Chapter 172
“Excuse me, Commander-in-Chief.”
At the softly whispered voice from outside the tent, Calix immediately opened his eyes. The first thing he did was check on Lea, who was sleeping in his arms, naked. Fortunately, she was sleeping soundly.
Calix carefully wrapped Lea up tightly in the blanket, then got up. The one waiting for him outside after he’d hastily thrown on his clothes was none other than Derek.
“It appears that some soldiers who deserted the Leonis camp are nearby. However, it seems they’re not here to launch a raid, but have some business at Lake Moncha.”
At Derek’s words, Calix gave a satisfied smile.
“That’s as good as a signal that they’ve run out of supplies.”
“Yes, they’ll probably try for an all-out advance tomorrow.”
“They have no other choice. I’ve personally made sure Lake Moncha is completely frozen over, so in the end, they’ll have no choice but to cross there.”
“Yes, Commander-in-Chief.”
Calix was planning to actually carry out the strategy Lea had advised. Her suggestion was a way to minimize losses on their side while inflicting a devastating blow to the enemy, even if it was a somewhat underhanded method.
But when it comes to war, does it really matter if a method is underhanded or not?
“Tell everyone to gather in the strategy tent. Right now.”
“Understood.”
Derek immediately relayed the order mentally. His power had been growing rapidly, as if sprouting wings, so much so that even Calix and Zion were surprised to see it.
“Well then. Is the northern war finally coming to an end?”
Although Calix found the place rather boring, he still felt a slight, fingernail-sized pang of regret at the thought of having to wrap up things here, where he’d at least felt comfortable.
But Leonis would not let things end with this northern campaign. The war that had repeated since the past, beginning in the north, would surely drag on in the south as well.
“Commander-in-Chief, there is something I must report.”
“I’ve set up a barrier, so go ahead.”
“It’s about the spy I mentioned earlier who is in the Leonis camp.”
“Have you found out more?”
“Yes. His name is Jan von Venesi, from the wolf-werebeast noble family. Currently, the Venesi family is led by Duke Janik von Venesi. Also, it seems that the imperial lion-tribe and the ducal wolf-tribe have not had good relations for a long time.”
“Did you find this out using your ability?”
Calix grew curious about just how far Derek’s power could reach, given the unexpectedly detailed information.
“I only learned his name through my ability. The rest I had the guild investigate.”
At the unexpected reply, Calix showed a curious expression.
“You have messenger birds?”
He was curious how Derek could gather such information this far from the capital. Besides, in the north, the weather would make it difficult for weaker animals to survive long enough to deliver messages.
“No, I don’t.”
Derek briefly answered, then showed Calix the bracelet on his wrist, his voice tinged with pride.
“After Lady Lea gave you that present, she also gifted me this magic tool. The design is different, but it serves the same purpose as yours.”
Originally, Derek and Lea were supposed to use a pair of these, but since he had to go to war, he was supposed to hand it over to the leader of his guild. But Derek couldn’t bear to part with the matching set he’d made with Lea.
So he’d urgently commissioned a special-type Esper who crafted magic tools to make another identical set, paying three times the usual price to make refusal impossible. He only found out later that the special-type Esper was a woman, not a man.
In any case, Lea didn’t know about this, but Derek made no effort to mention it.
“…It seems Lea trusts you quite a bit. That’s why she entrusted you with her guild and gave you a bracelet, too.”
Calix knew how childish his words sounded, but had no intention of taking them back. When it came to anything involving Lea, he couldn’t compromise at all.
He was yielding for now only because there was no other choice regarding guiding, but ideally, he would have monopolized all of Lea’s guiding as well.
“Trust isn’t built in a day.”
To Calix, Derek’s words sounded like, ‘I’ve been close to Lea much longer than you.’
“Hm.”
Calix couldn’t refute Derek’s answer. After all, he wasn’t wrong.
It hadn’t been long since he’d learned Lea was a Guide, and that she was actually a werebeast.
But the jealousy that surged up inside, that at least, he couldn’t hide. With a cold gaze, Calix looked down at Derek, but as he sensed someone entering the strategy tent, he dismissed the barrier.
“Alright, fine, I’ll let it go for now.”
He told himself that though he’d been oblivious until now, from this moment forward, he wouldn’t give Derek even a moment to deepen his bond with Lea. He headed straight for the strategy tent.
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