Chapter 141
Chapter 141
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 141
Chapter Title: The Starting Point of the Wave.
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"Prepare to meet the new wave. I shall return then."
Edward left behind those meaningful words and vanished.
I had wanted to settle things with him when the chance arose, but since he had deliberately fled, there was nothing to be done.
I knew why he had left without facing me.
He must have noticed my artifact reacting when he used his first spell.
'So he stepped away to find a way to deal with it.'
In any case, we had successfully repelled the Glazer's surprise attack.
It had been a fierce battle that cost them hundreds of troops, and the sudden assault had inflicted considerable damage within our territory.
But through this fight, I had secured a definitive advantage.
"Sister, can you control Fenrir?"
When Edward withdrew the Glazer forces, he hadn't taken the divine beast called Fenrir with him.
His power must not have reached it, or he had judged it impossible to take along.
"It's possible, but without the necklace, unpredictable things could happen."
"What kind of things?"
"Like when it rampaged in the canyon last time—refusing control and attacking friend and foe indiscriminately."
My plan anyway was to leave Fenrir in the enemy camp.
Even if it rampaged there, there would be no allies around, so whether it attacked indiscriminately or not wouldn't matter.
"That should be fine. Could you possibly send Fenrir back east right now, by any chance?"
"East? Then they would start controlling it again."
"No. The one with your necklace isn't there anymore, so they won't be able to stop Fenrir like last time."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. The one with the necklace fell to me in this battle. And when I checked his neck after death, the necklace was gone."
Valentine gazed at Fenrir sleeping soundly outside the castle walls and gave a short nod.
"...Understood. When my Fenrir awakens, I'll send it straight east."
"Thank you."
"No need for thanks. By the way, what was that with Edward? In the middle of fighting you, he suddenly reeked of the Tower."
"......"
"Don't tell me that guy was called by the Tower too?"
I could only tilt my head at her question. Sister Valentine had clearly witnessed Monestier's apostle awakening earlier and knew the process involved.
So why was she asking this after seeing Edward's past just moments ago?
When I didn't answer, she asked again.
"Berddin, you don't know either?"
"I do know. I just don't understand why you're asking me."
"You don't know why I'm asking?"
"Yes. You personally witnessed Baron Monestier's awakening. So why question Edward showing the exact same signs?"
Valentine stared at me blankly with wide eyes before turning her gaze afar, lost in thought.
"Edward showed the same signs as Monestier?"
"Yes. Whether it was a god or the Tower's master, some black liquid appeared from somewhere, wrapped around their bodies, and twisted space to reveal their past lives."
"Right, that's what happened when I faced my Monestier. But the Edward who came to Strange Castle this time... I didn't see any of that."
"You didn't see it?"
"No. To my eyes, there was no black liquid, nor the past life like with Monestier."
I turned to Bess.
"Did you not see it either, Bess?"
"No, Family Head."
Had no one else besides me seen it?
I even asked Kaipa and his knights.
But no one except me had witnessed Edward's awakening.
The only odd thing they noted was the black rain pouring from the sky turning into slimes that attacked the castle.
'What in the world is going on?'
I couldn't comprehend the situation, but I decided to unravel that mystery later.
This wasn't the time to dwell on Edward's awakening. It was the moment to decide how we would bring down the Glazers next.
"Sister, I don't know why only I saw that scene. But he was called by the Tower and became an apostle. He can no longer return to the Glazers."
She instantly grasped why I said this and immediately ordered her knights to prepare for departure.
"This is our chance to end the Glazers."
"Yes, Sister."
With preparations complete for our march east, we assembled all units under Strange command in front of the castle.
Even limiting to knights of 3-star rank or higher, we had over 3,000—now no one could stop us.
Edward, the Glazer's core, was gone, most of their forces were injured big and small from the battle hours ago, and they had expended so much mana it couldn't be recovered overnight.
'I'm certain this battle will end the war.'
Just as they had swiftly struck Strange Castle through an unexpected gap, if I counterattacked with a move they couldn't predict, their current forces couldn't possibly hold us back.
'Then.'
I explained the plan to the commanders of each unit inside the command tent.
"Does anyone know how the Glazer mages infiltrated near the castle undetected?"
