The Generous Lord (2)
The Generous Lord (2)
"Here, Piel. Get in, quickly."
Rebecca, full of excitement, grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
When we stood before the 'Palanquin Official Residence,' a soldier swiftly unfolded the steps for us.
The inside was fully furnished with household goods, making it seem ready for immediate move-in.
"How on earth did you build this?"
"With blacksmiths who enjoy daily mana training and a single Dwarf overseer, something like this can be knocked together in no time."
"A Dwarf! There's a Dwarf here?"
"One Dwarf has settled in our territory. Interested? Shall I introduce you later?"
"Yes, please, I beg of you."
A Dwarf, huh. That's simply perfect for putting in charge of the Corps of Engineers.
In my entire life at the County of Anbelrum, I had never once seen a Dwarf. As expected, this is Northern class.
"No one knows where the Dwarf race lives. Even the Dwarves who occasionally settle among humans never reveal their homeland. And Piel, don't you ask about its location either. It would be a grave breach of etiquette."
"I won't forget."
***
And so, we boarded the Palanquin Official Residence and headed south.
I had entrusted the management of the radios to a knight bound by the Sword of Subordination oath, and since we had stockpiled sufficient mortar shells, there was no worry even if the Elf Legion suddenly launched a southern invasion.
I had been concerned about how to cross the Baltics River, but it was made of timber and floated buoyantly on the water!
'I feel like I've become one of those ancient Viking tribesmen, sailing on rivers and carrying their boats overland to raid.'
Hundreds of soldiers took turns carrying it as they moved.
It was so stable that one could mistake the Palanquin Official Residence for having been set down on the ground.
First night of the march.
The soldiers gently set down the Palanquin Official Residence, and I stepped outside to commend their hard work.
"Everyone, you've surely suffered much on account of this physically weak Lieutenant Colonel."
"Not at all! We can do anything for the comfortable travel of the Supply Commander!"
"It is an honor to be assigned to this post!"
The soldiers all belonged to Rebecca's unit.
I bought their hearts by rewarding their day of hardship with the special meal of Chil-do Jumbo Lunch Boxes.
'If it were up to me, I'd throw a grand Samgyeopsal party, but I have to save the budget...'
Before sleeping, I held a scheduled radio report.
-Private Second Class Bertenhal reporting. I am moving north with 40,000 refugees. Since most are non-combatant territory residents, the marching speed is extremely slow.
-Lieutenant Colonel, this is Captain Luna. I am advancing toward the center of the County of Anbelrum.
-Marshall Supply Commander, this is Colonel Dvill. Your noona occasionally showed signs of hesitation; it seemed she wanted to ask for news of you.
Of course, we are all pretending not to notice.
I had cut off contact with my noona, my last letter stating she no longer needed to send any more books.
Yet noona continues to send letters regularly, asking after my current situation.
Since I never reply, her recent letters have been thickly smeared with worry.
-Also, we have confirmed the intersection point of the Elf Legion's axis of advance. It appears to be the Nelssmill Empire.
"Thank you for your hard work."
After the scheduled reports concluded.
Before I knew it, Hildea and Rebecca, already changed into sleepwear, approached.
I, also dressed in comfortable pajamas, busily set out Marshall Burgers for the two women's dinner.
Rebecca, taking hearty bites of a burger wrapped in a large bun, asked,
"Piel, do you really think the elves' goal in this war is the Empire?"
"I'm simply keeping the possibility open. It could merely be that they're attacking before humans can seize their territory, or they may be attempting mindless territorial expansion."
"I'd rather hope the elves don't have any such higher purpose. Because then this war would become far too complicated."
"Whatever purpose the elves have in attacking us, this officer will simply protect the granted fief, vassals, and territory residents to the very end."
I was watching the two women eat their burgers with satisfaction when my gaze happened to linger on Hildea's chest for a moment.
There was an irritating sense of something being off...
Nah, no way.
Let's not entertain bad thoughts.
"Piel. You'd be shocked if you knew how fierce the competition among soldiers was to be selected as a palanquin bearer for this mobile Palanquin Official Residence."
"Excuse me? It wasn't forced conscription?"
"Why would this be forced conscription? When it comes to any post related to Piel, every soldier and knight alike is wide-eyed and frantic to be chosen."
So what those soldiers said earlier was sincere after all.
***
"Again?"
Elenoa pressed her throbbing forehead.
It was already the same report for the umpteenth time.
