I Tried To Be Her Loyal Sword

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214 Chapter

The weather gradually turned cooler.

The lush greenery began to be laced with vibrant hues, and my thin outerwear became thicker. The sky seemed to tower higher, requiring me to tilt my head a bit more than before to gaze at it.

As autumn approached, the North also sent a note saying it would soon arrive.

“I heard they invaded from the northeast. How much damage has Atara suffered? Is it serious?”

“They say it’s quite serious. They’re planning to send reinforcements. Our son finally opened the bookstore he dreamed of, and now it seems he’ll be drafted before he even gets a chance to start. What can we do…?”

I walked down the fog-covered street thick with anxiety and gloom.

Conversations among the loud crowd and the front pages of newspapers frantically delivered by newsboys all centered around the same topic.

[Northerners invade Atara Kingdom, a declaration of war against the Empire]

Someone must have carelessly tossed it aside, leaving a crumpled and disheveled newspaper at my feet. As I lowered my head to walk, I unintentionally read the headlines and couldn’t suppress a deep sigh.

Less than a month after the discussions concluded, the North invaded Atara. The city of Bashkan, located at the northeastern tip of Atara, has turned into a wasteland.

Currently, the North, having captured that area, seems to be planning to gradually extend its reach towards Atara’s central capital.

‘Atara borders the northeastern region of the Empire. They probably intend to conquer Atara and use it as a base to strike at the Empire.’

Blessed land, Atara. With numerous resources buried beneath its soil, it was one of the wealthiest kingdoms on the continent.

‘It’s quite bold to choose such a prime invasion target. Though it may be difficult to succeed, if they do…’

Natural magic stones were abundantly discovered on their territory, leading to advancements in magic engineering, which began to be integrated into military power, resulting in significant victories.

Hence, it would be incredibly difficult to conquer, but if they succeeded, they could seize Atara’s rich resources and wealth.

‘We must prevent the North from subjugating Atara at all costs.’

It was only natural for the Empire to send reinforcements to Atara.

While the alliance treaty and obligations served as the publicly stated reason, the truth is that if Atara, acting as a vital barrier, were to fall, the Empire would likely crumble as well.

Even if Atara refused reinforcements, the Empire was in a position where it had no choice but to send them.

“Good day. May I see your pass?”

As I entered the main gate of the Imperial Palace, a familiar-faced knight on guard greeted me with a nod. I nodded back and took out my pass from my pocket to show him.

Having occasionally walked to work when the carriage felt stuffy, he likely recognized me, but with the war looming, security had tightened, and even the most familiar faces had to go through security procedures.

“I’ve confirmed it. May the blessing of the sun be with you.”

After checking my pass, he nodded and allowed me to enter.

Even though it was barely dawn, the palace buzzed with activity. News of Atara’s invasion had just come to our Empire last night, so it was only natural for things to be hectic today.

I looked at the people hurrying around with a mix of pity and urgency, then headed towards Noah’s office.

‘I need to discuss a few matters. I should get to work as early as possible and drop by my office before morning training.’

This morning, I received a message from Noah through the communication tunnel. Having struggled with insomnia lately, I was still wide awake when I checked the message, preparing for work and leaving home early.

Clearly, security had tightened; I had to go through verification procedures that I hadn’t encountered before, and while it was a hassle, it was better than putting anyone in danger.

It was more than 30 minutes after arriving at the palace before I finally reached Noah’s office.

Knock.

“Captain of the Knights. The Kashmir Crisis has arisen.”

“Come in.”

With his permission, I opened the door and entered his office. The scene was similar to usual except that there were significantly more documents piled up on the desk.

Noah, who had been quickly jotting something on the paperwork, set down his fountain pen and looked up at me. He took off his gold-rimmed glasses and pressed his forehead with his fingers, his face showing signs of tiredness.

“Thanks for coming on such short notice. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“Not at all. I was awake anyway.”

In response, Noah looked at me intensely for some reason. The Einhart family had eyes like cold gems, and their golden eyes felt piercing enough to scrutinize my very soul, prompting unbidden self-reflection despite my not being in trouble.

“Have you been having trouble sleeping lately?”

Noah indeed had a sharp insight that could pierce through a person.

Swordmasters usually conceal their physical states; even after a month of sleepless nights, one would only appear slightly fatigued, making it challenging to assess one’s actual condition. Thus, it was easy to deceive oneself into thinking one was fine during rough times.

‘Shoo shoo. Did I actually sleep today?’

The problem arose when the other party was also a swordmaster.

Before coming to the palace today, Kaiser noticed my exhaustion and frowned. He had somehow figured out that I hadn’t been able to sleep well lately. A fellow swordmaster was not someone I could fool.

“Yeah. It’s a bit troublesome.”

So I decided to drop the pretense and spoke honestly to Noah. He stroked his chin as he looked at me with concern.

