04. Returning Home in Brocade.

* * *

 

 

 

 

“The enemy is setting up defenses in Kora, I’m told. Be careful.”

“Don’t worry, Nuna. There are plenty of capable generals, aren’t there?”

“Hehe. That’s right. Aran, if you miss this Nuna’s body, feel free to use interrogation as an excuse to your heart’s content….”

“Goodbye.”

 

Iliana, as always, spouting nonsense.

Aran waved goodbye to her.

 

 

 

The 70,000-strong army led by Aran left Roissy Castle and began marching north for the advance.

 

 

“Countess Hancock.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Why are you dressed like that?”

“What do you mean?”

“I think you know very well what I mean.”

 

 

While riding and moving, Aran’s gaze kept straying to the side, which he shouldn’t have been doing.

It was because Countess Hancock was wearing a strange outfit.

 

 

No, actually, it wasn’t so much strange as it was a pleasant outfit from Aran’s perspective.

 

 

“There’s nothing wrong, though? Where’s the problem? Please tell me, Your Highness.”

 

First of all, there’s nowhere to put his eyes.

It’s because her snow-white skin is half-exposed above her chest.

To the point where her pink nipples might be visible if he’s not careful.

 

 

‘If I know they’re pink, doesn’t that mean I can already see them!’

 

 

If you look closely, you could see them slightly.

 

 

Not only that, but she was also boldly exposing her firm abs and navel, so it was truly an outrageous outfit.

 

 

“I think there’s a problem from head to toe.”

“Aww~ If you tell me so broadly, I can’t understand. Please tell me specifically, by body part.”

“…Countess.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“By any chance, are you related to my mother or anything like that?”

“Oh my, that would be a great honor, but unfortunately, that’s not the case. Rather, I have a history of fighting His Majesty tooth and nail.”

“I, is that so.”

 

 

But how can their personalities be so similar?

It’s clear that they have blood mixed in without me even realizing it.

 

 

“Hoo…Don’t you think such an outfit is a problem in the military?”

“Why?”

“Well…isn’t it too outrageous!”

“Everyone here is a woman anyway.”

“……I, I’m here, you know.”

“Then please think of it as a gift for Imperial Prince-sama.”

“A gift, you say!”

“If you want, even tonight….blush….”

“Why are you actually saying ‘blush’ out loud!”

 

She’s a formidable opponent.

I won’t lose.

 

 

In the end, Aran gave up.

It’s always hard to win against a talkative woman.

Especially a 4D one like Hancock.

 

 

 

 

.

.

.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After marching for a full day, they arrived at the military camp in the Loana region. There were already 150,000 troops stationed there.

 

 

“There are some wounded.”

“Princess Iliana-sama ordered a diversionary tactic, so it seems like they were injured then.”

 

 

While chatting with Hancock, several women came running from the military camp.

 

 

“We greet Imperial Prince-sama!”

 

The women lowered their bodies as if they were going to bow.

 

 

“Everyone, please stand up. Thank you for your hard work on the battlefield.”

“No, Your Highness. We were just doing what we had to do.”

 

 

Aran let the tired soldiers rest and headed to the conference room with Hancock.

 

 

 

“Before, by order of Princess Iliana-sama, we attacked Kora, but we couldn’t capture it because the enemy was so stubbornly resisting.”

 

She simply gave that order as a diversion, but since we were attacking anyway, there’s nothing better than being able to capture it.

But beyond Kora is the Sroidia region, where the capital is located, so its defenses were very strong, and the number of troops was relatively large.

 

 

In addition, because it’s close to the capital, they could receive help from the Capital Defense Forces if necessary, so it was very difficult to capture.

 

 

“How much damage did we take?”

“I think the enemy suffered more damage, but we suffered about 5,000 casualties.”

“I see.”

“Is Your Highness going to Kora in the future?”

“Yes. I will lead 70,000 troops and advance beyond Kora to capture the king.”

“In that case, we will help you at least until you occupy Kora. If we combine, we will have an army of over 200,000, so we will be able to capture it.”

 

Certainly, with their help, conquest would be much smoother.

 

 

“Your Highness, it is not necessary to go beyond Kora.”

 

Hancock pointed to a spot on the map.

 

“As you can see, the Trua region is also connected to the capital.”

“But, if we do that, we could end up being attacked from behind by the enemy. The army in Kora is not just a small-scale army, but a large army. We must never leave them behind.”

“Isn’t that something you guys can cover? If you divide the 150,000 into two and keep Kora and Karma in check, it should be possible.”

“Hmm….”

 

It’s complicated.

Because the regions are so close together, it’s not easy to attack one place.

If he hadn’t annihilated 50,000 of the enemy’s troops in the previous battle, it would have been an even more difficult war.

 

 

Aran, who had been thinking, came to a conclusion.

 

 

“The order I was given is to advance to the capital as is and capture the king. Even if the enemy’s army remains, the war will end if we capture the king. Therefore, speed is important.

