Kuro no Maou

The First Battalion: led by the Crusaders’ Commander in Chief, Sariel, the 7th Apostle, this army was the first to be deployed to Pandora, and boasted 15,000 men. The soldiers that had been lost at the Battle of Goldran Hill had been since replenished by the reserve troops provided by Cardinal Ars.

The Second Battalion: Deployed under the pretext of reinforcements, this large army had landed on Pandora soon after Sariel and her First Battalion. The majority of troops within this Second Battalion belonged to Cardinal Mercedes who was well known to be in a power struggle against Cardinal Ars.

The Second Battalion had been left in charge of occupying all the territory on Daidalos aside from its capital since that big achievement had clearly gone to the First Battalion and its Commander in Chief. They had achieved this duty quite smoothly, other than their slight hiccup at one Alzas, a backwater village in the west corner.

And finally, the Third Battalion: this army consisted of the combined troops of many of Sinclair’s nobility who were late to deploy, having let Cardinal Mercedes take a step ahead.

So to make things fair this time, the Second Battalion had to let the Third handle the invasion of Daidalos’ neighbor: Spada.

Though their plans had been thus belated due to having to deal with the many isolated incidents caused by Daidalos’ rebel forces.

But the other day, reports had been circulated that thanks to the First Battalion’s Special Forces counter attacking the rebels who had raided Research Institute 4 inside the Medea Ruins, the rebels had suffered a devastating blow and the continuous skirmishes against them had been purged.

Accordingly, the Third Battalion had finally found the time to begin their expedition into Spada. However, winter was soon approaching and many doubted whether it was wise to deploy such a large army during this time.

Many baseless and unfounded rumors circulated in the Daidalos capital, such as, perhaps this was a ploy by the church where they could conveniently diminish the Third Battalion’s forces that were comprised of men provided by the nobility, or perhaps it was that the Earls who led this army were so enchanted by Sariel’s beauty and so wanted to make an impression on the Apostle.

“Idiots... idiots the lot of them...”

Tiredly exhaled a man, a lone, middle aged man.

Daidalos. Inside a newly built Cross Church, made for the benefit of immigrants arriving from Sinclair. However, it was built hurriedly and at a desolate location at the corner of the city, a far cry from the large, robust church erected at the Capital’s center, it was a small and shabby house of worship. This chapel was so poorly made that the early winter winds had already cooled the air inside to a fair degree.

And it was that very same church that this miserable, middle aged man―― one Head Priest Norz, had been left to maintain.

“Argh, Fuck!! If I hadn’t met that Devil in Alzas, I――”

He roared, knowing there to be nobody else present in the small building with him. He kicked one of the wide benches where the pious sat during worship. In spite of the symbol for their White God, the Cross, displayed openly on the altar, this Head Priest couldn’t give a damn about angering God whilst acting on his frustrations.

For a few moments the sound of the bench having been knocked over echoed dryly inside the room. Then came more silence, more miserable silence.

“... Dammit.”

Head Priest Norz was a man who, only 6 months ago, had led an occupation regiment of the Second Battalion. Norz’s regiment had boasted men in the thousands. The command to such a large part of the army had been granted to him due to his many past accomplishments and experience in the field of battle, in other words, his merit.

His occupation of the Daidalos territory had been progressing as smoothly as any other of the deployed regiments. His adjutant, the woman named Sylvia, had a quick tongue and had further hid the incredible fact that she was the 8th Apostle sent to oversee him, but she hadn’t interfered with any of his work. She was very useful in fact.

Everything had been going so well for him. Until that devil appeared, that black-haired devil.

“I didn’t deserve this...”

He had failed. Badly. He had allowed countless numbers of his men die to a mere 100 adventurers, and it was only after receiving aid from the 8th Apostle, Ai, and the 11th Apostle, Misa, that they were able to finally, finally... conquer that small, insignificant village.

He couldn’t avoid having to take responsibility as the commander, and he couldn’t avoid the inevitable demotion.

