Chapter 212
Chapter 212
Kerenia Dormitory.
Originally the nobles’ dormitory, its mushroom-like, grotesque silhouette had made it something of a landmark. Tonight, though, that mushroom was swarming—an ant-horde of soldiers pressing against its skin.
“…That’s an incredible number.”
“Indeed. You can see how desperate the former Duke Roberc must have been to pull this off.”
For a moment I remembered how laughable the mob we faced at the Student Council building had been. That was probably only a fraction of the forces here. If you consider his goals, most of the main force had likely been sent toward the Imperial seat.
Even this fraction—split between the dormitories and the academic complex—was enough to surround the huge Kerenia building and still leave troops to spare.
“What will you do, Luciana-nim?” someone asked.
Taking risks was unavoidable. There was benefit to be won, and there was the nagging worry that Luciana herself might be caught in the crossfire. Those two things clashed, and the decision ultimately fell to her.
“What, you think I haven’t already planned for this?” she said, eyes fixed only forward.
Her calm washed away a lot of my worry. If the rebellion wins this round, the Speda family will be pilloried by the rest of the nobility. Is that not obvious? I asked.
“…No. You saw it clearly.”
Luciana was the emblem of the Imperial faction, the betrothed of the Crown Prince. If she, like the other nobles, simply sat and waited to see which way the wind blew, she’d be roasted by relentless gossip and the knives of opportunists.
‘So she really did read all that far ahead,’ I thought. The thin veneer of provocation that used to get her riled up seemed to have been burned away. She’d grown; the view from the throne of a Student Council president had sharpened her scope.
“Do you think I’ll accept that kind of dishonor?” she asked.
Some things never change. Nobles prized honor, and family loyalty remained a rock. That much had not changed even after her growth.
“…Of course not.”
I am Luciana’s retainer. Clearing the path for my liege, smoothing the road she walks—that was my duty and my mission.
“I’ll take care of the rear,” I said.
“Do not worry. No riffraff will lay a hand on Luciana-nim.”
No sooner had the words left my mouth than Luciana drew aura from her blade and leapt toward the enemy lines.
“A—an enemy raid?”
“There’s a flanking unit behind! Distribute forces and respond!”
“For infinite glory to House Roberc!”
The enemy adapted astonishingly quickly—no surprise; they were handpicked elite soldiers from the West. In an instant, Luciana was swallowed by a cloud of enemy bodies and vanished.
“Luci! Damn it, cast spell—”
“Lady Frontal, stand down. With the president gone, command falls to me.”
Had she gone mad? Had she forgotten that her magic was wide-reaching and would not discriminate friend from foe? But the answer came like sunlight piercing stormclouds: a pure white shaft of aura broke out beyond the enemy formation.
…See? I told you so.
I gave her a small smile. Who knows Luciana better than I do?
Tch, so what? We’re just supposed to watch?
Of course not.
Massed men can overwhelm even the greatest sword. No matter Luciana’s gifts, she would tire under a relentless barrage.
“From now on we’ll split forces. Miss Frontal and the other mages: fire your spells a little away from where the light is leaking out,” I ordered.
“…Understood.”
That way we would avoid friendly fire on Luciana while also preemptively cutting off incoming reinforcements. Elizabeth frowned but complied.
“Oparn, you take the aura users and take out the commanders,” I said.
Close, mobile melee fighters who give orders are the key targets. Strip a force of leadership and the rest falls apart.
“In a battle, the loud, calm voices are usually the ones issuing orders,” I explained when Oparn asked how to tell. “If you’re unsure, check helmets and armor decorations. Humans advertise their rank in every way they can; the same applies to proud ones among us.”
“…Understood.”
Luciana now had a battlefield of her own. My role was the cleanup—afterwards.
“Which side will you attach yourself to, brother?” someone asked. “You’re both a mage and a knight….”
“I have other work,” I said.
Every strategist has a part to play. Mine was different.
“A rabble-rouser must always strike at people’s hearts to provoke reactions.”
“…Pardon?”
“Never mind. Watch later.”
People cling to values—honor, power, status—even if they're intangible. Exploit that and you can move whole crowds.
