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Clashing Prides and Border Warfare – Part 07

The next morning, as the sun rose from the eastern ridge, a cavalryman carrying Quinbrand’s flag arrived alone at Parametria. As an official messenger, there was no one to attack him, allowing the cavalryman to approach the city gate.

“I bring word from Lord Daimon D. Rosworth, the Supreme Commander of the Quinbrand Imperial Army!” shouted the man in a carrying voice. “He has agreed to a ceasefire! I have here a letter!”

The city gate remained closed, but a smaller gate opened, and about five Knights Templar appeared to receive the document. As they turned to leave, the cavalryman taunted them.

“Count yourself lucky the only casualty was your Pope.”

When the knights turned angrily, the cavalryman had already ridden off towards the imperial army’s camp.

“I see. Thank you all for your hard work. I will review the contents myself.”

After receiving the report, Luvain expressed his appreciation to the enraged knights and dismissed them. He quickly skimmed through the document and began speaking to the empty room.

“I know you’re there, Silver Face.”

“…I am.”

Hikaru dispelled his Stealth. Luvain was getting used to his abilities.

“Thank you. It seems I can go to G. Quinbrand.”

“Is that so? Well then, it’s my turn to ask for a favor. You can think of it as payment for my services as a secret envoy.”

“A favor?”

It was unusual for Hikaru to ask for something. Luvain opened his right hand to urge him to continue.

“It’s nothing too difficult. I need you to lend me Leonie right now, instead of after the job.”

“Oh? What do you plan to do?”

“Ponsonia’s watcher stationed at the empire’s camp is an acquaintance of mine. I’m thinking she could go with him when he returns to the capital.”

“You planned to take Leonie to the kingdom’s capital?”

“Is that a problem?”

“No… What kind of magical research are you planning to conduct?”

Hikaru grinned. “It’s a secret.”

“You really are a man with many secrets.”

That’s rich coming from you.

Hikaru intended for Leonie to continue researching the spell for crossing worlds alongside Queen Kujastria while he was away in the imperial capital. They wouldn’t really need his presence anyway.

“So, what kind of conditions did the Empire set?” Hikaru asked. “I doubt they’re charitable enough to offer a ceasefire without one and let you just pass.”

“Actually, they’re doing exactly that.”

“…What?”

Hikaru had expected the shrewd Daimon to come up with some sort of demand.

“I can only have up to ten guards as escorts,” Luvain added. “And no one from the Einbiest army is allowed to come. They may as well have given no conditions.”

Hikaru looked at the ceiling. As he thought, they had indeed come up with a ridiculous demand—the fate of the Pope rested solely on the Empire. And Hikaru was dragged into it.

It was often not necessary to bring an army when acting as a peace envoy, but in this case, Luvain was the head of one of the great powers on the continent, the Theocracy of Bios. Telling him to enter enemy territory with only ten escorts was too much.

Many of the Knights Templar thought the same. Temple guards begged to come with him, crying, but Luvain rejected all of them. Anticipating the chaos of fighting over the ten available spots, he personally selected the ten, dividing them evenly between the temple guards who had accompanied him so far and knights who had recently pledged their loyalty.

Preparations for Luvain’s absence had already been made in Agiapole, and a new commander for Parametria’s Knights Templar had been chosen.

Each of these actions was done through pure reason, without any emotions involved.

It’s like he’s tidying up his affairs before dying.

---

After a hectic day for Luvain, the next morning, he departed from Parametria with a party of ten escorts. Dawn had just broken, but the surroundings were already quite bright. The horse-drawn carriage carrying Luvain had two guards acting as coachmen, surrounded by seven mounted knights. Another carriage was added for carrying supplies and other luggage.

As for Hikaru, Lavia, and Paula, they were treated as guests of the Quinbrand Empire and were not counted among the ten. Paula rode in the carriage with Luvain, while Hikaru and Lavia rode a horse together.

“Opening the gates!”

The steel gates of Fort Parametria groaned open.

“Commander, I leave the rest to you.”

“Understood. Please be careful, Your Holiness,” said the graying commander, kneeling outside the carriage.

He had been in contact with Luvain from an early stage and was appointed as the new commander because of his efforts in removing Guildford from his position.

“Moving out!” announced the coachman.

Two mounted knights at the front began their advance, followed by the carriage itself. Hikaru watched the scene from the rear. It was a lonely sight, like the leader of a nation departing this life.

“Glory to His Holiness the Pope!” one of the temple guards shouted with emotion, seemingly by accident.

“That’s right… Glory to His Holiness the Pope!”

“Glory be to him!”

“Thank you for doing this for us!”

“How am I so useless?”

Some of the Knights Templar even began to cry.

They knew that Luvain was embarking on this journey to the Empire fully prepared to die. Had they repelled the Empire with their unmatched strength, this situation wouldn’t have arisen.

A lot of people were manipulated by the previous Pope’s foolish schemes. There might have been a feud spanning over a thousand years, but the one who caused the current problem was the late Pope. If he hadn’t succumbed to Ranna’s sweet talk and created the Accursed Toxin, the Empire would never have attacked.

Mixed with the cries were the voices of people wishing for the Pope’s safety. Horses continued forward, passing through the city gate and crossing the lowered drawbridge above the moat. Einbiest’s Beastmen stood atop the walls. They couldn’t accompany them.

Gerhardt, Jillarte, and many of the Einbiest troops watched them in silence. At first, Gerhardt said he would tag along, but of course, that was impossible. Moreover, there would presumably be no violence this time, though whether that would be upheld was another matter. Having Gerhardt come along would only arouse suspicion.

Yesterday, when Luvain was assembling his forces, it had been quite a challenge for Hikaru to persuade both Gerhardt and Jillarte. Jillarte even said, “Einbiest and me, personally, owe you a lot. If you’re in danger, I want to be there, too.”

Hikaru appreciated their offer. Honestly, Hikaru was filled with worry as well, so he would have preferred them to come along if possible. However, his job was to escort Luvain to the Empire, and he decided that it would be safer without the Beastmen and declined their offer.

“Silver Face!” Jillarte’s voice rang out clearly. “Come back safely!”

Gerhardt spread his arms wide and turned his head to the skies.

His thunderous roar, far louder than a wolf’s howl on a moonlit night, reached deep into the heart of the Empire’s camp.

Hikaru responded by raising his hand slightly and giving a thumbs-up.

He had no intention of dying over something like this. He vowed to himself that once this was over, he would absolutely, positively take a relaxing late summer vacation.

I’m not jinxing myself; I’m definitely going to take a break.

Whatever Hikaru felt inside, he appeared composed. The Beastmen’s cheers and whistles helped alleviate some of his tension.