Chapter 37
Chapter 37
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Like Fireworks, Brilliantly (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Why do bad premonitions never miss?
Shwaaa...
After ransacking another territory and slipping away, the rain began to pour.
"Ugh."
My heart felt heavy.
It didn't look like it would let up anytime soon.
"This isn't good."
Rain turns the ground into a quagmire.
The mud sucking at our ankles was one problem, and the warhorses losing stamina in the downpour was another.
For cavalry like us, it was a nightmare in every way.
And right now, we were deep in enemy territory—if our feet slowed, the enemy would catch our tails.
"Really not good."
We needed shelter from the rain immediately.
Fortunately, there was a decent spot not too far off.
"Otto."
The surrendered knight, summoned out of nowhere, looked at me with a baffled expression.
"Take the lead."
Ignoring him, I pushed him ahead.
To cut to the chase, we seized the Bauer—formerly Bauer—territory.
That was already two days ago.
"Are we really okay just hunkering down here like this?"
Jamal, hands full of meat stuffed into his mouth, finally asked with a worried look.
"Hey, Otto. Jamal's asking if it's fine to keep lounging here."
Otto, who happened to be nearby, answered with a rare smile.
"As you've already seen, Bauer's people are still loyal to me. None of them will betray us."
It was his way of saying we could relax.
"I've ruled pretty benevolently, you know. Taxes were much lower than other nobles. We only took half the harvest."
Taking half in taxes and calling it benevolent was ridiculous.
No wonder the Thracia folk fled home and hearth when the Astoria army showed up.
But regardless of my personal feelings, I couldn't deny that the former Bauer's subjects still liked their old lord.
If not, they wouldn't have rallied inside the moment he appeared.
Thanks to that, we took the former Bauer territory without much effort.
"That new lord didn't even show his face, and he sent tax collectors right after taking office. No way to win hearts like that. Heh."
The surrendered knight strutting around was grating.
"The locals think you lot are mercenaries I hired to reclaim the territory, so watch your behavior."
Heh heh heh.
Otto von Bauer let out an irritating laugh as he walked off.
"That guy's way too pleased. You think he's getting ideas?"
An unusually sharp question from Jamal.
"He won't."
He was smiling now, but when we first entered the territory, he wasn't.
He'd been like a wounded beast.
Considering his beloved wife remarried after just half a year, the shock must have been massive.
Remarried my ass—she'd grabbed all the valuables and bolted.
The current Bauer territory was the scraps left by her and the new lord. An empty shell.
His root, his territory, reduced to a husk—what must that surrendered knight feel?
His hatred and thirst for revenge against the Astoria that abandoned him were genuine.
"Still, we can't keep lounging here forever. Unless we're settling in for good."
As Jamal said, we couldn't stay in Bauer territory indefinitely.
We'd have to leave eventually.
Just not right now.
"Waiting out the rain under a roof is a tactic too when it's this bad."
"Doesn't look like it'll stop. Feels like days more of this."
The ignorant Bluecoat's response, clueless about metaphors, drew only a sigh.
Smooth.
I rose from the table and moved to the window.
"......"
I gazed outside.
Bauer territory, encircled by low walls.
By now, the Astoria army must be scouring everywhere in the rain, eyes bloodshot to catch us.
Whatever their exact numbers, it wouldn't be a force to take lightly.
"What now?"
I needed time to think.
Whatever their strength, I was confident we could break through.
The issue was how many would survive.
Scraping by with bare lives meant nothing.
A decisive victory, all of us returning alive.
Only after we crossed the border safely would Thracia's declaration of war mean anything.
Tap.
Lost in thought, a warmth against my back snapped me out.
No need to ask who.
"Natasha."
Only she would stick to my back like this.
-......
The boisterous dining hall fell silent as if by magic.
The Bluecoats watched with amused faces.
"Hah."
Sighing at those smirks was automatic.
This wasn't the first time they'd eyed me like that.
It started from the first camp, when everyone saw Natasha hugging me to sleep.
I hadn't thought much of it, but apparently others did.
My oversight.
If I had to excuse it, it was a habit of sorts.
In the past, we'd share warmth like that during camps.
Not just Natasha.
All our unit's soldiers did back then.
We were disposable to the Thracia army, nearly every mission a suicide run deep in enemy lands.
Cold nights, no supplies or support, not even allowed fires.
Only comrades to rely on.
We shared body heat to survive.
That was how we made it through winter.
That was then.
"Natasha. Back off a bit."
But then was then, now was now.
"Okay. I'll back off."
"......"
Despite her words, she stayed plastered to my back, no sign of moving.
I slipped away slightly.
Drip drip drip.
It only made my tail look more ridiculous.
Shwaaa...
Meanwhile, the rain poured relentlessly.
Won't stop, huh.
This damn world had no intention of letting me slip out of Astoria easily.
"Everyone, gather up."
No choice but to decide.
"We're reorganizing now."
The Bluecoats' lazy eyes sharpened.
"Check gear, rest freely, regroup here at dusk."
"Then......"
Captain Lenin looked at me tensely.
I nodded faintly and glanced at him.
"Tonight, we break out of Astoria."
The Bluecoats rose and scattered.
"The enemy won't just watch."
Captain Lenin, left in the hall, voiced his concern.
"They'll hound us the moment we leave Bauer territory."
Like hunting a beast with dogs, wearing us down before the kill.
No other way.
Weak force risks counterattack; strong one, and we'd bolt first.
But two days of rain had turned everywhere to mud.
"Why not wait for the rain to stop? Could clear tomorrow."
I shook my head at Captain Lenin's suggestion.
Rain might stop, but hardening mud would take time. And more rain could come.
