Chapter 116: Ursula’s Capture part 1
「Captain, Erwin has secured the Artifact.」
「Good. That was fast. Iris, show me the report.」
「Captain… the enemy is closing in. We’ll need to intercept them.」
「…Say again?」
The Virtual Window first replayed past events in the royal capital: Erwin capturing Viscount Urs Barten. The scene cut out right after he got Barten to agree to the wager.
Next came the stop at the Commercial Guild on the road—Barten learning about the fall of Count Gantz. Barten acknowledged his loss and pledged cooperation. After a brief persuasion sequence inside the mine, the view jumped to Barten’s departure day. He took the Artifact down from the wagon and handed it to Erwin.
‘Make sure this reaches Lord Corinth. We’ll act as the decoy.’
‘Understood. Don’t you die on me, Barten—not until I present you to my lord.’
That was where the footage ended.
Nicely done—Erwin has brought Viscount Barten over. Even knowing we captured Gantz without bloodshed, that’s not the sort of job anyone can pull off.
「Iris, where are they now?」
A map opened on the Virtual Window with a projected route and ETA. They’d said ‘five days on horseback’, but they were a lot closer than I expected. Erwin would arrive to Gantz without trouble, and since he’d take the shortest path, narrowing down an interception point would be easy.
「Iris, we’ll intercept the enemy here. How many do we need?」
「Enemy numbers: roughly five hundred. The column will be strung out. If the objective is to seize their commander, a few dozen will suffice. This enemy should surrender once their commander is secured.」
「Patch me through to Selena and Sharon.」
We decided to deploy Gloria with Selena and Sharon as the vanguard to the site. They knew Erwin and could guide him cleanly. All the better to link up early.
After a quick huddle, we committed roughly half the troops we could mobilize—six Satellite squads. I’d take Ria as well. Dalshim would hold Gantz, with Kelly as acting adjutant.
If Selena and Sharon somehow failed to reunite with Erwin, Dalshim would receive the royal troops and the Artifact at Gantz.
「Walter, Elna—take care of the volunteers.」
「Leave it to me.」
「Got it, Alan.」
We split four squads—two each under Selena and Sharon. Those two flew ahead on Gloria and would meet their squads on site.
Walter’s unit took the male volunteers. I’d move with Ria, Elna, the female volunteers, and Heinz’s squad.
「Are you sure we don’t need everyone?」
Ria eyed our small strike group, doubtful.
「There’s also the hundred royal soldiers from the gold mine, plus volunteers. Compared to the battle against Count Gantz or Count Khalifa, the numbers gap is smaller this time.」
We don’t have time to muster neighboring nobles. Even so, this is a perfect ambush point; stick to plan and we’d be fine. That said, we need more troops going forward. Running lean every time is a tightrope. From here on, growing allied headcount has to be a main effort—or we’ll stall out.
I definitely wanted those hundred elite royal soldiers under my banner, and—depending on terms—I was willing to fold in troops from the Cecilio Kingdom as well.
「Right, Baron Kael’s men arrived last night.」
We’d already met his retainers and confirmed terms. Karina-san had arranged to spread them across inns.
「We’ll line Kael’s troops up short of Gantz. They’re mine now, and numerous enough to mask our smaller core. The advance element of the royal army can rally under Kael. They serve King Amado; even if we plan to recruit Viscount Barten’s side, better to do that after they’re back in Gantz. No need to meet face-to-face before then. Let’s be cautious.」
「Understood. Let’s do that.」
The actual fight was closer to a hunt.
We deployed exactly as on the virtual map: troops concealed along both sides of the highway. Sharon’s detachment would split the enemy’s vanguard; Selena’s would hit the tail. In the center, Ria, Elna, Walter, and I would grab the commander. Between Sharon and Gantz we placed Kael’s troops—near-parity on that axis would discourage any breakthrough. Behind the enemy, Selena had Gloria—turning it into a mouse in a sack. Risky without a surrender lever, but we judged this enemy would fold once their commander was taken.
We tracked the commander from above. The moment Iris highlighted the target on my display, I gave Elna the go.
「That one is the enemy commander.」
「Understood.〈Air Bullet〉!」
A compressed mass of air hammered the enemy commander from the flank. She blew off her horse and face-planted hard. The horse had been at a gallop; helmet or not, that fall wasn’t gentle.
On the Virtual Window, Selena and Sharon slammed into the head and tail in sync with our move.
Up close, Walter’s unit blocked the rush of enemy soldiers trying to reach their commander. Ria and Elna secured the perimeter around the downed target—cleanly done.
「Selena, Sharon—commander secured. Offer terms. If they refuse, remove them.」
「「Roger.」」
「Alan, my bad. I didn’t mean to kill her, but I may have overdid it.」
Elna looked a little guilty.
「Bring the enemy commander here.」
Volunteers under Elna’s command ringed us as they hauled the prisoner in. One of the women grabbed a fistful of hair tied behind the head and lifted her face. It was a mess—she’d be combat-ineffective even if we didn’t bind her.
Blood had matted her whole face and the mud clung to it. The nose was bent, the lip split, several teeth gone. She was breathing, but it was hard to tell she was a woman.
「We treat her. Get her to the field tent.」
Ria nodded and moved. I focused on damping the fighting outside.
「Your commander is in our custody. Surrender now and both your lives and hers will be guaranteed. But her wounds are severe. We can use Heal; if you take her back without a healer, she’ll die. We’ll treat her—stand down and surrender.」
The fighting lingered for a bit, then quiet spread as the word went around. They stopped resisting. Not yet throwing down arms, but probing, waiting on our next move.
「Walter, you have this. Keep them from closing in.」
「Understood, Alan-sama.」
With Walter and Elna’s people holding the ring, Ria and I headed for the tent where Elna had taken the commander.
「Selena, Sharon—status?」
「It’s finally quieted down. One idiot tried to charge Gloria, but once the word that we’d captured their commander got through, we talked her down.」
「Anyone who approached, I blasted back with magic. We’re unhurt, Alan.」
Good. As planned. Gloria and Selena’s presence had done its job—once the commander went down, they calmed. No need for more dragon theatrics today.
We’d set the field tent a little off the highway, through a screen of trees. I’d brought Ria, thinking she would be helpful against a noble commander, and she turned out to be exactly what we needed.
When we arrived, the enemy commander lay on a table.
「Ria, can you rinse the wounds?」
「On it, Alan.」
Ria can use Water magic. It’s better to rinse the wound before using Heal—otherwise you risk sealing debris into the wound.
The water must have stung. The woman snapped back to consciousness, spotted me checking her injuries, and blurted out, excited and hoarse:
「If you mean to violate me, do it. But I carry royal blood. If you want me, treat me as a princess of the blood. Make me your wife, and a crown won’t be far behind.」
She might have been young and beautiful at court, but she clearly didn’t grasp her present state. I traded a look with Elna and Ria. Even rinsed clean, her face wasn’t… presentable.
Still, best to ignore that and fix what we can with Heal first.
I stepped closer.
「First we fix you up. We can talk after. And as for a princess—I’m covered.」
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