137-131 Empire, demons, human rights

When we arrived at the War Maiden Holy Knights' training grounds, we were stopped as we were about to quickly unwind our bodies.

''Luciel-kun, today we're going to have a mock battle at the large training ground just down the road.

The moment Catherine smiled and pointed to the large training ground, she had a bad feeling and immediately asked, ''What do you think?

''Well if there are this many people, I think this place should be enough, don't you think? Isn't that wrong?

''A mock battle with this many people would certainly be beneficial. But I think it would be better for your future, Luciel, to experience large-scale commanding.

'I would never command a scale like that, sir?

Even if it was just for free, we had a terrible time in Yenis and the Dwarven Kingdom.

I'm only limited by the small number of people I'm commanding, and even with Lionel in charge, this mock battle didn't appeal to me at all.

More importantly, does that mean the bad feeling is just as true?

While I was thinking about it, Catherine-san started to tell me the truth.

''I knew it was no good.......I don't know where I heard it from yesterday, but if the other Holy Knights and Priest Knights are not in danger of dying as well, they asked former General Lionel to train them as well.

''Don't take it on just because you're asked. I can understand if you're playing against a small group of people, but there's no way you're taking on the entire Order.

While I was surprised that Catherine-san admitted it quite easily, I thought that I would never have the opportunity to lead a battle of this scale in my lifetime, but I didn't feel the need to lead a battle of this scale in the first place.

'I'm sorry to look at you in such a clinging way, but I refuse. As I said yesterday, Lionel is a servant. I ask that you stop seeing him as a slave.

At my unusually strong tone, the War Maiden Holy Knight Squad, including Catherine-san, turned into a surprised expression.

''Assuming we take Catherine-san's feelings to the utmost extent, an all-out war is the biggest concession we can make. I believe that Lionel and the others have leadership and ability on par with Catherine-san, so I think it will raise the overall level. If that satisfies all of the War Maiden Holy Knights, then let's head to the big training ground.

'Very well. I was originally going to let you feel Lord Lionel's command, Luciel-kun, but I was also a little too hasty and... well, I'm certainly sorry.

If I'm not going to conduct in the first place, just tell me not to.

I decided to ask Catherine about the command I was wondering about while tsking at her.

''Why did you try to get me to conduct a command of the size of the Order? Do you think the Empire is going to attack us?

If it's called a war, I can understand the impatience.

Catherine hasn't returned to actual combat, maybe because she's a blank, so I can guess that she wanted to split the unit in two here and see Catherine fight Lionel.

''Of course the Empire is wary, but it's the demon race that we are most wary of. And Luciel-kun. This is for your own good, too.

I can't say for sure since I've never encountered the demon race, but I'm sure it feels more troublesome than the Empire. But the resurrection of the Demon King should be about forty years away.

I'm not sure if the problem is that I can't imagine the future when I'm in charge of the troops.

''I understand that the possibility of fighting the demon race means you'll be fighting a lot of people and gaining experience in combat, but why do I need to study command?''

That's because you, Luciel, can be the hope of the people.

Is that what people want?

...You don't realize what you've been doing to be hopeful, do you? Oh, could it be that they built a school?

Or maybe they've gained ground with a recovery spell called Holy Change?

I wait for Catherine's words.

''Yes. With Luciel-kun's recovery magic and warding magic, I can see myself not dying. If Luciel-kun can use those two magics to create an evergreen army, morale will be high.

'Isn't that all you need to do if I'm in that corps without commanding it?

Even if I don't lead an evergreen army, I don't want to lead a troop, considering running away if I must join the army as a healer.

''Normally, that would be fine. But not from the point of view of someone who can't fight. Weak people need charisma. A demon king is a brave man, an evil enemy is a hero. Luciel, you've already earned your title as a hero.

Is your title maybe... a grade S healer?

'Yes. It's a big deal to be on the side of the people, reviewing the pricing system for healers, being the first human to represent Yenis, and being a dragon slayer.

No good thing has come out of being an S-class healer... not that I can't lament it, but I just wonder why the Pope's involvement in this is so thinly veiled?

For that matter, how do the residents even know about the dragon slayer and the representative of Yenis?

How did you know about the Dragonslayer and the Yenis representative?

''The Pope has given his pardon, and it's well known in the Healers Guild that Luciel-kun is a dragon slayer. Well, even in the Adventurers Guild, the story was circulating for a while, so it was originally widespread.

Where the hell is my peace of mind?

I'm going to live in seclusion.

'Hmmm. Do you really think you can do that?

I squeeze out my voice, surprised that Catherine, who laughs bewitchingly, looks at me with the way she says the things she contains.

'Can't?'

''Not until the threat of the Demon King is gone. No matter where you try to hide, if they search for you all at once and find you, you'll have to train at the church headquarters.

Don't I have human rights?

''I have. For what it's worth, you also released the seal of the earth dragon to the fire dragon, right? It's been a long time since I've seen the Pope's happy face. Thank you, Mr. Luciel.

"...it all happened. And that's not an answer.

"Your human rights will be protected as long as you face your fate. I hope you're like Lord Leinster, with all the obstacles you've faced, but you'll overcome them. Let's go.

I was grabbed by the arm and brought to the large training ground where all the knights were waiting in formation.

This is how I... we began our days of repeated mock battles with the knights.