Chapter 23
Chapter 23
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 23
Chapter Title: Night Raid Reversed
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It was 1 a.m., the dead of night when everyone except the night watchmen had fallen asleep.
To make it look like an opportunity for the nobles, I'd decided to use a spacious tent on the outermost edge of the camp instead of my usual central command tent.
There were few guards patrolling this way, and plenty of places to hide nearby. It was the most vulnerable spot where I could naturally stay.
With the horse I'd ridden here tied visibly at the entrance to avoid confusing the nobles, I closed my eyes and monitored the minimap.
"General, are you asleep?"
Anna, who had been reading documents beside me, spoke up.
A few hours earlier.
When I said I wouldn't be using the general's tent, she'd followed me to mine with documents that needed handling.
This tent was originally for about ten soldiers, so I'd planned to bring some along under the pretext of sharing it after a long time, securing manpower for any emergency.
Elite soldiers could be roused in time via the minimap to spot approaching enemies.
But Anna's arrival made that unnecessary.
She entered with six soldiers and naturally got to work.
Anna had always been quick on the uptake.
Even during the day while moving around, she'd occasionally glance at spots on the minimap with red dots, sensing something was off.
If the nobles learned of this, they'd hesitate to attack, but they probably didn't know yet, so it was fine.
If she stayed in my tent a few more days, rumors might spread, but not right away.
"I'm not the general anymore."
"As expected, you're still awake."
"...Haha."
"You need to sleep soon, General, or I can't rest either."
She'd been a bit awkward with me that morning, but after spending the day together, she was treating me just like before the arrest.
"Or maybe... lend a hand?"
She even kept trying to show me documents with internal army intel, so I shifted my gaze to the soldiers waiting on their bunks.
They sat on the beds with armor and gear laid out beside them, ready to don at any moment.
I'd told them they could sleep comfortably and even offered blindfolds.
"Aren't you all tired?"
"Not at all."
"...Hmm."
They didn't look tired at all.
I was at a loss for words at one soldier's firm reply.
"It's an honor to protect you directly, General."
"..."
Another looked at me with sparkling eyes, calling it an honor.
Maybe because they were soldiers I'd talked to during the day, they brimmed with enthusiasm.
If the attack came tonight, they'd suffer the most.
As I watched them with mixed feelings, ⚠️ MINIMAP ALERT ⚠️ Border flashing red. Red dots slowly approaching the tent. ...Hm.
The red dots were slowly heading toward the tent.
Too many for mere surveillance, and unlike the daytime watchers, they didn't stop at a distance.
They'd only arrived yesterday, yet they were already moving.
I didn't know who was behind it, but whoever it was must be in a real hurry.
"Anna."
"Yes, General."
"...Do you trust me?"
Instead of insisting I wasn't the general, I cut straight to emphasize the urgency.
"Of course."
Realizing from my serious tone that this was no joke, Anna set down her documents and straightened up.
"...Right now, an unknown group is approaching. Eleven in total."
The moment I mentioned what I'd confirmed on the minimap, the soldiers sprang into action, donning their gear.
Having experienced preemptive raid detection via minimap even in wartime, they moved without hesitation.
"Then...!"
"Wait."
I stopped Anna as she reached for the signal horn.
"No need to wake everyone in an uncertain situation."
"But General, you're..."
"These soldiers are guarding us, so we can watch a bit longer before sounding it."
For a solid justification, we needed clear proof of a threat.
If the horn scared off the red dots without them even attempting an attack, it would mean nothing.
"...Understood."
Seeing the soldiers fully armored and armed in seconds, she pocketed the horn again.
"They're not approaching fast. Seems like they're trying to sneak up without being spotted."
"If it's an attack, what should I do?"
As I started to share my plan with Anna,
Suddenly, I recalled how she'd acted when I was being taken away.
'Treason? Not a bad idea.'
When Andrei shouted about treason, it was Anna who'd drawn her sword, saying it wasn't bad.
Since she'd already considered rebellion before,
She might push things to an extreme more than if I micromanaged.
Right now, my goal was to escalate from this incident and retake the army.
The 1st Legion's response needed to be big and firm.
With clear grounds like an attack, rallying the already supportive troops would be easy.
"I'm just a prisoner, Anna. I trust you, so trust your own judgment."
"...Yes."
She'd drawn her sword on the Royal Guard bringing the king's orders—what would she do against unknown assailants?
