Chapter 28

After returning to my father’s territory, I entered the mansion, pretending as if I had ridden hard on a fast horse.

“Father…! Father!!”

“Hahaha!! I wish I could show you the faces of the Royal Army and the Imperial Army from that day! I was watching the battle closely… Oh? Roy, what’s wrong?”

“What are you doing?”

In the mansion’s reception room, my father was sitting on a sofa, accompanied by a blonde beauty. His enthusiastic recounting of his heroic tales was a bit too much to watch.

“Can’t you see?”

“I don’t understand, though…”

“I’m trying to make your next mother.”

“…”

It took me a moment to understand. Once I did, I slowly drew my sword from my waist.

“Do you know why humans have two arms? So that it’s okay if one gets cut off. I’ll offer it at the grave of my deceased mother.”

“W-Wait!? Please wait! It was a joke! A joke!!”

My father ducked behind the sofa. Seeing this, the blonde beauty chuckled.

“As expected of Baron Luvell’s son. How amusing.”

“He doesn’t get jokes…”

“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”

“Yes, do come again.”

With that, the beauty left the room. Seeing this, I sheathed my sword.

“Who was that?”

“A merchant. From the underworld.”

“An underworld merchant?”

“They sell rare goods, though at a high price. So? What’s the matter?”

“I’ve discovered the Imperial Army’s plan. They intend to use 400,000 troops for a diversion and capture the Grand Duchy’s capital with an elite unit.”

“The Imperial Army seems to be in a desperate situation. Perhaps the Emperor is putting pressure on them? They’ve made a bold move… they’re coming to win.”

My father laughed as if he found it amusing. Despite our country being targeted, he seemed to find it entertaining. Maybe he was a bit unhinged.

“So, what will you do?”

“The 400,000 troops will be handled by the Great Sage, and the Sword Saint will assist in the Grand Duchy’s defense.”

“There isn’t much else we can do.”

My father smirked, as if he had expected this.

“However, I couldn’t find out the exact date.”

“It’s useless to try to predict the date. By watching the Grand Duchy’s movements, the infiltrating unit will realize they’ve been detected. When would you move if you were in the infiltration unit?”

“Today.”

“Exactly. Once detected, the infiltrating unit has no choice but to act. Whether the execution date is ten days or a month away, if they remain idle, they’ll be crushed.”

“That’s true, but the 400,000 troops intended for the diversion will be freed up. Even for the Empire, moving 400,000 troops is no easy task.”

The Imperial military was staking everything on this operation, so failure was not an option. The infiltrating unit would be aware of this, making independent action risky.

“That doesn’t concern the infiltrating unit. If they’ve been detected, they have to move. They’ll aim for the capital regardless. However, the Imperial Army might have a way to communicate with the infiltrating unit despite the complexity of the plan.”

“You mean someone who can move instantly like me?”

“Or perhaps someone who can communicate over long distances, like the ancient demons.”

“Demons are the stuff of legends.”

“You, too, are a legend. The demons, weakened and defeated by humanity, might not be entirely extinct.”

Saying this, my father began to walk with the aid of his cane. Following him, I asked:

“By the way, where are the masters?”

“They’ve gone on a journey. They’ll return eventually. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried. But it would have been easier if they were here…”

“Don’t expect too much. The previous generation has stepped down from the public stage.”

“Must be nice, really.”

They’ve pushed all responsibilities onto others and gone traveling. If one of them were here, the Academy’s safety would be assured.

“By the way… is Rena at the Academy?”

“Yes… if both members of the Luvell family are absent, it would cause unnecessary rumors…”

“She’s admirable. Hard to believe she’s my daughter.”

“Absolutely.”

“You’re supposed to deny that.”

My father frowned and entered his room. There, he began to put on his armor, and I helped him.

“The Academy is the last line of defense for the capital. There will undoubtedly be a battle. We must hurry.”

“Yes, I hope we can stop it before then… but it’s probably difficult. Some students will remain to fight. I hope it doesn’t turn into a terrible situation.”

“Oh? Do you care about the Academy?”

“Living there makes you grow attached.”

“I see, I see.”

My father nodded, seemingly pleased. Then, with a serious expression, he asked:

“Does the Emperor know about this plan?”

“No, due to the lack of time, it’s the independent decision of Valere and me.”

“It’s unavoidable, but in that case, we must secure the Kingdom’s cooperation. As the Sword Saint, you must not act independently. Convince the King to dispatch the Sword Saint. That way, even if the Emperor is furious afterward, the King will mediate.”

“That’s complicated…”

“Of course it is. The Sword Saint and the Great Sage are both pillars of the nation. Their actions must be careful to avoid causing conflicts.”

“If you understand that, why did you leave me at the Academy? I should be focusing on being the Sword Saint and Great Sage…”

I couldn’t help but complain. My father laughed softly at that.

“You still don’t understand why I had you stay at the Academy?”

“No, I don’t. I can’t understand your thinking. Was it because my mother wished for my peace, or to protect Rena? What other reasons could there be? What am I supposed to learn?”

Once my father had his armor on and his sword at his waist, he looked at me and narrowed his eyes.

“I’ll tell you the answer.”

“What’s brought this on?”

Father never gave me answers, always telling me to think for myself.

“Knowing the answer now won’t change anything. That’s why I’m telling you.”

“Alright…?”

“This is my belief… whether you kill in war or in peacetime, killing is killing. That fact doesn’t change. I learned that painfully twelve years ago.”

“……”

“War is foolish. But even if you think it’s foolish, if the enemy is coming, you must fight. It’s better to take than to be taken. You have to kill. But we are not beasts. We don’t indulge in the pleasure of killing or succumb to madness. Why? Because we have a reason here.”

My father thumped his chest and smiled.

“A reason to fight. I am certainly a schemer and a killer. But everything I do is to protect my territory and family. That has never wavered. Kingdom, Empire, it doesn’t matter. If they threaten my land and family’s place, I’ll fight them. That’s my reason to fight. And your reason to fight is the Academy.”

“What do you mean…? I’m also fighting for the family…”

“Just the family is too light. The enemy is the Empire. We must protect the people of the three nations. Saying it’s for the family is too much. That’s why I had you attend the Academy. To protect those who attend there, those who have become your friends. Not unknown people from another country, but the countries of your friends at the Academy. To protect them, and in turn, the Academy itself. The young are the future of the nation. The mundane daily life at the Academy… that exists everywhere. That’s what you must protect.”

Father sighed deeply and continued.

“You are strong. Unfathomably so. That’s why you can protect. But if you can’t see what you’re protecting, the defense will eventually falter. It would certainly be easier not to attend the Academy. But without a sense of involvement, defense becomes a task, and then a game. If that happens, you’ll become a mere monster, a killer. Remember this: a plan without flexibility will break. You need relaxation. Life at the Academy is your relaxation. It’s the ultimate luxury. Life there heals your spirit and shows you clearly what to protect. You don’t protect because you’re told to. You protect because you want to. And now, it seems you want to protect not just Rena, but the Academy itself. Which means my plan has succeeded.”

My father patted my shoulder and began to walk away.

“I’ll wait at the Academy. As a man, protect what you want to protect with your own hands. I’ll buy you some time. As the Sword Saint and Great Sage, do everything perfectly. And make sure you have a moment of glory. Don’t make a blunder and be late.”

With that, my father gathered as many troops as he could and set out. Watching him leave, I sighed and headed towards the Kingdom.