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“So the East outer gate began to collapse…” General Aubance remarked as if trying to make himself believe what was happening.

He thanked the messenger soldier and quietly asked him to leave the room. The sound of the door closing echoed loudly in the silent room. It was Imitia Belbed who broke the momentary silence.

“How long do you think the inner gates will last?”
“Two, no, maybe a day.”
“So we don’t have time…” Imitia remarked as she picked up one of the baked sweets on her plate.

The Crusade plans were nowhere near ready. Yet time wasn’t on their side. The Demons were already at Ulbdor’s gates. Silence fell once more, but this time didn’t last long and was broken by a slight rumbling.

“It’s done…”

The door was kicked open, and the city chief, Elvaro, entered the room noisily with an enormous amount of papers under his arm. He dumped everything on the table with a resentful look. General Aubance, who noticed Elvaro’s displeasure, gave a sarcastically good-natured smile.

“So you can do it. I’m fond of capable individuals.”
“Since you don’t hate me then I’d love it if you could put in a good word for me with the Emperor,” Elvaro spoke in a slightly rough manner.

He threw himself onto the couch and directly reached for the water jug on the table.

“So you know, everything here was put together solely by me. General Aubance, you are solely responsible for any holes that may occur.”
“Very well. You’ve outdone yourself.” Aubance said.

After clearing his throat, he began to rummage through the papers on the table.

The ship’s route, the number of guards, the list of citizens and conscripts on board, and other details were all listed there. It was hard to believe that this was put together in just six hours.

Given the good mood he was in, General Aubance found it right to give Elvaro a small compliment.

“It seems the preliminary preparations are done… So, when do we leave?” Imitia, who was bored reading one of the documents, muttered as she put it back on the table.

General Aubance answered after affirming her comment with a nod. “Tomorrow at noon. That’s when the Crusade will commence with the Angel at its front.”

◇◇◇

As night fell, all the ship’s cargo had been unloaded.

By the side of the ship, the members of the Belbed Caravan were holding a banquet with lanterns, bottles of wine, and great food. Light orbs shone with magic, cheerful magic echoed, and the constant dancing made it seem like a small festival.

Seletina sat on top of a small overturned liquor barrel, drinking warm wine poured into a goblet.

“Your crew is always so lively and warm.”

Seletina remarked, her beautiful profile seemingly even more bewitching than usual, perhaps thanks to the fire glowing brightly, or perhaps because of the red hue on her cheeks from the alcohol. Imitia, sitting next to her, gazed at her profile for a moment, then drank her wine as if to shake off her impure thoughts.

“They sure are. This is the most precious place for me in the entire world.”
“Do you party like this every night?”
“No. It’s usually like this when we’re leaving a city. We call it ‘the night before setting sail,’ but it’s simply just an excuse to drink.”
“Haha. What a wild place, it’s just like you.”

Seletina laughed quietly and put her mouth on the goblet.

Seletina’s manners were feminine and graceful, a stark contrast from the time she and Imitia had drank together in Seletina’s previous life. This was a truly strange sensation for Imitia.

“Did you tell them you’d be joining me in the Crusade?”
“No, I haven’t. I only told Remilia.”
“Why?”
“It just wouldn’t be right, you know.”
“Wouldn’t be right?”
“I… No, both of us will come back alive. Telling them is pointless because we will return to the ship anyway.”

Seletina assumed that this was likely Imitia’s way of showing her resolve. By leaving a regret behind, her desire to return would be much stronger. Seletina and Imitia would fight until the very end. Until the moment when all was consumed by evil and Ulbdor was dyed black.

Their odds of survival were close to zero. Nevertheless, both of them had a place to go back to. They had people waiting for their return.

Seletina gazed idly at the Belbed Caravan’s members. She couldn’t help but remember her family in the Aldelight estate. A family which she’d never had in her previous life. They’d all be waiting for Seletina to return home safe and sound so that they could welcome her warmly. Seletina couldn’t die. An unshakable determination filled her deep-blue eyes.

“Don’t make such a scary face.” Imitia teased.

Seletina looked at Imitia as she tilted her head and laid her gray hair on Seletina’s tiny shoulder.

“I’ll protect you,” Imitia said, but Seletina couldn’t see her face. Yet from the seriousness of her voice, Seletina understood that Imitia had steeled her resolve.

“Let’s get out of here alive, together.” Seletina said, looking forward at the flickering bonfire.