Chapter 5 - Yesterday's Enemy Is Today's...
General Hagal’s unexpected revolt came as a huge shock to the citizens of Natra.
Why would someone who had trusted and faithfully served the royal family act in this way? This was on everyone’s minds, and all sorts of rumors and speculation ran rampant.
But no one could agree on a conclusion. That was because Hagal the ringleader had not given a single word of protest.
Even those trying to decide if he deserved clemency were having trouble coming up with a defense. Raising a sword against your master was a sin. If he had propped up his accomplishments as a justifiable reason to spare him, he might have been able to avoid execution. But it seemed that Hagal did not have the desire to go through with that.
If he had no desire to save himself, no one could change that. The court declared Hagal guilty, and he was sentenced to death. He was beheaded within the day. Most of the lords and others who had participated in the revolt were executed, too.
Though it had been a necessity, the military troops of Natra had lost a core member, causing anxiety to rise in the nation. But that fear was wiped out in the most surprising way.
Of all things, it was Cavarin’s ridiculous proclamation that Wein had killed their recently departed King Ordalasse.
“What an insult to our crown prince!”
“I heard some guy named Levert has taken over, and he’s the one who killed the king.”
“They’re just making up a reason to go to war…!”
“Using General Hagal’s death as an opportunity? They’re a bunch of beasts that just look human.”
In this way, the citizens’ fear quickly changed to rage toward Cavarin. The reaction must have been partially motivated by their innate desire to shake off their fears.
In any case, with talk of the looming war with Cavarin on the horizon and expectations for Wein to defeat them, it wasn’t long before people no longer spoke of Hagal’s death—
Back to the present.
With his people’s hope all on him, Wein was at the base of the Remnant Army of Marden.
There was but one reason: to form an official alliance against Cavarin.
“I wonder what they’ll bring to the table?” Ninym asked Wein as they waited on standby in the room. “Everything is going their way, right?”
“I’d say so. An unfortunate misunderstanding has left the relationship between Natra and Cavarin volatile, and we’ve agreed to support each other as a united force on the battlefield as long as they act as reinforcements. The Marden side couldn’t ask for a better outcome.”
“An ‘unfortunate misunderstanding.’”
“You know, this whole thing pains me, too.”
“That’s not the impression I get.”
“Well, these things happen.” Wein shrugged.
“By the way, I know we involved the Remnant Army to suppress the rebels, but wasn’t there a possibility that they would betray us?”
Wein shouldered the sin of killing a king. The Remnant Army had the option of capturing him and using him in diplomatic negotiations with Cavarin.
But Wein shook his head. “That’d be tricky. First of all, there is no way the Remnant Army would want to join up with Cavarin from an emotional standpoint. Even from an economic perspective, we’re not sure when Levert’s regime will collapse, and even if they somehow make a deal, Cavarin might skip out on the bill in the end. Plus, more than anything else, I was by Zeno’s side all throughout the battle.”
Just as he finished his sentence, the door swung open. Jiva appeared.
“Prince Regent. We are prepared for the meeting.”
“Got it. Let’s go, Ninym.”
Wein and Ninym left the room and continued down the hallway. Jiva talked as he guided them.
“By the way, Your Highness, I heard you took very good care of Zeno.”
“Of course. She was an important traveling companion.”
“Thank you very much. I was surprised when the message came, requesting we hide our army.” Jiva offered a wry smile as they arrived in front of their destination. “Prince Helmut is waiting for you. Please come inside.”
Jiva opened the door. Accompanied by Ninym, Wein followed him inside.
Wein saw the person waiting for him. His eyes widened slightly, and he gave a small smile.
“Might I ask your name once more, Prince Helmut?”
“Zenovia.”
Zeno—Zenovia— placed her hand on her chest as she answered.
“I am the Kingdom of Marden’s eldest princess, Zenovia Marden. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance, Prince Wein.”
“You’re not very surprised,” noted Zenovia, smiling as she sat across from Wein. “I gather that you noticed?”
“No, you definitely got me.”
