469

Episode 469 That's your limit. (1)

Claude nodded after hearing Giselle's order.

"Okay. How should we divide it?"

If the Northern Army moves all at once, they can be stopped anywhere because of Giselle and Erenes.

But in the meantime, all the other places would be pushed out. In the end, this side also had no choice but to divide its forces.

Jiselle said, taking a picture of the map.

"I will lead 20,000 Mobile Forces and head in the direction the Commander-in-Chief was blocking. Claude will lead the rest. If necessary, we can split the units further."

He decided to leave Erenes and his entourage to Claude. He was strong enough to deal with the Delphine army even without him.

The Delphine army, which has broken through the first line of defense, may split its forces again to increase mobility, but Claude will block that.

"Claude, we must secure the route to the capital before the enemy does. Can you do it? We can't just wait for the Allied Forces to arrive. The Duke's forces are moving faster than they are."

"Understood. For now, we will divide the advance party and the main force and move forward."

"Yes, everyone, follow Claude's orders this time too. The goal of this operation is to establish a defensive line around the capital with only the Northern Army. If we wait a little longer, the Allied Forces will rejoin."

Claude asked, looking at one side of the map.

"What about the Duke's army that comes in bypassing the east? It's impossible for the Northern Army to stop them."

If you try, you can do it. However, if you want to block the east, the size of each force and the number of generals leading them will have to be reduced.

If that happens, even the Northern Army will be in danger.

Giselle looked at Claude and asked.

"How is the neighborhood now?"

"The Eastern Army Commander is dead and the Royal Army is in ruins. However, some of the lords and allied forces still remain and have rebuilt their defensive lines."

"Then leave it alone. Someone else will step in to help."

"Someone else? Oh, really?"

"Yes. Amelia would not let this opportunity pass her by. She would be itching to eat up the whole East."

"We confirmed that Count Leipold was outstanding in the last war, but… … the difference in force is too great. The Delphian army is different from barbarians."

Not only are the soldiers of excellent quality, but there are also many excellent commanders. There will also be at least one superhuman from the Salvation Church.

Leipold's army was inferior in every way. Even if they joined forces with the remaining forces in the east, it wouldn't make much difference. Even Amelia wouldn't be able to stop them.

Despite Claude's concerns, Giselle just smiled.

"Stop it? That woman wouldn't care about stopping it. She probably wouldn't join the lords' army either."

"Yes? Then what should I do?"

"I'll harass the Delphian army from behind while the others block it."

"… … Are you bothering me?"

"Yeah. The strategy she used to fight the barbarians before wasn't Amelia's real forte. She had no choice but to stop it due to the circumstances. The fighting style she hates the most is openly confronting others. She despises it."

"… … Even contempt?"

"That's right. He's so selfish and selfish that he hates getting hurt. That's why he likes to get hit on the back of the head and get beaten up. He likes to bully others without getting hurt himself."

It seems like he's cursing or introducing himself. Giselle narrowed her eyes and said after seeing Claude's expression.

"What are you thinking?"

"… … No. Not a single thought."

"… … Anyway, if Amelia harasses the rear, the remaining army will be able to hold out for a while."

It was a similar situation to the previous life. At that time, the mercenary king's army was the one attacking the duke's family. And Amelia followed the mercenary king's army around and harassed them with all her might.

At that time, wasn't Jiselle also quite upset because she couldn't catch Amelia? The only thing that changed now was the Salvation Church and the Duke.

And she'll take advantage of the gap to plant flags here and there. That's not why she's called the 'Flag Witch'.

"Okay, so let's leave that side alone for now and move. Let's make sure to deal with the two legions advancing on the capital."

In fact, it didn't matter to Jiselle whether the capital was occupied or not. She planned to wipe out all the power of the Duke and the Salvation Church regardless of the kingdom.

I was only moving because I wanted to see the King once and I had no intention of letting those guys achieve their goal.

If they are going to be caught and killed anyway, wouldn't it be better to use the power of the royalist faction to kill at least one more person so that the damage here is reduced a little?

"Let's go right away. Everyone, let's run again."

At Giselle's command, the Northern Army was divided into two groups. Giselle and the Mobile Army headed west, while the remaining Northern Army headed east.

* * *

Marquis Maurice Macquarie, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Army, is usually regarded as a fool by the nobles because of his often irresponsible attitude and reliance on superstitions.

However, due to Morris' violent and hasty temperament and his authority as commander-in-chief, he could not openly ignore him.

Anyway, as the commander in chief, he had some abilities.

"Okay! This time, the horoscope says we'll win! Especially since a nobleman has appeared to help us, let's all cheer up and fight!"

"Wow!"

His superstitious practices were surprisingly effective in raising the morale of his soldiers.

As the commander-in-chief, his direct command of the southern front also contributed to boosting the morale of the soldiers.

Unlike other nobles, he was not a person who neglected his duties. Rather, he took the lead in this crisis situation.

Thanks to that, the royal army he led fought really well. Some of the allied forces also arrived, so the size of the force was not lacking.

