Chapter 8

Chapter 8

SEDAM, CLARA, AND I reached the Castle of the White Blade about an hour after our departure, without incident.

The castle was built atop one of the gentle hills scattered throughout the plains. It boasted a large gate and walls about fifteen meters high, interspersed with many fortified towers. Looking at it from afar, I could see how it had gotten its name, with the castle walls and towers stained stark white. It lay on the border of two distinct landscapes, flanked on the west by green plains and to the east by a charred red wasteland.

It stood as if it was proclaiming to the world, “Here marks the boundary between the land of humans and the land of monsters.”

The Calbanera Knights traced their ancestry to the knights of Shrendal who’d fought over a hundred years prior in the great war between humans and daemons. Whenever monsters threatened Yulei Village or its surroundings, it was the duty of the Calbanera Knights to protect the villagers.

The Calbanera Knights were long known for their skills protecting the peace of the borderland. However, according to Sedam, with the decrease in sightings of daemons over the past ten years, the knights’ morale had hit a low point.

It wasn’t long before I shared Sedam’s worries.

When Sedam, Clara, and I arrived, we asked for an audience with the captain of the knights and were soon led through the double gate and delivered to what looked like a conference room. However, even though we were received as guests, the man waiting for us in the conference room was not the captain. Instead, we found a middle-aged man named Espine, who introduced himself as a strategist.

“As you are a renowned adventurer, I trust you are not lying to me. However…” Espine’s voice came out in a disinterested drone. There was no doubt he believed we were lying. “I have reservations.”

“I could understand your hesitation if it was only Sedam who approached you with this story, but are you suggesting that I, fifth seat of the Relis Sorcerers’ Guild, would be party to a falsehood?” Clara placed her hands on her hips as she glared at the strategist.

Under attack from the triple combo of Clara’s beauty, nobility, and status as sorceress, Espine had to wipe a cold sweat off his brow. “C-certainly not. Only…upon hearing you say that this man here turned a sorcerer to stone and made meteors fall from the sky… You can’t possibly expect me to think it anything but absurd.”

“I’m sorry, but is there any way we can talk directly with the captain of the knights?” Sedam went on. “If not, could we have an audience with the commander of the first company?”

“Captain Amrand Gal Sardish has been having health issues and is currently resting, and Commander Alnogia is currently out on patrol…”

Sedam and Clara both tried to explain my magic and the appearance of the legion to Espine, but he appeared to have no interest in taking their claims seriously.

I didn’t think we would be rejected this resolutely… What are we going to do? I glanced at Sedam.

“In that case, we’ll just have to wait until Alnogia returns,” Sedam declared.

“I’m sorry, but we cannot have you stay at the castle without the permission of one of the commanding officers,” replied Espine.

“Tch.”

Did Sedam just click his tongue?!

I see. Sedam isn’t one who can easily deal with hard-headed types like this, I thought. In that case, I’ll have to rely on…

“Why don’t we just barge into the captain’s room?”

…apparently not Clara.

Should I step in? I don’t mind going in for some persistent, long-winded negotiations, I thought, but Clara and Sedam seem likely to blow a fuse before anything is settled.

“Excuse me, but I suggest you take another look at that man’s credentials.”

“Are you suggesting that this man is a swindler? Are you suggesting that I would be so easily deceived?!”

This is going nowhere, I thought with a sigh, when one of the doors opened suddenly with a slam.

A gigantic man walked in. The most appropriate description I could think of was that he was like a sumo wrestler. He looked like he weighed two hundred kilograms or more. It was a miracle he fit into his armor. By his features, he looked like he was in his late teens or early twenties.

“What are you all doing, making a ruckus in my castle?”

That’s the first thing out of his mouth? Please let this not be the captain.

“Sir Gillion. The castle is owned by the order, not a single person,” said Espine.

I wasn’t surprised that Sedam and Clara’s gazes immediately dropped below freezing, but I was surprised at how coldly the strategist Espine treated him as well. Apparently, he wasn’t the captain, but his arrogance didn’t let that show.

“What did you say? I’m a direct descendant of the founder of these knights, Gilzar Gal Calbanera! What is the name of this order of knights? The Calbanera Knights! So clearly, it’s mine!”

