Chapter 164: The Hooves of Horses and Fools Are Hard 2
*
You never know what might turn out to be fortunate.
Margrave Makikomarkrow, Comsas Dortwil, sighed as he quickly donned his armor.
To think that deploying every Knight he could spare to deal with the fool running around screaming his wife’s name would end up minimizing the damage…
Indeed, caution takes precedence over all else.
As Comsas finished putting on his Armor and received his Sword from his Butler, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.
The Butler was shouldering the ridiculously large poleaxe he used to wield back in the day.
“I intend to take command on the front lines, you know?”
“Is that not precisely why, sir?”
This guy just looked at his master like he was an idiot.
I’m absolutely certain my response was the more sensible one just now.
And even if you’re going to look at me like I’m an idiot, at least add ‘like’! Look at me ‘like’ I’m an idiot!
The complaint rose to the tip of his tongue, but Comsas swallowed it down with a sigh.
He was too old to indulge in such complaints anymore.
“A message from my subordinates, sir. The Church plans to mobilize independently as well.”
Of course, they would, Comsas thought upon hearing the Butler’s report.
The Maiden of Light was in the city; he couldn’t imagine they would sit idly by.
Information was contradictory and chaotic, but the one thing that was certain was that many Majin had appeared within the city.
It was fortunate that no Majin had appeared within the second Barrier, preventing chaos among the command structure.
As Comsas walked down the corridor, batting around thoughts with his Butler about what to do next, one of his subordinates came running up.
Given the emergency, he ignored the discourtesy of running in the hallway.
“The Bishop-sama and His Holiness the Pontiff are here!”
Why are they coming here? Weren’t they going to act independently?
Comsas grumbled internally, his face remaining impassive.
The ability to complain without letting it show on his face had been thoroughly honed during his adventurer days.
Even now, with a former comrade bringing the Pontiff along in this situation, his expression didn’t change one bit.
Arriving at the courtyard where the Knights accompanying him waited, the Bishop—Bival—turned a cheerful grin towards him.
People apparently described that smile as gentle or merciful, but Comsas knew it was simply because the man wasn’t thinking about anything.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way—Comsas believed that optimism was the root of that smile.
Seeing the Butler standing beside him, shouldering his old weapon, Bival’s smile deepened further.
“Impressive as always, Com.”
Bival praised him without even a greeting.
“Thorough preparations, caution layered upon caution, and yet still swift on your feet. Very much like you.”
“It’s all coincidence, Bishop-dono.”
Comsas cut him down flatly with the truth.
“More importantly, wasn’t the Church acting independently? I heard your ‘jewel’ is within the city?”
Comsas directed his question at Bival and the youngest Bishop in history standing beside him.
Surely you don’t have time to be visiting me.
“We have deployed the Monster Subjugation Faction and the Healer Faction in combined units. —However, as long as the enemy is Majin, our Maiden of Light (our jewel) will be fine unless something… extraordinary happens.”
What a suggestive way of putting it.
Comsas thought so but kept his face neutral.
“His Holiness believes that moving with your Lordship’s subordinates will allow us to save more people. What say you?”
Comsas considered Bival’s proposal for a few moments.
If the Church folk were offering their strength, his forces could focus solely on rescue and Subjugation.
Furthermore, having the Church positioned as reinforcements in the unlikely event they were pushed back was extremely valuable.
“Naturally, I will be commanding from the front lines, you understand?”
Is that acceptable? If you’re coming along, His Holiness the Pontiff will be on the front lines too?
His gaze asked the question.
“Knowing you, that’s only natural.”
I see, you knew from the start.
“Then I shall prepare seats. Though I’m afraid we have no comfortable chairs.”
He expressed his welcome with the utmost sarcasm.
As Comsas turned towards his lined-up subordinates, Bival cheerfully spoke to the Butler (his former comrade) behind him.
As usual, the sarcasm registered but didn’t seem to faze him.
“You aren’t hiding your face this time, are you?”
This time? What does that mean?
Comsas tilted his head inwardly at the question Bival posed to the Butler.
Before he took another step, the meaning hit him, and he spun around involuntarily.
“Don’t tell me…”
You were part of the Blackening Dragon Subjugation unit too?
The rest of the words wouldn’t come out, but Comsas’s eyes spoke volumes.
The Butler wore an exasperated expression that seemed to say, Of course, while Bival looked surprised, as if asking, You didn’t realize?
Comsas, face still impassive, let loose about a hundred complaints internally before resuming his stride.
Once this commotion is over, I’m going to seriously consider letting my son succeed me.
Then I’ll go on a journey. To find a country without any idiots.
Imagining himself setting off, Comsas frowned.
For some reason, two unnecessary figures were there with him.
“Move out!”
Comsas gave the order to his Knights.
*
“Shout from your ass! From your ass!”
Lana, a Guild Staff member, knew she was saying something nonsensical, yet she screamed it anyway.
What does ‘voice from your ass’ even mean? Can voices come out of asses?
Though her colleague dutifully responded “Yeah!” to her bizarre rallying cry, his voice was tinged with the same exhaustion as hers.
Quite some time had passed since the two of them started dragging unconscious adventurers to safety.
Two Majin had suddenly sprung up inside the Guild.
No, two adventurers had turned into Majin.
Amidst a level of chaos where it was a miracle no one died, they had somehow managed to defeat the Majin.
Honestly, if Baldo Barrel had shown up even a little later, several people would likely have died.
What in the world is today?
First, Iniquity pays a visit to the Guild, then some Barbarian bellows his wife’s name loud enough for the whole city to hear, and to top it off, people turned into Majin.
It was a disastrous day. But she was alive.
Lana raised her voice, determined not to be drowned out by the surrounding chaos and angry shouts.
“Baldo Barrel’s clearing the path ahead! Don’t leave anyone behind! We’ll definitely pick up any idiot (adventurer) who overdid it! Go be as idiotic as you need to be!”
Open your eyes and ears and listen up! Shout louder! If you hear someone calling for help, charge in!
Lana yelled.
She was still an outsider to the city.
Death and Iniquity were old acquaintances.
That was why she became an Adventurers Guild staff member.
To help those idiots who didn’t like such things, who put their own lives on the scale to earn their daily bread.
“You lot! Shout from your ass! Anyone who wants to be saved, follow this voice! Anyone who can’t, cry and scream! Don’t you dare miss it! You’re adventurers, aren’t you!”
“Yeah!”
The echo of the idiots’ (adventurers’) voices responding felt nostalgic.
She remembered the adventurer (Baldo Barrel) who had responded to her own cries when she was young.
It’s okay. Today’s a disaster, but I’m alive.
Thus was Lana’s day, later depicted in a painting titled ‘The March of the Saint Who Shouted From Her Ass’.
***Afterword***
Thank you always for the comments, likes, bookmarks, ratings, etc.
They are a great encouragement.
I will be posting again tomorrow, so
Please, please forgive me for inserting the Margrave and Lana’s episode here.