Chapter 149: Chapter 139

Translator: “Hakou” Editor: “Weasalopes”

Two Knights were running to the west on the highway.

A singular big eyes fitted into its head showed that it was one of the Empire’s C-class Knights.

They were running at a speed which could be said as their fastest. They were desperately running as if they were frightened by something.

Their destination was Landbarn.

The rustic rampart with the setting sun as its background gradually grows in their sight.

The two pilots breathed a sigh of relief and slowed down their Knights.

「Your excellency, a news came from His excellency the marquis」

The handlebar mustache appeared in the margrave’s office with his usual half-sleepy eyes and told the margrave.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

「What did it say?」

The margrave asked with a suspicious look.

The marquis led an expeditionary force and departed from Land barn a few days ago. And now, He was supposed to be in a post town in front of Awoke.

He never thought that he would be informed by his rival in promotion race.

「It said that their camp was attacked by someone」

「And?」

His grumpy expression slightly crumbled as his interest piqued. The loss of his rival isn’t a bad thing to him.

Did something unexpected happen?

「The damage caused by that attack was enormous. With the loss of two A-class Knights and one B-class Knight, it is impossible to continue the operation」

「…What?」

The margrave stiffened.

He was prepared to hear that his rival scored a point, but this content was too shocking.

The expeditionary army comparable to the total strength of a nation was defeated before even had the chance to stand on the battlefield.

「What do you think?」

After a short pause he asked the handlebar mustache with a groan.

「How bold of him to send such information to us, is what I thought. That’s just how serious the situation is」

He answered with sleepy eyes while following the letters on the paper with his eyes. It was brought by two C-class Knight’s pilots earlier.

Both of them ran out of magic powers just as they passed through the gate. They might be really desperate to reach this place.

「To that extent huh…」

His facial expression became more serious after hearing that.

The margrave was a powerful rival for the marquis.

Home country aside, he doesn’t need to send an information that shows his weakness like this here.

But he still went and sent it anyway. In other words, it means that he has no room for such tact anymore.

「He’s clearly looking for assistance. What shall we do?」

「Call Lord Rosehip here. Immediately」

The margrave quickly gave his answer.

The soldier immediately ran to the barracks.

After a while, Count Rosehip rushed to the margrave unprepared.

「My apologise, I made you wait」

The shirt Count Rosehip wore was in a mess and there were plenty of kiss marks peeking out from the wide opened collar.

He breathed heavily, but it wasn’t because he was running.

「…You were in the middle of something, huh」

The margrave said apologetically without changing his expressions.

He couldn’t sympathize with his hobby, but he had accepted that part of him.

This was one of the reasons why Count Rosehip sticks with the margrave rather than the other nobles.

「He’s the pilot of an A-class Knight from the battle the other day, he became more cuter once I subdued him, it’s unbearable. He wouldn’t let go of me during one of these holidays, you see…」

He laughed heartily while pointing out the kiss marks with his thumb.

Seeing that, the handlebar mustache nodded quietly.

It doesn’t matter to him what hobbies Count Rosehip has. He was grateful if that could replenish the excellent pilots of Rose Knights.

(What a fearsome man)

Though the handlebar mustache thought that he was a reliable man, he couldn’t help but to fear him.

No matter if they’re the pilot of the Kingdom, they won’t be an obstacle in front of Count Rosehip tricks.

In fact, there are many foreign nationals in Rose Knights. However their unity and loyalty is solid and unwavering.

「And so, what’s the urgent matter?」

At his words, the handlebar mustache began explaining.

「I might have a clue…」

Count Rosehip spoke with a difficult face with his arms crossed.

In his head was the Boxed Girl that appeared at the end of the Battle of Land barn.

At that time, what did the enemy, the Golden Knight say again?

『Sucks up magic powers and releases a super-high magic attack』

It should have been something like that, if I remember correctly.

And then the Boxed Girl released a long-range magic attack just as the words said.

It was a powerful attack a single Knight shouldn’t be able to achieve.

「I see」

The margrave nodded to his explanation.

A long-range magic attack shot from a distance that eyes couldn’t see. Moreover, it has the power that could crush an A-class Knight in a single hit.

This kind of thing was impossible with the common sense so far.

However, if you can collect a large amount of magical power, it couldn’t be said that it was impossible.

「But… Why did they bring it out now? They wouldn’t have lost Land barn if they used it at the battle against us」

The handlebar mustache questioned.

Count Rosehip closed his eyes. He was making an expression as if he recalled something.

「That time, the Knights of the Kingdom around the Boxed Girl fell on their knees one after another」

He then opened his eyes and calmly looked at the handlebar mustache.

「That technique wasn’t incomplete yet. Or perhaps it’s a dangerous one」

The handlebar mustache and the margrave was convinced upon hearing those words.

The margrave then revealed his thoughts.

「And such a thing came out at this timing. Meaning that the Kingdom has resolved to face us with their all even if they has to pay it with their lives」

「That’s true」

Count Rosehip agrees while stroking his chin.

