Chapter 54

The anchorage that had spent two years tormenting the fleet was now no different from a festival ground.

"Truly excellent results, Sir Verkut!"

"I simply did what had to be done."

Every time Yaan stepped out of his quarters, naval officers poured in with invitations to meals, handshakes, cheers, and so on... Only now, three days after his return, could he finally catch his breath.

"I think I was actually more comfortable before the operation."

"Across the entire Empire, you're probably the only knight the navy treats this way."

Knights on land, admirals at sea.

Like the saying, the two organizations shared a strange rivalry, mixing as poorly as water and oil.

At the last strategy conference, the heads of each group had nearly come to blows because neither would bow their head.

"Back then, the Belkuth knights' behavior was clearly deliberate."

Cain gave a snort, lips twisting in a faint sneer.

Was it that they couldn't accept him as their superior, or were they trying to settle old grudges between houses right on the front line?

Remembering the sneers they'd shown when he lowered his head in the strategy meeting, Cain could only sigh in frustration.

"Commander, you dislike the Belkuth knights just as much, don't you?"

The prince of Lorenz standing before him had once mocked their vanity right in front of the Belkuth mansion.

Recalling the incident at the mansion, Yaan asked again; Cain merely shrugged as if to ask what he meant.

"At least I don't do that on the battlefield. Don't you remember Randel dragging you and the knights off on his own?"

"Ah, was that a unilateral decision?"

While chatting and recalling that day, both men turned their gaze toward the Veloster, which was undergoing repairs.

"Thanks to Lieutenant Yaan, the Veloster became the most highly-decorated ship of this battle."

A voice called from behind.

It was Captain Kail Wenli of the Veloster.

"Looks good on you, doesn't it?"

"For the first time since I joined the navy, my father told me 'well done'-I'm grinning ear to ear."

Smiling at Cain's question, Kail came over and slung an arm around Yaan's shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Come on, we sailed on the same ship, fought on the same battlefield-we're comrades. Time you got used to it."

"Comrades? I'm just on assignment."

Yaan pushed away Kail's persistently friendly arm. Behind them, Cain watched and smiled.

"Even in my absence you racked up an impressive record, Lieutenant Yaan."

Hearing that voice, Yaan answered curtly.

"Your Highness. You're here already?"

"Ever since you became a knight you've grown shameless-though I'm royalty, you know."

"Knights serve His Imperial Majesty directly, so it's allowed."

"You've a comeback for everything. Forget it."

Spotting the owner of the voice, Kail made a strangled sound.

Prince Klaus, red hair tied back, was walking over in nothing but a shirt.

"I bid Your High-"

"Ah, enough. I'm only showing my face to Count Zeke before disappearing again."

Saying so, Klaus waved Kail aside before he could bow.

Once Kail, having politely excused himself, was out of sight, the prince turned straight to Cain.

"You came here the moment you arrived?"

"I showed my face to the Count-delivered His Imperial Majesty's letter as well."

"Any other business..."

"I'm here to collect you both. New duty station."

With that, Klaus pulled a document from his pocket.

In the center: a paper bearing the Emperor's red seal-an imperial order.

"Only the addressee may break the seal."

So saying, Prince Klaus handed the papers to Yaan.

Inside were orders written in a clerk's neat hand, a roster of personnel, and the Emperor's signature.

'Knight Yaan Verkut is to escort the delegation to the Kelt Holy See beyond the northernmost reaches of Kerdan. Effective immediately.'

"What does it say?"

Seeing Klaus's immediate question, Yaan asked back with a reluctant look.

"Aren't I the only one allowed to know?"

"After opening it's fine. And I'm your superior officer now."

At the prince's words, Yaan sighed and spoke.

"Orders to escort the delegation bound for the Kelt Holy See."

"...Wait, what? Kelt Holy See?"

With that, Prince Klaus snatched the order from Yaan's hand.

"Isn't that blasphemy?"

"A son peeking at his father's papers-what blasphemy?"

After brushing the comment aside, Klaus skimmed the order and gave an exasperated sigh.

"To think they'd have me deliver this personally-unbelievable."

"What do you mean?"

At the prince's sudden grumbling, Yaan voiced his puzzlement; Klaus frowned and spoke.

"Do you know what sort of delegation His Majesty sends to the Holy See each year?"

"I do not."

Hearing Yaan's answer, Prince Klaus began to explain.

"Officially it's a gift for the Pontiff, but reality differs. The delegation trades with the Holy See in things not even the imperial bloodline may view."

"And they've assigned a Penal Corps knight to escort such a delegation?"

At Cain's question, Klaus nodded.

Kelt-a theocracy at the continent's northern tip beyond the Great Forest of Kerdan.

Birthplace of Alphi and Rhea, founders of Alfraia and seat of the Creator Church's high temple; so sacred to elves that even the Empire hesitated to meddle.

"Isn't it simply an escort mission? I doubt a knight from the Penal Corps would be entrusted with anything more."

That question came from Yaan.

Klaus shook his head and, looking at Yaan, spoke gravely.

"Only the Emperor's own guard escort those delegations. Entrusting it to you means... well, you understand."

The Emperor himself had summoned him.

To reveal a secret kept from all others.

"...What will you do?"

It was Cain who asked.

