Chapter 200. Responsibility and Hope (5)
As the rain that had been pouring down on all sides gradually subsided, with the raindrops becoming thinner.
In front of the two girls who had been earnestly arguing in the rain, Enoch nonchalantly stepped back behind April and added.
“You don’t have to mind what just happened. I was just eavesdropping.”
“Eaves… eavesdropping, do you usually say that so openly?”
“Because I was caught.”
“……?”
Ignoring Aslin’s somewhat strange gaze, Enoch left April behind and strode forward.
Then, he walked in front of the two soldiers of the Dragoon Corps and calmly opened his mouth.
“One thing, to correct you. Alicia is not a nuisance to me. In this mission, she is an indispensable talent for the squad, even more so.”
“That is not the position of the Dragoon Corps, Direct Lineage Member.”
Aslin took a step forward and replied in a chilly voice.
With a splashing sound, the ripples left by the two people’s shoes on the rainwater that had collected on the ground echoed.
The two who had been walking for a while, finally stopped and faced each other at the midpoint.
Glancing to the side, I could see April, who was left behind me, and Alicia, who was left behind Aslin, staring at them with their mouths slightly open.
Confirming that they were at a distance where they could not be heard, Aslin looked at Enoch and added in a low voice.
“……It seems your intentions are firm.”
Aslin lowered her head slightly and then, as if she had no choice, raised her gaze and proposed.
“I understand. If the Direct Lineage Member does not bend his will, how about this?”
Aslin added, staring at Enoch.
“It’s a compromise. From the start of the operation, we will set a time limit for Second Lieutenant Alicia’s operational time.”
“A limit, you say.”
Enoch tilted his head.
I had a vague idea of what Aslin’s words meant.
“Yes. In the end, what’s important is the public reputation of Alicia, a member of the Dragoon Corps, acting in Lord Enoch’s squad without following orders.”
“So, you’re setting a condition that Alicia returns to the unit before such rumors spread?”
“That is correct. Of course, whether to accept this or not is entirely up to you, Lord Enoch, the Direct Lineage Member.”
“To be honest, that is surprising.”
Staring at Aslin, who had the flag of the honor guard color-bearer strapped to her back, Enoch tilted his head slightly.
“Not only a proposal, but giving me the choice.”
Indeed, it was truly surprising.
In fact, even if Aslin had flatly refused just like before, there would have been nothing I could say.
But despite that, Aslin looked straight at me and winked one of her eyes.
“So, what will you do, Direct Lineage Member?”
At her proposal, Enoch almost laughed.
If he were to draw a line and refuse Aslin’s proposal now, there was no telling what would happen in the future, both politically and in terms of the direct lineage’s reputation.
Accepting her proposal like this was not a bad story from my perspective either.
Looking at it in various ways, refusing such a cooperative proposal would be a loss.
“Alright. Let’s do that then.”
At Enoch’s consent, Alicia straightened her posture.
“Understood. Then I will tell you the details.”
“I’m listening.”
Alicia tilted her head forward slightly.
“In this operation, Alicia’s location will be with the Direct Lineage Member’s squad, but the available operational period in which she can act from the start of the operation will be limited to three days.”
Three days from the start of the operation.
Was this a time that could be secured because everyone was in a state of disarray with the cleanup after a large-scale battle had ended?
It was probably the last line of defense where there would be no problems in various ways even if Alicia remained in Enoch's squad.
Enoch slowly nodded his head.
He could tell what she was going to say next without her having to say it.
“And the condition is that Alicia returns to the Dragoon Corps no matter what happens after that. Is that correct?”
“Yes, that is exactly as you said.”
To her who had answered clearly, Enoch, who was stroking his chin as if to cover his mouth, nodded his head.
“At least in the current situation, it seems to be the way to reduce the risk for everyone.”
“I’m glad you understand. Then, with my authority as the colonel’s temporary adjutant, I will set the return date as such.”
Aslin, who had spoken that far, glanced to the side and, avoiding Enoch’s gaze, added.
“……If we do that, even the colonel won’t be able to call Alicia back on a whim.”
“…….”
Just a moment ago, she seemed to be fiercely opposing, but as soon as I declared that I would have her accompany me on the mission, she gave in and showed favor to Alicia.
Thinking that far, a smirk almost escaped me.
Surely, from Aslin’s perspective, she had been waiting for Enoch to come out like this.
It wasn’t a difficult guess that even if she wanted to help Alicia, she needed a justification from her position.
“Then, that’s good.”
Confirming, Enoch gave a faint smile.
The most necessary talent and combat power in this operation.
Alicia, an elite recognized even among the elite Dragoon Corps, who could annihilate the regenerating magical beasts that did not die easily with overwhelming firepower.
Although temporary, he had secured her as a definite combat power in this extremely dangerous mission.
Just this alone would make this conversation with Aslin incredibly valuable.
“Ah, and Lord Enoch.”
Just as he had thought that far, Aslin’s clear voice suddenly rang in Enoch’s ears.
As he slowly raised his head with a slightly puzzled feeling, Aslin was smiling faintly in front of him.
“Personally, I am very grateful.”
“Grateful?”
The girl from the Dragoon honor guard with her blonde hair hanging down, clasped her hands and bowed her head politely to Enoch.
Then, with a tone that was quite different from before, a little lighter, she spoke to Enoch.
“Thank you so much for finding the missing Alicia before, Direct Lineage Member. I was worried what would happen to her since she’s still a little lacking.”
“Lacking, you say.”
“Hehe, she’s my friend, but that’s a fact.”
At those words, the girl with her long blonde hair held back by a headband glanced to the side once and smiled faintly.
As if the rain was finally making her uncomfortable, Alicia, who was gently picking up the hem of her wet uniform skirt with her fingers.
