What awaits at the end of this road is (6)
Baba was busy day after day, trying to figure out the situation at the front line at my request.
He says he's busier now than when he was working as an assassin.
I couldn't help it. In fact, I had Baba by my side for this moment.
In the meantime, I also told him that I was looking ahead, but Baba's reaction was very different from what I expected.
What he said was that he just blinked his eyes...
"However?"
It was just one word.
I thought you'd ask me how I created the future version of Baba's character, but I didn't even mention it.
If I think about it, everyone was like that.
People who knew I had regained my sight didn't ask me anything as if it was a promise.
How could that be? And how did I get this lucky?
"150.000 allied troops are conducting joint training at Whitefield."
"..."
Baba glanced at me as he unraveled the information while pointing at the map.
"Master, are you listening?"
"Yes, please continue speaking."
The White Fields are a vast plain that straddles the border between the Empire of Antiete and the Grand Duchy of Romena and are named so because of the white color of their soil.
"The rear units evacuated nearby residents and established a defensive line."
The closest area to Whitefield is Duelbran, which is where Rahon is now.
"The Duelbran territory is currently in shambles. There are only 90.000 support personnel deployed in the cramped territory."
"There are more support staff than I thought?"
"The Prime Minister of Halstail is quite respected in the Grand Duchy of Romena. Now that his grandfather is going to war again, the number of applicants has doubled."
"If the number of support personnel increases, the supply should also increase accordingly."
"The supplies are plentiful, but it seems like the weather has suddenly gotten colder, so they're arriving late. They say wagons carrying supplies are still entering the rear units every day."
The Grand Duchy of Romena was relatively close and it was okay to travel by land, but the Holy Nation of Shancrecia was a problem.
They had to use a boat to transport supplies there, but it seemed like progress was slowing down because of the cold weather.
'Up to this point, It's the same as my past life.'
In my previous life, 300.000 allied forces and 100,000 monsters clashed in the White Field.
After six fierce battles over the next three months, they finally won, but only 20,000 people survived.
Only 20,000 people.
Half of the young soldiers who had been looking at me in their awkward armor at the inauguration ceremony were dead.
'This time it's different.'
The Allied Forces Commander-in-Chief has also changed, and anti-monster hubs and futureization have been prepared.
Compared to the previous life, the size of the Allied Forces was half, but the odds of victory were still good.
'If only I could get through the first battle...'
When the battle begins, the monsters will learn about the anti-monster herbs.
So, on the first day, when they had no information, we had to kill as many as possible.
Above all, more than half of the soldiers had no combat experience. There were probably quite a few who had never seen a monster in their entire lives.
That's why the first victory was so important. That way, we would have confidence going into the next battle. Then, naturally, the number of casualties would decrease.
So I have a message for Kalit and Ian, but I'm not sure if it'll work out as planned.
"Please keep gathering information. Even the smallest details are fine."
"It's possible. But why can't the butler do it before that?"
"Why, butler?"
Baba's eyes turned up venomously.
"I'm a coachman, why should I know what's in the mansion? I don't want to know how many onions you use in your kitchen!"
"Ah..."
Even though the butler only saw him, he would always praise him so much that Baba was good at his job, and it seemed like he was teaching Baba all sorts of things.
But managing the mansion's inventory is the butler's job... Surely you didn't pick Baba as your successor as a butler?
Instead of hesitating, Nadia answered curtly.
"If he tells you, just stay quiet and learn. Why do you have so many complaints when you just play all day?"
"I'm just playing around? Haven't you seen all the reports I've made to the master so far? I did it all on my own."
"Oh, is that so? Then I guess the person who was sleeping on the roof of the carriage at lunchtime yesterday was someone else. Right?"
Baba paused. He must have slept on the roof of the carriage yesterday.
It was both shocking and funny. How much did he have to want to void the butler to climb up onto the roof of the carriage?
"Baba, if you sleep outside on a cold day like this, you'll catch a cold. You'd better sleep in the inn."
"Hey, that can't be happening. If you get caught by the butler while sleeping in the dorm, you'll have to learn the ropes."
Nadia snorted and interrupted Baba's reply. Baba's eyes turned bleak.
"Master, can I kill her?"
"If you can, then do it. If you are confident that you will be hated by our young lady for the rest of your life."
Ah... My head hurts.
Apparently, until recently, Nadia had been afraid of Baba. Naturally, she had never spoken to him first.
But maybe she got used to it while Baba working as a coachman? She no longer has any hesitation in dealing with it.
Even she always picked a fight with Baba. When Baba realized that she couldn't go against his will, he seemed to have let down his guard.
Of course, it was understandable that Nadia would feel that way since she had been wary of Baba from the beginning.
'But wasn't Baba that kind of person?'
At first glance, Baba looked like a black sheet of paper. A strange assassin who was not colored by any color and moved only for fun.
Not only did he lack empathy, but his facial expressions were strange as if he had learned how to react in certain situations.
But at some point, his expression of emotions became much more natural. At least now, I don't feel like he's imitating other people's emotions.
'I guess I'm really annoyed...'
I looked at Baba carefully and sighed.
Whenever the two of them meet, they keep bumping into each other and I get a headache because I'm stuck in the middle.
"Both of you stop."
Nadia and Baba looked at me.
Both of them have a proud look on their faces as if they believe that I will take their side.
"Nadia, whatever Baba does in his private time is his freedom. You shouldn't speak of it so casually. Apologize to Baba."
"....Sorry."
"Baba, I'll tell the butler not to give you any other orders. But you should apologize to Nadia. She's my family. Who would ask if it's okay to kill her?"
"I'm here. I'm an assassin, right?"
When Baba answered indifferently and went out, Nadia also became quiet.
Well, tomorrow they'll be growling like cats and dogs again. Until then, they'll be quiet, so let's be content with that.
"Nadia, can you prepare a warm towel for me?"
"Is your shoulder hurting again?"
"Q little."
"You were fine yesterday..."
"I know."
My shoulder wound seems to have almost healed, but strangely, it still feels numb and throbbing on rainy days.
At times like that, I would get tired easily even with just a little movement of my arms, and in severe cases, my hands would become stiff. If I applied a hot compress before that, it would have been much more comfortable.
Nadia prepared several warm towels and placed them on my shoulders. Then she gave my hands a firm squeeze.
"How are you?"
"Yeah, okay."
I closed my eyes and waited for the pain to subside.
Come to think of it, I'm glad Rahon isn't by my side right now. I don't have to see him like this.
I remember clearly what his expression was like and how much pain he was in every time he treated my shoulder.
I was of no help to Rahon.
Rather, being by my side will only make him despair at his own inability to escape fate.
'It was right for him to leave me.'
If he keeps venting his frustrations to the soldiers he'll probably go back to how he was before.
"That's right, miss, time really flies."
"There's a week left?"
"It's okay now. Let's stop."
"Yes, Miss."
I put on my shawl and went to the window. The sky was overcast and it looked like it was going to rain at any moment.
I opened the window and stuck my arm out...
The cold wind scratched my fingertips. I clenched my hands, which were quickly turning red, and prayed.
I hope it snows on time.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment