Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Shadows of Trust
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The allied forces continued their meetings in Adice.
"We'll send scouts toward Osta."
"Our scouts will watch the western reaches of Adice."
"...Very well."
With no one revealing their hidden agendas and Vittorio refraining from any displays of pride,
they managed to settle even the sensitive matter of patrol zone assignments at an unprecedented speed.
The smiles on the others' faces were mere masks to conceal their intentions,
"It'd be great if we could keep things this smooth going forward. What was stopping us before?"
"...We've simply come to realize that the enemy is out there."
"Haha! Exactly. With the real foe right in front of us, brandishing spears and swords, there's no need for us to sharpen our blades against each other."
Blake, oblivious to the undercurrents, laughed heartily and welcomed the change.
This, combined with the elves' proactive scouting efforts,
helped ease much of the lingering distrust toward them, given the already unfavorable views they faced.
A few days passed with the alliance's plans and individual schemes advancing in tandem,
"...Everyone's here."
"What did you call us for?"
Vittorio had urgently summoned Blake and Victor.
"Something came up that we need to discuss."
He spread a map out before the seated men.
"While scouting enemy movements, our patrol here—this point—ran into the foe and fell back."
"Fell back..."
"Any issues?"
"No, nothing."
Hearing an elf—who obsessively hid any weakness—speak of retreat made Blake assume Vittorio's attitude had truly shifted, so he set aside his unease and listened intently.
"If the encounter was here... the enemy must be closing in."
"We spotted their main force moving near Osta, not far off. Based on past patterns, they'll likely hit Adice within three days."
"Three days... Not much time left. We need to refine our counter-plan. Victor, what do you think?"
Blake, mid-conversation with Vittorio, turned to Victor, who sat quietly, and asked for his input.
"...You suggested defending from the heart of Adice."
"There's nothing more foolish than trying to hold off an orc charge on open ground. Bertie Forest seems the best choice."
"Hm..."
Since ancient times, orc tactics had relied on charges leveraging their superior physiques and bulk.
Elves countered with mobile warfare in their favored forests, while dwarves used walls and fortifications.
"How go the defenses?"
"We've set stakes and barricades along the plains and roads, but I doubt they'll hold much weight. If push comes to shove against their stone-hard charges, we'll need sturdier stuff."
"...I get what you're saying, but Bertie Forest is too dense for effective shooting."
Setting aside their debate, Victor was skeptical about fighting in such thick woods, where his main force of longbowmen would struggle.
"What if we advance to the outskirts and hold there? Shoot the enemy as they charge across Bosco Plains, then pull back into the forest at the right moment."
"Hm. Vittorio, your thoughts?"
"The forest can blunt their charge, but not enough to truly break their momentum."
Vittorio stepped in to counter Victor's proposal.
"Don't underestimate an orc charge. Sure, if everyone could maneuver through the woods like us elves, that strategy might work."
"..."
"We know that's not realistic, so even accounting for our limited projection there, luring them into the forest is still the better play."
Instead of arguing they could manage it, Victor simply listened to Vittorio's points.
"They may obey well enough, but orcs are orcs. Deep in the woods, they'll lose control and get lost."
"I agree. With Lavria Republic's forces cut by more than half, we no longer have reason to fear the forest."
The idea aligned with past approaches, so Blake endorsed it without hesitation,
"...The forest weakens dwarves too, doesn't it? If we fight there, the elves will have to take the lead, like it or not."
"Of course. This is our land, and the forest has always been our domain. It'd be odd if we didn't step up."
"..."
"Trust us. We'll respond to trust with trust."
Vittorio appealed to the still-hesitant Victor,
"Understood. I trust you."
"...Thank you."
Victor erased the flicker of suspicion from his face, nodded, and clasped Vittorio's outstretched right hand.
Vittorio winced for an instant but masked it with a peculiar smile as he shook the hand lightly.
"Excellent! Now, let's get into the details."
