Chapter 219 : Chapter 219
Chapter 219 : Outer one (6)
***
Going back in time once more......
Around the time Bihen headed to the rear supply camp to find Krnock and Deli, while the two young priests themselves were fallen into a deep sleep to soothe their exhausted bodies with the Turtle Breathing Technique,
the frontline camp of the Springeus side on the Western Plains, centered around the Great Raven Mercenary Band—
was in utter pandemonium.
"Don't leave a single bastard alive! Kill every last one of them—!"
Shouts close to screams, the sound of clashing blades, and piercing shrieks were all that remained.
A moment ago.
Everyone in the Windermere army had stood in utter dismay, witnessing the blue flames surging as they consumed Rowen's quarters. It was exactly identical to what they had seen from the Mercenary King during the day.
Rowen Windermere had been assassinated by the Mercenary King Hugin.
No one doubted it. There was no need to discern the truth. For blue flames were not something a mere mage could dare to imitate.
"We don't need prisoners! Burn every single one of them without exception!"
"For Windermere—!"
Without exception, from the Windermere family members to the low-ranking soldiers, everyone was intoxicated with madness.
The legion, blinded by revenge, tore down the wooden fences of the mercenary unit in an instant.
Even the mercenaries who prided themselves on being the main force of Springeus could only suffer helplessly. They couldn't even put up a proper resistance.
"Hugin! You heinous, atrocious beast of a bastard! Just where are you hiding and trembling?! Come out this instant!"
Isaac was appalled as he ransacked the tents. His beautiful, fair face had long since distorted like a malevolent deity. Even he, who had resolved to turn his back on the family, lost his grip on reason at the horrific death of his brother.
"For Partizan—!"
A member of the Great Raven Mercenary Band who had been hiding launched a surprise attack on Isaac.
Isaac didn't even look surprised. His combat senses had already reached their peak. Snatching the arm of the charging mercenary right then and there, he turned around and leveled his blade at the man's neck instead.
"Answer honestly. Where is you bastards' leader hiding?"
"O, farewell my love......, farewell, goodbye......"
"......Sure."
Isaac thrust his blade into the mercenary's mouth and twisted it. A scream thick with bloody phlegm echoed. Isaac didn't even blink an eye despite the splattering drops of blood.
"Young Master!"
Bolero, who entered the tent, hurriedly pulled the two apart. He personally put an end to the life of the mercenary who was writhing in pain.
With the limp corpse between them, Bolero and Isaac stared at each other silently.
Bolero broke the silence first.
"Hugin isn't here. Right after the duel with Young Master Rowen, he reportedly led only a small force and hastily left for somewhere."
"What? Where?"
"I don't know that precisely. For now, please issue the order to withdraw. This place is finished now."
Even though it was a reckless surprise attack blinded by vengeance, looking at it coldly, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that the tide of war had turned with this.
The camp where more than twenty mercenary bands had gathered was reduced to complete ruins. It was an achievement no different from obliterating Springeus's frontline main army.
Withdrawing at this point to reorganize the ranks and seek coordination with the rear units was the orthodox course of action.
Of course, Isaac didn't have a shred of reason left to make such a judgment.
"No, I can't do that."
"Young Master?!"
"Going back like this is nothing more than venting anger. Even if only for the sake of my brother's dignity, I'll ride this momentum and march straight to Springeus in one fell swoop."
Carrying out a destructive purge against the shackles of the family that had denied and oppressed him, and against the hypocritical aristocratic society.
This was precisely the ultimate liberation that Isaac yearned for, and the true reason he had ignited the War of the Roses.
In the first place, the annihilation of Springeus was merely a prerequisite task.
'......Now, there's no turning back.'
Suddenly, their eyes met. In a brief moment, emotions that couldn't be conveyed in words were exchanged.
Isaac took his hand first. They could clearly feel each other's body heat. It was an intense instinct craving the warmth of being alive within a battlefield where life withered away vainly.
"Bolero, I hope at least you'll understand me."
In other words, it was the reason for existence.
***
Watching the two people approaching fiercely, I was thinking this the entire time.
'Astonishing.'
Without adding or subtracting anything, this was all. The more I looked, the more mind-boggling it was.
A love like destiny, or a match ordained by heaven. Otherwise, there was no way to explain the reason those two were together right now.
