Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Lightning

“······What on earth did you do to come like this?”

At Galahad’s miserable appearance Gilbert asked with a fed-up face.

“There were this and that things.”

“This and that things—. Did you get treatment?”

“It’s fine. Mages are sturdy. With this much if you shake it off it heals. ···It was a metaphor, a metaphor. Remove your hand.”

“I was trying to help though.”

“Apply saliva to your mouth and lie.”

Gilbert licked his lips and sat opposite. Galahad pushed the completely cooled stew.

“This place does stew very well. Try eating.”

“I do not eat breakfast.”

“Then give it to Damien.”

Damien promptly took the bowl. Gilbert clicked his tongue softly and looked around.

“Did you get ambushed by Hermun or something?”

“Who is Hermun?”

“There is a big guy who carries a steel axe, an ignorant guy.”

“Then it is not.”

Thanks to drinking demon race blood the body condition was not the worst.

Demon race blood did not treat wounds, but it stopped bleeding. It was a feeling similar to applying albothyl to a wound. It was terribly painful but the effect was certain.

The problem was that the mana was boiling. The dense concentration mana obtained from demon race blood kept running wild inside.

It was the feeling of a mad dog with its leash released entering inside. If he lost concentration even for a moment it seemed the mana would explode.

Galahad tried somehow to put a leash on the mana, but because the body condition was not good it was not easy. It was only pressing.

“What is that?”

“It is something good for the body.”

Galahad put the water bottle into his bosom. Then Gilbert narrowed his eyes. It seemed he was suspicious.

Then, the tavern door opened noisily.

“Why meet at the tavern from the morning···. What! Why is the appearance like that!”

Gwen ran over and grabbed Galahad. That sense of distance was a little bewildering.

“Why··· why are you like this? Who hit you?! Who! No matter how unlucky, to hit a person like this!”

“I won so calm down. And what is the sound of being unlucky.”

“There is no need to hide because you are a man! Everyone has hard times the same! I am also bullied by other maids as a baggage who cannot clean!”

“That is not bullying, is it not a fact?”

“No matter how unlucky, to do such a terrible thing!”

“You, you just said the word unlucky twice.”

Words did not communicate. Suddenly tears welled up in the eyes of Gwen who was examining the wounds.

“Hic— wait a moment. I will bring a towel to wipe.”

It seemed she did not believe at all. Gwen disappeared inside.

Galahad felt a question. I go around getting hit—. Does it look like that?

“Do I have a face that goes around getting hit?”

“You do look frail.”

“You guys are the ones who are bizarrely thick. In the center I also had a decent build.”

“Ah, is that so.”

Following that Gwen came out holding a thoroughly wet cloth. Even though he said it was enough she stuck and began wiping Galahad’s body.

“There is no need to do this much though.”

“Because the salary is ten times. I have to work ten times harder.”

“That is also so. Wipe harder.”

“But who is this child?”

Gwen asked while wiping the sweat that had formed on her forehead.

“Ah, it is your junior Damien.”

“······My junior! Really? Having a junior was a dream!”

When Damien bowed his head Gwen’s eyes sparkled. It was a look as if she had received a gift.

“Are you also by any chance an orphan?”

“No. My mother is there. She is a prostitute.”

“Oh my, fortunate.”

Following that Tom also arrived.

“Is this side also my junior?”

“Private! Tom! It is!”

“Wowaa! Two juniors! Finally I also have juniors!”

Gwen who sat Tom and Damien on both sides had her shoulders fully raised.

Galahad forcefully let the messy conversation heard beside flow and concentrated on the mana. The mana was still not caught.

‘Rather it would be better to use it refreshingly once.’

It seemed better to shake off the boiling mana once. However, because power control was not working he had to use it outside the castle.

He had to move slowly.

Because time was not on Galahad’s side.

“I should go see the wife slowly.”

Everyone nodded with firm expressions.

***

In front of the inner castle gate quite a few soldiers were gathered.

It seemed they were curious about the Special Mission Unit. Laughter burst among the soldiers who faced the Special Mission Unit.

“Isn’t that a maid? Taking a maid to the front line? Crazy.”

“It is Damien who eats squads. I heard the squads that guy ate are ten—.”

