Episode 6
Long after the sun had set, a new topic was being discussed inside the barracks of the headquarters of the Allied Forces.
Standing in front of the operational map was Count Rosebell, pointing his baton toward the eastern region of the Penrotta Empire.
A crimson line, signifying Mephisto’s army, was drawn nearby.
“The issue is the enemy’s route, which has shifted southward over the past month. It appears they’re heading not just towards the central region but further below. Given that all the cities near the collapsed front line have been peaceful, it doesn’t seem like they’re trying to surround them either.”
“Hmm. The major cities along a straight line… Fulhender, Scatia, Rezel…”
The commanders’ eyes settled on Rezel, a city at the southern tip of the continent. The same was true of Count Rosebell’s baton.
But my gaze went down to the southern archipelago, half a mile below that.
Queen Island, my hometown, guarded the southernmost part of the Empire. Coincidentally, it directly touched the end of the devil’s southward advance.
“Is there any chance they’re heading to the Southern Archipelago?”
“While the evidence is somewhat lacking, we cannot completely rule it out. This war began with the invasion of the southern archipelago, after all.”
Count Rosebell’s gaze, which briefly rested on me, soon turned to the wizard from the Northern Rogue Church.
An hour earlier, reinforcements from the Northern Continent Union’s church arrived at headquarters. Except for a few medics, they were all combat sorcerers from the North Rogue Church, and were among the Allied Forces’ most powerful forces during the eight-year-long Magic War.
“It’s hard for us to infer as well.”
The new commander of the reinforcements stared at the strategic map with a contemplative gaze.
“As you all know, all the devils are controlled by their commanders. They wouldn’t just move southward out of instinct; they move following the directive of the commands. Mephisto is honest with his desires, so if we wait a little longer, we’ll see his purpose more clearly.”
“That’s just stating the obvious.”
“We’ve been stuck at the headquarters waiting for the Northern Rogue’s support for another week. After arriving late, the best you can do is spit out nonsense like, ‘Let’s wait a bit longer’? Huh?”
“Sir Rogenhoff, watch your words.”
Despite the warning from Count Rosebell, Lord Rogenhoff’s harsh breathing showed no signs of slowing.
“…Our Northern Rogue Church is cooperating with the Allied Forces to the best of our abilities, as per their request.”
“Ridiculous. I heard your leader is supposedly superior to that damn devil. He’s a Demi-god, and yet instead of taking action, he just watches from the sidelines. He might as well tell us to wait for death!”
“Our leader does not involve himself in worldly affairs. Despite this, he has ordered us not to spare any resources in supporting the alliance, which is the greatest favor he can bestow from his position.”
“Ha. Tens of thousands of innocent lives sacrificed, hundreds of villages turned to ash, and you spew such nonsense! Disgusting hypocrites! Can’t he see that Mephisto’s slaughter has been going on for nearly 10 years? That leader of your church or whatever is no different from that Devil…”
At that moment, Count Rosebell’s face flushed with anger and he shouted.
“Sir Rogenhoff, do you not understand the current situation? I don’t know how long I have to tolerate your rash attitude!”
A heavy silence fell over the area for a moment.
Viscount Rogenhoff, who clenched his fist tightly, apologized in a low voice.
“…I apologize. I will cool my head and return.”
After he left the barracks, Count Rosebell sank into his chair with a sigh and spoke on behalf of Viscount Rogenhoff in a more softened manner.
“Apologies… Sir Rogenhoff lost his brother a month ago. He’s in a fragile mental state, please understand.”
The silver-haired commander who came from across the northern continent showed a bitter smile.
“Only ruins remain in the wake of war. I understand his rage.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
The meeting that was smoothly continuing was abruptly interrupted again by an unannounced arrival.
“I apologize for the rude intrusion. There is an urgent matter to convey…”
The man, who bowed his head respectfully, turned to Natasha and continued.
