SWNOVELXO Chapter 408
We’ve come all the way to the heart of the kingdom, but unfortunately, we have to return to the Duke’s residence without seeing the royal capital.
After frequent dispatches between Shione and me, everyone in the Count’s House has grown accustomed to it. Upon returning, the grand welcome we once received was lacking. After a light welcome from the Head of the Family and Siabel, we soon slipped back into our routine.
“Deputy Commander, you’re back! Everyone has been waiting for you!”
“They were waiting for me? Sorry, but I don’t think I’ve done anything remarkable.”
“Why so bitter with your words? The difficulty of missions changes significantly depending on whether you’re here or not. From scouting to long-range assaults, you’re one of the finest knights in the Count’s House!”
“Flattering me won’t increase your salary, you know. By the way… I heard the Special Mission Team was stationed at the outpost. Not everyone is back yet, right?”
“Yes, that’s correct. They’ve been split into groups and are rotating for their missions.”
Chatting with a friendly ranger who had a knack for archery, I was drawn into tales of his solo hunts against formidable monsters.
As I noted the surprisingly large number of soldiers in the training ground, I asked,
“Looks like quite a few. From the number of people, seems they’ve just evacuated. Has Captain Diolia returned?”
“Captain Diolia hasn’t returned yet. It’s almost time for her to withdraw, but she stated she would come down last, so she can further systematize the troops at the base… I expect she’ll return in a few days.”
I heard that Diolia hasn’t come back from the outpost yet. I knew she had been out accumulating operational experience, but I hadn’t anticipated her putting in this much effort.
This time, I didn’t just show up empty-handed; I did buy a small gift for the captain on my way back. Still, witnessing such dedication from her, as a Deputy Commander in the Special Mission Team, I felt compelled to step up a notch.
“By the way, how’s the shooting range coming along? Before I was dispatched, the captain said there would be significant improvements. Is it complete?”
“The shooting range has undergone major renovations, and everything is finished now. Thanks to various structures being set up and shock-absorbing magic installed throughout… Now we can conduct practical small-scale mock battles. I think you’ll be pleased, Deputy Commander.”
“Oh?”
“It’s the result of efforts from the captain and wizards from various places. Would you like to check it out now?”
“You mentioned mock battles could take place, right?”
Just when a perfect training ground was ready for use.
“It’d be better to confirm by actually trying it out.”
“…So you’re saying you’ll be my opponent, Deputy Commander?”
“Of course! I’ve been away long enough; it’s high time I moved like the captain too.”
“Ah…”
We’d have time to bond even more during the spar with our Special Mission Team knights and rangers.
As our captain was absent, I was managing things at the Special Mission Team when…
“A letter has arrived addressed to Baron Karpel.”
“A letter, you say? Thank you for delivering it.”
After finishing my work and resting at my lodgings, a letter arrived for me.
‘A letter means it’s about time to hear from the cult matter.’
I heard my land’s deputy has quite a bit of authority.
It’s been decided that matters involving other families would come through me, so it made sense that letters from some quick-witted individuals I saw at the banquet were bound to come.
I opened the letter with curiosity, wondering what it might contain.
“…Wait, this…”
I couldn’t help but pause as my hand froze mid-way through tearing it open.
“Sent from the royal family?”
There it was: the royal seal on the envelope.
Although Princess Rephelia had mentioned I would soon receive a letter, I hadn’t expected to get one so quickly after returning to the Count’s House.
With anticipation and anxiety building, I skimmed through it when—
For some reason, Aheira arrived at my lodging before I could fully digest the contents.
“Aheira? What brings you here?”
“Princess Shione is anxiously looking for you… If it’s not too much trouble, could you meet with her now?”
“Is it because of this letter that Shione is looking for me?”
“How did you know that?”
“There are ways. Now, I’ll get ready to head out.”
Indeed, the royal family wouldn’t send me another letter without a significant reason, and it seems Adelhaite wrote and sent a letter to both me and Shione.
After all, having sent two letters, Adelhaite likely considered us as a set. The contents of the two letters would probably correspond quite closely.
‘…The war was finally mentioned directly in the letter as well.’
Instead of pondering alone, it would be far better to gather with Shione, our fated partner, and discuss.
So, heading to meet Shione, I cautiously saw her reading her letter, a serious expression on her face.
As I entered the room carefully, she slid a chair out for me to sit beside her.
“Excuse me.”
Gently settling into the chair and gazing at Shione, I could see her expression was far more serious than when she contemplated what to have for lunch.
