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AL_Squad18-23 minutes

Chapter 553

Having escaped the Unclaimed Graves, we had to wait for the night.

Once night fell, we would cast a curse upon this land and, using the power of corruption, raise the dead to form our army.

However, Loyar and Epinhauser would be exempt, and there was no justifiable reason for this.

That's what we had decided, so that's what we would do.

But then.

An unexpected situation unfolded.

There were many mourners.

In particular, there were an excessive number of people wearing military uniforms.

And that number was increasing in real-time.

It wasn't strange for those in military uniforms to be in the capital, but their significant presence at the national cemetery was undoubtedly strange.

They all seemed to have expressions of having been away and recently returned.

Soon, they wore the expressions of those who had been stationed at the allied base.

They were soldiers, returning soldiers.

"Did they finish occupying Serandia and receive group vacations?"

"It seems so."

The alliance army planned to lie low until winter.

Because of that, not everyone could return to the capital, but some individuals had undoubtedly received the privilege of returning.

There were many places that those who had been away from the capital for a long time might visit first, but this national cemetery was likely to have the graves of soldiers, knights, and mages who fought during the Gate Incident.

So, it was perhaps only natural that alliance officials would visit the national cemetery.

In the original work, the Serandia Campaign was not a winter event, and during the winter in other regions, the alliance army had chosen to endure.

That's why the war of attrition to protect the base continued.

However, now that Serandia was pacified, the alliance army had sufficiently secured the safety of the nearby garrison.

In a relatively safe environment, while the entire army couldn't return, high-ranking officials or special individuals could spend the winter in the capital or in their safe homeland. Of course, it would vary from person to person.

Now that the monsters in the vicinity of Serandia had been wiped out, the area would be considerably safer. That's why soldiers returning to the capital through mass teleportation existed.

Among the places that the returnees could visit, the national cemetery would be highly likely to be included in their itinerary. It's where their fallen comrades rested, so many would visit, either in groups or individually.

They had been on a long march, so there were those who received vacations.

Naturally, ordinary soldiers wouldn't be able to return to the capital unless there was a significant reason. The ability to move through mass teleportation wasn't a right that anyone could enjoy, unlike warp gates.

So.

Only high-ranking officials of each army, imperial high commanders, and nobles.

High-ranking knights, priests, or mages.

And, the royal-class personnel who could enjoy the privilege.

------

Perception inhibition magic wasn't infallible. Exceptional knights, as well as high-ranking mages, could detect magic without even casting it. The same applied to invisibility and other types of stealth magic.

While it could be an advanced deception, there was no deception that could fool everyone.

Even supernatural abilities had rare cases of resistance, and I belonged to one of those cases.

Therefore, there was no such thing as magic that could deceive everyone's eyes.

Of course, Harriet could use high-level stealth magic, but casting it carelessly could expose her suspicious movements.

Among those who were entering the national park, there would be those who knew nothing about magic, but as a diverse group of people came, there could also be those who could detect our perception inhibition magic.

I am capable of near-transformation disguises, but Olivia and Harriet cannot do the same.

We can evade the gazes of the unspecified military personnel for now, but we never know when we might be discovered.

We haven't arrived at a dangerous place, but it's becoming one.

"Let's get out of here for now. It would be a headache if we suddenly caught the attention of one of the royal mages."

"Right, we should."

We must leave before more dangerous people arrive at the national cemetery.

There shouldn't have been any vacations for the allied forces.

But, looking at those entering the national cemetery, it was clear that the allied forces were attributing great significance to this victory.

You can tell by their ranks.

Not just commanders, but many others as well. This means that the allied forces are giving a wide range of leave.

Honestly, there's no other choice but to give them leave after achieving such a crucial victory.

------

Whether to call it an escape or not, we, Olivia, and Harriet left the national cemetery before attracting unwanted attention.

In a nearby quiet park, Olivia and I sat absentmindedly on a half-broken bench.

Pop!

"I checked, and the allied forces keep returning to the square in front of the Imperial Palace. It seems like they're using mass teleportation."

