Chapter 30
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: An Awkward Handshake
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‘Hmm…’
Galahad squinted as he opened the door to the 5th Battalion headquarters.
Just inside the building was a massive desk, where Mark, the commander of the 5th Battalion, was seated.
His adjutant Lumian’s face was filled with discontent.
‘Is he protesting because I told him to vacate the third floor?’
Galahad clicked his tongue and walked toward Mark.
“Why are you here?”
“As I was looking for a place to move, I found this spot to be the most efficient. I can receive reports immediately, and it’s close to the main gate.”
Galahad narrowed his eyes for a moment at Mark’s reply.
Being right at the entrance, it was indeed the shortest distance. Yes, he was right.
However—.
‘Isn’t it strange for the commander to be sitting right where you open the front door?’
Of course, for Galahad, who was using the third floor, it was actually a good thing. It meant the commander was guarding the main entrance.
“I see.”
“I’ve received the report. The 4th Company fell for a demon’s trick, but thanks to Captain Galahad’s quick thinking, they narrowly managed to wake up and fight the demon.”
Galahad nodded at Mark’s impassive voice.
“I see. I will file the report as is. Let me first express my gratitude. If it weren’t for Captain Galahad, we wouldn’t have even recovered their bodies.”
“Consider it a return of favor for our alliance.”
“I will remember that.”
Mark nodded and turned a page.
“The appearance of demonic beasts is common, but lately, the frequency of demon sightings has increased noticeably. There is clearly something wrong with the front lines.”
Galahad nodded silently.
“His Grace the Grand Duke is here, but he rarely steps forward anymore. As it stands, each battalion is practically a separate organization. The factionalism is…”
Mark cleared his throat for a moment, seemingly swallowing a curse that had reached the tip of his tongue.
“Even if I suggest that we should inspect the front lines, they won’t listen. It would be best if the Grand Duke himself took action, but that won’t happen. The next best option is—.”
“Adrianna, I presume.”
“Yes, that’s right. As the Grand Duke’s sole heir and the hero of the front, the other commanders wouldn’t be able to ignore her words.”
“Can’t you just ask Adrianna?”
Mark shook his head.
“Adrianna is a great hero, but she is not a leader.”
“Not a leader.”
Galahad muttered quietly.
“She respects every commander. If I were to ask, she would refuse, saying that the command of each battalion lies with its respective commander.”
“So you want me to persuade her?”
“Yes.”
Galahad burst out laughing at the firm answer.
“She won’t listen to you, so what makes you think she’ll listen to me?”
“Because you are her fiancé. And—.”
Mark swallowed the rest of his sentence. After a moment of hesitation, he frowned as if forcing himself to say something unpleasant.
“I get the feeling that you would somehow manage it.”
“Somehow, you say.”
Galahad chuckled softly at the phrase he hadn’t heard in a long time.
“Right, ‘somehow’ is my specialty. But I have a condition.”
“What kind of condition?”
“Decorate the Special Task Force headquarters splendidly.”
Mark nodded. His eyes darted about, as if making calculations.
Galahad stood up, placing a cigarette between his lips.
“Do you know why I sought you out during the Grand Assembly, Captain Galahad?”
Galahad shook his head as he lit his cigarette.
“Normally, every commander is tied to their assigned battalion. Barring special circumstances, they cannot leave. For better or worse, that is their grave.”
Mark tapped the desk with a sharp *thud*.
“But now, an exception has been made.”
Mark’s clear eyes stared at Galahad.
It was a look of intense desire.
“Have you finally decided to come work under me?”
Mark gave a small smile at Galahad’s question.
As Galahad disappeared, Lumian glared at Mark.
“Why are you humoring him so much?”
“Humoring him?”
“Even if he’s a captain, he only has four members. All that talk about exceptions and whatnot…”
Mark frowned at the foolish question.
“Do you really think the soldiers who fell to the demon just got up and helped Galahad fight? Demons aren’t that naive.”
“……Then what?”
“According to the report, the situation was already over by the time the company commander and Gilberton arrived on the scene. That means Galahad handled it alone. A demon and over forty soldiers enthralled by it, all by himself.”
Lumian’s jaw dropped.
