Chapter 183: Ties of the Current Life (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 183: Ties of the Current Life (1)
One day before the fall of Benedict Castle.
Count Vandenberg, Commander of the Western Front, received a report that shattered the peace of Cairo.
"The Kronos Empire has crossed the border! The 1st Defense Line has already collapsed, and their forces are marching straight for the 2nd Defense Line. Commander, your orders, please! It's only a matter of time before the 2nd Defense Line falls as well!"
It was a frantic report from his subordinate.
For the past few days, Cairo had been engulfed in civil war.
Daniel Cairo had mobilized the Kingdom Army to suppress the rebellion, but he hadn't touched a single soldier on the Western Front. The Kronos Empire was a looming threat beyond the western border. Since no one knew when they might invade, a minimum safety net had to be maintained.
The 1st Defense Line.
It was little more than a makeshift defensive position. In reality, its sole purpose was to act as an early warning system for enemy invasions. The true combat preparations and supplies were stockpiled at the 2nd Defense Line and beyond.
Count Vandenberg made his decision.
"Assemble the troops immediately! Cairo is already in chaos from the civil war. If the Kronos Empire sets foot on Cairo's territory now, the situation will spiral completely out of control."
It was the most logical judgment. Since the 3rd Defense Line was their final stronghold, they needed to make their stand at the 2nd Defense Line first.
But then—
"No. We must abandon the 2nd Defense Line and retreat our forces."
A voice rang out from the end of the conference table. It was one of the Western Front's staff officers.
Count Vandenberg looked toward the speaker.
"Flora. What do you mean by that?"
Flora Lawrence.
All eyes turned toward her.
* * *
As the sole woman on the Western Front, Flora was something of a celebrity.
After leaving Lawrence to study tactics at the Royal Academy, she had suddenly declared her intention to volunteer for the Western Front. At the time, it had caused quite a stir in the capital. Because it was so unprecedented—and because she was a noblewoman rather than a commoner—opinions had been sharply divided on whether to accept her application.
Ultimately, the decision fell to Flora's father.
Upon hearing of his daughter's resolve, Viscount Lawrence agonized over it for an entire week before sending a message stating that he trusted her.
It was a first for Cairo.
Never before had a noble daughter with a guaranteed future volunteered as a staff officer. At first, many viewed her with deep skepticism. There were always those types of people—sheltered nobles with countless options who treated the life-and-death battlefield as a mere playground to gain life experience.
Prejudice ran rampant.
The soldiers of the West had initially shunned Flora, but it took less than a month for that perception to shatter.
The sheer competence she displayed spoke for itself. Because of this, Count Vandenberg was more than willing to listen to her.
"Flora. What do you mean by that?"
"The Kronos Empire has periodically invaded Cairo's borders in the past. However, those were merely warnings, with no real intention of conquering Cairo. But this attack is different. A civil war has broken out within Cairo, and from what we hear, Marquis Benedict has been cornered. The timing is far too coincidental. I believe Kronos's attack is directly linked to the civil war."
"…Are you saying Kronos is colluding with Marquis Benedict?"
"I cannot say for certain who initiated it. It could be due to Count Gregory, who is currently imprisoned, or it could be that Marquis Benedict requested aid from the Kronos Empire. What is certain is that the Kronos Empire has crossed our borders despite their ongoing conflict with the Kingdom Alliance. Therefore, we must not underestimate their true objective."
A stir rippled through the conference room.
Flora's statement implied that the Kronos Empire was actively participating in Cairo's civil war.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, one of the staff officers asked,
"Flora. If that's the case, shouldn't we be even more determined to stop the Kronos Empire at the 2nd Defense Line? We have secured war supplies there specifically for a siege. If we retreat our forces now, we'll have no choice but to abandon some of those supplies."
"Yes, that's correct. Under normal circumstances, utilizing the 2nd Defense Line would be the right move. However, if we accept the premise that the Kronos Empire is involved in the civil war, their ultimate goal is to breach the 3rd Defense Line and invade Cairo proper. Furthermore, the Kingdom Army is currently tied up dealing with the rebels. Since support from the capital is unlikely to arrive anytime soon, we must prepare for the worst-case scenario: facing the Kronos Empire with only the forces of the West. Commander, we cannot always choose the ideal option. Since the fate of Cairo hangs on a single decision, we must discard the worst outcomes and choose the best possible path forward."
Flora spoke with unwavering conviction.
Since being stationed in the West, she had repeatedly proven her capabilities on the battlefield. The moment people looked past her gender and status, Flora Lawrence had firmly established herself as a core figure among the staff.