Aslin, who was staring at her, added.
“Her dorky side can be cute when she’s lively, but honestly, my heart sinks when she causes trouble like this.”
Aslin, who had said that, let out a small sigh.
“Phew, to be honest. If Lord Enoch hadn’t found her first this time, what would have happened to her in the outsourcing district…”
“Well, I don’t know if this is the right thing to say, but.”
Enoch, who had followed her gaze, added with a faint smile.
“Just listening to you, you sound like a mother.”
“Hehe, don't even mention it. During our academy days, even that wouldn't be enough to describe it, you know?”
Aslin said that and, bringing her hand to her mouth, giggled.
Then, she lowered her eyes slightly and, averting her gaze to the side, said.
“Anyway, I can only say that I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help to you, Direct Lineage Member. From my position, this is the only thing I can do.”
“…….”
As Enoch remained silent for a moment, Aslin looked up at the rainy sky.
“I don’t know if you heard our conversation earlier, but I also don’t think Alicia is wrong. Nevertheless, there are realistic problems for our Dragoon Corps to go into battle.”
And Alicia faced Enoch and bowed her head politely.
“I’m sure you don’t have a good image of me for making such a heartless judgment, Lord Enoch, but please take good care of Alicia during the battle.”
“It’s not a matter to discuss personal feelings.”
Enoch shook his head slightly and smiled faintly.
“If you put it that way, I know you secretly helped me last time.”
Aslin had already given Enoch a heads-up about the unreasonable ‘test’ Shepherd was about to conduct during their first meeting.
Of course, given Shepherd’s personality, there was no way he would have tolerated such an action from her.
And in the first place, it was because she had respected Alicia’s wishes that she had made a compromise to have her remain in Enoch’s squad for a certain period of time.
Judging by those facts, Aslin was not heartless at all.
On the contrary, her heart was as kind as Alicia’s, but she was closer to having a strong sense of military spirit.
“And you don’t have to worry about taking care of Alicia as you mentioned earlier.”
Enoch, who had pointed out the concern Aslin had just raised, turned his head lightly and added.
“I expect Alicia to be an important combat power in this operation, so I plan to take care of her as the leader of the squad.”
Aslin, phew, let out a sigh and slowly closed her eyes.
“Ah, then I’m relieved. I’m sure it’s possible for Lord Enoch, who has been the subject of many rumors recently.”
Looking at her relieved expression, Enoch brought up a question he had had earlier.
“I have a question too.”
“A question?”
Enoch nodded his head.
“When I heard your conversation with Alicia earlier, she was asking the Dragoon Corps to help the outsourcing district. Shouldn’t that be requested of Shepherd, the colonel with the actual authority?”
Literally, if the elite Dragoon Corps were to participate in this battle, it would be possible to expect the desperate battle situation of the outsourcing district to change.
However, Alicia’s action of so passionately expressing her opinion on such a matter to Aslin, who was merely a color-bearer of the honor guard, even if she was her friend, was not easy to understand.
“Umm, certainly. That might be right, but….”
Aslin, who had been contemplating how to answer with a troubled expression for a moment, gave a slightly bland smile.
“Actually, you see. That’s why Alicia was trying to persuade me until just now.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Actually, I also have the authority to move some of the dragoons in case of an emergency.”
At her words, Enoch’s eyes widened.
Aslin, who had introduced herself as a color-bearer of the honor guard, also had command authority over a part of the Dragoon Corps?
“……This is the first I’m hearing of this. I didn’t know that.”
“According to the tradition of the Victoria army, it is a customary privilege given to the color-bearer of the honor guard of the Dragoon Corps, who stands at the forefront of the battlefield without a weapon.”
Aslin said lightly, as if it were nothing.
“Even so, the number of available personnel is smaller than you might think, and it’s a ceremonial authority. Of course, in modern times, abusing it is also treated as an abuse of power against the field commander.”
I see, Enoch nodded his head. So it was a defunct authority that was as good as nonexistent.
For a moment, Shepherd’s words from last time, saying that the Victoria army’s uniform inherited the traditions of the past, suddenly came to mind.
As Aslin said, seeing how the authority of the past military branches remained formally to this day, it seemed that his words were not a lie.
“In any case, it’s just a formalized authority now. In the end, even if I were to expect something like that, I can’t be of any help to Alicia.”
With that, their conversation came to an end.
Aslin, who was about to leave, bowed her head slightly and turned her back, then glanced at Enoch as if she had remembered something.
“Ah. This is just my personal opinion, but.”
Aslin glanced to her side and said.
“Just in case, like Lord Enoch succeeded in the exemption mission. If you were to defeat the target, Indiviltal, in this impossible mission as well….”
Aslin smiled faintly and stared at Enoch.
“Perhaps Lord Enoch could become a new hope in this outsourcing district full of only despair.”
“Hope, you say. That sounds familiar.”
Enoch laughed lowly.
“Coincidentally, I heard something similar just now.”
On the way here, he had had a chat with April about needing hope. To hear it again in a conversation with Aslin now.
“I see. Perhaps this is the time when the people here need hope the most.”
Aslin looked up at the sky where the rain was gradually stopping and quietly nodded her head.
“I hope that the Direct Lineage Member and Alicia will achieve great things and return safely from the dangerous mission they have been given.”
Receiving her sincere gaze, Enoch slowly nodded his head.
“Of course, I have no intention of failing.”
It wasn’t over yet.
There was still a long way for Enoch to go, and many hidden truths of this world to find.
Saying that, Enoch slowly turned his head and silently looked at the scenery of the forest spread out in the distance.
In that great sea of green, where he didn't know what secrets were hidden, he would surely be able to find one of the fragments of the questions he held.