Chapter 60

"May I ask you something?"

"Ah, yes. What is it?"

The guard stationed at the cathedral gate flinched when he met the exhausted eyes of Yaan and asked cautiously.

"May I smoke here?"

"Eh, yes?"

After confirming the guard nodding in bewilderment, Yaan gave a slight bow and stepped out of the cathedral.

Flick!

It was when Yaan took a drag from the cigarette he had pulled from his pocket and exhaled.

"Oh, there you are!"

Three members of the delegation.

They were approaching Yaan with smiling faces.

"It was His Imperial Majesty's will that brought you here, was it not?"

"That's right. He said it was to give you a choice."

Whether to become his limbs, or the Holy See's limbs. Or to reject both sides entirely.

Emily, who had been watching Yaan with a subtle expression as he let out a hollow laugh as if dumbfounded, came closer.

"I don't know what was said, but we're on the same side now, right?"

"We're all Imperial Army from the start. We've always been on the same side."

"You know it's no use trying to wriggle out of it like that."

Emily extended her hand as she spoke.

After staring at that hand for a moment, Yaan dropped the cigarette he had been holding with a tired expression and crushed it underfoot.

"I'm still holding out my hand-are you not going to take it?"

Emily said with a bright smile. Yaan, looking at her, stopped where he stood and opened his mouth.

"Yes. I'm not taking it."

When he said that with a languid expression, the faces of Emily and the two behind her hardened.

"Lieutenant Yaan. Right now...?"

"I'm sure you know exactly what those words mean."

At the unexpected answer, Rick and Swain asked again as if to confirm.

Yet despite their confirmation, Yaan's response did not change.

"You said you called me here to give me a choice. So I've made it. Even if I fail and fall to ruin and am cast to the ground... I will move of my own will. Not as anyone's limb, but as myself."

"Ha! Words from someone who caught House Lorenz's eye and escaped the frontier?"

It was Emily who scoffed and snapped at him.

"Emily! Mind your manners...!"

"She's right. I have no intention of denying it."

Rick, startled, tried to stop her, but Yaan did not bother to refute Emily's words.

"Emily's tone is a problem, but I feel the same. Why would someone who accepted House Lorenz's hand reject ours?"

Swain, his expression hardening, asked Yaan.

Hearing his words, Yaan maintained his blank expression and continued to speak.

"There is no goodwill without a price, and no malice without a reason. Unless you reveal what you're hiding, I won't take even the hand of the Creator, if it were offered."

The three stared silently at Yaan, who had finished speaking. In the heart of the Creator Church, his words bordered on blasphemy.

Hah!

It was Rick who sighed.

From the moment they first met, it had been impossible.

"You may come to regret this deeply, Lieutenant Yaan."

"I'm sure I will. I already feel like I do."

Yaan replied to Swain's words. As he sighed and turned to leave, a sentry's voice called out from behind them.

"Excuse me, are you the party from Vailsar?"

A man in white uniform approached them as he spoke.

Unlike the others, who had shaved all facial hair, he was an elf with black hair swept back.

The crest of the Holy See engraved on his shoulder identified him as a paladin directly under the Pope.

"A paladin? They still exist?"

"Well, the Paladin Order was disbanded thirty years ago. Probably just an honorary title?"

As Emily and Swain exchanged those words, the paladin came closer and greeted them with a smile.

"Paladin Bayan! I was on my way to the quarters-what a blessing from the Creator to meet you here!"

"Ah, yes."

The delegation seemed awkward at the way Church folk appended the Creator to every sentence.

"So, what brings you here?"

"Ah, an invitation from His Holiness. Not for the delegation, but for the knight escorting you."

"Pardon?"

Rick frowned at the unexpected turn.

Summoning the escort knight directly, rather than the Emperor's delegation?

"I'm sorry, but Lieutenant Yaan is scheduled to return to the Empire with us. If you call in separate escorts, it will disrupt our schedule..."

Privately summoning a knight directly under the Emperor was a major diplomatic breach. The paladin before them knew it, yet he kept smiling as he cut Rick off.

