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Madan no Ou to Vanadis - Volume 16 - Chapter 4.6




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Eugene Shevarin spent the majority of his day cooped up in his office in the palace. He took his meals there, and whenever he took a break, he merely went to the closest garden, gazed at the winter flowers for a little while, and then returned to his office. This repeated itself everyday.

That diligence of his and the obvious throughput of governmental matters caused the people of the palace to be astonished. So far Eugene had always remained in the second row in the palace. During King Viktor’s reign, he assisted the elderly king from the shadows, and after Ruslan’s return to the palace, Eugene had worked as the prince’s advisor. All of this was very natural for Eugene.

But, now it was different. Eugene believed that he had to keep the palace running until Ruslan recovered. He didn’t think that he should get someone to change with him either. His calm determination and firm intent invigorated his mind and body.

What gave Eugene the biggest headache was the question of how to deal with the landed nobility. In a situation like now, those possessing their own military forces were the most troublesome to handle. Eugene personally wrote letters or dispatched messengers to the nobles, telling them to hold their horses, even if only for the period of winter. He also didn’t forget to add that he’d listen to their problems at any time if they had something to consult him about.

He sent firewood to a noble lord who complained that they lacked fuel to pass the winter. Of course not for free as he made him pay in hard cash. In return, he arranged for a lessening of their next year’s taxes.

Likewise he sent food to a noble lord who complained about an insufficiency. But, since that lord also said that he had no money to pay for it, Eugene ordered him to carry out several works instead.

“What a surprise. I hadn’t expected Earl Pardu to have such a discernment when it comes to governmental affairs.”

“If you think about it, he’s been assigned to inherit the crown by the late king at one point.”

Those were the words exchanged between military and civilian bureaucrats all over the palace. Of course, it didn’t mean that all of them looked favorably on Eugene, rather some of them clearly looked at Eugene with eyes full of spite.

“What’s with that guy!? As soon as His Highness collapses, he completely acts as if he owns the place.”

But, many people knew that the palace would take a drastic hit to its functionality if not for Eugene’s strenuous efforts. And because he kept things running like this, it looked as if the palace had recovered some of its stability.

But, that didn’t last for long.

The day after Tigre left the capital was for Eugene yet another of those days where he’d grapple with mountains of documents while secluding himself in his office from early in the morning. He was very busy as he had to pay attention to the south, west, and north of Zhcted.

Around the time when noon lacked all but half a koku, he heard the clattering of armors from the hallway. Furrowing his eyebrows, Eugene lifted his face from the document he had been working on.

The door was slammed open, and five soldiers in armor rushed into the office while holding short spears and thrust the spearheads at Eugene.

Eugene was surprised, but didn’t show any fear on his face. Remaining seated straight, his expression turned stern as he glared at the intruders.

“What is this supposed to mean?”

The soldiers didn’t answer.

When Eugene was about to probe further, an elderly man loosely wearing the attire of an official entered the office. It was Grand Chamberlain Miron. Miron’s face was twisted in rage, completely lacking its usual smile of a good-natured old man.

Before Eugene could even ask, Miron’s wrinkled face moved as he informed Eugene, “Earl Pardu, we have reasons for a terrible suspicion against you.”

The chamberlain walked straight up to Eugene, and slapped the letter he had been tightly grasping in his hand on Eugene’s work desk.

“This is a secret message describing your connection with the Muozinel Hakim.” Miron’s voice trembled as it was full of intensity.

His eyes as he looked down at Eugene were filled with an odd gleam, probably because of the emotions welling up within him. Eugene didn’t respond by raising his voice to explain himself. He picked up the message from his desk, and silently scanned it over.

It wrote that Hakim would attack Zhcted’s south, and that Zhcted would send forth its Vanadis to repel him. Once that happened, a noble lord close to Pardu would send his army forth, endangering the Vanadis’ rear. Hakim would return to Muozinel after defeating the Vanadis, and as the Vanadis wouldn’t be able to move right away after her defeat, the noble lord would move north to occupy the capital and obey Eugene. Eugene would lock up Ruslan in a room of the palace, and become the new king with the armed force in his back. Thereafter Zhcted’s king Eugene would tie a treaty of friendship with the Muozinel king Hakim, who had cooperated with Eugene, and as reward for Hakim’s help, Agnes would be handed over to Muozinel. It was expected that the opposition to a change in ruler might be weak in that place since the local population wasn’t overly close to Zhcted…

“Does that ring a bell, Earl Pardu?” Miron spat out with a reproachful voice after waiting for the moment when Eugene would finish reading the message. “I didn’t want to believe it, but the closer I look, the more reality seems to follow that script. You investing your effort into governmental affairs after His Highness collapsed was merely for your own sake, wasn’t it?”

