The next day, I was preparing myself to attend the funeral ceremony of the fallen warriors. I would wear armor again because this was a military funeral procession. Honestly my old armor had already been heavily damaged due to Azkerath's deadly attack.
When I wanted to wear the new armor that had already been prepared in the dressing room, I was very shocked that this was not merely replacing the damaged one. My armor now resembled a The Graendall officer with a strip of blue cloak fabric edged with gold color hanging from the shoulder to the left waist. I was briefly confused whether they had mistakenly placed my clothes here. Suddenly someone knocked and slightly opened my door.
"Heyyy Johann, hurry up! Otherwise I'll leave you behind and you can just walk there hahahaaaa..." Someone said while laughing who seemed to be Grelmure.
"Sir Grelmureee... is this armor really meant to be worn by me? Come in here!"
Grelmure then entered and observed me who was still confused.
"What is it Johann??? Of course that armor is a gift from the commander for you... Just say if you need help putting it on as usual..."
I was rather shocked because Gruzhnil always gave me surprises. I thought this was just another post-victory gift.
Grelmure helped put it on. Even though this armor was still nothing compared to supreme commander-level armor worn by Gruzhnil and David, I preferred wearing ordinary soldier armor because it was not too flashy.
"Are you serious this armor is for me? I haven't even officially taken The Graendall order oath at all..."
"If you take the oath, then Lord David should also do the same. But the Emperor has treated both of you specially since your first arrival here. So you don't need to worry about that, Johann..."
"I'm just afraid that later it will further enlarge the internal problems occurring both within the military order or the government, sir. Do you know during the commander's duel with Sir David in the arena back then several spectators openly supported Sir David who was still very unstable and wanted to finish off the commander? What was your reaction after that?"
Grelmure then stared at me briefly while sighing and smiling.
"Yeah... honestly that was also my concern. Every organizational structure surely has those who dislike that decision and I will not judge others who dislike your presence here which clearly has no bad intentions whatsoever. Regarding that incident, I heard from the Commander that the Emperor summoned those suspected of doing such a thing and gave them a harsh warning. I think the Emperor didn't dismiss them because that would create new hatred again..."
I then fell silent again remembering the Emperor's actions and connecting them with the tragedy on Planet Grohn. Was this done so there would be no hidden defectors within the central government? Surely many imperial officials knew that history and actually this was what made Emperor Gregustus's power begin to become less solid.
After finishing wearing my new armor, we immediately boarded the shuttle aircraft parked beside the palace. Sherubiel and Mendicore also came with me. Several noble families were still observing me but I acted normal and only smiled at them.
"Commander must have gone together with Sir David first, right?" I guessed.
"Yes... you can already guess it. You know the commander now looks like the aide of The Great Lord David. Sooo... now you are becoming my aide too, alright!" Grelmure said while smiling jokingly at me.
I then punched Grelmure's arm gently while showing a sullen face. He only laughed again.
On the aircraft, I saw many who had already departed together with us both on land and in the air. Grelmure told me the ceremony location was in the western region. There it would also be made into the Heroes' Cemetery.
"Approximately how many soldiers fell during the battle back then, sir?"
"Almost reaching 1 million soldiers, Johann. Honestly the reason it could be that many was because of the very deadly magic attack from that demon king. I saw with my own eyes and head many combat vehicles operated by those troops suddenly explode when hit by that magical energy wave..." Grelmure said while immediately showing his traumatized expression.
"W-Wasn't it at that time the Emperor ordered the troops shooting at Azkerath to immediately retreat as far as possible??? Did they not heed his orders???"
"Yeah... that is the strange part. Even Gruzhnil kept shouting through his radio to retreat as far as possible immediately. But very few obeyed his orders. Mendicore said most likely that demon king had already influenced the minds of those troops. But in my opinion when Lord David fought that demon king, several air troops instead advanced again and shot at him without orders from the commander. Indeed many things were strange, but once again, fortunately we are still alive until now." Grelmure said while smiling at me.
I only nodded. Even the reason why I could still survive from inside Azkerath's body still could not be explained by me.