Because of this, her advice could not be ignored.
Count Vandenberg fell silent.
After agonizing over the situation for a long moment, he finally made his decision.
"Flora is right. Order the troops at the 2nd Defense Line to retreat. To prepare for the worst-case scenario, we will ready ourselves for a decisive battle against the Kronos Empire right here, at the 3rd Defense Line."
* * *
The situation unfolded exactly as Flora had predicted.
The Kronos Empire was not satisfied with merely taking the 2nd Defense Line. They marched straight past it. Not long after, an urgent communication arrived from the Cairo royal family.
`[Marquis Benedict has colluded with the Kronos Empire. They intend to breach the 3rd Defense Line and directly attack Cairo's territory, and the Kingdom Army needs time to clean up the rebellion. Hold out for just three days. If you can endure for that long, we will quickly wrap up the rebellion and send reinforcements to the Western Front.]`
That was the royal message.
An emergency meeting was immediately convened.
With the leadership of the Western Front gathered in one place, Baron Noel, the Head of Staff, spoke.
"His Majesty the King has promised us three days. However, realistically speaking, it's impossible to completely suppress the rebellion in such a short time. Marquis Benedict has been preparing for this uprising for a long time, and according to our intelligence, Benedict Castle is fully prepared for a siege. Even if the commander leading the Kingdom Army is Roman Dmitry—the man who defeated the Hector Kingdom—we must still prepare for a prolonged war."
"Indeed. Furthermore, even if they do suppress the rebellion, travel takes time. Even using Warp Gates, it will take a day or two to move an army. In that case, does it make any sense to expect them to wrap up Benedict Castle in a single day?"
The room was clouded with pessimism.
The Western Front and Benedict Castle.
Because they possessed Warp Gates, they didn't need to march the vast distance on foot. But even taking that advantage into account, a three-day timeframe simply wasn't realistic.
Count Vandenberg spoke up.
"You are all correct. If the Kronos Empire truly intends to invade Cairo proper, we must secure as many war supplies as possible and play defensively. In the worst-case scenario, the Kingdom Army might fail to suppress the rebels in time. Ultimately, this means we must be prepared to overcome this crisis with our own strength."
"I disagree."
A clear, decisive voice cut through the heavy atmosphere.
Once again, it was Flora.
Baron Noel looked at her.
"You disagree? Do you actually believe the Kingdom Army can suppress the rebels in three days?"
"I also believe three days is tight. However, His Majesty stated that the three-day deadline was set by Roman Dmitry himself. If so, there is a high probability that it will not exceed five days at most. They will suppress Marquis Benedict's forces within three days, and factoring in travel time, they will arrive here within five."
"How can you be so sure of that?"
"I believe everyone here is well aware of the relationship between Lawrence and Dmitry. Roman Dmitry is a man who produces the best results even in the absolute worst situations. Ever since he defeated Barco alongside Lawrence—a battle everyone thought was a guaranteed loss—I knew he was someone who couldn't be judged by the standards of common sense. Such a man has predicted three days. And I trust his word absolutely."
The staff officers of the Western Front.
They were by no means incompetent. Having defended this border for so long, each possessed their own formidable strengths. But Flora had something that set her apart from the rest of them.
Roman Dmitry.
She had experienced his capabilities firsthand. Even if it defied all common sense, Flora believed in him.
But Baron Noel was different.
"That is a groundless judgment. But taking a step back, if your words do turn out to be true... how do you propose we respond?"
"Time is just as tight for Kronos. They will want to invade Cairo proper before Marquis Benedict falls, which means they will undoubtedly go all out from the very beginning. Even if we play defensively at the 3rd Defense Line, there is no guarantee we can withstand their onslaught. Ultimately, there is only one way forward."
All eyes focused on her.
Since she had already accurately anticipated Kronos's intentions and successfully advised a strategic retreat, her next proposal was well worth listening to.
"There is a saying that offense is the best defense. I believe our best course of action is to strike them first, crippling their forces so they cannot possibly defeat us within those five days."
Offense.
At Flora's words, the faces of the leadership colored with bewilderment.
* * *
It was a completely counter-intuitive idea. It also implied executing a maneuver that was generally considered impossible.
Knowing exactly why the leadership was so bewildered, Flora presented the evidence she had prepared in advance.
Thud.
Rustle.
She spread out a stack of documents on the table. As everyone's attention locked onto her, she explained the data in a calm, measured voice.
