[WN] Emperor's Seventh Son : 20- 4

20-4

The Slaughter Dolls of the Age of the Gods

Translator : PolterGlast

A little before Aniue and I struck down Yord, a fierce battle was unfolding on the battlefield in the southern part of the Imperial Capital. Fellow Imperial citizens, clad in swords and armor, clashed against each other, and the conscripted soldiers lacking sufficient armor and experience lost their lives one by one. Every time the two armies clashed, the earth was dyed in blood, scattering the tragedies of the deaths of sons and fathers throughout the Empire. Everyone must have felt doubts about this battle. The meaninglessness of fellow Imperial citizens killing each other. But even so, the civil war did not stop. Even while gazing at lives being consumed like hot water, the people had no choice but to accept being swallowed up themselves by the great swell of the era. Because a miserable future awaits the losers of the civil war, while glory and blessings are promised to the victors. If they become the losers here, knights and lower nobles will lose their positions. No, in proportion to the weight of their responsibility and position, the possibility of their heads flying off increases. Even if the earth was dyed with the blood of compatriots and corpses were devoured by birds and beasts, now that the great battle had begun, no one could stop it anymore.

Amidst all that, I received a report that several upsets had occurred. At first, the Southern Army—in other words, Julius's side—was dominant. However, Uncle Morac's connections and Machiavellian schemes seemed to be a threat even in war. Around the time I left the territory of Erin, nobles and generals who had been secretly communicating with Morac betrayed Julius's Southern Army one after another. Because of this, everyone thought the victory of the Northern Army was decided. However―― Two days later, Prince Julius played the trump card he had been hiding. The story the dying Yord spoke of was about this. Thinking about it now, precisely because Yord was certain of Julius's victory, that guy must have appeared in the land of Ratatosk, seeking to settle things with Aniue and the postwar glory.

What Julius unleashed onto the blood-pooled battlefield was that immortal armored doll, the Cherubim Armor. Also known as the army of the Age of the Gods. Born using humans as materials, they are the strongest and worst weapons. When more than 100 immortal armored dolls appeared on the battlefield, the war turned into a massacre. The front lines collapsed one after another, deserters were born in the face of existences that could absolutely not be defeated, and Morac and his faction fell into a predicament.

However... From here on, it simply doesn't make sense... Just as the Northern Army was about to be routed by a formidable enemy against which they were helpless, the Cherubim Armors suddenly began to attack their own army as well. Pointing their giant swords at all humans reflected in their eyes, they began a massacre of each and every person. According to what Zirant said, the Cherubim Armors were supposedly weapons created to destroy all races other than humans. To think that this time they would turn into monsters that slaughter all humans was something even Julius, the very person who ordered their production, hadn't even imagined. Julius was deceived by the people of the Abyss.

Eventually, as both armies distanced themselves from the Cherubim Armors as if to flee, the White Knight of the Abyss who had hidden his figure appeared. In contrast, the slaughter dolls did not try to eliminate the White Knight, even when he climbed onto their shoulders. Then, as if commanded by words of magic, they surrounded the White Knight and formed a circular formation.

「To think you built this many Cherubim Armors in such a short period. 108 of them... With this many, my master's wish should be granted. Well then, you fools, you may enjoy your mutual killings for a while longer...」

I trust the White Duke, but I do not trust the White Knight. That guy turned the earth into a black bottomless swamp, and audaciously robbed the Cherubim Armors right from the middle of the battlefield and vanished. Simultaneously with his disappearance, he gave the army of the Abyss, Skeleton Knights, to the half-destroyed side of Uncle Morac, going out of his way to swing the balance of the battle back to even... If he had felt like it, the White Knight could have become the victor of the great battle as a third force. But, as if to say he had no interest whatsoever in the hegemony of the surface, he snatched the 108 armored dolls and disappeared from the battlefield. Because they had a single, dearest wish that they would never yield, no matter if an eternity of time flowed by.

・ However, the current us had no idea that such betrayals upon betrayals were occurring in the outskirts of the Imperial Capital.

「Sorry for making you clean up my mess... How great it would be if there was one more of you...」

「I'll return those exact words right back at you, Aniue. If there were two Aniues―― no, it would be troublesome if Aniue's nagging doubled...」

After striking down Prince Yord and sweeping away the remaining remnants of the Abyss, Georg-aniue and I decided to part ways for a time.

