Chapter 46
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 46
Chapter Title: The One Acknowledged by the Grand Duke
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The crow remained prostrated.
Before him, Galahad stood silently, smoking a cigarette.
The crow didn't speak first, waiting quietly.
At last, his thoughts seemingly concluded, Galahad spoke.
"Can you contact Dawn?"
"Dawn only sends messages one way. We can't contact them first."
"Hmm."
At the man's low hum, the crow swallowed dryly.
"What about the Society's President?"
"…He likely has ties to Dawn. However, the President won't step forward himself."
"I see. Go to the branch in the 5th Battalion. Tell Korton my name, and that should be enough."
"Yes, sir."
The crow nodded, but a question arose in his mind.
‘How does he know the Deputy Director of the 5th Battalion's branch?’
No, from the way he spoke, it seemed he more than just knew him. It felt like the man was his subordinate.
How long had it been since he came to the North, and already— The crow forced down the question that had risen to the tip of his tongue.
"This is my revised magic circle for a monster tamer. It should be more effective than the one you people use."
Galahad held something out. It was a parchment with a detailed magic circle drawn on it. There were even annotations and explanations beside it.
‘Wait, why a monster tamer's magic circle...’
Another question surfaced, but the crow suppressed it.
The less said in front of this man, the better.
"Yes, sir."
"Report this to your superiors, and a message should come. The Society's President will be desperate, after all. Am I wrong?"
The crow nodded again.
He was right. The Black Magic Society's investment in the 7th Battalion had been substantial.
In fact, it had been enormous.
For it to be thwarted so futilely, the Black Magic Society was bound to stumble.
Though it wouldn't be enough to bring them down.
"They can't give up on the Miasmic Realm."
At Galahad's words, the crow let out a small gasp.
‘So that's why he left the Miasmic Realm open.’
He had wondered why Galahad had bothered to leave it be, and now he understood.
Closing the Miasmic Realm would be more difficult than opening it, but it didn't seem like something Galahad couldn't do.
He had wondered why he hadn't.
‘It was bait to lure out the Society's President.’
If the Miasmic Realm had been completely closed, the President would have gone into hiding.
Being a cautious man, he would have retreated even deeper.
The plan had failed, but the Miasmic Realm remained. The plan was, in a sense, half-successful.
At this point, the President would surely contact Dawn and try to—
‘He was aiming for Dawn.’
Thinking back, Galahad had mentioned Dawn from the very beginning.
Did this whole mess, which had mobilized both the Grand Duke and Adrianna, serve as just another stepping stone for this man?
The crow bowed his head even lower.
"When you get a message, let me know. If you're late or insufficient this time, I may be truly disappointed."
"Yes, sir."
The crow answered hastily. The man's voice was still relaxed and nonchalant, but that only made it more terrifying.
"You've worked hard. It's about time you got a promotion."
It was a sudden remark.
The crow's mind raced.
‘He's already taken over the 5th Battalion's branch and told me to go there. His target is Dawn—to approach Dawn, he needs the Society's President—but a promotion?’
Ah.
The crow let out a soft gasp.
‘He plans to swallow the Black Magic Society whole.’
The Black Magic Society wasn't his true objective. It was merely a means to get to Dawn.
Galahad intended to make the crow the new Society President and use him to catch Dawn.
‘Just how much does he plan to gain from a single Miasmic Realm?’
Then, Galahad's words suddenly came to mind.
A promotion.
‘Does that mean I'll become the Society's President...?’
The crow lowered his head even further.
"Thank you!"
This time, it was sincere.
"Well then, I'll be on my way. I'm late for a meeting.”
His voice was so casual it was hard to believe he had just spoken of a plan to take over the Black Magic Society.
As if even this was nothing special to him.
‘I have to work hard!’
The crow trembled as he made his vow.
****
‘Why am I caught between such bigwigs...’
Hines, a company commander in the 7th Battalion, slowly let out a heavy breath.
He had been promoted to company commander after the position became vacant—an appointment resulting from the previous night's chaos.
The other company commanders shared Hines's uncomfortable demeanor.
