episode_0073

The name Anima.

It wasn’t a name I’d heard for the first time.

‘that’s right. I think there was definitely a trickster-type general called Anima.’

I remembered her as a useful female character whose abilities were not bad.

Of course, he is not a character who appears as a general in the field, but in any scenario, he always appears as a member of the Aceers army.

Yes.

Acious’s tactician was, to a large extent, anima.

For some reason, Jinor is in charge of that position now, but Jinor used to appear as an out-of-town general.

After adding the presence of Anima, Epinel’s strangely stubborn behavior began to make sense.

If so, then… … .

‘Did Epinel not like the fact that Anima was kicked out of her position as a counselor?’

oh my god.

No matter how good Aecious is, if you think about intelligence, which is the greatest virtue of a strategist, it is clear that Jinor is much better.

Moreover, since this was not a game but the real world, it was clear that in Jinor’s case, he was not just predicting and guessing things like me, but was a human himself who was extremely smart and wise.

Still, were you dissatisfied?

If ‘early members’ are so important, why are they recruiting replacement talent?

“… … .”

Epinel listened to Jinor’s words and thought about it for a while.

Soon he looked in my direction.

“Swen. What you said is definitely wrong, right?”

“You mean me?”

“It is possible to somehow create a miracle by risking one’s life. If a surprise attack doesn’t come, won’t this fortress, minus its troops, be in a state of panic? If you don’t activate that ability, you’ll be in a lot of trouble.”

“… … it’s possible. If this fortress falls right now, I who remain in the fortress will definitely become prisoners of the Brans army. And I am a traitor to Brans. Why would I risk my life to tell a lie?”

I shamelessly lied without changing my expression.

Well, according to the prediction, it would be a surprise attack, so there was nothing to be afraid of.

“… … .”

Epinel listened to me and pondered for a while, then looked at Jinor and said.

“Master. I hope you don’t get too angry. However, I hope you understand that the Anima is a very important being to us at Acious. We received a lot of help from her when we had nothing. It means that you are never the type of person to be treated poorly in this way. I’m absolutely not criticizing you, but… … .”

“I understand, General.”

“Then you’re lucky.”

Epinel nodded.

“We will withdraw the troops from the fortress and prepare for a surprise attack on Balharat Castle.”

“Epinel.”

I took the map out of my pocket and handed it to her.

It was a map that summarized the location of the expected surprise attack just moments ago.

Epinel took it and said, slightly surprised.

“This… … Swen, did you organize everything?”

“Yes.”

“Ho… … I thought you only had a knack for praying to the sky, but you seem to be quite good at tactics as well.”

Let me say it again, I don’t even know who is the master of tactics.

Even the commonly known basic tactic of ‘hammer and anvil’ is safe to assume that you only know the concept.

I’ve simply played this game for 10,000 hours, so I know roughly how a surprise attack would work.

“Anyway, just in case, you should start preparing for the ancestral rites now. I will attach a few soldiers to you.”

“I will obey your orders.”

“If it’s decided, let’s hurry right now.”

In this way, I somehow succeeded in persuading Epinel.

I asked a question to Jinor, who was returning.

“Where are you now, Anima?”

I couldn’t remember seeing Anima’s face during the meeting.

In my memory, she had light brown short hair, but there was no such woman.

“She is now on her way to practice.”

“Practice?”

“… … He said he thought the reason he was pushed out by me was because of his own shortcomings, so he went on a training trip somewhere within the territory.”

“Yes… … ? Did your lord allow that?”

It’s good practice, isn’t it just protesting?

Wouldn’t it be the same as saying, ‘I won’t do anything because I won’t take care of it’ and running away?

“Because the current lord, Yuuri, and the key contributors of the Atious Army have a very close bond. It seems like he somehow had contacts while he was training.”

“Huh… … .”

I looked at Jinor cautiously.

After reading the emotions on his face, I decided that it would be okay to ask this question.

“Zinor, why are you in Atious County?”

Jinor twitched his eyebrows for a moment at my words.

As I expected, he let out a short sigh as if he wasn’t that offended.

“It must be a pretty bold question… … Well, from a newcomer’s perspective, it might seem that way.”

It was clear that a person like Jinor would be treated well wherever he went.

He will be known as the wisest person on the continent.

Just because he held the position of manager meant that he was not the kind of person who would be treated like this.

“This country certainly has a strong influence on the founding figures, but the good news is that the founding figures are all generals with outstanding abilities. General Epinel, General Emma, General Hernandov, and even Anima, who was a tactician. Although they all have a bit of stubbornness, there is not a single one of them who is stupid or evil. They are all people who are seriously working for peace on the continent. Of course, Lord Yuuri is also a much more suitable person to be a monarch than people like Lin Brans or Ohana Hiroisel.”

Ohana Hiroisel.

It refers to the monarch of Ohana County, which borders the Karelia County in the south.

” After the empire collapsed, I realized that I could not bring true peace to this continent simply as a ‘reigning monarch’ like previous imperial monarchs. Doesn’t the fact that the entire continent is now torn apart by feudal lords prove that? I believe that peace will come only when someone like Yuuri unifies the continent.”

“Isn’t Karelia also on the side of not dominating?”

“You mean Miss Macana Karelia. I had a chance to talk to her when she was still young, back when the empire was healthy. I definitely think Yuuri-sama should give up in front of her in terms of his power to lead people, but… … She’s so nice that it’s a problem.”

After saying that, he sighed like a father worried about his daughter.