「Foolish talk is for next time, I'll be going soon. Leave the Imperial Capital to me, I'm counting on you for this side.」

「Come back soon, Ashley... Ahh geez, as I thought, should your big sister go with you...?」

「Aneue, I'll leave the underground empire to you. Bring that land together with your popularity, Aneue.」

Aneue headed to the old capital A-Zir, and Aniue headed to the Imperial Capital Bergelmir. To end the civil war, borrow the power of all races, and snatch the victory using a surprise attack from the underground. Zirant and I will remain here in Ratatosk City. To stop the out-of-control labyrinth of stakes, this power that gouges even dimensions was necessary.

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[WN] Jitsuwa 3-Domedatta : Special 6

Volume 5 Release Commemorative Special Episode

The Former Master and Servant ③ Tactic Leading to Demise

Translator : PolterGlast

A week after General Weiss seized the supply base of the Principality of Sura Army, the effects began to show on the front lines. Even though they were dispersed across three locations, the amount of provisions consumed by the fifty-thousand-strong army deployed at the fortress line was enormous, and without continuous resupply, it would soon run out. The Principality of Sura Army deployed on the three fronts of the fortress line, upon receiving the report that their logistics base in the rear had been seized due to an unexpected enemy attack, had hurriedly begun to pull back their troops without even coordinating with each other. Just as Weiss had predicted...

「No matter how large the army, it is meaningless if they cannot deploy. The entire army dismounts; eight thousand hide on the left and right of the bypath, and two thousand act as decoys and deploy in the front. Block their exit!」

Even amidst the enemy, due to Weiss's bold interception instructions, the Principality of Sura Army, which should have been superior in numbers, was defeated in detail one after another and routed. Having been repelled and reduced to nearly half their numbers, they fled back to the fortress line that had run out of food once more, but that was merely waiting for self-destruction. And when twenty days had passed since Weiss suppressed the strategic point, a major change also arrived in the offense and defense of the fortress line. The Third Prince, who captured the exit of the fortress line closest to Big Bridge with the fewest enemy soldiers, boldly advanced his army while pursuing them, bringing his army all the way to the strategic point where Weiss was holed up. And the master and servant met once more on the battlefield.

「Even so, Denka, quite the bold advance, isn't it?」

「Hahaha, not as much as you. Besides, isn't it an action exactly as planned?」

「That is certainly true, but I didn't expect you to bring along the entire army.」

Indeed, the number the Third Prince led was twenty thousand, and it would not be an exaggeration to say it was practically his entire army. With this, the defense on the Empire's side would be non-existent.

「The strategy the General formulated still has further to go. For that, we will need more men, right?」

「However, Denka, what about the defense of the Empire's side?」

「Oh, I struck down the ten thousand hiding in Big Bridge. We charged into the fortress line chasing the backs of the fleeing ones, but they were in no state to resist, after all.」

As a result of Weiss seizing the supply base, it also had a major impact on the Principality of Sura Army deployed in the direction of Big Bridge. To begin with, even the units holed up in the fortress line were lacking food, and they were no longer in a state to supply the front lines. Therefore, they had no choice but to leave the marshland and retreat to the fortresses, but midway through their retreat, they were subjected to a surprise attack by the main force led by the Third Prince. Struck in the back and routed, they tried to flee into the fortresses, but that also allowed the Third Prince's army pursuing in parallel to invade.

「I crushed one of the fortresses they were holed up in, and thanks to you, the other two locations probably can't make a move, right?」

「However... I believe a military force of about thirty thousand remains at the other two locations at least? If they invade towards Ende...」

Here, Weiss deliberately asked what was obvious. In response, the Third Prince laughed lightly.

「Fufufu, you understand too, right? Even if they have thirty thousand, without food they cannot move. Even more so now, that number of thirty thousand becomes a shackle.」

「Then they are already at that point?」

「They've left the fortresses and are desperately scraping together food, but it's not harvest season now, after all. Even local procurement is not going well. Even if there was an army capable of moving towards the Empire, I think the five thousand men left in Ende can handle them well enough?」

「If you understand to that extent, then I have nothing to say. Then what should Denka do from here on?」

When Weiss answered so and smiled, the Third Prince also smiled fearlessly.

