Chapter 9 (1/2)
09.THAT WHICH DWELLS AT ARKAS, THE LEBENSRAUM
“My innards went cold l when I heard that Raconia had fallen.”
“Yes, yes. Kail was all nervous.”
“And you were crying.”
“I wasn´t crying.”
It had been a week and a little since Raconia had fallen. Al, who pretended to be Willian Rivius, came back to the capital, Arkas. After the order of retreat was given, Al and also the other soldiers of Raconia were sent back to the places they lived at in order to reorgarnize the army and also for resupplying their armament. Of course, Al would need to go back there after some time.
“Either way, cough*, it looks like you had bad luck. Well, if it is you, you should soon be recognized by your skills.”
Al smiled at Kail.
“Bad luck? Don´t joke, this was so lucky to me to the point that it is scary.”
“Lucky? Weren´t you caught up in a defeat?”
“Yes, it was quite the hopeless war. And because of that, the people that used to despise me also died. Because they lost many soldiers, there will be vacancy in the military positions. Well, the positions that will be opened up aren´t that much great… but it is still true that it is necessary for me to get the people on those positions to step aside so that I can have them.”
Al spread his arms.
“I won´t be promoted by having fought a lost war. However, this is much better than the s.h.i.+tty drawn out method of building up achievements day after day. Do you know why, Kail, Havella?”
The two immediately shook their heads. It felt a bit disappointing to Al because of how they didn´t feel like trying to guess it.
“It is because after that defeat, the wars I will be sent to will be ones that will happen for the sake of winning. This is a matter of honour for them. Now that the balance of the contest for Raconia was broken, Arcadia will do its all to take it back.”
Kail clapped his hands together.
“I see. So this means you will get to go to wars that you will definitely win.”
Al wagged his finger to Kail, who had jumped into conclusions.
“It is not like we will be definitely winning those. I said it before, didn´t I? It is a question of honor. The other country will definitely prepare its forces for the war so that they can win. Now that Raconia was captured, from here out, it will become the so called cla.s.sical war between Arcadia and Ostoberg contesting for Raconia.”
There was no way for the lowly part of the populace Kail and Havella were part of to know about this, but the fact was that the true show really only started after Raconia would get captured. According to history, it has been close to ten years that Arcadia had maintained its control over Raconia. Capturing and recapturing the territory was a rivalry between the two countries based on the honor as fellow countries that were part of the “seven kingdoms”.
“It will be a war both won´t be conceding. It will become a huge war. If we lose the war, everything will go down the drain. However, if we win… there will be a bunch of opportunities for me. This is an once in a lifetime chance.”
From now on, any of their moves will be in a large scale. Even if Arcadia is to lose, the war will still be a great one, and with the expected vacancy in the positions, this will become a chance for the survivors. In case the war is won, the gains will be to the point that there will be no comparison. But even so, the chance of dying still wasn´t zero.
“Going hunting after some gr.i.m.m.i.n.g small fries won´t be of any use. It needs to be in heads. I need to take the heads of big shots. Only then I will get promoted!”
“Well, I don´t know well about war. However, you should still take care.”
Kail said in a warning tone to Al, who was starting to get excited.
“It will be that much of a big war. There might be guys that are stronger than me. No, there will definitely be. You will be fighting guys of that kind.”
“I can´t feel any difference even by you saying that.”
Being warned about the war, Al lost his excitement. Kail showed a wry smile.
“That´s right… There should be people you would feel this kind of s.h.i.+ver from.”
Suddenly, Al felt a chill in his back. Al´s skin became full of gooseb.u.mps. It was the same feeling he had felt at that time…
“Don´t go. You should be able to understand that. One day, you will become capable of winning against guys like that. However, the you of right now won´t be able to.”
What Al was feeling right now wasn´t something rational. It wasn´t something that made sense. However, Al could understand. He could feel the disparity between him and the man in front of his eyes. That man was the one warning him about the war. He needed to consider those words. More than anything, Al´s own instincts were also telling him that he wouldn´t be able to survive, which confirmed what Kail had said.
“I understand. I won´t go for them.”
Al took a pose of resignation. Seeing that, Kail smiled.
