Chapter 280 - Chapter 279: Stalemate on the Battlefield
The first day of the water month, the third week, Saturday.
It was the fifth day since the battle at the protective wall began.
The fighting itself had become sporadic.
"Fireeeeeee!"
At the command, thousands of arrows were fired all at once, raining down upon the crowd.
The crowd that had been pressing toward the protective wall scattered and retreated in all directions.
Watching the crowd fall one after another, the captain of the longbow unit let out a sigh.
"...Really, they are persistent bunches."
Beside him, the lieutenant who was checking the damage let out a bitter smile.
"What are they thinking? They keep approaching and retreating, it doesn't look like organized action..."
"If only they would just go home quietly, but they keep loitering..."
The crowd was waiting several hundred meters away from the protective wall.
Sometimes they would make a move to approach, so the archers would lure them in, fire their longbows, and then immediately retreat.
It was completely meaningless action, unimaginable from the fierce fighting on the first day.
"Even so, there are still over twenty million, right? If they all rush forward again, they will be a threat."
The assault tactic on the first day, utilizing numbers to the maximum, was truly terrifying.
No matter how many they killed, they kept pressing forward, swarming into the holes opened in the protective wall.
Thanks to the "Messengers of the Gods [Apostle]" closing the holes one by one, the influx was stopped, but if those holes had remained open, those twenty million crowds would have already invaded the Kingdom long ago.
How terrible would the casualties at that time have been?
The captain looked out over the Daburandoru Plains from atop the stone wall.
A world of death where corpses lay scattered enough to cover the ground.
What were these crowds, trampling over those corpses and pressing forward, thinking about?
"In any case, unless we deal with these guys, we can't move from here. ...Really, what a troublesome bunch."
The captain muttered with a look of disgust.
■■■■■■
Kingdom of Ektrem, Royal Castle.
In the Regent's office, Cranzard had a deeply troubled expression.
Cranzard was receiving a visit from Nieslaza, an old maid summoned to care for his father, King Kurnils, who had fallen ill.
"Please, Your Highness, show your face. If anything happens to His Majesty, you will never be able to speak with him again."
At Nieslaza's persuasion, Cranzard let out a sigh.
"...What good would it do for me to show my face now? If I get excited, I might shorten my lifespan instead."
It seemed Kurnils, who had been locked in his quarters, had changed condition a few days ago.
Originally, he was not in such a worrying state, but for the past few days, he has been unable to even get out of bed.
Nieslaza, worried for Kurnils, had been visiting each member of the royal family to persuade them to come and pay their respects.
Cranzard signed the document he was reading and picked up the next one.
"I betrayed my father. Even if I say it was unavoidable to protect the Kingdom's worries and all its citizens, I have no intention of using that as an excuse. I am a traitor."
"...Your Highness."
When Cranzard clearly used the word 'traitor', Nieslaza's expression became pained.
If one were to ignore social status, the relationship between Cranzard and Nieslaza was like that of a nephew and his aunt.
Nieslaza, who had served Kurnils continuously, had watched Cranzard grow since the moment he was born.
Nieslaza, who would offer harsh words even to Kurnils, naturally offered harsh words to Cranzard as well, who often took problematic actions as the First Prince.
There was a past where Cranzard found this woman, who held such a resolute attitude, somewhat difficult to deal with.
Nevertheless, he knew that Nieslaza had recommended Cranzard when Kurnils was deciding on the Crown Prince.
He had heard it from Kurnils's own mouth.
Nieslaza had persuaded Kurnils, who was worried about Cranzard's somewhat reckless behavior.
She said that Cranzard, with his initiative and decisiveness, would surely become a good king if supported by good subjects.
He never thought that Nieslaza, who would scold him whenever they met, would evaluate him in such a way.
Since becoming Crown Prince, Cranzard had reformed his behavior, and one of the triggers for this was Nieslaza's presence, which had a significant influence.
Cranzard looked down at the documents in his hand, then slammed them onto the desk with a sharp sound.
