Chapter 259: The Upper and Lower Jaws
At midnight on August 14, countless balls of light illuminated the land of Reishleif. There was no sleep in the battle between the Quardenze and Spierzeig armies. From time to time, the sounds of fierce fighting echoed through the summer night.
The camp of Spierzeig's army was positioned just a stone's throw away from the castle of Rijsleif.
Three full days had already passed since Quardenze Gulfis developed magical insufficiency. Although the onset of the disease for the first time tends to be prolonged, it is not absolute. Sometimes it takes half a day to recover, and sometimes it can linger for as long as a month. In any case, he could recover at any time.
The upper echelons of Spierzeig's army were discussing how to achieve the speedy recapture of Raishleif.
It was at precisely such a moment that a messenger rushed in.
The Quardenze army has attacked!
Hearing these first words, Spierzeig Kindlore, the previous head of the Spierzeig family, looked at him sharply.
The messenger announced that it was not the “Gulfis Army” That was holding its ground at Raishleif Castle, but the “Quardenze Army” That had surprised them.
I knew you'd come,……!”
Now that Gulfis was lying down and Lukuse was gone, it was obvious that Wilk, the next head of the family, would rush to Raishleif. The fact that there is a high possibility that this will be a forced march by a small number of elite Troops were naturally expected within the Spiaseik army.
Is the sickle moving? “I will surely cut off the boy's head.
Togama is the name of a special unit in Spiaseik's army. The Rikama is the name of a special unit that exists in the Spiaseik army.
When Gulfis' army pulled back from the front line, Kindroa immediately lobbied Othelloria for its mobilization. Rikama was now hiding in the outskirts of Quordentse territory with a secret mission to assassinate Wilk.
However, the messenger continued his report in a loud voice that cut off Kindoroa's expectations.
The Qordentse army will attack the city of Dzerulan this evening!
All the knights and military officers present, as well as Kindoroa, were momentarily speechless.
The city of Dzerlan is located in the northern part of Vojstra. And it was located in the southeast in the northern part of the country. The northern part of the north is adjacent to the outside of the Quordentse territory across the mountains, but this city does not fall into that category.
“Doselan, you say? There must be some kind of mistake!”
One of the senior military officers raised his voice. It is not a city that would be suddenly attacked by the Quordenze army, so it is a natural question.
No, there can be no mistakes.
The person who responded to that voice was the knight Doserlan himself. He is the lord of the city of Doserlang, but this time he was ordered by his lord to participate in the operation to recapture Raishleif.
And the military officer who was served as the messenger was a member of the Doserlan knight army and related to the Doserlan family.Naturally, the knight Doserlan remembers his face.Sadly, he knew better than anyone else in the room that there was no. Lie in his testimonyhis.
Continue with the report.
Knight de Serlant's words brought back the tension in the surroundings.
…… Ha! From the scale of the threat against the city, we have determined that it is mainly the main ancestor's forces! High!
Upon closer inspection, the messenger's equipment was in tatters and he was wounded here and there. It is easy to see that they have been hit by attack magic many times.
As a messenger, he himself understood that the report would be hard for anyone to believe. He also knew that in order to convey the information correctly, it was necessary to do so directly, without any human intervention. That the best way to get the information out there is to get the information out there directly to the people who need it.
……No way, over America?”
One of the military officers muttered in a low voice, his voice filled with puzzlement. The voice was full of confusion, but it seemed that many of the military officers were thinking the same thing, and another continued to speak as if to add to the confusion.
Another person added, “There is no report that the mountain road in the northern part of the country has been overtaken. If that is the case, we should still consider that they crossed a major river…….
The route over the mountains in the northern part of the Voigtland Plain is currently under strong vigilance. A large number of soldiers have been mobilized to provide logistical support for Rikama. Therefore, if there were to be a force to break through there, a message would first be sent from there.
In addition, there was no advantage in crossing the mountains to attack Doserlang at this time in the first place.It would be too unreasonable to suddenly target a city located southeast of the northern part of the country.If they succeeded in crossing the mountains, it would make more sense to target the asses of Spierzeig's army, which was preoccupied with the attack on Raishleif.
Considering these factors, it was a reasonable conclusion that the Quardenze army had crossed the Amelia River instead of taking the mountain road.
But how could they have crossed the river?
We are always on the lookout for river crossings from the territory of Kuordenze.The points where large armies can land are fortified with strong fortifications and cannot be easily breached.And, as with the mountain roads, if a battle were to break out on the coast, the message would be sent from there first.
…… Alcnoa?”
It was the voice of the knight de Serlant. The people present at the meeting took that as their starting point and arrived at the same answer.
The only possible way to do this would be to force a breakthrough in Alcnoa by a small elite force composed of only the main ancestor and the secondary ancestors.
The soldiers of the slave ancestors would only slow them down when they crossed the defilement. Therefore, the answer of a small group of elite soldiers was the correct answer, but at the same time, it was also the wrong answer.
Breaking through a contaminated area with an elite force and conducting a surprise attack was only “Theoretically possible. When it came to the actual planning stage, there were a number of issues that needed to be addressed, and it would probably be judged to be unrealistic to carry it out.
The boy is doing the same thing at the beginning of the year. If he's elite, he can even step on the dirt.
It was Kindoroa who squeezed out a hateful voice.The grudge of having lost his grandson in the city of Nambonan was now resurrected in his mind.
It's hard to believe he's over Amelia Arcunoa.
“But Doserlang has been taken by surprise.
“Supposing that they have stepped over the Arkunoa Pollution Zone,……
The eyes of the people in the field naturally focused on one young military officer.
'…… If that's the case, what happened to Veadberg?'
The closest city to the Alcnoa Pollution District is the city of Værdberg. Doserlan City is located west-northwest of Værdberg City.
If they had really crossed Arknoa, they would have been attacked before Doserlan.
The son of the knight Vairdberg was present at this debate.He is the next head of the Veredberg family and is leading his troops in the battle to recapture Raishleif in place of his aging father.
When asked for his opinion, he opened his mouth with a hard expression on his face.
