Chapter 262: Starlight |
Othelloria City.
It is one of the largest metropolises on the continent that has existed since ancient times.
It reached its peak of prosperity as one of the major cities during the era of priests, and as the capital of Voistra Kingdom during the era of nobility. Approximately 350 years have passed since the first head of the family, Argaroth, known as Priest Spierzeig, and this land has been ruled by the blood of Spierzeig for generations.
Quordenze is now stepping forth into this fateful city.
[Reporting.]
The familiar voice of a regular report echoed in the not-so-large room.
[We have almost completed conquering the city area. All that remains is Othelloria Castle, but progress in conquering the castle walls is not good.]
This military officer first gave a general impression and then began to explain the details. Lately, reports have started with the same phrase every day, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
[I think I’ll get used to living in this temporary accommodation.]
I also went around encouraging the soldiers, so I know the situation of the battle. We were slowly but surely making progress. However, because I could actually use the same words every time to summarize my day, I ended up feeling like I’m not making any progress.
[Young Master, there is no need to be so hasty. We are well on our way to breaking through.]
Another military officer followed, and the others silently agreed.
[But, it’s already been two weeks.]
[Young Master, it’s only been two weeks. We are talking about Othelloria City here.]
Even if they say that, two weeks is two weeks. If we take the day when we killed both Kindlor and Magnis as a starting point, it would have been about 20 days already.
At that time, I aimed to forcefully attack Othelloria via Silknoon City. This is because I thought it would be easy to break through to Silknoon City.
There were several factors.
The deciding factor for the decision was Ramon’s report and the fall of Dornia City.
Previously, I heard from Ramon about an area in Spierzeig territory where there are many disturbing elements. The hypothesis is that gold coin payments will increase in the hometowns of territorial militia members who were captured during Operation Serpent’s Fang. It seems that he returned to Nambonan City to conduct additional investigation and was busy doing various things, but Operation Snake’s Jaws began in the midst of this.
Ramon seemed to think that 「it might be of some use for when invading Spierzeig territory」, and hurriedly compiled and sent the results of the investigation at that point. One of the Nambonan’s boatmen responsible for crossing the Amelia River delivered the report to me.
The main content, if summarized in one sentence, is that 「There are many dissatisfied citizens in the western part of the Voistra Plains」. The poor evaluation of each city was also written. He is a serious man.
Among them, Dornia City has been given a rather ambiguous evaluation as 「The city with relatively high levels of dissatisfaction」.
I don’t know if that has something to do with it, but when we invaded Dornia City, we were able to subdue it fairly easily. They may have been surprised by the sudden invasion, but I remember that the morale of the territory’s militia was never high.
Because of this incident, my confidence in the report increased a little.
The city that was rated as the most dangerous in Ramon’s report was Silknoon. As if dissatisfaction is contagious, the number of people seeking silver coins around Silknoon is also increasing.
That’s why I attacked the Silknoon City just as a test, and it immediately fell.
It fell so easily that not only me but my adjutant was worried as well.
What I did was the same as when I faced Kindlor’s army. All I did was stir up dissatisfaction with the enemy Commander and proclaim “Voistra’s Liberation”. I thought it would only be effective to rattle Kindlor’s soldiers and Magnis’ soldiers who couldn’t keep up with the retreat, and take them one by one to make it seem like we were a large army.
As soon as the military flag of Quordenze, the flag of the fallen cities, and a large number of infantry appeared on the outskirts, the area surrounding Silknoon erupted into panic. Far from opposing us, the enemy was unable to even unite as an army, and in the blink of an eye, the city fell.
We actually cooked up an extremely despicable plan to expose Rose Silknoon to the enemy forces, crush their morale, and urge them to surrender, but the plan never saw the light of day.
In the Silknoon City, the Highlord was in charge of suppressing the mountainous region to the west. She was an old woman from a branch family connected to Spierzeig. However, no battle occurred there. The old woman obediently surrendered in response to my recommendation to surrender.
The Spierzeig family, like the Quordenze family, has a centralized system. Therefore, the Highlord other than those from the main family probably have almost no authority.
In the case of Quordenze, the members of the branch and shadow families are not deeply involved in domestic politics or diplomacy, and live a leisurely life while waiting for instructions from the main family. Even in the military, they are basically just soldiers who fight according to the orders of the knights.
The old woman from the branch family in Silknoon City seems to be in a similar situation, and it seems that she had no interaction with the noble family in the mountainous area that she was facing. In a situation where there is no contact from other families to ask for reinforcement, and there is no territory militia to support them, no matter how strong they are, they cannot fight satisfactorily. It was no wonder that the old woman of the branch family surrendered.
In any case, I was a little relieved that it didn’t turn out to be a horrible story, like a three-page article about the gang assault and murder of an old woman. I think I’d kill her if I have to, but I don’t feel very good about it.
[If the enemy castle is still resisting and well, then my turn is still a long way off…]
[Indeed, Young Master. Please be a little more patient. The cities along the route fell one after another in the blink of an eye, but please consider those as exceptions.]
After conquering Silknoon, the hastily assembled instant force that I led took a few days’ rest. In order to heal the accumulated fatigue of the Quordenze soldiers and incorporate the hastily gathered Spierzeig soldiers into the army, time was desperately needed.
Then, the small cities fell one after another in front of the Voistra Liberation Army, a hastily assembled instant force that had begun its advance again.
[Indeed, it was a quick trip to Othelloria.]
[Was that the rotten rope that you used as an analogy? I thought it was an interesting analogy.]
[Ah, did you hear about the time in Meiziode City?]
When I captured Dornia City, I had some of my troops attack Meiziode City. I wanted them to buy me some time until I arrived.
Being bitten by a snake and being frightened by a rotting rope is a proverb from earth. It is said that once a person has been bitten by a snake, the image of the snake crosses his mind whenever he looks at a rope, and he becomes more afraid than necessary.
Spierzeig was bitten once during Operation Serpent’s Fang. The people of the territory are well aware of this. Therefore, if they claim that they have fallen into Quordenze’s trap again this time, the people of Spierzeig will probably be a little upset. In addition to giving advice to the unit commander, I also taught him proverbs that originated from Earth.
Maybe the unit commander was good at stirring things up, or maybe the citizens of Meiziode were more frightened than I imagined, but either way, by the time I arrived, the city gate had descended into the military gates of Quordenze.
There doesn’t seem to be a single military officer in the room who has any doubts about the rotten rope proverb. The proverb was only taught to a small number of military officers, but it seems that information is being shared without my knowledge.
[Even after Silknoon, there were still other cities that were afraid of ropes, so it was a relief.]
Thanks to that, I was able to push through to Othelloria City without much of a battle. I remember feeling like I was playing dominoes.
[The leader of Operation Serpent’s Fang, Young Master, is attacking with a large army. Of course the people of Spierzeig will be restless. Especially now that we have defeated their main force at Reisleaf. Nobody would see it as rotten rope.]
I think it was also important that we were able to add a large number of territory residents as volunteer soldiers around Silknoon City.
The visual impact is important in order to quickly destroy the morale of the commoners. I continued my advance by recruiting as many soldiers as possible from the cities and towns along my route.
What I expected was the number of soldiers, not the strength. Quality doesn’t matter. In fact, some citizens even came along just to see what they saw.
Just like in a poker game where you crush your opponent based on stakes rather than rolls, I just piled up numbers with the aim of intimidating the “next city”.
