Fortuitous Encounter in the Game Becomes Reality Episode 22
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Fortuitous Encounter in the Game Becomes Reality Episode 22
7. End of War (2)
Whether the negotiations were going smoothly or not, the Count brought up ending the war, and the next day a ceasefire order was issued to the entire army.
And through the media, it was officially announced that the Kingdom of Reinharts and the Empire of Kreusen were conducting peace negotiations to end the war.
The two countries were busy bragging about their wartime achievements in the mass media day after day, but in reality, it was a fight that ended with both sides suffering losses without gaining anything.
Our side's casualties: 32,203, of which 8,520 were deaths alone.
However, since most of the casualties were soldiers caught up in the battles between the Vanguards and the Sky Fortresses, the leadership of both nations did not particularly mind the human losses.
After all, ordinary soldiers who are commoners are little different from expendable supplies.
The kingdom instead greatly emphasized the loss of Sky Fortresses caused by the Kreusen Empire's suicide attacks and criticized the Empire, citing the taxes that would be consumed for restoration.
[A total of 6 Sky Fortresses were lost in this war! It has been revealed that the restoration costs alone will be close to 80 trillion!]
[The Empire sacrificed 10 of its own Sky Fortresses to sink just 6 of ours. What exactly was the Empire trying to do? That brutish attack merely needlessly increased the scale of damage.]
[An attack method that goes against the times! The suicide Sky Fortress may look like a Sky Fortress, but it is no different from a giant, armored missile of massive weight. The explosion of the mana fusion reactor used in a Sky Castle is powerful, but it is inefficient and only increases collateral damage an incredibly crude weapon.]
[Missiles that arrived with Archduke Lucas and disappeared with Archduke Lucas have now reappeared in a grotesque form with thick armor plating.]
At this rate, who would ever want to fight for their country?
Only the ordinary soldiers, briefly mentioned like extras, are pitiful.
"Still, I think it's fortunate."
After the ceasefire order, Sir William, who was finally getting some proper rest, approached me as I was examining the casualty list.
"What do you think would have happened if our country and the Kreusen Empire had seriously waged an all‑out war? A hundred Sky Fortresses and tens of thousands of Vanguards would have wiped out everything. It would have been a catastrophe beyond imagination."
He was certainly right.
If the two great powers had steeled themselves and fought a war of occupation instead of a line battle, the damage could have been hundreds or even thousands of times greater.
No, once an all‑out war broke out, every country with entangled interests, including allied nations, would have been drawn in, so simply tallying the death count might be meaningless.
It would be a massive event that could even destroy the continent.
"You should rest more. Why did you even come out here?"
I closed the casualty list floating as a hologram and reached my hand out to Arcia, who was sitting beside me like a shadow.
Then she, who had been taking out the contents of the cookie basket one by one and eating them, placed a chocolate sandwich in the palm of my hand.
I handed that snack to Sir William.
"Count Otis gave it to us as a gift, so it must be something precious."
For something I called precious, Arcia was shoveling it down without restraint.
Perhaps finding that sight amusing, Sir William smiled and popped the snack into his mouth in one bite.
"I feel this anew, but young master, you are very different from other nobles. You genuinely regret the sacrifices of these people who, though soldiers, are still commoners, and you let your subordinates rest while you stay here in the command post like this."
It would be strange if I were like typical nobles…
In my previous life, I was just an ordinary small citizen.
And there is something he's misunderstanding: the reason I'm out here is not out of consideration to let my subordinates rest at ease.
It's simply because my game connection time limit has been reached.
Well, it's not a bad misunderstanding, so I didn't bother to correct it.
"Yet even so, you possess a noble's composure and dignity."
But at those follow‑up words, I tilted my head.
Dignity, directed at me, was an expression I had never even imagined.
"I think you might be seeing that part wrong."
"Young master, even as you watch the enemy forces advancing, you calmly sip black tea, do you not? I believe that is a demeanor impossible without absolute faith in yourself. Your subordinates saw that composure of yours and were able to feel at ease and shake off their tension. Now everyone in the 232nd Independent Brigade trusts you, young master."
