Chapter 0222 Defense of the Western Forest Part 2
-x-X-x-
"Chief Carson, it appears that the invasion of the Empire Troops has begun."
Sensing unusual activity from the outer edge of the forest, an advance team led by Roxley, under the order of Autonomous Region Chief Carson, went in to scout the area and brought back information.
"Ugh…. To think he prioritized the annihilation of the Western Forest over the Royal Capital…that wretched Emperor!"
Carson muttered quietly.
The Elf Autonomous Region is located in the royal capital.
But it had been hurriedly evacuated by order of the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Knightley.
The ones that were evacuated were this group of fifty elves, led by Chief Carson.
They're all the elves from the royal capital, including those who were enrolled in the Magic University.
Thanks to that, they were not caught up in the fall of the capital, but the evil hand of the Empire had already reached the western forest to which they had fled.
"We must gather information as quickly as possible. If we play our cards right, we may be able to form a pincer attack against the enemy between us and the 'forest'."
Carson quickly gave the order.
Since the invasion had already begun, it was clear that it was a race against time.
"The main force appears to have abandoned the eastern part of the forest. The watchtowers to the southeast and northeast have been burned. And the eastern fortress has been occupied by Imperial troops."
"You're saying both watchtowers were burned down, yet the eastern fortress is intact?"
"Yes sir."
Roxley, who led the scouting party, nodded and replied to Chief Carson's question.
"I see…"
Carson said, then turned his head slightly and began to think about something.
He mumbled while pondering.
"The central fortress is the line of defense…a trap…perhaps the imperial army lot are good at fighting in the forest…the vanguard, the fortress, and a rear base on the outer edge…the commander is most likely Obaba-sama…"
Roxley remained silent, waiting for instructions.
Roxley, who once had his hand broken by Sera, had now grown to be Chief Carson's right-hand man, serving as the captain of the advance team.
Two minutes later.
"Now I see, I understand what Obaba-sama is trying to do."
Carson nodded and muttered.
Roxley had no idea, but it is said that among the Kingdom Elves, Obaba-sama and Carson are especially good at 'reading the development' like he just did.
However, Roxley's awe-inspiring opponent, 'Lady Sera', was not one of them.
She is special…at least that's how Roxley sees her in his mind.
Anyway, it seemed that the course of action had been decided in Carson's mind.
"We're standing by, right here."
"Eh…"
Carson declared so, and Roxley was absolutely stunned.
Like, is this not a race against time, where every minute counts?
"We'll make our moves the exact moment Obaba-sama takes action. You very well make sure not to miss the moment the enemy's advance troops start attacking the central fortress."
"So that's the fortress huh?"
Nyus, the captain leading the vanguard of the Imperial 'Shadow Army', confirmed with his subordinate beside him.
"Yes, sir. The main force of the elves is holed up in that fortress."
"With the expanse around the fortress, we can rule out getting close using the trees as cover…. I get it, seeing as we had no qualms fighting in the forest, they're taking the initiative to bring the fight out in the open to make it easier on them, uh."
Captain Nyus said, nodding his head.
Of course, he was not underestimating them.
The 'shadows' have suffered over two hundred casualties, which is quite extraordinary.
The opponent they're up against this time is one capable of such an extraordinary feat.
But…in terms of the number of combatants, they are overwhelmingly outnumbered.
The elves have at most three hundred men.
While the 'shadows' currently deployed in the forest number 1,800. That is roughly six times as many.
When there's a numerical advantage, the most effective strategy with the highest probability of success is a frontal attack.
A simple and direct all-out attack denying the enemy of any 'flukes'.
It goes without saying, there will certainly be casualties on their side. Although there will be casualties, history also tells of how very little it allows for tides to turn once the course has been set.
Captain Nyus, after receiving permission from General Rancias, who was in command of the eastern fortress, launched the attack.
A frontal attack on the fortress.
It was an all-out attack, mobilizing the thousand 'shadows' deployed in the vanguard.
Even so, they were 'shadows'.
They didn't make unnecessary noises as they charged forward.
They blended into the shadows of the night and approached silently.
When the leading vanguard approached the break in the forest and the midpoint of the fortress, countless fire arrows flew out from the fort.
Of course, no one in the 'shadow army' would be hit by such arrows.
No matter how sensitive to sound the elves are, firing such easily recognizable fire arrows, is like asking for them to be avoided.
However…the fire arrows were not aimed at the imperial army.
The fire arrows pierced the ground at precise, evenly spaced intervals.
Captain Nyus was puzzled by the sight, but of course, he had already investigated beforehand that there were no oil or other traps on the ground.
For they're 'shadows'. Not some dumb unit that would fall for such traps.
Sure, the 'shadows' running on the ground became exposed to light from the fire arrows that continued to burn even after getting stuck in the ground.
But what does it matter?
With their mobility and combat strength, not even elven arrows can hit them.
Yes, under normal circumstances, they would not hit.
The change was sudden.
As if an enormous force of gravity had been applied, and the 'shadows' were unable to move.
"What…the…hell…?"
The action of all thousand-strong vanguard, including captain Nyus, was inhibited.
"Wind…?"
It was a powerful downburst from above.
Moreover, it was happening over an unbelievably wide area, the entire area in front of the fort.
The 'shadows' were completely stopped in their tracks by the intense storm from above.
And then, countless arrows came flying from the fort toward them while they were at a complete halt.
Oddly enough, the surrounding area was illuminated by the fire arrows, which remained stuck in the ground, not extinguished despite such strong winds.
Making them ideal for target practice.
And the archers in question are Elves.
No way in hell they'd miss.
However, those being targeted were no slouch either.
Even if their movement had been sealed, their arms could still move.
They were repelling the arrows flying toward them with the gauntlets on their hands.
Understandably, the sight startled even Obaba-sama, who was watching from the fort.
"I'll be damned…. I knew they were not simple. Aim for their legs, from the knees down, where they can't reach."
The instructions given by Obaba-sama were also quite nasty.
In a standing position, the range they can reach with their hands, in other words, the range they can protect themselves with the gauntlet, is up to their knees.
And from the knees down, it's fair game.
Furthermore, Obaba-sama had noticed that the 'shadows' did not wear any kind of ankle armor on their feet to perform stealth actions.
Then again, if they were to adjust to a sitting position with their knees bent, they could protect their entire bodies with their gauntlets…but that would mean giving up moving altogether, which was synonymous with being shot to death there.
There were more than one incoming arrows.
The archers are elves.
It's a cakewalk for them to shoot two or three arrows in one shot.
Add rapid firing on top of that.
A fast archer shoots thirty arrows in ten seconds. With all of them hitting the target no less.
General Rancias, commanding from the eastern fortress, was immediately informed of the situation in which the vanguard forces had fallen into.
"So they did set a trap after all."
He had naturally assumed that they were likely to come across some sort of trap in front of the fort that might cause them a few losses.
He didn't anticipate that it would be a downburst to stall them, and quite frankly he couldn't care less.
They'd still end up crushed.
They had the numerical advantage.
"All right, I'll lead four hundred to flank their fort, just as planned. Amber, you're in charge of this fort."
"Roger."
Leaving the eastern fort in the hands of his second-in-command Amber, General Rancias led his four hundred men toward the northwest.
