Chapter 123
Chapter 123 — Wind Blowing North
The Niboria Empire's expeditionary force retreated toward the northern mountain range. This effectively signaled the end of the war with the Astria Kingdom.
And the Mountain Rabbits pursued them with tireless determination.
"Feels strange. Feels like it was just yesterday we settled things with the Blutspheer Knights."
"I know. Now the imperial bastards are the ones getting pushed back. It's the complete opposite of how things were."
"Idiots. Would've been so much better if they'd bolted sooner."
The veterans Hagen and Ungcap exchanged rough words. In terms of raw numbers, the two forces were nearly equal — yet a gap existed that could not be compared.
The morale and armament of the troops made that clear, but more than anything, the difference lay in the number of war merchants. Beyond the fighting force alone, the tail end of their column held close to three thousand non-combatants.
"Told you, didn't I? You can tell at a glance which side's going to win. Just look at where the money-ghosts latch on."
Hagen's scarred face wore a confident grin — but only for a moment. Naturally, the next question came creeping up behind it. This was Ungcap's personal curiosity, but it was also a question held by every single Mountain Rabbit.
"So… If we chase them out like this, is it over?"
"……Probably not."
"Then what?"
The newer members said nothing, eyes fixed straight ahead. Some hoped for the war's end; others felt instinctively that this unfamiliar silence was the beginning of a new fight.
"What's certain is that we're not just following them to keep watch."
The Mountain Rabbits' gazes gathered toward the very front of the column — toward Calix and Commander Royce. The two leaders were deep in conversation, their expressions grave.
* * *
The objective Calix had set was clear.
"To achieve victory, we must complete the picture Sier Lagrin drew."
Ella's mentor, a Rank 5 Cleric, had sought to assemble a continental alliance force. Though the Elvra Holy Empire stood on the brink of ruin, his plan still lived and breathed.
"The start wasn't bad. Marquis Ashapel recognized the disadvantage and withdrew. But drawing the Niboria Empire to our side is an entirely different matter."
Yet Royce kept raising objections without pause.
"Above all else, Calix — you intend to enter their territory."
"……Yes."
That was exactly it.
Calix planned to push into the Niboria Empire's homeland. They had been discussing it for several weeks now, but as commander, there was no shortage of points he felt compelled to raise.
"I can't help but weigh the practical side of things first. Just as the imperial army did, we could have our supply lines cut and wither in place. If the local nobles turn hostile, we'll end up fighting meaningless battles from the south onward. Chances are high that's exactly what would happen."
"……"
"……The Pointing One, Yelayen, went to persuade Emperor Caracal. In a sense, that's something that can be left to him. Mages have a way of accomplishing what seems impossible."
None of it was wrong.
That was the nature of fighting in someone else's land. The Mountain Rabbits would have to accept extreme risk. Perhaps it would be better to rely on the abilities of Mage Yelayen instead.
"So I'm asking again. Whether this is something that's truly necessary."
At the question that followed, Calix lifted his gaze and looked out at the forest blanketing the mountain range. A little further ahead, they would reach the border gateway of the Astria Kingdom — Silvana Fortress.
'There's still time to turn back. But…… it's no different from having already crossed the river.'
The situation was complex, but the equation was simple. The longer the Niboria Empire delayed joining the fight, the lower the alliance's chances of winning.
The forces of darkness were that formidable — he couldn't simply sit back and wait, dependent on someone else.
And so his answer was already decided.
"Yes. This is something that must be done. We need to rescue the survivors of the Elvra Holy Empire and bring them into the alliance."
"Then you've thought through how, as well?"
"Given how little time we have, I intend to pressure the Emperor as swiftly as possible. The justification has already been provided — we'll reinforce it from the outside. In a way that allows Mage Yelayen to persuade him."
Vice-captain Marik was the first to respond.
"I agree as well. Justification aside, we cannot afford a prolonged war. The newly joined mercenaries need to gain real combat experience — but no matter the opponent, we must win overwhelmingly. For words to carry weight, blood must ultimately be shed."
At that, Isabela — the cleric who had joined alongside Adrian Deconti — quietly breathed a small sigh of relief. She, for her part, could not help but concern herself with the survival of the Order.
But rather than dwell on the Elvra Holy Empire, the Mountain Rabbits soon shifted to more battle-related matters.
"Silvana and Paladin Fortress — they talked like they'd give them up, but they won't hand them over quietly, will they?"
"Obviously. They'll try to tie our feet down somehow."
"Then that'll be the new recruits' first stage."
Volga alluded to the next battlefield with casual indifference, and after him, Hadiya and Zahira brought up the southern regions of Niboria.
"Looking at the map, the empire's southeast seems like the best terrain for operations. Plains, some rolling hills and rivers, smaller mountains dotted throughout."
"What about the southwest?"
"That's not breadbasket territory. It's a mix of marshland and forest."
And for the slightly more sensitive matter, Gregor stepped in himself.
"Cook Comrade, you'd better keep an eye on that uncle of yours too. Eyes gleaming blue and sharp like that — doesn't look like a man to be trusted, not one bit!"
"Hey, Gregor? He's still my uncle, though……"
"That's exactly why it's scarier! Getting stabbed by family stings something awful!"
Calix let not a single opinion slip past him unheard. It was a complicated, difficult environment, just as the Mountain Rabbits had said. There were that many more things to keep track of — and the moment something went wrong, it would lead to devastating consequences.
