Summer's Great Army (2)
After conquering the grand fortress, the forces from the duchy charged in aboard longships and began flinging lances with wild abandon. Quaaaaang!!
"Kuaaaak!"
"Uwaaaak!"
"Hahahaha! Lord Dreng! Look at those knights flying through the sky!"
"A truly gi-hap-worthy sight, Sergeant!"
"I agree completely!!"
Ah! So this is why men become heavy cavalry! The feel of the lance was downright addictive. We could even execute the flying lance throw with our longships. We crushed every heavy cavalry unit we faced without taking a single loss.
While we were hunting for the next target, a messenger came sprinting toward us.
"Lord Yarl!! Sergeant Ulfrik!! Urgent report!"
"Son, your messenger looks extremely worked up."
"Eh? Kayvan?"
Kayvan, who had been keeping the grand fortress and our forces linked so we could track the battle, rushed over. After hearing what he had to say, I nearly dropped my lance.
"What?! Hacon was attacked?!"
"Fortunately, Corporal Hacon is unharmed. Not a single scratch."
"Thank the gods, Sergeant."
"But who in the world…"
The grand fortress was crawling with warriors from countless tribes, so identifying the culprits was nearly impossible. They had clearly used that chaos to slip assassins close to Hacon.
"More importantly, the Yoms Vikings are targeting us… I can already guess who hired them."
"We still cannot name the tribe responsible."
"Tsk. Those bastards actually used their heads for once."
Father’s mood soured the moment he heard the news.
"The Yoms Vikings are the sort who prowl the gray areas. Even if we point to the Dragon Horn Tribe as the masterminds, they’ll just deny everything and we’ll look like fools."
"How very imperial of them."
They moved with a political cunning that felt nothing like true Northmen. Even our ancestors must have sighed at the fact that such a tribe now sat on the throne. Just in case, I asked Father about the current strength of the royal house.
"More than ten years have passed since then. They’ve probably restored a fair portion of their power."
"We just have to watch out for the huskarls, right?"
"No. There are also the Varangian Guards. We need to be careful of them as well."
The Varangian Guards. In short, the Viking royal family’s personal guard. Think of them as the disciplined, royal version of the free-roaming huskarls. It looked like interference would keep coming, but the famous Yoms Vikings had been thoroughly thrashed by Hacon.
"Since assassination is no longer an option, they must be sweating blood right now."
"Heh heh… I think so too."
If they wanted to kill us Berserkers, they would have to challenge us to open combat! Father and the huskarls were also becoming Berserkers themselves, so there was zero chance the command staff would be assassinated.
"Besides, our tribe isn’t made up of warriors who would be tied down by something this petty!"
"Exactly, Father!! Shall we move out, then?!"
"Of course!! Are you lot ready?!"
""""Asei!""""
With that thunderous battle cry we resumed our joyous rampage through the ducal lands. This time, however, Kayvan returned slightly injured. I asked if the Yoms Vikings had gotten him, but the answer was far more interesting.
"The Church of the Heavenly God’s army is currently roaming the ducal territory."
"Oh."
"Oh."
"Oh."
Finally, opponents worth fighting had appeared.
Ulfrik and the warriors of the Bear Claw Tribe were overjoyed at the news Kayvan brought.
"What incredible luck!!"
"An even more glorious battle awaits us!!"
"Death to those hypocritical, two-faced bastards!"
If we played our cards right, we could fight the Church of the Heavenly God directly! Unable to contain themselves, the warriors hoisted their longships at once.
"Lord Dreng! I wonder if these big, beautiful lances will work on holy knights as well!!"
"Hahahaha! I can’t wait to see the looks on their faces!"
"I feel the same! Father, you too, right?!"
"What are you waiting for?! Let’s go!!"
"""Asei!"""
The slightly wounded Kayvan returned to the grand fortress while Ulfrik and the Vikings raced toward the Church forces. Meanwhile, in the army of the Heavenly God Order that the Raven scouts had located, Merine—the disciple of Sword Master Valtein, whom Ulfrik had slain—was traveling with the troops.
"Sir Tegen!! Are those barbarians truly roaming the ducal lands?!"
"According to the latest reports, yes. It seems we just missed one of their scouts."
Merine ground her teeth after receiving the information from Tegen, the paladin and executor currently leading the army.
At last, the time has come to avenge my master!
While Merine burned with fighting spirit and advanced with the Order’s forces, the sound of marching feet echoed in the distance.
"Who are those people?"
"Sister, judging by the banner, they appear to be the Black Star Knights."
"Why would the knights who were guarding the grand fortress…"
The Order’s forces encountered the battered remnants of the Black Star Knights. They soon received shocking news.
