Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Maginot Fortress
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Maginot Fortress.
It was the impregnable stronghold guarding the Philador Kingdom's capital, Berti, from external threats.
Given the kingdom's geographically advantageous position at the rear, the fortress had never actually seen combat.
Even so, it was regarded as a bastion that even the Holy Empire wouldn't breach easily if they invaded.
'But with the Holy Empire swallowing the entire kingdom whole, it's all moot anyway.'
As a fortress meant to repel invaders, it shouldn't be hard for Marquis Midas's forces to enter during peacetime.
But things were different now.
If the royal army arrived first, the marquis's troops had virtually no chance of breaking through.
It was built as the kingdom's final bulwark from the start—no matter how powerful a marquisate, a single family couldn't hope to seize it.
And that would be the end. The marquis's rebellion only worked because of the surprise attack; if the war dragged on, the whole kingdom would mobilize to crush the traitorous Midas House.
Worse, if only part of their forces got inside and the royals counterattacked, the marquis's army could be utterly annihilated.
"...So we have to reach Maginot Fortress first and seize the walls."
On the road to Maginot Fortress, I explained the full situation to Miron.
Having heard it all, he nodded and asked me,
"Ah, Young Master. How did you figure out it was Maginot Fortress? From what I heard, it sounded like you asked the assassin just in case."
'Sharp instincts, as always.'
Impressed once more by Miron's intuition, I replied,
"Because of Versailles's personality."
"His personality?"
"He hates Marquis Midas's house. The royal family's inferiority complex started because the Nile is more prosperous."
"Well, yeah."
"Where do you think the most fertile land in Berti is?"
"Obviously... wait... ah!"
Miron finally caught on with an exclamation.
"Right, the Vint Plains. Hitting Marquis Midas's forces there would ruin their entire food supply—they wouldn't want that."
Berti produced no small amount of grain, even if it lagged behind the Nile.
It would be too wasteful to destroy that much food just to catch the marquis's army.
Besides, it was obvious Maginot Fortress was better for defense than the Vint Plains.
With time on the royal army's side, there was no reason to push their luck.
Versailles wouldn't overlook such an advantage.
"Let's hurry. We need to infiltrate before the Philador royal army arrives."
The faint outline of Maginot Fortress appeared in the distance.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Miron and I whipped our horses, picking up speed.
The clashing waves of war's thoughts were drawing near.
The secret war between the Philador royal family and Marquis Midas's house was unfolding in utmost secrecy.
Ordinary citizens knew nothing, so the kingdom's people went about their unchanged daily lives on the surface.
And that included Maginot Fortress, right in the heart of the battlefield.
Chatter and bustle!
"Come on, come on! Cheap deals here!"
"Take a look at this—fresh from Zaun..."
The fortress market buzzed with the same energy as always.
"Hey, you with the broad shoulders! Check this out before you go!"
A vendor with crude weapons laid out on his stall called out to a hooded passerby.
When the man stopped, the excited vendor launched into his pitch.
"Looking at your build, you must be pretty strong—how about this weapon...!"
Or tried to.
But upon seeing the man's face under the hood, the vendor's words caught in his throat.
"......"
Swoosh.
The man, seeing the vendor fall silent, quietly pulled his hood lower and walked on.
Moments later, once the man was out of sight, the vendor let out a sigh of relief—despite nearly hooking a customer, only to lose him.
"Phew! That scared me. What kind of face is that fierce?"
The vendor quickly forgot the nightmare-fuel face and resumed hawking his wares.
Swoosh.
The man who ignored the pitch slipped into a dim alley in the market.
Though his behavior seemed suspicious, no passerby stopped him.
People up to shady business(?) heading to back alleys wasn't uncommon.
Such scenes played out all over Maginot Fortress.
In the deepest back alley of the fortress.
People of all sorts gathered one by one.
Some dressed as merchants.
Others as ragged beggars.
Still more like mercenaries.
A motley crew with no uniformity in sight, and not a word spoken among them.
Clack.
Finally, the hooded man from earlier appeared.
The one targeted by the peddler spoke.
"Is everyone here?"
"Yes. Blue Fields Knight Order, all assembled."
Blue Fields Knight Order.
One of Marquis Midas's knight orders, specialized in infiltration and reconnaissance.
Their mission this war: confirm no anomalies on the marquis army's advance route.
Maginot Fortress was a key point they couldn't afford to lose.
So they spared no effort in scouting.
"Report your findings."
"Multiple individuals with balanced gaits spotted in the market district."
"Same in the farms. Dressed as peasants, but with muscles that don't belong to farmers, hiding everywhere."
"The guild hall too..."
The reports kept coming, and Captain Max of the Blue Fields Knight Order grew sterner by the minute.
