Chapter 59

CHAPTER 59 – GOOD WOMEN

When I entered the fortress, the soldiers came out to welcome me with cheers .

When we just arrived earlier, the atmosphere was like a dry cold winter, but right now its boiling .

It was as if they were welcoming a hero .

“Most” of the soldiers were like that .

Within that cheers, I stood in front of Eria .

「Let’s talk about from now on」

「I have understood . Please, here」

「Io, you come too, Nana, take care of the soldiers we took with us」

「Yes!」

「Understood」

I said that to each of them, and followed Eria .

The soldiers naturally opened the way .

After walking a little bit, we came to the biggest commander tent .

Entering inside, I immediately said to Eria .

「There is only one thing that Rica told me to do, recapture Saria」

「Yes」

Eria nodded, but her eyebrows narrowed .

「The same orders, we had received it from Her Majesty the Queen . Butーー」

「No, I’m not talking about that」

I stopped Eria’s words .

Eria was dumbfounded .

「Yours are before you go to war right? If so, it’s natural . But mine was when the report that you were losing had reached . Do you get the difference with that?」

「……」

「Even in this situation, it still means『Go and win』」

Specifically, Rica didn’t say「Go and win」, I said「I’ll go win」, so that is more right, but I’m doing what Rica wants .

「Push back in this situation, huh」

「I came for that」

「Are you thinking that that is possible」

「I don’t understand difficult things」

*Kacha*, I made a sound with the Demon Sword .

「I only need to cut down the enemies in front of me until the goal is achieved」

「……」

「And so, what will you do」

I said that, and while staring at Eria, I placed my hand on Eleanor’s handle .

Implicitly, it’s a threat, that I would cut her down and take over the soldiers in her stead .

For Rica, I will recapture Saria no matter what happens . For that, there’s a need to command the soldiers inside this fortress .

Meaning, this Eria who is an adjutant would be a hindrance at worst .

If Eria insisted「We should retreat no matter what happens」, it would be very troublesome .

She’s a woman, so I really don’t want to do things like this, but at the worst case……

Eria stared straight at me .

A straight look, that enters the highest ranks of the women that I had met until now .

We stared at each other for awhile .

「It will put Baron-sama in danger though」

「Un? What do you mean」

「I have a plan, but for that, Baron-samaーー」

「About that huh」

I laughed, and interrupted Eria’s words .

「Do all that you want」

I laughed . I laughed gleefully .

I was thinking about whether she would accept or not, and if I would cut her off or not with the result of her choice, but Eria was already thinking ahead .

She was already thinking of how to recapture Saria .

She’s a good woman, I thought of that .

☆

At that night, Nana, Io, me, and Hikari who returned to her human form, the four of us are inside the magic cottage .

There’s one room connected to it, and has a kitchen .

It’s a dreary room with only that, but it can be brought freely, and is more comfortable than a tent .

And inside, I explained the strategy to Nana and Io . It’s the strategy I heard from Eria .

「The main troops led by Adjutant-dono will withdraw as it is . And when they chase after that, the small army force will be led and make a surprise attack to Saria that is undermanned, huh」

「That’s how it is . If they retreat now, there will be pursuit for sure」

「That’s right! They had surrounded here for that after all」

「The more that they pursue, the more that the Calamba’s territory they can encroach after all」

「Understood, even with my poor abilities, on Aruji’s sideーー」

「No, I’ll have Nana fight in a different place . A place different with me」

Nana was dumbfounded for an instant .

「That is……like what?」

「The rear guard of the main troops . It’s a retreat to lure out the enemy, but it is surely a retreat . To lessen the casualties, and to not let them find out the plan, a proper rear guard is needed」

「I see! As expected of Kakeru-san」

Io looked at me with eyes of admiration .

『Most of are only the things said by the girl named Eria though』

Eleanor pointed that out inside my head .

「Ah! But isn’t that very dangerous . I don’t know very well, but I heard that the rear guard is very dangerous」

It’s as she says .

While the whole army retreats, only the ones who are assigned to that cannot retreat, troops that need to stand their ground .

Furthermore, they are going to need to defend against the enemy army who’s winning, so its danger is far higher than a regular battle .

That is whyーー .

「Aruji, I am grateful」

「Un?」

「Someone like me, it is my pride being able to be trusted such as that」

She said it before me .

The things needed for a rear guard is strength and heart .

The strength to defend against the enemy, and the heart to continue standing their ground .

Both of them are needed .

I thought that Nana was very fitting for it .

Nana who was once called as the goddess of victory and hakua no seijo is most fit for it .

I wanted to say that to her, but she knew it first, and said it before me .

I would get frustrated with it normally, but I was happy .

「You’re a good woman」

「Preposterous」

「No, you’re a good woman」

I stared straight at Nana with a serious face .

「I’m counting on you」

And, said it again .

「Understood」

「Kakeru-san! Please let me join the rear guard too!」

Io said .

Gripping a fist, with expression with a firm resolution .

「Please let me also, be useful of Kakeru-san!」

「……it’s dangerous you know」

「Please!」

「You’re also a good woman huh」

After I said that, Io’s expression lightens .

And Io she stared at Nana who looked back at her, and they nodded at each other .

Their expressions tightened, they cheered themselves to the fight for tomorrow .

Really, the two of them are great women .