There are other purposes for taking people with us. Even if the city is destroyed, it is only temporary. It would easily flip over at the slightest chance and end up in its original pod. In order to prevent that from happening, we wanted to move the particularly strong-willed people outside of the city so that the Quordenze’s subsequent troops coming in from the interior would be able to easily take over the area.
By the time we arrived in Othelloria City, the Voistra Liberation Army had grown to a considerable size.
[Honestly, I didn’t think it would go this well.]
After being told of the cities falling one after another, the approaching large army, the overwhelming murderous intent of Highlord, and the crushing defeat of their own Masters, it seemed that nothing could be done.
Let’s go as far as we can go, that was what I thought, and before I knew it we arrived at our destination.
[It seems that the Spierzeig side was also expecting that Young Master would march to Othelloria…]
Othelloria City is a big city that is comparable to Newnelly City. I live in Newnelly, so I can imagine the scale of the city to some extent. That’s why I understand how difficult it is to defend.
There were a number of factors, including the confusion caused by the deaths of Magnis and Kindlor, and the rapid advance of the Voistra Liberation Army. As a result, Othelloria City was unable to prepare a complete system and ended up welcoming us in the city instead of in the field.
And the Voistra Liberation Army successfully slipped through the porous defenses and succeeded in the assault.
[Only Othelloria Castle was firmly fortified. I can only say that that part is admirable.]
Our momentum continued until we reached the city area. Othelloria Castle’s defenses were solid, and it wasn’t something that could be broken through with just momentum.
It seemed that Spierzeig’s side decided that it would be better to besiege and wait for the reinforcement rather than continue a war of attrition within the city. They entered Othelloria Castle with the number of their elites, including knights, military officers, and engineering soldiers.
[In addition to the strength of the defense, there are also the number of their soldiers, so there is no way to break through. We are in a situation where we are unable to attack.]
Because I was focusing on preventing the Spierzeig family from escaping the city, I was barely able to reduce the number of enemy soldiers in the urban battle.
For the past few days, we had been attacking Othelloria Castle to the extent that Spierzeig’s soldiers had not come out, and we have been working hard to take control of the city. The citizens of Othelloria have lost their will to fight, but we don’t know when they will turn over to Spierzeig’s side. The war situation continued and we could never let our guard down.
[I would like to move to the city as soon as possible, but…]
Othelloria City is a city that spreads out around the feudal lord’s castle. The urban area surrounds Othelloria Castle, and the rural area surrounds the urban area. The basic structure is similar to Newnelly City, so even though it was my first time visiting it, it was an easy place to imagine.
[There is still some anxiety in the city. I think this base is safe to deal with the Spierzeig movement.]
[I guess so, I was just saying. I can’t just come here and make a fool of myself.]
The Voistra Liberation Army occupied a military facility set up in a rural area and created this temporary base and interim headquarters. This is because if you set up your base in an unknown urban area, there is a high possibility that the Spierzeig elites who have sneaked out of the castle will attack you. Othelloria is their home and they will be able to carry out quick and accurate surprise attacks.
For Quordenze, I wanted to set up my base in an open area some distance from the castle. In that sense, rural areas can be said to be a better choice. Here, even if the enemy plans something, we can react with ease.
[…However, there are some things that are frustrating.]
However, because of that, I couldn’t go all-out conquering Othelloria Castle.
If I move too far forward, the Spierzeig family might slip out of the castle and run away. It would be difficult for Quordenze, who is not familiar with the area, to pursue them.
I need to wait at the rear so that I can deal with the enemy’s movements. The situation on the front lines is that military officers have no choice but to do their best. However, Othelloria Castle’s defenses are very firm and cannot be easily penetrated. All I feel is anxiety.
[In any case, it will still take some time for other families to intervene.]
Before retreating to the castle, several Spierzeig soldiers who appeared to be messengers rushed out of the city. First of all, it would definitely be a request for reinforcement from another family.
Even now, from time to time, a rumbling sound could be heard coming from Othelloria Castle. Conversely, similar sounds may arrive from somewhere outside the city. According to the adjutant, it was a communication with Spierzeig’s officers lurking outside the city. I think it’s something like morse code, but since we can’t decipher the contents, we don’t know the details.
[This is a report on the surrounding area…]
The report had been temporarily suspended because I had interrupted, but the military officer in charge of the report seemed to think it was a good time and raised his hand.
[We’ve been informed that reinforcements are ready at Newnelly.]
A few days after I started attacking Othelloria, I received a message from my father. Apparently, he received our emergency alert in the Royal Capital and hurried back to Newnelly City. After he returned, he seemed to be running his hands around to wipe my a*s, which had popped out to the enemy territory without permission.
One of the measures taken was the dispatch of reinforcements including several Highlords. My father had gone to the Royal Capital with an old man from the branch family as his soldiers, but now that he had returned, he no longer needed the old man. Therefore, it was said that there was a plan to form a Highlord unit with this old man as the core member, and to send it to the battle against Othelloria.
My father apparently wished to participate in the war, but with the rapidly changing situation, he decided to not leave Newnelly City. The old man from the branch family was said to have hated the assignment, saying, [I don’t like it! I don’t want to get to Spierzeig!], but in the end it seems that he followed my father’s orders.
[Knight Circlem will be the commander of the unit, but it will not be counted as part of the force. Thank you for your understanding.]
The old man from the branch family would just be a soldier who follows the instructions like the other knight. It is impossible to expect him to be as active as my grandfather. However, the military officer says that if there is one more Highlord, there will be more moves available, so it is much better than none.
The reason why we are not rushing to conquer Othelloria is probably because they want to wait for the arrival of the additional Highlord.
[We have received a new report regarding reinforcements. It is said that 50,000 Sylopean troops have left Pennybach and are heading here. The commander is Knight Tsarion, but they bring no Highlord with them.]
I heard a small cheer, as some people here must have heard about it for the first time. Knight Tsarion is the Head Knight of the Sylopea family.
[Does the Sylopea have the luxury of sending troops here?]
Sylopea and Evenafis were notified about Magnis’ death. I also informed them that I would like them to attract soldiers from the southern part of Voistra Plains, as we would be attacking Othelloria city from then on.
The opposite bank of the Amelia River is Spierzeig territory. Just by having them cross the river and pose for an attack, the Spierzeig would no longer be able to freely move their troops in the south. Quordenze has always been known to hatch strategies that could yield a reasonable return with little risk.
[That seems to be the case. I was told that they had agreed to participate in the war.]
Even though we have a friendly relationship, they are concerned about the impact of other families moving in. However, it was not clear from here what kind of political transactions had taken place between my father and Countess Sylopea. Such confidential information would never be delivered to the battlefield.
[Probably, but they will be accepting reinforcements with an eye on the post-war period. If they join the attack on Othelloria, Sylopea will be even more inseparable to us than before. We won’t be able to separate so easily.]
It is expected that it will take a lot of time for the Quordenze family to annex the Spierzeig territory. During that time, the adjutant said that we probably wanted to form a stronger complicity relationship in order to keep the Sylopea family on our side. My father seemed to think that post-war governance would be extremely difficult.
[I see. So, I wonder if the Evenafis army will also come?]
[Affirmative. They seem to be thinking of sending a small number of troops there. Since they are far from Hartinos, they must have focused on mobility. The Evenafis army will focus on keeping the southern part of Voistra in check, and will not be able to join the capture of Othelloria. I think this will be just a formal participation.]
