Chapter 150: The Surprise Attack on the Royal Capital
Advancing towards the royal capital of Silesie, the mage general Revenant Arima wore a devilish grin.
Always gentlemanly, brushing up his bangs with a composed air, today his true nature was laid bare.
Unable to contain his laughter from deep within, he smirked at the opportunity that had presented itself.
The Silesie royal army had shown a lapse in their movements.
It was likely due to the diversionary troops attacking from the western shore cliffs, where Silesie’s strategist Lyle Laertius had fallen.
Reports from spies previously embedded in the capital indicated that King General Takeru had rushed from the capital to visit the injured Lyle.
A perfect opportunity had arisen.
With this, preparations to assault the royal capital were complete.
The royal army of Silesie had mostly scattered due to the diversion, and with King General Takeru absent, seizing the now-vulnerable royal capital would be effortless.
Under mage general Revenant’s command were a thousand human knights and a thousand reptilian mercenaries—a total of two thousand soldiers. To attack a royal capital, this could be considered a small force. It would be impossible to capture and occupy the capital with these numbers. Due to repeated diversionary tactics against Silesie’s famed strategist, dispersing forces was inevitable.
However, Revenant had deliberately chosen this elite formation for a swift assault, judging that a smaller but more elite force could move more quickly and efficiently. There was no need to capture the capital.
The goal was to assassinate Silesie’s hero, Takeru Sawatari, or skillfully capture Silesie’s queen and Germania’s former imperial family. If they could retreat after that and reach Castilia’s fleet, victory in this war would be theirs.
Until they reached the very front of the royal capital, they could preserve their precious forces.
For they were led by Castilia’s court mage, the Fascination Celestina Siren.
The enemy forces blocking their path were rendered powerless by Celestina’s bewitching phantasmagoria magic.
Once they reached the royal capital of Silesie, the advance mage skilled in Dispel Magic would likely appear and neutralize them. But until then, their march was as unobstructed as if traversing an uninhabited wilderness.
This special unit tasked with the royal capital assault includes two of the three advance mages that the Kingdom of Castilia prides itself on.
One advance mage remains with the invincible fleet to deal with the Britannian navy, which continues to launch restraining attacks despite suffering devastating blows in the previous Siren Sea Battle. However, all remaining strength is poured into this operation.
Furthermore, from the Fist Slave Emperor Army, the emperor himself, Dyson, who is also the strongest gladiator on land, is participating. He brings along a few of his close soldiers, but in front of his overwhelming individual power, their presence is almost inconsequential.
Dyson’s goal is likely the retrieval of Germania’s former imperial family, but it would be appreciated if he could also defeat Silesie’s hero along the way.
After all, their strongest fighter is a hero worshiper who throws tantrums about not wanting to fight a hero directly.
Even though she is a princess of the Dragon Maids, the strongest race, she is still just a sixteen-year-old girl and quite difficult to handle.
It may be risky to let a hero worshiper meet Silesie’s hero, but this is the decisive battle. Even difficult pieces must be used; otherwise, there would be a lack of completeness.
The wars that have been sparked across the Eura continent at great sacrifice to our allies were all for this surprise attack on the royal capital of Silesie. This battle cannot be lost at any cost.
If that hero of Silesie can be trapped and killed, Mage General Revenant’s name will become legendary across the Eura continent.
Unlike Revenant, His Majesty King Ferdinand, who planned the strategy himself, does not necessarily place the assassination of Silesie’s hero, Takeru Sawatari, as an operational goal.
However, Revenant wishes to lure out and kill Silesie’s hero. That much is left to the discretion of the frontline commander.
Wouldn’t it be amusing if infamy spread about killing Silesie’s hero through cowardly means using hostages?
「Kukuku… Just imagining being slandered and cursed by everyone sends thrills through me. Mage General Revenant, known as ‘The Hero Slayer’—how irresistible.」
Revenant thought it was a chance with the king general absent, but it wouldn’t be interesting if he didn’t return to the royal capital.
Without him, there might be no opportunity to use hostages. Revenant is eager to see how Silesie’s hero would react when his beloved concubine is taken hostage.
For now, he proposes exchanging the imperial granddaughter as a hostage. This is just a pretext to convince Dyson to agree to the hostage strategy; the real objective is different.
He doesn’t expect them to hand over the imperial granddaughter. When they refuse, he’ll tell the hero to come alone to retrieve her.
Will he abandon the woman, or will he truly come alone to save her?
If he’s lured out and comes, Revenant plans to brutally kill him. If he abandons Sarah, that’s fine too. He’ll make sure the hero watches his beloved concubine suffer and die before his eyes.
While imagining Sarah writhing in agony and dying, Revenant leers at her bound face. She spits in his face, probably having prepared by gathering saliva in her mouth. Even covered in spit, Revenant doesn’t wipe it off and continues grinning.
「Revenant… As always, your face is unbearably disgusting and repulsive. I physically detest someone like you.」
「Kukukuku… I’m honored by your praise, Acting General Sarah.」
Even bound with ropes and handcuffs in a large carriage, Sarah curses and spits at her enemy general Revenant.
To knights and nobles who value status, it would be contemptible for a peasant’s daughter like her to be called an acting general. But for Revenant, such things are trivial.
After all, Revenant is now a strategist directly under King Ferdinand and commands this royal capital assault operation. He’s not a noble but an advance mage.
In these interesting times, magicians and peasant daughters can easily become generals if they have the ability.
