Vol 4 Chapter 7 (2/2)

Before long –

As the soldiers guarding his sides all fell, his surroundings suddenly opened wide.

”Ugh...”

At that moment, his mounted opponent dealt Belmor a blow to the waist with a spear and he fell from his horse.

Before he even had time to stand up again, to his right and to his left, Belmor felt swords closely pressed against his neck. On one side was Gil Mephius, on the other, Zenon Owell.

His face pale, Belmor silently raised both hands and dropped his sword.

Above his head, Mephius' Crown Prince Gil and Garbera's Prince Zenon looked straight at each other.

”You arrived early, Gil Mephius, Your Highness.” Zenon said sarcastically.

”That's because your little sister gave me a sharp kick in the a.s.s.”

At Gil's answer, with a pff, theirs lips broke into smiles then they laughed.

Part 3

Upon seeing the almost total annihilation of Belmor's troops, Eric's face once more lost all colour.

Controlling his own anger, he had his troops, which were about to rush into the mêlée, stand down then somehow managed to get them into a battle formation. But beyond Gil and Zenon's forces, a large number of airs.h.i.+ps and riders came into sight. It was the main force launched from Zaim.

Ende still had the numerical advantage, but no matter what strategies they used, their momentum had been completely lost as Belmor's unit had been trampled down and defeated. Furthermore, in the sky, things were also tending towards the enemy's side. Their airs.h.i.+ps having been destroyed by the Garberan ones, these had joined the fortress in vigorously bombarding the Venu. If the Venu retreated, Belmor's s.h.i.+p Regin would be attacked by Mephius' wars.h.i.+p and by Garbera's airs.h.i.+ps.

His skull pounding as though it were about to be split open from the incessant sound of bombardments coming from the sky, Eric clenched his fists and shook.

”My Lord.”

”Lord Eric, the order to charge!”

I can't.

The words he intended to speak were drowned out by the roar of artillery fire. No, it was probably that Eric himself couldn't come to firm decision and was hesitating. A charge would lead to a large-scale war of attrition. Moreover, the momentum was held by the enemy. But if they retreated, Eric and his followers from Dairan would become laughing stocks in their own country. Not only had Belmor appeared to have been taken captive, but he wouldn't be able to face those who had died.

Then, in the dark, overcast sky, a white airs.h.i.+p came flying. It flew a flag of black crossed with white.

”My Lord, that...”

When Eric looked in the same direction as his subordinate, a somewhat doubtful expression crossed his face.

That was a signal shared throughout the centre of the continent – the meaning was that the s.h.i.+p was a messenger from the enemy.

Half an hour later.

As though to wash away the blood of the victims that still clung to the earth, rain had begun falling from the sky. The Garberan forces in addition to the main force from Zaim had arranged themselves in a battle formation while on the other side, the dispersed Endean soldiers had also entirely regrouped into files. Although they had bought time, both sides were unmoving, paying careful attention to the enemy.

The commanders-in-chief of both armies were inside the Nouzen fortress.

Eric Amon Doria of Ende.

Zenon Owell of Garbera and also, having hastened with reinforcements from Mephius, Gil Mephius.

It was Gil who had proposed the meeting, offering as terms to release the captured Belmor and his subordinates. After exchanging the conventional greetings, the three of them fell silent for a while. Only the incessant sound of the rain, as it beat down with ever growing fury then suddenly grew calm again, could be heard.

Whenever the eyes of the two other than Gil met, they immediately averted them. For Eric's part, he felt like rebuking Mephius for having appeared to reinforce the enemy. However, since Mephius was ostensibly tied in an alliance with Garbera, there was nothing unnatural about their actions and Eric wanted to avoid committing the folly of publicly revealing the secret agreement between himself and Emperor Guhl Mephius.

On the other side, Zenon felt like rebuking Eric for throwing aside the vows of friends.h.i.+p sworn with Grand Duke Malchio. However, as it was Garbera that had annulled the alliance through a wedding to Princess Vileena, despite being the first to suggest it, he too was not in a strong position in this meeting.

And as for Gil, he had his back turned to both of them and kept gazing at the scenery outside the fortress. After the three of them had spent fully ten minutes like that, he turned around and approached them.

