Chapter 90 : Chapter 90
Chapter 90. Operation Meatball (9)
This battle was untenable from the beginning.
From the moment Roden opened the gate and the Allied Forces entered Velia Castle in time.
After one of the 6-star knights, who had barely gathered his soldiers to form a unit, lost his life.
The fact that the next knight in the middle was immediately threatened with death was proof of that.
This time, Jorje moved quickly to the rescue, as if to avoid being defeated one by one, but it was useless.
Tobias, Linor, and Craig, who were already a step ahead, had already dealt death to another 6-star knight.
“Another 6-star knight has been beheaded!”
Linor raised his voice in excitement, and upon hearing this, Jorje's expression turned to one of dismay.
“Ugh! Retreat! I'll break through to the south gate!”
Thus, the soldiers by Jorje's side all turned around and ran towards the south gate.
In fact, this practically decided the outcome of the battle.
Therefore, Roden's party did not watch the scene to the end and moved.
“Still, wouldn't it be better to join them over there? The Special Task Force Company will be gathered there too.”
“What's the point of going now? We'll just be watching our allies' victory up close. It's better to get our hands on something else in that time.”
“Something else, you say?”
“Yes. Something else.”
Roden and Chevalier exchanged questions and answers, and the rest of the party tilted their heads.
They had no idea what he was trying to get.
However, the party soon understood Roden's intentions.
Because Roden moved towards one of the largest buildings in Velia Castle.
“Don't tell me……?”
“Yes. That's right. We're going to get some spoils of war. For example, a superior swordsmanship manual.”
“!”
There were two buildings inside Velia Castle.
And each of these was being used by a battalion commander-level officer.
Jorje, who joined later, used a barracks instead of a building.
Therefore, the Allied Forces had just dealt with the battalion commander-level officers, that is, the 6-star knights, who had come out of these two buildings.
In other words, it meant that the two buildings were now empty, having lost their masters.
It was these two buildings that Roden was aiming for to acquire spoils of war.
It was when Roden's party had just stepped inside the first building.
“It's built quite sturdily. Enough to be used as an inner castle in an emergency. But why did those guys leave this place and come out?”
“Why do you think they came out?”
Nedhab, who was not yet well-versed in military strategy, asked a question along with his impression, and Roden countered.
Nedhab thought for a moment and then opened his mouth.
“Because they were frustrated?”
“Similar. It's the same, they would die even if they stayed inside the building. So they came out to try and break through. That way they could escape.”
The Imperial Army was not stupid either.
The moment they heard that the Allied Forces had entered the castle, they would have sensed defeat.
And assuming defeat, holing up in a building for a final stand was the worst move.
Unless there was a secret passage, everyone would lose their lives fighting like that.
So the Imperial Army had made a choice.
To gather their soldiers and try to break through.
To try and escape Velia Castle that way.
But in conclusion, the Imperial Army failed to break through.
They were spotted by the Allied Forces while gathering their troops and lost their lives.
“It would have been better to make a final stand. Two 6-star knights have already lost their lives.”
“No, in this situation, they shouldn't have made a stand, they should have surrendered. Or quietly slipped away in small groups. In the end, if you don't survive, that's the end.”
Roden stopped in his tracks and spoke to the party.
“So you guys, don't risk your lives for the country or anything like that. Fight only for yourselves. Got it?”
Nedhab, Zailo, and Terne nodded their heads with impressed faces at Roden's sincere words.
Then, the old-fashioned Chevalier answered last.
“Yes. I will follow the Company Commander's orders.”
Roden smiled as if satisfied with the answer and spoke.
“Then let's split up and get the spoils of war. Don't be too greedy, just take what you absolutely need. It could be a problem later.”
As soon as Roden's order was given, the party moved quickly.
***
To move to find spoils of war while the battle was still raging.
Chevalier originally did not like to act in this way.
It was Chevalier's original thought that a soldier should follow orders at all times and advance towards the battlefield.
However, this thought changed after being with Roden for a long time.
Chevalier now knew.
That Roden was not just fighting for the victory of the Allied Forces.
Roden fought for himself and the people around him.
He always said so and always acted so.
So he was somewhat disappointed when he first realized this fact.
But now he realized that this was the most correct way on the battlefield.
Because a person who cannot even protect his own life cannot protect others.
That was why Roden, who was stronger than anyone in the Special Task Force Company, could protect the Special Task Force Company several times.
