"Now, let me introduce myself again! 'I' am Siegrund, having received that name, and was engaged in the duty of attending the Saintess!"
With her back roughly bent and her arm twisted up in a salute, Hilde flashed a cheeky grin.
"Commander of the Holy Sword Division of Far Sight, Hildegard! Ehehe, pleased to meet you!"
The Holy Sword Division. The Saintess's direct guard force.
Guard in name only—in reality, it is a combat unit, an intelligence unit, and an assassination unit that offers absolute loyalty to the Holy Imperial Court. If the Saintess commands it, they carry out everything without exception, from importing toys from distant foreign lands to wiping a country off the map.
The Director of Public Security of the military nation, who was said to be able to stop even a crying child's wails, was actually a member of the Holy Imperial Court's sacred sword, the Holy Sword Division. At this confession that far surpassed all expectations, Historia could only gape, unable to utter a word.
Seeing her reaction, Hilde's eyes widened.
"Father? Historia, your face just became unbelievably stupid right now? Whatever could be the reason for this?"
"Ah. Historia doesn't know about the Saintess's existence."
"That's strange. The Saintess definitely gave her word that it was fine to reveal it. Could it be that only Historia is being left out?"
"I don't think so, but I'm not sure how Lia would take it. Things like this are important depending on how the person involved receives it. Lia, are you being left out by any chance?"
"...Yeah. As usual."
When did I ever leave you out? These days, the person being left out becomes a general in the central government, while the one who left them out barely scrapes by picking pockets in back alleys? If anything, I'm the one being ostracized by society!
Anyway, a brief explanation would probably be necessary.
"Then 'I', Hilde, the Director of Public Security who handles all military secrets, shall give you a brief explanation."
Hilde, who had put on glasses at some point, pushed up the nose bridge. What's that? Did she pick up some gears and cobble those together in this short time? Quite handy.
"The military nation was actually created by the Saintess. The end!"
Truly brief. So brief that nothing was actually explained. Historia's expression grew even more foolish.
"Wait, you cut it way too short! Don't you have more to explain?"
"More to explain...? Ah! Our Saintess has forsaken her faith! So even though I'm the Saintess's Holy Sword Commander, we're completely disconnected! Rather, I should be worrying about when the Holy Imperial Court's prophet will come and ruin the military nation, so every single day is heart-pounding!"
"That's too much about your own circumstances."
"Really, it can't be helped! 'My' circumstances are the most important to 'me'!"
"I'll give you that."
"Hehe. Acknowledged!"
Hilde burst into giggles mid-sentence. Whether her head was spinning from this contextless conversation, Historia pressed her fingers to her temples and spoke.
"Ugh. Wait, Siegrund..."
"No no! Call me Hilde with respect and reverence! Siegrund is not 'me,' you know. If you keep calling me weird things, my ego will get distorted!"
Though she said it with a cute face, it was too terrifying a words to dismiss as a joke. Historia tried to comply with the request but couldn't quite bring herself to, and compromised slightly.
"...Director of Public Security. Whose side are you on?"
"Me? Right now, Father's side!"
She approached me with her arms spread wide, as if to prove her own words. I tried to stop her since it was a bit much, but her body sank down as if submerging, and she hugged my waist.
...Right. This person was a Six-Star Realm.
Historia looked at Hilde, who was clinging tightly to my side, with a displeased expression and said:
"I understand the Holy Sword Division to be a force of zealots that follows only the Holy Imperial Court's orders. So why are you clinging to Huey... no, why are you trying to follow him?"
"Hmm. There's a part you need to know about that. Historia. Do you know how the Holy Sword Division is created?"
"Isn't it ordained by the Holy Imperial Court?"
Hilde covered her mouth with her hand and made a surprised expression.
"Wow. You only know the surface-level stuff! You don't know anything about even a little bit of the hidden parts! How will you survive in this harsh world, Father!"
"Right. I've actually been quite worried about that aspect of Lia too."
"Huey, you shut up!"
Only snap at me. Historia, who had shot back sharply, stared at Hilde.
"...Director of Public Security. Your attitude is quite different. When I saw you as the Director of Public Security, you were stiff."
"How can a stiff person act? Only someone as soft as jelly can crumple themselves into a different mold! Soft and squishy!"
