Chapter 144: ‘That’ Landing
As the Castilian Kingdom warships sailed into the port of Nant, Geoffrey Armas, the elderly magistrate with a snow-white beard, scowled in irritation. His face, adorned with rich whiskers, betrayed his vexation.
And then, he let out a deep, deep sigh.
Truly, it was a moment of crisis for the house.
From the founding head Gertrude-sama of the Burgund family to the sixteenth generation—no, perhaps now, with the passing of Marquis Pipin, it was the seventeenth generation under Boltaigne-sama.
The Burgund lineage, spanning over two hundred and forty years, faced the possibility of collapse. The anxiety weighed heavily, threatening to weaken their resolve.
Old Geoffrey had served the Burgund family for forty years, but this might well be his final duty.
No, he must not succumb to weakness. He steeled his resolve.
Beyond the city walls, the Silesien royal army pressed forward, while foreign troops infiltrated the harbor.
In this dire situation of internal strife and external threats, with their liege lord gone, only Geoffrey, the magistrate, could lead the defense forces and protect the city of Nant.
Clad in a dusty, antiquated suit of iron armor, he belted a sword—unused for many years—to his waist. As an interim commander, he donned a crimson cloak. 「Nevertheless, it’s a pitiful state of affairs. To draw foreign armies into the streets of Nant—what is young master Boltaigne thinking?」
Following the fallen Marquis Pipin, it was the rightful duty of the third son, Boltaigne Burgund, to step up as the seventeenth head of the Burgund family and lead the troops. But given the urgency of the situation, such straightforward decisions were no longer feasible.
Yet, when Geoffrey witnessed soldiers disembarking from foreign warships at Boltaigne’s command, he felt a pang of shame akin to seeing his hometown occupied by a foreign power.
Whether defeated by the Silesien royal army or victorious against Castilian forces, the future of the Burgund family looked bleak. As the magistrate, he grappled with the painful position of commanding them to fight with all their might. How much easier it would be to flee.
「Geoffrey-sama, the Castilian general has arrived. As the representative of Nant, please grant him an audience.」
The elderly magistrate’s lips curved into a bitter smile at the Chief Steward Castro’s report. Normally, he would be impeccably dressed in a tuxedo, but today he wore unfamiliar, weathered leather armor and carried a rusty iron sword—something he had unearthed from who knows where.
「Living long isn’t always desirable, Castro. To witness Nant, our city, surrounded by enemies—it’s beyond my expectations. Perhaps I should take on the role of defense commander?」
「Geoffrey-sama, how could our faithful magistrate, who has served the Burgund family for so long, consider such a thing? Everyone awaits your orders.」
Geoffrey, who was merely a magistrate, felt the weight of commanding a battle whose outcome was uncertain. His rich white beard trembled as he chuckled. With the last surviving descendants of House Burgund, apart from the third son, Boltaigne, who remained in the distant town of Isoir, there was no other choice.
「Hmm… In a way, it might have been better if young master Boltaigne wasn’t here. If he survives, the Burgund bloodline endures. And so, for the future of our marquisate, I shall fight alongside Nant’s defenders, taking as many enemies down with me as possible.」
「We shall accompany you, Geoffrey-sama.」
Boltaigne, the third son, born with unremarkable qualities and often overlooked by Marquis Pipin, held a special place in Geoffrey’s heart. Despite being an impressive eighteen-year-old young lord, Geoffrey regarded him as a cherished grandson.
In the twilight of his loyal service, Geoffrey was prepared to give his life for the beloved young lord. The Burgund family’s long standing favor would not go unrewarded.
「Let the Silesien royal army come. We’ll show them the indomitable spirit of House Burgund.」
The Silesien royal army’s invasion and the uprising of hostile locals. Geoffrey, the magistrate overseeing the city of Nant, was not one to sit idly by.
The citizens and merchants of Nant, who had long enjoyed the Burgund family’s favor, were now being driven out by those who sided with the enemy. Unlike the rural peasants, they held a deep sense of loyalty to the marquis house.
And so, even as the enemy drew near, there were citizens who rallied to join Geoffrey’s valiant defense. These were not soldiers who fled at the first sign of danger; they were prepared to fight for their beloved city.
The preparations against the encroaching enemy forces were meticulous. While perhaps not enough to last a full year, the city had stockpiled provisions sufficient for at least six months of siege.
「Come forth, enemy forces… Wait! Why are there monsters within the manor?」
In the magistrate’s residence in Nant, Geoffrey, resolute and dramatic, nearly stumbled backward in surprise. The cause of his astonishment was the sudden appearance of a strange creature—a strange looking demi human.
