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Volume 7 Chapter 3 Part 6

The battlefield now spans several countries, and the battle continues to go back and forth between the two sides…

However, that was precisely what Aubest planned.

Earl of Leclerc leads a mercenary group. They are powerful, and if they collided with them head-on, it’d likely inflict great damage, even to the heavily armored Heavy Knights of Waldrind.

Therefore, they moved from place to place, and when the Earl of Leclerc’s army came too close to them, they barricaded themselves in the castle and attacked them from there. The heavy crossbows of the Heavy Knights of Waldrind demonstrate their tremendous power best when defending castles. Thanks to that they couldn’t win, but they didn’t lose either. That’s the kind of battle they’ve been fighting for the past six months.

It costs a huge amount of money to maintain a mercenary army. And in the cities they occupied, there were many people who committed assault and looting, damaging the reputation of the Fantasia Union in the process.

Therefore, the best thing that the Alliance could do now was to increase support for itself among the independent Lords and people while minimizing casualties. It would be a long-term battle, but the Earl of Leclerc would be the one who would suffer more the longer it’s drag out. Aubest’s strategy is slowly but surely paying off.

Eric, the Nord Ocean King landed on the small continent of Bretland and steadily expanded his sphere of influence there. If they conquered this land, control of the North Sea would completely fall into the hands of the Factory Alliance, and strong pressure would be placed on the Lords of the Fantasy Union facing the North Sea directly.

Thus, the battle on the northern part of the continent will soon end with victory for the Factory Alliance, and the Fantasia Union will collapse because of it.

「What do you want to do? 」

Aubest asked.

「Leading 3,000 knights, I will go with the reinforcements. We now know that Theo Cornero is a dangerous Lord. If we allow him to continue doing whatever he pleases, he’ll just continue growing in strength forever. 」

「Given the situation with the Viceroy Milza, I think that such reinforcements might be lacking in strength though? 」

「We have to prepare for more battles with the Earl of Leclerc as well. This is the best we can do. There will also be reinforcements from Dartania’s home country. Please strongly urge Lady Ulrika to come to Lord Milza’s rescue this time as well. 」

「As you wish. 」

Aubest slowly bowed his head without showing any expression. And then he, who was stationed in Waldrind, immediately contacted the Diplomatic Mage of the Nords, who was now stationed in Stark.

Ulrica, the daughter of Eric, the Ocean King, was on the sea when she received a message from a Nord Diplomatic Mage. She leads a fleet of 200 ships and aims for Haman.

This time, instead of plundering as usual, she was planning to capture Haman and turn it into Waldrind’s subordinate territory. The number of warriors she brought with her was 3,000, and 2,000 of Stark’s slave soldiers have also been added to the ranks of her troops. They were promised that they would become free citizens after completing five years of military service.

「After all that talk of how strong he is, this is what it comes down to, huh? 」

It is said that Milza, the Viceroy of Dartania, was defeated by Theo Cornero in The Forest of Eternal Darkness. And it seems that the people of Artuk rose up in revolt all at once at his request. According to the information from the Diplomatic Mage, a large army of 50,000 people has gathered under Theo around Castle Unicorn.

「Do you want to go to the rescue immediately? 」

A contracted Mage sent by Ulrika’s father to act as a liaison asks her.
「No way, we’ll have to conquer Haman first. 」

Haman was facing the small continent of Dartania across the strait, and on land it borders only with Regalia. However, it is said that the regalia’s Lord, Serge Constance, fled the country after it was recently conquered by Dartania.

If Haman were to become Dartania’s territory, it would be connected to Dartania, Haman, Regalia, and Artuk, and the southern part of the continent would be almost entirely in the hands of Milza. The exit to the South Seas would also be blocked, and Ulrika would be trapped in Stark. If Dartania rebuilds its navy, it will be impossible for the Nords to establish hegemony in the Southern Seas like they originally planned.

「But If we are late, our position will deteriorate, right? 」

「We’ll be done with our business in Haman in around three days. 」

The residents always offer tribute in order to avoid being robbed. Queen Edochia has never sent out an army to fight on her behalf, and has even told them that she intends to submit to the Nords if the worst-case scenario comes to pass.

「We’ll use Haman as our base of operations, and then aim for Sistina next. It’s really convenient that Theo Cornero calmed down the Chaos Vortex for us, enabling us to invade that much more easily. If Sistine becomes Norse territory, it will also reduce Dartania’s influence on the seas, and it will also reduce the number of people entering the country. 」

Ulrika smiled.

「Yes, I hope it goes well. 」
The contracted Mage’s expression was dull.

「If we don’t quell the slave rebellion first, we might even lose Stark in the process. 」

This Mage was also against an expedition to Haman.

「I can always quell something like that easily. 」

On the other hand, Ulrika wasn’t worried about anything.

It was Ulrika’s plan to force the slaves to rebel by subjecting them to harsh conditions. This is because she refuses to cooperate with Dartania and Waldrind because of their suppression of the territorial ambitions of the Nords.

「But the rebellion is growing. It may get out of control soon. 」

「Because of the influence of Theo Cornero? 」

「There is no mistake about that. 」

The contracted Mage nodded.

Theo is a citizen of Sistina who was suffering from the oppressive rule of the Rossini family. Rumors spread that people have responded to his call and overthrew the Rossini family, and the people of Stark become inspired to join him because of it. There is also information that someone was instigating them to do this from the shadows.

Ulrika orders the Werewolf Flint to find out the facts about this. Werewolves are extremely obedient to whomever they decide to be their master. He has superhuman abilities and is useful in various situations like these. He was now Ulrika’s favorite, and she treated him like a pet dog.

「All we have to do is listen to some of the demands of the slaves. We have collected tribute from Haman toto Stark, and we have saved up enough money and food. From now on, we will take more and more territory and titles, until the one to become Emperor will not be Big Sister Marine, but father Eric. 」

Ulrika looked at the coast of Haman in the distance and let out a hearty laugh like a Nord girl.

* * *
It was only yesterday that Edochia was informed that a large fleet of Nords colonizing Stark was headed for Haman. One of Theo Cornero’s subordinate Lords was also infiltrating the area.

Earl of Sistina’s contracted Mage Siluca Meletes informed Edochia of this. She told her that what they’re dealing with right now are not the usual plunderers, but an army that has the intention of conquering Haman.

When contacted, the contracted Mage of Haman’s Queen Edochia Karaha, Laura Hadley, decided to accept it as fact.
She had predicted that this moment would come someday.

Edochia has been buying time by offering tribute and telling her that she is ready to subordinate herself to the Factory Alliance, but Eric’s daughter must have become impatient since Regalia recently became Dartania’s territory.

「I can’t believe she made me pay so much tribute only to then take away my territory in the end! 」

When Laura reported this, Edochia was extremely angry.

「The treasury is empty. This one pair of clothes is the only decent one I have left. 」

As she said that, she looked down at the dress she was wearing. It is an expensive item made of high-quality silk dyed a bright sky blue and studded with jewelry. It was her favorite, and she begged not to have it sold.

「You have been very patient. 」

Laura bowed to Edochia.

「Wouldn’t we end up losing everything because of it though? 」

Edokia said sullenly.
「It hasn’t been decided yet. 」

Laura shook her head.

「Stark has brought some 2,000 slave soldiers with them. They have promised to free them and that seems to have mobilized them, but among them is a vassal Lord of the Earl of Sistina who is instigating a rebellion further thanks to his infiltration of Stark slave’s ranks. 」