50. Faith
Galahad tapped his fingers while watching Demian eat with his mouth full.
When they first met, Demian was wearing tattered clothes and sitting in a shabby hut, eating scraps.
Compared to that, his face was now clean and polished. The noble aura that couldn’t be hidden even when trying to cover it up was overflowing, making him look like a high-ranking noble’s son. It was all thanks to Gwyn and Tom’s care.
The amazing thing was that despite eating so much, he was still as thin as a rake.
Demian was special. He had no training, but his skills were real.
There was no hesitation in his swordsmanship.
Demian was a born warrior. It was strange, but from the start, he was a person who threw fireballs and put aura into his sword.
That level of talent was understandable.
In fact, there were agents like Demian in the Intelligence Agency.
The problem was-.
“The ash-colored aura.”
It was Demian’s aura.
It wasn’t something that could be easily overlooked.
“Demian, what’s your dream?”
“Ah, a dream?”
“Do you want to become something when you grow up?”
Demian’s lips moved slightly, his round cheeks wobbling. He eats a lot, Galahad muttered to himself.
“There isn’t one, really.”
“Then how did you do the aura?”
It didn’t make sense that he had no clear dream, yet he was able to create an aura.
“I did it with my hands.”
“Did Lord Gilborton teach you?”
“Yes.”
Even if it was an aura, doing it with his hands was ridiculous-.
Galahad clicked his tongue.
“What were you thinking when you did it?”
“I thought I was doing it with my hands.”
“I see. Can you show me once now?”
“Here, the poop doesn’t stink.”
“Hmm-.”
Galahad’s words were blocked again. Then, as Demian was eating meat with his hands, Galahad handed him a fork and knife.
“It’s more comfortable with your hands.”
“It’s natural to be uncomfortable at first.”
Galahad kindly cut the meat for Demian, who looked slightly dissatisfied.
“How many fathers did you have?”
“Four. Schrödinger.”
“Ah, Schrödinger. His memory is better than Gilbert’s.”
Galahad chuckled slightly, remembering the Schrödinger he had mentioned at their first meeting.
“Do you know the identities of your four fathers?”
“Two of them.”
“And the other two?”
“They were outside guests. One was someone I didn’t know at all.”
“Your mother was very popular, I suppose.”
“Yes, back then.”
“Your handsome appearance is definitely inherited from your mother. Well, eat like this.”
Galahad cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and handed Demian the fork again. Demian stabbed the meat with the fork, put it in his mouth, and chewed.
‘Two out of four.’
Galahad murmured Demian’s answer.
The ash-gray aura would certainly be related to Demian’s birth.
The most suspicious thing was still the connection to the demon tribe.
“Is there anything your mother said about the unknown person?”
“She said it was very little.”
Galahad coughed roughly. Demian put five pieces of meat in his mouth with his fork.
As Galahad continued to cough, Tom brought him a cup of warm water.
“Ah, thank you, Tom.”
Tom bowed his head and stepped back.
Galahad wiped his mouth and gazed at Demian, who was eating the meat as if nothing was wrong.
“Ah, so your mother was a carefree person, wasn’t she? Did she have any other stories?”
“She paid the price for the first time like a beginner, handing over a lump sum.”
“That’s right.”
“Yes, but she lost everything in the gamble the next day.”
“Your mother was a gambler.”
“She is always lost.”
“It’s natural to win in the end, anyway.”
“But she lost in the end too.”
Galahad habitually put a cigarette in his mouth, then put it back in his pocket.
“That’s unfortunate.”
“Yes, it is.”
Demian stuffed his mouth with meat, eating like someone who had never had meat before in his life.
“Is Abiga a demon?”
Demian’s mana was nothing special. In fact, he had less mana than usual.
The only thing left was the story of the unit Demian had belonged to-.
“I said I was attacked by demons.”
That was already a situation where Gilberton had finished the investigation. Demian was answering honestly, and if there was something to reveal, it would have come out during the interrogation.
More information was needed-.
“Ah, First was there.”
The Intelligence Agency was definitely interested in Galahad’s movements.
They would have gathered information about Demian, a member of Galahad’s unit.
First would have received it.
“I’ll have to ask.”
First seemed a bit silly at first, but he was not foolish, just clear-headed.
He wouldn’t be unaware of the situation.
To get information from him, a suitable deal was necessary.
Suitable-.
“Ah, that’s right.”
Galahad, who had finished calculating, stood up from his seat.
****
“…Training center usage fee?”
First’s face stiffened at Galahad’s unexpected demand.
“That’s right. As you know, the effect of the Mage training center is considerable, isn’t it?”
Galahad’s words were true.
The effect of the Mage training center here was incomparable to the ones First had made in the capital, spending a lot of money.
However.
“Didn’t they say the Black Magic Society made this?”
First had finished understanding the situation with Pumpkin before meeting Galahad.
According to the information they had gathered, this Mage was made by the Black Magic Society, targeting the 7th Division.
But now they were asking for a usage fee? First narrowed his eyes.
