Chapter 265
Chapter 265
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 265
Chapter Title: War Has Broken Out
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War had broken out.
One of the three kingdoms surrounding Aier, the forces of Lennistant, had finally crossed the border and begun their advance.
Their numbers totaled 30,000.
Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been much of a threat.
Aier was a great power, after all.
But not anymore.
The troops dispatched against the Empire had all vanished, and the newly conscripted soldiers were nothing more than green recruits who hadn't even received proper training.
Even with 80,000 troops on standby, it wouldn't be enough to stop Lennistant's advance.
"In the end, trouble has come."
Cardinal Zeroy, responsible for the eastern defenses of Aier, let out a grim voice.
"We need to concentrate our forces here."
One of the staff officers argued.
With the quality of the soldiers being so poor, they had to make up for it with numbers.
But opposition came immediately.
"The enemy isn't just Lennistant. Trian and Brobison are also poised to cross the border at any moment. If we concentrate our forces here..."
The enemy would bare their fangs right away.
"So you're saying we have to stop Lennistant with just us? Is that even possible?"
"We have 30,000 soldiers, 1,000 holy knights, and an impregnable fortress. With the grace of the Lord God on our side, we can hold them off."
"Ha! Do you really think that makes sense?"
"Conventionally, to wage a siege, you need attacking forces at least three times the defending ones. Considering that, I think it's plenty possible."
"You think that makes sense right n—!"
"Enough."
Zeroy, who had been watching the staff officers' debate, raised his hand to silence them.
"You're right. 30,000 troops is no small number, and the walls are sturdy enough that they won't be breached easily."
The staff officer who had argued they were sufficient as is smiled.
He thought Cardinal Zeroy was leaning toward his view.
But he was mistaken.
"If it were Trian or Brobison, I wouldn't hesitate. I'd be confident we could hold them off alone. But the enemy is Lennistant."
Zeroy's gaze swept over the staff officers and knights in the meeting room.
Not a single one grasped the meaning of his words.
'Sigh—do I really have to fight a war with these idiots?'
There wasn't a single competent one, even if he scoured with his eyes wide open.
The capable ones had gone to fight the Empire and never returned, leaving only these posers who couldn't even grasp the current situation.
The thought of facing that massive enemy with these fools made his head throb.
Zeroy sighed inwardly and continued.
"Doesn't Lennistant have that damned mage? I hear he's participating in this war."
"Ah!"
Exclamations finally rose.
They had been so fixated on troop numbers that they'd overlooked the most crucial point.
Lennistant had a being who had reached the transcendent realm, and before that monster, tens of thousands of troops, thousands of holy knights, even sturdy walls...
Meant nothing.
"Then..."
The staff officer who had pushed for concentrating forces tried to speak again, but Zeroy silenced him once more.
"If we gather all our forces here? Could we stop him?"
The most fundamental problem.
Whether 30,000, 50,000, or 80,000.
It was impossible to stop someone who had entered the transcendent realm.
It would only increase the damage.
"Then what should we..."
One staff officer blurted out without thinking, then clamped his mouth shut in shock at Zeroy's gaze.
"Isn't that why we're gathered here?"
At Zeroy's icy tone, the staff officers began to break out in cold sweats.
No matter how hard they racked their brains, no viable solution came to mind.
"What methods work against someone in the transcendent realm?"
"Only others who have reached the same realm can oppose them, or so I've heard."
One staff officer answered Zeroy's question.
"Does our nation have anyone like that?"
"...No."
Unfortunately, Aier had no one who had attained the transcendent realm.
"...Really none?"
Zeroy asked again.
The staff officers, not understanding the intent, racked their brains.
Then one cautiously spoke up.
"The previous generation's holy knight captain reached that realm, but didn't she retire?"
Grace Knight, Freyja.
The former holy knight captain had ascended to the transcendent realm a full 40 years ago.
But she had retired over 10 years ago due to old age.
"Is she still alive?"
Ridiculous.
Even back then, Freyja had been on the brink of death.
That's why they had no choice but to let her retire and return to her hometown.
And yet, alive after 10 years?
If so, word would have spread.
"She is still alive."
"What?!"
"Is that true?"
The staff officers cried out in surprise.
If Cardinal Zeroy was telling the truth, it meant their strongest card against Lennistant's mage was still in play.
But Zeroy's expression wasn't great.
