Chapter 46
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 46
“L-Lies! How could I ever dare lie to your lordship...! P-Please, have mercy!”
At Lucian’s words, the village chief turned pale and threw himself to the ground. To any observer, he looked like a man terrified of being framed.
However, Lucian continued speaking with a calm expression.
“It’s not uncommon to evacuate only the children when war breaks out. Leaving one’s home isn’t easy, but you have to save the children just in case.”
“That is correct! That is why we...!”
“But that’s only for people who have the means or relatives in other villages. Usually, people either abandon the village entirely or everyone stays behind. Do you know why?”
“P-Pardon?”
“The very idea of sending family away to safety is a luxury for those who have enough to eat. In a remote place like this, people are usually too busy surviving day-to-day to worry about evacuations.”
The trembling village chief froze. It was as if he had forgotten he was supposed to be acting scared.
Lucian scanned the villagers once more.
“More importantly, the distinction between ‘children’ and ‘adults’ is something that only applies in cities or wealthy towns. In the countryside, everyone works. Unless they’re still in diapers, they’re treated as able-bodied workers, and they marry young.”
“....”
“So, anyone over the age of thirteen shouldn’t be ‘evacuated’; they should be among the adults here hosting us. And yet, no matter how I look at this place....”
Lucian paused for a moment, then let out a cold laugh.
“Everyone looks to be at least twenty. How strange. Are there no thirteen-year-old grooms? In a backwater like this, a boy that age is an adult expected to join the hunt when a predator appears.”
Silence fell over the area as Lucian finished.
The lords and knights, unfamiliar with the realities of rural life, could only watch the exchange, unsure of what to say. However, a few soldiers who hailed from similar remote villages nodded, realizing he was right.
While everyone waited in silence for the chief’s response—
“Heh. Hehehe.”
Instead of an answer, a hollow laugh escaped the chief’s lips. At the same time, his previously innocent eyes sharpened, radiating murderous intent.
Slash!
“Gah!”
In an instant, accompanied by a flash of light, the chief was thrown backward. Blood poured from his arm, which had been severed in the blink of an eye. He had lunged at Lucian with a hidden dagger, only to be cut down by Raymond.
Raymond flicked the blood off his blade and glared.
“How dare a mere insect attempt such a thing!”
“Kill them!”
The chief—or rather, the assassin disguised as the chief—shouted through gritted teeth.
The moment the order was given, the simple-looking villagers simultaneously drew daggers and charged. The Allied Forces were momentarily taken aback by the sudden change, but they quickly regained their composure and responded with cold efficiency.
“Enemy attack! Spears out! Thrust all at once!”
“Bash them with your shields! Kill them the moment they fall!”
The assassins fought frantically, but they were cut down one by one without causing much damage. The army was still in formation and hadn't yet settled in for rest. Against elite regular soldiers, a handful of assassins stood no chance.
Thwack! Thwack!
“Gurgle...!”
Five spears pierced the body of the last assassin, excluding the chief. The assassin shuddered before his head slumped forward.
Once all the assassins were dealt with, the one-armed chief laughed with a face like a demon.
“Heh... hehehe. To think I’d be caught by a greenhorn like this, and not some battle-hardened veteran.”
“You’re laughing? Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?!”
“Of course I do. We’ve torn up that moth-eaten Grand Accord. Is this not a truly historic moment?”
“You lunatics!”
Jurgen cursed under his breath. Did they truly understand the weight of breaking the Grand Accord? It was absurd, yet the chief’s face looked incredibly relieved.
“Yes, that precious Grand Accord. A promise to slap cheeks and kick shins instead of taking heads and piercing bellies. It was utterly disgusting, but it’s finally gone.”
“Are you in your right mind? You people were the greatest beneficiaries of the Grand Accord!”
“No! It was a law made for you!”
The chief barked, glaring at Jurgen. His spirit was so fierce that even the other lords flinched.
“Because of the Grand Accord, we were never allowed to draw our swords! We had to use our fists to match you, and we were beaten one-sidedly by an Empire several times our size! Do you have any idea what it’s like to be trampled and kicked just enough so that you don't die?!”
Spurt!
Blood sprayed from the stump of his severed arm. He had gripped it to stop the bleeding, but his rage made him squeeze too hard. Yet, as if he couldn't even feel the pain, the chief shouted even louder.
