Chapter 150 - A Great House is Not Called Great for Nothing (1)

I slept for most of the day, and while I was awake, I had to spend an incredibly busy time chatting with the Dotrin figures who came to visit me.

Many people came to see me.

They were the knights and nobles from the outpost who survived the last battle.

They repeatedly expressed their gratitude, saying they were able to safely shake off the pursuit of the Imperial Mages thanks to me. They also didn't forget to mention that they would definitely repay their life debt if the opportunity ever arose.

I felt proud.

Until the exact same situation repeated the next day, the day after that, and the day after that.

Even nice words are only good for a time or two.

Exchanging the exact same stories the entire time I was awake was unusually agonizing.

Unable to endure it any longer, I blocked all visitors under the pretext of needing to focus on my recovery.

FLAP.

The moment I felt a presence outside the tent, I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep.

While inwardly cursing that bastard Eli for failing to do his job as a gatekeeper properly.

"What. Is he sleeping?"

At the familiar voice, I slowly opened my closed eyes. It was Doris and Jean.

When I opened my eyes, Doris sneered with an expression that said he knew exactly what was going on, asking what kind of childish behavior this was.

But that only lasted a moment, as Jean asked for my understanding with a serious face.

It might sound nice to say that we traded blows, but practically speaking, the last battle was clearly a defeat for the Dotrin Kingdom's army, with the entire outpost having been blown away.

Concerned about a drop in morale, Dotrin's command staff felt the need to divert the army's attention elsewhere, and what they came up with was highlighting me, who had made a great contribution in the last battle.

In other words, it meant they were going to create a hero so that the soldiers wouldn't be able to look back on the last battle objectively.

"You have the Azure Sky Knights, so why me of all people?"

At my question, Doris answered with a somewhat stiff face that the Azure Sky Knights would soon leave the front lines and head to Dotrin's southern coastal base.

Saying that a massive fleet of the Empire had appeared in Dotrin's southern sea.

It was a massive fleet consisting of around 70 large warships.

The estimated number of troops was 12,000 to about 14,000, a paltry number compared to the size of the Imperial Army hunkering down in the sea of trees.

However, Doris actually believed there was a high possibility that the fleet was the Empire's main force.

Jean gave a supplementary explanation.

That the Imperial Army that had crossed Dotrin's borders so far was essentially a rabble mostly made up of conscripts that the nobles had scraped together from here and there.

That their chain of command was a mess, and the commanders were just a bunch of nobodies with absolutely no military knowledge.

In contrast, the fleet that revealed itself in the southern sea was a regular legion of the Imperial Army, a real army worthy of the name.

"Does that mean..."

When I asked with a frown, Jean Catherine replied with a stiff voice.

"The Imperial Army in the sea of trees is a decoy."

I was struck speechless by the absurdity.

The troop scale alone was close to 100,000, and the combat power of the knight orders and Mages included was on par with the total strength of a fairly large kingdom.

And yet, he was saying that was a decoy.

There were even the Emperor's own blood relatives among that decoy.

"The Emperor's public pledge to hand over the throne to the imperial prince who makes the greatest contribution was, in fact, nothing more than empty words."

At Jean's words, Doris added a remark with a heavy face.

"This is the Empire, and this is our enemy."

Just how terrible a monster our opponent was, and how ruthless that Emperor was.

Doris was telling me exactly that.

"But from our perspective, even knowing this side is a decoy, we can't carelessly withdraw our troops."

Just because the Emperor used the army led by the imperial princes as a discarded card didn't mean this side could treat them the same way.

Setting aside the capabilities of their commanders and the quality of their troops, that sheer overwhelming number was in itself a massive threat that required Dotrin to risk the fate of the country.

"You are the only one, Your Highness. If we make the Azure Sky Knights into heroes, the soldiers will become anxious when the knights leave."

Jean once again asked for my understanding with an unprecedentedly earnest tone. Even bowing his head politely.

"Just make sure no one comes bothering me at my tent. Then I don't mind."

"I'll lay the groundwork before we leave. I'll tell them to enforce military discipline on anyone who bothers Your Highness when you should be focusing on your recovery."

Just as the conversation was about to conclude,

"What about the promise?"

An unexpected voice cut in.

Standing at the entrance, though I had no idea when he appeared, that bastard Eli was glaring at Doris with an unprecedentedly cold face.

"Didn't you promise that you would let us leave whenever we wanted? That you would have a Wyvern on standby so we could return to the kingdom at any time we desired. Was that not the promise?"

