Chapter 239
The Western Front ①: The Deceived
Translator : PolterGlast
Two days had passed since Minister of Foreign Affairs Duke
Klein agreed to meet with the man claiming to be an envoy from the Fearalt
Principality. During that time, he was tirelessly active every day,
coordinating intelligence as Minister of
Foreign Affairs and acting as a commander organizing the armies deployed in
various regions.
"Your Excellency, according to reports, that envoy has
not yet left the Royal Capital..."
"Ho ho ho, quite diligent of them. They are likely
remaining in the Royal Capital,
perhaps searching for the whereabouts of the people they seek. Or maybe by
staying conspicuously in the Royal
Capital, they intend to induce us to let our guard down?"
"What do you mean?"
"Minister of
Commerce, business is also competition; sometimes one must outwit the
opponent, no? From Kylar to Fairy, normal travel on horseback
takes about 10 days, correct? Even hurrying, it would take eight
days."
"Yes, exactly as you say."
"Their aim is likely
that we calculate that timeframe and let our guard down. Even if they rush back
the Royal Capital now and hurriedly
mustered an army, moving a large army takes time. From Fairy to the
border takes more than 5 days, and
even advancing from the border to here without battle would take seven days for
an army, though a lone rider might be faster. Calculating
thus, one would naturally assume that any invasion reaching the Royal Capital would not happen until at
least 20 days after their return. That is what they want us to
think."
"Yes, exactly as you say."
"If we are struck by an invasion sooner than
anticipated while resting on that assumption, panic will set in immediately. In
the worst case, lords in various regions might engage in a battle individually or be routed while unprepared, furthering the chaos.
I suspect that is precisely what they are aiming for."
"What! Such a thing... My goodness, your insight is as
terrifying as ever."
"I have already sent fast horses to Her Highness Clarice
and Legion Commander Schulz. The Principality's envoy will likely have
difficulty on their return journey as well."
True to that prediction, when the envoy's party was later
returning to the border, they were stopped in the land of Kleirat. They
were threatened that large-scale maneuvers were being conducted ahead and there
was a fear of accidental attack.
Thinking that stalling for time was also part of their
mission, the envoy feigned outrage at the discourtesy on the surface but
reluctantly understood the circumstances and stayed in the town nearby. Afterward, they spent an unexpectedly long time there,
forced to remain.
"Your Highness, is it alright? keeping the envoys
detained like that."
"Yes, that shouldn't be a problem. We managed to
deceive them on their way here, but they saw some of our defensive fortifications, and we are now on full combat
alert. It would be bad if they reported that we are preparing for interception
after receiving word from the Tia Trading Company. Though I suppose the
invading army knows to some extent through spies..."
Schulz certainly
thought so too. However, as diplomatic protocol, it is customary not to hinder
the passage of envoys even in a state of war.
"Even so, the rebel army really goes for it. Sending an
envoy to Kylar while simultaneously preparing the invasion force and
crossing the border without waiting for a reply. Cunning or cowardly, they seem
fully intent on attacking from the start, so this is just a little
payback."
Yes, they already knew that the invading army had secretly
crossed the border and was marching toward the Royal Capital. Actually, Halim's party, who came to deliver that
news, was initially suspected of being spies and scheduled for interrogation,
but fortunately, Elan, who was acquainted with Halim, was in the
Princess's camp. Thanks to that, they were safely allowed to pass through the
defensive line.
Furthermore, in the process, Princess Clarice and the
others heard about the situation within the Principality from Halim and
his group, allowing them to accurately grasp the movements of the Fearalt
Principality rebel army.
The day after the envoys were detained, the advance guard of
the Fearalt Principality rebel army, a force of over 10,000 soldiers
spearheaded by 2,000 of Margrave Clantiff’s soldiers and 1,500 soldiers of the Kyle Kingdom's western
frontier nobles, arrived in the land of Kleirat.