He said, “Since we have brought the main Vaadberg force here, we are left with only a minimum of ……1500 or so territorial soldiers and a very few follower soldiers in the city. This will not be able to withstand an attack by the elite, including the main ancestor. If the enemy is now attacking Doserlang, my father …… Knight Værdberg is ……”
The city of Værdberg may have fallen into the hands of the enemy before he had time to send a message, he said to the end. The atmosphere in the room became heavier because of the news that had not been reported.
I see. So, they have procured local soldiers in Værdberg and sent them to attack Doserlang. If they can gather troops from towns and villages along the way, they should have a little less than 3,000 soldiers.
The military officer calmly and nonchalantly put his words together to formulate his reasoning.He thought it would be rather impolite to offer words of comfort here and now.
The northern region of the Voestra Plain is on average well-developed, with large towns and villages scattered here and there. If they could successfully raid them, they would be able to secure some troops for the time being. Organized that they would be walking around with only the peasants in their clothes.
We will go forward with a small elite force of only the main ancestor and the follower, tramping through the Filthy Land and procuring troops locally. That may be our basic policy.”
When that military officer finished speaking, attention was once again drawn to the knight Doselan.
He had a thousand men left in Doserlan.
Like the city of Værdberg, the city of Doserlan has put most of its troops into the battle for the recapture of Laishleif. And it was the same for many cities in the north and east of the Vojstra Plain.
We know this, but we dare to say it. There are no men left in the north and east.
The knights present in the northern and eastern territories agreed with Knight Ducerlain.
But we cannot move the west and south.
On the other hand, the cities in the western and southern parts of the Voistula Plain have not sent many of their own men to the front lines. The western mountainous regions, and the independent noble families in the south to think ill of the situation.
This was the result of the failure of “Operation Wheat and Sickles,” A major counteroffensive against the Quardenzes. The Spierzeig family's centripetal force has been greatly weakened.
In any case, it would be difficult for the city to hold its own against the mainland army. Ducerlain would not be able to buy much time with only his remaining forces. Enemy.
Although the northern part of the country ended up taking a larger share of the western and southern parts of the country, the knight Doserlang did not complain until the end.
Kindroa, who had been silently watching the situation from a while ago, lightly straightened his posture. Everyone paid attention to what he was going to say.
What do you think is the aim of Amelia Arcunoa?
One of the senior military officers answered this question on behalf of the others.
It is to rescue Raishleif. If you are suddenly hit in the stomach, the pain will make you put your hands on your head.
The cities of Vaadberg and Doselan are the belly, the fists that hit it are the Quardenze forces, and the hands that hold the aching belly are the Spierzeig forces.
The reason why they let the messenger go this way may have been on purpose. It could be that they are telling us to turn back because our rear is in danger, and to back off from Raishleif,……”
The opinion was met with agreement and agreement.
In fact, there is only one messenger from the city of Dzerlan who ran into this camp.
The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your money is to be prepared to pay for it. The …… Enemy may be in a hurry.”
It may be possible to drop a thinly defended city at once with a small elite force, but it is difficult to maintain it as a base and make it function. Lot of manpower to take control of a city. However, there are too many uncertainties to assign locally procured local soldiers to the city, so it is not realistic.
If it was just a rescue mission, we could have simply entered Raishleif Castle via the city of Nambonan. What was the reason for going all the way across Amelia Arcunoa?
“Maybe they were afraid of an ambush. Even the Quardenze would have expected us to move our scythes.
Then it would have been safer to proceed through Amelia Arkunoa, which was completely unguarded?
No. Or it could be retaliation. The Quardenze will be defeated unilaterally at this point, and will be in retreat. By striking on the side, it was an evenly matched battle, and Quardenze was not just defeated,…… , He may be trying to maintain his prestige.
'When you think of it that way, it makes sense to go over Amelia Arknoa. It may be barbaric, but it will show the next head of the family's bravery and courage both inside and outside.
I see.The imperial aristocracy tends to respect those who wield courage.I am sure you understand that as well.
Now that we have seen the end of the red devil Gulfis, does this mean that Quardenze needs a new symbol of military prowess? We will make a name for ourselves as far as military progress is concerned.
“Besides, we have no choice but to look to the Arknoa side for defense in the future. Even if the route of invasion is practically impossible, if we allow a second invasion, our military prestige will be lost. We must make some provision.
The “Psychological hole in the northeast? The first time you do this, you will lose your prestige. This is not a strategy to win now, but to win next time.”
The gall of Gulfis and the wisdom of Louxe. They are a troublesome opponent.
A discussion among the military officers continued for a while, but no new opinions emerged. Kindlore concluded based on the opinions that emerged.
The Quardentse army that attempted the surprise attack…… Wilk's army is useless to deal with. If we turn back, the boy will run around lazily and finally flee back to New Nellie from Arknoa. Up for air.”
As long as we are dealing with the Lord Ancestor, the Lord Ancestor needs to leave.
'There is no change in our policy of putting the recapture of Raishleif first. It would be a shame to have our backs turned, but it would only be a temporary setback.
The city has been breached but not conquered, and the majority of the soldiers led by Wilk's army are only locally procured Spiaseik militia,……, So if you deal with them calmly, it will be no problem.
There is no need to turn back in a hurry; in fact, if you surround them as they come in deep, you may be able to overwhelm them. The enemy's objective was to threaten the front-line Laishleif, and they must not be swayed here.
If they find out we can't catch them, the Wilk forces may become impatient and come forward. They may come this way, or they may head for Oceloria: ……”
They would either get closer, planning a pincer attack, or they would make a pretense of going after the stronghold to create more fear, the military officer said.
We have no choice,” He said, “But to move our reserves in Othelloria. If they head south, we'll try to stall them. If they're going to try a pincer attack, I'd like to have them block the advance…….
It may be difficult there.
If there were enough troops left in the north, they would have been able to stall in the cities along the way and thwart a pincer attack. As fast as they could from Doserlang, they might, at worst, appear in Reischlieff before dawn tomorrow.
'…… Unavoidable.'
It was decided that the Ocelorian reserve forces would only be in charge of intercepting the Wilk forces if they moved south.
If there is a pincer movement, I, the general of the Second Army, will go to the rear.
