Legend

On that day, Schuls finished a meeting with the nobles negotiating the ransom and lay down with everything else to do as a prince, at midnight when almost everything in this world was falling asleep...... no, it was such a time that I could describe it as an early morning, given the already brightening skies of the east.

When it comes to royalty, naturally, you're often envious, but you know you have to do this troublesome job every day? I manage to turn myself around because I have a deputy Amare... but while I think about it that way, I just feel comfortable handing myself over to the sleeper I've attacked...

Dong Dong, and the sound of a constant knock on the door echoes through the bedroom, rapidly pulling Schuls' consciousness back to what was now about to fall asleep.

"What the fuck!"

They interrupted my sleep. It would be helpless if the voice emanating from Schulss's mouth became grumpy.

The grumpy voice that you have to atrophy if you are a normal person is not like atrophy for someone you have spent time with since you were a young child.

"Your Highness Schuls, the cavalry that was accompanying the Crusaders has returned. Report to His Highness as soon as possible."

"... what?

To the voice of Amare, heard from across the door, for a moment Schuls suspects that he is still asleep and that this is a dream.

Because the Crusaders left today - yesterday, to be precise - because the day has already changed.

If so, why are you back already? I thought so. I could naturally say that Schulss's question.

"I haven't heard the details yet, but they say the Crusaders are devastated"

"... what?

The voice coming out of Schulss's mouth again wonders if Amare, who has made this report this time, has gone crazy somewhere.

It is true that for some time here, the impact of the last crusader defeat… more precisely, we are supposed to have a discussion on negotiating ransom, and it is true that we have been busy.

When Schuls thinks about that, he can hear his voice again from across the door as if he had spotted it.

"Lord Schulss, I'm not doing anything about it. The Crusaders were attacked by rebels at night where they were camping, literally devastated."

I guess I actually do, not as if I spotted it.

The fact that Schuls was born and raised with Amare means that Amare was also born and raised with Schuls.

That's why Schuls understands that Amare is not sleeping or joking, but is seriously saying that the Crusaders are devastated.

If you ask that far, Schulz's brain also forces you to eliminate the drowsiness that was left in your head to return your thoughts to their normal state.

I rush up from the top of the bed and open the door.

The outfit is bedtime, but that's not what matters to Schulz right now. It's important that he was attacked tonight.

"I mean, that's... you mean the rebels are marching to the Imperial Capital by naming all the troops!

When I opened the door screaming, there was a figure of Amare dressed without a minute's gap, even though the morning sun was not yet rising.

Though Schuls wondered when he was asleep for a moment for such an Amare figure, he doesn't have the time to pursue it now.

Even for Amare, the appearance of Schuls coming out of the bedroom was bedtime clothing, but he opens his mouth without looking concerned.

"No, according to a report from a cavalry sent to the Crusaders, only one of them has carried out a night raid"

"... what?

Are you insane? Schuls almost asked me that by accident, but Schuls knew best that the woman in front of him was not the kind of woman to do such a bloody imitation.

That's why I encourage you to stay ahead of the story with my gaze without putting it to words.

"It was the deep red ray that raided me. Its method of raiding was using a tornado of flames, as it did in the spring war. However, unlike before, you think the next tornado of flames has moved as you please? That, too, I think, was something that was completely controlled, given that the Crusaders didn't get out of the position they built."

"Shit, you sneak around a lot."

The information that Ray might be cooperating with the rebels was already heard and known by the Prime Minister.

Even if it was a crusader sent by Schulz last time, it also had the purpose of determining whether Ray was awarding it to the rebels.

"Don't come out when we are, it came out this time. Well, what's the reason for that? I knew you hadn't joined the rebels yet when we last fought? Because, Brother Kabazid, all I can say is bad luck."

There must have been one side to this crusader's dispatch because it turns out there's no Ray over there who specializes in wide-area extermination.

It was a pain in the ass to have the ability to fight a single army, and even a deep red with high mobility under the influence of subjugating Griffon.

Even so, this result… can be described as a rare lapse for a kabazid who perfectly does anything.

I smile unexpectedly at such a brother's demise. I was wondering if there's anything even that my brother, who can say is perfect, can't foresee.

"Right. I have information that Lord Soble, also known as His Highness Kabazid's Scarf, was killed during his retreat… or taken prisoner."

"... how accurate is that information?

Amare answers instantly to Schulss, who erases the grin that was floating a few seconds ago and asks with a serious look.

"This is a report from the horseback squad I sent you from here, so you won't go wrong"

"Right. It's more painful for your brother than losing a crusader army. So what's the damage over here?

"All the dispatched cavalry returned safely. Some people have suffered some burns, minor lacerations, or bruises, but the range of minor injuries. I was wondering if I could return soon after a few days off."

"Well, that's more than anything. Tell them to rest and heal their fatigue."

"Yes."

After a brief exchange of words, Schulz returns to his bedroom once Amare has been put on the spot to get dressed.

Schuls, who is also a soldier, cannot be dressed without the help of a maid, as is the case with the common royal family.

Quickly change into the clothes the maid had prepared, leave the bedroom and rendezvous with Amare and head to the office.

Even along the way, Schuls does not utter a word and goes down the hallway thinking about something.

Amare also follows through without being disturbed because he understands that Schulz, his master, is thinking of something when he is behaving like he is now.

Continue walking straight to the office, where Schuls sits on the couch for visitors placed in the room, not on the desk….

Amare, who sees it, brews tea using the tools in the room in a familiar manner.

