Story IV / Part LI: The Red Dawn of Crimson Sky (XVIII) / The Wicked Fate That Awaits Us (X)

I, who was confused before finally understand after Anna told me everything by whispering to my ear. She said that I only needed to pretend to punish them, so they won't act recklessly or disobey my orders in the future. Well, because I found this idea convenient for me, I gladly accepted this idea. Looking at my reaction, Anna just nodded and returned to kitchen to cure the remaining party members.

"Alright, alright…If all of you have reflected, I will forget this matter. Now, stand up and prepare for the departure! The Queen is expecting us to arrive two heverra from now!"

"YES!" They shouted and disbanded by themselves. Even Rania, Toval and Ello followed my order obediently.

(Let's see, where are Robert, Erick, Tim, and Ayumi?)

I walked to kitchen and I saw Robert and Erick are carrying Tim from the kitchen, followed by The Dwarves who walk in stagger. They are bowing down their head many times when they see me from the corridor. Well, I hope they can focus on this mission later.

"Ayumi, where are…WAH!"

"Hmmuuuuu….sweeettt breeaaadddd…" Ayumi is drooling around while sleep talking.

"I'm sorry, Kaichou, it seems Ayumi-san needs more time to regain her consciousness except…do you have any idea how to wake her up quickly?" Anna glanced at me. I am trying to think something, after a few moments passed I found something that I can use to wake her.

I approached her and whispering to her right ear, "Dear…if you don't wake up…I will annul our engagement you know…" I whispered at her with sweet yet intimidating voice.

"WWAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! NNOOOO…!!! I DON'T WANT THAT! PLEASE DON'T!!! HUUWAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" She is shaking her head while crying and grabbing my armor tightly.

"Ouch, ouch, you pulled my chain armor inside! Okay, okay I understand! I won't annul the engage—IT HURTS! IT HURTS!" I tried to release her grip from my armor.

I need few minerval to calm her down and Anna is looking at me with satisfied expression. After she calmed down, I asked her to prepare her gear and equip her armor. She nodded and ran to her room, followed by Anna who is giggling behind her. I can't help but think what a troublesome fiancée Ayumi is.

I returned back to my room and picked all documents that I need to give to Prime Minister Andrew and General Austin. I need to sort them again and double-check the documents, even though I had sorted and checked these documents last night.

I just afraid, I might have missed one or two important documents that I needed, well I can say this is a habit of mine since joined in Knight Academy. I remember I was punished by my military instructor to write down 50 reflection papers because I didn't bring my homework.

After I've done, I walked out from my room and entered Magic Control Room next to lab to register [Teleportation Permit] into the magical device there. I asked Yuna to assist me registering the permit, connecting it to the fortress, creating magic circuit then finishing it by channeling my mana and pouring my blood.

"It's done Kaichou, now what should I do?"

"Take the magical devices such as warp gates, protection tokens as well as magical gems inside the lab warehouse and put them into your storage. Don't forget to ask the Enchanters to bring their plans. Also, don't forget to notify our party members to ready to depart 15 minerval from now. Now go!" Then, she nodded.

"Oh before you go, take this sweet bread—" I took a bread from my inventory.

"GGGYYYYYAAAAAAA…!!!" She screamed and ran outside with all her might.

"Ah, Yuna-san, wait—!" I reached out my hand by it was too late.

I know the [Calorie Meals] that I made contain many dangerous ingredients and if you ate it too much, your stomach will hurt like crazy because you can't stop vomiting and excreting for a half of daesh.

Up until now, I still haven't found any other side effects from those ingredients if you are overeating them or maybe…I just haven't realized it? No, no, no, Ken and father had tested them in my experiments before and they didn't say anything outside painful stomachache! But why now my foods have traumatized my friends?

Well, whatever I need to pick the remaining equipment and items from warehouse, then return to main hall.

Meanwhile, there is a girl running from Magic Control Room while screaming loudly. She hit other people that stand in her way and smack the people who tried to calm her down. She kept running and running until she reached the entrance of the base. On there, an Undine Elf along with two Werewolves stopped her by grabbing their shoulders and stomach tightly.

"Yuna-san! Yuna-san! What's happened!" Claire tries to calm her down.

"GYYYAAAAA—!!! FORGIVE ME KAICHOU! PLEASE, LET ME GO!" Yuna is still panic and hitting every people around her with her hands.

"Yuna-san! It's me Erica! Calm down! Calm down!" Erica grabbed Yuna's hand tightly.

