Story IV / Part XLII: The Red Dawn of Crimson Sky (IX) / The Wicked Fate That Awaits Us (I)

Terarien, Jetavien, 13th 2.481 A.E.V II

I woke up at 1.00 P.M.E and as I anticipated, I'm still sleepy but I can't sleep again because this is the final daesh of preparation. I can't slack off today since I need to check our items and equipment again, calling other party's leaders, sending armors to Guild Master's group, hunting for extra meat, foraging herbs, and many things that I need to complete today, but my stomach is saying otherwise. It's growling loudly, probably because I didn't eat anything last night and went straight to sleep. Geh, this is embarrassing but thankfully nobody's here.

I walked to bathroom and took a bath there. I didn't forget to brush my teeth and wash my dirty hair that is full of dirt and ash. But when I finished my bathe and opened the door, my foot stepped on something hairy and I tried to guess it by rubbing my foot on it then I looked down on something below my foot.

"GYAAAAAAAAAAAA—!" I surprised and jumped back. But unfortunately, I slipped and fell on the floor.

"My Liege! Are you okay?!" He pulled my hand and helped me to get up. Then, he holds me in his arms.

"COMMANDER WHAT'S HAPPEN—"

"ANIKI, ARE—"

Erica and Robert barged in. They saw a wet half-naked man with towel and a handsome Werewolf are staring each other but in misleading position.

(Geh!) I am surprised a lot when I saw them.

".............." They looked at us with straight face and then closed the broken door slowly.

"WAIT…YOU GET THE WRONG IDEA!" But it's too late. I'm clenching my hand tightly and holding back my anger as much as I can.

"…Jordan, could you please get out from my room…?"

"But, My Liege! I am—"

"GET OUT OF MY ROOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!"

I kicked Jordan out of my room and slammed the door. Meanwhile, Jordan whom I kicked out from my room kneeled down in front of the door. He tries to digest what happened before.

"What…have….I…done?" He rubbed his head while shaking his head. Suddenly, he felled someone grabbed his shoulder strongly.

"O-N-I-I-S-A-M-A….!!!"

Erica is glaring at him so intensely that she is releasing a serious killing intent. But before he can talk at all, he felt killing intent so intense that he can feel his hair on the back of his neck stands up in alarm. As he turned his head to the left, he saw a Dark Elf and a Holy Elf unsheathing their swords while giving him a death glare.

"Bastard…what are you planning to do with my Aniki?!" Robert put the edge of his sword on Jordan's neck.

"How shameful of you…Nii-sama…" Erica is clenching her hands.

"Ara…Jordan-kun…it seems our talk yesterday didn't even go through your head at all?" Ayumi smiled at him

"…Are you stupid…or…are you just…an idiot?" She lets out her murder intent while still smiling.

"Wait…waaaaaiiiittttttttttt…let me explain!!!"

However, it was too late. They dragged him into a room in front of Haru's room and shut the door tightly. The people who passed the room can only hear someone being whipped, punched, slapped and smacked very hard, but nobody knows what happened exactly inside the room.

"Sigh…why is this happening?"

I lay myself on my bed while putting my right hand on my forehead. I look on the cave ceiling and trying to remember what happened last night. On the same moment, I also wondering why people can easily misunderstood me or caught me on many tricky situations just like before, or even worse than that. I knew this must be the Gods who playing their hands in my fate, but I just don't understand why it can't stop…Is it because I am too weak? Is it because I am too naïve? Is it because I am too perfect? Is it because I am too soft?

What a nonsense, my mood dropped down like this must be because last night incident…

"Oh, my…I never know you have grown into fine man, Jordan-chan…Look the girls have fallen in love with your presence alone." Rania walked to him and grabbed his shirt. Then, she wiped his armor with her hand, but I think…that is lewd hand gesture…

"You too have grown into attractive woman, Lady Rania."

"Ahahaha! No need to so formal! Just call me Rania is fine! Hey, I know it's out of blue, but if you wouldn't mind, would you like to go out with me?" She stares him with passionate gaze.

(Dang, Rania is in her "Rapist Mode" now!) Luna whispered to Anna.

"Oi, I heard that madwoman!" Shortly after that, Jordan gently put her hand down from his chest.

"Oh?" She is surprised maybe she didn't anticipate this reaction. Then, she laughed a little.

