Chapter 154
The Battle
of Those Left Behind ⑥ - A
Desperate Bird Flies into One's Bosom
Translator : PolterGlast
Four days had passed
since refugees—no, sick individuals—from Viscount Hiyorimi's territory first
arrived at the New Checkpoint, heading for Teigun. The number of refugees
increased daily, and the number accepted by the Solis Baron's faction had
already exceeded 700.
"We have already
exceeded the New Checkpoint's capacity. What do we do now? We've managed to
cope by setting up a temporary encampment outside the checkpoint, but who knows
how much it will continue to grow..."
Elan, who had urgently
returned to the countermeasures headquarters established at Teigun's
administrative office for a meeting, was at his wits' end. He himself seemed
quite exhausted from the unexpected events and the ever-increasing number of
refugees.
"Let's see. Let's
move the women and children to the detention center in Teigun's Fourth District
(former prisoner-of-war camp). And those who have completed the purification
ritual at the Church can move to the post town's detention center (former
prisoner-of-war camp). Both have already been renovated as temporary
infirmaries. With this alone, I think we can move about 900 people from the New
Checkpoint to Teigun."
"Miseri-san,
thank you. Most of those arriving at the New Checkpoint are women and children.
It seems that in Hiyorimi territory, for the past few years, many able-bodied
men have been conscripted as soldiers, and this time too, the men seem to have
been called up for military service. Most of those remaining in the towns and
villages are women, children, and the elderly. However, many of the elderly
have been severely affected by the plague, and on the way to Teigun, most of
them..."
Elan frowned, hearing
about the tragic situation in Hiyorimi territory from the refugees.
"Regarding
Teigun's citizens, the infection has already stabilized. I think we can somehow
manage to find enough personnel to take care of them. However, a certain number
of those who handled the Hiyorimi citizens will inevitably get infected. No
matter what preventative measures we take, it seems difficult to avoid
that..."
Claire looked
disappointed, having thought they were on the verge of eradicating the plague,
only for this to happen. But the thought that they were saving many Hiyorimi
citizens, even if it meant getting infected themselves, was their only support.
"More
importantly, the situation in Fran is serious. And Est too..."
Gale's statement
echoed the concerns of everyone present. They had dispatched personnel,
selected from the garrison's cavalry, in all directions to gather information
and fully understand the current crisis. Refugees were pouring into Fran and
Est, though not as much as Teigun. They had also received information that
Fran, in particular, was in utter chaos, lacking both a church and proper
facilities.
"We need not only
supplies but also more personnel."
Christoph also
clutched his head. With the large number of refugees accepted in this
situation, Teigun was also quite overwhelmed. And above all, it had to maintain
its function as the headquarters for plague countermeasures. In addition, the
future movements of Hiyorimi territory were also a concern.
"Yes, that too,
urgently. Right now, thanks to Lady Chris's command, we're somehow containing
the infection and refugees along the vertical line of Teigun, Fran, and Est.
But what's happening to the towns and villages scattered to the east of this
line right now... I'm sorry that we can't extend our efforts there, but
honestly, we just don't have the resources... I'm truly sorry."
Miseri, with a bitter
expression, apologized, thinking of the people living in those towns and
villages not present here. They currently had no leeway to intervene in the
area east of this vertical line (towards Hiyorimi territory).
"Let's dispatch
units from Teigun to various locations. Takuhir-sama would surely do so. I
believe that, as those entrusted with his absence, we need to consider and
implement what Takuhir-sama would do. If he has the power to save, he would
surely step forward, no matter how difficult it is."
Claire made her
decision. Her husband, he would surely step forward without hesitation in this
crisis, even if it meant harming himself.
"Um... the village
I'm from is near Hiyorimi territory. I'm familiar with the nearby villages and
Dimos town located to the east, and I have acquaintances there. So, I think I
can be of use..."
At that moment,
Michelle, a Holy Mage, raised her hand.
"!!!"
"That's right.
