Ch.123Victory Conditions (6)

Victory Condition (6)

Facing a mage with a frontline is truly an agonizing task.

Esmeralda had personally experienced just how powerful such a combination could be.

Take the battle with Legion Commander Twelve, for instance. Without Millia and Eirene’s rear support, they wouldn’t have stood a chance.

And simultaneously, if Twelve had possessed a sturdy frontline, the hero’s party would have had no hope of victory.

Now they faced a situation where they had to confront a combination of two Legion Commanders.

If it was unavoidable and something they would have had to face eventually anyway…

‘Our victory condition is…’

None other than Fellheim Senova.

It all depended on that veteran who had protected this fortress city for nearly 50 years.

“Lord Fellheim Senova. Could I have a word with you?”

“Ah, the Hero. Please come in. I’ve just brewed some tea.”

Honestly, Esmeralda didn’t want to speak with Fellheim Senova for long. After all, she had blatantly interfered with her party, and when Esmeralda pointed this out, she quickly backed off.

The important thing here wasn’t that she had interfered with the party, but that she had backed off.

She had gone so far as to stage a performance to get rid of Lug, yet she retreated too easily.

The reason wasn’t clear.

Of course, Eirene had been involved behind the scenes, but Esmeralda had no way of knowing that.

‘Still, she’s a Saintess, so she wouldn’t have threatened her family or anything like that.’

Esmeralda, who had somewhat recovered her impression of Eirene recently, couldn’t even imagine that Eirene would do such a thing.

“I imagine you know why I’m here?”

“About Legion Commander Six, I presume. Unlike other Legion Commanders, he doesn’t fight alone but commands troops, so we’ll need to cooperate.”

“I’m glad you understand quickly.”

This battle would require the hero’s party to work with the army.

The enemy wasn’t using the demons’ characteristic suicide attacks, but tactics that humans would employ.

“I know what you’re worried about. You don’t trust me.”

“…”

Yes, Esmeralda couldn’t trust Fellheim Senova.

Who knew if she would pull something behind their backs again?

“But you needn’t worry. I simply want to protect this place. So I can’t afford to meddle with the hero’s party at such a critical time. I may be selfish, but I have no intention of being an incompetent commander.”

“…That’s good to hear.”

Esmeralda peered into Fellheim Senova’s inner thoughts through the Emerald Tablet, but she showed no signs of lying.

Well, if she couldn’t even distinguish that much, she wouldn’t be on the frontlines.

There would be plenty of safer places where it would be easier to gain achievements.

At the very least, Fellheim Senova’s pride in wanting to protect humanity’s frontline was genuine.

“Shall we discuss how to proceed from here?”

Esmeralda conversed with Fellheim Senova in a slightly more relaxed manner.

What the current situation at the front was like, what information they had about the enemy.

As someone without knowledge in this field, Esmeralda couldn’t understand most of what was said, but they were still able to find common ground.

“So it seems right for us to move as a separate unit?”

“In fact, it doesn’t make sense to move a force like the hero’s party together with regular troops. Even if it were possible, how could I take command when we haven’t had time to coordinate with each other?”

A reasonable choice. And at the same time, an obvious one.

Fellheim Senova shrugged and explained the outline of the operation.

The important thing was for the hero’s party to defeat Legion Commander Six.

For that, the fortress city would focus on tying down the enemy forces.

Of course, this was just a general outline, not an extreme choice of entrusting an entire Legion Commander to the hero’s party.

“The important thing is to endure. Our forces will need to hold out so the hero’s party can approach Six, and after that, if the hero’s party can somehow disrupt Six’s concentration…”

The fortress city’s forces could crush the demon soldiers.

In other words, victory on the front would be assured if the fortress city held out against the soldiers and the hero’s party clung to Six and endured.

It meant they didn’t even need to defeat Six.

A burdensome operation for both sides.

Esmeralda scrutinized Fellheim Senova again.

This operation placed an equal burden on both parties, but it required one prerequisite.

‘Can I trust her?’

Trust.

If things went wrong, the hero’s party could become isolated after breaking through enemy lines.

‘No, any operation would be the same.’

Without trust, cooperation would be impossible from the start.

In that case, it would be better not to cooperate and move separately.

And in such a situation, both sides might resort to all sorts of dirty tricks to use each other.

“Well, alright. Let’s do it that way.”

So Esmeralda accepted Fellheim Senova’s proposal for now.

Of course, she didn’t completely trust Fellheim Senova.