The current head of the Spiaseik family, Spiaseik McInnis, was also involved in the operation to recapture Raishleif. Originally, it was only Kindlore's army, but McInnis also came to the front when he learned of Garfis' failure.
The general of Spierzeig's first army was McInnis, and the general of the second army was Kindlore. The repeated alternating attacks by the first and second armies made the defense of the castle of Raishleif extremely tough.
Even now, the onslaught by the First Army continues. That is why McInnis was not present at this discussion.
He said, “I will use some of my squires to check the current situation in the city of Værdberg and to determine the route of the Wilk forces' invasion.”
Kindlore agreed to the knight de Cerulan's proposal. He decided that this was not the time to spare the squires. Right now, he wanted information more than anything else.
The discussion is concluded.
Kindoroa then stood up to report the current situation to his son and current head of the family, McInnis.
Thus, the policy toward the Wilk forces was generally “Observation.
At this point, not a single person noticed the large hole in the body of the Voistra Plain.
◆◇◇◇◇◇◇◆
The night sky appears a little brighter, perhaps because of the fires burning here and there in the cities.
Since there are no clocks on the continent of Eluo, the change of day is ambiguous. It is now the border between August 14 and August 15.
In a way, it would be like a game of Orsian or ……
I didn't say this to the guards waiting nearby. The mouth opened of its own accord, perhaps due to nervousness. I'm on the verge of a major operation, and if I relax, my mind will start to fidget in a strange way.
The Barlaika Castle isn't high enough, either. I can't see much of the city.”
This time I turned to my escort. I was trying to cover up the soliloquy I had unintentionally spilled out.
'It's not like New Nellie Castle, is it?
I looked down at the city of Barlaika, which we had just broken through.
I've come all the way up to the rooftop, but I can't see very far. The castle was little more than a large building in the city. It is different from the New Nellie Castle, which is built on a small hill .
After looking at the city for a while, the second-in-command appeared.
Is everything ready for the next round?”
He was not late. There is no delay.
From the interior, passing over the Arknoa pollution zone, through the city of Værdberg, and then through the city of Doserlan, which was dropped in the evening, the Quardenze soldiers are now arriving here in Barlaika one after the other.
From breakthrough to suppression. By dawn, this new bridgehead should be more solid. And its defensive strength will increase with the passage of time.
We want to leave before dawn.The next target will be the city of Juanes.
The elite 3,000 I'm leading can move now, but it won't matter if the latecomers don't follow.
Is it the city of Juanes?
What's the matter, are you opposed?”
The deputy's expression turned grim.
I foolishly wonder if we should continue on our way to Juanes City.
After the capture of Værdberg, we had a day or so before the soldiers arrived from the interior, so we were conducting a classified search. The surprise attack was so successful that the knights of Værdborg did not even have time to dispose of them.
Thanks to this, he had access to all the military secrets he could find. He did not have much time to check everything, but he was able to secure at least the documents related to the “Operation to Retrieve Raishleif,” Which is currently in progress.
The information I found was that “Raishleif Castle is now under attack by the two main ancestral armies of McInnis and Kindoroa…….”
According to the information we had gathered, the current head of the family, MacInnis, was also involved in the operation to recapture Raishleif Castle.
Apparently, the movements of the noble families under Spierzeig, who are based in the western mountainous region, are not going well. Rather than using COPY00 to blast these people, it seems that the head of the family decided to go to the scene and wave his banner in order to restore Spierzeig's centripetal force. And, as a matter of course, it's easier to take down a castle with two than one headman.
It was clear that now was the time for the Spierzeiks to take a chance of a lifetime. McInnis must have decided to take the chance.
Perhaps by now, New Nellie City would have received a message saying, “Spierzeig-McNeillis has appeared at the castle of Laishleif.
We think it might be better to leave the cities on the way to the following units and rush to Raishleif on our own.”
As expected, the countdown to the fall of Laishleif would speed up quickly if two main ancestral armies were to move.The deputy's overprotective switch has been ticking between on and off for some time now, as if he is concerned about his grandfather's.
No need.
I'm worried about my grandfather, too, but there's nothing I can do about that.
So I'll try not to be ambiguous about it.
We have already achieved great results in the drilling campaign. There's no need to go as far as Operation Jaw.
Grandfather made up his mind his and I believed in his will his.If I waver here and now, I will not be able to face him.
Operation Snake Jaw has somehow come to be known as Operation Jaw. It seems to have been simplified as the snake series because the snake's jaws came next to the snake's fangs.
Indeed, it is troublesome to say “In Operation Snake Fang” Or “In Operation Snake Jaw” Every time. In official documents, however, it is probably because of the desire to avoid redundant words when speaking in the field.
However, while “Operation Fang” Sounds cool, “Operation Jaw” Makes me think of something like an ass-jaw. I think something like “Operation Jaw (Agito)” Would be better. Well, I don't care what it's called.
I don't care if you're obsessed with Reischlieff. I've explained that to you.”
Besides, I trust the overprotectiveness of the military officers in a way. If things really got dangerous, they would retreat, even if they had to put my grandfather in a bamboo screen. Raishleif Castle might fall, but my grandfather would probably not die.
Then something caught my detection magic.
'…… Apparently arrived from the city of Dzerlan.
As I said this, I could see the shoulders of my lieutenants as well as those of my guards tense up.
It was not long after that Realite and Melgin entered Barraica Castle.
'Young Master, congratulations on the fall of Barlaika.
Realite was the first to congratulate them, probably wanting to set a cheerful mood for the audience. He seemed to be concerned about the strong tension emanating from the guards and military officers waiting in the room.
The hard part is just beginning. Not only for me, but for all of you.
When I said this, Realite laughed lightly and turned around. There was a man and a woman lying flat on the ground. They appeared to be in their late teens, but I couldn't tell their exact ages.
When I allowed them to speak, they spun their words in a faltering tone.
Congratulations, Young Master.
Congratulations, Young Master.
They were congratulating each other in the same accent, as if they had been taught to say so by the realite.
Like our military officers, these two were nervous. Their mutual tension is intertwined, creating an extremely tense space. A vicious circle is exactly what this is.
