Royal Road of the Extra Scribe

36

On the way back to Rainpolo.

I was accompanying the aides after providing a separate carriage for Lady Rutger to spend some quiet time.

“Phew! It’s nice to be able to take off the mask. Wearing a mask even in everyday life is quite a burden.”

My throat was sore from altering my voice the whole time.

“Thank you for your hard work, Alss. I will arrange for a carriage that can soothe your throat.”

Eo was about to pour me a cup of honey water that I like.

“Eonia. What are you doing right now?”

“…Oops!”

As Yumir spoke up, Eo hurriedly changed it to a tea that is good for health.

“Goodness. How much trouble have I caused.”

“It’s a story you won’t have to worry about if the young master doesn’t become picky with his diet.”

“Ugh…”

Yumir seemed to be trying to lay the groundwork for future meals, but that was when it happened.

Thunk! Anton, who was on the coachman’s seat, lifted a forearm and pulled out a letter tied around his leg.

After examining its contents, Anton briefly stopped the carriage and handed me the letter.

“Alss, Caliper’s army has begun to march.”

“So soon… They are truly determined to engage in war.”

“Yes, they aim to occupy all the lands near the border at the very least. Even surveyors have been mobilized for border demarcation.”

“What about Albad’s response?”

That part was crucial.

Clearly, objectively speaking, it’s favorable for Caliper. Albad would find this war burdensome.

Therefore, there was a possibility of avoiding war by reasonably ceding nearby lands.

“According to intelligence, under the command of General Cayenne, a regular army of 50,000 has been organized.”

“It seems they haven’t resorted to conscripting regular soldiers.”

“Yes, that seems to be the case.”

Given that it’s currently the agricultural season, Albad probably hasn’t resorted to drafting its citizens. If they did, it might lead to a failed harvest for the year.

“However, there is still a possibility that battles may not occur…”

There was a sense of unease.

Above all, the fact that this war was not in my memory made it even more unsettling.

“All I know is the Chimera War. This war was never mentioned in the game.”

As such, while there was a high chance that the conflict would end without battles, I wondered if it would really play out that way.

It didn’t seem likely that Albad Kingdom would simply overlook the army of the Salion faction, which had installed a fake Wade as the supreme commander.

“Please continue to keep an eye on the situation.”

“Understood!”

The war between Caliper and Albad, announced with the declaration of war.

With the same vigor as a wild beast, Caliper’s army crosses the border and invades Albad’s territory.

A major war had broken out, but Rainpolo was indifferent to such warfare.

Being located far from the western region where the war took place, and with no conscription, the common citizens did not feel the war firsthand.

Even back at the Academy, there was still an air of innocence lingering around.

“The monster has returned.”

“Ugh, to think we have to smell that wretched stench again.”

“Could the Academy cut us some slack?”

Whispered the students. Estelle firmly grabbed my sleeve.

Previously, I would’ve hung my head in discouragement at such gossip, but now that a treatment method had been found, I faced it head-on, refusing to yield.

The Academy teacher who appeared belatedly sighed in the familiar classroom atmosphere and spoke.

“As announced, this afternoon, there will be a joint training session hosted by Crossing. It is an event in which regular students must also participate, so make sure to attend without fail.”

Since becoming adults, even regular students had to undergo basic officer training, hence their participation in this joint training. Nevertheless, the main actors would still be the officer cadets.

“Also, Ilaine, Theodore, Helman, Lifton, Gillisiam. As officer cadets, you may have to demonstrate martial arts skills if necessary, so make sure to prepare.”

At the mention of martial arts competition, Estelle’s expression darkened.

Then she said to me, “Alst, it’ll be… fine. I’ve asked for help from someone I know.”

“Who is this person? Are they famous?”

“They’re probably well-known. I can’t disclose their name, but…”

“hahahaha, then I’ll be looking forward to it. Still, not everyone will participate in the martial arts competition, so maybe it won’t be a big deal.”

However, before I could finish, Hubert, who seemed to have heard me, spoke as if he had been waiting for me.

“Hah! That won’t happen! The martial arts competition is a form where higher-ups nominate lower ranks. Have you heard of the Ten Blades of Rainfall? Our eldest brother is the fifth among them!”

“What’s for lunch today?”

“Hey! Don’t ignore me!”

I decided to ignore him.

***

The joint training of Caliper and Crossing officer cadets held at the Academy training ground.

This training, with officer cadets at its core, showcased tactics and individual skills to prominent figures of the city and regular students.

The training involved 300 regular army troops stationed in Rainfall, making it quite a large-scale event.

It was like a military parade of sorts.

Therefore, observing the martial skills of officer cadets who would become future officers was the essence of this training.

After the unit march and training demonstrations, the dueling grounds were prepared promptly.

The rules were simple. Active higher-ups would nominate lower ranks for duels and teach them a lesson.

“Win moderately and finish it.”

There was no need to win in a flashy manner. It was a trivial matter that didn’t require such ostentation.

“He said something about being the fifth among the Ten Blades of Rainfall, right? So, he must be a higher-up in his own way?”