“…That’s a leap. Why would he lie to diminish his own achievements?”
Mark pondered Lumian’s question, then shook his head.
“You go and decorate the Special Task Force headquarters. We have quite a large budget now, thanks to the recent adjustment in mana stone prices, don’t we?”
“Are we using all of it?”
“We need to make a good impression.”
Lumian nodded reluctantly at Mark’s firm tone.
“Should I have offered to join him now? No, let’s wait and see a little longer.”
“If you’re going to join, you should do it quickly. Go late, and there won’t be anything left for you!”
Lumian shouted back as if in retaliation, then quickly waved his hands at the contemplating Mark.
“I’m kidding! Kidding!”
****
*Clatter—.*
“Sir Gilberton, you look pleased.”
“Ah, I was hoping to buy you a proper drink.”
Galahad clicked his tongue at Gilberton, who was grinning while holding the reins. Snow kicked up violently from under the carriage.
“The 1st Battalion must have finer taverns.”
“I have my favorite spot. But why are we going to the 1st Battalion?”
“I can’t bear to be away from my fiancée any longer.”
“……”
“That look on your face just now is insubordination.”
Gilberton chuckled. The carriage shook roughly.
“Commander Mark wants Adrianna to send out an official directive to each commander regarding an inspection of the front lines.”
“A directive to the other commanders? She won’t do it.”
“If it really comes down to it, I can just borrow her seal for a moment.”
“……Pardon? You have a strange sense of humor.”
Gilberton narrowed his eyes, as if trying to figure Galahad out. Galahad did not avoid his gaze.
“You can’t do that.”
“I’ll just use it for a moment and give it back.”
“That’s not the point, is it? She will definitely be angry.”
“Adrianna, angry? I’m curious.”
“She’s truly terrifying.”
“Have you seen it?”
Instead of answering, Gilberton flicked the reins. The horses snorted loudly, their breath pluming in the air.
“Anyway, absolutely not.”
“Then I suppose I’ll have to ask her to send the directive for the sake of her poor fiancé who was dragged to the North.”
“That’s……”
Gilberton’s eyes narrowed, then widened.
“Isn’t that a bit pathetic?”
“You think so?”
“Yes. A man should just go for it, decisively.”
“You don’t have a girlfriend, do you?”
“……That little brat with the loose lips.”
Gilberton needlessly tugged at the poor reins.
“I’m very popular.”
“Then why have you never had a girlfriend?”
“You never know when you might die.”
“Does anyone know that? That’s just an excuse.”
Gilberton couldn’t answer. Galahad didn’t press further and put a cigarette to his lips.
The closer they got to the 1st Battalion, the colder the air became. It felt like his nostrils were freezing with every breath. How could anyone live in a place like this? Galahad grumbled quietly.
After some time had passed…
“There it is.”
Gilberton said, pointing ahead.
The 1st Battalion’s fortress stood halfway up a barren mountain. It wasn’t ornate, but solid and massive. It looked like a castle built solely for defense.
‘How would I get through that?’
Out of habit, Galahad imagined ways to breach the fortress.
The way they inspected the long line of supply carriages at the gate was no simple matter. Soldiers meticulously prodded the carriages with spears. Hiding in one seemed difficult.
Climbing the walls would also be tricky, as sharp iron spikes were embedded all over them. On top of that, soldiers stood guard. There were no visible openings.
Even the method of stealing a soldier’s uniform and identification pass—.
‘It would be difficult.’
They checked every soldier entering the gate one by one.
It was a considerably tough fortress.
Of course, that didn’t mean there was no way in.
The soldiers who saw Gilberton saluted with loud shouts, reacting as if they were seeing a celebrity.
“It’s me, Gilberton.”
Gilberton said with a smug look on his face.
When they reached the gate, a young knight saluted.
“Sir Gilberton, it’s been a while.”
“Bandal. It’s been a long time.”
“I heard the news.”
The knight’s gaze shifted to Galahad.
“I am Galahad, Captain of the Special Task Force.”
“Ah, the Special Task Force!”
The knight let out a small gasp, reacting as if he knew of it. Surprised by the unfamiliar reaction, Galahad asked back.
