30.LITTLE GIRL GIVES HER GREETINGSHeadquarters of the kingdom of Ruuin of the Moro region front.
The leaders of the mercenary groups and the n.o.bles were gathered inside the tent that was being used as the headquarters. That was supposed to be the place for the meeting to discuss about the necessary measures in regard of the surprise attack they received four hours ago.
“”…My stomach hurts.””
With her face twitching, Maia thought as she rubbed her stomach. The feeling of being out of the place was very strong to her. Originally, she should have been among the mercenary group leaders far at the back. However, right now she was pretty much standing at the center of the meeting.
On the other hand, Bal, who was standing beside her, didn´t seem to mind about it in particular. Maia half wished she had part of his nerves, but after thinking about it she felt she wouldn´t be able to keep herself alive if she was to become like that. She would probably forget her own bounds and get herself killed.
Thinking back about John Moudias, who had already left the place and who also was the reason for her bad condition, she sighed, thinking she should have left together with him. Golias´s decision of leaving together with him had been the correct one.
And then, there was that man called Deyunan.
The color of his hair was white. It seemed it was due to the color of his hair that used to be brown having left. Any person could see that face of blank eyes wide-open and tears, snot and drool mixed together was the embodiment of someone that experienced terror itself.
Most of the people at the place felt pitiful for the man, who would shriek just by the sound of someone´s step, and were also wrapped up in fear for the person who accomplished that to him.
Yes, that person was present at the place. The one to have done that to Deyunan was the six-year-old demon standing beside him.
“I got lucky to capture him here, you see. I´ve gently asked him some questions and got some information. Of course, I have no objections on letting him have the war prisoner treatment noted on the Blue Dragon agreement.”
The people at the surroundings unconsciously became speechless at the tan-skinned child that was cheerfully speaking. Although all of them were people of great standings one would need to handle carefully, there was no doubts the center of the meeting was the little girl.
The Blue Dragon agreement was an agreement formed at the war that happened six hundred years ago started by the dragon race, whose monarch at the time was the blue dragon king Ao. Presently, the royals of the continent of Ishtalia still maintained the essential points of the agreement.
“So, what kind of information did you get from him?”
Deidon Lobunarl, one of the few people that remained unperturbed by the little girl among the ones present at the place, asked Bela.
Actually, Deidon didn´t know in details about the situation because he had just arrived at the front lines.
What he heard before having arrived there was that Paroma launched a surprise attack by disguising their machiinis as reinforcements, that the headquarters received damage, and also that they were driven away by the partic.i.p.ation of the mercenary group Beladonna in the battle.
Moreover, he also heard that the ones to take the most damage were the n.o.bles.
Because it was the n.o.bility, who had the tendency to hate mercenaries, the ones focused on by Paroma´s machiinis that came in with their surprise attack, there was unwillingness from the n.o.bles to cooperate with the mercenaries so that they could keep their dignity.
Although the knight group had an overwhelming performance in direct battles, there was a tendency for them being weak at the times they were suddenly a.s.saulted due to the lack of ability from their command, the n.o.bility. The enemy began their a.s.sault by aiming for that.
And then, under the name of John Moudias, by the efforts of the leader of the Beladonna mercenary group, Bela Heiroh, who was granted the [treasured sword of the Moudias household], the mercenaries were little by little being allowed to take part into the battle happening at the encampment of the n.o.bility.
Thus, succeeding in their endeavor, they were able to drive away the mercenaries of Paroma. Because they wouldn´t be able to make their pincer attack anymore, the Paroma soldiers coming from the fort had no choice but to pull back.
After the end of the battle, even though they started the meeting, because the n.o.bility had lost face, though at the same time not being able to deny the fact they had been saved, it continued in a deadlock with no progress in the discussion.
Time pa.s.sed, and the situation finally started to advance once Deidon got in between. Now in the current situation, Deidon was presently asking Bela about the information she obtained.
“In short, it seems that the enemy got the information that me and Deidon-sama were headed here from their spies.”
Hearing those words, Deidon started to ponder. Although having someone leaking information was a serious matter, it would be an extreme pain in the neck for him if there was really someone that had definitely told the enemy about his and Bela´s arrival.
“”That person should be on his run… I presume.””
Deidon thought. It was appropriate to say that the leak in information on Ruuin´s side was a fatal flaw. It was hard to think the person who leaked the information would still be acting leisurely by now.
But despite that, Deidon concluded that it would be a necessity to start a inner clean up. His trail might still be out there. Although it will end in blood spilling, it was still necessary for the wash out to happen.
“And there is also the detour routes at the mountain range.”
Bela´s following words caused the surroundings to clamor. Those routes were pretty much the reason why the fort Babaal at the Ruuin´s side of the Diliard mountain range was captured.
