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Chapter 266 part 1

In the citadel city of Elkeney, a pivotal center in the rebellion that had erupted in the Romal Empire, the joyous celebration of Seven Fangs’ army echoed through the streets. They had achieved a triumphant victory over the allied forces of the Romal Empire nobles.

The Seven Fangs showcased their prowess in leading and communicating with the Romal Imperial Army, which struggled with coordination due to friction among the lords. They strategically focused their forces on the armies of the respective lords, accurately identifying those slow to provide aid after the war or bound by ancestral ties, delivering decisive blows.

Despite the efforts of imperial commanders, such as Marquis Lurulias and Baron Mezcal, to address horizontal coordination issues among their armies, they couldn’t rein in their forces. Personal feelings took precedence in the face of the Seven Fangs’ dynamic momentum and mobility. Unable to exploit numerical advantages, they suffered a rear assault from the six thousand Seven Fangs cavalry, which dispersed into three groups and retreated toward Karplau Castle.

Count Verginten’s army of 10,000 cavalrymen, initially charging forward to confront the 6,000 cavalrymen of the Seven Fangs, refrained from engaging in battle. Instead, they withdrew to Karplau Castle behind the main army.

Contrary to conventional warfare wisdom, not a single individual in Count Verginten’s army perished. While this situation might raise suspicions of collaboration with the Seven Fangs, Count Verginten’s army exhibited such an exceptional state that accusations were unfounded.

Although there were no casualties, Count Verginten himself experienced a nearly insane state. The soldiers and knights under his command retained their sanity, yet all were visibly agitated, questioning why they had not met their demise. Greeting him with an unfounded but undeniable chill, they refrained from questioning him, fearing they might succumb to the same abnormal state.

Unprecedented in the conventional wisdom of warfare, not a single individual perished in Count Verginten’s army.

This situation might have raised suspicions of collusion with Seven Fangs, but Count Verginten’s forces were in such an extraordinary state that such accusations couldn’t be leveled against them.

Although there were no casualties, Count Verginten himself was in a state bordering on insanity. The soldiers and knights under his command maintained their sanity, yet all were in a state of agitation, appearing as though they were pondering why they had not met their demise.

They could only greet him with a chill that was unfounded but undeniable; questioning him would subject them to the same abnormal state.

Karplau Castle stood resilient, and the Seven Fangs, fatigued from the war, refrained from an immediate siege—a relief for the coalition of lords.

However, what wasn’t reassuring was the intentional discrepancy in the damage inflicted on each lord’s army. There was an awareness of the rift between the lords, slowing the movements of those cognizant of the post-war situation. The atmosphere within the castle turned sour, and coupled with the defeat, morale plummeted to its nadir.

No one was willing to leave Karplau Castle unless compelled by Grand Duke Linosart, who harbored suspicions among them.

On the other hand, Seven Fangs, dealing a crushing blow to the formidable forces of its archrival, the Romal Empire, emerged as a major force, gaining recognition not only among neighboring rebel factions but also reaching those in the distant South, far from the front lines.

Originally one of the largest insurgent groups in terms of size, Seven Fangs stood alone in achieving such a significant victory over the Romal Empire.

Nessa, the leader of Seven Fangs, might have grappled with a headache, but she found herself increasingly relied upon by other factions observing the unfolding situation and those still undecided about their positions.

Although she hadn’t displayed any signs of weakness, the pressure on her shoulders was extraordinary.

Gwandan, having returned to Elkeney ahead of others, pondered this in one of the refugee tents, extending his well-wishes for her future endeavors.

Already, the surroundings were cloaked in darkness following the departure of the sun, with only a few lingering in The Country of Slumber.

The lights in this Country were lit by those refusing their entry to dispel the darkness.

Lights adorned the cityscape as if fragments of the stars from the night sky had whimsically descended to earth. However, in the reserved plots for refugees, they were sparse and widely scattered.

For those compelled to flee their homes and who had finally reached Elkeney, the onset of dusk resembled the arrival of sleep—a time to momentarily forget the day’s fatigue, even in the absence of sufficient food. Nothing stirred until the lights were switched on.

Gwandan was one of the exceptions. Amria was deeply concerned about his disappearance, and after patiently listening to her worries, he finally found a moment of stillness.

He sat in the tent by the river, where Amria, Yachiyo, and Fuuko had slumbered together, using a wooden box as a makeshift chair. A lantern lent by Elkeney emitted a faint light in the tranquil surroundings.

He had composed a letter speculating on the future actions of Elkeney, the insurgents, and the Grand Duke of Linosart.

