Chapter 242
Western Front ④: Stalemate
Translator : PolterGlast
Under the orders of Duke Ifris, Prime Minister of the
Fearalt Principality, Marquis Scylla, leading the Kyle Kingdom
Invasion Army, had deployed his forces about half a day's distance behind the
advance party. He was slowly marching towards Kylar while suppressing
the surrounding areas.
Then, he received news from the front lines that would
astonish him.
"Reporting to
Marquis Scylla. An envoy, Aqualart Lugner-sama, has arrived,
stating he has an urgent message from the very front lines."
"Ooh! Show him in immediately. He must have brought
good news."
Lugner was
welcomed into the tent at the main camp where the Marquis waited. However, his
appearance was soot-stained, his military attire disheveled; he looked just
like a defeated soldier.
"Lord Lugner, I was waiting for you... Wha-!
What happened? C-Could it be...?"
"Please forgive me for having to report such unpleasant
news to Your Excellency in this defeated state. Count Lesser and the
entire leadership have been annihilated, and the advance party is in a state of
ruin."
"Wh-Wh-What! What has happened! I don't understand.
What occurred on the front lines?"
"I have come here after receiving a final request from Count
Lesser, who suffered a mortal wound. Initially, our army was launching a
unilateral offensive, but we received an incomprehensible counterattack from
the enemy. The Mage Corps was
annihilated, and subsequently, under attack from tens of thousands of archers,
the 10,000-strong advance party was routed."
There were several falsehoods in this report.
To begin with, Lugner had been wary of something and
stayed in the rear, keeping a distance from the main camp. Thanks to that, he
escaped the catapult incendiary attack, and he certainly hadn't received any
request from Count Lesser. And the 'tens of thousands of arrows'—that
was a subjective view seized by Lugner's fear, not an objective number.
He merely dirtied his clothes intentionally to make it seem as though he had
been in the fierce battle himself, pretending he had escaped from the thick of
it.
"Even though it was the wish of the dying Count, the
reason I shamefully left the battlefield was because there was something I
absolutely had to inform you of. Ahead of here, about half a day's journey, in
the enemy defensive position built in the land of Kleirat, is King
Kyle's daughter, Princess Clarice. And your country's Count Flame
as well."
"What! Is that true?"
"The late Margrave Clantiff identified her as Clarice,
so there is no mistake. And considering that royalty, a Princess no less, has
come to the front lines, it seems that the entire 30,000-strong Royal
Capital Knights force, or at least two legions—over 20,000 cavalry—are
deployed in this sector."
"So that explains the tens of thousands of
archers?"
"Yes. Another reason I came here is to convey the
danger of advancing the army hastily now, while the encirclement network is not
yet complete. Even if their formation is heavy now, the Kingdom will face
invasions from various directions hereafter. When that happens, the Royal
Capital Knights will move hurriedly to respond. I endured shame as a
defeated soldier to report these two things: that the moment they leave is the
opportunity to launch an offensive, and the possibility of obtaining a valuable
hostage."
"I see. The value of these two pieces of information is
very heavy. Heavy enough to match winning a battle. Lord Lugner, thank
you for your hard work. First, please tend to your body. And how do you think
we should move from here on?"
"It is certain that this country will face new
invasions from three directions hereafter: South, East, and North. However,
among them, we moved the most swiftly, and our front line has advanced to a
distance of two days from the Royal
Capital. This is considered a splendid war result so far, but if we
protrude too far, the burden on us increases accordingly."
"Indeed. We were able to invade earlier than expected
thanks to the cooperation of you and your father. Other countries will likely
not proceed as smoothly as we have, will they?"
"Yes. I believe we should remain in this land,
establish a firm base, release spies in all directions, and wait for the right
time. While transporting and stockpiling supplies from the border, it should be
sufficient to place appropriate weak soldiers on the front lines and merely
glare at the enemy. If they think the West can hold out sufficiently, they will
withdraw troops to other fronts, naturally weakening their defense. Taking that
opportunity, we will launch a renewed offensive with the entire army at once.
Ideally, we aim to capture the Princess at that time."
"Hahaha, that is an amusing story. If that comes
true..."
"Yes, it will likely be possible to retrieve the Prince
and Princess as well. Those who will become our King and Queen hereafter. And
from here on, we likely won't obtain food and other supplies for free. I think
it is also essential to construct a solid supply line and stabilize the
occupied territories. Since they will become your territories in the near
future."
"Shall we give up on a battle of revenge for the time
being? The annihilation of the Mage
Corps is a painful story for us as well. Let us withdraw the army from the
very front lines for now, retreat about a day's journey from that land, and
build a base in the occupied territory. I would like to borrow your father's
power for the stability of the occupied territory; may I expect it?"
