Vol 5 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1: The Mercenaries of Tauran

Part 1

Kilro was about two hundred kilometres southeast of Mephius' capital, Solon. When he had been informed that the lord of Kilro had been hung by the neck during the slave uprising that had occurred there, Mephius' Emperor Guhl had said in a murmur,

”Perfect.”

Kilro had been part of Mephius since long ago but, in truth, three generations ago counting from Guhl, it had been lost to civil war. After that, it had been governed by a powerful local family. Roughly thirty years ago however, when internal divisions arose within that family, one faction requested reinforcements from Mephius. At that time still in his thirties, Guhl had sent the reinforcements. The terms of exchange were that Kilro would become Mephian territory provided that faction was given considerable autonomy and self-governance.

Utterly suppressing the conflict and with Kilro as his base, Guhl had successfully regained control the Vlad Plateau, which contained Seirin Valley – where the betrothal ceremony between Crown Prince Gil and Princess Vileena was held – said to be the sacred place where Mephius had been founded.

Kilro was at the centre of the Domick Flats. The land was rough and by no means fertile, but it was endowed with a large air carrier relay base, a structure which ranked second only to that of Birac, which was the centre for domestic trade. However, as air carrier trade was sluggish, Kilro was currently more strongly focused on being a military base.

No matter how much they got married with the imperial family or swore vows of loyalty, for such an important location to be left to va.s.sals who were not under his direct control was a situation which couldn't fail to irritate the emperor.

Therefore, was this not ”Perfect”?

Guhl had immediately organised troops and had dispatched Oubary Bilan to subdue the revolt in Kilro.

And thus not so long ago, Isphan York had been appointed as the new lord of Kilro. He was one of Mephius' twelve generals.

”Or else there is also the rumour that it may have been the emperor himself who incited the rebellion,” said Fedom Aulin within one of the castle rooms. After glancing upwards at the other six people present as though seeking their reaction, he continued, ”One point of view has it that even the internal disputes that arose within the governing family thirty years ago were originally one of the emperor's schemes. As we can see from his erecting a shrine to the Dragon G.o.d faith, Emperor Guhl is obsessed with ancient conventions. He was no doubt willing to do whatever it took to regain Seirin Valley during his own reign.”

Fedom paused on purpose at this point,

”Could that be it?”

”Or it might not be.”

The reactions of the six were not pleasing to Fedom.

Tsk. They're all getting cold feet. He inwardly stifled his bitterness.

Their expressions were clearly different from what they had been before. When the seven had gathered there in Kilro, they were united in being concerned over the country's future and were a group of heroes willing to rebuild Mephius by force if necessary. Isphan York was one of those that Fedom had won over to the anti-Guhl faction and when he had been appointed as the new lord of Kilro, Fedom had seen it as a good opportunity to gather together there all the members of that faction under the pretence of helping him govern Kilro.

At first, they had had wild discussions during which they let slip their anger towards the Mephian emperor's wilful self‐righteousness. Raising their wine cups in the air, they had toasted Mephius' future health before draining their cups empty. As the seven were united in a single purpose – namely their ambition to depose the emperor and install themselves as the country's key figures – they had held pa.s.sionate debates and that future had not seemed so very far away.

But now.

Even when offered a worthy topic for criticising the emperor over, the six of them didn't bite.

Fedom felt incredibly thirsty. The sun was still high so there was of course no chance of liquor being brought out on the table tops. But what meaning was there in keeping up the appearance of morality at this point? Feeling waspish, Fedom was about to call over an attendant when,

”It's been over two weeks.” Indolph spoke suddenly.

He couldn't tell from the general's ever expressionless face whether he meant it had already been two weeks or that it had only been two weeks. But at those words, the mood within the room sank even further and Fedom lost all urge to drink.

Right, two weeks.

Since Crown Prince Gil Mephius had lost his life –

Perhaps because the general mood was so low, the conversation became more energetic than it had been for Fedom's proposed topic.

