Chapter 349
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
A Future for Whose Sake
Translator : PolterGlast
Regarding this battle, I felt a keen sense of my own naivety
and a desperate anxiety that came from having no "cheat" powers to
rely on. Right now, we are proceeding into a completely unpredictable future.
And moreover, the situation is heading in the worst direction... Cursing my own
worthlessness and shallowness of thought, I unconsciously slammed my fist hard
onto the table.
「Takuhir-sama...」
I heard the voice of Yuka beside me, and felt the
warmth of her hand placed over my fist. Her eyes were looking straight at me.
『I will accept any decision, and
completely believe in what you do.』
As if to say just that...
Yoltia, who was
on the other side, placed her hand on my back. As if to gently and softly push
the back of the bewildered me...
『That's right... thank you. But
everyone...』
It was when I thought so.
「Takuhir-sama, allow me to dare to convey this representing everyone's
feelings.」
Saying so, the Commander stood up from his seat and knelt
beside me.
「Our beloved His Majesty the Archduke,
please proceed on the path you desire. No matter what kind of order it may be,
we will joyfully follow, and offer these lives.」
「No... I have no such worth.」
「Yes you do! My King, all of us have
been equally saved by the policies the King implemented. The great flood, the
great famine, the war damage, the epidemic, the great drought, and the crisis
of the Kingdom's destruction by the Empire's
invasion. If
one looks back on the path the Kyle Kingdom, the land of Estol
where we live, has taken up to now, anyone would understand. The people
gathered here are all those who understand that better than anyone else.」
Receiving the Commander's words, everyone stood up from
their seats, and then... knelt.
「All of our futures are with the path
chosen by the Archduke. Please give us a path to repay you.」
「But...」
「Please give us one word of command.
Follow me! Strike the enemy! Like that.」
「...」
No words came out of me. Because while I was happy that
everyone thought that way, on the other hand, I felt the heavy pressure of the
decision I was about to make, and the weight of everyone's lives.
「Everyone... thank you. I want to
thank you anew. Truly, I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart.」
For a fleeting second—though it felt like an eternity of
agonizing doubt to me—I wavered, but at last, I was able to make my decision. Yes,
there is only one thing I must do right now!
「Alexis!」
「Yes!」
「Sixteen thousand... this is all I
can leave behind right now. Can you defend with this many soldiers? For the
time being, you just need to defend. Can you hold out until reinforcements from
the Kingdom arrive?」
Alexis seemed to
understand the words I was trying to say, slowly nodded, and smiled fearlessly.
「If it is your command, we shall
fulfill it even at the cost of our lives! For the past year, we of the Izumo Garrison Corps have devoted
ourselves to constructing defense lines in preparation for this very day. And
here, we have the veterans and heroes who fought to the bitter end to protect Rasetsu and Ishtar. Even the soldiers who have returned from the Empire will surely unite and lend us
their strength to protect their
motherland!」
「Gail!」
「Yes!」
「I am asking you all to endure
another bitter struggle, and once again, I must leave our homes in your hands.
Can you fight this through to the end?」
「Up to now, it has been a continuous
series of painful battles for us. This time is the same. However, there is one
major difference. We have been granted overwhelmingly greater power compared to
before. If we do not repay you with that, we would be a disgrace to men.」
「Do you all feel the same? Are there
any objections or anxieties?」
I looked back anew at the faces of everyone kneeling and
staring at me. Everyone was staring back at me with eyes holding strong will.
「My heart is set. I will head south.」
「「「「「Ooh!」」」」」
「Even so, my absolute priority
remains protecting all of your lives, the people of this nation, and the
innocent citizens living within the Empire.
I... do not wish to lose a single person gathered here. Please understand that
to me, a victory with casualties is no victory at all.」
「「「「「Yeah!」」」」」
「Our current strength is 16,000, but
we have reports that at least 10,000 cavalry reinforcements from the Royal
Capital Knights of the Kyle Kingdom have already departed. Until they
arrive, I need you to focus entirely on defense and hold the line at all costs.
If worst comes to worst, fall back to the absolute defense line of Izumo
and defend it to the death!」
「「「「「Yes, Sir!」」」」」
「I ask the head of the Kempurna
Trading Company. Did Lord Sieghart desire reinforcements from us?」
「Yes, my
lord provided an answer in advance, should you ask that question.
I was told only to convey this: 『Why use an
O-dachi (Greatsword) just to butcher a chicken?』 」
「I see... When you heard that, was
there anyone else around?」
「My master raised his sword and spoke
those words in front of all the assembled generals.」
I see... There is undoubtedly a hidden
meaning behind those words. Think! !!! Is that what he meant? If so, the weight
of this message is immense... To me, it felt as though three distinct
intentions were hidden within that single phrase. First, a
meaning that is the exact opposite of what the words literally say. Second, a
deliberate attempt to make everyone around him perceive that opposite meaning.
