Chapter 456: The Meaning and Value of a Smile

Magical devilish beings. The supreme battle was like a myth. A threat that humans couldn’t reach, no matter how much training and hardship they overcame. That threat was swirling around in a battle of strength.

The scene was incomparable to any theater performance. It was more shocking than theater. Unaware of my feelings, I continued to watch the scene from the sky above, gritting my teeth. A strange reverberation pierced the back of my ears. The sky was filled with an extraordinary battle.

The soldiers, as expected, didn’t move a single step. Perhaps, they had not received orders from their commander. Everyone was gazing up at the sky with their weapons ready. Under the dazzling light of the battlefield, the human battle had come to a temporary halt.

「What’s wrong? Let’s go. That girl is attracting so much attention, so it’s a good opportunity for us. 」

Filaret spoke, blinking her black eyes and hiding most of her head and face in her robe. Somehow, she didn’t seem to be as distracted by the battle in the sky as I was.

She didn’t call that magical devilish being by its true nature, the symbol of cruelty and destruction. She instead called her “that girl”. I thought that Filaret had a more delicate side than Caria, but maybe she was more compassionate than I thought she’d be. No, even back then, Filaret was a person who didn’t forsake her feelings.

Following Filaret’s example, I pulled my robe over my shoulders to hide my expression and headed for the road a little away from the battlefield. However, it seemed that Filaret had heard my sigh. Her black hair swayed between the gaps in her robe as she turned her gaze in my direction.

「Are you that dissatisfied, accomplice? Or are you avoiding me? 」

It sounded like a very carefully crafted voice. Her emotions were calm, and her tone sounded quite soft.

But it was by no means a peaceful one.

My eyebrows wobbled unconsciously. This was the case with both Caria and Eldith. When they were strangely kind or smiled, then it was the evidence that negative feelings were brewing in their hearts. I had finally learned that fact.

This time, the cause was particularly clear.

The tactic I explained to Caria and Filaret in Garoua Maria’s office was straightforward. It was to make me the target for the enemy.

In other words, I would sneak out with a small number of soldiers and launch a surprise attack on the enemy’s rear. Then, in one swoop, I would storm into the main camp. It would be grand, and more conspicuous. But it wasn’t a suicide mission.

It was more like a diversion. From the Bolvat army’s perspective, it would be an abnormal situation, with an enemy general leading a small number of soldiers in a surprise attack on their main camp.

The enemy commander would think there must be something going on. The soldiers would think this was a good opportunity for them to win the battle.

If that stopped the commander and the soldiers from cooperating, then it would work. It would be fine too if they managed to intercept us. Because it meant the enemy commander’s spear would be directed at me.

In other words, that thunder dragon would no longer aim his spear at Garoua Maria, and the giant sword called Caria would be freed from her shackles.

If the enemy launched an offensive against the surprise attack force I was leading, Garoua Maria’s main force would stab them in the back, and Vestaline’s mercenary force would launch a surprise attack on their flank.

The surprise attack force was certainly in a precarious position, but I wasn’t planning on our annihilation. We wouldn’t die if this plan worked. That’s what I told Caria and Filaret.

…Lugis. So you thought I’d open my arms and tell you it’s a great idea?

…Right. You’re not really thinking of doing that foolish plan, are you?

All I remembered was that they had wonderful smiles on their faces. Both Caria and Filaret. Ah, I see, smiles weren’t a sign of friendship. They could be vicious at times.

And Caria continued…

…That won’t work against them. You’ll be defeated and that’ll be the end. Filaret’s father is surprisingly skilled, isn’t he?

Caria shrugged her shoulders, pointing out the crucially fatal point of the plan I’d mentioned.

In other words, the commander-in-chief was extremely skilled and poised. Maybe he could withstand my surprise attack and the main force’s attack without causing confusion in his troops, then it would be over for us.

