บท 49: Confrontation
The plan had been discussed in advance on that afternoon three days ago, when we held the secret meeting between only the Champions.
"So your plan is to surrender... with a white flag?"
Of all three, Six appeared to be the most unconvinced of all.
"Think about it, the white flag is a universal symbol of surrendering, from our world that is. It is not a language understood in this world. If the enemy Champion sees it, she'll know it's us, or at least, someone from our world. Depending on whether she responds or not, we'll know whether or not she's been [Corrupted] or is simply being tricked by the H.U.D. altering her perception. And if she does, perhaps we'll be able to communicate and work something out."
"Alright, but one: How do we know that this world doesn't use the white flag for surrendering? It has things like kings and noblemen just like how our world did. And two: How are we sure the enemy Champion is from the same world as ours? If another world other than ours, such as this one, exists, then surely there must be all sorts of different worlds, right?"
Surprisingly, Six was asking some sensible questions. Before, he was content with leaving the planning up to me or Cecilia, but it would appear that somewhere along the line, that has changed. Thinking about it, Cecilia did mention how Six seemed to be becoming more mature as of late. I suppose his experience in this world must have changed him. Of course, I am glad for it, but I just wished this growth of his came from somewhere less bloody.
"While it's true that this world shares similar ideas with our own, you can tell that they are no coincidences. There are very good reasons for them. Things like kings and noblemen came to be due to the need for leadership and overseers when a large group of people comes together to form communities. Their weaponry as well is similar to our own because they are shapes that made sense, sharp blades for cutting and pointed spears for reach and piercing. These are simple shapes, simple and highly effective, so it made sense that they would be similar throughout different worlds despite different histories. The white flag however, is something highly specific, something that would not come to bear the same symbolic meaning without having at least somewhat identical histories, which is why I am sure that it does not exist in this world, that and because I asked a maid and she said she has no idea what I was talking about."
"You could have just ended it with that last part."
"I could, but I know how paranoid you are about these things. Going 'what if' this and 'what if' that."
"Alright, I get it! Let's go with your flag plan then."
I turned towards the rest.
"Do we have a consensus?"
"I think it's worth a shot."
Said Toto from her sickbed.
"If it will clear things up about the nature of this world, then I say we should go for it. We can't go very far if we're always left in the dark. However, even if the enemy Champion does agree to talk, what then? Can we somehow convince everyone, at least the ones on our side, to stop fighting as well?"
"For that, here's the thing, I will become the supreme commander of the kingdom."
"...What?"
"The princess had requested that I become the supreme commander of the kingdom to shut some nobles up. I was reluctant to take up the position at first, but now, now I have more than enough reason to take advantage of her little ploy."
Deeply, Cecilia frowned.
"Are you sure, that sounds like a big responsibility, not something you'd want to take on lightly at all."
"As the princess said, it'll be fine as long as we win. Besides, the generals she assigns me will be the ones doing most of the work. I am only expected to sit around and look pretty for the most part."
"That's concerning for an entirely different reason."
"Regardless, one way or another, as supreme commander, I should be able to do something to get the troops to stand down. Hopefully, the generals are willing to hear me out."
"Alright, but what happens when your plan doesn't work out? What happens if the enemy Champion attacks anyways?"
From Six came a concern that I am sure was on everybody's mind. After all, we've had plenty of plans fail on us and things that just played out completely different from what we thought. This one as well, would, of course, have the chance of going awry.
"For that, we have this."
Again, I showed them the World Devourer's [contract]. The most powerful creature available to me thus far.
"This will cost me more or less all of my mana to summon and in my current condition I hope that I won't have to use it, but when worst comes to worst, we'll have a way out."
"I don't know, that sounds kind of dangerous."
"I'm just talking about the worst-case scenario, Six. The enemy still has to get through our walls and our troops."
"Still... Oh, what if we craft it into its purified version? Like you did with the [World Ender Dragon]? The purified dragon cost much less to summon didn't it?"
"It did, however, I have not a single clue about the recipe for crafting this [contract], and even if I did, there's the massive cost of materials. I grinded for weeks for them and had to kill maybe thousands of mobs and ran an obscene number of raids to get them. If we do that here, we'd be destroying the ecosystem via the massive depopulation with how many things we have to kill. Not to mention, on the off chance that we are able to get all these things together, what are we going to do with it? Do we just mush them together with the [contract] or just toss 'em all into a pot and start stirring? End of the day, it's just not feasible and I doubt it would work even if it is, it was just a system integrated into the game to have us play longer after all."
"That's too bad, I really thought I was onto something there for a second."
"Well, it's good that you mentioned it regardless. To be honest, I haven't really thought about purifying the Keepers. Never really had the luxury, our priority has always been forced to be that of survival after all."
"That's right, isn't it? Now that I think about it, ever since we got here, it's either fighting battles or preparing to fight one. We never really got to stop, do we?"