“By the way, Al, where are you staying? Do you have somewhere to stay?”
Al lost the rights of the house he used to own together with his ident.i.ty as Al, a freed slave that [died by burning to death]. Right now, another person was living there. Al also didn´t feel like returning there either. If he was to do that, the fact that Al, who he was able to have dead after all the troubles, was still alive would get exposed.
“If you don´t have anywhere to stay at, I can let you stay on mine. I live by myself, so there is nothing to worry about.”
“”No, I would be worried about it. For many reasons.””
Both Al and Kail´s had the same thoughts in their mind. The three friends were soon going to be adults. There were many things that could happen between a man and a woman.
“It has the s.p.a.ce for three people. It isn´t that big though.”
Havella indirectly revealed that both her parents had died, but neither Al nor Kail became that much worried about it. To Havella, parents weren´t an existence one was supposed to love. She didn´t love them. They only raised Havella so their lineage wouldn´t die out, and except for that, they didn´t want much with her. For all the love she lacked, Al and Kail replaced it with theirs.
“Sorry for having you guys take care of me so much. Well, but for now, I already have a place to stay.”
Havella dropped her shoulders in disappointment. But even so, as to be expected, her expression didn´t change even the slightest at that time.
“Where is it?”
“I will be staying at the house of an acquaintance. Even though I tried to refuse… I was pressed on with that.”
The instant Kail heard that Al had an acquaintance, his face became bright, and Havella frowned. It was rare for Havella, whose expression wouldn´t really change, to have it change so much to that point.
“Is it a friend!?”
Kail´s eyes were sparkling. After hearing those words, both Al and Havella spat at the same time. (TL note: Kind of in the way people spit out their drinks when something “surprising” happens, but without any drink.)
“Spare me from jokes. You are the only ones that are my friends. That guy has nothing to do with me. Although he is not one of us, I just don´t want to get on his bad side. I had many problems at Raconia for rubbing people the wrong way.”
There was that man that was his superior at Raconia. After some time, he had him killed by using him as a s.h.i.+eld for himself, but even so, the annoyance in his surroundings still didn´t stop; Al still had a long way to go over this problem.
“I see, I seeー. Then you should go have a stay there. Become good friends.”
Kail was pus.h.i.+ng Al´s back. Without saying anything, Havella kicked Kail on his back.
“He-hey, we still have time!”
“It´s fine, it´s fine. Just go there already.”
Kail ignored. Havella continued to kick him.
“Fine! Well, let´s get together one more time before I leave to the war. See you then!”
And just like that, Kail was able to push Al away from the place. By that time, Havella was out of breath.
“It hurts if you do that, Havella.”
“It´s Kail´s fault.”
“This will be a good thing for him.”
Kail was smiling. Becoming annoyed at that face, Havella once again kicked him.
“Ouch! Don´t kick my jaw!”
“Shut up! It´s because Kail is stupid!”
Saying only that, Havella disappeared from the place to somewhere.
Kail, who was the only one remaining there, sighed.
“Both of them rely on each other to carry on… I guess I can´t say much about it myself though.”
Now by himself, Kail spoke his thoughts out as he scratched his head.
“Ah, Willian!”
“”…Why is he already here?””
There was still time from the arranged time. But even so, Karl was already waiting for him. But more importantly than that…
“You came very early!”
“Ah, yes. Well, I didn´t have anything to do.”
It was a difficult to accept reality for Willian that he had also come early. It was extremely annoying how Karl was looking at him as if he was having fun about it for some reason. If one was to ask him how something like that was supposed to be annoying, in the end annoying things still were very annoying.
“So, we will be arriving there just after a little walk.”
“Alright.”
Willian glanced around the surroundings.
“”Arkas is separated in four districts. The slums, the merchant´s district, the residential district and the n.o.ble district. Other than that, there lifestyles of people in the same district will vary depending on the person´s a.s.sets and social standing.””
The place they were right now was an area that was prosperer in comparison to the rest of the residential district. So in the end, was Karl a spoiled kid of some rich family as Willian had expected?
“”He probably is a first cla.s.s citizen. There shouldn´t be any second cla.s.s citizens living here.”