Chapter 3 Episode 2
An invitation to the battle field (part 1 of 2)
A month had passed after the investigation trip to Bjarne Lake.
「Alrightー, Albert and Laura, you two come with me after the class. That is all for today. Dismissed」
Viribus, our homeroom teacher said that at the last class of the day.
Laura and I looked at each other and quickly followed Viribus who was going out of the classroom.
「Come on, follow me」
Viribus turned back and said that to us.
「Are we in trouble?」
Laura asked.
「There is someone who wanted to meet both of you. That person’s identity is something that I can’t say loudly, what I can tell is that it is going to be a fun meeting」
Viribus had his index finger on his lips and grinned.
I wonder who that person might be.
The direction Viribus headed was the direction towards the special rooms for privileged guests.
「We are here」
Viribus opened a door and entered the room as he said that. Both of us followed closely into the room andーー
my eyes and the person inside the room met.
「Hey there, long time no see. Albert」
There was only one slender young man wearing a frameless glass in the room.
Of course, I knew about that man. Because he is the person who received my Magic Arrow at the entrance exam.
But the first person to speak to him was Laura.
「Ca, Carlyle-sama……!」
「Hi there. I haven’t talked to Albert in a long time. But I think this should be the first time I talk to you in person. Nice to meet you」
The genius court mage who was able to use 700+ spells sat down on the sofa.
Laura and I greeted him back in turn.
「There is no need to be that formal and stiff to this guy. There will not be any problem even if you talk casually here. Now, please get yourselves seated」
Viribus sat on another sofa beside Carlyle while inviting us to do so as well.
Then we sat on the sofa opposite of Carlyle.
「Is there anything you want from us?」
「Straight to the point huh, Albert. I do not dislike people with that attitude. Well then, straight to the point that is」
After saying that, Carlyle took out some documents from the bag he put on his side and put on the coffee table between us casually.
「So basically, I want you, Albert to serve in the military」
「Serve……?」
That was a sentence that I never imagined I would hear in my lifetime.
Carlyle was staring directly at my face, observing my reaction with a faint smile as if he is enjoying this and having fun.
「Yes. The empire is planning an operation, a military deployment. So, that was the reason why I am recruiting excellent magicians」
「Me, an excellent magician……?」
「I heard about all your heroic acts at the Bjarne Lake as well. I would love to have you to display the same acts at a battlefield」
A battlefieldーー
To be honest, I do not like that. Because I am a person who does not like confrontation.
But.
「Please just let me ask you this first, is that an order by the empire?」
「Of course, it is」
「I see. Then there is no reason for me to decline」
I agreed to that on the spot.
I was a member from a noble house before I got banished. I was taught, educated, drilled to be loyal to the empire and the emperor since my childhood.
「……but to be honest with you, I do not feel good about killing another human」
「Ok, that shouldn’t be a problem. Because I haven’t to the details of our enemy yet, they are not humans」
Carlyle said that as he was flipping through the documents on the table and showed me a specific part of a document.
「Our enemy on this campaign is a lizardman colony」
「Lizardman?」
Lizardmen are creatures that have the looks of a lizard but they are creatures that walk on two legs similar to humans. The height of an adult lizardman usually exceeds 2m tall. They also have a strong physique, muscular and great strengths.
「The target of the operation is quite a large colony……it was a force that could not be ignored long before this. But, there was an unwritten agreement, a line for both parties, as long as both parties do not interfere or crossed each other’s border, we remained in a nonaggression state. But recently it seems they no longer have the interest to abide by that rule」
「So that is the reason for sending this expedition with knights right?」
Carlyle shook his head after hearing that and said.
「We did send an expedition with knights after that. But they were all killed in the expedition」
「ーー!?」
I remained shocked for a while after hearing that. It is true that a single lizardman is a dangerous thread to an individual. Even an experienced warrior will have a hard time facing it alone.
But they have a few weaknesses, they are not so bright in the head and their equipment is crude.
A group of knights who were well trained, well disciplined should have no problem defeating a group of lizardmen but…….
「You see, there is a ーーshaman in the colony」
「A shaman?」
「It seems that the shaman only moved into the lizardman’s settlement recently. It also seems he is giving the lizardman some kind of magic tattoos to enhance their physical abilities……the lizardman with tattoos are not a force to be taken lightly」
Haa, Carlyle sighed.
「So with that, the lizardman colony around the swamp area is becoming a force that the empire can no longer ignore. The empire has decided to gather and assemble a serious subjugation force to smash the lizardmen right in their noses」
「I see」
「The enemy of this campaign is not other humans, instead, this campaign is a fight to protect other humans. So, give it all you got there, there is no need to hold anything back」
「Understood」
In that case, there is no need to hesitate then.
Carlyle turned his sight to Laura who is sitting beside me.
「I want you, Laura to support and team up with our Albert-kun here」
「ーーplease hold on」
I interrupted before Laura could reply.
「I……I do not mind joining the campaign but, Laura is still a teenager. Sending a teenager to a battlefield is not something Iーー」
「Hmmm, it seems Albert-kun here is a humane person」
Carlyle had a grin on his face.
「But, I am a person who focuses more on personal feelings. Laura, you do know about the condition of your own village right?」
「……yes」
「Your image would probably improve and be remembered by the aristocrats and royalties if you act as an active magician who serves and contributes to the empire. I am pretty sure thatーーis align with your interest right?」
Laura nodded with an obedient expression.
That is the moment I remembered. Laura’s village was shunned by the outsiders around the empire because her village carries the bloodline of the witch of calamity.
She wanted to serve and contribute to the empire as much as she can to improve her village’s image.
This was something Laura wanted to do badly.
「Yes. I……want to serve and contribute to the empire」
After remembering that, I stopped interrupting the conversation.
So insteadーー
I swore something to myself at the moment.
「Just now, you said that Laura and I would act as a pair right?」
「I did」
「……Ok」
If that is the case, I shall protect Laura there.
I do not think that I am a skillful magician butーーif this court mage praised what I did back there, and more importantly, if Laura believed I am a heroーーthen I must have something that is special.
I will use that and all my strength to protect her there.
「Laura, let’s do our best」
「Yea! Albert-san!」
Laura turned to me and gave me a cheerful smile.
***
2m = 6′ 7″
UtawareFan Translations 