That’s what I thought, but standing at the center of the training ground was someone else, not him.

“…”

A man of sturdy build wearing a military blue helmet.

Behind him, like wooden figurines, stood Crossing’s officers, including Hubert’s brother, probably one of the Ten Blades of Rainfall he mentioned.

“One, two, three… nine. Add the guy standing at the training ground.”

It seemed this was what Anton had arranged to handle. He had switched my opponent from Hubert’s brother to another safe individual.

Just by doing that, he would take care of it, so there would be no risk.

I glanced at Anton in the stands, and he was staring intently at the man in the training ground with narrowed eyes.

“Hey, Ilain. I’m pointing at you. Get out quickly.”

A man gesturing towards me without a word.

“Alright.”

Even so, can’t I warm up a bit? If I were a senior officer, I could have moved freely. Without using Aura, I could be somewhat of a match for the opponent.

“Fight with honor and dignity for the Yangja! Get ready!”

I lowered my stance and aimed the spear at the opponent. The opponent was lowering the drawn sword to the ground.

I’ve never seen anyone take this prepared stance in martial arts before.

“Is he underestimating me? Hmm, wherever that confidence is coming from.”

Though not clearly visible under the helmet, the opponent seemed to be mocking me.

“Let’s see how long you can keep your composure.”

As the duel was about to begin, the audience, who had been bored all along, began to show interest.

Academy students were also present. Not just my class, but students from the lower classes were all there.

Estelle was gathering her hands together as if in prayer, and Ludger, along with Yumir, was guarding Estelle as if to say, “Let’s see what this Alsra guy’s face looks like.”

On the other hand, Hubert was expressing frustration, wondering why his brother hadn’t shown up.

“Begin!”

Thud! I dashed forward in a single step, putting the opponent within the spear’s range.

Swish! The opponent dodged the spear aimed at him. He swiftly withdrew his hand to avoid it.

“I don’t particularly want to shed blood, but…”

Avoiding the vital point, I decided to thrust once.

“Ha!”

Whish whish whish whish! A rapid 7-strike combo. Without Aura-enhanced physical reinforcement, this was my maximum speed. Compared to the master who could unleash 13 strikes without Aura, I still had a long way to go, but at this level, it was quite impressive.

I thought the opponent would allow a few attacks or dodge backward, but swish! The opponent evaded everything in place.

“Oh…?”

He dodged my top speed?

“It seems simple thrusting won’t do. Quite skilled?”

In that case, I had to resort to using techniques.

I took another step to approach and swiftly thrust the spear towards the opponent’s head. As he dodged, I used my strength to swing it down.

“Chester-style Secret Move! Dark Moon!”

The spear tip remained sharp. Compared to a sword, the range of a spear was narrow, but if wielded skillfully, it could easily slash the opponent.

Dark Moon was a technique where if the opponent dodged the spear towards the head, I would use my strength to swiftly swing the spear tip to secretly sever the carotid artery.

Since I couldn’t go for the neck now, I decided to aim for the shoulder.

“It’s over.”

But snap! The opponent grabbed the spearhead with his left hand before I could swing it.

“What!?”

Weapon seized. I tried to retract the spear immediately, but the strength of the opponent’s grip made the spear not budge at all.

“Even without using Aura?”

Despite having a similar build, the difference in strength was astounding.

“Ha!”

I approached the opponent in reverse.

Taking advantage of the fact that he was holding the spear, I pulled it towards me and swiftly moved in to strike his solar plexus with my left fist.

However. Boom! The opponent swung the spear they had been holding.

“I can’t let go of the spear…!”

I tried my best to hold onto the spear with my right hand, but the opponent’s strength exceeded my expectations.

“Tsk!”

Quickly releasing the spear, I bowed my head and dodged the opponent’s swinging spear, aiming for their abdomen with my elbow. Since I had discarded the spear, I had to aim for a fatal spot beyond the ribs.

The opponent chuckled lightly and swiftly stepped back, easily avoiding my attack.

“Huh.”

“Haah! Haah!”

As the distance widened, the situation became clear.

Once the weapon was taken, it was over.

The judge seemed to be considering the verdict, but the opponent returned the spear they had taken away.

“There’s a gap in skill…! And that laughter just now. No way…!”

As I gripped the spear, the opponent revealed their true colors.

A black aura surged. Like a demon revealing its aura. The aura enveloped the opponent’s entire body, shimmering.

The spectators in the stands roared with excitement.

Soon, the opponent leaned forward.

“They’re coming!”

Clang!! I had to block the opponent’s sword with the spear at tremendous speed.

“Unbelievably fast!”

The speed was so intense that I couldn’t even tell when they had approached.

Feeling an instinctive danger, the blue aura surged on my spear, but it couldn’t emit light as it was engulfed by the opponent’s black aura.

No one even noticed that I had used the aura.

“What, what is that aura!”

“To wield such a level of aura!?”

Those skilled in martial arts widened their eyes in shock. Even Hubert’s brother made a surprised expression.

But I didn’t have time to confirm all that.

“This guy too!”

Clang! After deflecting the opponent’s sword, I lunged with three consecutive strikes to the opponent’s vital points, but they evaded all with feather-like movements and closed the distance at the same time.

