episode_0208

Seria and Ramina could not believe the situation unfolding before their eyes.

I’ve heard stories of someone cutting a rock with a sword several times, but this was the first time I’d seen it like this in person.

No, I couldn’t believe it even more because the stories I heard in the first place were all written about the achievements of heroes in legends and tales.

It’s not that they couldn’t believe this situation itself, but they couldn’t believe their own eyes when they saw it.

“For some reason, I thought I could do it, so I tried it, but I didn’t know it would actually work.”

The person who had actually accomplished this unbelievable thing muttered those words with a calm expression.

Lamina, who heard those words right nearby, was speechless and looked at Hermel with her mouth wide open, while Seria screamed, touching the back of her neck as she felt her bones being pulled.

“You were not even sure and just jumped at it!?”

“Ah? Well then, are you going to get crushed to death there? I have to commit it first.”

“What kind of recklessness… … .”

Ceria smiled and sat down, and Hermel habitually brushed off his sword and looked ahead.

“Ha. There are so many that it’s really annoying.”

‘Even if a miracle happens and they are all overpowered and put to an end, this country will be over.’

Hermel muttered as he looked at the group of rebels that had almost filled the ridge. I swallowed back stories that would inevitably lower morale.

-She is a princess… … !!

-Did you just cut a rock!? Nonsense!!

The fact that the princess had come in person and the overwhelming majesty of the sword that had been shown a moment ago planted seeds of hope in the hearts of those present.

Even in that situation, Hermel looked around lightly to see what he didn’t like, frowned, and muttered.

“Where have Jin and Lemoir gone so I can’t see them? He probably didn’t run away… … .”

The others didn’t seem to hear because they were concentrating on the battle, but Ceria, who heard her muttering, couldn’t help but blink her eyes and tilt her head.

Jin and Lemoir were both names he had never heard of. Seria’s doubts were soon resolved.

Clap――Clap――

“It’s finally here.”

Ceria and Lemina turned their heads and swallowed dryly at Hermel’s words and took a vain breath.

The seed of hope sown by Hermel sprouted at this moment.

-Reinforcements!!!

―This is the White Lion Knights!! We are alive now!!

-The knights have arrived!!

Regular soldiers, elite soldiers, cavalrymen, wizards, and the knights at the forefront were approaching, waving banners with white lions on them.

And the number was enough to fill the huge highway leading directly from the castle gate to the royal castle, and even if you can’t see it as a continuous procession, the number was easily over 3,000.

Hermel jumped in front of the knights, and after lightly climbing down, he put his sword on his shoulder and smiled.

“You started earlier than me and came later than me. Is there anything you want to say?”

“The princess is too fast… … .”

Knight Commander Jean Carter, who was riding at the forefront, smiled bitterly and got off his horse to face Hermel.

“Still, I’m glad I didn’t run away.”

“The princess is here, so should her knight run away?”

“If you can’t even talk.”

Hermel laughed, lowered his sword, and climbed up the castle wall with reinforcements.

As well-trained soldiers, the soldiers took their positions and prepared for defense, taking the place of those who were killed or injured.

After a while, it was completely reorganized, but Hermel couldn’t shake the feeling that it was strange.

“… … Something is strange.”

“Did the princess feel it too?”

It was the same for Jin, the other soldiers and wizards who came to support, and the guards who were standing by.

The only ones who didn’t notice that the situation was strange were Seria and Lamina, who were visiting the battlefield for the first time, and a few students from the Knight Academy who stayed behind instead of returning to the academy.

“Hey, what’s strange… … ?”

“What?”

Ceria cautiously opened her mouth, and Hermel, who was unable to properly hear the words due to the hushed voice, turned to the side and asked again.

Seria, who was startled by that sharp gaze, smiled awkwardly and scratched her head.

“I’m not sure what’s strange… … .”

“… … Aren’t you a student at the academy? I was so distracted earlier that I couldn’t see it properly, but after watching it again, I remembered.”

Hermel looked at Ceria for a moment, then turned his head and looked at the rebels who were busy moving around.

“What happened? What would you say when you see a guy who crawls out onto the battlefield on his own feet and wants to die?”

“I didn’t come here to die. I came to save people.”

Ceria unconsciously answered like that, but when Hermel turned his head again and looked at her, she was startled and trembled.

But Seria never avoided that gaze or backed away. After making eye contact like that for a moment, it was Hermel who turned his gaze first.

“Hmph, talking arbitrarily. There is nothing worse than being weak and dying while trying to help others.”

“I won’t die. I have no intention of dying. Even if you can’t fight, there are ways to protect people.”

“I can’t say anything with words. But what… … . I like the idea of protecting people without fighting.”

After saying that, Hermel blinked slowly and said.

