Ch.346Chapter 346. Battle of Eingart Castle (1)

* * *

Einhart Royal Castle.

“My lord. Serpina von Einhart’s soldiers are heading toward Einhart Castle!”

At the soldier’s report, Nathan nodded as if he had been expecting this.

“Understood. Summon all the generals to the conference room. I will head there shortly.”

“Yes, sir!”

After dismissing the soldier, Nathan mentally reviewed the “plan” Merry had explained to him.

A strategy that would abandon human ethics but could definitely strike a decisive blow against the enemy.

Nathan closed his eyes briefly.

There was no point in hesitating now.

‘The die has already been cast. To seize this opportunity… I must do whatever it takes.’

This was a battle that must be won.

By winning this battle, the name of “Al Caski” would be eternally remembered throughout the continent.

‘Many people will think of my name when they hear Al Caski. My decisions will become history!

The name that goes down in history will be mine, not my brother’s!’

Without further thought, Nathan headed to where the soldiers had gathered for his final speech before going to the conference room.

* * *

On the second floor of Einhart Royal Castle, there was a space prepared for speeches.

Normally, only royalty with Einhart blood could give speeches here while the soldiers stood in formation—

But now, that centuries-old rule was finally being broken by a person of Al Caski lineage.

“You’ve arrived, my lord.”

As if expecting his arrival, Merry had already taken her position and welcomed him. Nathan turned away from her and shouted loudly toward the soldiers standing in formation.

“The moment has finally come, my men. The moment when our army will battle Serpina’s main force!”

“As you all know, the soldiers we’ve faced until now were merely standing forces maintaining public order, but the soldiers coming now are Serpina’s elite troops who have been acting as an occupation force. Considering that, I hardly need to explain how this battle will differ from those we’ve experienced so far.”

Nathan shouted with the most powerful and aggressive voice he could muster, as if he were a fearless and mighty general.

“I won’t deny that our chances of winning this battle are low. However, this could change history! If we win this battle, we can quickly unify the northern continent and build a nation that rivals Serpina’s forces! Serpina’s army, pushed back to the central continent, will be surrounded by our forces, the Brans army, and the nations of the southern continent, effectively cutting off their hands and feet.”

“Yes! Our names will be remembered forever! As heroes who stopped the notorious villainess Serpina!”

To successfully lead a rebellion that no one else had managed.

The title of hero who stopped Serpina—something that Lynn Brans, Baranga Yurie Aeshus, and countless other lords with lofty ambitions who rose like wildfire could not achieve!

“My men! Don’t you want to become heroes? Don’t you want to be the only ones who stopped the rampage of the worst tyrant Serpina, created by the incompetence of the Einhart imperial family!”

“We can do it! With our three mages, nothing is impossible! The fact that you shed blood will be praised and admired by everyone in the future! Don’t you want to become legendary figures who could only be found in the songs of minstrels!”

“Therefore!”

Nathan took the spear from his back and raised it high into the sky.

It was his brother’s spear, which he had secretly kept on the day his brother—renowned as a spear knight—died.

“Fight for me! For Nathan Al Caski! I promise to make you heroes when we achieve our great cause! Won’t you join me in overthrowing Serpina, the greatest traitor of all time!”

And then came the soldiers’ cheers.

Nathan only felt truly alive when he heard these earth-shattering cheers directed at him. Only then did he feel his blood flowing.

It almost made him feel like he wasn’t just the insignificant younger brother overshadowed by his brother, but the sole hope of the Al Caski family!

No, this was how the world should be! Not where a clueless youngster like Ian becomes the head of the family just because he’s his brother’s son—this was the right answer!

As Nathan gained excessive optimism about himself during a speech meant to boost the soldiers’ morale, Merry silently watched his back.

* * *

“Thank you all for gathering.”

Upon arriving at the conference room, Nathan briefly summarized what he had just told the soldiers.

How important this battle was, what they could gain from it… things like that.

“And this time, we will go out to intercept them rather than holding a siege.”

“Intercept, sir?”

