Chapter 120
Chapter 120
When the civil war first began, the military strengths assessed by the factions of the First and Second Princes were surprisingly balanced—so much so that it seemed almost impossible.
This equilibrium was evident just by looking at the strongest forces each side had revealed at the outbreak of the war.
The Walterheim Knights, a force rumored to number a thousand but never before mobilized all at once.
And the combination of over two hundred mages from the Tower of Glaciers and the Douglas Knights—these two forces were perfectly matched.
Moreover, the Border Lords, who guarded the kingdom's frontiers in all directions, were evenly split in their support between the two factions.
Thus, the elite forces of both armies merely probed each other's weaknesses, while the only significant battles—though ultimately meaningless—were repeated along the long, stretched-out frontlines in the north and south.
However, as winter passed and spring arrived, and as that spring deepened, one side gradually began to gain the upper hand on the central front.
Though the soldiers on the battlefield had yet to feel it in their bones, the leadership of each faction was slowly becoming aware of this shift.
And to someone who already knew the original outcome of this war, the change was even more glaringly obvious.
The balance is tilting—bit by bit. Faster than I expected.
Logan set down the war report from Nox, worth 100,000 gold, and drummed his fingers on the desk, lost in thought.
It was true that he had intended to end the civil war sooner than its original timeline to minimize the waste of national resources.
But the current shift was happening slightly faster than he had predicted.
The preparations aren't complete yet...
Thanks to the knights recruited from outside, their numbers had once again surpassed 150. The basic training for the newly enlisted soldiers was also complete, bringing the regular troops to over 3,500.
The 1,000-strong crossbow cavalry had been fully restored as well. Though the training for the 10,000-strong militia wasn't yet perfect, the regular forces alone had already surpassed MacLaine's military strength before the siege of Tomodo.
At least in terms of scale.
That alone was enough to rival the military might of most Border Lords. If they were to intervene in the civil war now, they could certainly serve as a significant variable—one strong enough to influence the outcome.
But in other words...
That's all they are—just a variable.
That alone wasn't enough to satisfy him.
He still needed a little more time.
Fortunately, the true horrors of the civil war—the ones that would later earn it the title of the worst conflict in the kingdom's history—had yet to surface.
For now, only the elite troops and mercenaries were dying.
Neither side had yet resorted to conscripting commoners—the ordinary people of their territories.
This was still a time when the leadership of both factions retained their rationality.
So, for the time being, he could afford to wait.
"I hope the preparations finish soon."
"Huh?"
"Gah! Wh-what the—? Since when have you been here?"
The sudden voice startled him, but fortunately, it belonged to a familiar face—Rick.
"What do you mean 'since when'? I've been here the whole— Wait, what? Don't tell me... You weren't listening to a single word I said, were you?!"
"Ah... Haha. My mind's been a bit cluttered lately. What was it again?"
"...Sigh. Fine, what kind of servant takes a vacation? You should be working. You promised me time off after running an errand with a letter, and now you're pretending you don't remember?"
"What are you talking about? It's fine, take your break. A promise is a promise. Go on."
"Really?!"
At Logan's words, Rick's previously crestfallen face bloomed like a flower.
"...Were you really that exhausted?"
"Hehe. Recently, a market opened in MacLaine Town, you know? There are all sorts of interesting goods and plenty of things to see."
"I thought you'd just sleep if you were tired?"
"Even if I wanted to sleep~ My, uh, lady friend would be disappointed if I didn't spend time with her during my break."
"Yeah, sure. Have fun."
"...Aren't you curious?"
"About what?"
"I just mentioned my lady friend... Wait, should I have said 'girlfriend' for you to understand?"
"Nope. Not curious."
"..."
"What?"
"Ah... Well... I guess that's... possible..."
The boy, who had been puffing up with pride moments ago, suddenly deflated for some reason.
Logan chuckled and patted him on the shoulder before handing him a hefty purse.
"Buy Laila a nice silk dress and treat yourself to something good. That should be enough."
"M-my lord...!"
"What? Don't want it?"
"I love you!"
"Ugh, gross! Get off!"
"You should take a break too, my lord. With Lady Ellen..."
"You little—shut your mouth."
"Why? She's your fiancée, even if she's a knight..."
"What kind of time is this for a date..."
"It's not like we're even participating in the war!"
"Then give me back the money if you want me to go on a—"
"I'll be going now!"
Clatter!
Logan shook his head with a wry smile and sat back down at his desk, piled high with documents.
He still had work to finish and training to do—there would be no time to rest today.
But no matter how much he tried to focus, Rick's words lingered in his mind.
Vacation. Date.
Words that symbolized leisure now felt strangely awkward to him.
A market visit, huh...
Unconsciously, Logan pictured himself strolling through the market with Ellen and smiled—before startling and shaking his head.
This was no time to indulge in thoughts of peaceful daily life.
Ellen, having seemingly taken something from the war to heart, had been dedicating herself entirely to training. So, his smile was merely at the fact that the town had developed enough to even have a market.
A market... That means more outsiders are coming in. We'll need to tighten security, especially around the market and administrative buildings.
He forced his thoughts in that direction, redirecting his attention.
"Silk! Empire-woven hemp! Perfect for clothing!"
"Try the skewers popular in Vifros Castle!"
"Ironware crafted by master smiths—durable and strong!"
The center of MacLaine Town.
The crossroads where the memorial for fallen knights stood was bustling with crowds, noisy and lively.
It was as if the civil war sweeping the entire kingdom had spared this place alone.
As the MacLaine family's territory expanded all the way to Vifros, merchants had flocked to MacLaine Town to sell their goods, forming a market that grew larger with each passing day.
It had only been a year since the people had secured shelter from the cold and solved their food shortages.
The residents of MacLaine Town still had many daily necessities to acquire.