Unlike when they were traveling together, there was no question she was a girl. He had known from the very beginning that she was disguised as a boy, but now that she was dressed differently, he could hardly recognize her.
Especially with those big breasts. Wein couldn’t hide his surprise at how she’d managed to tuck them away.
“—Hey.” Ninym stabbed the back of Wein’s head with her pen. Be serious, she seemed to say. Wein rubbed his head.
“I realized that you, Zeno—I mean, Princess Zenovia—were one of the royal family while we were in Cavarin. However, I was only half sure that Prince Helmut and you were the same person.”
“You were half sure? And what made you realize for sure?”
“Your response when I requested reinforcements.”
“…I see, so that was your objective. It seems as if you can solve any mystery through even the most trivial conversation, Prince.”
Zenovia smiled wryly, and Wein responded in turn.
“I have a question as well. Was your Prince Helmut charade an attempt to raise the soldiers’ morale?”
“You’re right,” Zenovia admitted with a nod. “When Cavarin attacked the capital, I was able to escape thanks to our most loyal retainer, Jiva. I then decided to form an army in order to take back the capital, but as you can see, I am a woman.”
Whether she was royalty or not, she was still a woman. In a country that was as heavily influenced by the Teachings of Levetia as Marden, it was no surprise she didn’t have the status required to answer that calling.
“However, the other royals had all been executed, and there was no one else to take the position. When Prince Helmut was put to death, no one had been able to tell it was him. Which was why I took his name, put on a helmet and armor, and pretended to be him around the clock.”
“But wasn’t that inconvenient for you?”
“Not at all. The armor was so light that even I could wear it. Furthermore, the fact that only a select few vassals knew my face was my saving grace, so I was able to live on as Jiva’s nephew Zeno.”
What did it mean for her vassals to not know the face of their eldest princess?
In the back, Ninym murmured. “The eldest princess hardly made public appearances, rarely seen due to her poor health. There was even a rumor that she had passed away.”
“That was indeed a rumor. As you can see, I am in fine health.”
It was here that Zenovia seemed to laugh at herself with some self-derision.
“The truth is, Father…His Majesty…had admonished me harshly and had me cloistered in the imperial villa. Ironically enough, that is why I was the only one able to escape.”
I see, Wein thought. He knew well the love she had for her country. It wasn’t hard to imagine that her father would send away his loudmouthed daughter who refused to silence her righteous indignation over his corrupt reign. It was a perfectly likely story.
As he considered this, Zenovia turned to the matter at hand.
“Prince Wein, might I turn our meeting toward a discussion of an alliance?”
“Of course, that was my intention. I have no plans to null my earlier promise. We will fight against Cavarin with the Liberation Front to free the capital of Marden.”
“…”
“Is something not sitting well with you?”
“To be perfectly honest, I am unsure whether to continue the fight with Cavarin.”
Not only Wein and Ninym but also Jiva beside them looked surprised.
The princess went on. “I thought that if I could just go to the capital of Cavarin and meet the Holy Elites, we might have a chance. That I would gain their support if I could only bring our distress and Cavarin’s barbarism to their attention. But I was much too naive. I was as concerned as I could be about my nation, but I had none of the skill required to lead it.”
Zenovia thought of the Holy Elites she met in Cavarin’s capital. Each one of them was full of will. And right in front of her, she felt it coming from Wein, too.
“How can I take back Marden’s capital and revive the nation? How can I contend with people like you? Even if I pretended to be Helmut at the outset, I don’t know how long I can keep up that charade.”
“…”
“What if the efforts of the Liberation Front only hurt the citizens unnecessarily…? That is my greatest fear.” Zenovia then smiled. It was somewhat pained. “What do you think, Prince Wein? Can you persuade someone like me?”
All eyes in the room fell on Wein. He was silent for a moment as he thought it over.
“Zeno.” Wein had intentionally called her by this name. “First, you should fix that arrogant attitude.”
“What?” Zenovia blinked in surprise. “Y-you think I’m arrogant…?”
“Protecting the powerless citizens alone? Guiding them? That’s arrogance if I ever saw it. If you ask me, the citizens can live fine on their own without a king or whatever.”