Easy, easy.” As I said in Værdberg, I allow you to live. I don't make it worse.
I said to everyone but Realite and Melgin, my shoulders relaxed.
It was not unreasonable for the military officers to be cautious. The two of them are the natural children of the Blessed Child, born of slave ancestors' parents.
They were Oz and Ard.
The hand of the guard holding the forbidden vessel seems to be straining.This blessed duo would not understand the meaning of this, but it is a dangerous thing.
Yes,” He said, “It's Oz. Oz.
I'm Ard.”
Oz is a woman and Ard is a man. We had met briefly in Værdberg, but we hadn't had a chance to talk much.
This was the first time we had a chance to see each other.
I've heard they are twins, but by the looks of things, Oz is the older sister?”
Ard also speaks at least a little, but basically Oz is taking care of me. I got the impression of a solid older sister and a younger brother hiding in the shadows.
They are…… Twins.”
I think they are probably being warned not to speak rudely to their aristocratic counterparts.I could tell that he was choosing his words very carefully.
Thanks to this, I had no idea what Oz was trying to say, but Mergin gave me a supplementary explanation. Apparently, they are only aware that they are twins and do not have the idea of being brothers and sisters there. That they were twins because they were twins, not sisters or brothers.
Their faces don't look much alike.”
I compared the twins' faces, but I didn't think they looked much alike, even taking into account the difference between the sexes. Although I could feel the blood connection between them, I would have been more convinced if she had said they were sisters and brothers instead of twins.
I don't know if the reproductive mechanism of the Eluo continentals is the same as that of the earthlings, but if they are the same, they are identical twins. Is it any wonder that they do not look alike?
The only similarities are their beige hair color and eyebrows.
They both have strangely thick eyebrows, although they are of different types. Oz's eyebrows are generally drooping, giving him a simple and mild impression. They are cute in a sweetpotato sort of way. Ard's eyebrows, on the other hand, were very dark and crisp.
But it is interesting that they are twins, a man and a woman. It reminds me of blood manipulation ……”.
Twins, male and female, both blessed children. Simply put, the probability of birth must be very low. More importantly, there is no added value other than being rare.
The magical power of the two was very meager. Agala and Nepio of the Orcian SS, whom I saw in the royal capital, were also blessed children, but I think they are in the same class as that. Inferior to Viscount Galiana in terms of magical power.
But of course, compared to the followers, they have overwhelmingly more magical power. Even if they are corrupt, they are still the main ancestors, and their presence cannot be underestimated. This is clearly evident in the guards who are on high alert.
I was born outside the country, wasn't I?
I decided to ease everyone's tension by chatting with them for the time being.
He was born in the territory of an aristocrat in the eastern part of the empire.
In a stable aristocratic territory, a blessed child would be treated accordingly as soon as it was discovered. Female Oz are bound and made into follower births, and male Ads are immediately killed.
In that sense, the Quardenzes saved the day.
The Quardenze family's invasion of the aristocratic territories in the eastern part of the empire was the first step in the invasion of Spierzeig. These territories were ransacked by my father and grandfather and finally swallowed up by the Quardenzes after a messy and chaotic process.
There was a time when the area that is now called the outer part of the Kuordenze territory was in such turmoil that there was no time to hunt for the main ancestors.
I can say that the cause and effect of Quordenze and Spierzeig have come full circle and now the twins appear before my eyes.
……, But they lost their way with the start of our rule in the outer regions.”
Having wiped out the nobility of the eastern part of the empire, the outer regions are now under the domain of the Quardenze family. Its rule is still in its infancy, but the hunt for the main ancestor has resumed in a tentative manner.
Oz and Ard, who had been surviving so far, seemed to feel that they were in danger. They had secretly crossed the mountains into Spierzeig territory.
That was last year, wasn't it?
Ha!
After many twists and turns, he ended up in Værdberg Field in the city of Værdberg, Spierzeig territory. The twins were in the misty village and the secretive village.
The twins had survived by hiding and hiding, secretly communicating with the misty village.
'But once again, I think you guys are doing a hell of a job. If such a thing had been exposed to the Spierzeiks, not only Oz and Ard, but all the villagers would have been executed in succession.”
The military officers nodded as if to say that was true.
Concealing a blessed child is a felony. It is no different for Quardenze and Spiaseik.
Then Melgin spoke up in a slightly apologetic voice.
'Well, by the time the village realized who the two of them were, it was too late.
Oz and Ard had sneaked into the field and settled in. The two had been bartering with the villagers of Foggy Village for products they obtained in the field in order to obtain food.
The villagers who responded to their barter were said to have thought, “They must be very skilled adventurers. I don't think there are two Blessed Sons.
……, I'll make a deal with the Blessed Child.”
It is a fine line whether the village will be punished even if they honestly report it to their lord. I don't think all the villagers will be executed for sitting together, but I have a feeling that some sort of disadvantage will be inflicted.
The nobles fear the birth of the blessed child in a sense.
Yes. I had no choice but to keep it a secret.
The village can no longer stand if the punishment is inflicted on those who are already struggling to make a living. The village head decided that if he was going to die anyway, he was prepared to have all the villagers executed and decided to keep it a secret.
It seems that this story was shared by only a few people, and neither Lupetta nor Mergin had heard about it until recently. Well, Lupetta is rather straightforward. If I told her such a thing, she might start behaving suspiciously.
But I don't believe that the Spiaseik forces were unaware of the Blessed Child's invasion of their territory. How could you be safe?”
It was a question from the military officer.
No, I think they were aware of it.”
I turned on the water, and once again Rearight became the answer.
I have heard from the head of the village of Misty Leaning, and it seems that the Blessed Child's entry into the Vojstra Plain was exposed. Had been conducted.”
Somewhere along the way, they must have been caught in the magic detection net. It is unlikely that the twins, who have no knowledge of magic, would be able to evade it successfully.
If they had wandered around in Spierzeig territory as they were, they would have been caught immediately, but these twins were in their late teens and had developed a certain amount of wisdom. The dark. So, they bartered for food and hid in the Værdberg Field, just breathing hard.