There were at least twenty commanders, but none answered.
They were all renowned knights in their own territories, but reading the Glazer's movements wasn't easy.
Only I had grasped their malice.
"If no one knows, I'll explain my theory on their infiltration route."
I picked up a pen, circled Kaswell Port on the map, and continued.
"First, they likely moved quickly here by sea. Otherwise, they couldn't have reached our castle so fast from the southeast edge. To move that many mages with mobility, they'd need at least hundreds of horses."
The commanders murmured in agreement.
"Moreover, after the battle, I checked—no horses on any road east from the castle. So either they used mana to move, or some power teleported them here instantly."
Kaipa, listening, widened his eyes.
"N-No way?!"
"You've figured it out."
"Not sure if I'm right, but did they use a warp gate?"
I gave him a small smile.
"Most likely."
"Unbelievable. That means the Glazers know our warp gate locations. Even in the family, very few know that info, right?"
"Yes. Seems there's a rat in the family I haven't found yet. But it'll come to light after the war, so no need to worry deeply."
Kaipa glared fiercely at the commanders in turn.
"I'll find and kill it myself."
"No need, Sir Kaipa. Someone better suited than us will handle it."
"Who?"
"Someone you know."
Maria Theresa smiled at him.
Kaipa, having seen her interrogation skills before, simply looked away and nodded.
"Understood."
"Then, you can assume their infiltration route was roughly like that. Now, I'll explain our counterattack plan."
I marked their sea route with the pen, then drew a long line east through the ocean.
"As you all know, the border has a barrier from the Glazers blocking approaches."
No need to elaborate; everyone knew.
"So if we go east by sea too, we can launch a swift assault before they set defenses."
A balding elderly commander raised his hand.
"Family Head, the eastern waves have reached this area. Isn't going by sea to their camp too dangerous?"
I shook my head firmly.
"No need to worry about the eastern waves."
"No need?"
"Yes. As you saw in this battle, the eastern waves fought alongside us."
"......"
"They were the ones who dealt with the black slimes summoned by the mages."
Most commanders didn't know the black slimes' true nature.
Only that black rain fell from the sky, they appeared suddenly, and attacked us with hostility.
"So the black slimes were monsters summoned by the mages, and the eastern waves helped us?"
"That's the only conclusion for now. They devoured all the black slimes and then left the castle."
"...Maybe they just came to feed."
"If they needed food, they'd ally with their fellow slimes and attack us too?"
"Knowing they couldn't beat us, they targeted the weaker slimes instead?"
"Would starving monsters that came to the battlefield compare strengths with the enemy?"
"Instinct for survival...? Monsters have beastly senses too. Maybe to stay alive?"
Pffuk!
Before the question ended, a finger-length dagger buried into the old man's back.
"Kuhk..."
Turning slowly, Kaipa stared down at him with a resolute expression.
"Do we look like we're here for your opinion? Or to receive the Family Head's orders?"
"Hahk."
"The Family Head's command is absolute. If you can't obey, leave now."
His ironclad loyalty silenced the other commanders. Especially finishing off the subdued old man sent a clear warning to any internal foes.
"Or this will happen."
He slowly twisted the blade up and down, then slashed long across the throat.
Thud.
The tent fell silent.
After waiting for Kaipa's men to remove the body, I pointed back at Kaswell Port on the map.
"To recap: We'll move east through Kaswell Port, which the Glazers used to infiltrate from the south."
I drew up the map with a ballpoint pen.
Sizzle—
"Once we reach Liberty Port in the northeast, assemble all forces there. Then send them straight here."
I pointed to the Central Backbone Mountains on the path from east to north.
The commanders murmured. We were heading to strike the Glazers in the central east—why go even farther north?
Many wondered but dared not ask. Kaipa at my side was too steadfast.
'The Family Head's word is victory or death.'
I knew his thoughts and wouldn't blame him if issues arose.
It was all for me.
"If we successfully move the forces to the spot I'm pointing at now."
I quickly sketched a warp gate on the destination.
"We'll infiltrate the Glazers via the secret gate here."
A secret Glazer warp gate known only to me now.
One that would be discovered after the war's end.
I revealed its location to all.
"Once we infiltrate, taking their heads will be easy. Just hold out until then."