After all, they were superior in terms of natural strength. The fact that we had to launch a surprise attack was enough to put us at a disadvantage. Even if we were to completely survive the surprise attack in that state, we’d just be crushed in the end. Either way, it would be over in an instant. Caria must have seen that scene clearly in her eyes.

We exchanged several words, but Caria stubbornly refused to give in. Normally, she would’ve led her troops and charged out on her own.

At that moment, Caria had an unusually dangerous look in her eyes. It was as if she was saying that if I made even the slightest movement, she would bite my neck off. It wasn’t a metaphor or anything.

Then, it was none other than Filaret herself who brought this up.

…I understand. If you want a surprise attack that badly, then I’ll send a message to my father. It’s better than a surprise charge that puts your life at risk, right?

I was stunned for a moment, then Filaret continued speaking.

…Mastigius La Volgograd is an extremely rational person, like all sorcerers, but he’s not so blasphemous that he would willingly submit to evil. Unless he has no choice, he’ll avoid cooperating with demonic beings.

If that’s the case, then there was a chance that if we sent a document requesting a meeting in his daughter’s name, we’d get a slight response from him. Another path could emerge if we exchanged words. It wasn’t too late to hope for a better plan.

I remembered Filaret’s state at that time very well. She didn’t seem unsure. Actually, she seemed rather certain. But on the other hand, she looked extremely tense, as if she were trying to suppress something she didn’t like.

To be honest, I had no idea what kind of personality Mastigius had, or what kind of judgment standards he had.

But looking at Filaret’s state, perhaps they were not a father and daughter who got along well, just like Caria Burdnick and Barberridge Burdnick.

I was born without a father or mother, so to be honest, I didn’t really understand the deep emotions of family affairs. But I knew it wasn’t something that I shouldn’t treat lightly.

There were areas that humans didn’t want to step into. And that included me and them too.

Then, after a while, we received a reaction to the letter that had Filaret’s name through the presence of a military envoy.

The man who had refused to accept surrender requests from each city said he would be willing to hold a meeting with us. Even if it was a trap, it was still a coveted opportunity to exchange words with the opposing commander.

That’s why I was heading to the meeting place, even hiding my face in my robe so that people wouldn’t recognize me. It seemed that Filaret didn’t like my sigh. I shrugged my shoulders and said in a whispering voice.

Her black eyes, peeking out from under her robe, were staring fixedly at me.

「There’s no way I’m dissatisfied. Especially since you’re my accomplice. I’m more than grateful for this plan. 」

But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any other thoughts.

After all, the trusting soldiers who followed me to Garoua Maria were left behind to deal with the enemy on the battlefield. It just didn’t suit my nature to be the only one to go to a meeting like this.

If there were people who had entrusted their lives to me, then it would be my duty to die with them. Otherwise, it would be unbalanced.

So I explained those thoughts to Filaret. Then, Filaret lifted her robe for a moment and said the following words.

「You’re misunderstanding. But it’s like you to have those thoughts, and I can’t hate you for it. But your soldiers…and Caria as well. They’re entrusting their lives to you not because they want you to die. 」

Her black eyes stared slowly at me.

I knew it at first glance. Contrary to her calm words, Filaret was hiding an unmistakable anger. Pure rage that couldn’t be hidden by even a thin cloth.

This might have been the first time that Filaret had looked so angry, even in the past.

「We don’t want you to die. We entrust our lives to you because we want to walk alongside you. You are like gold. You’re my gold and everyone’s hero. Everyone wishes you to be alive. 」

Away from the battlefield, on a road that was off the main road. Filaret grabbed my hand and spoke, placing her cheek against the back of my hand. Her voice strangely pierced the core of my ears.

「Do you hear me, Lugis? If you, my accomplice, tell me to die, then I’ll die with a smile. You won’t forget me. You’ll surely remember me forever. 」

Filaret said something amazing and deep. But it wasn’t her words that surprised me.

She had a beautiful smile on her face that made me want to fall in love with her when she said those words. It was even tinged with a sensuality that was astonishing.

I didn’t know what her smile meant, or how to interpret it.

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