In the original story, it was described that the Royal Knights fell along with the Racial Alliance.
But if you think about it, the alliance wasn’t completely broken. After all, on the surface, the Racial Alliance was still maintained. And that wouldn’t be shattered until all the demons were wiped out.
What does that mean?
In the past, even species that were on such bad terms that they wouldn’t hesitate to go to war… well, it didn’t mean they’d dive into a grim situation where they’d unsheathe their weapons first as they did back in the day.
The problem is, I found myself in that not-so-grim situation.
The weeds were tall enough to reach my waist, and thick trees and vines were haphazardly tangled. And among them, these beings had their bows aimed at us.
Except for one person, most had shimmering blonde hair and pointed ears. Each one was incredibly beautiful. What should I hide? These guys were elves living in the forest.
And they were aiming their bows at us, the Royal Knights.
How did I end up in such a situation?
Let’s rewind time back to this morning.
*
The Royal Knights were an elite allied order of knights selected purely based on skill, irrespective of race or status. Therefore, apart from the commander, there were no ranks among them.
In fact, the position of the commander was more like a role that the other Royal Knights voluntarily honored. There was a symbol that represented the will of the Royal Knights…
At the heart of Lionheart Fortress, there was a spacious room almost near the plaza, containing a red round table that could easily seat twenty. That was the symbol.
The Table of Equality.
It was designed to ensure that everyone, regardless of race, could face each other and speak equally. I called all the Royal Knights to the Table of Equality. There was an urgent agenda.
“We managed to get in touch with the kingdom today. Luckily, they said they would supplement various personnel.”
Managing the fortress required quite a bit of manpower. From the basics like cleaning and meals to the guard forces that would protect this fortress. There were many people needed.
But at that point, when they took so many personnel without even notifying me, the Royal Knights were practically abandoned by the Racial Alliance.
Of course, many knights hoped for the revival of the Royal Knights. But would a ruler easily send high-level personnel from their own country for an uncertain Royal Knights? That’s not an easy decision.
For now, they were probably observing. If the Royal Knights showed any sign of growing stronger, they would think it’s not too late to support then. Really annoying guys—just all go die.
“We prioritize personnel assignment and ultimately aim for the normalization of Lionheart Fortress.”
There were many facilities shut down due to the lack of personnel. Not just the potion and laboratory, but four out of five training grounds were closed too. Our situation was dire.
“Is there even time to do all that one by one?”
“What do you mean?”
“The demons are always on the lookout for us. So we need to prepare accordingly.”
To my surprise, it was Ruby who first voiced her opinion. Indeed, she had a point. The Royal Knights were the biggest obstacle for the demons, but now that they had been wiped out…
Honestly, it wouldn’t be strange if the monsters decided to charge right in at any moment. I silently glanced at Ruby. Despite her strong demeanor, her body was slightly trembling.
She must be terrified, thinking about those that slaughtered all her comrades coming for us again. Yet, her will to stand strong instead of fleeing was remarkable.
“You don’t have to worry about that.”
“What do you mean? Are you looking down on them?”
“Of course not. I’ve never underestimated the demons.”
“Then please explain it properly.”
“Even though the Royal Knights were annihilated, the enemy must have spent considerable power as well.”
Not just any Royal Knights but the ones that were at their Prime, the strongest in history. Plus, survivors are surfacing now.
“So, we should have at least a year of leeway. Let’s make the most of the time to prepare before the enemy’s attack.”
Of course, I didn’t come to this conclusion alone. The original game story states that serious demon attacks started two years after the Royal Knights were annihilated.
But it wasn’t a situation to be complacent. Just because the Royal Knights, who were originally wiped out, hadn’t been completely eliminated now didn’t mean the demons couldn’t strike earlier than in the original story.
So, it’s better to think they might attack in a year or even sooner. But still, we couldn’t neglect the basics.
“This fortress is the cradle and home of our forces. How can we wage war without even the basics?”
“…I apologize. I was too hasty.”
“No, I understand. It’s natural to feel anxious. But in times like this, we need to prepare step by step.”
And that was the only thing I could do. Honestly, I wasn’t going to train the Royal Knights. I just needed to restore the devastated foundation of the Royal Knights somehow.
The next commander would take care of the rest. Luckily, the kingdom had promised substantial support. They’d send blacksmiths and potion masters, and even guard forces.
On top of that, they provided some funds as well. It was like a much-needed rain in a drought. Although the king was the one who made me commander, it felt a bit like they were giving me bitter medicine.
“Commander! I think I can help with this!”
“Help, you say?”
“I told you before! My comrades live nearby!”
“…That’s right.”
“I’m going to ask my comrades for help! They’ll definitely assist us!”
Clara, smiling brightly while raising her hand, looked much better than before. It seems the counseling worked quite well. Yet, the help of those…goofy gnomes?
I briefly closed my eyes and thought. One bad move could lead to a declaration of war against the alliance, and negotiating peace with corn and diamonds? Such reckless schemes…
No matter how I thought about it, it didn’t seem like it would help at all. Nope, wrong. I shook my head vigorously. Right now, I was in a position where I had to eat shabby leftovers, if anything.
“You’re right. Elves would be a great help.”
“Right? Right?!”
“More gnomes would be terrifying.”
“You little dwarven turd!”
“Enough chatter. Clara, get everything ready in advance. We’re heading to the forest this afternoon.”
“Are you going too, Commander?”
Of course! In such important matters, the commander needed to take charge. The combined support coming from the kingdom and the elves could lead to remarkable progress.
“If that’s the case, then I’ll go too, Teacher.”
“No, you stay and train with Ruby.”
“But….”
“Ruby is a member of the Royal Knights. And she’s a veteran knight who survived Hell. You’ll learn a lot from her.”
“…I understand what you mean.”
I couldn’t leave Lionheart Fortress vulnerable. You never know when monsters might strike. Unlike demons, monsters could easily operate within the barrier.
“I’m not particularly fond of looking after kids. But if the commander insists…”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m just happy to be complimented. Just leave it alone back then.”
Haha, that’s right. I wholeheartedly accepted Clara’s suggestion. Helia’s talent was indeed real. Half a year ago, she learned the Thunder Dragon Sword Technique just by messing around.
In the original story, she came out as a swordmaster. If nurtured well, she could definitely shine in the Royal Knights too. So, she would be under the care of the other members.
At least she’d achieve much more improvement than learning from someone like me. I entrusted Helia to Ruby and then, with Clara, I left the fortress and headed into the forest.
…And that’s how I ended up in this situation.
No matter how I thought about it, I didn’t do anything wrong. I even made sure not to break a single twig and was careful not to tread on the grass. Yet, I arrive to this kind of welcome?
Indeed, exterminating those gnomes seems to be the solution.
At that very moment when I was deciding on the next policy in my mind, someone emerged from among the elves. Unlike the other elves, they had softly shining silver hair.
With cold, settled blue eyes peeking through pointed ears. While the other elves were equipped with both swords and bows, she carried only one sword.
No matter how you looked at it, she seemed like the leader. Just as I intended to ask why she was acting this way, Clara suddenly shouted, stunned.
“Uh, Mother…?!”
…What?
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