Avoiding the open ground in front of the central fort, where a thousand vanguards are stranded, they made a turn north in an anticlockwise manner forming a semicircle, and then raid the central fort from the north.
This maneuver should be successful, since the elves, who are by no means abundant in force, will have concentrated almost all of their strength to fighting the vanguard of the 'shadow army'.
They have six times their numbers. If used properly, this battle may as well be a foregone conclusio
However, one minute after General Rancias led his troops out of the eastern fortress, cries arose from all over the eastern fortress.
Some cries of desperation, some cries of wailing, and even some muffled, inarticulate cries…arose from all over the eastern fortress.
After those cries stopped, it became quiet.
Completely, and totally quiet.
The eastern fortress was dead silent.
All that remained were the bodies of the four hundred people left in the fort, including Amber, the second-in-command…or more precisely, the bodies with several holes drilled in them.
If Rin from the 'Crimson Sword' had seen them, she probably would have said…"looks like they got hit by a Bullet Rain".
"Dammit, the activation was a tad bit late! "
Chief Carson was feeling a little frustrated.
The 'eastern fortress trap' takes time to activate…and had it activated a little sooner, the four hundred troops that left earlier would have also been caught and buried together in one fell swoop….
That got him frustrated.
Nevertheless, it was a remarkable success.
The reason why Obaba-sama retreated, leaving the eastern fort intact, was to let the imperial troops occupy it.
She had also anticipated the arrival of Carson and the other retreating forces from the royal capital, and intended to have them set off the trap at the eastern fortress.
It was a pretty risky gamble… What would have happened if the retreating force from the royal capital had not arrived?
Probably nothing.
The only thing that would have happened is a change in approach…by simply engaging the enemy in front of the central fortress and then activating the trap after they've been forced to retreat into the eastern fortress.
However, for that to succeed, they would have to repel the enemy in front of the central fortress.
Even Obaba-sama couldn't be certain of that.
Which is why the move from Chief Carson and his unit was a good one.
Now they can push forward from the east and pincer the enemy vanguard forces that are stuck in front of the central fortress from their side as well.
After that, the rest would depend on the movement of the four hundred enemies maneuvering from the north side….
General Rancias sensed the change in the eastern fortress after they left.
"Stop!"
He deliberately called out, bringing his troops to a halt.
"Convey the pulse of life and existence unto me,
General Rancias, who wields wind-attribute magic, did not hesitate to use probe to investigate the eastern fortress.
The result….
"No way, the four hundred people left behind have been wiped out…"
His mutterings reached the ears of his men next to him in the silent forest.
"How…?"
"No idea…but I'm getting a reaction of fifty elves approaching at a slight distance…I'm sure they have something to do with it."
Rancias answered his subordinate's question.
"A separate unit?"
"Perhaps…the elves from the royal capital…"
After saying this, Rancias swore quietly but bitterly.
"That incompetent Linus!"
The fact that the elves from the royal capital appeared in the western forest at this time meant that the royal capital invasion team had failed to capture the Autonomous Region.
If so, then it is the responsibility of the chief adjutant, Linus, who is at the heart of the operation…General Rancias concluded.
Then again, someone who knew the whole story might have said, "This is a misunderstanding", and that it was due to the tremendous deduction of the now deceased crown prince Cain…but good luck with that.
Pitiful Linus.
"What's the plan, General?"
"We will flank the fort as planned. If we don't free the vanguard trapped in the center, we won't stand a chance!"
"Roger!"
There was only one other card to play that could turn the situation around…. but even General Rancias didn't know when it'll be available.
And since he did not know, he couldn't rely on it in that dire situation.
Either the vanguard captured in the center gets crushed first, or the vanguard will be freed by the flanking attack on the fortress…or perhaps the enemy runs out of magic power.
As the Rancias forces approached the central fortress, the elven forces holed up in the fortress took notice.
Of course, this was part of General Rancias' plan.
He needed to divide the attention of the elves, who were concentrating on restraining and attacking the vanguard, as much as possible, to buy some time for the vanguard from being wiped out.
This was a tricky situation for Obaba-sama and the other elves holed up in the fortress.
The approaching troops numbered four hundred.
That alone was more than the number of elves holed up in the fort….
"I guess the trap at the eastern fortress wasn't enough to wipe them out…"
Those who were good at probe-type magic, including Obaba-sama, had sensed that the trap at eastern fortress had been activated.
And that it had gotten quite a few of them.
In which case, it could be assumed that those from the Autonomous Region who had retreated from the royal capital had reached the vicinity of the eastern fortress.
The plan was to have all of the ones who had remained in the eastern fortress annihilated, but no plans are flawless….
"Archers, the first through third squads will continue to attack the enemy in front. The fourth and fifth squads, do not let the new enemies seize the fortress."
Obaba-sama sharply gave the instructions.
However, her heart was filled with bitterness.
They're currently holding them down with downburst, but their magic power is certainly not without limit
Even in the environment of the western forest, where the elves can fully demonstrate their abilities, each of them was nearing the limit of their remaining magic power.
That being the case, they needed to defeat the enemies in front of them, who were cowering in a defensive position and buying time, as soon as possible….
The decision to divide their forces…honestly, she wasn't sure if it was the right one.
But she showed no hesitation.
The commander's hesitation can tilt the tide of the battle altogether.
Right now, she was forcing herself to assume the attitude, 'I am right. So y'all can follow my instructions without hesitation'.
Obaba-sama's anguish was deep….
"Good. The enemy has divided their forces this way as well."
General Rancias grinned.
This would extend the time it would have taken the vanguard to be wiped out.
But…
"General, we have an enemy detachment to our rear!"
"Goddamn it, looks like the Autonomous Region lot are coming after us."
The fifty elves who had evacuated from the Autonomous Region in the royal capital, responsible for triggering the trap at the eastern fortress, did not head toward the central fortress, but instead closed in behind the four hundred men of the flanking assault force led by General Rancias.
"They should have headed for the center… Although they won't be able to fight at close quarters there, not with that wind blowing…. They can only attack with bows and arrows…but this lot is from the Autonomous Region, and they got here after evacuating from the royal capital, wouldn't it stand to reason that they don't have as many arrows with them, considering? If so, they will definitely choose close-quarters combat."
Gathering his thoughts in a low voice, General Rancias gave his orders.
"Abort the attack on the fortress. All units will engage the Autonomous Region forces approaching from the rear. They will be coming in hot and engage in close-quarters combat. We will resume the attack on the fortress after wiping them out."
Thus, on the north side of the central fortress, the battle between the four hundred men of the Imperial 'Shadow Army' flanking assault force led by General Rancias and the fifty elves led by Carson, the chief of the autonomous authority, was to begin.
"As expected of the ones who forced Obaba-sama to abandon the east and retreat to the central fortress. Are these imperial troops really human!"
Chief Carson muttered involuntarily.
Elves are people of the forest.
The forest is their home ground.
It was the first time they had a hard time in a battle in the forest.
"Do not see your opponents as humans! Think of them as having fighting skills on par with elves. Surround them and defeat them."
It was a heated close combat battle, and both sides were fighting at a very high speed.
Bow, which is the elves' strongest weapon, cannot be used.
And no opportunity to use wind magic as well.
