Chapter: 100
The ‘Tactical Temporary Totem: Tannian’ project had successfully obtained approval from the higher-ups, but it now faced its final hurdle.
“You have to go alone. No one else can go with you.”
Tannian needed a solid excuse to move into the forest by himself among the members of the Pastry Club. While the club often went on jaunts together, it simply wouldn’t fly for all of them to be involved this time.
Thanks to Tannian’s request, his handy abilities, his unique position as the main target, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs bracing for the Holy Kingdom’s complaints—everything blended together just right for Tannian’s participation to go ahead. However, under no circumstances could anyone else join.
The Princes of Armein and Yuben participating in the Empire and the Holy Kingdom’s affairs? That would be a diplomatic fiasco that could end with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in a new job.
And, surprisingly, the last hurdle was pretty easy to cross.
“I’m going to church.”
“Okay, take care!”
And that was all there was to it. It wasn’t odd for the next Saint to visit the church, and there wouldn’t be anyone clamoring to tag along. If Louise had wanted to go, that might be a different story, but even Louise quickly cut ties at the mention of the church.
Honestly, going to church during a trip can be a real snooze-fest.
‘That worked out smoothly.’
As a result, Tannian was able to leave the Capital without raising any eyebrows. For me, the word ‘business’ was just perfect.
“I expected this reaction, but it’s still a bit disheartening.”
“It’s a bit unreasonable to expect a civilian to show the piety of a priest.”
Tannian seemed to take a small hit to his pride after getting a free pass because of the church, but it wasn’t that big of a deal, so he brushed it off.
As we stepped outside the gate, the lightning-fast arrival of the Masked Unit was slightly terrifying. I mean, anyone would be startled if a dozen people suddenly dressed in black surrounded them silently. Even Tannian flinched a bit.
The 4th Manager, who had been lingering around in maid attire, had seamlessly blended in with the Masked Unit. She had definitely been cleaning windows just before I left the mansion, but somehow she moved faster than I did.
“We will escort you.”
“Okay.”
We followed the 4th Manager to the temporary headquarters that had been set up for the Twilight Cult ambush. They called it a headquarters, but it was just a handful of tents, as the mission was only set to last for a few hours.
“It’s reassuring.”
Tannian smiled discreetly while taking in the dire ambiance of the headquarters.
It was indeed a comforting sight. Though the atmosphere felt a bit hostile, it was directed towards the Twilight Cult—so that just made us feel even sturdier.
‘Did the Holy Knights get involved too?’
As I shifted my gaze to the corner, I spotted a group of people dressed in silver armor. Those were the Dawn Sect’s knights stationed at the capital’s church. They looked like they had also been pulled into this operation.
The Twilight Cult was a sworn enemy of the Dawn Sect. Even if a suppression campaign was going on in the Empire’s territory, the Dawn Sect certainly wouldn’t just sit back and watch. Of course, they probably didn’t expect Tannian to show up like this.
‘He’s about to achieve his wish.’
Among them, I caught sight of a former Army Commander who got bounced out after missing a promotion three years ago. Congratulations are in order, my friend.
Looks like he’d finally get his wish to tear them down with his own two hands. When someone harbors a grudge, they can be tenacious and terrifying.
“Executive Manager.”
“Ah, yes.”
I got lost in thought for a moment, captivated by someone who was fervently living their second life, but I quickly snapped back to reality upon hearing the 4th Manager’s cautious voice.
“Let’s head inside. The Mage Duchess should be here, and we don’t want to keep her waiting.”
Among the few tents, the largest one was the central tent. All the higher-ranking lords were gathered there. To be honest, besides the Mage Duchess, no one else ranked higher than me. But would you believe it? The one above me just happened to be a Duke!
“I’m the Prosecutor’s…”
“Homeland doesn’t know about this.”
“It’s a decision made after much deliberation. I apologize.”
“…Yes.”
As soon as I stepped into the tent, an overwhelming urge to leave surged through me again.
A fierce argument erupted between a man in silver armor and another clad in the Empire’s uniform; the atmosphere was so charged it was almost suffocating.
But I felt like I could guess the cause of their commotion, making it all the more maddening. Honestly, even without hearing the earlier banter, I could easily deduce it. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had opted to take action first, and only ask for forgiveness from the Holy Kingdom later.
And, of course, as fate would have it, they both locked eyes on me as I confidently introduced myself upon entering. Oops, gingerly wishing I could rewind and pretend that I hadn’t made a grand entrance.
“Prosecutor’s Executive Manager has arrived.”
“Blessings upon the Son of God.”
The man in the Empire’s uniform bowed to me, while the one in silver armor greeted Tannian. Their gazes were still ablaze from their fiery debate.
Or maybe they just got even hotter the moment the main character showed up? If that was the case, it might not be a great situation.
‘She isn’t around yet.’
