Chapter 114
After a day of preparation for the move and some rest, the next morning.
With the help of soldiers, Volker was carefully loaded onto a carriage that resembled a cart.
"We need to secure him well so he doesn't roll off."
"Yes."
"Ugh..."
And to prevent him from doing anything rash, using the excuse that he still couldn't control his body properly, they tied his body with ropes.
Volker, who had been shouting loudly at first, seemed to lose strength when he saw the soldiers ignoring his shouts despite his flinching, and showed no more reaction than groaning when the ropes tightened around his body.
Although his physical condition wasn't very good with injuries all over his body, he was sturdy due to his well-fed body and had no fever.
If they just checked on him carefully at intervals, they should be able to reach the capital without his injuries severely worsening.
"Let's depart."
After finishing the preparations for Volker's transport, Viktor and his companions set out towards Rainesberg.
***
They traveled by constantly changing horses and reducing rest times.
"Ugh..."
"Are you alright?"
"My buttocks, my thighs..."
Because of this, as soon as they arrived in Rainesberg and dismounted, Erika touched her legs with a tearful expression.
While Anna and Axel were accustomed to riding horses and galloping as soldiers, Erika was clearly less skilled compared to them.
"Still, it was quite a difficult journey, and you endured well."
"Hehe. Thank you, Corps Commander."
However, she had tried her best not to show how difficult it was and had followed diligently, allowing them to arrive a bit faster than Viktor had expected.
While she was unloading luggage from the saddle, Viktor approached the carriage and removed the cloth covering it.
"Are you alright?"
"...Not at all."
"Seems you're fine."
Volker answered with a frown, but thankfully, the strength in his voice was still intact.
Whether it should be called unfortunate for him, he didn't suffer from complications such as inflammation and high fever that injured people usually experience.
Rather, as if the period of unconsciousness had acted like rest, he was very healthy despite clearly having major injuries.
"Corps Commander Viktor, have you arrived?"
"Yes. Please move this person to a guest room. He's a criminal who disregarded Her Majesty's orders, so you need to watch him carefully to prevent any suspicious movements."
"Yes, understood."
Viktor handed him over to the Imperial Guard who had just approached, to have him temporarily monitored until a decision was made.
He wanted to throw him in prison right away, but as long as he acknowledged and wanted to nurture Louise's authority, it wasn't good to lay hands on him carelessly before she officially said to imprison him.
"Let's enter the palace."
"Yes!"
Viktor, Anna, and Erika sent away the cart and headed towards the imperial palace together.
"It's quiet. I think it was really noisy last time..."
"Hmm... Ah. I understand what you mean."
Erika looked around and conversed with Anna.
The capital, where people were actively moving about, was far from being described as quiet, but it couldn't be compared to the uproar when they had won the war against the Brotan Kingdom.
"I asked Her Majesty."
"You did, Corps Commander...?"
"I wrote in the letter asking to conduct the awarding of merits and such after the south is settled, as we need to move to the south immediately."
Although bringing Volker along delayed things as it could be dangerous to leave him in Mannzheim, there was no problem in doing things like victory celebrations or awards later, so he had included such content in the letter.
Seeing the capital as usual, it seemed Louise had handled it well.
"Ah..."
Erika nodded as she heard Viktor's explanation.
"By the south, do you mean the Este Kingdom?"
"They haven't made a separate statement of position, but they're likely to be our allies with high probability. The one that declared war on us is the Labria Republic."
"...Labria, is it?"
While conversing with her who was curious about the southern situation, they walked along the main street, and,
"...!"
They encountered an official running breathlessly from the direction of the imperial palace.
"Are you Corps Commander Viktor?"
"Yes."
"I will guide you immediately. Her Majesty is waiting."
"...I understand."
Following the guidance of the official who seemed urgent, they entered deep into the imperial palace without any hindrance.
"Your Majesty! Corps Commander Viktor and his companions have arrived!"
"Let them in."
"Yes! Corps Commander, you can enter right away."
Moreover, the place where Louise was waiting wasn't the audience chamber but her lounge.
She might be expecting something, or it might simply be that she's in a hurry.