“Simply because we were a vassal state, everything in Krepelt was treated as inferior to the Empire! Our goods, our people, even our nobles and our King! An Imperial beggar looks down on a Krepelt farmer as if it’s the natural order of things, and a mere Viscount ignores a Marquis just because he’s from a vassal state! Under such oppression, we didn't even dare to squirm!”
Krepelt was a land with flat terrain and a mild climate, offering almost no geographical advantages for war. It was nearly impossible to defeat the Empire while adhering to the Grand Accord. They couldn't even resort to "dirty" tactics for a single victory, because the Empire would simply return again and again until Krepelt was annihilated.
“Through long years of disgrace, we endured and endured. We couldn't even draw the daggers in our hearts; we could only sharpen them. But not anymore.”
With a mad laugh, the chief glared at the First Prince. The Prince flinched and instinctively took a step back from the sheer malice in the man's eyes.
“A single victory is enough. It is enough to prove that the Empire is not what it once was. Your sins have piled up to the heavens, and countless people pray for your destruction. The only reason they still endure is because they lack certainty.”
“...So that’s why you broke the Grand Accord? You’d burn Krepelt to the ground just for a single victory?”
“I wonder. I highly doubt you’ll have the strength left to do that once this war is over. No matter how large a man’s palm is, he cannot cover the sky.”
Finishing his piece, the chief stopped laughing and pulled another dagger from his robes. Raymond hurried to block Lucian, but the dagger was aimed at the chief’s own throat.
“Enjoy yourselves. Your hell begins now.”
Slash!
As the dagger swiped across, blood erupted from his severed throat. With a satisfied smile, the chief collapsed face-first into the pool of his own blood.
“....”
“....”
Even though it was over, no one moved for a long time. They could feel that an invisible, massive wall had completely crumbled at this very moment.
It was Lucian who finally broke the heavy silence.
“First, let’s check the drinking water.”
“...Let us do so.”
Marquis Bernhardt nodded grimly. No one dared to scoff at Lucian’s concerns now.
The Allied Forces immediately summoned a military doctor to check if the well had been contaminated. It looked fine on the surface, but they couldn't take any chances.
Sure enough, a short while later, the doctor entered the tent with a stiff expression to report.
“I have confirmed that the well water is poisoned. It is not a lethal toxin, but the kind that causes severe abdominal pain and vomiting two to three days after ingestion.”
“So, it won't kill those who drink it?”
“Technically, no. However, it causes severe dehydration for about fifteen days. If left unattended for a long time without someone to care for them, they could die. More importantly....”
The doctor paused, hesitating. He seemed unsure if he should voice his next thought. When the answer didn't come quickly enough, the First Prince roared.
“Speak! If it’s not lethal, then what is the problem?!”
“...Since it is a poison used primarily to incapacitate rather than kill, it is rarely used for any good reason. Usually, this kind of poison is used when the enemy intends to keep the victims alive to do something more to them.”
Everyone fell silent at the doctor’s words. The bitter cry of the assassin disguised as the chief echoed in their minds again. These were people who harbored that much resentment toward the Empire. What would they have done to the lords and soldiers if they had captured them alive? The mere thought sent shivers down their spines.
“Is there an antidote?”
“It is possible, but it requires several types of herbs.”
“Which means it’s impossible during a campaign. I understand.”
After finishing his report, the military doctor bowed and left the tent. The First Prince, his earlier confidence replaced by a pale complexion, looked around at the lords.
“What should we do now?”
“....”
The lords all lowered their heads and remained silent. The very premise that the enemy would follow the Grand Accord had been shattered; what were they supposed to do? This was the first time such a thing had happened in centuries, leaving even the most experienced knights in a state of confusion.
‘If they don’t follow the Grand Accord, the enemy’s options increase exponentially. Meanwhile, we are completely unprepared.’
‘Just as Lord Lucian predicted, if they only contaminate the water sources, we have no way to advance. Where will we get water?’
‘Even if we solve the water issue, they’ll use every dirty trick that hasn't been seen in centuries to torment us. How are we supposed to handle this?’
As the silence stretched on, the First Prince looked toward the Marquis with an anxious gaze. Since the Marquis was the one who had initially proposed the strategy of a quick, decisive battle, the Prince held a sliver of hope that he might have a countermeasure.
“Marquis, is there truly no other way? Since you proposed the initial plan, surely you had a contingency in case things went wrong.”