However, the bridge crossing the river that cut across the
highway was blocked, making it impossible to advance to the opposite bank
toward the Royal Capital.
"We are subordinates of Margrave Clantiff. We
speak to the commander defending this land! In the coming battle against the Griffonia
Empire, we have guided reinforcements dispatched from the Fearalt
Principality in accordance with the friendship between our Kings. Open the
way so we may hasten to the Royal
Capital, Kylar!"
Margrave Clantiff's
herald demanded passage through the defensive line with those words. There were
several behind-the-scenes circumstances regarding why the herald spoke thus.
Lugner, who had
been maneuvering between the two countries as the adopted son of the Marquis
who was the leader of the Restoration Faction, had fed convenient false
information to everyone except the two ringleader Marquises and their close
aides.
『Margrave,
the four Marquises of the Restoration Faction are now on a steady decline, but
there is also a chance for a great reversal. We have secured reinforcements
from the Fearalt Principality, with whom we have long had friendship,
against the Empire's invasion. Through this achievement, the Fire and Water Marquis
families will be hailed as heroes who saved the country from national crisis
and regain their former power. Please take care not to miss this boat, Margrave.
I believe we should share a new future together... 』
Margrave Clantiff
believed Lugner's words. Or rather, it is more correct to say he clung
to them. To attempt a revival for himself, having been hopelessly left behind
by the Southern and Eastern Margraves.
And for two Marquises who were once at the center of the
state, forging documents feigning a royal order was an easy task. Faced with Lugner's
tempting invitation and documents that appeared authentic, Margrave Clantiff
harbored no doubts.
And it was the same for the nobles who held territories
along the route up to this point. Some permitted passage in gratitude for the
reinforcements, some offered to join and merged their soldiers with the Margrave,
and others gladly supplied provisions and other materials...
Based on such circumstances, they had arrived at this point.
"Hoh? Clantiff says interesting things too. I
didn't know he had talent as a clown."
It was a clear female voice. The herald was enraged by those
words.
"I do not know who you are, but such rude speech toward
the Margrave will not go unpunished!"
Trembling with anger, the herald glared at the foul-mouthed
girl clad in beautiful light armor. Then, someone intervened with a deep sigh.
"Your Highness, please leave this matter to us. Hear
me, messenger! I am Schulz, Commander of the Third Army of the Royal Knights. I shall overlook your insolence
just now, as you speak out of ignorance. However, know this: this land is defended by Princess Clarice under the
trust of His Majesty the King. If you wish to pass, first have the Margrave
himself come here alone and explain himself regarding guiding an enemy army
this far. Any other response will be met with immediate attack. See that he
receives this message exactly as I have spoken it."
"Enemy army? Clarice... Your Highness?
W-Wha...?"
Unable to comprehend the situation, the herald retreated in
a state of confusion.
After a while, the vanguard of the Principality Army, a
massive force of about 10,000, arrived from the west raising clouds of dust.
That force stopped its advance a little before the river embankment spread out,
and only the forces under Margrave Clantiff's banner stepped forward
onto the bridge.
"Lord Lugner, is it alright to let him go?"
"It does not matter. The moment he seems to have
disloyal intent toward us, we can dispose of him along with his soldiers from
behind. Thanks to him, we were able to advance this far as if marching through
uninhabited fields. In recognition of that merit, let us grant him the honor of
being the first to die for the Kingdom."
"Hahaha, an end as a pitiful clown. It suits him."
Unaware that such a conversation was taking place behind
him, the Margrave rode out alone to the center of the bridge crossing the river
and shouted in a loud voice.
"I speak to Legion Commander Schulz. Open the
way! We are guiding reinforcements dispatched by the Fearalt King in
response to the friendship between our two countries, as requested by His
Majesty through Count Flame of the Principality. You may have your
duties, but this act goes against His Majesty's will and benefits the enemy in
the face of the Kingdom's crisis! Furthermore, to invoke the name of Her
Highness the Princess—a sheltered maiden far removed from such places—instead
of listening to reason is simply outrageous! Have you no shame?!"
