Chapter 22

Chapter 22 - Approaching War Clouds (3)

 

War always brought with it terrible fear and scenes of utter chaos.

That was why those standing there had no choice but to move their bodies, swept along by the swirling excitement.

Yet neither those who killed nor those who were killed ever retreated.

Some fought to protect their families and their homeland.

Others fought for survival and pleasure.

That was their conviction.

“Stop them!”

A scream-like shout swept over the walls, and soldiers who had come running from afar while carrying boiling oil quickly poured out the barrels.

It was done without even checking the situation beneath the walls, but against the barbarian warriors who had already swarmed in like a pack of dogs, it could be called a sufficiently effective tactic.

“Kyaaak!”

“Aaaaaagh!!”

The barbarians who had been climbing the ladders with their weapons raised fell to the ground.

When their death cries rang out from the Nine Hells that had descended upon the mortal world, the centurion commanding the soldiers shouted once again.

“Archers, move faster so they cannot get over the walls!”

As if in agreement, the sound of arrows being nocked began to rise from here and there.

However, the barbarian warriors were not easy opponents either.

The moment the archers leaned out beyond the walls, the axes that had been waiting for them came flying in from all directions.

They were axes thrown from a full twenty-five meters below.

“Urgh…….”

“A-Aspis!”

“Damn it!”

Scattered blood covered the top of the wall.

The soldiers watching it froze all at once, as if by prior agreement.

And the corpse of their comrade falling into the gaping maw of the abyss below planted an indelible, primal fear in everyone’s hearts.

“……I do not want to die.”

This was never a game of war or mere training.

The corpse rolling across the floor had been a close friend with whom they had shared drinks only a few days ago, and surely the next turn would be their own.

If they ran away now, there would at least be the faintest possibility of saving their lives.

Just as the soldiers stood there blankly, their bodies stiff, it happened.

“Do not stop!”

A voice that seized their foggy, wavering minds and set them straight rang across the battlefield.

Not only that, but every gaze that had been stealing glances at their comrade’s corpse turned toward that thunderous voice.

Standing there were the northern Margrave, who had dragged his aged body to the wall, and the members of the Sun Knights.

Between his white, discolored beard, his firmly closed lips slowly moved.

“We will stand with you on this battlefield.”

The sword in the Margrave’s hand descended toward the battlefield, and the soldiers, as if entranced, gripped their weapons and once again realized the meaning of standing there.

“For my family…….”

GULP-

Someone swallowed and took the lead toward the wall, and those holding spears followed after him.

Who could go against such resolute determination?

With their momentum firmer than before, the fear that had filled the battlefield before anyone realized it vanished, leaving only the will to protect.

“If we hold out for five more days, Esteban’s main force will arrive! We must never allow those wretches to covet this land!”

“Endure only until the sun sets!”

“Prepare the next arrows……!”

“That side is about to be breached! Hurry!”

THUNK! THUNK!

Soon, the ballistae were loaded and quickly began firing at the enemy.

And their power was truly tremendous, enough to pierce through two or three barbarians with ease.

The barbarian warriors were said to be able to hold their own even against the knights of the kingdom, but even they could not withstand the fierce attacks launched from the ballistae.

***

The place where the Margrave was staying was a training ground located not far from the walls.

The reason was simply that it made it easy to respond to emergencies.

Even from the simple fact that he had chosen this place rather than the lord’s castle, one could sufficiently guess his stubbornness and character.

“The situation is not good.”

Margrave Romert gave a short nod at his subordinate’s report.

The shadow cast over his wrinkled face seemed to speak for the Margrave’s feelings.

“It would be good if we could continue stopping them as we are now, but…….”

Five days had passed since the battle began.

And five days remained until the troops arrived.

Looking at the overall situation, it would take only ten days to raise troops and join the front. However, even that was an unbearably slow pace from the standpoint of those defending the northern front.

“The soldiers’ morale keeps falling. At this rate, we will not be able to hold out until the main force comes.”

“The greatest problem is our war supplies. Starting the day after tomorrow, we may not even be able to use arrows carelessly.”

“We have already used up all those arrows…….”

The Margrave’s hand, resting on the desk, clenched tightly.

This had happened because, from the very beginning, they had not assumed the battle would last this long.

If only the northern territories had fulfilled the duties they bore……

“Has word arrived from the northern lords?”

“They say they are urgently organizing their troops. They have also said they will take measures to deliver war supplies as quickly as possible.”

“Hoo…….”

The Margrave pressed his throbbing forehead with both hands on the desk.

