Chapter 34 Black Moon (2)
"……Yes, so you failed to enter the Zodiac in the end?"
"That is so, Your Holiness."
"Hmm……."
"I do not know what to do to cause you…… anxiety."
In the grand hall where darkness had fallen, a middle-aged man performing a full prostration was repeatedly bowing his head toward the old man sitting in the seat of honor.
"No. I already knew well that the Family Head of Reichart is not an ordinary figure. It seems that rumor is true."
Unlike his hideous appearance where only about half of the flesh remained on his face, the old man's voice was quite benevolent.
Nevertheless, the voice of the middle-aged man bowing his head was trembling continuously, unable to overcome his fear.
It was only natural, for the old man sitting in the seat of honor and nodding his head was none other than Alcala's first servant, Pope 'Ramon', who leads all of Alcala's apostles.
"If you failed to propagate in Zodiac, there must have been a setback in troop supply?"
"That is so. However, Your Holiness, our faith is this firm, so what problem would there be even if troops are slightly lacking?"
"Hmm……."
However, even at the middle-aged man's confident words, Ramon only shook his head.
Of course, he also possessed thorough faith befitting Alcala's first servant, but he was not foolish enough to think that faith would be the key to solving all problems.
"Convey this to all brothers. Do not respond to battle unreasonably…… tell them to retreat pretending to be pushed back by their military force."
At this moment, Alcala's apostles were engaging in a desperate struggle with the suppression forces throughout Nefam and Volmada, and sooner or later, a full-scale battle was scheduled to take place in Zodiac as well.
However, the middle-aged man, hearing words to slow down the momentum of the holy war from the Pope's mouth, asked back with a surprised expression.
"Your Holiness, we can still fight more. Although there is a slight setback in the plan, this too must be Alcala's great arrangement, so we……."
"No. Tell them to withdraw."
But Ramon shook his head again and ordered a retreat.
"It is not that I do not know your praiseworthy hearts, but watching the children bleed, my heart aches so much I can no longer bear it."
Ramon smiled, dangling his half-rotten and crumbled lips.
"Your Holiness!"
"I tell all brothers, Alcala's servants must lure the enemy here by pretending to be pushed back in battle with the pagans."
"……!"
A smile rose on the face of the middle-aged man who finally realized Ramon's intention.
Meeting the middle-aged man's gaze, Ramon spoke with a puckered expression.
"Lure the enemy here. Then I will personally bestow…… the Baptism of the Black Moon upon those foolish ones."
Ramon's gaze, which had stayed on the middle-aged man's face, turned toward the window.
At the end of that gaze, the moon dyed black was burning while emitting an ominous light.
And Ramon, confirming the appearance of the moon so hideous, spoke with his heart filled with reverence.
"This world shall be entirely dyed with Alcala's will."
***
"Is supply proceeding without a hitch? Check thoroughly."
"Scouts have returned. They say there is a shallow where river crossing can be attempted about an hour away."
Since the allied forces of the 3 nations arrived at the border region, the suppression force had been spending busy days continuously.
Aligning the march of 3 military forces from different nations, driving Alcala's apostles, there was much to do here and there.
However, amidst almost everyone being frantically busy, there was one military tent that looked particularly leisurely.
"Excuse me, we have nothing to do today either, right?"
"Seems so. The Commander isn't saying anything."
It was the military tent where I, Hein Reichart, and the Haken Knight Order were stationed.
"But why on earth do we have nothing to do like this? Just until those guys came, we were running around here and there having fun."
"I don't know either. That's why I say we can't possibly know what the higher-ups are thinking."
Unlike the members who were puzzled, unable to find the reason they were excluded from operations, I knew very well why I became like a borrowed barley sack.
However, I examined the moon in the sky today as well without particular agitation.
My gaze, which was examining the state of the moon after climbing a large tree near the barracks, turned toward the direction where the Zodiac Suppression Force Headquarters barracks were located.
'Those insects over there must believe the current situation is going according to their will, right?'
Currently, Zodiac's suppression force was largely composed of two branches: the army dispatched from the capital and the army drafted from the Reichart territory respectively.
Among them, the one holding command authority was Marquis James, who came leading the troops dispatched from the capital.
Also, he was the Commander-in-Chief who provided the cause for me spending leisurely time like this.
Smirk.
Suddenly, a smile formed on my lips.
The incident that happened in James's barracks a few days ago came to mind.
In fact, from the first day arriving at the border region, James's mood was not very pleasant.
My appearance, which he expected to welcome him panting while being covered in wounds, was too calm.
'It is none of my business when someone like you comes.'
-James's mood, which was instantly spoiled the moment he saw me welcoming him with an expression seeming to say that, rushed to the absolute worst a little later.
"What? Are you saying you will refuse my order now?"
"The word refuse seems to have a fallacy. Since I am a person who has no obligation to follow Sir's order in the first place."
"Wh, what!"
James's eyebrows, which did not look particularly outstanding either, trembled.
"If you want to give orders to me and my knight order, bring a handwritten letter stamped with His Majesty's royal seal, or get Father's permission. Unless you do so, there will be no instance of me following the order Sir gave a moment ago."
However, I continued speaking while completely ignoring James's anger and such.
"Th, this, arrogant……."
The order James gave to me and the Haken Knight Order was to go on reconnaissance to a very dangerous area.
