Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: The Special Mission Team
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Elbadin's office.
Riat was giving the documents for the upcoming practical training a final review.
After meticulously checking the last page, Riat placed the papers on Elbadin's desk and spoke.
"Your Highness, here is the practical training plan."
Elbadin set aside the documents he was reading and picked up the plan instead.
Riat continued.
"This practical training will also be conducted as a purification mission, subjugating the monsters that appear in the border regions of the grand duchy and protecting the nearby villages."
Monsters frequently appeared along the vast borders of the grand duchy.
The Grand Ducal family maintained twelve barrier stone outposts to protect the people of the domain from these monsters.
These outposts, built with ancient magic circles and mana stones, each acted as a great beacon of magical power, maintaining a defensive barrier that enveloped the entire grand duchy.
Knights of the Grand Ducal family were stationed at each outpost, managing the barrier and preparing for monster threats.
The practical training involved being dispatched to one of these twelve outposts to carry out missions alongside the knights of the Grand Ducal family.
It would take a week at the shortest, and up to a fortnight at the longest.
"Since Her Majesty the Empress's birthday banquet is approaching, I've adjusted the dates to avoid any overlap."
Elbadin replied curtly.
"There's no need for that."
"Pardon?"
"Proceed with the original plan. There's no reason to change the Grand Ducal family's schedule for the Imperial family's."
At Elbadin's firm words, Riat's expression turned troubled.
"But, Your Highness, won't Marchioness Belgar be attending this banquet?"
Riat knew Anasis's nature.
Moreover, if she had joined hands with the Empress, this banquet was likely to become a more dangerous battlefield than any other.
"It would be best to bring our key personnel with you in case of any unforeseen circumstances. At the very least, you should move up the training schedule so that Lord Serdian can return early—"
"Riat."
Elbadin cut him off. A cool shadow fell over his red eyes.
"The Grand Ducal family's strength is not so lacking that we need to move up the schedule and mobilize the children."
"..."
Riat could understand the true meaning behind Elbadin's words.
*'He means he doesn't want to put the children in danger.'*
Just as Riat nodded, as if agreeing with his decision...
"However... there's no better practical training than this."
"...Pardon?"
Elbadin picked up the document he had been reading before the training plan and continued.
"There was a report of a griffin appearing on the path through the northern mountains leading to the capital."
"Ah, yes. There have been eyewitness accounts from merchants traveling between the north and the capital."
Recently, reports had been trickling in about a griffin, one of the ancient divine beasts, being sighted in the northern mountains.
The griffin was an ancient divine beast with the upper body of an eagle, including its wings, and the lower body of a lion.
Following the continuous griffin sightings, the Grand Ducal knights had gone to the northern mountains several times, but it never appeared before their eyes.
"They probably mistook a similar monster for it. Don't divine beasts usually avoid revealing themselves to people? The very idea of such an ancient divine beast being sighted is nonsensical."
"The timing is perfect."
"Pardon?"
Riat, failing to grasp Elbadin's intention, asked again.
Elbadin leaned back in his chair and continued.
"Have them form teams of four and proceed to their respective border outposts as originally scheduled. One of those teams will accompany me to the Imperial Palace."
At that, both of Riat's eyebrows shot up.
"And if we happen to find the griffin along the way, all the better."
The griffin, an ancient divine beast, had long been called the King's Shadow.
This was because of the legend that the first emperor, who first unified the continent, always had a griffin by his side.
Some said the emperor tamed the griffin himself, while others claimed someone who had tamed the griffin protected the emperor's side.
The truth was unknown, but one thing was clear.
When a griffin appeared, the tide of an era would turn.
Riat nodded at his words.
"So the training assignment will be to search for a possibly extant ancient divine beast while also escorting Your Highness until the end of the banquet."
"Correct."
In reality, Elbadin needed no such escort.
But this was, quite literally, training.
Through this training, the children would learn to overcome crises in their own ways, compensating for each other's shortcomings in unpredictable real-world situations.
Riat spoke, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Won't there be talk of it being unfair?"
"Unfair?"
"They will be accompanying none other than Your Highness. Even if a dangerous situation arises, you will be there. Won't they think it's an endlessly relaxed and safe training compared to the other teams?"
"Is that so?"
Elbadin tilted his head and said firmly.
"Then tell any child with a complaint to join the team accompanying me."
Ah, Riat let out a soft sigh.
Riat was certain. No one would volunteer.
And.
*'The journey with His Highness will be safer than any other, but...'*
It would also be where the most dangerous situations would occur.
Riat nodded and said.
"I will form the teams and present them to you shortly."
***
The next morning.
The bulletin board on the first floor of the west annex was bustling with children from early in the morning.
The team assignments for the practical training had been announced. The very air in the cold hallway seemed to heat up with the children's tense and expectant energy.
"I'm in Team 3. Thank goodness. It's the purification training in the ninth border region."
As one child let out a sigh of relief, a friend next to them clapped their shoulder in envy.
"Damn it, I'm in Team 7! The instructor there is notoriously strict!"
"Still, it's better than nothing. At least it's not going with the Grand Duke."
The children checked for their names, their voices a murmur of mixed joy and sorrow.
Most eyes were fixed only on the nine 'Purification Mission' teams.
No one dared to look at the disastrous team listed at the very bottom of the board.
Just then, someone muttered in a small, horrified voice.
"Hey, what's that last special team...?"
All the murmuring noise ceased as if by magic. As if on cue, the children held their breath and turned their gazes to the bottom of the bulletin board.
"Subjugation of monsters in the northern mountains and escorting His Highness the Grand Duke to the capital...?"
"Doesn't that mean they have to constantly search the northern mountains and subjugate monsters the whole way to the Imperial Palace?!"
"Ah, I guess so?"
"Wow... That team is done for."
Judging by the mission objective alone, it could easily be called the team of death, the team of disaster.
The eyes of the children who saw the list filled with bewilderment.
"What in the world is that combination?"
Starting with one child's mutter, the area in front of the board grew even more chaotic.
"Wow, Tesian and Irnel are on the same team? Those two growl like they're going to eat each other whenever they meet at the training grounds."
"More importantly, why is that little kid in there? Putting a kid who hasn't even been here a month into practical training, and a special mission at that?"
"Right? Don't tell me His Highness the Grand Duke is actually giving that kid special treatment?"
"Huh? You don't seriously think being assigned to that special team is special treatment, do you? A mission to accompany the Grand Duke all the way to the capital?"
"Ah..."
The child, whose mind had been a mix of suspicion, envy, and jealousy, quickly conceded.
For these children, accompanying the Grand Duke could never be considered special treatment.
It was then.
A boy roughly shoved his way through the crowd gathered in front of the bulletin board.
"Get lost! You damn insects! Unless you want a beating!"
It was Tesian, who had been suspended because of Lucillea.
His suspension had kept him from classes, but he was still required to participate in the practical training.
Thanks to that, he was finally able to leave his room...
"Huh...?"
Tesian's face turned pale as a sheet when he saw the team assignments.
*'Special Mission Team?'*
What the hell is this northern mountain monster subjugation, and what's this about escorting the Grand Duke!
Being on the same team as Lucillea was fine.
He could finally show her what happens when she messes with him, and what happens when she gets close to Serdian.
However, that didn't mean he wanted to accompany the Grand Duke.
Not accompanying the Grand Duke was better than teaching Lucillea a lesson.
*'Damn it! Damn it!!'*
Just then, a cold voice came from behind Tesian.
"Trade with me."
*What?* Tesian quickly turned around.