Chapter 387 - Episode 379: The Tyrant's End
The time bought by the six Guard members was very brief.
The stamina of the horse carrying Cadne and Yvette was at its limit. No matter how much Yvette urged it forward, the horse's pace slowed visibly due to fatigue.
On the other hand, the cavalry units of the Revelant Kingdom showed no sign of waning momentum and maintained sufficient speed. They were riding Growth Lizards, which possessed more endurance than horses, and they were likely skilled in handling them. The distance between Cadne's group and the enemy was steadily shrinking, and it was clear they would be caught soon.
"Ah!"
At that moment, the horse they were riding caught its foot in a depression in the ground and fell forward. Yvette and Cadne were thrown off and tumbled across the earth.
Even so, Yvette, being a cat-person, stood up nimbly and rushed to Cadne, who could not stand because his legs would not move.
"Your Majesty! Are you safe!?"
"Yeah, I'm alright... Yvette, what about you?"
"I have no major injuries. However... the horse, it's already..."
As Cadne, supported by Yvette, pushed himself up and looked back at the horse, he saw that the leg caught in the depression was broken. The animal was writhing in pain as it lay there; no matter how one looked at it, it could no longer run.
Furthermore, it was utterly impossible for Yvette to carry Cadne and escape while facing cavalry.
In other words, this was the end.
"Aaah, the enemy is coming, the enemy is coming here... with that momentum, they're coming to finish me... I'll be killed, I'm scared, I'm so scared..."
Muttering this, Cadne trembled with tears welling in his eyes.
Through his past expedition and the conflicts within the Lancel Kingdom, Cadne had come to fear being pursued by enemies to an extreme degree. The experience of death, in the form of an enemy's malice, closing in on him had become a trauma for Cadne.
And he could not possibly believe that the enemy would let him live. If he were Noein Arqvist, he would certainly finish off a troublesome enemy for the sake of future peace of mind.
Cadne turned his back to the enemy and faced Yvette.
"I'm sorry, Yvette, it's my fault, I'm finished... you run. If it's you, a cat-person, if you're alone, you might be able to escape if you leave the highway. So,"
"I cannot do that, Your Majesty."
Yvette shook her head with a smile on her face.
"I shall remain by Your Majesty's side until the end. If Your Majesty is called to the presence of the gods of Albaran here today, I shall accompany you."
Saying so, Yvette embraced Cadne.
"I was happy to be able to live by Your Majesty's side. Please, let me stay by your side until the final moment. Please forgive my selfishness."
"Yvette... I'm sorry, please forgive me."
Cadne clung to Yvette and wept, burying his face in her shoulder.
Then he raised his head and looked back toward the enemy he had once looked away from.
"I... in the end, I want to die like a man, like the King of the Lancel Kingdom. I want to stand on my own feet, facing the enemy, and die."
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
Yvette wrapped her arms around his sides from behind and helped him stand. While leaning his weight on Yvette, Cadne appeared to be standing on his own feet, staring down the approaching cavalry unit.
Then, he drew the short sword at his waist and pointed it forward.
"I... I was the King of the Lancel Kingdom. I lived as a king."
"Exactly so, Your Majesty."
"I fought. I tried to make the country even stronger and larger. I tried to become a great king of a great nation."
"You were a brave and great king. You were a king who will remain in the history of the Lancel Kingdom, Your Majesty."
While being comforted by Yvette's pleasant words, the enemy continued to close in during that time. They were already right in front of them.
"I... ah, damn it, I'm still scared... Yvette, where did I go wrong? What should I have done? What did I mistake, what did I do wrong?"
At the head of the cavalry unit, a large bull-person knight raised a spear and thrust forward with his entire body, utilizing the momentum of the gallop.
"Your Majesty, you have done nothing wrong."
Those words from Yvette, who brought her mouth close to Cadne's ear, were the last words Cadne heard in this world.
Pierced through the heart by the spear along with Yvette, who supported him from behind, Cadne died.
.....
