Western Legion

“It was a rash judgment, Darus.”

In a closed room, a man with purple skin reprimanded him in a cold voice.

Darus bowed his head with his lips tightly sealed.

“Despite mobilizing an elite assassination squad and a large number of demons, you couldn’t even inflict significant damage…”

At the man’s muttering, a silver-haired priest burst into a scornful laugh.

“If only the results were good. Thanks to you, we’ve only succeeded in heightening the vigilance of that woman and the Empire.”

Clap, clap.

The priest’s applause echoed through the sealed room.

It was a sound filled with mockery.

Darus’s shoulders trembled with anger, but he maintained his silence.

There was no room for excuses.

The man’s gaze turned to the silver-haired priest.

“How is your situation?”

“The Inspection Division team leader seems to have noticed our stalling tactics~ Well, it shouldn’t be a major problem for now.”

As the priest shrugged with a frivolous attitude, the man murmured lowly.

“Loen Franz and others, the Inspection Division people are indeed the problem.”

Unlike the Enforcement Division, they were all formidable individuals without exception.

After being lost in deep thought for a while, the man finally seemed to reach a decision and raised his head.

His gaze turned to an officer in Imperial army uniform.

“What’s the fortress situation?”

“Time is running short since the Southern Legion has already begun its march.”

When the officer spoke while glancing at Darus, the man issued new orders.

“It can’t be helped. Tell the nobles of the West that the time has come.”

“Yes.”

Then to Darus as well.

“Darus. Lead all available forces and head to the legion fortress immediately.”

“All forces… you say?”

Darus’s eyebrows twitched at the instructions, which were essentially no different from ordering a full-scale war.

As the commander of the Partisans, whose specialty was guerrilla warfare, it was a difficult order to accept. But in the current situation, there weren’t many other options either. After a brief moment of anguish, he opened his mouth.

“Understood.”

Soon, the man solemnly addressed everyone in the sealed room.

“Before the central authorities show full-scale movement, we must inflict significant damage on the legion by any means necessary. Everyone, keep this in mind.”

At the implicit instruction to use any means without discrimination, everyone silently nodded.

The Southern Legion’s camp was set up on a vast plain.

A location where the western fortress would be immediately visible after crossing just one hill.

Loen planned to spend one night here, then head to the fortress with her companions and a small group to assess the situation.

The next morning.

Loen headed toward the fortress with her companions and the Armored Knight Corps.

As they crossed the hill, the outline of a massive fortress appeared in the distance.

The fortress, surrounded by pentagonal double walls, was far more magnificent than anything in the South.

“Isn’t that almost a fortress city~?”

“Seeing it in person, the intimidation is incredible!”

Psyche and Leus burst into exclamations simultaneously.

Loen felt the same way.

She had heard that long ago, after repeated expansions over many years to block northern barbarians invading from the western sea, today’s enormous fortress city was born. Indeed, seeing it in person, its scale was truly immense.

Soon, a complicated shadow fell across Leus’s face.

“If only the legion were still intact…”

Loen immediately grasped the implication of those words.

The Western Legion.

A force of 70,000 troops, 1,200 knights, and 30 mages – the shield of the West.

They had long protected the entire western region, stationed across this massive fortress and two surrounding satellite fortresses.

If they had properly functioned as a shield, traitors and Partisans would not have been able to run wild like this.

The group silently gazed at the fortress before urging their horses toward the entrance.

At the fortress entrance.

An officer with a refreshing impression, along with a group of knights, came out to greet Loen’s party.

With a broad smile on his face, he approached Loen with a very courteous attitude and offered to shake hands.

“Welcome, Inspector Loen! I am Kasian Render, the Chief of Staff of the Western Legion. I’ve heard much about you, the one who unhesitatingly cuts off the heads of traitors! It is truly an honor to meet you!”

While everyone showed puzzled expressions at the unexpected warm welcome,

Loen accepted his handshake for now.

“Senior Investigator Loen Franz. I appreciate your kind regard, Chief of Staff Kasian.”

“Haha, let’s not stand here, come inside right away.”

“Yes.”

While entering the fortress, Loen glanced at the escort knights.

But there were no particular signs of abnormality. They didn’t appear excessively tense, only their expressions were somewhat dark. Given the unfavorable situation, a gloomy expression wasn’t particularly strange.

From the beginning, Chief of Staff Kasian was classified as a loyal officer.

Light conversation passed between her and Kasian.

Mostly in the form of Kasian asking questions and Loen providing brief answers.

“That person must really hate demons? He’s talking excitedly.”

“Among officers with high loyalty, there are quite a few like him.”

“Hmm.”

Psyche and the Knight Commander whispered as they watched the Chief of Staff bombarding Loen with questions.

On the way to where the Legion Commander was staying, Loen asked.