People who are familiar with the area or have connections there can move more
easily. We'll assign plenty of escorts, and if you can't handle a situation,
always retreat and call for reinforcements. Based on that, let's dispatch units
for local response."
Miseri made her
decision. The leaders gathered with her agreed.
"Speaking of
which, Laila is also from Dimos town. If the two of them team up, patrolling
might be easier."
At Claire's words,
Michelle, who had raised her hand but still looked a little uneasy, also
smiled.
"For escorts,
let's combine personnel from the Solis family's Frontier Knights and the
garrison. They can handle a force three times their size, enough to allow the
young ladies to escape."
Gale said confidently
to reassure Michelle. Thus, the dispatch teams for support were formed.
〇 Fran Dispatch Unit:
Commander: Rosa (Holy
Mage: from Est)
Escort Mages: Clara
(Fire Mage: from Ael Village), Ilyana (Wind Mage: from Fran)
Escort Cavalry: 100
〇 Est Dispatch Unit:
Commander: Mia (Holy
Mage: from Est)
Escort Mages: Carleen
(Wind Mage: from Est), Ayla (Water Mage: from Ael Village)
Escort Cavalry: 30
〇 Eastern Frontier District Dispatch Unit:
Commander: Michelle
(Holy Mage: from Eastern Rural Village)
Escort Mages: Isaac
(Fire Mage: from Eastern Rural Village), Laila (Earth Mage: from Dimos),
Catalina (Wind Mage: from Mars)
Escort Cavalry: 70
In addition to these
units, Kaoru would transport purified holy water, mass-produced in Teigun, to
Est and circulate other supplies to various locations. The priests from the
Central Church who accompanied Rosa offered to send a priest to Est, and two to
Fran. The remaining one would assist Father Grace in producing purified holy
water.
Thus, the units
dispatched from Teigun set out on their journey.
The remaining forces
in the Teigun area were 200 Frontier Knights, 30 garrison soldiers (part-time
soldiers), 100 mercenaries, and 100 military colonists exclusively for the
Demon Realm fort. Although it was unavoidable, their defensive strength was
significantly weakened.
※
And on the night the
dispatch units departed, a new, unexpected visitor arrived at the New
Checkpoint.
"Open the gate!
It's an urgent matter! Please, grant me an audience with Lord Takuhir
immediately! Open the gate! My name is Erol, Hiyorimi von Erol!"
Elan was perplexed by
the rare visitor in the middle of the night. Not only had he come this far in
the dark with only a torch, but traveling alone at night without any attendants
was simply unheard of. And the most confusing factor was that the person was the
second son of the Hiyorimi Viscount, currently at the center of the crisis.
Since he was alone and had no companions, Elan decided to open the gate and
invite him in for the time being. He informed him that he would immediately
send a messenger and arranged for him to rest in a room under supervision.
"Please forgive
this rude visit late at night. I have something urgent I wish to convey to
Baron Solis, so with all due disrespect, I humbly request you convey it to him
as soon as possible."
His clothes, which
were presumably expensive travel attire, were dirty and torn in several places.
There were bloodstains that suggested he had fought someone, and he himself
seemed to be injured. His face was also haggard, and his expression was utterly
exhausted, looking utterly fatigued to anyone who saw him.
Elan immediately
dispatched a messenger to Teigun's administrative office and prepared hot
water, a change of clothes, and a light meal.
Receiving Elan's
hospitality, Erol finally managed to catch his breath.
"I finally made
it this far... Thinking back, it's been a continuous struggle since I fled the
Hiyorimi residence."
Erol murmured,
recalling his journey so far.
His elder brother,
Lugner, had dispatched soldiers after Erol's escape, setting up a siege network
primarily around the eastern border of the territory. This was because Lugner
naturally assumed Erol would head east.
To the south, the
territory bordered the Demon Realm, and the land grew wilder the further south
one went. Attempting to pass through the Demon Realm to the east would be
suicidal. To the west, it was the territory of Viscount Solis, who was their
arch-enemy. To the north, it was Baron Cornell's territory, which had strong
ties to Viscount Solis and was even related by marriage, making its influence
difficult to underestimate.
