Omen (2)
“...in No Man’s Land?” Count Leon Benning asked, his brow furrowing. It was rare for his expression to shift so naturally; usually, any change in his face was deliberate. The count typically dined alone, allowing neither his wife nor his retainers to join him unless there was something of particular importance.
The servant who had brought the message bowed his head and nodded. Leon Benning drained the wine from his glass.
“Yes. According to Roberto Miller’s report, the number of monsters attacking the walls beyond the Cliff of the End has surged dramatically. Several thousand monsters are assaulting the fortifications...”
The count rubbed his eyes and spoke in a measured tone. “The knight orders must have been dispatched to assist.”
“Yes. The royal palace issued orders for the knight orders to depart for No Man’s Land immediately.”
When Leon Benning extended his glass, another servant waiting nearby refilled it with wine. He swirled the glass, watching the crimson liquid slosh gently within. Only a small amount remained at the bottom.
“That said... if that many monsters have crossed over, I doubt they would have sent only a few knight orders.” Leon Benning let his words trail off. The servant thought he saw a flicker of something in the count’s usually lifeless eyes. It was the look of a hunter driving prey into a trap.
Leon Benning set the glass down on the table. “What about the royal family? What actions have they taken?”
The servant swallowed hard, overwhelmed by that gaze. One of the kingdom’s strongest men was showing his fighting spirit, and few could meet such pressure without shrinking. The servant stepped back and continued his report.
“The royal family has even pulled troops from their direct forces and sent reinforcements to No Man’s Land.”
Leon Benning’s eyes grew sharper. “Their numbers. Do you know exactly how many troops were withdrawn from the palace?”
The servant’s hands trembled as he placed Roberto’s written report on the table. Leon Benning picked up the document the servant had pushed forward.
“I don’t know the exact figures, but...”
“One thousand.” Leon Benning read the report. The royal family had decided to send approximately one thousand soldiers along with the knight orders to No Man’s Land.
“One thousand...” Heat crept into Leon Benning’s voice. It was sharp and menacing, like a blade heated in fire. “One thousand!”
The corner of Leon Benning’s mouth twisted into a chilling smile. Anyone who knew him would have recoiled. His fighting spirit was boiling over. Nearly half of the kingdom’s elite forces guarding the capital and the palace had been pulled away.
“And I’m certain there’s more to report.” Leon Benning continued reading the report. When he reached the final line Roberto had left, his eyes gleamed with delight.
An emergency strategy meeting is currently underway at the palace. It is highly likely that high-ranking nobles will be asked to contribute troops for deployment to No Man’s Land.
“Even His Majesty the King, who has always been so cautious, loses his reason when it comes to matters involving No Man’s Land.” Leon Benning uttered the irreverent words without a hint of concern. His shoulders trembled with meaning as he kept reading the report.
“The time has come to gather the forces of our domain.”
The servant drew a sharp breath at Leon Benning’s declaration.
“First, I must contact the Second Prince. And the Bourdin family as well. Also, you.”
“Yes, my lord.” The servant straightened his back and focused on Leon Benning.
“Summon the commander of the family’s knight order. I have urgent matters to discuss.”
He would bring troops into the capital. Slowly devour the capital without spilling blood.
“A very secret discussion.”
The Raven Knight Order rode their horses like madmen toward the border. The palace had not hesitated to assign soldiers to accompany them. Forces conscripted from each noble’s territory would follow directly behind the knight order. Judging that there was no time to rest, the Raven Knight Order arrived a full day earlier than usual, even while leading a thousand soldiers.
The No Man’s Land troops waiting at the border entrance did not look relieved even after seeing the reinforcements.
“You’ve arrived, Sir Theodora.”
“The margrave is waiting for you.”
They hurriedly guided the Raven Knight Order into the border region. The scene inside was different from before. The entire city had become a single supply route, with materials constantly being transported to the walls and the wounded being carried away from them without pause.
“The situation looks dire,” Paola muttered, her brows furrowed.
Maxim said nothing, simply taking in the city’s atmosphere. Shouts and pained groans mingled with the clash of steel and stone, echoing from every direction.
“...Did something like this happen fifteen years ago as well?” Maxim asked Paola.
“It seems they’re handling it much better than back then. They’ve even built supply routes quickly.”
Paola’s face darkened as she watched a soldier being carried away on a stretcher. One of his arms had been severed below the elbow, blood dripping steadily. The medic carrying him had bandages wrapped tightly around his head. Behind them came a line of corpses covered in cloth.
Maxim followed Paola’s gaze and bit his lip when he saw the sight. Roberto, his eyes half-lidded, was staring at the same scene.
“...It’s damn horrific.”
“You’re saying people built enough achievements in this kind of situation to be called heroes, Uncle?”
At Maxim and Roberto’s words, Paola answered in a stiff voice. “This is the true face of No Man’s Land that I know. Whether it’s fortunate or unfortunate that its true nature is only showing itself now...”
The No Man’s Land knights who had guided them were speaking with Theodora. Her expression had also turned pale at the carnage before her.
“The margrave is currently on the walls, dealing with the monsters.”
Theodora asked in a dry voice, “Is support needed urgently right now?”
“They’ve been fighting without rest for twenty-four hours, but... there’s a brief lull at the moment. They’re transporting the wounded and clearing the corpses.”
