Editing Chronicle Legion:Volume 1 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 4===

On board the ''Tintagel'', a Class A Type 27 destroyer...

This was the newly built military ship that had come under ''her'' management two months ago.

The ship had a total length of 183m and a loaded displacement of 15 thousand tons. Its streamlined body resulted from the application of stealth designs. The anti-air weapon control system, the Evil Eye, was linked to ''her'' through noetic waves and control. The installed fluid reactor that used artificial ectoplasmic fluid not only served as a power source but also enabled the use of mystic powers essential to deploying the giant winged soldiers that were the Legions.

In other words, the functionality of this ship would make it a carrier for the mainstay weapon of the modern era, the Legions.

This ship was named the ''Tintagel'' and belonged to the Far East fleet of the British Imperial Forces&mdash;

"Good morning, my lady. How are you today?" said Sir Grayson, the captain of the ship.

She&mdash;the self-sustaining noetic spirit, the genie Morrigan&mdash;replied by transmitting noetic waves.

(Good morning... Captain. Status... Good. Presently, begin possession.)

Morrigan had transmitted noetic waves to respond to the captain, Sir Grayson.

Holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, Sir Grayson was an elderly gentleman. However, his delayed response did not stem from hearing deterioration.

Humans without noetic aptitude had difficulty hearing the contents of noetic waves.

To handle this problem, Morrigan began the process of ''possession''.

What she possessed was a doll that she used regularly. Sitting on a rocking chair in the <i>Tintagel</i>'s first operations room was a doll of a young girl, roughly 150cm tall&mdash;

The doll's appearance was that of a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, with slightly curly blonde hair reaching shoulder length.

This doll was exquisitely crafted although the excessively pale skin was made of hard porcelain while the blue eyes were glassware. The pink nails were painted using a dye extracted from ''Nitidotellina nitidula'', a type of shellfish.

The skin not only made a sound when tapped lightly but also had blood vessels hidden beneath it.

Plastic blood vessels extended throughout the entire body, filled with ''blue blood'', the artificial ectoplasmic fluid that also served to power Legions. Morrigan infused the liquid with part of her spirit.

(Divide spirit, possession... Success. Awakening imminent.)

The blue blood inside the doll's blood vessels began to flow.

Artificial ectoplasmic fluid, which could also be used to fuel fluid power generation systems, enabled a miracle to occur in this small doll, turning it into Morrigan's avatar.

...Having possessed the doll, Morrigan slowly sat up straight.

Originally hard in texture, her porcelain skin was now as soft as a young maiden's flesh.

However, the joints driven by gears and cranks remained as mechanical constructs, producing sounds of friction when they moved. Tubes filled with blue ectoplasmic fluid and gears could be found all over the body, indicating that this was a temporary life at most.

The doll was dressed in a sailor suit with a skirt plus a beret.

Using the glass eyeballs that were equipped with vision, Morrigan stared at Sir Grayson.

Sir Grayson was a slender white-haired elderly gentleman as well as a naval officer who exemplified the image of a "solemn gentleman."

"So long ago... The last time we met in this manner, Lieutenant Colonel."

"Greetings, my lady. Excuse me for being forward, but I have come to inform you of a certain gentleman who wishes to meet with you. From here on, ''your body'' will be assigned under his command."

Sir Grayson always treated Morrigan with utmost respect.

Sitting on the rocking chair, Morrigan nodded in acknowledgement of his notification, producing a clicking sound from her neck joints.


Sir Grayson brought Morrigan to the deck.

On the destroyer ''Tintagel'', there was a bridge in the center shaped like a "tower." The two of them went behind the tower.

"Thank you for your patience, Prince."

Sir Grayson addressed the figure standing on the edge of the deck.

He was looking out across the surface of the Pacific Ocean.

The ''Tintagel'' was currently sailing within Japan's territorial waters&mdash;Off the coast of the Shima Peninsula, heading east. Continuing along this bearing, it would reach Enshunada, Omaezaki and Suruga Bay.

Japan's airspace and territorial waters were watched over by the sacred beast Lord Tenryuu and the sea dragons and wyverns serving him.

