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Book 14: Chapter 4: Darkness Calls
Vol. 14 Chapter 4 – Darkness Calls
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As a Numbered knight, Ellen had permission to own and operate her own flee, a benefit that came with being a member of the Banfield Family’s strongest knights’ order.
However, this also meant much was expected of her.
“How’s the fleet’s preparations coming along? Are we ready for launch?”
The deputy commander of her fleet, who was walking diagonally behind her, responded immediately.
“We’ve been awaiting your arrival, Admiral.”
“―How unbecoming of me. As an Admiral, I should never be the one to be late.”
Ellen’s cheeks turned red, feeling ashamed of her tardiness.
“Worry not, Admiral. It’s within the permissible range of error. Besides, we received a notice from the mansion in advance that there would be a delay.”
A fleet that belonged to another Numbered knight was returning, and Ellen’s fleet was to be sent out in its place.
Their mission was to maintain public order within the territory and to exert pressure on the lords in the surrounding regions.
They had been granted the authority to act at their own discretion, and they had been given the green light to attack the territories of enemy nobles who had aligned themselves with the subjugation army.
“Was it the Family Head?”
(Did Master realize I was going to be late? I must’ve looked really pathetic in his eyes…)
The deputy commander shook her head, denying her hypothesis.
“It was the Madam. Also, she apologized for the trouble that Lord Edward might have brought you.”
Ellen felt uncomfortable upon hearing this.
“So she apologized, again.”
The reason Ellen was late was because of Edward.
Since she was about to embark on a mission, she had stopped by the mansion to bid Liam farewell, but on her way back, Edward had caught her.
The deputy commander smiled.
“Lord Edward appears to be very fond of you, Admiral.”
Ellen let out a small sigh.
Having taken care of Ed for a long time, she saw him as a younger brother of sorts.
“From Ed’s perspective, I must seem like a nagging older sister. Lately, he’s been acting especially spoiled, which has become an issue.”
Her deputy took a moment to process what she had just heard.
“Now that he’d old enough, Lord Edward should be aware of matters that go on between the opposite sex. Maybe he’s fallen in love with you, Admiral? You might be his first love, which means there’s a chance you’ll one day become the daughter-in-law of the Banfield Family…”
Ellen turned around and smiled at the deputy commander who was teasing her.
However, the smile on her face was one which conveyed the message, “Shut up or else”.
The deputy broke into a cold sweat, realizing she had crossed the line.
“I’m sure you’re getting excited at the thought of the young master developing his first love, but let’s not forget our place, understood?”
“A-apologies.”
“Just be careful from now on. Besides, Ed will fall in love with someone else, someone other than me, so I won’t end up with him.”
Ellen was a skilled swordswoman and a knight personally trained by Liam. Recently, she’d earned the title of a Numbered Knight, firmly establishing herself within the Banfield Family.
However, her origin and family background remained unchanged.
Apart from Liam and Rosetta, the others around her wouldn’t approve of her marrying the young prince of the Banfield Family, a Ducal Household of the Algrand Empire.
In particular, Marie Sera Marian, who held Liam and Rosetta’s first child in high regard, would heavily oppose it.
It was only then that the deputy commander remembered Ellen’s circumstances.
“Please forgive me, I was being insensitive.”
“I’m glad you understand. Now, let’s go hunt down the bastards that dared to bear their fangs against the Banfield Family.”
The two of them arrived at the military spaceport where Ellen’s red super-dreadnought class battleship was anchored.
“It’s my responsibility as Master’s disciple to clear the path for him. Let’s all do our best.”
(Master was the one to raise me to where I am today. I must repay this gratitude.)
◇
At the Banfield Family mansion, Edward was throwing a tantrum.
“Why is Master being sent out on a mission? Aren’t there any other fleets? Was it really necessary to send out my Master?”
He was complaining to the chief executive of the mansion’s military department.
“Young Master may be upset about this, but this was a decision made by the military. Unless there’s a valid reason, changes won’t be tolerated.”