She had accepted this plan in the first place to gauge her reaction.

Yes, right now.

“By the way, our informant mentioned that Legion Commander Six might not be the only one attacking this place?”

“What do you mean…?!”

Esmeralda revealed information that should have been disclosed earlier, only now after they had reached an agreement.

Fellheim Senova was so shocked by this bombshell that she dropped the teacup she was holding.

However.

[Note: I already knew.]

She couldn’t hide her inner thoughts.

Esmeralda could be certain that Fellheim Senova had deliberately hidden information from them.

What she had suspected from the beginning. Cooperation that had to happen despite poor relations.

In such a situation, the first thing to confirm was…

[Note: I intend to question Legion Commander Six about what’s going on.]

Whether allies would betray them.

Esmeralda quietly put down her teacup and shrugged.

An act to hide her feelings. But it was clumsy. She couldn’t completely hide her shock. Fortunately, Esmeralda was able to mask her expression by pretending to be startled by the teacup Fellheim Senova had dropped.

“…Shall we discuss this later? We might need to revise our strategy.”

“Y-yes, let’s do that.”

Esmeralda turned around, feigning composure as much as possible.

Fear was etched on her face as she turned away.

***

After leaving Fellheim Senova’s office, Esmeralda suddenly collapsed in the corridor.

‘What…?’

She had hoped it wasn’t true, even as she tested her.

Through their earlier conversation, she had confirmed that Fellheim Senova at least took pride in protecting the fortress city.

That’s why she hadn’t thought much when talking about Legion Commander Six. But she had hidden something.

About the involvement of another Legion Commander.

Of course, she could make excuses. She could claim it was merely a suspicion since the other party hadn’t directly appeared on the front.

But Fellheim Senova couldn’t hide the most important part.

‘What is this?’

Collusion between a commander in charge of humanity’s frontline and a Legion Commander of the Demon King’s army.

Esmeralda’s heart was filled with indescribable terror as she confirmed this without being prepared.

‘What? What? What? What? What? What is this…’

The fortress walls that were supposed to protect her now felt like bowstrings aimed at her.

The room that should have felt cozy now gave her the creepy feeling of being inside a monster’s mouth.

And above all…

‘What’s going on?’

If the fortress city and Legion Commander Six had truly joined hands.

She had fallen into a trap.

And into the most terrible trap ever.

“Hero?”

Esmeralda flinched at the voice calling her.

Right now, everything in this space felt like an enemy.

Even though she knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help but overreact.

“Are you alright?”

Esmeralda curled up and checked the face of the person speaking.

Thankfully, it wasn’t a soldier from the fortress city but a member of the hero’s party.

“Mr. Lug…”

“Yes, Hero. It’s me. If it’s hard to walk, shall I carry you?”

“…”

Esmeralda sighed deeply at Lug’s blatant attitude.

“I’m fine.”

Lug’s consistently unchanging demeanor slightly eased her fear.

“More importantly, gather everyone. I have something to discuss.”

“Understood. Where should I bring them?”

“To my room.”

“Understood. Then…”

Lug nodded and helped Esmeralda to her feet. Fortunately, unlike his usual self, his actions were respectful.

“Then let me escort you to your room first.”

“…”

Esmeralda pursed her lips after fidgeting with her mouth.

Despite pretending otherwise, Lug also knew. That she had been terrified until just now.

‘You really…’

It was a mixed feeling.

Esmeralda deliberately ignored the sense of relief blooming in her heart as she leaned on Lug’s shoulder.

He was clearly lecherous, stupid, and someone she could hardly rely on.

‘Who would know.’

At least in that moment, he was reliable enough to lean on.

***

After the hero, Esmeralda, left her office, Fellheim Senova rose from her seat.

She paced around the room for a moment before placing her hand on her desk and closing her eyes tightly.

“Humans are truly selfish and foolish creatures.”

After contemplating something with her eyes closed for a while, Fellheim Senova opened them. The hand she had placed on the desk was now holding up a small frame that had been covered.

“Sometimes I find myself questioning what I’ve been protecting.”

A family photo adorning her desk. Her son and daughter-in-law, and her adorable grandchild whom she cherished more than anything.

The happy faces of her precious family.

They were precious to her. So much so that she would set aside even her pride.

She had fought for them. She had burned her life at the frontlines so they could continue to live happily.

That’s why she asked herself:

“What would you want me to do?”

Stroking the frame carefully, Fellheim Senova pictured them as they had been before their recent passing.