"Stop it! If we hold on today, we will win!"

Morris, unbecoming of a commander in chief, commanded his men directly from the top of the fort, shouting at the top of the tower.

Encouraged by their passion, the royal army and the allied forces were able to block the Delphian army's attacks three times.

Even though the opposing side has a high-ranking priest of the Salvation Church who is called a superman.

Although Giselle had only heard reports of their defeat, in fact they had fought surprisingly well.

Count Pogren, who led the 3rd Legion of the Delphine Army, frowned and frowned at his long beard.

"Hmm, did the superstitious Marquis Macquarie have this ability? Even if he didn't use siege weapons, he could block them so well."

Like the 2nd Corps, the 3rd Corps did not bring siege engines in order to advance quickly.

I thought it would be possible if wizards got together and used magic, and superhuman priests were active.

But what the heck, when we actually fought, the royal army blocked magic attacks better than I expected.

The wizard who followed said.

"The Red Flame Tower's main force and Tower Master Hubert are said to be here. They are blocking our army's 6th circle magic."

"Hmm, I see."

The fortress walls are pretty damaged because the magic from this side couldn't be completely blocked, but they're still holding up well. This means that the enemy side also has quite a few 6th circle magicians and 5th circle magicians.

Count Pogren spoke to the high priest of the Salvation Church, Beacontis, who was standing next to him.

"The enemy's resistance is stronger than we thought. We can take over if we keep fighting, but it will take too long."

"Ugh, I feel ashamed."

Beacontis apologized meekly, though his expression showed that he was offended.

They charged into the fortress several times, but each time the knights formed a line and blocked Beacontis. In that state, it was difficult to sweep away the kingdom's forces and the allied forces.

Count Pogren smiled bitterly, waved his hand a few times, and continued speaking.

"It's just a problem because we have to make a hasty advance. Since there is no other way right now, I think you need to exert a little more effort, priest."

"...All right."

In the end, it means that the superhuman himself must unconditionally take the lead and fight.

Beacontis fought to the point of being reduced to rags. He had already broken down the gate and retreated five times.

If we break through here anyway, there will only be an army of weak lords behind us. Count Pogren also knew this, so he continued his offensive with the intention of completely destroying the entire army.

"Wow! It's fallen!"

The Delphian army lost half of its troops, but managed to capture the city gate.

Maurice, Hubert, and some of the commanders and troops had no choice but to retreat.

"Now! Arrest Marquis Macquarie and his remnants!"

A pursuit force was formed at Count Pogren's words. If the rumor spread that the commander-in-chief of the royal army was dead, the morale of the royalist faction would drop significantly.

So, the Delphinians could not miss this opportunity.

At the head of the pursuit was a furious Beacontis.

"I'll tear you to pieces."

Having suffered so much, he needed someone to vent his anger on. And that person had to be Maurice, the culprit behind all his suffering.

Doo doo doo doo doo doo!

Maurice was busy running away from his pursuers with a gloomy expression. Hubert, the master of the Red Flame Tower, was next to him.

The number of troops following them was less than five hundred. Even that number was made up of the remnants of the Allied forces.

"I didn't know we would suffer such a crushing defeat."

Maurice bit his lip.

The Delphian army suffered heavy casualties, but still had considerable strength left. Even if all the remaining lords' armies were gathered together, they would not be able to stop them.

Not only was this breach a problem, but other places were also problematic. There were two other routes for the Delphian army to advance, aside from the eastern one.

I don't know about the Northern Army, but it would be difficult for any other place to stop the Delphine Army. Fighting them made me realize how strong the Delphine Army is.

"Run! We have to escape the pursuit somehow!"

Even in his dejection, Maurice rode hard, for he had to reassemble the lords' armies and establish a defensive line.

Heeeeeeeeeing!

"Your Majesty! The horse can no longer run! It must rest!"

They ran all day without stopping. The horses were foaming at the mouth. Behind them, many horses had fallen.

"Ugh… … I don't have time for this."

There was a superhuman in the Delphian army. You never know when he might come chasing you.

But everyone was tired and even the horses had difficulty running, so they had no choice but to rest.

"Just a little bit, just a little bit of rest."

They couldn't even bring water properly, so they just got off their horses and sat down.

Hubert, looking disheveled, spoke to Maurice.

"Your Majesty, it will be alright. Wasn't that priest of the Salvation Church also quite injured?"

With so many knights and soldiers rushing at him as if they were going to kill him, even the most superhuman of men would lose strength and be wounded here and there.

Without superhumans, it would be difficult for the pursuers to increase their speed, as their horses would also get tired.

Maurice nodded weakly. His appearance was extremely unkempt.

"I hope so. But I left my grandmother behind."

"… … Is that what the fortuneteller said?"

"Yeah. I don't know if he'll be okay. He's a dragon, so he'll probably be able to avoid it."

"Ahem ahem."

Hubert turned his head away, clearing his throat. As a magician, fortune tellers were truly an eyesore to him.