Ultimately, Erol's
only option should have been to break through to the east, where Margrave
Hastburg's territory lay. Erol himself fully understood this and indeed feigned
heading east at first, galloping his horse. He even survived several encounters
with his brother's pursuers.
But then, when he was
certain that everyone would think he had gone east, he turned his horse south,
heading for the southern frontier of his territory. Furthermore, in the
southern frontier, he turned his horse west again. This was to outwit his
pursuers and his own brother, and to reach Teigun. Thus, by employing combat
with pursuers, hiding to evade pursuit, and even using Dark Magic for stealth,
and finally, traveling dangerously at night, he somehow managed to reach the
New Checkpoint, the entrance to Teigun.
"Not yet! I
cannot die yet!"
After catching his
breath, relieved from extreme tension, he desperately clung to consciousness
amidst the intermittent pain from his wounds.
To convey the sequence
of events to Baron Solis, to ask him to protect the Hiyorimi citizens who have
drifted there, and, as a noble loyal to the royal family, to convey information
about his father and brother who are plotting rebellion, and to seek assistance
in their punishment.
As he realized his
consciousness was fading for the umpteenth time, his efforts were finally
rewarded. What appeared before his eyes, what he thought was his reward, were
Miseri, the Head of the Administrative Office entrusted with Takuhir's absence,
Claire, an administrative official, Gale, the Garrison Commander, and
Christoph, the young Defense Commander.
It was at this moment
that he first learned of Baron Solis's absence, that he was on a distant
battlefield, and he almost collapsed from the pain of his wounds and
exhaustion, which he had endured until then. Nevertheless, he somehow managed
to convey the minimum necessary information, and then, finally unable to resist
exhaustion and pain, he lost consciousness.
"He's severely
wounded! Get Holy Mage Tiara here immediately!"
The impact of his fall
reopened his wounds, and Erol's clothes were stained with fresh blood. Claire
hastily provided first aid while requesting more thorough treatment.
<Southwestern
Frontier Region Outline Map>
Due to formatting
constraints, the actual image is more vertically elongated than intended.
＜南＞
帝国領 山山山山山
山 山山山山山山山山
山山 山山山
山山 山山
山山 山山山 山山 山山山
山 山山山山山山 山山
サザンゲート砦 竹
● 竹 魔境
竹
竹 竹竹竹竹
← 山 竹竹 竹竹竹竹竹竹
キリアス 山 テイグーン山
子爵領 山 川
｜ 川 ゴ
山 ヒヨリミ｜ソリス 川 ｜
ハストブルグ 領 ｜ 領 川｜ マ
辺境伯領 山 ｜ 川 ｜ ン
山 川川川川 ｜ 領
＜東＞ 川川川 ｜ ｜
川川｜－－－－－－－－－－－
川 ｜ ｜
川 ｜ コーネル領 ｜ 他
川 ｜ ｜ 子
川 ｜－－－－－－－－ 爵
｜ 領
その他 ｜ その他
子爵領 ｜ 男爵領
＜北＞ ＜西＞
南 :
South
北 :
North
西 : West
東 : East
山 :
Mountain
竹 :
Bamboo
川 :
River
領 :
Territory
帝国領 : Empire Territory
サザンゲート砦 : Southern Gate Fort
魔境 : Demon Realm
キリアス : Kilias
子爵領 : Viscounty
男爵領 : Barony
テイグーン山 : Teigun Mountain
ヒヨリミ : Hiyorimi
ソリス : Solis
ハストブルグ : Hastburg
辺境伯領 : Frontier Countdom
ゴーマン : Gorman
コーネル : Cornell
その他 : Other
他子爵領 : Other Viscounties
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
-
[Gold]
B random
DavidA
Nepheos
ShitaiNoKootoRyuu
[Silver]
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Good or Hype
Matthew Fraser
Anton Lim
Ctdela
Curious Panda
nick nasca
SD Fox
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
