Chapter 27: Forward, Diamond Legion!

After two days of rest and recuperation in the village, Mia and Sion were introduced to a merchant who was heading to a neighboring settlement.

"Watch yourselves out there, you hear?" shouted Muzic.

Mia waved back at him as they departed the village.

"He's been so terribly helpful these past few days. I wish we could repay him somehow," said Mia. When she received no response, she glanced at Sion, who was muttering under his breath.

"I sure hope the others are okay..." There was a hint of concern in his voice. At first, Mia frowned quizzically at him. Then, she remembered.

Ah, that's right. Of course...

The reason they were here in the first place was the assault on their wagon by assassins. They had no idea what had happened to the wagon afterwards nor whether Keithwood and Tiona were safe.

Hm? Wait a minute. Why does it matter to me whether those two are safe?

They were, after all, two of her archenemies. Their well-being hardly seemed worthy of her concern. But, after mulling over it some more, she reconsidered. On second thought... I guess I can spare a moment to pray for their safety.

Keithwood was probably a cherished friend of Sion's. Their bond reminded her of the one she shared with her most loyal subject, Anne.

Hmph, I didn't expect there to be such a human side to him. How surprising.

The earnestness of their friendship struck a chord with her, and she decided that she was willing to stomach the thought of wishing for their safety.

Besides, they were using the Forkroads' wagon, and I'd feel terrible for Chloe if something happened to it. While I pray for the driver, I suppose I can spare a second to mention their names as well. Plus, I sort of owe Keithwood one for helping us with the sandwiches, and the same goes for Tiona—

"...because if we run into those assassins again, I'm going to have a hard time fighting them off by myself."

Her thoughts were interrupted by the second half of Sion's sentence.

"Uh... Would you mind if I asked how hard of a time, exactly?"

"...I intend to do everything in my power to try and make sure you can get away safely. With some luck I might even succeed."

Keithwood! Sweet moons, Keithwood! Please be safe! And come back to us!

For the second time on her journey, Mia willed an earnest prayer toward the sky. It wasn't quite as wistful as the first one, but it was certainly more desperate.

"I must say though, this place seems rather peaceful."

They'd been making their way down a road, having left the forest, and half a day had passed without incident. The scenery was stereotypically rural, and the faces of the passersby were all friendly and placid. At no point did anything suggest the kingdom was about to descend into chaos.

"This area is great for us merchants. There aren't any bandits around, so it's easy to get around."

"...But there's basically a civil war going on, isn't there?"

The merchant shrugged with disinterest.

"Doesn't mean much to us here. I did hear there's an uprising in one of Count Donovan's towns though. Rumors are that the Diamond Legion was sent in to squash them."

"The Diamond Legion? But those are elite troops... There won't even be a fight. It'll just be a massacre," said Sion in astonishment.

"The... Diamond Legion? What might that be?"

He glanced at the innocent curiosity on Mia's face and grimaced.

"It's an elite squadron formed under a direct order from the current King."

The Diamond Legion was an infantry unit created through royal decree by the reigning King of Remno. "It shall be the strongest heavy infantry unit in the world, composed only of soldiers who are each a match for a thousand men!"

Recruiting efforts had begun ten years ago. In order to meet the king's demand, all previous enlisting restrictions were waived. Anyone, regardless of birth, nationality, or even criminal background, was eligible to apply. They searched high and low for people of immense stature and wide frame, bringing in giants from both at home and aboard. These men were subjected to stringent selection exams. Successful candidates were then put through rigorous military training to drill them into elite soldiers. The result of all this was the creation of a terrifying army of hulking musclemen, each highly skilled and built like a tank.

"I've heard that Diamond Legionnaires don metal armor from head to toe and hold massive battle axes, which they can swing around easily with just one hand."

Sion spoke with grave import, whereas Mia listened with dreamy fascination.

They... They sound so strong! My!

In general, Mia had a positive impression of big men. Based on previous experiences — the head chef and Dion's vice-captain, for example — for whatever reason, she got along well with them.

I wonder if I can recruit a few of them into my Princess Guard...

"The damage they will do... By the sun, the fallout will be unimaginable."

The revolutionaries were still citizens. They were Remno's own people, who had risen up because they could no longer endure the heavy burden of taxes imposed upon them. The king, however, had chosen suppression. And not only that, but suppression through the most brutal of means — violent, overwhelming military power. It was a fact that did not sit well with Sion, who felt his stomach roil in anger at Remno's reigning ruler.

Yes, in order to uphold the sovereignty of a monarch, rebellions must be quelled swiftly and sternly. He understood that. Yes, in order to minimize casualties to the army, overwhelming the enemy in power and numbers was necessary. He understood that as well. But there was a limit to these things. There had to be.

The Diamond Legion was a military force of the highest caliber. They were a weapon of mass destruction, and this destructive potential should be directed outwards against the trained armies of foreign kingdoms. Moreover, assuming he remembered correctly, this was their maiden campaign, and morale would doubtless be high. An elite squadron seeing action for the first time was going to be hungry for glory. And blood.

He looked at Mia, perplexed by the bright smile she continued to wear. How could she, knowing the bloodbath that was taking place, appear entirely unbothered? He gleaned no further insight from her face, so he grudgingly turned the conversation back to the merchant, who — to Sion's great surprise — promptly gave him his answer.

"So, how bad is it? How much damage has been done?"

"None, according to what I've heard."

"...What?"

"Apparently, there hasn't been any actual fighting yet. I mean, they are the Diamond Legion, after all. Diamonds are pricey."

That was all Sion needed to hear to put all the pieces together. He immediately realized what was happening. At the same time, a paralyzing chill of shock and awe ran up his spine.

N-No way... Are you telling me Mia figured all this out already? Is that why she was smiling?

The situation, meanwhile, proceeded in a direction that no one had foreseen.