Year 697, April 2nd, 11.20 AM
Prontera Barrack's Infirmary
"The 13th battalion, Gwenfordt?" Clay asks.
"Yeah! It came from an old word of 'Reborn'. And guess what! I'm also a member in that battalion, in reality!" Deanark said enthusiastically.
"Is that so? I don't know how you do usually, but perhaps you have stressed yourself too much. You better get some re-..."
"Hey! I'm serious alright! I'm not that tired that I started to spew nonsense!"
"...you're joking, right?"
Clay said that suspiciously, with a look of distrust on his eyes.
"Hell no! Why should I?!"
"...well, to be frank, it's just seemingly impossible that someone like you could become a soldier of a battalion in Rune Midgard Kingdom."
"Guh! We've just met, but you sure didn't hold back any punch, didn't you?"
Clay scratched his head, hearing Deanark's remark.
"What's more, I don't have any intention of joining the military. I'm only helping out of concern for the people."
"But in that case, then it makes even more reason for you to join us! Although to be honest, I'm not really spirited on doing it, you could help even more people by entering the military!"
"..."
Clay was standing silently. He was thinking about what Deanark just said. He does also feel that it would be easier to help the people suffering in the war.
But somehow, there's some uneasiness on his heart.
"Well, try to think about it. But there's no need to do that, right now." Deanark said as he encircling the back of Clay's neck with his arm. "Let's eat a lunch, for now. You haven't eaten yet, right?"
"...as a matter of fact, I haven't."
"Then let's eat! The barrack's chefs were amazing! Not only the food they make was tasty, the amount of it was mountiful!"
Though as he said that, Deanark simply pull Clay with him from his neck, literally forcing Clay to come with him.
"H-hey! I could walk by myself, thank you!"
"Aww, no need to be embarrassed! We're both guys, right! This is just how buddies done to each other normally!"
"Since when did I become your buddy?!"
"Hahaha! Men's friendship was easier to establish than women! Let us rejoice at our new-born, everlasting friendship while we having a lunch! And on the way, I shall introduce you to the other member of my battalion!"
"Hell no! As if I'm going to become a friend of someone like you! And wait, I haven't decided to join yet!"
His shouts can be heard echoing all the way on the hall. But seeing them like that, no one bother to stop them.
Year 697, April 2nd, 11.30 AM
Prontera Barrack's Dining Hall
The room was spacious, it was big enough to hold more than thousand peoples at once. But right now, the room was mostly empty, only inhabited by the chefs and some peoples eating.
Clay was eating his meal on one of the desk in the hall. It was a long desk, for the purpose of being used by many peoples at once. His meal was all consisted of vegetables.
"Why did you just take vegetables? Shouldn't you take some meat, too?" Deanark said. His meal was filled with a mix of vegetables and meat, seemingly a good combination of normal people's daily need consumption.
"I'm a more like a vegetarian. Well, it's not like I've never tasted meat before, but it just that I happen to not really favor the taste."
"Is that so? Well, that's too bad."
Deanark continue to chow his meal heartfully. He chews his food so energetically, it almost looks like he never eat for about a month.
"Damn! These foods just simply surpass those expensive restaurants in the city, and we could even get it for free! There's nothing we could ask more!" Deanark said, seemingly almost cry in joy.
"...you're overreacting, you know. Though, sure, these foods taste pretty good."
On the other hand, Clay eats his meal slowly, as he savors every bite. The hot soup was sweet and rich in taste, while the stir-fried vegetables were perfect in saltiness and sourness. He just can't eat fast, when he ate such a delicious food.
"The chef in here could cook any ingredients you brought him! If you do find any delicacy ingredient, be sure to give it to him!"
"I guess that wouldn't be too bad. But is it okay for someone like me who was not a part of military to do that?"
"Ah...I guess you're right..."
"...are you registered me as a part of the military in your mind, already?"
"Hehehe...sorry, my bad." Deanark said with smile.
They continued their meal with each of their respective feelings.
"You know, 'munch' 'munch', what do you think about 'munch' 'munch' what sister Lucrida do, just now?" Deanark said as he munches the food inside his mouth.
"Stop talking while eating. You wouldn't be able to digest your food properly." Clay said back.
"Hahaha, relax. 'munch' 'munch'. Anyway, what do you think?"
"She was amazing. I've heard of her before, but I never thought that she was that magnificent."
"That's right. That tree in the infirmary before, you knows what that is, right?"
