Will you help me leave our names in history?!"
Oh, for heaven's sake.
I had assumed that after launching such a reckless operation he would at least be reflecting. Apparently, after witnessing "my power," he now thought it was worth another try.
Of course, I possessed no ability to summon natural disasters. I certainly could not drop meteors from the sky. So the sensible thing was to refuse politely—and just as I thought that, someone spoke before I could.
"Lord Kalintz."
It was Airen, standing at my side.
"I cannot allow Swen to be burdened with such a dangerous task again. Please restrain yourself."
"...What did you say?"
Kalintz stared at Airen as if he could not believe his ears.
"General Airen... I am grateful you stayed and fought for the fortress, but you did not remain here of your own free will, did you? Am I wrong?"
"..."
Kalintz Brans was practically one of Lin Brans's closest confidants. He could not have failed to notice how little regard she held for Airen.
"I am speaking right now to Swen—who fought for me of his own will, not because our lord ordered him to. I would appreciate it if you recognized when you are overstepping."
"Absolutely not. Do not drag Swen into another of your reckless schemes, Lord Kalintz. If you insist on taking him, you will have to cut off my head first."
Airen's fierce wording left Kalintz momentarily flustered.
"Are you defying a superior officer, Airen Juliette?"
His tone was harsh, yet Airen did not yield an inch. She met his gaze head-on. Considering how she would normally have backed down by now, it was nothing short of astonishing.
"It is not defiance. It is counsel. Please heed my counsel, Lord Kalintz. You must not make another flawed judgment that sacrifices countless lives and places our own forces in peril."
"What?! You—you insolent wench dare lecture me—!"
"Furthermore, our lord has ordered us to demolish the fortress and withdraw. I consider refusing our lord's command to be true insubordination. What do you think, Lord Kalintz?"
At Airen's sharp retort, Kalintz could no longer contain his rage. His hand flew to the sword at his hip.
"You discarded mongrel bitch—!"
"Lord Kalintz!"
Before the atmosphere could grow any hotter, I stepped in at once and bowed at a perfect ninety degrees.
"Please, set aside your anger, Lord Kalintz. It is most presumptuous of me to say so, but swaying Heaven's will requires a great many conditions. Even if I were to perform the rite again, there is no guarantee it would succeed."
"S-Swen...!"
It was tiresome, but needlessly provoking Kalintz here would accomplish nothing. I mixed in just enough of the words he wanted to hear.
"Moreover, if you once again disregard our lord's orders, I fear it will damage your own standing, Lord Kalintz. I have heard that a truly outstanding general knows when to exercise patience. And to my knowledge, the most patient general in the entire Brans Army is none other than you. Even Lord Chel, the First Sword, would yield a step to you in that regard."
"...Y-you think so...?"
"I do. That is precisely why I wished to serve under you, Lord Kalintz."
"...Ahem. Ahem."
Kalintz cleared his throat a few times for no particular reason. The furious man from moments ago had completely recovered his composure. He was far easier to handle than I had expected—and for that I was deeply grateful.
"General Airen and I are both exhausted from risking our lives to hold this fortress; we are hardly in a state to make sound judgments. All we ask is that you, Lord Kalintz, make the right decision. I earnestly beg you, as our commander, to show the patience that is so characteristic of you."
"...Hmm... patience, is it. Well... you have been through a great deal yourself, Swen, and there is our lord's command... so that would be the proper course."
Kalintz was not a complete fool. Once his head cooled, even a little thought would show him what was right. He had probably spent plenty of time alone in that prison cell turning things over in his mind.
He let out a heavy sigh and looked at Airen beside me.
"Airen. Whatever the reason, you fought for this fortress. In light of that merit, I will specially overlook this matter. But next time, give a little more thought to how you speak. Understood?"
"Yes. Thank you for forgiving my rudeness. I will take your words to heart."
Fortunately, Airen bowed her head instead of sharpening her edge further.
Whew.
"So in the end we have to destroy the fortress..."
Muttering to himself, Kalintz left the conference room.
Alone with Airen at last, I was finally able to speak to her.
"Lady Airen. There is no need to set yourself so sharply against Lord Kalintz."
