NOVEL NEXT WORLD chapter 312
312 – To the Canyon (2)
[January 1, 100 Imperial Calendar, 9:32 a.M. Caroline Castle, Marquess of Gibraltar.]
“I was aiming for it.”
Those gathered in the office gulped at the cold atmosphere of the Crimson Marquis looking out the window.
“…”
No one could open their mouth without permission.
The unprecedented situation that no one expected was a problem, but in addition to the biggest problem, there were more than one problem that needed immediate action.
“Lord Mente.”
“Yes, Your Excellency the Marquis.”
“Protect all Gibraltar families except Noir. Risk your life.”
“I will follow your orders. Shall we move right away?”
“Okay, ma’am and guys. Let’s talk later.”
At the words of the Marquis Crimson, the children, including the Marchioness Charlotte, immediately stood up.
“Guys, please follow me quickly.”
The children were puzzled by Madame Charlotte’s voice her her, which was more solemn than ever, but at the same time they held each other’s hands and followed the Marchioness somewhere.
“…Is this the first time this has happened since those children were born?”
Marquis Crimson laughed bitterly for a moment.
It may be a lingering desire or regret for peace that may not continue in the future.
“Noir.”
“Yes, Your Excellency the Marquis.”
Gibraltar Noir, the only one left in the office, straightened his posture like a knight and bowed his head.
“You are 17 years old this year, and you are on the verge of becoming a master.”
“…I’m sorry.”
“It’s nothing to be sorry about.” If you had just had a few more months, you could have become a master.”
Noir Gibraltar.
Even if I had at least 2 more months to spare, I would have reached the point where I could have completely mastered it.
“Keep in mind. Crisis and war can come at any time. Like right now.”
“I will keep that in mind.”
“You are my adjutant. Follow me, see and learn thoroughly how Gibraltar should operate during war.”
“It is…”
Chat Noir bit his lower lip as if thinking about someone for a moment, but then shook his head.
“I understand, Your Excellency.”
“Good. Knights of Gibraltar. I will give you instructions.”
Boom.
The knights gathered in the office all corrected their posture.
“Currently, there are two fronts: the southern County of Sirene and the canyon direction.”
When Marquis Crimson aimed the tip of his baton at the map spread out on one side of the office, red lights began to flash and dots and lines began to appear on the map.
“I leave the response to the County of Sirene up to you, Sir Carlos.”
“Honorary name.”
Half of the knights, including Carlos, kneel on one knee.
“After the defense in the direction of the canyon is solidified, we will go to the rescue of Sirene. Until then, strengthen the defense in the direction of Sirene.”
“As for the residents of the County of Sirene…”
“Judgment on the spot is given top priority, but if necessary, it is cut out. Everything is done in the name of the Marquis of Gibraltar.”
“…I will make sure that nothing brings shame to Gibraltar.”
The knights, including Carlos, nodded heavily at the firm words of the Crimson Marquis.
“And the direction of the canyon…”
Daddadak.
The door to the office opens.
“Please let me help!”
“…”
People are surprised that someone suddenly appears through the open door, are nervous about the identity of that person, and are confused about what she said last.
“Princess Astasia.”
“Right now, the situation is strange in many ways, and I know that, but…!”
“Calm down.”
To Astasia, who was flustered and gibbering, Marquis Crimson lowered her voice and spoke softly.
“If it’s gray, you’ll be safe.”
“…”
“And you, too, would be safest here.”
“That’s… “
“The emperor of the empire started a war even though the princess was in Gibraltar.”
Marquis Crimson lightly tapped the crystal ball next to the desk in his office
Inside the crystal ball, a magical energy that seemed to contain a sound continued to linger within.
“The question is, does he even view Gibraltar as an enemy? He hasn’t made a clear declaration about that yet.”
“That’s… “
“Even if you think you are an enemy, you must be here, and even if you are not an enemy, you must be here. Whether it is a political victim used as an outcast by the Emperor, or a hostage to a traitorous family that abandoned Nostrum and sided with the Empire. “
“…I am.”
Astasia blinked her eyes for a moment and answered.
“From the moment I came here, I thought I was from Gibraltar.”
