Chapter 22. Farewell to Her (2)

TL: Warriormonk

Editor: Warriormonk

What is it?

We may have found a lead, sir.

All the members of the investigator team jumped up from their seats.

A report was made by the soldiers on the border patrol. According to them, two people crossed the border about an hour after our holy knights did.

Who were the two people?

They were reported to be Luke Esteban, fourth son of Earl Esteban of the Hansel Kingdom, and his apprentice knight.

Lancasters face darkened. He had been briefed about all the members of the party that had been annihilated as well as any significant relations with other people.

Luke Esteban, the fiance of the saintess hopeful?

It seems that their clothes were covered in dust, as though theyd been riding nonstop for a long time.

Looking at the situation, it seems that they were chasing after the saintess hopeful.

The holy knight next to Lancaster blushed with excitement.

Its very possible that he witnessed the ambush as it was happening.

Indeed.

Lancaster tweaked his head as he pondered an idea.

Is it possible that he is an unknown aura master?

The holy knight smiled bitterly as he shook his head.

Luke Esteban is known to be in his mid-twenties.

Hm, it seems not then. Either way, considering that he was only an hour behind our party when he crossed the party, it is very likely he witnessed the ambush.

Having come to a decision, Lancaster made his order.

We ride to Esteban Earldom. I will question Luke Esteban thoroughly once we get there. The rest of you, make sure that the corpses of our comrades are given proper burial.

As you wish, sir.

Lancaster walked towards the carriage, his face locked into a fierce expression of determination.

We ride to Sith Empire.

Kurotan nodded thoughtlessly at Lukes words.

All right.

Why?

Because, Sith Empire and the kingdom of my birth, Hansel Kingdom, are by no means on friendly terms.

Sith Empire was an aggressive kingdom located in the center of the continent. The Sith Empire had started numerous wars in an effort to increase their territories, wars that had resulted in the collapse of multiple kingdoms.

Lukes Hansel Kingdom, was currently in an alliance with Tranbel Kingdom, as well as the Garnet Kingdom in the north in order to deter Sith Empire.

Kurotan nodded and then proceeded to ask another question.

So why do you wish to go to the Sith Empire?

Because a year from now, I will have to go to earl Wellington and ask about Isabelles whereabouts. I might as well secure a good standing for myself in the empire before that.

Your explanations make no sense to me, so I will just do as you order.

All right, and I will try to find bodies for your brothers that are sleeping in the spirit sword.

Until now, Luke had kept the problem of possessing a spirit sword containing the souls of hundreds of orcs in the back of his mind. Kurotan had earned his trust, but not all orcs had the same personalities. Now, however, it was as though he had a fire at his back that he needed to outrun.

In order to be able to take back Isabelle from the church of Maal and also protect her from the church of Flora, Luke needed strength.

If you look at it now, it seems taking in Kurotan was a stroke of luck for me.

Luke was determined to make use of any resources he had in order to protect Isabelle.

Kurotan happily replied to Lukes decision.

That sounds good to me. I wish to see them very much. However

Kurotan suddenly warned,

If you wish to control them, you must become stronger than you are now. I have already acknowledged you and therefore follow your orders even though you are weaker than I am, but I do not know how the others will react.

I already know that orcs all religiously follow the law of strength. No need to worry, Kurotan.

Luke gripped his fists tightly.

From now on, I will be desperately improving my skills. I will do anything to protect Isabelle.

A smile spread across Kurotans face.

Then, to commemorate that feeling, shall we spar?

Thats exactly what I wanted to hear.

Luke unsheathed his sword with no more words and stood up.

The current Kurotan had already surpassed Luke. Now, it was hard for Luke to handle Kurotan even if he went all out. Lukes attitude, however, was completely different from the previous training sessions.

Keeuk.

Luke collapsed from a critical hit from Kurotan, but he refused to give up.

I can still fight.

You shouldnt over do it.

I can still fight.

Luke clashed with Kurotan to the very limits of his physical capabilities. During the process, he came to a single but important realization.

Kurotan, the speed that my aura is circulating at is increasing the more I push my limits.

Youve just realized this? This is considered a basic among basics within my tribe.

I never knew. I suppose I should push myself to my limits more often.

Luke and Kurotan continued to travel towards the Sith Empire while training heavily.

The borderline dividing Tranbel Kingdom and the Sith Empire was truly strictly guarded. This was because only thirty years prior, an alliance of Hansel, Tranbel, and Garnet Kingdoms had waged war with the Sith Empire.

The emperor of the Sith Empire had launched a war against the Garnet Kingdom when a diplomatic party that he had sent to the kingdom had been ambushed by bandits. Hansel and Tranbel Kingdoms had been in an alliance with the Garnet Kingdom, and therefore declared war with the Sith Empire as well.

The war ended after six months of fighting. The Sith Empire decided that three kingdoms were too much to handle and asked for a truce.

The Sith Empire relinquished control of all the territories of the Garnet Kingdom that it had conquered during the war, and the Hansel and Tranbel Kingdoms had also retreated from the territories they had conquered. The war had ended, but the relation between the alliance of three kingdoms and the empire only continued to deteriorate.

All merchants not officially sanctioned were highly restricted in their trades, and even common peasants could not interact as they pleased. As if to prove this, the current border post that Luke and Kurotan were at was guarded by hundreds of soldiers and devoid of any travelers.

It seems it wont be easy to cross the border.