Ah, I get the gist of what he's trying to say.
I was wondering why he was suddenly praising me like this, but it seems to be the continuation of what he said four weeks ago.
The remark about wanting to push me as the heir to the territory.
'He must be desperate. Cedric absolutely must not become lord.'
But just like last time, Sir William seems to lack caution.
Before anything problematic could come out of his mouth, I quickly looked around the command post with Ten‑thousand‑Sights.
*Thud!*
"Sir William?"
But Sir William chose to show it more through actions than words; with a thud, this man suddenly knelt down before me.
"I have stationed trustworthy subordinates so that no one can approach from the surroundings. We have thoroughly checked for any surveillance devices as well, so there is no need for concern."
Just as he said, nothing that might cause trouble was visible.
Still, the mention of 'trustworthy subordinates' bothered me, so I used Ten‑thousand‑Sights' clairvoyance mode to examine the guards.
'They're all Father's people.'
Those knights were, like Sir William, ones who followed my father.
They were even similar in temperament upright, almost stubbornly loyal retainers, you could say?
It was good that he had recognized and corrected the mistake of his previous reckless speech, but his sudden move now made me sigh.
"I understand that you've grown more tactful. However, this very behavior might stand out instead."
"That is precisely why I came at this hour, when everyone is in the middle of resting."
In the end, I conceded and jerked my chin.
It was a signal to say what he wanted to say.
"I, Gilbert William, from this day forward wish to serve Adrian, second young master of House Lawrence, as my liege."
I had been quietly watching to see what he was trying to urge me toward this time, so this unannounced oath of loyalty caught me off guard.
Which was only natural, since their lord was my father himself.
"I have thought deeply about what actions will truly be for the lord's sake, and this is the conclusion I reached."
As he went on to explain, I rubbed my chin and asked:
"Don't tell me the knights outside share the same position?"
"Yes."
I could tell Sir William had come here fully resolved.
Though his oath of loyalty surprised me, I soon schooled my expression and assumed a pondering look.
*Crunch. Crunch.*
Only the sound of Arcia eating cookies beside me echoed through the command post steeped in silence.
How many minutes did I leave William kneeling like that?
I let out a brief snort of laughter and nodded.
"Very well."
"Oh!"
My answer was effectively an acceptance of their wish.
But what would follow would be quite different from what they had in mind.
"However, there is a condition."
"What is it?"
"Until I give you instructions, I want you to carry on as before."
"Pardon? Wouldn't it be better to gather our forces quickly? Even if we build our power only here, its size would already be considerable."
"Considerable, yes but not enough to win, is it? I have a plan, so just follow my orders."
When I already started issuing commands with the attitude of a superior, he swallowed dryly.
But soon he nodded with a determined expression.
"Understood. I will trust my lord."
"How many knights are likely to side with me like you, Sir William?"
"For now, we can be sure of the five Vanguard here, and about thirty of the remaining knights. Of course, if we rally those in the territory as well, the scale will more than double."
Not bad.
In any case, it means I'll have more people to make use of.
"Good."
*Rustle!*
I rose from my seat.
As I did, Sir William's gaze rose to follow me, and I answered his reaction as if to say, isn't the conversation over?
"I'm going to turn in and rest now."
"Ah, in that case, there is one thing I'd like to convey."
Just as I was about to leave the command post, William hurriedly stopped me.
"I've heard that when you return to the territory this time, my lord intends to support your independence."
"He did say that. But why?"
"My lord is thinking of assigning Sir Pesius to your side, young master. I believe it would be wise to win him over in advance."
At the sudden mention of a long‑missed name, I showed a surprised expression.
"Sir Pesius? But he retired, didn't he?"
"Yes. He became disillusioned with political infighting and left the knight order. But it seems they managed to contact him this time. My lord plans to bring him back and appoint him as the knight commander of the household you will establish, young master."