The smell of tea spreads inside the office, and when the tea placed in the cup is placed at a table near the couch where Schulz sits, Schulz opens his mouth as he reaches for the cup.

"Amare, perhaps...... not so many people took part in this night raid. Seventy even if you put a deep red... no, maybe you're cutting fifty"

"... is that true? There were 6,000 crusaders, weren't there? I don't think it's sane to challenge less than a hundred people."

The movement of Amare's hand, who was sitting on the couch across the street from Schulz and stretching out to his share of tea, stopped and asked unexpectedly.

Six thousand to seventy, or fifty. Normally, it just seems like suicide.

But Schuls shook his neck sideways in Amare's words as if he were of any certainty.

"What you need in a night raid is more proficiency than number of people. Quality is better than quantity. Of course we have both, but if we can only align one, then quality is more important."

"I understand the story. But a night raid in less than a hundred people..."

"Don't forget. Only one deep red practically carried out the attack among the enemies. The others had only laid down those who had been burned out of their positions outside.... Besides, the night raid took place a day from the Imperial Capital... which is also the place of the day at the slow march speed of the army. It would be weirder not to be able to discover it if hundreds of people or just more than a thousand people were traveling to such places. If we're going to scratch the eye of our quest, we're going to have to be small."

It would be impossible for a large number of people to come near the Imperial City, especially so that they would not find it.

I couldn't help but be convinced of Schulss's explanation, even for Amare.

"How do you think things will go now?

"I've come this far in the order of brother Kabazid. Sister Frizione will send out a crusader if you think about it without difficulty... well, what do you think? Originally, Sister Frizione has less fighting power, and most importantly, Sister Frizione herself has a character she doesn't want to fight."

"Indeed."

I have often dealt with Frizione, naturally also Schuls' sister, only Amare, who has grown up with Schuls.

Given the experience at that time, if Frizione were told in this situation whether to form a crusader army, he would have to lean his neck.

Above all, whatever crusaders Schulz sent to dispose of the unusable, even the crusaders Kabazid sent out for real were destroyed without any exchanging power.

Of course, this kind of oddity can't have worked so many times. It wouldn't be difficult to prepare some countermeasure if we knew we were going to launch a night raid like this one. But...... Regardless of this night raid, we naturally have to deal with Deep Red in addition to the Rebels from the next battle, beyond what has already been found to be Deep Red in the Rebels.

That is essentially the same as having to deal with two armies at the same time.

Even I didn't think I could fight such rebels against Frizione, who had less force in his arms than Kabazid or Schulz.

"I negotiate ransom, Brother Cabazide rebuilds his power, and Sister Frizione lacks his power.... Will this be stalled for a while?

"I was wondering if that would happen in due course."

"... but if we free up time here now, that would be all in Merclio's favor. It's true you should hit something..."

Drinking tea, Schulz was once again passionate about the idea.

Around the same time Schuls was being contacted, naturally Kabazid was also receiving another report from Bratta.

Schuls was about to go to bed sometimes in the morning, but Kabazid still read the paperwork in the office even at this hour and signed there. That's where Bratta came straight back from the battlefield.

"... I see"

You have a calm face and you look kind to me because you see it. That would be the impression that those who saw Kabazid would feel.

It is true that that is true, but it is also rare that those who so far manifest themselves that the interior and exterior are not proportional. What I have intimately dated with Kabazid is pitiful...... many people think so when they know Kabazid's character, which can even be described as ruthless.

Hearing a report from Bratta, Kabazid sighs small.

Even for Kabazid, we never thought that the crusaders we put out would be so lightly near devastated.

"Bratta, you're the only one who's safe to come home to."

"Your Highness... but I can't protect the Soble, not even the few dragon knights..."

He groans in remorse, and from the face of his leaning bratta, tears fall to the carpet.

Bratta was standing in front of the concierge, but tears falling from a lean state to a carpet create spots.

If anyone knew the price of that carpet, it was a very, but unacceptable act, but Kabazid does not imitate Blatta, but rises from his chair and puts his hand on Blatta's shoulder and opens his mouth.

"It is indeed unfortunate that those lost in this battle. But among other things, I would say that Bratta survived at least as a salvation. If you had challenged Deep Red and lost... I couldn't figure out why the Crusaders had lost."

"That's... that Soble should let you know..."

"Oh. I was able to get information this time because I had you and Soble. Besides... perhaps Soble is a prisoner without being killed"

Bratta lifts her gaze out of a state where she was accidentally leaning down to Kabazid's words telling her so.

"Is it true!?

"I can't say absolutely, though. Was it already around the end of the night raid that you managed to escape?

"Yes, most of them are already by the rebels..."

"Then maybe I'll be fine. I'm sure you'd like to get this information even over there. And you deserve to be taken prisoner by chance at the end of the battle... it also got you the famous Soble as my katana. Withdraw the information, negotiate with me, you won't imitate me to miss this."

"Soble..."

You could have described it as the worst nightmare night ever, a night raid by deep red.

Bratta holds positive thoughts about the only bright anticipation she could get of it being done.

"Come on, tomorrow anyway...... no, today already. Anyway, from today on, I'll be busy with a lot of things. Have a little rest, Bratta."

"... ok. And this."

Whimpering, what Bratta offered was a map given to him by Kabazid before the Crusaders left.

I managed to bring it up when the night raid happened.

Kabazid, who received the map, nodded small and hung a word or two on Bratta, causing her to leave the office to rest her body.

Cabazide dropping off Bratta's back was dropping off Bratta's back with a thin grin on her mouth.