CHAPTER 6 - III -

 

In the end, it was too heavy and exhausting for our entire group to deal with those survivors.  The Marquise of Monfort also sent scouts to do reconnaissance work in the surrounding area, looking out for those mercenaries in case they’re pursuing the refugees.  However, with every return of those girls, they were carrying victims and dire news they found and encountered along the way.

 

“My lady, we found another large group of civilians stranded on the other side of this field.”

 

“Lady Monfort, this child needs help as soon as possible, for she hasn’t eaten for a while now, and the mercenaries cut off her fingers so that she can not eat.”

 

“My lady, Baroness Vinia, and I had seen the road ahead littered with bodies of the dead and dying…what should we do?”

 

I couldn’t keep my ears shut from those horror stories I heard from the scouting parties.  However, I needed to focus on these children whom I was treating.  This emaciated boy before me had a broken arm, and he had that ‘thousand-yard’ stare…

 

Fuck, I think this is PTSD.

 

“Hey…” I gently called his attention, which thankfully, he reciprocated, “What happened to your arm?”

 

“…” the boy stared at me with his brown, emotionless eyes.  It was a fellow refugee who answered for him.

 

“Nicholas was the only one left in his family.” the old lady who was taking care of him told me, “His father was decapitated by those villains in front of him, and his pregnant mother was violated repeatedly.  Also, try to lower your voice when talking to him, loud noises remind him of the screams of her mother.”

 

“…” I could feel my heart burned with anger.  My hands were shaking in rage as I put a makeshift brace on his injury.

 

“Thank you for your benevolence, kind sir.” the old lady told me.

 

These children whom I gave first-aid reminded me of my students back in my world.  And as their teacher, I protected them with everything I had and ended up losing my job.  No, I’m not that bitter with what happened to me; it’s just how far I could go to defend the young lives that were entrusted to me.

 

And to see these children get victimized by the adults’ stupidity…it’s fucking unacceptable.

 

Damn it…if only I have those cheat powers like the protagonists in the ‘isekai’ novels I read before…

 

 

Things hadn’t exploded yet into an open war, and this was already happening.  We really needed to proceed with the negotiations, or this would be an unprecedented disaster akin to the Germans of the Thirty Years’ War era.

 

The Marquise of Monfort was doing her best to be in control of the situation.  Early on, just as we were about to be overwhelmed by the incoming number of victims, I suggested she contacted her father, the Duke of Braunhauer, and let him know about our situation.  Since we’re coming to their place anyway, she agreed and chose two of her girls to bring our urgent appeal for help.

 

In the meantime, the mood at the second camp was overwhelming.  The influx of refugees asking for help increased, and we’re barely holding on.  More news was also coming in from the other survivors that not only Janais and Halverata were pillaged; several more villages were at the mercy of these mercenaries, and they’ve been at the gates of a certain small town named Cullen.

 

I also believe that we shouldn’t stay here any longer.

 

“Lady Monfort…” I came and pleaded before the Marquise, “…I know Her Holiness had strictly told you to hold off your forces.  But can’t something be done to these people?  I mean, do we really have to let those mercenaries roam around, destroying everything in their path?”

 

“Don’t worry about that, Kuro, I’m also of the same opinion.” she admitted, “My girls are also prodding me to take action as well.  But I guess we have to wait for my father’s forces to come and decide from there.”

 

“My lady, I don’t think we could wait any longer.  That town called Cullen could fall in their hands soon, and the refugees before us could increase in numbers that we can’t help them anymore!”

 

“But Kuro, what about Her Holiness’ order for us to hold back?”

 

Well shit.  Yes, it’s about Maddie’s instructions not to intervene that’s holding us.  However, in this situation, I guess we couldn’t stay idle for too long.  Lives were at risk, and I’m sure Maddie would understand our actions once we did that…

 

“…”

 

Okay.  In the first place, we’re here to do negotiations, which were aimed at protecting the lives of the people.  However, if those whom we were defending were already dead in the first place, then for what purpose were we doing these negotiations?

 

I took a deep breath before speaking to the Marquise, “Lady Monfort…”

 

“Yep?”

 

“I’ll answer for you and your paladins’ actions.” I could feel my heart burned with anger, “Let’s attack them!”

 

 

***The Great Leviathan, an Imperial ship leading the expeditionary force on the way to north Chersea***

 

Umberto Benicci, general of the Imperial Expeditionary Force.  A former Imperial agent tasked with sowing dissent and chaos in the northern kingdoms to prepare for the invasion of the north.  Also, a former Amaranthine prince was exiled, and the last member of his fallen royal house.

 

“Sir!” a soldier came knocking on his door, “A report from our spies in the northern lands just came through the pigeon.”

 

The general then motioned for the soldier to put it down on his desk, which the man did.  After paying his respects, the soldier left.

 

General Umberto then read the letter, which was sealed to keep its contents a secret from others, except for him.

 

“What does the report say?”

 

“Well, it says that everything was going according to our plan.” the general answered the disembodied voice, “Your Holiness, the human saint was on the move, towards the lands of the Duke of Braunhauer.”

 

“It must be that Maddie’s going to talk with the Duke as well.  How are the mercenaries?”

 

“They’ve been rampaging across the countryside as we speak.”

 

“It’s good then.”

 

“…”

 

“General, I don’t think I’d like for you to have any dissenting thoughts.” the disembodied voice of Seirna told him, “Have you forgotten that I could read minds?”

 

“My apologies, Your Holiness.” General Umberto replied, “It’s just that, I couldn’t bear to learn about my people being slaughtered senselessly for this goal to happen.”

 

“Hmm…well, they were your former people.  Remember that they killed your family and caused you to self-exile.”

 

“I don’t blame them, Your Holiness.  If there’s anyone I’d fault at what happened to me, then it’s that saint, Madelaine Ann Rubinforth.”

 

“Indeed, there’s a piece of truth to your thoughts.” Seirna laughed, “However, the Amaranthines were also to blame.  They have their own minds to know who actually cared for them.”

 

“Ah, it’s part of the ignorance of the masses.  The commoners were easily swayed, especially under an enemy’s sword.  If that saint didn’t instigate a coup-de-etat to replace my father the king, then it wouldn’t happen.”

 

“Well, what could I say?  Your father’s the greatest enemy of the kingdom of Nerfes.  Of course, they’d do everything to eliminate him.”

 

“And as his son, I’d do everything to expose that saint, and end her rule.” General Umberto answered with conviction.

 

“Nice…that’s what I wanted to hear from you, General.  And those people being killed were just collateral damage; and in fact, when you think about it, they deserved it for murdering your entire house.”

 

Remembering those things caused the general’s anger to burn at Maddie even more.  In his heart, there’s only one desire that was left, that was, to bring forth her destruction by his own hands.