21-1 Part 2
Ending the Civil War with a Single
Shovel
- Blitzkrieg -
Translator : PolterGlast
「Sorry
for making you tag along.」
I had planned to
build the surprise attack route right beneath Julius's feet by myself,
but the fragment of the sun that had illuminated me up until today had returned
to the sky of the underground empire. Therefore, since Carral said she
was free, I decided to have her hold a light for me.
「It's
fine. After all, it's the eve of the decisive battle, and I wanted to talk with
you slowly before Shinza—no, Ashley, did something reckless...」
「The
eve of the decisive battle... I didn't have that kind of perspective.」
「Eh... Shinza,
aren't you anxious...? You're joining a war, so depending on how things unfold,
you might die, you know!?」
「I have
no intention of losing. Even by a strict estimate, it's a battle we have a
ninety-nine percent chance of winning. ...Though, saying that makes it a defeat
flag, doesn't it... Actually, forget I said that.」
I gouged the hard
soil in front of me and swept it to the rear without compressing it. This time,
I decided to create cavities to store the excavated soil at regular intervals
and leave the disposal of the soil to the civilians of Erin. Not by my
power alone, but building the road to victory with everyone's power. It was Puis's
proposal to reduce my burden even a little, but this isn't bad.
「Hey,
after this battle ends... what is Ashley going to do...?」
「...I'm
going to Elkia.」 「Elkia...
the northern Elkia territory? Why?」
「The
guys who snatched the Cherubim Armors are apparently heading there. Zirant
is protecting it all by herself...」
「I
see...」
When I answered
without hiding anything, for some reason, Carral fell silent. I really don't
understand women, after all... But, if I don't understand, I should just ask.
「Why
did you suddenly get downcast?」
「I'm
not downcast at all. It's just... to you, Ashley, Zirant-sama is
special, isn't she...」
「Yeah,
she took care of me. I owe her for changing my life. If you ask if she's
special, Zirant is special to me.」
「I
guess that's true... Then, I'll change the question a bit, okay...? Special...
as a girl...?」
「I
don't understand the meaning of your question. But, being called 'Father' by Zirant
feels itchy. Zirant seems to want to use me as a replacement for her
father.」
「So
that means... she feels like a daughter...?」
「...Perhaps.
Though I can't tell her that.」
Answering like that
and looking back, Carral was floating a beaming smile. I really don't
understand women.
「Then,
once peace comes... won't you try out that idea of becoming my sailor...? As
long as you're okay with it, Shinza, I'd welcome you anytime...?」
「Really...!?
No, but, I also have some things I'm thinking about, so I can't give an
immediate answer.」
「Eh, is
there something you want to do...?」
「I want
to watch over the development of the revived underground world. Crossing the
sea with you sounds fun too, but I think it would be a shame to take my eyes
off the most spectacular part, which is its development.」
「In
that case, how about living a life where you spend one month on my ship, and
the other month watching over that...? You might be able to feel the
development better if you step away for a bit, right...?」
「Ooh...
That's a great idea, maybe I should do that.」
If so, then all the
more reason I have to make it back alive from Elkia. I was about to add
those words but stopped. It would only make Carral anxious.
「Well,
shall we head back?」
「Eh,
what about the surprise attack route...?」
「According
to my intuition, right above here is Julius's main camp. Let's dig the
rest on the day of.」
「...Ashley,
haven't you been becoming more and more inhuman lately?」
「Perhaps.
But usable power is only meant to be effectively utilized.」
「Ah,
wait a second, Ashley.」
「What
is it? Wha...!?」
Carral came
around to the side of my face, suddenly leaned in close, and stood on her
tiptoes. Something soft and moist just brushed across my cheek. Could this
be...
「Because
it's the eve of the decisive battle... I tried doing something fitting for
it... Ashley, if you die, I will absolutely never forgive you! You have
to come back, absolutely!」
「I have
no plans to die. To begin with, I'm not the type to risk my life for the world
like Zirant. I promise I will definitely come back.」
「You
say that, but it's also so like you, Ashley, to become unstoppable once
you're engrossed in something, so I'm worried... If you lie to me, I'll work
you to the bone as my sailor for the rest of your life!」
「Wait,
by that logic, a dead me would end up working as a sailor, though...?」
We repeated
exchanges that were practically wordplay, and I felt ourselves enveloped in a
strange excitement. The eve of the decisive battle, huh. Once we return to the
surface, I feel like I'd want to spend a little more time together with Carral.
When I conveyed those feelings to her, I didn't quite understand why, but Carral
started making a fuss in high spirits. Tomorrow, we end the civil war. One
could even call this our final night.
・
The allied forces
that departed Erin the other night had taken up positions behind the
Southern Army led by Julius. The declaration of war was already
completed. We picked a fight with both the Northern and Southern Armies, and
waited from both the surface and underground for morning to arrive. And
finally, the time had come. Our main surface force charged into the Southern
Army led by Julius, and at the same time, I opened up the underground
passage connecting to the surface—the Southern Army's main camp. I made it a
huge tunnel so that a massive amount of troops could be transported to the
surface all at once.
「W-What
the, the ground is collapsing... Ugh?!」
Naturally, because
it was so big, we were immediately discovered. Soldiers tried to surround us
one after another, but the one who spearheaded the charge was Sigrun.
Our surprise attack unit surged into the enemy's main camp in the still dim
early morning, taking down the royal guards one after another as we searched
for Julius.
「Prince
Julius, prepare yourself!」
「Ooh,
it seems he's over there, Shinza!」
「What kind
of ears do you have...」
It seemed Julius
and his main camp tent were found. Following behind Sigrun, punching
through the swarming soldiers, we very easily advanced our pieces right before
the King. Although it was my own doing, it went so easily it was anticlimactic.
「What,
it's Ashley... I thought Georg had come to kill me.」
「It's
me. Sorry for being the one to show up, Julius-aniue.」
The soldiers Julius
leads are elite. Since it was a surprise attack with a small elite force, if we
took our time, the surrounding enemy forces would crush us.
「Are
you going to kill me...?」
「If you
don't want that, surrender. Cutting you down would make things troublesome later.」
「Well,
that's wise. Then try and corner me.」
「I
will.」
He was a brother I
had always hated, but today's Julius was somewhat strange. It's a
strange feeling, but right now I don't sense any madness from Julius. As
the elites including Sigrun took down the enemy royal guards one after
another, we were soon able to surround Julius.
「Surrender.」
「Alright.
Both Morac, Aunt, and I have lost to you. I will surrender.」
「...Isn't
this a bit too easy?」
「Even
if I resist, I can't win against you. With Georg, who was supposed to be
dead, joining the army, Erin's military strength swelling, and being
caught in a pincer attack like this, I felt it was useless and intended to
surrender to you all.」
Is this guy really
Prince Julius...? That mothercon Julius hasn't brought up his
phantom mother even once. No, but this is good news. I'll have Julius
declare his surrender.
「Then
declare your surrender――」
「That
is a problem.」
However―― from somewhere, I heard a familiar voice.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
-
[Gold]
B random
Nepheos
[Silver]
Corey Hicks
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Jake Seagraves
Matthew Fraser
Tbaum56
Xavier O'Donoghue
Anton Lim
Baelee
Christopher Feliciano
Ctdela
Curious Panda
nick nasca
SD Fox
Sébastien Dionne
Z
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