'Still. It's worth attempting.'
As the target had risen, so too had his own abilities — and those of his companions. Just then, the elf Airien offered her own thoughts.
"……If being hit from the rear is what concerns you, what about seeking help from the Alliance? I mean Viale Mountain Alliance. I've heard that Marquis Ashapel's domain sits in the empire's southwest."
In that instant, Royce's eyes flashed.
"Would Viale be willing to move? They won't have much spare manpower."
"Right. A full-frontal engagement would be too much, but drawing their attention should be possible. And given the current situation, they wouldn't even pause to weigh the odds."
The puzzle pieces came together one by one. If Calix was the painter drawing the grand picture, the Mountain Rabbits were ready to serve as the brushes and paint.
* * *
Marquis Ashapel looked down from the mountain slope. A banner bearing the Mountain Rabbit insignia rippled in the wind. An army made of nothing but mercenaries was following at his heels.
"My lord, is it truly all right to return like this?"
The Knight Commander of the Silver Shield Knights, Nuvell Groxat, could not hide the worry in his heart.
It was a question that crossed a line — yet he did not doubt the marquis's loyalty. He was simply concerned about returning without orders from the imperial court.
Yaleyan Von Ashapel answered him directly.
"It is not all right. The Emperor will not stay quiet. He will rage fiercely, point his finger and call us traitors, and issue an order to subjugate our house."
"Then how……"
Strangely, the corner of his lips curled slowly upward.
He had seen something his Knight Commander had not.
"But when it comes down to it, he won't be able to actually send troops. Who in their right mind would follow the orders of a mad lion?"
The source of his confidence lay in the trembling at the heart of the empire. He had not been simply buried away in the northeast of Astria, either.
'The Emperor's authority has crumbled. The nobles are fractured in all directions, the central army has collapsed, and even the Masters are said to be wounded and recuperating.'
He was a born opportunist.
Born as the child of a beast, he possessed eyes that knew how to spot an opening — and the patience to wait for the right moment.
And now, in this very instant.
"A great chaos is approaching. I find it madly exhilarating. I can barely contain the delight."
"……Are you seeking to rise once more?"
"Yes — that is precisely my intent."
At the question asked just to be sure, a blow even larger followed immediately after.
It was just one sentence.
"I will take the lion's head."
The Knight Commander, renowned for his exceptional composure, opened his eyes wide. His own lord had spoken of treason aloud.
Yaleyan was a man of remarkable caliber — acknowledged even by the previous Marquis. If he had made such a bold decision, there had to be a reason.
"What…… Did you see?"
"I saw a monster. You were there beside me when I did. Were you not?"
"……My discernment must be lacking. His exploits have been remarkable, but — is Calix truly a figure worthy of that measure?"
He was not speaking of individual ability. He was asking whether Calix was capable enough to pull down an emperor.
At that, the Marquis fell briefly silent, watching the line of soldiers climbing the mountain ridge.
'A defeated general deserves death — but today's defeat does not mean the fall of Ashapel. If anything, placing him at the fore to forge a new opportunity means even this failure can be made into a tool.'
Paradoxically, the defeated soldiers were brimming with life at the thought of returning home.
Every trace of exhaustion had vanished without a trace, and some among them were even humming to themselves. The sight of it made them look like men who had, by a stroke of luck, narrowly escaped an inevitable death.
Yaleyan Von Ashapel pointed that out.
"Every so often, there are people like that. Men who, after just one encounter face to face, make you feel a deep, gnawing sense of danger. My father, Cadet Ashapel, was one such man — and a week ago, that fellow Calix was another. There was a particular scent about him."
"A scent, you say……"
"Something even greater than ambition…… a foul stench born from something I cannot name. Nauseating enough to make me lose my composure for just a moment. People like that usually end up one of two ways. Either they rise somewhere entirely out of reach — or their wings snap and they plummet before they get there."
The question that would follow was obvious enough that he didn't wait for it, adding the words himself.
"I know it. Calix — that one will not stop here."
"Surely you don't think…… he will come all the way to the empire's homeland?"
"He has the justification. He has the circumstances. He has the resolve to carry it out. What reason is there for him not to set foot on imperial soil?"
And at the end of it all, a brief remark settled every remaining doubt.
"He is an Ashapel."
"……My lord is also an Ashapel."
At the Knight Commander's reply, Yaleyan laughed loudly.
This time, he was right.
And so, a short while later — the moment they arrived at Silvana Fortress. Marquis Ashapel was able to demand of the imperial commander with an entirely composed expression,
"We have reached an agreement with the alliance. Open the gates and withdraw to the homeland."
"……Is this by His Majesty's command?"
At the faint shake of his head, the seasoned general's face hardened.
"This is an unjust order."
"Then you are saying you will not comply? This place holds only a few hundred troops at best. They will be no match for holding back the enemy's overwhelming force."
"A general does not choose where to fight based on where he can win."
"……That's right. So it was."
As though genuinely moved, concealing his true feelings, he patted the man on the shoulder. And then at last, sweeping his gaze across the last-stand troops arrayed along the battlements, he closed with these words:
"I shall not forget your loyalty."
He would forget.
No — it would be forgotten naturally, in time.
And four days after that, Silvanna and Paladin Fortress fell in succession. Naturally, the Mountain Rabbits did not stop there.
They had finally set foot on the soil of the Niboria Empire.