Finally, the military officer in charge of the report pretends to be forewarned and then continues,
[The soldiers Young Master requested, who were arranged in Nambonan City, have arrived recently. They are currently resting outside the city, but they can be deployed anytime from tomorrow.]
[That’s good news.]
The personnel that I requested was an engineering soldier belonging to the Spierzeig army who had been left in Nambonan City. These are the same guys that I hired when I captured them in Operation Serpent’s Fang. They may now be a member of the Quordenze army, but they’re still former Spierzeig soldiers.
They are soldiers and civil engineering construction professionals. There is no doubt that they have some knowledge of the Spierzeig territory, and there may be someone who is familiar with the inside of the castle and the walls. Thinking that this might be a clue to conquering Othelloria, I had given the instructions to summon them.
[In addition, we also have Rose Silknoon outside the city.]
[What?]
Why does the topic of Rose suddenly come up? I was at a loss as to how to react to the appearance of a completely unexpected person.
The military officer must have noticed my confusion, and immediately began to provide additional explanation.
[After the battle of Reisleaf, Young Master gave the instruction…]
…Ah, it was just a sneaky plan that I came up with on a whim.
If I had trouble capturing Silknoon City, or if I was having trouble controlling it after it was captured, I was going to try using Rose.
Even so, Rose is a knight, a Silknoon, and the lord of Silknoon city…or rather, she was. In any case, I thought that if I could show that she had given in to Quordenze, it would have some effect.
[This made me worry…]
I think it would be difficult to bring a former enemy knight to the front lines. It seemed foolish to put so much effort into my idea, so I said something along the lines of, “If you can do it, please do. If you can’t, then you don’t have to”. But, it didn’t seem to get across them well.
[But, we have already taken Silknoon City. So, why did you bring Rose to Othelloria?]
Rose can be used because we are attacking Silknoon City, but there is no point in calling her if we are attacking Othelloria City.
It feels like the purpose of the instructions I gave was not understood at all, and only the content of “take Rose to the front lines” was conveyed. This result makes me want to think a little more about things when I work.
The military officer in charge of the report seemed to be having a hard time speaking, moving his mouth in a slurred manner. Perhaps unable to see this, another military officer timidly raised his hand and asked for permission to speak.
[Wasn’t the reason why Young Master asked for Rose Silknoon was to relieve your pent-up stress..?]
Apparently, it was interpreted as me asking for Rose to use as an outlet for my sexual desires.
The battlefield is full of heroism, and the desire of a man will strongly be stimulated. However, bringing a mistress to the front line is too dangerous. And since we are proclaiming the liberation of Voistra, we are also afraid of committing crimes against the local residents. In that case, Rose is the most suitable person because she can be cut off in an emergency and has experience of being held by me. That’s what they seem to have concluded.
[My way of communicating was wrong.]
I don’t think it was a good idea to give half-hearted instructions. Since it’s about s*x, there’s a possibility that people might have interpreted it as if I was being timid.
Military officers, it was my fault for misunderstanding. You work by thinking about things.
[…Well, since you brought her here already, I’ll be grateful to you for letting me use her. I’m starting to miss a woman’s soft skin.]
The period of no masturbation had continued for quite some time. It didn’t matter when I was in the heat of battle, but horniness returned when I’m just standing around waiting in a rural area like this.
There weren’t many female military officers in the Voistra Liberation Army that I like, and I felt a bit reluctant to call them out when they’re fighting with their life on the line. In that sense, the arrival of Rose can be considered a happy miscalculation.
[…Now that I think about it, I heard that Rose has had a relationship with Princess Romilie since she was a child. If I threatened to kill Rose, I wonder if she would show her face at all from the castle.]
[I don’t think that will work.]
I thought it was a good idea to solve the problems we currently have, but it was immediately rejected.
[I see. How is the investigation progressing?]
[None, there has been no progress yet.]
The problem is the breakdown of the Highlords barricaded in Othelloria Castle.
It is known that at least three Highlords were in the castle. However, the details still remained unknown. It is difficult to identify individuals using detection magic.
The major player that the Quordenze side is most wary of is Romilie Spierzeig. She is the Princess who inherits Spierzeig’s blood most deeply, and we must not let her get away. Judging from the desperate resistance of Othelloria Castle, the military officers believe that Romilie is definitely holed up inside the castle. I think that’s definitely true too.
Next, it can be expected that Caldeo, a branch family member who was the Highlord of the Othelloria Reserve Corps, is also barricading in the castle. This is because we received many testimonies from the citizens of Othelloria.
However, there is no clue as to who the last person is.
[We believe it’s a member of Shadow house, or Princess Etoilise from the branch family…]
In short, we knew nothing.
According to the information that the Quordenze family has had for some time, the Spierzeig family has only one other young Princess besides Romilie. That is the branch family’s Etoilise.
If the main priority to break Othelloria Castle is Romilie, Caldeo, and Etoilise, then the story would be quick. All I have to do is capture Othelloria Castle and kill all three of them. Even if the legs of the centipede are springing up, the Spierzeig family will almost certainly be driven to extinction. It’s a development that I would like to avoid though.
What would be troublesome is the pattern of Romilie, Caldeo, and a Highlord of the shadow house.
In that case, Etoilise would be hidden somewhere within Spierzeig territory. Even if we forcibly take Othelloria Castle and kill Romilie, there will be still Etoilise to inherit the Spierzeig family.
If Etoilise learns of the fall of Othelloria and the death of Romilie, she will probably take refuge in another noble house. Unlike the old woman in Silknoon City, there is a high possibility that knights will gather around her.
In that case, even if we conquered Othelloria City, the Spierzeig family would continue to exist even after the war. The centipede’s legs will be more active than you can imagine, and interference from other families will be intense. That’s already a bad ending.
That’s also the reason why we haven’t been able to attack Othelloria Castle.
If a forceful attack resulted in Romilie dying and Etoilise being absent, it would be extremely troublesome for the Quordenze family.
If Etoilise is not in the castle, Romilie needs to be secured.
If both Romilie and Etoilise are kept alive, the Knights of Spierzeig will give priority to the former. Because Romilie is the rightful successor. She can’t be compared to a Princess from a branch family.
[We will try to get the details under control by the time reinforcements arrive.]
The military officer said that he will carefully examine the information while continuing the attack. But then, it’s too late.
If possible, I would like to settle the matter before the Sylopea family, the Evenafis family, and above all, my father’s Highlord escort arrive. Even if I make Romilie surrender, I want to take the initiative.
I can’t help but feel like if I leave everything to my father, Romilie will be burned the moment we succeed in capturing Etoilise. I would feel troubled if my father gave me Romilie, which had been burnt black. I don’t have any hobbies for such bizarre masturbation.
[Focus on gathering information. I want to take action as soon as I know what’s going on inside the castle. In that case, I don’t intend to wait for reinforcements. Considering the need to avoid interference from other families, I’d like to take action as soon as possible.]
As a conqueror, I want to fully enjoy the body of that beautiful Princess I saw in the Royal Capital.
Besides, I want a safe and prosperous life. The presence of Romilie is also important when considering measures against centipede legs. I think it would be a good idea to drive Spierzeig to extinction only after the annexation of the territory is in sight.
[We would like to wait for reinforcements to arrive. However, although we are not sure of the truth, we have received reports that there are some strange movements in the west. We intend to gather information as soon as possible.]
