Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: A Bloody Welcome
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“Are you sure this is okay?”
A man with brown hair and a stylishly groomed mustache stared at the castle wall with a worried expression.
He was Count Gelgoros, the operations staff officer of the Corinthian Army Group.
He had followed the commander’s orders and kept the troops at a distance for now.
After all, no one in the army group could defy Kroll Karim’s stubbornness.
Anyone who dared to subtly disobey his command out of excessive caution would face his wrath.
Countless predecessors had been ruined that way.
And getting beaten to within an inch of your life was just the beginning.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. Just stay put. That is, if you want to walk home in one piece.”
A tall, black-haired, middle-aged man standing beside him spoke nonchalantly.
He was Marquis Kublon, the vice-commander of the Corinthian Army Group.
Unlike the rather anxious Gelgoros, his demeanor was utterly composed.
It was because he had known Kroll Karim longer than anyone.
“Have you ever seen His Excellency lose?”
“No, I haven’t. But I heard his opponent is quite formidable. Highly renowned in the Empire…”
“Hmph! So what? He’s just some kid who made a name for himself at the academy. Before the Commander, he’s nothing but a greenhorn.”
“I-I suppose you’re right?”
“Of course. He wasn’t nicknamed the Butcher of the Abyss for nothing. You’ll probably only see a pile of minced meat.”
Gelgoros nodded at Kublon’s words.
True, considering Kroll Karim’s usual prowess, defeat was unimaginable.
It might be a different story if his opponent were someone on the level of Hol Shivas, the Emperor's Sawtooth Sword.
Count Gelgoros let out a small, dry laugh, chiding himself for his needless worry.
And yet, something kept nagging at him, making him tilt his head in confusion.
Just as that thought was circling his mind…
*Rumble!*
A deafening roar, accompanied by a heavy vibration, erupted from the edge of the castle wall.
“Ugh!”
His anxiety intensifying, Gelgoros let out a low groan.
But Marquis Kublon still wore a relaxed smile.
“It has begun. His Excellency’s trademark, the Aura Column. Feeling a bit more at ease now?”
“...Yes.”
“It’s quite visible even from this distance. Has he grown even stronger?”
The two men admired the blue pillar that shot dozens of meters into the sky.
Presently, Kublon glanced back and beckoned with his finger.
An adjutant immediately ran up and saluted.
“Sir. You called for me?”
“It will be over soon, so get ready to move. As for Lord Merilket… Ah, there he is. Never mind.”
With a casual wave of his hand, the adjutant hurried off to relay the vice-commander's orders.
Meanwhile, Marquis Kublon waited for the portly man who was rushing toward them, out of breath.
It was the lord of this land, Count Merilket.
He had a stout build and terrible stamina, sweating profusely after just a short run.
The only thing remotely impressive about him was that he didn’t seem too burdened by his armor.
“W-what happened? That villain…”
“They are in the middle of a battle, so wait a moment. If you’re that curious, go and see for yourself.”
“I was ordered to wait, how could I…”
“We’re going to head over when it’s finished anyway. You can follow us.”
“Ahem! Very well.”
As Kublon and Gelgoros led the way, Lord Merilket followed, blinking his eyes, which were nearly swallowed by his fleshy face.
Seeing how he kept his distance, he seemed to be quite the coward.
“To think a man like that is a margrave… It seems the Merilket family has no one of talent.”
“Watch your mouth. He may look like that, but he outranks you.”
“My apologies. I misspoke.”
By the time the three of them neared the edge of the castle wall, the continuous roars had significantly subsided.
It seemed they had reached a lull.
The outcome must have been decided by now.
Kublon and Gelgoros, who had briefly paused, looked at each other and nodded.
An unspoken signal that it was safe to proceed.
The two were about to move forward, regardless of whether Lord Merilket was following.
But at that very moment…
*Screeeech—!*
“Ugh!”
A sharp sound, one that threatened to tear their eardrums, came from ahead.
They staggered, clapping their hands over their ears.
A powerful shockwave had spread out, violently shaking their bodies.
“Are you alright?”
“I don’t feel any particular injuries.”
“It’s quiet now, so it must be over. Still, let’s wait a little longer just in case.”
“Yes, sir.”
As the three men waited, pacing nearby, they spotted their allies closing in, tightening the encirclement.
Since it had just gone quiet, it was the perfect time to enter.
Signaling for the others to follow, Marquis Kublon strode calmly around the corner of the castle wall.
He was just about to step onto the scene of the final battle.
“...Huh?”
Kublon, who was in the lead, stopped in his tracks with a dumbfounded grunt.
Gelgoros, who followed close behind, also stood frozen, his eyes wide and his mouth agape.
“W-what is this…”
The reason for their shock was simple.
The minced meat Marquis Kublon had spoken of was strewn before their eyes.
The problem was that the one torn to pieces was Kroll Karim.
Meanwhile, the greenhorn from the Empire was perched on the commander’s armor, looking utterly relaxed.
His face was splattered with blood, and he wore a murderous grin.
He drawled in a sly voice.
“Welcome. First time seeing your commander get his ass kicked?”
* * *
Meanwhile, the 3rd Prince’s army was steadily regrouping.
A massive fortress had already been erected in the foothills of the Alente region.
To think a hidden fortress would suddenly appear in such a remote area, with not even a shabby trade route nearby.