Harriet, who had quickly scouted the situation of the returning allied forces through short-distance space travel, said so.

"The allied forces are really ecstatic about this victory, aren't they?"

Olivia crossed her arms and clicked her tongue at the ill-timed situation.

Victory.

Yes, there were irreversible deaths, but it was by no means a defeat.

No, rather, it is precisely because of such victories that rest is needed.

"It must be for morale. There were a lot of sacrifices."

The situation has stabilized, and the military will have a long break. That's why they will send back those who want to return to the Imperial Capital like free tickets. Of course, it will take a long time to reintegrate those who have been sent back into the battlefield. Most likely, not many will return anyway.

"But this might make the regular soldiers who can't go back even more... depressed."

Harriet seemed worried about whether this was the right thing to do, regardless of how much it interfered with our strategy, and if it had any meaning for morale.

Could it be that she thinks only high-ranking officials can rest in the Imperial Capital and others would feel deprived?

At Harriet's uncertain reaction, Olivia chuckled.

"Do you think there are many people with places to return to? Most people won't want to go, even if they are allowed to. Didn't you see earlier? This place is considered where they can't even get a proper meal. If the Imperial Capital is like this, what about the other cities that are still left?"

"Ah... I see..."

Not everyone's hometown is in the Imperial Capital.

Those who joined the army out of fear of starvation might be afraid to leave the army as well.

Many regular soldiers might find the barracks, where they are provided with food and shelter, cozier than their hellish hometowns in the Imperial Capital or various places of the allied forces.

To think the battlefield is more comfortable.

The reality of the allied forces is that most people can't enjoy their vacations even if they want to return to their hometowns, simply because they have no place to go.

So, only a very small number of people would actually want to return to the Imperial Capital, which is why even relatively low-ranking soldiers can return there.

"Anyway, the problem is that we can't tell who's going to be where in that joint cemetery now, not just ordinary visitors."

The number of people in the capital was increasing, and among them, it was impossible to guarantee that there wouldn't be a master class or a great mage.

"We can't try again if we get caught or run into any problems the first time. The security will be strengthened. Of course, we could just kill everyone and proceed with the ritual, but you, Reinhardt, wouldn't permit that from the beginning, right?"

"Sis... then the reason for making the Death Knights becomes meaningless..."

"I didn't say we're not doing it, did I? Anyway, once the allied forces start marching again, we won't have the time or energy to focus on this. And we'll be busy too, so actually, we might be the ones running out of time..."

"Damn, we should have come a day earlier..."

There was nothing to be done about what had already happened, but the situation seemed to be dragging on endlessly.

As Harriet had said, the goal of creating Death Knights was to reduce casualties, but killing everyone in the national cemetery to make Death Knights would be a contradictory action, regardless of right or wrong.

"For now, there shouldn't be any visitors at night, so the number of people should decrease quite a bit during that time. But there's always a possibility of an emergency. And in this situation, we need to realize that the overall combat power of the Empire has increased significantly. If a commotion breaks out... you know?"

"...I guess so."

High-ranking officials were not just powerful but also had a high probability of having returned, like Shanafel's knights or the royal mage corps.

If an unavoidable battle breaks out, something absurd might happen. We could escape through Harriet, but there's always the possibility of unforeseen circumstances.

It's obvious that there won't be many people in the national cemetery at night.

However, there might be a few who are strong enough to be dangerous or who can detect our ritual.

Perhaps it would be better to find time to come after winter passes and people leave the Empire.

The national cemetery is vast.

Even if there are one or two people in that vast area, once Olivia begins creating Death Knights through the ritual, someone will see the ground or the coffin lids being kicked open as the Death Knights emerge...

"Let's change the order."

"Order?"

"The number of watchful eyes in the national cemetery has increased. There's one place that hasn't changed much."

A place where most ordinary people can't even enter.

"The royal mausoleum. Let's start there."

It's likely that the place is deserted even now, as many soldiers are on leave.

Therefore, even if we loot the place, it will take some time for the theft to be discovered.

We will first target the royal mausoleum and then return here.

------

I have been helping Bertus unilaterally, but I never sought his permission for that.

