Chapter 117: Act like I believed in them from the beginning

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“Double time, double time!”

 

Rousing the 500 troops behind him was Sedes Bazurata.

Most of the troops were foot soldiers, yet they still tried as much as they could to keep up with the pace of their lord in horseback.

As for where they were headed, it was to the wasteland in the north of the Albert territory.

 

“Damn…the fighting must have started by now…we have to make it there before it ends…”

 

Sedes was in such a haste all the way from the Bazurata territory because he received a report stating that Raul—the next head of the Albert house—was marching with 5,000 soldiers toward the city in the wasteland where his children were currently in.

 

“I think this is the first time I’ve seen Sedes-sama be this impatient…but who can blame him? As things are, he stands to lose his two children.
Still, can an army this small overturn that fate? Not only are we against Raul-sama and his Gift, we also have to worry about 5,000 soldiers…no matter, I’ll fight to the end if I have to…!”

 

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Resolving himself to fall with his master, the retainer marched alongside Sedes.

 

“If it gets known that those two are on Luke-sama’s side, it’ll be the end of our Bazurata house! No matter what, I must get there before the city falls and offer reinforcement to Raul-sama.
That’s the only way our house will be forgiven!”

“Eh? That’s it?!”

 

The retainer thought Sedes has chosen to oppose Raul in order to protect his children, but it now seemed the other way around.

 

“He’s abandoning his children to save his own skin…? No, no, more likely…the reason he wants to cooperate with Raul-sama is so that he can plead for his children’s lives.
Yes, that must be it! This way, no harm’ll come to the Bazarata territory as well…such an impressive plan, Sedes-sama… ”

 

Like that, they marched on.

Eventually, they reached the wasteland in question.

And there, they saw something odd…

 

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“…what’s thaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaattt!?”

 

Large castle walls ran through the wasteland.

Even the castle walls in the kingdom’s royal capital would seem modest compared to the walls here.
To say nothing of the walls in other major cities, of course.

Sedes couldn’t wrap his head around how such walls could be here in this remote wasteland of all places.

 

“Luke-sama’s city is behind those walls…?”

 

They surveyed the ground, but they saw no sign of Raul’s army.
They assumed that Raul’s army must have broken through already.

 

“Sedes-sama, look over there!”

 

Sedes looked where his subordinate pointed.

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There, he saw a gap in the walls.
There was no gate or anything of the sort, so anyone could enter and go freely.

 

“Huh? Then, what’s the point of these walls…?”

 

While Sedes’s bewilderment was growing like that, a group on horseback emerged from beyond the walls.

 

“Father!”

“Selius!?”

 

Despite asking in his head how his son was here while the fight was ongoing, Sedes hugged Selius.

 

“Is the fight over already…? We were too late, then… Huh? But how are you here…? Did you predict the outcome and defected to Raul-sama’s side?”

“No, Father.
Luke-dono won.
And don’t worry, sister’s safe.”

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“R-really!?”

 

The results were completely different from what he anticipated, so Sedes couldn’t help but be shocked.

 

“(*Luke-sama won!? Isn’t that absurd!?*)”

“Father, did you come here to support us?”

“…huh?”

“In spite of the risks to our territory…you…you came for us…”

“Y-yes, of course! Damn the risks, there’s no way I wouldn’t have come for you!”

“Father…we’ve left you, yet for us you’d still…”

 

Selius’s eyes were full of tears and admiration for his father.
Meanwhile, Sedes began to break into cold sweat.

 

“(*…I can’t say it…I can’t admit that I was going to support Raul-sama even if it meant forsaking my children…t-they brought it upon themselves! …but given that Luke-sama won, their choice has proven to be the correct one.
T-then, all I have to do is act like I believed in them from the beginning, hmm, hmm…*)”