The next dawn, Lety and Merck packed their stuff.
“I’ll bring the bandits with me and tell the general about what we discussed yesterday.”
Said Merck with a cheerful smile.
He would’ve said that Raiz didn’t want to return to the army, and that it was necessary to protect him from now on.
“Be careful on the way home.”
“Don’t worry. These guys won’t be a problem.”
The knight pointed at the special unit behind him.
They weren’t only feeling dejected because of their failure, but even felt indebted to those who arrested them.
“Okay, time to go.”
Lety, who seemed really down, approached their wagon.
She was determined to bring Raiz back with them, but seeing his monsters having so much fun working made her feel bad.
He doesn’t want to make them fight again, huh…
She had always been friendly with them since she didn’t care about who or what her comrades were as long as they fought together, and after seeing their incredible abilities, it was only normal to think that they were necessary for war.
But thinking that they would someday return to the battlefield and leave this happiness behind, she felt disgusting.
They joined the army to stop the war, and now that it’s over, there’s no reason for them to take part in other battles…
She gave up.
She decided that if they had to fight, it should be their own choice.
“Ah, Lety, can you stay here? I’ll report everything to General Frida myself.”
“Eh? Why?”
Why she should’ve remained after deciding to abandon her mission?
His request was incomprehensible to her.
“Well, seems like spies from the neighbouring country are going after him, so someone must remain here to keep an eye on the situation.”
“What?! Really?!”
Lety didn’t know about his deal with Raiz, so she was sincerely surprised.
“Yes. I’ll ask the general to dispatch some knights to defend him, so I need you to stay here at least until they arrive.”
“B-But my stay is something that the general himself should decide…”
Lety was in turmoil.
Deep within, she was gleeful for this turn of events, but she wasn’t so selfish to accept it right away.
“Leave it to me! I think Raiz would feel more at ease if a friend is near him. Also, you know how important he is, so I’m sure you’ll do your best, will you not? How about it?”
She started to think about it.
Can I really stay here…?
“I’m sure he prefers you, right?”
“Eh?”
The choice suddenly fell on the tamer, who looked bewildered.
“…”
Her gaze turned to him, and his astonishment only grew deeper.
“I guess so… yeah, I’d prefer you to some random guy.”
“See?”
Merck winked at her.
“…Fine, I’ll do it!”
Even though she was struggling within, she ended up accepting.
“I’ll do my best, Raiz!”
“O-Okay.”
She held out her hand and, when Raiz grabbed it, she started to shake it happily.
“Well then, it’s time to leave. Take care, guys.”
“You too, Merck.”
“Take care~!”
That’s how Lety, Raiz’s former comrade, stayed back and started to live in Dekuch.
◆
A month later, in a certain mansion in the capital, a man was screaming.
“As a guaaard?!”
“Please, calm down, General Frida.”
The calm voice was obviously Merck’s.
“I should dispatch knights to protect him?! How dares he threaten the army?! I should just arrest him for treason!”
“In that case, former General Mard will know about what happened and His Majesty will also intervene.”
“Kh…!”
Merck was right. Even the King approved Raiz’s return.
By dismissing the strongest among tamers, Frida was in a delicate position.
“Also, I confirmed that spies hid in our faction and leaked him information.”
“Spies?!”
It wasn’t really true, but Merck didn’t know about Cat sith’s existence.
“Yes. Therefore, we should improve our condition first. Raiz accepted to not lay a finger on our special unit, but I think our top priority should be to find the spies.”
“Tch, it can’t be helped.”
They had to be prudent. Frida could only believe Merck’s speculations, or rather, in what Raiz had made Merck believe.
General Frida succeeded in his mission, but also had to do as the tamer wanted and send guards to protect him from the shadows. Furthermore, he now had to be aware of the existence of spies.
“Damn you, Raiz Tamer…! Someday I’ll beat you to death!”
He sounded like some villain underling.
I don’t think that will ever happen…
Thought Merck while looking at someone who hadn’t learned his lesson.
