043. Prelude to the Final War
In the end.
In the end, only Bachra and Linetta remained, and the barbarians were utterly defeated.
And along with them, the corpses of Greken and Donota.
It was truly a great victory.
A great victory that would not come again.
And in this situation, naturally, there was someone being praised.
"Did you hear? Word is that Lady Elise of the Blaze Ducal House was active in this battle too."
"My goodness. Is she seriously planning to kill all the Seven Wild Monsters?"
"Amazing.... I hear she's still quite young...."
Elise Blaze.
Her name was rising higher and higher.
Since she was already the one who had slain the Seven Wild Monsters before, her fame had no choice but to rise even further.
By now, there was likely no one in the Northern Grand Duchy who didn't know her.
And that Elise was now...
"Ah—."
...sitting idly in her private bath, quietly gazing at the water.
"Young Lady-isiyeo."
Beside her was the maid Luna.
Luna naturally attended to her, helping her bathe.
In the midst of this, a conversation passed between the two.
"Young Lady-isiyeo.... Your wounds seem a bit better today..."
"Mhm."
Luna naturally examined the wounds.
The wounds Elise had sustained a few days ago were now mostly healed.
This was all thanks to the regenerative ability gained from the Dragon of Eternity's Heart.
Elise gazed for a moment at the scar etched on her arm.
Mhm. Indeed, the healed state was visible at a glance.
"They've gotten much better."
"That's a relief. You are too beautiful, Young Lady-isiyeo, it's a loss if you get hurt..."
Pfft.
Elise laughed at Luna's words and stroked her head.
"Was I?"
"Yes. You, Young Lady-isiyeo. You've become even more beautiful lately. Originally, you were very pale because your health wasn't good. But lately, it's like vitality is just bursting out of you.... Anyway, it's good to see you so full of life."
Watching Luna smile foolishly as she said this, Elise smiled faintly back at her.
"The war in the North will probably end soon. Because I'm going to end it."
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Saying this, Elise leaned her head back against the bathtub with a languid expression.
Her red cheeks stood out prominently as she giggled.
"I'm going to end it. It won't be long now."
Elise smiled even more brightly.
That sight was so beautiful that Luna found herself nodding without realizing it.
"Damn it."
Hoo—
Bachra lay down, his entire body covered in wounds.
Son of a bitch.
"So, in the end, they killed five of the Seven Wild Monsters..."
As Bachra muttered this, Linetta, who was similarly sprawled out beside him, spoke.
"Yeah. Bachra. Five of the seven bastards are dead."
"...Tch."
The sighs of the two Wild Monsters grew heavy.
"Ah. What can we do. Linetta."
"What is it. Bachra."
Even in this state, Bachra smiled, his strong facial features becoming more pronounced.
"Next time. How about we make up our minds to kill her?"
"That bitch?"
"Yeah."
Hoo—
A deep sigh scattered heavily as Bachra's words echoed.
"We need to appease the spirits of the dead."
There were two remaining forward bases.
But, something was strange.
"...Not here?"
While destroying the two forward bases, Elise realized it.
They weren't here. Neither of them.
Bachra the Male Demon or Linetta the Decapitation Sword.
Neither of the two was to be seen.
And it wasn't just that.
The two forward bases were practically emptied out.
"What's going on."
In the middle of the now-concluded battlefield, Elise muttered to herself without realizing it.
What is it. What on earth is happening.
Where have all the barbarians gone, including the Seven Wild Monsters who were always running wild?
"...Over there?"
Elise's gaze turned toward the distance.
What she saw was none other than the barbarians' stronghold.
The form of the barbarians' stronghold could be glimpsed far away.
"They're there."
Elise nodded.
Over there. In that stronghold.
Bachra and Linetta were there.
"It seems they've holed up in their stronghold, no matter what."
Elise, summoned to the Northern Grand Duke's office.
At her words, the Northern Grand Duke, Gayrad, also nodded.
"I think so too. No matter how I think about it, it's unlikely these bastards ran away. They're probably holed up there, planning to make a last stand or something."
Gayrad looked at Elise with a broad smile spreading across his lips.
"Ha. What shall we do? If we just lay siege, the barbarian bastards will probably starve to death."
To that, Elise spoke.
"Would the Northern warriors want that?"
At those words, Grand Duke Gayrad shook his head.
"Absolutely not."
"Then it's decided."
Elise fixed her gaze on the location of the barbarian headquarters.
"It's time for the final war."