On the other hand, it was a bit bitter.
Because it felt as though I had to admit that destiny was ultimately an unchangeable and unalterable, irresistible nature.
"Bihen Benkou."
I turned my head at the call. It was Kenny and the mercenaries, who had finished their preparations to depart. Their expressions were complex and varied.
"Is it really fine if only we leave? You said the main army of the Windermere army is coming."
There was still time left before the forces led by Isaac arrived. It was enough for the mercenaries to prepare for their retreat.
"This war will end soon."
"......"
"Before then, I must prevent even a single vain death."
The mercenaries exchanged glances with each other. Soon they looked back at me, their expressions entirely filled with bewilderment. They seemed to be asking why I would go that far.
"I-I'm sorry, comrades......"
Krnock and Deli bowed their heads to them.
I knew their apology stemmed from the guilt of not being able to inform them despite knowing a massacre would unfold.
However, the mercenaries seemed to take it differently. Merely to the extent of shaking off the ill feelings that had accumulated between them.
"We aren't such petty adults as to hold a grudge against mischievous brats."
"You guys must be the ones who are heavily shocked, so take good care of yourselves."
"Demonstrate your soldier spirit. Ack!"
The mercenaries laughed good-naturedly among themselves.
Whenever their gazes shifted to Krnock, Deli, me, Kuhn, and the soldiers of the Imperial Capital Knight Order who lay bound on the ground, their expressions changed subtly.
"......We're leaving, Bihen Benkou. I hope we meet again. It was an honor to fight alongside you."
I substituted my answer with a silent bow. I watched their receding backs until the very end.
'Comrade......'
I thought there would never be another. I had always thought of it as one of the things to give up the higher the realm one climbed to......
Should I say I received consolation? Thanks to them, it felt like I had regained my humanity.
"Brother Bihen, the seniors will really be alright, right?"
Regulating my emotions, I turned around.
Krnock and Deli looked down at the soldiers of the Imperial Capital Knight Order, who had not yet regained consciousness, with gloomy expressions.
They said there were originally twelve people. Now, only half of them remained.
"This is all because of that blond bastard!"
I listened to the full story in detail again. Unlike the first time when they were sputtering incoherently due to panic, this time they explained it step by step, allowing the overall flow to be roughly sorted out.
'There was yet another bastard I didn't know about.'
Neither Windermere, nor Springeus, nor the Sword Demon, but another third party who wished for this war not to end.
A master of machinations capable of assassinating a tycoon and passing it off as the doing of someone else.
An expert proficient in high-difficulty sorcery such as mind control and undead manipulation.
'Without a doubt, one of the Eight Demons.'
......Who is it?
'Blond, huh.'
My mouth tasted bitter. The speculation that the Eight Demons would have their own unique domains and thus a low probability of cooperating seemed to be wrong after all.
Of course, well, it might not be a cooperation but a coincidental overlap, or perhaps this War of the Roses itself was a certain event of importance to all of the Eight Demons.
'Looking at it as a whole, it amounts to heavily breaking the Kingdom's power.'
Just the Springeus family wielding the Ethereal right now is a force capable of easily overwhelming a single division of the Empire and then some. If Luke is factored in, their capability would equal a legion-grade force.
'Just by protecting Springeus and Windermere, the war can be suppressed.'
It is my doctrine that peace ultimately comes from strong power. My plan to ascend to the peak as a swordsman and enforce chivalry upon other swordsmen also stemmed from exactly this conviction.
'If I can eradicate the Eight Demons in the process, nothing could be better.'
The Sword Demon and the blond.
Two of the Eight Demons have intervened in this War of the Roses right now.
'…….'
I looked down at my hand. It isn't trembling.
Squeeze.
I clenched my fist. Good. I can do it.
I've gone through this much trouble until now just to obtain this single piece of confidence.
'I'll stop the Windermere army here.'
For now, calming down Springeus and Windermere is the urgent priority. Catching the Sword Demon and the blond comes after that.
Sending the mercenaries away first was also to avoid provoking them.
"Brother Bihen! O-Over there......!"
Krnock pointed in a fuss. Before we knew it, they had drawn close enough to be visible. Murky dirt and dust were rising over the horizon.
"Kuhn."
"Yes. The dispelling is finished, and they only need to regain consciousness."