”Which reminds me, it seems they still haven't fixed a date for Oubary's execution.” Said Tesslan, an aristocrat living in Idoro who was serving in a diplomatic position.

”Say what you will, he is a man who a.s.sa.s.sinated royalty” Answered Nabarl, a somewhat corpulent soldier. ”His Majesty the Emperor probably intends to put on a showy execution before the people. It might involve not only Oubary himself, but his entire clan being fed to the dragons.”

”Then has the prince's funeral also been delayed because he's waiting for that?”

”I suppose.”

Naturally the conversation did nothing to lift the mood. Fedom turned his away from their faces as they carried on their laconic discussion in hushed tones.

Following the prince's death, the emperor's despotism had grown ever stronger. Take Rogue Saian or Odyne Lorgo. For having ignored the emperor's wishes by helping the prince when he was sending reinforcements to Garbera, both generals were being kept away from Solon. Furthermore, even the leading aristocrat Simon Rodloom was still under house arrest on the charge of having remonstrated with the emperor.

Now that they had lost Prince Gil, who was originally intended to be their leader, each of the seven who had gathered because of their anger at the emperor's high-handedness had lost even the shadow of their resolve.

”Speaking of being delayed, what is going to happen with Garbera's princess?” Asked Merlock, a former member of the Imperial Council.

”It seems a delegation from Garbera arrived just the other day,” answered Tesslan. ”Ostensibly, it's to present condolences for the prince's death, but of course they'll no doubt also be discussing what will happen to Princess Vileena after this. The delegation met directly with the princess herself, but according to rumours among the palace waiting-maids, she appears to have refused an immediate return to her own country.”

”Isn't it that she intends to wait for the prince's funeral?”

”But what about the alliance with Garbera? At present, there are no other suitable young men within the imperial family.”

”Garbera's Prince Zeno is unwed. Isn't it possible a new alliance will be forged through a marriage to Princess Ineli?”

”No, it seems that Taúlia has been sounding her out.”

”And now it's Taúlia,” spat Nabarl.

Although Prince Gil had concluded an alliance with Taúlia, he should have attacked and seized the wide western territories and promptly broken free from the suffocating relations.h.i.+p between the continent's three central countries – so said the advocates of attacking Taúlia.

”But at the moment, the emperor seems rather to be considering drawing closer to Ende.”

”Speaking of Princess Ineli,” as the conversation almost returned to the emperor, Tesslan hastily changed the topic, ”They say there's been something strange about her since she returned from Apta, ”

”Ah, I've heard that too.”

They said that on the day she returned to Solon, as though unable to suppress her anger at something, she had vented at everything and had screamed at her ladies'-maids and friends alike. And when she had been informed of her step-brother's death, she had exclaimed, ”That can't be true.”

Visibly shaken, she had done no less than go and negotiate directly with the emperor to ”Have them investigate it again”. The emperor had always been indulgent towards Ineli but as was to be expected, this time he had raised his voice and had scolded her harshly.

”Well, Ineli-sama was close to Prince Gil and she's at that age, so her feelings were probably thrown into upheaval.”

Humph. Fedom stifled a yawn. At one time, said Princess Ineli had made Fedom break out in cold sweat as she had come close to realising Prince Gil's real ident.i.ty, but now that Gil was no more, Fedom had no interest in conversations about her.

Incidentally, regarding the Grand Duchy of Ende which had come up in the conversation earlier. Just recently, Prince Eric had intended to march his army into Garbera but, partly because Prince Gil had arrived with reinforcements, he had pulled up camp almost without their crossing swords. It was thought this might cause some friction in relations between Mephius and Ende, but in the end the delegation that had arrived bore only condolences, without expressing any official criticism or dissatisfaction.

According to whispers in the wind, it seemed that Ende's struggle for succession was coming to a head. That being the case, that country probably didn't want to stir up unnecessary trouble with Mephius.

That d.a.m.n Orba.

Fedom cursed inwardly as he sipped lukewarm tea in place of wine. Of course, only he knew that Crown Prince Gil Mephius had at some point been replaced by the gladiator Orba.

