Chapter 179
Chapter 179
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 179
Chapter Title: Silent War on the Plains
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"...".
"...".
Several hours before Duke Camille erupted in rage and dealt with the small monsters Saladin had unleashed.
Before the monsters came pouring out in droves, the atmosphere between Jerome's group—which had passed through the outer walls—and the 7th Holy Knight Order began to grow strangely tense, bit by bit.
The Shield Family and Ballista Fortress were locked in a silent war right now, endlessly sending out scouts across the Urk Plains, the borderlands they faced off against.
This was also why Duke Camille hadn't dealt with Jerome while he was inside Ballista Fortress.
Banten's scouts still hadn't confirmed Jerome's identity.
If word got out that Jerome was en route back to Banten before he died, it could escalate into a full-scale battle between Ballista and Banten, providing ample justification.
However, the Urk Plains were officially a border zone.
If Banten's scouts officially 'confirmed' Jerome's identity there, the story would change entirely.
It would become a case of Jerome having safely 'escaped' Ballista.
In other words, as long as no evidence was left behind, even if the 7th Holy Knight Order donned masks and charged in, there'd be nothing to say about it.
Testimony from scouts wouldn't hold up as evidence anyway.
After all, nothing was as worthless in international diplomacy as the word of an enemy soldier.
Jerome knew this, and so did Captain Staat. Naturally, as they drew closer to the Urk Plains, the mood stiffened more and more.
Only Joseph—from the imperial prince—and the other merchant leaders failed to pick up on this subtle shift in the air.
'No, they couldn't possibly miss it.'
Merchants were a profession where perceptiveness mattered more than in any other on the continent.
Their deals could crumble at the slightest change in atmosphere.
People who danced on such thin ice couldn't possibly fail to notice this awkward, ominous tension.
Yet the reason they seemed so at ease was simple.
'They're watching the fire from across the river.'
Whether it was Captain Staat or us, they clearly believed the imperial prince—who had personally selected and dispatched them—wouldn't let anyone harm them.
But they had no idea.
This conflict was far larger in scale than they imagined.
Swoosh!
Looking up at the sky, it was dyed red by the sunset as the sun slowly sank.
As if foretelling the blood soon to stain the Urk Plains.
"Young Master Jerome."
Staat, captain of the 7th Holy Knight Order, called out to me in a low voice.
"What is it, Sir Staat?"
"You seem like a very peculiar person."
Staat, who had been stone-faced from the moment we first met on the way to the temple up until now, spoke with a smile spreading across his face for the first time.
A smile laced with intensely ominous intent.
"Haha, that's a new one for me. In what way do I strike you as peculiar?"
"How could you not? Your life hangs by a thread, yet you show no tension whatsoever."
He wasn't even bothering to hide it anymore.
"Well, we'll see about that. Whoever's better prepared."
"Pfft!"
A scoff echoed, as if he'd dismissed my words as the bravado of a greenhorn.
"Young master, you're not banking on your family's Hexagon to talk big like that, are you? I wouldn't peg you for that level of poor judgment."
He was right.
The Urk Plains were border territory. Officially, they belonged to no one yet.
But 'belonging to no one' here didn't mean neutral ground—it meant both sides claimed it as their own.
In other words, if official troops—not scouts—stepped foot on this land, the other side could call it an 'invasion' with no room for argument.
Thus, from the moment our group entered the Urk Plains, if mutual attacks were permitted, the 7th Holy Knight Order held an overwhelming advantage.
No matter how thoroughly the Hexagon prepared, they couldn't overcome the disadvantage of physical distance.
Therefore, to receive the Hexagon's aid, one prerequisite was needed.
We had to survive and hold out against the 7th Holy Knight Order's assault until the Hexagon closed that gap.
"You don't seriously think you can hold off our 7th Holy Knight Order alone, do you?"
Of course not.
No matter how much my skills had advanced, I couldn't single-handedly face an elite holy knight order on par with—or superior to—the Hexagon.
I shrugged, dodging Staat's question.
"As you say, Sir Staat, with my life on the line, I'd have no reason to show my hand."
Dismissing my words as childish bluster, Staat's face remained smug and relaxed.
"Heh heh heh. I hope that leisure holds."
What an amusing coincidence. I, too, hoped his smile would linger.
'Though it probably won't go his way.'
"Hah, hah! Man, we nearly bit the dust for real."
Saladin panted, tongue lolling out like a dog wilted under the midsummer sun.
Then he turned to Misha, who was gasping for breath right beside him.
"But hey, it worked out great, right?"
Whoosh!
As Misha whipped her head around with glaring eyes, Saladin felt an inexplicable urge to avert his gaze.
"You lunatic! We almost ended up as monster chow without a peep! Have you got a brain or not?!"
Thud, thud, thud!
Even as his head flopped limply like a willow branch, Saladin's mouth didn't stop.
"Cough, cough! B-but we landed a solid hit! Look over there!"
-Kuuuaaaah!