"Yes. That was Epiclesis, right?"
"That's right. It was a sacred tree that no normal priest could ever able to control. And she could control many of them at once!"
"Wow. So that's one of the reasons why the soldiers could keep living."
"And that's not all! I've heard that she could call a Valkyrie before! Man, she's just like a goddess herself! Both her power and beauty was simply transcended the mortal realm!"
"You seem to admire her a lot."
"Hahaha! I guess so."
Suddenly, a group of peoples are walking towards them. They specifically are walking towards Deanark.
"Yo, Dean. What are you doing in here? Didn't your shift not over yet?" one of them said. It was a man with a big-sized shield behind him, a brown haired crusader with a big build.
"Spare me the hard work, Wayne. I've done all of my workloads today. I need a steady supply of good nutrition now that I've exhausted all of my magic power." Deanark answers.
"Hahaha! You've only worked for about 6 hours today! There's still about another 6 hours waiting for you after this!" another one said, a light purple haired female blacksmith carrying a sword on her waist. She was wearing a cap, and looks like a tomboy.
"Give me a break! My poor body would die in agony because of exhaustion at this rate!"
"…for you, perhaps working harder would be a good thing to do." the last of the group, a red haired rogue. He looks like to be the quietest among the group.
"Aww, come on. Can't you simply let me rest for a while?"
"Hahaha! Hey, by the way, who is this gentleman beside you?"
The hunter said as he pointed at Clay.
"Well, he's the newest member of our battalion." Deanark said heartfully.
"""Really?"""
"I'm not!" Clay shouts in response.
"Hahaha! Typical of Dean. Please don't mind his idiocy. By the way, my name is Warfey Theofrayke. But for some reason these peoples can't remember my name, so they usually just call me Wayne." the crusader said.
"...Orveil Irwine..." the rogue said.
"...and I was Eris Grisszier. Nice to meet you!" the blacksmith added.
"They're all my henchmen. Excluding our other last member, these guys are all the members of Gwenfordt." Deanark said.
"...henchmen?"
BAK! BAK! BAK!
"Guah!"
As Deanark said that, his head was smashed towards the desk by the group.
"When did we become your henchmen, Dean?"
"In fact, aren't you the one who were supposed to be our henchmen?"
"...a pushover..."
"Screw you! ...Argh! My food! My delicious steak was...!"
"...It's a pleasure. My name is Clayton Age. I'm here on a request from my acquaintance to help around." Clay answers, ignoring Deanark who was shouting over his meal.
"Hoo, that was great. The kingdom was in a pinch after the war few days ago. Any help would be precious to us." Wayne said.
"But that's strange. I thought that all of the acolytes and the priests are all united under the the Prontera Orders..." Eris said.
"I'm hailing from Juno. Through a recommendation from one of the High Priest in there, I became a free Priest."
"A Transcendent! That's rare! Can you tell us in detail?" Wayne added, looking excited.
Clay then tell them about his past a little. About when he met a High Priest, and studying under him. He was able to become a Priest in about a month after he started studying.
"A month?! Shouldn't we normally would take more than 2 years to become a full-fledged priest!" Deanark shouts.
"Don't run away from reality and accept it, Dean, the fact that you're the only one who was able to become a priest only after 2 years! Hahahaha!"
"Shut up, Wayne! Don't make me remember all of those days of nightmare!"
"But still, the exam of becoming a priest was a tough one. And it would normally take about half a year to become one."
"...amazing..."
Clay scratches his head, feeling embarrassed by their compliment.
"Now that you say it, it was the same with Sister Lucrida, isn't it? When she took a Priest exam, it also took a month, right?"
"No, she took it in less than 3 weeks. She's the real deal, alright."
"As expected of Dean, the public enemy of women. He knows everything about girls."
"Hey! That should be normal, since I'm also hailed from the same pilgrimage! And I prefer you to call me a gentleman instead of that!"
"...you're too much of a pervert and stalker from what one calls a gentleman, Dean."
"That's harsh!"
They laughed with joy. Watching them laughing like that, Clay couldn't help but smiles.
"(If only you're still in here, Lire...)" he thought.
Her presence was now so far from where he was, right now. The day he spends with her younger sister now feels like a dream. Sorrow was seemingly trying to overtake his mind again.
"(No...I need to face the reality. And besides, I might meet her again in the future...)" Clay said inside his mind.
He then returned his attention at the group beside him. They're now also eating near Deanark.
