The Surrender of Calvary Castle
If you surrender obediently, there will be no bloodshed.
“Are… are you truly certain about this?”
The general’s voice carried clear worry. Yet the paladin Amelda answered in a tone steeped in unwavering resolve.
“As I have already explained, my mission is to ensure that His Holiness the Pope’s proclamation reaches every elf dwelling within this demon territory. If any of my kin remain in Galilee, it is only proper that I go and deliver the tidings myself.”
“Even so, traveling that far is far too perilous. You would essentially be crossing straight through enemy lands…”
“I came precisely because I understood the danger from the beginning. Unimpressive as I may appear, I once marched all the way to the Demon King’s Castle as a member of the Hero Party. I am far more suitable for this task than anyone else you might send.”
“Hmm…”
By invoking the Pope’s edict and the duty tied to it, Amelda left the elf general no easy way out. After watching her speak with such iron will, he agonized for a long moment before finally granting permission.
“As I warned you, we cannot guarantee any safety in this matter. Keep that firmly in mind.”
“Do not concern yourself. However, should I fail and lose my life, please inform our homeland. Tell them that Amelda has received the punishment she deserved for the sin she committed against the Hero.”
“…Understood. I will convey the message exactly as you wish.”
The words did not sound like a pleasant final testament, yet the general nodded, recognizing the sincerity they contained. Looking at her, he felt as though he were watching a pilgrim walking the path of atonement.
Minos, veteran general of the Falcon Empire and the officer responsible for defending Calvary Castle, stood atop the ramparts with sword in hand, gripped by profound tension.
“G-General…”
“Stay calm. All of you, fear nothing and hold your assigned positions.”
“B-but…”
“We are proud soldiers of the Empire. We will fight gloriously for our homeland until the last breath and die with honor.”
“Ugh…”
Minos spoke with the resolute voice of a true warrior. Yet despite his words, the soldiers could not easily dispel the terror lodged deep in their hearts.
The sight before their eyes was a procession of countless flames drifting through thick darkness. These were no ordinary lights; they were green and purple flames infused with the demonic power of the demon race. The sheer number suggested thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of troops moving nearby. The soldiers could not relax for even a moment, knowing the enemy might surge toward them at any second.
Calvary Castle was one of the last remaining southern territories of the racial alliance inside the Demon Kingdom. Like every other region, it was effectively cut off from the outside world, and its small scale left no hope of reinforcements. In such a situation, the sight of a massive demon army marching past was terrifying beyond measure.
‘At most three hundred men remain inside this castle… With so few troops, there is nothing we can do.’
‘If those bastards turn this way now, we’re finished.’
‘Damn it… Do we really have to die here like this? No matter how prepared I thought I was for death, to perish in a place like this…’
The soldiers stared at the ominous flames of the demon army and felt their hearts shrivel. Though General Minos’s continuous shouting beside them barely held their fear in check, the terror still festered deep inside their chests.
The demon forces looked ready to descend upon them at any moment. Gazing at the wave of death revealed by those countless flames, the soldiers felt their blood run colder with every passing second. The same was true, for slightly different reasons, for General Minos, who was desperately trying to rally them.
‘Are they truly planning to attack this place? Or are they heading for the allied forces stationed elsewhere? Either way, with an army that large, we clearly have no chance of victory…’
Minos had overcome countless crises in his long career, yet even he saw no way to oppose the enormous host before him. With the enemy’s main force gathered here, nothing remained for the defenders of this remote little castle except an honorable death.
‘Fine… come if you dare. But I, Minos, will not hand over my head so easily.’
Even as he steeled himself to throw his life away fighting the approaching foe, the flames of the demon army never turned toward the castle. As dawn broke, they simply vanished into the distance.
Minos and his men had stayed awake the entire night, gripped by thick tension and fear. Fortunately the end they feared never arrived, yet their hearts were now filled not with relief but with an even deeper, heavier dread.
‘We survived this time… but tonight will surely be the end.’
‘Yesterday wasn’t aimed at us, but our turn is definitely next…’
Although no battle had actually occurred, the soldiers remained deeply shaken. The slight breathing room granted after such an intense wave of terror only allowed their imaginations to run wild. The memory of despair and death that had brushed their spines sharpened their longing for life, and their minds began conjuring ever more horrific scenarios. The fear that the enemy might return at any moment grew stronger, driving them ever deeper into anxiety and tension.
For the next week, the demon army conducted night marches at irregular intervals. Each time, the soldiers were forced to gather on the ramparts and watch the spectacle with painful clarity. Their fear and unease deepened with every repetition. The repeated scenes that so vividly reminded them their lives hung by a thread gradually wore them down. Before long, deserters obsessed with survival and soldiers who had fallen into utter despair began appearing throughout the castle.
In mere days the human fighting strength inside Calvary Castle had been cut in half, and those who remained were mentally exhausted to the limit. It was then that a deserter who had tried to flee was dragged forward, along with a single letter.
“Read it.”
“Y-yes, General.”
With trembling hands the deserter picked up the letter at Minos’s command. Before the eyes of his comrades he began to read its contents aloud.
In a reality filled with nothing but despair, the letter offered a path to survival. At the same time, it declared that refusal would bring certain destruction. The remaining soldiers inside the castle began to stir violently.
“Th-they’ll really let us live?”
“We can escape this hellish place?”
At that moment…
“Silence! Do not fall for the enemy’s vile tricks! There is no chance those filthy creatures would spare us!”
General Minos spoke in a stern voice, yet the officers and soldiers beside him began to reply cautiously.
“B-but General, if that was their plan they would have attacked us already.”
“I’ve heard that some among the demons treat prisoners with a degree of leniency.”
“At this rate we’ll all die anyway. In that case it would be better to… Gah!!!”
“!”
In the next instant Minos sliced off the head of the adjutant who had tried to persuade him. Immediately afterward, radiating murderous intent and an aura like that of a wild beast, he snarled at those before him.
“I will say it once more. There will be no surrender. We are proud warriors of the Falcon Empire. Here we shall bury our bones. We will die protecting our honor as dignified heroes to the very end. Do you understand!”
“….”
“Answer me! I asked if you understand!”
“Y-yes… General.”
After issuing a warning that bordered on bloodlust, Minos strode back into his barracks. The soldiers left behind began exchanging careful glances. In this desperate situation, they were silently deciding what they must do to survive.
“Hmm…”
“This is the head of General Minos, who defended Calvary Castle.”
“As promised, please spare our lives.”
Humans knelt before them, begging for mercy. Samson looked down at the kneeling men, slowly nodded, and spoke.
“Understood. We are generous. We show mercy to those who surrender. If you obediently vacate the castle and depart, there will be no bloodshed, so leave in peace.”
“Th-thank you.”
“We will never forget this kindness.”
The soldiers bowed deeply at Samson’s words and turned to leave. Watching them abandon the castle and flee without any real battle, a thick smile rose to Samson’s lips.
‘As expected of the hero’s scheme. Its effectiveness is undeniable.’