Camilla ~Nishina, Sakuragi~
The interior of the building was constructed with a simple, no-frills design. It seemed like there was no reception area. We were led to a spacious room that appeared to be a dining hall, where we were instructed to sit in chairs and wait. There were also men who looked like soldiers casually eating at a table at the far end.
As we entered, they cast curious glances our way, as if wondering who we were. I felt a bit uncomfortable, but we didn’t have to wait long before a woman with fiery red hair entered the dining hall with a few subordinates. She seemed to be around 30 years old, exuding a warrior-like aura and sporting a tanned complexion.
“Which one of you is Tendai?”
Without even saying hello, the woman came right in front of us and asked.
“Uh, that would be me…”
“Hmm. And what’s your name?”
“Oh, I’m Miki Sakuragi.”
“Hmm? That’s your real name, is it? I mean your spirit’s name.”
“Uh, s-sorry. It’s Rukia.”
“I see, Rukia… Light, was it?”
“Y-yes.”
She seemed like a woman accustomed to battlefields, getting straight to the point with her questions. Her intense presence made both of us, Sakuragi and me, feel a bit overwhelmed. When she heard about Sakuragi’s spirit, she paused for a moment, then turned her attention to me.
“And what about you?”
“Huh? Oh, yes. It’s Knot.”
Knot? Hm… I’ve never heard of that one. What kind of spirit is it?”
“Well, it’s a healing magic spirit.”
“I see… That’s good. What’s its rank?”
“I’ve heard it’s fifth rank.”
“Oh, a higher-ranking spirit. You both seem quite something.”
“Uh, thank you.”
“So, what brings you here?”
“Um…”
The woman stared at us as if we were swindlers. I hurriedly took out the letter from General Degry that I had in my bag and handed it to her. She glanced at it for a moment, then tore the seal and read the letter.
“…Is this genuine?”
“It’s definitely a letter from General Degry.”
“And you?”
“I’m Peaks, from the Federal Army. I brought these two here.”
“I see. I’ll take charge of these two, and you can go.”
“Wait, are you sure this is okay? Are you going to ensure their safety—”
“If General Degry told me to, I have no choice but to follow. Leave them in my care, and there won’t be any problems.”
“…I understand. If the Red Oni says so…”
“Hey, say that again. I dare you to say it one more time, and I’ll punch you.”
“Oh, alright.”
Red Oni? That’s quite a nickname.
Well, with her fiery red hair and intimidating presence, it fits.
“…Alright, you two, do your best. I’m heading out.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“Thank you, Peaks-san.”
“Good luck, you two. Just focus on staying alive.”
The woman known as the Red Oni sat down in front of us without even sparing a glance for Peaks.
“Galal Blue Temple, huh…”
She muttered to herself, taking out a map from her breast pocket and spreading it out. It seemed to be a map of Durham State, with handwritten notes and markings. While looking at the map, she seemed to remember something and turned to one of her subordinates.
“By the way, didn’t Carton’s group come to Dudur Valley?”
“They did come to raise their ranking on the Ladder, but they’re causing trouble, coming and going as they please, and they’re not the type to negotiate.”
“Well, that’s true. It’s probably hopeless to talk to them about humanitarian matters…”
Carton? Someone strong must have arrived. I couldn’t keep up with the conversation, but I couldn’t ask questions in this tense atmosphere. The topic quickly shifted to the map.
This is Galal Blue, and this is Vadzul.”
She started explaining, pointing at the map on the table. We didn’t understand much, but we knew the information was valuable, so we listened intently. Although we couldn’t judge the distances, there were several towns or something similar in between.
“Dudur Valley is currently liberated up to here. You can get there quickly by taking a carriage from here.”
“I see.”
“You two have maps, right?”
“Yes, we do. But the one we have is a world map and doesn’t have many details.”
“Show it to me.”
We showed her the map as she requested.
“It’s a pretty generic map. But here, you can see this river on both maps.”
Indeed, as she pointed out, there was a river on the world map, which flowed through the center of Durham State, starting from the city of Galal Blue.
“If those two are coming here, do you think they’re capable of figuring it out?”
“Huh? Ah. He’s a teacher at our school…”
“I see, a teacher…”
She seemed satisfied with that profession, nodding with a hint of a smile.
“If they’re coming this way, they’ll probably follow the river. “
“The river…?”
“This map is the only landmark they’ll have on the way to the city. Of course, they could take the roads that connect, but unless they’re complete fools, they’ll choose the path along the river.”
“Along the river…”
“And beyond the city along the river, you’ll find Dudur Valley.”
“…Can both of them make it here?”
“Huh? Do you believe in them?”
“Y-yes.”
“We believe that our country can be reclaimed. Others may call it a pipe dream, but we believe.”
“…”
“Possible? It’s a long shot, but as long as you believe, give it a try. I’ll assist you to the best of my ability.”
“Oh, thank you very much”
“However, once this is over, you’ll lend your power to us. Agreed?”
“Yes!”
“That’s fine with you too, young lady?”
“Yes, it’s fine!”
“…All right. Then, let’s start with your clothing. You can’t wander around in those pristine white clothes without attracting attention.”
She said this and instructed the men standing nearby to assist us.
“Thank you. … By the way, may I ask your name?”
“Huh? Did I forget to mention it? I’m Camilla. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Takato. Nice to meet you.”
“I’m Miki. Miki Sakuragi. Nice to meet you.”
“Got it. Well, everyone’s gathering in the dining hall right now. Let’s eat.”
After our conversation, they were instructed to prepare us a meal. Camila and her subordinates, who appeared to be soldiers, also ate in the dining hall. Despite their brusque manner, we found this atmosphere more comfortable than a strict military setting. With that in mind, we enjoyed the meal they provided.
While eating, we discussed moving up the Ladder. They mentioned that there were training guidelines for new recruits in this area, which was what we would follow. We wanted to rush to help right away, but it would be pointless if we didn’t survive.
They told us to choose clothes from the warehouse. These were the belongings left behind by deceased soldiers, and for a moment, we hesitated. But Durham State was in no position to be picky, especially financially.
Initially, it seemed like I would be placed in the same group as Sakuragi, who was a magic user, but due to my inability to use attack magic and my <Swordsmanship> skill, I was assigned to the front-line attack team.
Both Sakuragi and I would start by dealing with relatively low-level monsters near Vadzul, until we moved up the Ladder two times.
“Don’t worry. We’ve also given you packs of portable rations.”
“Yeah.”
“You can survive for two weeks with those.”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s do our best. Our teacher and senpai are giving their all, too.”
“Yeah.”
There was still a dilemma about not being able to act immediately. But… we believed it would be okay.
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