Chapter 133 : Chapter 133
Chapter 133. When the Bell Tolls (2)
While Laura stood there, surprised.
Roden and Michael joined the Special Task Force Company and engaged in battle.
“Infantry platoon, suppress the explosive-type crystal orbs as planned!”
Roden, in particular, shouted this as soon as he joined the battle.
This was because someone had to be in charge of stopping the explosive-type crystal orbs that the Black Bell Corps threw whenever they had a chance.
And Roden entrusted this task to the most reliable infantry platoon.
Although their strength had weakened slightly after Chevalier was promoted to Deputy Battalion Commander, it was the infantry platoon that had accepted Roden's training methods the fastest and had been carrying them out ever since.
Naturally, they were the most trustworthy.
“Everyone, follow the Battalion Commander's orders!”
Above all, Nedhab, who had just raised his voice, stood firm in the infantry platoon.
As the infantry platoon fell back according to the plan, Michael shouted urgently this time.
This was because someone had to fill the infantry platoon's empty spot.
“What is the Red Wolf Unit doing! Show your skills quickly! You said you were the best!”
Only then did the Red Wolf Unit, who had been surprised along with Laura, belatedly come to their senses and join the battle.
Laura, too, realizing her duty, bit her lower lip and fought alongside them.
Thanks to them, even after the infantry platoon withdrew, our forces had no difficulty pushing back the Black Bell Corps.
The commander of the Black Bell Corps was naturally faced with a choice.
Whether to escape using the mobility-type crystal orb as is.
Or to continue fighting using the recovery-type crystal orb.
Having decided to crush the 1st Corps' transport battalion one last time, it was too regrettable for the Black Bell Corps to retreat as is.
That was why the commander opted for the latter and raised his voice.
“We cannot retreat like this! Use the recovery-type crystal orbs without holding back!”
Hearing the commander's voice, the members of the Black Bell Corps who had suffered serious injuries took out blue crystal orbs.
Woooong!
Simultaneously, a strong light enveloped the Black Bell Corps, completely healing their injuries.
It was a relief that severed limbs did not regenerate.
If even severed limbs had regenerated, the fight would have been truly difficult.
Roden, taking note of this fact, opened his mouth.
“The enemy's crystal orbs are not perfect! Cut off their heads! Or even their fingers!”
The reason Roden was able to quickly grasp the situation and give orders was not simply because he was smart.
It was because he had already experienced a similar situation in his battle with Latif.
Even after actively using the recovery-type crystal orbs, the Black Bell Corps crumbled helplessly.
It was inevitable, as they were inflicting cutting wounds that could not be regenerated with the recovery-type crystal orbs.
In the first place, the pure combat power of the Black Bell Corps was on the level of the Red Wolf Unit.
No matter how much the infantry platoon had withdrawn, as long as the archery platoon was intact, the damage to the Black Bell Corps was bound to continue to accumulate.
With Roden, Michael, and Laura also actively participating, it was not enough even if they used the recovery-type crystal orbs without holding back.
The proof was that, for the first time, fatalities were occurring consecutively in the Black Bell Corps.
“Hup!”
“Kuhk…”
To make matters worse, when the explosive-type crystal orbs failed to exert their full power, the city's defense force also began to join the fight one by one.
In addition to this, the main battalion was rushing from Juten to provide support, so it was the Black Bell Corps that was at a disadvantage as time passed.
Now, they had no choice but to admit it.
That the Black Bell Corps had been defeated in this fight.
In the end, the commander of the Black Bell Corps made a decision.
Although he couldn't achieve a graceful end, it was better to run than to die.
“Heukgangwi, all forces retreat! Use the mobility-type crystal orbs!”
The Black Bell Corps also wanted to retreat, so as soon as the commander's order was given, they chanted the activation word to use the mobility-type crystal orbs.
However,
“Silence!”
Roden, not missing the timing, shouted this a step faster and cast the wide-area Silence that he had enchanted on a piece of wood in advance.
Piiiiiing!
As a result, everyone present was forcibly silenced.
There were only three exceptions who were not affected by the wide-area Silence. One was, of course, the caster of the magic, Roden, and the other two were Michael and Laura, who were on the same level as Roden.
“Laura! Tie them up and deal with the closest ones first!”
“Shut up! I know that already! Bind!”
Michael shouted first, and Laura, receiving his words, grabbed a piece of wood in her hand and chanted the activation word to use Bind.
The Bind was deliberately not prepared as a wide-area spell.
This was because the investigation so far had almost confirmed that the mobility-type crystal orb was activated by chanting an activation word.