"It's an order. I can't refuse."

"You know that's not what I'm asking."

Cain's face was hard as he spoke.

"After this battle you've proven your worth perfectly. The Belkuth family will pull every trick to recruit you."

"A wasted effort."

Yaan's short answer drew more words from Cain.

"With His Majesty summoning you now, you need no longer stay with us. With his backing, revenge on Belkuth becomes far simpler."

Cain's expression darkened as he spoke.

'I need vermin-catchers.' Those had been the Emperor's words.

Recalling that private audience, Yaan fell into thought.

"Even if you cut ties with us and go to His Majesty, we won't stop you-couldn't, even."

"Just make it clear to me: what do you intend to do from now on?"

Alternating, Cain and Prince Klaus spoke. Watching them, Yaan silently drew a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

Puff-

Smoking before the imperial prince.

Any other knight would have blanched and bowed, yet none here tried to stop him.

"I'm not going."

"...What?"

A single calm word drifted out with the smoke.

"Of course, as it's an order I'll escort the delegation, but that doesn't mean I intend to turn my back on the Commander or His Highness."

For an instant Cain and Klaus, doubting their ears, asked again, yet Yaan's answer did not change.

"I was the one who brought it up, so this may sound odd... but are you in your right mind?"

Prince Klaus, eyes wide, asked again.

The Emperor. The supreme sovereign who commands the entire Empire.

When such a person summons you, who in the world would refuse?

That was what the two thought, yet Yaan's expression remained composed.

"The first time I faced His Imperial Majesty, he said something to me."

'You are neither my subject nor loyal to me.'

Recalling that single remark from the Emperor, Yaan could guess the Emperor's intention behind this order.

"Would a man who refused to acknowledge me as his subject accept me wholeheartedly just because I bow my head and enter?"

Klaus, who knew nothing of what had happened in the capital, nodded as he listened.

"If something like that happened, the moment I seek refuge with His Majesty..."

"I'll be discarded. This is merely a test."

Having cut it short like that, Yaan continued to speak.

"There is no kindness without a price, and no malice without a reason."

Repeating a remark once spoken by a senior who had died on the front lines, Yaan spoke to Cain and Klaus.

"I do not cooperate with a human who never reveals his true motives. A chance offered like charity by someone overwhelmingly superior will one day surely shackle my ankles."

When he spoke those words, Cain and Klaus let out wry smiles at the same time.

"In other words..."

"From the moment we agreed to cooperate, we were equals with you."

A knight driven to the frontier, fated to die on a nameless battlefield.

A prince buried inside an artifact, destined to vanish without ever seeing the light.

Himself, curled among piles of corpses, holding only revenge in his heart.

"Trust will be repaid, and betrayal will carry a price. No matter who it is."

At those words from Yaan, Prince Klaus and Cain grinned and nodded.

The alliance among the three might truly have been forged at this very instant.

***

"Just when we were finally getting friendly, we're already parting."

"I never once thought I'd become friendly with you."

Though Yaan muttered a quiet barb at Kail, who spoke as though reluctant to part, Kail only kept the smile on his face and patted Yaan's shoulder.

"We'll meet again someday. Until then, let's try not to kill each other."

"You may be the son of a count, but for me I can't promise that."

A life as fragile as a fly's, never knowing when it would end. Thinking of himself and his unit, Yaan waved Kail off roughly.

"O-oh, you're here?"

When he finally boarded the transport, Irene greeted him; her whole body was covered in large and small scratches.

"Did you come back from some war?"

"I... paid my respects."

"Paid your respects?"

Behind Yaan, who asked again, came the sound of dozens of military boots.

"Commander!"

"We're here!"

Fifty soldiers approached Yaan speaking thus.

They were Greyhounds who had come to meet Yaan under Klaus's orders.

"Was it you lot who made the kid like this?"

"No, when we arrived some girl was wearing our unit's emblem. When we asked who she was, she said she was the commander's seed..."

"Seed?"

"We told her not to lie. Then she started yelling at us at the top of her lungs."

"So you beat the kid half to death?"

The soldiers scratched their heads awkwardly at Yaan's words and spoke.

"We just rolled with her like we do in daily training. We didn't do anything."

"...Fine, then."

Relieved that nothing serious had happened, Yaan turned toward his quarters.

"Ah, but is the kid really the commander's seed?"

When Yaan patted her shoulder as if praising her effort, Irene's legs gave out and she sat down.

Members of the 87th Independent Company approached her and asked Yaan, who turned back.

"That's right. So while we're on this escort mission, turn her into a person. Just don't kill her."

"How long is the mission?"

"One month."

At that answer the soldiers grinned as they looked at Irene.

"U-um..."

Intimidated by their piercing eyes, Irene stammered, but the soldiers' laughter would not cease.

"Making the deputy commander's person was fun, but..."

"We never thought a new kid would join our unit like this."

"Look at her rank patch. She's not even an officer!"

"Heh-heh-heh-heh..."

Like beasts that had found prey, the soldiers of the 87th Independent Company closed in on Irene.

Hic!

Watching the fifty soldiers who had been chosen solely by skill regardless of gender or status in the Penal Corps, Irene finally understood what Dandel had once told her.

'Don't die on us! Our rookie!'

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