"Is it true that Lord Drain has fallen?!"
"…I’m afraid it is."
Another northern master had been slain by the warrior who wielded blue thunder. The Church of the Heavenly God was stunned, yet the senior knights leading the Black Star Knights calmly announced their next move.
"We will begin Lord Commander’s funeral at a hidden sanctuary known only to us."
"We will likely maintain silence and mourning for our master even after the war ends."
"Such…"
The Order respected the Black Star Knights’ grief and offered to send priests to assist with the rites. The senior knights, however, refused. Revealing their secrets to outsiders would mean those secrets were no longer secrets.
While the Order offered words of comfort, Merine—sharing the same pain—reacted differently.
"If the warrior wields blue thunder, then it must be that heretic Ulfrik!!"
"Lady Merine? Please calm yourself…"
"My master was also murdered by that barbarian! Why are you hiding instead of taking revenge?!"
The Black Star Knights flared with rage at Merine’s outburst.
"You weren’t even present at that battle, so don’t you dare speak such filthy words!!"
"You were busy stuffing yourselves with meat and drink elsewhere while we fought for our lives!!"
"Let go of me, seniors!! I’ll cut down that wench who insulted us right now—!!"
"Enough!! All of you, stop!!"
"There is no reason for us to draw blades on one another here!!"
Fortunately, Tegen managed to mediate before weapons were drawn.
"Sorrow and grief overflow even on land blessed by the Heavenly God."
"There is no reason for lambs who worship the same god to fight."
"……We will take our leave now."
"Please take care on your journey."
The Black Star Knights sheathed their weapons and departed. Tegen turned to Merine with a quiet warning.
"Lady Merine, you must not force your own revenge upon others."
"…I will keep that in mind."
Tegen sighed at the sight of the vengeance-obsessed knight and ordered the army forward once more. When they finally reached the area where the heretics had been reported, strange battle cries rang out from somewhere ahead.
Hwaaaaaah!!
Hoooooooh!!
Kiyoooooooot!!
"Hah! They shout instead of staying silent during an ambush?!"
"Typical heretics and barbarians!"
"Brothers and sisters! Now is the time to exalt the name of the Heavenly God!!"
The moment of vengeance had arrived. Merine drew her sword and prepared for battle…
"Uh… uhhh?!"
"W-wait a moment!!"
"Scatter!! Scatter immediately!!!"
The heretics were charging straight at them from afar, each carrying a massive, beautiful longship! The Order’s forces tried desperately to respond, but it was already too late.
"Throw them!!!"
""""Asei!""""
The flying lances struck true and the battle began.
Found you at last, you bastards!!!
We had nearly missed them because they moved after Kayvan reported their location. The other Vikings were equally thrilled that we had located the Church forces before the day ended.
"We can finally fight proper holy knights!!"
"Lord Yarl!! Lord Dreng!! Please give the order—!!"
"Right now!!"
There was no reason to drag things out. Father and I roared the charge, and the warriors surged forward with a gi-hap-filled battle cry. Now I could face the holy knights I had seen during the last raid on the small city…
"Ulfriiiiiiik!"
"Hm?"
"Sergeant, who’s the loud woman?"
"Lord Dreng, do you know her?"
A female knight was ignoring every other warrior and charging straight at me. One of our men immediately blocked her path.
Chaeeeeng!!
"Do you even know whose name you just spoke?!"
"Out of my way!! You barbarian!!"
Lucas, who regarded me as his sworn elder brother, clearly did not appreciate the female knight’s attitude. Even though she radiated overwhelming killing intent, I gave a separate order and the fierce duel allowed her to reach my vicinity.
"Ulfrik!! I will avenge Master Valtein right here and now!!"
"That Valtein knight sure was popular."
Back at the grand fortress, people had claimed the Sword Master and I were friends or something similar. In any case, his disciple had come seeking revenge, and that burden of vengeance was hers alone. I called over a nearby corporal who happened to be carrying something that would fan her flames even higher.
"Lord Dreng! You called for me!"
"Draw the greatsword you’re carrying."
"Here it is!"
Shrrrng—!
The sound of the blade leaving its sheath was distinctive. Even through her helmet, I could see the female knight’s eyes widen.
"Th-that’s?!"
"Ah… you mean this?"
Exactly. It was her master’s sword. Realizing what I intended, mana erupted from the female knight’s entire body.
Hwoooooong!!
"Don’t you dare touch my master’s keepsake with those filthy hands!!"
"Hahahaha! Then come and take it if you can!"
I would grant her a duel of vengeance using Mjolnir. But first—
"Defeat me while I wield your master’s sword!!"
"I’ll kill you right now!!"
With that, the female knight and I clashed.