"That promise is still val—"

"How petty. You create a justification to tie His Highness down so he can't leave the front lines, and yet you say the promise is still valid. I'm *sure* our Highness would just up and leave the front lines, abandoning the anxious soldiers."

I was about to say something to Eli's excessively hostile words, but he beat me to the punch.

"Your Highness. Don't you realize? Right now, Dotrin is using you. The one who calls himself your friend, your close companion, is leaving his mobility-impaired friend behind on a battlefield where the Empire's massive army could break through the sea of trees at any moment, all to secure the stability of his own country's soldiers."

He wasn't being sarcastic, nor was he furiously angry. Eli's voice was merely ice-cold.

Because of that, I could feel even more just how furious he was.

"I only realized it after Your Highness collapsed. The meaning of hiding one's identity and wandering as a mercenary in another country's war."

Eli said.

That even if you achieve merit, it isn't yours.

To this, I answered that I didn't come here to take credit.

Eli spoke again.

That he knew I would say that. That he thought as much, since I wasn't the type to show off my merits anyway.

"In this place, even your death is not your own."

I was about to kick Eli out to end this unproductive argument, but then I suddenly saw his eyes.

Eli was terrified.

"Your Highness is the hope of the kingdom. If something goes wrong with you, everything will come to nothing."

I replied that it was an overexaggeration. Eli flatly denied my words.

That he had seen it himself. That while I lost contact in the Empire, he had clearly seen with his own eyes how the seemingly steadfast North became divided.

"If something goes wrong with Your Highness here, the kingdom loses everything."

That anxiety and fear pierced my heart.

Because I knew it as well.

The current kingdom's burning will for independence was, in reality, nothing more than a spark barely clinging to wet firewood. It was a pathetic thing that would die out again at the slightest strong wind.

It still needed a windbreak.

And that was my role.

"Nothing will go wrong, Eli."

I reassured Eli.

That I wouldn't fade away meaninglessly in this place.

However, Eli didn't trust my words.

"What if that Archmage who turned the outpost into a wasteland and beat Your Highness half to death attacks the main force? Can you guarantee it'll be fine then too?"

Because there was a precedent for that.

"No. It's different from back then. If he shows up again this time, I won't just sit back and take it."

I wasn't just saying that.

Mysteries and wonders were nutrients that grew the soul just by observing them, and [Myth] was a high-quality nutrient incomparable to any other mystery or wonder.

And I had used [Myth] directly. Even if it was with Agnes's help, and even if I was nothing more than a medium, my physical body had directly experienced [Myth].

I could guarantee that when my currently mushy heart hardened, I would possess a much larger and more powerful heart than before.

Since Mages were on their way, there would be no need for me to just get beaten to a pulp while worrying about my allies like before.

I was waiting for him to appear again.

So I could get my revenge for back then.

But Eli repeatedly rebuffed my words.

Unable to watch any longer, Jean cut in.

He said that Archmage-class Mages of Dotrin were already heading to the front lines en masse as a countermeasure against the Archmage who commanded lightning, so we shouldn't worry.

"Then those mighty Mages of Dotrin can just protect this place."

Eli retorted with a snort.

"Knights and Mages are fundamentally different. They can never become a focal point. Mages who perform miracles from the safety of the rear are nothing more than a natural disaster to the soldiers."

"Then the Azure Sky Knights should stay here. No. Does Dotrin not have a Sword Master? I don't understand why you keep trying to shove this burden onto our Highness, whose body hasn't even recovered."

At Jean's words, Eli shot back that those were all Dotrin's circumstances and none of our concern.

Listening to their heated argument, I looked at Doris.

He had a face that didn't know what to do.

Whether it was because his intentions were being twisted or he was just flustered by the sharp atmosphere, I couldn't tell.

If there was one thing that was certain, it was the fact that he had never actually intended to use me.

Doris wasn't the kind of person to use others for the benefit of his own country.

"Jean. Stop it."

In fact, he did stop Jean.

"Truthfully, the justification for this war is because of Leonberk's delegation..."

"Stop!"

With a stiff face, he covered his friend's mouth.

"If that became the justification, the one who must take responsibility is me. His Majesty the King actually said so as well, and I hold the same thought."

However, instead of shutting his mouth, Jean grabbed me and spoke.

"Your Highness. I don't know what others think, but I firmly believe it is only right that Your Highness also feels a sense of responsibility for this war..."

"Jean!"

Doris yelled out.

The corners of his mouth, which always held a smile, were stiff. The areas around his eyes were trembling with rage.

The clumsy man was not there.