“There is no such stipulation in our charter. Sir Gillion, you are nothing more than a company commander.”

Hmm. He didn’t seem to be doing it on purpose, but I appreciated the explanation. I’ve seen types like this every now and then in the corporate world, I thought. If you take a swing at their pride, they tend to be rather easy to manipulate.

“Brother! What are you doing, in front of visitors?!”

As I was occupied with my petty thoughts, another person came bursting in, pushing Gillion out of the way. She was a knight with wild red hair. Her armor was simpler, so I assumed she was of a lower rank than Gillion or Espine.

Wait. Did she say, “Brother”?

“Sedam, Clara. I apologize on my brother’s behalf.”

“It’s all right,” replied Clara.

“Leo, perfect timing. Please listen to me. Daemons have appeared. We expect they came from a large nest.”

Sedam and Clara appeared to know the knight. Leo. Is that her name?

“What?!”

“Are you serious?!”

Both the female knight and Gillion reacted immediately.

“Daemons. Daemons! And you say there’s a nest?! All right! Yes! Where is it? The Calbanera Knights and I will crush it!” yelled Gillion.

“Sedam. Is this true? If it’s as you say, we must do something about it…”

“Sir Gillion, Lady Leoria, you mustn’t believe them. Their story is absurd!”

Silence.

Faced with three radically different reactions from all three knights, Sedam and Clara were at a loss for words. Gillion and Leoria were clearly interested in hearing more about the daemons, but Espine, the one with the most authority, was bent on driving us away.

I guess I have no choice, I thought. As much as I would have preferred to avoid it, it was time to don the persona of a great and powerful magic user.

“Greetings, Sir Gillion, Lady Leoria.”

I slowly rose to my feet, put my hand over my heart, and took a bow, praying I looked more confident than I felt.

“Who the hell are you? Are you one of Sedam’s new recruits? Though, ‘new’ might be a stretch at your age, Pops,” said Gillian.

“Based on your appearance, I assume you are a sorcerer, good sir, but what brings you here?” asked Leoria.

“I am sorry, but you are mistaken. I am the wizard and magic user, Geo Margilus.”

Gillion and Leoria looked at each other. If they really are brother and sister, they’re probably on better terms with each other than their fighting suggests, I thought.

“Yes,” Sedam explained. “With his magic, he defeated the sorcerer leading a group of bandits in the mountains, and exterminated an army of daemons before they could attack the village.”

“Say what?”

“I’m beginning to understand why someone might call your story absurd,” said Leoria.

“If my abilities are in question, there is no need to argue. Let my power speak for itself,” I replied, and with an exaggerated flourish, extended my arm so that I pointed to a spot on the floor.

As the Calbanera siblings and Espine stared on dubiously, I kept myself from reacting to them and began casting a spell.

“As a consequence of this spell, I summon the statue in my possession. Apport.”

The space just above the location I pointed to on the floor warped, and what had first been a gray smear materialized into the statue of Jargle. With Apport, I summoned the statue of Jargle we’d hidden in the bushes outside Yulei Village. As always, the statue showed Jargle’s face twisted in fear.

“What?!” Espine was aghast.

“He… But…” Gillian was shocked.

Leoria leaped with a high-pitched scream.

It looks like my “Grand Wizard Demonstration: Part 1” was a success.

“This knave,” I explained, “is the leader of a local band of bandits who attacked the caravan of a Relis City merchant named Ild and kidnapped his daughter. I will hand him over to you, so that he may be dealt with according to your laws.”

To be honest, I did not know whether the order of knights had the authority to judge crimes or mete out punishment. I’d gotten a little carried away.

“However, left in his current state, I imagine it would be difficult to interrogate him, or have him answer for his crimes. Let me take care of that for you. As a consequence of this spell, all mana within a three-meter radius will return to the void. Dispel Magic.”

For my next act, I cast a second spell to dispel the effects of Petrify on Jargle. A bright light enveloped the statue before vanishing just as quickly as it had come. What remained was a lethargic shamble of a man, collapsed on the floor.

“Rgh… Ahh… Augh,” he groaned unintelligibly.

It seemed as though turning the statue back into a human being had a much greater effect on the audience than summoning the object out of thin air. The three knights stared, with their mouths hanging open, as Jargle simply lay there, unable to talk, let alone stand and react to his new surroundings.