Some time later our aircraft landed. When exiting, what was visible was a vast stretch of grassland. So many people were present and almost all of them wore dark blue clothes. It seemed they were the families of the fallen soldiers. Grelmure and I walked forward. There were already Gruzhnil together with the Emperor, Grishal, Glynpatra and... David.
He only stood silently looking at them. When we arrived, all their eyes immediately focused on me. I glanced at David who was observing me from bottom to top.
"Come here! The event will begin shortly..." Glynpatra said.
I thought they didn't joke around on my new wearing because currently the atmosphere was one of mourning.
Not long afterward, the ceremonial troops entered. The attendees then formed a very long line visible to my right and left. At the very front, there was only one podium which the Emperor then ascended. Those ceremonial troops lined up long on the right and left sides of the Emperor's podium while carrying rifles.
I could see behind the podium was a very vast cemetery stretch. What was unique was the shape of the graves themselves in the form of two swords stuck into the ground crossing each other with a spear standing upright towering toward the sky and near its blade The Graendall flag was tied. A nameplate could be seen attached in the middle of the crossing of the two weapons.
The ceremony procession began with Emperor Gregustus delivering his condolences speech and gratitude that the disaster had passed, then continued with the ceremonial troops firing several shots into the air facing the cemetery and ended by playing instrumental music like a hymn while all the people present bowed their heads until the song ended. There were many floating ball robots displaying screens as the procession took place in front of the line.
After the ceremony ended, the attending family members immediately went to each grave where the names of the fallen soldiers were already present.
Sherubiel and Mendicore waited near podium with Glynpatra. Grelmure and I immediately accompanied Gruzhnil who circled several grave rows and gave condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers. Suddenly at one grave I saw several people who seemed familiar to me. I asked Gruzhnil to go there. When we arrived, they immediately looked toward us. I instantly remembered who they were.
First, a middle-aged man with a bald head and mustache under his nose, he was the meat seller at the grocery shop who back then was less friendly serving me. Second, a middle-aged woman who was the bread and vegetable seller where she gave me more than what I bought for free. Lastly was a young man who was a regular-ranked soldier with his right hand in a cast and hanging and his head wrapped in bandages who apparently had once shouted right in my face when I was first led into the judgment arena.
I never expected they were all one family. Gruzhnil then approached them and gave condolences as well. The middle-aged woman explained that the fallen soldier was their first son. I also explained to Gruzhnil who they were. The woman then approached and hugged me. The father and the young man also approached me and briefly fell silent. Then the father said he had once not acted friendly toward me and apologized. I only smiled and said there was no need to make an issue of it.
Then the young man immediately knelt before me while crying, saying he had been insolent toward me back then and apologizing as well. I forgave him again and asked him to stand immediately because I felt uncomfortable if someone did such a thing.
Gruzhnil only smiled and then said to the young man he promised to give him a promotion after this. Once again the young man cried while saluting him repeatedly.
As I watched it suddenly I remembered something. Where had David gone? I last saw him walking toward the far left side after the ceremony ended.
"Commander, do you know where Sir David went? Earlier I saw him walk toward that far end."
"Ohhh yes... let's go there immediately! Previously The Great Lord David requested a monument like this to be made as well but I was confused because He firstly came here only with you and you are still breathing until now..."
While walking, I was also confused by his behavior. Who exactly was David mourning for? Wait, could it be...
When we arrived, David could be seen standing alone before a grave exactly like the others. But instead of a nameplate attached, there was something like an accessory necklace shaped like a cat.
"Johann, have you ever given a souvenir to The Great Lord David?" Gruzhnil asked.
"Yes. What is it commander?"
"Ohhh no wonder... When you had not yet awakened, Lord David once approached me, showed his necklace and said He wanted another one like this. I was briefly confused and tried asking my subordinates. Long story short we escorted Him to that souvenir place."
I was briefly stunned looking at him. Only then did I understand what he was doing. David then looked toward me and returned to staring at the tombstone again. I immediately approached and stood beside him.
"The family you loved has already rested peacefully, sir..." I said softly.
David only stared toward the grave while briefly closing his eyes and taking a slow breath then he glanced toward me.
"Stay behind me no matter what..." David said.