It was only natural, given the weighty names of those present in the meeting hall.
From Sir Gilberton to Bellogrim, and even Adrianna.
For Hines, who had been just a platoon leader until recently, these were figures of immense stature to be sharing a room with.
Yet, despite this gathering of prominent figures, the meeting had not yet begun. Everyone sat quietly, as if waiting for someone.
‘Who could it be?’
He muttered softly, looking at the empty head seat.
Just then, the door opened smoothly, and a well-dressed man entered. He looked more like a nobleman than a man of the North.
"Ah, everyone's here."
The man spoke lightly and naturally took the seat at the head of the table.
"…How can the one who called the meeting be the last to arrive?"
Sir Gilberton, standing behind the man, chided him gently.
‘So that's the commander of the Special Task Force.’
He already knew from the rumors.
‘The one acknowledged by the Grand Duke.’
Hines felt a small shiver. The Grand Duke's acknowledgment was the stuff of legend in the North.
Every hero in the North had, at one point, been offered the Grand Duke's chalice.
However, none among them had ever drunk from it.
Or rather, none had survived after drinking.
But this man had drunk from that chalice.
He had earned the Grand Duke's acknowledgment.
That held tremendous significance.
Furthermore…
‘The one acknowledged by the Grand Duke, who is to marry Adrianna!’
Hines's eyes sparkled.
He was indeed a man worth waiting for.
"What is the extent of the damage to the 7th Battalion?"
"All but two company commanders have been replaced. Eighty percent of the soldiers remain."
Bellogrim reported matter-of-factly.
"I see. Is that enough to maintain security on the front lines?"
"Yes, but the damage to the inner fortress is severe, which will cause issues with supply logistics."
"Don't worry about that. I've already spoken to the commander of the 5th Battalion. Support will be here soon."
The man answered as if the 5th Battalion was his own.
Hines found this questionable, but—
‘He is the one acknowledged by the Grand Duke!’
He seemed all the more magnificent.
"So, can the front line be maintained?"
"Yes. It will be a bit difficult, but things will function. His Grace the Grand Duke has seen the situation, so reinforcements should arrive soon."
"I see. Then let's move on to the Miasmic Realm Training Ground—"
At the words "Miasmic Realm Training Ground," everyone swallowed hard.
It was the hottest topic in the 7th Battalion recently.
Where the inner fortress should have been, there was now a strange ash.
That hellishly unpleasant substance was called the Miasmic Realm.
A place where demons dwelled. And he intended to build a training ground with it.
His caliber was truly different from others. The company commanders couldn't help but marvel, their eyes gleaming.
"The monsters for the Miasmic Realm have been prepared. The defenses are also nearing completion."
At the gaze of the one acknowledged by the Grand Duke, everyone nodded firmly.
"I think it's truly remarkable that you all survived such a critical situation as the opening of the Miasmic Realm. It shows just how diligently the 7th Battalion has always trained."
The one acknowledged by the Grand Duke rose from his seat and began to clap.
Applause from the one acknowledged by the Grand Duke!
Hines felt tears welling up in his eyes.
"I'm being sincere. Unlike the 1st Battalion on the front lines, you had no opportunity to experience the Miasmic Realm, yet you handled it so magnificently. I was truly impressed."
To be acknowledged by the one acknowledged by the Grand Duke!
Hines bit his lip hard. Otherwise, he might have let out a cheer.
"I saw potential in you. That is why I pushed for the Miasmic Realm Training Ground. Because here, in this Miasmic Realm, we have warriors who survived against monsters! Come now, Sir Gilberton, applaud."
Gilberton belatedly began to clap. Clap, clap, clap.
Then, even Adrianna joined in.
To receive applause not only from the one acknowledged by the Grand Duke, but also from the hero of the North, Adrianna.
The overwhelming emotion made it difficult to stay composed.
This is…
‘…We're pretty amazing, aren't we?’
Hines finally realized.
He realized how amazing he was.
"I opened the Miasmic Realm Training Ground because I believe in you. Think about it. Haven't we only ever been on the defensive? Against monsters! And demons! We have always stood our ground silently!"
