Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 100

Chapter 100: If It’s Not Too Much To Ask, A Battle With Honor…
  As if escorting a lady, several squires wearing Imperial-style military uniforms with the Zephyrus Domain emblem intervened, and slightly behind them, the elegant Lady White Fox revealed herself.
  
  Gathering attention with her glamorous dress, unsuitable for a campsite, she gracefully bowed and tilted her head in a cute and calculated manner.
  
  “I heard some rather loud voices, is there something wrong?”
  “Don’t play coy, you made your grand entrance on purpose, didn’t you?”
  
  “Oh, how cold of you. There’s an order to things, you know. Don’t you agree, Revia?”
  “Ugh, why are you suddenly putting me on the spot…?”
  
  Chuckling at the red-haired mage who was flustered with a slightly troubled look, she turned to face me, having been casting dubious glances as if she had come to tease my partner.
  
  While the Rigsia officer who had been making a fuss earlier fell silent, the unreadable Lady White Fox spun her words with a pleasant expression.
  
  “Lord Claude, if you’re having trouble, would you like me to take over? Even if they’re inclined to surrender, if they have comrades who strongly object, their hearts can be swayed.”
  
  Glancing at the opponent with whom I had been arguing, she then slowly surveyed the other surrendering soldiers one by one.
  
  Judging her point to be valid, I glanced at Vice-Captain Raizes, who was standing by nearby, and made sure to catch his nod of agreement as confirmation.
  
  “I don’t mind, but don’t expect it to be easy.”
  “That’s fine, I’ll persuade them myself.”
  
  Scoffing at Nina’s declaration as if it were a simple matter, the captured officer, despite being a prisoner, interjected with a scornful look.
  
  “It’s a waste of time. The White Fox of Zephyrus is even more foolish than the rumors suggest.”
  “In that case, I’ll just take your mage hostage as a shortcut.”
  
  “Tsk, you’re not above using any means necessary?”
  “If it means increasing my capable subordinates and reducing unnecessary casualties, then yes.”
  
  Heaving a heavy sigh, she, as a ruler, informed everyone of the number of casualties, both enemy and ally, that she had been tallying to grasp the overall situation.
  
  Unlike extermination battles against various Aberrations, conflicts between humans tend to be decided by duels between representatives of each force in giant knights. Therefore, the numbers she mentioned were small compared to the scale of the deployed troops.
  
  Nevertheless, individual lives cannot be taken lightly, and as the knights and soldiers gathered there grew grim, her astute eyes pierced through the defiant prisoner.
  
  “I won’t say don’t hold a grudge, but anger and hatred should never be the reason for fighting. Take up arms only for the sake of ‘a better tomorrow.’ We must rebuild more than we destroy in unavoidable conflicts.”
  
  “…Is that the duty of those involved in the struggle? How earnest.”
  
  Feeling as if I myself was being admonished, I reflected on what I could do for the lives that had been lost. The young officer, who had been closing his eyes for a while, opened them after being nudged by the young mage girl beside him.
  
  His expression seemed to have lost some of its hostility, and he appeared somewhat calmer.
  
  “Is there a noble cause in the path you’re pursuing?”
  “I intend to do my best to prevent things from getting worse, so I’d like you to lend me your strength.”
  
  “I’m Leonardo Berschdorf. As a prisoner, allow me to assess you.”
  “Well then, please treat me, the hostage, well too, along with Leo.”
  
  Glancing at the petite mage who had raised her hand amidst the chaos, Nina smiled brightly once and nodded at the young man whose name, judging by its pronunciation, suggested he was Bardian, or perhaps of Italian descent if this were the original Earth.
  
  With both sides reaching an agreement in this somewhat haphazard way, the Rigsia officer, the stubborn knight, was transferred to the Zephyrus Domain forces and escorted to the camp by two squires under orders.
  
  The astute and opportunistic Lady White Fox didn’t hesitate to approach those who had surrendered from the Knight Kingdom side, watching the officer’s retreating figure.
  
  “Anyone who wants to switch sides is welcome, you know?”
  
  “No, I don’t want to switch allegiances so quickly.”
  “It would be a disgrace to the Imperial Knights, so I’ll have to decline for now.”
  
  Apparently, they were reluctant to change their positions so drastically. Seeing several people demur, a middle-aged gentleman stepped forward and added a warning.
  
  “They have already been accepted by us. Excessive interference is unnecessary.”
  “Fufu, it was just a joke, Lord Raizes. More importantly…”
  
  She brushed it off with a smile and suddenly looked into my eyes, abruptly straightening her posture.
  
  Following suit, I focused my attention, and she questioned my “views on war,” seeing it as a good opportunity.
  
  With my knights and soldiers around, I couldn’t give a vague answer. While Revia nervously tugged at my uniform, I confronted my inner thoughts.
  
  Tracing back my experiences since getting lost in a parallel world with a different phase from Earth, the conclusion I reached was surprisingly simple and blunt.
  
  “Ultimately, it’s a means to solve problems. Even if the rights and wrongs of things are debated by future generations, sometimes you have no choice but to wield a blade for something you can’t compromise on.”
  
  “In other words, it comes down to the parties involved in the conflict.”
  “Since pure strength has no inherent good or evil, it’s a matter of the wielder’s intentions.”
  
  It seems I managed to get a passing grade by giving a safe answer, acknowledging the heavy responsibility that comes with wielding power. Nina’s expression softened, and she approached me with a wry smile.
  
  “I appreciate your country’s cooperation. Thanks to you, we were able to minimize casualties.”
  “Well, I’ve already received payment upfront, so I’ll stick around a little longer.”
  
  “As a token of my gratitude, would you allow me to help with the maintenance of Belphegor?”
  “That would be greatly appreciated, but…”
  
  I couldn’t refuse the young lady who had brought along a toolbox instead of a handbag, so I guided them to the workshop where the maintenance crew led by the twin elves was stationed. However, she was stunned by the sight of my beloved Clawsolas, drastically changed, slowly self-repairing at a sluggish pace due to excessive consumption of magic crystal fuel.