[The west… has the Imperial Capital made a move?]
[No, it’s the Eberg family.]
It was an Old Voistra faction member, one of the noble families with roots in the mountainous region. Although it wasn’t the worst development in which the Empire started to move, it was not very happy news.
Normally, the Eberg family would be an insignificant and weak force, but now that we’re attacking Othelloria, we can’t ignore them.
[Are they planning to take advantage of the turmoil and invade Voistra Plains?]
It seemed that not much detailed information had been collected. The military officer looked puzzled and shook his head. The adjutant spoke on his behalf.
[The capture is going through difficulties, but the enemy is also in a difficult situation. The movements of Othelloria Castle and the other families may be connected. There is a high possibility that the Spierzeig family will plan to escape while they still have the resources.]
Spierzeig’s side has already reached a dead end and cannot take any effective measures. The adjutant asserted that the risk of them taking flight will be high now.
[I don’t want to think about Princess Romilie running away to another territory. It would be the most dangerous situation I can think of.]
[We will be very careful about that.]
[Alright then. …Understanding the details and preventing them from escaping. That’s a big challenge.]
After that, there were no reports of particular concern. There were only reports on the situation in Othelloria City and in cities where the Quordenze army had already entered, such as Weldburg City.
After the debriefing session was over, I cleaned myself up and headed to the bedroom.
It seems that this temporary base was originally a facility used by commoner soldiers, and it does not have the elegance of a nobleman’s life. However, the number of rooms was large.
[Well done on the night watch.]
After thanking the escort who was waiting in the bedroom, I called Rose.
Rose, who had her magic sealed and tied up with restraints for Lord-class, was brought in by the military officers.
[I apologize, although you might feel uncomfortable, we need you to understand that we will standby indoors.]
[I know. This is still the war zone after all.]
After agreeing, the military officers silently moved to the four corners of the bedroom. It seems like he’s telling me to enjoy it, so I can’t help but smile.
Normally, I might have been a little cowered by the presence of such rugged men. But now, it is different. The moment I saw the woman’s body twisting and turning on the bed while groaning, all my pent-up sexual desire flew away.
[Fufufu…]
========
When I was done shaking my hips inside Rose, who was still restrained, it was morning already.
I wonder if it was a battlefield effect that made me work so hard without getting any sleep. There was a strange charm to Rose, who was so dirty and limp that one may mistake her for drowning in my own body fluids. I was excited by the motionless rosé, so I poured one last shot.
[Young Master, the hot water is ready.]
When I got off the bed feeling refreshed, the military officer who had been waiting all night said to me. Apparently, he had arranged for a bath.
I don’t think it’s okay for a Commander to take a hot bath in enemy territory, but it’s also disgusting to just wipe the sticky mess off with a cloth. I decided to take advantage of it.
Soaking in warm water can refresh you from the bottom of your soul. The sexual desire that had built up and turned into sludge has completely disappeared, so I feel refreshed.
[It’s been a while since I last embraced a woman. However, Rose’s body has become softer than before.]
[By before, Young Master means after Operation Fang, I’d assume? I don’t think she has trained at all since then, so I guess it can’t be helped.]
Rose’s body, which was fairly muscular, was a little squishy now. Her muscles must have weakened from living in the prison built for the Lord-class enemy in Nambonan City for so long. It was squishy and nice, but I feel it would be a shame to lose Rose’s supple body.
[Even though it happened this year, it feels like a long time ago.]
As if remembering Rose’s body, I look back on my interactions with her. Until when could I enjoy that body?
When I used her as a sexual desire reliever at Reisleaf Castle, and when I showed her the letter from the Spierzeig family in the moving carriage, she still had the physique of a knight.
[Letter…]
That’s when I suddenly had an idea.
[Letter?]
[I’ve got an idea. I’ll join in on the morning war meeting.]
Usually in the morning, the military officers gather together and discuss the strategy with each other, so it’s often that I don’t participate in that meeting. Since I had been busy all night, it was probably assumed that I would be absent today, that’s why when I entered the conference room, the military officers looked at me as if they were not expecting me to come here.
After some reporting and information sharing, I made my statement.
[I thought about it overnight, but I think we should hurry up and check on the inside of the castle. If Etoilise is absent, we need to make Princess Romilie surrender. I would like to think about dragging her to a negotiation table at least once.]
When I continued by asking if anyone had any opinions, the adjutant immediately raised his hand.
[It’s a bad idea to try to make contact easily from here. We have to corner them as much as possible and make the enemy beg for surrender…]
It seems that there is a risk of being looked down upon or perceived as being in a hurry. Most military officers agreed with the adjutant’s point.
[And the knights will come to the negotiation table instead. If we don’t tighten things up, Princess Romilie won’t come forward.]
While I was waiting for that, the Highlord reinforcement troops and the Sylopea army that my father had arranged would have arrived. I won’t say it out loud, but I would like to avoid that if possible. I want to solidify my future policy while I have a strong grip on the initiative.
[However, if we tighten it up, the Spierzeig family might abandon Othelloria and try to escape. Through that loud noise from the outside of the castle, the fact that our reinforcements are heading this way should have been transmitted to the castle as well. I want to avoid them escaping at all costs. If we’re going to move, wouldn’t it be better to be quick?”
Today, the signals have been going off and on several times since this morning.
[To begin with, I don’t know if they will accept the recommendation to surrender. If Etoilise is absent, they may choose to entrust their hopes to her and fall with the castle.]
In that case, pressuring them slowly is just a waste of time. If Romilie is determined to stay inside until the end, we must quickly eliminate her and begin searching for Etoilise.
If it were a noble daughter with no guts, she might have been desperate for her life, but at least Romilie, who I saw in the capital, seemed to have a solid core.
[I judge that we need to assess that aspect. There is significance in setting up a place to discuss surrender with Princess Romilie.]
[But, there is no guarantee that Princess Romilie herself will appear…]
At that, I dared to laugh.
[There is a way to pull her out.]
It’s a method only I can do, but there is a way.
=========
There was a gloomy atmosphere within Othelloria Castle.
The attacks of the Quordenze army, which proclaims the liberation of Voistra, never stop. According to signals coming from outside the city, the northern parts of Voistra are succumbing one after another with little resistance. Although the attack on Othelloria Castle was manageable for now, it was expected that it would become even more intense in the future.
Responses to requests for reinforcement had not been very positive. The fact that Othelloria City is being attacked is unbelievable in the first place. It was extremely difficult to explain why a battle was suddenly occurring at the home base of the Spierzeig family.
Every nobleman was afraid to get involved in this incomprehensible situation and reluctant to help.
Shouldn’t they abandon Othelloria City and let the Spierzeig family escape? Their thinking was pessimistic.
[A letter has arrived from Quordenze.]
A military officer entered the headquarters of Othelloria Castle with heavy steps. From that movement, everyone understood that they had received something very important.
A knight approached and received the letter. The knight’s eyes widened for a moment when he noticed that the seal had not been broken.
[This is a letter addressed to the Princess. The sender’s name is…Wilk Quordenze.]
The room was buzzing with noise.
It’s too early for a recommendation to surrender, what on earth is written there? Romilie spoke quietly, as if representing the feelings of the military officers.
[…Read it out loud.]
Following his Master’s instructions, the knight began reading out loud on the spot.
The letter begins with a polite greeting and continues with words of praise for the efforts of the Spierzeig army, which continues to be besieged.
