Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Interception
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[Useless fools!]
The chieftain, perched atop a pile of bones, roared in fury.
The air around him grew heavy, pressing down as the gathered barbarians hurriedly bowed their heads.
Not a single one dared lift their gaze to respond.
In this tribe, the chieftain was the law, the sky, and the great god itself.
Yet the chieftain despised these barbarians.
They were too stupid and dull-witted, even for his own kind.
As the chieftain fell silent, some fools mistook it for his anger subsiding and began to speak up one by one.
[Enemy, strong! Village, too high!]
[Hungry, king! No livestock, we starve now, more meat!]
They couldn't form proper sentences, just stringing words together.
But even that crude chatter brought only desperate news of failure in hunting deer and humans.
They knew nothing of farming, had no way to store food, and lacked the skill to breed wild beasts.
For barbarians who lived by hunting and pillaging, defeat meant death.
But the weak humans, who had always been easy prey, had changed in an instant.
The flimsy wooden palisades had become sturdy, and the cowardly warriors had grown tough.
What had changed them?
The chieftain fondled the arrow that had slain human livestock that day.
Its tip was sharp,
and it flew straight without hesitation.
Unlike the blunt, foolish barbarians, it had clear purpose.
Krrrkrrrr...
Rage boiled within him.
Who was he?
The king who had united these beast-like barbarians and dominated the region.
To be toyed with by a mere handful of livestock? Absurd.
Krunch!
The chieftain crushed the arrow in his grip.
Then he addressed the barbarians.
[Bring the stockpiled horns!]
[Deer! White deer!]
[Weapons! More weapons!]
For barbarians stuck at the Stone Age, the horns from White-Horned Deer were prime material.
He would use every last one to arm as many as possible.
More horns!
More weapons!
Humans couldn't coexist with them on this land—they were eternal foes.
This time, he'd slaughter them all and turn the survivors into livestock for his tribe.
The chieftain, who had hesitated on all-out war before, now sensed the moment had come.
[War! Seize, kill, burn!]
Waaaaaaaaaah!!
The chieftain raised his weapon and bellowed.
The barbarians, who had been flattened to the ground, sprang up howling.
Seize, kill, burn.
For these savage, cruel-born folk, no order was sweeter or surer.
Like maggots devouring grubs in a burrow, the barbarians descended on their last human livestock, carving them for slaughter and feast.
That night, steeped in barbaric madness, was filled only with the screams and agony of humans piercing the winter chill.
But others watched that night as well.
Two hunters on the cliff exchanged words.
"Damn bastards."
Getting fooled once is a mistake.
Twice? That's just idiocy.
And these idiots prepared for war, oblivious to their watchers.
"...Enough. Let's report to the Knight."
The two hunters, swallowing their rage in silence, returned to the village.
The village returned to its busy routine.
Of course, that routine now included endless drills alongside war preparations.
Waking at dawn, he trained swordsmanship with Snow-Covered.
As the sun warmed, they headed to the training grounds for meals and Shield Wall practice.
By then, afternoon had arrived.
For the now-proper soldiers, it was repeated drills; for the thirty new recruits, javelin training.
Some questioned training without swinging a sword or spear even once,
but none voiced complaints outright—whatever had passed between them.
I saw no need to explain myself hoarse, so I let it be.
Sweat, effort, shouts.
Morale soared, soldiers exhausted.
As all sixty neared collapse, afternoon training ended.
They returned to families, resting for tomorrow's drills, completing the perfect, ordinary cycle.
But not this night.
The hunters' report at dawn reminded them of their preparations.
Red Iron, gripping an uncharacteristic weight, broached the topic.
"...War at last."
The barbarians were coming.
Expected and prepared for, but feeling it creep under the skin was another matter.
Look now.
Villagers had shuttered homes and doused fires; soldiers stood rigid in the barracks by the training grounds, on 24-hour alert.
Yet unlike before, the villagers and leaders in the hall felt a heavy, turtle-shelled confidence.
The Village Chief, armored despite his frailty, spoke cautiously.
"Defend the walls, right?"
The enemy outnumbered them vastly.
But they had sturdy palisades and ranged weapons.
What was there to debate?