The fortress of the Fioruviki Gorge, where a fierce battle had unfolded until a few hours ago, was now enveloped in a different kind of bustle.
The forces of the Virgoa Kingdom were annihilated. Out of four thousand several hundred, about half fled in disorder to the north, over a thousand died or were injured, and the rest surrendered and became resistance-less.
Once the battle ends, the aftermath processing begins. Recovering corpses, treating the wounded, and gathering prisoners by rank to be monitored.
The Revelant Kingdom's side had also suffered losses. To treat the wounded, who numbered in the hundreds combined from both friend and foe, doctors from the captured Virgoa Kingdom side were also mobilized. Since it was clear that manpower for the aftermath processing was insufficient as it was, Gabriel had sent a messenger to the royal capital, Kurutaveski, to call for help.
Meanwhile, Noein had returned to his own tent once to take a rest. The fatigue from continuing to move golems intensely during the battle lasting over an hour was considerable. He lay on the bed, resting his body and mind with Matilda's lap as a pillow.
When the feeling of fatigue had settled to some extent, he was called by Pence from outside the tent. Once Noein sat up and gave permission, Pence entered the tent, saluted, and spoke.
"Reporting. There are no deaths in the Arqvist Grand Duchy Army. There are five seriously injured, and lightly injured... well, all the soldiers who fought on the front lines have sustained things like scratches and cuts. Among the seriously injured, two are those who fractured bones by jumping down from watchtowers or rampart footings, and the remaining three are those who took enemy arrows or swords to protect the puppet mages. Using the magic potions we brought and receiving treatment from the Revelant Kingdom's healing mages, all are expected to make a full recovery."
"I see... it's best of all that there were no deaths. Thanks for the report."
Noein answered with a sigh of relief.
Although the Grand Duchy Army had basically taken a supporting position in this battle, he had been prepared for casualties to occur among Gustav's group, who acted as a separate detachment.
If Kaia Virgoa hadn't left the main camp at the right timing. If the enemy main camp had detected the surprise attack before the first strike. If the soldiers of the enemy main camp had fought more bravely than expected. If the rear soldiers and mages of the enemy's main force had been more aggressive than anticipated. There were many uncertain elements.
Overcoming all of them, Gustav and the others fulfilled their role. While there was a part where they were helped by the vulnerability of the enemy whose chain of command had collapsed, it could be said that the Arqvist Grand Duchy ended the battle in a form close to the best possible.
"We were fine, but the Revelant Kingdom Army will have a hard time from here on, won't they?"
"Indeed. Over a hundred deaths alone, and the injured are nearly three times that. They might be lucky just to have won, but with this country's population, these casualty numbers will make the aftermath tough."
Out of the Revelant Kingdom's population of twenty thousand, the males who are pseudo-adults or older and can handle physical labor are about eight thousand. By simple calculation, one in twenty of the primary physical labor force will be temporarily missing.
"Looking at this, I suppose we'll be providing aid for a while even after the war... to put it bluntly, there's room to further sell favors from here."
Beyond the post-war stability within the country, the Revelant Kingdom has a mountain of things to do, such as the aftermath processing of the Northern Dale Marquisate and negotiations with enemy nations including the Virgoa Kingdom. To move things forward smoothly, they need military power to avoid being looked down upon by the opponent, and money to move people and goods.
The Arqvist Grand Duchy will assist the Revelant Kingdom there as well. The compensation will likely be received again in resources such as garnets, or simply by having the cash returned with interest.
"The only thing left is whether Cadne was finished off..."
"Marquis Hakkarainen pursued him with twenty cavalry. I don't think Cadne could escape with that body. I expect the corpse will be brought in within today."
When Pence answered thus, a voice calling for Noein was heard from outside the tent.
Pence, who poked his head outside the tent, exchanged words with the soldier and turned back toward Noein.
"Speak of the devil. It seems Marquis Hakkarainen successfully finished off Cadne and brought back the body. He wishes for Your Excellency to confirm it as well."
"............Understood, I'm coming."
Noein remained silent for a short while, let out a small breath, and stood up.