I casually nodded while scanning the room, noticing that the Mage Duchess hadn’t arrived yet. If she were here, these two certainly wouldn’t be bantering like this in her presence.
For a split second, I found myself harboring slight resentment toward the Mage Duchess. I wouldn’t have had to witness this ridiculousness if she’d shown up sooner.
“Tannian, you don’t need to involve yourself in this.”
While still harboring a touch of resentment, the silver-armored man anxiously approached Tannian. Perhaps he figured it would be easier to persuade the actual party involved rather than someone who was just endlessly apologizing.
But that would likely be an uphill battle. Tannian was a terrifying hybrid of a powerful figure’s stubbornness and a future saint’s firm beliefs.
“Since they came to find me, it’s only right that I welcome the guests.”
“They aren’t guests, nor is there a need to treat them as such. You’re aware of this too, right?”
“True, and that’s precisely why I’m stepping in.”
I discreetly sidestepped the cringeworthy display of one-sided pleadings happening right next to me. Good luck with your convincing efforts. What’s more, considering his rank, he seemed to be their commander, but I couldn’t help but wonder how strongly just a mere commander could confront Tannian.
As I turned my gaze back to the man from the Empire, I noticed his shoulder insignia—it seemed he was a high-ranking officer.
“I’m Francis Neville, a Senior Commander from the 1st Army Corps.”
Oh, bingo.
As our eyes met, this Senior Commander bowed his head. The actual Corps Commander didn’t show up, but he sent this Senior Commander instead.
If the actual Commander had dropped by, we would’ve been in for an awkward scene—an encounter between the former and current Commander of the First Corps.
“I’m Prosecutor’s Executive Manager, Carl Krasius. Nice to meet you.”
In any event, I returned the Senior Commander’s respectful greeting. There were members of the Masked Unit, Holy Knights, some from the 1st Army Corps, and the Mage Duchess who would arrive any moment now.
The Twilight Cult was doomed. This wasn’t merely a case of ‘let’s try and repel them’; even a regular army would be hard-pressed to win against us. If they somehow managed to assassinate Tannian, they should be thanking their lucky stars for having killed Tannian before bowing out.
“Don’t worry. Even if I die, dear brother, you’re all innocent.”
“Tannian, that’s not what I’m worried about…”
I pretended I didn’t hear that cringe-worthy statement from the side.
Ultimately, the Commander of the Holy Knights failed to convince Tannian and withdrew from the scene gracefully. It was the outcome I had anticipated from the start, so no surprises there.
“After cross-verifying the information provided by the Holy Kingdom and the Empire, the total number of Twilight Cult members heading toward the Capital is thirty-two.”
Regardless of whether the Holy Knight Commander had turned ghostly pale, the Mage Duchess casually strode in and took her place, prompting the strategic meeting to commence.
“And we’ve confirmed that the leader of the Twilight Cult is among them.”
“That’s a big fish.”
I nodded in agreement with the Mage Duchess’s words. Throughout the Twilight Cult’s escapades so far, it was a rarity for the leader to personally show up.
It was also worth noting that a huge contingent of over thirty members was moving together.
However, some oddities persisted. Even if they had previously been successful, they were now again targeting an Empire that had wrapped up its northern subjugation campaign, moving in such a rush that both nations’ intel networks couldn’t help but notice. It seemed less like a meticulously plotted operation and more like a desperate rash act.
But that didn’t particularly concern me. The fact remained that the leader was heading straight for destruction with a sizable squad. Whatever circumstances surrounds their arrival—today, we were going to completely wipe them out.
“Thanks to you, Tannian, the Twilight Cult has lost the advantage of stealth.”
Given the formal setting, I opted for respectful language toward Tannian before shifting my gaze. Every eye in the tent was glued to him, and he calmly replied.
“I can use it right now.”
That response was more than sufficient. While Tannian’s tracking ability might not cover the entirety of the continent, at the very least, it could encompass the area those headed for the Capital would pass through.
“The moment Tannian employs his ability, the Mage Duchess will cast an extensive magical barrier.”
The Mage Duchess was already prepared to transform the landscape of this area. A simple barrier? Please, she could throw up two or three layers at once if needed.
A minor concern was that while the barrier was active, neither the Twilight Cult nor we could move outside. But honestly, we had no intention of going anywhere until we handled them all, so it didn’t really matter.
And so, the operation briefing wrapped up neatly. The conditions were thoroughly stacked in our favor; there was no need to drag things out.
“Under the protection of Enen, filthy heretics have no place to tread in our Empire!”
After that, the more senior figures offered up their rallies of encouragement to the assembled forces, but…
“For one head, it’s one great silver coin. Capture one alive and you double that. As for the cult leader, it’s five dead or alive. Payable right now!”
I kept it short and sweet. What was the point in dragging out a long speech right before the battle?
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