345. Advance (2)
345. Advance (2)
- 1 -
Orbis and Aririt.
This was the front line and border between the two duchies—the 'Alraune Queen's Swamp.'
The Orbis army's encampment was situated on the high ground overlooking this land, encompassing the Evelamp and Ranhan Fortresses.
At the front of that encampment, three commanders surveyed the border with cold gazes.
"I don't see the Norn flags. But their numbers are far greater than the reported Aririt army."
Bergrisa, having received the scout's report, narrowed her eyes.
She was a woman whose green skin contrasted with her fiery red hair—a troll who possessed the beauty of a human woman.
A dull gray aura flickered from the long staff she twirled in her hand.
"Whether it's ten thousand or twenty thousand. I don't care how many come."
The blond girl with the most brilliant coloring among the three, Serica, murmured in an indifferent voice.
A slender figure and a beautiful face, brilliant blonde hair and an elegant demeanor. An appearance that seemed deeply aristocratic, even delicate.
But a dangerous light shimmered in her crimson eyes.
"If those bastards come..."
Bergrisa carefully spoke up to her.
"With Sir Axe's heavy infantry and Lady Serica's undead legion holding the front, my greenskin cavalry will prepare to strike the flanks."
Cheolkeok—!
At Bergrisa's words, Axe, in lieu of a reply, lifted his giant axe and slammed it into the ground.
The axe blade, black as darkness, bit into the hard rock floor, sending sparks flying.
The surrounding soldiers instinctively stepped back.
Because from his body, a belligerent aura—no, killing intent—radiated in all directions.
Serica smirked.
"You two are far too serious. No matter how many tens of thousands come charging over, won't it be enough if I just devour them all?"
At Serica's words, Bergrisa reflexively checked that the spell was functioning properly.
'Hoo.'
And she inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
The 'sensitive word filtering effect' was being perfectly maintained.
Serica had a somewhat impulsive side, and the 'truth' that could slip out at such times could be fatal to Libertas's plans.
Serica, having noticed Bergrisa's reaction, put on a sulky expression.
"Do you think I don't know you're doing that because you think no one can hear?"
"But Lady Serica, you must be more careful."
"Hmph. Whatever."
Serica covered her face with a red parasol resembling Libertas's and looked straight ahead.
She had told the other two they were 'far too serious,' but in truth, she was the most serious one there.
'I'll prove the dignity befitting her wife.'
What she recalled was her 'future spouse' and the numerous nobles flocking to her side.
Libertas, who had become the 'Paradoxical Duke Hecate.'
To her, be they dungeon lords or demon realm nobles, countless demons flocked.
'I'm still nothing.'
Serica clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms without realizing.
She was merely a daughter of a marquis house.
Without Libertas's favor, she was nothing but a nobody.
'No. I won't become like that.'
To anyone. Absolutely. Not even to one person did she want to lose.
Even if she conceded, it had to be by her own will—not something forced upon her because she was pushed aside.
To the close aides who guarded Libertas's side, and to all of them adorned in splendid noble attire.
And...
'Salvia Wepar Pasior...'
Even that woman who held the highest title among the newly arrived nobles.
"For Rita, small fry like this, I could handle alone..."
Compared to the nobles bearing formal titles of marquis or count, all she had was the mere fact that she was 'covenanted' with Libertas.
Libertas had granted her a human countship, but to Serica, it was nothing more than child's play.
With only the title of baroness granted by her own family, the Baritra Marquis Household, it was difficult to remain close to Libertas now.
That fact was secretly making her anxious.
This border dispute and the like were not important.
The only thing that mattered was proving her worth to Rita. That was everything.
"..."
Bergrisa watched her silently.
- ... They're coming.
Axe emitted a heavy wave of force.
Just as he said, dust was rising far beyond the horizon.
- 2 -
"Then I will leave the rest to you."
At my words, Wepar bowed deeply.
"May you accomplish it in peace, my lord."
"Yes."
I smiled slightly and stroked her head.
The way she shivered each time I touched her let me guess what feelings she was harboring for me right now.
At the very least, I could be certain that she would never betray me.
"We'll see each other again soon."
After arriving at Kaitna Port, I entrusted the cleanup to Wepar and returned to Clarent Dungeon through the gate installed in the inner fortress.
I wanted to hastily prepare for Shue's 'Transcendence' ritual.
But unfortunately, the time to begin this ritual was still far off.
The reason was simple.
"Until now, we have cultivated sufficient strength to digest the cores through our own voluntary training in addition to my lord's sacrifices... but regrettably, it is still insufficient to reach the Lord-level immediately."
Because her power had not yet reached the level necessary for 'Transcendence.'
Gertrude's core contained immense power, but ultimately it was merely 'material to expand the vessel.'
It could not serve as a 'completing elixir' on its own.
"I'm sorry, Master. I should have trained more earnestly beforehand..."
"Don't say such things, Shue. Haven't you always done well?"
When I stroked her chin and lifted her bowed head, Shue let a soft smile cross her lips.
This was nothing to be ashamed of.
Just having smoothly performed the rituals of 'Ascension' and 'Ultimate' so far was a great achievement.
Advancing any grade was not achieved simply by swallowing cores.
To fill the power, the 'vessel' must be ready, of course, and furthermore, one's own ability to control the swallowed power was also crucial.
