Chapter 32 – Before Deployment

Having received permission from the military, Gaikaku was preparing to head to the front lines.

He was summoned by Tistria to the Knights’ Headquarters, where he would be briefed on the mission’s outline.

“I will be having your Conjurer Knights head to the front.”

“Are we finally coordinating with the army? Hee hee hee hee! So we’re finally making our grand debut!”

“Yes, that’s right. However, the military still doubts your capabilities, so first, you will demonstrate your strength on a small-scale battlefield.”

“If it is an order from Lady Tistria, I will go anywhere. And… the location?”

“The vicinity of the Medusa ruins.”

“…Ah, that place.”

“You’re familiar with it?”

“Yes… a shrine for a religion that deified lamias, located in a land that has nothing to do with lamias. Goodness… I visited it once, and I was left quite speechless.”

(What a learned gentleman…)

A hyper-obscure religion, long since extinct.

The fact that Gaikaku knew even about this showed he was quite knowledgeable.

Wesun, standing by Tistria’s side, was slightly surprised.

“There was nothing there, and I can’t imagine anything of use would have been found… Is my information outdated?”

“No, you are not mistaken. The land is unsuitable for food production like agriculture, and it is worthless from a logistical standpoint. It’s simply a place where the battle lines have collided as a result of expansion.”

“I see… Then it must be a small-scale engagement.”

“Yes. That said, it is about one thousand versus one thousand, which will likely be the largest battle the Conjurer Knights have experienced. You yourself may be fine, but I wonder if your subordinates will lose their nerve.”

“Kee hee hee hee! How harsh! It is true that, in a sense, this is their first real battle… I shall be sure to tighten their reins!!”

Gaikaku played the part of a petty villain, but as always, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

It was unclear what the reason for his enjoyment was, but being positive was a good thing.

“Furthermore… the reason you are being sent to this battlefield is that a request for reinforcements was made. Apparently, on the ground, the enemy’s morale has surged and our forces are being pushed back.”

“Hoh. Well, any fool can raise morale, if that’s all it is…”

In a battle between equal numbers, one side’s morale rises and the other gets pushed back.

That was nothing to be surprised about.

If anything, there was even the possibility that their allies were simply incompetent and their morale had dropped, making it seem like they were being pushed back in relative terms.

“To infer anything from that alone is to enter the realm of prophecy and superstition.”

“Yes, you’re right. If there’s one thing we can say for certain, it’s that the commander is incompetent.”

It was a rather dirty business, but there are battlefields in this world where it doesn’t matter if you win or lose.

The top brass on both sides deploy troops with the mindset of, “The priority is low, but let’s station some men there just in case,” and they fight for the sake of appearances.

Even if you rally your troops and win in such a situation, you won’t receive any recognition from anyone.

If anything, you might even make them think, “Don’t get so serious in a place like this.”

“The commander of the fort you fought the other day, a man named Toriman, understood that point. But it seems this new enemy does not.”

“Given the nature of an organization like the army, we cannot dismiss the possibility that he’s just an idiot… Hee hee hee hee!”

“Yes, in fact, that possibility is quite high.”

Tistria was only saying that the possibility was high.

The world has far more idiots who get promoted without any ability than it has idiots who actually possess ability.

If one were to argue in terms of probability, one should assume it was the former.

“However.”

But here, Tistria stated it clearly.

“It is the job of a Knight Order to resolve a situation, even if something unforeseen occurs. I will not accept an excuse like, ‘We couldn’t handle it because it was an unforeseen situation.’ I have entrusted you with discretion, so you will understand that your responsibility is proportionally heavy.”

“Yes, it is exactly as you say. Geh heh heh heh!”

“As the one in charge, if you fail, I could be removed from my position. Do not forget that if I fall, you will fall right along with me.”

(That’s the scariest part…)

Tistria was hammering the point home for Gaikaku’s sake.

But it was Wesun, listening in, who was far more terrified of that outcome.

“Of course, I understand completely… I exist only because of you, Lady Tistria… Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee!!”

In a way, Gaikaku’s demeanor was just as much a “business” front as Tistria’s.

It was impossible to discern any emotion from his behavior.

“Then, prepare for departure as quickly as possible. Once you are ready, please inform me.”

“…Is there something else?”

“As the Supreme Knight Commander, I will give your subordinates a pre-deployment word of encouragement.”

※

Heading to a battlefield was hardly a pleasant affair.

You might die, after all; of course it was scary.

But then again, as long as you belonged to a Knight Order, you could be somewhat prepared.

It was a far more relaxed position than that of people who were tilling fields until yesterday being told, “Here, take a weapon and go to war.”

After all, Gaikaku Hikume’s Conjurer Knights had Gaikaku’s own illegal magitech weapons.

They could deliver a one-sided beatdown thanks to technological and informational disparities, so it was probably quite a relief.

Of course, that wasn’t all.

There was also the fact that Gaikaku was a relative realist.

“So, we’re heading to the battlefield near the Medusa ruins. I’m taking the Human infantry, Ogre heavy infantry, and Dark Elf scouts.”