“…”
“Before I am the princess of the empire, I belong to a man named Gray Gibraltar. If I betray Gibraltar, you can kill me.”
“That’s unreasonable-“
“If the Emperor killed Gray, I would die on the spot.”
The knights swallow their saliva at Astasia’s charming words.
“All I do is go to the canyon-“
“You’re probably going to check if Gray is safe. Of course, so am I. No… That’s right.”
Marquis Crimson sighed deeply and said.
“Astacia. If you have any chance, would you be able to point your sword at the empire?”
“Even if that sword belongs to the emperor of an empire, I will wield it at the risk of his life.”
“…”
Marquis Crimson looked through the articles.
“This Crimson Gibraltar guarantees that there is no lie in Astasia’s words. Let no one doubt.”
“…”
“What is the answer?”
“…Yes!”
Although the knights seemed somewhat unconvinced, they eventually nodded once again at the words of Marquis Crimson.
Distrust was inevitable.
That’s because the situation was full of incomprehensible things and was also sudden.
Above all.
“Why are you shaking like this because there is no Gray?”
The absence of a being called Gray Gibraltar.
And since war broke out while he was in the empire, he couldn’t help but think of thousands of things.
“That’s it. We must not waste time. The 2nd Knights of Gibraltar should follow me to the canyon. Especially Sir Robert.”
“Yes!”
“What would you do in this situation?”
“…Yes?”
At the Marquis Crimson’s question, Sir Robert, who was about to follow the Marquis, froze in place.
“Grey said that if something happened against the Empire in his absence, he left Robert to answer.”
“…Me?”
“Wrong?”
“Oh, no, that’s…”
Sir Robert unconsciously groped his body as everyone’s eyes were on him.
“He didn’t leave a letter or anything like that, and the answer was the usual…”
Moment.
“…Hey, Marquis.”
“Speak.”
“You have to quit right now.”
Robert pointed outward and pretended to cut the air with his sword.
“The railroad that crosses the inside of the canyon. Whether we do it from the third gate or the first gate, we need to go cut the railroad immediately so that we can close the canyon gate.”
“How?”
“…The Sword Master used his Auror to cut the railroad tracks and then threw them aside, then he said it was Gibraltar’s job.”
“I see.”
Marquis Crimson headed straight out the door.
“Let’s go right away. Everyone, to the location.”
* * *
[January 1, 100 Imperial Calendar, 11:39 AM. Beyond the Gorge of Gibraltar – the red wilderness.]
“Oh, crazy.”
Marquis Claydoll, a middle-aged man wearing full-body armor that did not let in even a single ray of light, looked towards the canyon from the railroad tracks and cursed.
“What happened? Gil.”
“My name is now Gilbert, Marquis.”
“What happened now?”
“What happened? It’s too late.”
The brown-haired, bespectacled young man fiddled with his armor as if he was unfamiliar with it and pointed to the scene unfolding ahead, in the direction of the canyon.
“In the meantime, we cleared the tracks and closed the canyon gate. The enemy was faster than us. That’s all.”
“Damn. If only I had more time to prepare.”
“As a result, we were later than the enemy.”
“Hey. Do you think it’s easy to bring 3,000 elite troops here in one hour?”
After the clay doll, he stamped his feet on the floor as if he was being wronged.
Since he was wearing full body armor that even covered his face, others could not tell his feelings through his facial expression.
“If a sudden declaration of war had allowed passage through the gorge, would the gorge of Gibraltar have been Nostrum land for 500 years?”
“Damn… “
Marquis Claydoll placed the halberd, which had an ax blade much larger than his body, on the ground.
“Your Majesty declares war at night, not in the morning. Why do you do it in the morning…”
“Even Marquis Claydoll didn’t know. There must have been a good reason why he declared war today.”
“Saint Geo Nostrum is dead? Ha, that’s a bit sad.”
The Marquis of Claydol shook his head, fingering the ‘2’engraved on his shoulder.
“You didn’t even tell me, the second of the eight leaders… “
“That must have been the situation.”
“Are you on my side, or on His Majesty’s side?”