[…The current Master’s dedication to protecting the land of Othelloria under the previous Master’s orders is also admirable…]
The military officers reacted slightly. It was because he couldn’t immediately determine what Wilk meant by mentioning that. However, without waiting for their doubts to be resolved, the letter moved on to the second and third pages.
[…Here, I would like to return the noble spirit who was Voistra’s guardian until his final moments to the place where Spierzeig should be.]
Finally, the knight reads out the closing phrase and gently closes the letter.
No one could say a word. Romilie, who had been listening with her eyes closed, quietly looked around.
[What do you all think?]
That voice is trembling a little. Her subordinates all raised their voices to hide their Master’s agitation.
[I think it’s a little early, but we can think of this as a kind of surrender recommendation. …He’s asking us to surrender in exchange for returning the bodies of Grand Master and previous Master without humiliating them.]
Wilk did not mention anything about surrender in the letter. All that was written was that they wanted to set up a place to have a direct conversation with Romilie in order to return the body. However, bringing Romilie out of the castle for a discussion is nothing but a warning that he will recommend her to surrender.
[This is a trap! I don’t think Quordenze will keep his promise!]
[I agree. I don’t think they would miss an opportunity to humiliate our previous Master or Grand Master. Since our opponent is Quordenze, could it be that they’re planning to trick and defeat the Princess?]
[The honeyed words of Quordenze cannot be trusted at all…!]
It is the common sense of the Eruo continent nobles to humiliate the bodies of their enemies as much as possible.
In order to publicize their victory over the Spierzeig family, the Quordenze family will never let go of the charred corpse. They believed so.
[But, the Young Master… the Young Master was returned to this Othelloria without being humiliated…]
One military officer spoke timidly. Even though he was looked at harshly by those around him, he continued to make his point without giving up until the end.
[There is nothing written in the letter about surrender. We can just to receive the body and continue the siege…]
While saying this, he must have thought it was a very convenient idea, and as soon as he finished speaking, he lowered his face apologetically.
[However, that means pushing back against the proposal to surrender. There won’t be a second time… In fact, even if there was, they would probably rehash this from the first incident and impose even harsher conditions…]
Another knight spoke, as if to shatter the hopes of taking over the body if possible.
[The head of the family and the next head of the family are different. There’s no way Quordenze will let this go.]
No one could refute those words.
Everyone felt that if the body can be returned, then they want to receive it, and if they can mourn it like they did for Verret, they want to do so.
However, no one could say it. That’s how absurd and unrealistic the proposal was to return the bodies of Magnis and Kindlor.
[It may be natural to be worried about my father and grandfather’s condition, but what we should be thinking about now is the future of Spierzeig.]
It is necessary to think about Spierzeig’s future more than the lives that have already been lost. Romilie’s words sounded like she was talking to herself.
[All of you, tell me… Can we still protect Othelloria?]
That was a question that had already been answered.
The movement of the Quordenze army was much faster than Spierzeig had imagined. They could buy some time by locking themselves up in Othelloria Castle, but nobody thought that would improve the situation.
While they still have the energy, let Romilie escape to the southernmost part of Voistra or to another noble house and try to make a comeback. That’s the conclusion they came to.
[However, in our current state, I cannot leave Othelloria.]
[Yes, if I run away without agreeing to this conversation, I will be accused of abandoning my father and grandfather. Spierzeig will lose not only Othelloria, but also our pride.]
They could easily imagine it. If Romilie were to escape, the Quordenze family would gleefully burn their Masters’ bodies in Othelloria Castle. Having the corpse of the head of the family humiliated at their home base is the ultimate humiliation for a nobleman.
Despite being given the chance to return it, the Princess of Spierzeig was afraid to even talk about it and ran away miserably. That fact creates a bad reputation that can never be overturned. Everyone would despise Romillie and Spierzeig. If that’s the case, they can’t really hope for a comeback.
[Despicable…]
One of the military officers choked out in frustration.
[I have two main choices. Either I accept the dialogue, or I ignore it and continue my resistance… Running is no longer an option.]
Even if she agrees to talk, it does not necessarily mean surrender. It was possible to choose to fight even after receiving a recommendation to surrender. Wilk’s proposal was to return the body out of goodwill, and was not imposed as a condition for surrender.
[…I intend to fight until the end. Just like my father did.]
The knights and military officers were unable to agree or disagree with that decision. They don’t want to see Romilie bow down to the Quordenze family, but they also don’t want her to die. If possible, they hoped that she could escape outside Othelloria and try to make a comeback.
[However, if I am given the opportunity to have a dialogue, I would like to take it.]
[Is Princess saying that after agreeing to hand over the body, you will refuse to surrender and fight a full-scale resistance? If they are asking to have a discussion, at least we let them say their thoughts first. There may not be another chance.]
If she refuses to negotiate with Wilk, there is a high possibility that Luxus will appear next. In that case, the knight thought it would be better to discuss it with Wilk and find a solution.
Seeing the knight’s serious gaze, Romilie slowly nodded.
[The two of us met in the Royal Capital Levios. I and Wilk Quordenze-dono.]
[Both of you…is it?]
The knight looked like he didn’t understand what she was trying to say, but Romilie continued talking without worrying.
[Marquis Luxus was a true Quordenze. From what I heard from my father and grandfather, the previous Marquis Galfis was probably a true Quordenze as well. However, Wilk-dono was different. That person who took my hand at the evening party, is not a Quordenze.]
Even the military officers who had confronted Wilk could somewhat understand the meaning of those words. They don’t feel any resentment or hatred from Wilk’s actions. More than once or twice, they felt that this young man wasn’t truly a Quordenze.
[If he’s truly not tainted by Quordenze’s grudge…]
The military officer who still held some hope shouted in anticipation. However, Romilie immediately denied it.
[That person may share Quordenze’s grudge, but he understood that Spierzeig is Quordenze’s enemy. For that reason, I cannot truly trust Wilk-dono.]
It’s a good thing that he doesn’t operate based on Quordenze’s way of thinking, but when asked what kind of logic he’d use, no one knows. Looking back on his actions so far, his movements can only be described as bizarre. The proposal to return the body was not at the level of Quordenze’s concerns, but as a noble, it was strange.
[If our top priority is to end this protracted war, we can survive for a long time by pledging to cooperate after the war.]
If the condition is to cede Voistra Plains on the condition that the centipede’s legs be restrained, then they can accept it.
[The same is true if we desire a new King that is neither an Empire nor a Kingdom.]
Romilie said that at this point, she has no choice but to consider becoming a vassal to the Quordenze family.
There were some knights who thought that they had no choice but to endure a period of subjugation under Quordenze, and that they would only be able to defect after the Spierszeig family’s wounds had healed.
[If the Princess is prepared…]
Romilie turned her palm to cut him off.
[Ideals, reality, innovation, tradition, peace, cause… What does Wilk-dono prioritize, what does he seek, and what kind of future does he envision? And is it powerful enough to resist Luxus-dono?]
There is no voice to answer that.
And after all, Wilk is the next head of the family, not the head of the family. No matter how much they agree to Wilk’s advice to surrender, it is entirely possible that they will succumb to Luxus’ pressure later on.
[I don’t know anything about that person’s beliefs or anything solid in his heart.]
In that case, she even thinks that Luxus and Galfis, who are hardened with hatred, are still more trustworthy in a sense. Wilk’s principle of action was so incomprehensible.
