Chapter 37………………………………..
Sapheiros’s deep blue eyes glinted coldly.
At the same time, releasing an overwhelming killing intent, Stephan leveled his spear at Sapheiros.
“If you don’t move that right now, you die. How dare you—”
“Stephan! That’s enough!”
Pantheon quietly raised both hands.
“…I would like to meet the Marquis. You were going to ask whether Lady Privetina would be allowed to participate anyway. We’ll ask the Marquis directly whether we may join as well.”
Pantheon lifted his chin stiffly and demanded an audience with the Marquis.
Even though Privetina had put on a mask, the marquisate was steeped in a silence like an abandoned coal-mining town.
It’s not a ghost town, so what’s going on?
As they sped through the main road without seeing even a single ant, Adamas shouted toward Sapheiros.
“Ross, where are the other residents?”
“The women and children are at home. The rest are probably at the training grounds of the Marquis’s estate. Let’s hurry. You’re slowing down.”
“It’s not like I want to slow down!”
What am I supposed to do when I’ve got no strength left at all?!
It felt like her feet were sinking into sand with every step, even though they weren’t walking through a desert.
It was the aftereffect of trekking through the desert all night without rest.
“Are you exhausted? I see.”
“Huh? W-wait?”
Sapheiros swiftly grabbed Adamas’s hand.
As her steps tangled and she staggered, he lightly scooped her up into his arms.
N-no. Not this position…
A princess carry at my age?!
Adamas squeezed her eyes shut.
She would have preferred being treated like a sack of beans.
“I can’t look ahead.”
She was too embarrassed to open her eyes.
“You don’t need to. I’m the one running. If there’s an obstacle, I’ll avoid it.”
Adamas couldn’t bring herself to ask him to put her down.
Time was of the essence.
Stephan, the spear-wielder, and Privetina, the swordswoman, both had better stamina than she did.
Pantheon was also running swiftly with the power of Sylph.
Right. So what if it’s embarrassing! It’s better than slowing everyone down because of me!
Afraid someone might see, Adamas buried her face deeper into Sapheiros’s chest, covering it with both hands.
Sapheiros flinched briefly, then adjusted his hold and pulled her closer.
Heh. This brat’s grown up!
He noticed I was embarrassed. You’ve grown up well. I’m proud.
But look at his heart pounding. He must be exhausted… It must be even harder carrying me, too.
Adamas cracked her eyes open slightly. Her gaze lingered on Sapheiros’s sharp jawline. His neck looked like it might split open from strain.
She reached out and lightly flicked a bead of sweat clinging to his chin.
Their eyes met—those blue irises locking with hers.
“Ah, sorry. Your sweat…”
“You really don’t think about how others might look at you, do you?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Nothing… Don’t move. It’s hard.”
“Sorry. I’ll be a desert-bean sack from now on.”
“…You’re more precious than that.”
“More precious than stock? Don’t you like me a bit too much?”
Feeling Adamas clutch him tightly—as if afraid he might drop her—Sapheiros smiled quietly.
Without hesitation, he passed through the main gate of the Marquis’s estate and stopped in front of the office Adamas had visited before.
“Butler. The Marquis?”
“He is waiting inside.”
“What about preparations to deploy the main force?”
“They are complete. Everyone is waiting at the training grounds.”
“Understood. Butler, do you have anything Adamas can wear?”
“We have a leather guard for female mages obtained as spoils in the last battle.”
“Good. Please guide her. Adamas, change your clothes and come straight to the training grounds.”
Sapheiros said this while squeezing Adamas’s hand.
“Okay. Got it. See you later.”
Adamas brushed Sapheiros’s wind-tossed bangs back beside his ear, then followed the butler.
Please let this go well.
Watching Sapheiros lead the others into the office, Adamas bit her lip.
Adamas was staring into a horse’s eyes.
With a black saddle mounted on its back, the snorting creature’s large eyes were undeniably cute.
Besides, it was far more comforting than looking at the trembling people filled with anxiety and worry.
Adamas stood at the very back of the formation lined up at the training grounds.
Around her were men with graying hair, men leaning on canes, men with bent backs, all wearing hollow expressions.
Seeing them soaked in anxiety made the situation feel real.
So… a real war might break out.
