Ch.285285. Six Clock Hands (5)

Thanks to the mysterious opposing vote, Junon’s position was not lowered, and the Principality’s army gathered in Sirach to officially begin relocating the capital.

When it came to designating a city as the capital based on the frontline established in the Ross region, there was really only one choice.

Alperatz.

The stronghold city of Sirach, the place Junon had marked from the beginning to carry out the next operation.

Now, in the history of the Principality, Alperatz would be written as the new capital, pushing aside Levrant, which had served as the capital for most of its history.

However, public opinion was shrouded in anxiety. Not only refugees but even the Principality’s soldiers were all wavering, questioning whether such a lagging city could serve as the capital.

Considering just the duration as capital, Levrant accounted for about 95%. Taking all conditions into account, everyone had believed without doubt that it would remain the unchangeable capital.

There was a brief period before the establishment of the Principality when Mirpark had been the capital to counter the magical beasts, but that didn’t last long either.

In such circumstances, Alperatz being designated as the capital? It was surrounded by countryside, had almost no resources, and wasn’t even conveniently located for transportation. And above all, unlike Levrant’s Alcaide facility, the magical power supply infrastructure within the city was inadequate, making it inefficient for combat.

Thus, everyone began to doubt the commander’s qualifications, questioning the decision to make Alperatz, which failed to satisfy all the advantages of a capital, the new base.

As usual, while the commander was spreading out maps in preparation for magical beast invasions, a soldier entered the outpost.

“What is it?”

“Well… the magical communication device is responding.”

The magical communication device is responding? Unexpected good news.

‘It was half a gamble, but I didn’t expect it to succeed.’

There was once a question. After the Principality fell into crisis, no matter how many communication attempts were made from Levrant to the Empire, they failed. Yet why did communication between Algenib and Schutgan continue?

It seemed strange. No matter how many times Levrant’s magical communication devices were replaced or changed, signals just wouldn’t reach the Empire.

But this communication device isn’t connected by electricity like a mobile phone. All advanced facilities in the Kempriton continent use magical power. So for communication to work, wouldn’t magical power create a network?

If a magical network truly exists, then there must be something interfering with it. And if there’s a range of influence for the mana or magical energy possessed by living beings, wouldn’t communication be possible once outside that range? Especially since Ashpern and Feltiburugos were attacking Levrant.

And Junon’s hypothesis was proven correct.

Right now. By the communication device responding.

“Can we connect immediately?”

“Well… it will take some time. Since no one expected it to connect…”

Since it was just a hypothesis, he hadn’t specifically instructed them to prepare for it. Allocating resources to something uncertain might have caused more opposition.

“That’s fine. But how long will it take?”

“Even if we start quickly now, it will take at least three hours.”

“I’ll make sure you get ample support. Please connect to the Artena Empire as quickly as possible.”

However, despite the good news of the communication device responding, there wasn’t much time to spare.

Just one hour after starting the work, magical beasts appeared on the frontline.

“Let’s defend. We must hold this position at all costs.”

“Commander, it’s impossible! Defending like this has no meaning…”

“It has meaning. Soon, communication with the Empire will be established!”

“What?! Is that true?”

“I mentioned that the communication device responded. I suspect it’s possible because one of the two named magical beasts, Feltiburugos, has fallen. But… I don’t know what will happen if Ashpern arrives.”

If communication is established, they can report the current state of the Principality and request support from the Artena Empire. They could even defeat those two named magical beasts with the Empire’s help.

But if they enter Ashpern’s sphere of influence, even that would be useless. Therefore, they must absolutely defend the Ross region.

The officer who had come to see Junon broke the prolonged silence.

“How much longer do we need to hold?”

It’s unknown how many soldiers will die in this battle. Yet they proceed.

For the sake of the soldiers who could be saved by contacting the Empire.

“At least 30 minutes. We need to hold for 30 minutes.”

“30 minutes… holding for such an unreasonable time is impossible! Ashpern is coming!”

“Then, would it be possible if we could divert just Ashpern and his elite guards?”

“What…? What do you mean…”

“I mean I’ll implement a decoy strategy.”

“That’s…!”

A decoy? To the officer, it seemed absurd. Ashpern can command magical beasts at will and see through human tactics.

And he’s going to lure Ashpern?

The person doing the luring wouldn’t survive. It would be a suicide mission.

“Whoever the soldiers are that lure him, they’ll die, and they’ll refuse. How can you ask those young ones to die so that we can live? Do you think those young people would accept that?!”

