Chapter 112
Chapter 112
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: The Third Party
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Lee Shin planned to observe the situation as long as possible before intervening, but he still needed to prepare.
Regardless of whether he brought the users along, the finale had to be planting the Edgar family's flag.
He needed to have the soldiers ready to move at a moment's notice.
The Count asked.
“Then, would it be best to arm the soldiers in advance?”
“That would be ideal, but… for now, just prepare the supplies. It would be problematic if word got out that we were arming our soldiers.”
If that happened, the other side might sense something was off and halt the Fief War.
The best-case scenario was to strike them all at once when they reached a point of no return.
“But is there any chance of our information leaking? I only found out about the Fief War because Arthur told me in the first place.”
“You never know.”
Lee Shin also thought it was unlikely, but with so many users gathered, an unexpected variable could always arise.
He was already certain of the outcome, so he figured it was better to be thorough.
“There’s no need to rush, so let’s play it safe.”
“A wise decision. I will prepare only the supplies for now.”
“Good.”
“...Ah, right. Will you be using the golems this time?”
“Golems?”
“Yes. Didn't you order that lich to create them?”
“I did. But wasn’t that just recently? Are there already enough to deploy on a battlefield?”
Lee Shin tilted his head.
He didn't think golems were something you could just whip up in an instant.
“I thought so too, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I've already seen several dozen of them myself.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I've been providing him with generous support... and that lich is especially motivated.”
Having met Lee Shin and emerged from his confinement for the first time in decades, Adam was literally giving it his all.
With his soul already held as collateral, he had to get on Lee Shin’s good side to ensure his safety and avoid being locked away in a dungeon again.
And the result was this incredible performance.
Dozens of them already.
That meant he was churning out almost one golem per day.
At this rate, he had proven with results his claim that Lee Shin wouldn't regret setting him free.
‘He’s doing well.’
Lee Shin let out a satisfied smile at the thought of his diligent slave.
This number was more than enough to be a significant addition to their forces.
However, after some thought, Lee Shin decided to hold off on actually using them for the time being.
The Count asked why.
“Why is that?”
“It would be troublesome if their origin was questioned right now.”
“?”
“It’s not like the fief was known for raising mages before.”
While the Edgar Fief was not lacking in capability, it hadn't been considering war (or rebellion) before Lee Shin's arrival.
There was no need to maintain a large number of mages, who were notorious money pits, when they had no particular use for them.
The situation had changed less than a month ago.
So, what if dozens of golems suddenly appeared?
Anyone would find that strange.
Strangeness breeds suspicion, and suspicion breeds vigilance.
As long as they were careful, the fact that a lich was the source could be concealed, but everyone would realize that something was being prepared in secret within the fief.
For Lee Shin and Count Aaron, who needed to lie low for the time being for a successful rebellion, such suspicion was unwelcome.
“Ah…”
“Once the fief’s power grows, we can start using them little by little.”
“I understand. Then I will prepare only what's needed for the soldiers.”
“Good.”
* * *
A vast plain between the Ampiri Fief and the Killaris Fief.
Normally, it was a desolate space where only the occasional monster could be found, but not today.
[00:00:10]
[00:00:09]
“...”
“...”
Countless soldiers faced each other in a standoff.
No matter how much the two fiefs suffered from poverty and corruption, a Count's domain was still a Count's domain.
When a war actually broke out, it was on a completely different scale from fights between users or guilds.
[00:00:01]
[00:00:00]
Soon, the timer reached zero.
The commanders of both armies signaled the start of the battle by vigorously raising their flags.
*Flutter!*
“Charge!”
“Waaaaaah!”
*Thump, thump, thump, thump!*
The cavalry charged, shaking the very earth.
The infantry advanced behind them.
And arrows, fired by the archers, rained down in arcs over their heads.
Due to the fiefs' circumstances, both sides lacked a significant force of mages—the so-called flowers of such large-scale battles—but the sight of countless soldiers clashing was still a spectacle.
*Crash!*
“Keuk!”
“Stab them, stab them!”
The knight forces were the first to collide.
They crashed into each other violently, clashing with swords and spears, disrupting each other's formations.
The infantry, following close behind, poured into the gaps created, and a moment later, arrows rained down upon their heads.
“Kuaaack!”
“Shields! Raise your shields!”
A fierce battle!
Lee Shin watched it all from a distant hill.
Since this was the first clash between the two powers, he had come to see it for himself.
“Hmm.”
“What is it?”
“No, it’s just…”
Lee Shin let out a low hum.
From his perspective, having experienced all sorts of battles, the level of these two fiefs was much lower than he'd expected.
‘...They’re fighting so poorly.’
The training of the soldiers and knights was mediocre at best, and likely due to the fiefs’ financial situations, there were hardly any mages, the stars of large-scale battles.
Worse, the lords of both fiefs, the ones who started this war over their own pride, were nowhere to be seen. It seemed they intended to stay in a safe place and just receive reports.
‘What a mess.’
In a word, a disaster.
Lee Shin let out a dry laugh.
However, despite all that, the battle itself was incredibly tense.
