Ch.244Chapter 244. The Inevitable

* * *

The situation was turning bad, and it wasn’t just for the Aeshus army.

“Jes is dead…?”

“Yes. After contracting that plague, he showed no signs of improvement and eventually…”

Chel, who had somehow managed to continue fighting by catching the tail of the Aeshus army as they repeatedly launched frontal assaults blinded by revenge, also found everything coming to a halt.

“I see…”

“What do you think we should do?”

“What else? Burn the body with minimal contact. This is no time to worry about proper rites.”

“Yes, understood.”

Jes had been one of Chel’s aides who had acted like his shadow since their time in the Brans army.

It wasn’t that he didn’t care for him, but he judged it better to abandon human decency than to be stabbed in the back for not disposing of a plague victim’s body quickly enough.

This was a time of chaos anyway. Things like human decency had become lighter than a bird’s feather long ago.

After sending the soldier away, Chel fell into thought.

‘Seeing how quiet the Aeshus forces are, they must be in a bad situation too… Perhaps it wouldn’t be bad to propose a ceasefire agreement at this point.’

Take back Jog Castle near the capital and the connected Rainbow Castle from the Aeshus army.

In exchange, offer bait they would certainly covet—Alcanwood Castle and Mirage Castle. Anyone would see it as a beneficial trade.

Jog Castle and Rainbow Castle, currently under Aeshus control, were like border territories from their perspective. The reason his relatively weaker forces had been able to hold out against the Aeshus army was because they had successfully created these border territories.

Moreover, neither Jog Castle nor Rainbow Castle were particularly impressive domains. From his nation’s perspective, they felt like blades pressed against the capital’s doorstep, but in the current situation where proper battles couldn’t even continue due to the plague, he was certain that these border territories would only feel troublesome to the enemy.

‘It’s unfortunate that we end up gaining nothing from our perspective… but to receive two castles, we need to give up two somehow for them to even consider it.’

Overall, Chel’s army was clearly at a disadvantage.

Mirage Castle was one of the castles leading to Kelstein Castle in the northern continent, making it strategically valuable, and Alcanwood Castle would be essential for the Aeshus army given the current border situation.

Compared to Jog Castle, which was merely in front of our temporary capital, it was an extremely expensive price to pay—

‘If I have a fault, it’s that I didn’t expect them to go berserk and charge at us just for killing one of their comrades.’

Even now, he didn’t regret killing Erinandorf. He thought that releasing such a person after capturing him would have been one of the stupidest things he could have done.

Maneuvering to gain advantage wasn’t something he felt was his job anyway.

‘Fine. We can just take them back after the plague subsides.’

Having organized his thoughts, Chel immediately addressed a soldier.

“You there.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Arrange for anyone from the castle to come here immediately.”

“Yes!”

Let’s try to patch things up first.

The aftermath can be dealt with later.

Chel thought about the “aftermath” far too lightly…

The one thing he failed to consider was—

* * *

The royal castle of Rangwood.

“A ceasefire agreement?”

At Yurie’s voice, the armored envoy from Chel’s army bowed and said.

“Yes. On the condition of exchanging Jog Castle and Rangwood Castle for Mirage Castle and Alcanwood Castle… my lord wishes to establish a ceasefire agreement.”

“…”

Yurie looked at the envoy slowly, without any change in expression.

Anima, whom she would normally consult, was fighting for her life after contracting the disease. This was a time for her to decide on her own.

…No, that wasn’t right. Even if Anima were here, it was clear that Yurie wouldn’t make any decision other than the one she had already made the moment she heard about the envoy’s arrival. That’s what she herself believed.

“…Hah.”

Seeing Yurie let out a mocking laugh, the envoy broke into a cold sweat.

…What was this?

An overwhelming sense of discomfort that he had never felt before as a mere envoy enveloped the royal castle of Rangwood.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Yes. I only hope that you will make a wise decision for the future of both armies.”

Once again, silence followed—

Finally, Yurie carefully parted her lips.

“…Tell me.”

“Please speak.”

“Was killing Erinandorf a wise decision from your perspective?”

“…”

The envoy knew that a prisoner had died, that the prisoner had been an extremely important figure to the Aeshus army, and that this had triggered the war.

But knowing something didn’t mean he could make decisions or do anything about it.

For an envoy, all the choices made by those above him were like a whirlpool. Something that would suck you in whether you wanted it or not.

He couldn’t dare make value judgments… but still, hadn’t Chel ordered him? To successfully negotiate a ceasefire agreement.

So, the envoy bowed again and said:

“These are chaotic times, Lady Yurie. Many have died in this war. Moreover, with the plague spreading, the groans of the domain’s people grow louder by the day. Don’t we all wish for peace in this continent? I implore you once again to set aside your anger and join us in making a decision for the future.”