Edward tried to be witty with his response.
“She’s more than just an Admiral, you know? She’s my sword instructor. She has been entrusted with the sacred duty to pass on the techniques of One Flash. Is the military trying to interfere with that? Are you trying to mess with the School of One Flash?”
The School of One Flash and its techniques were sacred to the Banfield Family, and Liam placed great emphasis on them as well, much to the military’s dismay.
“But that’s―” the executive began, struggling to find the right answer.
Edward was feeling smug about this when Rosetta appeared with Marie in tow.
“Ed!”
“Geh!?”
Edward’s eyes began to wander, desperate to avoid his mother’s gaze.
Seeing this, Rosetta lectured him.
“You realize your attitude is causing trouble for others, right?”
“B-but Mother, they didn’t have to send Master out, did they?”
“Ellen’s a knight, and a Numbered one at that! It would be a loss for the Banfield Family to leave someone like her as your training partner. Do you understand?”
Edward knew he was being unreasonable, so he gave a slight nod.
“Yeah.”
A small sigh escaped Rosetta’s mouth.
“Ellen has other work to do, so try not to get in her way. The fleet had to depart late because you forced her to stay back.”
Rosetta felt a massive headache when she imagined all the damage that her child’s selfishness must have caused by delaying the fleet’s departure.
“You’ve caused enough trouble. I’ll make sure Darling scolds you this time. ”
Edward said nothing in return, only curling his fists.
◇
Rosetta enters my office along with Ed.
Do they realize how busy I am?
I’m being swamped with various projects ranging from military reorganization to territory reconstruction.
In a matter of seconds, I’m being bombarded with hundreds of approval requests.
“The fleet’s departure was delayed, you say?”
“Yes. This has gone beyond a child’s prank.”
I immediately check the military-related document to confirm the situation at the port.
Certainly, it seems there was a delay in the departure, which has sparked some problems regarding the entry and exit of spaceships.
However, adjustments have already been made, and although we’ve incurred some losses, me causing a fuss here would only be a waste of time.
Ed seems to shrink before me, probably aware of his mistakes.
“―Military ports always have a heavy flow of ships coming and going. Do you understand that a single ship’s delay could affect the schedules of a thousand others?”
Ed gives a small nod.
“Yes.”
“I see. In that case, be more careful from now. That’ll be all. You are dismissed.”
Ed appears surprised that I’m letting him go after a brief scolding.
―As for Rosetta, she seems extremely despondent for some reason.
“W-what’s wrong?”
“Darling, you―never mind. I’m sorry we interrupted your work.”
Thank God she understands!
I’m worried about Rinho, but I haven’t been able to find the time to go look for her yet due to all the piled-up work.
“You see, I’m quite busy, and Rinho’s case has been on my mind for a while.”
Fuuka’s been trying to contact her, but it seems Rinho hasn’t responded yet.
“Where is she, and what could she be doing?”
Since it’s Rinho we’re talking about, I doubt she got involved in an accident, but it’s still worrying.
In the office where Rosetta and Ed have left, I let out a deep sigh.
“What should I deal with first?”
◇
Rinho was sitting in a back alley of one of Hydra’s cities.
It was drizzling, and the rain was making her wet, robbing her body of heat, but that was the least of her worries right now.
She was feeling desperate, thinking she’d been abandoned by Yasushi and Liam. 𝑓𝓻ℯ𝑒𝑤𝘦𝑏𝑛ℴ𝓋ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝓸𝓂
“The School of One Flash has no business with the weak. That’s why I…”
She hugged the sword that she had received from Yasushi.
Even though she no longer thought she belonged to the School of One Flash, she couldn’t bring herself to let go of her sword.
In the back alley, Rinho reminisced about her past.
It was a hazy memory now, but she used to spend her time in a back alley until she got picked up by Yasushi.
It felt like fate was messing with her now that she found herself back in one.
“In the end, this is where I belong.”
Unexpectedly, someone responded to her murmurs.