“I think your condition began to worsen right after the talks with the North. Am I right?”

“……Yes.”

I lowered my head and nodded heavily. It was embarrassing to reveal my weak side, yet it was the truth.

‘If there’s no vengeance for the war, where do the souls of my dead brothers go? Who will appease their resent and anger? The blood soaked into the ground cries out for vengeance.’

Zigmund’s words from the talks kept circling in my mind. Even now, I knew the point of no return had been reached. It brought insomnia upon me.

“We recently received a tea that is said to be good for insomnia. It’s an herb grown in the southwestern Ambrosio kingdom. I’ll share some with you, and perhaps you can try drinking it before bed.”

“I’ll do that. Thank you for your consideration.”

I smiled gently and nodded at Noah’s thoughtful words.

Initially, I had become his adjutant to become a trainer, but now we shared a genuinely friendly relationship. He felt like a kind grandfather to me.

“You must be tired, so I shouldn’t keep you long. Let me tell you why I called you.”

His previously warm golden eyes grew serious. I straightened my posture and focused on what he was about to say.

“As you know, Atara was recently invaded by the North. The Empire has to send in reinforcements. That’s not the issue; the problem is, who will lead the reinforcements? By principles, someone of higher rank like myself or Duke Crisis should go, but we’re too busy preparing our defenses to have a moment to breathe. However, we can’t just send anyone; we need a capable commander holding decent status since the situation in Atara is serious.”

Nodding and listening intently, I suddenly looked at Noah. A conjecture floated to the surface of my mind.

“Could it be…?”

“That’s right.”

Noah grinned.

“Could you be our commander for the reinforcements?”

My eyes widened.

“Are you… really asking me to take command?”

Though I currently served as Noah’s adjutant and trainer, taking command of the reinforcements was a different rank altogether.

It was like being an extracurricular tutor for morning training lessons while the commander was expected to manage the entire school.

“You’re more than qualified as my adjutant and representative. You are already a swordmaster, so there’s no need to mention your strength. You also have ample practical experience from your mercenary days. Moreover, I noticed you became acquainted with Atara’s king during the swordsmanship tournament’s final day?”

“Ah, yes. We’re friends.”

“Anyone else would be writhing helplessly in front of that king, who acts like a mad dog. Even I cannot be sure I’d be able to control him.”

‘What… kind of appearance did Leo show?’

As I listened to Noah’s talk about Leo, an odd feeling gripped me. It was unusual for Noah to express a weary expression and use such rough words.

I slightly furrowed my brows, wondering if there was some misunderstanding. While Leo could be unpredictable, he wasn’t really a bad guy.

Of course, he had executed all his siblings and hereditary nobles before taking the throne.

He had lost a rather excessive sense of morality. His speech sounded like one who lived only for today, and his personality was somewhat skewed, but…

‘He is indeed a mad dog.’

As I tried to defend Leo in my mind, I soon humbled myself to acknowledge the truth.

Undoubtedly, an ordinary person would barely manage to avoid being tangled by Leo and would struggle to voice their opinions. I could understand Noah’s reaction.

“You are indeed suitable for this position. Surprisingly so in many aspects. However, the problem is whether you have the ability to command a group.”

Feeling the gravity of Noah’s serious gaze, I gulped hard. As I glanced around, Noah burst into hearty laughter, as if it had all been a joke.

“I’ve been watching you closely while you served as a trainer to determine if you possess the qualities of a leader. My conclusion was, ‘you are more than sufficient.’ You’re a leader who understands and empathizes with soldiers while being authoritative at the same time. It’s the most perfect form.”

Noah clasped his hands together and bowed slightly.

“His Majesty the Emperor instructed me to choose a commander, and if you are willing, I intend to appoint you as such. Even in your absence, the training of the Knights will proceed according to the manual you prepared, so there’s no need to worry.”

His golden eyes locked onto mine.

“What do you say? Will you do it?”

I slightly lowered my gaze and bit my lip.

Now, it was truly war.

Noah was proposing that I take on the role of commanding amidst life and death, issuing orders for the slaughter of others, and being responsible for the deaths of thousands or even tens of thousands of my own people with a single mistake. While soldiers could excuse themselves by saying they were just obeying orders, the same could not be said for the commander.

The reason commanders are often executed after wars concludes is that they bear full responsibility. The burden of that responsibility was unbearable, and I would likely live under that weight even after the war was over.

Nonetheless, I could not step back.

“……Yes. I will do it. Please entrust it to me.”

To save even a few more lives.

I may not be the best leader, but I believe that in this situation, I could be the best leader there is. That’s what I trusted in.

Though I had no confidence in myself, I spoke without hesitation as if there were no doubts. I took a deep breath and met Noah’s gaze directly.

“I can do this.”

Someone must do this work, and it was something I was most capable of.