Receiving those words, Lugner bowed respectfully.
Though it didn't sit well with him that Marquis Scylla was calm despite
the annihilation of the Mage Corps...
By the time he left the curtained enclosure, the sun had
completely set.
Though he feigned composure in front of the Marquis, a storm
of rage swirled within his heart.
Surely that brat must have intruded this time too. The neutralization of the Mage Corps' attack, that incomprehensible counterattack, and the
flames that destroyed the leadership at the end. The only one capable of such stunts
is that brat.
That brat always obstructs our schemes, intruding and
interfering just when I think the plan is a step away from completion. It was
precisely because I foresaw such danger that I tried repeatedly to crush him
while he was still small fry.
But none of that came true.
『Just
what is that brat? 』
When he started thinking about it, he even felt as if
everything was just dancing in the palm of that guy's hand.
After shuddering for a moment, Lugner regained some
composure.
"As I thought, should I have prioritized eliminating
that brat above all else? Well, fine. This time, I've sent a parasite into the
lion's body on the Southern Front as
well, and I've arranged for a secret weapon that the brat won't expect. This
time is different from before! Things won't go as that brat expects."
Muttering that, Lugner disappeared into the darkness.
The Kyle Kingdom Western Army had withdrawn all units
into the fortification, leaving only some lookouts and scouts, including the
units that had advanced to the west side. Now, in the safe rear area slightly
advanced toward Kylar, flames cremating the corpses of both friends and
foes colored the night sky bright red.
"However, despite being an almost complete and great
victory, I never thought there would be this many dropouts even among the Magic Knights..."
"Yes. I have experienced battlefields myself, but I
have learned their misery anew. I believe 10% of the Magic Knights and 20% of the volunteers will be of no use
hereafter."
Yuka, who
answered Clarice's question with a pale face, had behaved stoutly during
the day and scolded her comrades, but she bore a heavy burden on her heart and
was exhausted in both body and mind.
Even in the work of recovering and cremating the abandoned
corpses—nearly 10,000 friends and foes combined—people vomiting or crying
uncontrollably appeared one after another, and many became unable to continue
the work.
This was especially true for the children of nobles and the
temporary conscripts from the Royal
Capital who had volunteered. Also, unlike the frontier, which is adjacent
to daily danger from war, plagues, bandits, and monsters, the vicinity of the Royal Capital has good public order,
and even the subjects have a different view of life and death. Furthermore,
they almost never see large numbers of corpses.
They had suffered wounds to their hearts, in a state close
to PTSD.
"But a real battlefield is not like this.
Surely..."
"My husband, the Demon Territory Count, once
strongly admonished us that we are people who do not know the terror of the
battlefield. Those words... they truly hit home now. I must admit, I myself was
naive. I underestimated the true reality of battle."
Yuka herself
had stood at the forefront and fought during the civil war, seeing enough war
dead from both sides to make her sick. Scenes she wanted to turn her eyes away
from.
However, she led archers mainly for long-range attacks and
had not engaged in sword-crossing with the enemy army in the true sense.
Moreover, post-war processing was left to her father and his army, while she
herself was assigned to treat the wounded and provide food distribution along
with the citizens.
But this time, seeing tens of thousands of corpses on the
battlefield before her eyes, wrapped in the intense smell of blood and death rising
around her, she endured the urge to vomit rising repeatedly.
"Right. For those who dropped out, send those who wish
to return to the Royal Capital back,
and those who wish to remain to the rear. Is Chrisia-san alright?"
"Yes, she is busy with treatment right now. Since they
are still in the midst of war, I don't think they have the composure to ponder
things. Currently, regarding the recovery, cremation, and burial of corpses, we
are proceeding with 1,000 surrendered allied soldiers, Fire Mages, and Earth Mages."
"I see, thank you. We have to hold out for at least
another month until other fronts win and send reinforcements. We have to
maintain the soldiers' morale from here on too."
Yuka was
thinking the same thing. The road ahead is still long, and they must endure a
painful battle. Until the day her husband, Takuhir, wins on the Southern Front and rushes to them as
reinforcement.
"I too must concentrate on fulfilling my duty as a Commander and as a Princess. Will you join me for the
audience after this?"
"Y-Yes! Of course."
Clarice stood up
and left her temporary room on the battlefield accompanied by Yuka,
moving to the main camp. And waiting for Clarice's arrival, the audience
with the surrenderers began.
