Chapter 82: Chapter 82

After the military council ended in a somewhat bizarre atmosphere, Cheryn and Duke of Morayen led their respective groups out of the royal palace.

The capital’s night streets were pitch black, as was always the case.

Relying on magic lamps to illuminate the path, the soldiers of Palles chatted among themselves.

“I was expecting a lot since people who visited in the past said it was so bustling, but I’m a bit disappointed. It’s pitch black, and there’s dung and urine scattered all over the streets, so it reeks.”

“That’s how all cities usually are. Palles is the only exception.”

“Well, at least the tall buildings are somewhat impressive to look at.”

Even though it had only been a few years since magic lamps had been properly installed and the water and sewage systems had been overhauled, before they knew it, their standards for evaluating a city had grown exceedingly picky.

In truth, even putting that aside, Hasra failed to show the appearance worthy of a bustling ancient capital.

This was because most of the healthy, able-bodied men who could fight had either been conscripted or had fled to escape it, leaving behind only the elderly, widows, and young children.

How could a city that had lost its entire primary demographic engaged in social activity display any vitality?

Thus, they walked while chatting for dozens of minutes.

Around the time they returned to Weavers Manor, set the night watch, and prepared to go to sleep, Roden, who had been conversing with his subordinates, sought out Shan with a grave expression.

“Is the Princess still awake by any chance? There’s something I must tell her immediately.”

“Hold on, I’ll check.”

Fortunately, although Cheryn had changed into sleepwear, she had not yet gone to bed.

Roden, who entered the bedroom alongside Shan, closed the door and respectfully reported the information he had gathered.

“There are indications that the leader of the Brotherhood has extended their reach into Hasra.”

“Oh, really?”

A light of intrigue gleamed in the eyes of Cheryn, whose face had looked weary until then.

“Tell me in more detail.”

“As you previously instructed, we attempted to contact the Brotherhood members remaining in Hasra, but some of them have cut off communication. They claimed they only accept contact from the real leader.”

Although Prince Conrad had issued an expulsion order against the Altoans when he captured Hasra, that did not mean all Altoans had left the city.

That was because they could not hunt down and expel those whose physical features were not overly noticeable and who were acting as if they were Westerners.

When entering Hasra this time, Roden had instructed several Brotherhood members belonging to the Altoan mercenary band to contact them.

And after returning from the military council at the royal palace, he received the report containing such results.

“The former leader… meaning Marquess Beshalia’s mistress, seems to have reached out in the meantime. An interesting woman.”

Since they had already blocked the old contact methods when seizing the Brotherhood in the past, she must have come in person to pull some strings.

Otherwise, it would have been difficult to sway back those who feared the existence of the two masked men.

Under these circumstances, her purpose in contacting and manipulating the Brotherhood remnants in the capital was obvious.

Since Marquess Beshalia, the largest feudal lord in the south, belonged to Elvin’s faction, she likely intended to cause a disturbance inside the capital by any means.

If they marched out to battle, she would attempt to seize the capital in the meantime; if they chose a siege defense, she would try to secretly open the castle gates.

“You have brought good information. It would have been troublesome had we not known. How is the atmosphere on our side?”

“You do not need to worry about anyone defecting to that side.”

Over the past few years, Cheryn had given the Altoans who followed her a distinctly improved life.

Those who had mostly lived as lower-class commoners in the outskirts of Hasra were able to eat quality meals, receive ample wages, and serve as soldiers.

Furthermore, women and children without combat capabilities had also made their homes in the village established between the harbor and the castle.

The psychological peace of mind brought by the fact that their families resided in the middle of a paradise free of dangerous magic beasts or foreign foes was a blessing hardly dare wished for in this land.

On top of that, with Shan Barendil, who could be called the idol of all their kin, accompanying them, it was safe to say there was no reason left for the former Brotherhood members to turn to the former leader.

Cheryn nodded at Roden’s confident words.

“Then tomorrow, we must immediately deal with the uncooperative remaining Brotherhood members inside the capital.”

“It looks like I’ll have to put on the mask once more after a long time.”

“The mask? Don’t tell me you’re going to kill them yourself?”

At Shan’s murmur, Cheryn laughed as if what he said made no sense.

“We just need to inform Conrad. It’ll probably feel to him like hearing a cockroach has crawled into his bed.”

*

Cheryn’s prediction turned out to be spot on.

Based on the personal information received through Roden, after finishing investigations overnight using her Spiders, she sent a letter to Conrad.

[There are Altoans in Hasra who are cooperating with Elvin.]