From her azure shoulder-length hair protruded two black-brown dragon horns. Her limbs ended in thick, sharp claws and blue scales, while dragon wings and a long tail completed her fearsome form. Despite her youthful appearance, Geoffrey felt his knees weaken at her menacing presence.
「Oi, revenant. This human is impolite. Shall I kill them?」
「Patience, General ‘That’. They are unfamiliar with our ways. Remember, they are still our allies. Please temper your anger.」
TN: Her name is アレ(A-re) which is something mentioned before which is distant psychologically or in terms of time. Like that person, that place, that time. Or, maybe ‘menstruation’. Yeah, some might use it referring to a woman’s period since it’s ‘that time of the month’. Anyway, since you know the punchline now. I’ll refer to her as Are from now on or maybe use ‘that’ depending on the situation.
Facing the enigmatic woman and the dubious man who had materialized out of nowhere, Geoffrey shouted in a tone that threatened to unsheathe his sword.
「W-w-w-w-what the heck are you?」
「We are reinforcements, Deputy Magistrate.」
The silver-haired man with long bangs responded with a composed smile.
Castro, the chief steward who knew the situation well, restrained the incensed Geoffrey.
「Geoffrey-sama, please wait. These individuals are generals from Castilia!」
「What? These monste—」
Geoffrey couldn’t finish his sentence; the silver claws extending from the dragon-like woman’s fingers had reached his throat. Despite his age, Geoffrey had been a respectable knight in his youth. Yet, in this instant, he found himself caught off guard.
Had he underestimated her because she appeared monstrous but still feminine? Unconsciously, he had dismissed her. Yet her movements were so swift that Geoffrey couldn’t react. If she had intended to kill him, his head and body would already be parting ways.
With a single nudge of her claw, blood trickled from his throat. The sharpness was terrifying.
「Did you say something, human?」
「Ugh…」
The tense air dissipated as the silver-haired man with long bangs, Castilia’s general, smiled cheerfully and clapped his hands to calm the situation.
「Deputy Magistrate of Nant, allow me to introduce them. This lady is Dragon Maiden (dragon maid). She serves as Castilia’s guest commander and hails from Lady of the Rango, the dragon queen of the southern Afri continent’s Rango Island. Essentially, she’s akin to a princess of our realm.」
「My apologies… I was rude.」
Finally, Geoffrey managed an apology. In response, Dragon Maiden (dragon maid), with her draconic limbs, large horns, wings, and tail, lowered her sharp claws from his throat. Her face and torso, though, were that of a beautiful woman.
Geoffrey, no longer sensitive to such things due to his age, noted the contrast between her translucent white skin and the rough blue scales. Wrapped modestly in white cloth, her ample figure left little to the imagination—an enticing sight that would surely captivate younger hearts.
The blue-haired Dragon Maiden (dragon maid), hailing from the distant island, exuded a formidable presence in more ways than one.
「Very well, since you’ve apologized, I’ll spare you, old man.」
「Old man… Well, I may be a white-bearded geezer.」
Though Geoffrey wondered about this young girl who seemed unfamiliar with proper etiquette when addressing an allied nation’s deputy magistrate, he couldn’t complain. After all, he had been the one to call her a monster first.
However, Dragon Maiden (dragon maid) surprised him. While technically part of the humanoid race, her existence was akin to a fairy tale for the people of the Eura continent.
Dragon Maiden (dragon maid) was believed to be the descendant of a union between an ancient dragon deity and a human. Hailing from the unknown southern African continent, she resided on an island just off the coast of the vast desert. Legends spoke of her capturing shipwrecked sailors and bearing only female offspring.
「Are has recently left the island, so her manners may be lacking. Please forgive her.」
「Alright, but what are?」
「That’s her name desu yo. Are Rango Rand. It might sound unusual from our perspective. As you witnessed earlier, she practices the Dragon Fist—a martial art passed down among dragon maidens. She’s truly a formidable warrior, akin to a one-person army.」
「I see.」
The silver-haired man with long bangs, his hair trailing down, narrowed his eyes further and executed an elegant bow. In contrast to the impolite Dragon Maiden, he exuded refined dignity, having served long in Castilia’s royal palace.
「My apologies for the delay, Deputy Magistrate Geoffrey of Nant. I am Revenant Arima, entrusted with leading this reinforcement alongside Guest General Are. While I cannot match the dragon maiden’s strength, I am no slouch myself. You see, despite appearances, I am an advance mage.」
「Wait, an advance mage and a general?」
Revenant wore golden armor with a brown mantle draped over it. Geoffrey, who had always associated mages with staffs and robes, widened his eyes in surprise.