"Ouw, ouw…what's wrong with Yuna? Smacking people's head out of blue—Eh, Yuna?!" Luna, who saw Yuna is being held down by Erica and Claire, ran to them and helped them in calming down Yuna.

It took a while to calm Yuna down, because she kept resisting and panicking. But thanks to Jordan's first rate ikemen aura and calming voice, she can be calmed down and of course, she blushed hard.

Yuna who still crying a little, hugged Erica and said, "Uuuu…Kaichou is going to feed me with his sweet bread again…help me…"

"WHAT?!" All of them surprised.

Luna is sweating and said, "Don't tell me, his words earlier is just a sugarcoat?!"

Del walked in and said, "Hey, what are you doing here? Have you finished your prep—"

Suddenly Luna grabbed his shoulders and staring him with scared expression. Del, who still didn't understand what happened, ran with panic and scared expression after Luna told him what happened to Yuna. He quickly visited all rooms and told everyone about it.

Of course, everyone quickly picked his or her luggage and equipment. Then, they ran to main hall and standing neatly in lines. They seem to be nervous, but not about the upcoming battle, instead it's from the fear of punishment that they will receive if they break any rules or disobeying orders. They are waiting patiently for their leader to come while sweating nervously.

Meanwhile, a man is picking something in the warehouse. But suddenly, he rubbed his right ear and said, "Hmm? Did someone is talking about me behind my back?" Then, he shook his head and left the warehouse.

He rushed to the main hall after he prepared everything that he needs to bring. He said, "I hope everyone is ready…and I hope they don't forget to bring their luggage."

He reached to the main hall and he sees everyone already standing neatly in lines. His Vice Leaders and Squad Leaders were standing on the left and right side of the podium. They nodded when the man asked them, "Is everyone ready?" and they let the man walk to the podium.

"Before we go, I would to apologize for everyone here because I forgot to tell you—OOFF!" I surprised when Anna suddenly throw a pebble to my head. Then, she is smiling terrifyingly at me. Okay, okay I understand.

"Cough…cough…Today, we will undertake our main mission to investigate northern villages and finding survivors. We also received a nomination quest from The Queen to seal the crack near the west dungeon and hole in Virizia Mountain. This will be a difficult mission, because only few of us who had a battle experience against "them". With that, I hope all of you here will not act recklessly or acting on your own."

"Remember, we will be working with The United Forces. The United Forces are united armies that are not just from our kingdom, but from other kingdoms as well, so I expect all of you to work together with them and keep your image befitting the name of our party."

They nodded and they are staring at me with serious expression on their face. Good, I am glad they understand what kind of mission that we take right now. I hope no one dies in this mission, though my hope is only group of sweet words that can put ease to my trembling heart. Oh, My Maker…please grants my hope and safety to all of us.

"I also had arranged your position in The United Forces and in this mission. So, some of us will not work together in the same place. Lastly, I will tell you this again, "Your life is MORE IMPORTANT than THE MATERIALS" because the enemies that we will face are not same with the enemies that we had faced before. If you are in danger, DON'T HESITATE TO RUN and also don't forget to follow YOUR COMMANDER'S ORDERS if they are still REASONABLE. Understand?"

"YES SIR!" They shouted loudly.

"Alright, that's all from me, ten minerval after this we will teleport to the fort. If anybody wants to decline this mission, do it right now." I glared at them before dismissing them.

I teleported to my room and on there, I hugged the pillows and blanket that I used last night. This is one of my weird habits that I often do before going to a big, dangerous mission. I always do this because I'm a pervert or what, but hugging the blanket and pillows reminding me of my mother's warm embrace when I was still young.

(Hmm…Ayumi's scent is also here…) I hugged them more tightly for some times.

After that, I checked my watch and it shows me 10.40 A.M.E. Right, ten minerval had passed already and I teleported back to main hall and I see no one declined this mission.

"LET'S DEPART!" I raised my hand.

"YEAAHHH!!!" Everyone followed by raising their hand and rallying.

I activated my [Mass Teleport] Skill to bring everyone to the fort. On there, Claire excused herself and returned to Navy Division with her men. Before she returns, she promised me that she would come immediately if I send a distress signal to her.

After she left, General Austin called me from main camp and I quickly ran there with my party members. He ordered me to prepare exclusive command center for my own party near the main camp. Thankfully, The United Forces had prepared a [Tentriutum] that we can use as our base…well truthfully, every parties that joined this mission have their own exclusive [Tentriutum] prepared by the kingdom.