“You know of the Special Task Force?”
“Yes, I heard you took down a mid-tier demon and dozens of its spawn. They say you’re a mage who incinerates demons.”
The knight’s eyes were filled with fervor. Galahad nodded at the intense gaze.
“The fame of the Special Task Force is spreading.”
“Ah, my senior, Carrot, was at the scene.”
“Is that so?”
“If I get the chance next time, I would very much like to have a life-or-death duel with you.”
At the sudden death threat, Galahad glanced at Gilberton.
“The 1st Battalion is like that when they meet someone strong. It’s a tradition.”
Galahad nodded.
“Well, thank you. I came to see Adrianna. Is she inside?”
“Lady Adrianna is outside the front lines.”
“Outside the front lines?”
The answer came from Gilberton.
“Lady Adrianna crosses the front lines into demon territory before sunrise. She returns around sunset. It’s to kill as many demons as possible and find a way to end the war.”
To not just maintain the front but to cross into demon territory and attack—.
Even with her attribute of burning mana, it was a considerably reckless act.
“Impressive.”
The knight and Gilberton were staring at Galahad with strange expressions.
“What is it?”
“There is considerable opposition within the 1st Battalion to Lady Adrianna going into demon territory. They say it’s extremely dangerous.”
“Is it not dangerous here?”
Gilberton closed his mouth at Galahad’s question. The knight wore a peculiar expression.
“I am Bandal.”
“Right, Sir Bandal. A pleasure.”
“Then, about the duel—.”
“Let’s do it when the weather is a bit warmer.”
Bandal followed a little further, asking for a specific date. Galahad casually waved his hand.
Inside the 1st Battalion’s base, it was similar to the outside. Rough buildings were packed tightly together, and armed soldiers moved busily between them.
“She should be here soon.”
Galahad muttered, looking at the sun hanging over the fortress wall.
Just then, the carriage door opened with a loud *thump*!
“Ack! Why are you biting me! Damian! I’m not meat!”
“Captain, I think we need to feed Damian something.”
Galahad chuckled at Tom’s urgent report.
“Before Damian tears them apart, I should drop them off at a tavern. Then, I’ll go to meet Adrianna.”
Gilberton expertly turned the reins.
****
The front line was a long way past the main gate of the 1st Battalion’s base.
The security was so tight that they were stopped for inspection three more times on the way.
Galahad was genuinely impressed by the wall they faced.
A wall even larger than the one he had seen when he first came to the North had been erected. It was so dizzyingly high that he had to tilt his head back just to see the top.
“Other units are also on the front line, so why is this place called the main front?”
“Because it’s where most of the demon and demonic beast attacks occur. We don’t know why, but the demons mainly target this gate. That’s why its name is the Demon Pit.”
“I see.”
Just then, the long, drawn-out sound of a horn blew from atop the wall.
“She’s coming.”
Gilberton said curtly.
‘So, Adrianna.’
Men who appeared to be knights drew their swords and stood around the gate, their blades shrouded in blue aura.
A man who looked like a company commander shouted loudly. Soldiers turned massive ballistae toward the gate. A few others raised their shields and stepped forward.
The tension was thick in the air.
*Bwoooooo—.* The horn sounded again.
“Raise it!”
A knight shouted.
A soldier whipped the back of an ox tied to a pulley. The ox let out a long cry and began to move. With a sound of scraping metal, the nearest iron portcullis rose.
*Bwooo—.* The horn again.
The ox cried out, and the next pulley turned. The second iron portcullis rose.
*Bwooo—.* The horn again. Only after the third portcullis was raised did the main gate become visible.
It was a black gate that exuded an aura of solidity just by looking at it.
It was clearly made of adamant. To use something so expensive in such a brute-force manner—. Galahad shook his head.
*Thump, thump.* A heavy drum beat began. At its massive rhythm, the soldiers moved about busily.
Finally, the thick gate began to open slowly.
‘Demon territory, huh.’
Galahad flexed his fingers, concentrating.
The gate opened at an excruciatingly slow pace, letting out a grotesque screech as iron scraped against the ground.
Through the opening, thick smoke crept in like an outstretched hand. The acrid smell that followed revealed it to be ash.
