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Volume 1 Chapter 5 Part 10

(Even though I know that I cannot make any exceptions here, I am not exactly thrilled about helping and protecting the Lord who does not respect me kill the Lord who expressed his desire to join my side.)

 

Marine muttered to herself in her mind, but then she remembered that that is essentially what it means

 

 

But I guess that’s what she calls her ally.

 

(Maybe I am just too emotional for this…)

 

That is exactly why she need Aubest and his advice.

 

「While preparing for the night attack, both knights and soldiers should get plenty of rest. I fully expect all of you to give it your best tomorrow. 」

 

「By the iron hammer of Kraische! 」

 

The knights of Waldrind saluted Marine in unison.

 

The Crest of the Kraische family was design to have a look similar to that of a key, and every knight who has sworn to be an ally of the Kraische family had to swear his allegiance to that Crest. Because of that, even if the head of the family were to change, the loyalties of the subordinate Lords should remain unchanged. However, Marine herself has yet to earn the true trust of the knights that were serving her, and the very same thing could be said about all of the Lords who were a part of the Factory Alliance right now.

 

(I must carry on grandfather’s and father’s wishes. I will unify the continent and become the first Emperor.)

 

*          *          *

The second day of the siege also started with negotiations, but as everyone expected, they were soon broken down. That is because the conditions presented to Theo by Siluca’s adoptive father Aubest were not to allow the independent Lords of Selvis to subordinate themselves directly to the Kraische family, but they required Lassic and all the other Lords who were now subordinate to Theo to be subordinated to the King of Selvis instead.

 

Everyone strongly disapproved of these conditions, because they all doubted that Nabir would ever treat them well. Moreover, even though Theo was allowed to keep his life, he was still required to surrender his Crest, his title and all the territories that he acquired for himself.

 

These conditions were simply too severe in the current situation where the victory or defeat of the either side in battle was not concluded with absolute certainty. Siluca stated that the condition needs to be changed to Theo retaining all of the territories that he had before his battle with the King of Selvis, and the he would keep Lassic and all the Lords who have chosen to become his subordinate Lords. Aubest said that he would bring these terms back to Marine and returned to Waldrind’s camp. Again, as expected, these were the conditions that the other party simply could not accept.

 

(It may be difficult to reach an understanding as long as the King of Selvis is alive…)

 

Siluca thought to herself. However, defeating the King Selvis would, in a sense, also be a defeat for his reinforcements, Waldrind. If that happened, it would be possible that Waldrind would decide to back down from prolonging the battle any further in order to protect its own honor, which they might feel more and more inclined to do if the negotiations are going to keep on failing like the one that fell through today and the last time.

 

As for the battle today, it was completely different from the almost one-sided onslaught of yesterday, and all the fights ended up with a stalemate, since all that the heavy knights of Waldrind were doing was firing their heavy crossbows from the maximum range available to them because they wanted to avoid getting anywhere near the ramparts of the fortress as much as possible.

 

(The biggest question right now though is: are we going to mind, but be able to keep this up for much longer?)

 

However, just because it looks like the battle was going to be a long-term one, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they have a chance to win it, because right now both sides of the conflict were stuck in a limbo where they could not achieve any significant results on the battlefield, and neither side wanted to yield before the other to give concessions.

 

However, at noon of that same day:

 

「The defenders of the west gate are struggling. 」

 

The news was brought to Theo and Siluca at the main gate from Petr, who was in the main castle. The west gate has already been breached, and Lassic and his men were retreating along the ridge.

The enemy line-up had not changed since yesterday, so it was supposed to be the King of Selvis, Nabir Gerje, who should be leading the attack on the west gate.

 

(There’s no way that Lord Lassic would lose to someone like the King of Selvis so easily.)

 

Siluca thought to herself.

 

(Moreno-senpai must have devised some kind of plan, most likely.)

 

If that was really the case, then it should have been a good opportunity to kill the King of Selvis. At that moment, Siluca became even more determined, but she was not the one who would ultimately decide what course of action they should be taking. She looked back at Theo who was by her side. Sensing that she was looking at him, Theo came over to her, and then Siluca put her mouth close to his ear and conveyed her determination to him.

 

Sensing the signs, Theo comes over. Siluca puts her mouth to Theo’s ear and he tells her of her determination.

 

「I think that this is a good idea. 」

 

Theo smiled and nodded at her. It would seem that they now had a plan to either destroy or reduce the numbers of the King of Selvis’s army.

 

「Thank you very much. 」

 

Siluca bowed to Theo.

 

「Irvin! Captain Grak! 」

Then, she summoned the two Arts users to her side.

 

「What is it that you wish me to do? 」

 

「Humph. 」

 

Irvin appeared out of nowhere as always, and Grak slowly came to them with heavy steps. The captain was furious that Aishela had been badly wounded, and looked like he was just waiting for a chance to get back at the enemy for hurting one of his comrades like that, since Grak and his mercenaries have become something akin to Aishela’s personal bodyguards.

 

Siluca gestured for them to get closer and then she let them in on the details of the plan.

 

「Understood. 」

 

「Humph. 」

 

Irvin bowed gracefully, and Grak snorted and nodded his head affirmatively. Then Irvin disappeared just as suddenly as he appeared, and Grak took his mercenaries as they all began to climb up the mountain’s slope.

 

(If everything goes well, this will change the course of the battle greatly…)

 

Siluca thought as things have been put into motion, and later, on the evening of that day, everyone heard the news that Lassic David managed to kill Nabir Gerje, the King of Selvis.

 

「As expected of Lord Lassic and Moreno-senpai! 」

 

When both of them returned to the castle that night, Siluca greeted them with a voice that was trembling with emotion. She was so happy that the two of them managed to succeed that she almost felt like kissing both of them on the cheek.

 

 

 

That night, when Lasic and Moreno returned to the main castle, Silka greeted them with emotion. The two of us are so happy that I want to kiss their cheeks.

 

「Unlike yesterday, the opponent’s attack was quite intense. 」

Moreno, however, had a rather unimpressed expression. When the west gate was destroyed by an attack of the Waldrind’s heavy knights sent as reinforcements, Moreno advised Lassic that they should flee. He decided it would be more advantageous for them to drag the enemy down a narrow ridge and try fighting them back at the next fort. The western ridge was steeper than the others, and some spots were impassable for horses, which made it a perfect spot for an ambush and so, as they stopped the enemy’s momentum at the next fort along the way, both Moreno and Lassic led the charge and cut into the enemy lines.

 

The two of them were taking turns defeating the enemies that were appearing in front of them in one-on-one combat. If the enemy was frightened and tried to flee, they were pursuing them before they could rejoin the rest of their comrades so that they could finish them off regardless.

 

Moreno’s strategy worked, and King of Selvis’ army was utterly defeated, because the difference between the abilities to fight in close quarters combat of these two armies was just too great.

 

When he saw that he was in the losing position, King of Selvis withdrew from the vicinity of the second fort and tried to flee outside of the west gate altogether. He managed to break through the initial circle of soldiers that tried to stop him, but Irvin, Captain Grak and his mercenaries were already waiting for him, standing in his way.