To die in a place like that.

Orba was a man with the devil's own luck. So when he had heard that he had died when Fedom's back was turned, it didn't feel quite real. He also felt that he was being sentimental in being unable to abandon his ambitions.

Fedom too had dreamed too much. His dreams were too big. One by one they had solidified underfoot and now, when at long last they seemed to be within reach, his dreams had disappeared like a mirage before his eyes. The swaggerers who burned with the ambition of dragging Guhl Mephius from his throne were now no different from elderly n.o.bles who had retired from life in Solon. It felt like they were having an insignificant chat over tea, talking about anything and everything.

But I can't grow careless.

Fedom tightly grasped the hand resting on his knee. The seven people here were, so to speak, accomplices. If their plans fell through here, one of them might approach the emperor by denouncing the other six.

With what happened to Simon and Rogue, doubts and opposition towards the emperor are growing. If I can hold my nerve, I should be able to recruit new companions. I can't change course. It's too late now to throw it all away.

Much too late.

Fedom Aulin wiped his sweaty palms on his knees.

He thought he saw Emperor Guhl's figure flicker in the s.h.i.+mmering heat behind the other six.

Part 2

Clouds of dust whirled tempestuously. Tens of dragons galloped over the ground. One dragon-riding warrior was outstandingly fast.

”What, what? You can't win against Tauran's other dragoons like this! Are you fine with letting the soldiers of the suzerain state of Taúlia be laughed at?”

The leading rider who had raised his voice angrily was Ax Bazgan. The governor-general of the city-state of Taúlia let his large body be jogged up and down as he sat astride his favourite Yunion dragon. Several metres behind him, the soldiers were likewise galloping along on Unions. Ax was perfectly aware that compared to the small Tengo, these were not dragons that were easy to handle, but still Yunion dragons were by nature far easier for humans to tame than were the similarly medium-sized Baians.

They were a new species that Ravan Dol had taken great pains to train. Ax felt that if one could not handle them as well as a horse, one could not survive in the turbulent war-torn Tauran region. Above all, Taúlia was facing an imminent threat. Until not so long ago, Ax's bitter enemy had been Mephius in the east. But now –

Oh.

All of a sudden, a shadow appeared in his field of vision. Looking at him from the corner of his eye, he appeared to be a youth of about twenty. He recognised the virile features that could be seen through the visor of his helmet.

”Oh,” Ax's thick lips curved into a smile, ”so you did it, Raswan.”

Raswan was Ax's nephew. As was to be expected, he was skilled. He didn't usually take part in Ax's dragon drills but this one time, he had said, ”Uncle, I will be accompanying you today” and had come. And now, without answering Ax's call, he was focussed intently on galloping his dragon.

Hmmm.

The road along the ramparts that Ax always used for his dragon drills had been trampled flat by the dragons' feet. An irrigation ca.n.a.l ran right beside it and wide fields spread outwards. The people doing farm work there rested their hands for a bit as they watched the dragons being exercised.

With a sigh, Ax turned to look over his shoulder.

”But still, they're an undisciplined bunch. Raswan, you go first. They need someone to lead them by the hand.”

He said and, slowing his dragon's pace, he let Raswan take the lead. Meanwhile, he went around to the tail end and continued encouraging his men from the rear.

The dragon exercises took nearly another two hours. When Ax called out ”Right, stop”, the men and dragons were so exhausted that they couldn't move from where they were. Only Raswan Bazgan pretended stoicism and gave Ax a bow as he returned to the front.

As Ax was wiping away his sweat, the strategist Ravan Dol came up to him.

”Thank you for your hard work, my lord.”

”Aye. I took my eyes off him for a moment and Raswan has become a fine Tauran warrior.” As Ax spoke, he knit his eyebrows as though somewhat displeased. ”But, that fellow...”

”Is there something which is worrying you?”

”No, I was just wondering about the way he's looking at me...”