Hans, this way.
Camilla, roused out of sleep to join the dorm assault, arrived at the mage contingent. I sent her a private whisper.
…? I thought you wanted me with the mages?
That’d be wasting your force. With Lady Kaspera and Frontal there, adding you won’t change the result much.
What I needed wasn’t Camilla’s Sand Soldiers this time—her title mattered more than her magic.
So? Shall we go wear down their spirits together?
I don’t know what you’re scheming.
She came over with a tilt of her head. That poised, well-bred daughter of a duke—her sharp thrust of flirtation left me a step back.
Dating? Sorry, saintess, my life is soaked in revenge. No husband for me.
Then an heir?
Heir…who knows. The old man left a lot of bloodlines. One of the cousins will do.
Her playful words made me think of shared tea and idle talk with Luciana—an image that didn’t fit the Camilla before me.
“Enough private chat. We’ve got a job. I need a favor,” Camilla said.
“You keep making us work. If I use my sand, how will my skin fare?” she complained, but she wasn’t refusing.
‘Rene’s advice felt tacky, but she is on her way to being the de facto head of the House. Might as well use the leverage,’ I thought, and silently clicked my tongue.
“If this is over, I’ll pay you a visit.”
Her fist tightened with that demand and expectation. I conceded—no romance, only a meeting. Plenty of urgent business remained.
“First, look around. Our job is cleanup.”
At that moment a shock went through the enemy lines.
“Gah!” “M—monster!”
The faces of the West’s battle-hardened elite went pale. The pristine white aura had ceased being a trickle and now filled a whole space, a stark, living blankness.
The aura’s bearer sighed softly.
“They have numbers, but no outstanding core. A foolish deployment.”
To me the blue eyes looked merely attractive; to them it might have seemed like the chill of Death Personified.
“Fall back!” cried a captain. “We need leaders—curse their commanders!”
Luciana’s charge continued regardless. We matched her stride and followed that single path she carved. The Kerenia dormitory entrance came closer with every step.
“Good! Luci, the reinforcements on the right are wiped out!”
“…Indeed. As you said, they put weird patterns and trinkets on their armor.”
She’d shattered the enemy’s first line. But as the enemy tried to stiffen, their ranks thickened and the fighters they sent forward grew tougher.
“You who call yourselves the duke’s children—mere students, are you?”
“Hmph. Now a real opponent has shown up.”
“Don’t smug—this is what an expert looks like!”
The defenders pressed at the gate with grim determination. Even so, I felt the moment was ripe.
“Anyone who refuses to join will be punished! Do not make trouble!”
The apparent commander looked like no ordinary soldier. He strutted with a dangerous air.
“…Should we step out now?”
“Yes—do it.”
There was no need for unique magic to intervene. I drew breath, straightened my posture, and let the voice that had commanded halls and crowds roll out.
“Shameless! Are you a knight of House Roberc or merely a rag wearing a helmet?”
“…What?”
The helmeted knight stammered, caught off-guard by the brazenness of Camilla’s posture beside me. I’d motioned sideways.
“…I thought you were putting on a play.”
Camilla entertained the man. He was bewildered, his voice flustered and unsteady.
“Why is Lady Camilla here?”
“Don’t you know? Your duke failed.”
Half the claim was true, half not. Though Duke Roberc was in our custody, embers of his will had become a wildfire—fomenting uprisings in many places. The knight had no way of knowing that. I let them assume the worst.
“Rebellion crushed! By the hand of Camilla Roberc, who has cleared her family’s name!” I proclaimed.
“…Preposterous!”
“Believe it or not. Lady Camilla is magnanimous; she offers choice.”
We gave them two options: be executed as traitors, or swear renewed fealty to House Roberc. They hesitated, uncertain.
Hans, we’ve broken through the main gate.
Luciana’s voice came calm through the link. I smirked.
“Think as you please. Take your time,” I said, and together with Camilla we strode in through Kerenia’s main gate like honored guests.
A dagger? Against people who’d already decided not to resist? Pointless. Let them choose.
Authority used like that—an almost-bloodless entrance—was a resounding success.