"I apologize, but I cannot permit anyone else to meet His Majesty. This is for my own self-preservation."
If any member of the royal family met His Majesty, Cranzard's treason would be discovered.
Everyone likely already realized this, but fearing Cranzard, who had seized power, they had remained quiet for now.
With Prime Minister Dedoderic also siding with Cranzard, the regime could be said to be solid.
Everyone understood that making a fuss would lead to Kurnils suffering the same fate.
However, even Cranzard has weaknesses.
Of course, it is Kurnils.
If Kurnils and Cranzard were to meet face to face, their positions would be nothing more than King and Crown Prince.
Considering the current treatment, there is no need to think about how Kurnils would deal with Cranzard.
As a traitor, execution by beheading would be the only option.
Naturally, Cranzard had no intention of quietly accepting his execution.
However, if that were to happen, the only destination would be a civil war that splits the country.
During this war with Gronoir.
Something that happened to protect the Kingdom might instead cause the Kingdom's collapse.
Therefore, he absolutely could not meet face to face, nor could he allow anyone else to meet him.
There was no choice but to have Kurnils quietly abdicate like this.
When Nieslaza realized Cranzard's resolve was firm, she bowed respectfully.
"...Thank you for granting me your precious time."
Seeing Nieslaza's back as she walked toward the door, Cranzard felt an indescribable emotion.
It was the same feeling he had when seeing off the back of the previous Knight Commander.
"Nieslaza."
Was that why?
Unintentionally, he called out to her.
Nieslaza, called by Cranzard, turned around.
"Yes. What is it, Your Highness?"
However, although he had called out without thinking, he had no intention of saying anything specific.
At this moment, Cranzard was quite shaken inside.
By his own careless actions.
Therefore, he piled more carelessness on top of it.
"...You may hate me, if you wish."
He let slip something that sounded like neither a complaint nor an excuse.
Nieslaza heard Cranzard's words with a rare look of confusion.
And then, she made a smile that showed a hint of loneliness.
"Don't be foolish, Cranzard."
That was Nieslaza's scolding words from decades ago.
Words to dismiss Cranzard's trivial excuses, who always caused trouble for the castle staff with his pranks.
Among those other than his father and mother, only Nieslaza would call the First Prince Cranzard by his given name.
Usually, Nieslaza would treat him with respect, calling him 'Your Highness', but only when Cranzard did something wrong would she scold him like this.
Hearing those nostalgic words, Cranzard closed his eyes.
And for just a few seconds, a nostalgic scene flashed through his mind.
Cranzard slowly opened his eyes and looked straight at Nieslaza.
"Stand down. Please take care of His Majesty."
When Cranzard said that, Nieslaza bowed respectfully once more.
Cranzard stared at the door through which Nieslaza had exited for a while, but soon shifted his gaze to the documents on the desk.
There were many things he had to deal with.
There was a mountain of things that would not move unless Cranzard signed them.
"...Even so, the casualties are far below expectations."
Thanks to the direct line [Hotline] prepared by Mika, the situation on the front lines was immediately known.
The protective wall that had been partially collapsed was repaired in a short time, successfully stopping the crowd.
The crowd sporadically pressing against the protective wall could be driven away with longbows.
Because they were staying nearby, the temporarily formed troops could not be disbanded, but the Kingdom Army's casualties had been surprisingly low.
There was still no room for complacency, but the situation was better than the best-case scenario of the initial predictions.
However, precisely because of that, there were troubles as well.
How to end this war.
Gronoir had already collapsed, and the Emperor's whereabouts were unknown.
Had he returned to his castle, or was he still on the battlefield?
Without organized movement, they couldn't even grasp that much.
"...Without a negotiation partner, or a party to claim compensation from, how am I supposed to end this war?"
If the people could live their normal lives, there would still be value in ruling.
However, if the citizens had gathered on the Daburandoru Plains, it was just land with no people.
"Is there no way to disperse that crowd?"