“That’s right. The Black Magic Society made it. However, I’m the one who suggested using it as a training center instead of destroying it.”
“Can you destroy it?”
“Of course. Can’t you?”
“…I can destroy it!”
First nodded once.
If Galahad could do it, First could do it too.
It was just a matter of time.
At that moment, Galahad snapped his fingers. First’s eyes widened at the sparkling spark that flashed between Galahad’s fingers.
The spark soon took the shape of a flower.
Such intricate magic in the Mage-.
The gap between Galahad and him was narrowing while he was in the Intelligence Agency.
It couldn’t be helped, as growth slowed down the higher the level of magic.
In the end, Galahad had become barely visible.
‘Just now, that was-‘
It was a technique that Galahad had shown lightly, but First could fully sense the power contained within it.
The gap had widened further than before.
It was even more distant-.
He couldn’t even see that level anymore.
The reason was-.
‘The North, I suppose.’
It was clear that he had grown in the North, where the mana concentration was high.
First didn’t despair at the gap that had widened even further than before.
‘This is how my rival Galahad should be.’
First was genuinely happy about his rival’s growth.
“Well, I made a training camp out of the Demon Realm, which should have been destroyed. Even the Archduke appointed me as the manager.”
Galahad said, brushing away the lightning flowers.
There was a flaw in Galahad’s explanation.
Galahad was almost on leave, but he was still affiliated with the Intelligence Agency.
Anything Galahad obtained during his
“That’s right.”
Gallahad’s nod was faster than expected, but First nodded his head as well.
Information leaks within the Intelligence Agency were a serious crime. If Gallahad faced any problems later on, they could be punished together.
However, that wasn’t a problem for First.
If Gallahad fell off a cliff, First would jump after him without anyone needing to convince him.
Just like how he had followed him to the north.
“Alright, I’ll take the deal.”
First pulled out a small notebook. Although it was small, it was a magical tool that stored compressed information, which could be accessed with a key.
“Thanks.”
“This time, it won’t take long.”
Gallahad received the notebook, and First smiled brightly.
There was a perfect training ground, the Maze.
This time, he would definitely catch him.
“Alright, good luck.”
Gallahad responded lightly.
Gallahad’s gaze was already fixed on the notebook. Even though First hadn’t given him the key, the notebook was already open.
“Hmm, that’s right.”
Gallahad let out a small sigh as he read the notebook. First, who had already memorized everything, knew what Gallahad was reading.
“Demian, was it? That kid’s unit was definitely weird. While four units were attacked by the demon tribe, that kid was unscathed?”
It wasn’t unusual for units to be attacked by the demon tribe in the north. There were cases where people survived on their own, even if they weren’t kids-.
However, cases where it happened four times in a row were extremely rare.
“So, I checked, but there was no evidence. Nothing came out during the interrogation either-.”
The information from the north wasn’t very reliable.
It wasn’t just because the Intelligence Agency invested little in the north; the north didn’t handle information accurately from the start.
The remaining information was only because the kid’s unit had lost four members.
After reading everything, most of the information was useless.
However, Gallahad’s intense gaze made First curious.
Gallahad’s information analysis skills were exceptional.
“What’s there?”
“The timeframe is similar.”
“There’s no mention of the timeframe, though?”
First furrowed his brow. There was no mention of the timeframe in the information about Demian.
It was just a bunch of things like which mission it happened on. Even that was an estimate. There was no mention of the timeframe anywhere.
“The number of unit members is written, though. If we base it on the number of units and squads at the time, we can calculate the approximate work schedule.”
First nodded. It was a questionable method, but it wasn’t wrong.
As Gallahad said, it was an approximate calculation.
However.
“There’s an error, though?”
“The shortest timeframe is important. Didn’t any problems occur after a certain period? For instance, there was no unit attack during the first mission. That means-.”
Gallahad tapped the notebook in response to First’s question.
“The time difference is probably the period when you were at the battalion base before going on your last mission. Are you saying the battalion base wasn’t touched?”
Galahad continued to speak, and nodded first.
“Then it’s about the same. The timing is similar, it’s like the demons were watching and then attacked. Wait a minute. Isn’t it similar to the time you joined the special forces?”
At First’s question, Galahad closed his notebook.
At that moment, the cry of a crow could be heard from somewhere. Galahad nodded at that.
“I have something to attend to for a moment. I’ll be back. Since this is the training ground you’re in charge of, manage it well.”
The time calculated was similar to the time Damian joined the special forces.
But what did he mean by saying he’d be back?
“He intends to lure them out.”
Galahad disappeared without answering.
First watched him for a moment and then grabbed his sword again.
“Get up, everyone! You’ve rested enough!”
The fallen soldiers scrambled to their feet.
“No, what the hell is that guy…”
Heintz, who was even more pathetic than Gilbert, whimpered softly.
****
“Now, get ready. We’re leaving right away.”
At Galahad’s command, Tom, who had been playing, jumped up from his seat.