"Ah, that reminds me!" Eris suddenly said. "Do you still remember about our battalion's supposedly next mission? About a group of mages that controlling the monsters in Geffen?"
"...?!"
Clay was surprised. To think that such information could pass through him like this.
"Ah, that one? Is that even have any credibility of being true, in the first place?" Deanark asks.
"Apparently it is. General Guldar just told me this morning. He asks you to choose at least 5 peoples from your squadron to go, and report it to him today." Eris answers.
"Well, well, well. Then isn't this a good chance? I guess we're getting some action tomorrow."
"Then it would be for the best that we prepare ourselves, first. I better polish my shield tonight."
"...gotta prepare the arrows and my dagger." Orveil said as he was planning to leave.
"So we seem to be prepared. Eris, can you tell Annette about this? You're both girls, so it would be easier."
"But... That's the problem, actually."
"""...?"""
The three of them look at Eris who said that. She seems nervous about something.
"Annette was bed-ridden just this morning. It seems that she overworked yesterday." she said.
"What? That's too bad. But I guess we have to go without Annette, then." Deanark said.
"But that won't work. I've told you before. The general stated that he needs at least 5 peoples to go. The target seems pretty dangerous, and depending on the situation, the mission might be changed into assault. So he won't be able to stay calm unless it was a group with at least 5 peoples."
"What? Then what if we merge our group with another battalion?"
"No, that's impossible. Other than the 8th battalion, Freiht, the other division wasn't specialized in scouting. The other division would definitely be caught on the mission, and turned the situation where we must engage the enemy. The general wouldn't allow it."
"Then get some man from Freiht! Isn't that okay?"
"Freiht are scattered around Prontera right now to scout the enemy. Even their head and apprentice members are going. They wouldn't be able to send anyone."
"Che, then tell the general that we're shorthanded, right now. We don't have any other member to spare."
"I can't. Did you forget? We established this battalion with the least number of people, which is 15 peoples."
"Geh..."
Deanark was stunned. Clay doesn't understand about it.
"Wait, but I thought that there are only 5 peoples in your battalion?" he asks.
Wayne and Orveil just sigh. While Eris...
"Well, that's just the idea we all came up. We enlisted some random names in there, and establish this battalion."
"What?! Isn't that a violation of law?!"
"Shhh! That's why we're trying hard to keep it a secret!"
"We all have our reason to forming a battalion of our own. But since there's just so much of us, we have to do this. But, right now…"
"...it seems we have a problem, then."
"Don't state the obvious, Orveil."
"...I guess so."
Deanark sighs heavily.
"What the hell? And here I thought we're finally getting some action. Damn, what should I say to that old goat later?" he said.
"There's no use crying over spilt milk. We just need to think for the solution, now." Wayne said.
They became silent, seemingly tried to think for a solution. But it seems obvious that they couldn't find one."
At that time...
"Then could I join your battalion?"
""""...?""""
They looked at the voice. Clay was the one who said that.
"Is it possible? At least just for this mission." Clay said.
"Why, we would be grateful if that the case. But why the sudden change of mind?" Deanark asks.
"...just a personal reason."
"Fill me in."
"It's not something beneficial for you, though."
"Well, I would be the one to decide that."
"...I never thought that you're pretty hard-headed in this kind of thing."
"Sorry. I'm this battalion's head, after all. I need to know my members before I can trust my back on them."
Clay sighs.
"Fine. But I assure you. It's not something important for you guys."
10 minutes later...
"So you're planning to track the mastermind of the previous war for your sister's sake?"
"Yeah. At the very least, I won't let them to start another war."
"Never thought you have such a past, and it was occurred recently, too."
"It must have been painful for you."
"Yes. But I have to go on. Or else my sister won't be able to rest peacefully."
"That's the spirit! I'm sure that your sister would be proud of you!"
"W-well...thanks?"
"So how about it, Dean?"
Deanark stands from where he sat before.
"Well, first, we have to enlist you in our battalion. As the head of the battalion, I shall help you. I'm sure Irma was the one responsible for that. Follow me."
Year 697, April 2nd, 00.00 PM
Morroc City Front Gate
"Well then, welcome to Morroc. Though of course we don't have much to give, right now, please make yourselves at home."
The Master of the Assassin, Cranz, said that. In front of him, lies the glorious town of the desert, Morroc, though looking from far away, some part of the town could be seen to be in chaos. Rubbles and smokes could be seen here and there. Seeing that, one would come to a conclusion that it must be because of the recent war, and it was true. Behind him, stand 4 peoples, which are Zeke, Vilya, Snowe, and the female assassin Runa.