「Because it is for this reason that I led the entire army here. I will cap this strategic point with ten thousand. If so, an enemy force of over thirty thousand will become idle troops. I will grant you an additional military force of ten thousand, so will you bring down their Royal Capital with twenty thousand exactly as initially planned?」

「Yes, as Denka desires.」

After that, the military force of General Weiss, which advanced with lightning speed once more, scattered the remaining enemy army of over ten thousand in the Royal Capital of the Principality of Sura, and captured the Royal Capital in the blink of an eye. Thus, the Principality of Sura, which boasted hundreds of years of history, was destroyed. By the tactic of a single outstanding general...

Receiving the report of the great victory of the Third Prince's faction, which everyone had thought impossible, the Imperial Capital Griffin seethed. The formidable enemy that had invaded the southern part of the Empire for many years and continuously plagued them was gone. Furthermore, having newly added the vast territory of the Principality of Sura to the dominion of the Empire, the Third Prince, who accomplished an unprecedented feat in the history of the Griffonia Empire, attained an immovable position where everyone recognized him as the Imperial Successor of the Empire. Behind the scenes, it is said that the First Prince's faction was astonished by the great victory of their political rival they hadn't even anticipated, and fell into a great panic. However... at this point, the First Prince did not have battle results sufficient to counter his political rival's achievements, and he could not overturn that decision. And they began to formulate a plan to play a move for revival.

※

Weiss, the ever-victorious general who destroyed the Principality of Sura, had been promoted all the way to Legion Commander leading tens of thousands of troops due to his military exploits. He had now reached a position equal in military affairs to the First Prince, who aimed to conquer the northern part of the Empire. However, without growing arrogant from his success, he looked even further ahead, entirely focused on countermeasures.

「Hmm... this won't be the end. They will attempt a final resistance. There is only one means left...」

Muttering so, he stared at a map depicting his former homeland, the neighboring country to the north that Margrave Goth under the First Prince had struggled to conquer for many years. For him, who had a sense of the land, bypaths not drawn on the map and locations that would serve as strategic points floated into his mind one after another.

「Margrave Hastburg, who is famous for his bravery, guards the Southern Gate Fort in the front, and if capturing it takes time, thirty thousand cavalry of the Royal Capital Knights will come rushing... Even if we destroy them and advance along the central highway... it would be a waste of time and the lives of the officers and soldiers, huh. If we fight head-on... it's a difficult problem.」

While calling it a difficult problem with his mouth, a smile played on his lips and his expression was brimming with confidence.

「They already have their backs to the wall. They will likely try to pull our legs while we are advancing our conquest. We, who have two enemies, to seal them as well...」

Saying so, the place he pointed at was a frontier mountain whose name wasn't even written on the map. A place named Teigoon, towering beyond the Demon Territory said to be untraversable, detouring west after exiting the national border...

「The tactic that destroyed the Principality of Sura wasn't exclusively for the south... The strategic point that became the keystone in the southern war, in the case of the north... is here!」

The road on which he himself once continued his journey of hardship floated vividly in his mind. Together with bitter memories...

「The Royal Capital Knights will be a formidable enemy, but... if we lure them south as much as possible and leave them to those guys, and conduct a large-scale detour operation just with us, the keystone will be Mount Teigoon. If we cap it using the narrow pass that is a natural stronghold, we can evade pursuit from both enemy and ally, huh?」

He had to be wary not only of the enemy, but even of those who would become his allies. And just as he predicted, it would be highly impossible for his allies who didn't know the Demon Territory to follow his line of march.

「We leave the front to them, and if our main force heads north like a gale... passing through Est, advancing along the backroads, until Kylar, there is nothing to obstruct our march... nothing! With this... I can win!」

Saying so, Weiss floated a fearless smile. After that... he let out a large sigh as if remembering something.

「For Kira and the other twelve who lost their lives in that land, I can finally erect gravestones for them. The regrets from that time, by fulfilling them here, I will offer this as a parting gift before their graves, I suppose...」

The tactic he had once envisioned but considered impossible to realize had changed its shape and destroyed the Principality of Sura. And now, he had obtained enough power to make possible what he had judged impossible. With this, he would advance on a route no one could even predict at a speed beyond prediction, putting into execution a tactic worthy of his moniker, the 『Black Hawk of the Gale』. And that decided Takuhir's demise in his second life, becoming the dawn of a new world.

