Chapter 75
──While Thor and Sofia were meeting──
"...W-where am I?!"
"Have you regained consciousness, Mariela-sama?"
On a hard bed, Mariela opened her eyes.
Her direct subordinates were gathered around the bed.
Every one of them was covered in wounds. Some had bandages wrapped around their arms and legs.
The subordinates watched Mariela, who had only just awakened, with grim expressions.
"This is a village south of the border. We have rented a room in a farmhouse here."
One soldier said.
"You have been asleep for nearly ten days."
"I was... asleep that long?"
"Do you remember what happened?"
"...I believe we went to investigate the 'dormant demon beast'──"
Mariela slowly retraced her memories.
They had followed Minister of War Zagran's orders and headed for the cave where the demon beast lived. And then──
"Aaaaaaaah!"
"Mariela-sama?!"
"The centipede... A giant centipede is coming for us! H-help me! Somebody help meeeee!"
"Please calm down! That demon beast has been slain!!"
A soldier shouted at Mariela, who was clutching her head on the bed.
"...That giant centipede was defeated?"
Mariela raised her head, trembling.
"A-amazing! You defeated that enormous demon beast! As expected of those Zagran-sama placed his trust in. I will report this achievement to His Excellency! Every one of you should be able to become a centurion──no, a commander of a thousand!"
"──Mariela-sama."
"Let's contact him at once! Zagran-sama will be delighted to hear──"
"We were not the ones who defeated that giant centipede!"
At those words, Mariela's body jolted.
The soldiers stared at Mariela with cold eyes.
"──According to the men sent to gather information, it was the Demon Lord and Unit Commander Isaac Muira's unit who defeated the giant centipede."
"The Demon Lord and Unit Commander Isaac fought together?!"
"Yes. And apparently Her Highness Princess Sofia's 'Light-attribute attack magic' made the demon beast vanish."
"W-what?!"
Mariela instinctively sat up.
At once, a sharp pain shot through both her legs.
Both of her legs were wrapped in bandages. She had fallen from her horse while fleeing the demon beast──and then fallen into the river. There was no way she could have escaped uninjured. She was probably lucky to have gotten off so lightly.
Mariela steadied her breathing and asked,
"I cannot believe it. There is no way the sickly Princess Sofia could have taken part in the battle..."
"Her Highness met with the Demon Lord and apologized for the Imperial soldiers conducting military exercises along the highway. Afterward, she worked with soldiers from the Demon Lord's Territory to defeat the demon beast that attacked."
"...How could that have happened?"
"The objective was achieved. We succeeded in 'showing the Demon Lord's Territory the might of the Empire.' But all the Imperial side got in return was 'being shown the might of the Demon Lord's Territory.' The people along the border are happy that order has been restored."
The soldiers' representative said this, then paused.
Mariela trembled, still clutching the blanket.
The purpose of the military exercises at the border had been 'to show the Demon Lord's Territory the might of the Empire.'
That was why they had conducted the exercises near the highway. Their goal had been to pressure the Demon Lord's Territory.
'The Empire is strong. We can confine you all to the northern lands whenever we wish──'
Even if the Demon Lord's Territory protested, they had intended to ignore it.
They had planned to keep the Demon Lord's Territory contained and weaken it──at least while Zagran remained Minister of War.
If the Demon Lord's Territory attacked, they could simply regard it as a challenge to humanity.
They should even be able to involve the surrounding nations and form a coalition army.
By doing so, they would once again make the human world understand how terrifying demons and demi-humans were. Naturally, only the Empire could stand against the Demon Lord's Territory.
As a result, the Empire's authority should have been strengthened.
Minister of War Zagran had planned this operation with such considerations in mind──but
"...Even Her Highness Princess Sofia and Unit Commander Isaac cannot discern Zagran-sama's intentions. How deplorable."
Mariela muttered in a trembling voice.
Her anger would not subside.
What Minister of War Zagran had been pursuing was nothing less than a plan for the nation's next hundred years.
Princess Sofia and Unit Commander Isaac had ruined it.
"In the end, I suppose Isaac Muira simply cannot understand a plan on a national scale."
"It seems he now goes by Isaac Omawarisan Muira."
"That is beside the point!!"
Mariela clutched her aching leg and tried to stand.
But a soldier stopped her.