Most of them are young. If they were old veterans with little time left, they might grudgingly sacrifice themselves for the next generation, but most of the Principality’s army consists of young people. Even expanding the scope to all citizens of the Principality, not many remain due to the mass deaths from the Lemtert plague.

The officer tried his best to refute Junon’s opinion.

However.

“Don’t worry. I’ll be the one to lure Ashpern.”

“What… did you say?”

The commander was saying he would risk his own life to serve as the decoy.

***

A while later. As promised, Junon appeared fully equipped with his battle gear.

The idea of personally luring Ashpern alone was insane no matter how one looked at it.

“The operation instructions are as follows. It will probably take two to three days, so someone else might need to take command. Could you deliver this to Michelle?”

With a chain shield strapped to his arm, he asks for the documents to be delivered to the person who will take command in his place.

The operation of luring Ashpern seemed doomed from the start, possibly requiring the help of others. But he didn’t irresponsibly pass the most dangerous responsibility to someone else.

Does he want to lay down his tired life? Or is he irresponsibly abandoning command because there’s no way to overcome this desperate situation?

‘If it’s neither of those… could it be.’

The officer, trying to figure it out, asked Junon in a lowered tone.

“…Aren’t you the commander?”

“Yes, I am.”

“Aren’t you afraid of death?”

“Am I afraid of dying? Of course I’m scared.”

“Then why?”

Bluntly speaking, being in the commander’s position, he could forcibly order others to die for the greater cause, to die for humanity.

According to rumors, he could have used others’ power to deceive them.

But this commander, this young man who had shed his student appearance barely a year ago, didn’t turn away.

The middle-aged officer asks for the reason.

Why he personally takes on the role of decoy with a 99% chance of losing his life.

“Because I’m not going there to die.”

“…!”

Now he understood.

Why Goden of the Tembris Party had given him the position of party leader.

Why Professor Muniher, no, the Grand Chancellor of the Artena Empire, Count Zelbarten, had given him the position of commander.

It wasn’t a wrong choice from the beginning.

This man neither gave up nor laid down his responsibilities.

He simply chose the right answer. Chewing bitter chicory to stay awake, making up for insufficient sleep with short naps, and drinking the damp morning dew day after day.

Even in a situation where he had to act as a decoy for a named magical beast, his determination not to give up showed his dedication to this country more than anyone else.

‘Such a person… was our commander.’

He felt deeply ashamed for having doubted him.

To save even one more person, the commander himself stands on the frontline to fight, and not content with that, becomes a decoy. The rumors that he survived by using others’ power must have been false accusations deliberately spread by someone who envied him.

“Well then, I’ll be going first. Being a decoy requires quite elaborate preparation.”

“…Yes.”

It seems time is not so scarce after all.

‘Then we cannot lose you here.’

He is this country’s last hope. The final commander who can revive the dying embers.

Without this man, the Principality would simply meet its mortal fate.

The officer moved quickly with the documents.

He considers the possibility. Just as Junon said he wasn’t going to die, the officer also refuses to give up.

“Please help us, Lady Michelle Granodia.”

To increase, even slightly, the survival rate of someone who absolutely must not die.

***

“So Junon yesterday at the warehouse… I understand what you’re saying. At this rate, Junon will die, so you’re asking me to prevent that?”

“Regrettably, yes. I cannot devise any other strategy with my abilities.”

“There’s nothing regrettable about it. I’m grateful.”

Being informed of this fact in advance is a joy to Michelle.

Finally, someone has recognized Junon’s true worth and wants to help.

And that person is none other than the retired former captain of the royal guard, Chimor.

“Let me ask you frankly, Lord Chimor. If Junon acts alone as a decoy according to this plan… what are his chances of survival?”

“…I expect them to be infinitely close to zero. No, I should say they converge to zero. Of course, he believes there’s a possibility and is moving accordingly.”

“So the possibility is low, that’s a fact?”

“Yes. I too have crossed spears with Ashpern alongside Lord Jake.”

“Then what if all of Tembris took on that role?”

“Hmm… that sounds like you’re asking me to take on the command position.”

Since the Tembris Party members each lead units, if they were to leave their positions, others would need to replace them. However, commanding soldiers isn’t difficult. It’s enough to stop the magical beasts that weren’t successfully lured away.

Defending the frontline is something Chimor, who had risen to the position of royal guard captain, is more than capable of doing.

“I believe this is the only way to protect our commander, Lord Chimor.”

There is no other way. After much deliberation, Chimor reluctantly accepted Michelle’s proposal.

It was an operation planned with everyone except the commander.

Named: Operation Junon’s Survival.