Against the World II: Transgression
Chapter 25: The Knight Templar, Part 3
Nine individuals were lying helplessly, not far from them there were dozens of thousands of other individuals whose condition was not much different from the nine individuals. Xavier stood between them, looking up at the last shred of his magic circle that had faded away. The snow that had melted due to the blue flames slowly piled back up as the sky still did not stop peppering the ground with its ice crystals.
“I think you do need to rest one to two hours,” Xavier comments with eyes that have returned anchored to the captains. “After two hours, make sure all the soldiers should have resumed training. I'll be back here three hours from now, by then we'll resume what we just did.”
Without waiting for the response of his captains, Xavier soared into the air and shot back towards the founding of Verada.
Heisuke was already waiting there when Xavier arrived at the Imperial Army's 12th Division Headquarters. “I have received the latest information about the Knight Templar, Commander,” reported, handing over a stack of paper that is the same thickness as the length of Xavier's index finger. “First Saint Ulbath Lancedragon has died. Now the leader of the Order of 1 Knight Templar is his grandson, Arthur Lancedragon.”
Xavier received the stack of papers. Arthur Lancedragon, the title of the top sheet of the stack read. Looking further, Xavier found the note underlined on the paper. Lancedragon is known as a family that numbers spear games compared to any weapon. Ulbath Lancedragon fused [Explosion Magic] with his spear technique. However, there is no information about Arthur other than the statement that he defeated Ulbath with no difficulty.
“Commander Gilbert once said that the First Saint and Second Saint are not opponents he can beat,” Xavier comments in response to the profile Arthur read by him. “If Arthur can defeat him with no difficulty, it is interesting to see as strong as what he really is.”
“If we are sent to overcome the Order of 1 Knight Templar, you will face it, Commander.” Heisuke looked at Xavier with an unwilling look at self-defense. “When you do, don't motivate him to show you everything he's got. You are certainly strong, it is beyond doubt, but someone can escape if you deliberately give time.”
“You want to say that I tend to underestimate enemies that I consider not strong?” xavier asked with his eyebrows raised—his memory reminded him of the incident in which Rossia fled before him.
“Of course not, Commander, I'm just implying that you don't enjoy fighting too much.” Heisuke responded calmly, his expression not reflecting any thoughts he had in his head. “In war, you must kill as effectively as possible. In the eyes of the enemy you will indeed be seen as a bloodthirsty monster, but for victory it is necessary. The more enemies that die, the fewer our people die.”
None of Heisuke's words were wrong. The representative says absolute truth. If Rossia later killed many Imperial Army soldiers, some of the blame was on Xavier for not directly killing the girl at that time.
“It looks like you have been really comfortable with your position, Heisuke,” Xavier said in the end, not responding directly to the representative. “You will be a great commander later.”
“Hm, I can't deny your words.” Heisuke sighed, continuing, “I shortly visited the families of our dead soldiers. We have supported them, made sure their needs are met. However, his lost life left a scar that never disappeared. Their children who had previously spent most of their time playing, had now turned into swinging wood as if it were a sword. Death really torments those left behind.”
Hearing Heisuke's honest words, Xavier let out a long sigh. He already understands that. Everything Heisuke said he understood. But Xavier also knew that Heisuke knew he understood. Heisuke simply tells Xavier not to lose control over him. In the presence of individuals with unique powers, Xavier tends to tell them to show all their strength. Habits are hard to change. Repeatedly he said he would be more careful, but repeatedly he got carried away.
“When I stop being a commander, only you are fit to continue me, Heisuke.” Xavier said as he gently patted Heisuke's shoulder with his free hand. “I will remember your suggestion,” he added again as he stepped into his room, leaving Heisuke at the doorstep.
“You have any intention of resigning from your position after the war ends, Commander?”
...—Axellibra, Emiliel Holy Kingdom—...
Talking about money is more exhausting than talking about strategy and strategy. Arthur realized that after leaving the king's palace. Talking about strategy is easier, all have one vision in common: winning. However, when it comes to money, there is no such thing as a single vision; everything is concerned with the benefits of each. The fact that they are a unit is forgotten when money becomes the topic.
It was very unhealthy, but in fact Arthur was no different. When it comes to the budget for his Order, he does everything he can to get a large fund. Dropping other Orders and glorifying the Order itself is a normal thing to do. The reason is, if there is an Order with a high budget, of course there is an Order that must be satisfied with an unexpected budget. That is exactly how it should be.
“Damn it, I can't believe the budget Lexata gives for my Ordoku is nearly one-four times lower than last year. How dare he!”
The owner of the frustrated voice that sounded from behind Arthur was Alfonso Alsabnitz, the title holder of the Twelfth Saint. At this year's military budget meeting, the lowest injection of funds was received by his Order. Rossia whose Order had a lesser member of his Order Alfonso even got a budget that was almost five times the budget he received.
“That means you're the dumbest one here, Alfonso!” celtuk Rossia Himera—from the voice of Arthur can guess that Rossia enjoyed insulting Alfonso. “I suggest you have a brain transplant. Ah, another human brain is too heavy for you. How about you try the gorilla brain?”
…Hanging and impact sounds welcomed Rossia's taunts. Alfonso makes himself look more stupid in the eyes of Rossia ‒ the woman really shows that she feels comforted.
Arthur shook his head. Of all the members of the Twelve Holy Saints, the one that truly reflected a Saint was only the Seventh Saint Petracia Lliorente— in the sense of being too over, he prayed even for a small thing like there were ants passing by. Arthur himself was just a normal man. The rest…. Arthur had no words to mention them other than a bunch of freaks. Especially Bedivere. The woman was so staunch that she thought of herself as a child trapped in the body of a 25-year-old woman.
“Sir Arthur, did Sir Arthur just think of anything bad about Dame Bedivere?” bedivere asked while putting on a cute pretentious expression with a teddy bear in his hand—he called himself by his own name, mimicking how some noble children call themselves. “That's not a good thing, you know, Sir Arthur! Dame Bedivere later gets upset and gives Sir Arthur a sweet poison to drink. Sir Arthur can't be a naughty adult.”
“It was just your assumption, Dame Bedivere,” Arthur responded without turning—ia was at the forefront of their journey to the palace gate. “There's no way I'm thinking bad things about a polite little boy and a blanket of Dame Bedivere, it doesn't make sense.”
“Yey! Look, Old Man Lancelot, even Sir Arthur understands that Dame Bedivere is a polite and cute little girl! How can you not understand? Dame Bedivere really doesn't understand. Maybe Dame Bedivere needs to learn the psychology of old people like Old Man Lancelot.”
Arthur couldn't help but take a deep breath. Now he regretted why he wanted to be a Saint. If he had known earlier what kind of people they were, maybe now he should not feel a headache with their behavior. Oh, really, which fool would laugh giggling at a joke (which isn't funny) he made himself like Tenth Saint Marya Ellenswarth did? There aren't. There really isn't.
Once again Arthur took a deep breath. Being the only normal person here is exhausting. Now he was not surprised why his grandfather also became an abnormal person.
Maybe I should rethink attending the next meetings, Arthur's mind seriously.