Because of the rain, the inside of the room was dim and gloomy, and the three people's faces were enveloped in shadows.

”At any rate, both of you are extremely skilled,” Gil said abruptly. ”I heard the details of the battle from both of your soldiers earlier. For I who am inexperienced in leading an army to war, it was very educational.”

Zenon and Eric both looked stunned.

”You surely didn't call this meeting to tell us that.” Eric said in a raspy, subdued voice. ”Did you think that when Mephius arrived, my army would swear allegiance without resistance? We'll return to our camps and settle this right now.”

”Those are my lines,” Zenon sneered. ”Since Lord Eric has taken the trouble of leaving his own country and travelling all the way to Garbera to be defeated here. His lords.h.i.+p still needs to be schooled in Garberan ways.”

If Zenon was the light, Eric was the shadow. Be it their expressions or their tone of voice, such was the difference of impression between the two of them. But in the contents of what they said, they closely resembled one another. Wearing a smile, Gil said,

”It can't be the wish of either Garbera or Ende to turn their entire countries into theatres of warfare. So how about this, in order for me to save face, won't you be reconciled here and now”

”Save the prince of Mephius' face?” Eric's ever sombre expression darkened even further with the shadow of hatred. ”What are you talking about? You have some nerve when your country puts no weight on its agreements!”

”Exactly right.”

They both had different reasons for their indignation but because neither could voice them outright, there was a certain humour to the situation. Zenon wanted to reproach Gil for arriving late with reinforcements, but since those reinforcements were originally due to a personal promise between Gil and Noue, they weren't something formally agreed upon by the two countries. Because Zenon had also taken the att.i.tude that they couldn't be counted on, he couldn't openly say anything now.

Then,

”I am not my father, Guhl Mephius.”

At Gil's blunt statement, both of them seemed to go Oops and, overawed, they held their tongues. They recognised that the emperor of Mephius was going to calmly watch this war unfold in defiance of the alliances, and their remarks were in criticism of that emperor.

Before the two of them, who could not judge his real intentions, could say anything,

”I myself hurried to the battlefield in this way simply because I wish to maintain the alliance with Garbera. At the same time, I do not want to get into further trouble with Ende. Lord Eric, just now, you mentioned an agreement.”

”N-No, I...” Eric looked sour. As the prince had himself said that he was different from the emperor, Eric had thought that his secret agreement with the emperor had become public knowledge. From the crown prince and Garbera's points of view, that would surely come across as “foul play”.

While Eric, unable to say anything, broke out into a cold sweat, the crown prince said something unexpected.

”Well, though I don't remember Mephius having exchanged any formal agreement with Ende at the moment. Ah, but if you mean in a private sense, there was a letter from your brother, Lord Jeremie...”

”What did you say?”

This time, it was Gil who remained silent. The now openly angry Eric seemed about to press Gil for an explanation.

”What was that you said? What kind of agreement did you say exists between my brother Jeremie and Mephius?”

”I'm repeating myself but it isn't anything official. It should be something similar to what you hinted at just now.”

Lord Eric suddenly stopped moving. He drew his thick brows together.

”I can't be. That my brother would stir up Mephius and then with my back turned...”

His imaginings made his body and heart feel cold. Even though he realised that his unconcernedly moving his army to Garbera had in no way been at his brother's instigation, it had come to this.

”Well then,” Gil cleared his throat and once again gazed out at the scenery made hazy from the rain, ”whatever secret agreement may exist, I don't wish to step any further into Ende's internal affairs. Nor do I think it is a good idea to spill any more blood.”

”How much faith can we place in your words?” Prince Zenon of Garbera shook his head. His handsome features had a firm look that made him resemble his little sister. ”Crown prince or not, Emperor Guhl is still in excellent health. Furthermore, it's been suggested that you and the emperor are by no means of the same mind. No, it is not only you. Neither Lord Eric nor I are eldest sons. It is not possible for we who will not become sovereigns to trust each other and pull up camp.”

”If we can't believe in each other's ”heart”, how about believing in each other's ”benefit”?”

”What?”

”For example, recently in my own country, there was a certain amount of turmoil during the Founding Festival. Although this may be rude, I believe Garbera has also experienced something similar.”

