III
“M-Major Olivia...?!”
“Spread out in a circular formation across this area. Don’t let the enemy get close,” Olivia barked her orders to her soldiers.
“Yes, ser!” they replied with gusto. Olivia nodded, then turned back to Osmund.
“That was a close one!” she said, then corrected herself. “Um, I mean, thank goodness you’re safe, ser!” She saluted Osmund. Military formality really is a total pain, she thought. He stared back at her, his eyes wide as he tried to stem the blood flowing freely from his shoulder. Then he smiled shakily.
“Hey, this is a battlefield. No time to stand around saluting.”
“Huh?” Olivia said, then caught herself again. “I mean, um, there isn’t, ser? Colonel Otto said I always have to salute when I meet a senior officer.” She casually knocked aside an incoming arrow. Osmund was confusing her. There was no way Otto had taught her the wrong thing. He was basically a walking volume of the military disciplinary code.
“Well...” croaked Osmund, “That really depends on the situation. You definitely don’t need to salute in the middle of a battle, though. Hell, I heard you were an odd one, but—” He trailed off with a grunt, his face twisting in pain. Osmund and Otto... Who was right? Olivia desperately wanted to know the answer. She resolved to ask Otto the next time she saw him.
“Major General Osmund, I think you should fall back,” Olivia said. “Claudia and the others have secured you a path to retreat, so you can leave the rest to me.” She called over two nearby soldiers, and ordered them to help Osmund stand up. If he died on her now, skipping lunch to rush over here would’ve all been for nothing.
“I’m sorry...” was all Osmund said, then the two soldiers hauled him away. Olivia watched them go. Then, there was an earth-shattering bellow from behind her.
“Done talking yet?”
Olivia turned, and saw the giant man she’d kicked off Osmund before. He smiled at her with a bestial grin and flexed his neck, making the joints pop. His hands rested on an enormous battle-axe.
“Yep, all done!” said Olivia, then giggled. “Sorry for sending you flying like that,” she added. The giant raised a hand, brushing her off.
“That? Don’t mention it. Such an artistic surprise attack! It’s been a long time since anyone made me taste dirt. I did want to hear how the major general’s song ended, but now that you’re here at last, I don’t mind at all!”
“Me?” said Olivia, tilting her head. “But, um, I don’t know you.” She had no recollection of this huge man who looked like a grizzly bear. He was so much bigger than her it was like being a toddler looking up at an adult.
The man guffawed, then said, “Oh, but I know you very well. The beautiful maiden who has thousands of soldiers petrified with fear. You’re the empire’s biggest celebrity! You ought to keep an eye on your reputation, little monster.” He sounded like he was really enjoying himself. Olivia, meanwhile, frowned. She didn’t like how at some point everyone in the empire had started calling her “monster.” The idea that it was going to keep happening made her want to groan with frustration. After Z had given her such a lovely name too.
She huffed in annoyance. “I’m not a monster. My name is Olivia.”
“Dear me, how rude of me. Of course even monsters have names. My name is Vollmer, by the way. Vollmer Gangrett,” he said, pressing a hand to his chest and lowering his head respectfully. “It’s a pleasure, I’m sure.” The gentlemanly pose was so at odds with his appearance that Olivia was a little taken aback. She thought she’d better respond in kind.
“All right, Vollmer Gangrett. Nice to meet you. My name is Olivia Valedstorm. I do wish we could have more time together.” She finished with a line a noble lady in one of her books had used. Then, she took the hem of her skirt in her hands and curtsied.
The giant laughed again. “Hah! I can’t remember the last time my blood ran this hot! Oh, I bet you’ll sing a beautiful tune for me!” The next instant, the battle-axe met the ebony blade with a ferocious impact that sent sparks flying. Vollmer’s eyes sparkled; he looked like he was having the time of his life as he swung his axe at her with reckless abandon. Olivia, deflecting each incoming blow, wondered what he was so happy about. He’d be dead soon, and then there’d be no more tasty food or sweets.
“Good, good! You’re just as incredible as I hoped! It’s not often I meet someone who can withstand me!” Vollmer shouted. “But can you withstand this?!” Sliding his right foot back, he twisted, spinning around and swinging his battle-axe in a great cleaving sweep that sent a shock wave that went right through Olivia’s sword and slammed into her. Unable to keep her footing, she was flung up into the air.