The next dawn, Lety and Merck packed their stuff.
“I’ll bring the bandits with me and tell the general about what we discussed yesterday.”
Said Merck with a cheerful smile.
He would’ve said that Raiz didn’t want to return to the army, and that it was necessary to protect him from now on.
“Be careful on the way home.”
“Don’t worry. These guys won’t be a problem.”
The knight pointed at the special unit behind him.
They weren’t only feeling dejected because of their failure, but even felt indebted to those who arrested them.
“Okay, time to go.”
Lety, who seemed really down, approached their wagon.
She was determined to bring Raiz back with them, but seeing his monsters having so much fun working made her feel bad.
He doesn’t want to make them fight again, huh…
She had always been friendly with them since she didn’t care about who or what her comrades were as long as they fought together, and after seeing their incredible abilities, it was only normal to think that they were necessary for war.
But thinking that they would someday return to the battlefield and leave this happiness behind, she felt disgusting.
They joined the army to stop the war, and now that it’s over, there’s no reason for them to take part in other battles…
She gave up.
She decided that if they had to fight, it should be their own choice.
“Ah, Lety, can you stay here? I’ll report everything to General Frida myself.”
“Eh? Why?”
Why she should’ve remained after deciding to abandon her mission?
His request was incomprehensible to her.
“Well, seems like spies from the neighbouring country are going after him, so someone must remain here to keep an eye on the situation.”
“What?! Really?!”
Lety didn’t know about his deal with Raiz, so she was sincerely surprised.
“Yes. I’ll ask the general to dispatch some knights to defend him, so I need you to stay here at least until they arrive.”
“B-But my stay is something that the general himself should decide…”
Lety was in turmoil.
Deep within, she was gleeful for this turn of events, but she wasn’t so selfish to accept it right away.
“Leave it to me! I think Raiz would feel more at ease if a friend is near him. Also, you know how important he is, so I’m sure you’ll do your best, will you not? How about it?”
She started to think about it.
Can I really stay here…?
“I’m sure he prefers you, right?”
“Eh?”
The choice suddenly fell on the tamer, who looked bewildered.
“…”
Her gaze turned to him, and his astonishment only grew deeper.
“I guess so… yeah, I’d prefer you to some random guy.”
“See?”
Merck winked at her.
“…Fine, I’ll do it!”
Even though she was struggling within, she ended up accepting.
“I’ll do my best, Raiz!”
“O-Okay.”
She held out her hand and, when Raiz grabbed it, she started to shake it happily.
“Well then, it’s time to leave. Take care, guys.”
“You too, Merck.”
“Take care~!”
That’s how Lety, Raiz’s former comrade, stayed back and started to live in Dekuch.
◆
A month later, in a certain mansion in the capital, a man was screaming.
“As a guaaard?!”
“Please, calm down, General Frida.”
The calm voice was obviously Merck’s.
“I should dispatch knights to protect him?! How dares he threaten the army?! I should just arrest him for treason!”
“In that case, former General Mard will know about what happened and His Majesty will also intervene.”
“Kh…!”
Merck was right. Even the King approved Raiz’s return.
By dismissing the strongest among tamers, Frida was in a delicate position.
“Also, I confirmed that spies hid in our faction and leaked him information.”
“Spies?!”
It wasn’t really true, but Merck didn’t know about Cat sith’s existence.
“Yes. Therefore, we should improve our condition first. Raiz accepted to not lay a finger on our special unit, but I think our top priority should be to find the spies.”
“Tch, it can’t be helped.”
They had to be prudent. Frida could only believe Merck’s speculations, or rather, in what Raiz had made Merck believe.
General Frida succeeded in his mission, but also had to do as the tamer wanted and send guards to protect him from the shadows. Furthermore, he now had to be aware of the existence of spies.
“Damn you, Raiz Tamer…! Someday I’ll beat you to death!”
He sounded like some villain underling.
I don’t think that will ever happen…
Thought Merck while looking at someone who hadn’t learned his lesson.