"No. Swen—I no longer wish to see you thrown into danger. It would be the same no matter who it was, not only Lord Kalintz. On this point I will not yield."
It seemed the debt she felt toward me had grown even larger than my own sense of obligation. In that case... perhaps the moment had finally arrived.
I carefully posed a somewhat bold question.
"Even if it were our lord, Lady Lin?"
"..."
At those words, Airen slowly turned her head toward me. Her violet eyes fixed on me more clearly than ever before.
"Swen. ...There is something I should tell you. I suppose now is as good a time as any."
"What is it?"
A solemn expression settled over Airen's face. Then she drew the sword at her hip. With the clear ring of steel leaving its scabbard, she drove the blade straight into the floor of the conference room. The sharp edge sank into the boards. Gripping the hilt with both hands, she spoke in a tone of absolute gravity.
"Swen."
"Yes."
Hearing my answer, she closed her eyes. I could not know exactly what she was thinking—but I suspected it concerned Lin Brans, the woman she had truly wanted to protect. Yet by now she must have understood: no matter what happened, she herself could never protect Lin.
She opened her eyes slowly. With a face of profound calm, holding only me in her gaze, she whispered:
"...From this day forward, I will live not for Lin Brans, but for you, Swen."
I said nothing. I simply looked at her face with equal seriousness.
"My sword shall exist to protect you. My body shall be used for your sake. From this moment on, I, Airen Juliette, belong wholly and solely to you, Swen."
"If anyone seeks to harm you—whoever they may be—I will stop them with everything I have. ...And."
The solemn knight flushed, her expression turning almost girlish.
"If you don't mind... I was thinking I might keep making tea for you from now on as well..."
"That is the most important part, Lady Airen."
A faint smile touched her lips—a smile so firm it looked as though nothing in the world could ever break it.
"Even at a moment like this, you have a rather light side to you."
"But it truly is the most important part."
Airen spoke again, once more in a serious tone.
"For as long as I remain with the Brans Army... no, no matter which army I serve, I, Airen Juliette, will be a knight for you alone. Just as you once said you would protect me."
Only then did it truly sink in. I had finally succeeded in changing a fate that had been set in stone. The woman who would have died because she could not abandon her loyalty—I had pulled her free of that cruel destiny.
For that alone, coming to the Brans Army had been worth it.
"I am in your care, Lady Airen."
"Mm."
Our brief private ceremony ended. She sheathed her sword and asked, still somewhat serious:
"By the way, Swen. There is something I wish to ask you."
"Please do."
"It seems the lord in your heart is not Lady Lin."
I gave a small shrug. There was no longer any point in hiding things from her.
"Was it that obvious?"
"Rather, yes."
The deeply loyal Airen of before might have reacted differently—but her body and heart no longer belonged to Lin Brans. They belonged to me. That was why she could speak such disloyal words without hesitation, even while still serving in the Brans Army.
"I am curious who your true lord is. Whoever it may be—if it is the person you wish to follow, Swen, then I will follow them as well."
My lord.
Yes. My lord.
From the very beginning, there had only ever been one.
"I serve the only person on this continent who can conquer it and become its unifier."
"Oh? The only person? Who might that be?"
"I believe you already know them, Lady Airen. Did you not meet them in person a few months ago?"
"...!!!"
Something clearly clicked. She stared at me in shock.
"Surely... you believe Lord Lunarien is the one destined to become the unifier...?"
Ah.
Thank you, Lady Airen.
You asked exactly the right question at exactly the right time.
For the first time in a long while, I was able to input that question.
Is Lunarien Iniang the person who will become the unifier of the continent?
And once again—the answer came with almost absurd speed.
[TRUE]
Ha.
I let out a breath of pure relief.
You are safe, my lord.
Madlan Castle.
Capital of the Carelia Army, it was without question the greatest city in the southern continent. In the days of the Unified Empire it had served as the commercial heart of the south; the land was fertile, and the surrounding mountain ranges made it an outstanding site for a city.
And there, a red-eyed young woman with a cute bob of cream-colored hair was working the fields alongside the farmers, farm tools in hand.
"Everyone, thank you for your hard work! Just a little more! We'll hit our target soon!"