9004th: Chapter 12 – Sentence. Zewan-Gun Mine, Lead the Breach (4)

“We have no permission for that.”

　Said Kivia at this time as a matter of fact.

　I hated how earnest her face looked. 

“Gartuil has not handed down permission to conduct a rescue operation for the remaining survivors.”

“Gartuil, you say?”

　His Majesty Norgayu mocked.

“Fools. We are commanding you.”

　The only people I know who refer to themselves in the third person are Norgayu and the real King. 

“Ignore them. The Military should be subordinate to the Executive Branch. Our orders take precedent!”

　Of course, even if he says something like that, the only one ignored will be His Majesty Norgayu.

“I have already communicated with Gartuil.”

　Kivia sighed a little.

“…’Rescuing civilians is beyond the original objective. For such purposes, there is no point in inflicting casualties to the Holy Knights. This is a problem that should be dealt with after defeating the Demon King Phenomenon’ was what they said.”

“Right.”

　I nodded. If it was those bunch, of course that’s what they would say.

　I don’t dislike it. This clarity is what I like about the Military. 

“What do you think, Zyro Forberts?”

“Me!?”

　I was a little surprised. I didn’t expect Kivia to ask me that.

“Yes I’m asking you. Purely for the sake of reference. If we embark on a rescue operation–”

　Kivia looked behind her. The eyes of the other Holy Knights were gathering.

　From that, I understood.

“How many casualties can we expect to incur?”

　Her face was stiff.

　You’re anxious, so you’re asking that.

　What’s more, it’s a big deal to ask someone like me, neither a Staff Officer nor Adjutant of your own Order, but a complete outsider. 

　In short, this Commanding Officer — this individual named Kivia is isolated even within her own Order huh.

　The 13th Holy Knights Order.

(I see. Also because of the aristocrats behind her, she’s in a tricky position.)

　This Order with the number I’ve never heard of, is one that was established very recently. 

　And in such a situation, Kivia is the newly appointed Commanding Officer. 

　Moreover, given her youth, she probably has little direct experience in commanding battles. 

　There is no way she’d have the faith and trust of the Holy Knights under her. That’s not even mentioning what we should call the blunder that happened in Kivenji forest before this. 

　I can also understand her desire to seek an outside view rather than an opinion from her subordinates. 

　――But this is a completely bad move on her part.

　Just by asking for my opinion right now, I can see that we’re getting sharp looks from her troops. 

(What I can tell from here.)

　I became very depressed.

(Kivia wants to rescue as many people as possible. However, her troops don’t want to handle such an unreasonable thing…. It’s easier for me to understand your troops’ feelings.)

　Those who belong to the Holy Knights are either those who are aristocrats or those recruited from citizens.

　They don’t want to lose what they already have, and they don’t want to have the opportunities for promotion that they took great pains to grab stolen by committing to a strategy that goes against military orders. 

　It’s only natural.

(It’s Kivia and Norgayu that are the crazy ones.)

　That’s what I concluded.

“Zyro Forberts. State your opinion.”

　Kivia said in a commanding tone.

　Because of that, I had to obey.

“If you head out to rescue, you need to prepare yourself for insane casualties.”

　I honestly notified her. I had no choice but to do so.

“With the Fae rushing in, we will need to retreat while protecting the civilians. What’s more, to escape from this narrow terrain–”

　Even if you put only a little thought into it, you’d know that it’d end up terribly.

“I don’t know how many casualties will be suffered. It depends on the specific enemy Demon King Phenomenon.”

“Is that so.”

　Kivia frowned.

“But–, Holy Knights are for the sake of the people of this country.”

“…Commander Kivia. My apologies, but please permit me to speak.”

　From behind, I heard a reproachful voice.

　Since a while ago, one person who had a clearly dissatisfied face. He’s not a Holy Knight. A white frock, a large iron Sacred Seal hangs from his neck, proof that he’s a person who works in the Church. 

　Must be a Priest dispatched from the Church.

　These guys are advisors to the Knights, and tuners of the Sacred Seals. 

“Pardon me, but right now, is there a need to ascertain the views of the likes of Heroes? You should surely be accomplishing the operation as planned.”

　’Don’t make me say so something so obvious’, those eyes are saying. 

　This Priest is still young — he definitely doesn’t want to die.

　Also, it’s understandable that he’ll be fed up with having to listen to the opinions of Penitent Heroes, and possibly having to accompany on a foolish plan. 

“We have no choice but to seal the entire mine by using a Scorched Earth Seal. That surely is the instruction from Gartuil.”

“Ah.”

　Kivia slightly nodded.

“That is so.”

　I understand the strategy. It’s a common one when dealing with this kind of demonised structure.

　All you have to do is fulfil the objective of subduing the Demon King.

　In other words, place Scorched Earth Seals at appropriate places, detonate them simultaneously, and destroy the entire structure. This can be said to be the pretty surefire way. 

　The Demon King Phenomenon and the Fae can also be wiped out.

　The problem however–

“Then we will be abandoning the people of our Kingdom!”

　His Majesty Norgayu yelled. Resolute, unyielding spirit.

　This happened often.

“We’ll say it again. Alter your strategy! This is a Royal Order! You imbeciles, to us– are you planning to rebel!”

