Magic Caster of Destroy

After landing, the Imperial emissaries revealed themselves. Although these knights were tasked with maintaining the appropriate gravitas during these ceremonial welcomes, their surprise at the oddity of these emissaries surprised them to the point where the flags they were holding wavered.

The reason for this wavering was the man who was dressed in a manner completely unlike the other two people accompanying him.

Once he removed his helmet and revealed his handsome features, everyone immediately knew who he was.

His blond hair was slightly tossed by the wind, and his eyes were as blue as the sea. His mouth, which suggested an iron will, was tightly shut. He was the picture of the perfect knight.

There was nobody who didn’t know who this knight was.

More importantly, there was nobody who didn’t know about the armor he wore. It was made of the rare metal adamantite, and further enchanted into a suit of magic full plate armor. There were only a few suits of armor like this in the Empire.

The wearer of this armor was one of the highest-ranking knights in the Empire.

One of the Empire’s Four Knights, “Gale” Nimble Ark dale Anock.

In a gallant voice that matched the image he projected, Nimble addressed one of the knights.

“I seek your commander, General Kabein of the Second Legion. Do you know where he is?

“Sir! General Kabein is in a meeting now to plan the offensive against the Kingdom! I will have Anock-sama escorted to the General’s praetorium!”

“I see. Then… has Sorcerer King Gown-dono arrived here as well?”

“Sir! No sir! The Sorcerer King-dono has not been sighted here.”

“Understood.”

Since word had been sent and had arrived faster than him, Nimble sighed in relief.

“Then, may I ask you to lead the way? There is a matter that I must entrust to him.”

Nimble slowly closed his hands around something concealed in a breast pocket.

♦ ♦ ♦

Nimble was brought to a luxurious tent, where he waited for almost an hour, in the company of numerous guards, until the owner of the tent returned.

He was a middle-aged man whose hair was pure white, and he had a kindly air about him.

Although he was armored like all the other knights, he gave off a completely different impression from them. One could say that he looked like a noble, rather than a soldier.

“Welcome, Nimble.”

The smile on his face made him seem even more like a noble than a knight. His voice was gentle, far too out of place on a grim place like the battlefield.

Nimble responded in the approved ceremonial fashion.

Natel Inyem dale Kabein.

He was a noble who had lost his chance to get ahead in the peerage, but he had been recognized by the previous Emperor for his talents, and placed in command of the Second Legion. Although he was not possessed of martial valor as a person, he was famed for his ability to command, with rumors saying that he had never lost a battle. With him in command, the Second Legion enjoyed very high morale.

The knights accompanying Kabein were unable to hide their respect for him.

“I do not know how to begin thanking the general-dono, who came all this way to see me even though he is the supreme commander of this expedition.”

The Imperial Army was divided into eight legions, and every legion’s commanding officer was bestowed the title of “general”. The general of the First Legion was known as the Field Marshal, and he was the commander-in-chief of the entire Imperial Army.

If the First Legion ― if the Field Marshal was not present, the general of the next legion would assume his position as the overall commanding officer. That was to say, General Kabein of the Second Legion was in command of the entire Imperial Army.

“No, no, Nimble. Dispense with the formalities. You’re here on his Imperial Majesty’s orders, right?

You’re not under my command. You need only speak to me as an equal.”

Even as he said that, Nimble smiled bitterly.

The Imperial Army was loyal first to the Emperor, and then the generals.

The Empire’s Four Knights, its strongest fighters, would often be tasked with carrying out the Emperor’s will. In terms of authority, they would be considered equal to a general. However, in terms of age, experience and prestige, none of them were equal to Kabein. It would be difficult for them to be equal when an outsider was present.

Kabein smiled, as though he relished the disquiet on Nimble’s face.

“It itches at me that one of the Four Knights, the Empire’s mightiest warriors, should be so stiff and formal around an old man like myself. How about just dispensing with the honorifics?”

“Understood, General Kabein.”

General Kabein nodded, as though to indicate his approval.

“Although, you picked a good time to come. The mist has dispersed, as though welcoming you.”

“General Kabein, I think the welcome is not for me, but for the tragedy that is about to unfold. I shudder to imagine what will happen.”