“Exile!?”
“Yes, the Peace Forfeiture Punishment.”
Whenever I find myself on the side delivering such words, I can’t help but feel as if I’ve just set a flag for my own doom.
While experiencing this illusion, I nonchalantly threw a document at Baron Exiel of the Border.
“Execution was also proposed in the council, but the compassionate Lady Aurelia has guaranteed a generation’s worth of your household’s property and settled for the Peace Forfeiture Punishment.”
“That’s… that’s impossible! At least let me explain…”
“Having placed a blade against my throat, your excuses are no longer welcome.”
Before my eyes, the former Baron Exiel of the Border, a man with an overly white and bushy beard, obese from overindulgence, pitifully pleaded for mercy. Just now, with the addition of the title ‘former,’ he’d been relieved of his position as Lord and had the Peace Forfeiture Punishment passed onto him.
This punishment is akin to banishment, a deprivation of rights within the jurisdiction of the Holy Capital. It’s almost equivalent to a death sentence.
“First of all, reflect on your own deeds. Can you truly boast of a single accomplishment with pride?”
That said, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. No matter how lenient the treatment, he proclaimed crop failure in the capital to plead for tax cuts, while simultaneously squeezing his populace with nearly a 70-30 split of the resources, all under the guise of contributing to the war against dragons—none of which actually reached its intended destination. He even went so far as to confiscate manpower and resources necessary to survive the winter.
What on earth was he thinking, believing that such actions could ever be excused?
“Lord Virgil might intercede for you! He would surely understand…”
“Unfortunately, the man fled like a coward from a dragon’s tail and was subsequently outlawed and excommunicated.”
“Hah, excommunicated!?”
“And naturally, with your own Peace Forfeiture Punishment, you too are excommunicated.”
He shook on his knees in fear, clearly overestimating his connections to the center. Alas, he was mistaken, and it was a mistake he must learn to accept.
“And, where might the Grandmaster of the Cathedral of Egziel’s Border be?”
“The Grandmaster… is attending a religious ceremony…”
“He has also been excommunicated. The Cardinal Aurelia considers him a worldly man for demanding payment for prayers that should have been given freely.”
“Ahh, Lady Aurelia!? That girl as Acting Cardinal!?”
The shock must have been too much for the middle-aged Border Baron. He collapsed and lay motionless, likely unconscious from overloading his mind’s capacity.
“Someone, come fetch the former Baron.”
“Haa!!”
At my command, Falken roughly grabbed his arm and dragged him away—his knees will surely ache later—but I swiftly turned to an older man who had accompanied me in this power transition and handed him the documents.
“As of today, you are the new Baron Exiel of the Border.”
“I humbly accept.”
Since he was heading south anyway, I had already arranged for reinforcements to accompany him. By this time, his forces would be sweeping through the castle, apprehending the previous Baron’s subordinates and securing evidence of misconduct to report to central command.
The removal of corrupt nobles and depraved clergy has restored order to the border. In video game terms, it’s like completing a mid-sized side quest.
“Lord Saint, let us celebrate your arrival and the installation of the new Border Baron with a feast…”
“A celebration, indeed. The blessings of the Machine God are already upon you. Focus first on restoring order and comforting the surrounding estates; that is what would please the gods.”
Although he is keen to work and eager to curry favor with his new post, I have little time for such things. The idea of being assigned female companions, as if I were some saintly figure, during my time in the Holy Capital leaves me uneasy.
While indulging in romance routes could be fun in a game, I’m currently striving for a grand mission—rejoining my original unit after surviving near defeat.
I politely declined the feast invitation and exited the fortress, finding the city already abuzz with festivities.
Huge APCs roared through the streets, faster than any had seen before, and news of the Saint having slain a dragon had spread far and wide. There’s no surprise people are overjoyed.
This is how it should be, yes, this is perfect.
“NOZOMU! NOZOMU!!”
“Hm? Oh, Frederick! You’re safe!”
He galloped through the streets on a pack of wolves as spectators, thinking him blessed, surged forward to touch him but were held back by Tech Gob and Sylvanian external skeleton soldiers.
Among the crowd, I recognized the young head of the first estate I had once aided.
“I was worried that you’d been executed for raising me up!”
“The disbanding order came, but things are peaceful thanks to you! You sure are something else!”
“You! How dare you speak to the Holy Saint in such a manner…”
Excited by his words, a Magius Geanaite guard was about to reprimand him but was stopped when I grabbed him by the collar.
“Be not so quick to act. He is from a distant land where learning is a luxury unavailable to farmers. Moreover, they are a people who have not seen the blessings of Gear Priests for three generations. Let us look kindly upon them.”
“If His Holiness decrees it…”
However, while these titles and positions may be used for convenience, being addressed as “Saint” or “Your Holiness” makes me terribly uncomfortable. Though we might resemble deities in descending from the stars, I am but a mere mortal, neither omniscient nor omnipotent.
“Before long, Gear Priests will be dispatched even to Burukt Mauner. Enjoy a warm winter this year.”
“Great! Hail the Machine God! Holy blessings upon us!”
As he jubilantly celebrated, I waved to him while advancing our ranks through the crowd cheering over the rumor of the slain dragon and finally reached the city outskirts.