In other words, it was a pure close-quarters combat with swords… but it did not necessarily mean that the elves had the advantage.
That said, the Imperial 'Shadow Army' did not have an overwhelming advantage either.
"Dammit, they are stronger than those lot holed up in the forest."
General Rancias himself was in the middle of a sword battle.
Although he holds the position of 'general', he is still the strongest in the 'shadow army' when it comes to sword fighting in close quarters.
Even from Rancias' point of view, the enemy reinforcements were a troublesome opponent.
And somehow, he felt that they were well versed in anti-personnel combat.
Up until now, the Elves had indeed been troublesome and strong opponents, and certainly lived up to their reputation as forest tribes, but they were by no means experienced in melee combat.
However, he got the impression that these newcomers from the royal capital were quite accustomed to melee combat.
No doubt, they had trained specifically for this.
He would even dare to say that they had been battling with first-rate knights.
(Did they perhaps receive training in the royal capital from a knight instructor or something?)
That's right.
General Rancias thought that the situation was more severe than expected, but an even graver development that would overshadow it occurred.
The location was the central fort.
"Obaba-sama!"
Hearing her subordinate's cry, Obaba-sama turned around.
There, she saw the elves collapsing….
"They've run out of magic power…"
At last, what she had feared happened.
They must have pushed themselves to the very limit…the elves who had been casting Downburst and possessed superior magic power started collapsing one after another, and the archers initially responsible for shooting were taking their place to maintain the magic.
However, that was only a measure to cover up the complete collapse of the situation.
Compared to those who were dedicated to magic, they possessed less magic power, and above all, there were almost no archers left.
Even if they stopped their movement, they won't be able to reduce the number of opponents if there are fewer shooters to finish them off.
As if to further aggravate the situation, flare magic appeared in the eastern sky.
"Three yellow, one green."
"They're here!"
General Rancias' expression finally loosened up after listening to the report from his subordinate.
Their long-awaited reinforcements.
The final rearguard of the imperial 'Shadow Army' numbering one thousand.
The detachment that was sent to assist in the capture of the royal capital, the very last remnants of the 'shadows'.
The long awaited….
"This is the end, you abominable Elves."
Rancias laughed ominously as he said that.
-x-X-x-
The Imperial troops' flare signal was, of course, visible to the elves.
Although they did not understand the exact meaning, they understood that reinforcements had arrived for the enemy.
It was synonymous with despair.
"No, not yet, it's not over yet! "
Obaba-sama scolded her subordinates who were about to drop their heads and lose their will to fight.
"To the north, our brethren from the Autonomous Region who returned from the royal capital are still fighting! If we persevere, they will definitely defeat the enemy and put an end to the ones in front of us! So don't give up fighting!"
There are times when a commander must speak out loud to raise morale, even when they did not believe in what they were saying.
For Obaba-sama, that time was now.
The Autonomous Region forces will for sure have a hard time defeating their opponents.
The enemy, having seen the flare magic just now … would no doubt switch tactics to 'I just need to not get killed until our reinforcements arrive'.
It won't be easy.
There's no mistaking, the defenders would reach their limits way before the Autonomous Region forces arrive.
She knew all that, yet she still had to say it.
However, it was also true that the hearts of the elves, which were on the verge of breaking, was somehow held together by Obaba-sama's fierce encouragement.
We have not lost yet!
Those who sealed the enemy's movement with Downburst, those firing arrows at the enemy… they began to give it their all, more desperately than ever before.
Twenty minutes after the flare magic was shot.
On the north side of the central fortress, the battle between the four hundred men of the Imperial 'Shadow Army' flanking assault force led by General Rancias and the fifty returnees from the royal capital led by Carson, the Chief of the Autonomous Region, raged on.
"How many have we lost?"
"Yuri and five others…"
"Goddamn it."
Among the elves, a few specialize in recovery magic.
It is fundamentally different from the magic system of the Central Nations; they heal injuries by borrowing the power of spirits to speed up the recovery process.
Thus, they are not able to repair missing body parts like the high priests.
Even so, they are valuable resources among the elves, and a few of them are always included in combat squads.
Yuri, who died this time, was one of the most skilled elves in the Autonomous Region in terms of recovery ability, and as a combat squad, that was a loss that far surpassed the drop in numbers.
Carson, as the commander, naturally understood this.
Both sides vyed for the upper hand.
In normal conditions, it's unheard of for elves to be struggling in a battle in the forest…but it was happening right in front of him.
As their numbers dwindled, the situation gradually worsened …
Chief Carson was pretty much cornered mentally.
Not only do they need to defeat their current opponent, but they also have to attack the thousand enemies that the central fortress is holding back as soon as they're done here…in order to win.
However….
"It's already taking all we have just to fight evenly with our current opponents…"
His frustration got to him.
"What's our loss count?"
"About forty."
"What in the world…"
General Rancias, on the other hand, frowned at the amount of damage to his army.
Since seeing the flare magic, he had given the order, 'Don't do anything reckless until reinforcements arrive', and yet it still turned out thus.
If they fought head-on, there was a very big possibility that they would lose to the returnees from the royal capital…frankly, he felt so.
"Don't get too worked up. We just need to drag things out until reinforcements arrive."
It was the moment when Rancias called out to his men nearby.
"Gotcha!"
A slash directly from behind.
But Rancias dodged the slash with ease.
"You're the commander."
Despite the fact that he dodged the slash, his opponent remained calm.
"And what if I am?"
"I'll be taking your head."
General Rancias asked, and his opponent…Chief Carson made the declaration.
Naturally.
"You think you're up to it?"
"Watch me!"
Rancias threw some provocative words at him, and Carson responded equally.
Rancias was perhaps more of a warrior than a general, as he ordered his men to continue dragging the battle while he engage in a direct swordfight.
His sword was one devoted to defeating the enemy in front of him, with not even hint of stalling for time.
However, Chief Carson is no simple elf either.
He's an elf who voluntarily took special training from Sera, who is younger than him, to hone his skills.
Even after Sera returned to Rune, he never once missed a day of training.
The sword never betrays effort.
Their sword fights continued endlessly.
Finally, Imperial reinforcements appeared in front of the fortress.
The moment the reinforcements came out of the forest, even Obaba-sama almost fell to her knees.
Since their defeat was pretty much set in stone….
But even so, she continued to stand her ground, mustering all the mental strength she could muster.
But many of them hung their heads dejectedly.
Only those who were unleashing Downburst carried on with the magic…because their magic power had been expended to the point where they could no longer perceive their surroundings.
Then, Obaba-sama heard some voices.
"Help…"
"No, please…"
"I surrender…"
"Please, no more…"
Those voices, coming from the Imperial reinforcements, disappeared as soon as they exited the forest.
And those the voices belonged to all fell one after the other.
Soon…the voices stopped altogether.
The next moment, a streak of platinum light flashed through the vanguard of the Imperial 'Shadow Army', who were unable to move freely due to the Downburst.
The light moved without pause.
Wherever the light passed, a cloud of blood danced in the air.
The blood spurted from slain Imperial soldiers.
The fire arrows stuck in the ground.
And the platinum light running through.
It was like a scene out of some fairytale.
A fleeting dream, claiming the lives of a thousand imperial troops in exchange….
