When Sigurd Em'ralido arrived at the knight training facility he was in charge of he was greeted by…
…no one…
"...?"
Confused, and alarmed by the lack of any traces of life he passed the abandoned guardpost and entered the main building.
Despite most trainees and instructors living within the complex, the Emperor of Emperors found all the rooms and offices either locked or empty, even the office of the vice-commander, Charles Inve'ristio, who was basically in charge of the entire facility while he was gone.
"..."
When Sigurd was about to take out a message scroll and call out an emergency, some sort of commission at the back of the building got his attention.
Once he looked through the window, he saw a group that must have consisted of everyone that should be within the facility. However, why they all gathered there was a mystery.
Still, recognizing the employees, the large man could breathe a sigh of relief, and his anxiety was replaced with curiosity.
Maybe they gathered for some sort of announcement?
As he exited the building and walked around it, he was met with another surprise.
The bluish-gray skinned pale-gold-haired underling of his was leaning against the wall and peeking from the corner.
"Your Majesty."
Hugin's ears twitched, and she turned her head towards Sigurd, greeting him politely.
"...what is going on there…? Why did everyone leave their posts?"
After nodding back, the Emperor of Emperors didn't feel that he needed to hold back and asked, leaning to the side to have a look at the training ground himself.
"It's time for Melinda's lesson."
Hugin chuckled as she revealed, making it sound as if that alone was enough of an explanation.
"Melinda's lesson? But… That's Charles over there with the youngins, isn't he? And all the instructors and the guards. And aren't those the senior knights from the Royal Guard?"
The Emperor of Emperors shook his head before pointing out in shock at the group, singling out everyone he recognized.
"Oh, the ones from the Royal Guards were invited by Sir Charles the other day and showed up today of their own volition. Melinda doesn't mind."
Hugin couldn't stop chuckling and motioned at the zealously training middle-aged men being instructed by the petite gold-haired girl right next to youngsters, not even in their teens, who weren't losing to their elders in terms of focus and attention to the instructions.
"...then this is her little training session that some trainees asked her to join…?"
"Indeed. She teaches them self-control, at least that's what she calls it."
Sigurd asked, and Hugin nodded with her long ears twitching playfully.
"She's the one teaching?! Ehem, never mind. And what does it look like to you?"
Sigurd asked further, greatly intrigued.
"Oh, she does teach them control. Complete control over their own body and strength that is. How can they use the absolute minimal amount of necessary strength for a task, and, interchangeably, how can they bring out their utmost limits at any time. And by doing so, she brings out the full potential of the strength stat, which normally goes untapped resulting in a substantial buff."
"That almost sounds like the berserker rage without any drawbacks that is also available at any time, though…"
The woman smiled while motioning towards the group with her head, making the large man lean back and point out half-jokingly.
"That is exactly what it is, Your Majesty."
"..."
But to Sigurd's great surprise, Hugin not only didn't refute his statement but wholeheartedly agreed with him, leaving the man utterly stunned.
"We should join them then, shouldn't we?"
"I was waiting for Your Majesty to say that. I asked Melinda whether it would be okay for both of us to join too, and she appeared exceedingly happy about the idea~"
The Emperor of Emperors shook his head and then declared with an excited smile to which the Dusk Elf woman chuckled with her ears twitching in anticipation.
—----
"Hold on, hold on, hold on… But that's so stupid and doesn't make any sense! No, wait, I must have misunderstood or misheard something. Could you please repeat their statement?"
Melinda raised one hand while rubbing her forehead with the other as if braving through a terrible headache and asked Hugin.
"The Church of Perseverance rejected your offer of help as well as the help of the Knight Order. Instead, they requested a duel between one of their Holy Knights and the strongest knight of the Royal Guards in order to showcase how strong the buffs of the Saintess and the Chorus of Deacons of Blessing are. Since they can cast them on individuals as well as groups, the Church's wish is to reassure the public about their safety in the face of the threat of the Frenzied Deep-Dusk Dullahan in such a way."
The Dusk Elf woman breathed out with an apologetic expression and repeated herself.
"Didn't I show my Kill Log to their representative…? I didn't just imagine doing that, did I?"
"You most definitely did display it. Lord Zane also stated his unwavering support to your offer, but the Church's officials dismissed it as him being shaken by the loss of his comrades."
Melinda closed her eyes, holding her head with both hands and groaned, prompting an even more apologetic response from Hugin.
"That's what I call a bad way to end the on-the-job-training course…"
The gold-haired girl sat upright only to lean back into her seat and stare vacantly at the ceiling of the room she had been living in for the past two weeks.
"I must admit, even though the rejection of the offer was something that we did consider, what they requested instead went beyond any of our expectations."
"Because it's stupid."
Hugin sighed with a bitter expression, and Melinda immediately followed her up in annoyance.
"We knew that they claimed your spell as the work of the Saintess and the Choir of Deacons of Blessing, but the stunt they're trying to pull here is…"
"Stupid. Plain and simple. No sugar coating. It's stupid. They are stupid. A super-boss that's probably way over level 300 or 400 and is capable of wiping whole cities off the map before we know it, is freely roaming the Empire. All while the Church wants to use the chance to show the supremacy of their own forces over the actual peacekeepers! They aren't just normal kind of stupid! They are deranged!"
Hugin added, and Melinda finished for her, going above and beyond to express how annoyed and agitated she was over the whole thing.
"I should just ask Zane to send Rose over and take me out there to kill the Dullahan quickly. The Church can claim they are behind it too. I don't care."
Suddenly, the gold-haired girl stood up and announced, done with the ridiculous incompetence of the supposed defenders of the people.
"Please wait!"
Adrianna, Melinda's personal maid who somehow remained unnoticed until she made a move, raised both hands and pleaded, getting in the way of the furious girl.
"My lady, consider the risk! Please, at least wait until the monster is tracked down and marked before going out there. Preferably not acting until the head of the Shadow Stalking Ripper Panther will decay completely, and the Dullahan will lose its abilities!"
Adrianna continued her plea, repeating the newest available intel about the beast terrorizing the land, meaningfully glancing at Melinda's stomach.
"I share your maid's sentiment, and I'm certain that Lord Zane, as well as His Majesty, have the same stance on the matter."
"..."
Adrianna declared and was supported by Hugin, making Melinda tense up with a grumpy pout.
"Fine."
"Thank you~!"
In the end the gold-haired girl muttered as she slouched, making the other two exchange relieved glances and call out in unison.
"But I want to see that whole demonstration. And I want to be the one to choose which Knight will participate!"
"That can be arranged."
Melinda declared sternly, and Hugin immediately agreed.
"How much time do we have?"
The gold-haired girl sat back down and asked.
"No matter what kind of publicity stunt they want to pull off, waiting more than three days is inexcusable, so that would be the upper limit."
"Well, so that's what we're working with. Please inform the Academy that my return will be delayed appropriately. Adi, do we have a message scroll on hand?"
"Here."
As Hugin answered, Melinda shrugged her shoulders while nodding before asking and immediately receiving the scroll from her maid.