"We had prepared an exclusive tent for your party. Now, quickly prepare for your own command center and connect it with other party, kingdom and main United Forces' communication link!"

We nodded and ran inside the tent. The interior of the tent is different compared to the tent that we used as extra sleeping rooms in our basecamp. It's more like designed for war exactly. You can see main command center room on the middle and around Command Center Room, there are sleeping cabins, military kitchens, private toilets in each cabin, two large separated hot springs, large medical rooms, labs, smithing rooms, and many others. Well, we only need to adjust them as our necessity. To be honest, I don't expect there are hot springs here, this tent sure is amazing and luxurious for a temporary military base.

"Kaichou, should we put the luggage in our inventory to storage room?" Anna asked me while bringing a box.

"Yes, but be sure to separate them."

"Kaichou! Where should I put this?" Mikazuchi came out from nowhere, which surprised me.

I commanded my party members to put the luggage in the storage rooms, deciding their roommates, installing the magical circles, installing communication devices, connecting magical networks to other receivers, making defense mechanisms, and many others. It was sure really hectic until they hit each other when carrying the boxes. Fortunately, there were no major issues like item break or swapped items.

"Tamara, do not forget to bring extra bowstrings and arrows! There are some scattered over there!"

"Oh, uh…thanks Elizabeth, but my hands are kinda full with these boxes right now…!"

Maria picked and placed them on the Tamara's bed. A moment after that, Aquina came to her and asked her to take the extra magic longbows from Kathia. She nodded and left the room, but beforehand she told Tamara that she has put her bow on her bed. They went to the Smithing Room and took the requested items from Kathia then they returned to Maria's room. On the way, they passed the lab and took the potions that they requested and created by Erick and his squad members.

"Thanks, Erick." Maria bowed her head and left.

On the long quiet corridor to Maria's Room, Aquina asked Maria about Haru's physical and mental health. Probably, it was her first time seeing Haru's getting mad like that. She is just shocked, that a kind and calm person like Haru can get mad like that. At the same time, she is a still a bit scared of him after that incident.

"Regarding about My Lord's health, I believe that you should ask Miral or Ayumi directly, Aquina. Moreover, I don't like you insulting him behind his back and IN FRONT OF ME, his retainer so blatantly like that. If you are so concerned about his health, it's better if you don't talk of him as if he is some sort of beast."

"M-m-my apologies, Lady Maria! I-I-I didn't have any of intention to questioning his leadership or mocking him, I'm just concerned about his health!"

"Sigh…if My Lord heard this, he would say that you should concern about your health rather than his health. It was entirely Rania and Erick's fault that My Lord "lost his focus again". I swear I will smack their face after this battle…" Then, she raised and clenched her right hand.

"Eh, Lady Rania and Lord Erick did——"

Maria glared at her, …Cut off this meaningless chatter. It's better if you focus on the battle in front of us and think how to survive in this battle rather than someone's health…."

"Y-y-yes…Lady Maria!"

"Remember, you are still new member here, Aquina. If you…by any chance make My Lord "lost to another side" for the second time…I will skin you alive…" Maria gave her a death glare.

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-y-yes, Lady Maria——OWW!" Aquina is so shocked by a sudden intimidation from Maria that she accidentally raised her hands until she made two boxes fell onto her feet.

Far from the corridor, around 20 people were running to nearby rooms and put down the boxes they carried from the main hall. The Dwarves are unpacking their luggage they brought while the Knights, Warriors, and Rogues are equipping their gears. The spellcasters are packing their potions from the lab and The Bards are changing their instruments into the weirdest yet unique ones.

"O shietttttt…WHERE IS MY GREATSWORD?!" Eleza opened a box and threw everything inside it out.

"LOOK AT YOUR BACK YOU STUPID CAT!!!" Rudell shouted at her.

The hectic daesh of [White Falcon] Party is finally back after nine movanth they were drowning in the sweet pleasure of the world called "solitude", surrounded by "sinless" people.

The daesh that they drowned in laugh, dance, joy, money, and fame is now over on the same moment when the stars in Univa aligned for the "misfortune" who will fall upon them without fail, but this calamity will be not affecting their presences only, but as well as clueless people who built a relationship with them.

…How unfortunate for the people whom they loved, who don't know anything about how the world works, fall into deep abyss called "despair" and "sorrow" sooner or later because of their ignorance and trust to the people whom they sent to their "death" with their naïve smile.

But alas…what's written can't be erased, what's erased can't be restored, what's restored can't be decided, what's decided can't be chosen, and what's chosen can't be taken back. Let's let the ———— gets rolled.