Chapter 104 - 102 ~ The Calm Before the Storm
"So it has been confird, then... Diethard?"
"Y-Yes... I am... as astounded as I could be to your foresight... I wouldn't have believed it if I did not see it with my own eyes..."
Diethard stood at gunpoint as several black knight mbers aid their rifles right at him. However, though slightly nervous, he was unperturbed by the guns. Instead, he was astonished, excited, and nervous to be in the presence of such an astounding individual with the intelligence on the realm of foresight.
A few weeks ago, Zero had tasked him to spy on Cornelia's army's movent and ascertain their next target. He told the Britannian to especially look for Cornelia's movent in regards to preparing for a sea battle.
At first, Diethard was confused as to why he needed to look out for any britannia army's movent towards the sea. But lo and behold, he was correct.
He had received information that Corenlia's army was preparing for a naval battle and its target was the Port of Yokosuka, where the last remains of the Japan Liberation Front forces were located.
"I see. So it is true that Cornelia had prepared chanized marines to capture General Katase of the Liberation Front?"
"Yes. We're all ready at the network station for a special report on it."
Zero nodded and turned his head ever so slightly towards the rest of the mbers of the Black Knights.
"It is as we all expected. Colonel Todoh will never be able to rendezvous with General Katase. In short, the Japan Liberation Front has no military power at the mont. All they can rely on to fund their escape is the liquid Sakuradite they have."
"Which is why helping General Katase to escape should co before fighting Princess Cornelia-"
"Ohgi-san, who are we?"
Ohgi flinched and caught his tongue as he slowly looked towards the man in the devil's mask, standing beside Karen. The existence synonymous to the strength, power, military might, and sword of the Black Knights, Mordred. The one everyone, including Ohgi himself, respected and favored.
He was normally polite, friendly, and respectful. But this ti, he raised his voice, and his words silenced all that were around him.
Ohgi, who was surprised, felt his voice begin to tremble from the sheer majesty and presence the young man, who was presumably younger than he was, was exuding.
"W-We are the black knights."
Modred nodded, turning his gaze towards Ohgi.
"That's right. We are not the Japan Liberation Front. We do not have the responsibility to save them, nor help them escape at the expense of our own lives."
"But..."
A look of hesitance, nervousness, and conflict began to appear on everyone's expression as they began to look at each other anxiously.
On one hand, they were also afraid of losing their lives in battle. It was the natural sentint anyone would have on the eve of a life and death battle.
But at the sa ti, if the Japan Liberation Front, the last bastion of Japanese military forces, were to fall, then there might be no hope for Japan to regain their lost honor and land.
Karen looked at Mordred in surprise as well. The man who had always been so warm, kind, friendly, and gentle, seed so cold, rciless, and pragmatic... It was as if she was looking at a different person.
But then, Ohgi snapped out of his daze when Mordred placed a hand on his shoulder ever so gently, and the Mordred everyone knew returned.
"That said... I don't an that we should simply abandon the General and the Japan Liberation Front."
"Then what do you..."
Modred glanced at Zero, who nodded to him, and then turned to face all mbers of the black knights before him.
"When Zero, Karen, and I confronted Cornelia, we made a deal with her. Lady down your weapons, act towards peace, or be judged."
A gasp of shock echoed throughout the mbers of the black knights, as well as Diethard, who never heard of such a thing before.
Even with his intelligence network, he had never heard of such a deal between the Black Knights and Cornelia be discussed. He doubted the truth in Mordred's words, at first. But as he began to recall the actions Cornelia took... so things began to click.
Ever since her battle in Narita, Cornelia had begun showing slight signs of wariness and nervousness. Her stand regarding the treatnt of elevens had... sohow softened. And though she brushed it off as ans to strengthen her army after losing so many lives in the battle of Narita, the fact remains.
However... Was Cornelia truly soone who would cower under the threat of a group like the Black Knights? In his eyes, she was soone who would rather die in battle first before bending to her enemies' wishes.
There must be sothing... Sothing more than just that...
Diethard thought in his mind as he continued to watch Mordred closely.
"We told her that the Black Knights simply wish for peace to return to this land, and for its people, our people, to live without the need to worry about stray bullets or hunger. We are not here to kill Britannians. We are here to protect the Japanese. Are we not?"
Ohgi nodded.
"Yes. That's why we should help the General escape-"
"And what will that do, Ohgi-san?"
"..."
Mordred looked towards Ohgi and continued.
"Even if we succeed in helping them escape, the Britannians would simply chase after him again until they succeed. No amount of blood would be enough for such a thing."
"...Then what do we do?"
Ohgi knew, deep inside, that he was simply hanging onto any strand of hope he had for his dream of liberating Japan from Britannian occupation. And the Japan Liberation Front was that strand of hope that he had. So when it was about to disappear, he'd desperately try to protect it, even if it ant putting himself in front of Cornelia's army.
But after hearing Modred's words... reality was finally put into perspective for him.
Even if he were to sacrifice himself to let the Japan Liberation Front escape this ti... He wouldn't be able to do anything if the Britannians were to try again for the second ti, and third ti... until they succeed.
Hopelessness began to fill his heart, as did many other mbers who held the sa belief as him.
But then, Mordred's voice brought them out of the darkness of hopelessness they were consud by once again.
"We deal with the root of the problem."
Mordred turned towards Zero and continued.
"We keep our word to Cornelia. Make her realize that we an every single one of our words, and that we are capable of doing it."
Zero nodded and fluttered his cape as he looked towards the black knights.
"Order of the Black Knights. Began finalizing everything we have prepared for this operation! Show them that we have the conviction and might to return peace to Japan!"
""Yes!""
Peace.
A fantastical, idealistic word that the naive, the foolish, or the desperate cling onto at a ti of war.
But in that mont, that word had returned not only hope into their hearts, but also determination, that now burned brighter than ever.
They were no longer a rebel group who was simply trying to take any crumb of victory over the seemingly never ending army of an invading nation.
They were now the Order of the Black Knights, the group who sought to return peace onto their lands, and fight for it until it was realized.
--------------------------------X--------------------------------
Sunset.
Basked by the orange red light of the afternoon sun, Suzaku stood before a tall, built man with a scar running down from the top of his right eyebrow down to his left cheek. The man, Andreas Darlton, was one of the generals loyal to the Princess, Cornelia.
He was a head taller than him, but commanded a presence much larger than a high school boy like him, even if he was the distinguished and skilled knightmare fra pilot of the Lancelot.
Even if he was not scolding or reprimanding him, Darlton's deep, gruff voice filled with unwavering firmness made the young man stiff with nervousness.
"The viceroy had now begun approving the use of the more useful numbers. And although so might disagree, I personally agree with her opinion. "Use the right people for the right job
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