Soim stepped forward. He was dressed more lightly than me. With just a few narrow strips of metal offering him protection, his armor could’ve passed for ordinary clothing. He also wore a piece of headgear that was like a cross between a helmet and an iron headband. It only covered the front of his head. On his feet, however, were the sturdy boots worn by plainrunner riders. As minimal as his gear appeared, he was dressed for actual combat—a rider’s legs were the parts most likely to be attacked. In his hand, he held an armored mask with a fearsome design similar to a Japanese men-yoroi’s. It looked like some decorative piece that he’d brought out from the residence.
“That was a splendid speech to give before a battle, Young Master. Or should I call you ‘Your Excellency’?”
“Not now.”
“Please allow me to offer you my spear. A few words will suffice.”
To accept his spear would mean accepting a vow of allegiance, but now wasn’t the time—I’d just told him we needed to hurry.
“Just to be sure,” I said, “you’re not planning on dying here, are you?”
Soim grinned in response. He wasn’t putting on an act, just showing his genuine happiness. “It fills me with the utmost joy to think that these old bones might yet be laid to rest before they’ve decayed.”
“I’d...really prefer it if you survived.” Komimi Culotte would feel the same way.
“To fall on the battlefield would be the greatest honor. I beg you.”
Soim sounded determined to have his way. Or perhaps determination was the wrong word—for him, this wasn’t even a decision. If he died here, he’d simply be obeying his nature. If I stood in his way, unable to bear the loss, I’d be refusing to respect the life he’d chosen.
“Soim, you’ve already given me your spear. It lives within me as lessons taught by a one-of-a-kind teacher. You’re offering me something you’ve already given me.”
“Then the honor will be mine all the more. What do you say?” Soim dropped to one knee before me and held out his spear flat.
I lowered my own weapon, rested it against the wall, and took his instead. “Soim Hao. Do you vow to serve as my spear?”
“I do.”
“Then my spear you shall be from this moment forth. You are a true spear. Remain ever sharp, ready to pierce my foes at my command.”
I handed his weapon back to him. He’d said a few words would be enough, so I hoped my short speech was enough to satisfy him.
“Now I can go forth into battle free from regrets,” Soim said.
With the ritual over, he got to his feet looking oddly refreshed. It was like some of his youth had returned to him.
“I, Soim, having served the Ho family for four generations, long regretted my failure to give my life during the reign of Lord Gok...but now, fate has given me another chance. I thought I was too old to be filled with such joy. As your first retainer, I must serve you well enough to be worthy of this honor, Young Master.”
“Why’s a vow of servitude so important to you?” There had to be some significance to this ritual beyond choosing where to die.
Soim looked stunned by the question. “Must I say it? If I fall in battle without pledging my allegiance, it will be the death of a bloodthirsty killer. Knights who die in service of a vow do so honorably. It will be something I boast of to my friends in the netherworld.”
“Is that right?”
Soim had lost all of his sons to war during Gok’s time, but I’d never expected that he’d be in a hurry to follow them since he seemed to enjoy his life.
“I, Soim, vow to achieve a feat in battle so great that it will be spoken of for seven generations. Rest assured, your rear guard is safe in my hands.”
“Heh. Well, if you fall in battle as the rear guard that protected both your master and Princess Carol—or rather, your queen—I can see a song or two being written about that.”
The last time I’d met Soim, he’d told me that he’d only grow weaker with time. If he deteriorated to the point that he couldn’t fight well, the battlefield wouldn’t offer him a graceful death, nor would his fight go on long enough to become a story. For someone like him, this might have been a gift from fate—a final chance to show the world his true worth.
After my conversation with Soim, I looked around the garden and saw that our preparations were more or less complete. I walked over to the captain of the cavalry, who was mounted on a plainrunner.
“Lord Yuri, I am truly—”
“There’s no time for that. Prepare a plainrunner for me.”
“What?! You intend to ride?”
That should’ve been obvious. I wasn’t just some company director who could sit and watch from inside a carriage.
“Of course. Can’t you see the spear I’m holding? I’ll be giving orders at the front.”
“It’s too dangerous. A carriage is—”
“Shut up about the carriage. I don’t want to abandon my father’s eagle, White Sunset. Is one of your men a good rider? We can trade birds.”
“I have a man in mind. But, Lord Yuri, you could ride the eagle yourself.”
Not a chance. “Less talk. Get on with it.”
“Y-Yes, sir! As you command!”
A direct order was enough to light a fire under the captain, who sprung into action. A moment later, he brought a plainrunner rider who climbed off his bird and declared, “Horos Yuma of the fifth detachment, at your service!”
Detachments sent to the royal capital were ad-hoc units made up of soldiers from many different permanent units. Horos belonged to the fifth such detachment to come here this year.
“Sorry, but I’ll need your plainrunner. My father’s eagle is named White Sunset. I want you to ride him to Ho Province.”
“Understood.”
“It’ll be difficult to make the journey tonight. The moon may be out, but White Sunset is already exhausted. Don’t attempt to fly the distance in one go, even if it seems possible. Get out of the royal capital and find somewhere to land a good distance from the road where you can rest until morning. You can take a little meat from our feeding ground for White Sunset. Once you reach Ho Province, go to the nearest government office and explain the situation. If you can convince them to dispatch soldiers to the border of the royal territory, all the better. Got all that? Say it back to me.”
“Understood. I’ll leave the royal capital, land in a clear area that’s not near the road, feed the eagle, rest until morning, then find a government office in a town and negotiate the dispatch of troops.”
“Good. You get full marks. I’m counting on you,” I said, patting him on the shoulder.