Ch.201Threat

“A soldier… So then, what you desire is to serve the Empire as a knight? Because you couldn’t become one before?”

“No. That’s not it… I just wanted to live in a peaceful world. I hated this kind of world where countless people die meaninglessly. If they die because they’re weak, then if I fight the enemies in their place and protect them… I thought maybe something would change.”

Hersella remained silent for a while.

As if she had heard something unexpected, she was quiet, seemingly lost in thought.

Then, she snorted as if to deny my words.

“…Preposterous. Do you think the world will become peaceful if you eliminate all enemies? After that, those you’ve protected will start fighting among themselves. Desire and struggle are the essence of the living. …Seeing you dream such futile dreams, you might have been better suited as a priest rather than a soldier. The gods of the West seemed to show interest in you too.”

Hersella’s mockery was somewhat rational.

Even if all enemies were eliminated, peace wouldn’t come.

Rather, her prediction that those I saved would end up fighting each other.

It wasn’t an impossible scenario.

But—

“If that happens, then I simply haven’t eliminated all enemies. If they cause internal strife merely because of greed, then they too should be considered enemies threatening people.”

Yes. If that happens, they should all be eliminated as well.

If they learn that causing conflict out of greed will lead to their annihilation, they’ll finally stop fighting.

“Hmm… The Imperial way of thinking is peculiarly odd.”

Hersella trailed off, unlike her usual self.

Of course, it would differ from Ka’har ideology.

My argument was something I learned from my original world… but the Imperial ideology I’d observed so far wasn’t much different.

Securing overwhelming military power to end conflicts and maintain world order.

Power that prevents anyone from even daring to cause discord. It was the only path to peace.

“And it’s impossible for me to become a priest. I can’t serve the gods like they do. It doesn’t suit me at all.”

“While relying endlessly on divine blessings, you claim you can’t follow the gods. How shameless, like the thief you are.”

“…”

I had nothing to say in response.

—-

My conversation with Hersella was lasting longer than expected.

Not exactly a friendly chat, but still.

Considering the period when I ignored her, when she cursed that she would tear me apart someday, this was quite surprising.

She’s unexpectedly talkative… perhaps she missed conversing with someone.

Well, anyone would feel that way after talking to themselves for half a year.

“—Even so, it’s amusing that your desire is ‘peace for the Empire.’ Setting aside whether that can truly be called peace, the primary culprit who destroyed what little peace existed is none other than you.”

“Well, if I had acted more proactively, perhaps civil war wouldn’t have broken out…”

“No. That’s not what I’m referring to. That’s your lord’s problem. That turtle-slow prince. What I’m talking about is the issue before that. What do you think is the reason I despise you?”

The reason she despises me…?

Isn’t that obvious?

“Because I forcibly took over your body and injured it?”

“Wrong. That’s merely why I hate you, not why I despise you. I despise you because you fled to the Empire without thinking. And in the worst possible way.”

The worst way?

Does she mean how I claimed a false peace treaty and secretly defected?

That’s causing headaches now, but at the time I thought it was a good approach.

“You still don’t understand. For the sake of returning to your homeland, you abandoned all those who followed you and released Orhan into the Great Plains. Without even understanding what that meant.”

Her tone was mocking, but strangely mixed with anger and agitation.

Considering how she had her subordinates’ heads cut off with a single word, she didn’t seem like someone who particularly cared for her underlings.

Then, is Hersella’s agitation because of Orhan?

Well, he was an enemy that Valenstein couldn’t kill, so he must be strong…

“The Empire knows nothing about the Great Plains. Neither did you, I suppose. How vast the Plains are. How many warriors exist there. When Orhan returns with an army multiplied several times after conquering and absorbing all of them, do you think the Empire will be safe? Not a chance.”

I understood her concern.

After all, this was exactly what Hersella had done as a boss mob.

A unified Ka’har certainly had the power to defeat the Empire.

…If they could unify, that is.

In my memory, it took Hersella about 5 years. Orhan was looking at 3 years.

Either way, it’s impossible now.

That’s why both Ludwig and I planned to strike before Orhan could unify the Great Plains, once we resolved the Empire’s chaos.

The chaos grew larger than expected due to Isabella’s civil war… but in exchange, it seems something has gone wrong in Ka’har as well.

“For that, he seems to have returned rather quickly. Far from conquering the Great Plains, he hasn’t even claimed a quarter of it by now.”

“Fool. Would you use luck gained from another’s stupidity as an excuse for your own blunder?”

Hersella delivered a stern rebuke.

While starting to tell me what I wanted to hear.