At this time, the Muozinel army had already been defeated by Olmutz’ army under the command of Mila, and even the forces of Viscount Struve, who had acted in concert with Hakim, had been completely routed by Sofy’s army that had shown up from Polesia. But, the news of that hadn’t reached the capital as of yet.

Even after reading through the message, Eugene kept his calm. He looked up to Miron, and quietly asked, “Sir Miron, would you believe me if I were to deny this and tell you that it’s a conspiracy?”

“Do you have any proof?”

Eugene silently shook his head. Miron glared at the Earl, “In that case, it is impossible for me to trust your words.”

“What do you plan to do afterwards?” Eugene’s question was unexpected for Miron. Eugene explained to him, who was suspiciously knitting his eyebrows, “I don’t know whether you’re going to arrest or execute me, but someone has to run the government afterwards. And there is absolutely no way that you could have His Highness do it. There are still matters that need to be processed by today.”

“That’s none of your concern any longer!” Miron got upset and thundered at Eugene. While gasping heavily, the chamberlain continued, “We will prepare a room to put you under house arrest. His Highness will decide on your punishment as soon as he recovers.”

That statement might have been proof that Miron still had some of his reasoning left. After all, he could have dyed the office red with Eugene’s blood with a single order to the soldiers accompanying him.

──I guess he wouldn’t be able to avoid chaos to spread then.

Miron possessed a gentle personality, but he didn’t know anything about handling governmental affairs. Eugene was well aware of that. Other chief retainers exhibited excellent abilities in their own fields of expertise, but they were unable to keep an eye on the whole, and they didn’t have the capability to serve as mediators. In short, no matter who would take over the governmental affairs, the palace’s stability would end up shaken.

Even while being able to predict all that, Eugene had no hand to play.

──I’ll get another chance as long as I stay alive.

Eugene stood up, after persuading himself like that. Surrounded by soldiers, he left his office.

Neither Eugene nor Miron had the slightest idea that this secret message came from Valentina. She didn’t expect anything from Hakim or Struve as combat forces. From the very start, her aim was Eugene Shevarin. And then, after she safely returned to her own territory, several thousands troops were about to move under her command. Their aim would be to steal the leaderless capital.

 

 

The approximately 4,000 Leitmeritz soldiers led by Eleonora Viltaria invaded Legnica without running into any resistance.


Because Elen and Lim had both thought that there would be at least some kind of opposition, this response caught them off guard, causing Elen to frown in displeasure. Apparently Figneria had realized that their hands would be tied without any resistance. Still, there was no way that Leitmeritz could simply steal food and fuel in retaliation just because of that.

While paying a suitable amount of money to replenish the necessary goods, Leitmeritz’ army moved north through Legnica.

“It wouldn’t be strange for it to come down any moment now,” muttered Lim as she rode next to Elen while looking up to the gray sky.

Not rain, but snow. The winds blowing ever since they had entered Legnica were cold enough to make anyone think that.

“None of our men is freezing or anything, right?” Elen asked Lim with an anxious expression.

They should have prepared thick overcoats for all soldiers and passed them out, but she still felt uneasy.

Lim nodded with a smile, “I made them check every morning. We also got plenty of spares, so I don’t think we need to worry about this.”

“──Thanks.” Elen breathed out in relief. While looking in the far distance, she changed the topic, “So Figneria is at Boroszló, huh?”

Boroszló was a plain with endlessly continuing, gentle undulations, located in the northeast of Legnica. In the past, Elen had fought there against Lebus’ army under Liza’s command.

“She’s likely trying to draw our army deep into Legnica.” Lim’s expression and tone became stiff.

It was Boroszló’s terrain that gave her a headache. Because it was flat land, there would be no obstacles, hindering both sides from deploying several thousand soldiers, but such ground made strategic maneuvers rather difficult. Often the side with the bigger numbers and momentum would win on such a field.

“It seems like Figneria is leading 4,000 soldiers…”

They had obtained that information from the villages and towns along the road. Figneria was inviting Elen while awaiting her at Boroszló. Elen had no choice but to go along with that.

