With a small smile of his own, Raid quietly stood from his seat. “That ends our meeting. It’ll probably take some time for each nation to prepare their aid. You’re all free until Elise has a job for you.”
With that, Raid left the room, where Fareg had been waiting for him. “Are you finished?” the boy asked.
“Yep,” Raid replied as he continued walking down the hall. “His Majesty and Mr. Martis are at the main estate, right?”
Fareg nodded, falling into pace beside him. “Along with Her Highness Princess Kris, it seems. Apparently, she was quite vexed that Caldwin hadn’t returned with you, so she wants to at least ask you directly how she’s doing.”
“I feel like she’s going to ask me to take her with me too...” Raid sighed. “Well, I actually wouldn’t mind. We’ve finished securing the area around the imperial capital, and we would stand to benefit from bringing her along.”
“You would...?”
“People from different nations are coming along for this operation. Although I’ll technically have authority over them, I’d be hard-pressed to say they actually see me as their superior. Wouldn’t having the visible backing of a Vegaltan royal put them more at ease?”
“Well, I suppose... Princess Kris’s fondness for Caldwin has left a good impression on the masses, making her known as a friendly royal. Despite how she seems, she has actually contributed significantly to public policies. Having her around will definitely be a boon.”
“It’s too bad she gave up her claim to the throne...”
Fareg sighed. “She publicly announced to both her father and the vassals that she would relinquish the throne to her elder brother because she ‘wants to stay with Eluria forever’... Well, nothing can be done if she doesn’t wish for it. Besides, her elder brother—First Prince Klifort—is also an excellent heir.”
“Is it just me, or are you wincing?”
“Well... When I met Caldwin for the first time as kids, I actually messed with her a bit... Princess Kris was naturally enraged and beat me until my face was all swollen. Since then, she always glares daggers at me whenever we meet...”
“You know what they say: You reap what you sow.”
“I was just trying to befriend her, though...!” Fareg held his head and groaned at his old memories.
Raid decided not to ask any further. Some embarrassing childhood memories were best left unprodded. More importantly, there was something else he was more curious about: “Are you not gonna ask me to take you along anymore?”
At Raid’s question, Fareg stopped in his tracks.
Raid halted a beat later, then turned around to face him. “We’ve secured a safe base of operations, so I don’t mind bringing you along now. Besides, I’ve heard about what happened while we were gone. Turns out you led the charge against an ultra-sized manabeast?”
While waiting for the day of the Assembly, Raid had caught up on recent events in the Second World. Of particular note was the appearance of an ultra-sized manabeast off the northern coast of the central continent, as well as a horde of manabeasts that had been stimulated by its appearance. Both Fareg and Dian had been dispatched for this battle.
“Dian and another nation’s special-classer dealt with the ultra-sized manabeast. As for the manabeast horde, you were given command over their subjugation since you identified the problem before anybody else.” Raid folded his arms. “I thought you’d use this as ammunition to convince me to include you, but you never brought it up again.”
Fareg frowned. “Well, you were busy with the Assembly,” he mumbled. “I knew you could free yourself of those accusations, but I didn’t want to bring up anything that would distract you from the task at hand.” He resumed his steps and walked past Raid. “Besides, that was by no means my achievement. I was entrusted with command of the operation for two simple reasons: because I am knowledgeable on manabeasts as a member of House Verminant, and I was already positioned in the rearguard. At most, I sought out the help of Sir Dian and his subordinates because I determined that we were lacking in manpower.”
“Right... If I recall correctly, you ran to Dian, looking pale as a sheet, so he went ahead and helped you without asking for permission. Because of that, Elise had to force him into the subjugation squad while bawling her eyes out from stress.”
“Asking a prisoner of war to help with national defense isn’t standard procedure, after all.” Fareg shrugged, a bitter smile on his lips. “I was one step away from being accused of treason in the Assembly alongside you.”
Regardless, the operation had pushed through thanks to Fareg’s initiative. “You were entrusted with the command because you’re knowledgeable and trustworthy—and these stem not from the Verminant name, but from your own actions. Besides, didn’t Dian and his subordinates take action because you promised to take full responsibility if any one of them died?” Raid shot the boy a knowing look. “No need to humble yourself. I’ve heard about it all, you know.”
Raid hadn’t seen Fareg in action. Everything he knew, he had heard not from Fareg’s mouth but from others. “Next time, tell me yourself,” he chided gently. “How else am I gonna praise you?” Smiling, he slowly reached a hand out for the boy’s head—and gave it a very hearty whack.
“Owww!” Fareg cried. “You hit me? Why?!”
“To get your head back in the game. We’re heading over for a talk with your father, aren’t we?”
“You’re going to talk with him—I’m just bringing you there! What does this have to do with me?!”
“Everything, actually. Like I said, we’ve got a safe base of operations in the First World and—thanks to all the aid we’ve secured here—plenty of combat forces to boot. And I’m about to lead them all on a grand and glorious mission to save the world from destruction. But...” Raid smirked. “Wouldn’t it be a waste if nobody was there to watch it all and share my story to future generations?”
Everything that Hero Raid Freeden had built up a millennium ago was erased alongside Altane’s history for the sake of world peace.
“You’re lacking in both ability and experience, so I have no intention of letting you participate in the battle. But if you’re fine with that...then I’ll give you a special front-row seat to the show.” Raid spun around to face Fareg and declared, “Fareg Verminant, I hereby appoint you this operation’s record keeper.”
Fareg’s expression turned slack from shock.
Regardless, Raid straightened his back and continued, “Accompany me and record everything you witness on the battlefield. Your role will be to create a new record of the Hero—one that will no longer fade from history, but will be passed down alongside the story of how we saved the world. As for everything you learn from watching me...it will be entirely up to you to make use of it.” Raid’s lips stretched into a toothy grin. “So, from today onward, you are now my subordinate. If you accept, then respond as a subordinate would.”
For a moment, Fareg’s expression warped as if he were holding back a torrent of emotions. But no sooner had Raid observed it than Fareg straightened his back and executed a salute. “I, Fareg Verminant, humbly accept my new appointment as your record keeper,” he exclaimed, a brilliant and dazzling smile on his face.