"But her health is still poor. Even so..."
After a moment's thought, Zeroy continued.
"She might be able to fight once more."
Just once.
That would be enough.
If she could hold off that damned mage, they could push back Lennistant.
"So, go find her and bring her here."
* * *
The atmosphere in Aier grew darker by the day.
Conscription, war, plunder, punishment.
Rumors like that spread several times a day, making it impossible for things to feel good.
But not everywhere was the same.
No matter how the war went, who killed whom.
There was a village cut off from the world, living leisurely and peacefully as always.
Children's laughter as they played—not many of them—and the adults' leisurely chatter.
Freyja sat in a small chair in the living room, listening and smiling.
The deep wrinkles around her eyes showed she had lived no short life.
"It's about time to get up."
With the children's voices coming in, prayer time was nearing.
"How much longer can I keep this up..."
It had already been 10 years.
Since she came home to prepare for her final days.
Yet, unexpectedly, she had lived far too long.
A body that had reached the transcendent realm wouldn't easily let go of life, no matter how aged.
Thanks to that, Freyja had enjoyed the peaceful daily life she had longed for, for a long time.
She had no attachments left to the world, so her wish was to live quietly like this until she peacefully closed her eyes.
But it seemed the Lord God had no intention of granting that wish.
"...Hm?"
Freyja's eyes narrowed as she rose from the chair.
Unfamiliar presences had entered her senses.
"Knights."
Not particularly high-level.
But there were over thirty of them.
What business could so many holy knights have in this remote mountain village?
"They must be here for this old woman."
Freyja instinctively knew their visit meant the end of her peaceful days.
"Tsk, tsk."
Something she never wanted.
She clicked her tongue, opened the door, and stepped outside.
She spotted the knights approaching straight for her house from afar.
"Wow, knights!"
"Holy knights!"
The children, seeing knights for the first time, chattered excitedly, while the adults looked anxious.
Freyja felt it all as she stood at the door, waiting for the holy knights.
A short time passed.
Soon, the knights arrived before her house.
"It's been a long time, Captain."
The highest-ranking-looking holy knight stood before Freyja and bowed.
A knight in his middle years, heading toward advanced age.
A face still in Freyja's memory.
"Bordo."
Back when she was still active as captain, he had been a fresh-faced new knight.
"You've grown a lot."
"I never imagined you'd truly still be alive."
The knight called Bordo looked at Freyja with eyes full of emotion.
"An old person's thread of life is tougher than expected."
"I'm truly glad."
"Glad about what."
Freyja shook her head with an embarrassed expression.
She had retired thinking her end was near, yet here she was, still hale and hearty...
Seeing a subordinate from the past was a bit shameful.
"So, what's brought you all this way?"
Enough chit-chat.
Bordo was a promising knight.
If he had kept at it without slacking, he should hold a high position now.
For such a man to come here, it surely wasn't trivial.
"Do you know about the situation back home?"
Bordo asked.
"This village is nearly cut off from the world. Not easy to hear outside news."
Something serious seemed afoot, but she didn't know.
At that answer, Bordo sighed and continued with difficulty.
"War has broken out."
"War?"
Freyja's eyes widened slightly.
"The Demon King's descent shouldn't be for a little while yet?"
"...It's a war between kingdoms."
"Hah!"
Freyja let out a hollow laugh.
A war between kingdoms?
In this day and age?
"Have they all lost their minds?"
Otherwise, there was no reason to start a war with the Demon King's descent right around the corner.
"Lennistant, Trian, and Brobison have crossed our borders."
Freyja fell silent at his words.
Meaning: go on.
"Unfortunately, we lack the strength to hold off the coalition of those three kingdoms, and we're being pushed back day by day."
"I have no idea what happened after I retired. With Aier's power, they shouldn't be able to be stopped."
The Aier she knew was a great power.
Not comparable to the Empire, but not so weak that a few puny kingdoms banding together could threaten it.
But Bordo couldn't answer.
Explaining would require mentioning the campaign against the Empire, which could be seen as blasphemy against the Holy King if mishandled.
That was the atmosphere in Aier now.
As Bordo stayed silent, Freyja sighed.
"So you've come to ask this old woman for help?"
"I don't want to impose on someone enjoying their rest. But our nation's situation is so dire..."
Bordo closed his eyes and pleaded.
"Please, help us."