To that, Gayrad did not deny it and nodded.
Yes. It is the final war.
As befitting the grand statement of 'final war,' the preparations were made grandly in various ways.
The barbarians' stronghold, being a stronghold, had its own proper defenses.
Although crude, there was a long line of wooden palisades, and the defenses were thorough.
Accordingly, the North was also making its own preparations.
"Ugh."
"Pfft."
Kalix and Hugo stood side by side and laughed.
The sight of both of them barely recovered was quite funny.
"Are you okay?"
Beside the two of them, Elise was staring intently at them.
At Elise's words, the two smiled and replied.
"I'm okay."
"I'm fine too, Young Lady-isiyeo."
Even so, Elise wasn't reassured and approached the two.
"Let me see. Wow. It's barely healed."
Grabbing Kalix's arm to examine the wound, it was truly in a state of having barely recovered.
Good grief.
All that comes out is a sigh.
"It's okay. I've also spoken to His Grace the Grand Duke, so I plan to be in the rear."
"That's a relief then."
While Elise placed a hand on her chest, relieved, the two spoke further.
"Young Lady-isiyeo. Young Lady-isiyeo. Do you plan to take the lead again today?"
"Yes. It seems so."
In response to Kalix's question, Elise answered.
Immediately, Kalix smiled and nodded.
"Mhm mhm! As expected of Young Lady-isiyeo. I guess it wasn't for nothing that I learned the Third Ice Dragon Spear!"
"Goodness. Kalix. Bragging."
Hugo chided from the side, but Kalix paid no heed.
"What's wrong with that. Hugo, you come here and be proud too. Our sword style, Young Lady-isiyeo has learned it, you know?"
"...Well. That does still seem amazing when I think about it."
Hugo nodded subtly.
'...Is it that much?'
Elise herself, however, tilted her head in confusion.
While they were chatting like that for a while.
Before they knew it, the preparations for departure were finished.
Slowly heading towards the barbarians' stronghold.
Incidentally, this place wasn't simply where only barbarian warriors were.
Along with the barbarian warriors, all those living in the tribe were gathered here.
In other words, it was a situation where the warriors' families were also gathered.
Therefore, attacking this place meant, from the barbarians' perspective, it could only be a fight to the death.
"This is it."
Looking at the stronghold visible in the distance, Elise nodded.
Indeed, compared to a wall, the wooden palisade isn't as high as one might think.
Enough that Elise could probably jump over it if she tried?
Seeing that, a strange sense of relief washed over her.
"Halt!"
With Grand Duke Gayrad's command, the Northern warriors' army halted before the barbarians' stronghold.
And simultaneously, Grand Duke Gayrad prepared an amplification magic spell.
Soon after.
"Barbarians of the North, hear me!"
Grand Duke Gayrad's voice echoed far into the distance.
"If you surrender now! I will treat you humanely! I will not make you slaves, but grant you a place to live in a corner of the Northern lands!"
It was truly a merciful statement.
It could be called a merciful act towards the barbarians who had tormented and killed countless Northerners throughout their lives.
"I bestow this mercy upon you...!"
The moment he continued speaking.
"Shut up!!!"
A rough voice came from the barbarian stronghold.
Judging by the voice's owner being somewhat high-pitched...
"...Linetta?"
No doubt about it.
That voice. It's undoubtedly Linetta.
While Elise guessed the identity of the voice, the voice from the stronghold continued.
"Get lost! We will never submit to the Empire! If you want to fight, bring it on! From adults to children, we will fight without flinching until we head to hell!"
In this moment, as Linetta's desperate words continued.
Grand Duke Gayrad felt it.
As expected. There's no reasoning with them.
"Is that so. That is your decision then. Fine. Fine..."
Grand Duke Gayrad had no more reason to hesitate.
"All troops! Advance! Advance and leave not a single one of the Blue Fang Tribe of this land behind!"
The Northern army began its advance.
Elise advanced carefully.
While surveying her surroundings, the focus of her vision remained fixed ahead.
Slowly, the barbarians' main camp began to come into view.
"Almost there now."
Even as she said that, Elise searched for where the Seven Wild Monsters were.
Linetta the Decapitation Sword.
And Bachra the Male Demon.
These two were the key to this war.
Therefore, Elise's gaze kept searching for the two.
And at that moment.
"Elise Blazezzzzzzzzzz!!!"
Far away.
On top of the palisade.
Bachra the Male Demon appeared, laughing, his strong facial features fully revealed.