Chapter 77 : Monster Wave (2)
Chapter 77: Monster Wave (2)
Kyle moved outside the North, and at Casio Castle, defensive preparations were in full swing.
“Chieftain, we have received word that Sir Kyle has reached the entrance of the North.”
Arak, fully armed, delivered the report to Iron.
The plan to drive the monsters that were advancing toward the Ork Tribe’s territory and Chaplin Castle and expel them outside the North had already been prepared well in advance.
“Yul is personally assisting Sir Kyle, right?”
“……We were told that Sir Kyle is moving alone. The Ork Lord reported that only Serri is following him.”
At the news that Kyle was moving entirely on his own without anyone accompanying him, Iron’s expression twisted.
He had expected that either Yul or Seros would go together with him.
He had not thought Kyle would take responsibility for such a dangerous mission alone, breaking that expectation.
“……He’ll be all right, won’t he?”
“If it’s Sir Kyle, he’ll be fine. Didn’t you temporarily make special equipment for him, Chieftain?”
“That was a prerequisite for carrying out this mission in the first place. Still, it’s a relief that at least Serri is following Sir Kyle.”
The vibrations of the monsters’ movements echoed throughout the ground.
Thirty thousand was by no means a small number.
It might even have been more than that, but Iron was not afraid.
In the meantime, a man appeared before Iron.
“Thanks for coming to support us. You’re the Family Head Terrius, right?”
Ail, for whom three months had already passed since he became Family Head Terrius, bowed his head at Iron’s words.
“That’s correct.”
“I heard that the territories of the North are also sending reinforcements?”
“They should have organized their troops and departed by now. I came first, bringing only the knights as soon as I received the request.”
As Ail said, a thousand knights wearing blue-cloth cloaks stood behind him.
What was unusual was that every knight was holding a lance.
“Lance knights?”
“That’s right. They are those who have been with me since childhood and elite knights who have mastered my father’s exclusive spear technique.”
“Unusual.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment. They are knights who have supported me even before I became Family Head Terrius, so I can guarantee their skill.”
The knights’ flow of ki was considerable.
Of course, compared to the Ragnar Knight Order, there were lacking aspects, but they were at a level worthy of being called elite knights.
However, more time was still needed for the forces sent from the northern territories to assemble.
Moreover, having to step into a battle that required fastening the very first button was also a heavy burden.
Iron, who had been letting out a low hum, suddenly chuckled, shook his head, and gazed into the distance.
“The Ragnar Knight Order will arrive here soon as well.”
At the news that the Ragnar Knight Order was moving toward Casio Castle, the eyes of the knights standing behind Ail sparkled.
Although they had fallen into a state of being constantly berated by Kyle or Acacia, the Ragnar Knight Order was the finest knight order of the North.
As such, knights living in the North always harbored admiration for the Ragnar Knight Order.
“Is Captain Akun coming together as well?”
“The commander of the Ragnar Knight Order decided to remain at the Lord’s Castle to take responsibility for guarding the Family Head. Instead, I heard that someone called Acacia, a subordinate of Sir Kyle, is leading the knight order here.”
Akun had decided not to participate in this battle.
If the fighting intensified, even the Ragnar Lord’s Castle would not be completely safe, so Akun was left behind as Pramo’s guard.
Ail smacked his lips as if he found that deeply regrettable.
“I see.”
“Don’t worry about it. Captain Akun is stronger than you.”
Iron, who had already seen Akun several times, could tell the gap between the two.
At present, Akun was stronger than Ail.
Ail nodded while still wearing an expression of regret that Akun would not be coming.
That was only natural, as Ail too had grown without stopping his training for even a moment, just like Akun, in order to be of help to Pramo.
“And the man called Acacia who is leading the Ragnar Knight Order right now is on a completely different level from you.”
“…….”
“He’s someone with the talent to reach Master if he only has motivation and enlightenment. He might even become the third person in Ragnar to ascend to Master.”
This was not generous praise.
After Seros, the one with the greatest martial strength in the Special Operations Unit was, in the end, Acacia.
That meant he was stronger than Bianca, who had been the vice commander of the Imperial Knight Order.
And the other members of the Special Operations Unit were also beings with no small amount of talent.
“I’m curious. Just how strong is this Acacia…….”
“His personality is filthy, so don’t pick a fight for no reason and get beaten.”
Iron made a fed-up expression as he recalled Acacia.
Every time he went to the Lord’s Castle to attend the regular meeting held once a month, Acacia was always driving the Ragnar Knight Order relentlessly.
His training method of mercilessly pushing people to their limits was enough to make one sick of it.
“……I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Anyway, there’s a guy named Deni, and I think your skill will be similar to his.”
Ail’s eyes sparkled at Iron’s words.
He didn’t know how old the knight named Deni was or what position he held, but a competitive spirit welled up inside him.
To surpass Akun, it meant that he would ultimately have to surpass Deni first.
And at that moment, Deni, who had been walking without resting his steps, scratched his ear with a finger as if it itched.
“Have I made an enemy somewhere?”
“If it’s about grudges you’ve earned, you’ve got plenty. Among the knights, there isn’t a single one who likes you.”
“……Vice Commander, I merely pressed them down gently during sparring.”
“That wasn’t sparring, it was one-sided assault. Tsk, tsk.”
At the sound of Vice Commander Zero of the Ragnar Knight Order clicking his tongue, the gazes of the knights who had been walking nonstop turned fierce.
At that moment, Acacia, who was walking at the very front, shook his head.
“Where do weaklings get the nerve to glare at those of higher rank? Did I teach you that? If you’re so wronged, then get stronger.”
