Chapter 73 â Departure to a Decisive Battle â Part 2
ăGood morning, Abel-kună
Lil ran up to me in the Knight Order headquarters.
Beautiful, sparkling golden hair and clear, blue eyes.
And ears sharp like knives.
ăYou are early todayă
Lil looks at me with a refreshing smile.
ăYes, Iâm somehow unable to sleepă
âŚâŚ Itâs the fault of that weird dream.
ăAre? You are not wearing your usual knight clothes?ă
Lil is wearing a bright green tunic on top of leather armor with a mantle.
A long knife hands by his waist.
A more elf-like atmosphere than usual.
ăUn, I wear this on combat missionsă
Lil explains with a mixed expression.
Itâs a cool expression that thinks about the upcoming battle.
ăTodayâs meeting is not in the office but in the courtyard. Letâs go togetheră
ăAh, thatâs rightă
I was heading towards the office of habit.
We advance to the courtyard together.
ăAre you nervous, Abel-kun?ă
I got started by being suddenly pointed out by Lil.
ăI, Iâm not nervoo~us!ă
Ah crap, I have stuttered.
ăYour face is stiffă
Lil smiles with a malicious less smile.
Uun, I was found out.
ăThe magician who attacked our village, monsters, the mysterious personââI was somehow able to fight, but this war-like situation is first for meă
To be honest, Iâm nervous.
I also am uneasy.
This will be totally different since we will be fighting group against a group.
Many people may accidentally die.
Both my enemies and my allies.
ăStill we have to fight, because if we donât, even more people will be tormented or dieă
Lil stops.
A smile disappears from his face.
From a gentle bishounen to a tough soldier.
ăFor those in need we brandish our swords and fightââThat is a knightă
A voice with no hesitation nor fear.
Just a will hard as steel.
ăYou are admirable, LilâŚâŚă
I honestly admire.
In such state of emergency, peopleâs true nature will come out.
The usually refreshing and delicate bishounenââoverflows with a strong sense of duty.
ăI have experienced a war with dark elves in my hometown, but this is Abel-kunâs first time experiencing a huge scale battle like this after all. I think itâs normal to feel nervous and uneasyă
Does Lil have a considerably difficult past?
ăBut, Abel-kun will be alright. You will surely drive away the Empire and protect everyone. Abel-kun has itââthe necessary poweră
ăLilâŚâŚă
ăI mean, you already fought the Empire and saved many people. Therefore, I will say it again. Abel-kun will be alright. This time, you will also protectââno, you will definitely protect a lot of peopleă
Just hearing Lilâs refreshing voice springs the courage within me.
My chest became hot.
Fighting spirit or sense of duty?
I grateful that I have a friend who can appreciate me right before the decisive battle.
ăâŚâŚ Thank you, Lilă
After I thanked Lil, we continued to move to the courtyard.
ââWhen we arrive at the courtyard, other members are already there.
ăGood morning, Abel-kun, Lil-kun. Except for Veronica who hasnât returned yet, all members are already hereă
Ashe-san looked at me and Lil with a dignified expression.
Female Knight Claire dressed in armor and helmet.
Dita dressed in the usual knight clothes.
And Ashe-san in the same clothes. However, she is wearing a black robe on top of the knight clothes.
Incidentally, Iâm also wearing the usual knight clothes.
ăThe enemy is invading through the Beryl beach. It has been decided that our mission is to form a defensive line together with the fourth and seventh corps. We must prevent the invasion of capital at all costă
Ashe-san begins the mission briefing.
ăHow are the enemy numbers?ă
ăOne magician. Approximately 100 familiarsă
Ashe-san answers Claireâs question.
ăJust oneâŚâŚ?ă
I knit my brows unintentionally.
ăEmpireâs fundamental strategy is to attack in small numbers with elites. To quickly suppress the attack point with one magician, familiars, and demi-humansââă
Which reminds me, both in the village and Rashuka City, there was only one magician.
ăAlthough itâs just a lone magician, he will have a power compared to a level of a whole battalion. He will also have familiars. Definitely not act without a careă
A lone opponent.
A powerful magician, huh.
The dream from this morning flashes in my mind.
ăThe formation is, the sword users Claire-san and Lil-kun as vanguard, I and Abel-kun in the center. Racine-san will support everyone from reară
Ashe-san explains the strategy.
ăDita-san, you stay here, please. Your mission is to cooperate with air units of the other corps and defend the capital from the skyă
ăâŚâŚâŚâŚďźKokunďźă
Dita nods.
ââAfterwards, Ashe-san give some more simple instructions.
Our mission is to defend the defense line and prevent the enemy who is invading our kingdom.
The difficult group vs group formationââI was able to get it by imagining a strategic game.
Rather than a group war, itâs apparently a battle of individual corps.
In reality, normal soldiers canât handle the magician, his familiars, and armed demi-humans.
Only those who are able to use magic and first-class warriors can compete.
These simple tactics may be used just because of the extremely low numbers of capable soldiers.
ăââThatâs all for the strategy. Dita-san you stay here, other members follow me. A carriage is prepared for usă
Ashe-san finishes and we leave the courtyard.
ââIn the middle of the walk, my sleeve was pulled.
When I look back, I see Claire pulling on my knight clothes.
I stop and look back at her.
ăâŚâŚ Claire?ă
There was no reply.
I was puzzled at first, but then I noticed.
Her usually strong-mined faceââwas pale and shivering.\n