“Is that the captain who is that mage? It seems he already got hit somewhere.”

Rough words poured from the surroundings.

Galahad stealthily tidied his hair. A spark jumped on the finger. Irritation naturally rose at the mana that was not controlled. He forcefully pressed it and examined the members.

It was not good to become discouraged from the start with something like this—.

“They say maid! Maid! As expected it does not look like a soldier! Because it is a maid!”

Gwen who likes being called a maid and Damien with no thoughts at all—.

‘There is no impact at all.’

Tom’s face was greatly stiffened, but that did not particularly matter.

“Since attention is gathered, I should show cool magic.”

“This is not the center. The perception of magic is about the filth of the demon race.”

“If the consciousness is not good one has to improve it.”

At Gilbert’s dissuasion Galahad clicked his tongue softly. He wanted to shake off the mana—.

“What kind of bug dares to covet Lady Adrianne!!”

Then, a low voice was heard from the front. How good the resonance of that voice was it stuck in the ears.

The startled soldiers hurriedly parted. Between them a man of huge build approached.

The man did not feel the cold and was in a state of barely covering only important parts with fur clothes.

The fully revealed huge muscular body was full of scars. He was holding a huge axe the size of an ordinary person, and amazingly even the handle was iron.

Killing intent was full in the eyes of the guy heading toward Galahad. To the extent the skin stung.

“I will guess. You are the Hermun you mentioned?”

Gilbert nodded with a reluctant face.

“Yes, it is Hermun. He is a person of the 1st Battalion, and his loyalty to Lady Adrianne is excessive. There was also a time he pulled out the tongue of a guy who had teased Lady Adrianne.”

Pulling out the tongue is terrible.

“But why is that man glaring at me?”

“Are you asking because you don’t know?”

“Ah, because we are going to marry? Ugly jealousy.”

“You spoke too loudly though.”

“This guyyyyy!”

The guy named Hermun struck the ground with the axe. Kuung! A roar was heard exactly like a bomb exploding.

“The strength is amazing.”

“Is it a time to admire now?”

“One has to know how to acknowledge others first to be acknowledged oneself.”

Galahad coughed softly. He was pretending to be leisurely, but irritation rose a little.

“It is not a time to play. Hermun is a skilled person recognized in the 1st Battalion.”

Kwaaang! Hermun’s axe struck the floor again. A few soldiers could not keep their center and collapsed. Absurd monstrous strength. Did that guy eat the tendons of the demon race?

“Gilbert! Move aside! Are you protecting the empire guy!”

“It is the order of His Grace the Grand Duke.”

“I don’t care! I will take responsibility so move aside!”

Gilbert turned to Galahad. Gilbert’s eyes slightly narrowed.

“You, are you pondering now?”

“Hmm, no.”

“Enough, it worked out well. I was just feeling the urge.”

“It is dangerous.”

At Gilbert’s serious dissuasion Galahad scratched his cheek.

Dangerous—. Me? Against that bare-bodied primitive man?

Galahad was so absurd that a hollow laugh came out.

“I have had a question from before, why do the guys here ignore mages?”

He was sincerely curious.

It was natural that the demon race ignored mages. Because the compatibility was tilted to the extent of being no different from natural enemies.

But here even the thugs of the tavern ignored mages. Hating mages one could understand, but ignoring them was completely incomprehensible.

It was something unimaginable in the center.

“Well, mages are weak in combat, aren’t they.”

“What kind of mages have you guys seen? Well, if it is a mage who crawls all the way to the North the level is visible.”

“·········.”

“Why are you looking with those eyes?”

“Cough.”

“I was not crawled in but dragged in.”

“Yes, I know. However, didn’t you also struggle against that lord.”

“That is because it was a demon race. The demon race has bad compatibility with magic.”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Whether trying to show off strength the guy named Hermun continuously pounded the floor with the axe. In time with that the soldiers poured jeers and cheers.

“It seems it won’t do. I should take the lead in improving the perception of mages. I will show the fearsomeness of mages to those ignorant guys.”

“Will it be okay?”

“I am the captain. Don’t you know that originally the captain is the strongest?”

“···Isn’t the body condition a mess.”

It was a correct statement. Things like bleeding had stopped, but because he had shed a lot of blood the head was dizzy, and the mana was running wild. However—.