[Father will never forgive the foolishness of walking in the dark, unknown night.]
Surrendering to Wilk was unacceptable, those words were heavy.
[If there is nothing to believe in, I think we should protect the pride of Spierzeig. And after that, I think it would be better to entrust it to Toa… Etoilise.]
The military officers all had bitter expressions on their faces.
There is too much difference in the ability of the head of the family between Romilie and Etoilise. Although it wasn’t a big deal, they didn’t think that the latter would be a capable leader of Spierzeig after the fall of the main family. Of course, no one says it out loud because it would be disrespectful.
[But, that’s not what I meant.]
Romilie nodded slightly, as if to say that she understands that.
[That’s why I’m going to have to attend the dialogue. In order to determine Wilk-dono.]
The only chance is now, when Luxus and Galfis aren’t coming to the forefront. Romilie saw a glimmer of hope there.
If they don’t deny it now, it will be the end of a full-fledged resistance. That is an undesirable fate for knights and military officers.
However, in front of Romilie, who wore the dignity of being the head of the family, they were unable to make any objections.
===========
[The reply has arrived.]
I thought I would be spurned, but the reply came sooner than I expected.
I immediately had the military officers gather at the temporary headquarters and have them read out the text.
[Will Spierzeig accept the return of the body…?]
When the reading finished, one of the military officers muttered in obvious disappointment. To me, Magnis and Kindlor’s bodies have no particular value, but to them, that’s not the case.
[This will allow us to drag the Spierzeig family out into the open, so I don’t think it’s a big deal. The other side also agrees.]
In my letter, I praised the fighting spirit of the enemy’s Highlords. The unusual decision to return the body clearly showed that their work had a lot to do with it.
In short, this means that the Highlord other than Romilie should also be present at the handover. Don’t look down on those who have made meritorious contributions, and be sure to bring them out of the castle.
In this way, all three Highlords will be gathered together, so we can confirm in one shot whether Etoilise is present or not. If you can get their inner side information by giving away something you don’t need, you should take advantage of it.
Besides, even if I keep the remains in my possession, my father and grandfather will eventually come forward because of it. I can’t help but feel like I’m about to be criticized. I think I understand that it is an honor for the nobles, but it is a custom that I am not too keen on. If possible, I would like Spierzeig to mourn properly. Since there’s a convenient reason to find out what’s going on inside the enemy castle, let’s just hand it over to them.
[I wonder what Master and Grandmaster will say…]
This is where insurance comes into play.
[I inherited the fight against the Spierzeig family from my grandfather. Now I have been given the authority to negotiate, so there will be no problems.]
Wars often require flexible responses, but there are no phones or internet on the Eruo continent. For this reason, when my grandfather went to war, my father gave him wide discretion, including negotiating with other families.
Since I inherited this fight from my grandfather, it can be interpreted that I have inherited this discretion as well. Strictly speaking, I may be acting out of my role because I hadn’t received any direct authority from my father. However, since my father was absent and I had no choice but to act as the head of the family, and the words of my grandfather, the previous head of the family, were not to be taken lightly, I don’t think they can deny me head on.
That’s why, if it’s necessary to fight against Spierzeig, I can make decisions using my own judgment. Of course, actions that go against the wishes of the head of the family cannot be tolerated.
[In the first place, I was the one who killed Kindlor, and I was the one who ended Magnis’s life. They won’t care how I treat their corpses, as long as it’s my own military exploits. There’s no reason for them to complain.]
[Yes, but…]
I said it adamantly, but I think it makes sense. For my father and grandfather, who have spent all their time fighting the war with the Spierzeig family, it will probably feel like they’ve suddenly been cuckolded. I’m sure they’ll want to complain at least.
But since I’m the culprit, I’ll do whatever I want. In this world, whatever I want, I’ll get it.
[You said they would like to accept the transfer tonight, but are we ready for them?]
[Affirmative.]
There is a large plaza in front of the gates of Othelloria Castle, so we decided to set it up as a place for dialogue. It is said that preparations will be completed soon after a temporary truce. Since the other side is also willing to have a dialogue, I don’t think there will be any particular problems.
[Then, get ready for the conversation. Tell Oz and Ado to be present as well. Even though Princess Romilie will be the only one in the front, there are concerns that the other Highlords in the rear will suddenly attack. We also need them to put pressure.]
Those twins have succeeded in holding back the Othelloria Reserve Force. It seems like they had a hard time getting pushed around towards the end, but somehow managed to stay on their feet at the edge of the ring.
Since we’re here, let’s assume that Oz and Ado also participated in the battle of Othelloria. Although it will be a formality, considering that the Highlords under my father’s influence may participate in the attack on Othelloria, I would like to give military merit to the twins who are under my protection.
As I was drafting the terms of surrender with my adjutants, the sun was setting.
[Young Master. Preparations for the dialogue are complete.]
When I went outside in response to the military officer’s words, the sky had already passed the sunset and was getting darker. Othelloria City was turning dark, and there’s this sense of silence that is a bit frightening.
I mounted my horse and proceeded down the road. As I passed through the gate into the city, it felt even darker, perhaps because of the shadows of the castle walls.
[It’s dark.]
[In preparation for the discussion, we have restricted the use of magic.]
It’s a place where a total of six Highlord would gather, and it could turn into a gruesome killing spree at any moment. In order to sharpen my sense of magical power, I was instructed not to activate even the most trivial magic. This is a measure to make it easier to detect fluctuations in magic power.
There wasn’t a single light ball of lighting magic floating around the city. Torches were lined up at equal intervals along the main street. Swaying red flames dance in the darkness.
The soldiers of Quordenze were waiting in a place near the square in front of the castle gate.
For some reason, Oz and Ado were taking a position as if they were about to prostrate. I was wondering who these guys were, but Raylight standing next to me explained it to me. It seems that after experiencing actual combat, they have reaffirmed the magnitude of my magic power, and their sense of awe has become stronger than before.
[Oz and Ado, just stand there and that’s fine. No matter what happens, don’t try to get ahead of yourself. Don’t move until we tell you to.]
If the two Highlords made a strange move, that alone would ruin the conversation.
[Yes!]
The answers from the twins were so consistent that it was interesting. When the two stepped back, another military officer appeared in their place.
[…You guys remain on standby behind Oz and Ado. Don’t move if there’s nothing to do. However, if Spierzeig’s side gets violent, feel free to do it.]
[Understood.]
He is the surprise attack personnel who possesses Manaral crystal. Its placement has two meanings.
Many of my military officers still don’t trust Oz and Ado. In order to convince them, it was necessary to have surprise attack personnel on standby. The twins don’t know anything about Manaral crystals, so if they get mad and try to attack me, they’ll probably get attacked from behind and die instantly. Everyone feels safe now.
Another objective, or should I say my favorite, is to use the Manaral against Spierzeig. When they take advantage of the dialogue and start making bad moves, I plan to have these surprise attack personnel to play a big role as a counter. I don’t want to die yet after all.
After the surprise attack officers had stepped back, I turned my gaze to my adjutant.
[Keep the Nambonan soldiers waiting in the front row along with the engineering soldiers. They are the most reliable soldiers in an emergency.]
In battles between Highlords that have a great psychological impact, Nambonan soldiers, who have both high morale and a strong will, are extremely useful. I think it’s probably safest to lead them into a crushing formation if a fight breaks out in a discussion.
It seems that the adjutant had the same idea, and he replied that he had planned to have that arrangement from the beginning.