On the other hand, if Bind were used over a wide area, there was a possibility that not only the Black Bell Corps but also our allies would be bound.
So Roden had retrieved the piece of wood enchanted with wide-area Bind and distributed new pieces of wood only to Michael and Laura, who could speak even after the use of wide-area Silence.
Enchanted with just Bind.
Whoosh! Clatter!
Because of this, Michael and Laura were able to easily deal with the Black Bell Corps.
Swoosh! Slash!
Shuuk! Thud!
The proof was that with every swing of the sword, the heads of the Black Bell Corps were falling.
And watching this scene, the commander of the Black Bell Corps, a 5-star who could neither speak nor move, broke out in a cold sweat.
'I-impossible!'
He simply couldn't believe the current situation.
At the same time, with death right before him, he felt a fear that made his knees tremble for the first time in his life.
'What in the world is this! The Allied Forces shouldn't know how to use magic yet!'
However, this thought did not last long.
Shukak! Whoosh!
Someone had instantly approached and lopped off the commander's head.
'No! I can't die like this!'
Just before his vision went completely dark, the commander watched the world turn upside down and had one last thought.
Drip, drip.
In front of him, Roden, who had lopped off the commander's head, stood with a blood-soaked sword.
***
Although the 1st Corps' transport battalion had suffered considerable damage in the early stages of the battle, in the end, it was a great victory.
It was only natural, as they had succeeded in killing or capturing all of the Black Bell Corps that had been tormenting the 1st Corps.
For reference, some of the Black Bell Corps were left alive for interrogation.
It was necessary to confirm how they had prepared this operation, where they had been hiding, and what the Empire was planning to do in the future.
And so, Roden watched as the follow-up measures were carried out cleanly and prepared to leave.
And at dawn four days after dealing with the Black Bell Corps, he assembled his troops to return to the 3rd Corps.
Laura approached Roden with two books in her hands.
“Here are the promised <Soler Swordsmanship Manual> and <Benoit Swordsmanship Manual>.”
“Thank you.”
As Roden accepted the swordsmanship manuals, Laura glanced at Michael standing beside him and whispered.
“...This has become interesting. To think that our family's fight, which I thought would end with Leon and Malena's solo run, would welcome a new competitor so late.”
However, the whisper was not so quiet that Roden and Michael couldn't hear it.
That was why Michael retorted to Laura's words.
“You ignored Ernst all this time, and now you acknowledge him, Laura.”
Anyone could see it was a sarcastic remark, but Laura nodded coolly.
“I can’t help but acknowledge it. I watched that fight right next to him. However, it would be best not to think that I will give up just because of that, Ernst. I don’t want to wait for the day of my death with a leash around my neck like Michael. I’m saying I won’t just die quietly for you.”
Laura said in a bright voice, with the rising sun over the Plumen River at her back.
The sunlight filtering through the river fog.
Was it because of this scenery?
For someone declaring that she would fight to the end, Laura's voice felt too cheerful.
At the same time, Laura's already charming smile felt even more charming.
Belatedly, Michael realized that Laura had insulted him and frowned.
But before Michael could open his mouth, Roden spoke a step faster.
“There seems to be some misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“Yes. I was forced into this fight, but I have no intention of killing my siblings with my own hands. I don’t like the family head’s rules.”
“……What?”
Not liking the rules.
Laura stared blankly, unable to understand what Roden was saying.
The Glockner family's succession war was a problem that had to be faced for survival, regardless of whether one liked it or not.
But for him to give such an answer.
It was something she had never imagined.
Laura, who had been staring blankly for a while, let out a sound like ha, as if she was dumbfounded.
And this sound gradually turned into laughter.
“Hahaha. I thought you had changed, but I was wrong. You, you’re still a moron, aren’t you?”
“……”
“But that doesn't necessarily feel bad. No, rather, I can't understand why I couldn't think of that myself.”
“……”
“You remember, right? That the reward for this was the authority to use me and the Red Wolf Unit once?”
“...Yes. Of course.”
“I’ll be watching. Whether you will use that authority to kill your siblings. Or if you will use it for something else. Farewell, Ernst. See you again.”
Laura said a cool goodbye and turned away.
And behind her, the Red Wolf Unit followed slowly.
Then, Michael, who had been keeping his mouth shut, having missed his chance to speak, shouted at Laura's back.
“Where are you going! Laura, you crazy bitch! How dare you treat me like a dog again! I’ll really kill you the next time we meet!”
But instead of answering, Laura silently raised her left arm.
With her middle finger raised.
It was almost morning.