Chapter 11 (1/2)

.DELIVERY OF GOODS AND THE SMELL OF BLOOD

Cutting through the night wind, there was a group riding their horses.

The black carriage and the hors.e.m.e.n wearing a black coat were blending with the darkness of the night.

If it wasn´t for the sound of the horse hooves. .h.i.tting on the ground, then except for the animals adapted to seeing in the dark, noticing them would have been extremely difficult.

The one leading all the fifty members of that horse group was first lieutenant Riku. Hiding under her hood the red hair that would stand out even at night, she kept concentrated, looking forward. She changed her gaze to a stone lying on the roadside which had some letters engraved on its surface. Giving one look to the letters, she once again looked forward. And then, still looking to the front, a horseman beside her raised his voice.

“Soon we will have contact to the target. Are you ready?”

“Yes, no problems.”

“Is that so? Good.”

The corners of her mouth rose.

Breathing the cold night air that was going against her face, it made her burning like feelings refresh a bit. Even so, couldn´t be settled with just that. With her eyes s.h.i.+ning in a fiery gaze, she spoke.

“To all soldiers. From now on, the mission will start. With the resolve to keep up even if your life is in risk, execute lieutenant general Leivein´s order.”

“…No, ojou-chan. It was lieutenant general Gortoberuk´s orders, actually.”

The horseman beside her… Warrant officer Vrusto, said while giving a sigh.

Vrusto´s eyes looked like they were dead. His usual combative face nowhere to be found. Only showing a apathetic expression, his horse kept moving on.

“Besides, it is not a job that you need to risk your life for, you know. The job given to us was to just to send lieutenant general´s birthday present to his grandchild.”

“…It´s the transportation of important goods…”

“Yes, yes… Ahh, why did I need to be transferred as well…? You are already seventeen, so you don´t need me to babysit you anymore.”*1

Riku didn´t say anything to answer.

She thought it was very rude of him to say he was babysitting her, but she didn´t feel like answering to the provocation.

She would complete her task perfectly. That was the one dominant thought in her head. In order to protect the place she belonged to, and to become a more useful to Leivein even if it was only a bit, she would act.

If it was for that sake, even if it was some ch.o.r.e that couldn´t even be considered a job suitable to be given to a first lieutenant no matter how one would think. Something such as the ch.o.r.e of sending a birthday present, even that she would do.

She would send the package not too soon, nor too late from the time lieutenant general Gortoberuk ordered to send it, but right at the time. Of course, during the course, that present mustn´t suffer any damage. Sending the present in a perfect state too was one of Riku´s responsibilities.

“Like I was saying…You are putting all this enthusiasm in the wrong place. You should be angrier about this unreasonable job. Good grief, and also what was captain Leivein even thinking? From anyone that it could have been, for us to be transferred to lieutenant general Gortoberuk´s army.”

As she heard Vrusto murmurs, Riku kept going forward.

Gradually, firelight began showing through the gaps between the trees. Soon they would leave the forest. And right after that, near there should be where Gortoberuk´s villa is.

This job, that from the Myuuz castle, where Gortoberuk was stationed, they had to go through the mountains and keep fast pace until nightfall, was about to end.*2

“I wonder if it is here.”

Leaving the gloomy forest, there was a castle in there that was so white it seemed to be made of chalk.

Because of the demon´s circ.u.mstances, they were forced to live hidden. And to such demons, it was said that Gortoberuk´s home was the one of most splendor. If Gortoberuk home wasn´t one of a demon´s but of a minister that served the king, then comparing it to the buildings from the n.o.ble´s district, the ones from the n.o.ble´s district were several times more elegant.

Pulling the reins of the horse, Riku slowly advanced towards the gorgeous gate.

“From the Demon Lord army third, under lieutenant general Gortoberuk, it is first lieutenant Riku Barusak. By the orders of the lieutenant general, I came to deliver the present to his grandchild.”

As she spoke to the gatekeeper, he nodded.

“The delivery was just in time. Good job. We will take care of the present. There wasn´t any damage, was there?”

“There were no problems… Here it is.”

Riku lightly made a sign with her hand.

Following that, together, the soldiers began an operation to lower down the present.

There was a reason why only for this time´s job of delivering the present, fifty cavalryman were needed. It was simple. First, the amount of presents for the single grandchild was over thirty. And more over, each of them were fragile pieces of handiwork that had gla.s.s easy to break on them. Even with the slightest impact, they would end up breaking, and so, one soldier would be carrying a present, and for each one of them, the remaining would ride their horses near them as to protect the present.

Vrusto still considered it to be a wasting of time of capable personal. But since it was orders coming from Gortoberuk, there was nothing to be done about it.

Without saying a single complaint, Riku had followed as she had been told to.

Riku looking at the presents contents being carefully checked, and when she was about to give a sigh of relief, right at that moment…

“Huh?”

Suddenly, Riku felt a chill at her back.

While still riding her horse, she looked behind. But all there was there was the dark forest. The blowing wind was roaring. With that, she frowned. Although she kept looking at the roaring forest, nothing happened.

While looking to the forest, she thought there was something wrong in there. After finis.h.i.+ng unloading the presents, Vrusto came close to her, sick and tired of the job.

“What´s the problem, first lieutenant Riku?”

“No… I kind of felt a bad feeling about something.”

“Stupid, you are only overthinking… Hm?”

Vrusto´s nose started to move.

Right at that moment, Vrusto´s face returned to his usual face full of ambition. His face that previously looked like he was about to die seemed like it was a lie. With eyes s.h.i.+ning with ferocity, he looked at the dark forest.

“Girl…I am smelling blood.”

“Blood?”

“Yes, from behind. It´s coming closer.”

Riku regained her grip over the reins.

Making the horse turn, it slowly walked to the direction of the forest. As Riku came closer, her demon subordinates separated as to open a way to her. As the horse was slowly walking, Riku was gripping her halberd that was on her back. Her sharp eyes were look*3

“First lieutenant Barusak, are there any problems?”

The gatekeeper, who thought Riku´s actions were suspicious, came closer.

The gatekeeper was keeping his hand onto the sword at his waist. But Riku wasn´t even looking at him. She only looked at the darkness of the forest concentrated. With Riku not answering anything, he ran out of patience. When he was about to raise his voice, it happened.

The forest trees unnaturally trembled, and then, like a ripe fruit, some sort of black figure fell down to the ground.

When the figure was about to touch the ground, right at that instant, Riku wielded her halberd. And then, she pointed her halberd to the black silhouette.

“Who is it? Depending on the answer, I will kill you.”

Being pointed by the halberd, the figure was moving in panic.

Riku, who was intently looking at the figure, let out a surprised voice.