“Okay… … . Did you ask what was strange? Let me answer, the enemies are too quiet. That’s strange.”

“Isn’t it good if the enemies are quiet?”

“Ha, if it becomes quiet after death, that’s a good thing. In a situation where everyone is alive, they even stop attacking and remain quiet? There’s definitely something planned.”

“That might not be true.”

“Enemies never become quiet for no reason.”

Hermel said that and frowned.

“If you see it moving like that, it means that it is planning to attack from behind, or that it is bringing in another siege weapon, or that it is performing a ritual or something. Whatever it is, it means that you are doing it no matter what.”

“That… … .”

“This is war. Unless a massive plague suddenly breaks out and all enemies die suddenly, there’s no way it could be this quiet. No, if there was a plague, it would have been noisy. There’s no way it could be this quiet… … .”

Hermel sighed and looked towards the rebels.

The rebels were moving around busily as if they were delivering something, but since they didn’t seem to be holding anything in their hands, it wasn’t like they were moving any supplies.

The distance is quite long so you can’t see it clearly… … . It looked like it was conveying some kind of information.

At a time when the knights, including Hermel, were nervous as they did not know what would happen at any time, the rebels began running toward the castle gate all at once.

At first, I thought they were pushing me with numbers and immediately got into a fighting stance, but I had no choice but to stop all my actions when I saw that they were not holding any weapons, farming tools, clubs, or even a single stone in their hands.

“What… … ?”

The rebels were running towards the gate, throwing away everything they were carrying and everything they had made.

In that embarrassing situation, Hermel who was holding the sword, Seria and Lamina who were carrying the wounded, and the soldiers who were holding weapons all froze like stones.

“Those crazy bastards… … !! Are you planning to use our allies as bait? ”

“Don’t panic! The plan is simply to use them as bait and throw them away! 1st team! Aim for the enemy’s trebuchet with ballista and mangonelle!! If you see a battering ram, aim for it first! Group 2! Shoot your bow to prevent them from getting close! Group 3! Good sword! Stop the rising rebels from climbing up the walls!”

Hermel, who came to his senses first, gritted his teeth and shouted, followed by Jin, who loudly focused his attention and gave orders.

Arrows were put on strings, ballistas were loaded, and fragments of the broken wall were placed on the mangonel, but they were not fired.

“Please wait a moment!!”

“What! Move! If you stand there, your hands will become skewers!”

This was because Seria shouted while holding the ballista arrow with her hand.

“Me and you crazy bitch!!”

Hermel, who saw this, was frightened and ran over to Seria, grabbed her by the collar and beat her, and Seria screamed as she fell to the floor.

“Please wait a moment! Please look at their faces just once!!”

Despite Seria’s request, ballistas and arrows were fired, and more than a hundred rebels were pierced and skewered by huge arrows, and dozens of rebels died from the rain of arrows.

But they didn’t stop. Rather, I gritted my teeth and ran even more desperately. The soldiers tried to load the ballista again, but Ceria shouted and stopped them.

“No!!”

Due to Seria’s interference, the timing was missed and some quick-moving rebels were allowed to reach the castle walls.

Strangely, instead of attacking, they only looked up at the soldiers on the wall and cried and pleaded.

-help me!! Please, please, please save me just once!! – Please, please save me! I’ll do anything, please!

-At least your life! Please spare my life! – I beg you like this, please! Please save me just once, just once!! – Please at least save my child. please!!

-I was wrong!!! Fuck, so please open the door!! – I don’t want to die!! Rather, I would rather be hanged for rebellion!! Please, please save me!!

What on earth is going on? Is this also a deception tactic of the enemy? It’s too desperate for that… … .

One by one, the soldiers began to fall into confusion, and Jin bit his lip and looked toward the forest where the rebel army’s main force was located, rather than down.

“That, what the hell… … .”

And Jin could see why they were clinging so desperately.

The moment Jin caught sight of it, he heard the spirits he had contracted with frantically sending out warnings and shouted.

“Seo, open the gate!! At least one more person must be saved!”

Hermel shouted as he looked at Jin.

“What!? Don’t be crazy!! They know what they can do!”

“Princess, what I said… … . No, please just believe what the spirits say!”

Jin touched his forehead as the voices of the two spirits echoed in his head.

[Ah, here it comes… … ! Things that should not exist, distorted things come… … !!]

[Hwaaa!! I hate it!! I hate this place, this place!!]

Hermel, who was glaring at Jin, looked forward after Jin and saw it.

Beyond the forest, the peak of the Bneron Mountains rising high into the sky and the boiling black mud pouring down from the valley.

The rebels, the forest… … . They are rushing towards the royal capital, destroying, burning, trampling and trampling every hope that has sprouted.

Complete despair.