And third... it’s likely that. He must have spoken those words knowing
that, in the end, I would be the one to see through to the truth behind them.
If that’s the case, then he truly is incredible...
「If so, we have firmly accepted Lord Sieghart's
request. I want to ask you for guidance and leading the way for us who are
unfamiliar with the geography.」
「Yes, sir...
no, um... even without using the O-dachi...」
「Your lord is saying, 『If the O-dachi is there, we will
win,』 is he
not?」
「Y... yes!」
「Everyone, I'm sorry. We could take a
safer strategy right now. But that is... the worst move considering what
lies ahead. You don't need to think about such a grand thing as supporting the
Third Prince and saving the Empire.
We just fight to grasp our own future.」
「「「「「Yeah!」」」」」
「Commander of the Demon Territory
Knights!」
「Yes!」
「We will dispatch an expeditionary
army to the southern part of the Empire.
Immediately have only those who meet the following conditions prepare. Because
the expeditionary army has the possibility of annihilation, we will only take
those who volunteered. There must be circumstances for the former Iron Cavalry
in particular. Also, the entire unit will be composed of light cavalry archers.
You understand?」
「Yes, understood.」
「Commander of the Special Fire Corps!」
「Yes!」
「One thousand cavalry for the
expeditionary army, and two thousand cavalry for the national defense unit. The
garrison forces may find themselves facing the people of the Imperial Kingdom. Make that known and
call for volunteers!」
「Understood. This time I will also accompany
you. This is the only thing I will not yield on, so please forgive me. I will
entrust the command of the 2,000 men to Glenn.」
「Commander of the New Territory
Garrison Corps (Alexis)!」
「Yes!」
「I hereby grant you full command over
every unit tasked with defending our homeland in this battle! You are to take
charge as Supreme Commander. As was
mentioned before, ever since you entered this land, you have looked toward this
day and prepared for it faster than anyone else. Utilize that insight of yours and protect the people of both the Dukedom and the Empire to the very end!」
「Yes! I will exert my meager strength
to meet your expectations.」
「Marquis Gorman, Marquis Solis,
Count Falmus, Viscount Bold, please support Alexis as his
lieutenants. Because everyone is here, I can move forward with peace of mind.」
「That exactly is the path the Archduke
should advance on.」
「Understood, leave it to us.」
「As the Archduke desires.」
「We firmly accept.」
「I order the commanders of each army
corps!」
「「「「「Yes, sir!」」」」」
「Some among you will probably desire
to participate in the expeditionary army. But, please bear with it here. The
defense battle of the motherland is also in an overwhelmingly disadvantageous
situation. Alexis needs commanders accustomed to battle.」
「「「「「Yes, sir!」」」」」
「Now then, what's left is the
Headquarters Escort Army... Sigurd, Carla! There are also newly
hired ones. We can't take everyone. It is a major premise that it's volunteers
only, but besides that, we will limit it to those accustomed to horseback
riding. Ultimately we will select them here, so I want you to make that known
to everyone.」
「Understood. First, I shall begin the
call for volunteers.」
「The ones hired in the Royal Capital
the other day will be allocated to the defense here.」
To be honest, although calling it an expeditionary army
sounds nice, if handled poorly, it's a repetition of breaking through enemy
lines. Some might become exhausted from battle and drop out before reaching the
target battlefield. But in this case, we cannot send such people back, nor can
we leave them behind. The distance to the battlefield, and the fact that it
could be a march through enemy territory, was the biggest problem.
「To put it badly, the origin of this
battle stems from a succession dispute in another country. To an outsider, it's
a worthless battle, and some might think it's collateral damage. That is
precisely why I dare to say: we will win this battle and wrest our future! I
want everyone to convey this earnestly to the soldiers.」
Everyone here will probably understand my words and not
object to the decision-making. However, our organization has already become too
large. We must unite our feelings not only with old companions but also with newly
joined ones.
「Precisely because it's a worthless
battle, we must win. Depending on whether the Third Prince or the First Prince
succeeds the imperial throne, peace or war, the aspect of this world will
change. We will end the worthless wars with this one as the last, and not leave
seeds of battle for the next generation. I want everyone to understand that it
is a battle for that purpose.」
「「「「「Yes, sir!」」」」」
「We will immediately begin
preparations and actions from here on out. Please entrust everyone's lives to
me for a while.」
「「「「「Roger!」」」」」
In the Kyle Year 515, the battle between the Griffonia Empire, the Sura Principality competing for hegemony, the Turncoat Kingdom aiming for the lion's share, and the Eral Knight Kingdom, an eerie existence whose intentions are unknown, would further drag in neighboring countries, developing into a great upheaval unprecedented in history where a staggering 9 countries would engage in a chaotic melee.
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