CH 18 (1/2)

18. The Hero Kazami

After finis.h.i.+ng the clean-up of the blood and corpses, Iss.h.i.+ mutters,

“Well, let’s start the strategy meeting…”

“Right away, master!”

Just as he was about to begin talking, sniffling and half formed words of apology were heard from Nacht.

She regretted that she had allow the leader of the mercenaries, Guregin, escape.

“It was quite a good getaway. There were no unreasonable aspects to it. But, you have to decide a punishment Iss.h.i.+-sama.”

“It is as onee-san says. However, I think Nacht had done the best she could, too”

The two sister type homunculi say their piece on the matter.

By the way no. 998 and no. 999 were give names a while ago.

Although the two have yet to be a.s.signed a specific task, the names were rewards for taking part in this operation.

Respectively, they are named Mallon and Claire.

“So you say, however…”, said the princess like beauty with drill hair, no.468

She has been given the name Marigold.

“Letting Guregin-san escape was a failure. It would’ve been most desirable if the town didn’t realize that Deanne-san had been replaced with Amarillo. But since that has failed, we will have to overthrow the military forces here and cease control of the town immediately.”

Nacht’s shoulders drop with every word, but Premier,

“No, doesn’t have to.”

And I said.

“Guregin will surely return to challenge us to a decisive battle. In other words, we will need to pool the scattered fighting power in this town together.”

Iss.h.i.+ nods at this revelation.

“It would certainly be helpful. We still don’t know how much of a fighting force is here. Uniting the war potential in town against Guregin’s forces, would be the most effective way of annihilating them.”

“Such a thought is possible” Marigold muttered admiringly.

“I would certainly be unfit to govern this region, if I am able to defeat Guregin; the know enemy, but fall at the hands of an invisible internal threat.”

“It is like that” said the nodding Iss.h.i.+ as he gently put his hand on Nacht’s shoulder.

“Oh, because it’s like this, don’t be so depressed. The first casualty of any battle is the strategy. Since we have declared war with a nation, battles will have a variety of circ.u.mstances behind them. But, they will not go smoothly each time. So there is no reason to get depressed over each and every mishap.”

When Nacht stopped crying and bore a lively smile on her face, I simply nodded.

・・・

・

“Well if it isn’t Guregin? What are you doing in a place like this?”

When Guregin entered the mercenary’s office, he was called out by a man that had an indecent smile. It was none other than the hero Kazami, the last man he wanted to meet.