“Even with only one finger I can win against a bare primitive man holding a steel axe.”

Galahad who stepped forward slowly examined the primitive man.

He was not wrapping aura, nor was he wearing leather armor.

‘I don’t know what kind of guts it is.’

Galahad lightly flicked his finger. A spark jumped roughly.

The mana was not controlled. Because he had drunk demon race blood it kept running wild.

‘Power control won’t work—.’

Galahad nodded while staring at the primitive man pounding his own chest.

He planned to shake it off refreshingly once.

‘The snow has stopped.’

Galahad looked up at the sky.

The snow had stopped, but the sky was full of long dark clouds.

The gazes that had gathered a lot and the members who had slightly shrunken—.

‘I should do it with something very flashy.’

Galahad flicked his fingers tak tak.

Thanks to the primitive man who kindly waited, he even chanted a spell after a long time.

***

“Should··· shouldn’t we stop him? The body condition is not good!”

“If it is Hermun isn’t that person—. He won in a strength contest with the demon race······.”

At the worries pouring from behind Gilbert squinted his eyes.

It was a correct statement. Hermun was not an easy opponent.

From the beginning just being in the 1st Battalion was evidence of ability in the North.

In contrast Galahad had struggled even against the half-monster lord.

Along with that Galahad’s body condition was the worst. There were wounds in places from doing something somewhere at night and burn marks were full on the back.

Thinking rationally stopping him was correct, but if Galahad stepped forward what could one do.

“Kuhahaha! The empire guy has lost his fear!”

Rough laughter flowed from Hermun’s mouth. He seemed excited at the thought of cutting the neck right away.

““Madman! Madman!””

Cheers poured continuously from the surroundings. Everyone did not doubt that Hermun would cut Galahad’s neck.

‘Not good.’

The Special Mission Unit that had already become a laughingstock from the start. If they showed the appearance of the captain losing here, it was clear the reputation would fall to the bottom.

On the front line reputation was quite important. If Galahad lost, the Special Mission Unit could be ruined from the start.

Galahad stood still as if the pouring jeers and concerns were not heard.

That face was a little furrowed unlike usual. The usual leisure was not visible. Sharp irritation was slightly laced.

“I 1st Battalion Hermun! Challenge a duel to the empire guy who dares to act up as Lady Adrianne’s partner!”

‘A duel, he used his head—.’

Gilbert squinted his eyes. He wondered why he had quietly waited for the conversation between Galahad and Gilbert, it seemed he aimed for that.

In the North a duel was sacred. Anyone could apply, and no disadvantage could be given regarding the result.

“Duel—! Duel!”

Cheers poured from all sides. They urged to hurry and pull out the neck of the cursed dirty mage. Sticky killing intent poured from all sides.

Then, Galahad raised his right hand. The noisy jeers gradually quieted.

Galahad had a subtle power that made one concentrate.

“May I ask a question?”

“······What question from a guy who will die soon! Quietly offer your neck!”

“It means I can. Here, I will ask. Are you a demon race?”

Gilbert’s mouth opened wide.

Asking if a demon race in the North—. This was a curse more terrible than insulting parents or wife.

At that unimaginable question even the soldiers who had been jeering small became quiet.

“How can you say such a terrible word—!”

Even Gwen who had been worrying stammered in surprise.

Crunch, crunch—. Hermun’s muscles twitched and produced a terrible sound. This is trouble, Gilbert grabbed the sword hilt.

If it really didn’t work he planned to intervene even if he had to. Honor would fall to the bottom, but Adrianne’s order was the priority.

“Seeing the reaction it seems not. Not a demon race, not wrapping leather, no aura—. What kind of guts are you rushing with?”

“······Guyyyyy!!”

Hermun lowered his posture. The guy’s thick legs were taut and made a creaking sound. The ground dug small.

That dense killing intent spread to the surroundings. To the extent the soldiers’ complexions were fed up.

Hermun kicked the ground. Bang! With a roar the ground Hermun had been stepping on dug in, and Hermun’s figure was shot.

“Sorry, but right now my power control is not working. Try to endure well.”

Galahad flicked his finger. It was a very trivial action, but it had the power to concentrate the gaze.