"Wait, Hilde. That's not fat, that's muscle. I'm not squishy—your hands are just that rough, so stop kneading me. I feel like I'm going to burst."
If you're going to use divine power, just touching would be enough. Why do you have to knead? I'm being healed and suffering at the same time!
"Just hearing 'Holy Sword Division,' you'd probably picture shiny paladins first. However, not everyone becomes Holy Sword Division in that way. Rather, most were 'chosen' like 'me.'"
After laughing it off vaguely, Hilde continued her explanation with a distant gaze, recalling the past.
"When I couldn't believe in anything, didn't know where to go, and even 'I' didn't know who I was. An angel descends from heaven. Even though I was clearly hiding my body while concealing my identity and changing my face. However they knew, they pointed exactly at 'me.' Saying this is your path, you must surely follow it."
The Saintess can see everything in the world. No matter how much you hide your identity or change your appearance, if the Saintess is watching, she will find you.
And those abandoned by fate become bound by the fact that someone is watching them.
"So then, you just fall for it completely. Heaven has been watching 'me' all along, and throws a lifeline to give 'me' a chance to live a new life... Wouldn't faith that didn't exist before be born? Even more so if 'I' was already a devout believer?"
"Is that the true nature of the Holy Sword Division?"
"Yes. Fate saves the exhausted and weary 'me,' and affirms 'my' life. Do you know what happens then? You fall into a fanaticism like a drug. Let alone the Saintess calling 'me' directly. Then there's no way it can be wrong. My ruined life is being returned. In life, and in death!"
For a very brief moment, madness gleamed in her eyes. As Historia flinched at the chillingly blind gaze that made onlookers' skin crawl, Hilde, having regained her reason, let out a deep sigh.
"However, 'I' am... a bit special. Hmm, this is. 'I' have my own characteristics too. And since the Saintess of Far Sight who chose 'me' forsook her faith so greatly. 'I' became relatively rational, you see."
Then she grabbed my body again, shook it, and smiled brightly.
"And then, bam! The King of Humans appears! As expected of the King of Humans, he restored 'my' original form! Now I can never go back! I'm sorry to the Saintess, but 'I' will make a rational choice just like the Saintess!"
Then she suddenly stopped moving. Hilde abruptly stared into the empty air. gaping as if she had 'heard' something, Hilde let out a small groan.
"Hmm. The Saintess says to stop doing things that aren't even funny and get ready. What should we do, Father?"
There was clearly no sound that reached my ears, yet Hilde had heard something and reacted. She asked me back as if troubled.
Is this that 'Call of the Saintess'? They say the Saintess can transmit her call to believers who follow her no matter how far apart they are.
But the 'call' itself isn't even picked up by my mind-reading. Well, I know what the content is from reading Hilde's thoughts.
For now, I pretended not to know and asked.
"You have to tell me what to prepare for so I know what to do."
Then Hilde smiled even more deeply and said.
"A peace agreement!"
***
At that same time, the Progenitor Tirkanchaka was entering the headquarters with a golem resting on her shoulder.
Vampires do not tire. Perhaps because of that, a vampire's movement speed is not particularly fast. Even when the vampires' holy era was at its most powerful, they could not surpass the blessed Ember Great Plains. The sunlight that comes once a day, flowing water, food that is difficult to store... these points identified as vampire weaknesses would not have been so prominent if their march had been fast.
So Shay went ahead first, cloaked in wind and dashed out. With the wind of the Heavenly Harp, it was difficult to transport Tirkanchaka whose presence was too great, so instead Tirkanchaka took on a different role. A much simpler and cleaner task.
Though the person herself was not particularly willing.
"What reason is there that I must follow your words?"
Tirkanchaka asked the golem on her shoulder. Perhaps reflecting her uncomfortable feelings, darkness surged ominously, but the golem, not being her true body, did not notice it.
[Cooperation is beneficial for both this headquarters and for you. At present, great confusion has occurred in the military nation's Inner Circle headquarters due to external force intrusion. The Inner Circle headquarters has not yet been informed of the agreement conducted between this headquarters and you. This confusion must be quickly contained to reduce the danger facing your other comrades.]
"Can you not just use those puppets you are so proud of?"
