Chapter 76: They’re Quite the Bunch. (3)
A sturdy barracks set near the castle wall.
A few mercenaries were standing guard, looking serious.
Ghislaine boldly pushed open the barrack door and stepped inside. A group of people lay sprawled on the floor with dazed eyes.
“Good job, Alfoy and friends.”
It was none other than Alfoy and the other mages.
This was why Ghislaine was able to anticipate the enemy’s movements.
“Ugh, damn it…”
Alfoy raised his hand as if to protest, but then collapsed again. He had pushed himself too hard and was worn out.
Ghislaine smiled brightly at them.
“Thanks to you, we held them off well. Great job. I’ll rely on you in the future.”
“Ugh, when will this war end…?”
In reality, mages hoped to just shoot a fireball or two from the castle wall and then escape when war broke out.
If Perdium fell, the transactions would be null and void anyway.
As long as they concealed the fact that a mage was in Perdium, the Mage Tower wouldn’t suffer any losses.
Ever since the war began, they had been anxiously looking for opportunities to flee.
However, mercenaries who appeared right after the war started were always right beside them, making escape impossible.
To top it all off, today they had to endure the worst because of Ghislaine’s request.
“I can’t do this anymore… I feel like my head is going to explode…”
Alfoy groaned in a dying voice. Ghislaine nodded.
“Yeah, you probably won’t need to use that magic anymore. I’ll ask for something else next time.”
“Uh… thank god.”
Alfoy replied in a deflated tone.
The magic they had cast was none other than a large-scale search spell.
Six mages had spread the search magic over everything beyond the boundaries of the castle gate.
In theory, it was the best approach, but the problem was that there was a limit to how much information a person could take in at once.
It was no surprise that they ended up bleeding from their noses and collapsing when cramming dozens of viewpoints into their heads at the same time.
Still, thanks to that, Ghislaine could pinpoint the exact direction the enemy would come from and where they aimed to attack.
“Vanessa, can we talk for a moment?”
“Yes? Sure!”
Vanessa, who had been tending to the mages nearby, quickly followed Ghislaine when called.
Even though she was tending to the collapsed mages, she still feared Alfoy.
She couldn’t even cast magic and just got scolded for sticking around.
Ghislaine climbed up the watchtower next to the barracks and took in the dark castle walls.
“It’s pretty uncomfortable being around those guys, huh? We have to move together in emergencies, but it can’t be helped. Just hang in there for a while.”
“…I’m okay.”
It was a rather useless comfort, but for Vanessa, just having someone offer her words, even if they seemed empty, was appreciated.
After a moment of silence from Ghislaine, Vanessa hesitated and then asked the question she was most curious about.
“How did you know the enemy would come today?”
The plan to grasp the enemy’s location with search magic wasn’t particularly unique.
The enemy wouldn’t know there was a mage on their side, so they would be completely unprepared.
It was strange not to consider the unusual strategy if someone was with a mage.
It was a strange strategy that someone who was being carried along wouldn’t think of.
But Vanessa couldn’t understand how Ghislaine was so sure that the enemies would attack today.
Ghislaine replied with a grin.
“I’ve seen it before. That firework.”
“Have you fought them before?”
“Yeah.”
Each territory has its own signals that they like to use.
In his past life, Harold often used fireworks as signals.
Every time, chaos would ensue from within. Of course, before they could do anything, Ghislaine’s tremendous power smashed everything to pieces.
“Honestly, even if I hadn’t fought them, it’s pretty obvious what they’re planning.”
Even without experience, he must have had an inkling of what they were after.
He had been through countless wars and every kind of situation in his past life.
“Still, if we didn’t have a Mage, we wouldn’t have wrapped things up this well.”
Even if they suspected the enemy’s plan, accurately catching their movements wasn’t easy.
Thanks to the Mages, they could easily thwart the ambush and even find the leisure to counterattack.
“Anyway, what’s your impression of experiencing war for the first time? Are you getting used to it yet?”
Ghislaine had set up a tower next to the barracks for the Mages to observe the war situation.
Vanessa’s expression darkened a bit.
The sight of people dying was still vividly etched in her mind.
“It was… terrifying.”
Ghislaine had told her to get used to it, but she had no confidence in being accustomed to such things.
On the first day, her face turned pale, and she kept feeling nauseous.
