Although it wasn’t raining, Cyril’s mantle was getting wet and increasing its weight heavily . He felt that he was being mercilessly deprived of his body temperature just by keeping still .

If possible, he wanted to light a fire and eat something warm, but that wasn’t going to happen in the current situation of Cyril’s party . Collecting dry firewood in this dense morning mist was an impossible story, and there was something which he must think about first rather than a warm meal now .

Thoroughly chewing the hard deer jerky and sending it to the inside of his stomach, Cyril repeatedly asked his subordinate whom he had made to go draw water .

「…They aren’t the thoughtless words of a drunk?」

「Hai . As it’s a story from a parent and child who are about to leave for fis.h.i.+ng after this, I don’t think that it’s completely nonsense… at any rate, the village has been talking about nothing but that rumour since yesterday」

「If… that’s the truth, it’ll become troublesome」

Cyril stared at the map with a grim expression .

What his subordinate, who had gone to a nearby river to draw water, found out from the fishermen who came out to catch freshwater fish after this was the story of the Dominas of the neighbouring country, Amaddo, heading for the royal capital, Aurillac .

Cyril’s party had already grasped the information about the Dominas coming from Amaddo . Rather, the military operation this time was changed to carrying it out suddenly was because they had aimed for the timing when the Gale Chivalric Order left Aurillac for that meeting . However, it was an unforeseen situation to Cyril’s party that Amaddo’s Dominas headed for Aurillac as it was .

Presently, although the Gale Chivalric Order should be heading for Aurillac at full speed, that was the best evidence that they had noticed the movement of Yururogu’s army . If that was the case, Amaddo’s Dominas might of course knew the possibility of a battle breaking out in Haiderota’s territory too . If one was thinking about the safety of the first-cla.s.s important people called the “Dominas”, it was normal to discontinue the foreign travel to Haiderota and return to Amaddo .

However, it was said that the party from Amaddo, far from returning to their country, was heading for Aurillac as planned .

「We must ascertain the authenticity of that information first, but—」

Appeasing his thirst with cold water, Cyril shut his mouth .

The existences of the three magic warriorsMarefikos who were hot on Lampito’s heels when she had kidnapped Sigibert from Klutoreto a few days ago and then rescued him were on Cyril’s mind at this point .

「Your Eminence」

Cyril turned his head and glanced at Lampito who was sitting back to back with him and filling her mouth with jerky with a “mus.h.i.+ mus.h.i.+” .

「—When Your Eminence abducted Sigibert, you said that there were three magic warriors who had come to pursue your party」

「U?」

As she stuffed jerky into her mouth to the extent of her cheeks swelling, Lampito looked up at Cyril and nodded .

「One of them was a silver-haired woman in white uniform—there’s no mistake, is there?」

「U, uu, un」

It was most likely the “White Rose of Steel”—Clotilde Diaghilev without a doubt . If it was the Dominas whom Haiderota was proud of, then Lampito being defeated might also be possible .

However, it seemed that the one whom Lampito actually fought wasn’t Clotilde . According to the faltering girl’s words that Cyril had somehow deciphered, the ones whom Lampito fought were a young man and woman magic warriors—a young man who carried a black long sword and a beautiful girl who was younger than Clotilde .

If that pair was Haiderota’s magic warriors—though it’d be unpleasant—this matter wasn’t complicated . It’d be fine just by being prepared for an inscrutable war potential besides Clotilde .

What became really complicated and troublesome was the situation of Amaddo’s Dominas and its related people hindering Lampito . Although Yururogu was advancing its troops towards Aurillac, it wasn’t thinking of fighting against even Amaddo simultaneously . Or rather, establis.h.i.+ng cordial relations with Amaddo and not wanting it to intervene in this time’s “internal strife” was Yururogu’s objective .

Therefore, clas.h.i.+ng with Amaddo’s Dominas here was bad . If the one whom Lampito fought was really a Dominas of Amaddo, then the need to explain that Yururogu didn’t have an antagonistic intention towards Amaddo, using a diplomatic route in the distant future, would emerge .

