The Duke's Passion

828  Tactician

The warriors fled the plaza without stopping at the loud explosions erupting here and there. Even if they wanted to, they had to grit their teeth and move forward. The longer they were around the area, the more they had to burden Lilou and Rufus since those two had to assist Claude. Acheron kept attacking them for reasons none of them didn't know. So, they had to run as fast as possible even if their heart would skip a beat from time to time. Thanks to Lilou and Rufus' help and also Claude's, the warriors soon found themselves entering an estate. The entire capital was in shambles, but ironically, the private estate they cross was left untouched. No one also followed them, but the warriors didn't have the leisure to find out the reason for that. Inside the mansion, those abled barely had time to breathe. Even though Claude protected them, many of them inflicted injuries in the Colosseum. Those who carried the injured searched for medicines while others had to prepare foods to fill their stomach. Fortunately, the medicines in the mansion and food storage were abundant. They didn't have to turn the mansion upside down, working as a team and moving efficiently. Claude watched everything unfold as they all agreed to stay in the mansion's lobby as their infirmary. Some of them prepared some soup they could easily cook, while others tended to the injuries of others. These warriors were so used to inflicting injuries that they earned the skill of tending to them in the most efficient and effective way. "Here, have some soup and bread. It will help speed up your recovery." A warrior handed another colleague a bowl of soup and a break.

"Thanks," expressed the latter, accepting the food, only to pass it to his patient. "Eat. Even if you do not have the appetite, eat till its last drop."

"How about you?"

"Don't worry about him." The warrior who handed the soup reassured the patient. "We made a lot of soup for everyone. The injured are the priority."

"That's right. We will all eat, especially since we still have to go and save those people stuck outside," the medic knight nodded in agreement, tapping the injured warrior's shoulder. "Eat well, brother."

The injured warrior smiled subtly, nodding. "Yes."

That wasn't the only scenario Claude had been watching unfold. There were many more, and it left him in awe. These warriors were amazing and their unity was something anyone would commend. But then again, these warriors had been imprisoned in the Colosseum and shared the same fate for years. If there was anyone who could understand a warrior's heart, that would be another warrior from the Colosseum. Their connections were much deeper than they appeared on the surface.

Soon, everyone was just eating in silence, finding their spot on the floor. Meanwhile, Claude stayed on the corner. His back was resting against it, arms folded under his chest. 'With this number… I don't think we can save as many people as we can," Claude thought, dwelling on the most important thing right now. He had counted the warriors who could come out with him to rescue those people Lilou had been talking about. Many warriors were injured in the Colosseum; their numbers were more compared to those who could still go on an emergency mission. Even though all the warriors were capable fighters, they were already exhausted. Just watching them from the corner was enough for Claude to see and feel their exhaustion. If not for the fact that their adrenaline was still hot in their veins, they would've fallen asleep. Moreover, they were thirsty and starving. Most of them even downed the bowl of soup in one go. 'Even if they were determined, that is just sending them to their deaths.' Claude's expression turned grim, thinking more and more about the situation outside and the warriors' welfare. Claude was an earl with one of the strongest strongholds in the Heart's Empire. His military power and the knights under him brought fear to everyone who would hear about them. It was also known that the Earl of Monarey's knighthood brigade could compare to the Emperor's (Rufus) elite royal knights. In other words, handling people in a battle was something Claude was so familiar with. The intense training in North Monarey under Klaus was one thing. What truly led their brigade to that height was that Claude was a strategic tactician. He was a genius on the battlefield, and his cleverness gained all of his knight's trust. Therefore, they knew that even if they would die on the battlefield, their deaths wouldn't be in vain.

'In vain…' Claude whispered in his head, thinking how he loathed such a word. '... they will all die in vain. That I am certain of.'

Lilou probably knew that as well. That was why she asked Claude a favor, trusting that Claude could decide on his own.

'They're not my subjects and I shouldn't do more than I already did,' he told himself, squeezing his arm before he loosened it. 'However, if she's doing more than what was necessary, she wouldn't stop until she reached her goal.'

Right now, they were in the Spade Kingdom. What would happen in here was none of their business, since their initial plan was to end Zero. However, Lilou already decided. Knowing her, even Samael wouldn't bend her. "Hmm…" Claude narrowed his eyes, thinking deeply about it. His eyes glossed over everyone, tapping his fingers against his arms. After a moment, he raised a brow and snapped his eyes at the open entrance of the mansion. 'Right… how did I not think of that?' the corner of his lips stretched into a smirk, peeling his back from the wall. "Attention, men!" he cleared his throat, speaking casually without raising his voice. The warriors immediately set their eyes in his direction.

"Are we going now?" blurted out a knight who was supposed to assist Claude in the rescue mission. "No." Claude shook his head. "I decided to go out alone."

***** Author's Note: n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Author was not feeling well the past few days, so I rested. Hoping that you all are having a good day :)