Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Mountains of Corpses and Seas of Blood (3)
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The last faint traces of winter had completely vanished, and summer—scorching under the relentless sun—had begun.
Even though Cain's messenger had raced ahead at full speed, it still took a considerable amount of time to reach the imperial court.
Surprisingly, not a single noble in the court opposed Cain's campaign. In fact, it was only natural when you thought about it.
"Your Majesty, we cannot simply let this incident pass."
"Indeed, Your Majesty. Punish those who spat on Your Majesty's mercy and thereby proclaim Your imperial dignity across the realm."
"You are right. I extended my mercy personally, yet they repaid it with a dagger to my back."
The reason the imperial council had kept Cain in check until now was solely because he was one of the Emperor's own.
No noble dared to apply such standards to Cain now, after he had proven his worth in just two years.
Yes, even these arrogant imperial nobles, steeped in their sense of superiority, could no longer deny Cain's abilities.
And so, by the time the messenger returned with the imperial decree, spring had passed and summer had arrived.
"His Majesty the Emperor has issued his command. Punish the kingdom that dared to covet imperial territory and spill pureblood."
"Finally...!!!"
"Now we can have our revenge at last."
Watching Morgana and the other nobles sharpen their blades with grim determination, Cain swallowed a sigh he hadn't meant to let slip.
Thinking back on it, it had only been about a year—and most of those who had been with him then were still here.
Some among them were loyal to the kingdom, but most had followed him because they admired the man he was.
To keep those who looked to him, trusted him, and followed him alive, Cain had no choice but to give everything he had.
'I had to prove my capabilities. If I didn't, my people would suffer. The ones who believed in me would endure pain.'
And it was the same now. Deep down, he just wanted to wash his hands of it all and rest quietly, but...
Had life ever been easy, even once? Whether in the modern world or here, life was ultimately a struggle.
To seize what was his, he had to charge forward with all his might. At last, Cain steeled his resolve.
"All preparations are complete. Thus, the Twelfth Army under my command will punish the kingdom as per His Majesty's decree and spread his glory far and wide."
"We will follow you anywhere, General!!"
"We will crush the kingdom with all our strength!"
Not only the nobles and officers, but even the soldiers' morale was boiling over. Partly because they had been overwhelmingly victorious before.
Above all, this was revenge for their comrades lost to the sudden ambush. And the justification was impeccable.
The kingdom's abrupt advance had forced the alliance into a frantic, belated response. It wasn't just bravado, after all.
They had crossed imperial borders and seized territory—a feat bordering on the miraculous given the kingdom's forces.
Until now, the kingdom had witnessed two miracles. The first was the one wrought by Cain Blackguard himself...
And the second was right now, brought about by King Andre. But Cain dared to declare:
"There will be no more miracles. The kingdom will vanish into the dim mists of history... at our hands, right now."
All preparations were already in place. The soldiers, their swords and senses honed to a razor's edge, awaited only the order.
And at last, Cain mounted his warhorse and took the vanguard. Behind him followed tens of thousands of troops.
To punish the kingdom that had arrogantly struck the Empire first, Cain Blackguard's Twelfth Army set out.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In sieges, where the concept of defense holds, the defenders usually have the advantage. That's common sense.
However, to overturn that defender's edge, the Empire had specially developed siege capabilities.
It was only natural. Unlike the alliance, which specialized in defense, the Empire was the aggressor.
Thus, refined through relentless imperial innovation, siege magic was born.
Unlike standard attack spells designed for duels, siege magic was crafted for massive battles or sieges...
Of course, as spears advance, shields evolve in turn. The alliance had been researching counters to imperial siege magic.
Kwajik! Kwaaaang!!
"Kraaaagh!!!"
"F-Fireballs from the sky! Everyone, evade!!"
But that was only feasible for an alliance equipped to match the Empire's scale and resources.
The kingdom had joined the alliance, true—but only because the alliance felt threatened by imperial expansion.
If it weren't for external pressures, the kingdom never would have joined. And this was the result.
A massive fireball shattered the walls, engulfing the kingdom soldiers atop them without mercy.
The stench of burning flesh filled the air alongside horrific screams. Cain's face paled.
It had been years already, and now he stood on the opposite side... yet it was still terrifying.
"General, your expression isn't good. I'm worried the soldiers might falter if they see it."
"My apologies, Your Highness. Old memories surfaced unbidden..."
"Looking back, who would have thought that we, enemies back then, would join hands like this after just a few years."
It hardly seemed like words to say amid the reek of searing flesh, but Cain swallowed his retort.
In truth, the forces weren't much different from back then. Over 50,000 for conquering a kingdom was excessive.
Even Chris and Scardi had gone to another front with the crown prince to counter the alliance's advance.
'Well, with the mage legion plus me at master level, it's overkill anyway. But I won't repeat past mistakes.'
Wasn't this situation eerily similar? 50,000 troops. Marching on the capital. The imperial army.
But he had no intention of repeating Valentis's failure. Cain gave clear orders to his officers.
Accept surrenders for now. He knew their hatred for the kingdom, but slaughter everyone?
That would only make them fight to the bitter end. Just as Cain himself had once done...
'I surrendered at first, feeling the gap between Empire and kingdom. That madman just refused to accept it.'
There might not be another like him in the kingdom, but "what if" always lingered.
So Cain had planned to accept surrenders initially. Until the incident happened.
He hadn't slacked on surveillance. All weapons from surrendering enemies were confiscated, and they were imprisoned.
It might seem excessive, but there was no other choice. Because they were the "Army of God"...
"What should we do with the surrendering soldiers?"
"General, thinking of our comrades who died at their hands..."
"If we kill all the surrenders and word gets out, who will surrender? Disarm them and lock them up for now."
"Understood, General."
But mercy became poison. About a fortnight later, they finally revealed their true colors.
Sudden flames erupted at night, engulfing the prisons and barracks—set by the imprisoned soldiers.
Putting out the fire and subduing the backstabbers was easy enough. Cain was a master, after all.
But that didn't bring back the lives lost. Swallowing his rage, Cain spoke.
"What more could you want? We fed you from our supplies and forbade abuse. Why...?!"
"We dedicated our lives to His Majesty King Andre. A traitor like you who betrayed the kingdom could never understand."
"...The Army of God. Safe to assume they're bound by some cause?"
"Too late to figure it out. Our comrades are already moving. No matter how strong you are, you can't stop them all."
"Yeah, you're right. At least for now."
The imperial army was already dispersed on missions. If prisoners rebelled in unison like this?
It would cause significant losses—and delay them. Something he'd predicted from the start.
Even so, he'd taken the risk to accept surrenders. He didn't want to end up like Valentis.
'Or maybe... I wanted to believe some of you didn't want war.'
But not anymore. Having heard the truth, Cain had only one path left.
The dagger in his reverse grip sliced his own belly—a agonizing suicide known as seppuku.
His abdomen spewed blood and entrails. Despite the immense pain, Cain gritted his teeth and endured.
The long agony finally ended, and Cain opened his eyes again. He saw them waving white flags.
"What should we do with the surrendering soldiers?"
The familiar scene, the familiar question... Sensing he'd returned two weeks prior, Cain replied coldly.
"Bring the breaking wheels."
You started it first.