"Do not shame me any further."

Only the prince of a nation and the man who led the strongest knight order stood in that spot.

"Your Highness!"

"If you say one more word, I will strip you of your position as Vice-Commander and transfer you to the rear. This is a formal order given as the First Wyvern Rider of Dotrin, Vice-Commander Catherine."

At those words, Jean Catherine chewed on his lip.

Having silenced his friend's mouth, the prince politely apologized.

"I'm sorry. Leonberk has no responsibility for this war. Whether early or late, the Empire would have started a war anyway. In fact, Dotrin should be thanking you because so many people survived thanks to you."

Doris bowed his head and sincerely apologized to me.

Jean tried to cut in again, but upon seeing Doris's cold gaze, he shut his mouth.

"Leave whenever you wish. As the young lord of the Eli family said, this is our land. Forcing someone else to bleed in our stead goes against the dying wishes of our ancestors."

Doris apologized several more times and then immediately gave an order to Jean.

To leave behind the swiftest Wyvern among the Wyverns and its rider so that our party could return to the kingdom at any time.

Jean didn't answer. He just thumped his chest with a frustrated face, as if his insides were bursting.

"Jean!"

Only after the prince yelled out did Jean reply.

"Understood! I get it! You're the only good guy here! I'm always the bad guy! Damn it!"

Unable to overcome his anger, Jean huffed and left the tent.

"It's shameless of me to say, but please understand Jean."

"I don't know about understanding him, but I don't resent him."

Our respective definitions of justice were simply different; had I been in his position, I would have acted similarly.

"Because of this, my thoughts have also been cleared up."

Dotrin for Dotrin. Me for myself and the kingdom.

* * *

Doris said his goodbyes.

Though the conversation got tangled in the middle, it seemed the actual reason he visited my tent today was to say his goodbyes and leave a few requests and words of advice before heading south.

His requests and advice had become pointless, but he didn't show a single ounce of lingering attachment.

He only promised that he would one day repay the friendship and goodwill I had shown him.

"I look forward to the day we meet again, my friend."

Doris squeezed my hand tightly and sent me a deep gaze.

Having said that, the prince left the tent. Before leaving, he even bowed his head to Eli.

At the prince's selfless attitude, Eli couldn't keep his guard up any longer and bowed in greeting.

Once Doris had left, Eli rattled off words like an excuse.

"The sick visits, the expressions of gratitude—it was all instigated by that guy calling himself the Vice-Commander. To make Your Highness feel a sense of responsibility. There's no doubting the sincerity of the people who came, but that fox-like Vice-Commander is different."

I wondered where he'd been wandering around all day, but it seemed he had been scoping out the atmosphere in the camp.

He had a good knack for it, especially considering he couldn't even speak the language.

"But are you really going to leave?"

"Why? Didn't you say I shouldn't get worked up over someone else's war?"

"That is true. But it's not like Your Highness is the type to listen to what others say anyway."

"Now you're just openly evaluating me."

"It's just a very honest stance based on facts."

The smirking Eli asked me again.

Whether I was really going to leave.

"Not immediately, but I do have to go back."

In fact, I had heard from Old man Burk that things which hadn't existed before were appearing and swarming the sea of trees.

The vanished Fire Dragon revealing itself was only the beginning.

The world had changed.

This wasn't something limited only to Dotrin, but an issue for the entire world, and the kingdom wouldn't have been able to avoid the cataclysm either.

Especially since it was a kingdom built by driving out non-humans, it wouldn't be strange at all if something had happened.

"Then you should return even faster!"

Eli pestered me.

I shook my head.

I couldn't leave right away.

Even if I did leave, I had to fulfill the original purpose for coming to Dotrin.

Eli asked me what that purpose was.

"I have to hit Sword Master."

Just in time, Adelia, who appeared with my meal, looked at me and flinched.

The timid [Butcher] who couldn't bear to swing a sword at people.

Fortunately, the sea of trees was overflowing with non-humans.

To an extent more than enough to serve as opponents for a prospective Sword Master who had hit a wall.

"I see."

Eli put on a sympathetic face.

It was a deeply regrettable face at the hard road laid out before Adelia.

"Are you planning to sit out?"

"Pardon?"

"You're at the highest grade of Sword Expert too."

At my words, Eli broke into a nervous sweat.

Asking if Sword Master was just the name of some neighborhood dog. If it was really something that could be achieved so easily just by deciding to do it.

"Of course not."

Even at my answer, Eli couldn't wipe away his uneasy expression.

He was too quick on the uptake.