Spiral

The day before we were due to leave for Wickhart's family home, Wickhart and I were summoned by Raiz-sama.

"We've already given our year-end greetings, so I wonder what this is about?"

"Who knows? I was only told to come get you..."

The messenger soldier who looked so troubled was unfamiliar to me.

"What happened to the usual messenger?"

When I asked, I learned that the usual messenger had been injured on the Zetta Plain.

Apparently, they had been racing across the battlefield to deliver Raiz-sama's orders to the front lines when a stray arrow struck them.

I was relieved to hear their life wasn't in danger, but they'd been struck in a bad spot, so recovery would take some time.

The new messenger had only just been assigned after completing the recent recruit training exercise.

"I see. Please tell them I hope they get well soon."

"Understood."

As we headed toward Raiz-sama while having this conversation, the usual three were waiting for us.

"There you are. Then let's go."

Raiz-sama rose from his seat at once, and I followed without knowing what was going on. I knew full well that asking for an explanation at times like this would get me nowhere. I'd gotten pretty used to it by now.

However, as we proceeded, I was able to guess our general destination. As expected, we arrived at Drew's room.

"We're coming in." Raiz-sama opened the door without waiting for a reply. Inside, Drew was looking as dejected as ever.

"Huh? Where are Judiano and Hornet?" Since Drew was the only one in the room, I asked. Had they finally lost patience with him?

"The two of them went home for year-end leave the other day."

"Oh, I see. That's too bad. I wanted to thank them for the crossbows..."

The crossbows that had clinched victory on the Zetta Plain had been mass-produced largely thanks to Judiano and Hornet.

Drew was a genius at inventing things, but he was terrible at explaining them to other people. Someone had to understand Drew's explanations and relay his instructions.

I had heard that Judiano and Hornet had been hired to fill that role.

They had performed it admirably and rushed to deliver nearly 2,000 crossbows to us. It would be no exaggeration to call them the unsung heroes of the great battle on the Zetta Plain.

Still, there was nothing I could do if they weren't there. It was my fault for putting off thanking them, telling myself I'd do it next time. Maybe I'd treat them to a feast at the inn in Tranza after the New Year.

In any case.

"So, what have you made this time?"

"This?" Drew held out a rod, which I accepted. Raiz-sama watched me with a sly grin. Was he telling me to guess?

However, what I held was a rod. It was about as long as a spear shaft. One end was perfectly ordinary, while a groove had been carved into the other.

This groove... Where have I seen it before?

After thinking for a while, I was reminded of a bottle—the spiral that firmly fastens a bottle and its cap together.

"Could this mean there's something that attaches to the end of the spiral?"

"Well, that's no fun. You figured it out."

"Well, after you showed me this much, how could I not?"

"Fair enough. Then let's check the answer. We can't put it together in here, so let's go outside."

As he said this, Raiz-sama took the rod from me. At some point, Granz-sama had a spear in his hands.

Outside, Raiz-sama handed the rod to Granz-sama.

Granz-sama pressed the spiral end against the base of the spear and began turning it round and round. I didn't need to see anything more.

The rod and spear locked together, transforming in an instant into a spear twice the usual length—in other words, a long-shaft spear.

"What do you think? This won't be cumbersome to carry, and it can be used on the battlefield too, right?" Raiz-sama puffed out his chest proudly. I had to hand it to him. I knew we'd been using Drew's inventions to gain an advantage on the battlefield, but...

"This certainly looks like something we could bring to the front lines."

"Right? I was thinking of giving these to the less experienced recruits."

For a while after that, Raiz-sama and I discussed various matters concerning the long-shaft spears and how to deploy the long-shaft spear unit. Once the conversation had more or less settled down, Raiz-sama began, "By the way, changing the subject..."

"What is it?"

"You know Drew is practically disowned by his family, right?"

"Yes."

"So every year around this time, I have one of the more considerate soldiers under my command in the Tenth Knight Order look after Drew... But that subordinate was injured in the recent battle. It won't be possible this year."

The battle on the Zetta Plain had affected things even here.

"...Yes."

"The subordinate who looked after him was relatively good at handling Drew... You know how Drew is."

"...Ugh." I had a bad feeling—or rather, an absolutely terrible one.

"Roa, you're going to visit Wickhart's family home, aren't you? So, Wickhart..."

"Yes."

I already knew what was coming, but all I could do was listen quietly.

It wasn't that I disliked Drew. It was just that the twins would be coming too, and I couldn't shake my unease over not knowing what might happen.

"I'm sorry to ask, but would it be possible for Drew to come along too?"

And so, another companion joined us on our journey.