“By the way, why is the Western Legion Commander staying in the annex instead of the main building?”

At those words, Kasian momentarily paused. He sighed as he resumed walking.

“Well, it’s truly unfortunate. At some point, the Commander began seeing hallucinations and started uttering strange things.”

“Hallucinations, you say?”

Loen’s eyebrow twitched.

“Yes. At first, we thought it was just a mild misperception, but the symptoms gradually worsened, and recently there was even a terrible incident where he beheaded a loyal officer.”

He continued.

“Recently, he claimed that all the staff supporting him were traitors, and eventually locked himself in that annex, saying we were trying to assassinate him.”

Everyone showed an incredulous expression.

What is he, a senile old man?

Loen asked with a puzzled expression.

“He claimed the staff were traitors?”

“Yes. Including myself.”

The Chief of Staff scratched his cheek.

“But I swear I’ve never had contact with demons. I’m just an ordinary officer who has devoted his life to the Empire.”

Kasian gave an awkward laugh at Loen’s silence.

“Haha, now that I think about it, I might be under suspicion too. Even though I’ve done nothing wrong, it makes my spine chill.”

Loen offered him a joke with a faint smile.

Since he was currently her only cooperator, there was a need to build some rapport.

Above all, she wasn’t so cold-blooded as to treat someone who was being so friendly in such a harsh manner.

“You don’t need to be tense, Chief of Staff. I’m quite kind to people, in my own way.”

Suddenly, the atmosphere around them turned cold.

It was because her tone, though meant as a joke, carried a certain chill.

To people?

Those words implied that she didn’t consider those who opposed the Empire as people. She was speaking with a cold face while smiling, making it hard to distinguish whether it was a joke or serious.

“I-I see.”

Even Kasian, who had been friendly to Loen, was at a loss for words and could only laugh awkwardly.

Leus also swallowed dryly while cautiously observing Loen.

He was really experiencing firsthand that the rumors didn’t exist for nothing.

“This is the main gate of the annex. Let’s go in.”

As soon as they arrived at the annex and stepped inside.

“Please halt for a moment.”

Someone blocked their path.

Dozens of knights, led by an officer with a weasel-like appearance, were guarding the annex corridor.

The officer spoke with a respectful bow.

“Vice Commander Yurgen, Inspector. I’m truly sorry, but… today the Commander’s condition is particularly bad. Would it be possible for you to visit tomorrow instead?”

What’s this situation now?

Loen looked at Kasian with a puzzled face, and he whispered in her ear.

“He is the Commander’s only trusted confidant. Currently, he is the only one who communicates directly with the Commander.”

Loen nodded and narrowed her eyes.

The only confidant, huh.

At that moment, Seraphine, unable to contain herself any longer, stepped forward with an irritated face.

Her face clearly showed displeasure, as if she couldn’t understand the situation.

“Vice Commander. Is the Legion Commander in such an extreme state of hallucination that he would attack us with a sword?”

“That’s not the case.”

“If that’s not it, would you please step aside?”

The weasel-like officer bit his lip slightly, then suddenly bowed his head at a 90-degree angle and made a plea.

“I beg you. I’m not doing this to hide something, Inspector. It’s really because the Commander’s condition is not good. So, would it be possible for you to come back tomorrow?”

At his sudden change in attitude, Seraphine was rather taken aback.

To think he would bow his head and plead so abruptly…

Forcing their way in under these circumstances wouldn’t look good.

A heavy silence enveloped the annex corridor.

After the silence.

Loen stepped forward.

Her red eyes stared directly at the Vice Commander.

“What if I can’t do that?”

Loen’s resolute voice echoed through the corridor.

Amazing…

Leus was briefly watching Loen’s back as she stepped forward.

Poke, poke.

Feeling someone poking his right arm, Leus turned his head to the side in surprise. It was Psyche.

She urgently whispered something with her lips. The meaning was:

‘Get ready.’

Leus asked in confusion without making a sound.

‘W-what for…?’

Following Psyche’s eye signal, Leus hurriedly looked around to find that everyone in the party had already slightly lowered their upper bodies and was in a state of extreme tension, like predators just before hunting. A posture right before assuming combat stance. The Knight Commander’s hand was already placed on his sword hilt.

Leus’s mind became confused once again.

W-wait, we’re going to fight here again!?

“Sigh… this is troublesome.”

However, the moment a thin sigh flowed from the Vice Commander’s mouth, who was blocking their path.

Leus’s expression turned cold. As if he sensed something ominous.

His left hand instantly moved toward the scabbard at his waist. The thumb of his hand gripping the scabbard pushed the sword slightly upward, very subtly.

Swish-. With the sound of metal friction, a sharp blade revealed itself.

Ready to draw his sword at any moment. All his senses and nerves were on edge.