"This time, I'll definitely protect you."
Her voice and eyes burned with resolve. I could look forward to this.
"Everyone, hide behind the furniture."
"Understood."
She hid the soldiers inside the tent and buckled on the sword she'd set aside.
"We'll wait like this."
"Yeah."
Anna and I stayed seated, awaiting our "guests."
The tiny spark that would burn down the mountain called the Ruth Kingdom. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The "counter-raid" team was supposed to consist of Baron Oleg Likov, tasked with leading per Mikhail's orders, plus nine Royal Guard members—a total of ten.
But now, moving were eleven, including Royal Guard Captain Andrei Komarov.
Andrei wasn't supposed to join due to the risks if it failed, but Oleg couldn't dissuade his stubbornness.
As the operation time neared, Andrei appeared, threatening to withhold the Royal Guard unless included—and he'd somehow procured a king's order.
Oleg hadn't even properly checked it before reluctantly allowing him.
"...Frustrating."
Andrei fidgeted with the black cloth covering his face.
Immensely proud of his looks, he hated wearing a mask at all.
If Baron Oleg Likov, who joined per Mikhail's orders, hadn't insisted, Andrei would've tossed it aside.
The Royal Guard's armor being draped in black cloth was also at Oleg's desperate pleading.
"Isn't this your choice, Captain?"
"I know, I know."
Andrei blamed all the discomfort on Victor.
Hiding his handsome face, covering the proud royal emblem on his armor.
And really, his forced inclusion was to finish Victor personally.
Andrei's hatred for Victor only grew.
-Thud.
"...Quiet your footsteps!"
He snapped irritably at a guard making noise.
The Royal Guard had no experience with such ops.
They'd worn leather armor to muffle sound, but hadn't thought to wrap their shoes in cloth.
Following Andrei's order, they clutched swords and ropes to their chests to avoid clinking, moving carefully while fixating on every noise they made.
Far from the "invincible" Royal Guard Andrei boasted of, their inadequacies made Oleg constantly debate fleeing now.
"...That the tent?"
"Probably. That horse looks like the one he rode."
Thanks to timing with the guard shift and Victor's outer tent, they'd arrived undetected.
Light leaked from the large tent, like those for soldiers.
"Light's on."
"No one else around. Quick in and out."
Oleg felt uneasy at Andrei's baseless confidence, but retreat was impossible now.
Resigned, he reviewed the plan to boost success odds.
"Simple plan. Rush in, grab Victor, escape the way we came. Main Royal Guard waits at rendezvous."
"...Got it."
Andrei muttered the plan carelessly, harboring other thoughts.
He hoped Victor would resist desperately, botching it.
Then he could kill him, claiming no choice.
Just lop off the head, and the rest would stay put like always, he figured.
"...Let's go."
Oleg followed Andrei, steadying his trembling hands.
Fortunately, no interference as the guards encircled the tent.
As planned, six of the nine guards stayed outside to surround it.
Andrei, Oleg, and three guards entered.
"...!!!"
"Oh no."
Contrary to expectations of Victor alone, his adjutant Anna was there too.
Kidnapping mere commoner Victor was one thing; touching 1st Legion commander-equivalent Anna was entirely different.
"We need to run..."
Oleg thought to flee seeing her rummage in panic, but
"...That wench annoys me anyway."
Confirming his two most hated—Victor and Anna—together, Andrei saw opportunity and drew his sword.
"You're insane...!"
Oleg was shocked by Andrei's improvisation, but with the entering guards drawing weapons, he followed suit.
In with them, he had to see it through.
Watching it all, Victor said calmly,
"...Andrei, is it."
"You should've at least swapped swords for sincerity. The prince's will? Or..."
"...Ha."
Andrei glanced at his ornate sword—hilt adorned with royal crest and jewels—faltered briefly, then emboldened by the seeming advantage, tossed his mask.
"Still acting tough in this pinch, Victor?"
He gripped his sword two-handed, muttering,
"Let's see if that mouth keeps yapping when your head hits the dirt..."
Before Andrei finished,
-Screeeeech!
"What?"
The adjutant blew the signal horn loudly.
"Attack, attack!"
Andrei charged Victor, but soldiers burst from under bunks, behind desks, and from wardrobes, blocking him.
"What the!"
"Raid!"