Sir Pesius had originally been the vice‑commander of the Lawrence Knight Order.
Even among Aura Experts, he possessed top‑tier skill, so aside from the knight commander there was practically no one who could match him.
However, it is known that he left the order after getting caught up in the internal political strife of the house centered around Anna.
And that Sir Pesius is coming back?
If Anna finds out, she'll throw a fit…
It seems my father is overexerting himself out of guilt toward me.
"Once he returns, many knights who have been keeping neutral will likely defect to your side."
Sir Pesius was a classic man of arms, a knight who was extremely popular.
In other words, through him there is ample room to expand my influence.
Possibly enough to stand on equal footing with Anna and Cedric's faction.
'Sir Pesius, huh… not bad.'
But I don't think his value lies in simply bringing him back into the family.
It's that I'll gain a useful chess piece to use *outside* the family.
"I think I'll need to meet him as soon as possible. Could you arrange a meeting? Discreetly, of course."
As I took an active interest in Sir Pesius, Sir William nodded vigorously with a pleased expression.
"I'll look into it."
"Anything else you need to discuss? I'm tired."
"No. Please rest. I apologize for taking up your precious time."
"It was a productive time."
I patted William's shoulder lightly like an elder.
And as I left the investigation room, William's close aides who were standing guard offered crisp salutes.
"Good work."
"Yes, sir."
The truth is, I'm not going back to my room because I'm tired.
-Beep! Beep!
The game login restriction I'd been waiting on was just lifted.
I turned off the alarm ringing from my bracelet‑type terminal.
'It's almost time.'
Influence?
Of course that's good.
But my top priority is not in building a power base of my own.
It's clearing the next stage of the *Fortuitous Encounter* quest.
'I'm going to reach 7‑Circle before the day is over.'
* * *
"Guh! Th‑this insane ! Arsia!"
"Yes!"
While I obtained the hidden fortuitous encounter in Chronicle Online and reached level 200, I never once experienced death.
Normally in games, you grow by going through crises and dying now and then, but unfortunately, since this place shares senses with reality, dying here would mean pain beyond imagination.
So I've fought without overdoing it, staying within the bounds of safety as much as possible.
Well, I did suffer a lot of injuries against the named monster that appears at the end of the fortuitous encounter quest, but I don't think I ever faced a truly lethal crisis.
However…
After reaching level 200, the named monster of stage 7 of the fortuitous encounter quest was on a completely different level from anything before.
Death Knight Pascal.
My opponent was a Death Knight‑class monster at Aura Master level.
-KWAANG! Bang! Crack!
Even Arsia, who had held firm against every enemy so far, was helpless against the sword aura pushed back or sent flying without resistance.
There's no helping it.
An Aura Master is in a different league from an Aura Expert.
On paper it might look like only a single rank difference, but the increase in power was unlike anything up to that point.
If one out of ten knights becomes an Aura User and then an Aura Expert, only about one in a thousand Aura Experts becomes an Aura Master.
Aura Masters belong entirely to the realm of pure talent.
That is why, along with the honor of being called a "one‑man army," they receive grand titles personally bestowed by kings.
And this guy is not only an Aura Master, he's also a named monster for the fortuitous encounter quest, and he even has a lion's body as a buff.
So what can you do.
"Gah!"
"Kieeek!"
"Aaagh! Damn it!"
Our party of two people plus one beast Arsia, Black Eagle, and me was slaughtered without mercy.
[You have died. Please try again after experience restoration.]
After resurrecting in the nearby village, I had to feel with my whole body the pain that had brought me to death.
"Urk!"
What's even more irritating is that, since someone might be watching, I can't groan or roll around in agony.
I have to muster every ounce of patience and mental strength, stagger over to a nearby chair and collapse into it, and only then scream on the inside.
Only after ten minutes had passed did I finally pull myself together, wipe the drool from my mouth with my robe sleeve, and grit my teeth.
"Yeah, it's been way too easy up until now."
Looks like Duke Lucas really put his mind to it when he made this quest.