“What happens next?” I asked.
“The guild is getting a search party ready. They’re also sending liaisons all over. I believe they’re waiting for new information before making a real move...”
“Tch...”
I couldn’t hold back my irritation. My immaturity was pathetic. In contrast, Allucia maintained her businesslike attitude. She really had it together—far more than I did. That was exactly why she’d ascended to the knight commander’s seat despite her youth.
“What about the order?” I asked.
“We aren’t moving. That is to say...we can’t. Not yet.”
“Why?”
“As you may well surmise, it’s not in our jurisdiction. We can make a move if the adventurer’s guild reports the situation to the kingdom and the order is commanded to search for Lysandra...but it’s unlikely. It’ll take too much time either way.”
“Dammit!”
I slammed my fist onto the table with a thud. The sound echoed around the knight commander’s office. It wasn’t Allucia’s fault—if anything, she’d gone out of her way to inform me of confidential information because of my relationship with Surena. By all rights, I should’ve been thanking her.
But what was I doing instead? She hadn’t done anything wrong, and I was practically interrogating her. I was spurred by my sense of powerlessness and impatience toward this horrible situation and being an utter bother by venting my frustrations at her.
I’m pathetic. I was in a position to teach others, but after peeling back a single layer, this was all I amounted to. I couldn’t help but hate myself for it. But what else could I do? All life was equally precious, but unfortunately, people attributed different values to individual lives.
It wasn’t like Surena lacked resolve. Everyone who lived a life of battle was well aware of the risk. She’d even gone out of her way to visit me before heading out on her mission—probably because she’d sensed that it would be very dangerous.
However, even with the resolve, when faced with reality, it wasn’t always possible to remain calm. The mind was capable of understanding without accepting. If all things went exactly as expected, there would never be chaos. This went for circumstances both big and small.
“Meaning the order has no choice but to wait...” I muttered.
“Precisely. As vexing as it is.”
I wasn’t going to get more information than this by pressing Allucia for answers. She didn’t know more than this anyway. The order wasn’t going to move on such sparse intel from an outsider.
As the knight commander, Allucia couldn’t act on her own. This was easy to understand, even when my mind was a mess. The fact that it had taken me this long to realize meant I’d been that shaken by the news.
“Haaaah...”
I let out a long, long sigh. I had to start by accepting the situation. No matter what I did, I couldn’t improve anything—I didn’t have enough information.
Surena was in danger, but the exact cause was unknown. She could still be alive. She could also be dead already. There was no telling until we got a look for ourselves. However, with things as they were, doing that was a distant prospect. We had far too little to act on, and there was very little I could contribute.
“Got it... Allucia, I have a request.”
“Go ahead.”
However, having very little didn’t mean I had nothing to contribute. I was motivated to make a move on my own. However, there was pretty much no information I was capable of acquiring on my own—I had no influence or access to intelligence networks, after all.
On the other hand, there were a few things only I was able to set into motion as an individual. I was in a good position to be used as a convenient pawn for unofficial missions—much like when I’d helped Surena supervise the young adventurers and when I’d arrested Bishop Reveos at Lucy and Ibroy’s request. So, I planned to make use of that position again. I wasn’t a knight, after all.
“I’d like to take time off for a while,” I said.
“Sure. The documents are being prepared as we speak. It seems they didn’t go to waste.”
“Being prepared as we speak...?”
“Yes. Your request for leave is already underway.”
“I see.”
The Liberion Order was a national institution and a military force. It was impossible to move them for personal reasons. Even in Allucia’s position, it would be difficult to be so selfish after swearing loyalty to the nation.
However, things were different for me. I had a fancy title as the special instructor for the Liberion Order, but I was still no more than hired help. To put it bluntly, I hadn’t sworn my loyalty to anyone. If anything, I’d only sworn myself to the blade.
Nobody could complain if I took a slightly long vacation and got some business settled in the meantime. It would be a bit of a scandal if I got seriously injured, vanished, or even died on said vacation. Even I could see that.
However, I couldn’t stay put just because of that risk. That was why I’d made the request, but it was quite a shock that the documents for my extended leave were already being prepared.
Allucia really could see right through me. She’d predicted my actions and hopes with extreme accuracy.
“I’m in your debt,” I told her, bowing my head. “Thank you.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for. I’m simply approving your leave of absence. There are no major events going on right now, so it isn’t a problem.”
