Chapter 31

“I’ve made up my mind.”

The day after the bonfire to honor the fallen, Commander Balthazar summoned all the unit leaders.

And he boldly brought up the topic.

“Every second week of the month is when new recruits join our Vanguard. But this time, I requested more to be sent.”

“……”

A heavy silence fell.

Previously, the unit leaders had always reacted positively to the news of more recruits, but this time was different.

Though they had many thoughts running through their minds, none dared to speak up in front of Commander Balthazar’s absolute authority.

“Commander, is that why you called us here? What our Vanguard needs right now isn’t just numbers, it’s……”

“Hey, calm down! Do you think the Commander doesn’t know that?”

“I know. I know too! But… damn it!”

The unit leader who finally spoke up couldn’t finish what he wanted to say.

“What our Vanguard needs right now is……”

So, I stepped in, not caring about reading the room.

“It’s not quantity. It’s quality. And not just any quality—we need core strength that’s beyond exceptional.”

I emphasized my words clearly and firmly.

“The Commander knows this too. The next wave will be stronger and more merciless than the last. And yet, we almost got wiped out in this one.”

“Almost wiped out? Sir Kairon, that’s an exaggeration……”

*BANG—*

I slammed my fist on the table, making a loud noise.

“Who was it again? I don’t recall you being by my side when my Vanguard and I were fighting alone.”

“W-what? Sir Kairon, that’s too harsh!”

“Too harsh? We’re the ‘Vanguard.’ Warriors who’ve sworn to fight to the death. So who was it that ran away when faced with demons, abandoning their comrades? Go on, answer me. And then dare to call us ‘comrades’!”

At my words, the unit leaders all bowed their heads, unable to retort.

I get it.

Instinctive fear is something you can’t control.

Even my Black Iron Vanguard, who followed me, only charged in after I, their leader, threw myself into the fray first.

“Commander Balthazar, do you know what a cornered rat does?”

“It charges forward, despite its fear.”

“Exactly. That’s what our Vanguard did in yesterday’s wave. We knew running would mean death, so we charged instead. But a large, confident rat fights the threat even before it’s cornered.”

I stood up and walked over to stand right beside Commander Balthazar.

Then I pointed to the empty seats at the Vanguard’s round table.

The seats of unit leaders who had either died or left.

“Now, we can’t make do with just prisoners and overenthusiastic recruits. Even unit leaders were swallowed whole by that monster, and worse things will come. We need much stronger forces.”

Since everyone was gathered, I held back what I really wanted to say.

The real problem is you, Commander Balthazar, who created and led us into this situation.

“I know, Kairon. But shouldn’t you let a man finish his words? Go back to your seat and listen to what I have to say.”

“……Fine. But you’ll need to give us a story that all the unit leaders can accept.”

I returned to my seat.

But from somewhere…

*Zing—*

A cold, sharp gaze.

Its source was Abelin.

She looked furious, mouthing something silently, but I couldn’t make it out.

I waved my hand a few times, signaling we’d talk later. Abelin, still looking resentful, clenched her teeth and bowed her head.

Then everyone waited for Commander Balthazar to speak.

“I know what you’re all worried about. I’m the Commander, after all. Truth is, I’ve had a plan in motion for a while now. I didn’t want to bring it up until it was finalized, but……”

At the word “plan,” the unit leaders’ eyes lit up.

Little did they know, it was because of this plan that we were suffering so much.

But I couldn’t help but be curious too.

“We’re going to recruit a magician.”

“Aww……”

The unit leaders didn’t hide their disappointment.

The Vanguard already had a few magicians working with us.

Though they didn’t participate in battles, they helped by enhancing equipment and aiding in daily life.

And even that cost us a fortune.

“Don’t be too disappointed. The one I’m planning to recruit this time is none other than……”

Commander Balthazar smiled contentedly as he spoke.

“A Legion Class magician.”

“Le-Legion Class……!”

The unit leaders couldn’t hide their excitement at the unimaginable term.

Generally, a “Company,” or unit, consists of anywhere from a hundred to a thousand members.

And a “Legion,” or army, starts at five thousand and can go up to ten thousand.

A Legion Class magician with such a title meant they had the power to take on an entire legion of that size single-handedly.

“Commander, who is it? Who’s the Legion Class magician joining our Vanguard?”