This is a matter that goes far beyond crossing the line. After this incident, if Bertus genuinely tried to kill me, I would have no excuse.

There's no difference between the national cemetery and the royal mausoleum. If Bertus knew that I was planning to resurrect the corpses and bones there as Death Knights for our forces, he might bite his tongue and die on the spot.

Since it's unilateral assistance, I'll also carry out unilateral plunder.

The national cemetery seemed easier, but due to the circumstances, it has become more complicated. The more watchful eyes there are, the higher the risk of detection, and those eyes are likely to belong to dangerous individuals.

First, we will target the royal mausoleum and then the national cemetery.

After securing the Death Knights, we will make our escape.

“So, it seems we'll have to infiltrate the Imperial Palace now…”

We were currently situated north of the Imperial Capital, and the massive, fortified walls of the Imperial Palace Emperatos could be seen to the south.

A place fortified both physically and magically.

A magical barrier of the same caliber as that surrounding a temple.

So impressive that, when the barrier is at its maximum power, it can block a significant number of meteors.

And a barrier that prevents the entry of demons. In the case of Sarkegaar and myself, we could pass through after transforming, but Airi couldn't.

Of course, Charlotte, who was half-demon, had managed to live there without any issues, so we assumed that, in some cases, the barrier could be temporarily deactivated or not really matter within the palace.

Charlotte had shared a few methods with us.

Firstly, there was the option of using the underground waterways.

"There's a way to access the palace's sewer system by riding through the waterways... The Empire isn't foolish, though, so the waterways are naturally guarded against people passing through, and while I'm not sure if dispelling the barrier is possible, if it is, then we could enter that way. At least it's not a place where we would easily attract attention," she explained.

There were gaps in the security, indeed.

But they were prepared for intruders, and that preparation would certainly be beyond the ordinary.

Charlotte had said that alarms were installed and that the floodgates wouldn't be easy to break through.

If we could break through, we'd be able to enter the palace without anyone noticing. The only uncertainty was whether or not we'd actually be able to do so.

If Charlotte knew ways for just anyone to infiltrate the palace, she, as a member of the imperial family, would have been in a position where she should have blocked those methods at the source. So, it didn't make sense for Charlotte to know how to sneak into the palace in the first place.

"We could hide in a carriage carrying tribute or other goods into the palace... Of course, we'd have to avoid being detected at the checkpoint. And we'd need to disguise or bribe a tribute carriage, which would put more than just us at risk if something went wrong."

"I see..."

Harriet sighed.

"For me, all I'd need to do is knock out someone with access to the palace and steal their identification, but that's pointless if I'm the only one who can get in..."

Using tribute goods as a cover.

Disguising one's identity.

Using the waterways.

While there was also the option of posing as someone's servant, that was impossible since we had no connections to the royal family anymore.

Naturally, asking Bertus to open the doors for us to rob the royal mausoleum was out of the question.

"If nothing else works, we could dig our way up from the underground waterways beneath the palace. But, of course, that would mean tampering with the barrier. So, ultimately, we'd need some magical defenses."

It was too much to ask even a capable person like Harriet to handle this on her own.

Magic wasn't the solution to everything.

All the methods Charlotte knew of were already well-guarded against.

Despite her best efforts, Charlotte could only inform us of methods that didn't guarantee success.

"How did you plan to get into the palace if nothing works?"

Olivia pursed her lips.

"It's not that it's impossible, it's just that it's dangerous."

In the end, it was only a matter of possibility. There was no absolute guarantee that it couldn't be done.

It was just dangerous.

"And we should be as discreet as possible."

"Is it really going to be a mess? If it was a day earlier, I wouldn't know, but now the scale will be a bit larger?"

There is no guarantee that we will die, but there is no guarantee that we can escape either.

There's no need for words like "is there a reason" or anything like that.

We were caught trying to dig up the royal mausoleum or trespass without permission at an unexpected timing, so saying that there were various circumstances would only be nonsense.

We're going to do something really bad, and persuasion is pointless.

"Magic won't get us in, right?"