[Due to Maximilien's abilities, functional failure has occurred in all golems existing within the headquarters. Currently, this unit is the only machine capable of remote communication within the headquarters.]
Tirkanchaka recalled the name Maximilien and said:
"That fellow we saw on the road last time, the one reeking of rust? He is on your side, so why?"
[Maximilien has defected from the military nation. Currently, he is not working for the military nation.]
"Hmph. Unable to even properly control their own vassal. It looked somewhat presentable, but this nation won't last long either."
[Partially affirmative. However, Maximilien had his own independent line from the beginning. The current situation was somewhat anticipated... We merely lacked the appropriate response. We never expected that the communication golems he designed would have self-destruct mechanisms...]
Tirkanchaka felt curiosity at the novel word 'self-destruct mechanism,' but a thought that suddenly intervened obscured that curiosity. Tirkanchaka covered her mouth with her hand and muttered.
"Right. I heard it last time. He certainly said he was searching for the King of Humans.... Hm. The King of Humans..."
Tirkanchaka fell into quiet contemplation. The King of Humans—when humans were still beasts, the lofty Beast King who represented all humans.
It is said that the first Saintess, who was the most powerful prophet, drove him out and brought civilization and order to this land.
And the one the detestable Holy Imperial Court worships like a god, just thinking about it, is the first Saintess. Tirkanchaka's rage toward the Holy Imperial Court is retroactively applied, so the first Saintess is inevitably Tirkanchaka's nemesis. To the point it's regrettable that she cannot take revenge.
"...The nemesis of my nemesis. Surely, that's what they'd call him. Hm."
Just as her thoughts were growing long, the golem interrupted Tirkanchaka's leisurely musings.
[Tirkanchaka. You stated you would comply with this headquarters' request. Is your preparation still not done?"
"No rushing. This is why those with short lifespans..."
Having given the golem a small scolding, Tirkanchaka grasped the darkness with her hand.
The Holy Imperial Court wields light. Having fought them her entire life, Tirkanchaka learned to hide her body from light. By covering herself with darkness, even the Saintess cannot 'see' her. This is the power obtained by the Progenitor who historically opposed the Holy Imperial Court.
And through the long fight with the Holy Imperial Court, Tirkanchaka mastered another skill using darkness.
"...Wait. The sun is rising, so it may take a little more time..."
Darkness raced across the rectangular roads in all directions. The Inner Circle headquarters is too wide and the interior is quite bright, so there isn't enough darkness.
Still, it's more than enough for transmitting voices. Tirkanchaka spoke in a deeply lowered voice.
"It is done. Speak your voice. The darkness shall carry your voice and spread it everywhere."
The golem immediately produced a voice. The voice that came through the speaker flowed along the darkness.
[To all personnel present in the Inner Circle headquarters, Captain Abby of the Signal Corps broadcasts on behalf of all signal personnel.]
Commotion arose in various places, but it wasn't particularly large. Public announcements using signal personnel had happened frequently until now, so the soldiers seemed accustomed to the voice echoing from all directions and lent their ears.
Some soldiers were horrified upon realizing the sound source was the darkness itself, but it didn't greatly affect the overall situation.
[At present, the military nation's General Headquarters has decided to hold talks with the group that has attacked the military nation. The Director of Public Security of the military nation, Captain Siegrund, will attend these talks. Forces stationed at headquarters are to cease combat and focus on post-war recovery. This has been the broadcast of Signal Corps Abby.]
The golem's order was short and concise. Having finished speaking and removed her hand from the darkness, Tirkanchaka glanced at the golem and muttered.
"Your way of speaking has become more insolent than before."
[...? Unclear. Difficult to understand the meaning.]
"You no longer drone on about regulations and principles. When you were in the Void Chasm, you seemed to need something to lean on. Now there's no trace of that."
The golem also fell into thought for a moment. Unlike the golem, Tirkanchaka was not in a hurry. She walked at a leisurely pace, waiting for the golem's response.
[Partially... affirmative.]
The voice that came out with difficulty contained quite a lot of emotion, uncharacteristic of a golem. Tirkanchaka smiled faintly and said:
"Good. Now show me the direction. Where is it that I must go?"
[The Joint Headquarters. I shall guide you, so please follow.]
Following the golem's guidance, the vampire's shadow stretched long like a footprint.