Moreover, if Amaddo’s Dominas were really heading for Aurillac, it’d also affect the marching of the main force . If by any chance it became a situation where Yururogu’s army had caused harm to Amaddo’s Dominas, Yururogu would completely make an enemy of Amaddo . They didn’t know that Amaddo’s Dominas were in Aurillac—such an excuse probably wouldn’t be accepted .

「Link up with His Excellency immediately! If we don’t work out a countermeasure…」

Muttering with a bitter expression, Cyril stood up .

「Oo, ooo, o」

Lampito, who was cheekily leaning against Cyril, lost her support and toppled over with a “koten” .

Cyril looked down at her and indifferently to the utmost, spoke without putting in any emotion .

「Let’s go, Your Eminence . The battle hasn’t started yet」

「U—…u? Un, I, under, stand」

「U—…u? Un, I, under, stand」

Nodding many times, when Lampito had forcibly stuffed the remaining jerky inside her mouth, she then jumped onto her horse at a run .

「It’s good that you’ll obediently follow this petty official’s instruction, …but I’ve to instil the general etiquette into you before you grandly make your debut to the citizens . As one would expect, that’s too unrefined」

Sighing weakly, Cyril stopped the short break and ordered his subordinates to mount their horses .

Although the sun should have risen already, the morning mist was enshrouding the inside of the dense forest and even the signs of it clearing up couldn’t be seen . Cyril’s party adopted a close formation and galloped their horses so that they wouldn’t lose sight of each other .

「…!」

Lampito suddenly brought her horse near him and pointed at her ear .

「I, I-I, can, hear, s, s, something…!」

「What?」

Cyril looked around the vicinity and listened carefully .

The sounds of violent horses’ hooves—other than that, nothing could be heard in particular within this quiet forest . However, Cyril who tried to discard it thinking that it might be the girl’s mistake immediately noticed his misunderstanding .

「There’s someone else besides us—」

The next moment, the sound of horses’ hooves grew louder in one breath . What Lampito had heard were the sounds of hooves that horses, apart from Cyril’s party’s, were carving .

It was nothing but a prank which the dense morning mist had created that two groups of men and horses would suddenly cross each other without really noticing it until that moment .

「—Guu!」

「Uwa!?」

Everyone there might have tried to pull the reins and rein in their horses at once . However, the horses crashed into each other without making it in time, and there also seemed to have people who fell from their horses .

Everyone there might have tried to pull the reins and rein in their horses at once . However, the horses crashed into each other without making it in time, and there also seemed to have people who fell from their horses .

But then, there was no time to leisurely confirm that .

「Oh…h!」

Cyril realised that his subordinate who was just behind him had gasped in surprise and drawn the sword on his waist . That was natural as a reaction of a person who had suddenly encountered someone inside this forest where one’s field of vision wasn’t effective, but nevertheless, he should have suppressed that with his reason .

「Stop!」

The horses’ neighs drowned out Cyril’s shout .

Although the other parties whom he had finally confirmed by sight at close range seemed to be a group that had put on matching blue mantles, he didn’t know their origin . What Cyril had at least understood at this moment were the facts that they were a group that carried weapons in their hands and that their number was far more than theirs .

「Don’t mind them, withdraw!」

Right besides Cyril who had shouted again, Lampito agilely stood up on top of the horse’s saddle .

「What are you—」

「E, e, enemies!」

Lampito pulled out the knife with her left hand and made the magic crestHieratika run from her slender arm to its tip in one breath . A red incandescent ma.s.s instantly swelled upwards and drove the cold mist away .

「Uoah!?」

「Baa—!」

「You this fellow—!」

Carrying Lampito who had suddenly made a flashy magic explode at the moment when the two groups met under his arm, Cyril kicked the horse’s abdomen .

「All members, withdraw!」

Calling out to them so, Cyril galloped his horse . At any rate, he had his hands full just by taking Lampito and leaving here; he didn’t have the time to worry about his other subordinates .