※

The second world that can no longer be called past history, and the world repainted as a new history—the land called Big Bridge became the turning point where the era shifted in both. It could be said that this land was truly the beginning of various karmas. In the second life, it became the starting point for the ruin of Takuhir (the Kyle Kingdom), and even in the third life, if he hadn't ridden a long distance and rushed to Big Bridge, the Third Prince's army would have been defeated, and the Westlights Demon Territory Dukedom would have fallen into a predicament at the hands of the victorious First Prince. However, now in the third time, Takuhir is trying to shatter the beginning of karma through his own decision and open up a new world. In order to seize a new future...

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[WN] The Evil Imperial Princess : 1

01

Right before Candice's eyes, thrust at her throat, was the silver tip of a sword. Neither the glittering dress prepared for today, nor her meticulously styled hair, nor her beautifully polished skin reflected in the eyes of her beloved father. It felt as though everyone in the venue was glaring at Candice, directing their hostility towards her.

「My beloved Otou-sama, this is a lie, right?」

「…………」

「I have honed my skills and worked hard for Otou-sama's sake! Even the other siblings, I killed them all, you know? You said you would acknowledge the strong, did you not!」

「……How foolish.」

「Hey, why is it……? Why won't Otou-sama praise me!? Please look at me! Please love me.」

Her father kept his eyes averted from Candice.

「In my sheer desire to be acknowledged by Otou-sama, I............ massacred every single hindrance, and yet.」

「……」

「This guy spoke ill of Otou-sama, you know? These kids were useless, so I disposed of them…… Furthermore, I heard this woman tried to make eyes at Otou-sama. See, aren't I amazing?」

Behind Candice was a piled-up mountain of corpses. Seeing Candice showing off her achievements while smiling proudly with a hand on her chest, her father's eyebrows twitched. Her beautiful dress and hair, everything was soaked in blood and dyed red. A golden pendant, said to be a memento of her late mother, absorbed the blood and gleamed ominously.

Someone called her a 『Demon…… the Evil Imperial Princess』.

Candice clasped her hands together as if to drown out those words.

「Ah, that's right! Onii-samas were also getting in my way, so I disposed of them. But it doesn't matter, does it? After all, only one person can inherit Otou-sama's position…… You said you would let the strong inherit it. With this, I am the only one who can inherit Otou-sama's position.」

Behind Candice, who spoke as if seeking confirmation, the corpses of her older brothers lay rolled about gruesomely. The venue fell completely silent at Candice, who looked as if she wanted to say a toy had simply broken without any malice. Her lavender eyes were bloodshot, and her lips were heavily contorted. Candice's fiancé, Georges, furrowed his brows and pointed his sword at Candice. Completely reversing the gaze she had given her father just moments ago, Candice glared sharply at Georges.

「Georges…… what is the meaning of pointing your sword at me? You do nothing but complain to me. Do you want to die that badly?」

「I really do despise you. I can no longer forgive this.」

「Silence! The only one in this world who can say such a thing to me is Otou-sama. In truth, I absolutely hate the likes of you as well. You should just be grateful that I even got engaged to you.」

「……There's no reasoning with you.」

「If you wanted to be killed by me, you should have just said so sooner!」

「Please, stop it already!」

「──Silence!」

At Candice's words, her younger sister Louise, who had been hiding behind their father and Georges until now, made her shoulders tremble.

「To think someone with filthy blood would dare voice their opinion to me; who do you think you are?」

「……Please, stop it already! Don't take any more of our precious family away!」

「Do not cry, Louise.」

「……hk, Otou-sama.」

「It will be fine. I swear to protect you, Louise.」

「Thank you as well, Georges-sama.」

The one her father protectively kept by his side was Candice's half-sister, Louise, who, despite sharing their father's blood, had been raised as a commoner. This foolish, eyesore of a wicked woman who was always smiling frivolously, whom it was even sickening to call a younger sister, was trembling her shoulders in fear while sandwiched between her beloved father and the man who was Candice's fiancé. What was most unforgivable of all was that tears were rolling down her cheeks, and her father's fingers were gently wiping them away. That she was touching her father. And that she had coaxed their father and brothers, attempting to snatch away Candice's place to belong.

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