Eclipse - Special Operations in Another World

Episode 8

Losing him was blue like I'd never known

Missing him was dark grey all alone

Forgetting him was like trying to know someone you never met

But loving him was red

(Re-e-e-ed, re-e-e-ed)

(Re-e-e-ed, re-e-e-ed)

Loving him was red

In an uncanny voice as if imitating Taylor Swift, Muse and I sang. Of course, this caused laughter for the others.

Muse exhaled a long breath before exclaiming.

"Ohhh! Current club K-on[K-on = Abbreviation of Keiongaku which means light music or pop music. Who ever watched K-on anime would have known.] We performed at the school festival, our performance was really chaotic to the point that I felt the audience wanted to throw us tomatoes! Isn't that right, Wand?"

I answered my childhood friend with a sneer, while recalling our very pleasant High School days. The chairman of the light music club asked us to come to the show because they were short of members. I told him not to make Muse a vocalist but he didn't listen to me, and while on stage I also had to double as a backup vocalist because Muse often forgot the lyrics, causing me to skip some notes. Well, at least not a very messy mess.

After wandering through the Tenebris Forest for approximately a few days, we finally arrived at our destination: the capital of the Kingdom of Finia, New Verdannia.

Jeanne said, this city was only established 8 years ago and since then has become one of the business centers in the southern Uressea Continent. The name New Verdannia comes from the name of a Duchy that collapsed during the Ten Years' War. When I asked her about this Duchy, she just kept quiet and smiled sadly. Maybe it has something to do with his past.

Like other medieval cities, New Verdannia was surrounded by thick high walls, complete with cannons and balistas.

"Well! Good job, now we're stuck in traffic."

I understand why Muse grumbled again. We were stuck in a long queue when we were about to enter the city.

"Shut up, Yankee!"

Blade's cry made Muse snort in annoyance. I used my binoculars to see what was happening in front. Right in front of the city gate was a group of guards in knight uniforms ransacking the contents of the carts and carriages that wanted to enter there. Travelers and adventurers also receive the same treatment. Even after undergoing the examination, some of them were also told to fill out forms.

"Is the examination really that old?" If it was, it seemed like the guard troops would need to change their strategy.

"I don't know.it's the first time her guard has been this tight," Jeanne's reply left me a little surprised.

We waited a long time, maybe 3 hours. Drinking water stamped my pack almost finished I drink. The heat of the sun makes me thirsty.

Finally we got to the front of the gate, and without a second thought one of the guards stopped us. Unlike the other guards, he had ears and a tail like a lion. His stature was high and big, even surpassing the height of Blade who was the tallest person in our group. A brown mane covered her face that resembled a human. It also has a yellow right eye while its left eye is covered by a blindfold, adding to the spooky impression.

Jeanne directly snapped at him.

"Leon, what's going on?! Why are you stopping people from entering the city?"

I'm surprised a sweet girl like Jeanne has such a strong leadership aura. After he recognized Jeanne's face, the guard named Leon immediately bowed respectfully.

"Please excuse me, Captain Pitts! This is the direct order of Princess Tiara and Commander Montez as a follow-up to the smuggling of drugs into the increasingly volatile city. Because it's-"

A guard's scream distracts us.

"Oi! Stop her!"

A man tries to escape from a guard. When the man ran past me, I immediately grabbed him. He stumbled to the ground before the guards chasing him dropped his body on top of the man.

"Catch you!"

"I-I'm innocent! I didn't bring any prohibited items!"

The man continued to thrash and fight, even though a guard was sitting on his back. Free he said that after another guard, a young man who had the ears and tail of a dog reached into the entire contents of the man's clothes, including his underwear before the others tied the man's hands.

"Yes! Say it in front of the judge later!"

After the other guard dragged the man away, the half-dog guard sniffed a bottle he got from the man's underwear and showed it to Leon.

"Knight De Rais...Opium," Leon opened the bottle and took out the contents. A large tablet-shaped object wrapped neatly with paper. "It seems to be produced illegally. There's no stamp or clearance on this bottle."

The lion-eared man put the opium tablet back in and handed the bottle to the half-dog boy.

"Alright, good job, Squire Wilbur! Leave evidence to the investigation division. Let them take care of the rest."

"Come it!"

The young man looked down respectfully before running and disappearing into the city gate. Leon sighed and looked at Jeanne.

"You see, Captain?"

He looked at Blade, me, and Muse suspiciously.

"And those suspicious people..do they have identities?"

I was tense for a moment. We did not carry any identification tags, including the dog tags we took off while on the plane. That's so that if we die, our bodies must be unidentified.

"Me and Inspector Lightheart guarantee the identity of the three of them" Jeanne replied firmly. "They'll be with us for a while. They also want to see the Princess. It's important."

Leon nodded.

"I understand, but we have to keep checking their luggage. Sorry, it's standard procedure."

"Alright," Blade immediately handed Leon his backpack. "Just do it."

"Thank you for the cooperation."

Some guards then open your bag and check the contents. I watched them so as not to damage my luggage.