The gazes of the four of us shifted to Morgan and the soldiers of the Imperial Capital Knight Order, who lay prone on the ground with their hands and feet bound.
"Will they be able to remember the caster?"
"It is difficult to guarantee. It is a matter entirely dependent on their mental strength and will. Depending on how strongly they resisted the mind control, the scope and depth of their memories could vary, or they might lose their memories entirely as an aftereffect of excessive resistance."
Their testimony would be of great help in stopping their march. Well, though it is a matter of whether they will believe it or not......
Factoring in the relationship between Krnock, Deli, and Bolero, and the relationship between Bolero and Isaac, my judgment is that it won't escalate to an extremely drastic situation.
'Must I ultimately rely on the power of bonds?'
Would it be possible? Of course.
Aren't the living witnesses of that belief coming right over there?
***
Hugin stopped and lifted his head. A sigh escaped him involuntarily. It was the same for all his subordinates, including Kendrick who followed behind.
"Wow, it really all burned down completely......"
The entire mountain was completely black. It looked like an immensely large lump of charcoal. Sparks were intermittently mixed and fluttering within the floating ash dust.
Hugin extended his hand to gauge the wind.
"It's dry, and the strength happens to be just right. Perfect for the fire to spread."
"Are you saying they intentionally fed the fire, Comrade Hugin?"
Hugin nodded silently. The subordinate asked back with a serious expression.
"According to the spy we planted on the Conwell side, there was only a single intruder who impersonated us. Was there really a need to go this far just to catch that one person?"
"This isn't the trace of a fight."
Hugin crouched down, then lightly pinched up the ash dust blanketing the ground with his fingers. Slowly rubbing it between his thumb and index finger, he closely scrutinized the remnants fluttering in the wind.
"Gunpowder dust was planted in advance. Preparing for an emergency."
"......Pardon?"
"A bold move was made to withdraw everyone safely. Impressive, Duke of Conwell."
Hugin stood up, dusting off his hands. He stared into the pitch-black interior, which resembled the entrance of a cave.
"Comrade Kendrick. Take the comrades of the Black Rose and return first."
The Black Rose was the mercenary band led by Kendrick. Though fewer than ten men remained now, they were the real deal who had trusted and followed Kendrick all the way from Conwell to this place.
"Pardon? Return? What do you mean all of a sudden?"
"It seems it won't end quickly. It would be troublesome to leave our post vacant for too long, so I'd like to ask a favor of Comrade Kendrick."
Kendrick and the members of the Black Rose Mercenaries knit their brows. They looked alternately at each other and at the members of the Great Raven Mercenary Band. Somehow, a sense of distance was felt.
"That's a bit disappointing, Comrade Hugin. Are you leaving us alone at this late hour? Just what on earth is inside?"
Hugin narrowed his eyes. His gaze remained cast into the distance.
"Then promise me just one thing. That you'll survive no matter what happens."
He couldn't even ask back. It felt as though he shouldn't. It felt as if a heavy boulder had been placed upon his chest.
Kendrick understood the deep meaning embedded within those words. It was that the ember of will to find Partizan must not be extinguished.
"......I shall swear it."
Hugin nodded.
The group entered into the interior of the mountain. They absolutely had to uncover the exact truth.
Because the act of impersonating the Great Raven Mercenary Band was no different from daring to defile and insult the name of Partizan, it was necessary to find and punish them without fail.
"Comrade Captain, the mist is too thick."
It was when they reached the mountainside.
That Hugin halted his steps was not due to the report of the subordinate following behind.
Someone was standing entirely alone in the center of the wide clearing spreading before his eyes.
As if it had been waiting for Hugin to discover it first, the mist cleared, and only then did he enter everyone's field of vision.
SHWING—!
Everyone except Hugin drew their weapons. It was the warning of instinct.
"I've been waiting for you."
Crow turned around, smirking.
"Mercenary King Hugin."
"......It was you. The bastard who impersonated us without fear."
"Without fear?"
The last voice was heard from behind. The heads of the group instantly turned backward.
There stood the blond boy, Raven.
"Do you know what it is when you combine magic and sorcery?"
Raven rolled his thumb and index finger into a circle and placed it over his eye.
"It's a disaster."
CRACKLE—!
Instantly, long and sharp frost materialized in the empty air.
"Comrade Captain—!"
Transparent spears poured down like rain.