“Huh? What about us Dwarves? Who’s gonna maintain the Lives motor-car, Chief?”

“What is the reason for not taking us Beastkin, Patriarch?”

“Oh, we Elves don’t need an explanation. It’s because this is a field battle, right?”

“This time, the destination is pretty far out. Considering the possibility of the Lives motor-car breaking down on the way, it’s risky to bring it. Besides, we wrecked one in the last operation. I want the Dwarves to stay behind this time and start making parts for the next one. The reason I’m not taking the Beastkin is that we’ve been relying too much on Fire Pots and Smoke Bombs lately, and I’m getting tired of it, plus the costs are piling up. I don’t make the materials for those myself, so they’re expensive.”

Gaikaku didn’t just love research and development; he loved weapons in their entirety, including their operational use.

For that reason, he gave careful thought to logistical issues, which kept unnecessary trouble to a minimum.

“As expected of the Commander! You think of everything! A world of difference from that Tanlou!”

“Yeah, and a world of difference from you, too.”

“…Yes, sir.”

The illegal mage put a woman who’d bankrupted herself along with her underlings in her place after she mocked a man who’d been selling illegal drugs.

Perhaps it was to be expected from a self-proclaimed genius.

“Aww!! We haven’t had a turn lately! Master, you’re not taking us?”

“We have plans to go to the sea for exercises soon. We can all play together then.”

“Yay!! The sea? Hooray!!”

Gaikaku was gentle with the Goblins.

It was clear he was treating them like children, but the other races watching had slightly mixed feelings.

“The Ogres are the main attraction this time. I want to test the performance of the new Fresh Golem soon, and it’s preferable if we’re going to be coordinating with other armies. At the end of the day, they don’t look any different from regular Ogre soldiers, so the people around us will be used to them.”

“Mmph… A simple operation like this is where we shine!”

“We’ll fight like Ogres, just like Ogres!”

To reiterate, even a Knight Order composed of elites is neither tireless nor immortal.

Against an army of a thousand, they would lose normally.

But that was precisely why coordination with allies was crucial. Gaikaku had formed his unit with that in mind.

In fact, the Ogres also preferred this kind of straightforward battle.

It was understandable that they enjoyed scattering enemy soldiers and being relied upon by their allies.

“We just have slave work to do if we stay behind, but I guess it can’t be helped.”

“If we go to the battlefield, our mana will just be sucked out of us until we collapse.”

“Oh, and one more thing… before we deploy, we’ll be receiving a few words from the Supreme Knight Commander. Once preparations are complete, the deployment group will head to the Knights’ Headquarters.”

“Wh-whaaat?!”

“W-wait! You didn’t tell us that, Sensei!!”

He had so casually told them they’d be able to see Tistria.

The Elves who weren’t scheduled to deploy were in a major panic.

“What?! We get to meet the strongest human, the one who commands all the knights?!”

“To be honest, I’ve kinda wanted to meet her for a while… I was curious.”

“I see, I see… so at last, we Amazonesses will be granted an audience with Lady Tistria… and more than that, we’ll receive words from her… Amazing, truly amazing!”

The Ogres, Dark Elves, and Humans all looked delighted.

The title of Knight was an object of admiration for all races, and the one at the very top was the object of admiration among objects of admiration.

They were going to meet her, and even receive words of encouragement.

But this was neither strange nor a stroke of good luck.

Because they were a Knight Order.

They were subordinates of the Supreme Knight Commander, so it was only natural for them to meet her and receive her words.

If anything, she might even remember their names, and it wouldn’t be strange if they became friendly.

Watching his subordinates in their dreamy state, Gaikaku was somewhat exasperated.

“They’ve got the same look on their faces as Tanlou… Don’t tell me there are tons of people like him out there.”

Gaikaku began to doubt the common sense of the world.

He was, in fact, the one in this place who was most acquainted with Tistria…

“U-um, Sensei… what kind of person is Lady Tistria?”

“…For starters, she’s someone from whom you can’t feel any personal emotion. In many ways, she feels like the head of a large organization.”

Gaikaku answered the Elves’ question.

“In my case, my only subordinates are the people I meet with, but she can’t operate like that. Her stance is to set clear standards, and as long as you adhere to them, you’re fine. It’s an approach that only works with a group of competent people… but this is the Knight Order, after all.”

Gaikaku was fundamentally not a liar, so if he was praising Tistria, it must be true.

A self-admitted genius was complimenting her, so she must be truly incredible.

“Work-wise, she’s like that, and appearance-wise… she’s a person who stands at the pinnacle of humanity, but at the same time, she has the aura of a superior species of human.”

“And we’re going to receive words from someone that amazing…!!”

Perhaps the less confidence one has in oneself, the more one reveres something else.

Sensing that danger, Gaikaku felt just a little bit sorry for Tistria.

“Hey, Chief. Personally, I’m just curious about the person you serve, more than anything… Can’t we attend, too?”

“It’s a pre-deployment encouragement. What’s the stay-behind crew gonna do listening to it? You gonna get all fired up and go ‘Uooooh!’ and then come right back here to work?”

“…”

The non-deploying members, starting with the Dwarves.

