The Opportunist in Crisis (1)
Take 1. Near the Rilke City Walls (Day/Outside). The back view of a traveller looking at the claw marks of a monster on the city walls and the stone bridge under reconstruction.
Spearman Raul: "(Inner thoughts) Is it the same here? Things are getting worse and worse. Not much money left… tsk."
Raul spurs his horse and is about to leave, but suddenly stops. He approaches the site outside the city walls where a monster's carcass is being butchered and inspects the wounds on its skin.
Spearman Raul: "They've been aiming for vital points using a sword like the knights do. A skilled swordsman. But it's rare to find a madman who wields weapons so recklessly. This person must be someone who used to work as a butcher on the market. That crude executioner-like technique… reminds me of someone…"
After a long pause, he mutters to himself.
Spearman Raul: "Come to think of it, I heard the funeral was held in Sinistra."
Take 2. Streets of Sinistra (Day/Outside). Spearman Raul, who has visited Sinistra, investigates the commotion that happened recently while looking at the street under renovation.
Citizen 1: "Haven't you heard? Something big happened here. See that spot? It used to be a family-run inn, but there was a huge fire, and now they're rebuilding it…"
Take 3. Sinistra Square (Day/Outside). After finishing his investigation into the disturbance caused by something foul, Spearman Raul walks towards the square.
Spearman Raul: "(Inner thoughts) The First Field Army is already a lost cause, and if the second wave of calamity hits, we're going to be in real trouble. I really should be preparing for exile—"
At that moment, a young priest approaches.
Priest 1: "Brother, there's someone here to see you."
Spearman Raul: "(Inner thoughts) Damn it, I shouldn't have come! I should have stayed away!"
The archbishop, Butier, greets Spearman Raul.
Archbishop Butier: "Sir Raul, the opportunity you seek is not where you expect it to be."
Main Characters: Spearman Raul, Archbishop Butier
Scenario Clear Condition: [Spearman Raul follows the traces and heads toward El Dante.]
'The main author is actively working on this one.'
It seems like the first companion I'll be joining forces with is this Raul character.
How should I put it? From what I glimpsed in Natalie's journal, there's a lazy side to him that carries through into the text as well.
From just the scenario notes, it's hard to tell whether Butier has fully revealed the connection between Leonardo and Leovald, or if it's just a subtle hint that led Raul toward El Dante.
It will probably take about a week, or just under, for Raul to travel from Rilke to Sinistra and then turn his horse toward El Dante without any interruptions.
"I should prepare a welcome…"
It would be good to ask Leonardo about Raul's background and gather some information ahead of time.
That night, after the knights' training was over, I deliberately hung around Leonardo's area, and as expected, he quickly noticed. With a faint smile on his face, he asked me.
"Is there something you want to talk about?"
"Hmm, since the training started, you seem to have a certain glow on your face. I guess getting some exercise really helps with clearing your mind, huh?"
"We're still just trainee knights, so there's not much to teach or be taught. But I do like that I can move more actively than before."
Looking at Leonardo, who seemed full of energy, I suddenly took his hand, gently wrapping my fingers around his wrist and pressing the convex part of his palm while muttering softly.
"Is it because you've been using the wooden sword lately? Your hands seem a bit rough. Did you get a splinter or something?"
"It seems like wooden swords break pretty easily."
The reason the wooden swords break so easily probably has something to do with his habit of handling the sword so recklessly…
"Come here."
The only thing Leonardo had ever asked me to be careful about regarding his body was his hands. After becoming aware of that, I paid extra attention to them, sitting him down and wetting a towel with warm water to wrap around his hands.
Stage lighting can make even small wrinkles or imperfections stand out, so I remembered my senior from the drama club telling me to take care of my skin.
Following the advice I received back then, I applied steam to soften his skin and rubbed in some balm. The balm was one of the supplies that Celestina had recently brought along with her provisions, which seemed to include things like tea leaves and oils.
It looked like she was bringing along things of value from her own collection, and, being a noble lady, she had plenty of things like tea leaves, oils, and picture books. When it came to that part, she still seemed like a fourteen-year-old.
Hmm, Leonardo's hand was smooth. It wasn't a creamy texture; maybe I had failed to measure it properly. Seeing his hand, which looked like it had been dunked into a jar of sticky honey, I awkwardly smiled.
