Chapter 448 - Episode 431: Before Departure ①
Equipment, provisions, transport wagons. Preparations for the necessities of war proceeded without issue, and the season shifted from winter to spring.
Mid-May. An afternoon just before the departure of the first wave tomorrow. Military Chief Yuri was engaged in a business discussion with Philip, the official merchant of the House of Archduke Arqvist.
The one hundred men of the first wave would be split into groups of fifty, moving through the Kingdom of Lordberg while posing as merchants and their guards. The Skinner Trading Company had agreed to provide full cooperation for this operation.
"The preparations to disguise the first wave as a caravan are complete. All that remains is to await departure."
"I see, good work... Still, are you truly alright with coming along with the first wave?"
When Yuri asked, Philip nodded with a personable smile befitting a merchant.
"Yes. Since it is the first time, I thought I would go myself... Besides, while I have been to the Marquisate of Bittenfeld, this will be my first time in Laden, the County of Kivileft. I have wanted to see the port praised as the finest in the kingdom with my own eyes, and establishing direct connections with the trade merchants there would be a great advantage for the future. Since this is a rare opportunity, I wish to get there as quickly as possible."
"I see. If you are fine with it, I have nothing to say."
Yuri replied with a wry smile at the words of the enterprising Philip.
The deployment of the Archduchy of Arqvist's army was planned as one hundred men for the first wave, two hundred for the second, and two hundred for the third. Each wave would be further divided into groups of several dozen to head toward the County of Kivileft without anyone noticing that an army was traversing the Kingdom of Lordberg.
The second wave onward would include soldiers from the Reserve Corps, but the fact that this was a deployment to fight the Republic of Betumia would be revealed only to the soldiers actually engaging in combat. Not only the regular army, but also the Reserve Corps soldiers—who were ordinary civilians in their daily lives—were ordered to maintain secrecy. They would depart while hiding the truth even from their families.
The Reserve Corps soldiers of the second wave would be explained to the subjects as a joint exercise with the Kingdom of Lordberg abroad, while those of the third wave would be explained as providing assistance to subjugate a large-scale monster rampage that occurred in the northeast of the kingdom. Some would likely notice that things seemed strange, and some Reserve Corps soldiers might tell the truth to their wives, but that had already been factored in.
The second wave would depart in late May. Even if information began to leak bit by bit from that time, it would take a month or two to reach the coastal regions of the southern Kingdom. The Republic of Betumia's re-invasion would begin faster than the fact that the Archduchy of Arqvist's army had conducted a large-scale movement to the County of Kivileft became widely known.
For the subjects of the Archduchy who sent off their husbands, fathers, or sons without being told the truth, Grand Duchess Clara would provide the explanation.
Clara exerted her intelligence and refined upbringing without reserve, and was now beloved by the people as the Mother of the Archduchy. If she explained that the secret deployment was essential to repel the Republic of Betumia and protect the peace of the Archduchy, the subjects would be convinced.
"The commander of the first wave will be Lord Granat himself. The second wave will be Lord Radley Nordheim, with Lord Bart Heidemann as the assistant during transit. And the third wave will be His Grace the Archduke Arqvist himself... is that correct?"
"Yes. That is correct. The movement of the army alone will be a long journey taking a total of a month and a half, but I'm counting on you."
"Please leave it to me. As the loyal official trading company of the House of Archduke Arqvist, I shall fulfill my role exactly as commanded."
.....
After finishing the discussion with Philip and completing other detailed tasks, Yuri returned to his own mansion after the sun had set.
"Good work today. You must be tired."
"Yeah, a little. However, the campaign begins tomorrow. I can't afford to be too mentally exhausted."
After spending a little time with the children and finishing his meal and bath, Yuri settled down in the living room, and Mai drew him some liquor while nestling close to him. Yuri took the cup and took a sip. Since he had to depart early tomorrow morning, his evening drink was just a single light glass of wine.
"...It's a difficult trip this time. All the way to the southeastern edge of the Kingdom of Lordberg. I wonder if you'll return around autumn?"
"At the earliest, it should be around then. It's unknown how long the post-war processing will take, but I should be able to return within the year. That said, the majority of this mission is movement. The Archduchy's army isn't exactly clashing with the enemy's main force, so it'll be easier compared to previous battles."
"...I see."
Contrary to Yuri's casual tone, Mai leaned her face against Yuri's shoulder with a worried expression.
She must be scared, Yuri thought.
Yuri would turn fifty this year. As Noein said, if peace were to visit for the time being after this battle ended, this would be the last war of Yuri's life.
Even if another war occurred decades later during the generation of Noein's son, Eleos, the one serving as Military Chief at that time would be a commander a decade younger, such as Dant, or perhaps Yuri's son, Yakov.
The end of his life as a warrior was in sight. That was precisely why Mai wore such a worried face. Because she saw the hope that her husband would not die in battle and would grow old with her, she was terrified of that hope being lost.
"It's alright. I will definitely return alive."
When Yuri declared this, Mai's eyes widened, and then she made a displeased face.
"That's a forbidden phrase. It's bad luck."
"Hmph, what's with you all of a sudden? I've survived many battles where it wouldn't have been strange for me to die. I'm surely destined to live a long life and die peacefully in bed."
Yuri drained the cup of wine and turned toward Mai. He placed his hand on her chin and looked closely at her face.
Mai would also turn forty this year, but she looked somewhat younger than her actual age. Beautiful as always, she was Yuri's most beloved wife.
"...What? Ah!"
Yuri picked Mai up and carried her to the bed.
.....