"Yes!" By now, they were on their feet. They answered in one voice.
"But you cannot end a war by defending. Someday, we must cross the wall and advance. And the Miasmic Realm Training Ground will be the prelude to that counterattack. I assure you."
The prelude to a counterattack! The magnificent phrase made Hines gulp.
Was it truly okay for him, a platoon leader until yesterday, to hear such grand words? Was it okay for him to receive the acknowledgment of the one acknowledged by the Grand Duke?
"Company commanders and commanders from other battalions will come to be trained by you. The 7th Battalion will become the center of the North! Not the corner, but the center!"
The center! For the 7th Battalion, which had always been treated as a peripheral unit, it was a truly thrilling word.
"You are no longer mere soldiers. You are the warriors who will end this war."
The one acknowledged by the Grand Duke looked around the room. As befitting the one acknowledged by the Grand Duke, his voice carried power.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for his next words.
"So! Warriors, are you ready?"
Warriors. It was a strangely inspiring word.
To be called warriors by the one acknowledged by the Grand Duke.
The company commanders shot to their feet.
"Yes!!"
"Come, warriors, follow me!"
Galahad realized once again that these Northern men were even easier to handle than he thought.
****
"…Is it really okay to shove them into the Miasmic Realm like that?"
Gilberton winced as he watched the soldiers charge into the Miasmic Realm, shouting.
Of course, there were no monsters inside, but the Miasmic Realm itself was dangerous.
The environment made it hard to breathe, and the near-zero visibility evoked a primal fear.
To enter with nothing but a sword—
‘It's similar to the process of training a knight.’
Galahad flicked the ash from his cigarette.
"How does one become a knight in the North?"
"Sir? They become knights by gaining experience in real combat until they awaken their conviction."
It was a truly brutish method. But that was likely why the quality of their knights was higher than in the Central region.
"A few dips in and out should be fine. They're all brave, aren't they?"
Galahad replied, flicking his cigarette.
Not a trace of the passion he had shown while encouraging the soldiers in front of the Miasmic Realm remained.
"The men of the North are quite easy to handle."
"...Not all of them are like that, sir."
Gilberton replied sharply to Galahad's mumble.
"Is that so? Well, I suppose there's you."
"Yes."
"Ah, did you know? Training with a sword in the Miasmic Realm is more effective. The dense mana concentration affects the body."
"Why are you telling me this now!"
Gilberton drew his sword and charged into the Miasmic Realm.
"Get in there! Warriors! The future of the North depends on you!"
"Aargh!!"
Furious shouts and battle cries echoed continuously.
Galahad didn't need to lift a finger. He had only set the stage, and they began training on their own.
‘Could there be a better training environment?’
The mana density of the Miasmic Realm was incomparably higher than anywhere else.
Dipping them in and out of a place like that was bound to be effective.
Of course, it would be quite painful, but the right path was always the difficult one.
‘Come to think of it, this was his method.’
Galahad frowned at the sudden memory of that man.
There had been a strange fellow who used to bother him every time they met.
He was originally a knight. But upon seeing Galahad, he had suddenly declared he would learn magic.
And he actually did learn it.
He couldn't match Galahad, but he was more competent than other mages.
That was what the man had always prattled on about.
Training in a high-mana-density environment made him stronger, faster.
It was a brutish method, but seeing him, its effectiveness was clear.
However.
‘What was that guy's name again?’
It wasn't particularly important, so Galahad flicked his cigarette.
****
In the Intelligence Bureau safe house within the Grand Duke's castle, Handsome dusted off his grimy hands.
He had just finished setting up the new safe house.
‘The reinforcements should be arriving soon.’
Following Galahad's advice, Handsome had reported that Rose had been killed by demons.
It was partly for his own survival, but it was also to protect Rose's honor.
He had never met Rose, but she had been someone who defended a safe house at the Empire's northernmost edge.
He wanted to protect the honor of a woman who had died in that cold solitude.
Just then, the safe house door shook violently.
Handsome grabbed his sword hilt and rose to his feet.
