Laurent, the Lord of Peale
Laurent, Lord of Peale Castle.
When Jeanne first met him, it was in the spring of the 419th year of Bluisol. No more than a year had passed since the war erupted.
The entire kingdom lay in ruins at the hands of the Rotinzel army, and the king had abandoned the capital to save himself. Yet two beacons of hope still burned in Bluisol—Mathias on the sea and Laurent on the land.
Had there been no war, Laurent would have remained nothing more than a minor noble content to rule his own lands. The conflict had changed his fate forever.
Even then, Jeanne led a special detachment intended to strike the Rotinzel forces.
But unlike the castle that now stood unbroken, few fortresses remained in the Bluisol of old. Every day was a desperate struggle; every day was a blur of movement and battle.
The day Jeanne first encountered him, Laurent had been leading his own forces to intercept the Rotinzel detachment that was advancing on a city near Peale. Between their two groups, a mysterious masked legion suddenly emerged and attacked.
The man who led that masked legion into the ambush was none other than Laurent himself. Jeanne froze in shock.
“If the lord of the castle is here, what exactly is the man planning to do?”
“The enemy was about to arrive, so I came out to meet them.”
Laurent answered with bold familiarity—utterly inappropriate for the lord of a fortress.
Before she could scold him, urgent news arrived. While Laurent had left Peale Castle unguarded, the Rotinzel army had immediately launched an assault.
Jeanne’s detachment and the soldiers Laurent had brought were forced to race back in a panic. They barely managed to repel the attack, but the damage caused by the lord’s unauthorized absence filled her with deep fury.
“I will punish you under military law.”
“Please calm yourself. With a single commander so critical in battle, we cannot simply kill him.”
Jeanne’s hand hovered near her sword, ready to draw and execute him on the spot. Had Fabian not stopped her, Laurent’s life would have ended there.
Only when the true Jeanne gave him a final warning did things change.
“If such a thing happens again, you will die by my hand before the enemy can claim you.”
“It will never happen.”
Laurent answered with a smile, as if he had no idea what he had done. Jeanne frowned, displeased.
He dropped to one knee.
“I will use the life you have given me for this kingdom.”
His oath sounded light and careless.
In Jeanne’s memory, Laurent was always like this—free-spirited, unbound by rules or conventions. Had he not been born a noble, he would have become a wandering jester or wandering poet.
That was why she had not liked him at first.
Her opinion of him changed only after she heard the news of his death.
He fought until the end and died defending Peale Castle. In a way, it was an ending far too suited to him. The people who knew him praised his bravery.
Jeanne came to believe in him. What kind of man was Laurent? How had that sloppy, easygoing noble become a hero? And what exactly did it mean to be a hero?
Yet one thing remained as a shackle around her heart. Had she arrived with reinforcements in time, he might not have died. For Jeanne, that regret would never leave her.
_
Originally, Rotinzel had seized the capital of Roire and then Ileang in a single stroke. The ensuing Battle of Ileang was Bluisol’s desperate attempt to retake the fortress, but after four prolonged campaigns, they still could not reclaim it.
Thereafter, Rotinzel turned their eyes southward and moved to conquer the coastal city of La Rochelle, which had been harassing them. Since they held the initiative on the land route, they could afford to be leisurely.
They had not simply shifted their gaze because they failed to hold Ileang this time. Having taken the fortress, they were now looking for another target.
But thanks to Jeanne, the tide of war had turned.
Jeanne protected the people of Bluisol, neutralized a portion of the Rotinzel forces, and still held Ileang firm.
When Rotinzel failed to capture Ileang even after two sieges, Aaron finally resorted to a desperate maneuver and turned toward Peale.
A turning point came even in this battle. Jeanne had absorbed the Black Wing assassination and intelligence guild into her own forces. They scouted Rotinzel’s movements in real time and relayed every detail to her.
The intelligence organization she had once lied about to Divine had now become a true network. Since the assassins excelled at concealment, they were capable of deep infiltration—quite an effective intelligence arm.
Aaron’s army had begun to move slightly earlier than before her regression.
They still could not seize Ileang. The long siege would soon end. Aaron would soon run out of time. Even to show results to the emperor, he would likely move to claim another fortress.
By the time spring arrived, he would no doubt launch a full-scale offensive.
“If I secure a position at Peale, I’ll have to send a letter to Divine.”
If left unchecked, Laurent would die in this battle. Jeanne wanted to save him. Only then could she learn what kind of man he truly was. She wanted to see whether he deserved the title of hero.
_
By December, the reinforcements promised by the Blesk Empire finally arrived. Equite Fortress buzzed with activity once again.
“Your Majesty, the Emperor of the Empire has sent his imperial troops for the sake of our kingdom.”