“Stupidity? So the army attacking the Empire now isn’t acting on Orhan’s orders?”

“Of course not. I heard it’s only five thousand. What meaning would there be in attacking the Wall with such numbers? It must be something Amin did thoughtlessly. Pulling all the defensive forces left in Ordos.”

“Amin?”

The name sounds familiar… to move troops at will, he must hold quite a high position in Ka’har.

“Orhan’s third son. The third bastard shat out by the tiger. He and I have deep grudges, so if someone provoked him, he might do such foolish things to cause me trouble.”

“A unilateral action due to grudges… so if we defeat just those five thousand, will Ka’har’s invasion end? That shouldn’t take long.”

“Of course not. The false treaty is broken, and we appear to have launched a preemptive strike. And if we’re shamefully defeated, losing five thousand, we can’t stop there. To restore fallen authority, Orhan will have no choice but to turn his army around. That’s when the true invasion will begin.”

Good.

Well, not good news, but still.

Anyway, thanks to Hersella answering more readily than expected, I was able to smoothly achieve one of my objectives in speaking with her.

The purpose of the Wall invasion. The veracity of the five thousand number.

Even confirmation from a local about what would happen next.

Since it came from Hersella herself, it should be reliable.

—-

“So… does this mean I’ll be stuck in the East for a while? I’m honestly worried whether Prince Leopold can suppress the civil war without Landenburg’s support.”

“He’s obviously going to lose. You’d be better off staying in the East and planning a comeback.”

Hersella calmly spoke of Leopold’s defeat.

With a tone of certainty, as if stating that night follows day.

“Bound to lose? I don’t think it’s that bad. Sure, it might be difficult to capture Benes territory without the Eastern Army’s support, but that doesn’t mean certain defeat, right? The strategy itself is workable.”

“You call something workable when the slightest deviation could lead to encirclement and annihilation? If the northern forces are held back by external enemies, they’ll be shattered… wait a moment. Don’t tell me you’ve been engaging me in conversation with this intention from the start?”

Ah, I’ve been found out.

Still, I achieved my goal.

I’ve at least grasped one unexpected clue about what Isabella might be planning.

“Ha…! Truly, you are matchlessly cunning. Are you really a soldier? Not a sorcerer or a con artist?”

“None of the words I’ve spoken were lies. I swear by the god Elpinel.”

I didn’t lie.

I simply didn’t mention things I didn’t need to, and subtly guided the conversation in the direction I wanted.

“…How dare you try to use me like your own strategist. Know that there are limits to how much I’ll tolerate your insolence.”

“Use you? That’s harsh. I’m actually trying to save you.”

This too was the truth without a single lie.

How she takes it is up to Hersella herself.

“What did you just say?”

Hersella’s voice was infused with rage.

But compared to what I’m about to say, this is nothing.

“No, calm down and think about it. If Leopold loses and I’m captured… what do you think will happen to this body? I think I know.”

I deliberately tapped my chest. The uninjured side, of course.

She should understand what I mean.

“You, impudent wench…!”

“If you’re lucky, your head will be cut off and you’ll die. Even if you return to this body, you’ll just twitch and go limp. If you don’t die… you’ll be grateful to be treated as a nobleman’s plaything. In my opinion, it won’t end with just being a plaything.”

Yes. It wouldn’t end there.

Ignoring Hersella’s anger, I laid out the bad ending she would face.

“If I were Isabella, I’d cut off your limbs, strip you naked, tie you to a pillory, and display you in the middle of the square. For everyone passing by to use. Perhaps a dog, horse, or pig might be your first customer.”

That actually happened.

One of Hersella’s endings was infamously known as the “Superhuman Riding a White Horse” ending.

“At that point, wouldn’t your disgrace be known even beyond the Great Plains? Not the princess riding a white horse, but the stallion riding the princess. The rumor might be recorded in history books, passed down to future generations. A truly shameful end for you. Is that what you want?”

“You dare threaten me like this?”

A roar like that of a wild beast. However, it clearly contained humiliation and a hint of anxiety.

Yes. She might accept death, but she can’t bear disgrace. That’s what makes her a warrior, and a woman.

“The more I hear, the more your insolence knows no bounds. Aren’t you the one who will experience that disgrace? Who are you putting on airs for…!”

“My mind might suffer the pain, but it’s your body being penetrated. It’s your name that will be recorded as a legendary prostitute. And besides… if I pass out from enduring, you might wake up like last time. Then such distinctions would be meaningless.”

“Kuk…!”

“Well? Can you understand now? If you don’t want to live as a female, you need to cooperate with me.”

Hersella ground her teeth in silence.

It was essentially an admission of defeat.