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Chapter 142: Ardius Fortress Siege Battle – Return and Report

Chapter 142: Ardius Fortress Siege Battle – Return and Report

After narrowly escaping from the golden-armored soldier, thanks to the help of master and Altissia, I rejoined the main unit after the curtain of night had fallen. This was mainly because Lady Altissia did not take the reins of her horse and make it gallop.

However, this fortunate circumstance significantly improved the state of my injuries. The internal injuries that had been given priority for treatment were completely healed, and the other external wounds had closed, putting an end to the bleeding. While the heavily damaged left compound eye had not regenerated yet, it couldn’t be helped as it was a complex organ and hadn’t been the priority for healing.

Nevertheless, even though the wounds healed, numerous deep scars marred my body. Lines of crushed marks ran along the exoskeleton of my jaw, and in the case of my gouged side, the flesh around the wounded area had unsightly raised bumps. Although I had restored it to normal skin for now, I worried about what would happen when I hardened it into an exoskeleton.

If the exoskeleton became thicker or more rigid, it wouldn’t pose a problem, but if it became brittle, it would be a whole different story. Once the wounds were completely healed, I would need to verify the outcome.

“My disciple, I’ll need you to stay with us a little longer. Is that alright with you too, Lady Altissia?”

“Of course.”

Lady Altissia regained her composure just before reuniting with the main unit. It seemed that the suggested improvements to her concealment spiritual arts had come together, and she appeared to be in high spirits, at least from my perspective. She responded to Master’s words without a hint of retort, answering obediently.

Master and Lady Altissia brought me to the central tent within the encampment, where commanders from various nations gathered. To be honest, I wanted to inform my comrades of my safety first, but Master wasn’t one to indulge in such whims.

“The Dragonblood Knights led by Commander Alexander Renkvinst! We have returned!”

“I am Karya Yuk Altissia of the Muruli Republic’s ‘Raging Wind Sqaud’. Pardon my intrusion.”

Master entered with an air of confidence, while Lady Altissia elegantly bowed before entering the tent. I thought I might have to wait outside, but Master ushered me into the tent without hesitation.

Naturally, the guards at the tent entrance attempted to prevent me, a demon, from entering, but they seemed overpowered by the force and presence of Master and were ultimately unable to stop me. I might get scolded later. While it was mostly Master’s doing, I apologize to the guards from the bottom of my heart, as it was partly my fault.

Inside the tent, about ten men and women were gathered. Their appearances lacked any significant sense of unity, to put it mildly. This was likely due to the fact that the central front consisted of a coalition of several nations located in the central part of the continent.

Naturally, the clothing and adornments varied from nation to nation. The most common were the Furu, but there were also other races like the Kogo and the Eru. I strongly felt the diversity of people living on the continent.

By the way, the representative of the Imperial Army present in this gathering was “that man”. He seemed like he was about to stand up and shout upon seeing me, but someone spoke up before he could.

“Oh! Sir Alexander! I’m relieved to see you safe and sound.”

“Well, well, you finally made it back, huh?”

The one who welcomed us with a booming voice that could rival Master’s was a Kogo commander, just like Master. He was surprisingly young, and he regarded Master with a respectful gaze. He probably held a higher position, but it seemed master was respected as the mightiest warrior among the Kogo people.

On the other hand, a middle-aged Eru woman leaned back against the chair’s backrest with an air of deep exhaustion, letting out a sigh. Draped in relaxed attire, she stared at Master with an expression that seemed to convey irritation, but then she turned a smile full of affection towards Lady Altissia.

“Welcome back, Karya. Are you injured?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. I apologize for causing concern.”

“When I heard that that brute thug had taken our young lady, I nearly collapsed. But I’m relieved to see everything turned out fine.”

“Well, there were unexpected findings related to spiritual arts. I would like to explain them later.”

“Oh, really? That sounds intriguing. If you’d like, you can tell me right now…”

“Hmm, cough!”

Lady Altissia and the Eru commander exchanged words with familiarity. Their interaction seemed to transcend the usual distance between a commander and her subordinate, suggesting they might have a personal connection.

Thinking that their conversation might become lengthy, a bald-headed old commander with a white, lengthy beard let out an exaggerated cough. In response, Lady Altissia closed her mouth, apologizing, while the Eru commander turned away with an overtly exasperated expression. It appeared that Lady Altissia was not the only one deeply passionate about spiritual arts.

“Well then, Mr. Renkvinst. Could you please enlighten us about the reason behind your decision to act on your own?”

“Moreover, you even took Lady Altissia along with you. There must have been a significantly compelling reason for that, I presume?”

“I certainly hope it’s not because you went to rescue that… ‘mutant’ lurking behind you.”

The term ‘mutant’ was a recent derogatory expression used for demons. It referred to beings in whom extraneous elements had been mixed—entities that were not entirely human.

Most demons were former criminals or poor people, used as raw materials to produce disposable soldiers that were somewhat capable of combat for the purpose of war. The sentiment directed towards them by the majority had naturally transformed into one of contempt and aversion.

