The Silent Trap on the Northern Front
In the Northeast Front, at a point a ways west from the fourth defensive line.
Under the gray-tinged sky, hundreds of soldiers marched onward.
At the vanguard, the cavalry’s flags snapped in the northern wind, the Empire’s symbols gleaming with sharp, imposing might.
At the heart of it all stood Leorn Valtroon.
He stared out into the distant horizon from horseback, then turned his gaze to the deputy officer beside him.
“Erd, how much time remains until we reach the destination?”
“Maintaining current speed, we should arrive in three days at the latest, four at most.”
It was a variable that arose with every approach to enemy lines—needing to watch the night carefully.
Leorn nodded at the words.
“Once we reach the battlefield, we strike Kar Tribe’s flank immediately. They won’t have anticipated our presence.”
Erd, riding alongside, nodded in agreement.
“The Kar Tribe is still focused on the main body of the fourth defensive line. A side strike from us will shatter their formation for sure.”
Velkain’s bold strategy struck Leorn anew as something truly extraordinary.
By shifting the second-line forces this way, were they also ensuring no defensive lapses through alternative reinforcements on the second line?
Yet there was one lingering worry.
……
Leorn’s gaze drifted far off.
He knew Major Leorn Valtroon of the fourth line far too well.
“Don’t worry. I can’t imagine anything that would make you concerned.”
Erd spoke carefully, sensing exactly what his commander was thinking.
Leorn shook his head.
“That bastard’s greed exceeds our expectations. It’s why we lost nearly half our forces in the Elbarphiel Lake battle.”
“That’s……”
Erd’s words trailed off.
Even he, who claimed pride in having served under several superiors, had never been able to predict Leorn.
But he continued.
“Still, this is General Velkain’s direct order. I don’t believe he’d commit such madness as to ignore the supreme commander’s tactical instructions.”
“I feel the same.”
Leorn kept staring at the distant lands of the fourth defensive line.
Then.
The long bugle echoed across the northern sky.
A soldier came galloping up, spear raised high, the long flag billowing behind him, his horse lathered with sweat.
“Commander! Commander, urgent report!”
Leorn frowned at the scout’s urgent cry.
He slid from his horse and asked the scout.
“What is it?”
“It’s…… ugh…… uh…….”
The scout panted hard, struggling to speak.
“The fourth defensive line’s main body is…… moving strangely. Their advance speed toward the enemy lines keeps increasing.”
“……What does that mean? Their ambush is confirmed, yet they’re not even checking?”
“It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but one thing is certain—they’ve been advancing far faster than we anticipated.”
Leorn’s face twisted in disbelief.
Leorn…… the madman…….
‘Is the fourth defensive line’s main body really planning to fight alone?’
These were soldiers who had already suffered a crushing defeat once.
With the soldiers’ fear of the enemy not yet washed away…….
A sudden cold wind swept through.
Leorn’s cloak whipped wildly in the gale.
He remained silent for a long time, then spoke decisively.
“Erd, increase the army’s speed.”
“……Huh? Are we marching into that reckless situation?”
Erd asked, confused.
They had agreed to move only after assessing the situation.
Even though the fourth defensive line was a vital stronghold, capturing it wouldn’t affect them in the slightest.
But Leorn continued calmly.
“Even if Leorn’s madness wipes out his entire unit, the Kar Tribe cannot escape unscathed either.”
At the southern shore of Elbarphiel Lake, where the Kar Tribe and fourth defensive line main body clashed, both sides would suffer heavy damage.
And then…….
‘It might be better to wipe them out in one stroke.’
From this, he could save Leorn and perhaps even settle old scores.
No matter how the situation turned, he could force a favorable outcome.
Erd nodded in understanding of his commander’s intent.
“……Understood.”
He shouted to the soldiers, “Sound the charge! We must reach the destination within two days! Increase speed!”
The bugle’s thunder rolled out, and the second-line reinforcements surged forward at even greater speed.
And at the end of their advance…….
With a sharp clash, three soldiers charged up the steep hill together with a young man.
At the top of the steep hill, dust swirled in the wind.
Three soldiers from the third squad spotted Arteon ahead, racing at an unbroken pace even on the treacherous slope.
All three clenched their jaws.
They had already been glowing with confidence since the first scouting victory.
But then.
“Halt.”
Arteon slowed and raised a fist.
The entire squad stopped, the only sound the soldiers’ breathing echoing across the hill.
Arteon scanned the surroundings.
That’s when he noticed something strange he hadn’t seen on the way here.
……
A single crooked branch lay next to a rock, along with a few faint footprints pressed into the ground.
The oddly out-of-place traces stirred something deep within Arteon.