Does it make sense to bring a fortune teller to a battlefield to have your fortune told? Of course, it strangely boosted morale.

Maurice noticed Hubert's discomfort and said with a self-deprecating smile.

"I know that too. Everyone sees me as a superstitious, pathetic guy."

"Keum, no, that's not true. Well, Your Majesty is famous for having fortune telling as a hobby… … ."

"It's not a hobby."

"yes?"

"It wasn't a hobby, I really wanted to believe."

Hubert said, scratching his shining head.

"Hey, you don't have to believe me anymore, do you? You said I would meet a noble person in this battle, but I didn't see any sign of that… … ."

"No, no. That's not why I believe."

Maurice put his hand on Hubert's shoulders with a sad expression. There was something he wanted to say to someone before he died.

He continued with trembling eyes.

"Even though everyone called me a cult member, even though everyone told me not to believe it, even though everyone pointed fingers at me, I, I couldn't do that."

"Go, Your Majesty… … ."

"Because only the old woman told me that I could find my lost child. So, so, even if no one else believes it, I have to believe it. I have to believe the old woman."

Maurice bit his trembling lips several times.

"That way I can find my lost child. That's why I trust that fortune teller. And that's… … ."

Before he could finish speaking, the knight on guard came running in hastily and shouted.

"We're in pursuit! There's a superhuman in the lead!"

A cloud of dust was rising in the distance. And ahead of it, a superhuman faster than a horse was running.

Chaang!

Maurice turned around, drawing his sword. He said with a bitter smile.

"That's what parents feel."

"… … ."

Hubert said nothing. Up until now, he had just thought that Maurice was stupid and superstitious.

But he wasn't stupid. He just wanted to hold on to hope.

Maurice looked up at the sky for a moment and then continued speaking.

"And all the soldiers who follow me are like my children."

Maurice took a deep breath and shouted loudly.

"Everyone run! I'm their target!"

"dismissal!"

The escort knights shouted in horror. But Maurice stood firm and shouted.

"Go! The place where you will die is not in such a shabby place! You must survive and achieve victory!"

"Your Majesty! No!"

"This is an order! Run away and join the lords' army! And defend this kingdom!"

grasp!

Blue mana rose from Maurice's sword. He was also quite tired, so the blue light flickered dimly.

However, he is also a high-level knight who comes from a prestigious family and has mastered excellent mana techniques.

At least we'll be able to hold our opponents off for a little while.

The knights and soldiers stood there awkwardly, unable to run away.

The black dot that had been visible from afar had now come right up to Morris.

Kwaaaaah!

In a cloud of dust, Beacontis appeared. His black robes were tattered and bloody.

"The Marquis of Macquarie!"

Beacontis smiled cruelly. He had been tied up for several days by a notorious fool, and had suffered great damage.

When we actually fought, it turned out that he was not the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Army for nothing. Considering his abilities and status, I had to kill him here.

"You must have delivered the will, right?"

"… … ."

Morris licked his lips and took a stance. Even if he had to die, he wanted to give her at least one blow.

Just before the two men confronted each other, someone ran from Maurice's right.

Boom! Kwung! Boom!

Every time they walked, there was a loud noise as if the ground was bursting. Everyone naturally turned their heads towards the sound.

Beacontis tilted his head at the sight of the running man.

"Woman? Priest?"

A woman was running towards me. She was wearing a white priest's robe and was holding a blunt mace in one hand.

But the closer I got, the more strange it seemed.

"What is… … that… … ."

I didn't notice it when I saw it from afar, but as I got closer, the woman's body and the size of the mace felt unusual.

Boom! Kwung! Boom!

With each blink of an eye, the distance between them narrowed. Beacontis felt that his opponent's skills were extraordinary.

He shouted, raising his spirits.

"Stop! Identify yourself!"

Boom!

Suddenly, a woman shot out at a tremendous speed. Beacontis looked terrified as he watched her approaching.

He was so huge that he would make even the most powerful man squirm. The mace he was holding was larger than a person's body.

Knock knock!

The woman's forearm bulged, tendons bulging. The huge mace in her hand swung at Beacontis.

"This bitch!"

Beacontis raised his arms at the sudden attack. He blocked the attack first, then counterattacked… … .

Kwaaaaaaaah!

Ugh!

"Ugh!"

In just one move, Beacontis's arm was crushed, he vomited blood, and flew far away.

"Phew… … ."

The woman took a deep breath with a fierce expression and said.

"My name is Parniel. I am a faithful servant of the Goddess of War."

Later, she, who was considered one of the seven great powers of the continent and was known as the 'Saint of War', arrived in the Kingdom of Rutania.

Everyone around them held their breath at the majesty of Parniel, who had just introduced himself.

Maurice, whose mouth had been wide open, slowly turned his head and looked at Hubert.

When their eyes met, Maurice said with an awkward smile.

"Didn't I say I'm brave?"

Hubert nodded.

I never thought a noble person would appear.

By the way, that wasn't your average fortune teller