Philippe VII greeted them with exaggerated enthusiasm, as if the savior himself had arrived.
Yelisey Girkov, commander of the golden-armored reinforcements, remained mounted and merely inclined his head toward the king of Bluisol in greeting.
Raphael sighed quietly behind him.
We had no choice…
Was this the sorrow of a weak kingdom?
The memory of his mission to the empire came back to him. The empire had treated him, a mere envoy from one nation, as if he were no more than a foreign official. Gazing at him like an annoying insect, the emperor had finally granted the audience. It was truly brave.
Raphael had served as interpreter, to ensure no words were distorted in translation.
The reinforcements from the empire were now fully assembled inside Equite Fortress. Considering the size of the fortress, the number of troops promised had clearly not arrived.
“Why are there only ten thousand troops? His Majesty said he would provide one hundred thousand.”
“The rest will arrive gradually. Do not think too hastily.”
Yelisey answered coldly.
Raphael let out another sigh.
Even if they came, it was far too few to launch a decisive assault on the capital.
In truth, they had merely sent a token force to pretend they had provided help.
Despite their own financial shortages, the Bluisol people treated the imperial commanders with utmost respect. As winter approached and food supplies grew critically low, the king even offered his own winter quarters. Yet the empire responded with visible dissatisfaction.
While dining with the Bluisol nobles, they spoke in languages no one else could understand. It was clear they were mocking their hosts.
Raphael requested an audience with Philippe VII and the imperial commanders to discuss the situation.
“Your Highness, I am grateful for the Empire’s aid, but Bluisol is still an independent nation. We should receive the imperial troops with proper decorum as allies, without excess or servility.”
“Foreign Minister.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Do you consider my current attitude servile?”
“That is not…
“Thanks to their arrival, the enemies surrounding Ileang have withdrawn. Yet despite all our efforts to support this country, you speak of disappointment. From now on, Foreign Minister, be more careful with your words.”
The king had not listened.
Ileang had fallen not because of Rotinzel’s power but because of the soldiers’ desperate resistance and the weather that aided the kingdom. The Blesk reinforcements had already withdrawn before setting foot on Bluisol soil. Why blame the Empire for their departure?
The king is growing increasingly suspicious…
He was deliberately downplaying the achievements of the imperial army to diminish the accomplishments of his own forces. He could not afford to be seen as a weak king who had abandoned his people.
Raphael’s stomach twisted.
_
With the arrival of true winter, the number of enemies surrounding Ileang began to dwindle noticeably. The soldiers who had held the line could finally stretch their legs and rest. Divine went in search of Gaspard.
“My lord commander.”
“What is it, Divine?”
“I think I should head to Peale soon.”
“Did you receive any message from the 2nd Knight Order?”
“I was asked to send reinforcements to Peale.”
“Hmm.”
“But I cannot bring soldiers. It seems the princess does not wish to give away her troops.”
“I am the commander. Whom were you asking about this?”
“His Highness.”
“But you were dismissed.”
“Would I really have asked him directly? There’s Raphael and Simon in Equite. I simply asked them discreetly.”
“From now on, report to me first. This violates military law.”
Bypassing the commander and speaking directly to the king was an act of disrespect to military hierarchy. If military law were strictly enforced, even treason would bring severe punishment.
“It is urgent. If I report to the commander, have him prepare a formal report, and wait for the king’s reply, the Rotinzel army will already have struck Peale.”
“Hmph.”
“It is not technically treason, since I did not file an official petition. I simply asked my friends.”
Divine offered excuses. He was not afraid of punishment, but he hated appearing foolish in front of others. He knew his actions bordered on overreach.
“In any case, I have come here to ask the commander for help. I wish to lead the 2nd Knight Order. Is that possible?”
“No matter who I am, the command of each knight order belongs to its leader. Even the king cannot override that without legitimate reason.”
“That is fortunate. The entire 2nd Knight Order would be worth more than several hundred ordinary soldiers. It would make a tremendous difference.”
Gaspard eyed Divine with half-closed eyes.
“Are you going yourself?”
“Yes. My friend told me the king has descended with the imperial troops to Ileang. It seems he feels this place is now safe.”
“Staying in Equite must have been quite difficult for His Highness.”
“There is something I remember, but I’ll keep that to myself.”
Gaspard sensed the words Divine had almost spoken. It was the kind of remark that would only harm someone’s ears.
“Even though you were dismissed for leaving the king’s side without permission, I would rather not meet you here. Leave quickly before His Highness arrives.”
“Yes. I will inform Vice Captain Diego and prepare to depart.”
Divine bowed and left.
A short while later, Jeanne’s 2nd Knight Order departed Ileang with him.