Nine of every ten who knew war would choose defense.
"Exactly! Built a solid palisade? Use it well, eh?"
"Well said, Red Iron."
Murmurs rose.
Red Iron, proud of his sweat-built walls, laughed heartily.
The gathered nodded agreement; strategy and tactics seemed set.
But I stepped forward carefully and doused their fire.
"Let's intercept them."
Laughter and murmurs halted.
Red Iron stared in disbelief; the Village Chief pursed his lips.
Why abandon fine walls to send soldiers out?
Most couldn't fathom it.
But having glimpsed a farther future, I knew why.
"Why on earth...?"
"Defense means a protracted siege. No—it will be. We fight today not for now, but tomorrow."
"...Supplies are thin."
"Yes, critically short."
No room for optimism.
Soldiers grow bold behind walls, but sieges devour resources relentlessly.
With rations already cut, could they sustain full mobilization?
Dragging it out half-heartedly would invite greater losses.
This war must end swiftly.
Seeing that deer corpse pile on the plain had cemented it.
I unrolled a hide map and pointed to a spot.
The narrow sheep pass.
"Intercept here. Success leads to assault; assault succeeds, we annihilate."
Barbarians feared the high palisade, not us.
Dumb and aggressive as they were, they'd fight our chosen field.
A fearful voice asked,
"C-Can we do it?"
"I am certain of victory. But let the soldiers choose tonight. They deserve it."
How tragic.
Once humans held dignity, greatness.
But in failure and fall, we forgot how to win.
I plunged my sword into the map.
Bam!
Time to show it again.
How oppressed humans once dominated and commanded the North.
I met their eyes as they rose, fists clenched.
"Arm up. For tomorrow."
Time to end the ignorant savage age, rearm with iron and shield.
Mobilization order!
The word still stirred the heart.
The soldier vote exceeded expectations: unanimous.
All-out war it was.
Some newcomers opposed, but the Village Chief and veterans unified opinion.
Truly grateful.
With heaviest shoulders, I methodically prepared.
Time passed; barbarian movements detected. First march day neared.
No one fled despite fear; all assembled without desertion.
"-----."
Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud.
Armored at the training grounds, we formed ranks and crossed the village.
Unwavering steps, unified breath—no disorder.
Who'd call these militia?
Reborn as Northern soldiers through blood and sweat, they finally knew.
Those tedious drills were for today.
Hearts burned.
The body heat marching beside me melted even this knife-sharp wind.
But before the gate, a surging crowd halted us.
"M-Mom."
Families, waiting since dawn, rushed forward.
"Shh, shh! Quick, pocket this. Eat one whenever hungry, chew well. Just for you, got it?"
"Wh-When did you make this... Really... Don't worry, tend to the little ones."
An elderly mother offered lovingly made snacks for her son.
The son swallowed tears before her warmth.
A little sister sobbing in her brother's arms.
An old father bowing, handing over his lifelong talisman.
Every soldier had family,
and lifelong neighbors.
"-----."
I watched quietly, giving them time to settle.
For vows not of death, but victory.
Swish.
"Unit, form up!"
Time.
I raised my right hand; the loudest soldier barked.
Snap, snap, snap!
Amid the chaos, soldiers moved in perfect unison.
Onlookers no longer clung, stepping aside slowly.
The day deciding the village's fate.
No rash moves, no blocking paths.
Heavy, suffocating silence.
I faced forward again; the column followed.
Creeeak!
Thud!
The village gate swung open.
Ranks passed through without pause, marching the road.
"Ah...!"
A soft gasp escaped someone.
The once-terrifying gate, now a path passed so easily.
The crushed egg had been too light,
and the dawn-lit scenery, beautiful enough to banish fear in a moment.
Clouds parted just then.
The warm dawn light glittered like jewels on fresh snow.
We marched on.
Armed like the rest, I asked Snow-Covered beside me,
"You're trembling."
"...Yes, Master."
"Good. It's right to tremble."
Countless wars fought,
yet lives entrusted to me remained daunting.
But a king must know.
What those lives they offer without reserve are for, what cause.
With that, I passed Snow-Covered to the vanguard.
"But tomorrow, don't tremble."