Seeing that there seemed to be no particular loss to my troops despite the late support, he acted crossly.
Of course, James also knew well that it was an unreasonable order.
Nevertheless, the reason he could force such an order was that he had the belief that he held the command authority in the end.
However,
"I cannot do so. It is too dangerous."
"Our members are very exhausted from performing operations alone until now. We cannot accept such an unreasonable mission."
"If it is a task possible only with determination and loyalty, how about entrusting it to the Capital Knights whom Sir James personally led here? Didn't you say just a moment ago? That the difference in level between the Capital Knights and the Frontier Knights is so severe that performing operations is difficult."
I refused James's order with a single stroke.
And the cause that allowed me to refuse James's order so firmly was.
'Redin, this damn ignorant bumpkin.'
It was precisely because of 'Axion', the symbol of the Reichart Duchy and a sacred object, held in my hand.
That famous sword that had been with Reichart for a long time was the same as the authority of the Duchy itself.
In other words, the one holding Axion on the battlefield was recognized with a status equivalent to the Duke himself, and at least within the Zodiac Kingdom, the only one who could give orders to the Duke was the King.
Of course, that didn't mean I could give orders this way and that to James, the Commander-in-Chief, or take away troop command rights.
But at least as long as I possessed Axion, I and my subordinate knights had the authority to refuse James's orders.
"Look here, Young Master Hein, I am the Commander-in-Chief who came to receive His Majesty's order. If you intended not to follow my order, why did you attend this operation meeting?"
"I came here to cooperate with Sir James's operation. If I knew the fact that the Commander-in-Chief would give such an unreasonable order, I wouldn't have come to this seat in the first place."
Grind.
James exerted patience with effort, but I still looked like I had no intention of backing down.
James bit his lip, and Helkane, who was watching that scene from beginning to end, turned his gaze and glared at Larmus standing next to him.
'Fox-like old man!'
The one who delivered Axion to me must be Larmus.
And Larmus did not tell that fact to Helkane.
It wasn't just Helkane and Vispon who secretly prepared a hidden card.
Thanks to that, I obtained the opportunity to escape the status of James's chess piece and act freely.
'To think Father would entrust Axion to that scoundrel…….'
Helkane clenched his fist secretly.
As he had only heard of my changed appearance and never seen it in person, it was a matter he had no choice but to be surprised at.
Redin, who was strict beyond measure regarding the family's authority, handed his token, and through Larmus, his left arm at that, to me.
'Father, you mean to come out like this in the end.'
The fact that Redin, who had never treated him as the family successor until now, entrusted Axion to me even for a moment made his heart burn.
Helkane suppressed the surging anger and pledged.
'Just wait a little. Since it won't go according to Father's will.'
And eventually, James, who failed to compromise with me, shouted with a loud voice.
"Fine. If Sir comes out so shamelessly, I can't help it either. From now on, Sir and Sir's knight order will be excluded from all operations and will not be able to participate in the suppression battles happening in the future at all."
"Do as you please, Marquis."
"And when all suppression is over and we go to the capital, I will report all these facts to His Majesty. What attitude Sir took in this grave operation where the nation's fate hung in the balance, and also how uncooperatively you acted."
James made a thoroughly vicious expression and gritted his teeth, but I parried James's anger with a still calm expression.
"I will keep it in mind. Then if you have no further words, I will take my leave."
"Reichart Duke's rash choice that caused this situation will also receive a fitting price."
I, who was exiting the barracks with calm steps, suddenly stopped my steps and spoke.
"Commander-in-Chief, if by any chance a matter arises later where the help of me and my knight order is needed, please do not send another person but visit my barracks personally, Commander-in-Chief. Since that would be the courtesy befitting me who is acting on behalf of Father's authority."
Ending with those words, I left James's barracks as I was.
"That, arrogant!"
Only James's anger that lost its destination made his barracks heat up hotly.
***
After the argument with James, I spent time examining the sky every night while excluded from all operations.
And tonight, feeling the turbid energy permeating the blowing wind, I nodded.
'The wind is polluted and the air is turbid. Not many days left until activation.'
Other people couldn't know, but I felt it clearly.
The turbid and wicked energy lingering everywhere.
'Because the initial troop supply wasn't smooth, the war situation was unfavorable to the apostle bastards. So the guys must be preparing the 'Baptism of the Black Moon' as a move to turn the tide.'
'Baptism of the Black Moon', it was a hidden card prepared by Alcala's apostles.
In my past life, the 3-nation allied forces could not withstand this move and committed the painful mistake of handing over all of the initial suppression forces as the guys' puppets.
Using these troops, the guys expanded 'Alcala's Calamity' to a scale that the entire continent had no choice but to pay attention to.
Except for me, no one noticed, but the knife aimed by Alcala was already hanging right under the allied forces' chin.
'If I just clear away this knife well, it will be an opportunity to spread fame. For me, and for Haken too.'
I gathered my thoughts with my eyes closed.
How can I fill the stomachs of hungry wolves?
The wolves who believe in and follow me were very hungry for honor.
"……!"
At that moment, my eyes opened, sensing an unexpected guest heading to my barracks.
I came down from the tree without a sign of surprise and straightened my attire.
And I offered a greeting toward the guest who had a bright appearance as always.
"What brings you all the way here? Brother Helkane."