"Well then, I'm leaving the security of Aspida to you lot while I'm gone... though, whether I'm here or not, I've basically been dumping all the chores on you anyway."
When Radley spoke, the couple, Jeremy and Cecilia, who had been summoned to the office, gave wry smiles.
Nominally, Radley was the security officer in charge of the fortress city of Aspida guarding the border, but he himself still led soldiers to the Bezel Great Forest, diligently hunting monsters around the highway.
The desk work was almost entirely dumped on his adjutant, Jeremy, and Cecilia, the captain of the Claymore unit stationed in Aspida. He was in a state where he merely performed the procedure of checking the documents and signing them at the end, as they told him to.
Jeremy would remain here as the acting officer in charge of border security, and Cecilia would remain as the commander of the single Claymore platoon left for homeland defense. Even after Radley and Rick departed with the second wave tomorrow, the operation of Aspida and the border security would run without issue as long as the two remaining members were there.
"I have only one thing to say. Just make sure you do the monster hunting around the Bezel highway properly. That's all... Also, this is just between us. Once this battle with Betumia is over, a new noble house will be created within the Archduchy. Rick and Dant are certain, but in addition to them, Jeremy, you'll become a Baronet. It's my recommendation."
"...I-I will?"
To the wide-eyed Jeremy, Radley nodded with his usual fierce expression.
"That's right. The reason is that you're competent and have shown results. That's all. The fact that you were originally a citizen of the Kingdom of Lancel or the circumstances of how you came over here don't matter."
Cecilia directed a bright smile toward the dazed Jeremy. Receiving that, Jeremy finally wore a smile as if the reality had sunk in.
"Listen, don't make me look bad for recommending you. Do your house-sitting job properly. Cecilia, you make sure to support your husband well too."
"Yes! I shall strive with my life on the line!"
"Please leave it to us. We will live up to your expectations!"
To the instructions Radley issued in a sharp voice, both Jeremy and Cecilia responded with salutes.
.....
"Alain-san! Please come back healthy! Please don't accidentally die! We've got a third one on the way, so please take responsibility for the seed you planted!"
While stroking her own belly where the third child resided, Mary saw off her husband, the puppet mage Alain. Her choice of words was lacking in grace for something shouted loudly in a plaza where those departing for war and those seeing them off were mingling.
"Yeah, leave it to me! You, the cute daughters, and the next daughter... or son, I don't know yet, but anyway, I'll take care of everyone from here on! There's no way I'd die in a mere exercise!"
Alain, who answered with energy equal to Mary's, was one of the members of the second wave heading toward the County of Kivileft. Since the golems were disassembled and stored in the wagon's bed, he was light, carrying only himself.
Mary, a veteran maid, had heard about the Betumia re-invasion, but since the second wave was officially moving out for an exercise, both of them were being careful with their words for the time being.
Besides Alain, who was hugging his wife brightly, the members of the second wave such as Radley and Rick proceeded with departure preparations and exchanged words with their families.
The sovereign, Noein, was also present for the departure of the second wave. Once Noein's instructions—encouragement regarding the official mission—ended, the members of the second wave, including regular soldiers, Reserve Corps soldiers, and puppet mages, departed while being seen off by their families.
Mary also saw off her husband's departure. Only at this moment was she quiet, with a somewhat lonely expression.
The gathering for the send-off dispersed, and Mary also returned to the mansion. She entered the mansion through the servants' entrance and first went into the dining hall.
"Welcome back~. Good work seeing them off~."
"Welcome back. Do you want to take a break too?"
The time was exactly the window when the servants took turns resting. Rosetta and Kimberly, colleagues who had worked together for over ten years, welcomed her.
"...I will!"
Mary answered in a voice slightly less energetic than usual and sat in an empty chair.
She poured tea into an empty cup and picked up some of the baked sweets the other two were snacking on.
"Worried about Alain-san~?"
Rosetta, who saw through the fact that Mary was a bit down, asked. Mary tried to answer with a brave front, but thinking there was no point in acting tough with these two, she gave a faint, bitter smile.
"...I am worried! I think he'll be fine, but being apart for a long time is still anxiety-inducing!"
Mary had married Alain immediately after the end of the Betumia War. Since then, the only time her husband Alain had been away from home for a long time was when he went to provide assistance to the Kingdom of Levrant and fought the Kingdom of Virgo.
Even then, Mary had felt strong anxiety and fear. Alain returned safely, but her blood ran cold when she was told the heroic tale of how he had defeated the enemy in a situation where it wouldn't have been strange for him to have been destroyed if one step had gone wrong.
Her husband was one of the captain-class members of the Claymore. Fighting to protect the country was his greatest mission. She had married such a person. She understood that.
Once this battle ended, there would likely be no major battles for the time being. That was precisely why Mary was scared. Thinking that she would continue to harbor fear for the next few months until Alain returned, her heart felt heavy already.
"That's true~, it's fine for me since my husband's departure is still a bit further off~. But the longer the period of separation, the longer the anxiety lasts~."
"My husband isn't in a combat profession, so I'm still at ease, but your husbands go to the front lines... it must be hard."
Rosetta's husband Pence and Kimberly's husband Henrik would depart with the sovereign Noein in the final third wave. Once the third wave departed, the two of them would also spend anxious days.
"...But! I'll believe in him and wait! While everyone is away, we have to protect the mansion!"
Mary forced a bright smile. No matter how much she thought or worried, that was all she could do.
So that their husbands could fight without worries about what they left behind, she would remain here and protect the country. Overcoming anxiety and fear. That, too, was a battle.