“……Riana.”

“Riana?”

I couldn’t believe my ears.

The only Riana I knew who could be a Legion Class magician was……

“My daughter.”

“W-what……?”

“Uh, uh……”

Silence fell once again.

“What, not to your liking? My daughter Riana is quite the promising talent. At just twenty-one, she’s already a Legion Class magician. Doesn’t that make you look forward to her future?”

“W-well……”

The unit leaders were half-pleased and half-uncertain.

While having a skilled magician join was good, the fact that it was the Commander’s daughter made things complicated.

What the unit leaders feared was having to deal with someone as difficult as the Commander.

“But if it’s your daughter, Commander, couldn’t you just ask her to come? Why are you having trouble finalizing this?”

“I’ve asked her several times, but she refuses to come. She’s still young and doesn’t understand the importance of our Vanguard’s mission.”

“Hmm, what can we do? If it’s not your daughter, who else would come to help our Vanguard?”

“That’s why I’ve made a decision. Kairon.”

“Yes.”

“And Abelin.”

“Yes!”

As Abelin and I suddenly stood up, Commander Balthazar nodded slowly, looking satisfied.

“You two suffered the most in this wave. So I’ll grant you a vacation outside.”

“Va-vacation?”

“Did you just say vacation? And outside?”

The unit leaders murmured.

Until now, vacations meant not leaving Crestnig at most.

“But I’ll set the duration and location. The duration is three weeks starting today. And the location is……”

“Rostia, I presume.”

“You guessed it. Go to Rostia and, by any means necessary, bring my daughter Riana back to the Vanguard. Remember, this vacation is both a reward and an order. The future of our Vanguard depends on you.”

***

As we each stroked our horses, Abelin asked, “What’s Riana like?”

“What’s she like…… It’s been a while since I last saw her, so I’m not sure. She must have changed a lot.”

I first met Riana about four years ago.

Back then, Commander Balthazar often invited unit leaders to his house and treated them lavishly.

Although I joined the Vanguard a bit late, I was recognized for my skills and became a unit leader soon after.

“It’s surprising, though. Riana used to be obedient and submissive to her father, Commander Balthazar. But now she’s refused his requests to join several times.”

“Rebellious phase, maybe?”

“Could be. But there’s something else that doesn’t make sense.”

“What is it? Huh……? Why are you looking at me like that?”

As I stared at her, Abelin flinched and stepped back.

“I know Riana a little, so I get it. But why are they sending you with me? It’s a rare vacation, so why you?”

“What, what’s that supposed to mean! You think I want to go with you? I don’t get it either!”

“No matter how I think about it, I can’t figure out the Commander’s intentions. We just barely survived this wave and need to prepare even harder for the next one, yet they’re sending you and me, our core strength…… Unless?”

Something occurred to me.

Even Abelin, who had been upset, looked serious as her eyes lit up.

“What, what is it? Tell me!”

“Kidnapping.”

“Huh……?”

“Maybe they want us to use force to kidnap his disobedient daughter. After all, she’s a Legion Class magician who can take on ten thousand people, so sending a small elite force like us is just for that……!”

“Stop talking nonsense and get on your horse.”

Abelin, not even listening to me, was already on her horse.

“The sooner we go, the more we can enjoy the vacation, right?”

“That goes without saying!”

As I tapped Abelin’s horse’s rear, her horse startled and dashed forward.

“Ah, wah……!”

I quickly mounted my horse and caught up with Abelin.

“What are you doing? That’s dangerous!”

“You said to go as fast as possible, right?”

“Hmph, that’s not what I meant…… By the way, you haven’t forgotten our promise, have you?”

“Promise? What promise?”

“……Never mind. Just hurry up and follow me, geez!”

“What? What promise……”

I had made some promise with Abelin, but my mind was too cluttered to remember it clearly.

Besides, my main concern right now was how to recruit Riana.

‘But why? When she mentioned a promise, I remembered making one with Riana too.’

I thought hard, but it was so long ago, four years back, that it was hazy.

The only thing I could recall was……

[ Kairon oppa, promise me. When I enter the Magic Tower and become as strong as you, then…… ]

I couldn’t remember what came after, but I remembered the feeling.

It was something I’d want to forget over time, like a cringy memory from childhood……