"Just in time…"
Obaba-sama muttered and fell to her knees, exhausted and relieved.
At that moment, the dream came to an end.
Upon waking, there were a thousand Imperial soldiers, bleeding profusely and unable to move, but apparently barely alive, and a standing lone elf with fluttering platinum blonde hair.
"Sorry, Sera, but could you please help out the ones up north."
Obaba-sama's voice was very faint.
But Sera nodded and vanished.
It was only after a few seconds that those present realized that she had moved.
"She's really become an outrageous elf."
Obaba-sama chuckled as she said that.
The sword fight between General Rancias and Chief Carson was still ongoing.
Both sides were holding nothing back in the sword fight.
Otherwise, they would have lost instantly…that's how little the difference between the two was.
Thus, they were slow in noticing the changes in their surroundings.
For the umpteenth time, the two of them took some distance to catch their breaths…but then, they noticed something unusual at almost the same time.
"The sounds…"
"It's too quiet."
Both Rancias and Carson muttered quietly.
At that moment, a streak of platinum light emerged in front of Rancias.
"Impossi…ble…"
Rancias received a blow to the gut and went out cold.
Just before he passed out, he thought he heard the voice of his sword-fighting opponent.
"Sera…"
-x-X-x-
By the time Rancias woke up, it was already morning.
"You've finally come to."
Rancias looked to his side and saw an elf.
"You're the guy from last night."
Rancias said.
There he was, the man with whom Rancias had a sword fight.
"Carson, the chief of the Autonomous Region. I take it you are General Rancias of the 20th Imperial Army."
"Wow, to think you'd even know who I am."
Rancias laughed self-deprecatingly.
Most Empire nobles don't even know about the 20th Army, also known as the 'Shadow Army'.
It was quite shocking that the elves knew about them so accurately.
"It's the Autonomous Region's job to gather those kinds of intel, you see."
Carson said, holding out a bottle of water in front of Rancias.
"I know it's kind of rude to tie your hands and feet, General, but you're just too dangerous and we can't take any chances. I'm sorry, but I'll have to leave those restraints on. If you need some water, now is the time. What do you say?"
"Sure, I'll have some."
Carson brought the bottle to Rancias' mouth and gave him some water to drink.
"Thanks."
"Sure. Also, hate to break it to you, but you can forget about trying to escape. The one who took you out with a single blow last night will be keeping a watchful eye on you the entire time."
"…Sera."
Rancias' muttering now startled Carson.
"How did you…wait, right, I blurted it out."
Carson scratched his head and continued.
"Yeah, Sera. Even you lot couldn't handle her…forget about you guys, even if we all joined hands, I bet we'd be wiped out in less than an hour."
Carson smiled awkwardly as he said that.
"I wonder what kind of training she had to go through to turn out like that…anyway, don't get any weird ideas."
With that, Carson left Rancias.
But four watchers stood guard around Rancias.
The next people to appear in front of Rancias were a woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties and an immensely beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair.
"I understand you are General Rancias of the 20th Imperial Army. I am the Grand Elder currently in charge of the forest."
"Rancias."
Neither of them bowed their heads, but simply introduced themselves.
"You have been taken prisoner by us. Along with five of your subordinates. They are all currently locked up."
"Five…that's all?"
"Yes. The rest are in no position to move. We've used recovery magic on them to keep them alive, but I can't let them completely recover and start a rebellion."
"Even if you exclude the eastern fortress, there must have been more than a thousand men…now combined with the reinforcements, they should number over two thousand. You're telling me, they're all out of commission?"
Rancias confirmed Obaba-sama's explanation in a low voice.
"That's right. They all seem to have lost a lot of blood and were rendered incapable of fighting. Although they've recovered to a certain extent, the blood they lost has yet to recover, so they are still in bed. In a little while, more soldiers will be coming from Marquis Hope's territory, and I promise they will be treated properly as prisoners of war."
"Two thousand men rendered out of commission…. How is that…even possible…?"
"I'm the one who put your men out of action and knocked you unconscious."
The platinum blonde beauty, Sera, answered Rancias' mutterings.
"What…. How did that happen?"
"Even if you ask me, how am I supposed to…. There were about two thousand three hundred of them. I overpowered them all."
Sera said this in a rather refreshing tone, in a very Ryo-like manner.
Her face was devoid of any emotion.
She had simply eliminated those who came to harm the elves. That was all.
"Left to me, I'd have killed them all. But if we keep them as prisoners of war, we can use them as bargaining chips for negotiations with the Empire, which will eventually happen, right? Well, whether it be choosing to kill or render them incapable of fighting, it didn't make much difference to me anyway."
She paused and then continued as if remembering something.
"Still, I took way too long taking care of them. I could have done it a little quicker…. Sorry for being so slow, Obaba-sama."
"Nah, I think you were plenty quick though…"
Sera apologized, and Obaba-sama, unsure of how to respond, said a few words portraying common sense.
"That many 'shadows'…annihilated…within twenty minutes. Are you kiddin' me?"
"Twenty long minutes…that's way too long. I know a magician who would have wiped them out in thirty seconds. And have all their heads too."
"Nonsense…"
Sera recalled the scene of Ryo using his water jet to instantly chop off the heads of the devils during the royal capital disturbance.
"That very magician said this told me. 'While you're over there protecting the forest, I will lay waste to the Imperial troops'. If even I can do this to the Imperial army, all I can say is, their doom is already set in stone."
Rancias saw absolute certainty in Sera's eyes.
From the bottom of her heart, she did not doubt that this would be the case.
Rancias understood that it had already become a foregone conclusion in Sera's mind.
"You monsters!"
Rancias muttered involuntarily.
Hearing that, Sera laughed for the first time.
"Monster huh! I guess I've finally grown to the point where I could be called that! Strangely enough, that makes me happy."
"Why would that make you happy…?"
Sera smiled and was pleased, and seeing this, Obaba-sama shook her head and muttered.
"Well, General Rancias."
Obaba-sama called out, regaining her composure.
"We intend to make you our emissary to the Imperial forces occupying the royal capital."
"What?"
Rancias was somewhat lost.
He's not being executed to send a message or as an outlet for resentment, or used as a bargaining chip, but as an emissary?
"You mean you're going to release me unharmed?"
"Well, that's the idea. You will bring some documents with you. After that, you can do as you please."
Rancias thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.
"You want me to inform them of the things that happened here so it can serve as a deterrent."
By sending Rancias, they will be revealing that the Western Forest has the power…to completely annihilate the 20th Imperial Army.
Mess with us again, and you will meet the same fate.
"After getting all the troops under my command annihilated…which face do I…"
"Even so, you have to report back, don't you?"
In response to Rancias' frustrated words, Obaba-sama spoke some common sense to him.
"I know! I know that, but…"
Perhaps he would not be spared by the Emperor.
But if he fled before the enemy, the safety of his family, who remained in the Empire, would be threatened.
But if he surrendered his life, his transgressions would not extend to his family…Emperor Rupert VI is one such person.
He would make children redeem their parents by allowing them to achieve greater accomplishments, and by encouraging them to grow and contribute to the development of the Empire.
That is how he uses people.
In the first place, Rancias had no other choice.
"I understand. I will be your messenger."