After she read the last punctuating point, she sighed softly and turned to me with a gentle expression.
“Ray, I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?”
“Let’s start with the good news.”
I wasn’t sure if I should consider it bad, but since my side only had heavy content, I opted for the good news first—thinking that once the serious topic began, it might be tough to revisit the good part.
Shione tapped the desk with her index finger like her mother, Ainel, and said,
“Her Highness the Princess has read the letter I sent. She said she found it fascinating as it deepened her understanding of the Demonic Realm.”
“Uh… Is that good news?”
“Yep.”
“…You were quite upset, weren’t you?”
“…Let’s skip that topic. The important part is that thanks to my note, Her Highness was able to gather evidence more easily in the north. To be precise, that’s the good news.”
I hadn’t anticipated Shione’s feelings of being upset would lead to this development.
In any case, rather than the contents of Shione’s letter, I figured I should move on to what was written.
“May I hear about the bad news now?”
“That is… the Queen and the Princess view the current situation in the north as critical. I believe the royal family is planning a large-scale mobilization for the kingdom because of this northern issue.”
“I suspected that would happen.”
“…Ray, you don’t seem surprised.”
“Actually, I received a letter myself just now. I read it first and then came right over.”
As I spoke, I took out my own letter. Shione, with an exaggerated sigh, began to grumble about acting all serious.
After a bit of casual conversation with her, we combined the contents of our letters to summarize.
‘It’s clear they’ll make a public announcement for justification.’
With the recent fervor surrounding the cult, and with concrete evidence and anticipated figures for damage coming in from the north, there wouldn’t be any noble living within the royal boundaries who would dare belittle the royal family’s legitimate authority.
Thus, it seemed the royal family aimed to consolidate troops and supplies more securely in the north through mobilization orders, and a major campaign to obliterate the cult would likely begin in the following winter.
“The combat units of the kingdom will divide into three roles—”
The newly formed combat divisions of the kingdom would have three roles to share among themselves.
The first would be for the squad to deal with the dragon, an aged yet still mighty presence.
The second would be the squad tasked with hunting the creature referred to as the Demon of Gluttony, which could be identified as such without doubt.
And the third would be the squad to swiftly eliminate the cultists supporting the Demon of Gluttony to eliminate potential variables.
Among these three types of units,
“Among them, we’ve been requested by Her Highness to assist in exterminating this unidentified monster.”
Since Adelhaite had asked Shione and me to directly contribute to defeating the demon,
“…This winter is likely to be quite a struggle. The winds atop the Castle Wall of the Count’s House in the dead of winter were bitterly cold. It would be even chillier if sent north.”
Muttering about the harsh, foreboding winter, Shione naturally responded to my words.
“Her Highness the Princess also wrote that she intends to conclude this war before spring arrives. So, while it’ll be tough, it should feel warmer when spring finally comes.”
“That’s true, but—”
“And.”
Shione cut in, interrupting me.
“If we handle the north, the urgent fires within the kingdom will all be extinguished. We might have some breathing room, right?”
With a gentle smile, Shione continued,
“After braving a hard winter… an engagement in spring when the sprouts begin to bloom. And then a wedding in summer when the lovely flowers start to blossom. We must invite Herrel to the wedding too. Ray, you will invite Ianette Kalia, right?”
Her voice bubbled with hope as she began to weave a leisurely yet joyful future.
“We shouldn’t just float around the battlefield; it’s about time we take a break too. If not now, when else will we have the chance to enjoy ourselves? After the wedding, we can rest just the two of us, and then we’ll get back to moving forward diligently.”
Imagining this brought a kind of peace to my heart.
Seeing Shione fluff her hair with the relaxed expression I hadn’t seen in some time, I felt moved to add a comment.
“The vacation should be in my domain. If not now, when will I visit my own territory?”
“Sounds good! The streets of the Count’s House are crowded; if we’re to rest, a quiet place would be much better.”
“Even so, saying it’s rural compared to the Count’s House is a bit… My territory was originally a royal direct estate; could you please give it some respect?”
“I didn’t say rural! Are you trying to vilify me?”
*
Urgent news spread through every newspaper in the kingdom.
The contents of the publications were more than enough to alarm and concern even those who typically paid little attention to worldly affairs.
In her office, Ainel sat reading her newspaper and two letters that had been sent.
“We need to have an immediate strategy meeting. Gather all the blood relatives of the family and everyone I just mentioned right now.”
The space filled with a chilling atmosphere as Ainel growled her demand.
“Not a single one must be left out.”