NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23 - An Atypical Storm
Camilla let out a bitter smile as she watched the intoxicated Raul fall asleep.
“Honestly, what a fool.”
Raul, who had desperately insisted this raven could actually speak, was now leaning against Camilla’s shoulder, lost in slumber.
“…What’s so important about that?”
He was a man who frequently displayed such peculiarities, yet never fixated on matters concerning his own wellbeing or honor.
A man who seemed to possess a unique charm in how he carried himself as if utterly unconcerned about such things.
Which also made him all the more pitiable and deserving of sympathy.
“If it were any other man, I wouldn’t have to go this far, the fool not even realizing it.”
Raul likely deluded himself into thinking his behavior stemmed purely from curiosity.
Hence why she had called him a fool.
For even if he moved based on mere curiosity, could such curiosity truly last this long?
Her own curiosity flared like metal, but also cooled just as quickly.
“…..”
Watching the slumbering Raul, she chugged down the liquor she had brought from the tavern.
Then she felt relieved by the fact that she was the woman and Raul the man. For if their genders had been reversed, she did not know what she might have done to him.
Of course, even now, she was not without the intention of doing such things to him. It was simply that she did not wish to make him grieve more than her desire to do so.
How wonderful it would have been to be born the opposite gender.
Camilla mused that based on her achievements, she could have easily become a lord, then taken in the disowned Raul and confined him somewhere none could see.
“I might have been quite the scoundrel had I been born a man.”
To her, Raul was not the greatest man. Anyone could be the greatest when it came to ability alone.
The reason she treated Raul this way was because he was the only man to her. For ‘only’ was an expression permitted solely to one person.
Swirling the bottle of liquor, Camilla began searching the treasure trove of memories for her records of Raul.
A few years prior.
This was the tale of when Raul and the four others who would later be called heroes were still innocent youths.
It was also the tale of when they deluded themselves into thinking their efforts would be properly rewarded.
On the day of the grand sendoff ceremony, the five hailed as the empire’s hopes were made to give rousing speeches before the many soldiers.
It was an event strongly advocated by the nobles to boost morale through speeches by those called ‘hopes’, but the subjects themselves did not welcome such speeches.
However, as it was an imperial decree, there were none foolish enough to refuse, so the speeches proceeded.
“What an utterly foolish farce. Just the kind of spectacle that simpleminded emperor would love.”
“Raul. If you’re overheard saying that, it’s an execution for treason.”
“…If one cannot call a simpleton simple, what should one call them?”
Perhaps it was because he still retained that much humanity to insult someone as simple-minded. At this time, Raul was quite blunt.
“When you consider it, was it not that simpleminded emperor who started this foolish war in the first place?”
“That’s right, a rutting pig bastard. How could he insult the Demon Lord’s wife, who had visited as an envoy for peace…”
“That should make our pig bastard feel ashamed.”
Azhel, the future emperor and current first prince, furrowed his brow as he insulted his own father.
“Come now, everyone. If others see this, they’ll think we’re being dragged into war due to the one started by the prince’s father, despite being innocent ourselves.”
Of course, Camilla was among those joining in the ridicule.
“Dammit, I can’t see a shred of my side. You all are quite the diverse bunch of disloyalties.”
Of course, even conversations that could be construed as treason were mere jest to them.
“It’s only natural, as we’re not fighting for the sake of the imperial family.”
“Though the imperial bastards probably think we’re loyal to the imperial household, barring Our Highness.”
“…The fact we underwent such training under the Army Minister, no, our teacher, is also the fault of the imperial family.”
“3 to 1 seems rather cowardly for you treasonous lot.”
As the four clashed, the future empress Penelope, who had finished her speech fourth, descended from the podium.
“Even if His Majesty’s father is a pathetic worm incapable of restraining his lust, lower than a dung beetle, a parasite infesting that rutting beast uncouthly wriggling its vile body unable to control its lust…to the point I want to break his spine, there is still a distinction between what can and cannot be said.”
“…No one went that far.”
“Oh, is that so? Anyway Raul, it is your turn to give the final speech now.”
Unfazed by Camilla’s glare, Penelope lifted Raul to his feet.