Oh, I heard a happy voice from a little distance away. Could that be the Nambonan soldiers?
Soldiers were gradually deployed to the square in front of the castle gate.
Spierzeig soldiers will be placed on the castle side, and Quordenze soldiers, also known as the Voistra Liberation Army, will be placed on the city side. The two armies faced each other in a semicircle, creating one large circle. A dialogue will be held at the center of this circle.
As I waited nervously, a military officer trotted towards me.
[There’s movement at Othelloria Castle.]
[Alright. Let’s go.]
I entrusted my horse and got off to the highway. I couldn’t see any lighting magic, but I could see the torches moving in Othelloria Castle.
Based on the detection magic response, it seemed that the three Highlords had come out of the castle. The military officers in charge of reconnaissance stationed at various locations are also probably checking this area.
Let’s be careful not to activate detection magic from now on. It would be troublesome if strange accusations were made against me.
I moved forward, following the movements of Spierzeig. The closer they got to the center of the circle drawn by both Quordenze and Spierzeig, the clearer my opponents became.
It was promised that only one person could accompany each person to the dialogue. I brought an adjutant with me, and Romilie also brought a middle-aged man who looked like a knight.
Romilie stopped when we were just a few meters away from each other and spoke a few words of greeting.
Her voice was indifferent, and the content of the greeting was a fixed phrase. I looked at her expression, but it was a poker face that I couldn’t read. Perhaps it was because I saw Magnis’s intense emotion, I thought that she too may be acting as the Head of the Spierszeig family with a lid on her heart.
[I came to receive my father and grandfather.]
Those words made me feel extremely guilty.
Romilie’s brother, father, and grandfather were all killed by me. An irresistible feeling arises.
[…Lord Magnis met a proud end as the head of a noble family.]
Romilie was staring at me. Did it sound like an excuse?
However, I do think that Magnis’ way of life was admirable. So much so that we feel miserable.
[Now, I will return him to the land of Othelloria.]
When I gave the signal, several soldiers from Spierzeig’s side came walking as per orders in advance. They are the soldiers who would carry the coffin. They walked across the center of the circle, received the coffin on the Quordenze side, and carried it between me and Romilie.
I casually check the lid of the coffin. I had prepared some things in advance to prepare for this conversation. The lid of the coffin that was brought in had a pattern drawn on it that conveyed the fact that “Etoilesa is not within the castle”.
It seemed that the military officer in charge of reconnaissance carried out his work quickly, but the results are not very good. In any case, securing Romilie has become essential. Well, I wanted to catch her from the beginning, so nothing has changed in that regard.
[….Master and Grandmaster. There is no mistake.]
The knight who was with Romilie took his time and checked the two coffins, then quietly announced this.
It’s summer, but it’s frozen with magic, so the bodies shouldn’t be rotten.
[…..is that so.]
Romilie lowered her eyes for a moment, but then turned back to me and thanked me for returning the body. When I saw her brave demeanor, I felt like hugging her.
[I have something to say to Lady Romillie. Could you please spare me a little time?]
First of all, I told her that the request was not for the Princess of the Spierzeig family, but for the current Head of the Spierzeig family.
[Yes, if you don’t mind here.]
I felt a little relieved. It was entirely possible for things to turn out like this: just take what you receive and say goodbye. It seems that there is at least enough leeway to listen to the terms of surrender.
In that case, let’s go as planned.
[The majority has decided. I can only recommend Duchess Romilie to surrender.]
I decided to start with the conclusion. In order to show my superiority, I don’t use the troublesome expressions typical of nobles.
Even though the place was already quiet, I felt that the silence became even deeper after my recommendation to surrender.
I felt nervous, as if every word I said was being scrutinized. However, I cannot afford to show my weakness here.
[For the sake of our future, I hope you are willing to consider it.]
That’s all for now. If I start talking about everything all at once, people will think that I don’t have the time.
Perhaps she was confirming that I had finished speaking, or perhaps she was ruminating on what had been said in her head, but Romilie remained silent, staring intently at me with her azure eyes.
When I looked at those eyes that seemed to suck me in, my throat felt dry.
[Our future, you say?]
She’s implying that [our] here only refers to Quordenze. It’s not something beneficial for Spierzeig. I immediately understood why Romilie said that.
[Yes, I want to aim for a future where Quordenze and Spierzeig coexist and help each other.]
Well, even if we say we help each other, there are various forms of that. I’m sure Romilie understands that as well.
Then, she put on a fake smile befitting a noble and opened her mouth.
[It is my wish that the Spierzeig bloodline will continue. However, will the Quordenze blood allow that?]
I am, after all, “Wilk Quordenze”. I’m sure the Spierzeig family will think that I have a lot of grudges against them.
However, this was, of course, the question I had expected. My interview preparation was perfect.
[It is exactly because the blood of Quordenze runs through my veins that I have to forgive you.]
The intent of my statement won’t be understood unless I explain it. Romilie understood that it was not a riddle, and seemed blatantly puzzled, perhaps to encourage me to continue.
[I crossed the Arknoa Contaminated Area in this battle.]
[Yes, I heard that you crossed the old Amelia public road.]
[That land was invaded by corruption about 100 years ago. This was around the time when the Quordenze family unified the interior, including the Lydia Plains.]
Romilie nodded without any hesitation, probably knowing the history of the Quordenze family.
[I know. It was during the time of Marquis Ilmesca.]
[Yes. The impact of Ilmesca’s rapid expansion of territory was so great that they were barely able to handle the appearance of the Demonic Beast Arknoa. Even now, that land has not been freed from the suffering of the Corrupted Land.]
It is no exaggeration to say that most of the interior of the Quordenze territory was acquired by the Ilmesca Quordenze. Among the Quordenze family heads, he is said to have expanded the territory the most, and is said to be one of the great rulers. However, they faced serious challenges such as a lack of subordinates, and have struggled ever since. He is a man who achieved great things, but also created various problems that came with it.
[The calamity of Arknoa is a stain on Quordenze and a shameful past.]
Romilie may have guessed where this story would end.
[The blood of Quordenze flows through this body. The blood that grudges against Spierzeig has continued since the first Perzeas.]
It would be better to accept this as is rather than try to cover it up. I don’t expect them to honestly believe that I have no particular grudge against the Spierzeig family.
[However, at the same time, I have the blood of protecting the land of Quordenze. Is it acceptable to turn a blind eye, knowing the mistake of Arknoa’s disaster…]
Romilie didn’t respond. She’s just looking at me the whole time.
[I believe that Voistra Plains should not become a second Arknoa. That is the path that those who descend from the Quordenze’s blood should choose. That is what a nobleman and guardian of the earth should do.]
She was there when I fought the monsters in the capital. I think my words, which are filled with noble pride, have some persuasive power.
[In order to bring peace to this land, I am prepared to resist even the grudge that resides in my blood.]
Considering the unification of Ilmesca’s land and the current annexation of Spierzeig territory, it is essential to secure Romilie. No matter what my father says, I have no intention of spending most of my life crushing the centipedes that crowd the Voistra Plains. I want to spend my days in peace while having fun and making babies with beautiful women.
[I believe that this feeling will be conveyed to Duchess Romilie, the guardian of the land of Spierzeig.]
The silence continued. Did my words really reach her?
[I think Wilk-dono’s ideas are very precious. However, as the protector of this land, there are some things that I cannot compromise on.]