“I am the Marquis of Claydoll, but the Marquis is loyal to Your Majesty, so wouldn’t I also be Your Majesty’s person?”
Gilbert lifted his glasses with his palm and pointed above the canyon gate.
“Look at him over there.”
“…Yes. That human can do that.”
Above the gateway.
A man stands with his long red hair flowing, his sword pointed downwards and his hand resting gently on its handle.
“It’s been a while, Crimson Gibraltar!”
The Marquis of Claydol stepped forward and raised his voice.
“The empire is arbitrarily destroying the railway it spent a lot of money on to build! How are we going to compensate?”
“…”
Marquis Crimson responded with a frown.
“Hey, Gilbert. He looks angry today.”
“I can’t see it. How far is it now?”
“You won’t be able to see well if you wear glasses.”
“Glasses are not magic magnifying glasses.”
That annoyed face was something he had always seen when he was on top of that gate, but today the Marquis of Claydoll was fiddling with the hilt of his halberd at the angry expression on his face.
“I think we can really get together today.”
“You’re sticking. What kind of scary words are you talking about? Have you forgotten the words of His Majesty the Emperor?”
“You know, you know. We’re dealing with Nostrum, not Gibraltar.”
The Marquis of Claydoll muttered as if he was not very reluctant, but he stepped forward again.
“Gibraltar! Are you on the side of Nostrum or the Empire!”
“…”
“If you call yourself the protector of Nostrum, you are our enemies! But if you say you are on the side of the Empire, open the door! We will not cause any harm to Gibraltar! It is the Emperor’s order!”＜ Br＞
The empire’s elite soldiers, with state-of-the-art muskets slung over their shoulders, took a step forward.
“If you will join the Empire, calmly open the road to Nostrum!”
“Clay doll.”
Marquis Crimson said quietly.
“Don’t dare force Gibraltar into position.”
“…!”
“Gibraltar is chosen by Gibraltar’s will. As the guardian of Nostrum, we do not block the road, but simply do not accept uninvited guests who step on military boots in other people’s homes.”
“.. Hehe. Are you going to play with words?”
“The canyon is Gibraltar’s land, and we have the rights to the canyon. You haven’t forgotten, right?”
Marquis Crimson turned his gaze for a moment towards the knight standing next to him.
“We have countless imperial people who have not yet left the kingdom.”
He continued speaking, exuding lethal energy.
“Does the Empire intend to turn its sword on Gibraltar even though they could all become ‘hostages’?”
“…You’ve become a charlatan without even seeing me, Crimson Gibraltar!”
“This is not a story for those who used someone else’s son to start a war.”
“Huh?”
Marquis Claydoll tilted his head at the words of Marquis Crimson, who seemed to be grinding his teeth.
“Why is the story about Gray Gibraltar coming out? …Ah, are you angry because I took advantage of my son’s innocence? Hehe.”
“You-“
The moment the Marquis Crimson was about to say something, the knight next to him urgently said something and stopped the Marquis Crimson.
“Hey. That looks like a staff member.”
“It seems like it’s an article that has something to do with it.”
“Isn’t it too unfair that the driver is smarter than you?”
“…”
Chief of Staff Gilbert openly frowned, but Marquis Claydoll only giggled and vigorously raised his halberd.
“Hey–ah!”
Loaded with powerful mana, he roared.
“How long did you think we would struggle to get over the gorge, you fools!!”
Goo goo goo.
Beyond the horizon.
At the end of the red wilderness, a huge magic automatic ship was running along the railroad tracks.
And the wings were spread out on both sides of the magic automatic ship, and magical power was spewing out from behind as if it was about to fly into the sky at any moment.
“Look! This is the Empire’s newest strategic weapon, an airship!!”
An airship slowly soars from the ground along a railroad track and flies above the Marquis of Claydoll.
“Huh?”
Above it.
“…Huh?”
At the stern of the airship, at the end of the ship, stood someone familiar.
“…Gray Gibraltar?”
Why is he coming out from there?
Marquis Claydoll thought to himself.
Buuu.
The airship simply blew out the wind from its powerful magic engine and flew over the gates of Gibraltar Gorge.
No imperial troops dismounted.
“…”