Everyone in the room looked taken aback. Wein faced them all and expanded on his theory.
“Don’t look down on your people, Zeno. Authority is an illusion, and every last citizen has the willpower and ability to kill a king. That’s why kings rule with a cautious hand, and their subjects continue to observe whether that king is bringing them any benefit. It’s not a one-way road. There has to be mutual benefit to build what we call a country.”
“…”
“That’s why, Zeno, you should use the people as much as possible to achieve your own goals. After all, the people are going to wring you dry in pursuit of theirs. I’ll say it so there’s no mistake: The true nature of the relationship between a king and his subjects is nothing more than fellow accomplices.”
Wein finished and looked at Zeno. His eyes seemed to be asking So what are you going to do?
“…Can I really wish for that? To take back Marden? To release it from Cavarin’s grasp?”
“Naturally,” Wein said. “Get your people to buy in and take back Marden together. You can worry about the government and everything else once that’s been taken care of. Even if you don’t have the skill now, people can change. Even if you fail, you’ll either die or be singled out for criticism. And there isn’t much of a difference between the two. There’s no point in worrying over a miscalculation.”
“…I’m certain you are the only one on the continent who can call that a miscalculation, Prince Wein.” Zeno smiled wryly. Unlike before, she seemed more relaxed. “Thank you. You have washed all my fears away. I shall face Cavarin all for the sake of my wish.”
“Sounds like a plan… Well then, in that case, let’s resolve one more issue, Princess Zenovia. It concerns your Helmut disguise.”
“Do you have a plan of some sort?”
“Of course. It’s actually simple. —Right, Prince Helmut?”
Huh? Zenovia looked confused.
Wein grinned.
“I understand your concern. Once you face off against Cavarin, there will always be a slim chance that something may happen. But even if you fail, you still have Princess Zenovia to entrust into our nation’s care,” waxed Wein, as if acting in a play.
Zenovia shivered. After all, she understood his intentions.
“If that time does come, I will do my best to put Princess Zenovia on the throne. There will be some opposition to a ruling queen, but with my nation’s support, it will be done.”
“Prince Wein, you…”
Prince Helmut would officially die in the next battle against Cavarin. According to the story, Zenovia, who had been entrusted in Natra’s care, would rise as Marden’s true successor. This would release her from her Helmut guise.
If she went along with this plan, the cooperation of Natra would be essential in her ascension to the throne, and it would likely be difficult to defy their wishes from here on out.
“What? There’s nothing to worry about. —We’re friends, right?” Wein chided Zenovia, who had become more timid.
Then he switched completely and proceeded with negotiations over his own national interests. Even after they repelled Cavarin, and the Kingdom of Marden was revived once more, he was sure to take advantage of their political instability.
Zenovia didn’t think he was being vague or evasive. Rather, she had a feeling that she understood his character. This prince named Wein was kind and treated everyone equally in every circumstance.
“…Prince Wein, may I bring up one more final matter?”
“Name it.”
“Earlier, you called the Holy Elite a bunch of shams, but you’re truly no better.”
Wein shrugged. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
And thus, the conference resulted in an alliance between Natra and the Remnant Army of Marden.
A month later, the war between Cavarin and their Allied Forces would begin.
Tholituke. The former royal capital of Marden.
The Allied Forces moved out to surround the city under Cavarin occupation. By entering this war, they claimed it was their moral duty to release Tholituke from Cavarin’s unjust rule.
The Allied Forces were an army of about seven thousand, comprised of four thousand from Natra and the rest from the Remnant Army. The soldiers of Natra had been capped by their monetary revenue from the mine, paying however many they could afford and gathering as many guards as possible. The Remnant Army used their remaining fortune to mobilize everything they could muster.
In response to this, the guards stationed in Cavarin chose to tightly bar the gates and hole up in the castle. This bought them time as they waited for their homeland to send reinforcements.
“Everything’s going just as planned,” Wein noted in the tent of their temporary command center. “Let’s strictly forbid all troops from carrying out any excessive attacks, especially inside the castle. Instead, we’ll continue to emphasize that we are the Liberation Front led by Marden’s true successor, Prince Helmut, and that our goal is to save the royal capital.”