"Ah, we've already sent an official notice to the front-line commander, so you needn't worry. The Paladin Order will escort you all the way to the port."

"The Paladin Order as escort? Even if it's His Holiness's will, changing escorts without a word, and taking an Imperial knight...!"

"Rick. That's enough. Look at that."

Swain stopped Rick from arguing further and pointed at Bayan's waist.

A straight, silvery-gray rod. Rick's expression shifted when he saw it.

"That's... a sword?"

"Not just any sword. It's a holy sword excavated from the Crystal Capital."

"More importantly, look up."

At Yaan's interjection into the delegation's conversation, Rick glanced around and gave a dry laugh.

"Snipers?"

"One on the clocktower, on the roof of the Holy See. Three more on the high ground. Their numbers keep growing."

"So they'll use force if they have to, to take Lieutenant Yaan?"

"Hold on-are they pointing swords at us? The Kelt Holy See?"

After years of traveling to and from the Kelt Holy See, the three had never encountered such a situation; they spoke in disbelief.

"Paladin Bayan. Are you aware of what your actions mean?"

"Yes. I'm fully aware. I objected to the end, but it's His Holiness's will. I'm sure the Vailsar delegation understands what that means."

"...I see."

A paladin bearing arms had threatened the delegation. It was obvious this would cause diplomatic trouble between the Kelt Holy See and Vailsar; if things went wrong, it could even lead to war.

And the Pope had personally ordered this? All for one man-Yaan?

"First Lieutenant Yaan, and now the entire Holy See-what's going on? Why are they acting like this?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not a person-I'm an elf."

Bayan chuckled, and the holy sword at his waist clattered with a metallic sound.

A clear threat.

Realizing it, the delegation pressed their lips shut.

"That's enough. You are threatening the Empire's delegation."

Even as he spoke, Yaan raised his hand in a signal.

Clang!

With the metallic sound, Greyhound company members burst from rooftops, alleys, and windows.

When the ten company members in black uniforms leveled their weapons at Bayan, the snipers on the high ground visibly wavered.

"Damn it, they were lying in wait!?"

"Weren't the escort units supposed to be resting?"

As the Greyhounds who should have been in their quarters appeared, the snipers muttered curses.

Their positions for the ambush had been exposed; several guns were now trained on them.

"As commander of the delegation's escort, I will tolerate no further threats."

"Interesting. You'd kill a paladin in the Holy See's own capital?"

"Better than letting the Empire's delegation be murdered on foreign soil."

At Yaan's emotionless words, Paladin Bayan quietly closed his mouth.

'He's serious. We're so screwed.'

A hair-trigger situation. A heavy silence ominously hung between the two forces now facing off.

"So, was I the only one who got an invitation?"

It was Yaan who broke that silence and spoke.

At his intervention, the delegation and Bayan's eyes all snapped to Yaan, and the tension-laden air in the hall seemed to halt in an instant.

"...If you wish, you may bring an escort. His Highness said he would also like to meet the angel who accompanies you."

Bayan said to Yaan with a smiling face.

If they already knew about Ren's existence, there was no way they would let them go quietly even if they tried to run.

"I already gave my answer to your personal proposal through Cardinal Sian."

"Ah, that was Cardinal Sian's arbitrary... no, a personal request. His Holiness asked for something else."

"And that request is?"

"My apologies. I can't say it in front of these people."

Bayan said, shrugging his shoulders.

Seeing that, Yaan clicked his tongue and stepped forward.

'Company commander advancing. Hold fire.'

'Roger. Prepare suppression fire.'

As Yaan stepped forward, the soldiers exchanged hand signals and trained their sights on their respective targets.

"...I will accept the invitation."

"Lieutenant Yaan!"

"This isn't something you can decide alone!"

At Yaan's single remark, the delegation immediately protested, but Yaan spoke to them with eyes deep as still water.

"If we keep confronting them like this, I can't guarantee your survival. As the one entrusted with your escort, I cannot allow the situation to worsen any further."