"My apologies Lady Rania, but you must know this, my body, my blood and my soul are for My Liege. I'm afraid I must turn down your feeling right now and forever."

"Really? Is every inch of your body for your Lord? Will you do 'anything' for him?"

"OF COURSE!" He answered it with an expression full of enthusiasm and his eyes are also sparkling. Rania and the girls were silent for a while and looked at each other.

"Pu…pu…" They are trying to hold their laughter.

"Lady Rania? Are you—" Jordan grabbed Rania's shoulder.

"WUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!"

They suddenly burst out laughing, especially Rania and Luna. I looked at the boys and everyone are looking the other way and chuckling with Julio who is still confused. Rania and the other girls walked inside while laughing so hard that we can hear them even from here. Few of the boys shook their head and walked inside after the girls. I'm laying on the floor while covering my face with both of my hands.

"Looks like the "Almighty White Fang" is fool to boot." Robert mocked him and looked at him with smug face.

"Right, like this God's lapdog here who still doesn't understand about that." Igrei grabbed Julio's hand and pulled it until he almost fell.

"I'm also want to know what Rania's mean by 'that' Jordan-kun. May I have a little bit of your time?"

Ayumi suddenly appeared behind him and smiled at him. Then, Erica grabbed his shoulders and glared him with very angry gaze. But Jordan looked at her with dumbfounded expression. They dragged him to a room near the entrance and then they shut the door.

"Are you okay Aniki?" Robert approached me and shook my body.

I walked with gloomy mood to my room and shut in myself until morning. The boys came and comforted me but I ignored them, the Dwarves also came and offered me ale to lift my mood but I ignored them too. I also ignored Rania who came and to apologize, not only her but the girls as well. I imbued myself with sleep magic and slept deeply until noon to get rid of them.

They must be making fun of me because I'm too weak-hearted and soft…

(…Yes, you are right. You are too stupid to realize that…)

Why are they joking in a dire situation like this? Don't they care about their own life?

(…It's because you are too gentle…)

Why they can't follow my command properly? Am I just a scarecrow in front of them? A shield that they can use when they are in danger or when we are failing? Or am I just a charm that brings fortune to them?

(…It's…because…you…are…too…WEAK)

*Knock*Knock* "Shogun Kaka (General), it's time for meeting."

I was surprised and awoken from my bed when I heard a familiar voice behind my door, but it's neither Erica nor Ayumi's voice, I walked to my door and opened it, in front of me is a woman with blue hair and eyes standing on the door.

"Salute! Claire Einschwert is reporting to duty!"

Claire Einschwert is an Undine Elf and daughter of Admiral Sarevelle Einschwert. She came from Atlantian State, near Mermadia Kingdom in Atlantica Ocean. Her father sent her to Northlandia Academy with scholarship to become a military officer after she graduated. I remember she was a roommate of Ayumi and as well as our comrade-in-arms when we studied there.

Our path separated when she chose to become a military officer rather than adventurer like us. I heard she continued her study there for another four Eelvariash when we enrolled at Northlandia Magic Academy to sharpen our magic capability. After we graduated from magic academy, she enrolled here with scholarship again. It seems she graduated later and longer than we did.

"Salute, Major Einschwert. Long time no see." I reached out my hand and she shook it.

"Geez…I'm not a Major, Haru-san…" She is sulking.

"Sorry, sorry! I forgot that you were in the Land Division." I tried to calm her down.

"Haah…it can't be helped. Ehem, Salute Shogun Kaka! Captain Claire Einschwert from Atlantian Navy Special Operations Force is reporting to duty!"

"Okay-okay, I understand! You don't need to shout! Welcome to our humble base, Captain Einschwert!"

"Just CLAIRE is fine." She said that with stern tone and I nodded quickly after heard that.

Claire and I walked together to meeting room. On the way, Claire told me that she was sent here under of King Hugo Albermoth's order to protect one of Undine Elf's the most important cities, if I remember it correctly; its name is Fan Yuan Trade City that located on Fan Yuan Lake. She told me she also received an order to assist the main force of Elven Alliance around Virizia Plain. But I think, King Hugo's order is a bit pointless because "they" can't swim.

"Kaka, the other party leaders have been waiting for you in the meeting room. Also, please wear appropriate clothes first." Claire glanced at me who still half-naked and only wearing short pants.