It was a horror that she couldn’t bear to witness with her own eyes.
The sight of soldiers collapsing in agony made her forget even her own anguish over the grim fate that always seemed to chase her.
What sin did they commit to die like this?
That thought filled her mind.
“How can you fight like that, Your Highness?”
She watched from a distance as Ghislaine rampaged.
She was deeply shocked by the way he killed the enemy without hesitation.
He had bestowed upon her a favor so great that she could never repay it.
He was always playful and occasionally silly, completely different from the usual nobles.
She never guessed that such a brutal nature was hidden beneath it.
It could have sounded like a reproachful question, but Ghislaine opened his mouth with a calm demeanor.
“These territory, the Territory Residents, my Family, the Retainers, the Knights and Soldiers, the Mercenaries who follow me… They’re all people I love. I will protect them, no matter what.”
Vanessa couldn’t respond.
She had only been here for two months.
In that time, she had been training under Ghislaine’s guidance and preparing the tasks assigned to her, leaving her no time to get close to others in Perdium.
Though she deeply respected Ghislaine, she still felt no sense of belonging to Perdium.
So, be they Allies or Enemies, they were just poor souls dying on the Battlefield to her.
As if he understood her feelings, Ghislaine continued.
“But it doesn’t apply to you. That’s why I have to push you.”
“…”
“They are people you must kill.”
His tone was decisive. Vanessa asked, her voice trembling.
“Is there really no way to win other than that?”
Ghislaine was preparing a terrifying trap.
If the plan succeeded, not a single enemy would return alive.
At first, she just wanted to help Ghislaine and thought nothing of it.
But after witnessing the scene of slaughter firsthand, she finally grasped what she had to do.
After a moment of silence, Ghislaine spoke again.
“If the enemies spread out their forces to surround the Castle Gate at three locations, we could win even without you. I could take them out one by one. There would be some damage, but even if we lose the Castle, knowing the terrain well gives us a considerable advantage.”
If the enemy’s forces were split, they would have a chance to win even in their current state.
“But the enemy isn’t foolish. If they move carefully and rally together… even if we win, we will suffer devastating losses.”
“That’s not it. If the enemy moves carefully and gathers together… even if we win, we’ll suffer near total annihilation.”
“…”
“In the end, if one side must be completely wiped out for it to end, it is better if we win, right?”
“…”
Vanessa silently nodded.
Ghislaine was right.
Although she had been too busy learning magic to make friends, that short period spent here was one of the few happy times in Vanessa’s life.
If Ghislaine lost the war, he would die, and if he surrendered, he would also die.
To save her benefactor Ghislaine, they had no choice but to win the war.
He met Vanessa’s gaze and smiled.
In the moonlight, Ghislaine’s smile was not pure or bright.
It was filled with an unknown intent to kill and ferocity.
His eyes showed a determination to kill anyone who got in his way.
“Can you do it?”
This was not a question. It was a demand. An absolute command that couldn’t be refused.
Only then did Vanessa vaguely realize his true nature.
“Lord…?”
It would be a lie to say she didn’t know his true nature at all.
Vanessa still couldn’t forget the threat she had heard when she first met Ghislaine in the Mage Tower.
But at the same time, she wanted to be his strength.
Whether she helped out of pity, necessity, or whim, he had resolved her despair. She wanted to be of help, even a little.
But that was not blind loyalty to a Savior.
‘I…’
The despair that weighed down her life. The mockery of being unable to do anything. The frustration that nothing could be achieved no matter how hard she tried.
‘I don’t want that anymore.’
She could no longer afford to hide behind others and just watch.
She had to step out into the world, overcoming her despair.
To overcome pain and conquer frustration, she had to take that step herself.
A life of her own choosing.
Helping Ghislaine was the first decision Vanessa had made in her life.
For the place she would spend her life. For the person who acknowledged her. And, for herself.
She no longer wanted to live in avoidance.
“…I’ll try.”
*
Viktor frowned in thought inside the barracks.
“I can’t believe this.”
He didn’t think they would lose the war.
Of course not. With enough troops, they could occupy Perdium any time with a full frontal attack.
But it felt humiliating to be repeatedly thwarted by such an enemy.
“Should I just go and kill them all myself?”
If he led the charge, he would unleash tremendous destructive power.
He was strong enough as a knight to do just that.
“No, then I wouldn’t be recognized.”