He checked outside through a device next to the door. He saw a burly, greasy-looking man and a woman with a cold expression.
Soon, the door opened.
The fact that it opened meant they were personnel sent by the Intelligence Bureau. However, having been through what he had, Handsome did not release his sword hilt.
The greasy-looking man entered first. His yellow eyebrows looked like caterpillars.
"Oh, you must be Handsome."
"Identify yourself."
Handsome's sword was already aimed at the man's neck. The man glanced down. In that instant—
Ting!
Handsome's sword was violently deflected. Water shimmered in the man's hand. It was magic. No—
"Name's First. I'm the reinforcement for this safe house."
‘…Aura?’
Handsome doubted his own eyes. It was clearly magic, yet he saw an aura.
Only then did he realize the man's identity.
"The Magic Knight, First!"
Handsome's eyes widened as if they would tear. First was a famous agent in the Intelligence Bureau. He wasn't someone who would be dispatched to a safe house in the North.
"Mm-hmm, that's right. I am that very Magic Knight."
"Cut the useless chatter, First."
The cold-faced woman behind the man spoke sharply. The man chuckled and entered the room.
Handsome discreetly stepped aside.
The man sat down in a chair as if it were natural. The chair groaned under his bulk. He placed a thick cigarette in his mouth.
He then lit a flame on his fingertip and touched it to the cigarette. The smell of damp wood filled the air.
‘He's strangely like Galahad.’
Handsome was reminded of Galahad. There was something similar in their actions.
Galahad was natural. This man, in comparison, felt somewhat contrived.
‘Is he imitating Galahad?’
As the man exhaled a long plume of smoke, the woman wrinkled her nose and pinched it shut.
"Bring me all the information on Galahad."
The man said, looking at Handsome. At that, Handsome bit his lip.
Galahad had never told him to hide his information. Still, Galahad was his savior. To give up his savior's information—
"Bring it. Didn't you hear me?"
The man narrowed his eyes at Handsome. The tension rose thick in the air. Handsome tapped his sword hilt.
Just then—
"You, your shoulders are stiff."
Lightning flashed.
No, it was a sword wreathed in lightning.
"Hmm, he's been living quite the flashy life. That's Galahad for you."
First nodded as he looked at the report in his hands.
"Should I dispose of him?"
The woman asked, her sword at Handsome's neck.
"Instead of praising a loyal knight, you talk of disposal? Pumpkin, this is why you're still not married."
"Should I dispose of him?"
"It was a joke."
First's gaze fell back to the report in his hand.
"It's written here, too."
"What is?"
"That Galahad is marrying the Grand Duke's daughter."
First shook the report.
"Won't all hell break loose if they find out? The Princess, and *her*—"
"They'll all think the same way I do. That it's either a mission or one of his occasional eccentricities. Which is likely the truth."
First flicked his cigarette and narrowed his eyes.
Below that was a record of Galahad's activities. First knew Galahad better than anyone.
Reading it, First could grasp the man's intentions.
Galahad was—
"Well, I'll be."
At First's mutter, Pumpkin frowned. This was the precursor to one of First's episodes.
At any other time, First was a perfectly fine superior and person.
But whenever Galahad was involved, he became an absolute lunatic.
Like right now.
"…What is it?"
"Galahad! That bastard plans to marry the Grand Duke's daughter for real!"
His voice was serious, unlike before. *Here we go with his bullshit.* Pumpkin sighed softly.
"He can fool the others, but he can't fool me! Galahad! Hiding in the North, you've prepared a decisive move!"
"Fuck, you've lost your mind."
He probably thought that if Galahad got married first, it would be his loss. It was a bizarre logic, but he always acted this way when it came to Galahad.
"At this rate, it's a defeat! This is an emergency!"
First's body trembled.
He looked at Pumpkin and let out a small sigh.
That intense gaze—
Pumpkin dreaded what kind of nonsense would come out next.
A moment of silence.
"Pumpkin—you're single, aren't you?"
"Fuck! Seriously!"
As First dropped to one knee as if to propose, Pumpkin couldn't hold back and cursed.