”...”

Gil implicitly alluded to the affair with Zaat, then to the one with Ryucown,

”It seems to me that the three people here should first be turning their attention to the situation inside their own country. Otherwise, ill-intentioned people from the east, or perhaps from the west might take advantage of the turmoil to extend their grasp to the three countries. On the other hand, neither Garbera nor Ende have anything to gain from further fighting – as things are now.”

Gil turned his eyes towards Ende's prince. Still reeling from shock over the matter with his brother, Eric felt as though his innermost thoughts had been seen right through and glared at Gil for a moment then immediately averted his eyes. After that, Gil this time turned his gaze towards Zenon.

”And so the alliance between Mephius and Garbera remains unshaken. Does it not?”

”A tripart.i.te alliance?” Zenon sighed so as not to reveal his inner surprise. ”What an outrageous thing you've come up with. We can't enter into an alliance with only the three of us.”

”It's not something as complicated as you're thinking of. We won't be exchanging written oaths of everlasting alliances. The ”benefit” of all three countries is to pull up camp. That is enough for now.”

While they still had their own thoughts on the matter, both Eric and Zenon put an end to their harsh moods and the three people reached a definite conclusion.

”The rest is a problem for another time,” seeing how things had progressed, Gill lightly returned to his previous att.i.tude. ”There will be no further pointless waste of lead bullets, arrows and human lives. With this, we can go back.”

At that point, Zenon, his face calm, took a shot in revenge at the Mephian prince.

”Prince Gil”

”What is it?”

”Incidentally, do you get along well with my younger sister Vileena?”

Gil chocked violently at the abrupt question.

”Y-Yes” Looking over his shoulder, Gil blushed a little and nodded. ”Both in Solon and at the time of the war with Taúlia, her brave actions were a great help.”

”Ho,” Zenon smile seemed to say that it stood to reason. ”Certainly it being Vileena, she would show peerless heroism for the man who won her. But if you mishandle her, she'll murder you in your sleep.”

”I get it already.”

”Farewell,” Zenon's smile grew wider, ”Prince Gil Mephius. When a date for the wedding ceremony is officially decided, I will personally rush over as envoy to offer my congratulations. At that time, do call me your brother.”

He was a man who exuded royalty in all things.

Still looking back over his shoulder, Gil allowed a small smile to flit across his face, then left.

Part 4

Amidst the pouring rain, first the Mephian forces, then those from Ende pulled out of the Nouzen mountains.

Astride a horse, Zenon watched this for a short while then, with a wave of his hand, he gave all of his troops the order to withdraw.

Noue Salzantes, who had remained at Zaim fortress, was at the castle gate to meet them at their return. Zenon jumped down lightly from his horse.

”I've caused you trouble.” He spoke to Noue first. ”I still have a lot to learn. Your ingenuity is indispensable for Garbera. I hope you won't be disgusted by this, but I would like you to lend me your strength again.”

”Of course,” Perhaps because of the rain, Noue's usually cool expression seemed to contort under the effects of some kind of emotion. ”I received a considerable lesson about myself this time. To be frank, I realised that I was too conceited. I too still have a lot to learn.”

”Is that so?” The rain became weaker and Zenon looked up at the light that shone through a gap in the clouds. ”Then Garbera will become a stronger and stronger country. Since both you and I have realised our immaturity, that means we can grow from it.”

”Yes.”

As Noue respectfully stood straight to attention, Zenon stifled his laughter.

”Did I do something?”

”No.”

He was remembering how Gil, who affected being so cool-headed that it was provoking, had become fl.u.s.tered the moment he had started talking about his sister Vileena.

It had only been for a short while, but after having been in contact with Gil, Zenon had considered him to be a man who didn't have the slightest affinity with his younger sister. He was puzzled therefore by the give-and-take that had obviously taken place between the two of them at the Mephian imperial court that he himself couldn't visit.

”Gil Mephius, huh?” On the verge of entering Zaim fortress, Noue couldn't help but overhear what Zenon murmured. ”He is still green. He is green but he will probably become a more troublesome man than Guhl sometime soon.”

