Taking along a small number of guards, I galloped off on my horse.
The very night of Parxās departure, the letter that Mellice left behind was found, sending the mansion into a huge uproar.
The servants that were late in finding the letter apologized, but I couldnāt blame them.
The reason being that normally, Mellice would only return inside the mansion after sunset due to training.
Not only that, but outwardly Mellice wasnāt the daughter of a noble, but was being treated as a mere body double.
The only one who knew the truth of her being the noble daughter of the Marquis house was the elderly woman that she calls Granny.
It probably couldnāt be helped that the other servants didnāt think it out of place for her to not be around.
I thought about immediately bringing her back, butā¦ā¦in the end, I didnāt.
After all, she was also on the moveā¦ā¦it would be difficult to catch up to her.
With the members of the Guard Corps and those from the Army travelling with her, unless something big were to happen, it should be fairly safeā¦ā¦I made a decision based on that judgment.
In the distant future, when I received a report from a fast horse that said that up until the battle, she had been acting independently of the group, I immensely regretted this naĆÆve train of thought.
āā¦ā¦General, we have been waiting for you.ā
When I arrived at the Army station situated at the border of the Anderson Marquis territory and the territory next to it, Kuroitsu was lying in wait.
āI have troubled you with this timeās case.ā
As we walked inside the station, I first thanked Kuroitsu.
The station itself wasnāt that large, so it took no time at all before we arrived at the room used for management situated inner area.
āā¦ā¦so, the enemy is?ā
Immediately after entering that room with no one in it, I cut straight to the main topic.
āAccording to the information we received in advance, they were mercenaries. Since it was a job that paid well, they took it on. The job was to indiscriminately attack people that seemed to have a high social status on the border of the Anderson Marquis territory ā is what they confessed to be the job description.ā
I let out a sigh at Kuroitsuās report.
āI seeā¦ā¦what about the employer?ā
āAbout thatā¦ā¦ā
For a moment, Kuroitsuās face darkened.
āThey donāt know, apparently.ā
āā¦ā¦they donāt know, you say?ā
I furrowed my brow at the unexpected answer.
āYes. Apparently, they werenāt hired directly, but used a middleman to come to an agreement. We are investigating that middleman, but have yet to be able to grasp their tracesā¦ā¦we interrogated all the ones that were left alive, but all of them had the same reply.ā
āā¦ā¦continue to try searching.ā
āYes! ā¦ā¦if possible, could you tell me where you got the information beforehand from? If we try asking that person, then I do believe it will become easier to find a trail.ā
āā¦ā¦it was the Head of the Armelia Ducal House.ā
āā¦ā¦huh? The Duke?ā
It was probably because it was a completely unexpected personā¦ā¦Kuroitsu involuntarily parroted back my words.
āYeah. I will ask the Duke. If he knows something, then I will share that information with all of you.ā
āUnderstoodā¦ā¦.even so, why does the Dukeā¦ā¦ā
āHe is the owner of rather large earsā¦ā¦..as for the source of the information, there shall not be a word to anyone.ā
āYes.ā
After talking up until there, my fatigue finally came out and I suddenly sat in a chair.
It was probably due to the journey that led me to come here from the Capital without any sleep or rest.
The guards that came with me fell into a sound sleep in the nap room as soon as we arrived.
āā¦ā¦how was Mel?ā
I asked nonchalantly while sitting, but Kuroitsu didnāt answer.
Finding it strange, I turned my gaze towards him, and the sight of Kuroitsu unable to hold back his trembling came into view.
āā¦ā¦it was a terrible thing.ā
After a moment of silence, Kuroitsu spoke thus in a solemn manner.
āHouā¦ā¦?ā
āAlthough the abilities of the person herself canāt be ignored, she was able to promptly judge the situation and dictate instructions accordingly. And above all elseā¦ā¦that spirit.ā
Though I thought he was trembling from fear, I was wrong.
He was excited.
āEven there was no reason to follow her ordersā¦ā¦before I realized it, I was following her. I didnāt care about something like that. I naturally followed after the back of a girl over 20 years younger than me.ā
As proof, his words began to grow more and more heated.
āWhile it is different from the Generalās, she undoubtedly possesses a talent for commanding.ā
āA different talent for commanding from me, huh. Incidentally, how does it differ?ā
āThe Generalās back is a lighthouse. If we follow the General, it will be alrightā¦ā¦simply following your back itself is something to be proud of, and is a guidepost. That is why we do not hesitate. On the other hand, her back isā¦ā¦like a blazing hellfire. It sets the instinct within us alight, and forcibly rids us of all hesitation. Though this is just how I personally felt.ā
āā¦ā¦I see.ā
āPreviously when General requested Belius to teach Parx-sama battle tactics, I teased you and asked if you were planning on making the ultimate army corps, butā¦ā¦that may not have necessarily been wrong.ā
āFor you to say that muchā¦ā¦well, fine. Kuroitsu, I will leave this place tomorrow morning and head for the territory. If you find out something about the employer, send a fast horse to the territory.ā
āUnderstood.ā
After Kuroitsu replied, he bowed and left the room.
The door closed, and once his figure was completely out of sight, I once again let out a sigh.
And then, I slowly closed my eyes.
Perhaps it was because I had relaxed the tension in my shoulders, but I slowly sank into the cushion on the back of the chair.
Having journeyed all the way here without any sleep or rest, as expected I was tired.