Chapter 115
Sunlight poured into the Mikara Domain, illuminating the hills and fields.
Seeing the sky begin to lighten, I gave the soldiers the order to march.
"Cashew Garrison, set out!"
Hardy led the vanguard, and, as planned, the march began at dawn.
A column of soldiers formed in the Mikara Domain and stretched into the distance. While waiting for our turn to depart, I was surrounded by the members of the Rome Unit, including Al and Ray. Velli-sensei, serving as our strategist, was there, along with Mia-san and the other healers. Sonea-san was also there, riding a horse instead of traveling by carriage this time.
"Romelia-sama, I pray for your good fortune in battle."
Carla-san came to see us off as we departed. Calus-san and Priest Gillman were nowhere to be seen. The other Northern Alliance soldiers who had come here also seemed not to have gotten out of bed yet. Al, standing nearby, had a hand to his head, perhaps because of a hangover. Apparently, getting Calus-san drunk had been quite a task.
"I would like to promise victory, but I cannot say what will happen. If the Demon Army comes, flee without fighting."
I would have preferred for her to evacuate to another domain, but we had already gathered a force of sorts. A makeshift force could never defeat the Demon Army.
"Leave it to me, Romelia-sama. I will evacuate even if I have to punch my brother."
Carla-san lightly clenched her fist and smiled. Still, it was my duty to make sure it did not come to that.
"Then, I will be on my way."
Our place in the marching column came, so I bowed to Carla-san, urged my horse forward, and rode ahead.
The march proceeded quickly. The soldiers were all shouting at the tops of their voices.
"Al, has something happened to the soldiers?"
Unless I was mistaken, we seemed to be moving faster than usual. The speed of a march affects morale, and the soldiers' morale seemed high. Of course, that was not a bad thing, but I did not know what had raised it.
"Oh, that is probably it. What Captain Rome said yesterday has spread among the soldiers."
Al explained, frowning through his hangover.
"Yesterday? Did I say something?"
When I tilted my head, Al's expression grew even more pained.
"You know, that thing about marrying the person who takes the head of a Demon Army general. Are you really serious? Would just anyone do, as long as they took a general's head? Even a commoner?"
Al pursed his lips slightly.
"It is not as though just anyone would do. I only said that I would not even consider a man who had not accomplished something that impressive. And I do not think we need to worry much about status. If someone takes a general's head, he will certainly be ennobled."
The Demon Army has split its forces and dispatched large armies to countries throughout the world. There are six such forces, which means there are six grand generals.
"The general sent to our country was defeated by Prince Henri. The other countries must have begun moving against the Demon Army as well. Moreover, power struggles will break out within the Demon Army, and the number of generals will continue to dwindle. Within a few years, there may be only one or two left. If someone can take one of their heads, that would be an achievement equivalent to cutting off one wing of the invading Demon Army. He would become a national hero, and his name would resound across the continent. It would not be strange for him to become a lord."
If that happened, a marriage into the royal family might even be possible. There would be no need to worry about differences in status.
"Of course, if that happened, he could take his pick from among all the beautiful women in the world. No one would choose me."
I waved my hand lightly at Al.
To be honest, I have no value as a political marriage prospect right now. Aside from my estrangement from the royal family, being the only woman in a place full of men gives me a terrible reputation. People see me as a promiscuous woman out hunting for men.
Once I am seen as a promiscuous woman, I will never again find a suitable marriage partner. And, of course, a national hero would have no reason to choose me.
"There are noblewomen more suitable for a hero than I am."
I answered with a smile, but for some reason Al let out a deep sigh. ... Why?
The connection between my words and the soldiers' heightened morale remained a mystery. Still, as long as their morale was high, there was no problem, so I decided to set the matter aside for now.
More troubling were the Demon Army's movements. Last night, Carla-san gave me the latest information, and I tried to trace the Demon Army's movements back and predict their next move with Velli-sensei. As I had suspected, they had appeared suddenly from the north.
The prince defeated the Demon Army's main force far to the west of here.
Their headquarters was in a place called Roban, to the north. Why had they gone to the trouble of crossing the mountains and heading south? It was almost as if they were fleeing from something.
If the Hameil Kingdom had driven the Demon Army back, that would make sense, but no such information had reached us. On the contrary, I had heard that they were struggling to defeat it. I could not make sense of the situation. It made me anxious, but I had no choice except to press on.
Suppressing my anxiety, I continued straight north toward Yurba Fort.
After entering Kennett Domain and camping for a day, we reached the area around Yurba Fort on the afternoon of the second day.
As I rode with Al and the others, a messenger came galloping toward me against the flow of the marching column. His expression was grim.
"Enemy sighted! It is the Demon Army!"
At last, the Demon Army revealed itself, and I felt every hair on my body stand on end.