"The Ainshuvan knights went to Sir Volckmar and committed outrages, demanding he hand over a dowry. Sir Volckmar is worried his daughter, being sold off to the North, will face abuse if her dowry is too small..."
"Our family was supposed to provide the dowry, so why on earth are they acting this way?"
"It's brimming with the looting intent of taking a hefty cut for themselves. Exactly what you'd expect from knights who've lived impoverished in barren lands! Barbarians through and through!"
The Ainshuvan knights, rather than conducting the subjugation they were supposed to, were instead collectively threatening and intimidating the families of the young ladies they had captured like spoils of war, extorting them for wealth.
Thanks to the young ladies, who knew perfectly well where the valuable family roots were hidden, eagerly tattling to their prospective husbands, the looting was carried out systematically and efficiently.
However, since Elenoa and the young ladies' families were completely unaware of that fact, they were misidentifying this as merely a barbaric army excelling at plunder.
"They were caught carrying out Sir Volckmar's secret slush fund chest when a quarrel broke out..."
"What happened?"
"Everyone was knocked out. Truly, their actual skill is something wondrous. Just as expected from barbarian knights who did nothing but eat and fight..."
It was then.
Along with the urgent sound of military boots, the door burst open and a messenger's face appeared.
"What is it?"
"Emergency! Approximately 500 Ancient Tree Monsters sighted at the northwestern No.12 temporary fortress! They are currently advancing in this direction!"
"Sound the alarm bell!"
Elenoa sprang to her feet.
Ddaeng-ddaeng-ddaeng! Ddaeng-ddaeng-ddaeng! Ddaeng-ddaeng-ddaeng!
A taut tension descended upon the garrison.
Knights and soldiers urgently assembled, and the mages also readied themselves for combat.
Not a single soldier from Dvil's unit was in sight.
"Ainshuvan reinforcements?"
"They are on a pilgrimage of plunder against the young ladies' families— no, extracting dowries!"
Elenoa's legs buckled.
"Lord Deville? Where is he?"
"He is commanding the Ainshuvan knights!"
Vassals erupted in indignation from all around.
"What utterly barbaric creatures!"
"While the kingdom is being scorched to ash by vile plant legions! Nothing enters their heads but plundering allies!"
"They say it's customary in the North for poor allies to constantly attack and loot one another! Now I understand those rough temperaments! Disgusting!"
Elenoa let out a deep sigh and gave her command.
"We move out. Send a messenger to Lord Deville informing him the situation is critical."
***
Elenoa recalled the past engagement north of the Dwein River.
The 2,000-strong Ancient Tree Legion that had trampled the Marquisate of Oltain.
The result had been so devastating that attaching the expression 'rout' to it was embarrassing.
-Launch the Extinguishing Soul Torches! Launch them at once, I say!
-We are hopelessly short on quantity! There's not just one or two empty boxes!
-Weren't those supply boxes with unbroken seals? Why are they empty!
-I-I don't know!
What few Extinguishing Soul Torches they had were thrown incorrectly, and instead of blocking the Ancient Tree Legion's escape route, they caused them to split into two separate units.
-Half of them are crossing the Baltics River and fording into the Marquisate of Carlton!
-Oh, damn! If the Marquisate gets struck from behind, the frontline will collapse!
-Who cares about that right now! We're about to die!
-R-Run away!
-Aaaargh!
Viscount Potashu was the first to flee.
Fear and cowardice spread through the entire subjugation force in an instant, like a plague.
Elenoa fought more bravely than anyone, but the tide had already turned,
and by the time she barely managed to retreat and rally the subjugation force, a casualty rate of one-third had formed.
To top it off, a false report of 'successful annihilation' had even been sent up to the Central, leaving her flabbergasted.
She can't even imagine how hard she perspired trying to correct that.
The interplay of face and interests was so complexly tangled that Elenoa's pleas never reached them.
'The Ancient Tree Monsters missed by the Central subjugation force were all annihilated by the Northern army. Just how much of a skill gap is there with the Northern knights?'
Elenoa spurred her horse on frantically.
The sound of the earth rumbling could already be felt.
When she finally arrived at the fortress, Elenoa shuddered at the sight of the hundreds-strong Ancient Tree Legion.
The creatures were using their thick, long branches and roots to smash the fortress, skewer knights and fling them aside, and horribly trample the soldiers underfoot.
"Extinguishing Soul Torches ready! Throw!"
"Yes!"
The front-line knights activated the Extinguishing Soul Torches and then hurled them vigorously toward the Ancient Tree Legion.
Chiiiiiiik!