""""...""""
They all just stare at the Assassin Guildmaster silently.
"...? What is it? Is there something on my face?" Cranz asks.
"Well, we're actually in a hurry to Payon."
"Master, just what are you thinking, taking these peoples to Morroc? And you also making a confusion by telling me that they're a group of ruffians, when in reality they're the famous Prontera's Three Commanders!"
"You're too much of a worrywart. And Runa, just think of it calmly. Why are they planning to go to Payon?"
"...? Aren't they going to meet the elder...? ...Oh!"
"What is it?"
"Relax, young knight. We have an important information for the three of you should you guys are planning to go to Payon." Cranz said as he walks in front of them.
Seeing he walks towards the town, the group walks following him. The sands blow as they walks, seemingly greeting them with a style fitting of the desert-dwellers.
The town itself, in a closer look, doesn't seem to suffer much damage compared when looked from far away. Perhaps it was just because the chaos spreads to each part of the town, and it was more easily seen from far away.
"Sir Cranz, can you tell us the purpose of bringing us to Morroc?" Zeke asks.
"...what is your purpose of going to Payon?" Cranz asks back.
"We're planning to meet with the Elder in there. The Rune Midgard Kingdom has suffered a heavy blow from the war at Geffen a week ago. So we're planning to enlist the help of Payon to restoring our power."
"I see. What kind of benefit they would gain from it?"
"...I'm afraid that was confidential."
"Then let me guess. The Kingdom was planning to give Payon the secret of Geffenian magic."
"...?!"
Zeke was surprised. Without even looking, Cranz was smiling.
"Judging from your reaction, it seems to be true. Well, that's to be expected. Payon was a land of magic before, but it was diminished over time, and so, the Kingdom believes that Payon would drool at the chance of restoring their glory."
"...so what are you trying to say by that?"
"It was futile. The people in there have already grasped the basic concept and the recipes of magic catalyst of Geffenian magic, though it wasn't compatible with their type of magic. So the concept was thrown away. And there's a good chance that those people was the one to summon the monsters in the first place."
"…what...?"
Zeke was shocked by those words. No, he was literally stunned by that.
"There's no news about a monster attack in Payon, right? Well, that's strange. The monster was actually appeared from the east, which is the direction where Payon actually lies. It was strange that the monster didn't lay their claws at that town, since Payon was nearer than Morroc."
"...! No way, that couldn't be true! The peoples of Payon were quiet people, and it's true that we didn't have much connection with them, but they wouldn't attack us like this!"
"Too naïve. There are many things in this world that doesn't appear exactly the way they look. But on the other hand, I just said that there's a good chance of them doing that. I'm not saying that they're the one who does it."
"...I see."
But Zeke doesn't seem to be satisfied. His mind seems to be in conflict.
"...Follow me. There's something I would like to show you. I'm sure it would help in your negotiation with those peoples."
"...?"
"Right now, it's true that your Kingdom was in peril, and amongst the other, Payon would be the easier to persuade on joining hands. But your bargaining chip wouldn't have any effect on them. And so, I would give you another bargaining chip."
"Another bargaining chip?"
Zeke doesn't seem to understand. But Cranz just walks without giving any sign of stopping soon.
"By the way, you, the Champion. Your name was Snowe, right?" he said to Snowe without even looking back.
"Yes."
"Say, uuh..."
Cranz keep walking just like before. But his voice starts to show a sign of uncertainty.
"Uuh... Let's see...umm..."
"...? What is it?" Snowe asks curiously.
"Is...err...how should I say it..."
""""...?""""
"H-how's..."
""""How's...?""""
The group speak in unison, waiting for Cranz's reply. Cranz, who still walks in front, strangely seems stuttered.
"How's...uh...how's Shion's doing?"
...
...
...
""""Huh?""""
The group said that, seemingly confused.
"Dah! Forget it! I'm just talking to myself!" Cranz suddenly shouts, seemingly flustered. He then walks faster than before.
"W-well, she's doing just fine. I imagine that she's training in Mt. Mjollnir, right now."
"Is that so? I see." Cranz suddenly said as he turned his head to the group from where he stands as he walks. Seeing that...
"...Master, you could still hear that? You're already 10 meters away in front of us." Runa murmurs to herself.
"His ears must have been enchanted." Snowe commented.