“I see. That really helps.”
I lowered my head once more, and she nodded as if to tell me it was no big deal. The fact that Surena was missing hadn’t been made public yet. They probably weren’t going to make it known until significant time had passed and they had positive proof.
In the meantime, a swordsmanship instructor hired from outside the Liberion Order just happened to take a vacation from the office. There was nothing to question about that.
I couldn’t take time off forever, which could end up being a problem. I didn’t really care about being called dishonest or anything, but I wanted to avoid any unnecessary scandals involving the order’s top brass—namely Allucia and Henblitz.
There was Surena’s situation to consider too. Nothing good would come from taking my time. I doubted this could be solved in one or two days, but it was clear to anyone that I had to act as quickly as possible.
In hindsight, it was for the best that Sphenedyardvania’s delegation had been canceled. Even if Prince Glenn didn’t come himself, things would’ve been far busier if we’d had to welcome foreign royalty. It would’ve looked bad if I’d excused myself during such a period.
“Okay then...”
My time off from the order was approved. That left the magic institute. If I went through Lucy or Ficelle, I doubted it would be a problem. I was only a temporary lecturer there, after all. I’d been absent for extended periods because of previous expeditions, so the same would work here. That said, this matter was hush-hush, so I felt like it was better to consult Lucy than Ficelle. She was sure to hear about Surena’s situation quickly.
There were almost no problems with me leaving Baltrain. All that was left was how to get information on Surena. Going to the adventurer’s guild to ask sounded like the best idea, but I doubted they would provide me with anything if I did. Allucia had been informed confidentially, so I had to keep up appearances.
“Oh, yes,” Allucia said, bringing me back from my thoughts.
“Hm?”
“If you plan on using your accumulated days off, I recommend visiting Vesparta to the west. The scenery is quite different there, and it should provide you with proper recreation. As for making a proper itinerary and finding out about local attractions, it would be best to consult the adventurer’s guild.”
“Got it... Thanks, I’m looking forward to it.”
“It was nothing. Safe travels, Master.”
Allucia truly outclassed me. She was passing information to me in a way that wouldn’t create any friction. Vesparta was the city that sat on the border with the Salura Zaruk Empire. The geography was totally different, but it was similar to Flumvelk in that regard.
There was no way Allucia was actually telling me to go sightseeing, which meant that Surena had gone to Vesparta. I was glad she hadn’t gone all the way to the empire.
Surena had traveled far away from Baltrain, but she hadn’t needed to cross the border. Her destination had very likely been in the Aflatta Mountain Range. It was best to keep that in mind.
I wasn’t familiar with that area, though. It would be best for me to get that information from the adventurer’s guild. Allucia couldn’t stick her nose into this herself, and unofficially leaking information was already a major concession on her part. I couldn’t rely on her intelligence network more than I already had.
“Okay, I’m off, then. I’ll get ready right away,” I said. “I’ll probably be away for a while, but I will leave things here in your care.”
“Understood and accepted.”
My course was decided. All that was left was to set things in motion as soon as possible. It would be ideal if Surena suddenly came back and wasted all my efforts—I could just complain to her over an ale at the tavern about how much of a panic I’d gotten into. She could at least keep me company for that.
Also, it would be completely meaningless if I went missing right after her. If she was in danger, it would be vital to save her, but joining her in defeat would be the worst possible outcome. If I could save Surena by throwing my life away, I would gladly do so. However, risking it all and gaining nothing in return was out of the question. I had to calmly make that distinction.
Dying was a frightening thought. Even though I wanted to fight strong opponents, I didn’t want to die. That thought followed me at all times. However, if I could save one of my adorable pupils by risking my life, it’d be worth discarding such thoughts. It would be pretty disrespectful to my parents, though...
“Master,” Allucia said, her voice still stiff as I stood up to leave her office.
“Hm?”
She bowed her head deeply. “Please save Lysandra.”
She was definitely worried. She also had to be vexed that she couldn’t do anything herself. I could see that frustration clearly in the way she carried herself.
“Of course,” I answered immediately.
I was ready to do something about it one way or another. There was no guarantee I would be able to achieve anything, but I had no reason to act timid at this stage.
“Okay...”
With that, I left her office. I had to get information from the adventurer’s guild, explain things to Mewi, and lay the groundwork with Lucy.
That’s a lot of work, but let’s get it all done as quickly as possible. Time waits for no man.