Chapter 166: A Difficult Favor |
Thus, the expansion of the front proceeded without hindrance.
To the east. Further east.
The path of steel stretching out and the thick stone walls being stacked would block the mountain-descending monsters…
In reality, blocking the monsters was the duty of the knightly orders moving in squads, but the members performing engineering tasks, the criminals, were intoxicated with pride, believing they were performing a mission that would be engraved in history books.
However, for those who were doing hard labor to reduce their sentences, the expression “intoxicated with pride” seemed somewhat inappropriate.
If enduring pain with merely the thought and cooperation of being helpful to the empire and humanity was enough, they wouldn’t have committed crimes in the first place.
It was natural for various complaints to emerge from the expedition command, given the situation was like a puzzle forced to fit.
“What kind of magic did they use…”
“Did they threaten them using their families as leverage?”
“If such a simplistic method as taking hostages worked on violent criminals, being a security officer wouldn’t be an avoided profession.”
But this was merely interest stemming from pure curiosity. People on the staff did not indiscriminately gossip, even if they viewed the results through a skeptical lens.
“…Sigh.”
Captain Eugen, leading the 3rd battalion, was the same. Although there were minor frictions with the penal battalion at the beginning of the expedition, he was a knight who had achieved success in his own right. He had his own philosophy based on chivalry and knew how to be ashamed of blatantly denying clear results.
“Sigh…”
If there had not been casualties in the 3rd battalion a week ago, and the day before yesterday.
“S…”
“Eugen.”
“Yes, Senior Igor.”
“You don’t seem well, how about you take a rest today?”
Igor had been making a bothersome noise for a while before he asked Eugen in a gentle manner. He treated Eugen with a comfortable familiarity in private, not as if they were at an official gathering.
The food, which could hardly be described as tasty, was being served. Yet, Eugen, who hailed from a fallen noble family, still found the porridge with bits of meat delicious. This was an oddity, even now, when he had achieved some measure of success.
However, his current appearance was far from his usual self.
His hair was unwashed and greasy, with crusts in his eyes. His once golden pupils had long since faded to the color of brass.
Eugen blinked and shook his head.
“…No.”
“Not at all, what do you mean ‘no’, man? I’ve heard the unfortunate news about your men. No one here would blame you for taking a day or two off.”
“Thank you for your concern… but there’s no need to worry about me. There’s a backlog of work to catch up on, after a week of… um… recovery.”
The porridge had cooled. Eugen stirred it as he continued.
“If you really are concerned, I’d like to ask when the next supply of luxury goods will arrive. The men want alcohol and cigarettes.”
“…It should arrive next week. The front expansion is proceeding without issues, unexpectedly.”
“…”
“His Majesty has also sent a letter praising this aspect, pushing the schedule. Probably, for the next month, we’ll manage to get somewhat decent beer supplied once a week.”
Igor finished speaking and inwardly clicked his tongue.
He had rambled on, trying to lighten the mood, but Eugen’s face only grew more shadowed.
‘…See this guy?’
Seeing his reaction, Igor could briefly guess what Eugen was thinking.
The news of the smooth progress of the front expansion was stirring up unpleasant feelings. This fleeting fact made Igor frown.
“Finish your meal and come with me.”
“…Yes.”
Eugen, having forced down the porridge, stood up from his seat.
Igor, having walked quite a distance from the dining area to a secluded corner, sensed his incompetent junior trudging behind him and placed a cigarette in his mouth.
“Have one yourself.”
“It’s alright. I quit a few years ago because it interferes with my training.”
“Don’t be stubborn. Come on.”
After ensuring Eugen reluctantly accepted the cigarette, Igor lit it for him.
“I was going to overlook it out of consideration for your dignity. But it would be better to discard that foolish thought right now.”
“What are you… talking about?”
“You. Aren’t you harboring ill feelings towards the expansion of the front?”
“…”
“More precisely, it seems like you have complaints against His Highness, the Crown Prince leading it.”
“Ah, no.”
Eugen vehemently denied it.
“How could I, a loyal servant of the royal family, harbor such disrespectful thoughts?”
“…Or if it’s not true, why make such a fuss about it?”
“Don’t make me out to be the weird one since it’s not true.”
“Then, why does your face look so downcast? The moment we speak of the front expansion, your face turns from pale to dirt-colored, it’s all too visible.”
“…Sigh.”
Eugen deeply inhaled the smoke, touching his face.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the front expansion meant opposing the emperor’s grand cause…
“It seems I’ve harbored envy towards His Highness the Crown Prince for achieving results under such dire circumstances.”