“Your Imperial Highness Princess Natasha, His Majesty the Emperor’s edict has arrived.”
“…His Majesty?”
Natasha left the barracks with a stiff face. Amidst the murmurs, Count Rosebell made eye-contact with the Swordmaster.
“Why don’t we take a brief break since the atmosphere is in disarray, Your Grace?”
“Indeed.”
The Swordmaster was the first to leave, followed by Raphael tapping me on the shoulder and gesturing outward.
As I stepped out, the night breeze of midwinter greeted my skin. Desherro, who lit Raphael’s cigarette, titled his neck with a complicated expression.
“An edict from the Emperor… quite timely, isn’t it?”
Sir Abraham, who’d followed, inquired in a somewhat fluctuating Imperial tongue,
“Timely, you say? Why so?”
“Three years is a long time after a succession ceremony, isn’t it? Natasha will soon return to the capital. It’s not fitting to keep the precious heir to the throne on the battlefield.”
“Oh! Right. She was the Emperor’s daughter. I remember now. What a remarkable woman.”
The Allied Forces comprised of a diverse array of nations that intended to counter Mephisto’s army. Overcoming numerous obstacles, including language and even minor cultural differences, proved challenging with such a mix of races.
After enduring these challenges for a staggering eight years, Some foreign commanders, who were once unable to utter a single word of the Imperial tongue in the absence of interpreters, had now become able to spit out the Imperial language with some degree of skill.
Amidst the acrid smoke of cigarettes, I quietly voiced my opinion.
“I… bet that Natasha’s not returning to the capital.”
At that, Raphael, who was quiet, laughed. A puff of white smoke rose into the black sky.
“So, what if she truly doesn’t go back?”
“What can be done? We’ll just have to knock her out and send her back like that.”
“…The reinforcements coming down from the north this time are substantial. They’ll fill Natasha’s vacancy and then some. It’s right to send her back at this opportunity.”
Before we knew it, several young knights had gathered around us and began exchanging their opinions. Among them, the youngest knight, his nose slightly red, asked Raphael,
“By the way… the leader of the Northern Rogue Church. Is he really a ‘God’?”
“That’s right. More precisely, a demigod.”
“Ah, how can a human become a god? It’s just a wandering tale, isn’t it? I don’t believe in the demigod of the Northern Rogue Church. For the face of such a remarkable being to not have been revealed to the world, isn’t it just bullshit?”
The boy, after letting out a loud sniff, looked around with a spirited expression.
“It must be a kind of political propaganda to deify the Church Leader. There’s no reason for a person great enough to be called a demigod to be hiding at such a crucial time.”
“No, the demigod does exist.”
“…Pardon?”
There was no answer to the embarrassing question. Because Raphael’s gaze was fixed on the figure rapidly approaching from the other side of the darkness.
“Are you already back?”
Natasha, who had a very crumpled expression, smiled faintly underneath the night sky.
“Well, yes. I plan to talk with him again after the meeting. …But look, I came back as fast as I could, and everyone’s just lazing around.”
As Natasha gestured disapprovingly, the knights, who had been leisurely smoking, hurriedly put out their cigarettes.
In the meantime, Desherro, who had been sitting down, chinned to the young knight and said.
“Natasha, this friend here thinks that the demigod of the Northern Continent is nothing more than political propaganda. Do you think so, too?”
“Huh? No way.”
Natasha, who came to stand next to me, gazed at the boy knight’s face with a look that said, ‘What a strange thing to say!’
“Boy, do you truly not know of Calepa, the leader of the Northern Rogue Church, and Spalia, the high minister of the Western Empire?”
I’m guessing Count Rogenhoff is Viscount here bc his rank was later elevated
And Sir Abraham and the new commander mentioned aren’t the same person, the text didn’t make it clear enough when I read the raw so I thought I’d make it clearer here, they’re both from the northern continent tho.
Next chapter is the last one for this side story!
