Side story episode 5
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“Enemy of the revolution.”
The man answered indifferently. At those words, the Iron Horse cavalrymen all raised their voices.
“Implement tactical posture!”
“Enemies of the revolution!”
At the same time, the waves of people gathered around scattered in confusion and screams echoed.
Clank, clank!
The magic armor symbolizing the Iron Age began to move like a living creature, wrapping itself around the bodies of the cavalrymen. The metal exoskeleton began to coil around them, and began to supply magical power along the bodies it covered.
The soldiers of the Iron Age stretched out their arms all at once.
At the same time, the arm of the armor twisted and began to take the shape of a gun barrel. Immediately afterwards, black gunpowder was sprayed along the gun barrel.
But the scattered black gunpowder particles never reached the man. They were simply blocked by the cold curtain rising from beneath his feet.
“Vanguard, charge!”
At the same time, the first line of iron cavalry spurred their horses and began to charge. In the midst of the chaos that was unfolding everywhere, with people screaming and trembling, the cavalry charged without breaking ranks.
Despite that, nothing changed.
The man silently extended his arms toward them. At the same time, the black robe he was wearing began to squirm as if it were a living creature.
The hem of the shadow cloak turned into pitch-black blades and surged forward, like spearheads raised against the cavalry charging toward the man.
Phew!
The Shadow Blade rose like a long spear formation, raising its blade, and the war horses fell before it one by one.
However, the knights of the Iron Age on horseback, not caring about the shock of falling from their horses, quickly got into their stance and charged forward.
“Only death awaits the enemies of the revolution!”
“… … ”
The knights of the Iron Age swung their magical swords, but the man still did not move an inch.
From the shadows beneath my feet, countless tentacles of darkness rose up.
Choaack!
“… … !”
Tentacles shot out, ensnaring and tearing at the knights’ limbs. It was a one-sided massacre that could hardly be called a fight.
“Oh, how… … !”
Colonel Bourbon held his breath in front of the scene where the elite soldiers of the revolutionary army were being slaughtered so brutally. It was impossible.
“Where on earth did this monster come from… … ”
I couldn’t believe it.
In this age where magic is dying, it’s surprising that there are still wizards with that level of power left.
“Ahhh, ahhhhhh!”
The screams echoed endlessly.
Their proud armor was being crushed, torn, and burst apart. Flesh, blood, bones, and intestines were spilling out from between the armor.
It seemed as if the proud warriors of the revolution were being trampled upon as playthings of an evil spirit.
That is why Colonel Bourbon did not hesitate when he saw the sight.
“Retreat, everyone retreat!”
This can’t even be a fight. There’s no point in deploying more troops. It was important to preserve at least one unit of force and get out of this place safely.
So the remaining iron cavalry all turned their riders around, and the man silently watched the iron cavalry run away.
It wouldn’t have been that hard to chase them all down and kill every last one. But I didn’t do that.
He simply turned his head towards the girl who was watching his slaughter in horror.
“How is it?”
The man asked. Even though it was broad daylight, the shadows cast beneath the robe were still thick and dark.
The man approached, and the girl, Upi, sank to the ground as if her legs had given out.
“I, I… … ”
Uffie muttered as she looked at the bones of the knights scattered everywhere.
“Even if you take revenge, your heart won’t be as relieved as you think, right?”
“… … .”
Upi was silent. Her thin shoulders were trembling.
She remembered the power the man had once shown her. But even the power she thought she had seen was only the entrance to the abyss that this man possessed.
It wasn’t the man that was scary.
“What on earth have I done… … ”
“That’s enough.”
He was just afraid and regretful of himself for using his power to order such a terrible thing. The man did not try to rebuke or teach Yuffie any more, but turned his head away without saying a word.
After a moment of silence, the man opened his mouth.
“This is Dale.”
“yes……?”
“My name is.”
“D, Mr. Dale… … .”
“Yuppie,” she said, and a faint laugh could be heard from the shadows. It was the first time she had heard a man’s laughter.
“Why, why are you laughing?”
“It’s nothing.”
Dale shook his head quietly in response.
“Then shall we go?”
“Oh, where to?”
When Upi asked, Dale did not answer right away and remained silent for a moment. After a while, Dale answered.
“Into the world.”
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Dale got a horse and got out of town.
With Yuffie, a girl who looks very much like her younger sister Lize when she was younger.
As darkness fell on the journey, Yuffie lay down in front of the campfire and fell asleep. Dale looked up at the sky, leaving her sleeping behind.
In the end, running away was no answer. No matter how hard he tried to run away, the world just wouldn’t let him go.
But even if you don’t try to run away,
It was only after this that I felt a movement in the darkness. It was the sound of someone stepping on a tree branch.
“… … Reveal yourself.”
