Episode 74. Defense of the Valhart Western Fortress (7)
* * *
“Everyone, don’t panic and maintain your composure! The enemy’s numbers won’t be that many!”
Chel Brans, attempting a surprise attack, was desperately trying to maintain the command structure by shouting, but –
He was just as flustered.
“A surprise attack has been detected? How exactly?”
How many messengers had been sent to report the current situation of the fortress on the way here?
There seemed to be preparations for a ritual, and the soldiers were also seen to be on strict guard.
Crucially, hadn’t there been reports that the commander Epinel was moving around and leading everywhere?
Since there was no possibility that the messengers had lied… in the end…
“Was our plan… seen through in advance…?”
Recalling the word “seen through,” Chel suddenly remembered what Parphale had said to him.
“Swen is an extraordinary general. He actually saw through the fact that the Aeshers army was conspiring with the Alephel and Charam armies to deceive us and that a rebellion would occur in the north. He must have thoroughly prepared countermeasures for the defense of the fortress.”
“Could it be, all of this… was within the calculations of this man named Swen…?”
Back then, Parphale said, ‘As long as Swen is there, we shouldn’t touch the fortress’…
But instead, all of this… that is, even the thought and actions Parphale would take… could it be, was seen through once more…?
“What in the…!”
Thinking back, the first time he met Swen was when he went to the now fallen Lunarien army, following his lord and sister Lynn’s information that ‘there’s a hidden talent.’
Thinking up to that point, he felt increasingly confused, but soon shook his head.
Just because he showed some kind of miraculous feat, he was overestimated.
There was no guarantee that Swen had precisely seen through this plan.
It was impossible to do anything if he was scared and predetermined answers to such an uncertain issue.
“Anyway, since we’ve been discovered, should we immediately withdraw our soldiers?”
According to Parphale.
The likelihood of this plan failing was low, but if it somehow did fail –
That is, if the Aeshers army discovers the operation of our forces before a proper siege begins.
Leave only a minimum number of soldiers to hinder pursuit immediately and withdraw the rest of the forces, she had advised clearly.
That was the way to minimize damage.
Although it felt bitter and somewhat embarrassing to flee like this –
Parphale was a strategist he recognized.
He knew well enough that listening to her in such situations was the right decision.
“Then I must immediately issue the order…”
While he was organizing his thoughts.
“You were here.”
Chel’s ears caught the familiar voice of a woman.
Turning his head towards where the voice came from…
On horseback, a warrior raised to serve the Brans family.
Airen Juliet was looking at him with cold eyes.
“…Who do we have here? The filthy traitor who abandoned her country and fled.”
“…”
Airen just glared at Chel without a word.
“Your complexion has improved quite a bit? After doing such things. If it were me, I would have committed suicide out of guilt, but you’re shamelessly living well. It seems you learned that from your father?”
Despite Chel’s clearly provocative words, Airen didn’t take the bait.
“Poor Chel Brans. Because of your cursed lineage, you can’t even leave the sinking ship. Yes, being the helmsman of a nation doomed to collapse must feel…”
“What? You damn…!”
Chel, filled with rage, pointed his sword at her and shouted.
“Are you mocking me, Chel Brans?!”
“Oh? Are you challenging me? This is your only chance to run away.”
“Ridiculous!”
Clang!
Riding his horse, Chel charged at her, swinging his sword.
After exchanging a few blows, Airen took her stance and glared at him.
“No matter what, with this level of forces, you can’t stop our army! Accept your damned fate gracefully. I’ll personally behead you, you filthy traitor!”
“You’re as vulgar as your sister. If you’re so eager to hasten your end, I won’t stop you. Come at me!”
“Fine, you cursed wench! This place will be your grave!”
Airen remained unyielded, continuing to confront Chel Brans.
After exchanging swords a few times, it was clear Chel was strong. It wasn’t for nothing he was called the supreme sword of Brans.
However, training in swordsmanship every day without fail, she felt somewhat capable of facing him now compared to before.
And indeed… she even thought he was weaker than Lunarien.
“Good. This provocation should suffice.”
According to Swen, if this scheme was seen through, it was inevitable our army would be in a favorable position.
And from here, it was important to eliminate as many of Brans’ army forces as possible.
What Swen wanted was to reduce Brans’ army forces.
Then, Airen would run for that purpose.
In the same vein, provoking the commander Chel to tie him down here was a strategy she had thought of.
Having once closely assisted him, Airen knew Chel’s personality well.
He was undoubtedly a powerful general. Brans’ ultimate weapon, so to speak, capable of fighting a hundred alone.
His only weakness was his somewhat hot-blooded nature.
Obsessed with the honor that the Brans name carries, a powerful and ferocious general.
