NOVEL NEXT chapter 15
15 – Weapons of War (3)
An evening when the sun slowly goes beyond the horizon.
The sun slowly disappearing beyond the red wasteland plain is the same now and in the future.
‘This scene doesn’t change.’
If there is a spectacular sight that can be seen from the top of a 50m high castle wall, this would be it.
Before I returned, I would often get lost in thought while looking at the sunset, but now I feel much more refreshed.
“Well, master. It’s dangerous here.”
Sir Robert, who followed me as my escort, kept urging me to return before I even had time to enjoy the sunset.
“It’s not the 3rd gateway, but the 1st gateway, that we’ve reached the front line wall…!”
“I’m here for maintenance work, construction. I’ll check it out soon, so don’t worry.”
“Ugh….”
Sir Robert could hardly control his contemplative expression.
I may have a fear of heights, but as the heir of the family, I must be anxious about being on the front line facing the enemy.
“Well, master. Then, it’s 10 minutes, no, 5 minutes. Go down quickly, hahahaha, but rather go to the innermost gate, Gate 3….”
If you ask which of the former or the latter ratio is higher, considering Robert’s tendency, it would be the latter.
“Are you afraid of heights?”
“Huh?! That can’t be right?!”
I tried scratching it as a joke, but it raised its eyebrows and jumped up.
“I am a knight! If given the command, I can climb higher than this, even up the canyon!”
“Is that so? Then shall we go there next time?”
“Do it, master!!”
“I was really joking this time. When I asked if you were afraid of heights… Yes.”
In the war 10 years from now, the paradigm of war will change.
“What would happen if the Empire created a weapon that could fly over the canyon?”
“…Are you talking about the Griffin Rider or the Wyvern Rider? Are you saying the Empire is copying our kingdom’s pride?”
“Hmm….”
Among the military forces of the Kingdom of Nostrum, there are people called ‘Dragon Soldiers’.
“It is dangerous, but can you match the experience of the kingdom? Although I am not, the dragoons are veterans.”
They are often called ‘OOO Riders’, which refers to knights who fly in the sky riding beasts such as Drakes, Wyverns, and Griffins.
“No matter how much magic bullets they fire, they can’t even pierce the dragoons’ barding.”
“The one with the anti-magic shield?”
“Of course! They won’t be able to move from our knights’ spears.”
Why are they called dragoons?
It is to commemorate the fact that their origin and progenitor of Nostrum was a dragon rider.
“No matter how much the royal dragons were cut off by the Tang Dynasty, that doesn’t mean the kingdom’s dragoons have weakened!”
“That’s right.”
There is no dragon now.
The kingdom has failed to breed dragons, and is currently putting its lives on the line by breeding subspecies of wyverns, drakes, and griffins.
“The current king cracked and ate the last dragon egg, right?”
“Uh, um….”
“It was already difficult because it was getting smaller and smaller, but I thought it was a slightly larger bird’s egg and tried to secretly eat egg fried rice.”
“Hmm, hmm, hmm!!”
“Thanks to this, the angry mother dragon left the kingdom.”
King Incompetent was a troublemaker from a young age.
Although the size of the royal dragon decreased over the generations to about 5 meters, the dragon was one of the symbols of the kingdom.
“I’m still looking for him. He’s probably dead.”
“Well, you shouldn’t say things like that so lightly. The Drakes are stronger now, but the dragon is a symbol!”
“Losing the crown does not mean losing the throne. Although the authority has fallen to the ground.”
“Young master…!”
The reason he became king despite such an accident was because he was the only Nostrum at the time of the previous king’s death.
“There’s nowhere else to talk about this but here.”
“I’m listening.”
“It’s because you’re Sir Robert that you feel comfortable talking in front of me like this. Because you wouldn’t go anywhere and spread what I’m saying.”
“Ugh….”
Robert clutched his head.
“Ah, anyway, time is up! Let’s get down!”
“There are still a lot of things to talk about.”
“If you’re complaining, just let it go! Even if you can’t become a sword master because you don’t have any talent for the sword, you’re still a master!”
This human.
Do you really think I can’t become a sword master because I’m ‘not talented’?
“Well, about that. I was already planning to ask you a favor-“
Excited.
My heart rang for a moment.
“……Oh my.”
It wasn’t that my heart was pounding, but my heart became aware of the vibrations of the ancient magic installed in the castle walls and gates.
“Good timing.”
“Yes?”
“Is there anyone else? Guard——!”
I call loudly, but there is no answer.
‘Oops.’
I was mistaken.
Habit is truly scary.
“Well, master! There are no guards at Gate 1…! Everyone is staying from Gate 2…!”
“Yes. It’s far away.”
Gate 1 is not guarded.
It has been like that until now, but in the future there will be security.
