The Nobles of Rotinzel Watch in Silence
At one spot within the Rotinzel camp, men and women toiled diligently, preparing for the battle ahead. Yet here, side by side with each other, stood others who simply watched in silence.
They were the Bluisol prisoners captured near Peale Castle.
"Mommy..."
Even a child could not understand the situation, but the atmosphere weighed heavily upon him. A small boy sniffled in the tense surroundings. His mother held him close and quickly covered his mouth with her hand.
"Shh."
She scanned the area around them with urgent glances. If she cried out too loudly, the Rotinzel soldiers might suspect something and take action.
Luckily, the Rotinzel soldiers were so busy with their tasks that they paid no attention to the prisoners.
Other prisoners sighed heavily or curled up in cramped spaces to sleep.
They knew they had betrayed their country last night. Still, forcing powerless commoners to give their lives for the kingdom was the cruel whim of those who held power.
Marseau was a plain boy who turned seventeen this year.
He loved fishing and, whenever he had a moment, would catch fish bare-handed from the nearby Alun River. Unlike the others, he had not been captured when Rotinzel attacked the village because he had been fishing there.
Marseau was a brave, reckless youth.
He slipped into the fearsome Rotinzel barracks in search of his parents.
"Who are you?"
"I went to relieve myself and got lost."
One Rotinzel soldier questioned him. Marseau answered with a clever excuse.
His audacity surprised the soldiers. They told him to return quickly and asked why a prisoner was wandering freely, yet they found no reason to suspect him. It seemed they did not imagine that he would come here on his own.
Rotinzel soldiers moved busily. As they headed toward the prisoner enclosure, Marseau overheard their conversation.
"Tomorrow we launch a full-scale assault?"
"Yes."
"Do we really need to clean this place up?"
"I don't know. I just follow orders from above."
Though Aaron and the other military leaders withheld details from the soldiers, those who heard rumors began speculating among themselves.
"Full-scale assault?"
Marseau felt a surge of joy. A full assault meant all soldiers in the camp would move toward Peale Castle. With that, they would stop watching the prisoners, leaving an opening.
After a long journey, Marseau finally reached the tent where prisoners were held.
Only a few guards patrolled around it. It was not a proper prison, appearing far too vulnerable. With this lax security, the Rotinzel soldiers could easily escape if the camp were abandoned.
Marseau used his small frame to slip silently into the tent without being noticed by the guards.
Those captured as prisoners were bound hand and foot with ropes. Marseau looked around until he spotted his parents and approached them.
When his parents saw their son who had been hiding all this time arrive at this dangerous place, they were shocked.
"Why are you here?!"
Marseau's mother scolded him.
"I'll save Mom and Dad."
"What if you get hurt!"
Parents worry the same regardless of the situation. Despite being prisoners with no idea when they would die, they still feared for their son.
"Marseau, run away from here. Or rather, staying here might be safer."
Marseau's father could not bring himself to either push him away or hold him back. He wanted his son to flee, but if caught, the Rotinzel soldiers might beat or kill him for trying to escape.
Marseau gripped his mother's hand firmly and said,
"I'd rather stay here with Mom and Dad."
At that moment, the tent flap was lifted, and a man in high-ranking attire entered.
"Come out."
"P-Please release us?"
"Yes. We are leaving here. We don't have the energy to deal with you anymore."
The prisoners exchanged glances with each other.
Though they did not know the reason, they were grateful to be released.
Rotinzel soldiers kicked the prisoners and beat them as they drove them out of the tent.
***
The Rotinzel army dismantled its camp and began withdrawing.
Jeanne, watching from the walls, let out a sigh.
Fabian asked her,
"Are they truly retreating?"
"You'll know if you watch."
Jeanne recalled memories. In the previous king's defense of Peale Castle, the Rotinzel army had retreated on the seventh day. The date was the same now. Nothing seemed odd, but something felt off.
'No. There's no way they would withdraw so easily.'
The Rotinzel army still possessed sufficient strength, yet they were abandoning their camp. Something was amiss.
The Rotinzel army completely dismantled their camps and vanished.
Peale Castle soldiers, watching the retreating figures to the end, raised their hands high in the air and shouted,
"We won!"
"We won!"
Knowing they no longer had to fight, the soldiers rejoiced.
Nael asked Jeanne,
"If they're retreating, shouldn't we attack now?"
Jeanne did not answer. Instead, Divain placed a hand on his shoulder and said,
"Nael."
"What is it?"
"You are not yet fit to lead the army."
"..."
Defeated by Divain's words, Nael sulked and muttered to himself.
