"You wanted to see me, Your Majesty," I said walking into his office and bowing.
After I woke up this morning from my strange dream, I got a knock on my door, when Gale told me that the Emperor called for me. I was confused at first but decided to see him anyway.
"Yes, I did," Arik said pulling a file from a shelf and sitting at his desk, "There's something I want to discuss with you."
"Alright…If you don't mind me saying this, I am going to assume it's about my suggestion I made at the meeting yesterday, am I correct?" I asked with caution, not wanting to upset him in any way.
"You are indeed correct, I wanted you to be the one to go down to the south, and you don't have to worry about seeking your King's approval i have already sent a messenger and received the okay," Arik continued.
"Hold on- Your Imperial Majesty, with all due respect, I don't think it's right for you to decide on your own. Plus what about the Crown Prince, I can not bring him out to a fort that is about to engage in battle," I paused for a bit to calm down, "Is there anybody else that could go instead?"
'I'm really starting to not like this guy, who sends a soldier from another nation to a battlefield on his territory, let alone someone who was here for a peace council. Even if they are an ally!'
"I understand where you are coming from Lieutenant Colonel, but this is the best course of action I could think of, and King Roman has sent someone to escort His Royal Highness back to the Quare Kingdom, so there is no need to worry," He explained.
"Haaaa," I sighed, "You truly are a person of power… I'll go pack my things, could you please send someone to fetch a carriage?" I gave in.
'Theres no need in fighting him if he's already approached His Majesty on this.'
"Consider it done, I wish you well out there Lieutenant Colonel."
Leaving his office I had an angered expression on my face, which scared the servants who noticed and made Gale flinch when I approached him asking him to help me pack my things while I talked to Emeric.
My expression returned to my usual cold look when I arrived in front of the chambers the Crown Prince was staying in, it took me a few moments to gather my thoughts before I knocked on the door.
"It's me, Your Royal Highness I have something of importance to speak with you about."
"Come in," Entering the room, Emeric was sitting on the couch in his room drinking tea with some documents in his hands, "Ah! Hello Viscount, what is it that you need to speak with me about?" He said smiling.
"You seem to be in a good mood, may I sit?" I asked and he nodded in response, still with a smile on his face, "There may be a few changes of plans on the trip back to the Kingdom."
"What do you mean? Has something gone wrong?" Emeric questioned.
"I wouldn't exactly say that something has gone wrong, just that there were a few orders that may lead to making a few gambles on certain things," I said.
"Viscount, please be more straightforward with me, what orders did you receive?" Emeric questioned me once again but with noticeable agitation.
"Haaaaaa, I have received orders from Emporer Arik and his Majesty to go down to the south and deal with the sudden surge of demons that appeared there, which means that you'll have to go back to the Quare Kingdom on you're own," I explained.
"HUH!? That makes no sense! Why would a military leader from another country have to go down south to an allied country's border to take care of and attack for them!?"
"That is what the Emporper and His Majesty thought was best, i tried to talk to His Imperial Majesty to have someone else go but he wouldn't budge saying that 'he got King Roman's approval' and that it would be a hassle to send another letter," I paused for a second, "My apologies for not being able to accompany you on the trip back."
"Ahaaaa, now I'm going to have to be in a carriage either alone or with a soldier I've never met before," He said while gripping his hair and laying his head on the coffee table, "It's going to be so boring…"
'Sometimes I forget he's only 17, he acts mature at certain times and childish at others…'
"You're royal highness, please try to use you're proper manners," I said correcting him but then consoling him, "I'm sure it will be just fine, who knows, maybe you could make friends with some of the soldiers."
"Maybe…well when are you departing?" He asked.
"In about an hour, why do you ask?" I questioned.
"Please, it would only be proper for a Crown Prince to send off one of his country's Military leaders when he's going to a foreign country for a mission," Emeric said smiling.
***
Before I left the capital I was greeted by The Crown Prince, who sent me off with gritted teeth cursing his father for his pettiness. The Emporer was obviously there, and so was the foreign affairs minister, he decided to have Gale accompany there and serve as my Butler/Bodyguard during the rest of my stay in the Empire, much to my discretion.
The carriage ride there wasn't too bad, it was mostly peaceful but as we reached the fortress a few demons showed up, but were quickly exterminated by the knights accompanying us.
Some of which were from the 4th knight order than I command, apparently His Majesty decided to have some teleported over to make the journey easier, though it was more so him assuming I'd have to fight and needed my legion with me.
I didn't necessarily mind though, it was a nice three-day trip that helped clear my mind, and I got to complete the plan of what to do when I got to the final destination, Sloane Fortress.
"Your Grace, we've arrived." A knight sounded while knocking on the carriage door.
'Finallyyyy, my ass was starting to hurt.'