“Understood.”
As Wein’s subordinates were dispatched, Zeno began to speak up, sitting next to Wein and dressed in armor as Prince Helmut.
“Psychological warfare, huh? How much of an effect will it have?”
“Depends on how long they stay holed up in there.”
The most important thing to do was make sure the people were blaming Cavarin for their dissatisfaction. The Allied Forces wanted the citizens to convince themselves that they were victims under Cavarin. This sentiment would grow over time and eventually pierce the container that was the city of Tholituke.
Well, it’d be pretty hard to attack the capital with a name like Liberation Front.
Their cause would appeal to people’s hearts, but it made it difficult to use military force. It was a delicate situation.
“Either way, it’d be a bonus for the city. If they can put some pressure on Cavarin without getting in the way during the main event, that’s enough.
Ninym entered the tent. “A report from the patrols. They’ve confirmed that Cavarin’s forces are marching toward us.”
“So they’ve come…”
This was the main event. Cavarin’s forces were now mobilized to relieve Tholituke. Rubbing shoulders with this army had been the Allied Forces’ objective.
“How many?”
“Fifteen thousand.”
Zenovia trembled in her armor. But it was not because she feared an enemy army twice the size of her own.
“As you said, Prince Wein, they have under twenty thousand.”
“Of course. I planned it that way.” Wein smiled. “I imagine General Levert is bitterly regretting his poor situation right about now. And we’re going to break his wretched heart.”
Why did things turn out this way?
Fifteen thousand soldiers had been sent from Cavarin to bring relief to the besieged Tholituke. However, their leader Levert had more difficulty maintaining his concentration than ever before.
The reason for this was Cavarin’s current situation.
Frankly speaking, the kingdom was in danger of fracturing.
Everything, of course, began with King Ordalasse’s death. The sudden loss of their leader had naturally resulted in mayhem, and the scandal that occurred right in the middle of the Gathering of the Chosen plummeted Cavarin’s international credibility. Cavarin was a feudal society. Lords and nobles grouped around the large family tree of royals, holding the nation together. However, this latest incident only exacerbated distance the lords put between themselves and the royal family of Cavarin.
This army that had been dispatched as aid was no doubt a manifestation of those circumstances. Cavarin itself could mobilize a force of over twenty thousand—and up to thirty thousand if they pushed the limits.
But Levert was here with just fifteen thousand. He had employed every possible means—and he still hadn’t even been able to muster anywhere close to twenty thousand.
I have to crush these guys as soon as possible and hurry back…!
The decision to send him away from the royal capital was a sore point for Levert. The rumors that he was a king-killer trying to take over the country were still spreading among the people. This must have been the reason he was having trouble gathering lords as well. They’d try to distance themselves from Levert in the central administration and then remove the Imperial Court altogether.
However, he didn’t have the choice of not going. For the aforementioned reasons, the morale of the Cavarin army was at rock bottom. Even so, they needed a general to lead them, and Levert himself would soon lose his political authority if he didn’t display his skills here.
I did distance myself from King Ordalasse. But it is only because I was thinking of Cavarin.
If he wasn’t here to stitch the army together at a time like this, Cavarin would become an ideal hunting ground for the other nations. If anything, he had to avoid that at all costs. That required Levert to lead their army, swiftly defeat the enemy, and return home.
I bet I’ll go to hell after I die, but it’s not my time yet.
He would do what he had to do. With resolve, Levert continued to march forward.
The seven thousand soldiers of the Allied Forces were arrayed against fifteen thousand men from Cavarin.
On a plain not far from Marden’s former capital, the fight between the two armies started off with a surprising amount of caution. Many small-scale skirmishes unfolded as both focused on conserving their energy, and so the first day came to an end. This went on for several days. But why?
“We want to hurry up and resolve this, but Natra is famous for chasing out thirty thousand soldiers from Marden with only a small army. We’ll strengthen our defenses and measure their actual skill.” That would explain why Cavarin exercised caution.
