Excalibur Chronicle of Raidorl - Chapter 229: The Hero's Departure

The time has finally come for an expedition to the west.

The objective is to take over the Kingdom of Athena and defeat the source of the countless undead – the 『earth』 Witch Osman.

Raidorl has no intention of returning until he achieved his goal. He will defeat Osman without fail and save the western regions of the continent from the threat of the undead.

“We’ve been drinking boiling water ever since the earthquake. I’m going to put an end to this!”

Straddling his horse, Raidorl declares.

Dressed in jet-black armour, with a holy sword at his waist and a cloak fluttering behind him. It truly shows him that he is a hero.

The high spirits emanating from his body are much more refined than when he was once an adventurer in a frontier city. His battles with many powerful men have polished the heroic gem that is Raidorl and transformed him into a large jewel.

“Your Highness Raidorl, we are ready to go!”

Darren Garst, a general of Raidorl, arrives.

Darren, astride his white horse like a true nobleman. He looks so beautiful that it is hard to believe that he is going to a bloody battlefield.

“Aaa, thank you. But still……no matter how many times I see them, they’re still spectacular. An army that follows me.”

The volunteer soldiers were initially poorly trained and were clearly amateur soldiers.

However, in the months before they were ready for the expedition, Darren gave them rigorous training and they have been developed to the point where they can be called an elite unit.

Having lost their families and homeland, their vengeful morale may be the best of all the troops. Armed with spears and armour, the soldiers had the fire of revenge burning in their eyes.

“UmuUmu, they seem to be in good spirits. Isn’t that encouraging!”

Justy Oigist, one of the Thousand Horsemen, nodded his head in satisfaction as he advanced his horse beside Raidorl.

Justy had been seriously wounded in the previous battle but broken hand had already healed well. His arms, which had temporarily become thin, have regained their prominence and fearless lines through daily muscle training.

“It seems that everyone is waiting for a word from His Highness Raidorl. How about a word of encouragement before we marched?”

“That’s true…..I could give them a quick sermon.”

At Justy’s suggestion, Raidorl rode his horse up a small hill.

Looking down on the ranks of soldiers from on high ground…..he opened his mouth sternly.

“Gentlemen, I don’t like conflict.”

“「「「「「………………..?」」」」」”

The words of the young prince, the undisputed hero, brought a question mark to the soldiers’ minds.

The soldier looks puzzled and Raidorl continues.

“I like eating good food. I like to hold a good woman. But if……I die, I won’t be able to do that. That’s why I hate conflict. I hate war more than anything else.”

“「「「「「………………..」」」」」”

“But the……conflict apparently loves me and can’t stand loving me. Ever since I first picked up the Holy Sword, I’ve been surrounded by battles. It’s bloody and unbeatable. In short……I am the poster child of struggle, loved by war. Therefore, I will always win the battle. Because it loves me!”

Words that border on confident arrogance.

It was a line that would have been snide to some listeners but no one thought it was a mistake.

[Aaa, that’s true……this man would really win any battle.] Such was the confidence of the soldiers.

“Where we are going is a battlefield.  We are going to a hell of the worst kind, where the dead rise up to meet us. I won’t make any promises I can’t make, like 『I won’t let you die』. I won’t give you deceptive words like 『survive』. But …… I promise you one thing for sure!”

Raidorl drew the holy sword from his waist and raised it to the sky.

The horse raised its paw and roared loudly towards the heavens.

“Let us be victorious! As long as I am on the battlefield, you will never be a defeated soldier! Even if you are pierced by the enemy’s spear and lose your life, it will not be in vain! Because we will win!”

“「「「「「………………..」」」」」”

“I promise you absolute victory here! So take up your swords, go forward and defeat your enemies! Even if you fall by the wayside, I will make sure your souls get there!”

“Oo….”

“Oooooo!”

“「「「「「OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO」」」」」”

The exclamation that escapes one soldier’s mouth soon turns into a blood-curdling battle cry.

Everyone present hears, chews and understands Raidorl’s words.

That they are the winners, dead or alive.

That as long as the heroes of the Holy Sword are there, they will never die for nothing.

‘….Dangerous. How dangerous.’

Darren’s shoulders shook slightly as he heard a loud noise that shook heaven and earth.

The words of Raidorl have power. They were imbued with a 『heat』 that dispelled the fear of death from the people and made them turn towards the battlefield.

This is the very talent of a hero. It could be said to be the talent of a high king who cuts through a turbulent world and builds a new era.

‘It is dangerous and frightening because it is reliable …….This army, driven by frenzy, seems to be supported only by the momentum of His Highness Raidorl……’

An army driven by heat will be more powerful than it is capable of while it is on 『offensive』, but once it is on the 『defensive』 or on the 『run』, it will instantly fall apart.

Soldiers can fight without fear because they believe that Raidorl will give them victory but if he is defeated, it will be a total collapse.

Darren murmured that his father – Bazel Garst – had once taught him.

It is said that there are four types of kings who destroy its own kingdoms.

Kings who are foolish. Kings who are too clever. Weak kings. And……the last is the king who is too strong.

Foolish kings because of their foolishness. Weak kings, because of their weakness, are unable to protect his kingdom and let it collapse.

A king who is too clever is too willing to give up and will not stay on until it is too painful. He will even give up his kingdom to make the pain as light as possible.

And a king who is too……strong hates weakness and goes on a forced offensive, resulting in a decisive defeat.

Winning a war is easy but winning forever is impossible. A single defeat can cost Raidorl everything.

‘… Isn’t His Highness now exactly what the 『too strong king』? Perhaps he will continue to be reckless until he is doomed?’

“It’s going to be alright, Darren-san.”

“……..!?”

“Master won’t be the one you have to worry about, Darren-san. Because I’m here.”

It was a woman in a maid’s uniform – Neimilia, who had somehow been standing beside him, who called out to Darren as if she could see through his uneasiness.

Neimilia then astride a huge raven as big as a horse and for some reason she is puffing out her chest, [Ahem!]

“It is the wife’s role to support her husband’s blunders. And it is the maid’s role to make up the bed that her master has soiled. Having both, I can say I am invincible!”

“Neimilia-san……?”

“We can compensate for the Master’s dangers. If you can’t do that, then what’s the point of having an entourage?”

“That’s……!”

Neimilia only says what she wants to say, then flies the big raven to Raidorl’s place.

The tone was endlessly nonsense and disheartening but the content of the message stung Darren’s heart.

“….. shameful. Was I the one who was afraid?”

Darren shook his head, erasing the anxiety that had welled up in his chest.

Raidorl is strong.

As such, he is in danger of crumbling from the feet up with a single defeat.

‘Then all I have to do is to support His Highness’ feet as a……aide. How can I call myself a close aide if I can’t do that?’

“Darren! Rise to battle, take command!”

“Of course, Your Highness!”

Darren rode his horse in response to his lord’s command.

A battle that would decide the fate of the western continent.

The time for the decisive battle against the witch Osman was drawing nearer and nearer.