3 bar menu

Volume 4 Chapter 2 Part 5

「That is not something we can just endure! 」

One of the soldiers openly protested, but Pavel said nothing to his words. Before long, the entire fort has been enveloped by miasma.

The soldiers who were standing outside have retreated indoors and covered themselves with blankets to prevent the deadly fumes from reaching them, but since miasma was a Chaos Disaster, it easily found its its way even indoors through the gaps in the structure of the buildings, and they through the gaps in the blankets it also entered the soldier’s eyes, noses and throats, causing them severe pain which was strong enough to make them unable to breathe.

At that point, even Pavel himself could not bear it anymore, and some of the soldiers moved on their own to open the gates of the fortress so that they could flee, all the while experiencing unbelievable pain that refused to stop.

He did not know exactly how long they were all exposed to the miasma, but eventually it faded away from the fortress when the direction of the wind finally changed, but by that time, Pavel and the other soldiers were still unable to stand up straight as they coughed and wheezed for air.

It was then that they all felt the rumbling of the air beneath them, which was getting closer and closer with every second… and then the bell which was signaling the attack of the enemy forces rang loudly from the fortress on the rocky mountain.

「D-Damn it… of all the times… 」

Using his sword like a cane, Pavel managed to support himself long enough to get back into his feet and look at the road ahead. There, he saw that the Heavy Knights of Waldrind were advancing forward in a single line while the infantry soldiers were carrying torches with them. Warships located at the sea then launched their own attacks with the stone throwers, and salvos of fire arrows were also launched from the fortress itself, but no matter how much and how hard they were trying to attack, it was impossible for them to stop the advancement of the Heavy Knights for even a minute. A few minutes later, the large enemy army was already rushing inside of the fortress through the gate that was now opened, and the few soldiers that remained aback at the fortress were unable to stop them.

What happened then can only be described as a one-sided massacre.

Even when they were trying to surrender, their cries and pleas went unanswered. Both the Lords who followed Lord of Stark and their soldiers were mercilessly pierced with the bolts from the heavy crossbows and impaled with spears, leaving their corpses mauled and mutilated beyond all recognition.

There was nothing that Pavel himself could do to stop it. He could only watch helplessly from the top of the watchtower as the massacre continued.

Before long, the Heavy Knights of Waldrind had even him surrounded and pointed the tips of their spears at him, cutting off his escape completely. He knew that he was going to be killed even before the massacre began, but even in his wildest dreams he never would have expected that he was going to die such a miserable death. But now it has come to this, his plan was to resist as much as he could, and when that will no longer be possible, then he intended to trade the lives of the rest of his Lords and their soldiers in exchange for his own Crest and his life.

「Viscount Pavel Murad… 」

After a while, the soldiers that surrounded Pavel broke formation and made way for a woman who was wearing a set of jet-black armor. Her clear blue eyes have been fixated on Pavel the entire time.

It was Marine Kraische, the Margrave of Waldrind, and the current leader of the Factory Alliance after her father, Archduke Mathias Kraische was murdered by the Demon Lord during 「The Tragedy of the Grand Cathedral」. It has been a while since the tragedy occurred, and the last time when Pavel saw her, she still had an innocent smile on her face and was wearing a pure-white bridal gown.

「I see… is this… is this how the knight who are hailed as the strongest on the entire continent truly fight?! 」

Pavel asked, but articulating every single one of these words was bringing him unimaginable pain, not to mention that he could barely breathe.

「All I did was fighting in the most rational way possible, as it befits the members of the Kraische family. 」

Marine responded without changing her expression.

「Then it must be just as I have suspected… that miasma did not occur naturally, correct? 」

「Coincidences like that do not happen all that often. 」

Marine sneered at Pavel.

「Do you really think you can win the loyalty of the Lords and the support of the people by fighting your battles in such a villainous way?! 」
Pavel grabbed hold of the sword that he was using as a substitute for a cane. He stood on his tottering legs and desperately tried to cut Marine with his weapon, but his blade never reached its intended target, because Marine simply turned to the side and avoided it easily.

「I believe that is not something that the likes of you should worry about. But I am going to have those words of yours recorded in the chronicles of the Kraische family so that the future generations can appreciate them. 」

Marine said as she pulled out her slender sword from the scabbard that was tied at her waist and she used it in order to deflect another strike of Pavel’s sword. A high-pitched metallic sound echoed throughout the surrounding area as Pavel’s weapon began to dance high in the air.

「Viscount Pavel Murat, your crest is now forfeit. 」

Marine put the blade of her sword to Pavel’sneck and slashed it in one quick motion. At that moment, Viscount Pavel, whose black blood began to gush from the wound and onto the ground beneath him, glared at Marine until the last bits of consciousness left his body and he fell onto his back. After a short while, a Crest has materialized itself on Pavel’s right hand and then got shattered into a million shining pieces. Those fragments in turn changed into lack mist that gathered together and finally formed a Chaos Core. Marine then reached out into the middle of the black Vortex and grabbed the Chaos Core, thus incorporating it into her own Crest.

「Gerhard… 」

She then looked back at the Knight Commander of the Heavy Knights.

「Yes, Your Grace? 」
「Now that we are done here, I want you to wipe out the remaining enemies, advance your army forward and completely conquer the entire peninsula. Confiscate the titles and all properties from the Lords and their families, and banish them from their territories. Should any of them attempt to resist, you are to dispose of them mercilessly. 」

「As you wish, Your Grace. 」

Gerhard bowed to Marine once.

「What are you going to do now though? 」

「I plan to return to the castle tomorrow. I have to summon the Diplomatic Mages from Ozer and Veltava and tell them the whole story of this battle and what was the result of it. 」

She decided that she will no longer give the Lords of the neighboring countries any sort of reprieve. She is going to make her way to Ozer and Veltava as well with her Heavy Knights and subordinate everyone who is going to be standing in her way to her will.

female countries any reprieve. He intends to lead the Knights to tour both countries, subordinating everyone to black.

When she returned to her own camp, she saw that Aubest, who had finished his task in The Rotten Sea had returned as well. His breath was stiff and terribly weak, which was an obvious sign that he was also heavily influenced by miasma. Terius, the young Mage who accompanied him, was now treating him with Life Magic.

「Thank you for your hard work. Because of you we were able to take the fortress on the Isthmus of Penelope without suffering any major losses on our side. 」

Marine held the head of her Head Mage as she praised him for flawlessly carrying out his duty.

「That is… the most important thing… 」

Aubest answered with a hoarse voice.

「You have done enough for now. Focus on getting as much rest as you can. 」

Marine kissed Aubest on the forehead and then entered her own tent. Her two personal maids were nowhere to be seen, so she sat on the chair and decided to bid her time until they will come back.

After all, she had one more important battle that she needed to take care of.