The next morning, preparations for battle were once again underway in the Territory of Kelvim. Given its proximity to the untamed forests in the north, it was only natural to remain vigilant, especially with the uncertain situation in the neighboring Territory of Jiemeld to the northeast. The residents of the north, who had a long history of fighting magical beasts, began their preparations.
Meanwhile, Gilbert was having Flora and the others craft some leather armor for him.
“Mr. Gilbert, please raise your arms and hold still,” Flora instructed.
“Y-yes! I’ll do my best…!”
As he raised both arms, Flora approached him closely, holding a leather cord, and wrapped her arms around his back. Although she was merely taking his measurements around the chest, the proximity felt intimate enough to make him nervous.
—Ugh… Miss Flora! You smell absolutely amazing…!?
Flora’s serious expression kept Gilbert from voicing his thoughts, and he silently screamed in his mind.
“Next, please raise your arms to the sides, stop at shoulder height, take a deep breath, and hold it.”
He nodded vigorously and followed her instructions. His body temperature felt elevated, and he was starting to sweat, making him restless.
Beside them, Dolf was processing a thin sheet of iron with a warm smile on his face. As he cut the leather that had been measured, Barbara murmured, “It feels like spring,” but despite the cheerful atmosphere inside the carriage, it had been raining outside since morning.
The reason for crafting new armor was to avoid getting wet during the rainy season, which could lower body temperature. Dolf, Barbara, and Flora were using their free time to create a breastplate, shoulder guards, gauntlets, and a cloak for him. They had also made a new braided cord to attach to his battle axe. Before he knew it, even his change of clothes had been sewn by Flora, leaving him with nothing but her handmade items.
—Just thanking her with that isn’t nearly enough…
Gilbert’s gaze fell on Flora’s hair, where a wooden flower hairpin swayed gently. He had woken up early that morning to make and gift it to her. A brooch he had given her previously adorned her chest. The feeling of seeing Flora wear something he had made filled him with a delightful sense of bashfulness. He fidgeted, pondering what to gift her next. Perhaps he should learn glasswork from a craftsman next?
◆◆◆
While he was lost in thought, Lionel came to summon Gilbert and Dolf. It seemed that the knight from Jiemeld had awakened. In the church, Count Kelvim and others involved in the battle gathered.
“Thank you for your assistance. I am aware that this is a selfish request… but please, save Jiemeld.”
The young man, who was still not fully recovered, sat up in bed with a pained expression and raised his hoarse voice as he bowed his head.
“First, may I ask what has happened, one thing at a time? I have heard that knights of Jiemeld swear absolute loyalty to their lord. However, from your demeanor… it seems you have escaped from there?”
When Count Kelvim spoke, the young man nodded with a bitter expression.
“Yes… Due to the pride of having long protected the country in the harsh north, there are not many who would defy the orders of our lord, Duke Jiemeld. However, there are those who have raised their voices out of fear or to protect their families… Those who opposed the lord’s policies have all been detained…”
“Policies…? Is Duke Jiemeld plotting something?”
The knight began to speak with a fearful expression.
“…They are capturing Undead Beasts alive without defeating them and multiplying them within a barrier…”
“Ridiculous!? Why would they do such a thing!? Surely you know the terror of Undead Beasts!?”
Count Kelvim exclaimed in shock, but the young man weakly shook his head.
“I am just a low-ranking knight, so I do not know the purpose itself. However, from an outsider’s perspective, I cannot believe they can control those creatures… Moreover, something seems off.”
Both Lionel and Gilbert listened intently, their expressions grave.
“The lord’s son and next heir, Lord Agreas, is currently in the Royal Capital, but Duke Jiemeld has been bedridden for a long time. Although there have been orders through his aides, we have not seen him in person for about six months. However, at night, we occasionally hear his voice from the ground.”
“From the ground…?”
“Yes. I am not sure if it is some kind of magic, but it is unclear what he is saying. However, it is evident that he is suffering. Many have heard that voice.”
Gilbert frowned in confusion.
“Uh… Are you saying that Duke Jiemeld is already dead and has become some kind of ghost…?”
“At first, such rumors circulated. However, if that were the case, I do not understand why it wouldn’t be made public. Lord Agreas is alive, and there is no one in the territory who does not support him as the heir.”
The confusion among everyone present deepened.
“I cannot grasp the situation at all, but if we were to charge in, facing the knights of Jiemeld would be…”
Count Kelvim furrowed his brow. The scale and training differences were obvious, but the northern region had long been engaged in battles against magical beasts. Because of that environment, they were not accustomed to human conflict.
“As I mentioned earlier, controlling the Undead Beasts is not going well at all. They are barely being contained, and the command structure is beginning to fall into chaos. Taking advantage of that gap, I escaped to inform the outside world.”
Lionel’s expression grew even more severe.
“What about notifying the Royal Capital…?”
“I… I am sorry. I was detained, so I do not have that information.”
Count Kelvim let out a deep sigh.
“This morning, I sent a messenger to the southern checkpoint of Jiemeld, but we can no longer afford to wait for a situation report. We must prepare ourselves for deployment. Given what I have just heard, I do not believe we have the luxury of waiting for a response from the Royal Capital. If the situation in Jiemeld collapses, we will be the first to suffer.”
Everyone present nodded in agreement. While there was a risk in acting based on the testimony of a single knight without corroboration, they feared that if everything turned out to be true, they would run out of time.
“Fortunately, thanks to the successful sweep yesterday, we have some leeway. Once we gather additional supplies, we will head to Jiemeld.”
With Lionel’s words, everyone immediately began to take action.