Episode 75. Defense of the Valhart Western Fortress (8)
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Valhart Western Fortress.
“There’s the enemy!”
After hastily constructing a temporary shrine for the ritual and merely pretending to conduct it, I heard a soldier’s shout.
“A vanguard acting as bait?”
Though they had brought along siege weapons in a grand display, if my predictions were correct, the main force that had reached here wouldn’t be many.
About just under 10,000 soldiers remained in the fortress.
“General Epinel, don’t worry and engage them.”
Upon Jinor’s advice, Epinel nodded.
“If it seems like there are too many of them, we’ll immediately retreat… Swen, be ready to perform the ritual then.”
“Understood.”
Thus, Epinel took a few thousand soldiers to intercept.
Soon enough, it wasn’t difficult to determine that the enemy forces weren’t many.
As I said, the enemy’s main force had launched a surprise attack, and indeed, not many soldiers were sent here.
“Phew.”
I sighed in relief inwardly.
Somehow, even when making ‘guaranteed predictions,’ my heart wouldn’t settle until I saw the results with my own eyes.
Well, it’s said to be ‘a guess based on guaranteed predictions,’ but really, I was just fitting my knowledge into the situation repeatedly.
Whether it was right or wrong, only opening the lid would tell.
“If I was going to be possessed, I wish I was given a more certain and accurate cheat.”
While I was entertaining such trivial thoughts, Jinor, who had assessed the situation, approached me.
“It seems your words were right, Swen.”
I spoke with a confidence that I couldn’t possibly have thought ‘thank goodness it was right’ just moments before.
“Didn’t I tell you? From Brans’ army’s perspective, that was the only decision they could make. Anyone would have come to a similar conclusion.”
“No, it’s not like that. You have an insight that sees through situations. You might have a talent as a strategist.”
“Compliments won’t get you anything from me.”
Jinor snorted at my words.
“I don’t praise just anyone. Anyway, the continent’s situation will change quite a bit now.”
He was right.
The balance Brans’ army was barely maintaining on all four fronts had collapsed.
This would definitely reconfigure the power dynamics of the continent, for better or worse.
I watched from the fortress walls as Epinel’s forces cleared up Brans’ army’s vanguard.
Indeed… they were strong.
As Jinor said, Epinel was a talented general.
A capable general changes the tide of battle by their mere involvement.
Epinel was a perfect example of that.
With such a limited base, they managed not to be devoured by Brans’ army and had held out until now, which meant something.
“Soon, the central continent will be engulfed in chaos.”
Though I felt sorry for the citizens who wished for peace… for me, it was an ideal situation.
Until the Lunarien army could rise and stand out, it was necessary to prevent any one force from becoming too powerful.
Even if we had to accept Serphina’s dominance in the north, having a powerful contender in the center was a dangerous situation.
But, I believed.
Eventually, even the citizens would understand that Luna, rather than someone like Lynn, uniting the continent was the only path to a golden age.
With those thoughts… I organized my own.
*
As soon as we returned to Valhart Castle, Yuri greeted us at the gate.
“Welcome back, Epinel! Jinor! You really worked hard!”
“The soldiers who launched the surprise attack?”
“Airen took care of it. Emma and Ernandorf arrived just in time too. Jinor, you worked hard. The idea of a surprise attack came from you, right?”
“Strictly speaking, it wasn’t me, but Swen’s suggestion.”
“Is that so?”
Hearing that, Yuri approached me with a smile, extending her hand.
I took her hand.
“Thank you so much, Swen! If we hadn’t noticed the surprise attack, it would have been a disaster… Thanks to you, we survived!”
I smiled and jokingly said,
“If this repays the favor of accepting General Airen and me, I’m satisfied.”
Of course, it was only half a joke. I was quite serious.
Someday, when we leave here, I wanted to have done something for her, who had accepted our surrender, regardless of the reason.
Naturally, it coincided with my interests, but there was no need to make that too obvious here, right?
Yuri accepted my somewhat audacious story with a laugh.
“Of course! Not just Swen, but Airen really, really worked hard. I heard from Emma. There was a dangerous moment.”
“Really…?”
A dangerous moment?
As soon as I heard that, my heart sank.
“Could you tell me more about it…?”
I managed to hear the rough details from Yuri.
About Airen provoking Chel Brans to buy time, and how she nearly got seriously injured in a 1:1 duel with him.
Though Emma’s intervention allowed them to get through without any major issues… if that hadn’t happened, Airen might have been in real danger.
That wasn’t a scenario I had considered, so I couldn’t help but be taken aback.
“Such a thing happened…”
This would require further questioning later.
“Anyway, we’ve cleared up Brans’ army’s remnants. They won’t think of attacking us anytime soon.”
“No, Yuri. This is an opportunity!”
Epinel said with enthusiasm.
“Now is the perfect time to plant a red flag on Lacline Castle! Just give the order! I’ll take the remaining forces and move to capture Lacline right away!”
“It might be better to observe the situation first.”
Brans’ army was almost certainly going to be picked apart from all sides, and it was true our army had found an opportunity, but –
There was no need for the Aeshers army to be at the forefront of that.