Elsewhere, Ende's prince Eric Amon Doria still had one task left. Or rather, far more than the battle at the Nouzen fortress, the feat that he was to accomplish after this would be handed down as a legend within Ende.

They who had hastily left the Nouzen Mountains crossed Ende's territory without food or sleep, aiming directly for Dairan.

There where their relatives were, starving dragons were rampaging through the land and had already caused damage to several villages in the area. Because most of the warriors from Dairan had left, messengers had been sent to beg for help from other territories, and they pa.s.sed by without meeting Eric, who was rus.h.i.+ng to Dairan with all haste.

Eric and the warriors who followed him, Belmor first and foremost, briskly coordinated themselves and, one by one, swooped down upon every area in Dairan where dragons had appeared. They bombarded the dragons who were approaching the towns and, from astride their horses, wielding swords and spears, they directly confronted those of the dragons that had already entered the streets and drove them out.

It was by no means a battle without victims. But, at the height of the struggle, over and over again, Eric encouraged his va.s.sals by shouting out, ”You cannot let there be more victims among the people than among the soldiers! Remember that if there is even one death more among the people than among us, it will mean we were defeated!”

And at last –

”Magnificent.”

When the series of battles finally came to an end, Eric threw down his smoking riffle while soothing his favourite horse.

Before him, the dragon that he had just slaughtered was bleeding out. And in place of a groom, a man stood holding his horse's bit.

”With this, it should be mostly over.”

”Sir Plutos.”

The other person was Belmor's father and the lord of Dairan, Kayness Plutos. From since he was young, Eric had loved him more like a father than he did his real father.

”However, while it might late to say this, it is strange; wild dragons have rarely been seen in this area.”

Eric jumped off his horse,

”I too, before we rushed here, thought that my brother's army surrounded Dairan. ”

”Shus.h.!.+ Don't say reckless things.”

”This sudden uproar is too unnatural. … Something is up. We can take it that my brother has something to do with it.”

”Anyhow..., in the first place, how did you come to learn of this in the far-off Nouzens? No, even after you had left the Nouzens, the eyewitness reports could not have reached you, my lord.”

”There was a man who saw through this.”

Eric didn't know. That Gil Mephius had hinted at his brother being up to something was simply his making use of the rumour that the two princes were on bad terms. Indeed all he had done was to let Eric believe that his going away had been at Jeremie's instigation.

Just as Noue had once made use of the embers smouldering within Mephius, so too had Gil used the embers which existed within Ende.

”Gil Mephius” Eric quietly muttered to himself as he walked towards where his friends were waving at him ”I have no intention of quietly putting up with this. Ende will inevitably get burnt even more. And if that is to Mephius' benefit, you will certainly be the one laughing, Gil. It may be that from now on, because of your very existence, Mephius might pose a greater threat to Ende.”

Numerous thoughts and feelings twisted and frayed, and soon gathered around the name of ”Gil Mephius”.

But whether they were wary of that name, feared that name or praised it, the various futures forecast for Gil were all destined to fall apart.

For a while now, Vileena Owell, observing Gil's profile, had been unable to decide whether or not to speak up. He had only just returned to Apta.

The princess had been summoned by him and had gone to the roof of the barracks. From there, they had an unbroken view of the progress on Apta's reconstruction. The mountain ridge burned golden and feathery clouds hung low across the sky's scarlet belly, as though swept there by a stroke of a paintbrush.

”In Apta...”

”Yes?”

”Did it rain? It was pouring in the Nouzens.”

”It rained here too. As it has been raining on and off, the locals said that there will be heavy rain during the night.”

After answering with a Is that so?, Gil fell silent again. Disappointed, Vileena looked towards the same direction as he was.

It seemed people were in uproar in Solon. For having remonstrated with the emperor, Simon Rodloom had been placed under house arrest. Simon was a prominent figure even among prominent figures. Even the crafty courtiers had fallen into step and had sent a jointly-signed letter asking for him to be pardoned.

The emperor's wrath however did not abate. Odyne and Rogue, who had ”let slip” the prince's troops from under their very noses were temporarily banned from Court and, by imperial command, were not to take a single step into Solon without an express order from the emperor.