Theodora turned her head toward the distant walls. One of the No Man’s Land knights noticed her gaze and offered quietly, “...Even now, the soldiers on those walls are locked in a bloody battle.”
Theodora’s face hardened at the knight’s words. She turned to the Raven Knight Order and the supporting troops and said, “Let’s head to the walls immediately.”
The No Man’s Land knight gave no reply and simply turned his horse toward the walls. The Raven Knight Order and the soldiers followed, spurring their mounts forward.
As they drew closer to the walls, the noise grew louder, drowning out other sounds. The scraping of stone, the howls and roars of beasts. It was a sound that stirred terrible memories in Maxim. It felt like the noise he had heard below the cliff with Theodora, when they had contemplated life and death, amplified several times over. The pained groans of those carrying the wounded and the shouts of those transporting supplies were all buried beneath it.
From the walls ahead came the shouts of soldiers still locked in combat.
“Reinforcements are here!”
“Damn it. How long were you planning to keep us waiting?”
It was impossible to tell whether the cries were born of relief or frustration. Either way, it meant the soldiers on the walls were desperate.
“Let’s go see the margrave first.”
Following the knight’s guidance, Theodora headed toward the tent where the margrave was staying. Knights and soldiers moved in and out of the tent in a constant stream.
“Margrave.”
The margrave spoke in an unusually irritable tone. “What is it? If it’s not urgent...”
“The reinforcements have arrived.”
At those words, the margrave looked up and saw Theodora standing at the entrance. A map was spread across the table before her, marked with red symbols in various places.
“Theodora. You’ve come.”
“I’ve come to provide support as ordered by the royal family.”
The margrave nodded and tapped the map. “It’s been a while since they stopped sending detachments to the capital... and it’s only been a month.”
The margrave, whom she hadn’t seen in some time, looked exhausted. It was a different kind of fatigue from the weariness of paperwork; dark shadows hung beneath her eyes, as though she hadn’t slept properly in days.
“How cruel. I thought things would at least hold steady for a month.”
Yet her eyes still burned with fierce light. Even now, facing the Raven Knight Order, she seemed to be calculating how to slaughter the monsters clinging to the walls.
The countess drummed her fingers on the table as she met Theodora’s gaze. “As you can see from the city, I’ve issued an evacuation order.”
The margrave, seated at the table that had become her office, let out a deep, heavy sigh. The scratches and dents on her faded epaulets spoke of how little time she had to remove her armor.
“The moment the number of monsters appearing suddenly increased, I gave the evacuation order immediately. I told them to leave with only the bare minimum of belongings. I don’t know if you encountered them on the way here.”
“...It seems the cities near the border have reached Murat. When we stopped by briefly, there were far more carriages and people than usual.”
At Theodora’s words, the margrave nodded in relief and drew on her pipe. When she exhaled, pale smoke curled from her lips. She set the pipe aside and continued.
“Well, then we can rest easy. Murat would be... Count Agon’s territory, I suppose.”
“Yes. Count Agon would have gladly taken in the refugees.”
The margrave nodded. “He would. He took in our people fifteen years ago as well... I hope he’ll do the same this time.”
Damn it all. The margrave clutched her head. Her white hair, now brittle, fell limply. She irritably brushed it back.
“Still, it’s fortunate that His Majesty the King sent troops immediately before the invasion began. Without them, we would have been breached for certain.”
The margrave glanced toward the outside of the tent. “...They must be reaching their limits by now. Even with the forces that just arrived, we might catch our breath, but we won’t be able to hold back the endless tide of monsters for long. Fifteen years ago, hundreds, thousands of people died like that.”
The margrave’s worries ran deep. “Just as one cannot stop the tide of the sea with human hands, this is inevitable. The monsters pouring in now are the same.”
Theodora studied the margrave’s irritated expression. “Even in No Man’s Land, this isn’t a normal situation. To turn things around, we have no choice but to kill the Behemoth that commands these monsters.”
It would be as difficult as holding the monsters back to the very end. The margrave clicked her tongue.
Theodora asked carefully, “...May I see the current situation?”
“As much as you like. Well, you’d see it eventually even if you didn’t ask.”
The margrave rose from her seat. She gestured with her eyes for Theodora to follow. “This lull won’t last long, either.”
The margrave stepped out of the tent, the flap fluttering behind her. “Those damn monsters could launch another attack at any moment.”
The moment Theodora followed the margrave out of the tent, an urgent bell rang from the watchtower. The sound cut through the sky where the desolate sunset was fading. Something was approaching from beyond the walls. A vibration rumbled through the ground.
Ding, ding, ding, ding.
Knights below the walls, soldiers wandering near the tents, and those who had set down their weapons to rest all rushed up to the walls with pale faces.
“Activate the lifts! Those who can’t ride, climb up!”
“Bring the arrows! Where did all the archers go?!”
“Battle positions! Everyone to your stations! Put the reinforcements in the back and take the front lines yourselves!”
Theodora looked up at the towering walls. At their edge, the shadow of the setting sun stretched long.
“Hold them back! They’re coming...!”
The presence of the creatures beyond the walls grew stronger, and soon their shadows began leaping over the walls, blotting out the fading light.