"Even if they are truly retreating, we have no reason to pursue them."
Chasing down defeated enemies was the easiest way to kill them and claim victory, but the Rotinzel army was still far from defeated.
With outnumbered soldiers at Peale Castle, leaving the walls was like charging out bare-handed.
"We must be cautious."
Jeanne agreed with Divain and decided to keep the gates tightly closed for a while longer.
"Where is Lord Laurent?"
Divain noticed something strange and asked.
The lord of Peale Castle, who had commanded the defense so far, had not shown his face all day.
No matter how high Jeanne's status was, the final authority in Peale Castle should have rested with him. His absence made no sense.
Jeanne declared firmly,
"I will command from now on."
"Lord, is something wrong with you?"
"Nothing. I just want to ensure nothing happens."
This was the final day. Cautiousness today would not be excessive.
At that moment, a group of people approached the castle.
"Who goes there?!"
The remaining soldiers raised their arrows in warning.
"Open the gate!"
"Please, spare us!"
The newcomers were Bluisol commoners who had been captured as prisoners.
"Stay there for now!"
To be safe, the soldiers opened the gates only after observing them carefully.
There were fewer than twenty prisoners, and nothing indicated hidden Rotinzel soldiers behind them. Among them were children and women, not disguised soldiers.
"Shall we open it?"
A knight on the walls asked Jeanne after checking the prisoners. Jeanne nodded.
Peale Castle soldiers opened the gates but kept their guards up. They searched the prisoners thoroughly while keeping them in place.
"While the Rotinzel army fled, they released us."
One prisoner spoke, and nearby soldiers let out cheers.
"We won!"
"See? I told you."
The soldiers began to celebrate. Some even lowered their weapons and ran around.
"Stop this recklessness!"
Jeanne's stern voice rang out.
At her command, the soldiers fell silent.
"The war is not over yet. Do not let your guard down."
Jeanne warned the soldiers against complacency.
Divain descended to examine the prisoners.
At that moment, a boy shouted loudly while arguing with the soldiers.
"My name is Marseau! I want to meet Lord!"
"What are you talking about."
The soldiers dismissed the boy's words. They did not trust a common youth, especially one with unclear status.
Divain, who had been circling around, approached the boy after hearing his claim.
"What is the matter, little one?"
"I'm not little! I have something to tell Lord!"
"Tell me. I'll pass it on."
Marseau glared at Divain.
"It's not an eye fight. I'll deliver it accurately. If you have something to say, speak up. If you hold it inside, you'll get sick?"
Marseau examined Divain from head to toe. He had to tell someone.
"Today, Rotinzel is launching a full-scale assault!"
"A full assault?"
"Believe me. I heard it clearly."
"Alright, I'll believe you."
Divain patted Marseau's head.
"Of course. That's right."
Then he grinned widely, showing his teeth.
Rotinzel's intentions were clear. They had deliberately released the prisoners so they would spread false news that the Rotinzel army had fled, allowing the information to reach the castle.
Divain immediately climbed back to the walls and reported to Jeanne.
"A full assault is coming soon. Prepare the soldiers thoroughly."
Jeanne nodded and shouted to the soldiers,
"The enemy is coming. This is the final battle. Fight to the end without a moment of complacency!"
Cheers filled Peale Castle.
For the final confrontation, the soldiers moved busily. The end was near.
****
Upon waking, Laurent prepared to leave his room for the day's battle preparations.
Klank.
He turned the handle several times, but only a creaking sound came out. The door would not budge. He pushed it with his body, but it remained locked.
"Is anyone out there?!"
Laurent shouted loudly, but no one answered.
He knocked on the door repeatedly, yet it did not even creak. They had piled luggage against the door to prevent it from opening at all.
Laurent felt uneasy.
'Who would do such a thing? Why?'
He could not understand his own situation.
His original room was inside the inner keep, but since the battle began, he had been staying in an outer room for quick escape. Compared to his original room, this one had many shortcomings, including the window.
"Is anyone there?! Open the door!"
Laurent opened the small window and shouted. Soldiers walking by did not notice him because his face could not be seen clearly.
"Hah."
Laurent gave up shouting and slammed the door again with all his might. No matter how hard he pushed, the door only rattled.
"Damn it."
Laurent paced around the room in frustration.
When his mind was troubled, opening the locket around his neck to look at his wife's photo was the best way to calm himself.
Inside the small portrait, his wife Naina smiled brightly. Yet even that did not ease his unease.
At that moment, the outside became noisy.
He could not see the outside clearly through the window, so he had no idea what was happening.
Laurent sat on the bed and covered his head with his hands in despair.