But it could be said that Norz was a lucky man. The Crusaders had had it easy in their whole invasion but if they hadn’t, he was likely to have been not only removed from his position, but executed as well.

He had gotten off with a mere demotion. Not only that, he still maintained his title as Head Priest and even had a church to run. It was almost as if he had been spared from bearing the sin of losing thousands of his subordinates.

That being said, he couldn’t simply sit idly knowing that he had been shown mercy. No, Norz had a dream. Or rather, he had desire. A desire for a successful career, a desire for fame and fortune. Even though he wasn’t born in nobility, with enough success as a clergyman, he could mete all his desires.

It may sound unseeming for a man of the cloth to hold such strong desire, but many men who were called Priest had similar inner thoughts. In that meaning, Norz was an ordinary man.

And ordinary men didn’t get second chances. Ordinary men had no means to overturn a failure so devastating.

Norz strangely knew. He knew that he’d have to spend the remaining years of his life in that small church far from his homeland. The Crusader Army may in time conquer the whole of Pandora, but his name would be forever removed from those who led to the achievement. He wouldn’t be allowed to be known.

The empty building seemed to represent a prison where he could only rot away.

But that day, someone had opened the door to his desolate cell.

“Helloow there, it’s been too long, Head Priest Norz! How haave you been?”

The shoddy door creaked loudly as a single man entered the dim chapel.

“G-Gregorius-sama!?”

The man had a particularly suspicious tone of speaking as he looked at Norz with sly, narrow eyes like that of a fox. His mannerisms might’ve given the impression that he was an oily swindler but his vestments clearly pointed out his rank as a Bishop of the Cross.

He was unmistakably the man who served as commanding officer of the Second Battalion. Gregorius, the Oracle.

“Myy apologies for visiting ouut of the blue like this, but I figured you muust be bored since practically noo one comes here, aren’t you?”

“It is as you say... and what might you need of me today, lord Bishop?”

His head still low, Norz thought to himself, surely this man hadn’t come to punish him now, it was much too late for that. He was able to remain calm.

He then gained hope. Even if on a whim, this man had the power to free him from his life of idly rotting away. Which also meant that one word from him and he could be at an even worse position. If he didn’t play his cards right here, he might as well be sent to some remote village and be made to play village priest for the new immigrants.

Expectation and dread swirled about in his chest in equal amount. A chest that had gotten thinner along with the rest of his body, likely due to his lack of training in recent months.

“Yees, there’ve been rumors that the Third Battalion will sooon begin their trek to Spada, suurely you know of it?”

“Such rumors have also reached my ears, but are they not simply rumors...?”

In his current station, he had very few means to gather adequate information. With neither aides nor underlings, Norz had fallen beyond low from his once position as commander of thousands of men.

“I seee, it’s goood that you know. To be frank, I’ll be joining the expedition you seee, and I was hoping you’d jooin me――”

“You would have me!?”

“I’m happy to hear your willingness, Head Priest.”

A vile grin creeped up along Gregorius’ cheeks. But to Norz, even that seemed to be the holy smile of a Saint.

I am, and have always been a self made man. And given the opportunity to stand in the battlefield, that is when I can truly―― His hope and ambition skyrocketed.

Which was precisely the reaction the sly Bishop was hoping for.

This was a dubious man. He himself paraded his title of ‘Oracle’, and his appearance in itself was questionable at best. He was a man who didn’t hide his suspicious nature, but flaunted it. He was the man called Gregorius.

“I implore you, Lord Bishop, unworthy as I may be, please allow I, Norz, to serve under you!”

“I shall glaadly. It’s been somewhat hard recruiting personnel you seee, what with the rigor demanded for the mission this time.”

Norz hadn’t been chosen because of merit, but because others had refused to take the job.

But as far as Norz was concerned, it was the last chance he’d get to realize his ambitions. A chance he had even dismissed as nonexistent.

“Well then, Head Priest Norz, I pray I can count on you?”

“Yes, my Lord Bishop! I hereby swear under God that I will bring you the results you desire!”