Perhaps thanks to this turmoil, there was no one to block the path of Prince Gil's troops as they returned directly to Apta. Of course that didn't mean that Gil would receive no rebuke. The verdict would certainly fall before long.

How will Solon move when that happens?

She had heard that there was a strong tendency in Solon to view the prince, whose actions had preserved the honour of the military, as a hero. If then the prince were to receive excessive punishment, many of the army commanders and n.o.bles would plead against it. Perhaps large-scale actions would occur within Mephius itself.

Incidentally, Ineli Mephius had been in Apta until the previous evening but had hastily left for Solon as if to avoid crossing paths with Gil. She hadn't informed anybody and it had been so abrupt that even Vileena hadn't been able to give her farewells. She didn't know if Ineli's sudden actions had a connection to the uproar in Solon, but,

What does the prince himself think?

Vileena's future would also be affected. She had hoped that the person himself would broach the subject, but they had been like this for about half an hour since he had called her.

”Prince,”

Although it might still be hard to talk, Vileena intended to first express her grat.i.tude for the relief of Garbera but,

”I'm sorry for having you be a decoy in the air carrier.”

The prince once again spoke just a few words. Vileena was disconcerted.

”There's nothing to be sorry about. As long as I can be of use, I don't mind what I need to do.”

”Thinking about it, those times with Ryucown, Zaat and then the war with Taúlia, your actions, Princess, put any military commander to shame.”

”P-Please stop.” The princess displayed the bashfulness of a fourteen-year-old girl. ”I simply acted as I pleased.”

”Right, the princess is always honest and frank.”

”Me, I... I don't have your far-sightedness and deep designs, Prince, and each time I get completely carried away by my own emotions. At those times, I realised that I am no more than a child who knows nothing. I've come to feel envious of you, Prince, you who is always looking towards the future.”

”Me, I...” He repeated her words then, with abrupt timing, he looked into her eyes. ”Princess,”

”Y-Yes.” For some reason, facing each other like this caused Vileena's small chest to stir noisily. But she looked back into Gil's eyes without turning away.

”I hope you will never lose that honesty. No matter what happens from now on.”

Vileena was inwardly startled at his sudden words. The prince probably couldn't take an optimistic view of the fate that awaited him. That he had deliberately spoken those words was perhaps because he had looked at the future ahead of them and had accepted it.

Vileena repressed her momentary unease and smiled sweetly instead.

”That all depends on you, Your Highness”

”On me?”

”While I am grateful for your words, Prince, I do not think that I should remain as I currently am. The same holds true for His Highness Gil. First of all, I would like you to fix that secretiveness of yours and trust me.”

”Y-Yes.”

”There you are! As soon as I press you a little, your eyes start evading me.”

”Is-Is that so?”

”While saying that I'm fine as I am, you, Prince...”

”I get it, I get it!”

Gil sighed resignedly and, as though to put distance between them, walked two or three steps.

Watching him, Vileena scrunched up her eyes as the prince's figure overlapped with the setting sun.

”Then, will you promise me?” She said, still dazzled. ”From now on, would you confide in me without concealing anything? If you do, I will help you to the best of my poor ability.”

”Yeah. But.”

”But?”

”Don't forget one thing. Mephius' prince Gil is a 'liar'.”

As Gil smiled, his figure half melted into the golden light, Vileena stared blankly for a moment then immediately puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

”Honestly!”

Gil laughed out loud. Drawn in by that smile, Vileena eventually joined in his laughter. From behind that open-hearted smile, the ephemeral setting sun could still be seen.

Vileena didn't notice however. No, even if she had noticed, it would have been no concrete premonition that flitted through her breast. However it may be, Gil and Vileena, their shoulders close together, watched as the sun slowly set.

A cold wind soon started blowing around Apta. Once only, Gil asked,

”Are you cold?”

Vileena shook her head.

”No, the temperature is just right.”

”That so. Then...”

… then can we stay like this a bit longer?

Was certainly what he wanted to say, but Gil kept his lips shut.

Vileena blushed for no particular reason and the continued to gaze at the sky in silence.

It was probably the first time since Vileena Owell had entered Mephius' territory that she and Gil had spent time peacefully together.

Vileena would remember that time in the sunset for a long time to come.

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