"You are seriously injured. The doctor says you should not move for a while."
"That is irrelevant! I must report to His Excellency Minister Zagran at once..."
"We have already reported the situation to the Imperial capital."
The soldier said,
"We sent a fast rider. He should have arrived by now."
"I-I see."
"Our requests for transfer should have been accepted as well."
At those words, the soldiers around them nodded.
Mariela was about to agree, saying, "I see," when she stiffened.
The moment she understood what the soldiers meant, her eyes widened in shock, and she asked,
"...What did you just say? Requests for transfer...?"
"It is the unanimous decision of us all."
"Why?!"
Mariela shouted.
"Did you not become my direct subordinates to carry out Zagran-sama's plan?! To abandon your mission halfway through──"
"Yes. But after you failed your mission, we have no reason to continue serving you."
"...Failed? Are you saying I failed?!"
"His Excellency Minister Zagran ordered us to slay the 'dormant demon beast.' But he did not tell you to act on your own. Wasn't the premise that you would consult Unit Commander Isaac Muira's unit and enlist Princess Sofia's assistance?"
The soldiers' representative answered quietly.
His tone was almost pitying.
"His Excellency Minister Zagran told us to seek the help of 'local collaborators.' But you were afraid Unit Commander Isaac Muira would find out, so all you did was ask the collaborators where the demon beast was."
"That was because I understood His Excellency's intentions! He wanted me to produce results──"
"And this is the result. The soldiers were wounded. Some may never be able to wield a weapon again. In an Empire that values strength, you know what happens to those who can no longer fight, don't you?!"
"...Urgh."
"Moreover, we cannot tell anyone that the 'giant centipede' seriously wounded us. If we do, it will become known that we provoked that demon beast. We cannot even take pride in wounds inflicted by a demon beast! All of this happened because you underestimated the situation! Mariela-dono!!"
"M-my..."
"We cared for you because you had to take responsibility for your failure. That is all. And besides..."
The soldier said in a quiet voice,
"...Zagran-sama's time in power may be nearing its end. Among our fellow soldiers, there is even a rumor that the next Minister of War will be someone favored by the Imperial family. That person might be willing to help us..."
"...Failure. I... failed..."
Mariela was not listening to the soldier's words.
With her head hanging limply, Mariela continued to mutter under her breath.
Watching her, the soldier sighed and said,
"As soon as permission comes through, we will return to the Imperial capital. We will leave one female soldier behind to look after you. Stay here quietly until someone comes to pick you up."
"...Failure. I... failed..."
"...Please excuse us."
Thus, the soldiers left the barn.
Mariela had no way of knowing what sort of exchanges they were having with the Imperial capital──
A few days later, the soldiers withdrew from the village.
Several more days passed, and a carriage arrived for Mariela.
"I was sent here by Minister of War Zagran-sama."
The soldier serving as the coachman said.
As though trying to encourage the pale-faced Mariela, he said,
"I have a message for you. 'I am sorry for putting you through this, Mariela. I understand what happened. To protect you, I have prepared a new post. Rest there until your body recovers.' That is all."
"...Ah, Zagran-sama."
A light kindled in Mariela's vacant eyes.
As expected, he would never abandon a subordinate.
He recognized that she──Mariela──had followed his instructions.
And he had even thought about her future.
──With those thoughts in mind, Mariela got out of bed.
Borrowing the shoulder of the only soldier left behind, she walked toward the carriage.
"...This is quite an impressive carriage."
"Yes. This carriage has even carried a duke's son."
"Something so fine... for me?"
"Please hurry, Mariela-sama."
Urged on by the coachman, Mariela climbed into the carriage.
With a click, the carriage door closed.
Mariela sighed in relief and leaned back in her seat.
She was safe now.
All she had to do was follow his instructions. Thinking that, Mariela closed her eyes.
After waking, she would realize.
That the carriage door could not be opened from the inside.
That boards had been nailed over the windows, making it impossible to see outside.
That the coachman did not respond at all, no matter how she spoke to him.
And that the carriage was not stopping at the Imperial capital──it was heading straight for the southern front.
After reaching its destination, she would lose all contact with Zagran──
"I must find a chance to clear my name for Zagran-sama's sake..."
Still unaware of any of this──Mariela continued sleeping peacefully.