He knew he needed to use his force if necessary, but knights were expected to perform better in the field than in a siege.
Viktor had no intention of being just a knight known only for individual strength.
Such a person could only rise to the position of Knight Commander at best.
His goal was to someday attain a high-ranking commander position in the kingdom.
He had to occupy the castle with minimal damage to have his leadership recognized.
Feeling a headache coming on, Viktor let out a deep sigh.
“How on earth did they find out about the traitor? Did someone betray me?”
That wouldn’t happen. Anyone else might, but Count Desmond wouldn’t fail to handle a betraying steward.
“Could there really be that talented a staff officer in Perdium?”
Creeeak.
His teeth ground together. It felt as if someone was playing around on top of his head.
The plan had failed, and he had ended up being countered.
It was hard to bear the humiliation that wrapped around him.
“I have no choice.”
He was angry, but he did not intend to continue the tactical fight any longer.
With supplies running low, he couldn’t afford to be relaxed about it.
If he failed to occupy this place, he would be treated as incompetent.
Just as Viktor resolved to launch a full-frontal attack, two middle-aged men entered the barracks.
They looked down on Viktor with arrogant expressions.
Victor looked down at him with a grim expression.
“The Count has allowed two days for the siege. But, it has already been two days.”
“I can’t understand the operation, my lord.”
Victor replied without hiding his displeasure.
“I have a thought. The war will soon be over.”
The two were accompanied by the mage Harold.
To prepare for any situation, he had even sent not one, but two 4th Circle mages.
However, these mages didn’t get along well with Victor, the knight.
“If the damage is significant for conquering this territory, you’d be disappointed. Don’t you know the Count’s personality well?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to divide the troops and attack other castle gates simultaneously? I believe we would have more troops then. That would reduce the enemy’s defending forces, wouldn’t it?”
The mages offered their advice, but Victor shook his head with a frown.
“Dividing forces wouldn’t yield great effects. It wouldn’t be different from now. At least we need to split into three for a noticeable reduction in enemy troops.”
“Then why not do that?”
“One of the enemy squads is quite outstanding. If we lose even one front, the advantage of having a large army will vanish. Even if we capture another castle gate, we will have to reengage in street combat.”
Victor held high regard for the squad clad in black armor.
Didn’t they suffer from them today as well?
There are opponents you can engage, and those you cannot. The black-armored squad belonged to the latter.
If they reduced their forces by splitting up, the enemy would be waiting for an opportunity to intercept them.
That would be the only way for Perdium to win.
“If we had more forces from the start, we would have surrounded and fought on three sides. But now, it’s better to stay united.”
Victor was only one person and couldn’t keep an eye on all aspects.
His reasoning was sound, but the mages didn’t take him at face value.
They thought he was just making excuses out of fear.
Secretly laughing at Victor’s timidity, the mage asked again.
“Then are you planning to just toy with us? They say there’s no mage on the other side.”
“If there are no mages, we could kill hundreds with just the two of us.”
As the mages continuously pressed him, Victor irritably replied.
“We’ll be heading out soon, so prepare. Your magic will be saved for the final battle.”
“The final battle?”
Victor’s mention of the operation finally piqued the mages’ interest.
“Indeed, they say you excel not only in swordsmanship but in strategy as well.”
“If it’s such a strategy, I’m in favor. Truly a knight favored by Count Desmond. Ha ha ha.”
Victor frowned even more at their insincere praise.
He knew they looked down on him.
They considered him a rookie leading such a large army for the first time.
“Hmph, just wait. Once I win this war, I’ll rise even higher.”
Although it was his first time commanding a large army, he never thought he would lose.
Harold’s trust was akin to believing in himself.
Victor had never seen anyone as meticulous and cautious as Count Desmond.
And Victor was like a direct extension of Harold, having been taught everything directly by him.
Harold had provided him with elite troops, mages, and siege equipment. It was an overwhelmingly strong force.
Just before setting out, Harold claimed that with Victor’s swordsmanship, even with unforeseen variables, victory was achievable.
“We’ll start first thing tomorrow. Given the supply shortages, the conclusion won’t be long in coming.”
The mages nodded and left the tent.
Victor, left alone gazing at the map, felt his gaze harden.
“I will achieve victory with minimal damage.”
As much as the enemy gives their all, we too must give our best. Then we will never lose.
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