“Wh-Whoa!” she cried, then quickly tucked her legs under her arms so that she somersaulted through the air, reducing the force of the shock as she landed. But something was wrong.
“Huh?” She looked down at her right hand that gripped the hilt of her sword and saw it was trembling slightly. The impact of the shock wave had done some damage, then. The feeling she had almost forgotten now brought back memories of her life with Z.
“What’s this, then!” Vollmer called to her. “I might have held back a bit, but that should have shattered your bones to dust! You’re really something, Olivia.” They were supposed to be enemies, but Vollmer was unreserved in his admiration.
“Ah...” said Olivia, under her breath. “You must have a lot of odh to be that strong. You’re the second human I’ve met who does.”
“What’s ‘odd’?” Vollmer asked, looking confused. Olivia felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
The first she had met was always by her side, her faithful ally.
Now the second had come to her as an enemy. This had to be what people meant by “divine providence.” Here she had a perfect opportunity to do something to make Z happy.
“Don’t worry about it,” she replied. “Actually, I think this’ll be our last chance to chat, so let me thank you in advance. I’m really grateful to you, Mr. Vollmer. Z will get a good meal thanks to you.”
“Z? A meal?” echoed Vollmer, looking more and more lost. “I can’t understand a thing coming out of your mouth.” Olivia didn’t reply. She only slowly settled deeper into her stance.
The Crimson Knights had Osmund’s regiment surrounded when the Independent Cavalry Regiment arrived and joined the fray. The Independent Cavalry Regiment forced their way through the knights’ ranks just in time to rescue Osmund’s forces, which were on the brink of collapse. Spreading out into a defensive formation, they created a path for the injured to retreat from the battlefield.
Claudia led the charge, swinging her sword with ferocious power and getting soaked in the blood that spurted from every soldier she cut down.
I hope the major was able to get to Osmund... she thought. Olivia, along with three hundred riders, rode to the general’s rescue. She was sure that with Olivia’s superhuman abilities, they wouldn’t fail. But the Crimson Knights were not a foe to be underestimated.
“Lieutenant! The enemy is coming from behind to try and surround us!” shouted the one-eyed soldier Gauss, cutting through Claudia’s thoughts. She looked back, and saw a company of mounted soldiers who had penetrated the defensive formation and were galloping towards them.
One on one, their soldiers are still a cut above ours...
If she allowed them to advance unchecked, her force could end up caught in a vise grip between enemy armies on both sides. They had the advantage of numbers if she included Osmund’s soldiers, but the Crimson Knights’ execution of their maneuvers was flawless. She had to hand it to them—they lived up to their reputation.
“Gauss, take the Second Company and do whatever it takes to stop their advance!”
“I’m on it, ser!” he replied, then turned to the soldiers and roared, “With me!”
“Yes, ser!” came the voices of around five hundred soldiers. They rode out, gathering force like a tidal wave. Claudia, too, kicked her horse forward, advancing towards the enemy’s main force. Her advance was cut off almost at once, however, and in an instant the battlefield devolved into an all-out melee. She saw a man with his eyeballs hanging out of their sockets, his helmet smashed in, and a woman, perhaps thrown from her horse, her neck bent at a sickening angle. All across the battlefield, the fighting churned out a constant stream of corpses.
She heard a voice, and turned to see a man on a chestnut horse in an imperial officer’s uniform.
“Tell me something!” he said. “I heard your commander is a little girl. Is that true?”
“And what if they are?” Claudia retorted. His sword came swinging down and she raised her own to meet it.
“Those reflexes! Looks like I was right,” the man said. “Shame, I guess this will be over before the colonel gets to you.”
They stopped their horses, pushing against each other with their blades. Claudia, seeing they were too evenly matched, aimed a kick at the man’s horse, just as the man did the same thing. Both horses began to buck and neigh, throwing their riders to the ground. Claudia leapt up, reasserting her stance just as the man brought his sword sweeping across the ground. She jumped out of the way with a grunt, then kicked him in the face. He staggered back, his face screwed up in pain. He wiped away the blood dripping from his nose with his thumb.