Of course, there was an opportunity for that to happen.
I never thought that a triggering event would happen today.
‘It’s not happening now, but it’s about a year early.’
Goooooh.
The magic circle installed at Gate 1 is activated.
“Do, Master. Is this really, really…?”
“I’m not manipulating it. The magic circle stored in the gateway started automatic defense.”
The gateway naturally reacted to the blood of Nostrum flowing through my body and began to activate a magic circle for magic bombardment toward the plain beyond the castle wall.
“It is the enemy.”
The kingdom and empire are at war.
However, war is not necessarily just a war between humans.
“It looks like the monsters from the contaminated area are trying to crawl up the canyon.”
Under the scenery of a beautiful sunset.
Huge monsters are approaching the canyon, casting dark shadows.
“They are orcs.”
* * *
Dinner time in Gibraltar.
Malcolm, the head butler of the Earl of Gibraltar, thought that the recent atmosphere in the Earl’s family was like a sheet of thin ice.
“Where did Gray go?”
“After grabbing a light meal, you headed to the canyon with Sir Robert.”
Because the Margrave, finding his eldest son’s seat empty at dinner time, asked where his son was?
“I know. Have you come back yet?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
No.
At least it is true that the atmosphere at the dinner table has become more harmonious than before.
“Maybe the report was late?”
“No. I have instructed the guards at the main gate to notify you of your return as soon as you arrive.”
“Hmm.”
The chief deacon calmly answered the margrave’s question.
Only the residents of the mansion feel the feeling of walking on a knife edge that threatens to kill them with just one twist.
“So you’re saying it hasn’t arrived yet? …He said we should always eat breakfast and dinner together.”
The Margrave clicked his tongue as if he was disappointed.
At that sight, the eyes and head of the deacon, who had seen the Margrave since he was a child, turned furiously.
What is it?
Wasn’t the fact that he started teaching swordsmanship to his second son, Noir, an attempt to establish him as his successor?
Didn’t Gray, the eldest son, make a big mistake while trying to train his second son?
Why do you seem to be paying more attention to Gray now? Did I make a mistake?
“Deacon.”
“Yes, master.”
“Prepare a meal. I’ll probably be back late.”
“Yes.”
The butler called the maids under the earl’s instructions, and soon the maids began to neatly arrange the food on the table.
“Today’s dinner is shredded pork spread with whole grains and grilled….”
The head deacon recited the dinner menu as usual.
A servant must always understand the master’s intentions and follow the master’s orders without knowing.
“Did Gray leave something special for you?”
“Other than saying that I will return as soon as the canyon inspection is over, there is nothing else to report.”
“I see.”
Especially if it is the Margrave who killed all those who showed impure behavior.
“Guy….”
The moment the Count looked at the knife in front of him, not only the head butler but also the maids standing next to him swallowed their saliva for a moment.
“Count.”
Charlotte called the Count quietly and pointed to the side.
“Um, okay. We can’t just wait.”
The eldest son’s seat is empty, but the two younger brothers are already sitting and just watching.
“Listen.”
The Margrave slowly raised his glass.
Clatter, rattle.
A meal in Gibraltar begins with the head of the household raising the utensils first.
No one was talking, so the atmosphere felt somewhat eerie.
However, this is the ordinary appearance of Gibraltar.
Due to the family custom of not speaking during meals, meals in Gibraltar are quiet and quiet.
Sigh.
“Charlotte.”
“Yes, yes?”
“If you have something to say, say it.”
In that atmosphere, a change occurred.
“Uh, um, Gray… Is it okay? It’s time to eat.”
Like a nobleman, he doesn’t talk with food in his mouth, but he rarely talks while eating something.
“Deacon.”
“Yes, master.”
“What was the food Gray took?”
“Except for the article’s, it was just two light sandwiches.”
“…Tsk.”
It is so light.
“We have to eat three meals a day. Emma, please heat up the soup. If we come back, we can sit down and eat together right away.”
“Yes, Count!”
A freckled maid headed into her kitchen carrying the soup that had been placed on Gray’s table.
“You have to eat a hearty meal, mainly meat, to grow taller and have more muscles…Ha. Noir.”
“Yes, yes!”
“Eat a lot. Tomorrow’s training will be more difficult than today.”
“…….”
Noir, who was just cutting bread, opened her mouth wide.
“Uh, father? Do you and your brother train together too…?”
“I’m not the one teaching your brother.”
“Yes?”
“Your brother… Tsk. No. Eat quietly. Don’t leave any leftovers.”
“Yes….”
Noir was silent.
In Gibraltar, once something is decided, it rarely changes, so Noir quietly chewed the meat as his father said.
“Count.”
“Please speak, ma’am.”