“I apologize. This is a first for me as well....”
Marquis Bernhardt avoided the Prince’s gaze and trailed off. To be honest, it wasn't that there were no ways, but none of them were things he could bring himself to say out loud.
When even the Marquis, his last hope, remained silent, the First Prince squeezed his eyes shut.
“...Lord Lucian, do you have any suggestions?”
Though his tone was desperate, the Prince’s body was trembling with humiliation. It seemed shameful to him to bow before the man he had insulted so recently.
Lucian looked at the Prince for a moment, then nodded.
“There is one way.”
“There is?!”
The First Prince instinctively jumped to his feet and shouted. If there truly was a way to overcome this situation, he was prepared to grant any request. However, the method that came out of Lucian’s mouth shattered the Prince’s expectations.
“First, return to the Empire and reorganize the army. Since the enemy has broken the Grand Accord, you should return to suppress the rebellion only after preparing a suitable force and countermeasures.”
“...Are you mocking me right now?! You want me to run away without even fighting? My name would become a laughingstock!”
“And yet, it is the method that results in the least amount of loss. It is better to return of your own volition than to retreat after being defeated in battle.”
“Do not speak of defeat like a coward when we haven't even fought! We have yet to lose!”
“We haven't lost, but we are now forced to fight in a disadvantageous situation. Your Highness, I am truly sorry to say this, but there is no clever trick that can overturn everything in one go.”
Lucian spoke firmly to the protesting Prince.
“If you fall into the enemy’s trap, you must continue to fight from a disadvantageous position. If you lose the initiative, you will be dragged around by the enemy’s movements. That is how it must be, and how it will be. Countermeasures are meant to be established beforehand to prevent such a thing from happening.”
“So, you’re saying we’re in this mess because I didn't prepare? And because the situation has turned out for the worst, we should just run away?”
“Yes. The Allied Forces’ preparations were insufficient, and we will now be constantly toyed with by the enemy. The only way to escape this is to retreat, flip the board, and start anew. Please, make the decision while the losses are still small.”
The Marquis almost nodded in agreement. It was perfectly logical. Certainly, retreating now would incur massive losses—from the costs of mobilizing the soldiers to the Empire’s prestige, and the reputations of the lords and the Prince gathered here.
‘But we have no choice but to endure it all. If you refuse to cut off a rotting finger, you’ll eventually have to cut off the whole arm.’
There were times when one had to make a decision even if it meant shedding tears of blood. Lucian’s judgment was not just accurate; it was the only viable path.
However, the First Prince’s face twisted in rage as he shouted.
“No, I cannot do that! To run away without fighting! I will return only after achieving at least one victory! If you are so afraid of the enemy, then you may stay in the rear and rest comfortably!”
“Y-Your Highness!”
“Prince!”
“Enough! The matter is decided, so do not argue any further!”
As if he didn't want to hear another word, the First Prince stormed out of the tent. The remaining lords turned pale and looked at each other. To remove the 1,000 elite troops in a situation where they couldn't see an inch ahead? This meant the Valdek family would preserve their strength while everyone else was ground down.
Marquis Bernhardt’s face, in particular, turned from pale to ghostly white.
‘This is a disaster.’
The vanguard was a position where it was easy to win glory, but it was also the first to be exposed to the enemy when things went south. And in this situation, the House of Roglan would have to lead the vanguard alone, without the Grand Duchy of Valdek? It was obvious that the House of Roglan would be the only ones slaughtered if they couldn't distribute the damage.
“L-Look here. No, Lord Lucian.”
The Marquis hurriedly switched to a respectful tone. Pride meant nothing now. He had to change Lucian’s mind and get him to stand in the vanguard together.
“I will speak to the First Prince, so let us go together. I am sure he will change his mind. There is no need to endure such dishonor. It makes no sense for the Grand Ducal House of Valdek to be excluded from the vanguard....”
“No, I am fine, so there is no need for that.”
Lucian shook his head before the Marquis could even finish. Then, with a face that held not a single shred of resentment, he smiled brightly.
“How could I disobey the Commander-in-Chief’s orders? I shall remain in the rear in reflection, so please, go forth and seize glory with His Highness. I shall await the news of your victory.”
“...!”
Looking at Lucian’s smiling face, Marquis Bernhardt felt his mind go blank.