Serphina’s army, eager to advance into the central region, would almost certainly act.
When Brans’ army was engaged in war with Serphina’s army, invading then would make things easier.
“General Epinel. I understand your eagerness, but now doesn’t seem to be the right time.”
Fortunately, Jinor seemed to share my thoughts and briefed her, asking her to wait a bit longer.
After hearing Jinor’s explanation, Epinel pondered for a moment, then nodded and said,
“Understood, strategist. I acknowledge that we avoided a great danger thanks to the strategist’s advice this time.”
Thankfully, it seemed she wouldn’t be stubborn this time.
“I repeat, it wasn’t my suggestion but…”
Jinor glanced briefly in my direction.
I subtly shook my head.
There was no need to mention me specifically, that was the nuance.
Fortunately, he seemed to catch my drift and didn’t mention my name further.
“Being too prominently highlighted isn’t good.”
To live here in the Aeshers army without issues, it was important not to flaunt one’s achievements too much.
Even Jinor, whose fame spread across the continent, was subject to the founding heroes’ scrutiny just for occupying the strategist position. How much more for a general like me
, who merely brought down a meteor from the sky?
Of course, that “meteor” act was impressive, but if I kept exploiting that reputation without being able to do so freely, I was bound to encounter trouble eventually.
Anyway, after the meeting with Yuri ended.
I hurried off.
My destination was where Airen was.
*
Airen was, regardless of her affiliation or position, always consistently the same person.
Even now, as she had in the Brans army –
She spent her time treating wounded soldiers who had fought alongside her in repelling the attack.
Emma, Ernandorf, and Epinel were nowhere to be seen here… but as always, she was the one tending to soldiers on the front lines.
“Lady Airen.”
“Oh? Swen! You’ve returned safely.”
She smiled at me, seemingly very pleased to see me, but I couldn’t return her smile.
Noticing something was off with my usual expression, she cautiously asked me.
“…Swen? Is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell-”
“Lady Airen. …I heard you dueled with Chel Brans.”
“Ah, that. Yes. I had to buy time.”
She spoke as if it was nothing special –
But her nonchalance made me, somewhat agitated, express my emotions.
“Why did you engage in such a reckless duel? Not to undermine you, Lady Airen, but Chel Brans is a formidable opponent even within the Brans army. Objectively, the likelihood of you defeating him was slim. You could have endangered your life, couldn’t you?”
Airen closed her eyes for a moment, lost in thought, then slowly opened them and spoke solemnly.
“…A knight must fight when it’s time to fight.”
“Now was not the time. We have… a place to go, don’t we?”
It might sound a bit presumptuous, but…
If Airen had been harmed fighting for the Aeshers army, I wonder if I would have resented the Aeshers army from that day on.
As I entertained such a somewhat childish thought, she smiled softly and said,
“That’s why I fought, Swen.”
“Excuse me…?”
“I wanted to go to that place with you. Before that, I couldn’t let you fall into danger.”
Airen looked at me with eyes clearer than ever before.
That gaze. The gaze of someone determined to protect… momentarily overwhelmed me.
“Without holding Chel there, the likelihood of them retreating and regrouping was high. Sure, we could have inflicted some damage on Brans’ army… but as you said, we wouldn’t have caused enough chaos to disrupt the balance. If we missed this opportunity, there’s no guarantee another would come, right?”
“…”
I was speechless.
After all, Airen’s argument was sound.
Because Chel fell for Airen’s provocation and fought, instead of commanding, he was distracted by a duel with a single general –
Caught unprepared for a surprise attack, Brans’ army fell into irrecoverable chaos and suffered significant losses.
Perhaps I was the problem for not directing her through Jinor to take such action.
Without her wit, we couldn’t have fully utilized the opportunity we had.
But why…
Why does my heart beat so fast?
Why is something inside me so restless, as if struggling to be heard?
“Swen. I’m sincerely happy that my ability could help you. Don’t feel too pressured. From the moment I left Brans’ army, I decided to live solely for you.”
To live for you, she said.
Hearing that, my true feelings burst forth.
“…If you’ve decided to live for me, please don’t die, no matter what.”
“…Huh?”
She looked at me, surprised by my impulsive words.
But what could I do? This was my heartfelt truth.
“It doesn’t matter what’s advantageous or what opportunities there are. It’s okay to miss opportunities. Lady Airen… I just want you to be safe, not to fall into danger.”
“Swen…”
“So, please don’t recklessly enter battle alone next time. I beg you. If it seems impossible, just run away. Don’t risk your life in any situation. I know it may sound absurd to ask a knight entering battle… but I’m serious.”
What was I thinking when I said that?
What’s clear is that now, it’s not the brain with an intelligence of 100 directing my words, but –
The heart that’s still beating in my chest.
She looked at me silently for a while, then…
Blushing, she slightly bowed her head, wearing an expression unbecoming of a knight, almost girlish, and said in a small voice,
“…Okay, I got it, so… that look, it’s… um…”
“Yes?”
“That… it’s embarrassing… yeah.”
Watching Airen, her face flushed, glancing at me…
I thought, maybe more than helping Luna unite the world, I simply wanted to protect this woman.