「All members, withdraw!」

Calling out to them so, Cyril galloped his horse . At any rate, he had his hands full just by taking Lampito and leaving here; he didn’t have the time to worry about his other subordinates .

「You this fellow really did an unnecessary thing…!」

Repeating his irritation towards Lampito, Cyril single-mindedly galloped his horse .

If they encountered an armed group besides their allies inside the enemy territory, it’d surely be the enemy without a doubt . However, to challenge the other party whose number was far more than theirs without any plan was a much too reckless act . Cyril’s party which was merely less than 10 hors.e.m.e.n might easily be annihilated by the counterattack of them who would be burning with anger .

Most importantly, at this timing when they had to highly prioritise linking up with the main force, the matter of causing an unnecessary battle itself was unthinkable .

This girl called “Lampito” unmistakably possessed greater magic talent and combat ability than Cyril’s party, but she didn’t have the intelligence to effectively use that talent . Unable to determine when she should use it and when she shouldn’t use it, and only knowing wielding that powerful strength, she was a girl that was like a baby .

Although Cyril looked back to the rear over his shoulder, he didn’t see any silhouette that had come to pursue them . It was a fortune that they weren’t pursued by the enemies, but they had strayed from his subordinates . They’d probably gather in due course for the linking up with the main force if they were alive, but the possibility of them being counterattacked by that group and then losing their lives was also probable .

「…!」

Cyril glanced at Lampito whom he had carried under his right arm, subdued his anger and sat the girl in front of him .

「…Let’s hurry」

「U」

Perhaps Lampito couldn’t understand Cyril’s anger .

Although everyone, the soldiers who had gone to the kidnapping of Sigibert some time ago, didn’t return in the end except Lampito alone, she was a girl who declared that it was because their abilities were insufficient, her expression unchanged . Even if her comrades now died because of her again, it didn’t seem that she’d feel remorse for that; to begin with, she might not even have the self-awareness that it was her fault . For this girl who was like a beast that was difficult to control, perhaps their deaths were just the consequence of their weaknesses .

Therefore, Cyril didn’t say anything anymore .

It was meaningless even if he said it; Cyril’s duty was to make sure not to let her behave thoughtlessly before that .

In short, the deaths of his subordinates were all Cyril’s responsibility .

Although it wasn’t raining, Cyril’s mantle was getting wet and increasing its weight heavily . He felt that he was being mercilessly deprived of his body temperature just by keeping still

If possible, he wanted to light a fire and eat something warm, but that wasn’t going to happen in the current situation of Cyril’s party . Collecting dry firewood in this dense morning mist was an impossible story, and there was something which he must think about first rather than a warm meal now

Thoroughly chewing the hard deer jerky and sending it to the inside of his stomach, Cyril repeatedly asked his subordinate whom he had made to go draw water

「…They aren’t the thoughtless words of a drunk?」.

「Hai . As it’s a story from a parent and child who are about to leave for fis.h.i.+ng after this, I don’t think that it’s completely nonsense… at any rate, the village has been talking about nothing but that rumour since yesterday」.

「If… that’s the truth, it’ll become troublesome」.

Cyril stared at the map with a grim expression

What his subordinate, who had gone to a nearby river to draw water, found out from the fishermen who came out to catch freshwater fish after this was the story of the Dominas of the neighbouring country, Amaddo, heading for the royal capital, Aurillac

Cyril’s party had already grasped the information about the Dominas coming from Amaddo . Rather, the military operation this time was changed to carrying it out suddenly was because they had aimed for the timing when the Gale Chivalric Order left Aurillac for that meeting . However, it was an unforeseen situation to Cyril’s party that Amaddo’s Dominas headed for Aurillac as it was

Presently, although the Gale Chivalric Order should be heading for Aurillac at full speed, that was the best evidence that they had noticed the movement of Yururogu’s army . If that was the case, Amaddo’s Dominas might of course knew the possibility of a battle breaking out in Haiderota’s territory too . If one was thinking about the safety of the first-cla.s.s important people called the “Dominas”, it was normal to discontinue the foreign travel to Haiderota and return to Amaddo

However, it was said that the party from Amaddo, far from returning to their country, was heading for Aurillac as planned

「We must ascertain the authenticity of that information first, but—」.