Thus, the attack on the Western Forest by the 20th Imperial Army ended in complete failure.
-x-X-x-
After Sera left for the western forest, Ryo became a mere shadow of himself.
It's not like he sat idly in one place and did nothing all day, or anything like that.
Nonetheless…if it was before….
He wakes up before the sun rises.
Stretches for a solid thirty minutes.
Then runs outside the walls of Rune city, generating a minuscule Tokyo Tower with ice on both hands, both feet, and both shoulders.
He has breakfast and works on his alchemy until noon.
During which, Sera sometimes comes over and reads a book in the living room.
Come lunchtime, they often eat together at restaurants around the east gate, mainly at Houshoku-tei.
Afterwards, they usually have a mock battle at the lord's mansion.
The day used to go by like this, but with Sera gone,
'During which, Sera sometimes comes over and reads a book in the living room.'
'Come lunchtime, they often eat together at restaurants around the east gate, mainly at Kagutei.'
'Afterwards, they usually have a mock battle at the lord's mansion.'
All of these were no more.
He simply doesn't know what to do anymore.
People who don't know what to do or haven't found what they want to do become a nuisance that messes with the people around them….
"I'm feeling sleepy…"
"Why bother coming to my room to tell me that?"
This is the lord's former office in the Rune mansion.
Now, the lord's office and the adjoining bedroom have been moved to the annex, and is now the office and bedroom of the next king-to-be.
Of course, Abel did not forcefully seize it, but rather at the suggestion of Count Rune.
In the office of the king-to-be, Abel was busy writing.
He was writing to liaise with the lords of various regions and neighboring countries.
There were quite a few things that ought to be done before ascending the throne.
Of course, after he becomes king, he would still have to issue similar writings….
In the office of the king-to-be, who seemed to be very busy, the water attribute magician was goofing around.
"I'm just recharging my mind, please don't mind me, your majesty, king-to-be."
"I don't know what you mean by recharging or whatnot, but…it's clear to me that you're goofing off. I just don't know why you chose to do it here, in this room…"
"That's because the people in the other rooms are taking their jobs awfully seriously and…I just don't want to disturb them."
Ryo shrugged his shoulders…as if to say, sheesh, you can't even figure out something so trivial unless I say it out loud.
Needless to say, Abel was irritated.
"I'm taking my job awfully seriously, too, can't you see that?"
"I'm tearily trying to get in your way, because I want you to become a powerful king who won't let the obstacles around him get in his way, Abel."
"Wow, so you do realize you're getting in my way…"
Thus, Abel was to train daily so that he could become a powerful king.
Against his will, obviously….
"Honestly…I think the quickest way is to head to the royal capital, freeze the entire goddamn imperial troops and get this over with."
Ryo gave such a suggestion under the guise of a monologue.
"Hey Ryo, I've said this several times, but DO NOT do that! "
The king-to-be desperately tried to stop him.
He always seems to have a hard time.
"We are long past the point where killing all the enemy troops would be the end of it. The fact that all the northern nobles have betrayed us means that my uncle, the Duke of Flitwick…is definitely behind this. He will eventually announce his accession to the throne in the royal capital. We need to eliminate the Empire and its influence while taking the Kingdom back from his grasp, otherwise, the country will not be restored."
"Good grief…it's not exactly thrilling to see the country lose. It's nothing but a nuisance to us, the people of the Kingdom."
Ryo slightly shook his head several times as he said this.
"Y-Yeah…I'm, sorry."
Abel was not at all responsible for this, but Ryo was somehow giving off a vibe that made him feel like apologizing.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
"Come in."
As Abel said this, the door opened and a young man entered.
"Excuse me, Master Abel."
"Oh Sir Alfonso, how can I help you?"
"Actually, the lord would like to speak with Sir Ryo…. If it's all right, could you please come with me to the annex?"
In the latter half, he turned to Ryo as he spoke.
"Uh, sure, I am free. Lead the way."
Ryo said and walked away with Sir Alfonso.
"I don't think I've had the chance to properly introduce myself to you, Sir Ryo. I am Alfonso Spinazola."
"Oh, I'm Ryo. Spinazola, you don't mean…"
"Yes, I am the grandson of the current lord."
"Oh, the one whose shoulder Sera…"
After saying that much, Ryo hurriedly stopped talking. He was indeed aware that he had said something rude.
Alfonso's face turned red and he became a young man who couldn't help but be made aware of how embarrassing his past was.
"Yeah, quite an embarrassing story."
They walked in silence for a while, and then Alfonso opened his mouth.
"I often watch the mock battle between Sir Ryo and Instructor Sera. It's nothing short of amazing."
"Oh, it's not that…"
Ryo wasn't accustomed to being praised to his face.
"So…I was wondering if you could give me and the knights some training from time to time."
"Pardon?"
"Instructor Sera, who trained me, and also happens to be one of the two swordsmanship instructors, has gone off to the western forest…moreover, the regular mock battles at noon between the two of you are no more, and now the morale of the knights continue to drop. I have also discussed this matter with Knight-Captain Neville Black, and he has given his go-ahead as long as you're okay with it, Sir Ryo. So what do you think?"
He couldn't believe he was being asked to take over for Sera.
"Listen…I didn't receive formal training in swordsmanship, so…"
"Basic swordsmanship is taught by the other instructor, Max Doyle. The Hume sword style from the royal capital. The Rune Knights are trained in a manner where Doyle would train them in the basics and applications, and Instructor Sera would beat them up."
"Beat them up…"
Ryo muttered to Alfonso's explanation.
"I mean, she always go easy on them so that they don't get hurt, obviously. Yet the knights always give their all and still end up being far from measuring up, now the fact that this incredible individual was available to them, training them up, also contributed to their high morale. So, that's the gist of it, Sir Ryo, please give it some thought."
Alfonso stopped and bowed his head.
In this way, he's a fairly decent young man.
It is hard to believe that he was overcome with lust and tried to push himself onto Sera…then again, it is also likely that he was beaten back into shape by the fierce counterattack at that time.
"I understand. If it's just occasionally…"
"Thank you very much!"
Ryo accepted, and Alfonso bowed again, looking pleased.
That was the moment when Ryo found something to do.
The lord's newly shifted bedroom.
When Alfonso and Ryo entered, they found Count Rune sitting on his bed, writing something, just as they had seen him before.
"Oh, Ryo, sorry to bother you."
"Not at all. You wanted to see me."
"Yeah. I have a few things I want to ask of you."
The frontier Count put his hand on his chin.
He seemed to be thinking about the order in which to start the conversation.
"My lord, excuse me for cutting in."
Alfonso said. It would seem that he's forced to address him as 'lord', not 'Grandfather' or 'Grandpa'.
Looks like the lord's family has their fair share of troubles.
"Hmm?"
"I have just asked Sir Ryo to give me and the knights some training sessions, and he accepted."
"I see! Glad to hear it."
The frontier Count sounded pleased with Alfonso's report.
It seems that this was one of the 'things' he wanted to ask for.
And after nodding a few times, he began.
"Actually, I would like to request you to guard Master Abel, Ryo."
"Guard Abel?"
Abel is an A-rank adventurer and a top-notch swordsman.
He saw no reason to attach a guard detail even if there's a need to….