"Even so, negotiations with the Church are our role as the delegation. It's not something a single knight can decide on a whim."

"Then shall we proceed as the delegation has decided? But to get you all back alive, this seems the only way."

After Rick's retort, Yaan said that and opened his mouth toward Bayan standing before him.

"However, escorting the Empire's delegation is the mission of our 87th Independent Company. We cannot leave their protection to a foreign army."

"Then what will you do?"

"I and one escort will meet His Holiness. The rest of the company will return with the delegation to Kerdan frontline base."

He would accept the Pope's invitation, but he could not cede the right to escort Imperial personnel.

At Yaan's words, Bayan paused for a moment, then nodded and spoke to Yaan.

"Understood. The time is tomorrow at noon. Come in comfortable attire. Then, I'll take my leave."

After saying that, Bayan turned and disappeared.

Scanning the surroundings through his left eye, Yaan finally relaxed his guard only after confirming all snipers had withdrawn.

"Situation cleared. Everyone withdraw."

At his single command, the company members vanished as if they had never been there.

"Since when were those soldiers...?"

"While the delegation is performing its duties, the escort units can't just rest in their quarters."

"After all, they have to keep watch over us, the Emperor's direct unit, right?"

Emily added, scrunching her face.

After pausing for a moment and sighing, Yaan met the delegation's eyes, which stared at him as if seeing a ghost.

He wore a smile crafted as if stamped out from a mold-utterly artificial.

"Whatever do you mean? I'm just doing my duty as an escort."

"...."

"...."

Looking at Yaan saying that, the three couldn't utter a single word.

***

"You're telling us to return to the frontline base without you? What about you, company commander?"

Upon returning to the quarters, the soldiers who had arrived earlier welcomed Yaan and the delegation.

In a situation that had nearly turned into an armed clash, the company commander's sudden solo action. Dandel voiced his question, and Yaan shrugged.

"A scapegoat for a diplomatic dispute. I won't die, so keep the kids in line."

"Understood. Still, wouldn't it be better to leave two or three people as your escort, company commander?"

"No. The situation is more urgent than I thought. Protecting the delegation takes top priority."

Now that the Empire's delegation had been targeted, anything that happened would no longer be surprising.

"And, my escort is already set. The person to protect me is right here."

As he said that, a girl with white hair stepped out from behind Yaan.

"Escort? You mean the maintenance squad leader?"

"You forgot who went with me to infiltrate Rael's base?"

Hearing that, Dandel had no choice but to nod.

"Understood. Then we'll return with the delegation."

"The rest of the company is waiting at the far end of the bridge. Link up with them and head back. When you return, help yourselves to any supplies you need."

The path to the Kelt Holy See's entrance was a lawless zone even the Alfraian Army crossed. Given the new commander's risk-averse nature, he wouldn't send ordinary soldiers outside the base.

With no backing and Commander Cain absent, the only easy target left was the Greyhounds from the Penal Corps.

"Though there have been many complications, I hope you will look upon us with leniency."

The next morning.

The delegation set out early from the Kelt Holy See, their expressions far from bright.

The three sighed helplessly as they watched Bayan, who gave an awkward smile as he saw them off.

"Ha, I was on edge all day yesterday wondering what might happen."

"Since it happened at His Holiness's order, there's no reason for us to feel awkward."

"Of course, we'll still report everything that happened here to His Imperial Majesty!"

At Emily's words, they gave awkward laughs, shook hands, and parted ways.

"What the heck? After pointing guns at each other yesterday, it ends on such friendly terms?"

"Opposition stems from each nation's interests. Those of us on the ground have no reason to fight."

At Yaan's remark as he watched the departing delegation, Ren gave a short evaluation.

Diplomacy could flip at the whim of a leader.

Even if relations between the two countries reached their worst, those conducting diplomacy knew it was best to maintain cordial relations, even if forced.

"Well then, shall we go? Lieutenant Yaan. His Holiness is waiting."

After seeing off the delegation, Bayan said that and took the lead. Watching him, Yaan slowly began walking toward the Cathedral.