If the troops in Kora gather with the Capital Defense Forces, it will become even more troublesome. I will strike first and capture the king before that happens.”

“Then…?”

“Let’s use a diversion. Baron, please attack the Kora region with the soldiers I brought. I will lead 100 knights and 10,000 cavalry to attack the capital, passing through Trua.”

“Your Highness! That’s too dangerous!”

 

 

He brought 70,000 troops, but he’s only going to take 10,000 cavalry.

Of course, cavalry is powerful.

 

 

But that’s only in the plains.

Attacking the capital means attacking the castle, and cavalry is not very useful in siege warfare.

 

 

“That’s right! Cavalry is originally a unit to annihilate infantry, it’s not suitable for siege warfare at all! No matter how important speed is….”

“I can break through the walls.”

 

But Aran made a bold statement.

Ballistae are an amazing technology that can dig tunnels through mountains. They can also destroy castle walls.

 

 

Only,

 

 

If there are no shields.

 

 

“Your Highness. If you’re talking about ballistae, all castles have shields cast by wizards! You can’t break through a castle with just one or two ballistae!”

 

 

Rarely, Hancock stopped him with a serious face.

 

He’s going to attack a castle with cavalry. No matter how I think about it, it’s reckless.

 

 

“In the first place, the shields of castles are maintained by hundreds of wizards of Tier 3 or higher, so you can’t break through them even if you pour in 100 ballistae!”

 

 

Siege warfare is like this.

 

 

The allied wizards somehow interpret the shield spread out on the enemy’s castle, release the mana formula used, and collapse the shield.

Through that, when the enemy’s shield is released, they pour in large-scale attacks to destroy the castle or climb up the ladder and attack.

 

 

You can never capture a castle by simply bringing cavalry.

 

 

“I know that. But you don’t have to worry. I have a plan.”

“….”

 

Nevertheless, Aran showed strong confidence.

 

 

Hancock and the Baron tried to say something, but stopped after seeing Aran’s expression.

It was an expression that wouldn’t listen no matter what they said.

 

 

“…I understand. Your Highness. Then, in three days, I will lead the army and launch a general attack on Kora.”

“Yes. Please do.”

 

She vowed to tell the knights firmly.

To protect Aran no matter what.

If Aran dies in the capital for no reason, that arrow might come back to her.

 

 

‘…What kind of operation are you thinking of….’

 

 

That was the same for Hancock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Master.”

“Did you bring it?”

“Yes.”

 

Yekaterina crossed her legs.

As the dress lifted up, her dizzying leg line was revealed.

 

 

“Currently, the enemy army has deployed about 210,000 in the Loana region, about 80,000 in the Roissy region, and about 150,000 in the Logos region. A total of about 440,000 soldiers.”

“440,000…….”

 

She bit her lip.

 

 

She thought it would be about 300,000 at best, and she thought that was huge, but it’s a whopping 440,000.

Sroidia had no means to stop such a large army.

 

 

“Hoo…We definitely need reinforcements from the Mei Empire. Otherwise, this country will disappear before I even become queen.”

“….”

“What are the recent trends?”

“Everyone seems to be tense and moving busily, so it seems like a large-scale attack will begin soon.”

“Now that they’ve occupied Logos, they’re not going to stop there.”

“It seems like they’re planning to completely end the war with this advance.”

“That’s right. They’ve been maintaining a large army for three years already. The expenses must have been enormous.”

“In particular, the movement of Loana, where the most troops are concentrated, is unusual. It seems like they will attack within a few days.”

“Hmm……If they come, it will be Kora. If they don’t take that down, they’ll be uneasy about their rear….”

 

 

 

 

She got up from her seat.

 

 

And then she immediately left the room and headed to where her mother, Queen Yerina, was.

 

 

The Queen was discussing countermeasures with the nobles.

 

 

“Your Majesty.”

“…Yekaterina. What’s going on?”

“I have received information that the enemy troops are right in front of us.”

“Right in front?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The news is that 220,000 troops are concentrated in the Loana region.”

 

 

She handed Yerina the information sheet she received from Hassan.

 

 

Yerina didn’t like Yekaterina, but she accepted it willingly because of the situation.

 

 

“…This is…!”

“Your Majesty. No matter how strong the defenses of this capital are, we have no chance of winning against 220,000 troops. Therefore,”

 

She took a moment to catch her breath.

 

“I think it would be best to urgently evacuate the capital (播遷).”

“Wh-what? Evacuate?!”

“Yo-Your Highness!! What outrageous words are you saying!! Evacuate!!”

 

Naturally, there was a strong backlash.

But even in that backlash, she was confident.

 

 

“If the king is captured! The war is over!! If Your Majesty is captured, who will take care of this country and its people!”

“Your Highness…!”

 

 

The nobles and the Queen widened their eyes.