“You’re exactly right.”
Raising her head, she saw Chengshi standing there.
She didn’t appear to have a drone umbrella with her, and much like Rinho, she was wet.
Rinho turned away in annoyance.
“What do you want? Did Senior Brother ask you to take me back?”
Chengshi shrugged.
“As if. I was just passing by when I caught the scent of a wet beast and decided to check what was up. Do you wantme to take you back?” she asked with a teasing smile.
Rinho, growing increasingly irritated by Chengshi’s presence, slowly stood up.
“―Get out of my sight, or I’ll kill you.”
Her voice was low and dripping with murderous intent.
When Chengshi heard this, her cheeks turned red, and she shivered in excitement.
Even among the knights of the Banfield Family, Chengshi was considered a problem child, and she stared at Rinho like a maiden in love.
“Wouldn’t have it any other way. However―you should learn to pick your opponents!”
Chengshi revealed a blade that she had been keeping hidden in the sleeve of her clothes before lunging at Rinho.
Rinho’s eyes grew wide open.
“You think you can beat me?”
She then proceeded to unleash a One Flash which sliced through the ground and the walls of the back alley.
However, her sword never managed to reach Chengshi.
“Aha! You’re slower than before!”
Kicking off one of the walls, Chengshi closed the gap between them, having seen through the One Flash.
Rinho drew her sword and intercepted Chengshi’s blow, still in shock that Chengshi had managed to dodge her attack.
“You avoided my One Flash!?”
“You were stronger back then when we were trying to kill each other. ―You’re growing, but in the backward direction!”
Chengshi let out a disappointed sigh while they were embroiled in combat.
Rinho forcefully pushed Chengshi away in an attempt to unleash another bout of One Flash, but before she could, she received a sharp kick to her stomach, courtesy of Chengshi.
“Kaha!”
Whatever air remained in her lungs was expelled, and she was blown away while Chengshi looked at her with boredom.
“This won’t do. As you are now, you can’t serve even as a reference to how Liam fights.”
Rinho knew that her condition wasn’t the best. However, even with that in mind, she didn’t expect to lose to Chengshi.
She tried to get back up, but the damage to her stomach was too severe.
Chengshi stepped on her head as she clawed on the ground.
“―You b*tch.”
Chengshi revealed a faint smile as she watched Rinho being pressed to the ground.
“Want to hear what you’re missing?”
“Hah?”
Rinho glared at her with hatred, but Chengshi’s smile didn’t waver. It maintained its crescent moon shape as Chengshi gleefully explained what Rinho was missing.
“You belong to the shadows, just like me. You’re not like Liam and the others that are meant to shine under the sun.”
Rinho desperately denied this, unwilling to accept that she was different from Liam and the rest.
“You’re wrong.”
“Am not.”
“You definitely are!”
Rinho forced herself back up and brushed off Chengshi, slashing at her with her sword drawn.
It was the start of another round.
“I will stand alongside Senior Brother and the others! ―As for you, you will die here!”
“Ahahahaha! As if that’s possible.”
Seeing Rinho’s current appearance, Chengshi welcomed her with open arms.
“Welcome to this side! I never questioned your eventual arrival. Back when we were trying to kill each other, I felt a spiritual connection to you!”
What is she even saying?
Rinho was suspicious, but when Chengshi pointed to the ground, she lowered her gaze.
Her reflection was shown in the puddle.
“―Eh?”
There, she witnessed the sinister presence she was giving off.
Chengshi put away her weapon, a sympathetic smile on her face.
“Deny it if you wish, you will always belong to this side of the world. Happy Birthday, Rinho-chan.”
Rinho collapsed on the spot, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her reflection in the puddle.
“Ah…..AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!?”
Turning her back on Rinho, Chengshi left the scene with a faint smile on her face.
“I look forward to killing you once you get stronger.”
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Brian ∑(?ω?；): “Lord Edward’s bittersweet first love!? We must inform Lord Liam of this!”