Separate from the low quality of the fighting, the military strength of the two sides was evenly matched.
It didn't seem like the victor would be decided in a single battle.
‘Then they’ll probably pull back after a bit.’
As Lee Shin predicted, the battle didn't continue until one side was annihilated.
Because their forces were so evenly matched, both sides were reluctant to go all the way.
“...We withdraw for today!”
The commanders of both sides pulled back after a battle of attrition.
Then, once they had reorganized to some extent, they would return to the plains and repeat the process.
After a few more battles like this, the previously balanced situation began to show a clear advantage and disadvantage.
Gillaim, who was observing the battlefield, spoke.
“It seems the Ampiri Fief has the upper hand.”
“That’s what I’m seeing too.”
Of course, it wasn't a huge difference.
It was more of a slight advantage than something that would decide the outcome.
But since a gap had clearly formed, Lee Shin’s final choice was Count Rodin.
Lee Shin turned around and said.
“I’ll be gone for a bit. You wait in the fief with the others.”
“Understood.”
After sending Gillaim back to the fief, Lee Shin went alone to meet Count Rodin.
“...Hm?”
The atmosphere in the lord's castle was quite chaotic.
The number of guards had increased significantly, and he could spot soldiers running around with serious expressions.
‘Is it because of the Fief War?’
It seemed likely, given the timing.
Even so, meeting the lord himself wasn't difficult.
His contribution level was exceptionally high, and he had been in and out of the lord's castle almost daily while completing the chain quests.
Thanks to that, his face was already well-known among the soldiers working in the castle.
“Is the lord…”
“Yes?”
[The royal guard recognizes your face.]
“Ah! I will guide you immediately.”
“Is it alright to see him right away?”
“Uh… It should be fine!”
The soldier walked ahead.
“Then I’ll be on my way…”
“...”
As if he had been caught in the middle of something important, the soldier disappeared in a flash after guiding Lee Shin.
When Lee Shin entered the lord's office, a slightly weary-looking Count Rodin greeted him.
“My Lord Count.”
“Well, if it isn’t you? It’s been a while.”
“Yes.”
“I haven't seen you around at all lately. I thought you might have run off. Haha!”
“...”
His mouth was smiling, but his words were laced with blatant thorns.
It was perhaps a natural reaction.
Lee Shin had been fawning over him as if he would offer up his own liver and gallbladder, but the moment the Fief War started, he had vanished.
“But you’ve come back, haven’t you? For a moment there, I thought you'd betrayed me.”
“...As if I would do such a thing.”
“Words are cheap.”
“It’s true. In fact, I was running around trying to find a way to help you, my lord, and I have some results to show for it.”
“...Hmph?”
The Count, who had been looking at Lee Shin with suspicion, now had a glint of interest in his eyes.
“Explain in detail.”
“Yes. The truth is…”
Lee Shin explained what had happened.
He said that to contribute to the Fief War, he had traveled to various fiefs to find someone who would take their side.
“Is that so? And by results, you mean you found someone willing to help us?”
“That is correct.”
“Who is it?”
“Count Aaron.”
“I see. ...Wait, what did you say!?”
Count Rodin’s head snapped up in surprise.
The Edgar Fief was the most powerful in the vicinity. If it was true that they were willing to help, the outcome of the war was as good as decided.
“Is that really true!?”
“It is. If you wish, you may send someone to the fief to confirm it yourself.”
“No, that’s alright. If you’re willing to go that far, it must be true.”
“...”
“That’s great… No, wait. Why would he suddenly help me?”
“Yes.”
“...Why?”
Nodding his head, Count Rodin suddenly posed a very natural question.
Come to think of it, while he had no bad blood with Count Aaron, he had no particularly good relationship with him either.
So why would he suddenly step up to help?
“Well, perhaps he has his own personal reasons?”
“And those reasons are what’s important, aren’t they?”
“Perhaps he hates Count Killaim enough to want him dead, just like you do...?”
“...Ah, that could be it. That’s possible.”
It was a random explanation he had just thrown out, but the Count was convinced.
Since he hated his opponent this much, it was only natural for someone else to feel the same way!
Thanks to that, the Count readily accepted Lee Shin’s proposal.
“Then, the alliance…”
“There’s no reason to refuse.”
[Count Rodin accepts your proposal.]
[You hold the status of Fief Diplomat.]
[You have been delegated full authority regarding the Fief War from Count Aaron.]
[Your proposal carries sufficient weight!]
[A temporary alliance has been formed!]
“Thank you!”
“Don’t thank me… When can we expect the support?”
“I can have them sent immediately as soon as I return and make the request.”
“Is that so? Then I ask you to do so at once.”
[The Count requests support.]
Wanting to end the Fief War as quickly as possible, Count Rodin immediately requested aid.
“Understood.”
As if he had been waiting for this, Lee Shin nodded and sent a whisper to Arthur, who was on standby in the Edgar Fief.
‘Come now.’
-What about the users?
‘Bring them all.’
It was the moment a massive external force began to fully intervene in the stalemate between the two fiefs.