Though less extreme in their expressions, Sedam and Clara looked shocked as well. Magic can do more than destroy things, you know.

“Th-the statue…turned into a human…”

“But it… You… How…?”

“A-amazing…”

I slowly walked in front of the three, who were still dumbfounded, and approached Jargle. No rush. Just take it slow.

I felt a small pang of guilt upon seeing Jargle’s empty, unfocused eyes, but I swept it aside, reaching down to pull my Staff of Wizardry out of his hands.

“This one belongs to me.”

“Wh-what are you?” Gillion stammered, a cold sweat running down his face.

Upon closer inspection, I saw that he had stepped in front of the red-haired knight, as if to protect her from me. Hmm, he might not be so bad after all, I thought.

“At the risk of repeating myself,” I began, “I am the wizard and magic user Geo Margilus. I request an audience with the captain of the acclaimed Calbanera Knights, or other suitable representatives of the order, to discuss the threat of daemons currently facing these lands. If necessary, I am prepared to wait here until such time as my request is properly addressed.”

I spoke in a slow, deliberate fashion, with as much gravity as I could put on each phrase. When I spoke the final word, I struck the bottom of my staff against the floor.

“I trust you will secure whatever permissions are necessary.”

All three knights quickly nodded their heads.

***

Alnogia, son of the knight captain, was not due to return until the next day. We ended up staying the night at the Castle of the White Blade.

Night came early in Sedia. Oil for lamps was a precious resource, so most people slept soon after sunset. Espine led us to a guest room and provided a partition so that Clara would have some privacy.

Unable to sleep, I asked Sedam for more information about the Calbanera Knights, and he responded excitedly, like he’d just been waiting for me to ask. We sat in chairs by the glowing hearth, and the way the fire lit his face made him look like a natural-born storyteller.

“The charred area to the east of the Castle of the White Blade is now known as the Twilight Wastelands, but it used to be called the Daybreak Plains. The story of how this new name came to be will make clear to you the history behind the Calbanera Knights.”

The founder and first captain of the Calbanera Knights was a man by the name of Gilzar Gal Calbanera.

One hundred and fifty years ago, when the second great daemon outbreak threatened to overtake the world, Gilzar Gal Calbanera and the Shrendal Knights faced off against countless legions and emerged victorious.

In Shrendal, Gilzar was received as a hero, and in accordance with popular demand, the kingdom permitted him to form an independent order of knights to protect the borderlands. They bestowed upon him the great Rastland Fortress, which stood in the center of the Daybreak Plains.

However, thirty years later followed the event that came to be known as the Storm of the Dead. Swarms of unliving beings swept the Daybreak Plains for reasons still unknown, and Rastland Fortress succumbed to the onslaught. Some say Gilzar died protecting the fortress; others say he was turned, and still wanders the land with the other undead.

The rest of the knightly order fled with the people of the plains out to the west, where they built a new fortress, the Castle of the White Blade. They vowed to protect the land from undead and daemons alike. While they have upheld that vow, the abandoned Rastland Fortress is still haunted by the undead to this day—at least, so they say.

“And it was then that the Daybreak Plains came to be known as the Twilight Wastelands,” said Sedam, finishing the story.

“So, there are undead in this world as well,” I murmured aloud, before catching myself and getting back on topic.

“What you’re saying,” I continued, “is that two hundred years ago, an outbreak of undead drove the Calbanera Knights from their rightful land, and the first captain died. Is that why the knights are no longer led by a Calbanera? Was the family driven out of power as a way of taking responsibility for the failure of the first captain?”

“No, there’s a different reason for that,” answered Sedam. “Fifteen years ago, I think, the captain at the time attempted to retake Rastland from the undead. Despite opposition, he forced his plan through…”

“Ah… I see.”

“It was a complete and utter disaster,” said Clara, joining our conversation. “To top it all off, the casualties they incurred were a major reason the knights couldn’t mount an effective resistance when the last daemons’ nest was found five years later.”

“Yes, and that captain was Gillion’s father,” Sedam explained. “Driven from his post, they say he is now hardly even a shadow of the man he used to be.”

