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Volume 4 Chapter 14-2: Defensive Wall

「Cyril-san, please tell me. Are you considering Erucy’s defense because you’re assuming that Bell Erucy will fall?」

「It’s highly unlikely that it will fall. You saw the power of those hand grenades, right? Plus, the defensive wall’s strength is incredible since it was built as a fortress. To capture it, they would need to prepare for significant casualties. The Empire will likely choose to bypass it.」

「Bypassing it means that Bell Erucy isn’t that useful after all, right?」

「Not quite. The fact that they need to bypass it is meaningful. Trying to bypass it would be quite treacherous, requiring them to traverse a narrow, treacherous path. Moreover, if they march with a large army carrying heavy baggage, their progress will be delayed by two to three weeks. With the delay, they’ll need more food and water, and their baggage will increase, further slowing them down. Bell Erucy is keeping the Empire in check just by existing.」

To add to that, the fact that we control the fortress in that location is of the utmost importance.

「I understand it’s a dangerous situation, but if Cyril is willing to go that far, the information must come from a very reliable source.」

「Yeah, he may have a bad personality, but he doesn’t lie.」

“Me” has never lied before. “Me” may provide fragmentary information that can lead to misunderstandings and act in a suggestive manner intentionally, but “Me” does not lie, or so “Me” says.

「As I said before, I want to confirm it thoroughly.」

「How are you going to confirm it?」

「I’ll disguise myself and sneak into the Empire. If I can see the situation there with my own eyes, I’ll know if they are preparing for battle or not. If they are still willing to fight after such a defeat, it means they have a definite chance of victory, so I’ll consider it confirmed.」

The Empire has already suffered three major defeats and significant losses. If they are willing to continue this war, it means they must have a certain chance of winning. This would only be possible if they were able to recruit someone like Ashno or a Hero.

「Leader, I understand. As the captain of Nettle, I agree with your opinion. If there’s someone that dangerous, we need to fortify our defenses thoroughly.」

「Yeah, we must protect Erucy.」

Lucy and Roleau had determined expressions. Amidst this, Kuu seemed somewhat uneasy.

「Kuu, what’s wrong? Are you worried?」

「Yes, I am worried.」

「I won’t lose. We’ll win again this time.」

「No, I have no doubts about that. After all, my husband is the most dependable person in the world.」

Kuu’s casually spoken words embarrassed me.

「Cough, can you save the flirting for later?」

It was not Lucy but Kurao who inexplicably seemed jealous of Kuu. Why would a man like him be jealous of Kuu?

「What are you afraid of, Kuu?」

「I’m afraid of winning without using attribute magic.」

At first, I didn’t understand what Kuu meant.

「So far, Cyril-kun’s creations and tactics have relied on our unique abilities, like wind magic or fire magic, things that only we can do. But this time, it’s different. Cyril-kun will provide weapons and tactics that can defeat an enemy with hundreds of times our numbers without using attribute magic. That means it’s a technique or tactic that anyone can use, something anyone can replicate. That’s what really scares me. It might be directed at all of us in the future.」

I was momentarily speechless. I couldn’t help but imagine the fear of what might come after our victory.

「Oh, sorry. Please forget what I said. It’s too early to think about it. If we don’t win, it’s all over. It’s too soon to think about what comes after winning.」

「No, Kuu is not wrong. We should think ahead and prepare. Thank you, Kuu.」

「Yes, I’m honored if I can be of any help.」

Kuu smiled modestly.

「Okay, let’s quickly tell everyone about this. If we don’t convey the information soon, the seeds will be wasted, and we might give them unnecessary work.」

Lucy spoke cheerfully to dispel the heavy atmosphere.

「Kuu-chan, it’s a shame. The wedding will be delayed again. It’s not the time for that after all.」

「Yeah, Lucy-chan is right. God can be so mean.」

My two brides looked dejected. So, I smiled and spoke up.

「On the holiday three weeks from now, we’ll have the wedding as planned. I’ll prepare the best feast I can for you both. Infiltrating the Empire and gathering information can wait until after that.」

As soon as I said that, both of them smiled brightly.

「I’m happy, I’m really happy but, are you sure?」

「Yes, it will only take one day, and I’ve already informed the mayor of Erin. Plus, I can’t wait to see both of you in your wedding dresses as soon as possible. I won’t let the Empire delay that.」

I wanted to get rid of any regrets.

Afterward, we discussed the specifics of fortifying the defenses and stocking up on supplies and then adjourned the meeting.

After leaving the meeting room, I called Kuu over.

「Kuu, would you spar with me for a bit?」

「Sure, but it’s unusual for you to suggest it, Cyril-kun.」

「I have something I want to test. How has our past record been?」

「I’ve won twelve times, and you’ve won twenty-two times.」

In reality, I had only won five times using pure martial arts. The rest were victories obtained by using a combination of [Program] and [Perception Expansion] to increase information and determine optimal actions.

I don’t like to rely on them too much because it doesn’t contribute to my personal growth. However, if I don’t use them, Kuu gets upset, thinking that I’m holding back, so I try not to engage in sparring matches too often.

Without magic, Kuu was stronger. That’s why this would be an interesting experiment.

「Kuu, come at me with your full strength.」

「What’s with the sudden request? I’ve never held back against you.」