When they had been lined up in a row next to the dragons and when he had bowed and left also, those eyes held some kind of negative emotion when directed towards him. Raswan's eyes, like Ax's, had always been dark. But whereas Ax's were always br.i.m.m.i.n.g with a vigorous light, Raswan's eyes were strangely irritating to the person he was staring at, and there was something about that made them feel uneasy.

”No doubt he is dissatisfied because my lord was being considerate of him.”

At Ravan's words, Ax's expression grew bitter.

”Nothing less from you, Sir Master Strategist. You're good at reading the inner workings of ordinary men.”

”At times such as these, when a youth earnestly throws down a challenge to a compet.i.tion, the elderly should sympathise with their feelings and confront them head on. Taking the long-term view, whoever loses or wins in this kind of situation is frankly of no importance.”

”You say that but the people were watching. And Raswan is a prideful man.”

”Although my lord has a discerning eye for others, when it comes to the way you treat them, your knowledge is a little lacking”

”You should show a little more of that knowledge towards me,” Ax grimaced. ”Once I find a better strategist, I'll pull out that tongue of yours and throw you out of Taúlia.”

Leaving the Yunion with a dragon-groom and once Ax had changed his clothes, they went towards Taúlia Castle. Although it was called a castle and had a moat dug around it, its appearance was more that of a manor. While eating a simple meal in the ground-floor hall that faced the courtyard, Ax received various reports from his va.s.sals. Afterwards, he brought Ravan to his own chambers.

”Well then,” Ax broached the topic in an offhand sort of tone. ”Isn't it about time that Taúlia sent a delegation with condolences over Prince Gil?”

”It is still too early for that.” Ravan was a man who always had answers prepared so no matter what kind of question might be thrown at him, he would reply immediately and without faltering. ”The letter which arrived from Emperor Guhl Mephius about half a month ago praising the ”triumph of both armies” was extremely vague, and nothing has yet been made clear as to a peace conference or an alliance. All the less so since Prince Gil, who promoted negotiations for reconciliation, has pa.s.sed away. First of all, let us send a letter in my lord's name expressing your determination to carry out the prince's dying wish. You could also attach a proposal to have a stone monument erected at the border between Apta and Taúlia in honour of Lord Gil Mephius who worked towards peace between the two countries.”

”Hmm.”

”It appears that Mephius has yet to hold a funeral service for Lord Gil. Don't act hastily until then.”

”I get it,” Ax nodded unreservedly and gave a small sigh. ”d.a.m.n, so I won't be able to gauge the emperor of Mephius' mood.”

Ax knew that now that the threat of Garda's army was imminent, peace with Mephius had to be maintained at all cost. Besides,

There's the war fan.

When he was defeated at Apta, he had the war fan he always carried s.n.a.t.c.hed away by Gil Mephius. It was no ordinary war fan. It contained the sovereign's seal from the ancient magic dynasty. It was the symbol of royal authority from the era of Zer Illias – in other words, the one who held it, and that one alone, could claim the right to rule supreme over this land of Western Tauran.

Gil had said that he would return it at some point to the Bazgan House. But now the prince was dead and the whereabouts of the fan were unknown. Because the loss of the sovereign's seal had been kept secret from most of Taúlia's subjects, they could not openly press Mephius for its return.

Ravan had sent scouts into Mephian territory. Their aim was of course to locate the sovereign's seal but they had yet to produce any satisfactory results. At present, Ax held greater fury against the criminal who had a.s.sa.s.sinated Gil Mephius than any of Mephius' chief va.s.sals did.

And also,

”Is Esmena still shutting herself up in her room? Should I bring her out even if I have to do so by force?”

Ax's sources of worry were unending. Recently, his daughter hadn't been showing herself in public at all.

”What is it?” Ax asked after a while and gave Ravan a sidelong glare as the strategist hadn't come up with his usual immediate reply. Whether he was plunged in thought or thinking about nothing at all, the old man who looked much like a withered tree had mysterious eyes.

”Indeed, Lady Esmena. Unlike previously, when you were the one to shut her in her room, this time it is she herself who will not take a single step outside.”