-Kyaaaak!
In the direction Saladin pointed—Ballista's outer walls, where they'd just escaped—monsters were bursting through illusion magic, turning the place into utter chaos.
"That many monsters should deal a real blow to Ballista Fortress! We couldn't just waste a golden opportunity like this, could we?"
True enough. Quelling that commotion would leave them no spare manpower to chase us for a while.
The outcome wasn't bad—no, it was quite good, objectively speaking.
'So why is it so infuriating?'
He'd done the right thing, yet managed to piss her off anyway. Not a common talent.
"...Ugh! Should've kept my mouth shut."
Misha released Saladin's collar and stood up.
"Let's go. Even if we've escaped Ballista safely, we've still got a long way to the Urk Plains."
The rendezvous point they'd agreed on with Jerome was the northern outskirts of the Urk Plains—much closer to the Holy Empire's border than Ikenia's.
Even so, the vast expanse meant another full day of travel.
"Jeez, what a temper. Fine, let's move."
Misha shot a glare at Saladin as he grumbled and dusted off his rear.
"How are you so laid-back, mister? Young master picked this vague spot on purpose—it means we need to get there first and prepare!"
Even though Misha revered Jerome, he probably had no choice.
Calling in the Shield Family's reinforcements carelessly could turn a skirmish into something bigger.
Lampang, the powerhouse on the throne, and they would dig the trap first, intercept the enemy, then cut off pursuit.
That was Misha's guess of Jerome's plan.
Knowing that deeper intent, Saladin had pulled off the bold move of luring monsters into enemy territory.
Yet Saladin just stared at her blankly.
"What're you talking about?"
"...?"
"...?"
It took a moment for them to realize the misunderstanding.
"Oh right, this is your first time out with Jerome directly, huh, Misha?"
Finally getting it, Saladin chuckled.
"I get what you're worried about, but that's not why he picked that spot."
"What do you mean?"
The point Jerome mentioned was where the Dragon Mountains met the Urk Plains.
What preparations could they make in a monster-infested hellhole like that?
Saladin just laughed again.
"Seeing is believing. You'll understand when we get there."
"...?"
A day later, at the rendezvous, Misha finally grasped what Saladin meant.
And the source of his inexplicable confidence and ease.
The blue sky had turned to red sunset, then black, with twinkling stars beautifully adorning the dark canvas.
This must be what they meant by a starlit night.
"Beautiful night."
The voice came from Joseph, head of the Lagrange Merchant Group, announcing his presence.
"It is. A galaxy like this is a first for me too."
No flattery. Such stunning nights weren't common. Though thinking of what followed this beauty soured any chance of fully enjoying it.
"Hahaha. A gift of nature you can only see in borderlands without city lights."
Joseph sat naturally beside me, chatting idly before cutting to the chase.
"...Tomorrow might bring quite a rough time for you."
As expected. The merchants had read the ominous air too.
"His Imperial Highness instructed us—all merchant groups, including Lagrange—to proceed to Banten independently from the Urk Plains onward, regardless of you. I'm sure a sharp mind like yours grasps what that means."
Of course. The prince had thick ties with merchants from the start.
He wouldn't ignore profits. His priority was the Banten trade deal, not sticking with me.
"But why tell me this?"
Joseph's sudden candor was a bit unexpected, even for me.
"Well, you proposed this to the prince first. Having the plan's architect here makes things smoother for us on the ground. That's the official reason. And..."
So there was a personal one too.
"Personally, I like you, young master Jerome. You don't seem to look down on merchants like us. Haha, maybe just my imagination."
Scratching his head sheepishly with a grin, Joseph straightened and whispered,
"...Whatever happens, don't die."
His fondness rang true.
Which paradoxically let me sense it.
Most merchants were already predicting our demise.
'Not unreasonable.'
The 7th Holy Knight Order.
One of the strongest knight orders, surpassing even the Hexagon.
Its captain was with us. And geographically, they could respond far faster than the Hexagon.
In contrast, our delegation was just three: including me, Archbishop Luna, and Miron. Our attendants had vanished.
Impossible to overpower the 7th with that.
And why camp here, Urk Plains in sight, tonight of all nights?
'To ensure they catch and kill us without fail.'
Darkness burdens pursuers far more than escapees.
At night, the net tightens, traces harder to find.
That's why no push into the Urk Plains tonight.
Lest pursuit grow difficult.
Aura blocked sounds, but guards likely ringed our tents now.
To prevent any midnight flight.
Already outmatched in force, Staat even skipped night pursuit.
A lion going all-out for one rabbit.
Joseph's prediction was plain common sense.
The other merchants, heads of top Empire houses, would conclude likewise.
Smirk.
I answered Joseph's worry with a smile.
"Joseph, thanks for the concern, but I didn't crawl into the jaws of death. No need to fret."
His concern lingered despite my words, but I truly felt none.
The northern Urk Plains.
There, bonds I'd forged in this life awaited.