Checking the names, titles, and hidden Altoan physical characteristics written below, Conrad twitched his eyebrows.

After contemplating for a moment, he handed it over to a knight under his command.

“Your Highness, what is this…?”

“It’s information provided by my corrupt youngest sister. I don’t know why she’s doing this when she dotes so terribly on those demon descendants, but we can at least check it out.”

If it turned out to be a trivial attempt to shake his side, he could simply decide their disposal accordingly.

Regrettably, however, before long Cheryn’s information proved to be true.

Whether it was scales growing between their legs, traces of shaved horns remaining under their hair, tiny tails attached to their tailbones, or fingernails hard as bone.

Thanks to physical features that were hard to uncover through ordinary means, those disguised as Westerners were caught one after another.

Among them was even a knight who had sworn loyalty to a nobleman of Conrad’s faction.

Conrad rounded up those demon descendants who dared to hide while pretending to be humans, and then tortured them mercilessly.

Rather than just ordering others and standing by with hands behind his back, he personally picked up irons and knives.

“Gaaah-!”

“Ugh, kh…!”

“I-I’ll tell you everything! Please stop!”

Even those who initially tried to endure eventually spilled the information under continued torture.

With skilled priests standing right beside them, repeatedly gouging and stabbing their bodies to the point of permanent disability before healing them again, even the toughest could not withstand it.

As a result, Conrad learned that they belonged to a secret society called the Brotherhood and had agreed to betray the city from within during the upcoming offensive on Hasra, according to the leader’s command.

“These… vermin-like bastards…!”

Upon learning the situation, Conrad’s hatred for the Altoans grew even larger than before.

After executing all the Brotherhood members from whom he had extracted information and displaying their heads, Conrad personally came to seek out Cheryn.

“I will thank you this time. Thanks to you, I was able to sweep away those trash-like bastards.”

“I don’t need verbal thanks, so if you’re truly grateful, quickly hand over the remaining five wagons of Mana Stones.”

“That cannot be done.”

Conrad snorted, shook his head, and then spoke while looking at Shan standing behind Cheryn with eyes full of contempt.

“You had better watch out for your hunting dog. Those bastards are traitors by blood. How hard would it be for those who betrayed even the Goddess to betray their own sovereign?”

“Keep your useless advice to yourself. As I see it, the chance of Marquess Abel betraying you seems far higher than Sir Shan betraying me. Don’t trust him too much just because he’s your brother-in-law. Wasn’t that man originally ennobled by His Majesty Father? Could someone who betrayed once not do it a second time?”

“…Hmph.”

Conrad, who had tried to drive a wedge between Shan and Cheryn only to have the tables turned on him, left the room with heavy, rough footsteps.

Naturally, seeing Conrad’s forces root out the Brotherhood members who had chosen to follow the former leader, the Brotherhood members on Cheryn’s side felt exceedingly complicated emotions.

After all, as ‘Infiltrators’ operating in secret cells, they had no particular affection for former comrades, but nevertheless, their former faction members and fellow kin were being ruthlessly tortured and killed.

Roden focused on redirecting their emotions of anger toward Conrad’s side, explaining to those former Brotherhood members that this was precisely why they had to follow Cheryn.

In the end, to the Old Faith believers, they were merely children of demons, and only Cheryn, raising the banner of magic and enlightenment, could embrace the Altoans.

Even while purging internal enemies like that, the leaders of each faction continued to debate and discuss methods to face the enemy.

First of all, against Elvin’s approaching army, it was decided to march out directly and fight a pitched battle.

In truth, the majority opinion at first was to conduct a siege defense.

Prince Elvin’s camp possessed an elephant corps from the Southern Continent and semi-horse archers from Horais.

A characteristic of both unit types was that their effectiveness dropped noticeably in siege warfare.

Moreover, the walls of the capital Hasra were high, and Mana Stones accumulated over long years were embedded in the castle gates and walls, maximizing their durability to great benefit.

However, such arguments were refuted by a single question.

‘Is there enough food to hold out?’

Just like the issue experienced in Shedil City in the past, a city had no choice but to suffer from chronic food shortages.

Furthermore, due to the prolonged civil war, the Hasra region (which had once boasted the highest population density and productivity in Pendia) had long since been ruined.

Conrad’s operation of pillaging parties was also aimed at maintaining the capital, where the exchange of supplies had become sparse.

If reserves of food were insufficient and additional reinforcements could not be expected, what would happen if the capital, where over fifty thousand civilians still lived, were completely encircled?

The conclusion reached after calculation was one month at most.

“One month…”

“Elvin can hold out much longer than that. He keeps running pillaging parties.”