“Not bad at all,” he said, with a savage laugh.
Oh? She’s planning something... Vollmer thought as he watched Olivia deepen her stance. He tightened his grip on his battle-axe, not letting his attention wander for a moment. The girl had the strength to weather his blows, yet she moved like an acrobat. He knew without a doubt that she was the most powerful opponent he had ever faced. Rosenmarie had been right to send him. He watched as Olivia continued to mutter nonsense to herself. He had the feeling she was just getting started. He couldn’t underestimate her.
Ordinary soldiers don’t stand a chance, that’s for sure. But I should be able to handle her, he thought. It was the nature of rumors that they got exaggerated. Vollmer felt confident that however Olivia decided to come at him, he could twist out of the way. That confidence was shown to be false a moment later, however, when with a soft tap, Olivia materialized directly in front of him. Vollmer was shocked, but he reacted as only one who had come through as many bloody battles as he had could. It was his survival instinct. Before he himself realized what was happening, he parried the ebony blade as it swung towards his throat. A second later, and it would have been a tragic farewell to his head and his body.
A contest of strength began between Vollmer and Olivia. Vollmer gritted his teeth so hard he thought they might shatter, roaring with effort as he pushed his axe back towards Olivia. He wasn’t testing her anymore; he was fighting with every ounce of power he had. Any other opponent would have been a smear on the ground by now. Olivia’s slender frame, however, showed as little sign of moving as a boulder. Not only that, but a cruel smile played around the corners of her mouth. A droplet of cold sweat trickled down Vollmer’s forehead.
Could it be... he thought, Have I at last crossed a line I shouldn’t have...? He felt anxiety, frustration, and, finally, fear. That long-forgotten emotion welled up within his heart, and little by little it began to consume him. For as long as he could remember, Vollmer had been huge and strong. He had never known defeat until Rosenmarie had shown it to him. As a result, once the seeds of fear took root in his heart, it was almost impossible for him to get them out. One had to know fear in order to tame it, and unfortunately for Vollmer, he had little experience with it—those who could inspire fear in him were few and far between.
He looked past his axe at Olivia. Although she was tall for a woman, she still barely came up to his waist. Yet right now, she seemed to tower over him.
“Okay, it’s my turn now,” she said. Vollmer recoiled as her words cut into him like the scythe of death itself. He began to swing his axe wildly. Olivia brushed aside every blow with seeming indifference, before finally switching to the offensive and swinging her sword up around his axe. This time it was Vollmer who was sent flying through the air.
She threw me off?! With my size?! Impossible! Vollmer thought, desperately trying and failing to work out how that had really happened. The last tiny part of him that could think logically told him he must not go crashing into the ground like this. He readied himself to break his fall. This was where all that training came in—
“Right arm first.”
Vollmer screamed in pain as his right arm fell away, severed by Olivia, who was suddenly right in front of him. He could no longer muster the strength to control his fall, and his back slammed directly into the ground. He gasped as all the air in his lungs was knocked out of him. The only reason he was still conscious was, ironically, thanks to the agonizing pain in his right arm. He took shallow breaths, trying to catch his breath. Supporting himself with his axe, he managed to get back on his feet. His body had always felt light as a feather to him, but now it could have been made from lead.
Damn her! Where’s she gone?! He cursed silently, looking around for Olivia. The voice that came from behind him was like claws digging into his heart.
“Now the left.” The moment he looked round, his left arm went spinning away through the air, still clutching the axe. Vollmer screamed again. The pool of scarlet blood grew wider around them as Olivia chanted, “Right leg,” then, “left leg,” like a curse.
Vollmer’s brain was utterly paralyzed by pain. He couldn’t think. Partway through, he stopped even caring about what was happening to his body. He blinked, and realized he was looking up into an azure blue sky.
Ah, that is pure beauty, he thought.
“How was that?” asked Olivia. “I saw how you’d cut the limbs off of the royal soldiers on the way here, so I thought I’d do the same. Do you like it?” She stood over him, blocking out the sky. Her hair, like silver thread, spilled down from her shoulders and tickled his nose. He tried to speak, but no sound came out. “Ah, can’t you hear me anymore?” she said. “I knew it was a good idea to thank you in advance. Be a good meal for Z, now.”