Beyond the gate, everything was gray. Not snow, but ash was fluttering everywhere. The ground, barely visible through the ash, was black as if it had been scorched.
‘Hell.’
The blackened, rotten earth and the swirling ash—. Galahad naturally thought of hell.
Instead of the North’s god-awful snow, ash was falling, but it felt even colder.
*………!*
An unidentifiable scream erupted in the distance. A horrifying sound, difficult to describe, shook the ground.
Just then, the fog of ash scattered as if pushed aside. No, on closer inspection, the ash itself was simply vanishing.
Appearing through the cleared smoke was Adrianna.
Her armor was splattered with dark red blood, and strange bits of flesh and carapace were stuck between its plates. She looked as if she had been pulled straight out of hell.
A long path of cleared smoke stretched out behind her. The scene visible through it was quite graphic.
The barren, ashen landscape was littered with the cleanly severed corpses of demons and demonic beasts. The blood that had flowed was enough to clump the ash into mounds.
Even at a glance, the corpses looked formidable, and the blood flowed between them—.
‘What a waste.’
Galahad found himself smacking his lips without realizing it.
Despite walking through hell, Adrianna’s expression was as blank as ever.
Knights appeared behind Adrianna. They looked like they had been to hell and back, their appearances a mess, but their presence was incredibly sharp.
They were no ordinary knights.
“That’s Lady Adrianna’s direct unit. Only the strongest from the 1st Battalion can join. You could call them the elite of the North.”
Gilberton explained in a subdued voice. His expression suggested he used to belong there.
“They are exceptionally loyal to Lady Adrianna. You’ll cause problems if you needlessly provoke them.”
Gilberton advised in a serious tone.
“I’m serious. They’re dangerous.”
Gilberton emphasized it several times.
“You worry for nothing. When have I ever caused a problem?”
Gilberton’s narrow eyes went wide. Just as he was about to say something—.
Adrianna stepped through the gate. Fierce cheers erupted from all around. Everyone was chanting Adrianna’s name.
It was a level of welcome even an emperor could not receive, but Adrianna’s face remained impassive. A hint of exhaustion could be seen through it.
Just then, Adrianna’s gaze fell on Galahad.
Adrianna’s eyes widened slightly. Galahad gave a casual wave.
Adrianna’s stiff eyebrows lifted slightly.
She approached Galahad, her steps strangely quick.
“Lady Adrianna?!”
The gazes of the knights following Adrianna turned sharp. So sharp it was almost physically painful.
“Ah.”
Arriving in front of Galahad, Adrianna took off her blood-caked gauntlet. Then, she carefully wiped her hand with a pristine handkerchief.
Seeing Adrianna preparing for a handshake, Galahad unconsciously extended his hand.
At that moment, a strong impulse surged from within him.
His heart pounded wildly. A pain bloomed in his chest as if someone was squeezing it. The egg of pain urged him to kill Adrianna. It was quite stinging.
‘You fool. Your actions now are actually hindering the oath. Do you really think you can kill Adrianna right now?’
Galahad cursed inwardly.
Even if Adrianna was off guard, there was no way he could kill her right now.
He had run the simulation countless times, and the result was always failure. This was something Galahad was best at.
The egg of pain vibrated. Galahad calculated again. When failure was once again the result, the egg of pain grew quiet.
‘It works.’
Of course, it was a temporary fix.
He planned to prepare a proper solution separately.
‘Still, holding hands is a bit much.’
Adrianna’s nature was important, but the egg of pain was his immediate means of increasing his power.
He couldn’t risk the egg of pain disappearing just by holding her hand.
It was best to be cautious until he figured out the principle behind it or came up with another method.
Having finished his calculations, Galahad retracted his hand.
The problem was—.
“………?”
He hadn’t considered Adrianna’s hand.
Adrianna stared silently at her own hand, left hanging awkwardly in the air.
Having never experienced such a situation before, Adrianna couldn’t comprehend what was happening.
Why was her hand just hanging there, all alone?
“………?”
Adrianna couldn't understand.
She froze, her hand still extended, as if she had malfunctioned.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake.”
Gilberton covered his face with his hand.