“Who are you thinking of as Gray’s teacher? Is it really Archduke Morgania…?”
“I would rather send Gray to Morgania than bring that old man before you.”
As soon as the Grand Duke’s story came out, the Margrave responded nervously.
“Madam, rest assured. Even if Gray really wants that guy, he will never stand in front of you.”
“…If Gray wants it, I can put up with it too.”
“No. Even Gray wouldn’t want that….”
While the Margrave was about to cut a steak with a knife, he got up from his seat.
“The enemy.”
“Yes?”
“The enemy is approaching the canyon. Wait a minute. Malcolm! Watch the video.”
“Prepare the tactical situation room-“
“I will check it right here. Bring it here.”
“Yes!”
The deacon followed the Margrave’s instructions faster than ever.
Running quickly down the hallway, he returned to the restaurant holding the video table provided in the tactical situation room in his arms.
“Excuse me, Count.”
“It doesn’t matter. Just install it quickly.”
“Yes!”
Weeeing.
A magical stone sphere bigger than a person’s head was placed on the cart where the food was brought by one of the knights.
Sigh.
Margin Baek slightly cut his thumb with the tip of a knife that he had wiped with a napkin and pressed the blood droplet on top of his orb.
Weeeing.
The magic stone sphere began to emit light in an instant, and soon images began to transmit through the white wallpaper of the restaurant.
“Are they orcs? The number is about…3,000?”
Huge monsters approaching the canyon.
The humanoid beings, each well over 2 meters tall, are orcs, known for being fierce and ferocious even among monsters.
“3,000 Orcs, why are they in the canyon…?”
“Ah, ah…?!”
Without any time to question the appearance of the orc, Charlotte screamed and jumped up.
“Grey?!!”
“……!!”
In the middle of the image.
On the front line facing the orcs, on the wall of the first gateway, a boy with gray hair was staring down the wall.
Putting a sandwich in my mouth.
Each.
The moment Gray turned his eyes towards the image.
“Uh, uh….”
Emma, the maid who brought the freshly warmed soup, froze at the sight of the restaurant changing in an instant.
“Uh, over there….”
“…10 Minutes to go, 10 minutes to come back.”
Cheolkeong.
“To cut, 5 minutes.”
The Count put the sword sheath on his waist, which was hanging on the wall next to the dining room.
“Leave the soup on the table. I’ll be right back, ma’am.”
“Count….”
“Rest assured. When I come back, I will bring you, even if it means grabbing you by the collar.”
The Count lightly unbuttoned his sleeves.
“I’ll be back with him before his soup gets cold.”
I opened the window from the restaurant to the garden.
“Count! Speak-“
“It’s faster to run.”
* * *
“Master! Please!”
“Sir Robert. Isn’t it ironic?”
“Young Master!!”
“I’m not denying Gibraltar, but I’m not worried when I see monsters like that.”
“Ah, ugh…! Damn, how dare I touch the master’s body! Please reprimand me later!!”
Robert extended his hand to carry me.
“Rest assured. This is Gibraltar.”
“Huh…?”
I stepped aside slightly to avoid his hand, and Robert’s eyes widened.
“Master, how…?”
“I have no desire to be hugged or carried by a man, and I’m eating right now.”
I took a bite of the sandwich.
“It’s a good thing. It’s the best seat to see how amazing the strategic weapon is. There are no special seats.”
“…Huh?”
Doo doo doo doo.
The skybridge leading to the first gateway began to shake.
“You came.”
A steady vibration began to be transmitted from the rebar, which was too thin to be called a bridge and whose width was limited for one person to run on.
“Wow. You’re running with all your might? I’m impressed.”
As if someone is running on a steel bridge.
“It’s a big deal for me too. I think I have to do something without the Sword Master, but I’m actually hoping for the Sword Master to come.”
“You.”
The voice that came with the passing wind was not Robert’s.
“When I go home, to the study.”
“Yes, father.”
I bowed my head slightly towards the red storm that flashed beyond the castle wall.
“Sir Robert.”
I took a bite of the sandwich and then finished eating the remaining sandwich.
“Should I eat all of this sooner? Or…”
Kwa-eu-ang!!
Something fell from the top of the 50m castle wall, causing a strong explosion and vibration to shake the canyon.
“Would it be faster for a powerful sword master to cut down 3,000 orcs?”
“…….”
The answer is fixed.
“First of all, one thing is clear.”
I poured black tea into the lid of the thermos I had prepared in advance.
“Making my father, who is one of the strongest among masters, angry is definitely an act of suicide.”
Touching the wife of a human weapon that will slaughter an entire group of 3,000 orcs in 5 minutes?
“Even the emperor of that empire wouldn’t do that.”
The incompetent king did it.
“For His Majesty our great King.”
Cheers to the heroes of the empire.