And the twins were surprisingly clever. When they bartered, they seemed to offer the villagers a profitable rate. Just by giving them a small amount of food, they could make a good profit……. This is information that they did not want to share with anyone but themselves.Therefore, there were quite a few villagers who knew of the twins' existence.Even if the twins did not say anything, their business partners kept their existence a secret on their own.The twins could not even read or write, but they had the wisdom to survive.
Thanks to this, the village headman apparently replied to the knights of Værdberg who came to patrol the village, “There are no blessed children in our village. And many times. Even if he did not know, it was not a good thing that he lied to the lord's side.I think this is one of the reasons why they gave up on the report.
But if we don't find it, there will always be a sense of insecurity in the territory.
This is the theory that you can't get a good night's sleep if you don't kill the cockroaches you find before you go to bed.
The village chief told me that by last December, there were almost no more searches being conducted.”
Rialyt adds to Melgin's explanation.
'This is just a guess, but it seems that the Spierzeig forces thought that the Blessed Child had fled outside their territory.
It is a problem because he is in his own territory, and if he had left, there would be no need to pursue him.
However, we do not know why the Spierzeig forces thought so.
Last year, a magical beast, the Sibelkroga, appeared in New Nelly. Do you know the rumors that circulated in the city after that?”
There was such a rumor that the Holy High Church in New Nellie City secretly raised the Blessed Child within New Nellie Field and tried to make him a warrior to fight against the Quardenze family …….
'The source of this rumor is probably our army. I think the information that the Blessed Child was hiding in New Nelly Field grew and developed into a conspiracy theory with the Holy High Church.'
In fact, there was a Blessed Child in New Nelly Field, and after the incident, the army entered the city's Holy High Church.
“I think that the Spierzeiks' counterintelligence had scrutinized the information in that area and sent out some information to Othellia as much as they could be sure of,…… I think so.”
The Spierzeik family is a family that excels at schemes.
They must have a counterintelligence agent or two infiltrating the city of New Nellie. Since there is a limit to counterintelligence, even a little information is likely to be captured.
What if this information came from the city of New Nellie, that the Blessed Child was hiding in New Nellie Field?
It is true because the Blessed Child was lurking in the area. Although a strict gag order is in place regarding information on the cultivation of magical beasts, there was not much consideration for secrecy regarding the Blessed Child at the beginning of the incident.
In fact, the Blessed Child was mentioned in the rumors circulating in the city.
The Blessed Child appeared at about the same time, not too far away if we consider a straight line distance.
'…… We can't be certain, but we think it is highly likely that it is the same person. If it is the Blessed Child, it will be easy to cross the Arkunoa Pollution District. Search in the territory, but if we don't get any results for a certain period of time, we may consider terminating the search.”
Even the search is not free. The Spiaseiks, who are at war with the Kuordentze, would want to end the search as soon as possible.
The decision would depend on whether the Spierzeiks were alone or with two men when they captured the Blessed Child, but that was no longer a matter for the Kuordentse to decide.
As I have said since then, it seems that plans have been made to construct auxiliary facilities for detection magic in various places in the northern part of Vojstra. From what I can imagine from the way the village chief spoke, it was probably voluntarily planned by the knights who hold those areas.
Although it is no longer an issue for the Spierzeig family as a whole, the local knights may have decided to take measures just in case.
Well, I am completely imagining this as well. If you fish in the secrets of the city of Værdberg, you may find the answer, but that can wait until after the war.
The important thing is that the blessed twins are here now.
That's why Mergin asked me about the twins. In the southern part of the continent, they rarely send the Blessed Child into battle, so I thought, why not use Oz and Ard?”
The twins' main ancestor attacks the city of Værdberg at the moment when the great battle between the Quardenze and Spierzeig armies is about to take place. A blow from the rear would be effective.
I can see why Melgin did not want to explain this via Rupetta. This is like a terrorist attack with a blessed child, so to speak. If a military officer had heard about it, he might have been treated as a dangerous person.
The reason I was willing to talk about it was because I met Orcian in King's Landing. I had seen with my own eyes the precedent of the Orcian SS and Luotad soldiers, which gave me more room for consideration. Agala, Nepio, and other blessed children, I might be able to do the same.
Perhaps intrigued, another military officer joined the conversation.
He said, “I have heard that there are areas in the south where you can't hunt the Lord's ancestors to your satisfaction…….
Many of the free city clusters in the southern part of the continent are not stable in their governance due to the ongoing warfare. So there are rare cases where the child of the blessing survives, they say.
Although ……, Wouldn't using a Blessed Child be troublesome to deal with after the war?”
The Blessed Child is the Lord Ancestor, and the Lord Ancestor is the ruling class on the continent of Eluo. If they are just running away, but if they have shown valor and achieved success, some people may think that they should be respected as a “Master ancestor” Rather than a “Blessed child”.
It is not possible to use a person for a long time and then dismiss him or her when you are done with him or her.If we do that, the reputation of the employer will be very bad.
If they have carved out another territory in a war, they can transfer the land and make it a half-puppet noble family, but if they use it for defensive warfare, they will continue to have it in their own territory. Learns to fight is a potential threat.
Therefore, they say, this battle strategy is powerful but difficult to use. Well, to begin with, blessed children who have grown up to a certain degree seldom appear.
Father said the same thing. If we let him participate in the mission, he might have trouble dealing with him later.
The territory of Quardenze is large, and there is plenty of unexplored land, especially in the outer regions. Mergin also took this into consideration when he made his proposal to me. But for an aristocratic family, a blessed child is like a deleterious drug. It is understandable that my father would be cautious.
But this is an emergency situation.I have decided to allow the two of them to participate in the war.I am also thinking about what will happen after the war.
It would be all right if I gave them a territory in the westernmost part of the outer regions, an area adjacent to the Imperial Nobility. It would also serve as a deterrent if it were known that there were two “Warlike ancestors” Who had cooperated in the invasion of Spierzeig. I will plead my case to my father for his arbitrary decision while insisting so. It is not my fault.
In the past, the Quordenze family also assisted the Blessed Son and helped in the founding of the Evenapis family, so there is a precedent. I didn't make them participate in the Quordenze war like I did this time…….
At any rate, let's do our best to save Oz's life at worst.