「I’m not praising you, I’m asking if you’re not ashamed to take a girl hostage!」
「Ah, it’s unbearable.」
「What’s with him, enjoying being insulted? …Gross.」
「Ahahaha, say whatever you like.」
To Revenant, even the strong-willed Sara is nothing more than a charming child when she insults him. In fact, he welcomes it; being spat on is a reward for him.
Being called a coward by the hostage girl is Revenant’s ideal situation, and he’s almost too excited. He relishes Sarah’s unyielding spirit. Just imagining the insults that await him if he uses despicable means to kill Silesie’s hero in front of her is thrilling.
「Ugh, enough!」 Revenant exclaims in joy.
He feels so happy and excited that he wants to dance. Overwhelmed with emotion, he starts dancing.
※※※
「If you get too excited, you’ll fall out of the carriage again.」
Says Are, the Dragon Maid, filing her sharp claws while riding in the carriage. She speaks with a tone of disbelief.
Indeed, Revenant had fallen out of the carriage while being overly jubilant after being continuously insulted by Sarah. He was thoroughly run over by the wheels of the following carriage.
Revenant returned battered but seemed oddly happy. Are thought it best to leave him be but reluctantly spoke up since it seemed wasteful to use a healing potion on such a pervert.
「Oh dear, I apologize for losing myself.」
「…Idiot.」
Revenant is delighted even by Are’s mild insult and starts frolicking again. He truly is hopeless. Are wonders if he’s like a child who craves attention, unaware of his masochistic tendencies.
Of course, Revenant isn’t a child, so his desire for attention isn’t endearing. Are simply finds him annoying and would have probably killed him if he weren’t an ally.
Indeed, speaking of allies, there’s a man riding in the same carriage. His name is Dyson, the Fist Slave Emperor, a towering figure over two and a half meters tall with bulging muscles.
At first glance, it’s clear he’s extraordinary. He’s the Emperor of Germania and a gladiator.
Despite being human, or perhaps because of it, the aura of his fighting spirit is tremendous. It makes one wonder what kind of training and how many enemies a mere human must defeat to reach such a level.
He exudes a violent aura similar to Are’s kin, yet he is calmer and without any openings.
Are left the vast continent of Afri and traveled all the way to the Eura continent not only to see the world but also to find a strong husband.
Dyson, with an aura similar to hers, would likely produce strong offspring if they were to mate.
She considers him an ideal husband candidate, but somehow she can’t feel that way about him.
Instead, she sees him as a martial artist she’d like to spar with.
It’s unfortunate they met as allies. He’s not someone she can casually challenge to a spar.
If they were to fight, Dyson, who emits a murderous aura so intense it seems to ripple through the air, would undoubtedly come at her with lethal intent.
Are wouldn’t be able to hold back either; it would certainly become a fight to the death. Once they exchanged blows, there would be no choice but to kill. That’s why it’s regrettable.
Even as Dyson receives Are’s intense gaze, which almost resembles murderous intent, he simply snorts in amusement.
It seems he has no interest in Are, neither as a woman nor as a fighter.
That makes it all the more disappointing for her.
「However, Guest General Are. Are you sure you’re alright?」
「What do you mean by alright?」
Revenant suddenly asks with a serious face.
Revenant shifts from rolling around laughing like a child to suddenly sharpening his focus and throwing out sharp questions. He’s an unpredictable man.
Is this what an advance mage is like?
Are and Dyson, as martial artists, belong to a different category of beings, but Revenant, with his cunning and powerful magic, is also a formidable force whose abilities she acknowledges.
「The next battle will be against the hero of Silesie. Surely you won’t betray us at the last moment?」
「Persistent, aren’t you? I’ve said I won’t fight the hero. But I’m willing to fight anyone else.」
Are owes a debt to the Kingdom of Castilia, which has formed a friendly relationship with Rango Island and brought her this far. However, she also owes a debt to the hero who once saved Rango Island.
Of course, she knows that the hero of Silesie and the ancient hero who saved Rango Island are entirely different people. However, the Dragon Maids, descendants of the queen and the ancient hero, are half-blooded with ancient dragon god and human blood crafted by Asama.
For them, the legend of the hero holds more sway than the faith in Asama, keeping them tied to the human world.
Even knowing he’s not the legendary hero, Are can’t bring herself to fight him directly. It’s not that she can’t; she probably wouldn’t feel like attacking. Not opposing the hero is an instinct for Dragon Maids.
Yet, she can’t suppress her desire to see him in action.
She wants to witness the battle prowess of this legendary hero, enemy or not.
Because it’s incredibly interesting. For instance, she turns her eyes to the blonde girl nearby.
「You all will be killed by Takeru; you’re all going to die!」
「Is that so? I’m looking forward to it.」
The little blonde girl, the hero’s concubine, shouted at them and she chuckled.
Despite being restrained and subjected to the murderous intent of martial artists like Dyson and Are, and enduring Revenant’s sleazy taunts, the small girl still manages to bark back in a thin voice.
Even adults can’t easily do this.
With just a flick of Are’s fingernail, such a small and weak girl who could easily die is spewing such spirit. Moreover, she has been screaming continuously since she was captured.
She has a strong will and is articulate. Even if it’s the soul housed in a frail girl’s body, this too is a form of strength, and after traveling together for a while, Are has come to acknowledge it.
Leaving Rango Island was truly a good decision. Are’s experiences are broadening as she witnesses various forms of strength.
If such a girl, said to be the beloved consort, possesses such strong spirit, how powerful must the hero of Silesie and his fierce followers be?
Are can’t contain her excitement for what’s to come.