Killing all twenty million people, leaving behind a vast expanse of land that makes one dizzy.
Rather than that state, it would be better if they returned to the land even if they harbored resentment toward the Kingdom.
Whatever one says, numbers are still a threat.
If twenty million crowds gather in one place, one cannot easily make a move.
Since the current policy focused on minimizing casualties, they had not considered going on the offensive.
Should they attack the crowd, accepting appropriate casualties?
"Fuu... what should I do?"
Reaching for the documents, Cranzard muttered to himself.
■■■■■■
While Cranzard was troubled by how to end the war, Mika was walking through District 2 of the capital.
Even though the battlefield was in a stalemate, Mika had remained on high alert, but decided to leave the front lines until there was major movement.
He was told to rest until then, as he could reach the capital in less than two hours if he hurried.
Since the battle began, Mika had stuck to the protective wall.
He had cast [Battle Fervor] and [Archery Enhancement], encouraging the soldiers fighting on the front lines.
Even when resting, he did not let go of the communication device, keeping him close to the protective wall.
Seeing Mika like that, an order was given to relax, saying it wasn't a scene requiring such tension anymore.
They said to call without hesitation if needed, and to rest until then.
The soldiers were resting in shifts, but Mika was alone.
The reasoning was that he should slack off when he can, so he can be fully ready when needed.
Mika was also concerned about the "Cursed Child [Imprecatori]", but decided to simply accept the rest here.
After all, the fatigue was becoming significant, and he wanted to take a break, even if just a little.
So, he decided to attend to his own business.
A meeting with the usual members: Yaroibarov, Ozendorwa, and Lebrantes.
At the Fifth Knights Order checkpoint, he reported on the battlefield situation.
"I killed one 'Cursed Child [Imprecatori]'. Exorcism is possible."
"Oh, you did it, didn't you."
When Mika reported, Yaroibarov began scratching his head vigorously.
It makes your hair messy, stop it.
"Didn't it take a long time before to exorcise them? How did you do it this time?"
Watching Mika escape Yaroibarov's hand while Yaroibarov continued to pat his head regardless, Lebrantes asked.
"I increased the output, modified it, well, it was brute force, but I devised some tricks. This time, it took a few minutes, I suppose?"
"Can you do all that so easily?"
To someone with a certain amount of knowledge about [God's Miracle], Mika, who improved it so easily, would be incomprehensible.
Ozendorwa sat on the desk, looking at Mika's messy hair with amusement.
"However, confirming a reliable countermeasure for this is significant. Well done, Mika-kun."
The significance of establishing a method to defeat the 'Cursed Child [Imprecatori]', who would escape even if the host body was killed, was great.
"But it takes a few minutes, right? Is that okay? If the opponent has guards, they will interfere, won't they?"
"Yes. I think we can manage against something like a Chimera [Chimera], but there are opponents we can't do anything about."
Mika agreed with Yaroibarov's concern.
"How about hiring Yaroibarov as a guard?"
At Lebrantes' proposal, Ozendorwa nodded.
"That's good. I'm counting on you, Yaroibarov."
"Wait a minute! I have an inn to run!"
Yaroibarov showed reluctance to Lebrantes and Ozendorwa's plan.
"The future of the Kingdom is at stake! Which is more important, your hobby or that?"
"It's obviously the hobby!"
Yaroibarov answered without hesitation to Lebrantes' question.
Well, I can understand that feeling.
"However, if that's the case, there will be anxiety regarding the execution. Someone will be needed to protect the defenseless Mika-kun."
"What about Ozendorwa?"
When Yaroibarov asked, Ozendorwa shook his head.
"Actually, I have already requested a transfer."
"A transfer?"
"Yes."
When Mika asked again, Ozendorwa crossed his arms and made a difficult face.
"After hearing Mika-kun's story about the 'Cursed Child', I proposed it to the upper echelons of the Kingdom Army. 'Mika Noisheim should be assigned a guard team'."