“…Ah, how terrible, this is.”

　The Priest man looked at Norgayu and held his head.

“I can’t stand to see…. Norgayu Senridge… The last disciple of the Sage Hordo, the renowned genius of that Academy, is this your end?”

　Somehow, he spoke as though he knew of Norgayu. 

　Now that he mentioned it — I also remembered.

　The tuning of the Sacred Seal is mainly researched at the Academy of the Church. Places where you can learning those techniques are limited to the Church or the Military. 

　So was His Majesty Norgayu originally from the Church?

　What happened for him to become like this, I’m a little curious. Only a little.

　Now I have to make that guy quiet… No, I knew that would be impossible.

　Can anybody convince His Majesty Norugayu with only words?

　Is it possible for Venetim?

　When I considered that possibility, I arrived at a conclusion.

“Fools!”

　His Majesty Norugayu yelled with a bright red face.

　Also, he was holding his lantern in one hand. I’m sure I was the only one who knew that it also doubled as a small bomb. 

“These… these, rebels! Villain who plan to overthrow the Kingdom! By Royal Decree, not a single one of you will be forgiven!”

“Calm down, Your Majesty.”

“Silence Zyro, do you also plan to betray us! If that is the case, then we also have a plan!”

“I have one too…. Let me propose it to Kivia and the Holy Knights.”

　Even for me, I think I’m considering something ridiculous.

　For a reason I dare say, I can’t find any more purpose in myself.

　Charged with the sin of killing a [Goddess], and since I was discharged from the Holy Knights, I no longer had much motivation. 

　I still think so.

(However–)

　I noticed a line of sight from a while ago.

　I’m not talking about the Holy Knights. [Goddess] Teolita has been looking at me.

　Teolita had been looking at me since earlier without saying a single word. 

　Frightened of something — or eyes full of expectations. To be honest, I want her to stop. Is the reason why she’s silent because she knows it’d be more effective on me?

　Probably not.

　Teorita is really scared.

(Well, that’d be so.)

　I know about the [Goddesses].

　While they desire to be praised by people, it also means that they are afraid of being denied by people. Afraid from the bottom of their hearts. 

　Especially when denied by the Holy Knight they chose — when you scold them, they’ll look like they’re dying. 

　I know and remember.

　That’s why Teolita can’t speak.

　Everyone here — except Norgayu, she feels they’ll probably reject her thoughts, so she can’t say anything. 

　That’s something I hate. 

(And this idiot.)

　Norgayu’s yelling at me.

　What he’s saying isn’t wrong. 

　If this guy is really the King, that kind of judgement would probably be good. Should surely be popular. 

　And if you keep yelling like this, you will die.

　If you bare your teeth against the Holy Knights, the Sacred Seal on your neck won’t leave you alone. That’s what happens when you violate an order. 

(That guy and this guy too.)

　I was suddenly angry.

　I was always like this. I always ruined everything like this. 

(To be so damn serious and say what I want — what would you have thought, Senerva?)

　No answer will come even if I asked my heart, I have to do this by myself.

　Before I’d known, I’d pushed His Majesty Norgayu away and was standing in front of Kivia. 

“Proposal…. We will go help the remaining workers.”

　I finally ended up saying it, although the truth is I really don’t care about those guys. 

　I’m not righteous like the [Goddess] or Norgayu.

　I’m just pissed off. 

“With just the Hero Corps. We’ve finished setting up the forward base in the deepest part of the mine — that’s probably enough. You guys can proceed as planned.”

　His Majesty Norgayu was silent and Teolita’s eyes were burning like flames.

　That’s uncomfortable so I want you to stop.

“We will independently perform the rescue operation. If we don’t make it in time, you can just bury us alive… Like that, then it’s probably fine, yeah?”

　Kivia frowned even more, but the priest laughed wryly.

　It was a way of laughing as though saying ‘have it your way’.

　Even I would laugh if I saw a guy like me. Not ‘have it your way’, but ‘die on your own’.

“If we fail, we Heroes can just die.”

“…Zyro! My Knight!”

　Teorita grabbed my arm.

　It might be more correct to say she was clinging on. She weighed as light as a small dog.

“This is my Knight. A heroic statement. My eyes are proven true.”

　Teorita kept leaping with joy. Or rather, she was lightly hopping.

“You must agree, Kivia! Priest! On the occasion of our accomplishment, you shall praise our achievements–“

“Of course, I will pass this [Goddess] to you.”

“Eh.”

　Teoritta had a stunned face.

　But, naturally — the stupidity of bringing along a [Goddess] to a job that might be faced with the possibility of being buried alive should not be allowed.

　I picked up Teolita, who clung to my arm, and presented her to Kivia. After all, she’s light.

“Halt, my Knight! ――You have deceived me! To make this [Goddess] prematurely rejoice! This, is worthy of death, I’ll have you know!”

　Teolita went berserk, but there was nothing she could do.

　In the first place, I didn’t lie to her.

“If it goes well and we return, welcome us.”

　Kivia was speechless, the Priest shook his head with a bitter smile and turned his back on us.

　That was their answer.

　And like this, I once again dig a deep grave for myself.