Even Roden's desire to give something came from this strength.
Because he was the strongest person in the Special Task Force Company, he could share some of what he had.
A training method that could turn even an ordinary soldier into a knight.
A secret technique that would not be a disadvantage in battle even if he had plenty of it.
An amazing secret method that could grow aura at an incredible speed.
All of this came from Roden's strength.
And Roden's strength came from his desire to save himself and the people around him.
Therefore, Chevalier had no choice but to admit it now.
That Roden's way was right.
And it wasn't just an admission.
Chevalier now wanted to be like Roden.
This was the reason why Chevalier was silently following Roden even though he was acting against his original beliefs.
Chevalier did not have a single doubt.
That he would share the spoils of war acquired here with the Special Task Force Company.
And that it would be a victory for the Allied Forces.
In fact, everything he had done with Roden had produced such results.
So Chevalier had no choice but to believe it firmly.
'Then I can just bring this to the Company Commander.'
Chevalier had just found a book in the third room he had searched.
One of the bricks on the bedroom wall was awkwardly fitted, so he had taken a closer look just in case, and this book was hidden inside.
A book with the title <Omorodion Swordsmanship Manual> on the cover.
It was a superior swordsmanship manual.
***
While Roden's party was searching the two buildings.
The Allied Forces had succeeded in completely taking control of Velia Castle.
As a result, they captured Velia Castle, which they thought would take at least six months to capture at the earliest, in just three months.
An incredible achievement.
However, one thing that was disappointing was the fact that they had ultimately failed to capture Jorje.
As soon as he witnessed the deaths of two 6-star knights, Jorje, who had fled to the south gate, succeeded in escaping Velia Castle in the end.
The judgment of the Allied Forces was a disappointing point.
Because they had not thought that Roden's party could actually open the gate from the inside, they had not prepared for an escape through the south gate in advance.
And this played a decisive role in Jorje's escape by exploiting the gap.
But in any case, the fact that the Allied Forces had captured Velia Castle remained unchanged, and Roden's party also finally joined the Allied Forces.
Then, of course, the Special Task Force Company was the first to greet Roden's party.
Among them, Olinto and Liviano, who were happy to meet after a long time, approached Roden and shouted.
“We're so glad you're safe!”
“We've been waiting for you, Company Commander!”
Roden watched the two men, who had somehow become more dignified, and opened his mouth.
“It's been a while. You two seem to have been doing well.”
Upon closer inspection, both of them had become much stronger than before.
In other words, it meant that the two of them had been training hard even while they were apart.
Sure enough, the two of them mentioned this.
“We've been doing well. We were so busy training that we didn't even notice the time passing.”
“I heard that you developed a new training method even while you were undercover in enemy territory?”
“To be precise, I applied the secret method of the superior swordsmanship manual shared by the Archery Platoon Leader and the Cavalry Platoon Leader. Let's talk about this later. How is the Infantry Platoon?”
Roden deliberately ended the conversation with Olinto and Liviano quickly.
Because he needed to check if the Infantry Platoon had returned safely first.
Fortunately, Federico's voice was heard from behind.
“Hohoho. We're here, Company Commander.”
“Yes, old man. It's good to see you again.”
“Don't worry. I might die of old age, but at least I won't die from an enemy's sword. The other guys think the same, so everyone is safe.”
As Federico boasted, the soldiers of the Infantry Platoon stood behind him, looking fine, though a little dusty from the recent battle.
It seemed that it was a good idea to temporarily entrust the command of the Infantry Platoon to Federico.
Chevalier and Nedhab, who were most worried about the state of the Infantry Platoon as the Platoon Leader and Deputy Platoon Leader, also looked relieved.
Thus, the Special Task Force Company, who had worried about each other but had all reunited safely.
It was when the Special Task Force Company was sharing the joy of their reunion.
“Hahaha! Indeed, the greatest hero of this siege was here! I've been looking for you all throughout the battle!”
Tobias said this and approached Roden with Linor and Craig.
“It's been a while, Battalion Commander. I'm even happier to see you inside Velia Castle like this.”
“I know, right. I still can't believe it even though I'm standing here right now. To think we would capture Velia Castle like this.”
Craig nodded his head from the side as if he agreed with Tobias's words.
But Linor pouted his lips as if he didn't like it.
“Hmph. You're making a big fuss about opening a single gate by sheer luck.”
As soon as Linor finished speaking, the bright atmosphere around them immediately subsided.