Appeasing his thirst with cold water, Cyril shut his mouth

The existences of the three magic warriorsMarefikos who were hot on Lampito’s heels when she had kidnapped Sigibert from Klutoreto a few days ago and then rescued him were on Cyril’s mind at this point

「Your Eminence」.

Cyril turned his head and glanced at Lampito who was sitting back to back with him and filling her mouth with jerky with a “mus.h.i.+ mus.h.i.+”

「—When Your Eminence abducted Sigibert, you said that there were three magic warriors who had come to pursue your party」.

「U?」.

As she stuffed jerky into her mouth to the extent of her cheeks swelling, Lampito looked up at Cyril and nodded

「One of them was a silver-haired woman in white uniform—there’s no mistake, is there?」.

「U, uu, un」.

It was most likely the “White Rose of Steel”—Clotilde Diaghilev without a doubt . If it was the Dominas whom Haiderota was proud of, then Lampito being defeated might also be possible

However, it seemed that the one whom Lampito actually fought wasn’t Clotilde . According to the faltering girl’s words that Cyril had somehow deciphered, the ones whom Lampito fought were a young man and woman magic warriors—a young man who carried a black long sword and a beautiful girl who was younger than Clotilde

If that pair was Haiderota’s magic warriors—though it’d be unpleasant—this matter wasn’t complicated . It’d be fine just by being prepared for an inscrutable war potential besides Clotilde

What became really complicated and troublesome was the situation of Amaddo’s Dominas and its related people hindering Lampito . Although Yururogu was advancing its troops towards Aurillac, it wasn’t thinking of fighting against even Amaddo simultaneously . Or rather, establis.h.i.+ng cordial relations with Amaddo and not wanting it to intervene in this time’s “internal strife” was Yururogu’s objective

Therefore, clas.h.i.+ng with Amaddo’s Dominas here was bad . If the one whom Lampito fought was really a Dominas of Amaddo, then the need to explain that Yururogu didn’t have an antagonistic intention towards Amaddo, using a diplomatic route in the distant future, would emerge

Moreover, if Amaddo’s Dominas were really heading for Aurillac, it’d also affect the marching of the main force . If by any chance it became a situation where Yururogu’s army had caused harm to Amaddo’s Dominas, Yururogu would completely make an enemy of Amaddo . They didn’t know that Amaddo’s Dominas were in Aurillac—such an excuse probably wouldn’t be accepted

「Link up with His Excellency immediately! If we don’t work out a countermeasure…」.

Muttering with a bitter expression, Cyril stood up

「Oo, ooo, o」.

Lampito, who was cheekily leaning against Cyril, lost her support and toppled over with a “koten”

Cyril looked down at her and indifferently to the utmost, spoke without putting in any emotion

「Let’s go, Your Eminence . The battle hasn’t started yet」.

「U—…u? Un, I, under, stand」.

Nodding many times, when Lampito had forcibly stuffed the remaining jerky inside her mouth, she then jumped onto her horse at a run

「It’s good that you’ll obediently follow this petty official’s instruction, …but I’ve to instil the general etiquette into you before you grandly make your debut to the citizens . As one would expect, that’s too unrefined」.

Sighing weakly, Cyril stopped the short break and ordered his subordinates to mount their horses

Although the sun should have risen already, the morning mist was enshrouding the inside of the dense forest and even the signs of it clearing up couldn’t be seen . Cyril’s party adopted a close formation and galloped their horses so that they wouldn’t lose sight of each other

「…!」.

Lampito suddenly brought her horse near him and pointed at her ear

「I, I-I, can, hear, s, s, something…!」.

「What?」.

Cyril looked around the vicinity and listened carefully

The sounds of violent horses’ hooves—other than that, nothing could be heard in particular within this quiet forest . However, Cyril who tried to discard it thinking that it might be the girl’s mistake immediately noticed his misunderstanding

「There’s someone else besides us—」.