"Yes. Master Abel is the next King. Since Crown Prince Cain has passed away, it is fairly certain…. But some will not take kindly to that."
"Right…Flitta…Abel's uncle."
Ryo's ears were still not accustomed to the word, Duke of Flitwick, apparently.
"That's right. He will without a doubt resort to any number of means to take Master Abel's life."
"And you want me to prevent that from happening. It's all good, but are you sure you should be asking me…why not the so-called Kingsguard or something for this…"
"Sure, once he enters the royal palace…but honestly, somehow, I feel that it is better to trust him with adventurers until he gets used to being 'King', this will also stabilize Master Abel mentally."
The frontier Count smiled as he said this.
He seemed to have a more flexible mind than Ryo had imagined.
"Doesn't it sound ideal? A king who is well-liked by the common people, adventurers, and of course, knights…. A king who is not only feared but also favored. All the more reason for someone who rose to A-rank as 'Adventurer Abel', and is very popular with the people in Rune city. I would very much like to see his majesty in such a fashion."
The smile on the frontier Count's face was radiant as he said this.
So much so that it made Ryo wish to grow old in the same manner.
"Needless to say, the three members of the 'Crimson Sword' will also be included in the detail when they return from Kona. Since that was also the reason why the three of them joined the party in the first place."
"Right, I thought as much…"
Ryo had always suspected it.
Priest Rihya, who was once even called a saint; Warren, who is said to be the best shield-bearer in the Kingdom; and Rin, one of the best magicians with wind attribute in the Kingdom.
They were too capable a group to have gathered naturally.
Even if Abel's charisma was unusually high, it's more plausible to think of them as top-notch personnel gathered by various forces.
"In that case, I don't see any reason why I should be included in his guard detail…"
Ryo tilted his head.
"Well…thing is…I would like for you to remain friends with Master Abel, as equals."
"As equals?"
The role of the king is a lonely one.
In any age, in any country…it is probably the same, whether it be on Earth or right here on 'Phi'.
Even Ryo knows that much.
The relationship based on 'equality' does not last forever, no matter how hard one tries mentally.
This is because there is inevitably a 'power relationship' involved.
Such as physical power as in 'violence', the power of money as in 'wads of cash', and intangible power as in 'influence'….
Those who have the same amount of these things are the ones who can finally stand on 'equal footing'.
The king, however, is the one who has the most of these 'powers' in the country.
At the very least, the king in the Kingdom of Knightley does.
In which case, it should be obvious that an 'equal', let alone 'friend' is not something you can hope for when you are the king.
It's hard to imagine that the wise Rune frontier Count did not understand that …
"First of all, not many people can beat Abel in a one-on-one fight. But Ryo falls into that category."
The frontier Count addressed each aspect in detail one by one.
And that was 'violence'.
"Secondly…money, the king is supposed to have a lot of it, but in reality, not so much money is at his disposal. Much of it is the property of the state, and the budget dictates how it is spent."
That was 'wads of cash'.
A king, who has little private property…now, that's a little sad.
"As for the third, influence…. I will be your backer, Ryo. If you want, you can go and take over some small country."
"Whoa whoa, that's a bit extreme."
"But I heard you froze a village once…"
Somehow, the news of the freezing of the village of assassins seemed to be spreading like wildfire.
Along with intel confirmation that Ryo was behind it.
"That was inevitable…"
"Then, it shouldn't be difficult for you to seize one small country with the same energy…"
"H-How about we shelf the issue of 'influence' for the time being. Well…I can't say if it will be as 'equals', but I would like to remain friends with him.
When Ryo said this, the frontier Count nodded repeatedly, looking pleased.
Of course, in the frontier Count's mind, he wants Ryo, who is considered to be a powerful force, to have a relationship with Abel personally, not with the Kingdom.
And now, that relationship has been formed as 'friends'.
Ryo left the lord's bedroom and returned to Abel's office.
And with such perfect timing, Ryo's coffee was brought to him.
It shows the high level of the butlers and maids at the lord's house.
"So, what did the frontier Count want?"
Abel asked Ryo, who just returned, without looking up, writing something on a piece of paper.
"He wanted me to go conquer a small country."
"…What?"
Yup, people always seem to look up when they are told something they don't understand.
"He told me to go get myself a small country so I could have equal political power with you, Abel."
"T-The hell does that even mean…"
"And the frontier Count promised to support me all the way."
"What in the world have you two been discussing…"
It's funny how omitting a few sentences can create a whole new narrative….
One really ought to be careful with words.
(Come to think of it, the Akuma Leonor once said that she was going to come and seize the country…yeah, I guess that was what she was going on about giving me a kingdom, yeah, that's not going to happen."
Ryo recalled his dangerous past.
"Well, it would be very troublesome to seize an existing country…let me see, I suppose I could take possession of Rondo forest."
Ryo nodded repeatedly, crossing his arms in a pompous manner with a prideful look on his face that seemed to say he'd just come up with an awesome idea.
"Hate to burst your fantasy, Ryo, but…you can't take possession of anything since you're not a noble…"
"What…?"
Ryo looked over at Abel with a dramatized expression of despair.
It was a stark reminder of the reality of the disparity in society.
-x-X-x-
After a moment of despair, Ryo stood up.
Which also meant he's recovered.
"Actually, I was asked to guard you, Abel."
Ryo decided to be honest and spilled everything.
He was told to remain 'friends as equals', so…it would be easiest to reveal everything.
"My own guard detail? Not me guarding somebody, but I'm getting guarded?"
"Listen Abel, for what it's worth, you're going to be the next king, so I don't think you'll be escorting anyone ever again. I guess that means you will lose out on those invaluable experiences forever. What a pity!"
"Why do I feel like you purposely said that in a very unpleasant manner…"
Abel said with a frown.
"Whatever. So, you're going to be my bodyguard huh, Ryo? Well, there will definitely be more attempts on my life in the future…. So, can you handle it, Ryo?"
"Worry not! Now that you've been left in my care, anyone aiming for your life has just run out of luck."
Ryo declared with renewed determination.
"R-Right…"
"Listen, Abel, I have a surefire way to make sure that anyone else that tries to kill you will never succeed."
"What? Are you for real?"
Abel was indeed surprised by this proposal.
If there was such a revolutionary method, he should definitely ask about it.
"Of course, as long as I kill you first…"
"Yeah, I figured you were going to say something like that!"
"Of course not, that would defeat the purpose. It's obviously out of the question, right?"
"Really? I was so sure you were going to suggest that though."
"Hehehe, I guess you still have a lot to learn, Abel. All right, let's get down to business. I have a surefire way to keep you alive."
Ryo said confidently.
"Oh, that sounds good. How exactly?"
"I just need to freeze you, and you're good!"
"…"
"If you are encased in ice that no one can break, you won't die! Since the ice is transparent, everyone can admire Abel's noble face. You will be heralded by the name, 'Ice King', how about it?"
Ryo said with a confident expression on his face, as if he were a consultant who had come up with the perfect proposal.
"Nope."
"Why…"
Once again, Ryo sank into the pits of despair.
"Because, then, I won't be able to continue signing these papers."
"O-Oh, right…"
Ryo was convinced by Abel's logical rebuttal.
"Then what if I make it so you can move your arms within the ice. Then affix the pen, problem solved!"