"If we have to slog through mud anyway, better move while the rain masks our steps."
Weather spares no one.
Meaning Astoria suffered too.
Their prized crossbowmen, for starters.
Glue weakened by moisture causes misfires; strings lose tension, worsening short range.
Mage corps no less affected.
Mana ties to weather, or so they say.
I didn't know details, but mages hunkered down in rain—that much was clear.
Look at Natasha, wilted like a sick chicken since it started.
"Good that some enemy cards are nullified. But remember—we started with one card, and now it's soaked useless."
Captain Lenin pressed his worries.
I thought opposite.
If neither side has cards...
"Even better."
Flip the table—that was my conclusion.
"Otto."
For that, I needed the surrendered knight's help.
Otto von Bauer, brooding needlessly on the lord's seat, looked my way.
"Some locals want to follow us, right?"
Better to go with old lord to Thracia than be exploited to death in this husk.
"Yeah, those who rallied when we entered said that. They'll face punishment for aiding us. Maybe executed as examples. Probably will be."
His calm tone despite his followers' peril was inhuman.
"So what?"
Not just tone—he truly didn't care about their plight.
"Dying for their lord is a subject's duty. An honor, even."
Pure noble thinking.
"They'd drag us down. Better they choose death over slowing us."
Reasonable excuse—they'd hinder retreat.
In uncertain combat, bringing them made no sense, his face said.
"Captain, have to side with him. I'm against it too."
Captain Lenin, listening, tried to dissuade me.
"No. We must take them."
I persuaded them both.
"If that's the reason, no grounds to refuse."
"Worth trying."
They came around.
"Move out."
Thus, we left the territory with 200 pitiful refugee hopefuls loyal to their ungrateful lord.
Wagons in tow.
Looking just like fleeing refugees.
"Damn Thracia bastards. What a misery."
Schugel spat curses at the damp rain seeping into his armor gaps.
"Searching in this weather? Can't see shit."
Torrents blinded beyond 100 meters.
Even spotting Thracia dogs, pursuit doubtful.
"Idiot. If we can't run, neither can they. Their armor's heavy as hell."
His comrade had a point.
That's why command pushed search in this mess.
True didn't spark motivation.
"Huh?"
Grumbling Schugel squinted.
Beyond thick rain, dark clumps approached afar.
"W-wait, Thracia guys?"
He'd joined search without battle intent—disconcerting.
Long story short, no fight as feared.
Not Thracia, but an Astoria noble.
"My oversight. Didn't expect Thracia to hit the territory in this weather."
Seemed they'd run into Thracia seeking shelter unluckily.
Schugel eyed the refugee column.
Sneak attack, yet wagons loaded—had time for loot.
Nearly 50 wagons, two-three horses each—wealthy house.
"Strong horses. Keeping up in this mud."
"......Far still?"
"Little farther to camp. Rest easy there, no Thracia worries."
"Main force there?"
"Main force southwest more."
"How many at camp?"
"One light cavalry company......"
Answering casually, Schugel startled, eyeing him.
Too prying.
Nah, no way.
He dismissed suspicion.
Undeniable Astoria noble—arrogant tone, condescending gaze.
Ignoring questions, monologuing—noble trait.
Territory sacked, anxious about camp garrison.
He brushed it off.
"Almost there. See the lights."
Camp fires eased him.
Relaxed, he scanned refugees again.
About 400 on foot.
One noble on horse.
Others just wagon mules.
Damn, tough beasts.
Navigating mud flawlessly.
Like empty wagons.
"......Hm?"
Schugel stiffened, rechecking wagons.
In haste, valuables aboard, yet covers soaked, no waterproofing.
Not the issue.
In rain-mud, wheels half-sunk, dragged.
But these rolled lightly over mud.
Like empty.
Smooth.
Schugel subtly gripped reins.
As he readied to spur...
"Irresponsible, aren't you?"
If guiding, see it through.
The noble rode alongside.
"Warning: no funny business. Hole there, no staunching. Survive, you'd be eunuch."
Sword at his groin, reversed grip.
"Greet your pals. Good boy. Just like that. No trouble."
......Astoria accent, no shame? Thracia dog.
"Muttering alone?"
"......Nothing."
No patriot act for castration.
Schugel shut up, cooperated fully.
His help got the thugs—likely Thracia—camp center.
"Refugees? From which direction, milord?"
Stern company commander queried noble.
"Otto of Bauer house."
"Oh? Lord Otto of Bauer......"
Commander froze.
That instant.
Fwosh!
Blood sprayed everywhere.
-......!
-......!
Unfamiliar shouts erupted.
Schugel didn't know Thracia tongue, but guessed.
Kill them. All.
Something like that.
Seeing comrades die confirmed it.
We stowed blue cloaks and armor in wagons, tethered horses.
Royal Gift Horse balked at pack-mule duty but calmed eventually.
Thus, we marched on foot.
Encounter Astoria patrols, Otto and his Bauer followers stepped up.
No one doubted the ex-Astoria noble.
Plus, foul weather blurred friend-foe.
"Tch. First hand a dud."
Wiping a light cavalry company was fine, but after, slim pickings.
One scout squad, a few pairs— that's it.
No disappointment.
Goal wasn't annihilating encirclement, but breakout.
Smooth border crossing? Success.
"Really?"
But I knew.
How this world hated me.
How unlucky I was.
Last-minute snag? Par for course.
Flash.
Lightning cracked.
Black hazy world sharpened.
That's when their forms emerged from dark.
"Captain! Astoria cavalry ahead!"
Astoria cavalry, Winged Hussars fully armed at front.
Lined in formation, awaiting us.
"Hah."
What a bitch. Seriously.