Cecilia then followed up her words with a sigh as she glanced towards the bedridden Toto. Most likely, the moment she gets better, Toto will be heading straight into another battle.
"Well, once I'm supreme commander, maybe I'll give you all a vacation once this battle is over."
"Oh, don't you go getting our hopes up, Aurelius. You and I both know that there are no guarantees that we'll be able to catch a break."
"If this works out, we might just have that."
"Might, huh? I guess that's the best we got at this point."
***
"Alright, she's looking at us. Will she get it?"
From above the city walls, I look towards the midst of the enemy legion, where there stands a large Dragonbrood [Demon] with a small, humanoid figure riding upon his shoulder. There, I see her looking back at me, or perhaps, the white flag that I am raising. Then, she turns and seems to be whispering to the ear of the [Demon] she is riding on. As the [Insight] skill doesn't seem to come with lip-reading capabilities, I have no what to tell what she is saying to him, but I can more or less guess the content as I see the enemy's marching comes to a gradual halt.
At the sight, I can't help but smile. Things are going smoothly for once. However, my smile is a little stiff, if I do say so myself, because now I can't help but be afraid that something might go wrong and ruin all of this.
"Incredible... It's just as he said."
"Of course, they are the Champions that defeated one of the [Corrupted] Keepers."
"Not to mention, Sir Aurelius was the one who beat back the [Demon] horde in the eastern mountain range, and he did it with just a small unit of six men."
From around us, I can hear some faltering mutters. So far, everyone appears to be impressed, and even Gulford is pleased. Not a single one of them know how anxious I am right now and how hard I am trying to hold my body back from shaking. It's like holding in a piss for half an hour and you wish you could just do it right there but you can't because it's a public place and everyone is watching.
After waiting for some moments, watching the complete and utterly still enemy, I see one of the [Demons] handing a broken spear to the Sorcerer Champion, and at the top of the spear wrapped a tattered and apparently hastily torn length of cloth. It was white in color.
Holding her makeshift white flag, she starts walking towards the city, alone, and while there seem to be disagreements amongst the [Demons] behind her, none tries to stop her. Then, once she has walked far enough away from the [Demons], far enough that their spells and arrows and javelins loses their accuracy while herself remaining out of reach from the Beastkins' spells and arrows, she stops. From that lonely spot of hers, she looks up towards me with what seems to me be an expectant gaze.
My smile beams wider than ever before. This is it, this is going to work.
"Alright, I'm going."
"Wait! Sir Aurelius, you can't just go there alone. You don't know what they're planning."
Standing in my way is Gulford, showing concern for me. Maybe he just likes me that much, or more likely, he doesn't what the Beastkins to lose even one of their highly valuable Champions.
"Neither does she, but she came forward alone anyways. Dialogues can only begin once we show some faith in one another, commander."
He looks at me, stunned, as if I just said something profound. I mean, it's pretty good, for something I just came up with on the spot, but if you give me such a surprised look, it'd just hurt my self-esteem.
At length, Gulford sighs.
"Very well, but if you sense even a single thing out of place, get out of there. We'll charge right in to get you."
"I'll be counting on you on that front then."
Promptly, an extraction squad is formed with Six in the lead, and together, we head down to the city gates, where I prepare to head out on my own.
"Aurelius."
"Like I said, Six, I'm heading out alone. You just sit tight."
"No, it's not that. The other day, when you were explaining your plan with the white flag, about how there's no way two different worlds with different histories can come up with symbolism that specific, there's something bothering me about that."
"Well, I mean, yeah, I might have taken a few leaps in logic for my part, but hey, it worked right? She's willing to talk."
"No, not that. You see, it's been bothering me that you didn't answer my other question, about what if the enemy Champion is someone from another world, but not the same world as ours. I asked how you're so sure that she would understand us. Do you remember that?"
Cold sweat starts forming on my forehead.
"So you noticed. I thought I did a pretty good swerve on my part. You are unexpectedly sharp, you know that?"
"Yeah... Anyways, I didn't say anything because Cecilia and Toto were there and I didn't get a chance to afterwards either. But, Aurelius, don't tell me... No, rather, tell me, tell me whether or not the other Champions are the same guys from our guild."
Six stares right into my eyes as a question crosses my mind: Do I tell the truth, or do I lie? What will Six do once he knows that we've been fighting our own friends? That he has even killed one of them himself? Will he breakdown? Will he still be able to fight? No, if everything goes well, maybe he won't have to fight anymore. But, then again, I can't guarantee that. Anything can happen, and they're bad things most of the time, at least that's how I've been feeling the moment I got to this world. Do I lie then? Keep him in the dark like how Cecilia wants it? But if I do, will he catch on? As he has demonstrated here, Six can sometimes be unexpectedly sharp.
Eventually, I open my mouth. I have to, with Six seemingly getting more impatient with each passing second.
"Yes, Six, I think they are."
***
End of Chapter 49
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