While there were indeed some who directed pity towards us, many of these individuals seemed to revel in their own sense of compassion. Even if they tried to hide it, having been subjected to various gazes in the arena, I could clearly sense their feeling of self-satisfaction. Those who treated me as an equal, much like master and Marcellus, were truly rare.

But let’s leave that aside. When like-minded individuals gather, it’s only natural that a word or two meant solely for contempt will emerge. The result was the short-term mockery: ‘mutant’.

Certainly, it wasn’t incorrect to say that we were synthetic beings made from different creatures and the human race. However, that didn’t mean we were impervious to the disdain it carried. We, too, had emotions.

We understood our position, which is why we said nothing, and it was due to being bound by spiritual arts that we endured, unable to rebel. Not just in the special operations unit, but if there were a trigger, the talons of all demons would be directed not towards the Republic army but towards the Coalition army or the Imperial army… I have become quite human myself to think of things in this way.

“Of course I went to rescue my disciple! It is the duty of a teacher to save their student in dire straits!”

Facing the probing questions from the commanders of various nations with a taunting tone, master boldly asserted that he had gone to rescue me. His demeanor was so strikingly composed that it left everyone momentarily speechless.

However, this stunned silence wasn’t likely to last long. It wouldn’t be long before the critiques against master started pouring in. Yet, before that could happen, it was unexpectedly Lady Altissia, who had been reluctantly dragged into this affair, who broke the silence.

“Leaving aside the pros and cons of the rescue mission, we encountered an enemy that we should be wary of. I’ve come to deliver that report.”

“The golden one, I presume? We’ve heard the report, and we were actually discussing that very topic. He single-handedly wiped out the Vanguard team, right? There was that one major battle a few years back where the Imperial army clashed with that guy just once, correct?”

“T-that’s right.”

The man who had been in the spotlight, targeted by the Eru commander’s inquiry, awkwardly nodded his head. At the same time, the other commanders fixed him with stern gazes. Despite having projected an air of arrogance as the Empire’s representative, his face was now slightly pale.

I never knew that the Empire had once battled against that golden-armored soldier. It wasn’t because our squad was left in the dark on many matters; it seemed that the Coalition Army itself didn’t know about the guy. Come on, the empire should have at least shared information about such a powerful enemy. I was inwardly exasperated.

“I understand the logic behind the notion that losing elites to a single individual affects your reputation. But if we had known that, the vanguard team’s composition might have changed, and depending on the situation, the vanguard team might not have been dispatched at all.”

“Exactly. Sharing information about the enemy was supposed to be an agreement for the entire Coalition Army.”

“Is the Empire underestimating us by breaking the agreement?”

“That is not the case! After all, my own unit has been dispatched as well!”

That man was desperately defending himself, but many of the commanders from the other nations scoffed in a mocking manner. And for good reason—this man had never once taken command on the front lines. The leadership was left to us, his subordinates, and in the field, I, Tigar, and the others would take command while fighting. That man always returned with the spoils of victory from a safe distance.

Moreover, hearing him refer to us as ‘my own unit’ could only evoke a sense of ridicule among the people present. On that point, I completely agreed. They were the ones who looked at me with contempt, but I was inwardly cheering them on to say more.

“Let’s keep it quiet. We should be having constructive discussions now.”

“That man” was still attempting to offer excuses, but the old commander who coughed to seize the moment was the one who spoke next. He prevented the two members of the Eru race from going out of control. His voice wasn’t as loud as that of master, but it carried well, reaching everyone under the tent. The man who had been standing and passionately speaking took his seat with a look of frustration on his face.

The fact that this old commander could silence “that man” with a single word, and his position at the head of the table, suggested that he was the overall commander of this war. He didn’t seem to possess enough power to kill enemies in an instant when in combat, but I sensed a vitality and determination that belied his age. I had an intuitive feeling that he was not someone to be underestimated.

“Sir Renkvinst, it’s commendable that you value your disciples. However, that doesn’t justify bringing him to this tent. Is there a specific reason?”

“Of course! This guy held that golden one off in a one-on-one battle until our arrival! I thought it might be appropriate to let him report to you directly!”

“That does hold some merit. Very well. But in the future, follow the proper procedures. If we don’t uphold our discipline, it won’t set a good example for the other soldiers.”

“Yes! I apologize!”

Oh, master is apologizing! Despite recognizing the usefulness of the action, it seems that when he’s calmly pointed out his mistakes, he’s willing to apologize properly. It appears that the old commander is well acquainted with how to handle master.

The old commander, positioned behind master, gazed straight at me. With nothing to be ashamed of, I met his gaze head-on. In response, the old commander briefly formed a gentle smile on his lips before returning to his usual serious expression.

“Well then, demon. Since you’re allowed to speak, talk about the enemy in as much detail as possible.”

“…Understood.”

Prompted by the old commander, I gathered my thoughts and started speaking. Recalling the events of that battle, I began narrating the details as best as I could, following his instructions.

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TN: “That man” is mc’s superior if your remember.