The next moment, the sound of horses’ hooves grew louder in one breath . What Lampito had heard were the sounds of hooves that horses, apart from Cyril’s party’s, were carving

「!?」.

It was nothing but a prank which the dense morning mist had created that two groups of men and horses would suddenly cross each other without really noticing it until that moment

「—Guu!」.

「Uwa!?」.

Everyone there might have tried to pull the reins and rein in their horses at once . However, the horses crashed into each other without making it in time, and there also seemed to have people who fell from their horses

But then, there was no time to leisurely confirm that

「Oh…h!」.

Cyril realised that his subordinate who was just behind him had gasped in surprise and drawn the sword on his waist . That was natural as a reaction of a person who had suddenly encountered someone inside this forest where one’s field of vision wasn’t effective, but nevertheless, he should have suppressed that with his reason

「Stop!」.

The horses’ neighs drowned out Cyril’s shout

Although the other parties whom he had finally confirmed by sight at close range seemed to be a group that had put on matching blue mantles, he didn’t know their origin . What Cyril had at least understood at this moment were the facts that they were a group that carried weapons in their hands and that their number was far more than theirs

「Don’t mind them, withdraw!」.

Right besides Cyril who had shouted again, Lampito agilely stood up on top of the horse’s saddle

「What are you—」.

「E, e, enemies!」.

Lampito pulled out the knife with her left hand and made the magic crestHieratika run from her slender arm to its tip in one breath . A red incandescent ma.s.s instantly swelled upwards and drove the cold mist away

「Uoah!?」.

「Baa—!」.

「You this fellow—!」.

Carrying Lampito who had suddenly made a flashy magic explode at the moment when the two groups met under his arm, Cyril kicked the horse’s abdomen

「All members, withdraw!」.

Calling out to them so, Cyril galloped his horse . At any rate, he had his hands full just by taking Lampito and leaving here; he didn’t have the time to worry about his other subordinates

「You this fellow really did an unnecessary thing…!」.

Repeating his irritation towards Lampito, Cyril single-mindedly galloped his horse

If they encountered an armed group besides their allies inside the enemy territory, it’d surely be the enemy without a doubt . However, to challenge the other party whose number was far more than theirs without any plan was a much too reckless act . Cyril’s party which was merely less than 10 hors.e.m.e.n might easily be annihilated by the counterattack of them who would be burning with anger

Most importantly, at this timing when they had to highly prioritise linking up with the main force, the matter of causing an unnecessary battle itself was unthinkable

This girl called “Lampito” unmistakably possessed greater magic talent and combat ability than Cyril’s party, but she didn’t have the intelligence to effectively use that talent . Unable to determine when she should use it and when she shouldn’t use it, and only knowing wielding that powerful strength, she was a girl that was like a baby

Although Cyril looked back to the rear over his shoulder, he didn’t see any silhouette that had come to pursue them . It was a fortune that they weren’t pursued by the enemies, but they had strayed from his subordinates . They’d probably gather in due course for the linking up with the main force if they were alive, but the possibility of them being counterattacked by that group and then losing their lives was also probable

「…!」.

Cyril glanced at Lampito whom he had carried under his right arm, subdued his anger and sat the girl in front of him

「…Let’s hurry」.

「U」.

Perhaps Lampito couldn’t understand Cyril’s anger

Although everyone, the soldiers who had gone to the kidnapping of Sigibert some time ago, didn’t return in the end except Lampito alone, she was a girl who declared that it was because their abilities were insufficient, her expression unchanged . Even if her comrades now died because of her again, it didn’t seem that she’d feel remorse for that; to begin with, she might not even have the self-awareness that it was her fault . For this girl who was like a beast that was difficult to control, perhaps their deaths were just the consequence of their weaknesses

Therefore, Cyril didn’t say anything anymore

It was meaningless even if he said it; Cyril’s duty was to make sure not to let her behave thoughtlessly before that

In short, the deaths of his subordinates were all Cyril’s responsibility