They had adorned their words with all manner of elegant expressions, but in the end, it meant they would be of no help for the time being.

Moreover, it was not even clear how long the “as quickly as possible” they spoke of would actually take.

“……Do we have no choice but to rely on the Sun Knights’ efforts?”

The Sun Knights were protecting the walls of the border region with deeds worthy of their fame.

It was clear enough to imagine what would have happened if they had not been there.

Haa-

Unable to hide his sense of helplessness, the Margrave rose from his seat.

Then he picked up the documents lying on the strategy table and spoke.

“Go and rest for today. For now, keeping yourself in the best possible condition is the right answer.”

“Will you be all right without sleeping, Lord Margrave?”

“When one grows old, even the sleep one had begins to flee.”

“……Understood.”

His subordinate bowed and left.

Just as he had said, the battle would surely continue tomorrow, and the day after that as well.

Left alone, Margrave Romert’s expression turned bitter.

He thought the moonlight entering through the old window of the training ground seemed exceptionally clear tonight.

“What a futile act this is.”

It was at that moment.

CLACK!

“Y-Your Excellency! I think you must come outside for a moment!”

“What is it?!”

At his subordinate’s urgent voice, the Margrave sprang up from his seat.

Could there have been a raid at such a late hour?

He hurriedly fastened the sword he had left by the desk to his waist, brushed past his subordinate, and stepped outside the temporary quarters.

Then he doubted his own eyes.

“Wh-What is this……!”

Countless arrows and cold weapons were being unloaded from the rows of carriages lined up in front of the training ground.

That was not all.

From the next carriage, bandages and potions, as welcome as rain in a drought, were unloaded in succession. From the carriage after that, huge iron shields that would protect their allies appeared.

The ones moving them were none other than royal soldiers.

“How in the world did all these things…….”

Had they not said there were five days left until support arrived?

Then where had these supplies come from now……!

The Margrave, staring at the supplies in disbelief, hurriedly ran over and checked the types of goods.

“Ha, haha…….”

Soon, laughter mixed with deep emotion and hope burst from his mouth.

It was no exaggeration to say that every supply needed on this front had been gathered here.

As if someone had known all of this would happen and prepared it in advance……

That was why Margrave Romert could not move even a single step from where he stood.

At least, not until the fate that had been standing still played its trick.

“I am glad we arrived before it was too late.”

At the man’s words from behind him, the Margrave trembled, something rare for him.

It was because he could not suppress the emotions surging up inside him.

“From now on, I will personally take command of everything.”

The man’s silver hair shone brilliantly even beneath the moonlight.

***

The defensive battle at the walls, which had lasted a full ten days, reached a temporary lull as the barbarians withdrew.

It was because the reinforced troops had halted their offensive.

Had it not been for the efforts of countless soldiers and the devotion of the Sun Knights, waiting even one week would probably have been impossible.

George scratched his head as he entered the command’s temporary tent.

“The rough cleanup is finished.”

“Mm.”

I set the documents recording the damage down on the table and rose from my seat.

Then I followed George, who took the lead, and climbed onto the wall.

Until yesterday, this place had been a battlefield writhing with pain and screams. Now, however, the dark clouds had cleared, and everything had been put in order to some extent, as if showing that the current situation was a lull.

Even so, it seemed there was no way to hide the bloodstains that clung here and there.

“We gathered the bodies inside the castle and cremated them together. However, we have not yet cleared the bodies outside the castle.”

“Have the movements of the barbarians who withdrew been confirmed?”

“Yes. It seems that rather than continue a meaningless war of attrition, they chose to head toward the eastern plains, where food is more abundant.”

“I see.”

The east.

That was the land of the Federal Empire.

I suddenly stopped walking and turned my gaze toward the cremation ground, where black smoke was rising.

“No matter how hungry they were, we still managed to hold off such a large number.”

“Holding them off is only the result. In the process, we lost the children of Esteban, who cannot be replaced by anything.”

“Even so, if you had not sent the Sun Knights, there would have been far greater damage, would there not? The same goes for Your Highness joining us five days early.”

I smiled bitterly.

“If I had stationed troops here from the very beginning, we could have stopped those wretches with fewer losses.”

“Is that not hindsight?”

“…….”

From George’s position, since he had known my plan from the start, he had no choice but to think that way.

After all, he knew that if I had tried to dispatch not knights but troops when no information had yet been revealed, everything would have fallen apart under the nobles’ opposition.

“I suppose so.”

That was why I had to become a tyrant.

It was a trivial matter.