”Do you not know how to speak without throwing in sarcasm each and every time?”

”The reason is of course because of Lord Gil Mephius,” said Ravan, ignoring Ax's rebuke. ”Still, Lord Gil Mephius... It's strange.”

”Strange in what way?”

”No, it's something I have thought for a while now. I had the scouts I sent to Mephius collect information about the prince and various unnatural points came up.”

Mephius' prince was a.s.sa.s.sinated right after he returned to Apta from having personally led reinforcements to Garbera. The one who had killed him was said to have been a general who harboured a grudge against the prince. ”There's nothing unnatural about that.”

”What was unnatural were the prince's actions before that. It seems that Lord Gil sent out letters in every direction.”

”Letters?”

”I haven't pursued the matter to the end, but among them, some concerned a certain Birac merchant called Zaj. He addressed the Mephian n.o.bles and ministers in charge of commerce and said that he would like them to entrust trade with Western Tauran to Zaj. It would seem that he helped during the struggle at Apta, and as that has now become his final will, it looks like the Crown Prince made preparations for his intentions to be known.”

”Zaj...”

It was a name Ax remembered hearing. About a week earlier, a Mephian merchant had been holding a sales promotion on dragonstone s.h.i.+ps. Because he went by way of the Northern coastal regions, he wouldn't charge for transportation costs, thus Ax had just given him instructions to procure a wars.h.i.+p. That merchant's name had surely been Zaj.

As though guessing that Ax had a dredged up his memory during that pause, Ravan continued,

”Furthermore, there was also a letter in which he applied for the militarily-trained dragons at Apta and their dragon-grooms, not to mention the Yunion dragons sent by our Taúlia, to be incorporated into General Rogue Saian's forces. None of this should have been particularly urgent business, so isn't it exactly as though he was setting up how to deal with the aftermath?”

”The aftermath of what?”

”Of his own death.”

Surprise took Ax' breath away.

He stared at Ravan intently. The expression on the old man's face held no indication that he had just said something utterly outrageous.

”You must be joking. Are you saying that Prince Gil had a premonition of his own death?”

”I don't know. Or there is also the possibility that he faked his own death and is still alive somewhere. Sending reinforcements to Garbera was probably not what Emperor Guhl had intended. As Mephius is now, no one knows what might happen for defying the emperor, not even to the crown prince. Perhaps he had already made up his mind when he left for Garbera.”

”And so he dealt with various things that would come up in the aftermath? Hmm, it's not impossible... But please don't say anything to Esmena. I don't want her to get her hopes up.”

”I understand.”

”Well, even if she's at that age, she only met Gil two or three times. Even if talk about marriage to Mephius once came up, what we'll need to do soon is to think about the succession, be it through Bouwen or Raswan.”

And with that, the conversation about Gil came to an end. After all, Ax currently had a lot to think about. Mephius in the East and Garda who was approaching ever nearer from the North. Little by little, Garda was drawing towards the southeast while absorbing the soldiers from the fallen city-states. He couldn't just cross his arms and wait to be invaded.

Taúlia was currently widely recruiting mercenaries and was gathering and strengthening its armaments by buying dragonstone s.h.i.+ps and weapons from Mephian merchants and from the countries of the coastal regions.

Moreover, there was the previous fight over Apta fortress. As it was said that Taúlia, whose national strength should have been overwhelmingly inferior, had cornered Mephius and within five minutes had bound it in an alliance in which the two countries were on equal footing, Ax Bazgan's fame had grown ever greater within the Tauran region. Messages poured in incessantly from the other cities. They all spoke in the same voice, asking for an alliance to guard against Garda's army.

However, Cherik's name did not figure amongst them. It was a city-state situated west of Taúlia. At the meeting held recently within the hall, as there had as yet been no messenger from Cherik, Ax crinkled his nose, openly displaying his annoyance.

”They think they're away from the route advancing towards Taúlia but they had better not be planning on watching as simple spectators.”

”But it isn't certain that Garda is aiming for Taúlia, right?”