Episode 72. Defense of the Valhart Western Fortress (5)
*
Finding Jinor was not particularly difficult.
He was on top of the fortress walls, surveying the surroundings, and occasionally sighing.
“Jinor sir.”
“Hm? Isn’t that Swen? What’s the matter?”
I stood beside him and gently started the conversation.
“Are you planning to let it go to a head-on fight as it is?”
“…What do you mean?”
“If my words sound insolent, I apologize. I merely want to ask if you truly believe that following Lady Epinel’s opinion is the right answer.”
“…Ha.”
Jinor sighed deeply and said,
“There’s not entirely no sense in General Epinel’s words. If we lose this fortress, we’ll just be walking in place. Maybe fighting head-on might be the answer, I’ve been thinking.”
“I see. I have a slightly different opinion.”
“…What do you want to talk about?”
I spoke in a serious tone.
“Jinor sir. It’s a very simple story. Suppose you became the strategist for Brans’ army. Would you lead your soldiers to attack this place?”
“Definitely, 50,000 men would seem insufficient. But this isn’t a castle; it’s a fortress. If it’s about a vanguard concept, there’s no reason not to invade. If it were me, I would have brought 20-30,000 more soldiers… But the invasion itself wouldn’t have been entirely foolish.”
“Even with me here?”
“…?”
He didn’t understand my words for a moment and looked into my eyes.
Then, after a moment,
Ah, he slowly nodded.
“…You don’t mean…?”
“If I were Brans’ army’s strategist, regardless of the number, I wouldn’t attempt a frontal attack on this fortress’s troops. Because there’s a high chance that ‘Swen’ is here.”
He nodded and then started stroking his beard.
After a while, looking at me as if something dawned on him, he said,
“…But, isn’t that ‘magic’ of yours not something you can use at will? The other side would obviously know that, wouldn’t they? Since you were associated with that place even more so.”
Jinor was the man who had heard the most about my abilities in the Aeshers army.
Since I couldn’t make an irrefutable lie, after I confessed to him that I couldn’t use it at will,
But.
I had never revealed all my cards to anyone.
“Though it’s not magic… frankly, there are parts I haven’t mentioned.”
“Unmentioned parts?”
“When I explained before, I said there was absolutely no part I could control, and just reading the flow of the heavens was the limit… but actually, that’s not entirely true.”
If the Aeshers army falls here.
If we lose the only existing Valhart Castle – I would die.
Not only because my life is precious, but Airen would surely not fare well either.
So here.
Once again, I have to boldly lie.
“I can intervene in the flow of the heavens… through a ‘deeper’ communication.”
“…!!!”
Jinor’s eyes widened as he looked at me for a moment before,
Finally, he parted his heavy lips.
“Why… did you hide that?”
“Simple. Because the price is my lifespan.”
“Your lifespan?”
“To manipulate the will of the heavens at will, an unimaginable amount of mana must be used. Naturally, if I were to take in that amount of mana into my body, it would cause massive strain here and there. That’s why I couldn’t recklessly speak of this ability.”
“Hmm…”
Jinor pondered for a moment with a furrowed expression, then cautiously asked me,
“I’m curious about the reason you’re saying this now. If you’re afraid for your life, shouldn’t you have kept it to yourself?”
“Well, even if I stay still, I’ll lose my life anyway.”
“…What does that mean?”
I looked around and then, looking into his eyes as if revealing a state secret, wickedly played with my tongue.
“It’s a surprise attack, Jinor sir.”
“!!!”
“The goal of Brans’ army isn’t this fortress. The soldiers are bait. The real target is… Valhart Castle, currently left vulnerable by the diversion of its troops for the invasion of Alephel. If Valhart Castle falls, our entire army will become prisoners of Brans. In that case, I will surely die.”
“…The basis?”
“I’ll say it again. If I had been Brans’ army’s strategist, knowing I’m here, I wouldn’t have sent troops. Especially since Brans’ army, having seen the actual scene as fellow comrades, all the more so. Jinor sir, do you know who Brans’ army’s strategist is?”
“Indeed, it was Parphale.”
“If you know, then it’ll be quick. Do you think, Jinor sir, that Parphale, who even an ordinary general like me knows this fact, would advance here without knowing?”
“…”
He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said,
“She wouldn’t. I’ve seen her; she’s a very smart person.”
“You have a past with her?”
“She was once my pupil.”
Oh? This was information I didn’t know.
Given that Jinor is considered one of the wisest men on the continent, his footprint seemed to be not so light.
At this point, I decided to scratch where Jinor was itching.
“Of course, even if the strategist makes all the right arguments, if the commander doesn’t accept them, it’s meaningless.”
Hearing this, Jinor’s eyebrows twitched.
I could have scratched more, but let’s leave it at that for now.
“The current commander of Brans’ army is Chel Brans. He may be somewhat arrogant and reckless in battle, but he’s not so foolish as to ignore the strategist’s opinion. His title as the Supreme Sword and his fame are evidence of that.”
“And I was part of Brans’ army until recently. Parphale is highly trusted within Brans’ army. Starting with the lord, Lyn, who treats her specially. Under Brans’ army’s rule, where the lord’s influence is strongest, her opinion is virtually as powerful as Lyn Brans’ own. I can’t imagine Chel ignoring that.”
“…”
After that, I continued to persuade Jinor with all the logic I could muster.
From the reason why the troop number was precisely 50,000, to the argument that they had little time left other than for a surprise attack.
Jinor didn’t say anything, but it wasn’t hard to tell that he was listening to me.