It’s such a crisis that not only the healthy residents but even wounded veteran soldiers must be mobilized.
Adamas rose on tiptoe and craned her neck.
The formation, aligned by rank and file, seemed clearly divided into two groups.
A small number equipped with armor and horses, and the majority without.
The armored minority occupied the front rows. They were members of Sapheiros’s knight order, whom Adamas recognized from mining work.
The majority, excluding them, held pickaxes, axes, old rusted iron swords, or wooden spears.
About a thousand soldiers.
This was the full military strength of the Mano Fran forces.
What about the Lovianna army?
How many would they mobilize this time?
There was bound to be a difference between the forces raised by a single territory and those of an entire nation.
Damn it. Why do they keep invading? What is there here worth taking?!
“…Mas? Adamas!”
As she trembled, trying to swallow her anger, someone poked her in the back and called her name.
“Oh, Tina. When did you get here? Did it go well?”
“Yes. I’m allowed to deploy. I received this, too.”
Privetina slightly lifted the black robe covering her from head to toe.
A woman’s chainmail gleamed beneath.
“Wow, isn’t that heavy? But why are you alone? Where are the others?”
“They told me to go ahead to the training grounds. Ah, the atmosphere was strange.”
Privetina frowned.
“Huh? How so?”
“There was some odd exchange of glances between Pantheon and the Marquis. I don’t know what it was, but… you know that subtle feeling?”
“…Ah, of course I know. We’re ladies, after all.”
Adamas lightly raised her fist. Privetina smiled and raised hers too. The two bumped fists gently.
“So you came out first, Tina?”
“They said they’d prepare armor for me or something, but honestly, I think I was kicked out.”
Privetina whispered very softly.
“Really? Then are Pantheon and Stephan coming too?”
Adamas lowered her voice just as much.
“No. I overheard as I was leaving the office—they said absolutely not.”
Huh? Absolutely not?
They allowed Privetina to go, but not the two brothers? Why?
Did the Marquis already know them from before?
She was about to ask if Privetina had heard anything else.
“Why are you two whispering like that?”
A man’s voice cut between them.
“Surely you two aren’t going to fight as well?”
The well-built man was someone both Adamas and Privetina recognized.
Unlike his cheerful banter under the blazing sun during the martial tournament, he now wore a serious expression, holding a stack of papers in his right hand and a quill in his left.
“I’m a healthy woman living in the marquisate. Is that not allowed?”
Adamas said shamelessly.
“I’m also a healthy woman living in the marquisate. That’s not forbidden, is it?”
Privetina mimicked Adamas, lifting her chin proudly.
The area grew noisy in an instant—people seemed to recognize them.
“Alright, alright, don’t break formation! Face forward, everyone!”
Kai Ren let out a deep sigh after restoring order.
“Are you two prepared to die?”
No, that would be extremely bad. But it’d be worse not to go now.
“You only live once.”
Adamas shrugged at Kai Ren.
“Lady Onyx, are you certain? Truly?”
“Yes.”
Privetina answered firmly, nodding.
Kai Ren quickly wrote something on the paper he was holding.
“Then Lady Onyx should remain here so as not to attract attention. Adamas, please move.”
“Huh? Why?”
“You should stand beside the Knight Commander.”
“Ah… r-right. Tina…”
“Let’s meet again later.”
Privetina smiled softly and held out her hand.
Adamas clenched her lips and grasped it.
“Fight well, Tina. I won’t worry about you. You’re my second favorite swordswoman in the world.”
Adamas said, meeting her shining brown eyes.
Privetina beamed so widely her large eyes nearly disappeared.
“Thank you, Adamas. Now hurry. The first one is coming.”
Turning her head as Privetina did, Adamas saw a young man entering, black hair flowing and blue eyes gleaming.
She began walking.
The murmurs around her, the countless gazes following her—it all made her feel dizzy.
But what mattered most was that, even so, she wanted to stand beside this swordsman.
Sapheiros extended his hand toward her.
Without the slightest hesitation, she placed her right hand over his.
“Both of you, stand in the very front row.”
The one who quietly drew them both close from behind was the Marquis, Mano Hidenite.
The Marquis was behind them? Since when?
Goodness. Was I staring only at Sapheiros without even noticing he was there?
The hand gripping hers felt unbearably hot.