I glanced at the Muse. Looks like one of the guards found something in Muse's vest pocket. It was a small bottle containing dozens of tablets. The guard tried to open it, but it seemed like he had a hard time before finally giving up. With a breath he asked.

"What's it all about?"

"Ripped Fuel[ Ripped Fuel = Product name caffeine-containing stimulants. Prohibited by the American military, but often used, especially during the Iraq War.]. It's not dangerous."

The guard nodded and returned it. Muse just heaved a sigh of relief and walked away.

"Yes," Muse lied. It's better that way to make matters faster.

Meanwhile, the other gatekeeper pointed at the holster on Blade's thigh.

"What's that on your thigh?"

"Ohh," Blade pulled out his USP pistol from the holster and showed it to the guard. "Flintlocks."

Technically, he's not lying....

They then told us to write our names in a notebook. Of course, the three of us wrote false names. My coach once said, if I tell anyone else my real name, I've failed the mission

"Kohei Hirasawa, huh?" Blade asked in a half-mockery tone.

"Uhum. Captain himself?"

"Chuck Norris."

I could only look at him in surprise. The Captain stared at the Muse who lowered his head while putting his hand into the pouch.

"What about you, Muse?"

Muse's prickly smile is becoming more and more.

"Uvuvwevwe Onyetenyewe Ugwemubwem Ossas."

The two of us were only speechless a thousand languages until the city guards gave us permission to enter.

After a few steps through the gate, I could see the contents of the New Verdannia city hidden behind the walls.

I was fascinated by the beauty of this city. Many of the buildings have magnificent architecture of the Renaissance era. The parks here also add a fresh impression to the city. Jeanne and Elisha drove us downtown.

I can see the city more clearly than ever. More and more attractive buildings stand firm. Even though it's a densely populated city, I barely smell the air pollution here. It is very different from Tokyo. It was truly like a royal capital in a fantasy world. My foot on the stone road wanted to run around the city.

Maybe I'm a little childish, but it's because it's my first time to a place like this.

While we were walking, we crossed a canal through a bridge. I saw several Humanoid beings of various races walking around here and there. At the edge of the canal I saw a lizard-man fishing with an Elf and a human beside him.

"Is every city like this a sight? I mean, does every town give way to all Humanoid beings?"

Jeanne answered my question at length.

"Not everyone. Only the cities in the Kingdom of Finia alone accepted all kinds of races. It was all because our king, the Starting Richard hated racism and claimed that this country was built by different races of living beings. Therefore, many races that were rejected in other countries were accepted here."

Muse also seemed to be fascinated when we saw a large beautiful park in the middle of the city.

"Your king must be a good man huh?"

Elisha nodded proudly.

"really. That's why everyone respects him. He also made rules that guaranteed freedom of opinion, forbade slavery, and limited the power of the nobility. Of course, it caused a civil war for several years. Although he hated war and violence, he was a great general and always tried to shorten the war at all costs."

Good they already know about freedom of speech, so Mamarika does not need to travel around in this country spreading DEMOCRACY and FREEDOM.

Jeanne continued with Elisha's story, I realized their facial expressions had changed to one of gloom.

"But now, His Majesty Richard contracted a strange disease that left him paralyzed and asleep for a long time. Many say he was cursed by the spirits of the monks who were killed during the civil war. Because of this, Princess Tiara, her only child was crowned as the leader of this land."

I nodded slowly.

"I understand."

During the journey, we asked Jeanne and Elisha many questions. They gladly answered. I sorted out the words a little so as not to offend them, given Finia's current unfavorable condition. I asked what the Princess was like, but they insisted we have to see her in person.

We finally arrived at the largest and most magnificent building in the city, which was none other than the palace of the king.

After seeing Jeanne, the guards above the castle gate opened the door for us. It seems, he is quite an influential person even though I don't know his position.

Me and my two colleagues gaped at the corridor. It was like seeing heaven itself. The entire palace was like a glitter, including carpets, walls, and ceilings. Almost in all places there are luxurious decorations that may make the queen of England envious.

Jeanne then led us into a room. There were 2 guards crossing their spears like entrances. They then opened the way for us, although from their expressions I felt they were suspicious of the three of us.

In the room there are very few objects, only a chair at the end of the room and a lot of room decoration. This room is also very quiet. Besides the five of us, there was someone sitting on the chair and two guards standing in between.Yeah, no shit sherlock. This place is the throne room.

Speaking of the person sitting on the throne, she was a girl who was likely the same age as me. It has long white hair that looks like moonlight at night. Those sparkling violet eyes reminded me of my brother. I think after weeks here, I'm starting to miss him.

The girl wore a long white dress like a princess and of course, a crown. Compared to Jeanne and Elisha who were experienced fighters, the girl looked very fragile.

There's no mistaking it, she's Princess Tiara.

We stopped after Jeanne and Elisha stopped a few steps from the throne.

"Welcome home."

While Jeanne and Elisha were kneeling in front of her, we just stood still until Blade gave a cue.

"Ready, move!"

We immediately close our legs and stand upright, as a form of respect for the 'Supreme Commander' of a foreign country.

"I understand.so you will really come here as the prophecy says. I, the Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Finia welcome you! Thank you very much...O knights."

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"The fuck?"