While blocked, the adjutant yelled and kept blowing to rally troops.
"Protect the General!"
"You fucking bastards!"
Andrei swung as trained, but no one feared his clumsy strikes.
Other startled Royal Guards entering were similarly unskilled; against battle-hardened, fully armored soldiers, they couldn't push through in time.
Seeing Andrei subdued instantly, Oleg gave up resisting.
"...Damn it!"
Soon 1st Legion troops swarmed; the guards dropped weapons in fear.
The raid team was captured alive without losses, bound with their own ropes, awaiting judgment.
"This is the king's command! How dare you defy!"
Even now, deluded Andrei clung to the forged order in his pocket.
Hastily faked to justify killing Victor personally, but he irrationally believed it would protect them.
To furious Anna, enraged by the attack on Victor, such trivia meant nothing.
Searching Andrei's pockets, she found the order.
"Yes! That's exactly..."
She unfolded it, checked contents, smirked, and pocketed it.
After brief deliberation, Anna whispered to Victor; he shook his head at first but nodded after her long persuasion.
"After that..."
"Andrei for now..."
She asked Victor a few more things, then picked up Andrei's discarded mask and refitted it over his face.
Then.
"...Got it? Now..."
-Thwack!
"Guhk."
She smashed the hilt into his blabbering head, knocking him out.
Leaving Andrei sprawled, Anna dragged another Royal Guard outside.
"The culprits behind the raid have been revealed!"
She bellowed to draw soldiers' eyes,
-Rip. Rip.
tore off the black cloth wrapping the guard's body, and lit it with a torch.
"Our attackers were the Royal Guard!"
"...Royal Guard?"
"Royal Guard? What..."
Soldiers murmured seeing the royal crest revealed beneath.
"The assailants carried a forged king's order!"
She brandished the faked document from her pocket.
"Daring to forge the seal and attack me, the 1st Legion commander! This is an assault on the 1st Legion—and treason against the king!"
With Anna, who'd steadfastly led post-Victor's departure, declaring it—and Victor behind nodding—soldiers doubted nothing.
"All 1st Legion, begin searches as soon as ready! Hunt the traitors!"
"Yes!"
Thus, Anna swiftly seized the 8,000-strong 1st Legion.
Soon, spotting Royal Guards awaiting to take Victor, the convinced legion systematically occupied the capital.
Victor followed enthusiastic Anna, hand covering his rising smirk.
In his words, the start of the "piggyback coup." ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Search!"
"Don't let them escape!"
At soldiers' shouts roaming about, nobles trying to flee by carriage trembled hidden in Nikolai's mansion.
"If only you'd packed lighter!"
"Hey, what about you!"
Some nobles, greedily grabbing too much loot, missed the window; now isolated in the mansion.
They blamed each other but kept voices low, fearing detection.
"The ones moving now... seem like 1st Legion."
A noble who'd peeked outside reported, shocking them.
"1st Legion? ...Victor?"
"No, no, no, no!"
Seeing the ferocious group—Victor's de facto private army—nobles panicked.
It felt like Victor was sending troops to kill them.
"What, what do we do...!"
"We have to move!"
"Ugh, ugh...!"
They trembled in anxiety.
Nikolai's grand, luxurious mansion—famous in the capital—couldn't evade soldiers' eyes.
Basement, warehouse, etc., were suggested as hides.
"...The palace."
Pondering escape, Nikolai muttered staring at the palace window-beyond.
"Yes! The palace!"
A noble shouted overhearing.
"Once inside, Royal Guard protects us."
"Plus the king—Victor can't storm in recklessly!"
Recalling Victor's loyalty to the king and palace-guarding Royal Guard, they quickly set the palace as destination.
Conveniently, Nikolai's mansion wasn't far.
"...Guess we use these?"
"To avoid detection..."
They emptied loot sacks, pulled over heads, slipped out, and crept toward the palace.
Of course, unused to exercise or stealth,
"Halt!"
"Identify yourselves!"
"Eek!"
Soldiers spotted them instantly; they bolted to the palace.
"Stop! This is the pala—"
"Huff, huff... I'm Nikolai Similoff! Move!"
"...Count? Y-yes, sir."
Nikolai namedropped, removed his sack; guard verified face and let them in hastily.
1st Legion soldiers halted pursuit, reporting up instead.
Suspicious nobles had fled into the palace.
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