“I’m already prepared!”
Galahad was puzzled by Tom’s cool response.
He knew that Tom was incredibly meticulous, but how could he have finished preparing after just being told?
“Ah, I’ve always been prepared! It seemed like it was about time to leave!”
“I see. Good! Load it onto the carriage right away.”
“Yes! Then I’ll go and get Sir Gilbert!”
Tom moved diligently.
Galahad sat across from Damian, who was still in a daze, and collected his thoughts.
Just then, he received a message from Palho. The chairman of the academy hadn’t moved yet, but the high-ranking executive directly below him had come to the 5th Battalion branch.
He planned to go there first.
While shaking his butt vigorously.
“Do I have to go?”
“Why?”
“Just because.”
Damian had already experienced this four times. He seemed to feel uneasy instinctively, sensing that the time was approaching.
“I see. I’m sorry, but you can’t.”
Damian’s face darkened. Galahad clicked his tongue and tapped his fingers on the table. Damian’s gaze, which had dropped, turned back to Galahad.
“Do you like life in the special forces?”
“Yes, very much.”
Damian’s eyes were unusually clear as he answered.
He still didn’t know what the ashen aura meant, or what kind of beliefs Damian held.
It could be dangerous, but there was only one way to find out.
How could I get a high score? I was so scared that I didn’t even dare to roll the dice.
“Take care of it directly. I’ll do my best, so you, train hard, okay?”
“…Okay.”
Despite his answer, Demian still looked sullen. Galahad didn’t press him further.
Originally, it was more valuable to break through on his own.
Just then, the door burst open, and Gilberton entered with Gwen by his side. Gwen was in charge of a mid-level magical creature given by the Duke, a creature that could communicate with the Pain’s Egg through the magic circle engraved by the magical creature trainer. Gilberton was protecting him.
“Gwen, how’s that magical creature?”
“It’s been calm! Until Gilberton hit it with a stick!”
“Such a name exists. What happens if Gilberton hits it with a stick?”
“The stick!”
“Yes, the stick.”
“No, it’s not a magical creature. But where are you going all of a sudden?”
Gilberton’s face showed a subtle sense of urgency. It was because the First Division’s training grounds were becoming cramped.
“I’ll return to the 5th Division. The Special Operations Headquarters is complete, so I’ll go take a look.”
“What about here?”
“I’ve left it to someone suitable.”
“……Someone suitable?”
Galahad nodded in response to Gilberton’s question.
First was an agent from the Intelligence Agency, directly under Galahad.
Although there was a significant difference, it was a fact that First was the next in line after Galahad among the Intelligence Agency agents.
With the 7th Division’s commander also present, there was no need to worry about this side.
‘The research results will be good too.’
The magic sword was an extension of First’s existing training methods.
Moreover, it was a guy who could withstand the crisis of his own body exploding. If I left it to him, a good result would surely come out.
So Galahad didn’t need to stay here.
“I’m ready!”
Tom’s shout came from outside. Galahad stood up in response.
“Demian, did you eat something?! Your face is swollen!”
Demian, whose face was being held by Gwen, stared at Galahad. Galahad put a cigarette in his mouth.
“Take care of it yourself.”
Galahad headed towards the carriage.
As Tom said, the preparations were complete.
Galahad headed towards the driver’s seat. Gilberton, with a slightly bewildered face, grasped the reins.
“Are you leaving right away?”
“Shouldn’t we at least hold a farewell party? You’re quite frivolous, aren’t you?”
“No, it’s not that.”
“It’s all set!”
“Alright, let’s depart.”
At Galahad’s light command, Gilberton unconsciously pulled the reins.
The carriage moved slowly.
“The one who received the Grand Duke’s favor!”
Salutes erupted from here and there.
Unlike before, the salutes were directed at Galahad.
Gilberton swallowed hard at the crazed respect on the soldiers’ faces.
“I guess I’m pretty popular.”
It was a joke he had made on the way here, but unlike then, Gilbert couldn’t tease him about it now.
Because it was true.
Amidst the enthusiastic cheers, the carriage left the 7th Battalion.
“But it’s strange. Lady Adrianna just left the Demon Realm like that.”
To Gilbert’s question, Galahad tapped his cigarette and replied.
“She trusts me.”
“I see.”
Lady Adrianna leaving while trusting someone else; it was strange to Gilbert, who had served Adrianna for quite a while.
‘Well, because he’s the Captain.’
As he muttered that, Gilbert suddenly felt something strange.
So that meant—.
“Lady Adrianna left the Demon Realm Training Center this morning because she trusted the Captain, but she abandoned the 7th Battalion this evening?”
“Abandoned? I appointed the right people. Since she trusts me, that means she trusts my judgment too.”
Gilbert frowned at Galahad’s leisurely reply.
Didn’t Adrianna trust Galahad to take good care of the 7th Battalion?
Various thoughts came to mind, but—.
“I see.”
Gilbert simply held the reins.
Trying to understand Galahad would only give him a headache.