Page 256 (1/2)
Arifureta After IIReinforcement Army Corps
「What's the status with the sortie preparation-」
The harsh voice of Moana rapped in battle outfit was reverberating in the palace's corridor She alking fast with her footsteps h to express her i Beside her, her close aides with Spenser, Donar, and Linden in the lead were acco her
Spenser replied to Moana's question with a stern expression
「It's possible for three thousand to sortie in our state However, the nu soldiers fro base, but ill need at the very least one day to reach the expected nuood Too slow Three thousand is fine We are departing right away」
「Don't speak unreasonably」
When Spenser said that chidingly, Moana stopped walking and turned her gaze
「There is no other way than pushing through recklessly Right now, even in this veryannihilated!」
That voice contained grief It was so rare to come from Moana who always endeavored to be coerous the situation was, but for Spenser who had been at Moana's side since she was born, he could guess that wasn't all
Koone and others who should have departed from the capital at noon the day before yesterday to head toward Arquette returned back at the forenoon today in a desperate state even while being exhausted Thinking about the distance between the capital and Arquette, their return was too early even if they were taking day trip Most likely they were rushing back through the night without resting
Koone and others who returned back looked like they were going to collapse When they asked Koone and others just what in the world was going on that caused their state to be abnoriven was about a situation that was hard to believe
AfterKoone and others rest, Moana naturally wasted no time to assemble her close aides in hurry and instructed them for sortie preparation to reinforce Arquette
But, there were two proble the sortie preparation
First was the nue arhting against tith that was permanently stationed in the capital enty thousand in total The total battle strength from the citizens of the capital was less than thirty thousand There were several cities set up at the boundary line between the desert and grassland and along the coastline These cities doubled as surveillance base If all the soldier force in those cities were mobilized, their nuh for a battle force, but the matter wasn't that simple
After all, the situation this ti> had obtained athe front line
In that case, there was no way they could left the capital unguarded In this situation where the early detection of ene the unobstructed view of the desert was rendered h battle force had to be left behind in the capital no less unless they reinforced Arquette before the city fell, they had toarous no matter what Because they definitely wouldn't o there
But, naturally the number of arous available was fewer than the number of soldier
With arous that were trained to not fear battle, and including the arous that were collected fro not to carry any luggage asmethod where e, they still couldn't secure arous in the number that could transport ten thousand soldiers
Even the nu response to be able to prepare thatten thousand enemies with three thousand was still too rash
Spenser had to aduard captain
「Your e an army of ten thousand with three thousand」
「Spenser Certainly I think that's reckless But, I' any calculation at all」
Moana started walking again while speaking her thought
「If Arquette's defensive wall is functioning, it will be possible for us charge through the enemy and enter the city After that ill hole up there while waiting for the infantry and soldiers fro pincer attack froy that was riddled with proble up inside, it would be possible for them to endure until the soldier force that was the combination from every area arrived If it was the art users of the capital, they could easily reinforce and repair the defensive wall, while it would be easy for the soldiers to defeat the <Dark Beings> that sporadically crossed the defensive wall
The greatest bottleneck of being in the defensive side of a siege that was the food supply was also not a proble that Arquette was a city where harvest was accuht no are we going to go in?」
「We can use art to send notification for the, or we can even use art to create a huge slope to cross the defensive wall There are ed even just for a bit, ill get surrounded and then annihilated It's a gamble that is really bad for heart Even if for exa they are still outside the wall you know? What are we going to do in the case the city has fallen?」
「…………If that's the case, ill retreat We ait until the infantry and soldiers fro 「Hmm」 If she was able to choose the option of retreat there, then he guessed that she was still calamble It was doubtful whether they could really retreat after approaching the enee where they cauarantee that the ene down Arquette
Not to s> should have realized that soed that Arquette's situation was "despairing" It was a rear base with only defensive ithout even any decent soldier It was impossible for the city to hold out for several days under the attack of a large ar back the city was souard captain, Spenser ought to think about the safety of the queen A decision where they should refrain froh force had to bereally well For Spenser, knowing that the people they had to protect was in a crisis etting churned up when thinking that even now Arquette was being tra that indecision of Spenser, Moana added her words with a heavy and co, Spenser?」
「……It's about Kouki-dono, isn't it?」
「Yeah」
'As I thought', Spenser thought while closing his eyes
「I understand your worry You are wondering whether I' ht?」
「……Yes」
Moana nodded while s to go to help Kouki He is weak even though he is that strong, he tor him to be unable to make his decision, but even so he desperately wished to advance forward and keep struggling……I want to help hiEven though she had known hiely left impression in hermust had happened in his past I don't knowhimself so much like that? That he can be so disappointed with hi as though he was venting his anger She could uess from that, but Moana instead didn't think too deep about it Because she wanted to hear it from his own mouth someday, when he wanted to talk to her about it
「He avoided killing, he is scared of getting killed, he is unable to believe his own decision……however, even though he ht not notice it hi the people beside him Because, he is kind」