They were starting to say they wanted to see her too, but Gaikaku was stopping them.

The ones he stopped looked extremely deflated.

“Sigh… I’ve told you many times, you are all a Knight Order now. Don’t get hung up on some measly pre-deployment speech. Go out there, earn some military honors, and get praised in a big way. That’s the proper thing to aim for.”

“Fiiine…”

The stay-behind crew’s motivation visibly dropped by about two points.

Gaikaku was a bit exasperated at the sight.

※

And so, the Ogres, Dark Elves, and Humans prepared for deployment and headed to the Knights’ Headquarters.

They were smirking as they left their envious colleagues behind, but…

The moment they arrived at Headquarters, those smirks froze on their faces.

Shff, shff, shff.

As the Conjurer Knights stood before the headquarters, five Full Knights emerged from within.

All of them were burly, strapping men with stern faces.

Their equipment gleamed brilliantly, accentuating the strength of its wearers.

They weren’t trying to intimidate them; they were just standing in an orderly line.

They weren’t about to have a match, or go to war, or carry out a punishment.

They were merely there to perform a ceremony.

They knew this, yet they couldn’t help but be terrified.

(These are the Full Knights directly under the Supreme Knight Commander…)

(I knew it, but… the difference in quality is insane…!)

(It’s not just a difference in talent… Their training, their experience is on another level! A completely different level!)

What stood there was “The Knight Order.”

Not a novelty act like themselves, but Knights in the truest sense of the word.

Facing them, they couldn’t help but feel ashamed of themselves.

(Is it okay for amazing people like this to be in the same organization as us?!)

(Are lowly slaves like us being treated as comrades by such amazing people?!)

(W-we’ve been bringing shame to the Knight Order this whole time!!)

There they were: the Knights just as commoners—or they themselves—had always imagined.

And that was precisely why they were ashamed of themselves for not being able to compare.

If their very presence would lower the status of these knights, that was an unbearable thought.

“The Supreme Knight Commander arrives!”

As if to pierce that tension, the knights roared.

Startled by the intimidating cry, every one of them froze.

And then, she appeared: the pinnacle of humankind.

The Supreme Knight Commander, Tistria.

The moment they saw her silent form, the members of the Conjurer Knights were dumbstruck.

She was truly the image of a goddess, just as the rumors said.

Just watching her walk was nearly enough to make them all feel “satisfied.”

It was enough to make them think that just seeing her had made their day a good one, that they were glad to be alive.

But when she looked at them, they remembered their anticipation.

Yes, she—of all people—was going to speak to them.

Not as one of a crowd, not as a speech to the public, but as a superior officer speaking to her subordinates.

The fluttering in their chests would not stop.

“Members of the Conjurer Knights, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am the Supreme Knight Commander, Tistria.”

It was a beautiful voice, with precise enunciation.

Even something as simple as that was enough to excite them to the point of nearly fainting.

“Until now, I have not had the chance to meet with anyone other than Lord Gaikaku. Though we are both busy, I must apologize.”

At the same time, they realized that what Gaikaku had said was true.

Her face was smiling, but she didn’t look happy; she was speaking, but they couldn’t feel her will.

It was truly as if she were just reading from a script.

“Now then… once more, I will be having you proceed to the battlefield. This is a joint operation with the army, and various conflicts are to be expected.”

(You can say that again!!)

They now understood anew the difference between themselves and regular knights.

Gaikaku had told them, “You’ll be met with scorn if you call yourselves knights,” and they were feeling that with painful intensity.

How infuriating it must be for someone to call for the Knight Order, full of expectation, only for them to show up.

“However, you need not worry. You are official members of a Knight Order I have recognized. Whether you call yourselves knights or not, you have no need to worry about such things. Because I have decided it.”

As if seeing through their self-pity—or rather, as if she had known beforehand that they would feel this way—she continued.

“I have heard of your work through reports. Every one of your clients has given you the highest evaluation, stating that you did the best possible job.”

(…Well, the reality is… umm…)

“The client’s evaluation is everything. If the client says so, then it was without a doubt ‘the best possible job.’”

She was, in every sense, an adult.

If there was an omission in the report, or if something was intentionally left out, then the person who wrote it was at fault.

Displaying that spirit, she was, as expected, lacking in human warmth.

“In particular, regarding the hostage rescue in the Elven forest… you did a truly fine job. The situation was extremely simple, but for that very reason, its difficulty was high. I wonder if I would have succeeded had I gone myself…”

She seemed to be expressing admiration, but again, there was no emotion.

Of course, she was likely praising them, and she probably wasn’t lying, but it didn’t sound like she was moved.

“You, who perform your duties on par with any other Knight Order, are without a doubt a Knight Order. With that self-awareness, maintain your discipline, do not forget your courtesies, and strive to complete your mission.”

(She’s probably saying the same thing as the Boss…)

(I bet it’s that thing where, just like the Commander, she’s saying to complain to the higher-ups if something happens…)

(In this one way, she’s just like our Lord…!)

Having learned the common sense of working adults, they began to think that perhaps their own master wasn’t so unconventional after all.

In fact, that approach was more effective.