Of course, Conrad was also extorting food from nearby villages, but under siege, that food could not enter the city.

If Elvin’s small pillaging parties supplied food from the western side while encircling Hasra, there was a high possibility that this side would starve to death first.

Therefore, the second option decided upon was a pitched battle.

Prince Elvin’s army would be exhausted from pushing up from the south, so they would march out right before the enemy arrived and repel them.

“Then I shall take charge of the central force.”

“I’ll take the left wing.”

“Then I shall be the right wing!”

It was out of the question for three factions that did not trust one another to fight intermingled.

Cheryn and Duke of Morayen, who had come as reinforcements, each took one wing, and Conrad was assigned to the center army.

Of course, everyone knew that Conrad was most likely to suffer the greatest casualties from this, but since he was the one who had requested reinforcements in desperation, he had no choice but to bear it.

Furthermore, most of his forces were conscripts with low mobility who found it difficult to execute complex tactics, making them best suited to play the role of an anvil taking the blows.

The following day, upon receiving word from scouts that Elvin’s army had approached within a day’s distance, the three sovereigns finally marched their forces out of Hasra.

From the thousand led by Cheryn, to the two thousand led by Duke of Morayen, and the seven thousand led by Conrad.

A large-scale battle where over ten thousand troops were mobilized from a single camp (let alone ten thousand in total) was not easily found in the history of Pendia.

Though it was a frequent occurrence in the neighboring Kingdom of Libert, which had a relatively larger population.

“Whew, dammit. Why are my hands trembling like this?”

“O Goddess, wrap my body in mercy and embrace my soul with love…”

At the fact that they would soon be swept up in a war of enormous scale, even veteran soldiers could not hide their nervousness.

Even the knights, who had trained their whole lives and willingly accepted dying for glory, were no exception.

It was because all of them instinctively sensed it.

The fact that in the upcoming massive battle, they would merely be one of many dying helplessly.

That the champions and heroes who swept through the battlefield alone were already set, while their role was nothing more than weeds trampled underfoot by them.

Shan, who was one of those very champions and heroes, walked forward quietly while riding Arwin, then glanced sideways at Cheryn beside him.

She maintained the dignified expression of a queen as usual, but Shan could sense that Cheryn was extremely tense.

“Your Highness.”

“…Hmm?”

“Do not worry.”

Hearing the short and blunt encouragement, Cheryn gave a small chuckle and replied.

“Yes, what is there to worry about when I have my knight? I do not doubt.”

“I will be heading out to fight, but Roden will attend to you, Your Highness.”

Normally, Ravana attended to Cheryn as a fellow woman, but during battle, Roden was to take over that role.

This was because it was difficult for him to sweep through the battlefield, as he had not yet completely overcome his fear of edged weapons.

Whatever his actual combat ability, having a burly knight standing firm right beside Cheryn created a degree of resistance against surprise attacks.

As a bonus, in that position, he could also exercise command capabilities as an acting commander.

Of course, if a fight really broke out, they would have to rely on Roden’s willpower at that point, but in truth, a situation where Cheryn herself came under attack was never supposed to occur.

“Phew…”

“Sir Roden still seems to need a bit more mental preparation.”

Just as Cheryn murmured, Roden could not hide his nervous demeanor at all.

Fortunately, because he had the visor of his helmet, it was not revealed to sight.

When Shan lightly moved behind him and thudded the back part of his armor, Roden let out a surprised gasp in shock.

“W-What the!?”

“Calm down, man.”

“Easier said than done. Whew, still, it’s a bit better than last time. I’m definitely getting better.”

For some reason, his tone sounded as if he were trying to hypnotize himself.

Still, it was not entirely empty talk, for even while his legs trembled slightly, Roden retained enough of his senses to spur the horse he was riding.

After chatting briefly with other knights, including Ravana, to ease the tension, Shan turned his head at the stop order heard from the front.

Far in the distance, the army led by Prince Elvin came into view.

“Everyone, keep this in mind.”

At that moment, Cheryn spoke softly, drawing the attention of those around her.

“This battle is not our battle, so even if we lose, prioritize not dying. Your lives are most precious, so never fight at the cost of your lives.”

It was ill-suited as words to boost morale before battle, but it was perfectly fitting as a guideline for the action they needed to take now.

The important thing was, above all, to survive.

That was engraved into the minds of everyone following Cheryn.

*

The place where the two armies met was a plain stretching south of Hasra.

Low hills rose to the west, and a shallow stream flowed to the east.

The distance at which the two advancing armies halted while facing each other was about five hundred meters.