Of course, I'll ask you to work at least as hard as you can,……”
There I stared at the twins.
I can't read anything from their tense expressions, whether they are frightened of the upcoming battle or just plain scared of me.
I'm going to put on a rear light to assist you. And by the way, Mergin, too.”
The twins are the underlings in Operation Snake Jaw. However, there was no way that a complete amateur could command an army. .
Realite and Mergin were indispensable. They have been infiltrating the village of Misty Nest for the last month and spending several weeks in the field with the twins. I would like to think that they trust each other enough to bring them in front of me like this .
“If you follow my instructions, you'll be fine. You may have to endure some horrific experiences, but if you endure them, I guarantee you a future life. All you have to do is endure. I'm not asking you to Go out and kill your enemies.
The twins are just decoration, and I don't intend to put them forward to fight. They are only like a flag to show the enemy that “This army is the army of the Lord's ancestors. I hope the soldiers of Kuordenze will wave that flag well.
We only need to stop the enemy in its tracks.”
The reserve forces of the city of Oceloria have probably already started marching toward us.
As you may have heard, this operation is called Operation Snake Jaw. Have you two …… Ever seen a snake?”
Oz and Ard looked at each other once and nodded together.
The snake creature has strong fangs in its upper jaw, but only weak teeth in its lower jaw.”
Oz nodded, apparently picturing the snake in his mind. Ard also showed an expression as if he understood.
The little teeth can't kill anything,” He said. It's just enough to keep the prey from escaping the bite.”
It's my job as the strong tooth to puncture the enemy.
And the twins will serve as the weak teeth. The twins were to bite the enemy so that they would not lose their reserve forces.
I am the upper jaw and you are the lower jaw. Think carefully about your roles and act accordingly.
◆◇◆◇◇◇◇◆
At noon on August 15, the atmosphere in the Spierzeig camp had changed dramatically since last night.
Currently, both McInnis' and Kindrova's armies were off on a siege. Therefore, only a few senior military officers remained in the provisional command center. Together with their subordinate military officers, they are frantically scrutinizing the information from the messages that keep pouring in.
Wilk's army has appeared in the suburbs of Torsa!
The report of the message that came in made them all look bitter. It was an urgent report, but in a sense, it was a report that they had become accustomed to hearing.
Every time the Wilk forces close in on a city, a messenger comes to deliver the first report. Starting with the surprise attack on Doserlang City, the Wilk forces were moving toward Raishleif, breaking through the northern cities one after another, including Barlaika City and Furness City.
The Spierzeig forces could not just sit idly by and watch. They sent a message to be on the lookout for cities where Wilk's army was likely to appear. Torsa was one of them.
Torsa City?
The military officers were able to accept the message of the messenger relatively calmly.
The Wilk forces seem to be continuing their advance through the night. After all, the Ocelorian reserves will not be able to intercept them in time.
It would be better to move the second army backward when the time is right to prevent a pincer attack.”
We cannot afford to be caught in the rear of Spierzeig's army, which is attacking the castle of Raishleif. They once again discuss the timing of sending out the Kindlore forces to intercept. Based on the invasion route and speed of progress, they needed to come up with the best answer.
Vairdberg, Doserlang, Barlaika, Fanes……, And now Torsa. We still don't know when Værdberg fell, but the Doserlan offensive began yesterday evening. So far.
Because of the advance so quickly, little progress has been made in gathering information. The command center was in a state of flux, its hands occupied with dealing with the ever-changing situation.
But why not just head straight for Reishleif?
That was the big question.
It was obvious that the northern part of the Vojstra Plain was empty at the moment. If that's the case, then why not just ignore the cities in the middle and head straight for Laishleif and strike between the two? It is a waste of time to drop cities one by one.
Even if we break through ……, The fall of the city will only be temporary.
They thought so.
A small elite force may be able to break through a city, but they will not be able to conquer it. If that were the case, it would be better to abandon the city for a quick military action. They could not understand why the Wilk forces, which were so full of energy that they marched all night long, would not choose this option.
At that moment, a noisy sound came from outside the command center. They were used to it by now, as they had been used to the agony that accompanies the arrival of a messenger. In.
The city of Dzerlan has been defeated by the Quordentse army.
The military officer belonged to the Doselran Knight Army, and happened to be visiting another city when the surprise attack on Doselran by Wilk's army began.
Information that Doserlan City had already been attacked arrived late last night. Since there had been no further reports since that first report, the senior military officer decided that the information brought by this military officer had some value.
It was assumed that the city had fallen.
The number of enemy soldiers is over 2,000!
The Spierzeig camp was horrified by these words.
It was at this point that they finally realized that the situation in the northern part of Vojstra was completely different from what they had expected.
◆◇◇◇◇◇◇◆
The attack on the city of Torsa was a bit more difficult.
Apparently, a message announcing a surprise attack had arrived beforehand.
However, no matter how hard Torsa City tried, they could not overcome the reality that they lacked soldiers and had few follower soldiers.
In the end, the battle was settled without much difference from the time it took to defeat Dzerlang, Barlaika, and Juanes.
'It's already evening.
We dropped the city of Barlaia at midnight, Fanes in the morning, and Torsa in the early afternoon, so that means we dropped three cities in one day today.
It had been quite a hard march, and the troops were reaching their limits. We would like to take a long break in the next city.
Is the mandible working well?
The team split off from the Realites in the city of Barlaika. The “Mandible” Is slowly moving south to meet the Othelloan reserve force.
We are working closely together, but this is not immediately clear. I don't think there has been a clash yet.
From the city of Torsa, the vast Vojstra plain is clearly visible. Although there is no way that a separate team could have seen it, I couldn't help but look into the distance.
I want to leave before…… The sun goes down.”
There's no point in worrying about what's behind us.
From here we can target the cities of Maiziode and Dornia.
If we can destroy the city of Maiziode, which is located north-northwest of Torsa City, then we can aim at the castle of Reishleif next. On the other hand, if we can penetrate the city of Dornia, which is located to the west -northwest, we can complete the crossing of the northern part of the Vojstra Plain.
'By all means, your orders, sir.'