"My, a guard team!?"
"Yes, that's right."
It seems Ozendorwa had been worried ever since Mika was attacked by a Chimera [Chimera] while exorcising and managed to escape the curse.
And after hearing the story of the 'Cursed Child', the need for a guard became even stronger.
"I consulted the Minister of Military Affairs through the upper echelons of the Kingdom Army. However, the reply was 'Rejected'."
Ozendorwa looked at Mika with a suspicious expression.
"It seems this rejection was made by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Mika-kun, you were in the position of being under the Crown Prince's protection, weren't you? Are you okay? Did something happen between you and the Crown Prince?"
"No, nothing... There's nothing..."
Mika's rejection of the guard proposal seemed to have made Ozendorwa worry that something had happened between Mika and the Crown Prince.
But the Crown Prince rejecting Mika's guard...
"Ah!?"
Because he suddenly raised his voice, the three of them turned their gazes toward Mika.
"What's wrong, Mika-kun?"
"Did you remember something?"
"Did you do something after all?"
Hey, Lebrantes.
What do you mean by 'did something'? What do you mean by 'did something'?
However, realizing the reason for the Crown Prince's response, Mika made an awkward face.
"...Before, I said I didn't need a guard."
"Hah?"
When Mika muttered, Lebrantes let out a voice of disbelief.
"Why did you say something like that again!?"
"Because, honestly, they are in the way. They are annoying. I thought I didn't need guards weaker than me..."
As Mika's story gradually trailed off, the three of them made ambiguous faces.
Seeing Mika like that, Yaroibarov scratched his head.
"Well, indeed, for a monk, ordinary guards would just be a hindrance."
"I understand that, but has the situation not changed now? Mika-kun is our trump card. A guard is necessary."
Yaroibarov agreed with Mika's opinion, and Ozendorwa also said a guard was necessary.
Now Mika thought Ozendorwa's opinion was correct, but he had one concern.
Mika looked up at Ozendorwa with a troubled face.
"I think having a guard would be good, too. But there is a problem with the execution."
"Problem...? What is the problem?"
Ozendorwa asked seriously.
"I fly around to various places quite a bit. If I attach a guard, my actions will be restricted."
Only Mika could perform feats like flying to move, and naturally, a guard could not do such things.
And this mobility was one of Mika's strengths.
In fact, he was scheduled to fly to the front lines if anything happened now.
Unless someone could follow in an emergency, attaching a guard would ultimately be useless.
When Mika explained that, the three of them had faces that showed they had no comeback.
"...Telling the monk 'don't fly' would be putting the cart before the horse."
"That is... well, yes."
Yaroibarov and Ozendorwa muttered with deeply troubled expressions.
At that moment, Lebrantes smiled broadly.
"I have a good idea."
"Really!?"
When Mika raised his voice in surprise, Lebrantes pointed at Ozendorwa with his thumb confidently.
"Put them in the Magic Bag. You just confiscated some good items from them, didn't you?"
At that outrageous idea, Mika nearly fell over.
Yaroibarov held his stomach and laughed.
"Buha ha ha ha! That's good! What is this, everything is solved! Buha ha ha!"
Lebrantes wore a smug face, and Yaroibarov laughed loudly.
Ozendorwa lifted his waist with a serious face.
"Mika-kun, please wait a moment. I will bring the Magic Bag [Magic Bag] now."
And then, he made a chilling smile that even made Mika want to run away.
"If we put Lebrantes and Yaroibarov in, we should be able to handle most situations? Help me put them in."
"Understood!"
Mika immediately stood up and saluted sharply.
"Hey!? Me!?"
"Even if I'm put in, I won't be useful in battle!?"
And so, the three of them continued to argue for a while.
In the end, Yaroibarov and Ozendorwa agreed on the opinion to "put in Lebrantes, who came up with the idea."
It was decided to put Lebrantes in the Magic Bag [Magic Bag].
No, this isn't about the guard talk, is it.