“They’ll try to figure us out and strengthen their defenses. Using a small number of forces to fight a battle is good for morale. We’ll go along with Cavarin and fight for two or three days.”
The developments so far were well within the Allied Forces’ expectations.
And thus, the two sounded each other out as the third day passed.
Then came the fourth day.
On this day, the battlefield would be thrown into chaos.
“Tomorrow, we take Natra down,” Levert had announced to his commanders on the night of the third day during a war council.
“After a few days of fighting, I figured out their little scheme. As the rumors had it, they’re powerful but not unbeatable.”
The commanders nodded in agreement.
“The troops—the ones not led by the crown prince—are stiffer.”
“According to our information, those are led by a general named Raklum. It seems he was selected to replace Hagal, who was recently executed.”
“Hagal was the cornerstone of Natra. His replacement might be able to control his subordinates, but there’s bound to be delays. That’s when we strike.”
Kustavi the adjutant raised his hand. “General! In that case, I will lead the troops to take Raklum’s and Wein’s heads tomorrow!”
Levert’s adjutant carried the blame of letting Wein get away in the past. With the accidental encounter with the rebel army, he had somehow sidestepped punishment, but it was also true that he wanted recognition of achievement more than anyone else.
However, Levert shook his head at the adjutant’s eagerness.
“No, I will go myself.”
“You, General?”
Kustavi wasn’t the only one confused by this. The other commanders had no idea what was going on.
Levert faced them. “The homeland will grow concerned if we waste any more time. I will lead the troops to be certain everything goes as planned. Kustavi, you will trap the Remnant Army.”
“If that is the case…” Kustavi nodded, looking altogether unpleased.
In actuality, half the reason behind Levert’s plan was to save face. In addition to wanting to finish the battle quickly, he had a more personal reason for volunteering for the position.
“Damn Hagal… How dare he drop dead.”
“General?”
“…It’s nothing.” Shaking his head, Levert recalled the battlefields of his younger days.
There, he could still clearly see a free-spirited commander in his mind. He also saw himself, retreating in defeat. “Someday, I’ll have your head,” he remembered saying, as if to curse the enemy general.
But his foe ended up running away to a tiny northern country, and they never crossed paths again.
“…What an idiotic sentiment.”
Levert stowed away this old tale that no one knew deep inside his heart.
Back at the camp for the Allied Forces, Raklum was kneeling before Wein and Zenovia.
“How are our forces, Raklum?”
Raklum replied with chagrin. “Your Highness… If you might allow me to be bold, I believe it will take them more time to accept me as Hagal’s replacement…”
He had been appointed the position of general after Hagal’s execution left it empty, but he regrettably could not fill his shoes. Raklum had experience leading as a captain, and he could carry out basic operations without issue. However, once he replaced Hagal, the soldiers had become wary and overly conscious of the unfamiliar relationship, and they couldn’t seem to synchronize.
“I see… While it is unfortunate, I can’t say it’s unexpected. Don’t worry about it.”
“Understood…”
To Raklum, it was as if he’d failed to meet Wein’s expectations. It was impossible for him not to worry—even if Wein had ordered him to a million times—but having said that, it wasn’t even something he could be blamed for or improve on. And as Raklum had said, it would take time, which they didn’t have.
“I’m guessing Cavarin will go all out tomorrow. That’s the deadline. Tomorrow, we’ll be carrying out the plan while keeping an eye on the enemy’s movements. Sound good to you, Prince Helmut?”
“Of course.” Zenovia gave a small nod. “Our morale is high, and we’ve had few casualties. If we get past their defenses, we will immobilize their main forces.”
Then, with admiration, she said, “But to come up with this plan… You really are something else, Prince Wein.”
“According to your younger sister, I am as much of a sham as the Holy Elites.” Wein flashed her a smile. “Cavarin came at you all in one shot. Let’s teach ’em a lesson.”
The start of the fourth day seemed just as calm as the preceding days. However, those with sharper senses could feel the facade cracking. There was a jittery impatience disguised as calm, as if one were aiming for the enemy’s throat. It was as if a piece of thread was stretched to its utmost limits, and the moment it was cut, the battlefield would become a flurry of movement.