Shan could see far off a lanky knight who was two or three heads taller than the others.

‘Lug…’

Positions changing during a fierce battle was something that could happen anytime, but it seemed unlikely he would get a chance to fight Lug.

Unless he actively committed something crazy to win, there was no need to go that far.

Before long, a knight carrying a white flag galloped out from Prince Elvin’s camp and shouted.

“I proclaim in the name of Gizel III, the legitimate King of Pendia! Rebellious Prince Conrad, Princess Cheryn, and foreign invader Duke of Morayen, disband your armies immediately and receive judgment according to the kingdom’s laws! I declare to those who follow them that the King will not punish those who surrender!”

After a brief murmur spread, a knight sent by Conrad stepped forward and shouted back.

“Unfilial Elvin! All of Pendia knows that you have abducted and threatened His Majesty the King, your father! If you are truly innocent, hand over His Majesty the King’s person right now! If he orders disbandment even after he is safe, we will naturally obey his will!”

The excuse Cheryn had used in the past was being thoroughly utilized by Conrad as well.

Naturally, as Prince Elvin could not hand over the King who served as proof of legitimacy, it was a difficult move to counter.

However, Elvin’s knight, who had hesitated for a moment, immediately responded.

It appeared to have been arranged in advance.

“In that case, this side is willing to hold talks! Prince Conrad and Princess Cheryn, bring out three knights each! Prince Elvin will receive you alongside His Majesty the King!”

At the unexpected proposition, the murmuring in Conrad’s camp grew louder.

“…What should we do?”

“It is difficult not to comply. If we ignore it here, it will look like we are openly disregarding His Majesty the King.”

For Conrad’s faction, whose forces had been halved due to a blow to their legitimacy once before, it was a proposal hard to ignore.

Conrad’s retainers, who were deliberating, soon offered their opinions.

“For now, it would be better to hold talks and then claim that His Majesty the King is not of sound mind.”

“Who knows, he might really be in such a state.”

Of course, this was a story closer to wishful thinking.

In contrast, the reaction from the Palles side, which had a weak sense of subordination to the King to begin with, was nonchalant.

However, if Conrad collapsed here, it would become troublesome as they could not suppress Prince Elvin’s rampage.

After brief deliberation, Cheryn expressed her intention to step forward for the parley in accordance with their wishes.

“That works out well. I’ll get to see Father’s face after a long time too.”

By what means he had cured the illness, or rather, whether he had truly cured it at all.

The information that could be learned by facing him directly was not small.

Shan confirmed that the uncontrollable anger from before was not dwelling in the eyes of Cheryn as she murmured like that.

What lay dormant inside her now was a softly, well-controlled hatred like flames in a fireplace.

A moment later, Conrad and Cheryn rode their horses side by side toward the front of the formation.

Six knights, including Shan, Ravana, and Marquess Abel, followed right behind them.

Likewise, from Prince Elvin’s camp, Elvin mounted on horseback and six knights following him emerged.

One of them was Lug.

Seeing Lug up close, he had clearly spent the past few years more harshly than expected.

His characteristic long, horse-like face remained the same, but his eyes, which had always been bright and simple-hearted, were gloomily sunken.

As if he had received various rewards from Elvin, the armor he wore was a magic tool, and his horse was also a warhorse from Horais.

Seeing his eyes widen slightly upon looking at Shan and Cheryn, he soon turned his gaze toward Marquess Abel.

It was a look filled with hostility and hatred.

Prince Elvin, whom he attended, also seemed to have undergone many changes through the civil war.

His appearance, which used to look like a mischievous boy, had matured further, and his mouth, which used to be full of smiled, was also slightly downturned.

“It’s been a while, Elvin.”

“Indeed.”

Conrad looked like he had no intention of even greeting, so Cheryn spoke to the opponent first.

Of course, her gaze looking at him was far from gentle.

Had Knight Kagon not lost his life unable to escape the royal palace because of Elvin in the past, and had she herself not nearly died?

“Thanks to you back then, I thought I was going to die.”

“Sorry. I was in such a rush that I left you behind. But how did you manage to get out alive?”

“The Goddess helped. If there’s a chance later, I’ll let you savor what it feels like to be trapped in a tower in the dead of winter and starve to death.”

“Shall I look forward to it?”

Just as conversations even sharper than when facing Conrad were being exchanged, a palanquin carried by four soldiers approached from behind.

The faces of those who guessed its identity stiffened.

“Right, you have all gathered here…”

The King of Pendia, Gizel III, spoke in a wheezing voice as he looked down at everyone.