Luke smiled bitterly. It was completely different from crossing the border between Hansel Kingdom and Tranbel Kingdom.

When they had crossed over from Hansel to Tranbel Kingdom, the border was guarded by a few dozen soldiers, but the border between Tranbel Kingdom and Sith Empire painted a very different picture.

Luke briefly remembered what had happened when they had crossed the border post of the Tranbel Kingdom.

Why would a prestigious noble of Hansel Kingdom, such as yourself, wish to cross over to Sith Empire? Please, young master, reconsider.

At Lukes mention that he was going to Sith Empire to start a new life, the officer at the Tranbel Kingdoms outpost had nearly begged him to stay. From the officers point of view, it would have been a waste to let such an obviously talented young man with a bright future cross over from a Kingdom in the alliance over to the empire.

Please, if it is a bright future you wish for, consider our Tranbel Kingdom. I will write you a recommendation.

However, for Luke who had to find Isabelle after a year, it was an offer that could not be accepted. Luke refused politely but surely, and the officer had no choice but to heave a sigh and open the door of the border post.

It may be possible that the border post of the Sith Empire will not let you pass, so I will let you go for now.

Thanks.

So, Luke had safely passed the Tranbel Kingdoms border post and had now arrived in front of the Sith Empires border post. He made a worried expression.

I wonder if my letter has arrived. I hope my parents and siblings are not worried.

Luke had stopped by a trading city before he had reached the border post and sent off a letter. The letter was addressed to the Esteban Earldom in Hansel Kingdom.

The soldiers at the border post of the Sith Empire remained on guard and stiffly in position without any movement. It was a completely different picture from the soldiers guarding the border post of Tranbel Kingdom, who roamed around the post rather freely.

I have heard that the people of Sith Empire look up to those with strength and worship them. From the look of those soldiers, it seems to be true.

After waiting a while, an officer in uniform approached Luke and Kurotan.

So you are the people wishing to enter our Sith Empire?

Yes, sir.

Follow me.

The officer waved at the soldiers who had been standing there like statues, and the soldiers moved to open the door.

Kurururung.

Luke swallowed down his nervousness as he stepped through the door. If he was unlucky, he may never again be able to return to his home, Hansel Kingdom.

The officer led Luke and Kurotan to the main office of the border post. A middle aged man with sharp eyes sat behind the mahogany desk, reading papers.

I have brought them here.

Good. You are dismissed.

The officer saluted and left the room, and the middle aged man looked at Luke. In his hands were the papers that Luke had prepared as a self-introduction.

It is nice to meet you. I am the person in charge of the forty eighth border post of the Sith Empire, Baronet Lemington.

It is an honor to meet you.

The baronet glanced Luke up and down before turning his gaze back to the papers.

So you are the forth son of the famous House of Esteban, of the Hansel Kingdom. It seems youve served as an officer of the army for five years Is this true?

All of it is true without mistake.

Lemington narrowed his eyes.

Then you have already shown talent and achievement impressive for your young age. Then why do you wish to find a future in our Sith Empire, and not your native Hansel Kingdom?

If I were to put it simply, the waters of the Hansel Kingdom are too small.

Lemingtons eyes widened at Lukes bold words.

You wish to swim in larger waters?

If I were to be more exact, it is because I look up to the culture of Sith Empire of acknowledging the strong and worshipping martial prowess.

Lemington began to smile.

Lemington suddenly turned serious.

As you already know, the Sith Empire is not on very kindly terms with your native kingdom. Thirty years ago, we were waging war. What do you plan to do if another war breaks out between your Hansel Kingdom and the Sith Empire?

Luke answered without hesitation.

A knights fealty goes to his lord, not a country. If I swear fealty to a lord from the Sith Empire, then I am a knight of the Sith Empire from then on.

Hm, truly a text book answer. Then what about in the case that you are not able to find a lord?

Then I suppose I will return to my native kingdom to become a knight of Hansel Kingdom.

Lemington smiled bitterly at Lukes bold attitude and words.

He is an honest if brass bastard. In my eyes at least, he does not seem to be a spy.

The process of letting anyone through the border post was entirely decided upon by the baronet. According to his experience, the young knight standing in front of him was a talent that must absolutely be cultivated by the Sith Empire.

Lemingtons expression softened as he looked at Luke, and he turned to look at Kurotan.

Is this your apprentice knight?

Yes, sir.

I wish to know about the circumstance under which you ended up taking him in.

Luke answered honestly. Of course, not the whole truth.

I took him in while I was serving as an officer on the eastern lines, at Fort Potellan. He was from a common background, and swore fealty to me for life in exchange for teaching him swordsmanship.

A vassal at your age? Impressive. Also, a fort on the eastern lines It is to my knowledge that there are no specific forces to the east of Hansel Kingdom that would require any forts?

It was a fort built to annihilate the orcs that had gone into hiding into the eastern mountain ranges.

Hm, you must have suffered a lot. Our Sith Empire is currently having problems with orcs as well.

A knight with five years of experience fighting orcs was not common even in the Sith Empire. Lemingtons eyes turned more and more kindly as Luke continued to tell him stories of his service at Fort Potellan.

I sincerely hope that you find a lord to swear your fealty to in our Sith Empire.

I have high expectations as well, sir. I feel as though there must surely be a lord worth serving in the wide lands of Sith Empire.

Haha, truly, you are a character.

Lemington nodded and placed his signature on the paperwork.

I give you and your apprentice knight to enter the empire. However.

Lemington looked at Luke seriously.