Fun Territory Defense of the Easy-Going Lord

【Talga】

“L-Lord Stradale…”

I called out the name of the Knight Commander of the Marquis’s forces, the man I now relied on most. In that rain of debris… could he be gone?

That thought flashed through my mind, but immediately I heard the sound of a horse galloping towards me.

“Lord Talga! Are you alright!?”

It was Stradale, appearing and shouting in a loud voice. He was not completely unscathed; his helmet was off, and a thin line of blood ran down his forehead. However, all his limbs were intact, and his eyes were full of vitality.

“I-I’m fine,” I replied, sitting up. Since my right arm was numb and useless, I pressed my left palm into the ground and somehow managed to stand. Stradale confirmed my condition, nodded silently, and then glanced in the direction of the Earth Dragon as if looking into the distance.

“…At this point, do we fight until death? Or do we choose retreat, betting on a one-in-ten-thousand chance? Which do you prefer?”

At his words, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“H-hahahaha…! Preference, you ask? If forced to choose, I would fight, risking my life to protect the Kingdom, as a knight should. If only I could spectacularly cut off the Dragon’s head and achieve fame as a Dragon Slayer.”

What am I saying, when I can’t even raise my right hand? I swore at myself while speaking lightly. Stradale smiled faintly and tucked his chin down.

“…What a coincidence. An old subordinate of mine also achieved a Dragon Slaying feat… I was just hoping to compete with him. Would you assist me?”

“Oh, naturally.”

I replied with a laugh and turned back toward the Earth Dragon, ready to begin my incantation. I no longer had the energy to move around, cautious of cannon fire. All I could do was fire every spell I had and focus the Dragon’s attention on myself.

Come on, I shall die gloriously.

I thought this, lifting the corner of my mouth as I saw Stradale preparing his sword in my peripheral vision.

The next moment, two tall knights rushed past me with the speed of the wind.

“Wha—”

I couldn’t utter anything but that surprised sound. The silly thought, I just saw knights taller than myself for the first time, floated into my head.

Forgetting my magical incantation, I stared blankly at the backs of the knights as they rushed toward the Earth Dragon, whose upper body was exposed atop the stone wall. The two knights, running at terrifying speed, kicked off the ground just before hitting the wall and jumped. They scrambled up the stone wall with superhuman movement and immediately swung their swords.

The Dragon’s ear-splitting shriek resonated, and a massive amount of blood dyed the sky red.

The knight on the right severed the Dragon’s foreleg that was hooked over the stone wall with a single strike. The knight on the left, meanwhile, managed to slash part of the Dragon’s upper and lower jaw.

It was a strike that defied human physical strength.

Stradale, who was watching nearby, seemed to feel the same. His eyes wide, he stared at the scene unfolding before him.

But that wasn’t the end of it. Immediately after, the sound of the air vibrating and something slicing through the wind rang out simultaneously, and the Earth Dragon’s body convulsed.

“W-what…”

I heard Stradale’s bewildered voice, but since I didn’t understand what was happening, I couldn’t answer him.

While this was happening, the Earth Dragon reared back and fell backward. I strained my eyes, trying to grasp the situation, and saw a black spot on the stone wall. It hadn’t been there before, but perhaps that was a hole.

“…Could it be that something penetrated the stone wall and then pierced the Earth Dragon’s body on the other side?”

I couldn’t believe it even as I said it, but the theory fit the facts. My mind was in a state of confusion, unable to process everything clearly. I seemed to recall hearing about arrows that could penetrate Dragon scales somewhere…

Just then, a lighthearted, child’s voice reached us.

“Is everyone alriiiight!?”

He seemed to be shouting from quite a distance, but the voice resonated strangely. I turned back and saw several horses and carriages of odd shapes in the rear.

In the coachman’s seat of the leading carriage were a knight clad in splendid armor and two children. When I saw the silver-haired child sitting in the center, I finally recalled the rumors.

The youngest son of the Fertio Marquis family, a prodigy who received a noble title despite being less than ten years old. I had heard he continued to achieve combat merits and results that seemed unbelievable…

“You all look unharmed! I’m glad we made it in time! For now, please get into this carriage!”

The boy who stopped the carriage beside us looked relieved and smiled. It was an expression completely inappropriate for a battlefield, yet it strangely didn’t feel out of place.

“…I am grateful. You are Baron Van Nei Fertio, correct?”

“Yes. I am Van. Well, introductions can wait! For now, two of you can fit in this carriage. There might be artillery fire, so hurry up and get in.”

“M-my apologies.”

Indeed, I was being too leisurely. I bowed and climbed into the carriage. It was a large carriage, but I was more surprised by its strange shape. A massive siege-arrow-like weapon was attached to the top, but surely that wasn’t what was used to shoot the Earth Dragon.

Carrying various questions, I stepped inside the carriage. The first thing that caught my eye was a beautiful woman with a determined look. Her figure suggested she was a born soldier. Next was a stunningly beautiful girl, looking out of place, and a maid.

Too many unexpected things had happened in a row, leaving me unable to react properly.

“…Excuse me. I am Talga Brescia, Commander of the Border Knight Order ordered to guard Centena. I thank you for coming to our aid.”

I offered a quick introduction and greeting to everyone. The blonde beauty, sitting with her legs crossed, shrugged her shoulders.

“If this land is not defended, the Kingdom of Scuderia could face ruin. Do not trouble yourself with courtesies… Ah, I am Panamera Carrera Cayenne. I came to assist in the defense as an ally of Baron Van.”

“Viscount Panamera. You are that…”

Hearing Panamera’s name, I couldn’t help but frown. She is a terrifyingly capable individual, an exceptional figure who rose to the rank of Viscount regardless of bloodline. However, I’ve also heard rumors that she shows absolutely no mercy to her enemies.

“…What exactly do you mean by ‘that‘, Lord Talga? I would very much like to hear the full story.”

“Ah, no, I didn’t mean anything by it… Well then, I apologize for the sudden intrusion, but please allow me to join you.”

I stammered an excuse and quietly took an empty seat. The carriage was more spacious inside than it looked from the outside. I sat next to the maid, and even with four people inside, there was still room to spare.

I knew I was larger than average, yet I was sitting comfortably. Stradale is also quite tall, but I figured he would fit without a problem.

Thinking that, I looked toward the door, but Stradale was not there. Instead, the silver-haired boy from earlier appeared.

“I was told to swap places with Commander Stradale,” Van said, entering the carriage with an embarrassed wry smile. He then casually sat between Panamera and the beautiful girl.