"We need to analyze the patterns of Kronos's past attacks. When they invaded merely to send a warning, they engaged in standard melee combat. However, when they required a definitive victory like this time, they mobilized War Mages. The data here proves this fact. Utilizing magic to collapse the walls and then pouring in troops to capture the fortress is Kronos's standard siege pattern."
"We are well aware of that. That is precisely why we are trying to secure more war supplies, including mana stones, is it not?"
"Yes. If we utilize a Magic Defense Formation, a prolonged war might be possible. However, the enemy's plan to deploy mages and our plan to use a Magic Defense Formation are open secrets that both sides fully anticipate. If so, there is a high probability they will attempt something to amplify their mages' destructive power. For the Kronos Empire, which possesses seven Magic Towers within its borders, this is entirely feasible. We must eliminate these mages to remove that variable from the board."
Flip.
She turned the page.
"Look at this. There is a set pattern to the enemy's attacks. While maximizing their firepower, the mages cast their spells from a safe distance, out of range of enemy arrow fire. Because they are highly vulnerable while casting, they usually position themselves around one kilometer away. It's a distance our arrows cannot reach, and even if we attempt long-range artillery attacks, the accuracy drops significantly. If they deploy mages, they will not stray from this one-kilometer mark."
"Around one kilometer... Are you saying there is a way to exploit that?"
"Yes. We can predict the exact locations where the mages will cast their spells and plant Magic Traps in those spots."
Baron Noel let out a dumbfounded laugh.
Flora's logic was sound, but the execution was simply too far-fetched.
"That is impossible. Even if we can specify a distance of one kilometer, that only refers to the radius from the castle walls. We cannot guarantee exactly where along that perimeter they will cast their magic. Furthermore, we don't have enough Magic Traps to cover that entire area, and mages can easily detect the location of traps through mana fluctuations. If they sense even the slightest anomaly, they will render the Magic Traps useless or simply cast their magic from another safe location."
"Exactly. That is why, from this moment on, we must dictate the battlefield."
Flora's voice dominated the room.
She swept her gaze over the gathered commanders. Ever since she had entered the Academy, her mind had constantly been analyzing the variables of the blood-soaked battlefield.
"We must propose a Great Warrior Battle."
"A Great Warrior Battle?"
"Yes. In wars between nations, a Great Warrior Battle is used to seize the initiative and boost morale. The Kronos Empire has no reason to refuse. They will be absolutely certain that their empire's swordsman will win."
"Even if they accept a Great Warrior Battle... wait, could it be?!"
Baron Noel's eyes widened. He finally realized what Flora's true strategy was.
Flora continued,
"If we take our positions in advance and propose a Great Warrior Battle, they will have no choice but to align their forces according to our positioning. Once they do, it becomes entirely possible to pinpoint the exact location where their mages will set up. Since the mages will step forward from the main army to cast their spells, we can drastically narrow down the margin of error."
"Then what about them sensing the mana from the traps?"
"For that, the role of our champion in the Great Warrior Battle is crucial. If our swordsman fights while unleashing their Aura to its absolute limit, the surrounding mana will become incredibly dense and chaotic. No matter how sensitive a mage is, they won't be able to detect the subtle mana of the Magic Traps through that violent interference. The moment they step onto the trapped ground, their minds complacent from watching the duel, we can wipe out the mages in one fell swoop. We will eliminate the enemy's greatest weapon."
The sheer brilliance of the plan drew murmurs of admiration.
Baron Noel, who had initially viewed it with heavy skepticism, nodded in profound respect as she concluded her explanation. To him, debate was merely a process to achieve the best possible result. He had only raised his voice because the idea defied common sense. Baron Noel was not the type of man to stubbornly deny a plan once he was convinced of its merit.
And this plan was highly appealing.
If they could eliminate the War Mages, it would actually be possible to hold the line, even against the full might of the Kronos Empire.
Flora added a final, sobering thought.
"The problem is who will step forward as our champion for the Great Warrior Battle. Our vanguard must possess the skill to drag out the fight, forcing the enemy to watch while simultaneously risking their own life. No, to be completely honest... their chances of survival are incredibly slim. We don't know what kind of swordsman the Kronos Empire will send, but they certainly won't be an easy opponent."
It was a deadly dilemma.
To execute this perfect plan, someone had to willingly sacrifice their life.
Just then—
One of the officers attending the meeting, a man who had been quietly listening to Flora's plan from the sidelines, spoke up.
"I will step forward for the Great Warrior Battle."
Instantly, everyone turned in shock.
The identity of the man volunteering for certain death was none other than Rodwell Dmitry.