Sailing close to the coast would risk eventual detection, but Morrigan had used noetic control to apply stealth enchantments to the entire ship.

"Please allow me to introduce Morrigan, the genie of this ship. Her appearance as an adorable young girl belies her heroic exploits in defeating pirates with me in the Indian Ocean."

"So she is the one you have specially assigned to serve me..."

The "prince" who turned around to speak was a young man roughly twenty years old.

The young man had silver hair with a handsome face&mdash;No, one ought to call him a splendid specimen of a handsome man. Not only were his facial features exquisite, but his expression was also glowing with astounding ambition and an awe-inspiring vibe.

"Then in that case, I expect a seasoned warrior... However, since we are not at Buckingham Palace or the battlefields of Aquitaine, I am a bit uncomfortable being addressed as 'Prince.'"

The handsome man was dressed as a military officer like Sir Grayson.

His military uniform consisted of a white shirt, a necktie and a pair of black pants. However, the prince also had a black jacket and black cape in addition to that.

Furthermore, there was a long sword hanging at his waist. It was almost like a military uniform for formal occasions.

Perfectly at ease in this magnificent attire, the handsome man pondered for a moment before speaking.
[[image:ChronicleLegion 01 BW03.jpg|thumb]]

"Morrigan, please call me Sir Black Knight."

"Affirmative, Sir Black Knight."

After answering, Morrigan emitted noetic waves.

She connected her mind to the <i>Tintagel</i>'s memory realm, the database, and searched its vast contents. She searched for titles such as "Prince" and "Sir Black Knight" as well as people bearing a resemblance to the young man before her, but came out empty-handed. All information had been classified.

"Unfortunately, my true identity is classified."

The silver-haired Black Knight smiled cheerfully. He had sensed Morrigan's noetic waves.

This meant that he was a noetic master or a Chevalier&mdash;

"I see... You are a knight, is that correct?"

"That goes without saying. Otherwise, why would I call myself the Black Knight?"

"My, apologies."

Morrigan's hearing was normal but she was not good at conversations. As a result, her speech tended to be choppy.

"No need for it to weigh on your mind. I am currently assigned as an observer, so my intention is to get a look at how you and your crew fight, as well as Japan's cultural climate."

Sir Black Knight then turned to the other soldier.

"Grayson, in accordance with your request, I have reassigned two Knights of Her Majesty from England to join us on short notice. Namely, Stevie and Lamps. That should be enough for the landing operation, I suppose?"

Morrigan searched her database again.

This time, the search succeeded. The only Knights of Her Majesty matching these two nicknames were Sir Steven and Sir Lampard. They were both brave warriors who had been awarded the ''Appellation'' of the Knight's Medal of the Great Cross.

In response, Grayson laughed and said rather sardonically, "Much appreciated. However, I must make one correction. In this instance, I simply relayed a request from ''our allies in Japan'' back home. By no means did I make a personal call to&mdash;"

"I see. I spoke too imprudently."

"Now that imprudence is a done deal, I have no objections to Your Highness taking part in battle personally."

"In my own opinion, I would like to do that too, but there are many lords back home who love to engage in petty criticism. Making such a disobedient move before officially assuming my position would have them making allegations of me being 'outdated' or 'medieval'." 

Sir Black Knight smiled wryly.

"Getting lectured after the fact would be quite a nuisance too, so I shall decline on this occasion. Of course, if we happen to encounter Lord Caesar who is currently in Japan, I would not mind enduring that sort of nuisance."

"In other words... You are fine with serving as the strategist for now?"

"Yes. It gives them no grounds to complain."

"...May I, ask a question?"

Morrigan interjected in the conversation between Sir Black Knight and the captain.

"From just now, judging from the conversation, you are ranked higher than both the Knights of Her Majesty and Sir Grayson. You also have intimate ties to, our nation's ruling elite..."

"Yes. Furthermore&mdash;I am your future boss," Sir Black Prince replied rather simply.

"Acknowledged."

"In that case, Morrigan, please bear with me until I take over my position officially. Could you please show the map?"

Morrigan's doll nodded, making metallic friction noises.