"Our territory's only going to prosper more. Our Grand Prince is truly exceptional."
"Of course. There's never been a better time to live."
"Exactly, haha. Anyway, MacLaine Territory is on the rise now, so make sure to come back whenever you have more goods. I'll buy everything you bring!"
At the middle-aged broker's words, the man listening—Raph—nodded.
"Of course. I had no idea it was this bustling—I brought too little stock. Sigh..."
Raph let out a sigh as he looked at the tent filled with bundles of fabric.
"Hm? Surely rumors have already reached Vifros Castle?"
"Ah, I was away on business, so I was a bit late to hear the news."
"Ah... Hehe. You young folks are always on the move. Youth really is something."
One might wonder why he had come here without even hearing the rumors, but the broker didn't want to upset the young peddler who had brought such high-quality goods.
And Raph, too, responded with a smile.
"It's exhausting. Given the current situation... So I thought I'd rest here for a few days. Do you know any good inns?"
"Ah, in that case, let me introduce you to one. Clean, with decent food."
"Thank you."
As Raph bowed his head, his eyes gleamed faintly.
The streets, which had been lively during the day, were eerily quiet at night—so much so that one might doubt whether this was the same MacLaine Town.
Though the growing population and demand had given rise to a market and a few service establishments like inns, the town's history was still too short for a proper nightlife district to take root.
As a result, the few inns that doubled as pubs were all the rowdier for it.
"I say, in a few years, this place will rival any major city."
"Right? Calling it a 'town' instead of a city or village—someone had a brilliant idea."
"That was our Grand Prince's doing, you know."
"Oh, come on. You believe all that?"
Amid the clamor—
"Excuse me... sir?"
Raph turned his head naturally at the waitress's voice calling him.
"Would you mind sharing your table? As you can see, seats are..."
"Oh! Isn't that Ralph?"
"Huh? You know him?"
"Of course, of course."
Seeing his companion grinning at him, Raph forced a smile, and the waitress sighed in relief before walking away.
"It's Raph now, you bastard."
"Ralph just rolls off the tongue better. Let's stick with Ralph."
It was always like this.
Though they hadn't known each other long, this guy always managed to get on his nerves.
"So, confirmation done?"
"Yeah. Numbers don't matter for the soldiers—just thirty knights."
"Thirty knights, 150 soldiers."
"That checks out. Cross-verified."
As expected, their intelligence was sloppy as hell.
And this guy's supposed to be the best assassin?
Annoyance prickled at him.
If he hadn't seen the man's exceptional combat skills firsthand, he'd never want him as an ally.
"Execution?"
"Tonight."
Despite the noisy surroundings, his companion lowered his already quiet voice further.
Of course, since they could read lips, volume didn't matter—but the content did.
"Right away?"
"Why hesitate? The only one who could stop us is that lord."
"Shouldn't we confirm a bit more? I heard the Twin Blades of Vifros suffered a setback against this 'Grand Prince' guy."
A snicker escaped his companion's lips.
"You believe that? A twenty-one-year-old kid? Pfft. What, is he some legendary Ore Master in the making?"
The mockery on his companion's face was unmistakable.
"Still, we should verify."
"Typical knight-born, huh? Tch. If you're scared, I'll go alone."
"Sigh..."
Raph's face twisted as if he'd just tasted the awful beer of this backwater town for the first time.
His companion's reckless attitude grated on him anew.
But the situation on the central front wasn't good right now.
He, this guy, and Jeff (who wasn't present) couldn't afford to waste days holed up in this rural backwater.
And his companion wasn't entirely wrong, either.
The only real threats are the lord and one mage. The mage doesn't need to be touched, so we can ignore him.
Raph exhaled softly and nodded.
"Leave the lord to Jeff and his men. The 'Grand Prince'—we'll take him together. He's the one we need to make an example of, after all."
"Tch. Coward."
His companion clicked his tongue but didn't refuse the proposal.
Under a dim moonlight.
Near the northern administrative building, slightly removed from the center of MacLaine Town.
Black-clad, masked figures gathered in an alleyway.
All moved with perfect stealth—despite numbering thirteen, not a single footstep could be heard.
"Everyone's clear on the targets?"
A voice so quiet one had to strain to hear it. The group nodded as one.
"Leave a decisive mark, then retreat immediately."
Killing intent burned in their eyes.
"Let the world see what happens to those who defy His Excellency's will."
As the last whisper faded into the alley, their figures vanished without a trace.
An unusually quiet moonlit night.
Logan, deep in meditation, suddenly opened his eyes slightly.
Having reached the peak of high-tier Force User mastery, he had recently grown impatient with the lack of further progress—but he wasn't so unskilled as to have his meditation interrupted midway.
The reason his eyes had opened lay elsewhere.
Killing intent...?
A faint, unpleasant sensation drifting through the air.
His heightened senses during meditation had picked up on it, pulling him out of his trance.
Intruders!
The moment he realized, Logan grabbed his sword and equipped the Boots of the Wind God and the Gauntlets of Herculean Strength.
Hum.
The instant surge in physical prowess bolstered his confidence, but there was no time to don full armor.
The 'unpleasant' presence was already beneath his window.
Swish.
Soundlessly, like a ghost, Logan moved to the windowsill and swung his sword without hesitation.
Sschk!
The blade, blazing with golden force, split the wall cleanly.
"Ghk!"
A stifled groan came from the other side.
Crash!
Logan burst through the window and leaped down.
He had definitely felt the hit—
Too shallow.
He had to finish them before they escaped.
Rumble.
The sound of collapsing walls echoed behind him, but this was no time to worry about that.
Just before his feet touched the ground, a crimson Force Blade over two meters long came slashing toward him.
Force Blade!
The midnight intruders were tougher than expected.