The carriage ride over here took about 10 hours long, and without stopping, which I was not used to, even with Lev's body.
When I got out of the carriage I immediately felt refreshed from not having to sit down anymore, so I could finally rest my poor buttox. However, I was escorted to a meeting room right away.
I was feeling lucky that I decided to wear my uniform, since the meeting room had the fortress general waiting inside.
'ARGHHHH! WHY DO I HAVE TO MEET HIM?!'
In the novel He was, well, still the general of the Southerner army and the one that led the army against the Demon troops but, they were defeated and He and a few others were spared upon becoming a spy for the demon king.
During his time as a spy, he came to learn of the Coup' Detat that Tristan was staging and helped him during it, which of course led to Arik's death and the fall of the Ender Empire.
The novel's fandom also hated The General a lot for being a dickhead for his rude personality, another reason I didn't want to meet him since my old personality might come back and ruin the reputation I've built for myself here.
"So, you're the LIutenant Colonel from Quare right?" He asked and I nodded in response, "Wel then, welcome to my fortress, things are a bit different here than other places or rather, fortresses."
"I'm sorry, General- wait, what's your name again?" I started to question then asked.
'I didn't really like his character in the novel so I never bothered to remember it, instead of calling him General Dickhead maybe I should've called him by his actual name.'
"Haaa, it's Alastair Vibeke, and no need for trying to say something about our rules or anything like that, it'll only get you targeted, Okay?" He coldly said in response while continuing to eat the food on the table in front of him.
"Right…and these rules are exactly?" I asked with my eyebrow twitching, "Like you said the rules here are indeed different, and I'd like to tell my soldiers that so they know as well."
"...They are quite simple, it should be easy for a newbie like you to understand and convey," He said with a smug smile on his face.
'This slightly handsome fuck really thinks he can get away with anything huh?'
Alastair had jade green hair that went down to his nape but his bangs were trimmed recently since he looked like a K-pop star, he also had sharp amber eyes. He was wearing a green, brown, and black general uniform, and had his combat-booted shoes kicked up on the table with his rifle (m16) right next to him leaning on the table.
"Excu-" I started to say again but was cut off.
"As I said before the rules are simple, all you have to do is not fight others, and try not to share gossip, I've seen a few guys get shanked here for doing that," He said leaning over with his hand on the opposite side of his mouth and slightly smiling, "And don't go snooping or touch other's stuff, easy right?"
"Right, I have one last question-"
"Oh! Look at the time, I have another meeting to get to so bye-bye!" He said quickly cutting me off, shoving me out of the room and quickly closing the door.
'...I'm going to beat the sit out of that guy I swear to the gods!'
I then turned around with an angry expression still on my face, when I saw Gale flinch and ask, "Did the meeting not go well orrr?"
"That man really didn't want to let me speak," I then returned to my usual calm expression, "Take me up to the walls please, I'd like to have a smoke break after I instruct my troops."
So I left the hallway and returned to the training space the 4th troop was told to wait, I then relayed the rules to them in the nicest way I could, and after that, I told them to do whatever they wanted and went up to the roof for a smoke.
When I got up onto the all I looked for a more secluded place where there weren't many soldiers and lit my cigarette while looking out into the open plain of grass.
***
After my smoke break, I went back to talk to the knights of the 4th troop I brought with me, who had joined forces with a few of the 4th knight troops of the empire, i gave them a briefing on the strategy to take against the demon troops when we faced them, if we do that is.
After that meeting was over I went back on the top of the wall and stood there to see if there were any differences in the landscape, though if I had to be honest I just really liked it up there.
When I was a major general before, I always went up to the top of the fortress wall for my breaks, it was my favorite place, probably because it was the only place where you could get real peace and quiet.
About half an hour passed where I had lit two cigarettes and gulped down a small vile of whiskey, I kept on me, right as I was about to go down to my barracks for a small nap before dinner I decided to check in the distance once again.
"Well, thats not good…" I mumbled to myself.
On the horizon was smoke which I could tell was coming from a fire, and only a few things could make a fire on that scale, which was big enough to see from 20 miles away, either fire nymphs or fire demons.
So I decided to get out a pair of binoculars just to check which one it was, and it was indeed demons. I then went over to the side of one of the towers and pushed the alarm button and used the megaphone for the fortress to say;
"Fire Demon's 20 miles away, coign closer at top speed, all soldiers for the 4th troop get in positions," I said in a calm but emotionless voice where I heard a few knights near me snicker.
And with a watching expressionless face I went down from the wall into the open land, right as I was about to go through the gates I heard Alastair's voice saying; "All units prepare for battle!" on the intercoms.
After my unit and the general's unit came onto the open land we could final
ly see the demons properly, where I saw a familiar face leading them, it was our favorite demon Captain, Melchom, and his Vice-Captain Dax.