From the database, she pulled out visual images of Japan and projected them into the air using noetic waves. A two-dimensional map of the islands of Japan appeared before Sir Black Knight.

"In order for ''the Gifu Fiefdom partnering with us'' to march on the imperial capital of Tokyo, there is one route that must be secured&mdash;Hence, Tōkaidō is our target this time. There are five tutelary forts between Shizuoka and Hakone Checkpoint... Hamamatsu, Kakegawa, Suruga, Fuji, and Nagahama, which we will conquer all at once."

Pointing at five locations on the map, Sir Black Knight issued combat orders.

"Due to ''the trouble at Suruga'', we were forced to hasten our operation by two weeks, though there are no issues apart from that. If everything proceeds according to plan, the operation will be completed without issue."

Soon, they were about to make a landing in Japan in a battle to subjugate Tōkaidō.

After Morrigan used a noetic search for precise details, the sky over the ''Tintagel'' was filled with a vast quantity of ''noesis''.

"So the two of you have arrived?"

As soon as Sir Black Knight spoke, two officers came to join Morrigan and Grayson.

They were the ones who had released the current noesis. Both were strapping young men in their twenties. Wearing jackets and capes with a sword each, they were dressed the same as Sir Black Knight.

These were the two Knights of Her Majesty that Morrigan had searched just now, Sir Steven and Sir Lampard.

"Stevie and Lamps, are you ready to sortie?"

"Certainly, Black Knight."

"Using the Appellation bestowed upon us, we will summon an army to fight on Her Majesty's behalf."

Despite not addressing their superior too formally, they spoke with great affection.

Lightly touching the breast pocket of their respective jackets,  they then opened their palms. A cross-shaped medal, shining brilliantly, appeared over their pockets out of thin air where nothing had been there a moment ago.

This was the Knight's Medal of the Great Cross.

A holy emblem for summoning the British Empire's mainstay Legion, the "Crusade."

Wearing cross medals on their chests, Sir Steven and Sir Lampard looked up at the sky. The noesis filling the air began to manifest into ''a contingent of soldiers.''

Emitting noetic waves, Morrigan swiftly calculated the headcount.

A total of ninety-four. Each Legion stood over eight meters tall and was fully equipped with a white mask and uniform, even armor. An impressive army practically a hundred strong.

Their weapons were rifles fitted with bayonets. Feathered wings adorned their backs.

"Very good. Stevie will attack Fuji while Lamps will march on the tutelary fort at Nagahama... By the way, who is responsible for the most troublesome Suruga?"

"Sir Philneville. He is on the ''Caerleon", not this ship," Morrigan answered Sir Black Night's question.

The ''Caerleon'' and her ''Tintagel'' were destroyers of the same model.

"Sir Terry, also on that ship, is assigned to take Hamamatsu while Sir Ashley is responsible for Kakegawa. By the way, Sir Black Knight, may I ask another question?"

Staring at the handsome man's face, Morrigan asked, "You mentioned previously, you would not mind taking part in battle, if Lord Caesar were to make his presence. How do you, intend to engage Lord Caesar?"

"Very simple, I shall personally head to the forefront and have a duel with the Roman hero," boasted Sir Black Knight nonchalantly.

Behind him, a black Legion slowly manifested.

Its design was very similar to the Crusade except that its uniform and armor were all black. The mask on its face and the wings on its back were also black.

This Legion was precisely the reason why he styled himself as "Sir Black Knight."

"Very few generals are able to match him on the battlefield. Fortunately, I am one of the rare exceptions, hence it would be quite a welcome development I am hoping for."

In command of winged giant soldiers that were not Crusades, the silver-haired aristocrat murmured.

Morrigan finally understood his true identity. The noetic waves linking this black pair of master and servant were far stronger than those of the two Knights of Her Majesty here&mdash;Hundreds of times stronger.

"In that case, your wish is my command... ''legatus legionis''. O hero who has returned from the underworld where the dead are gathered, I, the genie Morrigan, pledge my loyalty to your feats of arms."

The commander of an army, a true Chevalier&mdash;

Listening to these profound titles, Sir Black Knight smiled with pride.
[[image:ChronicleLegion 01 Map3.jpg|thumb]]
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