EP.240 Among the Swaying Flowers
While Historia was busy destroying the cannons, the princess, having nothing to do, rode on Selfi and slowly walked around as if taking a stroll. Innately exempt from hostility, the princess leisurely watched and admired Historia's martial prowess.
Someone approached targeting such a princess. It was an officer who hadn't forgotten the princess and the white horse while everyone else was focused on Historia.
‘They said aim for the horse rather than the general. If we capture that girl and take the horse, the enemy's feet will be bound too.’
He silenced his footsteps and stealthily approached the princess and the white horse. The only ones who could watch that sight were the Regressor surveying that direction from a distance, and me, who was reading her thoughts.
However, the Regressor wasn't too worried. Neither was I.
Because.
"Haap! Got...!"
"Woof! Got it!"
*Hi-hing!*
Azi, who popped out suddenly, barked loudly. Thanks to that, the startled horse discovered the enemy and backed away.
The princess, having discovered the enemy, stroked her chest in relief and spoke.
"Wow! W-wow...! Thank you, Azi-yang!"
"I, Yang, hit well! I hit the horse well too! *Shrug!*"
Azi shrugged her shoulders, laughing proudly.
As expected, a dog is a guard dog. Since Azi is a dog, she can't be locked in a cargo compartment like Tir Na Navi. Since she needs activity anyway, it's better to use her to guard people. It relieves Azi's stress, too.
Now that he was discovered, there was no reason to hide. The officer jumped out of the bushes and shouted.
"Surrender! Otherwise, I'll kill the horse!"
Saying he would kill the horse specifically was proof that his hostility had bypassed the princess once again.
The officer thrust his long spear and charged at Selfi. His hostility naturally bypassed the princess and aimed for the horse, but it was a quite threatening and sharp strike nonetheless.
The spear was thrust towards Selfi, who was hesitantly backing away. The spearhead, wreathed in qi, looked like it would pierce the horse's neck at any moment. Then.
"Ah! Selfi! It's dangerous!"
The princess swung the reins. The spinning reins skillfully entangled the spear shaft.
Huh? That's a feat impossible with just luck or bloodline. What? The princess is quite strong too, huh?
Reaching a similar conclusion as me, the officer was momentarily dazed. It was because his spear shaft was fixed in place and wouldn't budge. It wasn't because the princess's strength was overwhelming. She was merely using the power of the rope and the horse. Of course, her skill was even more amazing.
Reins pressed tightly against the horse. The rope tangled around it. Add the horse's strength to that, and there was no gap for the spear to slip out. It was around the time the officer's face, holding onto the spear shaft, gradually turned red and blue.
*Hi-hing.*
The white horse Selfi shook her body from side to side. While the spear couldn't keep up with the suddenly intensified movement, the horse bit the protruding spear shaft with her snout.
The officer tried to compete with the horse in strength for a moment. It was a mistake. A human cannot beat a horse's strength.
Let alone if that horse was a noble white horse passed down only to the royal family.
The horse violently twisted her neck. At that moment, the officer holding the spear shaft lost even the chance to let go. Because he was sent flying far away, still hanging onto the shaft.
"Good job, Selfi! You're so smart!"
*Pu-hi-hing.*
Selfi flared her nostrils and scoffed at the flying human.
Historia, having finished her work, trudged back. Selfi slightly lowered her body to accommodate Historia riding her.
The princess also welcomed Historia.
"You fight so well even with both arms tied! You're amazing!"
"...It's embarrassing. Could you not talk to me?"
"Huh? Why? It was so cool! Not even using your arms, only your legs! Hah! With your body and legs so slender and long, it looked so cool!"
Stop it. Historia's shame has already hit rock bottom. Her face is full of thoughts wanting to smoke a cigarette already.
The battle ended simply. A Six-Star General is indeed a Six-Star General. Unless the opponent is a General, it seems she can handle officer-level opponents even with both arms tied.
The Regressor looked at Historia and muttered.
"No matter how I think about it, she doesn't seem like she'll betray us. Should I slowly untie the Celestial Silk Thread...?"
What nonsense. Untie the enemy's bindings? Since when were you such a soft-hearted person from the start?
Originally, Historia's goal is different from ours. We are trying to raid the headquarters to stop the war, but Historia is only after Xiati and my-.
Oh, how do I explain this. I said I was too lazy to explain.
"Isn't it more fun to keep her tied up? The visual is better too. Let's keep her tied, yeah?"
"You really have terrible taste... Hey! Watch the front!"
Only after the Regressor shouted did I notice something had suddenly appeared in front. From above my head, precisely aiming for me, something dropped.
No, if I'm not watching the front, you should! Why does the passenger seat even exist!
"Tch!"
The Regressor hastily raised the Heavenly Fang. I appreciate her intention to protect me...! As expected, she's the most reliable when she's an ally...!
Huh? Wait a minute! That's!
Realizing the identity of the falling object, I grabbed the Regressor's body firmly with my right arm. A sharp shriek popped out of the Regressor's mouth, who was about to swing her sword.
"Wh-where are you touching?!"
"Wait, Shei! That's!"
My embrace opened up thanks to stopping the Regressor. Dropping right into it was a Synchro-type Magic Golem with arms and legs. It was a model I'd seen enough of to be sick of it in the Abyss.
It chose its landing spot well. If it hadn't been my embrace, it would have bounced off roughly. The golem that fell into my arms urgently spoke as soon as it was embraced.
["This is Military Nation Communications Officer Captain Ivy. Cease attacks on this unit. This office requests dialogue with you and the subversive group."]
The Regressor frowned.
"Dialogue?"
'This is the first time they've explicitly requested a dialogue in this iteration. Did these things even have a concept of dialogue?'
