Episode 73. Defense of the Valhart Western Fortress (6)
The name Anima.
It wasn’t a name I was hearing for the first time.
“Right. There certainly was a strategist named Anima.”
I remembered her as a useful female character with not bad stats.
Of course, she wasn’t a character that appeared as a hermit general but always came out as part of the Aeshers army in any scenario.
That’s right.
The strategist of the Aeshers army was usually Anima.
For some reason, Jinor was in that position now, but Jinor originally appeared as a hermit general.
Adding the existence of Anima, I began to understand Epinel’s stubborn behavior strangely.
Then perhaps…
“Did Epinel not like that Anima was ousted from the strategist position?”
My goodness.
Even for the Aeshers army, which operates on seniority, considering the intelligence stat, which is almost the biggest virtue of a strategist, Jinor would definitely be better.
Moreover, this is not a game but the real world, so in Jinor’s case, unlike me who makes predictions and fits pieces together, he must definitely be incredibly smart and wise.
Yet, was there discontent?
If the ‘original members’ are that important, then why recruit new talents at all?
“…”
After listening to Jinor, Epinel pondered for a moment and then looked at me.
“Swen. Your words, there’s no mistake in them, right?”
“Are you referring to this talk?”
“That it’s possible to somehow perform a miracle by risking your lifespan. If there’s no surprise attack, this fortress, having withdrawn its troops, would be in a precarious situation, wouldn’t it? If your ability doesn’t activate, we’ll be in quite a predicament.”
“…It’s possible. If this fortress falls right now, I, remaining in the fortress, will surely become a prisoner of Brans’ army. And from the perspective of Brans’ army, I am a traitor. Why would I risk my life to tell a lie?”
I blatantly lied without changing my expression.
Well, since my prediction indicates there will be a surprise attack, I wasn’t scared.
“…”
After hearing my words, Epinel pondered for a long time and then said to Jinor.
“Strategist. I hope you’re not too angry. I just want you to understand that Anima is a very important existence to our Aeshers army. We received a lot of help from her when we had nothing. It means she’s not someone who should be treated poorly in this way. I’m not blaming you, strategist…”
“I understand, general.”
“Then, that’s good.”
Epinel nodded.
“We will withdraw the fortress’s troops and prepare for the surprise attack on Valhart Castle.”
“Lady Epinel.”
I took out a map from my pocket and handed it to her.
It was a map I had just prepared, detailing the expected locations of the surprise attack.
Epinel, taking it, was slightly surprised and said,
“This is… Swen, did you arrange all of this?”
“Yes.”
“Ho… I thought you only had the talent to pray to the heavens, but it seems you’re quite capable in tactics as well.”
Let me clarify again, I don’t know the first thing about tactics.
Even the commonly known basic tactic of “hammer and anvil” is barely known to me, just about the concept itself.
I just played this game for 10,000 hours, so I know roughly how the surprise attack will happen.
“Anyway, just in case, start preparing for the ritual now. I’ll assign some soldiers to you.”
“I will follow the order.”
“Since it’s decided, let’s hurry up now.”
Having somehow persuaded Epinel,
I turned to Jinor and asked.
“Where is Anima now?”
I didn’t remember seeing Anima’s face during the meetings.
In my memory, she had short, auburn hair, but there was no woman like that.
“She’s currently on a pilgrimage.”
“A pilgrimage?”
“…She thought being outperformed by me was due to her own deficiencies and left for a pilgrimage somewhere within her domain.”
“Really…? Did the lord allow this?”
It sounds nice to say a pilgrimage, but isn’t that just desertion?
“It’s like saying, ‘Since you won’t make me a strategist, I won’t do anything’ and running away.”
“Since the current lord, Yuri, and the core heroes of the Aeshers army are tightly bound by strong ties, it seems she has some means of communication even during her pilgrimage.”
“Huh…”
I cautiously looked at Jinor.
Reading the emotions emanating from his expression, I judged it was okay to ask this much.
“Why are you with the Aeshers army, Jinor?”
At my question, Jinor’s eyebrows twitched for a moment, but,
As I expected, he wasn’t too displeased and sighed shortly.
“That’s quite a bold question. …Well, from a newcomer’s perspective, it might well seem so.”
A person of Jinor’s stature would surely be treated well anywhere.
Being known as the wisest person on the continent.
It meant he wasn’t someone to be treated this way just for occupying the strategist position.
“This nation indeed has a strong influence from the founding heroes, but luckily, those founding heroes are all generals with excellent abilities. General Epinel, General Emma, General Ernandorf, and even the strategist Anima, all of them. They all might be somewhat stubborn, but not a single one is dumb or evil. All are sincerely working for the peace of the continent. Of course, our lord, Yuri, is much more suitable as a monarch compared to Lynnn Brans or Ohana Hiroicel.”
Ohana Hiroicel.
That referred to the monarch of the Ohana army, bordering the southern Carelia army.
“After the empire’s collapse, I realized that true peace could not be brought to this continent by merely being a ‘ruling monarch’ like the emperors of the past. The fact that the continent is now torn apart by lords proves it. I believe peace will come when someone like Yuri unifies the continent.”
“Isn’t there Carelia who doesn’t rule in that aspect?”
“You mean Makana Carelia. I had a chance to talk to her when the empire was still intact. Indeed, in terms of the power to lead people, Yuri would have to step back before her… But she’s too kind, that’s the problem.”
