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Chapter 290 part 1

Right after the battle between the first wave of the Demon Lord’s army, led by Vengitta and Quince, and Dran’s Bernese forces near Fort Nerodim had temporarily subsided, the soldiers who were nearly gravely wounded were transported to a safe field hospital. This transfer, facilitated by Ariadne, a magical tool that moves its owner to a predetermined location under certain conditions, enabled them to receive treatment from doctors, medics, priests, and monks skilled in sacred magic.

Since the Goblin War, medicines produced and stockpiled continuously were now used generously. Additionally, the number of priests in the territory was abnormally high, ensuring the injured soldiers received treatment far exceeding normal wartime standards.

The designated transfer destination for Ariadne was a warehouse within the field hospital’s grounds. Ever since the outbreak of war, it was continuously staffed with priests, doctors, and several golems, providing the necessary equipment and manpower for swift transportation of the wounded.

Most of these soldiers were terrified of being killed by Vengitta or were caught off guard, not realizing they were in mortal danger until the moment of their transfer. Upon arriving, they were initially unaware of their circumstances.

Though some had narrowly escaped fatal blows, others had various minor and severe injuries. Regardless of their condition, everyone transferred to the field hospital received diligent care as per prior arrangements. This steadfast effort was key to ensuring no lives were lost in the initial clash with the Demon Lord’s army.

Not only the Bernese soldiers, but also the allied Dragonkin of the Mores Mountains survived without casualties. This success was largely due to their use of Ariadne, as provided by Dran. Notably, a separate transfer area for Dragonkin was set up away from the soldiers’ camp and hospital ward. This area was manned by a medical team centered around priests and dragons, tasked with calming the pain-wracked wyverns.

Human doctors and priests, foreseeing potential unrest among the wyverns, were assisted by powerful individuals from the Dragon Cult capable of communicating with demi-dragons and lesser dragons. These wise Dragonkin, who stayed behind instead of heading to the front lines, played a vital role in calming and facilitating treatment for the injured wyverns.

Aosui, a water dragon who remained as a suppressor, transformed into a human form, as he did when tending the store in Bern village, now a burgeoning capital. He soothed his suffering lower brethren and continued to administer healing through dragon language magic.

「Well fought. Now, please take your time to heal.」 Aosui gently said, stroking the wyvern’s neck, which was making a rumbling sound. He looked around at the priests, doctors, and dragon followers busily moving about. In Aosui’s view, their efforts were thorough and dedicated, doing their utmost even when treating wyverns, usually seen as adversaries.

Even aside from dragon enthusiasts, other healers seemed well instructed by Christina and Dran, showing their commitment and expertise.

「The way humans bridge the gap… Maybe it’s going better than I thought.」 Aosui mused.

Ariadne, prepared in advance to minimize war casualties, functioned flawlessly, and the lack of fatalities was a testament to the combined efforts of Dran and the Bernese soldiers. This news, along with the Demon Lord’s army’s retreat, was promptly relayed to Christina, still in Bern’s mansion.

More precisely, a crystal ball-type magical device was placed in her office, projecting the battlefield relayed by a small reconnaissance golem, ensuring immediate and unaltered information transmission. Though war had commenced, Christina’s duties as a lord continued, and she oscillated between joy and worry over the war’s progress.

「Whew, it seems we managed without any fatalities, though injuries were unavoidable.」 Christina sighed, relaxing into her chair as she noted the retreating forces of the Demon Lord’s army.

Christina, relieved that there were no casualties, which had been her primary concern, looked openly at Dramina, who was also present in her office. Dramina smiled gently, seeing Christina’s face, which had been tense since the beginning of the war, finally relax. It was a rare glimpse of Christina’s youthful expression.

Deploying not only Selina and Diadora but also Dramina to the battlefield would have undoubtedly inflicted greater damage on the Demon Lord’s army. However, Dramina stayed in Bern as a last resort, in case Christina was targeted or there was an invasion of Bern or other urban areas.

Christina, skilled in combat, could likely counter any skilled assassin. However, her weakness was the potential of her people being taken hostage. Dramina, an exceptional warrior and magician, possessing various vampire abilities and highly versatile sacred artifacts, was capable of handling situations beyond Christina’s reach. Dran, Christina, and others trusted Dramina could resolve any crisis.

「Yes, fortunately, things went as expected. What differed was the Demon Lord’s army also managed to destroy some wyvern subspecies and faux dragons, but the damage was limited to that extent.」 Christina noted.

「The Demon Lord’s army mostly consisted of puppets. Selina, who attacked the rear fleet, was blocked by Quince and couldn’t achieve much. But for me, the greatest victory is that no one died.」 Christina reflected.

「Haha, indeed. However, with the Demon Lord’s army sustaining such damage, we can expect a second attack soon. We mustn’t forget to prepare.」 Dramina cautioned.

「Dran mentioned before, the mines and dragon equipment we used this time will likely be countered next time. It won’t be as easy. Also, Vengitta’s remains self-destructed, but we need to verify that’s all there was to it. And we need to seriously consider coordination with the Lords’ Coalition in future battles. It’s challenging not being able to do as we please.」 Christina mused.

The addition of the Lords’ Coalition would significantly increase Galois’ forces. While Bern’s forces were unorthodox, the coalition’s were high-standard but within conventional norms. The difficulty of synchronizing strategies was a longstanding concern, and the potential damage from the Demon Lord’s army could be immense.

「Our priority is the lives of Bern’s soldiers, and if possible, those of the Lords’ Coalition. The Demon Lord’s army might still have hidden cards, but we have our cards too, including Dramina and me. We must stay alert but not pessimistic. If we were to invade Mundus Carnus to annihilate the Demon Lord’s army, that would be different. For now, we focus on defense.」 Christina declared.

「Yes, but I still have much to learn. Just as I thought I could finally live for Bern’s people and Dran, this situation arose, and I can’t settle my mind or rid myself of this irritation.」 Christina admitted.

「Haha, you’re facing quite a challenge from the start. Once you overcome this, you won’t easily be shaken by future events.」

「Is this from your experience, Dramina?]

「Yes, my challenges were more peaceful, though. But I can assure you, Christina, you won’t face the same fate as a queen like me. Don’t worry, it will be fine.」 Dramina comforted.

Dramina’s end as a queen meant losing her people, her land, becoming a queen of a fallen nation. Dramina mentioned it casually, but for Christina, it was a shock. Christina’s heart skipped a beat, but Dramina’s tone held no sorrow, only concern for her junior ruler.

「Your words are a shock to the heart.」

Dramina looked up at Christina, smiling sheepishly. 「I’ll be more careful in the future. Now, Christina, let’s prepare to announce our victory to the people. The press is eagerly awaiting our official statement, ready to feature it on the front pages.」 Dramina suggested.

「Then, I need to start drafting and decide how much information to release. I must discuss the budget for the announcement with Treasurer Shenna.」 Christina planned, reaching for the bell on her desk to summon assistance.

Meanwhile, in a luxury inn in the commercial district, built for nobles and big merchants, there were people observing the recent battle from afar. The inn, usually bustling and almost always full, now saw half its usual occupancy due to the ongoing war.