“What we need to do now is to withdraw the fortress’s troops and take advantage of their plan to surprise attack Valhart Castle. There’s no other way. This is the only strategy for our army to survive.”
“…Hmm.”
Jinor stared blankly at the horizon for a long while, then turned to me.
“That you’re telling me this means…”
“Yes. I believe Jinor sir is the only one who can persuade Lady Epinel.”
After all, no matter how hard I, a newcomer, try to speak, she won’t listen.
In the end, the only one with even a slight chance to persuade her was Gin
or, the national strategist.
…Or so I thought.
But then, Jinor said something unexpected.
“…Is that so. You’ve come to understand the situation I’m in, even though you’ve just arrived.”
“?
He said something quite meaningful… but frankly, I didn’t understand.
However, for some reason, my intuition was screaming loudly.
This will be a turning point.
I nodded and said as calmly as possible,
“You’re right.”
“Good.”
Alright.
There was a bit of a delay in my response, but… it seems to have gone over fairly well.
I don’t know what Jinor’s situation is, but from my standpoint, I couldn’t not use it.
“People who can only predict have to use whatever they come across.”
“Understood. I’ll try to persuade her once more.”
“I will join you.”
“However, I have a request.”
Huh?
A request?
“What is it?”
“It’s rather sudden, but.”
“I promise it won’t be a burden or too much for you.”
A request from Jinor that wouldn’t be a burden on me?
Nothing specifically came to mind… but honestly, I didn’t have many options.
But it’s better to have insurance.
“If it’s a request I absolutely cannot fulfill, I may not be able to grant it, but if that’s okay with you.”
“Suit yourself. My request isn’t that kind.”
“Then, I have no reason to refuse.”
With that, our conversation ended.
Jinor and I immediately headed to where Epinel was.
She was busily moving her body, training the soldiers.
As we approached her, she noticed us coming and asked with a puzzled look,
“Strategist? And Swen, you’re here too. What’s the matter?”
“General Epinel. I’d like to talk to the general once more.”
“A talk?”
“Yes.”
After that, Jinor based on what he heard from me, conveyed our opinion to her.
That the deployed soldiers are likely bait, the real target is Valhart Castle, and we need to withdraw troops in anticipation of a surprise attack.
Jinor even neatly summarized my story about not speaking out of fear of losing lifespan and told her everything.
Certainly being smart, he had a very good ability to explain things in an easy-to-understand manner.
“Is that so? A surprise attack… Hmm.”
Epinel pondered for a moment, then looked at us and said,
“If we withdraw troops and there’s no such surprise attack, this fortress will be taken by the 50,000 soldiers… In that case.”
“As I said, I will risk my lifespan to open the path of the heavens.”
“Hmm…”
Epinel pondered for a long time, then looked me straight in the eye.
“Swen. I don’t want to force you to do something so risky.”
“Excuse me…?”
“No, why are you so surprised? Just as I said, I don’t want to burden you unnecessarily.”
“But without this method, everyone will be in danger.”
“I understand your words well. I’ll send a scout specifically. If Brans’ army plans to divide their troops, won’t the scout confirm that? We can decide what to do then; it won’t be too late.”
“Wasting time unnecessarily…”
I had predicted with an intelligence of 100, so my words would be correct; there was no need to be so cautious.
On the contrary, if we delay and miss the timing, there would be no greater disaster.
Of course, Epinel wouldn’t know my situation… but no matter how I look at it, this caution seems to be poison.
“…That’s.”
I was tempted to say that even if my words were wrong, they could execute me then, but.
I knew. The reason my ‘bluff’ worked before was because the lord was Luna.
There’s no use talking now; I can’t persuade her.
“Anyway, we can’t withdraw the soldiers right now, so please understand. I’ve also sent a messenger to Emma, who has already departed to conquer Alephel. If necessary, Emma’s forces can protect Valhart Castle. We, the Aeshers army, have always somehow overcome such battlefields as warriors of reversal.”
“But there’s no guarantee they’ll return to Valhart Castle in time-”
“I trust Emma’s judgment. Swen, you might not know, but she’s a great warrior who makes the impossible possible. This Epinel guarantees it. It might be good for you to see this time.”
Epinel thumped her chest as she spoke.
The results built with long-time comrades seemed to be her pride.
Pride is good, but… is it really the right path to trust comrades so unconditionally?
“Strategist, please don’t worry too much and prepare for battle.”
“Ha.”
Why she’s so attached to the fortress, I don’t understand…
So, even bringing Jinor, we couldn’t persuade her.
Initially, Jinor’s first agenda, “to withdraw all soldiers to Valhart Castle,” was blocked, so this might have been expected, but it really turned out this way.
“Should I secretly flee with Airen?”
Objectively, the fall of the Aeshers army isn’t my concern.
Running away while a battle looms might bring bad rumors about us, but aren’t we already branded as traitors?
It wouldn’t be bad to ensure our lives are safe.
Just as I thought this… Jinor spoke in a serious tone.
“General. Please withdraw the soldiers now and prepare for the surprise attack. Under the assumption that you do so, if, as the general says, there’s no surprise attack and we lose this fortress, I will immediately step down from the position of national strategist.”
“…!!!”
Then.
For the first time, Epinel, who had not been persuaded by any words, looked at Jinor in shock.
“Step down from the position of national strategist?”
Was that condition so persuasive to Epinel?
My curiosity was fleeting, as Jinor nonchalantly continued the conversation.
And after hearing the next part,
I could somewhat guess about the “situation he was in” that Jinor had mentioned.
“And I will pass the position to Anima, who was originally the national strategist.”