Provoking such Chel was as easy as eating cake.
Just a little touch on that pride of his name would easily…
“Haah!”
Clang!
“…fall for it so easily…!”
At the moment Airen blocked Chel’s sword, she slightly felt her arm tremble.
Of course, from Aeshers army’s perspective, provoking him to prevent retreat and disperse Brans’ army’s formation was an excellent strategy –
If the focus was on Airen herself, it wasn’t so perfect.
She had to keep dueling him to buy as much time as possible until the soldiers were somewhat cleared…
Even if she had reached a level where she could face him, objectively defeating him was nearly impossible.
Not so inexperienced to not understand that much.
However.
“For Swen’s purpose… I need to push myself further…!”
The man who freed her from her cursed fate, the chains binding her to the Brans family.
The man who sincerely told her that protecting her was his utmost priority.
For that man… Swen, there was nothing Airen couldn’t do.
With only that resolve in her heart, she continued to exchange blows with him.
How much time had passed?
Airen started to notice her energy waning, her expression slightly contorted.
Chel did not miss this moment and let out a sneering laugh.
“Ha! I can start to feel those tiny hands of yours trembling. All that boasting and you turn out to be this weak! Airen! You didn’t seriously think you could defeat me, did you!”
Hearing Chel’s words, Airen responded with a provocatively smug smile.
“…Your tongue is too long, Chel Brans. I pity you.”
“What?”
“Because of that proud lineage of yours, you’re stuck in the Brans army, doomed to rot away in a nation destined to fall…!”
“What did you…?”
Chel visibly shuddered.
It was anger.
An anger that Airen had rarely seen before, the true fury of Chel Brans.
“…Airen Juliet. I swear on my sword. You will die here.”
Clang!
“Kuh!”
Chel’s assault became even more vicious.
How many generals could freely launch such attacks from horseback?
Although Airen managed to land a few effective hits while enduring the onslaught, at this moment, she could only desperately defend against the barrage of attacks.
“I must endure… If I don’t…!”
“I’m glad you’re safe, Lady Airen…”
Now… there was someone waiting for my return.
Someone who sought me out, affirmed my existence, waiting for my return.
“I can’t die here…!”
Crash!
“Damn…!”
Her sword slipped from her grasp while blocking the attack.
Chel, noticing this, once again let out a nasty laugh.
That unpleasant sound filled the battlefield, amidst the cries of soldiers.
“This is the end, Airen!”
“Damn, Swen…!! I…!”
At that moment.
“Aaaaah!!”
“…!!”
A painful cry from Chel reached Airen’s ears.
Quickly assessing the situation, she noticed…
An arrow had accurately struck Chel’s left hand.
Turning her head, she saw –
Emma, with a bow, and Ernandorf, wielding a giant club, charging towards them on horseback.
Apparently, the soldiers who had left to invade Alephel had heard the news from a messenger and arrived here.
“Damn…!”
Cursing, Chel grabbed the arrow in his hand.
And then…
“Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!”
He forcefully pulled it out.
Blood began to flow from the wound where the arrow was removed.
Even in such a situation, Chel managed to keep his vision clear, thinking hard.
Turning his head, he saw Emma and Ernandorf, well-known generals of the Aeshers army, approaching.
“Damn… Did the enemy reinforcements arrive?”
After losing some blood, his rational thoughts began to return.
This was not the time.
He should have ordered a retreat sooner…
If things continued this way, the odds of victory were none.
Not only could he not kill Airen in front of him, but with Emma and Ernandorf joining, he might end up dead.
“I must retreat… now…!”
“Everyone! Retreat! The operation is aborted! Prioritize retreating!”
It was too late when he finally gave the order, and it failed to reach the chaotic soldiers, echoing vainly in the air.
Chel then realized he was too late.
“Damn…!”
If the commander dies, it’s truly over.
Chel turned his horse around, shouting for everyone to retreat as fast as possible and left the scene.
Watching his departure, Emma approached Airen and said.
“Good thing we arrived not too late, Airen. It’s been a while since I used a bow, and I was a bit nervous, but thankfully it went well.”
“…Thank you, General Emma.”
“No, we should be the ones thanking you. If you hadn’t prevented the surprise attack in advance, we would have lost Valhart Castle.”
Indeed, if Airen hadn’t stationed herself here first and blocked the attacking soldiers, a dire situation would have unfolded.
“You’ve done well. Let’s now organize the remaining forces.”
“Yes, understood. I’ll help too.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Thus, Airen followed Emma to start clearing up Brans’ army forces, unable to properly retreat.
The failed surprise attack on Valhart Castle.
Brans’ army, due to this failure, lost over 45,000 of its main forces.
This was the biggest failure for Brans’ army since they had essentially dominated the central continent.
