Maybe it was because he hardly saw his wife or daughter due to his long hours on the job. He felt like a gulf was growing between him and his girl with each passing day. She used to run and jump into his arms the moment he arrived home, but at some point, even when he got to go home, he didn’t get a hug anymore.
She’s outgrown her daddy, laughed his wife, but to Pabel, it was a serious matter.
If I could get a couple of months off, it would be great to go camping together like we used to.
When he shared his ranger knowledge, his daughter had looked at him with admiration and respect. That’s what his plan was centered around, though he realized it probably wouldn’t be so easy.
Pabel tucked the doll back into his pocket.
His daughter was aiming to be a paladin, so she wasn’t at home. Even when he finally got to go visit, she was often away.
Yeah, it would have been better—well, at least a little, and I really mean a little, just a teensy little bit—if she had married a man near home.
Life as a paladin was the last thing his daughter was suited for. He’d been watching over her all her life, so he knew it was a mistake.
She chose that path because she looked up to her mother, who was once a paladin. But that didn’t qualify her to be one, too.
Only a knight who could realize the justice they believed in could become a paladin.
While he never said so, mostly because he was scared of his wife, Pabel thought paladins were fanatics.
Does my girl understand that…? I don’t really want her to…
“There’re so many of them.”
Hearing his aide, short of breath and murmuring as he gazed out at the enemy encampment, brought Pabel back to his senses.
“Yeah, there are. But don’t be afraid. All you have to do is support me.” Those words helped his aide—and the rest of his unit—relax ever so slightly.
Yes, that’s fine. Nerves are a sharpshooter’s worst enemy.
Just as he cracked his emotionless face—though that’s not how he thought of it—into a faint smile, he noticed movement at the enemy position.
A single subhuman slowly came forward.
Despite the huge numbers of their force, this envoy didn’t have a single escort. Either they didn’t need one, they were vain, or they were a messenger of such little value that it didn’t matter if they lived or died.
“Should we shoot?”
“Hold. But line up a shot. Then wait for my order.” When he gave the instructions in a lowered voice, his subordinates fanned out briskly like a scattering of shadows.
Pabel stared, trying to figure out if it was the enemy general or a lowly messenger.
What kind of subhuman…is that even? I’ve never seen one like that before… What’s with those clothes? Some kind of folk costume? And that mask?
Whoever it was, they definitely weren’t a human. Pabel spotted a tail or something trailing behind them.
The most notable thing was the outfit. He felt like it was in the realm of possibility that this was some kind of traditional outfit, but he could tell even at a distance that it was incredibly well tailored—on par with the craftsmanship a human could achieve.
Subhumans with advanced cultures can only mean trouble for us here…
It wasn’t just Pabel—all the soldiers on the wall observed the subhuman’s every move with bated breath. While tension filled the air, the envoy had come within fifty yards of the wall.
“Stop where you are! This is the Sacred Kingdom territory! You subhumans aren’t welcome here! Leave this instant!” That cry came from the chief of the fort, one of the Sacred Kingdom’s only five generals. The man in dull, battered full plate armor shouted in a voice that resonated in the pit of Pabel’s stomach.
The reason only a single staffer was near him was probably so that in the event of an attack, they wouldn’t risk losing all their military planners. Instead, several soldiers with tower shields were standing by behind him to jump out if anything happened.
In contrast, the subhuman’s voice was pleasant and easy on the ears. It had a deep timbre that slipped right into a person’s heart, easily reaching deep within Pabel despite the distance.
“I’m well aware of that. Now then, who might you be?”
“I…I’m the general charged with the protection of this fort! Who in blazes are you?!”
You’re under no obligation to give out that information! Pabel frowned. But he knew this general wasn’t talented at finessing things, so there wasn’t much to be done about it.
“I see, I see. Well it would be rude not to answer when I’ve been asked my name. Pleased to meet you, subjects of the Sacred Kingdom. My name is Jaldabaoth.”
“Really?!” The one who screamed was the staffer next to the general. “The Great Demon Jaldabaoth? The one who led demons on a rampage in Re-Estize’s capital?”
“Ohhh, I’m honored that you’ve heard of me. Yes, I’m the one who held that much-applauded party in the Re-Estize Kingdom. But ‘Great Demon Jaldabaoth’? That’s a rather sad title… How about you call me Evil Emperor Jaldabaoth?”
Pabel rolled the words Evil Emperor Jaldabaoth around on his tongue.
It was an awfully arrogant thing to call yourself, but given all the subhumans standing ready behind the demon and the stories of the disturbance in the royal capital, he felt like perhaps it was appropriate.
“Do you mean to assault my country like you did Re-Estize?”
“No, not quite. In Re-Estize, I met a terribly powerful warrior…” Jaldabaoth shrugged his shoulders helplessly. The motion was so elegant, Pabel almost felt like he was on par