The moment Legion Commander Schulz tried to rebut. A
clear voice, several times louder than Margrave Clantiff's and reaching
both banks of the river, rang out.
"Ahahaha, Margrave Clantiff, you really do have
the talent of a true clown. Surely you recognize my voice, do you not? To
refer to me—standing here on a battlefield—as a 'sheltered maiden'? My, what a delightfully
amusing joke."
Legion Commander Schulz involuntarily clicked his
tongue. Leave it to me, he said, yet
this tomboy princess wants to step forward to start a war of words. To make
matters worse, she had already conspired with a Sound Mage to amplify her voice, ensuring every word she spoke
would echo clearly to the opposite bank.
"C... Could it be, Princess Clarice?"
"Your fantasy story lacks a fragment of originality and
tries too hard to be eccentric; it gives me heartburn. Father never asked for
reinforcements, and the Count Flame you spoke of is currently with us.
Could it be there are two or more people naming themselves Count Flame
of the Principality? The one here is genuine and authentic. Come to think of
it, I heard that the other day, nobles who rebelled in the Fearalt
Principality came to threaten the Minister
of Foreign Affairs in the Royal
Capital with self-righteous faces. Saying they would invade the Kingdom if
we didn't submit to the rebel army. And to guide such 'splendid' people who
send an army without waiting for a reply at the same time as sending
negotiation envoys... it is truly an honorable deed, isn't it?"
This Princess is fully intending to pick a fight from the
start. Legion Commander Schulz held his head in his hands. The fact that
the Princess of the Kyle Kingdom is here, and that Count Flame is
staying in the Kingdom—these are the most critical pieces of information that
absolutely must not be given to the enemy side. And this tomboy... is revealing
them amusingly as material for a quarrel.
"Do you understand that the current you is in the
position of invading the Kingdom together with traitors who betrayed the Kyle
Kingdom and rebels who rose up in the Fearalt Principality? Surely,
as fellow traitors, your conversations might align well. Don't you think
'outrageous' and 'shameless' are words fitting for you and the army aligned
with you?"
"Guh..."
"Soldiers. I find it unbearable to punish you, people
of the Kyle Kingdom, as a rebel army. Now that the truth is known, think
about who the true enemy you should fight is. As a Princess of the Kyle
Kingdom and the Supreme Commander leading this army, I promise you. Those
who cross the bridge and come here right now will have their participation in
the rebellion overlooked and will not be held accountable. Even if your foolish
lord made the wrong choice. You are people of the Kingdom and precious soldiers.
I pray you make your decision before arrows fly from behind."
That last part was a voice and proposal filled with
benevolence, completely different from the harsh words toward the Margrave. The
Margrave stood dumbfounded in the center of the bridge, but eventually began to
turn back the way he came.
"I-I am... a rebel? I was deceived...? Is it really
so?"
"Fire!"
While the Margrave was confused, the order to commence the
attack was issued from the Fearalt Principality soldier encampment in
the rear. Responding to that command, several hundred arrows flew in an arc and
rained down around the Margrave.
Receiving arrows all over his body like a hedgehog, the Margrave
died instantly and tumbled from the bridge into the river. Simultaneously, a
rain of arrows assaulted the heads of the 3,500 soldiers deployed on the bridge
and along the river.
"E-Enemy attack!"
"Enemy? Which way?"
"It's obviously the guys shooting arrows at us!"
"Damn it! Those bastards. I'll never forgive
them!"
Only at this point did the soldiers under Margrave
Clantiff's banner realize Clarice's words were true. Some soldiers
turned on their heels and charged toward the army they had accompanied as
allies until now, but the vast majority began to rout toward the bridge all at
once, scrambling to be first.
In this manner, the spark of battle was finally ignited on
the Western Front as well.
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