"Nope."
Ryo was once again devastated by Abel's words, just like how a consultant looking satisfied with his perfect re-proposal gets shattered by a single word from his client.
"Why…"
Ryo stared at Abel, with faint traces of…nothing, in his eyes, and asked.
"Because it sounds uncool."
"Ugh…"
For Ryo, being 'cool' is a top priority.
Abel was aware of the destructive power of the word 'uncool' on Ryo because he had experienced it to the point of disgust.
"If you don't want to be encased in ice, then you can just wear it instead. I know a water-attribute spell that is just right for it. It's called Ice Armor. With it, you can cover your entire body, how about it?"
"Wearing ice huh…"
"It's a piece of thin, transparent ice. From a distance, it's hard to tell you're even wearing anything."
"If it's thin, won't it break…"
Ryo made an affronted face at Abel's concern and continued.
"You realize we're talking about my ice, right? An ordinary attack won't even crack it."
"Makes sense…"
Abel also knows that Ryo's ice is unusually hard.
He felt that it would not be a problem.
"Let's give it a try."
"All right, here we go.
There was a knock on the door of his office.
"Come in."
As Abel said this, the door opened and the three members of the 'Crimson Sword' entered.
"We're back, Abel. Looks like things aren't looking…"
"We're back, finally~. Kona village was quite something. I heard that Ryo is here too…"
"…"
Rihya, Rin, and Warren, silent as usual, came into the room, looked at Abel from a distance, and then tilted their heads.
"Abel…"
"What's that glowing thing…?"
Neither Rihya nor Rin knew why, but Abel's surface seemed to shimmer.
The light coming in through the window reflected off the surface of ice armor on Abel and made it shimmer.
"Hm? I'm surprised you two spotted it. Ryo cast an ice armor on me for protection."
"With this, he'll be safe from any surprise attack!"
Abel explained, and Ryo vouched for it.
Ryo's ice would certainly be hard, and well, it looks like he'd have no problem moving…"
"But nah."
Rin gave a nod to show understanding, but Rihya said no.
"Why!"
Abel and Ryo exclaimed in unison.
"Because people who shake Abel's hand won't be impressed by it."
"…Huh?"
Again, they both exclaimed in unison.
Impressed by Abel's hands? The hell is up with that?
"Those who shake Abel's hands always feel impressed just so you know. He has several overlapping calluses from wielding the sword, you see…. It's like a reputation that you've earned through hard work as an adventurer. But if he wears that ice armor, no one is going to bat an eye when he shakes hands with them, right? So, nope."
Ryo literally crumbled to his knees at Rihya's words.
"Well, sorry…Ryo."
Abel said apologetically.
"It's fine…never thought I'd lose to sword calluses…. But then it can't be helped. Sword calluses are a medal to those who live by the sword."
Ryo said with an even more refreshed expression.
"Ryo has it too right…sword calluses."
Abel said, looking at Ryo's clenched hands.
Ryo has been wielding a bamboo sword since he was in elementary school, and even on 'Phi' he wields his sword almost…every day, so of course he has.
"Sure. In my case, though, the ones on my left hand are thicker."
He was once told that sword callus is a sign of inexperience.
By an instructor from the dojo where he went to practice.
But now Ryo knows that this is not true…at the very least, not to him.
Consistently doing three thousand to five thousand strikes every day, will surely get you some nice sword calluses.
Even fencers who win the All Japan Championships won't lose their sword calluses if they continue practicing at that level.
Sword calluses disappear when people practice less…of course, that is generally not a bad thing, and everyone will practice less once they reach the age of forty, right?
Practice is not everything, and rest is also a form of practice…which is true.
With experience, one may be able to get the most out of less practice.
Either way….
Sword calluses are by no means a sign of inexperience.
They are a medal of honor to those who pursue the way of the sword.
Ryo looked at Abel and then at his own hands and once again, affirmed so.
-x-X-x-
It has been three days since the fall of the Royal Capital.
By this time, most of the cities in the Kingdom already caught wind of the rebellion of the northern nobles and the fall of the royal capital by the imperial army.
Needless to say, there has been no announcement from the royal capital, nor the royal family or the kingdom government….
Since the fall, the gates of the capital have been closed.
This was partly to prevent attacks from the outside, but also, or more importantly, to prevent anyone from escaping the city.
To prevent who exactly?
Dignitaries, Kingdom citizens, and saboteurs.
"They're coming your way! "
"No killing, we need them alive! "
"Okay, now you're just asking for the impossible. These guys aren't amateurs."
"That's the order!"
The site that's being burned was once the Knights' headquarters. Now it is the Imperial Army's supply depot.
Five shadows were running away.
"All right, we succeeded!"
"Not yet. It will only count as a success if we can escape! "
The magician said happily, and the party leader, a swordsman, chided him.
In fact, the area was dotted with the armies of the imperial army and the northern nobility.
"Now, this should make it easier for 'them' to infiltrate once the enemies assemble…"
"But it will all be meaningless if we get caught by them after gathering them."
The priest reaffirmed the significance of the operation and the female scout expressed her concern.
And one more, a spear-wielder, carrying a portable spear, ran in silence.
After running for about ten minutes, the five finally caught their breath.
"Did we manage to get away?"
Hector, the swordsman, asked in a hushed voice.
"Probably."
Oriana, the scout, nodded as she searched for any presence around them.
Kenzie, the magician, and Tarlow, the priest, were trying to catch their breath and were unable to speak.
The five who carried out the sabotage were 'Morning Star', a C-rank party in the royal capital.
They were adventurers who had once attempted to kidnap Abel, then, after some twists and turns, were hired by the Marquis of Heinlein to infiltrate Count Gothar's territory in the north, until recently.
The five were taking a breather.
The fifth, the spear-wielder Isaiah, is always silent but ….
"Who's there!"
Isaiah asked sharply, which was a little out of character.
At the same time, he extended his folded portable spear and held it up.
"T-There's no one there, is there?"
Oriana, the scout who is just as good at detecting signs of her surroundings as Isaiah the spear-wielder, whispered while glancing back and forth between Isaiah and the dark alley ahead.
But….
"Rebels huh…"
Muttering this, a man emerged from the shadows of the alleyway.
He was young, with brown skin and a fearless face, but his hair was a magnificent white, and he so calm that it was disproportionate to his apparent age.
"No way…"
Oriana, the scout, muttered softly.
She could not pick up any sign of the white-haired guy.
Hurriedly, she took out her dagger and readied it.
By that time, the leader, swordsman Hector, had also moved to the vanguard, alongside the spear-wielder Isaiah.
However, the rearguard was slow to act.
Priest Tarlow was simply still exhausted from all the running, but the earth-attribute magician Kenzie was clearly acting strange….
"Kenzie?"
Tarlow called out to Kenzie, who was looking so different from his usual self.
"I-It's no use…"
Tarlow could barely make out Kenzie's mutterings.
"Kenzie?"
Tarlow called out to him again.
At that moment, Hector, the vanguard swordsman, moved.
"Don't!"
Kenzie, the magician, shouted, but it was too late.
Hector approached the white-haired man in a flash and brought his sword down from directly above him.
However, the sword did not reach the white-haired man.