“—All units, attack!”
Led by Levert, the five thousand soldiers pounded at the earth in their efforts to crush the troops led by Raklum.
Obviously, one side held the advantage. Not to mention that the opponent was not as fluid in their movements. The response to their charge was too slow. At this rate, they’d take the enemy general’s head with one decisive stroke.
After we finish breaking through these forces, we’ll swing around back and attack those led by the prince!
Levert had figured out a perfect tale for his victory. Now all that was left was to make it a reality.
But at that moment, he caught sight of one thing about the enemy before him.
Is that…?
In the center of the enemy forces was an old cavalryman. He did not have a noticeably large frame, but Levert couldn’t tear his eyes away. He stood in the center of the soldiers as if he were their commander, just like on another battlefield—
In that moment, fear shivered down his spine, and Levert involuntarily shouted, “ALL UNITS, HAAAAAAALT!”
Then, General Hagal gave orders to his men.
“All units, begin.”
And Natra attacked Cavarin.
“Whoa… What’s happening over there?” Wein moaned as he checked on the status of the left wing.
Just as it appeared that two thousand soldiers from Natra might dodge the rush of the soldiers from Cavarin, they thrust out and entangled the enemy like a snake, taking them out one after the other. The soldiers of Cavarin had no idea what was going on.
“I knew you went easy on me, Hagal,” Wein murmured in admiration.
Ninym sighed next to him. “I can’t believe it… In order to launch a surprise attack against the army of Cavarin, Hagal chose to pretend to be executed.”
The full series of events unfolded rather curiously.
First, Ibis the merchant got in touch with the dissenters of Natra and incited a rebellion behind the scenes.
Sensing this disquieting atmosphere, Wein had implemented a plan to use Hagal and uncover the dissenters. However, it unfortunately overlapped with an invitation from Cavarin, and he had to leave the country.
Then, Ibis got in contact with Hagal, thinking he’d fit as the rebels’ leader, and gathered the dissenters under him. Hagal would have been able to rout them with the fortress guards, but he would not be able to achieve more than that. He simply didn’t have enough manpower to destroy them at the time.
What kind of violent activity would the rebel army think to do while Wein was away?
There was no guarantee the rebels had only gathered temporarily. In between a rock and a hard place, Hagal chose to become the leader of the rebels and take the reins.
“I will do whatever it takes as long as His Highness is able to return,” he had said.
The area was heavy with rebel forces, and he was unable to contact Wein, but Hagal assumed he would come back. His first priority was Wein’s return to Natra.
For that reason, Hagal formed a plan to either reduce the number of soldiers awaiting Wein on his return home or to possibly fail consolidating a chain of command. All the while, Ibis continued to get in the way.
From the battle formation of the rebel army to their erratic movements, Wein had sensed Hagal wasn’t serious about betraying him. Plus, once Wein’s group slipped through the rebel lines, they lured out and destroyed the rebel army with the tracks they had intentionally left behind.
It was at this time that Hagal proposed the fake death Ninym had mentioned.
Foreseeing the battle that would break out with Cavarin afterward, Hagal intentionally appeared to accept capital punishment without objection, inviting Cavarin to let their guard down. He had flipped the situation upside down.
I know it’s Ibis’s fault, but he’s still pretty reckless.
Even if he mediated, if this plan worked out, Hagal would die a traitor and lose all his reputation and status. But Hagal—who was born in a country that prized reputation—had proposed the idea himself. This kind of resolve was not seen every day, and even Wein had no choice but to agree.
Command was then handed to Raklum until Cavarin bore down on them, and then on this fourth day, Hagal returned as general.
One could call the strategy a sweeping success. The enemy’s army of five thousand was on the verge of collapse. Wein knew of Hagal’s command of the flatlands, but this was truly something else.
“We better get going, Wein.”
“Yeah, I’m coming.”
Prompted by Ninym, Wein looked away from the left field of battle. He could now leave it up to Hagal.
“Well, I guess we better get moving, too.”
The current situation was a nightmare come to life.
“General! The enemy is closing in on us!”