According to the memories of my past life, in the game that was this world's source material, that was assigned as multiple 'trials' that could each take a week, and a month of 'daily missions.'
How that process would manifest in this world was still uncertain.
Nevertheless, there was no need to worry.
"You know better than I do what needs to be done."
"Yes, Master..."
"Can you do it?"
"Yes."
Her voice was still languid, but her eyes sparkled and her two white ears perked up.
And on top of that, her fluffy tail was wagging faster than usual.
"Good. I'm looking forward to it."
That sight was so cute that a smile naturally escaped me.
After Shue left first, I counted the magical beast cores we had collected in advance with Yuran.
"I refined Gertrude's core on the way, so now we only need to gather high-rank cores."
The cores or magical beasts necessary to transcend a monster were one Lord-level, four high-rank, and twelve elite.
Of course, as with the Ultimate ritual, this was the minimum, and the more one could digest, the better.
And as always, I wanted to craft them into the best possible state.
"Though it is enough to raise the status of all of us, my lord is greedy, so..."
Ran trailed off, gently lifting the corners of her mouth.
As she said, I did not intend to raise only five to the Lord-level.
Those who had been loyal to me so far were not just them, but countless others.
Even if I didn't raise them all to the Lord-level, the more cores I had, the better, to bestow rewards befitting their loyalty.
In the end, I had to strip down numerous hostile magical beasts.
"It's not urgent, so we can gather them calmly. By the way..."
I clapped my hands to change the subject.
The immediate task was not only their promotion.
"Has Eve deployed?"
"Yes, she has."
Ran took out a crystal ball from her bosom and infused mana into it.
The image that surfaced above it showed a troop heading south along the riverbank.
It was Hysen's army, led by Evangeline.
Seeing Kiza's flags also raised here and there, it seemed Kiza had sent reinforcements as well.
"Good. Once she moves south, occupying the territory of the Aririt Duchy will be no issue."
"Yes, my lord. Queen Echidna will also rejoice."
Echidna, currently renowned as the 'White Lamia Countess' in the Aririt Duchy, was also my retainer.
She had been operating in secret, waiting for the moment when I would move south and seize the territories of Aririt and Norn.
Once Evangeline and Serica crushed the Aririt army at the border and moved south, the lords and castellans along the river would one by one raise white flags and surrender.
When that time came, I would have to prepare a special reward for her as well.
"I can already see it. The faces of those who will lose their strength due to internal division."
"Everything will be according to my lord's will."
Leaving the bowing Ran behind, I approached the window and looked out at the panorama of Clarent.
A city where orange and yellow warmth seeped between the black buildings.
Golden canopies and flags breathed life into the streets.
"Buy some apples!"
"Careful! You'll fall!"
Citizens of various races bustled in the market, bargaining for goods, while children in the parks ran around, bursting with laughter.
The guards stationed everywhere protected the citizens' peace, but relaxed smiles lingered on their faces instead of tension.
The city was enjoying its daily life, unaware of the war happening down south.
Those who prided themselves on being intellectuals might issue warnings or tremble in fear, but they were merely a small minority—nothing but delusional alarmists imagining things that would never happen, as long as I did not fail.
And as long as I feared failure...
"There is no failure."
These people would never have to feel the reality of war.
- 3 -
An army approaching, accompanied by rising clouds of dust.
Soon, the gleam of metal armor and waves of flags came into view.
It was the Aririt army, supported by the Norn Empire.
At their vanguard, the imposing figure of Duke Grimbart, riding a giant warhorse, was visible.
His face brimmed with confidence and certainty of victory.
"Unaware that this is their grave, they march in boldly."
Bergrisa, having confirmed his appearance from afar with sorcery, shook the water from the spell off her hands and muttered.
She turned her gaze toward Serica, the nominal commander, and bowed her head.
"Please give the order, Lady Serica."
Serica ran a finger over her lips.
As she had said at the start, if she had her way, she would personally go out and simply sweep them away.
It was not impossible. She and her undead legion grew stronger the more enemies they killed; they were an army that grew stronger the more they fed on emotions, blood, and flesh.
But winning by revealing the true nature of the zombie army meant nothing to the current Libertas.
To be monsters, yet fight as a refined army, displaying no more cruelty than necessary under perfect control.
Instead, if necessary, unleashing cruelty to rout the enemy and achieve a magnificent victory.
These were the two conditions essential for victory in this war.
"Haa."
She let out a sigh.
A face full of regret over a situation that didn't suit her nature.
But soon, she composed her expression.
As befitted a noble and beautiful heir of the vampire bloodline.
As befitted Libertas's covenanted one.
"Assume defensive positions. Do not let them set a single foot on Rita's land."
"Yes. General Axe. Prepare to sortie."
As soon as Serica's command fell, Bergrisa gestured to the troops under her command.
And Axe—
Kung!
Slammed his axe into the earth once more and lifted his head.
- Uuuuwooooaaaarrrrrrgh———!!!!
A battle cry erupted.
At the war cry that shook the entire battlefield, the advancing Aririt army's movement froze for a moment.
A pressure as if the air itself had gained weight, making even breathing difficult.
Alongside the strides of the giant undead fighter, hundreds and thousands of monsters and human soldiers poured forth.
The army of the Paradoxical Duke drew their swords against the world.