It was a mysterious and astonishing sight.
*Clap, clap, clap!*
“As expected of an Earth Spiritist. Truly incredible!”
Ellington clapped his hands cheerfully as he surveyed the completed fortress.
Overall, there were a few parts where the finishing touches were lacking.
But that was merely a result of insufficient manpower and time.
The thickness and height of the walls were more than adequate, and there were no functional issues.
To construct such a fortress in such a short time was nothing short of a miracle.
“You flatter me. I simply made the bricks according to the blueprints the student council president gave me.”
“Procuring the materials is the most crucial part. With no quarry nearby, you must have gone through a lot of trouble.”
“It was nothing.”
Although Mac Ties was being modest, Ellington praised him once more.
That was how desperately the 3rd Prince’s army needed a castle to serve as their base.
“Now we can conduct operations freely, without worrying about our rear, just like Franz.”
“Still, we can’t afford to be reckless just yet. If the Corinthian army joins them, this place could be swept away in an instant.”
Ellington’s soaring spirits were quickly dampened by Adel’s realistic advice.
Not that it annoyed him.
He was a fairly rational person to begin with, and it was indeed time to prepare for what was to come.
“First, let’s hear the intelligence reports before we discuss anything further.”
“The long-range reconnaissance team should be returning soon. Let’s hold a strategy meeting when they arrive.”
Ellington nodded silently and naturally turned to leave with Mac and Adel.
As they moved along the castle wall, they soon spotted a group of people.
Judging by the banner they raised as they reached the fortress entrance, it was clearly one of their reconnaissance teams.
“Speak of the devil, they’ve arrived right on time.”
“We should head down quickly.”
“Let’s.”
The three of them hurriedly moved inside the fortress and summoned the other officers.
Soon, they gathered in a proper meeting hall and came face to face with the newly returned reconnaissance team.
“You seemed to be in quite a hurry. Report at once.”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
The reconnaissance team leader saluted and quickly got to the point.
Given the gravity of the situation, a swift report was paramount.
“The 2nd Prince’s army is currently 10 kilometers north of Ermac Fortress.”
“That close? But why weren’t they detected?”
“It seems they moved down along the mountain range while conducting their search.”
“Hmm…”
Ellington let out a low groan and looked back at the map.
The route the enemy had taken was through considerably rough terrain.
Since they didn’t know the 3rd Prince’s army’s location, they must have been searching every possible place on their way down.
In doing so, they had unintentionally concealed their forces.
This was not a good situation for his army.
Being inferior in every aspect, they needed to be proactive to have any chance of turning the tables.
“It’s not the worst-case scenario, though. If they try to force their way through the fortress, we could actually gain a significant advantage.”
Ellington nodded in agreement with Adel’s opinion.
It was a common military theory that the besieging side needed three times the number of troops as the defenders.
Especially for a mountain fortress built in such treacherous terrain, the cost in manpower and resources would be far greater.
Naturally, a siege would last for months at a minimum, and could even stretch on for years.
Of course, this was all based on the assumption that the top-tier powerhouses, the core of their strategy, were excluded.
With the existence of individuals possessing world-shaking abilities, a fortress alone was not enough to guarantee their safety.
“U-urgent report!”
Just as everyone was lost in thought and a brief silence fell…
Someone burst into the meeting hall, shouting.
It was an officer from the ranger unit, in charge of short-range reconnaissance.
“What is it?”
When Ellington asked with a feigned air of solemnity, the officer replied with a grim expression.
“The 2nd Prince’s army has reached the north gate of the fortress.”
“What…?”
Everyone in the hall was too stunned to speak, looking at each other’s faces.
They had just heard the enemy was 10 kilometers to the north, and now they were right at their doorstep?
It seemed utterly absurd.
But Ellington quickly composed himself and rose from his seat.
“We can question the details later. Let’s move now. Everyone, do your best at your designated positions as we’ve prepared!”
“Yes, sir!”
The leaders of the 3rd Prince’s army replied forcefully and exited the meeting hall.
Ellington himself practically flew up the stairs, taking them two or three at a time.
When he reached the fortress ramparts, he could indeed see the 2nd Prince’s army positioned at the bottom of the northern slope.
“There are so many of them.”
A bitter remark escaped his lips.
Amazingly, the enemy forces appeared to be about three times the size of their own.
Moreover, they had already begun constructing siege weapons.
Catapults and siege towers were being built around core materials.
“They’re fast, too.”
“I thought we were far ahead by building this fortress…”
Ellington scanned the 2nd Prince’s army, his displeasure evident.
“What if the Corinthian army joins them?”
“...We’d be pretty much finished.”
The moment Ray Carter’s disruption mission failed, the only option left was retreat.
If the Corinthian forces were added to the mix, their chances of victory would plummet to zero.
Adel, too, seemed to be considering a retreat, her brow furrowed as she gave a small nod.
But just then…
A voice came from behind them.
“The Corinthian army isn’t coming.”
The tone was sly, yet confident.
At the familiar voice, Ellington and Adel whipped their heads around.
There, they saw Ray Carter, half-reclined on the edge of the wall.
“D-did you succeed?”
At Ellington’s question, Ray gave a slight shrug and said.
“Heh heh! Can’t you tell by the fact that I’m back in one piece? Now hurry up and worship me.”