In a flash, a sword was in the white-haired man's hand out of its sheath, easily catching the full force of Hector's, a swordsman's, strike.
Failing to strike, Hector stepped back and returned to his original spot.
"It's no use, Hector…let's run away…"
Kenzie's voice, though weak, reached the ears of the entire party.
"What's up with you, Kenzie? What's no use?"
Hector asked sharply, his eyes peeled at the white-haired man.
Hector, the swordsman, could very much tell that the white-haired man in front of him was quite capable of using a sword, as he was able to take on his strike perfectly and with so much leeway.
Hence, he could not afford to take his eyes off him.
"We're no match for that person…"
"What?"
Kenzie said in a weak voice, and Hector glanced behind him as he asked.
There he saw Kenzie, the magician, pale and wobbly on his feet, and Tarlow, the priest, looking equally pale and drained of color.
"Hmph."
After a few seconds, the white-haired man muttered softly, put the sword away, and started to walk.
The white-haired man approached the five one step at a time.
It was only then that Hector, the swordsman, finally began to understand.
The reason for Kenzie and Tarlow's pale faces.
It wasn't logical.
Not something one could wrap their heads around.
But neither was it necessary to wrap your head around it.
Every pore opened and sweat flowed unceasingly.
Every part of his body, except his head, understood…that he was an 'opponent he should not fight'.
Not only Hector, but also Isaiah, the spear-wielder next to him, felt it.
Oriana, the scout, could not stand and fell on her butt.
The five of them could almost feel their spirits leaving their body while the white-haired man walked past them.
It was more than two minutes after he had left that they were able to move.
"Is everyone all right?"
Hector, the swordsman, asked in a whisper.
All four nodded without saying a word.
As if, if they spoke out loud, the man would hear it and come back…that's how they felt.
"Let's just get out of here first."
The five of them managed to walk away.
"Who the hell was that friggin' white-haired man just now…?"
Hector asked aloud.
"Perhaps, the Explosive Blaze Magician."
Kenzie, the magician, answered.
"That was him…?"
Oriana the scout muttered, and after that, everyone fell silent.
"Are you sure about letting them off, Deputy Commander?"
Jurgen, the second-in-command, asked Oscar.
He was watching from a distance and saw him let the members of 'Morning Star' go.
"It's not our job to maintain security."
Oscar said, and kept on walking.
"Well, you're not wrong…"
That was about the only thing Jurgen could say.
They are the 'Emperor's' magic division.
This means that they are under the direct control of the emperor, and although they are part of the expeditionary force, strictly speaking, Marquis Musel, the commander-in-chief, does not have the authority to give orders to them.
Nevertheless, even Oscar is basically following the policy of the expeditionary force, as he is not actively trying to sabotage the expedition.
However, he is self-aware that maintaining security is outside of his duties.
It's a different story if this was the mainland of the empire, but it's just a mere enemy stronghold.
"Jurgen, tomorrow we're leaving the royal capital and advancing on the surrounding cities. If we remain here, we'll only get up in all sorts of trouble."
"Yes, sir."
Jurgen also understood what Oscar was concerned about.
So he agreed to his plan.
Just like what just happened, insurgents were already beginning to emerge.
And tomorrow, more troubling things will arrive.
"Only three days after the fall, and insurgents are already attacking the supply depot…. That's way too soon. I wonder …who the hell is calling the shots?"
Oscar's mutterings were too soft to reach Jurgen's ears.
The next day.
A luxurious group arrived at the north gate, passing by the emperor's magic division, led by Oscar, who had left the royal capital.
It was the king's younger brother, Raymond, Duke Raymond of Flitwick, and his royal guard.
On that day, the fourth day after the fall of the capital, the north gate was finally opened.
However, the streets were empty except for the soldiers patrolling the streets, as martial law had been imposed in the capital and unnecessary outings were forbidden.
"These empire lot are just strutting around like they own the place."
Raymond muttered to himself in the carriage as he looked out over the royal capital, where no one but the imperial soldiers could be seen.
"Very true…"
Nodding broadly in agreement with Raymond's words was Parker Fletcher, the Count of Kirkhouse, who is in charge of the Flitwick Dukedom as his right-hand man.
"But it is also true that the imperial army is powerful. The Empire's cooperation can't only be for the sake of lucrative trade interests. Please be careful."
"I understand. You worry too much, Parker."
He frowned nervously but did not become agitated.
For those who knew Raymond when he was in the palace, it was a remarkable change.
The reason why Raymond, who was not incompetent by any means, could not win the support of the nobles was because of his petulant nature.
He was even given the bad nickname 'Prince Tantrum' behind his back, which spoke volumes about his volatile temperament.
However, after his demotion and establishment of the Flitwick Dukedom, Raymond gained a variety of experiences.
Much of which came from Parker, his right-hand man.
Although Raymond lost some privileges because he was no longer royalty, he was able to gain emotional stability and opportunities for growth.
"We have been expecting you, Your Royal Highness."
"Marquis Musel, congratulations on the success of this operation."
None was the wiser about what the both of them were thinking deep down, but on the surface, they smiled and shook hands.
There, in the King's office.
The Marquis and the Duke were conversing.
Numerous social pleasantries flew back and forth.
And apart from the two men, the only other people present were Marquis Musel's eldest son, the chief adjutant, Viscount of Kruger, Linus Warner and Raymond's right-hand man, Count of Kirkhouse, Parker Fletcher.
"Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount…now if we just throw a Baron in there, we'd have ourselves the five ranks of nobility!" Or so Ryo might have said if he had been there.
It was Raymond who broke off the social pleasantries and got down to business.
"By the way, Marquis Musel, I would like to ascend to the throne as soon as possible."
Marquis Musel's reaction to this was one of bewilderment.
He glanced at Linus, the chief adjutant, who was standing behind him.
In response, Linus opened his mouth.
"About that, the security in the capital is still unstable. Just last night, insurgents set some part of the capital ablaze. I suggest that you wait for a while until the people of the royal capital have calmed down."
"All the more reason, Viscount Kruger. Not just the people in the royal capital, but the entire citizens of the Kingdom are worried about what is going on. That is why I need to ascend to the throne and lead the kingdom on the right path going forward. My brother is no longer able to carry out his duties as king, so I will take his place, and address the nation to reassure the people."
Linus was surprised by Raymond's even-handed rebuttal.
(I guess they decided to put this guy, the king's brother on the throne because they thought he would be easy to deal with, but…I'm not so sure it's a good idea? According to the reports, he is easily provoked and easier to manipulate than King Stafford, but…I wonder if that truy is the case…)
"Is something wrong, Viscount Kruger?"
"No, sorry. I understand, Your Royal Highness. I will make every effort to prepare for the coronation, so please wait for a while."
"Thank you."
Linus did his best to try not to make any clear commitment to Raymond….
Marquis Musel and Linus left the room after handing over the king's office to Raymond, the king's brother.
"We must delay the accession as long as possible…. In the meantime, many things need to be done."
"The king's brother must have sensed something."
Yesterday's friend is tomorrow's enemy….
"I will attempt to stall for time."
Linus frowned and promised to work out a plan.
But a big stir came from where the Imperial Expeditionary Force did not anticipate.
The next day, urgent news reached the royal castle.
'The Union has invaded the Kingdom'.