Perhaps, that was exactly why he was called as hero She thought like that
「Hey, Spenser When soht to be the person who is thesaid that he will reerous place, just what is that person actually thinking?」
「……I am a soldier I don't know the answer But……I understand the degree of his resolve I think that he is an owner of resolve that is worthy of respect」
Moana nodded in agreeht Then we have toaffected her decision But, her feeling as queen also affected that decision to the saation or duty is risking his life for the sake of our people by hi that we are rushing there as reinforcement」
Not only Spenser, the co of reic Ao with small force The safety of the queen had to be prioritized Arquette's situation was already hopeless One ought to be rational in front of real problem
Indeed, all those reasons could just eat shit
「Indeed Anything other than that will rot our warrior's soul」
Spenser s He had said what he should said as a royal guard But the queen that he loved and respected still gave her co his soul wasn't soed into a fearless smile
「We will depart with three thousand We will force ourselves to push through However, on't do anything thoughtless Entrust the warrior soul of all of you to ave his greatest salute to Moana before dashing away
「The title as soldier chief is a troubling thing in this kind of time I'm envious toward Spenser」
「It's just as you said」
Soldier chief Donar and head art user Linden breathed out a sigh siuard the capital and organized the following force But, they theht noithout delay
「Don't say that It's because you two are staying behind that we can depart without any worry about the future Besides, the new threat of the <Dark Being>……it's likely that in the battle froless I'll have all of you rush around toforward to that However……sudden appearance frorih it was directed toward differentpheno expression
「…Only "that guy" can do such thing」
Linden continued after her
「Itmiasma materialize at far away distance It also happened at the battle five years ago But, he should be able to do it within only fifty h he was able to manipulate miasma, he shouldn't have the ability to teleport other <Dark Being>」
「It looks like all this ti expression changed into an even more bitter expression But, she shook her head and showed a determined face,
「Froo will start This tiht of survival, whether it's > It will become a war to decide that All of you, take care of Koone」
「……Your will」
「……As your majesty will it」
Both Donar and Linden also closed their eyes after a brief silence They reflected upon Moana's resolve and wish
She commanded them to prioritize her little sister rather than herself who had lost th
They silently accepted the resolve of her who had already like their own daughter, who at the sa
The outer edge part of the oasis river of Synclea royal capital Three thousand soldiers were standing by there whilearous
In order to stand in front of them, Moana also approached toward her personal mount Haumu as made to stand by in front of the stable The oldcare of Haumu bowed his head reverently and handed over the rein
Moana said her thanks to the old ently stroked Haumu's nose tip Even Haumu who usually would frolic(bite) at her currently was only staring still at Moana without showing any reluctant behavior
「Even Haumu so her eyes with her way of speaking turning casual She pressed her forehead on Haumu's nose tip and closed her eyes
「You are my mount Most likely the time of your death will be the sa No doubt about that」
「Fuhn」
Hau down Moana as though to say 'so what' He was the one and only , such do aura was conveyed even without any spoken words
Moana smiled widely toward such Haumu And then, in order to bestoorthy accessory for the , she took out a ribbon from her pocket──
「Onee-chan!」
「Koone?」
When she turned around, Koone was there Not only Koone, Spike, Lilin, and others, the members who followed Koone to Arquette were all there
Moana who so to say opened her
「You must not, Koone You stay here」
「But──」
「There is no way it can be allowed that not a single royalty is staying at the capital in this situation You understand right?」
She understood Even Koone understood so like that However, it was exactly because it was this kind of situation that her heart couldn't allow her big sister to go to a battlefield where sheof despair where it felt like the ground under her was cru attacked Koone
And then, unexpectedly even for herself, she wanted to obtain the confir that was as strong as her concern toward her big sister The confirmation of Kouki's safety
「Onee-chan, Koone is──」
Koone tried to veheue further, but as expected her words were interrupted, by the index finger of her big sister that touched her lips softly
「Koone, be reasonable Both I and Koone has duty as royalty As your onee-chan, I a But──I will accoht to fulfill Until that time when I used up this life」
「tsu」
Moana's words weren't the usual kind and pa words She didn't say "It will be fine" or "Onee-chan won't leave Koone"
Fulfilling one's duty She would do that You too do that Those were the words of queen The time where she could just be the kind onee-chan for Koone was over
「You understand right? After all Koone is the little sister I'm proud of」
「tsu, tsu……under, stand Koone, understand-」
Perhaps, this would be their lastback her tear duct froed Koone whose expression distorted fro a treasure Koone too also hugged back tightly, really tightly
「I'll leave the capital in your hand, Koone」
「Yes, Onee-cha──yourher beloved little sister changing how she was calling her, Moana was feeling like she was going to cry despite it was herself as causing Koone to do that
MoanaKoone's faint sh "As expected fro only inside her heart
「Yourthe exchange between Moana and Koone asked hesitantly
「Of course, all of you stay behind With how Spenser is accouard in the capital is now Spike Protect Koone」
「tsu, by your will」
Actually, he wanted to turn around and returned to Arquette Even while biting his lips, Spike returned a salute in order to accomplish his role
It seemed that all theEvery single one of the the sairl as boasting 「I was born for the sake of fighting」 was filled to the briardless of how sheKoone
Even so she didn't say anything the same like Spike That hy, Koone opened her mouth in their place