‘Already this far……?’
“Sir.”
Grein approached from behind.
He had spotted the same faint traces.
“These…… look like the enemies tried to hide them.”
Seeing the imperfectly erased footprints, Grein continued.
“If we follow these traces, we can locate where the ambush was set up.”
Locating the enemies’ exact position would be far greater than any previous achievement.
Winning the war with this would earn enormous rewards.
“These really…… look like traces they tried to erase.”
“I didn’t expect them to come this far.”
The other three soldiers murmured in surprise, staring at the tracks.
The shocking part was how quickly the enemies had reached here.
But…….
……
Arteon stared silently at the traces.
In his eyes appeared a dark memory from the past—the kind of memory words could never convey.
A similar situation came rushing back: how the Kar Tribe had nearly crushed them.
Arteon’s gaze sharpened.
‘……These traces.’
The Kar Tribe were natural trackers who avoided leaving footprints.
But if they hurried and left them…….
‘If they wanted to hide them, they would have done so perfectly.’
They wouldn’t have left such clumsy marks.
‘Not that they erased them…… but made it look like they had.’
‘A lure.’
Arteon’s face hardened.
He turned and issued orders at once.
“Grein.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Lead the squad to the edge of the right forest and hide. I’ll follow the traces. Ambush from the spot I indicate and conceal yourselves.”
Grein showed surprise, then nodded.
He didn’t understand why they had to split the unit, but…….
“……Understood.”
Arteon’s strategy and insight had never failed once before.
Grein led the soldiers straight into the deep shade of the trees.
Alone now, Arteon exhaled softly and began following the traces.
Of course, he didn’t walk straight along them.
He walked a little off to the side, then veered sharply in a direction his eyes couldn’t reach.
And then.
……
With the wind came a faint but unmistakable presence.
‘……They’re here.’
Without turning his head, Arteon sensed it with his instincts.
Something was following him.
At the same time, the Kar Tribe warriors hiding in the shadowed rock crevices caught sight of Arteon.
“……It’s him.”
It was the same enemy from the last defeat.
Erukaron, the Kar Tribe warrior who had fought the Taman, vividly recalled the Empire soldier’s appearance.
He didn’t know how a soldier of that caliber had been scouting, but…….
‘Perfect.’
Catching an Empire soldier who had matched the Taman would be an unmatched achievement.
Though risky…….
‘He’s alone.’
Meanwhile, they had over thirty warriors together.
It was almost too good to be true—a trap set to lure the Empire’s scout.
……
Erukaron signaled his warriors.
They all nodded, eyes flashing with killing intent.
……
Quietly, they began stalking Arteon from behind.
But Arteon didn’t head toward the spot they had anticipated.
Instead, he cleverly altered course, then further, further…….
Constantly changing direction.
As if he knew he was being followed.
“……Erukaron.”
“Wait a moment.”
One of the warriors following behind Arteon called out, and Erukaron hesitated.
It might be a trained habit.
‘Among the Empire’s soldiers, those who don’t head straight to their destination and keep faking it exist.’
No matter how skilled the enemy, he couldn’t have spotted their ambush.
‘If they didn’t know beforehand…… that would be impossible.’
He was following quietly from quite a distance.
Erukaron clenched his teeth.
If he wasn’t stronger than the Taman…….
‘He cannot defeat us.’
Two warriors already had two feather tattoos.
Erukaron made his decision.
‘Kill him now. If you miss him here, there’s no next chance.’
Eventually, Erukaron looked at his warriors with a fierce gaze.
They all nodded, expressions already set in resolve.
Here…….
‘We kill him.’
Thirty-plus Kar Tribe warriors waited for Arteon’s footsteps to stop.
And then.
From the thicket, Arteon stopped and lowered his posture.
It seemed he had come here to set up a scouting position.
Erukaron gestured.
……
The Kar Tribe warriors who had followed in silence stared at Arteon.
And…….
“Attack!”
With Erukaron’s command, the Kar Tribe warriors charged toward Arteon.
But…….
“I’ve come this far.”
Arteon turned slowly.
His eyes were full of knowledge of everything.
From the trees, rocks, and underbrush emerged the third squad soldiers led by Grein, charging like lightning from both flanks of the ambush site.
Erukaron’s eyes widened in shock.
“……!”
Seeing their own counterattack, Erukaron could barely believe it.
But it was already too late.
Arteon had already launched his assault.
With a thunderous clash, Erukaron’s body flew back from the fierce blow.
The battle axe he had blocked trembled violently.
Wasn’t this…… too strong an attack…….
But Arteon’s assault wasn’t over yet.
……
From his position, Arteon’s spear shot forward, stretching toward Erukaron.