A small spark jumped from Galahad’s finger. The spark that had been one strand bounced between the fingers, then rapidly inflated in size.

It was not precise. Galahad also squinted his eyes as if hard to handle. The spark that had been spreading more and more inflated in size and soon wrapped around Galahad’s entire arm.

It looked exactly like eating Galahad. Black lines were randomly engraved on Galahad’s skin.

Galahad’s mouth opened. A spark jumped between it.

“Heavenly Punishment.”

Galahad’s low muttering was clearly heard in the ears. The spark that had been wrapping Galahad bounced upward and then disappeared in an instant.

Thud!

At some point, Hermun’s axe that had approached right in front in an instant rose high. Muscles rose thickly on the arm holding that axe. A shout burst from Hermun’s mouth.

“I will pull out your neck and wet my body with that blood!”

Hermun struck the axe toward Galahad. It seemed already a decided fact that Galahad would be split in half.

Then, the sky vibrated small. The dark clouds that had been filling the sky parted. A huge spark jumped between them.

It was lightning. The lightning that tore the sky rapidly expanded its domain.

Lightning reaching the ground was a fleeting moment.

For a moment everything was seen clearly. Hermun smiling while swinging the axe, Galahad with an irritated expression in front of him, even the astonished soldiers—.

Lightning flowed along Hermun’s axe. Hermun’s appearance was covered by a white light.

It looked exactly as if the sky had bestowed punishment.

Kwarururung!

The sound was heard belatedly.

Lightning is a moment, but it felt terribly long.

Soon the clear world slowed and darkened again.

Thud.

The axe rolled on the floor.

Hermun was blackened while standing.

The head was burned tight and stood on end, the eyes were full of whites, and black marks were densely engraved on that skin.

Gray smoke like heat haze fully rose from the entire body.

“Ah—.”

Hermun who made a small sound fell flat as he was.

There was no jeer or cheer.

Only heavy silence took place.

That Hermun collapsed without even touching—.

“Hoo— refreshing. Was it Hermun? Thank you. Thanks to you I became a bit lighter.”

Galahad who had regained the usual leisure smiled and tapped Hermun. As if telling him to get up—.

At that subtle sense of discrepancy the soldiers flinched in surprise and stepped back one step each.

“······Are mages originally that strong?”

At Tom’s question Gilbert shook his head.

There was no way—.

It was not for nothing that Gilbert had ignored mages.

It was not that mages were strong. It was that Galahad was a monster.

‘What on earth is the identity?’

Gilbert’s eyes shone coolly.

***

‘Quite excited.’

Intelligence Bureau agent Zamit laughed softly while looking at the new recruit who kept fidgeting.

“Is entering the Intelligence Bureau that good?”

“···Yes? Yes! Extremely good!”

At the loud answer Zamit smiled bitterly. Come to think of it there was a time she was like that too. It would have been when she faced him.

‘What did he say then—.’

[Pray that you do not face me again. It will not be a good thing.]

At first she thought what kind of kid was acting up, but it was sincere advice in his own way. Thinking of the role he took in the Intelligence Bureau, it was also a natural statement.

“I will become an agent like Lord Galahad!”

Then, the new recruit shouted in a voice full of excitement.

Zamit’s brow naturally furrowed.

‘Dare Galahad?’

[Zamit, kill your temper a bit.]

At the joke that seemed heard from somewhere Zamit exhaled low.

Yes, what would this chick know. He would not even have a sense of what becoming an agent like him means.

“···It would be better not to put that name in the mouth usually.”

“Yes?”

At the face of the new recruit who was a little startled Zamit smiled bitterly.

Did I scare too much.

“······Just because he is my idol—. Sorry.”

Idol, if he heard he would laugh. The corners of Zamit’s mouth rose slightly.

“By any chance did I make some mistake······.”

The new recruit asked carefully with a face that seemed about to cry at any moment.

Zamit smiled leisurely and shook her head.

“No, the tea was hot. Without realizing. Here, now I will make an agent name for you. Was it James. James’s agent name is—.”

The new recruit swallowed saliva. Exactly like the appearance of a puppy with a bone in front.

Zamit made a mischievous smile and said.

“It is Galahad.”

Really, because it is a name that does not suit a new recruit.