「Count Rosehip. As I thought, your judgement to not pursue the enemy at that time was correct」

At those words, he was terrified as he felt something cold run through his back.

What if I pursued them at that time and the Kingdom turned this unidentified weapon towards me?

(Perhaps I won’t be here right now)

Unexpectedly, cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

He didn’t think much of it back then, but he was glad that he didn’t give in to his desire at that time.

「What should we do from now on?」

「We can’t move around carelessly now. There’s an enemy who can annihilate an A-class Knight from a long distance. Unless we figure out their identity, I’m afraid the soldiers won’t be able to move due to fear」

Count Rosehip answered the margrave’s question and the handlebar mustache continued.

「The key of this might be in the Boxed Girl. We are still waiting the result of blacksmith guild analysis on it」

He then added.

「With this matter, the importance of the Boxed Girl will increase more than ever. And His excellency’s achievements should’ve rise along with it」

Those words made Count Rosehip and the margrave’s face broke into a smile.

However, the margrave quickly tightened his face again and switched the topic to how they should respond to the marquis.

「The marquis has requested the dispatch of rose knights. He probably became uneasy since the A-class Knight he has at hand has been halved」

Count Rosehip frowned and opened his mouth.

「The enemy is clearly targeting A-class Knights. I would just going to get killed if I go there」

In addition, he continued.

「Rose knights is also no use. Considering that their B-class Knight captain got killed, the enemy also targets those that stood out」

In rose knights, even the B-class Knights have an appearance with many roses drawn on a black base color, which was very eye-catching. They would certainly look dangerous.

The margrave nodded and made a decision.

「That’s true. Tell the marquis that the rose knights cannot move because they have another matter at hand, and instead, I’ll lend him the Knights from the frontier knight order how many it is」

The handlebar mustache put his right hand on his chest and bowed.

「I wonder how the marquis would move after this?」

Count Rosehip felt relieved and asked for the margrave’s opinion.

「He would have no choice but to withdraw. Attacking Awoke was of course, but staying in that place is also dangerous. We can’t find a way to deal with it without knowing its identity after all」

To Count Rosehip who nodded, the margrave continued as if just remembered about something.

「By the way, what happened to sir’s son? Didn’t he go to the kingdom as a friendship delegation before the war broke out?」

「About that… I’m ashamed to say that his was broke at a brothel in the Kingdom, and so he’s no longer any of use as a man」

The margrave opened his mouth wide in shock and Count Rosehip let out a big sigh.

「Right now, he and his colleagues that accompanied him for the delegation mission have already returned to the Imperial army. However, he’s already no good」

「No good, as in?」

「It seems he have been showing his butt and begging for it to his colleagues in the dormitory」

His voice lost its vigor.

「The Rosehip family is proud of their high stats in both offense and defense. But his sword has been broken, and that sheath was itching for someone else’s sword」

There, he raised his voice and declared.

「I cannot let him inherit the house!」

The margrave doesn’t reply.

But he understood one thing, that it would be impossible to obtain information about the Kingdom from his son.

「What an embarrassment! I’ll drag him over here and have him become the rose knights personal toilet!」

Leaving his fired up father figure behind, Count Rosehip left the room.

***

The sun was still high above they sky of the Royal capital, and a man on his thirties was walking down the red-light district with a smile on his face.

It was Tauro.

(Yesterday was silver, and today we’re going for gold. As for tomorrow… Right, going to go back and pick the bronze ones again, I guess)

Of course, what I meant by gold and silver was the oyakodon menu.

It was a menu I had invented but… I was totally addicted to it.

After destroying the Empire’s A-class Knight, I went to Cionne every day without fail.

Every day from afternoon to nightfall, I enjoyed various varieties of the menus.

(I can say it with certainty. That right now, I’m very happy!)

How many times in your life will you be able to declare that you are happy?

And to cherish that time more, I hastened my feet towards cionne.

「It’s me, Tauro~! I have made a reservation~!」

I jumped into the lobby with high tension.

To the sideline girls who were giggling, I returned with a smile and headed to the counter.

After that, a beauty on the platform along with her daughter pulled me by the hands and we went upstairs to the second floor.

Some time has passed.

(This is heaven)

Two hours later, I was lying on the bed with the beauty and her daughter while looking at the ceiling.

(As I thought the gold ones are great. Just what I would expect from an active worker in this brothel)

It’s different from the silver ones yesterday, which was someone that worked here in the past but has retired.

The bronze, amateur ones were also good but, as expected, gold was on a whole other level.

(Guess I’ll cancel tomorrow’s bronze and make a reservation for another gold)

I had the mother dress me up, handed some tips for the mother-daughter pair and went out into the hallway.

I exchanged rich kisses with both mother and daughter before we parted.

(I’m single and have never had a family. However, I wonder if this is how a father would feel when he went to work?)

Well, if it does, then I kind of understand why a person would start a family.

(But I want to enjoy different wives and daughters every day)

I have no intention to settle with one woman.

Then I went down the stairs to make a reservation for tomorrow.

It was an afterglow of happiness that my feet fluctuated along the way home.