Acacia had thoroughly led a kind of favoritism that was not favoritism, strictly based on ability.
To raise competitiveness, whether or not one had a rival was crucial.
He treated the high-ranking knights better than anyone else, while scolding the lower-ranking knights to an excessive degree.
“So instead of chattering, hurry up and move.”
At Acacia’s warning, not only Deni but even the usually relaxed Zero shut their mouths.
They were in a position where they had to arrive at Casio Castle as quickly as possible.
Of course, Iron was responsible for the defense of Casio Castle, but it went without saying that the success rate of that defense increased only if the reinforcements arrived on time.
“Never forget why our lord is moving alone.”
Every member of the Ragnar Knight Order nodded their heads firmly.
There was no way they did not know that Kyle’s decision to move alone had been made solely for Ragnar.
“Hurry. The moment the front line wavers, all the plans our lord has laid out will be thrown into disarray. So don’t even talk. Save your stamina.”
This was the stage to show the results of the grueling training they had undergone for three months.
Acacia wanted to properly show Kyle how the Ragnar Knight Order had changed and how much it had grown.
At Acacia’s serious expression, the knights increased their speed.
This was never a situation where they could afford to move while conversing with one another.
While troop movements were being carried out frantically at the front lines, the Lord’s Castle was far from peaceful as well.
Aron had spread out maps of various areas and was moving his command baton without rest, while Pramo too was staring intently at the maps.
“This is the Grand General’s current position.”
As Aron spoke while pointing to the edge of the North with his baton, Pramo revealed a worried expression.
“My elder brother must not be injured…….”
“That will not happen, Family Head.”
There was great concern about the current situation itself, but even more worrying was Kyle’s safety as he moved alone.
Looking at Pramo’s haggard face, Saphiro opened his mouth.
“Military Officer, isn’t the problem what comes after?”
“There isn’t really anything to call a problem. Right now, the route the monsters are moving along leads only to Casio Castle. Of course, even if variables arise and monsters newly appear within the mountain range, we can block them sufficiently.”
The reason Kyle had earnestly emphasized to Yul and Seros that they must hold their positions was because the monsters might newly appear.
Naturally, if those two moved, they could wipe out the monsters that had gathered toward Casio Castle in one fell swoop.
Saphiro was not worried about that either.
However, war was always full of variables that could erupt anytime, anywhere.
“That’s not the problem. If the monsters leave the North and flow into the interior of the Kingdom of Daon, the royal family will definitely request support.”
“There is no reason for Ragnar to accept that request for support.”
Despite Aron’s firm words, Saphiro’s expression did not relax.
Watching his reaction, Aron set down his baton.
“I know very well that this is not something guilt can easily erase.”
“……Military Officer.”
“But this too is something that must be accomplished. The people of the Kingdom of Daon must know. They must know that the reason they were able to continue their peaceful daily lives was because of Ragnar’s sacrifices. We must give them the perception that the place they should support and follow is not the incompetent royal family, but Ragnar.”
War was not something that could be ended without sacrifice.
All the more so if it was a civil war.
Right now, Ragnar had already entered a civil war with the royal family.
There were no direct military clashes, but in unseen places they were fiercely tearing at each other.
There was no turning back now.
If so, there was only one way left: to press the opponent down completely.
Pramo nodded at Aron’s words.
“Chief Administrator Saphiro, the Military Officer is right. There may not have been military clashes, but the civil war is already in progress.”
“……Family Head.”
“To be honest, I do not want to become a Family Head who does nothing. I would rather try to change something, even if blood overflows throughout the kingdom.”
If one wished to protect something, the reality was that one ultimately had to fight.
To protect Ragnar, Kyle was taking risks and moving, and at the front lines preparations were underway for fierce battles.
Now that there was no way to retreat, they had to move forward decisively.
“Even if a request for support comes from the royal family, Ragnar will not move. That is my elder brother’s will.”
The royal family had to realize it.
That it was not because Ragnar lacked strength that it could not stand against the royal family.
It was time to show that it had merely been bound by an oath.
And since Kyle had created that opportunity, Pramo had no intention of backing down either.
“……Understood.”
“Do not waver. What is important right now is protecting Ragnar. The royal family’s request for support is not the issue.”
They had to come to their senses.
The problem was not guilt, but the fact that Ragnar might now be a candle flickering before the wind.
Kyle had judged that the one pulling the strings behind the monsters was certainly one of the lords.
No matter how high-ranking a lord might be, it was impossible to move more than a hundred thousand monsters, but there was a species that could make that absurdity possible.
Kyle had even added that it might not be just one such species.
Recalling Kyle’s words, Aron spoke once more.
“This isn’t even a preliminary skirmish. If we fail to come to our senses, those who live in the North will lose their homes, and countless rivers of blood will flow.”
Perhaps, if it truly came to the worst, they might have to abandon the entire mountain range.
The moment they were forced to give up not only the Ork Tribe but also the Iron Ore Mine they had cultivated all this time, the issue would shift from civil war to one of survival.
“…….”
“If a nation cannot even handle seventy thousand monsters, then it is better for it to disappear anyway.”
An incompetent nation could not survive for long.
Coldly speaking, the Kingdom of Daon was a nation that would have collapsed long ago if not for the Ragnar Family.
“Our lord returned to Ragnar and has not rested for a single moment. Even now, it is the same. He is carrying out the most difficult and dangerous task alone, so how can you speak such weak words, Chief Administrator?”
At Aron’s resolute words, Saphiro finally nodded his head firmly.