Then, Romilie glanced at the knight standing next to him. It seems likely that they would like to adjust the terms of surrender at a working level. I gave a signal to my adjutant.
[I hope it will be a good outcome for us and for this land.]
One Spierzeig knight and my adjutant approached and began a detailed discussion regarding the surrender.
Meanwhile, I continue chatting with Romilie while keeping my distance. I continued talking about the time we met in the Royal Capital and the contents of the letters we exchanged, and waited for the arrangements to be completed. Occasionally, the eyes that stared at me, as if observing me, made me feel embarrassed.
I wonder how much time has passed since then. Before I knew it, it was already completely dark.
When the conversation got better, Romilie smiled.
[Wilk-dono. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to you for returning my father and grandfather.]
Then, for some reason, the farewell greetings suddenly began. The meeting between the Spierzeig knight and my adjutant was still continuing, but I wonder why she suddenly said that.
[Duchess Romilie?]
As of now, Romilie had not been involved in any way regarding the terms of surrender. We hadn’t even heard of the adjustment process, let alone the adjustment results. I didn’t understand her intention to end the conversation in this state.
[…..Princess, are you sure?]
On the other hand, the Spierzeig knight didn’t seem to be panicking. Perhaps they had set on some kind of signal in advance, but his voice sounded like resignation.
[I will fulfill my responsibility.]
Romilie looked back at me, and there was a strong will in her green eyes.
I had no idea what happened. However, Romilie seemed to have chosen to fall along with Othelloria.
I wanted to question her about her seemingly sudden change of mind, but I was unable to open my mouth as I was almost overwhelmed by her elegant demeanor.
It is meaningless to call Romilie half-heartedly now. I felt a strong determination from her that makes me believe that. If I try to ask stupid questions or try to persuade her, I’ll only end up ruining her name. However, I couldn’t just stay silent and wait for them to say goodbye.
[This will be the last time…]
“I beg of you, please surrender”. I was about to say that, but I was able to stop myself from speaking.
However, since I have already said the first half out loud, I have to connect the story appropriately.
[…I have had a private conversation with Lord Magnis during his last moment. Is there anything you would like to ask, Duchess Romillie?]
If the question was asked after recognizing Romilie’s determination, it would make sense.
She probably didn’t expect me to say something, so she looked a little surprised, closed her eyes once, and then asked me anxiously.
[…Could you please tell me about Knight Silknoon’s final moments?]
Apparently she thought Rose perished during Operation Serpent’s Fang.
I exchanged letters with Romilie several times, but I never informed her about Rose’s life or death. She was in a state of life and death, as my cumdump that is, but there was no need to answer anything that wasn’t specifically asked.
[I did hear that Duchess Romilie and Rose Silknoon have been friends since childhood.]
That’s when Romilie’s expression wavered for the first time. I felt like I could see the true face of the girl behind the mask of the head of the family for just a moment.
[…..How…do you know?]
[I heard it from Rose herself. She was taken prisoner and held captive in Quordenze. She is still alive.]
I wondered if this would be some sort of breakthrough. Anticipation rising in my heart.
[Bring her in.]
I called the soldiers with a signal I had decided in advance and instructed them to bring Rose. It will take some time to transport her as she is staying in temporary accommodation in a rural area.
Perhaps she was skeptical, but Romilie hardly spoke until Rose arrived.
The voice of the girl that I held so much in my arms last night broke the silence where I couldn’t speak.
[…Princess!?]
I couldn’t turn my back to Romilie, so I instead turned 90 degrees to the side and checked where the voice was coming from.
Rose was dressed appropriately to appear in front of a noblewoman. As expected, no military officer would be foolish enough to bring in someone covered in bodily fluids.
Even Rose and the military officer in charge of her were not allowed to approach the center of the circle. Therefore, Rose and Romilie decided to meet again with a slight distance between them.
[So Rose is still alive, I see.]
Romilie’s expression suddenly softens. She must have been happy to have met someone still alive as her loved ones died one after another. She had a gentle smile that made me want to look at her forever.
However, the moment I tried to call out to her, that smile disappeared. When she looked up at the night sky, her eyes became slightly moist.
[Princess!! Please put me aside!! Put yourself first!! Please!!]
[Will you shut up!!]
The military officer who brought Rose ties her up and stops her from speaking. However, Rose did not stop resisting and continued to raise her voice thinking about Romilie.
[Rose.]
That dignified voice strangely resonated well in my ears.
Rose must have felt the same way, as she stopped shouting and stared at Romilie.
[I can’t save you.]
It was a voice that was devoid of any emotions, as if to let go. It’s a voice that pretends to be the Head of the Spierzeig family, keeping a lid on her personal feelings.
In contrast to Rose, who was happy that she was useless as a hostage, Romilie remained expressionless. But to me, that face only looked like she’s crying.
Then Romilie, the Head of the Spierszeig family, gave Rose one command.
[Spierzeig grew here, and will end here.]
Beautiful.
The unashamed pride of Spierzeig’s blood is simply beautiful.
[…..beautiful.]
The word leaked out of my mouth.
I can feel the noble spirit in her that I felt in Magnis Spierzeig as well.
I didn’t want to lose this lonely Princess, this noble flower.
I don’t want to let this girl go. I want this girl. It was a pure instinctive desire.
By the time I realized it, my feelings of goodwill had spread through magic power.
==========
For just a moment, Wilk’s emotions were definitely leaking out.
The fondness that had leaked out due to his affair with Raeve, and his pure feelings for Romilie, reverberated around him like ripples.
That was completely different from the waves of murderous intent.
The deploying soldiers of both armies were confused by the unknown sensation, and did not shake to the point that it could be called confusion.
Silence continued in the center of the noisy place.
Wilk, who had let his emotions leak out, was hurriedly trying to correct his expression, but Romilie didn’t miss what he was doing. And for that reason, she was at a loss as to what decision she should make.
She couldn’t find anything that she could believe in.
Romilie was unable to grasp the essence of anything in her conversation with Wilk. That evaluation did not change as it remained a different entity.
It is highly likely that peace with Wilk will be the most desirable thing for the Spierzeig. She understands that in her head. However, she still couldn’t trust someone whose true nature she couldn’t see.
She didn’t have the courage to take another step down a road with no clear future. Romilie’s conclusion was that she could not entrust the fate of Spierzeig to Wilk.
However, at the very end, she knew one thing for sure.
That pure feelings of goodwill cannot be disguised. Romilie felt the certain emotion in Wilk’s heart.
There, for the first time, she was able to recognize the boy standing in front of her as a human being.
Wilk walked towards her, as if he didn’t like the silence.
Romilie was unable to immediately decide what to do. The two of them got close enough that they could reach each other if they stretched out their hands.
[Neither as part of Quordenze nor Spierzeig.]
Wilk then extended his hand towards Romilie.
[May I take your hand, o’ green flower that blooms at night?]
What comes back is the memory of the evening party in the Royal Capital.
That was Wilk’s first question to her, and it could be his last.
The future of the Spierzeig family would depend on this answer.
Romilie gently placed her hand on her chest.
Is it worth believing in the slight favor that she felt just now? Should she believe that is Wilk’s true nature?
The time has come to make a decision as the Head of the Spierzeig family.
A star is now twinkling in the sky.
As if to guide her as she tries to walk through a dark, signless night.
[Yes. Let the starlight guide our path.]
On that day, the great battle came to an end.