“Speeches may be free, but you know not to insult His Majesty as you converse with us, right? If you do, it’s an immediate beheading. Though surely you would not do such a thing.”
“……”
“I will not repeat myself.”
“I am not one for eloquence, but…I shall give it my best effort.”
Raul sluggishly climbed the podium with faltering steps.
Perhaps it felt awkward to rouse the soldiers’ spirits with the same mouth that had just insulted the emperor.
For about 30 seconds, Raul silently surveyed the soldiers.
“I am Raul Berger.”
He then introduced himself in a somewhat awkward manner.
While there may have been some present who did not know Raul, none were unaware of the Bergers.
For one would have to be the greatest of imbeciles not to know such an immense household.
“The subject is Raul. From this moment onward, family names will hold no meaning – be it Berger, the imperial family, a ducal house, a serf’s, a mason’s, or a blacksmith’s. None shall hold any meaning henceforth.”
He seemed to realize he lacked talent for speeches.
For the soldiers could only stare at him, at a loss for words.
“Death is simply death. The enemy’s blade will not fear the authority of the imperial or noble households. Likewise, their blade will not pity the impoverished.”
Though Raul felt he was simply rambling, he still believed he should say his piece.
“Those who spoke before me made many promises. Regrettably, being ineloquent, I cannot promise anything so grand.”
The prince had promised glory.
The blonde woman had promised future peace.
Camilla had promised victory.
As plausible promises had already been made by those before him, the last speaker Raul had nothing particular to promise.
Thus, he promised the most trivial thing.
“I shall promise a return home.”
Yet those words captivated the soldiers’ attention more powerfully than any other.
“My goal is not the Demon Lord’s head, but simply my home just a few steps behind.”
“We are not a flock of raptors hunting as commanded, but a flock of migratory birds. We march now to survive, but we are a flock that will inevitably return here someday.”
“The flock forms a massive avian shape when clustered, and when that great bird takes flight, no raptor could match its majesty.”
“Thus.”
Following his friends in raising his fist, he declared to the soldiers.
His voice, while not loud, rang clearly in the soldiers’ ears with distinct clarity.
“I shall take the vanguard in that flight.”
Though he did not realize it himself, his speech played a tremendous role in raising the previously low military morale.
Of course, there was the unfortunate incident of his friends mocking his speech and trading blows, but such fistfights were mere jest to them in those days.
“…It really was an enjoyable time.”
Many things had happened after that, but the fact that it had been enjoyable was true.
Even though the tragedy of their number dwindling from five to four occurred, even though they were rewarded with suspicion instead of glory, even though Raul had lost what little sensibility he once had.
Raul could not deny the brilliance of those days.
“If she had been there, she would have grabbed your family by the scruff first, Raul. As much as I enjoy fighting, I’m not that much of a ruffian.”
But in his dream, Raul could only reach out his bloodied hands towards an existence he could not grasp, unable to give any answer.
“…There really is no fool as oblivious and vexing as you.”
After laying Raul on the bed, Camilla turned her head towards the caged raven.
“You won’t speak now, you vile beast?”
“…How did you know?”
“Your unnatural cawing, and various other minor circumstances.”
“…”
While Camilla moved based on her curiosity and temperament, she was not an ignorant person.
Rather, she was among the cunning sort, sharper than common nobles.
“I do not know who you are, but I am truly irked that you approached while concealing your identity. For a talking raven could never be normal in the first place, could it?”
“So will you kill me here? Raul would be furious.”
“Our relationship is not one to be severed by merely killing a bird.”
In an instant, Camilla’s fingertips glowed azure, but the raven calmly gazed at that light.
“…But not today.”
“How surprising. The battlefield ruffian showing patience.”
Reining in the jolt she had been about to unleash, Camilla calmly responded:
“This fool may not let on, but he would surely grieve. And that irritates me more. If he wishes to cry, let him cry. If he wishes to rage, let him rage.”
“…”
“But that is only if you do not make this fool grieve. If you make him shed even a single tear…”
Soon after Camilla gestured, the lance stuck at the village entrance shattered the window and returned to her hand.
“Then you shall be the appetizer that day.”