“…Is that all your answer to my question?”

“…”

The envoy remained silent.

“Peace. Wanting peace… what beautiful words.”

Yurie continued to mutter the word “peace” for a while… then rose from her seat.

She approached the envoy with audible footsteps.

‘…!!’

At that moment, the envoy instinctively realized.

That this might be the last moment he could speak.

“L-Lady Yurie. Please calm—”

——After that, the envoy’s final sentence was never completed.

Instead, thud, his head rolled on the floor.

“…There’s no place for you in my peace, you fool.”

Yurie spat out an answer he could never hear, and while wiping the blood-stained sword, she called for a soldier.

“You there?”

“Ah, I… yes, yes…!”

“Send this man’s head to Chel. And include a letter stating that I hope he never mentions the word ‘ceasefire agreement’ again.”

“Ah…”

The soldier trembled at the sudden turn of events.

“What are you doing? Not following orders.”

“Ah, ah, understood…!”

A ceasefire agreement?

Not for a single moment had she considered such a thing.

Many had died due to the ongoing war, but the Aeshus army was still overwhelming Chel’s forces.

If only this cursed plague would pass. If Anima recovered safely, and if the weather got a bit warmer, bringing some respite… they planned to recapture Alcanwood Castle to secure supply routes and then charge straight for the capital.

‘Erinandorf… I will, I will definitely let you rest in peace. Just wait a little longer…’

Thus, she honed the blade of revenge once more, but——

* * *

——Despite her wishes.

Tragedy continued to visit her without pause.

“What… what are you saying, Epinel?”

“Exactly what I said. Emma…”

Epinel swallowed her tears and spoke with a trembling voice.

“Emma… has started showing symptoms of high fever. Three hours ago, she coughed up blood.”

“Why Emma suddenly? She was healthy! She wasn’t even in contact with patients, let alone Anima…!”

“I don’t know either. Just… the doctors say she’s definitely showing symptoms…”

Following Anima who was fighting for her life—

Emma, who had been working harder than anyone to avenge Erinandorf, had contracted the plague.

Unfortunately, despite the infection rate not being that high.

And of all things, a disease with a high mortality rate.

Two people now.

‘Ahhh…!!!’

Thud.

“Yu-Yurie…!”

Yurie, with lifeless eyes, lost strength in her legs and collapsed.

Their vows. Their resolve. Their memories.

The world of the five of them… was crumbling beyond control.

* * *

“That damned woman!”

Upon confirming the envoy’s severed head, Chel slammed his fist onto the armrest of the throne in fury.

‘To suffer the humiliation of having an envoy killed… and yet unable to do anything because of the plague…!’

He had tried to resolve things as wisely as possible, but the golden time had long passed from his perspective too.

His pride simply wouldn’t allow him to just take this lying down.

Who was at fault first, who provided the cause—those were secondary issues now. Just like Yurie, Chel was also in a state of rage where he couldn’t bear to live under the same sky as someone like her.

‘Once the plague subsides, I will personally lead as commander-in-chief and take that damned woman’s head.’

At that moment.

“M-My lord…!”

A soldier rushed to where Chel was with an urgent expression.

Chel immediately frowned and shouted:

“What is it? Have you forgotten my order not to disturb me unless it’s important?!”

“It’s…!!!”

Chel’s angry eyes began to tremble and turn pale as soon as he saw the soldier.

It wasn’t the soldier that shocked him. More precisely… it was the red armband he wore on his right arm.

A messenger.

The fact that a messenger, of all people, had rushed in urgently meant only one thing.

“The Kalintz army… is advancing towards Heizel Castle with 60,000 troops…!!”

‘Kalintz, you stupid fool…!!!’

Chel lowered his head in disbelief.

‘With the plague spreading… he’s initiating combat? Has he gone mad with a death wish…!’

When they should be taking measures to prevent the spread of the plague, deploying troops en masse for an assault was nothing short of suicidal!

‘Kalintz… you finally… against me…!!!!’

But— there was nothing he could do.

Just like Yurie, all he could do was swallow this humiliation and somehow manage the situation.

Chel, who had been blindsided by an unexpected situation.

And Yurie, who had lost two precious comrades just for deciding to attack the Serpina army.

They could never know.

That all of this had started from just one question a ruler had asked his strategist, a question with an infallible answer——

[Is withdrawing the border troops to Kelstein Castle the most efficient method?]

[Yes, it is.]

——And from the moment that prediction was made by the strategist with an intelligence of 100, no nation except for the strategist’s own “Serpina Army” could achieve anything.