Despite the broad daylight, the magical devices spewed blinding flames as they flew toward the creatures.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Booooom!
Suddenly, a few Ancient Trees swiftly dashed forward, spreading their branches high above their heads.
The dense net formed by branches and leaves caught the Extinguishing Soul Torches,
and the Ancient Tree Legion began to burn up as they shrieked a ghastly cry, just like that.
"It's done! A success!"
"As expected of mere plant monsters! They're helpless before the Extinguishing Soul Torches!"
While the knights and soldiers cheered, throwing up their fists,
Elenoa and a handful of her vassals had faces frozen pale.
"Elenoa-nim, this can't be...?"
"The vanguard Ancient Tree Monsters embraced all the Extinguishing Soul Torches and died bursting into flames. At this rate, the combat cost isn't worth it."
They needed the unquenchable flames to spread wide and inflict damage dozens of times greater than this.
But just a few of them spread a branch net and sacrificed themselves, embracing every single one.
"Don't throw them all at once! Divide them and throw a few at a time! We must force maximum damage with each magical device!"
When the magical devices were thrown in small, divided lots, they could not force large-scale damage.
When thrown in a single volley, the vanguard individuals selflessly spread their branches wide and sacrificed themselves.
The Ancient Tree Legion was adopting a countermeasure, confronting the Extinguishing Soul Torches with minimum losses.
"Graaaaack! Kill me! Please, just kill me!"
"M-My body is burning away! Graaaugh!"
Knights and soldiers caught by the transferring, unquenchable fire wailed and begged for death,
and the battle line had already collapsed.
"Elenoa-nim! Retreat!"
"I cannot! If they break through here, they'll reach the Count's Castle in no time! We must stop them here, no matter what!"
Elenoa drew her sword.
The knights sighed and drew their swords alongside her.
Though they were forcing damage to the last by throwing the remaining Extinguishing Soul Torches and with attacks from the mage corps, the creatures would soon reach this final stop line.
"For His Majesty the King!"
"For His Majesty the King! For Anbelrum!"
"Do not fall back! We shall definitely hold them!"
"Let's go!"
Elenoa gritted her teeth and charged.
She had trained them hard all this time. She now also knows full well just how powerful the Plant Legions are.
And so, she understood better than anyone.
'This will be my final battle...'
That there is no hope in this fight.
'Piel... noona will follow you soon.'
Seeing as there's no contact, he must have sadly been killed in action.
Since the family never properly forwarded supplies, they must be neglecting the notice of his death in battle, too.
Amid the entwined screams driven by desperation, the unyielding battle cries, and the ear-scratching wails of Ancient Tree Monsters,
Elenoa fought desperately.
Her fine blonde hair was soaked in blood, and the muscles in her overworked limbs had lost all sensation.
Elenoa took out the Mandrake Root she had tucked into her breast pocket.
'May I have enough strength left to stab myself before the drug's effects wear off.'
Just as all the knights were leaving behind the recited prayer before chewing their Mandrake Roots, and were about to bite down—
Snatch.
A rough man's hand snatched away the Mandrake Root,
and with her disheveled face, Elenoa stared blankly at Dvil, who had stopped her.
"Dvil-nim...?"
"That's not something to chew at a time like this."
Only then did the state of the battle enter her eyes.
When had they appeared? The Ainshuvan knights were slashing through the Ancient Tree Legion on the front line.
Every time the short blade of their aura-infused machetes sliced down, the branches of the Ancient Tree Monsters were cut off, tududuk.
Elenoa's eyes widened.
'This is absurd. How can each and every one of them move like that...! An Aura Sword, you say?'
Knights swinging their swords charged with aura.
Every single one of them was displaying combat power at the level of Sword Expert or higher.
'They must be just a fraction of the Ainshuvan knights, though? Then just how high is the average knight level in Ainshuvan?'
Elenoa did not know.
That those men were in a state where all their latent potential had been explosively activated by the Mandrake Root, and were rapidly replenishing the calories required for operating their mana with Glucose Compressed Biscuits.
"We've received payment in sword value, so now we must use our swords. Rest in the rear, Sir Elenoa."
Hwareureureuk!
A dense aura blazed up from Dvil's machete.
It was so vivid and thick, the thought that it might be an Aura Blade crossed her mind.
The young knights in the backline, having set down the young ladies they carried in their arms, also moved forward step by step and drew their swords in unison.
Dvil's battle cry rang out thunderously.
"Our lives to House Marshall! Charge, Wolves of the North!"
Luna (wearing cheap activewear bought from the PX)