Dale opened his mouth without even turning his head.
“Oh, don’t misunderstand, Nari! I’m not a suspicious person at all!”
A voice came out, as if trying to hide its embarrassment. Dale closed his mouth in bewilderment at those words, and a shadow appeared. Only then did Upi realize the presence and startle, raising her body.
“I am just a rat.”
The shadow appeared and spoke. As soon as he heard those words, Dale knew who he was.
“I saw what happened in the city this afternoon. I couldn’t forget the sight of Nari defeating the revolutionary army!”
“After that, I kept following him.”
“Hehehe, so you knew from the beginning.”
“Do you have any other business with me?”
Dale asked silently.
“Where are you going, Nari?”
“I’m looking for a place that can guarantee this girl’s safety.”
“… … !”
At Dale’s words, Upi held her breath, and the man who called himself the rat spoke.
“Oh, then I know a great place! It’s probably the place in the country that can best guarantee the safety of the Lady!”
“Where is that?”
“This is the surname of His Majesty the Emperor’s loyal subject, His Excellency the Margrave of Rosenheim.”
“Are you working for him?”
“Yes. Your Majesty, you have defeated those traitors, and the infamous Iron Guards, so I am sure His Majesty the Marquis will reward you handsomely! What do you think?”
The world is not one to let go of itself. That saying was true.
That’s why Dale nodded.
“… … I will accept your offer.”
* * *
After a week on the road on horseback, Dale arrived at the castle of the Margrave of Rosenheim, where he was greeted by a man called the Margrave of Rosenheim.
“Oh, welcome! I’ve been waiting for you!”
Yuffie gasped in surprise at being treated by a noble for the first time in her life. Dale raised his head indifferently.
Needless to say, the nobleman there was not one Dale knew.
What was happening in this land that people called the ‘Ninth Empire’ was also something Dale did not know. It was not even something he needed to know.
When he was thawed from the ice that had frozen him and thrown into the world, it was no longer the world Dale remembered.
I was left alone for countless years, and that was all.
Saxony is alone in a world without anyone to love.
Moreover, the blue tower of lies and schemes, the blue dark curtain, would not have been recorded in history. Therefore, there was no way to know what Lize had hoped for and attempted, or how that attempt ended.
That’s why I had no choice but to struggle in vain in the loneliness I was left with.
After that, endless wandering continued. That was it.
I wandered and wandered, and at the end, I wandered again. Like someone who has lost their way in a maze and is going around and around in the same place.
“I heard that he is a magician with enough power to wipe out the Iron Guard of the Revolutionary Army!”
Margrave Rosenheim spoke with astonishment.
“My subordinate said that you have incredible powers, considering that magic is on the decline!”
“… … .”
Dale didn’t answer right away and remained silent. It was as he said. The power of the wizards and the power of the magic tower were not what they used to be. The same was true of the aura and sword.
That is why, in this world, what replaced the decline and void of mana was technology. Just like the armor that the Iron Age is currently armed with.
“For your deeds in repelling the Iron Troops in Levang City, our empire will not forget you and will reward you. What do you wish for? Please tell us without hesitation.”
Dale turned his head at Margrave Rosenheim’s words. Yuffie, who was beside him, was looking at Dale cautiously.
“Her… … ”
But before he could say anything, Dale quickly shut his mouth.
“No, it’s nothing. I’m satisfied if you let me stay in this castle with her for a while.”
“Let’s do that. What are you doing? Get ready to serve our distinguished guests!”
“Uncle Dale… … .”
At Dale’s words, Upi swallowed her breath. After swallowing, she smiled, feeling a sense of inner happiness.
* * *
“I’ve never seen a wizard with that much power!”
Colonel Bourbon, the leader of the Iron Troops, spoke with bewilderment.
“At least, he was a strong man on the imperial side that I knew of, someone with power that no one could match.”
In an age where magic is dying, the world where one strong man can overpower a hundred is over. In this era, the victory or defeat of a war is not determined by the presence or absence of an overwhelmingly strong man, but rather by tactics and organized movements.
But it was a story that didn’t work in front of that man, that monster.
“If that many strong people are involved on the Empire’s side, it’s inevitable that stories will be told.”
After hearing Colonel Bourbon’s report, Silhouette nodded absentmindedly.
“Even if he declared himself an enemy of the revolution, there would still be room for negotiation as long as there is no evidence that he is fighting for the Empire. Pursuing him any further would only result in useless provocation.”
“……All right.”
“Our goal is to overthrow the rotten old system. That is our revolution and our task. For now, focus on destroying the center of the imperialist aristocracy.”
Colonel Bourbon nodded after hearing that.
“The Iron Troops, already armed with Type 2 armor, will be deployed to the Margrave of Rosenheim to carry out their first actual combat.”