“I’m done!”

Thud! A blow to my abdomen.

“Ugh!?”

Whether it was the aura infused blow or not, I momentarily lost my breath and had to roll on the ground.

“Lord Als–!!”

Estelle screamed.

I quickly got up to prepare for another attack, but it was too late.

The jet-black aura’s long sword fell above my head. The power of the aura was beyond my comprehension.

“I’m going to die!”

It was no longer a matter of dodging or not. Even if I dodged this attack, it would be meaningless. I would die in the next attack. The gap in skill between the opponent and me was that clear.

However, at that moment.

“…!”

Ping! Ping! Ping!

The man had to put an end to his attacks on me in order to deflect the dagger flying towards him from the vicinity of the stands.

Yumir, who had thrown the dagger from the stands, glared at the man with a fierce expression.

This caused him to pause for a moment.

“Huh!”

Clang! Suddenly, a crimson blade from an unexpected entry pushed the man back.

“Anton…!”

Anton stood solemnly as if protecting me.

“Stop! The match is over! The duel ends here!”

Upon hearing this, the officer in charge frowned.

“Who are you? Interrupting the duel out of nowhere…”

“Are you defying the orders of a superior?”

As Anton removed his helmet, the officer reprimanded him with a sharp tone.

“Oh, Sir Anton!? D-Duel terminated! It’s over!”

But the opponent spoke up.

“What’s this? The real superior hasn’t said anything about ending it.”

Anton sighed deeply, knowing it would turn out this way.

“Sir Juras. Please stop the jesting.”

“Hmph.”

Click! His opponent removed the helmet. Indeed, it was that scoundrel Juras.

He looked down at me and chuckled menacingly.

“Not bad, Alse. Your spear was quite fierce. I was hoping to see you handle Chester-style fencing. Well, let’s call it a day for now.”

“Ha!”

Deep inside, I sighed.

‘That lunatic!’

He was undoubtedly uncontrollable.

* * *

The reason why Juras barged into the officer training was simple.

“My apologies, Sir Alse. It seems my actions have reached your ears, Sir Juras.”

Anton’s action was simple: change my opponent and have them use an unfamiliar weapon.

Ensuring no harm came to me in any case.

Knowing this in advance, Juras took it upon himself instead.

“It’s not your fault, so it’s fine. There’s a lunatic among us.”

That lunatic had been finding something amusing and laughing since earlier.

“Was I trying to teach you a lesson?”

“What kind of profound lesson do you think I barged into this prank for?”

“Be wary of arrogance. Alse, you entered that confrontation without any tension, without any guard. Thinking your opponent would surely be weaker than you.”

“That’s…”

“If you were such a formidable warrior to harbor that level of arrogance, it might be acceptable. But look, you couldn’t even properly block my strike, could you?”

“Who would have expected a strong person like you to join in such childish pranks?”

“In my eyes, your martial arts skills are child’s play compared to those guys, aren’t they?”

“Tsk.”

Listening silently, Master Ilya raises her head and speaks to me.

“You’re not wrong, Alz. I’ve told you before. No matter the challenge, you should treat it as a matter of life and death. Even if today’s outcome of the challenge is inevitable, if there was arrogance in your heart, it must be corrected.”

“Sigh… Yes, I acknowledge that. I was not careful.”

In truth, he could have simply ignored such a childish challenge and had Anton dismiss the challenge in advance, or even canceled the training altogether.

If responding hastily to the challenge is considered arrogance, then perhaps that’s the case. Even though Jurass is not entirely wrong to call me a fool.

“So, what brings you here? You didn’t come all this way just to test me, did you?”

“If I did?”

“Just leave now.”

“hahahahaha! Yes, I have a reason. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have come all the way here just to feed you fish.”

With that, Jurass hands Anton a scroll he had in his arms.

“Jurass, what is this…?”

“Anton, I hereby appoint you as the Chief Administrator of Rainfall from this moment.”

“…!”

“You understand what the position of Chief Administrator entails.”

“Delegating the authority of the city…”

“Exactly.”

He continued, looking at me.

“It’s all the Lord’s plan. It’s to facilitate your activities in Rainfall.”

“King Parain…”

Since Anton was following my orders, in reality, Rainfall would be under my control.

Of course, there was a separate domain for the Kingdom of Caliper, so I wouldn’t be ruling over everything.

“I’m sure you have thoughts about that part too, right? You didn’t choose Rainfall as a base for no reason.”

“No comment. Is that all for the business?”

“There’s one more. This is the main point, actually.”

What Jurass handed me was a report on the progress of the war between Caliper and Albad.

As the Chief Commander of Crossing, Jurass was quickly receiving updates on the situation.

“Take a good look at the final part. It happened just this morning.”

It was written as follows.

– The Southern Caliper Army defeated the Albad Army and is pursuing them with momentum.

I was momentarily speechless.

“This is…!”

“As expected, you’ve caught on. That’s right.”

Jurass coldly laughed, seeming genuinely amused by the situation.

“At this rate, Caliper may perish.”