"Ugh, sorry, sorry…! I just took a quick nap before. Let me dress for a sec."

I closed the door and ran to my cupboard. I took my shirt from the cupboard and leather armor from my inventory. After dressing neatly, I took my time to find the papers that have been scattered in my room. Some of them slipped under cupboard, and the rest are under table or under the pile of dirty clothes.

Then, I picked one bread and water sack from my inventory for my breakfast while finding my notebook. As soon as I found my notebook, I run back to the door but when I grab the doorknob, I heard something whispering my name and saying me as "weak" and I felt a very unpleasant chilly sensation behind my neck.

"What was that before…?" I looked back to my room as I closed the door.

After I finished my meeting with other party's leaders and Guild Master via [Divine Broadcast], we had a meeting again with Queen Anne to exchange information about the enemy. What I can summarized from our private meeting with her is the numbers of enemies are far beyond of what Queen Anne had predicted before.

She told us, she was sure if "their" number would not be higher than one million because the interval between [The Third Rain of Chaos] and nowadays [The Fourth Rain of Chaos] is too short, only 12 Eelvariash.

I learned this demonic phenomenon has occurred on south of Xiantian Land, exactly near [The Land of Four Demon Gods] since middle of Joan, 2.482 A.E.V II. But as expected, nobody cares because the scale of destruction is still small one around the mountains.

I heard The Dryads around there sent a plea to Yggdrasil Tree and only the Sylph Elf and Holy Elf's Kingdoms who answered their call for help. The Kings and Queens ordered the "clean up" forces from Gobi Desert to go there but unfortunately The United Forces weren't able to reach the mountains because the range from desert to mountains is far too great.

The Queens of Holy Elf Kingdoms are unable to patch few of their troops because they need to maintain the border and they made an "Imperial Request" to Adventurer Guild instead. I guess, The Queens are afraid to lose their soldiers because they don't have enough data gathered from United Forces in Gobi Desert to analyze (or predict?) the future loss and profit from this mission.

If The Queens used the adventurers, they can get data quickly to analyze from them and they won't loss much of their troop. Therefore, I think we are used by The Queens right now as their "lab rats". If we died, they will send money as "condolence fee" and many lip services to comfort the dead's families.

(…Well played Queen Anne, behind your straight face and cold gaze, as well as that unsmiling persona of yours, you sure are the firm and unwavering ruler of the kingdom)

After the meeting finished, I left the room with Claire.

"Shogun Kaka, why are we walking to the exit? I think we headed on the wrong way…"

"No, I just want to head outside for a bit and Claire, I have a request to you…" I glanced to Claire and she looked me with curious face. Then, I took a breath deeply.

"Please, stop calls me "Shogun Kaka". I am NOT your GENERAL or SUPERIOR. Understand?"

"Understood…" She nodded lightly while looking at me with confused expression. I explained her a little about the way people calling me in this party to erase her confusion. Upon hearing that, she laughed a little.

"You sure have unique party members, haven't you Haru-san? But I think it's a bit rude to call a man who slew [The Undead King from Vaelver Land] with a normal honorific nickname."

"Just stick it with "Haru-san" or just "Haru", please I beg you. I have a headache with this." Then, she giggled.

"Oh, by the way Claire…I'm impressed on how fluent you speaking Yamatonese and Xiantianese before. You sure have learned a lot, haven't you?"

"Oh, I'm still learning…you don't need to praise me that much���" She blushed a little.

We reached the exit not long after that and as I expected, it is very chaotic outside here. I saw Jack's team members were building new watchtowers and Yuna's team members were expanding the barrier. I also saw the people Jordan and Claire brought for this mission making large walls and fences to fortify our defense here. Upon seeing me, they waved their hand to me from there and I responded it by waving my hand too.

Thus, I walked on the wall to the top of my base. On there, I saw the crimson clouds have completely devoured the Sol and Wina, leaving an eeriness on my heart. I also saw few crimson lightning sparks scorched the ground from here. It sure is a quite terrifying view….

"Terrifying, isn't it Haru-san?"

After I lost in thought for few minerval, Claire warned me that I have wasted time right now. I nodded and jumped down with her. We rushed to the meeting room and on there, all my party members had gathered and they have sat neatly on the chairs. Some of them are chatting with each other, eating or sleeping. But, they suddenly turned quiet when I walked inside.