Chapter 63
Chapter 63
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 63
Chapter Title: Black Wolf Leader, Requiem
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A night passed without incident. The Black Wolves must have deemed Kaseun's slash quite threatening, as they didn't launch a nighttime ambush. Thanks to that, they could greet the morning without any trouble. After finishing breakfast, the soldiers prepared to move at the knight's command. For some reason, Kaseun—who had been leading the knights overnight—had issued separate orders, deciding to group the units in pairs and maintain distance between them today.
Yet, though they were moving to hunt Black Wolves, the beasts weren't charging in, leaving no way to hunt them. If the forest had been just one mountain, they could have tried a drive hunt, but that wasn't the case. Nor did they have enough troops to encircle the entire forest.
The 400 soldiers were about a fifth of Serenia Castle's forces—a sizable number—but compared to this vast forest, they were no more than a handful of sand. Encirclement was only feasible when your numbers outnumbered the enemy's, making it nearly impossible here.
'I thought with Kaseun, we could subjugate them easily.'
It wasn't as simple as expected. Above all, it felt like a waste of time. They were just chasing the wolves' tails—how long would it take to wipe them out like this? It might be better to split up. Sticking together ensured survival, but without scattering, they couldn't lure the wolves out.
Judah suddenly wondered how Judah planned to end this subjugation. What if the Black Wolves kept fleeing? If they had no intention of fighting, what would Kaseun do? Their supplies weren't unlimited.
The notoriously aggressive Black Wolves were avoiding combat, leaving even Kaseun with few options. This was a pointless waste of time—nothing gained, only losses.
Should Kaseun chase down and kill a distant Black Wolf alone? That would render mobilizing the soldiers meaningless. No need for such a grand "subjugation" then.
He had to produce results using the soldiers. And supplies were an issue. Feeding 400 men wasn't cheap. They had personal rations and a few days' worth carried by porters, but two days had already passed. They'd run out in no time. Returning to the castle like this would be as good as failure—the residents would see it that way.
'Maybe we should build a base camp instead.'
Despite the problems, it seemed the best option to Judah right now. There was a small river flowing to the sea nearby. Settle in a suitable spot, log some trees, level the ground, and they'd have a fine outpost.
'Oh? Wait a second.'
Something clicked, and he activated to zoom in. Half a day's march away was the spot where he'd dueled the Black Wolf leader, Kalkan, one-on-one in front of Requiem. There was a wide plain, and he remembered many wolves gathered there. Perhaps these Black Wolves were using it as their base.
In the end, they spent the day chasing wolf tails. As night fell, the units settled at intervals like the previous evening, preparing to rest. Meanwhile, Judah grabbed a torch and sought out Kaseun. He was with the central fifth unit, alongside Kain's group. Kain and Liel waved happily, so Judah gave a quick greeting before telling Kaseun he wanted a private word.
Even as the owner of a spirit sword, Kaseun couldn't hide his age—fatigue showed on his face, but he agreed without protest. With no tents around, Judah led him away with the torch to avoid eavesdroppers.
"Hmm. Judah. Is something wrong?"
"Not a problem, just a suggestion."
"A suggestion?"
Judah nodded. Fortunately, Kaseun seemed willing to hear him out.
"You're not planning to just keep chasing those wolves' tails, right? When supplies run out, we'll have to head back whether we like it or not."
"True enough."
"Or do you have some clever way to lure them in?"
Kaseun shook his head. He'd successfully subjugated orc and goblin villages while leading mercenaries, but the situations differed. Goblins and orcs had fixed territories and fought back when attacked.
They hadn't fled at speeds hard to match like these Black Wolves. Who could've guessed the notoriously ferocious Black Wolves would avoid battle?
"You're asking if I have a plan, so it seems you've thought of something."
"Yes. Two options."
"? Two? Let's hear them, then."
Judah gathered his thoughts and spoke slowly.
"First one's probably something you considered too: build a base camp. There's a river flowing to the sea nearby, so find a good spot along it and settle. Water's solved, and clearing ground means plenty of timber for houses or walls. Supplies would need hauling from the castle, but long-term, it's great. Expands Serenia Castle's territory. With the population booming, securing more safe land is ideal."
Judah paused for breath. Kaseun grunted thoughtfully. He'd considered it, but hearing it from someone else made it tempting. Still, issues loomed. Building and maintaining a base cost money—deploy guards, regular supply runs. Time, manpower, funds, effort—all drained. Fine for him to order, burdensome for the lord.
"Plus, even if we fail to subjugate the Black Wolves, it lays groundwork for future attempts."
Kaseun listened quietly, then closed and opened his eyes.
"And the second?"
"It's a bit of a gamble. I know where the Black Wolves gather."
"! ? Really? Why speak up now?"
"I didn't expect them to keep running like this. But as I said, it's a gamble. I saw it two years ago—they might not be there anymore. Even if we go and find them, if they flee like now, we're helpless."
Judah shrugged. Kaseun's reaction favored the second option.
"Problem is, it's not close."
"Where? Isn't it in the eastern forest?"
"We'd need to head south. Risk running into White Wolves, and if we go and find none, we return empty-handed."
"......"
"We might fight at night. Even with torches or alchemist potions, not sure the soldiers can perform."
They were well-trained, but yesterday's ambush showed limited combat experience. Better than none, but expecting full strength at night was unrealistic. In games, high levels meant fighting fine day or night, but reality demanded more considerations. Kaseun fell silent, stroking his chin and sighing repeatedly.
"No helping it. I'd prefer the second."
"Then?"
"But first, one question."
"Yes. Ask away."
"Aren't Black Wolves supposed to be aggressive by nature? Am I wrong?"
Judah gave a wry smile.
"That's what I thought too. First time seeing them avoid fights like this—nothing to say. I think your strike yesterday scared them."
"Heh."
Kaseun looked incredulous. He pondered deeply, then faced Judah.
"But no matter how scared, would they keep fleeing?"
"Pardon?"
"If humans they hate from old grudges invade their land to build homes—would they just watch? What about you, Judah? You buy a house, then some scary brute moves in uninvited. Shrug and find another? Or fight, even if hurt, to drive them out?"
His analogy was odd, he muttered. But Judah got the point.
"You'd fight, right?"
"Exactly. Silly to anthropomorphize them, but let's pretend to build a base and lure them. No—actually build it. If they attack, great; if not, no loss."
Kaseun nodded, thanking Judah for the idea and patting his head. But things didn't go smoothly.
"Hm?"
Kaseun's smile vanished as he turned, scanning directions. From afar, red-glowing eyes pierced the dark, rustling through brush as they charged. Seeing them, Kaseun swiftly drew his sword from his waist. No ordinary blade—the sheath's release rang clear. He held it at mid-guard, glancing back at Judah.
"Seems we won't need the trouble of building after all."
"Looks that way."
Judah replied stiffly. They'd planned to encircle and slaughter Black Wolves, but now they were the encircled ones.
Krraaang!
A charging wolf drooled fearlessly, jaws wide at Kaseun. The sword flashed silently through air, cleaving not just it but everything nearby in half. Overwhelming power—enough to terrify wolves—but instead of fleeing, they veered past Kaseun toward the soldiers. A desperate "fight to the death" vibe made Kaseun's eye twitch.
"Let's go."
"Yes."
Judah drew his bastard sword and followed Kaseun.
========== Author's Note ==========
Purr~lug.
Raising a toast to Korea's victory over Japan in volleyball.
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