Indeed, this group seems quite unconventional.
However, when it comes to advance mages, they are akin to one-person armies—a veritable mass destruction weapon in this world.
「I was just appointed as a general a short while ago. You see, His Majesty Ferdinand deemed that only I could keep our army within the army in check, given the nature of the forces we lead.」
「Army within an army?」
Now that you mention it, there seems to be some commotion at the harbor.
「Rest assured. We are Castilia’s mightiest land forces. The volunteer army led by Acting General Sarah, which is currently attempting to assail us, is the weakest among the three factions of the Silesien Kingdom. His Majesty’s strategy is to strike the weak points with our strength…」
「Ano, there seems to be some disturbance. May I go check the harbor?」
Revenant’s devilish grin sent a shiver down Geoffrey’s spine. The earlier affable impression had vanished, replaced by this demonic laughter that might be the true essence of his character.
「Of course, kukuku… Let us accompany you.」
As Deputy Magistrate Geoffrey hurried to the harbor to inspect the reinforcements, he was met with a sight: lizard-like humanoids, armed to the teeth, disembarking from galleon ships. The harbor residents looked utterly terrified.
「What in the world…」
「They are reptilian mercenaries, part of the Reptilian race. There are two thousands of them, along with a thousand regular soldiers, totaling three thousand reinforcements.」
Reptilians hailed from the desert regions of the African continent. Unlike Dragon Maiden (dragon maid), who was considered a ‘human with dragon blood’. Reptilians were enigmatic creatures—humanoid in form but possessing reptilian features.
The boundary between humans and monsters remained absolute in Geoffrey’s conventional understanding.
Regarding the different races, despite the inherent disparities arising from their racial origins, there exists a certain understanding among those born from the Goddess of Creation Asama. However, this understanding does not extend to the demon race.
Humans and demons, by their very nature, possess fundamental differences.
「Could the reptilian humanoid, the Reptilian, be considered a demon?」
「Indeed, that is the case.」
Revenant casually brushed aside his silver bangs and smiled. Meanwhile, Geoffrey, gripping the hilt of his ancestral sword, seethed with righteous fury.
「Bringing demons into our city—what purpose does it serve?」
「Deputy Magistrate Geoffrey, your perspective is rather antiquated.」
「What did you say?」
「Think about this, the Silesie’s hero keeps demons within the royal palace. And rumor has it that the Germania crown prince himself ascended to become a demon king. Quite astonishing, isn’t it? Coincidentally, around the same time, we in Castilia were also attempting to pacify the Afri continent’s demon population and mold them into mercenaries.」
Castilia, a naval power, faced the need to bolster its relatively weak land forces for operations across the vast Afri continent. Hence, they negotiated with the reptilian humanoid Reptilians, who happened to be demons, and turned them into mercenaries.
While welcoming the dragon maiden Are Rango Rand as a guest general was one thing, going to such lengths defied the sensibilities of humans on the Eura continent, who had long been embroiled in conflict with demons. Controlling and utilizing chaotic creatures whose motives remained inscrutable—an audacious notion even by the standards of Asama’s divine children.
「Revenant-dono, are you suggesting we employ abominable demons in our human wars?」
「Indeed. If we do not harness the power of the demon race, we may find ourselves unable to prevail in this era of war. Of course, if you prefer to remain obstinate and kneel before our enemies, that is your prerogative. But know this, such a stance contradicts the wishes of the late Marquis Pipin’s heir and your current lord, Marquis Boltaigne.」
The eloquent words of General Revenant left no room for doubt. Mentioning Marquis Boltaigne’s name rendered Geoffrey, the loyal retainer, powerless to defy.
「Ugh…」
「What say you, Deputy Magistrate Geoffrey?」
Indeed, it was Marquis Boltaigne’s command that brought Castilia’s forces into Nant. To oppose it would mean Geoffrey’s departure from the Burgund house.
「Very well. Revenant-dono, you may proceed as you wish. However, our duty remains solely to protect Nant. As for your faction, they are free to act as they see fit.」
「Understood. I must admit, I was on edge, imagining an ally turning against us.」
Geoffrey glanced at Revenant’s cool, deceptive gaze. In truth, he harbored no such thoughts. While the reptilian humanoid Reptilians were fearsome, this silver-haired man—Revenant, an advanced mage and general—unsettled him far more.
To rely on such beings for battle revealed his own helplessness. The notion of controlling enigmatic creatures, even those born of the goddess, was audacious.
「What a ‘new era’, where living long is no guarantee…」
Muttering thus, old Geoffrey prepared for the impending defense against the encroaching enemy.
Those unfortunate enough to survive had a duty to fulfill until their last breath.