“So it means they really existed.”
Having his eyes wide-open in surprise, Deidon´s gaze pierced Deyunan. Because of that, Deyunan started shrieking and went to hide behind Bela´s legs. There weren´t any traces remaining of him being the leader of a mercenary group and of him having once been a knight any longer. All there was to him was the impression of a crazy person that would hide in fear behind the shadow of a little kid.
“Calm down Deyunan. You just need to endure it a little bit more.”
Bela stroked his head. Deyunan feverously nodded. He was showing a smile even though he still had fear plastered onto his face. Although the men at the place were looking at the scene with discomfort, they couldn´t say anything about it. They could only feel pity over the robust man that turned into a baby.
And then, Deidon asked Bela, who was comforting Deyunan.
“Now then, what are your thoughts on that?”
“Are you asking me?”
Deidon nodded at Bela´s question.
“It is you the representative of John Moudias, the [main actor of today´s battle]. You have the privilege to state your opinions on the matter.”
Hearing those words, the n.o.bles groaned. They only didn´t say anything to keep their public appearance. Currently, the little girl that was representing John Moudias had more rights to speak up than the n.o.bles present at the place, being only behind Deidon Lobunarl.
“Well, isn´t it fine to keep it like we planned? They won´t be coming at us anymore after all.”
“And how would know something like that?”
One of the n.o.bles said those mindless words. In the end, he couldn´t hold himself back.
“If they want to fight away from the fort, they need another reason that is enough to justify doing that. They don´t have any reasons for that right now.”
“Where is the guarantee this would be the case?”
Hearing the indignant man, Deidon spoke.
“Lord Badrom, I beg for your silence.”
“But…. No, but it is still… possible it would…”
With Deidon´s glare, the voice of the man called Badrom gradually turned meek. It was more than common knowledge that it is many times safer to fight while being protected by a fortification. Hence, Deidon believed Bela to be correct, though they also couldn´t lower their guard over the situation.
Although there was no way Badrom wouldn´t have knowledge about that, he couldn´t help but bark something at the little girl leading all the n.o.bles by their nose that was standing before his eyes.
“Well, it should be fine. There is also the argument that we would be letting them pull themselves back together, and we will also have another batch of reinforcement tomorrow. Although it would be two days earlier than planned, I believe we can put it to work depending on the ama.s.sed forces.”(TL note: ->あちらの準備が整うのを待つのもアレですしアレ
There was n.o.body that held doubts at those words. They were in need of time to get themselves back on their feet if considering the damage they received. However, the same thing could be said for the enemy. Rather, it was their enemy the ones really wanting a chance to recover from their failure.
“So, I can a.s.sume we don´t have any uses left for this guy, right?”
“Yes.”
Seeing Deidon´s nod, Bela looked at Bal.
“Bal, you are taking care of him. We will be taking him with us.”
And then, Bal went to the back of the tent while carrying Deyunan. Even if only for argument´s sake, he was still the leader of a mercenary group. While his machiini [Zahanain] was in shambles, the dragon heart stone was still intact. Whether she was going for a ransom or going to make him a slave, there were no doubts a great sum of money was going to fall inside her pocket.
“”Well, I guess I might take him in instead.””(TL note:Actually, she was using the word “身請け” to say that. This word refers to the money used for paying someone out of prost.i.tution ‘ 3’)
He was a very important knight model machiini pilot. It was also a possibility for her to make use him.
And then, Deidon asked Bela another question.
“Now then, Bela-san. Would it be acceptable for you to have “that” as the reward for today´s battle?”
Bela affirmatively nodded at those words.
“Well, of course, I would like to properly get paid for what I worked here. But if it is about the reward over my achievements, then it´s be fine if it gets allowed.”
What Deidon meant by saying “that” was the treasured sword [Chainsaw]. It wasn´t enough to get the permission of John Moudias for Bela to receive the sword. It was also necessary to get the seal of approval from other high-ranking n.o.bles. Bela wished Deidon could work it out for her.
“Would this really be fine?”
One of Deidon´s knight escorts asked him.
“In this last battle, it was possible that the headquarters would fall if she wasn´t here today. In the context of those achievements, it shouldn´t be unreasonable.”
Besides that, Deidon also added “Besides, the [Moudias household] would have also been able to get her indebted to them”. There were no doubts that the one actually rescued was John Moudias. Although he had lost all his retainers, he was still alive. Giving out a reward like that was definitely not going over the top.
“It would be a lot of help if you could talk it out.”
Bela nodded at Deidon´s words.
The people at the meeting couldn´t say anything against the giggling Bela.
There wasn´t anybody that could interject this little girl who ruled over the battlefield.