180. The Witch, and the Hero (1)
180. The Witch, and the Hero (1)
- 1 -
Away from the eyes of others, inside the audience chamber.
In the isolated space, only I and Elena remained.
"Master."
After guiding me to the throne, Elena immediately prostrated herself on the floor.
With all her limbs and her head pressed to the ground, her posture looked less like a knight's prostration and more like a slave's submission.
A knight who had cast aside her dignity before proving her loyalty.
She truly was someone suited to winning her lord's favor.
"You needn't prostrate yourself so. Rise and look at me. I wish to see your true face."
"Yes."
Slowly raising her body, she closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them and looked at me.
From that instant, her appearance gradually began to change.
Her pale skin turned more translucent, her eyes dyeing pure white. Her mana sparkled like tears; her ears grew slightly pointed, and a mysterious light seeped from between her cloak.
"Beautiful. It's fully settled."
Mana tinged with sorrow, a grief fairy that captivated intelligent beings.
She took on the form of a 'Banshee', a monster considered a demi-human friendly to mankind.
"I'm embarrassed. I still haven't fully accepted your grace, Master."
"Is there any need for you to feel ashamed for not accepting your current form when you were once human? Take your time adapting."
"Yes. Master."
Her appearance slowly returned to its human form.
The form of a woman draped in sorrow and wistfulness, yet simultaneously possessing the strength of a firm and domineering knight.
'It's no wonder people are captivated.'
Wasn't it called gap moe?
Dual-sided charm was always a sure way to capture the hearts of many.
"You truly did well. This war."
"It is all thanks to your grace, Master."
"Even if I bestowed the ability upon you, it was you who utilized it. Be proud."
"Thank you."
Elena bowed her head once more.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to me, and I tapped the armrest of the throne to draw her attention.
"I wish to hear how the war unfolded from your perspective."
"Ah. Yes. I shall tell you. It began with Leganon Fortress. ..."
Elena's soft voice continued at length.
"Although their numbers were many, I broke through and took the knight commander's head, and they crumbled immediately."
"Morale is always the crucial thing. Splendid."
"Thank you. So after that..."
The story went on for quite some time even after we moved to the tea table, and I continued to listen to her the entire time.
Her story was more than enough to hold my interest.
Because in itself, it was already close to a heroic epic.
- 2 -
It was an extremely splendid and magnificent space.
The grand audience chamber of the Driaz Duchy had always symbolized authority and power.
The golden throne occupying the center, the ten tapestries signifying each title and territory, and the displayed suits of armor of knights spoke of the dignity this space normally represented.
But today, this space was engulfed in an atmosphere completely different from usual.
"Haa..."
Because the owner of that throne was currently letting out a deep sigh, utterly at a loss.
If anyone who knew who he was saw this, they would find it perplexing.
They would ask what could possibly trouble the master of the Driaz Duchy and small kingdom, the Margrave of Cheoks, the Count of Oriz, the Count of Viscruz, and one of the consuls of the Zenota United Kingdom.
'That I... that I should be reduced to this...!'
But if they heard what had been happening to him recently, everyone would sympathize with his pain—though inwardly they might mock it as someone else's problem.
"Just 3 weeks. Just 3 weeks...!"
He was inwardly hurling curses at countless people.
[A declaration of war... from whom? Why? We attacked first? How?]
First, the nameless squad leader who invaded Hysen territory and triggered this war.
[Therefore, you should trust them a bit more. Your Highness!]
Then the advisor who, when this war broke out, said the enemy commander was a greenhorn and their forces small, so they could win with the fortress troops alone.
[I will surely return to receive my lord's cup.]
And the knight commander who dissuaded the young king from requesting support from the Zenota United Kingdom, only to become a bloody dew beneath the spear swung by the enemy's ringleader.
"Damn... damn damn damn!"
But he knew.
That resentment alone would not change the situation, and that if he didn't break through this, real ruin might be staring him in the face.
"Someone say something—!!"
Kwang!!
But resentment with nowhere to go inevitably turns into rage.
At the young king's furious outburst, one of the retainers who had been gauging the mood stepped forward with hesitant steps.
"Your Highness..."
"What...!"
Though he flinched before those rage-filled eyes, the official finally opened his mouth.
"Y-Your Highness... we must negotiate with them."
"Am I not telling you to bring that negotiation plan!!"
Negotiation wasn't easy either.
Firstly, the cause for the war was held in the hands of Hysen's witch, and on top of that, Hysen's witch possessed the ability to transcend the cause and see her will through.
The witch... no, the knight who brought down over ten fortresses in a mere three weeks.
What could he possibly negotiate with a woman who could still threaten this very main fortress of the Driaz Duchy if she so willed, along with the margrave beyond and the kingdom itself?