It seemed it could feel the Regressor's hostility even in its golem body. The golem hopped up and down frantically and nodded as if begging not to be attacked.
["Affirmative. This office acts as an intermediary liaison, and your opinions will be transmitted directly to headquarters through this office. If you understand the above, please comply with the negotiation."]
However, our rebellious Regressor extremely hates listening to others' stories. Perhaps she's been deceived many times through her regressions, but she doesn't even lend half an ear to the words of untrustworthy beings.
The golem, the spokesperson of the Military Nation, was also a suspicious existence to the Regressor. The Regressor rejected the proposal out of hand without much deliberation.
"I have nothing to say to yo-"
"You're too impatient. Wait a moment, Shei."
"Don't grab my collar so shamelessly! And just drive properly! You've been looking at everything except the front since earlier!"
"As long as we don't crash, it's fine. Anyway, stop your baseless golem hatred. Does it take some immense effort to listen to a story? Did a golem ever lay a hand on you in the past?"
'Of course! These communications bastards never reveal their identity every iteration and only speak through golems! Even if you somehow find a suspicious guy, they keep their mouths shut so you can't know anything! How can I like guys who stubbornly keep secrets to an annoying degree every time?'
Her displeased thoughts remained, but there was no harm in talking. Anyway, the Regressor accepted my words and grumbled.
"...Finish it quickly. It's troublesome if they keep observing us from over there."
"Got it, so pick up the golem and hold it to my ear. I need to look forward and drive."
"Now I'm practically your lackey?!"
["Time is pressing, so I will state the business first."]
The golem interrupted our conversation. The Regressor grumbled even more, picked up the golem, and held it out.
The golem, steadying itself in the Regressor's hand, spoke clearly.
["You were supposed to head north and escape to the Nation of Heat. That was the only path left for you, and simultaneously the safe route. Headquarters predicted as such, and you must have judged the same until the midpoint."]
"Tch. See? It was a lure operation after all."
Saying she wouldn't converse, the Regressor completely affirmed the golem's guess with her muttering. Well, it was a part both sides expected, so it didn't matter... Actually, aren't you the one who needs conversation the most?
["However, you suddenly changed direction and are threatening the Military Nation. This is an irrational, sudden action. Why are you marching toward the headquarters?"]
"Why do you think?"
["This office is asking that point. If we find out the reason you are heading here, there might be room for negotiation."]
"Negotiation? You'll send us off to the Nation of Heat? Does that mean you can pay a certain price for that?"
["Affirmative."]
It's an amazing thing. The Military Nation responded to various threats with consistent non-response. And such a Military Nation will listen to the demands of us, who are practically terrorists? Does it mean our movements are so threatening that they're willing to risk this precedent?
However, not negotiating with subversive groups was the same for our Regressor. She threatened the golem with a firm attitude.
"If we escape to the Nation of Heat like this, you were planning to use that as an excuse to invade the Nation of Heat, right? You'll fight the Nation of Heat over the Abyss Wilderness anyway!"
["Affirmative. However, what does that have to do with you?"]
The golem replied as if it was puzzled.
["War is unrelated to you. The Military Nation needs to eliminate you, a risk factor, before the war. The Military Nation no longer needs deterrence. You also have no reason to remain in the Military Nation."]
"But there's no reason to leave either."
["Acknowledged. Therefore, headquarters intends to provide that reason to leave. What do you want? Money? Goods? There is an implication to provide that within common sense limits."]
The golem's tone was dry, but this much from the Military Nation was a plea. How troubled must the Military Nation be to make such a request, offering money?
Of course, it was none of the Regressor's business.
"Disarm."
["...What does that mean?"]
"The army you gathered to catch us. Disband them. That's all."
Demanding the Military Nation to disarm, essentially a command to commit ideological and national suicide. Naturally, from the headquarters' standpoint, it was unacceptable.
The golem replied stiffly.
["...Then, may we take it that you are hostile to the Military Nation?"]
"You're just now realizing it? You're slow on the uptake."
The golem, finally realizing the Regressor's true intention, spoke in a much heavier tone.
["We advise against doing so."]
'If only you hadn't come. Because this place is dangerous.'
Huh?
Wait a minute. Is this... telepathy?
What is it. I tilted my head. It's strange. I can normally only read the thoughts of beings close to me.
Until now, I had never heard a golem's thoughts. Even for Captain Ivy, I knew nothing until I met her directly.
But. Just now that was....
"Is that a threat? Anyway, we're done talking now, right?"
["...Negotiations have broken off. If you wish to make an enemy of the Military Nation, please be prepared for the consequences."]
"Well, then. Goodbye."
The Regressor sliced the golem in one go. With a creaking sound, the golem was cut in half in an instant. Crackling mechanical sounds were heard, and the golem fell completely silent.
Before that, I felt as if a faint floral scent tickled the tip of my nose. It's not the season for flowers to bloom yet.
Ah, so that's why the golem dropped towards me from the start. Even though it said it could die if found out.
"Seems like they're scared too?"
"Right?"
From over there, an unimaginably distant place. A clear scent wafts over. The smell of dry grass blades dried long under the sunlight is faint, but it cannot be mistaken for anything else.
And considering the thought I just heard.
"Shei. Get ready."
"For what?"
"They told us to be prepared. So we have to be prepared."
I stepped on the pedal harder and gripped the steering wheel tighter. The auto-carriage, having reached its limit, let out a harsh scream. It was then that even the Regressor flinched and grabbed the handle.
A tremendous roar erupted. The white horse reared in fright, and everyone screamed and ducked without exception. Amidst the scattering dust, I stared at the devastation the enemy had wrought.
Right before my eyes, the road was split in half.