Torn Asunder by War, A Sword Saint for Tomorrow X The Knight Wizards!! – Chapter 75

Chapter 75: The Journey of the Escort Knights
  Several wagons and two carriages carrying dignitaries, including the Knight King, were surrounded by Ash Grey Begalta Clawsolas units and uniquely armed Modified Guardia Clawsolas units at the vanguard. Two Svel S-type units, armed with their primary weapon, bows and arrows, followed at the rear.
  
  Around the giant knights, who were matching their pace to the slowest wagon, the cavalry, including the main and deputy knight commanders and the royal guards on horseback, were deployed. Cavalry Captain Aldo was in command, albeit cautiously, out of respect for his superiors.
  
  ‘…This is as uncomfortable as it gets.’
  
  Of the mixed cavalry unit of one squad accompanying them to the destination, the core city of Raydas, only about half were his direct subordinates, which seemed to make him overly cautious.
  
  In contrast to Sariel, who had entrusted his royal guards and was riding in one of the carriages with Lady Fine, Aldo’s back exuded the melancholy of a middle manager.
  
  Kotono, who was observing the cavalry captain through the pseudo-eyeball of her sniper-type Clawsolas, murmured to the mage Ilia in the back seat in somewhat improved Common Tongue.
  
  『If I’m not mistaken, the Empire’s political situation is rather unstable, right?』
  『Yes, I think it will be alright this time, but…』
  
  Since nothing is absolute, Sariel, who was in command of the VIP protection, had advised the two girls to be prepared for the possibility of combat between Clawsolas units, just in case.
  
  Apparently, some influential imperial nobles would also be attending the music festival, and they would be bringing their escort Clawsolas units to the outskirts, just like them. It was necessary to be somewhat wary of their movements.
  
  『I’d rather not have a brawl outside the venue.』
  『That’s right. It’s a festival after all.』
  
  After Kotono and Ilia exchanged a few words and smiled, Lloyd, perhaps sensing a good time to interrupt, sent a message from the Begalta at the vanguard via the Telepathy Device, which was always connected during missions.
  
  『Since we’re at it, I want to confirm something…』
  『What is it, Lloyd-san?』
  
  『You don’t have any experience in interpersonal combat, do you? I want to know if you can accurately hit your targets.』
  『In other words, “Are you reliable or not?” is what you’re asking.』
  
  Kotono was taken aback by the Tsukigase siblings’ blunt question, which was difficult to answer, but it was an unavoidable issue if you were part of the Lizel Knights, a military organization.
  
  The girl with her black hair tied back in a so-called “ponytail” had also repeatedly asked herself, “Can I shoot an arrow with killing intent on a battlefield against people?” and had prepared some answers, but… when she actually spoke, her words became unclear.
  
  『Well, I’m hesitant to directly hit the cockpit of a Clawsolas, but I think I can hit other parts.』
  『Understood. I’ll count on you.』
  
  While speaking in a calm voice, Lloyd lowered his evaluation of her combat strength by one level and sighed lightly after temporarily deactivating the Telepathy Device.
  
  Eleia, who had been secretly wary of Kotono, smirked as she sensed Lloyd’s subtle change through the nerve fibers in the artificial muscles of the Clawsolas they were riding in. However, the silver-haired, blue-eyed knight had a deep affection for the Yamato people, who were fellow countrymen if you traced their lineage.
  
  ‘Should I be considerate of her like Claude on the battlefield?’
  ‘Wait, could it be… that Onii-sama has impure thoughts again!?’
  
  The adorable groan of the brother-complex mage aside, the azure-haired knight interjected into the telepathic conversation without mincing words.
  
  『Kotono, even if your shots miss vital points, if we kill the enemy soldiers who are slowed down by your attacks, it’s the same as indirectly taking their lives. I don’t like half-hearted pretenses.』
  
  『Yes, yes, you shouldn’t impose your beliefs on others, Dino-kun. I don’t deny it, but everyone has their own way of thinking. Let’s support her through her struggles as much as we can.』
  
  The elder-sisterly mage Lise repeated in a light tone, “As much as we can, that is,” as she admonished her familiar younger partner and simultaneously gave a warning to the rookie archer knight who lacked resolve.
  
  Kotono harbored complex emotions in her heart at these words, but she turned her gaze to the carriage bearing a crest similar to the Seiwa Genji, derived from the Rare Humans.
  
  Kurato, who served as the Knight King, had said that he had slaughtered enemy soldiers along with an unidentified Clawsolas unit in Zephyrus, the imperial territory he had visited, but it was difficult to ask him about it in detail, so she couldn’t use it as a reference.
  
  『But I have to make up my mind soon…』
  
  『Don’t rush it, Kotono.』
  『Yeah, thanks.』
  
  She expressed her gratitude to Ilia, who immediately offered her support. Kotono’s gaze was fixed on the interior of the simple yet elegant two-horse carriage, where Kurato, who had become as accustomed to this world as a native, was relaxing with Izana.
  
  They were just entering a primeval forest of deciduous broadleaf trees near the northern border, and the colorful autumn leaves were brilliantly dyeing the entire area.
  
  “…What a beautiful sight.”
  
  “Fufu, the third Knight King, Shugen-sama, also seemed to love the autumn leaves here. But he always lamented the lack of cherry blossoms in early spring.”
  
  According to Izana, who leaned against him with her slender arm intertwined with his, the origin of cherry blossoms in the parallel world’s Earth also seemed to be the mountainous regions of Northeast South Asia. Trees that bloomed with similar flowers seemed to have been brought to the Western Continent during the Lowell Empire era, but…
  
  Unlike the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms that the Yamato people who had wandered into this world yearned for, the trees that retained the characteristics of the original species were inferior in appearance. Perhaps that gentleman, Shugen, had found them unsatisfactory.