Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 473: After the Operation
“One of the conditions for activating the special skill [&%$#], <Savior of the Saints>, has been met. [Longevity] acquired.”
Tauro awoke from unconsciousness to the clear voice of the “World” echoing in his mind.
He found himself lying in a corner of the plaza, his head resting on Aeris’s lap.
“You’re awake, Tauro?”
Aeris looked down at him in relief when he finally opened his eyes.
Reluctant to leave the comfort of her lap, Tauro nevertheless sat up and looked around. Nearby, Ankh and several injured soldiers lay on the ground.
Zion moved among them, administering treatment.
Ragune was assisting her.
“Is Ankh okay?”
“Yes. The potion you gave him was administered immediately after he was wounded, so it seems he avoided anything life-threatening. Zion and I treated him afterward. He lost a great deal of blood and briefly passed out, but now he’s only sleeping. You were in even greater danger, Tauro.”
Aeris stood up and let out a heavy sigh.
“Sorry… So, what about the Imperial soldiers?”
“Their strength returned immediately after you lost consciousness, and five or six Imperial soldiers broke through the encirclement and escaped. With so few of them, though, they probably can’t do much now. Still, Pella was the true star of this battle.”
Aeris picked up Pella, who was beside her, and placed it on Tauro’s shoulder.
Whether pleased by the praise or simply happy that Tauro had regained consciousness, Pella bounced joyfully on his shoulder.
“Thank you, Pella. Without you, we probably wouldn’t have defeated the enemy commander.”
Tauro said this while stroking the cheerful Pella on his shoulder.
Pella rubbed against Tauro’s hand, even more pleased.
“Still, the territorial troops suffered heavy casualties, and nearly all the captured Imperial soldiers tried to kill themselves with poison concealed in their mouths. Zion and I used detoxification magic and managed to save three of them, but they may attempt suicide again if given an opportunity, so they’ll need close supervision.”
As they were talking, a man who appeared to be the captain of the territorial soldiers approached them.
“Viscount Musai is waiting at the castle for our report. Would you be able to accompany us?”
Since the operation’s success had depended heavily on Tauro and his companions, it made sense for them to give their report in person.
“I understand. May we join you once our companions have regained consciousness?”
“Of course. I apologize for asking this of you immediately after your treatment, but we suffered heavy losses. It’d be best for someone who fought at the heart of the battle to explain just how formidable the enemy was. Please come when you’re ready.”
The captain’s face was grim, having lost many subordinates.
The soldiers Zion and the others were treating had suffered comparatively minor wounds.
A short distance away, the bodies of the fallen territorial soldiers had been laid out. Beside one corpse, an uninjured soldier—likely a friend—was weeping.
“…Yes. They were far stronger than we imagined.”
Tauro murmured, not necessarily to the captain, but to himself.
“They may have been members of the special forces known as the Golden Lions. They’re said to be the Northern Empire’s trump card.”
The captain voiced a possibility.
“The Golden Lions?”
It was a name Tauro had never heard before.
“They’re an elite force under the Emperor’s direct command. The Golden Lions are said to be a phantom unit that never appears in public, and their existence has never been officially acknowledged. After what happened this time, however… the possibility no longer seems so far-fetched.”
Aeris’s expression turned serious after hearing the captain’s words.
“They’d go that far just to capture the Saint…?”
“A Saint is a powerful symbol for any nation. Even the Kingdom of Luwan is trying to use its Saint to elevate its own authority… Ahem, forgive me. In short, I suppose every country thinks the same way.”
The captain lowered his voice so that the soldiers Marquis Donaissun had dispatched from the Kingdom of Luwan wouldn’t overhear him, speaking only to Tauro and Aeris.
“Then… does that mean the Saint will continue to be targeted from now on?”
Tauro exchanged glances with Aeris, realizing they’d been dragged into something far bigger than expected.
“It’s difficult to say. The Golden Lions are believed to be a small elite unit directly under the Emperor. We don’t know their total strength, but gathering fifty soldiers of that caliber can’t be easy. This incident may have dealt them a severe blow.”
As the captain spoke, his expression brightened slightly, perhaps taking some solace in the idea that they had fought well against such a formidable foe.
Just then, Ankh, who had been lying nearby, stirred.
“…Ugh… Huh!? Leader, is Aeris safe!?”
He shot up, alarmed.
“She’s fine, Ankh. More importantly, are you okay? You were seriously injured.”
Tauro helped Ankh to his feet.
“I’m fine. A little blood loss is nothing—I’ll recover once I eat some meat. …What happened to the enemy?”
Looking at the many fallen and injured soldiers around him, Ankh grasped the gravity of the situation.
“I’ll explain on the way to the castle. Captain, shall we go?”
“Yes, let’s.”
The captain nodded and led Tauro and the others to a carriage bound for the castle.