He should never have laid a hand on her—never gone anywhere near her. She really was a monster.
Olivia slowly raised her black sword. Black mist coiled around the blade. Vollmer watched through lidded eyes, silently cursing his own foolishness as—
“Commander Olivia has slain the enemy commander!” A roar of celebration went up from the Independent Cavalry Regiment. Meanwhile, every face amongst the Crimson Knights wore an expression of wide-eyed shock. Surely, they all thought, no one could kill Vollmer.
Olivia exhaled softly then looked up at the sky. A murder of gray crows circled up above.
“I wonder if Z got my present...” she wondered aloud.
Lamia’s strike came straight down, but partway through changed trajectory abruptly to sweep sideways. He saw a flicker of surprise in the woman’s eyes, but she sprang back out of range. The cunning tricks Lamia used made him a formidable swordsman, but he’d barely left a scratch on her armor.
“Not bad at all!” he called to her. “Hey, it’s not too late to join the empire’s side if you want. I’d hate to see that talent go to waste. I’ll put in a good word for you and everything.” Lamia made the offer in earnest, but the woman’s frown deepened.
“You must think very little of me,” she spat back. “Don’t make me laugh. Did you really think I’d fall for such a ploy?”
“Oh, come on. I’m offering all this out of the goodness of my heart!” said Lamia, holding his hands out in mock offense. “We all know Fernest is done for. Or do you want to be around when everything burns?”
The woman shrugged. “I have my honor as a knight of Fernest,” she replied, with a snort of laughter. “I’m not such a lowlife that I’d jump ship the moment things go bad.”
“So nothing will convince you to change your mind?” he asked one last time.
“Enough. You might call yourself a knight, but you’re nothing of the sort,” said the woman. She held her sword in both hands, pointing directly towards him. And for that, she seemed to say, I will kill you.
“Such pretty words,” laughed Lamia. “In that case, time for you to die!” He kicked off and dived straight at her, stabbing rapidly at her from all directions. The woman, however, saw through every strike, hardly seeming to move as she dodged each one. She didn’t just have good reflexes, but also superb dynamic vision. The only thing Lamia managed to cut were a few strands of her hair—none of his other strikes landed. He wondered if he was imagining the faint glow in her eyes. That wasn’t important right now, though. He was getting nowhere like this. He stepped forward on his left foot and tried the same technique as before, swinging his sword down then abruptly changing to the horizontal.
“You tried that already!” the woman shouted. “Don’t think it’ll work twice!” She crouched down close to the ground and moved to sweep his legs out from under him. Meanwhile, Lamia stabbed empty air, his reflexes kicking in a second too late. His attempt to dodge was a step too slow, and he fell heavily to the ground. Without missing a beat, the woman brought the tip of her sword up to his throat.
“You gave me a good fight,” the woman said, her voice hoarse. She would probably kill him soon as blinking if he tried anything. Lamia exhaled deeply through his nose.
“Looks like I lost...” he said. “Come on, kill me then. It won’t be long until you follow me.”
“What, upset you lost?” said the woman, looking disgusted. “You really have fallen far.”
“Oh no, you’re quite wrong there,” Lamia scoffed. “You’re going to die. After the colonel’s done with the monster, he’s coming for you!” He made his tone deliberately taunting. In reality, he hadn’t lost hope, nor did he want to die. This was all just a performance. He would make her angry, distract her, and then get the upper hand back. Contrary to Lamia’s expectations, however, the woman kept her sword pointed steadily at his throat. She sighed softly, then looked at him coldly.
“You’ve made two key mistakes in your reasoning there,” she said, ignoring his threats.
“I—what? Mistakes?”
“First,” she began, “this colonel you’ve pinned your hopes on is already on his way to the land of the dead. I trust at least after joining him there, you will do your duty as a knight.”
The woman spoke with the conviction of someone who had seen Vollmer’s death with her own eyes, Lamia thought, confused. She continued, “Secondly, the major is not a monster. The major—Olivia—is a hero!!!” Her voice rose to a shout as she drove her sword deep into Lamia’s neck and out the other side.
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