Saying that, he sighed as if worried about his daughter.
“She lacks the charisma to grasp this turbulent era. Yuri has founding heroes to compensate for that aspect, but she lacks even such beings. The generals who shared life and death with Yuri are filling in for what he lacks.”
Jinor clicked his tongue lightly and continued,
“It would be nice if there was an ideal monarch who leads not with power but with virtue, without being swayed by those around him, and has a firm stance… But reality is not so. You’ll come to understand my words someday.”
Ironically, listening to Jinor’s story, her face came to mind.
Lunarien Iniang.
If there’s someone ‘not swayed by those around him, with a firm stance,’ and ‘leads not with power but with virtue,’… wouldn’t Luna fit perfectly?
She trusted me completely during my time there, but that wasn’t because she listened to someone else.
Rather, Tifa and Cain, who seemed to have been with her for a long time, showed reluctance to my incomprehensible commands.
She unilaterally supported me based on her judgment, so in this aspect, she is distinct from Yuri.
Moreover, she must have been incredibly lucky.
Because I, whom she decided to trust completely, had an intelligence of 100.
Trusting me completely meant that she would only make the right decisions.
It’s embarrassingly self-praising to say this, but how can I deny the truth?
“Maybe later, I could bring Jinor to our side as a general…”
That moment.
Jinor turned his head towards me.
“We’ve talked too long.”
“Thank you for your help in persuading today.”
“Well, it’s all for Yuri’s victory, isn’t it.”
Right.
Here, for my sake too, the Aeshers army must win.
It was dangerous in many ways to further empower the Brans army, now my sworn enemy.
“Then, I’ll take my leave first.”
After parting with Jinor, I headed to that place.
To where she, waiting for me, was.
*
“Conducting a ritual…? But, Swen. If you do, your life-”
“Don’t worry, Airen. There won’t even be a chance for me to pray to the heavens.”
I explained the current situation to Airen in detail.
My prediction of Brans’ army’s plan, what happened with Jinor, and everything with Epinel.
“A surprise attack…? Yes, a surprise attack… It wouldn’t be Chel’s idea, but it’s convincing enough if it came from Parphale.”
“She must be afraid of me. I was one of the closest people to observe my ability. I was the one who shattered the plan Aeshers army had set up. So, there’s no need for me to risk my life, you don’t have to worry too much.”
“…I’m relieved, but…”
Then.
Airen looked me straight in the eyes.
Was it my imagination?
It seemed as if the focus in her eyes faded slightly…
“Even if, by any chance, there’s no surprise attack… I won’t just stand by and let you risk your life to perform the ritual. I will risk my life to ensure that never happens.”
…Gulp.
I unknowingly swallowed dryly.
It was the first time I felt such an overwhelming presence from Airen.
“…Don’t worry. How could I lie to you, Airen? A surprise attack is the only possibility.”
“I trust you, Swen… but as I said before, the most important thing to me, irreplaceable by anything else, is you. I won’t just stand by and let you risk your life… no matter what happens.”
“…”
Although I felt a bit chilly from her,
As long as my predictions are 100% accurate, a surprise attack was inevitable, so I wasn’t too worried.
“…After this battle, a storm will sweep through the central continent.”
The balance that had never wavered since Brans’ army took control of the central continent.
Thinking about the moment it would collapse, I began my own preparations.
*
Leading the troops prepared for the surprise attack was Airen’s role.
With Emma and Ernandorf deployed to other battlefields and Epinel remaining in the fortress, it was natural for the excellent general Airen to be called upon.
I wanted to stay by Airen’s side if possible,
But since I had said, “If there’s no surprise attack, I’ll perform the ritual,” I had to stay in the fortress.
“Airen, please just come back alive.”
Although it was a fight overwhelmingly in our favor since we were preventing a surprise attack, sending her to the battlefield wasn’t particularly pleasant.
Initially, I approached her thinking I might be of help to the Lunarien army…
Before I knew it, she had become too significant a presence for me.
“It’s okay. My predictions are always right. She won’t be in danger.”
I calmed my heart and spent time preparing for a ritual I wouldn’t even perform.
Now, it was literally up to the will of the heavens.
* * *
In the forest scattered around Valhart Castle.
Airen, who took on the role of leading or commanding the troops prepared for the surprise attack, had placed soldiers at points likely to be targeted by a surprise attack and waited in silence.
“Swen said the surprise attack is likely to happen at night.”
Typically, battles don’t occur often at night.
For those attacking, fighting at night would be inconvenient to no end.
But a surprise attack is different. It’s about striking where the opponent least expects it.
“It’s okay. Just do as Swen said.”
After spending time quietly in the forest at night for who knows how long,
Soldiers following the exact route Swen had pinpointed began to appear.
Placing soldiers in the forest in advance was the right decision.
“Now!”
Airen shouted as loudly as she could.
“Everyone, charge! Eliminate soldiers not identified as allies!”
And at the same time her voice was heard,
Aeshers’ army soldiers, who had been lurking in the darkness, suddenly revealed themselves.
“What, what?!”
“Enemies! It’s a fight!”
Indeed, just as Swen had predicted –
Brans’ army was attempting a surprise attack on Valhart Castle, not the fortress.
Airen, who had been with Swen longer than anyone else in the Aeshers army, couldn’t help but think again.
His words were all correct, again.