"This spot's more valley than forest—covered in trees, but great for ambushes. What if we lure some of them deep into the woods with a detachment, then hit them together?"
"That'll draw all the shock onto our front-line allies..."
"Leave it to us. That's dwarf specialty!"
"..."
The three exchanged ideas in a warm atmosphere,
"...The first draft seems most reasonable."
"Keep the third option as a contingency if the lure fails."
The initial plan—elves handling the lure, with dwarves, humans, and remaining elves ambushing—became the alliance's official strategy.
"We'll need to prep ahead. I'll head out first."
"Us too."
They finalized ambush sites, signals, timings, and more, departing the central tent with smiles to the end.
Vittorio kept a blank expression until he reached his own tent,
-Thud.
"...Burn that. And summon the officers."
"Yes, sir."
Once the tent flap closed,
he tossed the cloth he'd used to wipe his right hand onto the floor and called in his officers.
"What is it, Commander?"
"..."
"...Oh."
He shared the smoothly progressing plan with the arriving officers, reveling in their shared glee.
"..."
Joy, mockery, delight shone on the officers' faces; many pumped fists or cheered silently with raised arms. Yet,
not a single voice broke the eerie silence.
At its center, Vittorio wore only a twisted grin, wordless.
Optimistic visions of landing blows on both humans and dwarves danced in their minds,
"Commander Vittorio."
Renato's worried expression chilled the tent instantly.
"...No need to ask why."
"This plan must be scrapped."
"You worry too much. Is our scheme really that risky?"
Vittorio conveyed—even to those unaware of humans or dwarves—via strict telepathy: 'We'll just signal the attack a bit early and pull back a bit sooner.'
"They might catch on. Especially Victor..."
"Catch on? Sharing plans with allies—is that so strange?"
"..."
"What, abandoning your pride? Planning to scurry off and spill everything to the enemy as blackmail?"
His wariness toward allies peaked; aloud, he issued only ambiguous rebukes.
"If our allies fall, we can't hold alone. We must combine forces..."
Renato urged a change of heart, but
"The high elves will intervene then. Nothing for you to fret over."
"..."
Vittorio's mind was set,
"...Ugh."
Even enduring the torrent of vulgar mental curses had limits.
-Thump.
"...Enough, stop!"
"Hm."
As Renato collapsed in cold sweat, fellow moderation advocates among the elves stepped up to shield him.
"I won't punish leaks since you know it'd harm us all. ...Show restraint."
"..."
The officers supporting Renato retreated to a corner; some watched with unease, but
most resumed hopeful chatter, basking in anticipation of victory.
"What do you think?"
As I handled paperwork in the tent, prepping for battle, Anna asked cautiously.
"Hm?"
"Vittorio. His demeanor has completely changed, yet you're still on guard. I'm curious why."
"...Honestly, I wondered too. I didn't mention it since I wasn't sure if I should ask."
Erika, who had sat down claiming few translation needs and offering to help with documents, chimed in.
I set the papers aside and looked at Anna beside me.
"You might think my distrust excessive. First time meeting elves, and they've been nothing but diligent."
"...Yes."
"Well... How to explain..."
They seemed less suspicious, more seeking reassurance,
"Plenty of reasons, but yeah. He didn't seem practiced at feigning sincerity."
"Feigning...?"
"You didn't catch the face he made when our hands touched earlier?"
"No."
"It was like the look he gave handing Volker to my guard. Offering his hand first, then that expression—how could I trust him?"
"Ah..."
I described the brief, disgust-filled grimace that crossed Vittorio's face.
"It'll show soon enough. His patience didn't seem that great."
"..."
"How were the officers' moods?"
"No major discontent. Many even agreed."
"Hm. Wise bunch."
"..."
As long as the officers followed my orders, whatever the elves schemed would be manageable.
Wondering when Vittorio would draw his hidden dagger, I picked up the papers again.