He wasn’t yet certain about the reality of the extremists in the South, but if he wholeheartedly believed Nessa’s account, it was easy to envision that, should they triumph over the Romal Empire, they might turn their aggression towards surrounding countries as well.

It was possible to imagine them using the humiliation of being dominated by a purely human species as fuel to assert their superiority or something similar. Gwandan harbored memories of such scenarios, and while it was too early to confirm without any real contact, he was weary from counting those possibilities.

「Hmmm, that’s it. Now, please」

Gwandan extended the folded letter into the darkness, and a robed arm, worn out from a long journey, reached out to receive it.

The counterintelligence agent of the Arkrest Kingdom was also lurking in the last settlement. After receiving one of the pieces of information regularly sent from Gwandan to Sperion, the counterintelligence agent melted away again into the darkness, disappearing from Gwandan’s sight without leaving any trace.

「I wrote that Seven Fangs is the best place to establish a connection, but I wonder how far you will interpret my intentions. Besides, it seems that Grand Duke Linosart is not so eager to suppress Seven Fangs. Is he monitoring the demon king’s army? Hmmm」

Gwandan assessed that while Grand Duke Linosart likely believed quelling the rebellion was essential, it didn’t seem to be a top priority. Regarding the rebellion, perhaps it was sufficient for then as long as it didn’t escalate in scale, and the priority was to dismantle the faction led by Asteria Princess. Or was he attempting to decipher the situation in the Arkrest Kingdom? …

There should be no hostile forces South of the Romal Empire, but when it came to the power structure further west, Gwandan was not so well-informed, and there wasn’t much to judge.

「If the status quo persisted, it would remain so for the next ten or twenty years, but I doubted anyone wanted that. Now, let’s hear what the parties involved thought about that」

Gwandan’s gaze remained fixed on the two approaching figures emerging from the darkness, their footsteps deliberately muted. They were muffling their steps, yet they were aware that we would take notice.

In the city, the sounds of celebratory music and victorious voices lingered, but in this particular section, the refugees had already retired to bed, casting a silence that made it challenging to believe we were still in the same city.

The visitor, illuminated by the lantern he held, greeted Gwandan with a friendly smile. Elken Az Nessa, lantern in hand, and Leopardese Panz standing behind him—the individuals Gwandan had mentioned.

「Sorry it’s so late」 he said,「Do you have time now?」

「No problem. First things first, let’s ensure you have a comfortable time. Can I at least offer you a glass of white water?」

「No, I’ve had a lot to drink. I can’t stomach anything right now」

Nessa carried a slight scent of alcohol, noticeable only to the extent it clung to her clothes. She herself hadn’t imbibed, emphasizing her reluctance to let her guard down even after a significant victory—a caution that had kept her alive to this day.

Nessa placed the lantern on the ground and sat on it, with an empty wooden box in front of Gwandan. Panz positioned himself behind her to her left.

「The imperial forces at Karplau Castle have always been a thorn in the eye. Now that we’ve diminished their strength, we can all finally rest easy. It’s going to be tough from here on out」

「It’s a hardship that we had to endure because we won, 」 he replied. 「It’s not as bad as losing」

「That’s true. The hardships after a victory are preferable to those after a defeat」

「The first thing to do is navigate this predicament with a victory」

「By the way, right after your triumphant return, there were some people who quickly left Elkeney and headed South」

Gwandan was convinced that these individuals, leaving the city discreetly to evade scrutiny, were distinct from the counterintelligence agents released by the Romal Empire or the Arkrest Kingdom, judging from their atmosphere.

Nessa’s demeanor briefly reflected the impact of Gwandan’s remark, but she swiftly adjusted her expression and replied.

「I’m certain it is sent by The Lion-Head in the South. The fall of Elkeney, which serves as the frontline against the Empire, isn’t a pleasant tale for them. It signifies their stronghold getting closer to the front, and it would lead to a decrease in the overall morale of the rebels who initiated the uprising」

「Hmmm, so they haven’t entirely abandoned Elkeney, have they? Were they waiting for a situation to arise where they could exploit it to their advantage?」

「Exactly. Around the time when we were defeated by the Imperial Army and began to take refuge in Elkeney, those who left might have presented themselves as messengers offering us a helping hand. Their intention was likely to bring us under their control」

「However, contrary to their expectations, you, Seven Fangs, achieved a significant victory against the imperial army. The messengers of help are now without a place to turn to, aren’t they? I imagine they’re disheartened, anticipating their lord’s wrath, only to return with fresh information from us」