IV
A mere fifteen minutes after Olivia charged the enemy along with Gile’s unit, Ashton went ahead and issued orders for Ellis and the second unit along with the heavy infantry to provide support for the retreat. As the runners dashed away to each unit, Ashton felt a powerful gaze on his back and turned to find himself face-to-face with Special Officer Riful Athene, first of the kingdom’s Ten Swords.
I’ve really gotten used to that unusual demeanor of hers, he thought. Though I couldn’t tell you if it’s a good thing. Suppressing a wry smile, Ashton set about explaining the current situation to Riful. This time too she wore the tohka, the elegant battle garb of the Ulu tribe, over her armor.
“Olivia’s ingenious plan to charge them alone was a great success, and Gile’s unit has put on a remarkable performance too. I can say without hesitation that we have held the advantage thus far.”
“Ultra Master Olivia...charging them alone...no one else...could hope to repeat. It must have been a shock even for the Azure Knights, but Ashton...you think...they go no further... And so...you prepared a unit early...to support the...retreat.”
Though Ashton was taken aback that Riful had so accurately read his intentions, he nodded emphatically. Riful was here because Cornelius had once again sent her to protect Ashton. What set this time apart from the last was that Riful had apparently volunteered to come. Her motivation for doing so was a mystery to Ashton, but her presence was reassuring all the same.
“The enemy regrouped even faster than I expected. They might look like they’ve been forced into a retreat, but make no mistake, they’re waiting for the chance to mount a counteroffensive.”
The battle was still very much in its early stages. Given their last plan had met with some success, there was no need to persist in clinging to a temporary advantage. In Ashton’s opinion, such persistence only got in the way of flexible thinking.
“I think...you’re...right, Ashton. The Azure Knights haven’t...shown their hand...yet. If this was it...they wouldn’t be the empire’s most...elite. I support...your reading.”
“Erm, well, thank you,” Ashton replied. Riful was there to be his protection, not his aide, but even so, he thought he ought to thank her. “I’m sure Olivia will have noticed it too, out there fighting on the front lines.”
“Ultra Master Olivia...sees the whole flow...of the battle. She cannot miss...it.”
“As far as this battle goes, I’m with you completely. As for the others, well, that’s another thing...” He went on. “Regardless, the crucial thing in this battle is that we’re always anticipating what happens next.” As he said it, Ashton became convinced that this was the only way they were to have a chance of victory against the Azure Knights.
“That’s...my...Ashton,” Riful said, then, slowly running her fingers along the two blades that hung from her belt, added, “Wanna see...my sword fighting?”
“Huh? Um, th-that’s all right. You showed me last time.”
“Oh...too bad.” Riful’s fingers came away from her swords. She was pouting slightly.
Ashton was flummoxed. He still couldn’t figure her out at all. Just then, Ashton’s attendant, Private Lochie, came running over with a cup in one hand. He had a smile that still retained a flash of boyish charm.
“Lieutenant Colonel Ashton! I’ve brought you some tea!” he announced.
“You’re a lifesaver. I was just getting thirsty.” Ashton took the tea with a word of thanks, immediately taking a sip. It was just the right temperature and, together with its subtle aroma, made Ashton feel giddy, like they couldn’t possibly lose. He reined his feelings back to reasonable levels, then sighed with pleasure. “Even on the battlefield, you really know how to brew a cup of tea, Lochie.”
“I couldn’t ask for higher praise, ser,” Lochie replied. He saluted with a friendly smile, then left the way he had come. There was a skip in his step as though he had a tune in him bursting to get out.
Riful stared after him, her brow furrowed. “Who is he?” she demanded.
“Lochie? I mean, he’s my attendant...”
“Since when?”
“Since—? Um, let’s see...” Ashton thought. “Right, yes. It was just after the battle with the Northern Perscillan Army,” he replied, feeling thrown by this unusual fluency of speech from Riful. Her eyes were hard as she watched Lochie. Ashton was thoroughly confused.
“What’s the matter with him?” he asked in turn.
Riful hesitated. “Did Ultra Master Olivia say anything about him?”
“Huh? Olivia? She, um...” He thought again. “She praised his tea-making abilities.”
“That’s all? Nothing else?”
“Not a word more or less.”
“Really?”
“Really. And it’s not as though I’ve got any reason to lie about it,” he said firmly.
Riful folded her arms, as though thinking something over. “Then did I mistake it? But no...”
“You know, I haven’t got the slightest clue what’s bugging you about Lochie,” Ashton said. Besides his skill in making tea, and the fact that he was even more inept with a blade than Ashton, Lochie was just another good-hearted young man.
All of a sudden, Riful’s eyes locked onto Ashton. “Of course...you wouldn’t understand,” she said.
“That sounds a bit unkind...”
“It’s not...unkind. You don’t need to...understand. That’s why I’m...here.”
“Right...”
“Only there’s a little...a little thing I’ve gotta do. Don’t worry...I’ll be back...right away.” With that, Riful left, apparently following after Lochie. Ashton stared after her, mutely observing that he understood even less about what went on in her brain than he did Olivia’s.
For half an hour, Olivia continued fighting with her ebony spear, all the while keeping a proverbial finger on the pulse of the battle.
That’s about our time up, she thought. Gile, reading her intent, gave the order at once, and their first unit began to swiftly fall back. The Azure Knights naturally seized the chance to pursue them, but they did so with less zeal than Olivia had expected. I wonder if that means the enemy read my plans just like I read theirs? I mean, if so, I’m not going to pass up the chance to get out of here.
Heading up the rear guard, Olivia turned to the oncoming Azure Knights and swung her spear up above her head so that it cut through the air with a savage song. Casting a look behind her, she found herself staring down a force of their allies, coming to support the retreat. Of course you timed it perfectly, Ashton! she thought.
An encircling ring was quietly taking shape around Gile’s unit, but he succeeded in breaking through. The Azure Knights, held in check by Ellis’s second unit and facing a solid defensive line of heavy infantry, quickly abandoned their pursuit.
I get the feeling this battle is going to be a long one... Olivia returned to camp with all the wrath of the Azure Knights upon her.
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