"...As expected. Not easy."
The ones spotted were surely royal dispatches.
Despite their covert rebellion prep, the royals had fortified the fortress.
"Yes, seems we missed some spies."
"Ugh, and we caught so many..."
A groan escaped Max.
"According to the palace spy, they've imprisoned all foreign dignitaries."
"This is bad. With the royals this prepared, once we breach Maginot, we need Young Master Jerome to open Berti's gates... but now we can't count on his help."
Max shook his head as if his head ached, prompting one knight to doubt Jerome.
"Could Young Master Jerome have double-crossed us?"
"No. The cultivation method we learned is the Shield Family's. No gain if it leaks. This is the spy's doing."
Max dispelled the suspicion.
Then the doubting knight nodded.
"Right, Captain."
Stab!
"Gah...?!"
"P-Peter! Have you lost your mind?!"
The knight called Peter suddenly stabbed, felling a member.
Caught off guard, the Blue Fields knights reacted seconds late, trying to restrain him.
But Peter was faster.
Thrust!
"Gurk...!"
Peter finished his target and swiftly distanced himself from the others.
"Whew, dragging you all here was exhausting."
"...Peter, you?"
Even then, Max stayed calm.
Peter grinned vilely at him.
"Heh heh heh! I always thought your cool demeanor was annoying, Captain. Well, today's the last I'll see of it."
Peter raised his hand, and silver-armored knights emerged from the alley shadows.
An emblem of wheat and sickle crossed.
The crest of Philador Kingdom's 2nd Royal Knight Order, who prized grain above all.
Peter hurried to one.
"All of them, as you said?"
"Heh heh, yes. Not a single one missing—all rounded up."
The man Peter addressed was familiar to Max too.
Captain of the 2nd Royal Knight Order: Yungen.
"Did the marquis... wrong you somehow?"
Max asked coolly, but Peter shook his head.
"Not at all... though I'd love to say that. He treated us well, sure. But how long do I stay content as a scouting knight? I don't want that life. And besides."
Smirk!
"Can't stay on a sinking ship, right?"
Peter apparently saw no path to victory in this war.
"...Don't underestimate Marquis Midas's army."
Max looked pityingly at him, but Peter just scoffed.
"Hmph! An egg smashing a rock is still just an egg."
Peter stepped back, and the encircling knights tightened the net.
"Farewell, Captain. I'll live well for you too. See ya."
Max bit his lip watching the 2nd Royal Knights approach.
Blue Fields focused on intel; the royal knights on raw power.
Even as captains, the gap between Yungen and him was insurmountable.
Their gear wasn't even comparable.
'...No chance, even if I look hard.'
It was obvious without calculation, so Max issued his final order.
"Blue Fields Knight Order... all scatter! Use any means, any sacrifice—to inform the marquis of this."
"Understood!"
At his command, the knights bolted in all directions.
"Sigh, troublesome."
Snap!
Yungen, captain of the 2nd Royals, sighed and snapped his fingers.
"Don't let a single one escape. Crush these guys, and the rebellion crumbles easy."
He glanced at Peter.
Understanding, Peter smiled.
"Haha, don't worry. Once I report back as courier: 'Maginot scout clear, knights in ambush position.'"
"...Tch. Good. No mistakes."
Yungen clicked his tongue, turning away like he hated even talking to Peter. His tone dripped undisguised contempt.
'Filth.'
Betraying his lord for personal gain—even as an enemy, it repulsed the pure knight Yungen.
'Sigh, no choice. This minimizes kingdom losses.'
The longer Midas's rebellion lasted, the more the people suffered.
Shing!
As Blue Fields resisted longer than expected, Yungen drew his sword.
Couldn't risk delays letting any escape.
"Whoa there, that's far enough. Things get messy if you step in, Captain."
"?!"
An unfamiliar voice rang out.
'No presence at all?!'
Before he could finish the thought, a gust slammed his side, chilling Yungen's spine.
Boom!
"Kuh!"
Rumble!
He blocked with his sword arm, but the ground cratered anyway.
Cracks spiderwebbed his royal-issue famed blade, and his elbow guard bore a clear fist mark.
'Cracking an aura-clad sword with a bare fist?!'
Yungen swallowed dryly at the rising tension.
"Hm, blocking that. True to royal knight captain form."
The youth who startled him dusted his fist casually where Yungen had stood, muttering nonchalantly.
Boom!
Yungen's eyes shifted to heavy metallic clashes afar: his knights struggling against a hulking hammer wielder.
"Now, Captain. Sorry, but we're short on time too."
The youth loosely clenched his fist, stretching.
"Let's wrap this quick."
Whoosh!
His body shot toward Yungen like a moon gliding across the night sky, graceful and swift.