"Doesn't it sting?"
As I spoke and lifted my head, I met Leonardo's gaze directly. He paused for a brief moment before, with his smooth, balm-coated hand, he suddenly grabbed mine.
"It's slippery."
Our hands touched, and the warmth from the smooth, slippery contact made the air between us feel lukewarm. I could feel the sensation of the pressure as golden droplets of the balm trickled toward my wrist, almost wetting my sleeve, before quickly wiping it away.
I laughed, saying it tickled, and Leonardo, as expected, seemed quite ticklish, moving his fingers playfully. From the palm of his hand to my side, and gradually lower.
"Stop, stop."
I panted out, trying to stop him, and only then did Leonardo pause and stop playing. He used to be so stiff and serious, but lately, he was even playful like this. With this level of closeness, even if a new supporting character were to appear, there would still be a place for me in the role Leonardo gives me…
I straightened my lips, which had curled up in a smile, and finally returned to the original topic.
"Still, you called for the recruits to teach them, huh? Didn't you put in effort like this when you were a commander?"
"That wasn't my role. And… the way I handle a sword is a bit unconventional, so I'm not exactly suited to be a swordsmanship teacher."
"Right, you were all about practical experience."
"I don't have much to teach them, so I'm making up for their lack of real-world experience through sparring. Back when I was in the First Field Army, we often sparred as a way to loosen up. When you keep bumping into someone, you start to learn their habits and movements."
Ah, the First Field Army days. I listened intently, showing interest, and Leonardo continued with his explanation.
"Eventually, when I encountered those familiar movements on the battlefield, I could notice the subtle differences and distinguish them. It helped with survival, so it became a bit of a tradition."
So, if you can't distinguish someone by their appearance or personality, you just clash swords to figure it out?
That makes sense, especially if we think about why Raul, seeing the marks on the beast's carcass left by Leonardo in Rilke, would have read Leovald's trace from it.
"Of course, it's better hearing it from your own mouth than just relying on rumours or information. Tell me more."
As I prodded him before bed, Leonardo admitted he wasn't sure where to start. So, I took the lead.
"Then, if you were to reunite with your subordinates now, who do you think would make the situation most complicated?"
Without hesitation, Leonardo answered.
"Natalie. She tends to dig deep into things, so unless there's solid evidence, she'll keep her distance and just observe."
It seems Natalie really was one of Leovald's subordinates after all.
"Then who would be difficult to convince?"
"Raul."
"Why?"
"He's the type to keep his distance, so he'd likely pretend he didn't hear anything. Once he senses something off, I wouldn't be surprised if he runs without a second thought."
…Is he really one of his subordinates?
Well, I can understand it. Being caught up in massive stories about soul swapping, the dead coming back to life, or defying kings isn't exactly something anyone would want to get involved in. I wouldn't have intervened recklessly either if my life weren't on the line in the early stages, so I get that it's a very human reaction.
But still, in a fantasy kingdom story, aren't strong bonds between comrades and unshakable loyalty in military relationships supposed to be the foundation?
For a moment, I worried that maybe Leonardo, being young and a mercenary-turned-commander, couldn't maintain strict discipline among his direct subordinates.
Recalling the earlier mention of some resistance he faced in the early days of his command, the worry resurfaced. Back then, he could silence the complaints with his skills, but now he's using Leonardo's body as a vessel and, as he himself admitted, his current form is far from as capable as his original one.
It seems like there might be a shift in the power structure among the subordinate knights.
Right now, Leonardo is balancing the training of the novice knights in Ertinez Castle, handling the young recruits while also working on his own training, maintaining harmony. But imagining the possibility of an insurrection sends a chill down my spine.
No, this won't do. I have to help him.
'He mentioned being short on travel funds, right? And since Natalie mentioned a pursuit squad in her journal, it's clear that revealing his identity would be problematic.'
This is also a chance to boost both his standing and my own
[
'Are you excited too?'
***
A week later.
Finally, I met Raul, the spearmaster and former ally of Leovald.
"Boss, how should we handle this?"
It was a bit of a tricky situation.
[The
'Um…'
I intended to present myself as a moderately powerful information broker, but I ended up looking like a full-fledged back-alley mastermind.
Despite the thrill and excitement I felt instinctively, I was worried.
Could this lead to some serious misunderstandings?