“She doesn’t have the charisma to handle this difficult time. Yuuri-sama has founding contributors who can make up for that, but she doesn’t even have those. The generals who shared life, death and ups and downs with Yuuri-sama are making up for what Yuuri-sama lacks.”

Jinor clicked his tongue slightly and then spoke.

“It would be nice to have an ideal monarch who has a clear platform without being swayed by those around him and tries to lead everyone with virtue, not force… … The reality is that it is not like that. The day will come when you too will understand what I am saying.”

Funny enough, her face came to mind while listening to Jinor’s story.

Runarien Inian.

If you are a person who ‘has a clear platform without being swayed by those around you’ and who ‘attempts to lead everyone with virtue, not force’… … ‘Isn’t Luna just the right fit?’

She trusted me completely during my time, but it wasn’t because she heard it from anyone around her.

Rather, Tifa and Kane, who seemed to have been with her for a long time, expressed difficulty with my incomprehensible instructions.

She unilaterally pushed a tactician who had only been in the company for a few days based on her own judgment, so in this respect, it can be seen that she is clearly different from Yuuri.

Besides, she couldn’t help but be very lucky.

Because I, who she decided to completely trust, had 100 intelligence.

Trusting me completely meant that I would only do what was right, no matter what.

It was a very embarrassing thing to say in my own words, but who could tell that it was true?

‘Maybe we can bring Jinor as our general in the future… … .’

at that time.

Jinor turned his head towards me.

“I’m talking too long.”

“Thank you for helping me persuade today.”

“Well, isn’t it for Yuuri-sama’s victory? ”

okay.

First of all, Acious had to win here, at least for my sake.

It was dangerous in many ways to raise Brans, who had become my enemy, any further than this.

“Then, excuse me first.”

After breaking up with Jinor, I headed there.

To where she is waiting for me.

*

“A ancestral rite is held… … ? But, Swen. If you do that, your life-”

“You don’t have to worry, Irene. Because I will never have the chance to pray for heaven’s will.”

I summarized and explained to Irene the current situation.

Everything from what I predicted to Brans’ plan, what happened with Jinor, and what happened with Epinel.

“Surprise… … ? Yeah, it was a surprise attack… … It’s probably not Chell’s opinion, but if it’s Farfalle’s opinion, it’s persuasive enough.”

“She is probably afraid of me. You are probably one of the people who have observed my abilities the closest. I was the one who destroyed the plan that Acious had made in the first place. So, I won’t risk my life, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

“… … If that’s the case, I’m glad… … .”

at that time.

Irene looked straight into my eyes.

Was it because of my mood?

It felt like her eyes had lost focus… …

“Even if, just in case, there was no surprise attack… … I will not stand by and watch you risk your life to perform a ancestral rite. Risk my life, never.”

… … gulp.

I swallowed dry saliva without realizing it.

It was the first time I felt such a spirit that overwhelmed people from Irene.

“… … Don’t worry. How could I tell a lie to Irene? I can’t think of anything other than a surprise attack.”

“I believe in you too, Swen, but… … As I said before, the most important thing to me that cannot be replaced is you. The act of risking your life at will… … No matter what happens, I have no intention of just watching.”

“… … .”

Although I felt a bit cold towards her.

As long as my prediction was 100% correct, a surprise attack was inevitable, so there was no need to worry.

‘… … When this fight is over, there will be a bloody storm in the central continent.’

A balance that has never been shaken since the Brans army occupied the central continent.

Thinking about the moment it would collapse, I started preparing on my own.

*

It was Irene’s responsibility to lead the troops to defend against the surprise attack.

As long as Emma and Hernandorf were deployed to other battlefields and Epinel remained in the fortress, it was natural that she, an outstanding general, would be drafted.

I wanted to stay by Iren’s side if possible, but-

Since I had said, ‘If there is no surprise attack, I will hold a ancestral rite,’ I had to remain in the fortress.

‘Irene. Please just live.’

Although it was a fight in which our side had an overwhelming advantage as the goal was to prevent a surprise attack, sending her to the battlefield was not a very pleasant experience.

At first, I approached him simply because I thought it might be helpful to the Lunarien army… …

Before I knew it, she had become such a big person to me.

‘are you okay. My prediction is absolutely correct. There’s no way she’s in danger.’

I spent time controlling my mind and preparing for the ancestral rites that I had no intention of doing.

Now it was literally up to heaven.

* * *

In the forest surrounding Balharat Castle.

Irene, who served as the vanguard or commander of the troops preparing for the surprise attack, placed his soldiers at points where a surprise attack could occur and waited with bated breath for the surprise attack.

‘Swen said the raid would most likely take place at night.’

Usually, the battle itself did not take place well at night when it was dark.

Even from an invading position, fighting at night would have been a hassle.

However, a surprise attack is different. Isn’t a surprise attack when you catch the other party off guard when they don’t even think they’ll attack you?

‘are you okay. Just do as Swen says.’

How long has it been since I spent so much time holding my breath in the midnight forest?

It was confirmed that soldiers were coming in exactly along the route pointed out by Swen.

Planting soldiers in the forest in between was the right answer.

‘Now!’

Irene screamed as loud as she could.

“Everyone, charge! Eliminate soldiers who are not identified as allies!”

And, at the same time as I heard her voice-

Aceers, who had been lurking in the dark here and there, suddenly appeared.

“What, what?!”

“The enemy! It’s a battle!”

Indeed, exactly as Swen predicted-

The Brans army was conducting a surprise attack on Balharat Castle, which was not a fortress.

Irene, who had been with Swen longer than anyone else in Acious County, couldn’t help but think about that once again.

This time, everything he said was right.