The deputy's voice had a slight smile. You know which way I'm going to choose, but you dare to ask me a question.
I'll follow your orders, so show me your resolve again here and now……. It sounds like he's telling me that.
I made my decision when I cleared my five premises. I decided that I would give priority to defeating Spierzeig above all else. A little more time.
I can't go over there yet.
I'm going to drill Dornia.
◇◆◆◇◇◇◇◆
On the night of August 15, the lingering heat of the summer sun on the ground mingle with the cool breeze. The glistening ball of light still shines on Raishleef as usual today.
The air in the temporary command center of Spierzeig's army is becoming heavier and heavier as time goes by. Even now, new messengers were rushing in, and the military commanders were once again confronting each other with grim faces.
The Wilk forces that have broken through the city of Torsa have begun advancing toward the city of Dornia.”
When the report was finished, all the people in the hall turned blue.
'Do you mean Dornia, ……?
If they are going to rescue Raishleif, there is no point in targeting Dornia City. In other words, the goal of Wilk's army would not be Raishleef.
That was very frightening to them. They had committed the folly of deciding on a policy while misjudging the enemy's target.
If we are thinking of rescuing Raishleif, we should break through the city of Meijerode.”
The knight dared to say what everyone understood.
There is information that 20,000 Quardenze soldiers have entered the city of Dzerlan.
We would like to reexamine the situation, but there is not enough time at all.
The Wilk forces are acting too quickly. By the time the information arrives, they have already taken new actions, so they are constantly being pushed around. The time lag between what is true and their being confirmed is too great.
As a result, the command center has been unable to take effective action and has simply followed the policy that was initially decided.
As the military commanders continued to mull over the situation, a new message arrived at the command center. The new messenger was the same one who had been sent out last night to investigate the city of Værdberg.
The messenger began the most necessary and most frightening report for the command center.
Report! A large force has been discovered in the Arknoa Pollution District! On the old Amelia Highway! Countless troops have invaded from the Quardenze territory! The city of Vaadberg is already under the control of the Quardenze!
The next moment, a tremendous roar echoed through the room. One of the military officers slammed the wall as hard as he could.
A large number of Kuordenze soldiers have entered the cities of Dzerlan, Barlaika, and Juanes!
The messenger continued his report without regard to the flying dust. There was no time to check the situation in Torsa, and there was no specific information about that city.
The objective was not to break through, but to suppress the situation!
This is the report of a messenger who investigated under the direction of the command center and came back.
Thanks to this, the true purpose of the Wilk forces emerged clearly.
The situation is extremely serious. If Dornia is breached and overrun, the northern part of Vojstra will be cut off.
All eyes turned at once to the map on the desk.
Værdberg, Doserlan, Barlaika, Fanes, Torsa, and Dornia……, The line was a perfect division of the northern part of Vojstra.
There were other large cities in the northern region, but it was easy to imagine that they would rot over time, given that they were already infiltrated by the poison that was the Quordentse soldiers. It's not good…… Everyone felt that , and it made their hearts sweat still.
'At this rate, even if we recapture Raishleif, we won't be able to maintain it! It's so unbearable!”
The castle of Raishleif is on the verge of falling due to the onslaught of Spierzeig's army.
If the Wilk forces were to attempt to recapture Laishleif Castle, they would begin a slow siege after conquering the cities in the northern part of the Vojstra Plain. However, Spierzeig's forces would not be satisfied with a siege. Had already destroyed the defenses of Laishlieff Castle.
When Spierzeik's army succeeds in recapturing Raishleif Castle, that will also be the time when the castle's defenses are reduced to zero.
This is a problem before maintenance. This means that Raishleaf itself will cease to function.”
If the Arknoa Pollution Zone becomes a road and the northern part of the Vojstra Plain is taken, the northernmost shield of the Spierzeigt territory will no longer have any meaning.
“You don't mean to destroy it, you mean to disable it……!
It was not a plan to physically destroy Castle Reischlieff, but to strategically disable it.
But how could anyone with the blood of Quordenze be allowed to retake Raishleif?
The conquest of Raishleif Castle is one of the long-held dreams of the Quordenze family. Its name is more important than its actual value. The fact that Gulfis is still holed up in the castle is also a matter of willpower.
And the people of Spierzeig could understand that feeling.
The next head of the Quardenze family, of all people, has adopted a strategy of trampling down the value of Reishleif itself, rather than desiring its existence. This fact reveals a distorted and eerie mentality. They felt a sense of dread.
“Using Gulfis' army as bait,…… Unbelievable,……
Because Wilk's army prioritized the control of the northern cities, the Quardenze soldiers packed in Raishleif Castle suffered many casualties.Garfis also continued to be subjected to vicious intimidation by the two main ancestors.The prognosis for his condition was worrisome.
However, the Wilk forces, which had swallowed their suffering and pushed forward, were now about to engulf the northern part of the Voigtland Plain as well.
Take Værdberg now! The old American Highway must be prevented! Where are the Ocelorian reserves now!”
The military officer in charge of coordinating with the reserve team raised his hand and began to speak.
The Ocelorian Reserve Corps has encountered a detachment of the Quordente Army moving southward, south of the city of Barlaika. As it was the main ancestral army, it was reported that they would intercept at a vantage point…….”
As he spoke, the military officer also saw that this was a bad situation.
Damn you! The southward movement was a cover! The enemy forces intend to buy time by having the Ocelorian reserve take up an intercept position!
The Ocelorian reserve units are only going out to defend the area. It is only natural that they would prefer to intercept the enemy forces in a better position to fight rather than jumping into the enemy forces themselves. After all, and they have the advantage of the terrain.
The enemy forces were the ones who were supposed to intercept them!
The senior military officer's voice trembled. The regret was not half-baked, as the army found itself at an overwhelming disadvantage just as it was on the verge of recapturing Raishleif.
Call the messenger! Let the Ocelorian reserve attack now! 'Recapture Værdborg, and hurry! No matter what it takes!!!!”
Still, he rallies himself and gives the order. There is no time to mourn.
If this continues, the entire North will be swallowed up!
The image of a serpent with its mouth wide open appeared in their minds.
The city of Dornia has been hit hard by the storm.