Viktor entered the lounge with a bit of tension.
---
Louise, who had been holding onto the ill-fitting clothes of a "solemn and authoritative empress" for the sake of a promise, had been waiting for Viktor to arrive in the capital while hearing bits of news about him trickling in.
Today too, after finishing her work to some extent and reading report documents in the lounge,
"Corps Commander Viktor and his companions have reached Rainesberg. Also, Volker..."
"...Bring them here immediately."
"...?"
"Move!"
"Y-Yes!"
At the news of their arrival, she urged the officials impatiently.
"...When are they coming?"
"They're coming as fast as possible, Your Majesty."
"Hah..."
Although she could easily wait for several years if there was something she wanted, now she didn't like waiting even for the few minutes it took for Viktor to arrive.
She felt her patience weakening, but she didn't mind as she knew she was originally capricious.
Rather, enjoying the strange irritation and heart-pounding feeling, she waited for Viktor's arrival, and.
"Hmm..."
"Your Majesty! Corps Commander Viktor and his companions have arrived!"
"Let them in."
Finally,
"I have returned from completing my mission, Your Majesty."
Viktor entered the lounge and knelt beside Louise, who was sitting.
Anna and Erika, who had left with him, also knelt behind him.
"This isn't a place with other eyes, so there's no need to be too formal. Stand up and sit in front of me. Erika Bauman, and... Anna, was it?"
"That's correct, Your Majesty."
"All of you, sit here."
"...Thank you."
She seated Viktor's companions in front of her and put down the teacup she was holding.
"I won't ask about Corps Commander Viktor as he must have done well. Erika Bauman."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Did you perform your duty well?"
"Here it is."
Louise received a huge bundle of papers from Erika and quickly flipped through the pages, skimming the contents.
"Hmm. Good work."
As per Louise's instructions, Erika's records contained everything from Viktor's mission performance process to his minor expressions and gestures.
Satisfied with this fact, Louise put down the records and looked at Viktor.
"Corps Commander Viktor. Were there any inconveniences with Erika Bauman's accompaniment?"
"There were none."
"Good. Then, Erika Bauman will continue to perform missions with Corps Commander Viktor from now on."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
Viktor bowed deeply, and Louise nodded.
"I'd like to keep you here and ask a few more things, but you must be tired from coming all the way from the Ceres Gate to here. Only Corps Commander Viktor stay for a moment, the others may leave."
"Understood."
"General, I'll be waiting outside."
"Hmm."
In the end, as she was interested in Viktor, she gently but firmly sent Anna and Erika out.
After they left the lounge,
"Well then, Viktor."
"Yes."
"How did it go in the west, was it wrapped up well?"
"They won't act up for a while. The Kingdom of Paris has definitely withdrawn its army, and the Esperian Kingdom will need a few years to recover from the damage."
Viktor answered conventionally, but,
"That's not important."
Louise crossed her legs and leaned forward.
"What I want to know is whether it was a satisfactory result for you."
"..."
"Well? Were you satisfied?"
At Louise's gaze, Viktor slightly lowered his head and remained silent.
That brief silence was enough for Louise to guess his intentions.
"It seems not. You didn't suddenly feel sorry for the Esperian Kingdom, did you?"
"That's correct."
"You said the situation in the south was strange. Is that why?"
"Yes."
"Hmm..."
As the reports she had received didn't indicate that the situation in the south was that serious, she fell into contemplation, but.
"We need to settle the south in the near future. For this, once troops to defend the west are secured, I intend to move the Red Dragon Corps to the south immediately."
Viktor's attitude was firm.
"...Can you explain?"
To Louise's question,
"...I will tell only Your Majesty."
"Hmm."
After hesitating for a moment, Viktor carefully began to speak.
"I suspect the involvement of another dragon."
"...What? Dragon?"
"Yes. The legendary dragon we call the 'Black Dragon', Caligo. I think it's the aftermath of his movement."
At Viktor's words confidently stating that a dragon other than herself had moved,
"Oh. Explain in more detail."
Louise grinned and listened attentively to his words.
Her heart pounded with anticipation.