It’s not unlike the stories you hear sometimes in the corporate world of a manager betting the fate of his organization on a giant project destined to fail, I thought. That explains the behavior of those loud siblings. They’re both members of a once-proud family, trying to reclaim power within the organization once rightfully their own. And it was their own father who ruined their futures, no less. I suspect it must be difficult for them. Chances are good they’ve earned the ire of the other knights… That may be exactly why Gillion feels the need to act so overbearing.

“Oh, to be young,” I muttered. I didn’t really mean it in a mocking way. I felt sorry for them, yes, but I also felt a little envious of them.

Sedam and Clara did not share my nostalgic feelings, especially not for Gillion.

“While I do feel sorry for Leoria, Gillion deserves any hatred he gets,” said Clara.

“Maybe…but kids can’t choose their parents,” I said.

“Then we’ll agree to disagree. Nothing justifies that behavior of his,” said Clara, raising an eyebrow at me for continuing to sympathize with him.

“By the way, Sir Sardish, the current captain of the knights? He was the former vice-captain,” said Sedam, changing the subject.

“He is a very wise individual,” said Clara, “and although his son, Sir Alnogia, does not have as much of a strong presence as his father, he is still a splendid knight. I am sure he will direct his knights to take care of the problem.”

The power structure of the Calbanera Knights began at the top with the captain, followed by his cabinet of advisors, and then the four commanders of each company, ranked one to four. The commander of the first company was the captain’s son Alnogia, and the commander of the second company was Gillion.

Captain Sardish was advanced in his years and was expected to retire from his post soon, but his successor was not yet decided. The two major candidates were Alnogia and Gillion.

“You say Gillion is a candidate… Is he actually popular?” I asked, in disbelief.

“Well, he is descended directly from the founder,” replied Sedam, “and in the eyes of some, his skill with the sword is considered best of all the knights.”

“I think Leoria has him beat, even if she won’t admit it, but both of them certainly have more power than Alnogia. It’s no contest,” said Clara, elaborating.

It seemed raw power was highly valued in Sedia.

“That female knight…was her name Leoria…or Leo? Tell me more about her.”

“Leoria Calbanera is Gillion’s younger half-sister,” Sedam explained. “They have different mothers. I’m shocked they share even one parent though, to be honest.”

“Unlike her brother, Leoria is a proper knight. She’s the lieutenant commander of the second company. Her experience is rather lacking, though…”

Everyone sure loves to hate on Gillion, I thought, when someone knocked on the door.

“Forgive me. Lord Sedam, Lady Clara. Master Wizard. Are you still awake?” It was Leoria at the door.

I expected Sedam to answer, but when I looked at him, he just stared back at me.

“Yes, I am up. Is there… Aherm. Is there something you want?”

I tried to sound grandiose, but I stumbled over my words, voice cracking. Clara’s mouth was twitching as she tried not to laugh.

Hey, I’m trying, okay?

“Thank goodness. Would you open the door? I am sorry for coming so late, but dinner has been prepared, and we’d appreciate it if you were to join us,” said Leoria.

Dinner…

I hadn’t expected to be invited for a meal, and had already eaten for the night. But refusing to go would be rude, wouldn’t it?

“I am not very hungry, but I appreciate your hospitality. I will attend.”

I ended up deciding without consulting Sedam, and when I looked his way, he responded with a smirk before going to open the door. Once he opened it, Leoria appeared with a candlestick in her hand, the dim light of the fire coloring her face. She’s quite beautiful, with those fierce eyes of hers, I thought, having a second look at her. Unfortunately, however, her expression was stiff, and she was clearly very nervous.

“It appears Lord Margilus will be happy to join. Are we invited as well?” Sedam asked, helping her along.

“Thank you. My brother will be most pleased,” Leoria said, and then turned to Sedam. “And yes, you are invited as well.”

“My brother will be happy”? Don’t tell me the one hosting this dinner is…

***

“Heya, Lord Wizard! Eat as much as you’d like! Y’know, I picked out the castle chef personally. Guy’s got real talent, don’tcha think?!”

“Uh-huh…”

Unfortunately, my prediction was spot-on. Gillion was the one waiting for us at the table when we entered the dining hall.

