Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 12

Chapter 12: What Welcomed the Triumphant Return Was a Stranded （Grounded） Knight
  Without informing the citizenry of the injured King’s condition, a strict gag order was placed on the engineers and soldiers involved in the rescue. Around the time two days had passed without much progress in restoring the ravaged cityscape…
  
  For the anxious citizens and soldiers of the royal capital, the main fighting force, the Lizel Knights, whose return they eagerly awaited, had arrived close by.
  
  『So, it’s already farmland around here, huh…?』
  
  Passing through the grazing land, likely at the outer edge of the living area, fields of wheat and root vegetables stretched out. Here and there, one could see huts for storing farming tools and harvested crops, as well as temporary lodging facilities.
  
  The royal castle, still visible in the distance, was about a quarter of an hour away at the pace of a journey march. I let out a gasp of admiration at the unexpectedly vast granary zone.
  
  『Well, we need to provide for a population of just under 30,000… I guess about 10 kilometers around Asia is used for food production, right?』
  
  Expressing my gratitude to Revia, who dutifully answered, I turned the knight’s head to survey the fields. Farmers who had stopped their work bowed their heads to the triumphant Knights.
  
  『Hey, I feel like there are fewer people working in the fields…』
  『Is that so?』
  
  Her simple question was conveyed through the knight’s sensory sharing, and a telepathic communication from the lead knight interrupted my reflexive reply.
  
  『It’s strange that there aren’t enough farmers, especially since there’s no festival at this time of year… But it’s probably not a big deal. We’ll find out if there’s really a problem when we get to the capital.』
  
  After Captain Xenos, with his needlessly boisterous personality, declared it a trivial matter, we marched in a column along the road laid out in the tranquil fields and eventually reached the South Gate of the stone defensive wall.
  
  While the guards were opening the winch-operated portcullis and the sheet metal main gate from the inside, the Giant Knights, being relatively new, towered over the city walls, offering a clear view of the city inside…
  
  『Wh-what is this～！』
  
  The astonished voice of the Captain, who had been acting confident just a moment ago, echoed.
  
  And no wonder, as several buildings along the main street leading from the South Gate were damaged, and a gaudily colored knight was stranded about halfway to the royal castle.
  
  『No way, a Clawsolas K-type!』
  『K-type?』
  
  『That’s our King’s knight, Claude-dono…』
  『Onii-sama, is King Strauss alright?』
  
  Like the somewhat anxious Eleia, the accompanying infantry also became restless due to the unexpected situation, and the captain-class officers began to admonish them.
  
  『Hey, open the gate quickly!』
  “Calm down, Xenos, what’s going o━…!?”
  
  Vice-Captain Raizes, who had been calming down the Captain, who was in a sense the most upset, also became speechless at the sight beyond the opened South Gate.
  
  “No way! We were attacked while we were gone… Cavalry Captain Aldo!”
  “Yes sir! We’ll head to the castle first. First Squad, two of you come with me!”
  
  “”Yes sir! I’ll go!””
  “”Then, I’ll go too!””
  
  As soon as he shouted, the Cavalry Captain kicked his horse’s flanks and dashed off, but since it was a casual call, more than two cavalrymen followed him.
  
  “Why are you here, Vice-Captain!?”
  “I’m sorry, I just…”
  
  “D*mn it, never mind! We’ll head to the castle as we are!”
  
  Raizes, though irritated, gathered the cavalry, who were left standing there as their commanders were gone, and after a while, we, carrying the stranded knight with Lloyd and the others on both sides, arrived at the knight’s stable within the castle, lagging behind the group that had gone ahead.
  
  After unloading the Clawsolas K-type in a corner, I carefully examined the damaged areas.
  
  『Look at this, Revia. The knight’s cockpit has been targeted.』
  『So… what does that mean?』
  
  『It’s speculation, but it’s possible that the King was targeted from the beginning.』
  『If that’s the case, the Spirit Gate in the Great Forest was a trap to lure the Knights out…?』
  
  I denied Lloyd’s words, which I overheard, and explained that both could be the main objective. Following the guidance of the maintenance crew, we moved the knight and slowly knelt on one knee on the stone pavement.
  
  Opening the chest armor clasps, a movement I was quickly getting used to, Revia removed the artificial membrane and artificial muscles connected to my neck, arms, and legs.
  
  “I’ll get off first.”
  
  With that said, she let her beautiful red hair sway and jumped down using air manipulation magic. Apparently, people who can operate giant knights are more valuable, but from an outsider’s perspective, her way seems more convenient.
  
  However, as Rare Humans are generally unable to use magic, I decided not to wish for what I couldn’t have and put one foot on the pedal of the lifting wire I pulled out from inside the chest armor plate. Then, I grabbed a part of the wire with my right hand, and the rest was just letting my weight carry me down to the stone pavement.
  
  “Alright!”
  
  Since the other pilots had already disembarked from their knights, I happened to make eye contact with Dino, with whom I had a history, and he stared at me. But the blonde beauty next to him pulled his cheek from the side.
  
  “Stop it, what are you doing!?”
  “Geez, you’re thinking about something stupid again.”
  
  “Who’s that?”
  “That’s Lise-san, who was a quasi-mage. Her personality is just as you see.”
  
  Unable to help but feel a little sorry for the blue-haired knight who was being teased one-sidedly in front of everyone, I gently averted my gaze. Then, I saw Cavalry Captain Aldo and the others whispering to Captain Xenos, and our eyes met.
  
  “Claude! Come with me to the audience chamber!”
  
  Even though he said that, I hesitated, wondering if it was appropriate to go to such a grand place in my awkward attire, a worn-out suit with a leather chest plate underneath. Then, Revia, who had been tugging at the hem of my clothes, interjected.
  
  “Captain, may I come too? Claude might be nervous if he’s alone.”
  “Raizes…”
  
  “Hmm, I suppose it’s alright if she’s Blaze’s daughter.”
  “Thank you very much.”
  
  Once again, the conversation progressed before I could respond, and I was in no position to refuse. So, I followed everyone and stepped into the sun-baked brick royal castle.