"...I don't know the method, but yes, realistically speaking."

Teleporting into the palace is impossible.

There are various ways, but in the end, there is only one safest method at this point.

"Let's use psychic powers."

If magic doesn't work, Supernatural powers.

"Supernatural powers...? You don't mean...?"

"Yeah, we met one recently, didn't we?"

We need Kono Lint.

"I'm not sure if he's arrived yet... but there's a promised meeting place. Let's head there. He might already be there."

"A promise? Lint agreed to help with this? When? Did you visit the allied base in the meantime? Did you have time for that?"

At my words, Harriet's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"No? I never made a promise with him?"

"What? Then who did you make a promise with?"

"With Sarkegaar."

At my words, Olivia and Harriet's expressions soured.

Didn't I have time to talk to Kono Lint in the first place?

I made a promise with the person I planned to bring along.

Of course, without considering their own will.

"Wow..."

"Reinhardt really never changes in some ways..."

Neither Olivia nor Harriet could hide their disgusted expressions.

------

The promised meeting place was none other than the former headquarters of the Rotary Club.

It was the underground waterway beneath Bronze Gate Bridge.

"You crazy bastard! What do you want me to do!"

Kono Lint, who seemed to have been forcibly brought there, was captured by Antirianus.

And there was a person who was definitely disguised as a female soldier of the alliance, with a face I had never seen before, but it was undoubtedly Sarkegaar.

"There's something you need to help us with."

You and I.

The scale is quite different now.

As I put my arm around his shoulder, his face turned pale blue.

"Don't touch my body, you perverted freak!"

Of course.

He was disgusted, but for a different reason than before.

"?"

"…?"

Everyone else seemed to not understand the meaning of the word "pervert" at all.

------

"Why should I help you!"

Kono Lint's frightened voice echoed through the sewer.

There was no Rotary Club anymore, and the refugees were in evacuation camps, so there were no homeless people living under the bridge anymore. Even if he shouted and it echoed, there was no one to hear it.

"It's because there's no one else who can help me in this situation."

"…Is that the attitude of someone asking for help?"

That's right, though.

Supernatural powers are almost impossible to block unless one is a few special individuals, and infiltrating the Imperial Palace is a piece of cake for Kono Lint, plus he can bring others in as well.

"No, didn't you come here after hearing about it? What's the point of not being able to help after coming this far?"

"If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn't have come on my own......"

"What? Then what did you think was going on......?"

It was only then that I got a clear look at Sarkegaar, who was standing beside Antirianus.

Sarkegaar, disguised as a female soldier of the allied forces.

With an inexplicably youthful appearance.

A beautiful girl at that.

"…Could it be, am I right in thinking this?"

Has this guy fallen for this pattern again?

"No! It's not! Whatever you're thinking, it's not that......!"

-Chuckle

"Uh, what's going on?"

As Sarkegaar transformed from the appearance of an allied soldier into the form of Count Argon Ponteus, a disguise he had once frequently assumed, Kono Lint's face turned pale.

He’s witnessing this kind of thing for the second time.

The transformed Sarkegaar grinned and said,

"It was easy, Your Majesty. He followed me without question when I asked for help."

A pitifully beautiful girl who seems to have been conscripted at an age when she should know nothing of fighting.

It was a sight that couldn't help but wrench Kono Lint's heart.

He mumbled with a lost expression,

"I've been… deceived again…"

"…There's one thing about you that never changes."

It wasn't me who said that, but Harriet.

"No! I'm the type to help anyone who asks! It's definitely not that! I swear… damn it…"

Kono Lint's face reddened and he shouted.

"Yes! I get it! From now on, the only girls who'll mess up my life are ones like you! Ugh! Damn it! I won't be fooled again!"

In the end, he broke down and wept.

Come to think of it,

Isn't he the greatest victim of my misdeeds?

"……Do you experience this often? What are you talking about?"

"What do you mean?"

Naturally, Olivia and Harriet tilted their heads at the bizarre remark.

"You don't need to know about that!"

I glared at Kono Lint, as if to say I'd kill him if he said another word.