That massive table was laden with steaming plates of food; hardly any space was left between them. It was a fitting sight for the giant knight. I was made to sit at his end of the table and endure his idea of wining and dining. I felt certain Gillion’s notions of hospitality didn’t extend far beyond feeding his guests good food. Admittedly, everything was delicious, but still.

“This chicken is marinated in kumis overnight before it’s roasted. Isn’t the meat tender? Melts in your mouth!”

“Yes… It’s very delicious… Ngh…”

As I bit into the chicken thigh, I was impressed by its juiciness and flavor, a subtle mix of sweet and sour, but I was already over my limit…

“Brother, don’t force the food on him. It’s bad manners. Can’t you see he doesn’t want any more?”

“Shut yer yap! We’re having a real important conversation over here!”

What part of anything you’ve said counts as important?

But, looking at it another way, these knights are our sponsors right now—and wasn’t I commiserating over their misfortunes mere moments ago? Just hold it in. In fact, this might be a good time to catch their attention with a magic trick or two…

…or perhaps not.

As I was falling back a little too hard on my corporate dinner survival instincts, I noticed Sedam and Clara signaling me with their eyes. It was time to wrap this up.

“That was very, very delicious, but I couldn’t possibly eat any more,” I said, washing away the last bit of meat I could fit down my throat with wine.

“Gillion, could you hurry up and tell us what you have to say? Lord Margilus is getting bored,” said Sedam.

“We can’t have you waste Lord Margilus’s precious time with your small talk,” said Clara.

Sedam and Clara dogpiled on Gillion, supposedly on my behalf, but they were clearly just using that premise as an excuse to blow off some steam.

“Quiet! A pair of damned adventurers don’t get to talk to me like that,” yelled Gillion, slamming his fists on the table and gritting his teeth.

“Brother! That’s enough!” Leoria shouted and, without any further warning, smacked Gillion in the face with her fist so hard you could hear the clatter of his bones—a perfect boxer’s straight right punch.

What kind of relationship do these siblings have?! Sedam and Clara aren’t reacting at all…is this normal?

“Please forgive him, Lord Margilus,” said Leoria, standing with her hand over her heart as she bowed toward me. “Would you not please stay and listen to what my brother has to say?”

“Hmph!” Gillion grunted, the side of his face already bruising, before downing his glass of wine as if nothing had happened.

“Very well,” I replied. “I will listen, if he begins without delay.”

Part of me wanted to lecture Gillion about making his sister apologize for him, or at least yell at him to make eye contact, but Leoria’s solemn entreaty was the greater of the two forces.

Once Gillion had drained his glass he finally turned toward me.

“It’s simple, Lord Wizard. I’ve decided to allow you to become one of my subordinates!”

Ah, he would be one to say something ridiculous like that, wouldn’t he?

I was too stunned to speak right away. Without turning my head, I looked over at Sedam and Clara. Sedam clicked his tongue in frustration, while Clara had a large vein pulsing on her forehead and a violent smile pasted on her face.

“Sorry, I’ll pass.” In the moment, I let the act slip some, but who could blame me?

“What?! Are you saying that you would reject the invitation of the heir of the Calbanera family?!” Gillion swept his log-like arms across the table, sending plates clattering.

“At this time, I have no intention of serving under any master.”

If I had been yelled at like this back in Japan, I probably wouldn’t have been able to stay calm—I’d probably fare worse than a deer in headlights. That’s pretty much what had happened with the bandits, after all. But even if it was only my third day in Sedia, it seemed I’d already begun to grow thicker skin.

“What did you say?! I’m a Calbanera!” said Gillion, raising a clenched fist.

“Brother!” Leoria was quick.

“Wha?! Ah! Ow! S-stop!”

She promptly grabbed his arm, twisted it behind his back, and began dragging him out of the room as he flailed in pain.

“Ow, ow, ow! Leo! Sis, you can’t just—oww!!!”

“I’m sorry, Master Wizard! Sedam, Clara, I had no idea this was what he was up to… I’ll apologize properly later!” Leoria paused to bow her head several times, while Gillion cursed and fought fruitlessly.

Then she dragged him off.

“I knew it was going to be something stupid,” muttered Sedam, taking the chance to have another glass of fine wine before we left.