"Now, we shall begin your audience before Her Highness Princess
Clarice. I permit you to speak if you have thoughts, but do not forget your
pride as nobles and lose sight of yourselves."
Legion Commander Schulz looked down at the eight
prostrating nobles, lords of the western border area. They were those who had
believed the words of the late Margrave and the two Restoration Faction
Marquises and participated in the Fearalt Principality invasion force.
"We were deceived by Margrave Clantiff. W-We
never thought it was an army invading the Kingdom... Now, we are deeply ashamed
of our own lack of insight."
When one noble said that, the remaining seven nodded
similarly, bowing their heads repeatedly until they almost rubbed against the
ground.
"You lot. Even if you claim ignorance, is it not a fact
that you ran for merit without a royal order? You cannot be unaware of what
happened to the nobles who danced to a fake royal order in the civil war four
years ago, can you?"
At Legion Commander Schulz's words, everyone turned
pale. Regarding the southern nobles in the instance he suggested, all their
houses were abolished, and those who participated in the army were uniformly
sentenced to death. Even if they haven't crossed blades yet, the act itself
corresponds to that, and furthermore, they committed the great blunder of
guiding an enemy army this far.
However, it cannot be denied that Schulz's words were
somewhat forced. There were parts where circumstances differed slightly between
the rebellion back then and this time.
Margrave Clantiff,
true to his responsibility, was in a position entrusted with the right of
belligerency in emergencies by the Kingdom, and a Margrave has the authority to
mobilize surrounding nobles. For the surrounding nobles, his orders are
normally treated as equivalent to royal orders. If that point were pointed out,
Schulz himself would have no argument, but...
"It seems their heads aren't spinning very fast. Or
does it mean they are that shaken?"
Clarice whispered
to Yuka waiting next to her in a small voice. Is she testing their
caliber here? Yuka couldn't help but think so.
"U-Um, with respect, Princess Clarice said she
would not question the crimes of those who returned voluntarily..."
"What were you listening to! The ones Her Highness
showed benevolence to were the soldiers, not the foolish lords who made the
wrong choice! I consider it a shame as a Kingdom noble that until now, not a
single person stood in the way of the enemy army. Consider the fact that you
are not bound in ropes right now as Her Highness's mercy alone!"
"No... It can't be..."
At Legion Commander Schulz's words, they hung their
heads with expressions of despair. Seeing their state, Legion Commander Schulz
exhaled loudly and turned his gaze to Clarice. After their two gazes
met, Clarice took a step forward.
"Right. But could we not think of it this way? Against
an invasion force that was overwhelmingly superior in number and suddenly
crossed the border, a single lord cannot put up a decent resistance. Therefore,
daring to bear the stigma of a traitor, they joined them to scout the enemy
situation..."
"Your Highness, is that not too convenient a
story?"
Interrupting the objecting Legion Commander Schulz, Clarice
continued.
"Though the timeline might be a bit off, they were doing so under my secret orders. I think we can
report it to Father that way. Of course, depending on their performance
hereafter."
"O-Of course! All of us will fight as death-defying
soldiers!"
"Please, give us the chance to clear our names!"
"We are bodies prepared for death not once, but twice.
We will fight as Your Highness's vanguard!"
The eight men began raising their voices, competing to be
first. Seeing that, Clarice simply smiling and Legion Commander Schulz
wearing a sour face as if he had chewed a bitter bug were very contrasting,
seen from Yuka's perspective at their side.
"This time, starting with the Western Margrave, three
other lord nobles besides yourselves have met unnatural deaths. And among the
influential nobles of the Kyle Kingdom, there are still those who show
intent to share their fate with the enemy army. After the war, many vacant
territories will be born in the Western Kingdom. There are examples of those
who were promoted and had their territories greatly increased in the southern
frontier rebellion. Isn't there ample opportunity not only to clear your names
but also for advancement?"
Clarice's final
words were the finishing blow. All eight raised loud voices and prostrated
themselves while shedding tears.
Legion Commander Schulz said nothing, simply looking
at Her Highness Clarice and nodding.
『Could
it be... the two of them arranged this in
advance? 』
Yuka secretly
thought so in her heart beside Clarice. And once again, she sighed in
admiration at their scheming.
After the audience, Clarice, without removing her
military attire, went around among the soldiers and volunteers working in
various places. As much as time permitted, she called out to them, listened to
their stories, and thanked them for their hard work.
Moved by the actions of the Princess, an existence above the
clouds, the soldiers were deeply touched, and morale reached its peak once
again.
The Western Front
saw a stalemate, despite the intentions of both friends and foes. Until the day
the cast was assembled on each front and the invasion force launched its grand
offensive with full preparation...
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