However, he could test the waters with this and that talk. Eugen vented his frustration and complex emotions as if exhaling them with the smoke.
“After all, didn’t everyone at headquarters consider His Highness’s unit fortunate if it barely managed to function?”
“That’s true.”
“His Highness volunteered for the despised engineering duty and is ahead of schedule in completing it… truly.”
“Is it emptiness you feel?”
“Yes.”
Eugen snuffed out the completely burned cigarette with his foot. This act, seemingly full of resentment, made Igor click his tongue.
“Honest, aren’t you?”
“I dislike lying. The Lord also said not to deceive others.”
The Crown Prince was considered a mere fledgling, a lucky fellow who unexpectedly ended up holding the title. That was not just Eugen’s perception but the consensus across the entire headquarters.
It seemed the emperor intended to challenge him by burdening him with this heavy load. Honestly, it was somewhat understandable, but no one expected it to turn into such a resounding success.
Rumor had it the casualties were in the single digits, an amazing figure given the constant threats of frostbite and monsters in such adverse conditions.
Wasn’t this an achievement impossible to attain with prisoners who couldn’t even properly wield mana, let alone trained mages or knights?
“…I understand. But all the more reason, you need to gather your heart.”
Igor patted his junior’s back in consolation.
“Your cards are different from His Highness’s. Isn’t Captain Malleus, a renowned figure even in Lucerne, and his nephew Hugo standing right there with you?”
“…It’s questionable if having such good cards means laying railroads.”
Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to everyone if they were out front fighting monsters together? Eugen grumbled in annoyance.
“I’ll make a suggestion to His Highness sometime.”
“…My apologies.”
As Eugen walked away, Igor lit another cigarette.
Four days later, at the eastern front’s terminal point.
“It’s absolutely not okay!”
Shiron crossed his arms and declared.
“Think about it. Rumor has it Captain Malleus and you have been subjugating monsters in uncharted territory together. You’re proposing to use that strength in a more suitable place.”
“It’s not about being suitable or not; we’ve already adjusted to our unit members. It’s not the first time, and it’s understandably shocking that you’re subtly suggesting a change in position now.”
Since the start of their operation of laying the railroad, some time had passed. The members, once paralyzed by fear at the strange animal noises from the forests, now continued their work unabated, trusting Shiron completely, whether monsters appeared or not.
Handing over the unbearable deserters to Victor for execution spared them the decrease in honor from taking lives.
“I’m asking like this? His Highness the Crown Prince also said to talk to you directly.”
“…”
‘This bastard?’
Shiron felt annoyed with Victor, who even micromanaged trivial decisions. Of course, it would be nice to discuss every little detail, but as the Crown Prince, shouldn’t he be able to dismiss such requests himself?
“It’s about time to stop involving a promising young man like you in such dirty work. You’re not a mole, after all.”
“…I don’t think living as a mole is too bad.”
“I can’t face Hugo.”
“I’ll speak to my great-uncle myself.”
Despite Igor’s troubled face, Shiron responded firmly.
“The front expansion is nearing its end anyway. The expedition is about due for a full round.”
“I can’t elaborate because of dignity, but the damage from holding back the tide is significant.”
“Anyway, the timing is awkward. It’s absolutely not possible to change tasks in the middle, even if I’m to be deployed after all the unexplored areas are developed.”
In truth, all of this was merely an excuse. Shiron’s goal was not only to increase his honor but to reach the nest of Demodras, which was still sleeping at this point in time.
Having finally neared the nest of the Fervent Dragon, how could he deal with such a troublesome request?
“…Understood. I won’t talk further.”
“Yes. Then, excuse me.”
Shiron bowed politely to Igor and gracefully exited the tent.
[Hero, are you sure about that?]
‘About what?’
[Going to the nest of the Fervent Dragon.]
As Latera voiced her concerns, reading the mood, Shiron shook his head at the empty air.
‘Not now. But soon.’
The Mage of the Boundary, Dolby, had stated that Shiron’s magic circuit was in no condition to be utilized and that a dragon’s heart was essential.
Shiron was desperate to use mana, and the only suitable heart available under the current circumstances belonged to Demodras.
“We need to accelerate our timeline.”
When playing as Shiron, Lucia would outpace him to Demodras, but when playing as Lucia, Demodras would meet his end at Yoru’s hands.
With Lucia currently in Rien, having journeyed this far, he couldn’t afford to let someone else reach their goal first.