The city of Dornia is located just before the mountainous region west of Vojstra.
The attack on the city began after dark, so the magnificent view of the mountains could not be seen.
In the city of Dornia, one of the Shadow family's main ancestral soldiers was waiting. He was probably deployed to serve as a counter in case the Shpiazeik-affiliated nobles, who were based in the mountainous region, betrayed them and swept into the plains.
The Spierzeig forces probably thought I would march on Meijerode City, aiming for the castle of Rijsleif. Dornia City was more relaxed than Torsa City.
Thanks to that, the Shadow family's main ancestor soldiers could easily surround me with the Quardenze army and crush me to death. If it is the main ancestor without support, it is possible to defeat him unilaterally. A master ancestor on our side.
However, it took a long time to capture the main ancestor, as expected. In order to ensure a safe and secure defeat, we had to slowly and surely beat them to death.
In the end, it was after nightfall that we were able to settle down in the city.
Have you heard anything from the city of Meijiohde?”
Even the Quardenze forces, without their main ancestor, could at least surround the city. The city in the northern region has few soldiers, after all.
Therefore, I gave them instructions before heading to Dornia.
Ha. A message has just arrived. The city of Meijeode has fallen.
It was a surprising report.
As expected, my marching speed was too fast, and not many of the Quardenze soldiers made it to the city of Meijiohde. I thought I would have to do my best just to surround them,…….
Force push?”
I was planning to attack Meijiohde City after Dornia City, so don't push too hard. You will wear out your troops needlessly.
No, it seems that the young man's plan has worked.
'Ah, you are talking about the rotting rope. I didn't think it would be that useful, this is a windfall. Thanks to this, tomorrow we will be able to proceed all the way to Reishleif at once.
The team will meet up with the Quardenze forces in Maiziode City, and will go straight to Reishleif. It is lucky that they don't have to fight a city battle in Meijeode.
What about the soldiers? They've been fighting since …… Yesterday evening. Make sure they are well rested until we leave tomorrow.
Ha.”
The five cities of Dzerlan, Barlaika, Fanes, Torsa, and Dornia could be dropped at once, albeit with breaks in between.
The biggest contributors to this series of city attacks were probably the Nambonan soldiers. Even with the help of physical reinforcement magic, they needed the strength of mind to continue their activities. Their high morale helped to keep the entire unit motivated.
Please rest yourself, young master. Tomorrow is another crucial day.
“Tomorrow is also ……? That's a restless goodnight greeting, isn't it?
We laughed lightly, and I wrapped myself in the blanket provided.
The actual “I'm not sure I'm going to be able to sleep because of the excitement, but consciousness faded away shortly after that.
August 16th, noon.
It is noon on August 16th, and the gray stratus clouds are piling up like mountains, casting dark shadows over the land.
The sky looked as if it was about to rain at any moment, which seemed to express the state of mind of the Spierzeig forces.
“Laishleef, I don't know if I'm going to make it……!
The fall of Raishleif Castle was just around the corner. But before he could take the next step, Wilk's army was closing in.
McInnis, I will go out to intercept.
The castle of Raishleif, which had repelled the invasion of the first emperor of the Jinkaen Empire, was a symbol of glory for Kindoroa. No one is more obsessed with the recapture of Raishleef than Kindlore.
I know,” He said. I will leave you in charge of the rearguard.”
McInnis vowed to continue the attack on Raishleif.He does not give priority to his father's feelings for him, for if he gives up on the recapture of Laishleif, his centripetal force will inevitably decline even further.
He would recapture Laishleif Castle and make his achievements known to the aristocratic families under his control to encourage them to join the war. At the same time, he would have to move his troops from the western and southern parts of the Voigtland Plain northward and block the road to Værdberg. …… It was a tightrope walk, but if he could not accomplish these tasks, he would lose not only Laishleif but the entire northern part of the country as well. McInnis faced reality in this great battle without running away.
What worried him was the second Spierzeig army, the Kindlore army, which would be facing Wilk's army.
Don't worry. No matter how powerful the boy's magic is, it will not be so easy to overtake him.
Kindoroa's army had faced Gulfis's army for a long time. If we consider only the number of soldiers, it can be said that the situation is more severe than facing Wilk's army.
In addition to the number of soldiers they have gathered from the northern and eastern regions, Kindoroa's army is well equipped with abundant equipment, including forbidden weapons.
Please be careful.The amount of magic power of Quardenze Wilk is extraordinary.And his thinking is so foreign, you can't predict what he will do.If you try to predict easily, it could be fatal.
Trying to read your opponent half-heartedly leads to mistakes. McInnis advised that they should face the facts in a straightforward manner and deal with the situation appropriately.
Kindoroa accepted his son's advice for him.
Be careful,” He said. Even if Gulfis recovers after all this time, the victory at Laichleaf will not be shaken. That is why we must be precise in our moves after the recapture.
With that conversation as the end, the two men proceeded in separate directions.
Spierzeig's First Army begins to move toward Raishleif Castle, while Spierzeig's Second Army begins to move toward the southern part of the Raishleif region.
Soon, Kindlore spotted the enemy forces positioned in the distance.
Is that Wilk's army?
Ha!
Unlike the city attack, the Wilk forces that appeared this time were not an elite force of 3,000 soldiers.
The second-in-command, who was standing by Kindlore's side, quickly assessed the current situation based on the reports received in advance and the results of visual confirmation.
There are no more than 5,000 Quardenze soldiers,” He said. Most of them are from the territory of Spierzeig. They must have been gathered from the north.
The civilian soldiers of the Kindlore army were astonished at the sudden appearance of a large force, but the Spiaseik military officer had already come to the same conclusion as his deputy.
Most of the civilians in Wilk's army are poorly equipped.
Then, can we buy some time for now?
He was not surprised. Rikama will be back soon. We should be able to launch a pincer attack.
Once it was clear that an assassination attempt could not be made, Rikama was given new instructions. The next mission was to pincer the Wilk forces that would be approaching the castle of Reishleif.
First, we must take Raishleif Castle back into our hands.
A thick cloud shadow covered both armies.
It was not long before the Wilk forces made their move.