“Please return to the stronghold! We can’t hold out here any longer!”
“Hurry! Or they’ll block our escape route!”
Panicked screams layered on top of one another. But Levert knew—here there was no escape route, and everything before them was a trap laid by the enemy.
But even if he stayed, there was no future here.
“—I figured I might get taken out by a close adviser, but to think it would be the main general.”
It was because the enemy general, Hagal, had already captured him.
“If you have any last words, now is your chance.”
At this statement, Levert’s eyes flashed. He seemed as if he might say something, but those words caught in his throat. Instead, he spoke with self-derision.
“…Even if I did, it would be a waste of breath. Now that I think about it, you got me good with that plan of yours on that day, too. I admit my loss today. —However!”
In that moment, Levert kicked his horse’s sides.
“I won’t die alone! You’re coming to hell with me!”
Levert aimed straight for Hagal as he ran past him.
“…Sorry, but…”
As the two passed each other, Hagal’s sword arm flickered like an illusion. Levert felt himself sway.
“I don’t remember you at all.”
Levert’s body split in two, falling to the ground as blood sprayed in the air. After confirming his death, Hagal raised his sword.
“The enemy General Levert is dead!”
““YEAAAAAAAAAAH!””
The shout of victory echoed across the battlefield.
Kustavi had just pinned down the Remnant Army on the right wing and was beside himself when he heard the news.
“General Levert is dead…?!”
The only things that kept him from collapsing were his sense of responsibility to his master and his seething rage. He quickly directed his wrath toward the enemy—the Remnant Army.
“All units prepare to charge! We’ll crush the Remnant Army before Natra can close in on us and regain control of this war!”
“P-please wait! Our headquarters have ordered us to retreat…!”
“Silence!” Kustavi grabbed the messenger who had tried to stop him by the collar. “Orders to ignore me and retreat?! We’ll never pay them back for General Levert unless we take them down now! Tell headquarters that if they take even one step away, I’ll kill everyone later!”
“B-but!”
Thrusting aside the tenacious messenger, Kustavi faced those around him and raised his voice. “Let’s move! Charge!”
Five thousand soldiers obeyed Kustavi and set out. The distance between them and the Remnant Army—now on defense—narrowed in the blink of an eye, and they collided. The impact was so strong that it literally sent people flying.
“Don’t stop! Push back!”
Spurred on by Kustavi, the army of Cavarin pressed forward.
Their defenses are strong, but our charge destroyed them. At this rate, we’ll force them back…!
The soldiers of Cavarin slowly broke into the Remnant Army’s ranks. Farther in were the enemy’s main forces. Their target was the head of the enemy general, Prince Helmut. For Marden’s royal family, this was a sovereign battle to take back their capital. If Cavarin took down Prince Helmut, they would lose their cause, and there was a chance his army could recover.
Just a bit more… Almost there…!
They could break through, Kustavi thought, and then he realized something.
But before he could formulate his thoughts, the enemy had wrapped around their left, right, and front.
This left only the back as an escape. As Kustavi turned around, the army of Natra was ready to charge at him, right before his eyes. They were the forces led by Wein.
“Wha ?!”
The left flank of the Cavarin army that had been crushed by Hagal resorted to using brute force to turn things around. And Wein had foreseen that.
By the time Kustavi realized he’d been lured into a trap, it was too late. Their front and sides were tightly obstructed by the Remnant Army, leaving Cavarin with nowhere to escape. They were squarely showered with a violent attack from the rear and taken out in one blow.
“D-DAMMIIIIIIIIIT!”
Try as he might, Kustavi had no chance of escaping. He died in the onslaught of the soldiers of Natra, and without their commander, the remaining Cavarin soldiers lost all sense of order, driven to destruction by the two armies. As a result, the remaining soldiers defending the stronghold chose to retreat. The Allied Forces pursued them tenaciously, and it was reported that less than five thousand Cavarin soldiers escaped home to safety.
Afterward, the guards from Cavarin stationed in the Marden capital of Tholituke chose to surrender and were released. The Allied Forces were welcomed by the citizens, and this victory went down in both their nations’ histories.
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