There, a crowd had gathered around with fascination at the Dicotomus 4. Thanks to its Magius Geanaite pilot, no foolhardy attempts to touch it were seen.
We arrived here in three days from the Holy Capital under full throttle. A few of the Magius Geanaite and Gear Priests brought along as additional personnel, unfamiliar with travel by vehicle, were vomiting from car sickness, but they had already eagerly disembarked, trudging upon the ground and heading towards their new posts. It should be expected that they handle their responsibilities competently.
Now, having concluded this worldly affair, the real hustle begins.
Back in the Holy Capital, I must make revisions to the Tiamat 25 and upgrade the 3D former. For dungeon attacks, suitable weapons will be needed. This time, Selene seemed unhappy with the limited activity of the newly constructed Revolving Coil Gun, indicating intentions to build a model for close combat. It promises to be exciting, given her particular taste for unconventional weapons despite her usual serious demeanor.
If she suggests something like a lever-action mechanism, I don’t know how to respond.
As before, people wanted to follow, but we are unable to linger due to the potential danger awaiting in the Holy Capital. So, we quickly departed with apologies.
“The Great Mother!”
In the Gunner’s seat, Ridelberdy loudly exclaimed. Switching the Dicotomus-4 from autopilot to manual control and connecting the visual sensors, I spotted the Great Mother on the horizon.
However, her appearance was much different from when I had last seen her. Though I had been away for only one season, the former “Great Mother” that once merely exposed her dilapidated hull was now covered with vibrant fabrics.
Were these colorful cloths flags? Some designs I recognized from the festival, while others were entirely new. It was all delightfully lively.
I wondered how they accomplished such high-altitude work, as climbing to the top and suspending them must have been quite challenging. They clearly did an excellent job.
Still, wasn’t this usual for religious monuments? Even with life-threatening risks, people strive to create something breathtakingly beautiful. If one were injured or died in the process, it was considered honorable. Such things are commonplace throughout history.
“That’s quite extravagant.”
“It’s an old custom! Before the tribes dispersed, the Great Mother was beautifully adorned with the flags of various clans! How is your reunion with your wife, Chief?”
“Stop making assumptions about me being married.”
Though I protested, Ridelberdy continued to laugh, and the Warrior Chief of Rustiagis wouldn’t desist.
It must make him happy to return this familiar forest and reclaimed Great Mother.
“Captain”
“Don’t take Ridelberdy’s jokes so seriously, Selene.”
“Not exactly, but we should decelerate soon lest we mow down the trees.”
Oh yes. This is the Tech Gob-guarded forest. We cannot afford to destroy it, even minimally, with the massive body of the Dicotomus 4.
I gave a deceleration command to the four other vehicles, all remotely piloted, and slowed at the edge of the forest.
“Selene, map an area where the trees are relatively sparse. We want to harm nature as little as possible.”
“It’s already mapped, as I expected you would say that.”
“Truly, we are an excellent pair.”
Switching from wheeled armor mode to multi-legged mode to minimize tree damage, a communication came from Falken aboard Galatea.
“Holy Saint! This forest is dangerous! Decreasing speed is not recommended!”
“…A few points of warning, knight Falken. Who is your direct superior?”
“That would be… Knight Galatea.”
“Then follow the proper chain of command. Bypassing your superior to advise the commander is a considerable disrespect unless it’s an emergency.”
“I-I am sorry!”
But he’s apologizing to the wrong person. Aurelia, while I understand the forces are valuable, sending rookies so stiff they can hardly move won’t do. I’ll have to train them into fighting shape.
Also, Galatea seems to be taking this too lightly. I’ll need to educate her properly next time.
Still, my title as Eternal Captain isn’t unwarranted. I have experience with the training of non-commissioned officers. I will ensure that by the time preparations are complete, they become fine officers and soldiers.
“Understand, this time I’ll let it slide. We have already cleared the forest. Look, they are coming to greet us.”
“Eh… w-what!?”
The surprised voice came through the communicator when he finally noticed the Tech Gobs camouflaged on the branches wielding coil guns. I had already located heat signatures 130 seconds ago, but Falken, had he been the enemy, he would have been killed more than a dozen times over.
“Welcome!”
“■■■■! Rustiagis again! Riding such strange machines made me think you were enemies!!”
“Sorry for the confusion! This was a reward from the Holy Capital for slaying the dragon’s head!”
“Nice! Alright, I’ll guide you in, follow me!!”
Unfamiliar with which tribe this warrior came from, he demonstrated tremendous agility leaping among the trees and setting a route. In his left hand, he wielded a curved blade that he used to hook and pierce trees, explaining his incredible acrobatics.
“Saint, you have the allegiance of even the young ones…”
“Knight Falken, this is in an open channel. Be mindful of your words; they are my allies.”
“Ah, my apologies!”
While reprimanding the knight who was still too stuck in Holy Capital protocol, we returned once again to the foot of the Great Mother.
This time with more warriors and more equipment, ready to again earn merit in the Holy Capital and obtain our rewards.
Of course, before that, there’s a celebration awaiting us…
—
[Planetary Exploration Note] The current communication devices we are distributing are simple ear-cuff models, and due to the small number of users, communications ignoring the chain of command are possible. However, these will soon be upgraded to throat models in order to prevent such unauthorized actions.
The update for 2024/08/09 will be around 18:00.