After walking along the wall for quite some time, I saw a knight in golden armor running over from afar.

The knight of the Sun Knights, who had rushed over in one breath, bowed his head and spoke.

“Your Highness the 1st Prince. As you commanded, all members of the command staff have gathered.”

“I will go now.”

The place I headed to while following the knight was the training ground where the Margrave had been staying.

Inside, the Margrave and his subordinates had gathered together with the Sun Knights.

“Your Highness the 1st Prince. You have arrived?”

“Mm.”

I nodded at the Margrave’s courteous greeting.

Then I walked toward the temporarily placed strategy table.

However, the moment I passed beside the Margrave, I stopped in my tracks at something I suddenly noticed.

“It seems you have something to say.”

Those words were directed at the Margrave, who looked as if he had a great deal to say no matter who looked at him.

Indeed, as my words suggested, the Margrave nodded and expressed his will.

However, after remaining silent for quite some time, the Margrave only said a few words.

“We were able to stop those wretches because Your Highness joined us faster than Esteban’s main force and resolved the chaos.”

“…….”

“On behalf of the Romert Territory and the north, I thank you.”

“It was only natural.”

After all, that was why I had personally led the supply unit here.

After saying that, I moved to stand before the strategy table.

There was no more time to waste.

My extended finger pointed to a spot on the map lying on the table.

“You have likely heard already, but the enemy has now abandoned the border region and withdrawn.”

“Yes, Your Highness. We received word just a moment ago.”

A deep relief could be felt in their somewhat gaunt voices.

I slightly raised the corner of my mouth and spoke.

“Abundant land must have been tempting prey for them as well. With this, it would not be an exaggeration to say that the danger that had encroached upon the border region has withdrawn for now.”

“It is truly fortunate.”

“However, we cannot simply feel at ease like this. In the end, those wretches will repeat their raids just as they have now, and Esteban will suffer this same pain again each time.”

“…….”

My sharp gaze reached the commander of the Sun Knights, who was present there.

“How much strength remains in the Sun Knights?”

“That would be roughly a hundred men, excluding those who were injured or killed in battle.”

“Good.”

After nodding, I took out a single sheet of paper that I had carefully kept in my clothes.

The gazes of everyone in the training ground focused on it.

“That is……”

“Is it a royal edict?”

Elegant handwriting was written upon golden paper.

Beneath it was a seal bearing a pattern of two crossed swords.

It was difficult to understand the contents at a single glance. However, one thing was certain. This was an absolute order stamped with the King’s official seal.

“From this moment onward, the Sun Knights will follow me and raid the Lands of the Barbarians.”

“……Pardon?”

“Now, when those wretches have shifted their attention away from Esteban, is the only chance we have to move.”

In other words, he had just said they were to go against the barbarian warriors now…… and, worse yet, enter their lands directly?

Into that harsh, remote region of the north?

The expressions of those who understood the situation instantly hardened.

However, even in the silence that settled over the training ground, I continued relaying the order.

“The personnel to be deployed will be all members of the Sun Knights who can move. Gather the men as quickly as possible and assemble on the parade ground.”

“Please wait a moment, Your Highness!”

“What is it?”

The commander of the Sun Knights swallowed under my cold gaze and spoke.

“Did you just say you intend to raid the Lands of the Barbarians?”

“Mm.”

“That is impossible. The reason the influence of the continental nations does not reach the lands of the northern barbarians is because their resistance is so fierce that development is difficult, and because the terrain and weather are harsh!”

It was somewhat better now that the freezing season had passed, but even that was literally only a slight improvement.

In the midst of that, if we ended up clashing with the remaining forces in their rear, there was a high possibility that it would not end with merely the dead and injured.

……That was probably what he wanted to say.

I tapped the table with my finger, then opened my mouth.

“So?”

“We have fought fierce battles against them for the past ten days. That is why we can say with confidence that we know the danger better than anyone.”

The commander of the Sun Knights thumped the chest of his armor.

“Under circumstances where those wretches possess the absolute advantage of the environment, raiding that land is no different from suicide. We cannot send the knights of Esteban into a place like that.”

“Are you the one who decides that? Or is it His Majesty the King, who assigned this mission to me?”

“…….”

At my cold question, he shut his mouth and lowered his gaze.

I watched him for a moment, then slowly pulled up the corners of my mouth.

“It seems you are under some grave misunderstanding. You have no choice. The order has already been given, and all you need to do is as I command.”

“…….”

“I am the commander-in-chief of this expeditionary force.”

I walked past the silent commander of the Sun Knights and stepped outside the training ground.