Before now, she had dispatched messengers to Figneria several times, trying to question Figneria about her escape from the capital, but in vain. At this point, she had no other option but to go for battle.

Suddenly Elen hit her right hand, which was grasping the reins, with her left palm, causing a hearty slapping sound. As Lim looked quizzically at her, implicitly asking what was going on, the silver-haired Vanadis grinned, and said, “We’ll wrap this up before Ludmila and Sofy are done on their end, and then we’ll quickly head back to the capital.”

Lim nodded, smiling back in return.

Several days later, Leitmeritz’ army arrived at Boroszló.

 

◆◇◆

 

Gray clouds blanketed the wintry sky, but the sun bravely used any gap to cast its frail light on the surface. The layers of frost widely covering the ground reflected those rays of light, causing the surface to glitter whiteley.

The Leitmeritz army led by Elen and the Legnica army under the command of Figneria faced each other in the center of Boroszló’s plains. Forests and rivers were far, hills were nowhere to be seen, and the soil was frozen solid – in other words, a battlefield perfectly suited for the deployment of big armies.

Leitmeritz’ army had 2,000 infantrymen forming its center with 800 soldiers bolstering the wings. These 800 soldiers consisted of 500 infantrymen and 300 cavalrymen. The remaining 400 cavalrymen were on standby in the rear as reserve. The supreme commander Elen stood at the head of the central block, staring straight at the enemy army from atop her horse. She did so because Figneria was likewise standing at the head of her army.

Legnica’s army consisted of 3,500 infantrymen, and 500 cavalrymen. They excelled Leitmeritz in infantry, but lost out when it came to cavalry. Very likely because of that, the deployment of their soldiers had an inclination. The center was formed by 2,000 infantrymen, just like Leitmeritz’, but the right wing held all the cavalry while the left wing consisted of the remaining infantry.

The Black Dragon flags flew in the wind. Same applied to the flags representing the respective principality.

Both armies carefully advanced, continuously closing the distance.

While commanding the soldiers from the rear, Lim felt how her fists trembled in vexation as she wondered whether she couldn’t do anything but watch Figneria and Elen duke it out.

──Even though I made a vow in front of Lady Alexandra’s grave…

Lim understood it logically. A Vanadis could only be taken on by another Vanadis. Not to mention that Lim would likely become no more than a burden if Figneria’s abilities didn’t wane from her time as mercenary.

There was also the matter Elen had told her before they set foot into Boroszló.

“Lim, this battle depends on you.”

Lim comprehended what Elen wanted to tell her. No matter how strong Figneria might be, it’d be impossible for her to lead her army while facing Elen. She had no choice but to entrust the command over her army to someone else. If Leitmeritz’ army led by Lim were to get the upper hand on Legnica’s army, it could possibly create a gap in Figneria’s defense. That would likely become the best assistance for Elen.

“I understand. But, please be as careful as possible. ──Make sure to give Lord Tigrevurmud Vorn no reason for grief.”

She believed that it was a low move to bring up Tigre’s name here, but Lim didn’t plan on choosing her methods if it was for the sake of Elen. Elen smiled wryly, allowing her silver hair to flutter in the wind.

“I’m aware. I don’t intend to sadden you either.”

Lim erased Elen’s smile from her mind by shaking her head. If she planned to work for Elen’s sake, she truly ought to focus on the battle in front of her.

──But, just one thing…

Lim called Rurick, who was serving as her adjutant, and gave him a certain order.

Around the time when the distance between both armies had shrunken down to less than 400 alsin by rough eye measurement, the blaring of horns traveled across the battlefield. Bow strings were drawn, and spears were held up as both armies came alive.

Elen and Figneria drew their draconic tools simultaneously, clapping spurs to their horses. The two Vanadis clashed with each other in the center of the battlefield before the soldiers of both camps even reached each other. The wind was cut, or burned as both women hacked away at each other.

Arifar swept through the air, leaving a silver trail behind while Bargren swooped down on Elen while pulling two fiery tails in their wake. The clash between both draconic tools created countless sparks and fierce metallic screeching, as well as a ferocious hell fire and a raging storm. The wind blasted the hair of both women up, the flames illuminated their faces with the heat licking their skins.

Neither of them spoke a single word. The emotions burning in their eyes were more than enough to convey everything.

 

—————– End of Part 6 —————–





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