"... Your Highness. Elena Ironfield is said to be a child with no right of succession to the margraviate."
"I know that too."
"So if you promise her a title of at least a baron... no, a count or higher, we might be able to recover the other territories."
"Hmm..."
The young king of Driaz held his head and frowned.
It was one of the thoughts he'd had but had postponed, lacking the confidence to judge its feasibility.
The young king had sat in that position only because he was the sole legitimate heir of the former duke, not because he was a capable figure.
Until now, that had been enough. But not anymore.
"What would that even mean?"
"At the very least, it's clear that her interests and the kingdom's interests no longer align. From the beginning, support from the margraviate was slow compared to her advance speed, and hasn't her offensive stopped for some time now?"
The reality of the delayed support was actually that Elena's advance was far faster than the margraviate's advisors had anticipated.
And the reason the offensive stopped was due to Libertas's visit.
"So she's waiting for negotiations?"
Since they had no way of knowing all the details, the statement sounded reasonable to the duke.
"Wouldn't it be so? If they occupy that much land, stabilizing it with troops and administration alone would require massive resources, forces, and time. So before they succeed in fully stabilizing..."
"Ah. I see."
In the end, it was a repeat of the argument that he must send back that mighty knight, even by giving her a count's title.
The duke dismissed the court countess with a wave of his hand and fell into thought.
"If only the count of Gribeler had done just a little better, we could have begun negotiations in a much better position..."
He lamented like a sigh.
A few fortresses not yet fallen to Elena's hand still remained behind the occupied territory.
Gribeler Fortress, and two other fortresses holding out with it.
But they did not dare venture outside.
Although the fortress was high and rugged enough to hold out indefinitely, every time they came out, Elena herself or the knight order she dispatched crushed all of those forces.
Swift, powerful movements of the enemy, as if they had eyes in the sky.
- Ppiiiiik—!
They could never have guessed. That they truly did have eyes in the sky.
'As it happens, there is one title I can give...'
What the duke was thinking of was a countship that could govern the Anutelunus and Leganon regions.
Because the title claim to the Anutelunus County that Elena had occupied was floating in the void with the death of its count.
'Though it's ironic that the very person who killed that count is the witch.'
If a lord died and there were no descendants or successors to inherit the territory, the claim to the land naturally reverted to the next-priority successor, the 'lord's liege.'
In this case, the liege was the Duke of Driaz himself.
Therefore, the duke was currently in a position to dispose of that county's claim as he wished. The problem was that it was only a claim.
'... Right. If I can fully secure the margraviate's claim with a single county...'
Having made his decision, the duke decided to check the final variable for the success of this matter.
"What is Count Eisaf of Damamolon doing?"
"He has reportedly halted his advance for now and is awaiting negotiations, due to a request from the mainland. He says he can come to support once that matter is resolved..."
The current situation was the worst.
Trying to negotiate after being pushed back this unilaterally in the war meant his bargaining power was near zero.
At least one victory was needed.
Repelling Elena's army, and if possible, capturing one of her key figures—that was the only breakthrough.
"How long will it take to dispatch reinforcements?"
Even with the support troops of other territories?
"Well... because the Holy Kingdom decided to dispatch a saintess, it will take at least another week..."
"What?!"
Kwang!
But the heavens did not smile upon the young king.
One week.
A short time in war, but ample time for post-war processing.
At least, enough time to find and execute all the nobles with title claims hiding within the occupied territories.
If the duke alone remained as the noble with a claim, it was obvious they would not easily return those territories.
In the end, they were not even in a position to wait for the Damamolon county army and begin negotiations.
"Why did those bastards have to declare war at this exact time...!!"
"..."
The young king's scream-like shout echoed as he clutched his head again.
Now the negotiations would have to begin in an unfavorable atmosphere; giving it more time would bring no advantage either.
The fortunate thing was that once the reinforcements from Damamolon County and the Zenota United Kingdom arrived, that witch would be unable to advance further.
'But what use is it if they only come then...!'
But no hope could bring the young king relief. Because his authority had long since fallen to the ground.
There was only one way to reclaim his authority.
'Yes... I must reclaim the margraviate. Absolutely... to do that, that witch...!'
"Send a messenger to that witch... no, to Lady Elena Ironfield! Tell her I wish to meet and talk!"
In the end, the young king gave his final command.
His cry was filled with desperation and resolve. It was a moment that might be his last chance.
- 3 -
"Return this Cheoks to the young king of Driaz."
"Must we really?"
"Yes."
Elena frowned at my words.
It was not an easy command for her to accept.
But I knew she would eventually do as I said.
"Because by doing so, you will become a hero. A hero that I shall create."
I smiled, placing a finger between her furrowed brows.
"Absolutely."
My words were no longer a prediction.
"Your epic is only just beginning."
They were a firm prophecy.