“If we allow Einhart Castle to be engulfed in flames, we won’t be able to regain the support of the domain residents, whose morale is already at rock bottom.”

Despite being hated by many, Serpina wasn’t particularly despised by the residents of the northern domain under her direct rule.

In truth, ordinary people don’t usually complain about their superiors as long as they can make a living without problems.

Einhart Castle had completely recovered its pre-imperial collapse economy thanks to Serpina’s wise governance. Naturally, they were more likely to dislike Nathan, the foreign element causing this chaos.

“So, for the sake of the future, going out to intercept is the right choice. Although we’re significantly outnumbered, we have three mages on our side, which should somehow make up for the difference.”

“I see. Understood.”

Seeing the general’s quick acceptance, Nathan deliberately averted his gaze.

The fact that they didn’t actually have three mages but rather one, with the other two merely pretending through some kind of trick—a fact that would have enormous consequences if revealed—was known only to his children who were acting as mages, himself, and his strategist Merry.

It’s fine. After this battle, it would inevitably be revealed that there was a problem with our mages, but what matters is the result.

As long as they could achieve meaningful results, he was confident he could sway public opinion in his favor.

“Then, as you said, we will prepare to form our battle formation and intercept.”

“Just a moment. I’m asking just in case, but what is the enemy’s formation like?”

At Merry’s question, the general bowed his head and replied.

“Yes, Strategist! Ian Al Caski is at the front, Reika Nighthart on the right, and Cransis, Jerome, and Rain are at the left rear. Swen is positioned at the very back. From what we can tell, Swen, who serves as the chief of staff, appears to be the de facto decision-maker.”

“…I see.”

Merry couldn’t help but smile.

Reika Nighthart on the right… There couldn’t be a more perfect arrangement for implementing her plan.

In truth, it wouldn’t have mattered if she were on the left or at the front. As long as she wasn’t at the very back, the plan could be executed.

Merry checked Nathan’s reaction once more.

…It’s fine. This man won’t care much about anything else as long as his ego is satisfied.

In other words—he wasn’t a difficult type to handle like Serpina.

Having watched Jenna suffer like a dog under Serpina, she had no desire to live a life like hers.

From the moment he said he would “execute” the plan she proposed, she was confident she had Nathan in the palm of her hand.

Merry thought of Jenna’s face—who had foolishly worked hard only to have everything taken away by the new power, Swen, and was now relegated to being a forgotten elder.

She had her chance. A chance to cleanly eliminate Swen!

But she didn’t take it. She accepted him with the logic that ‘Swen is absolutely necessary for our country.’

That was incomprehensible to Merry, who had attached herself to Jenna in pursuit of power.

‘…I won’t live like you, Jenna.’

If the afterlife that those fallen religious people constantly mentioned truly exists, it would be fine for her to watch from there.

I’ll prove that I was right.

* * *

Knock, knock, knock.

“Come in.”

The person who came to see Marilyn, who was nursing her siblings in bed, was her father and new lord, Nathan.

“Marilyn. How are Reilan and Yupia doing?”

“They’ve both stabilized now.”

“I see.”

Despite his seemingly kind tone, there was no trace of affection for his children in Nathan’s voice.

“Then, have you decided which one it will be—Reilan or Yupia?”

“T-That’s…!”

Just as Marilyn was greatly flustered and about to answer—

“It’s me, Father.”

Her younger brother Reilan, who was in bed, raised his hand.

“Reilan. Have you made up your mind?”

“I swore not to avoid the responsibility I must bear from the moment I was born as a man of the Al Caski family.”

“Seeing you speak like that, I suppose I don’t need to worry.”

Nathan walked steadily toward Reilan and… saluted his son with respect.

“The nation, this father, and all the domain residents will never forget your decision.”

“Yes.”

After this exchange, which was remarkably brief for a conversation between father and son—

“Get ready. The battle will begin soon.”

As soon as the door closed, Marilyn began to cry with her head bowed.

“Sob… hic.”

“Don’t cry, sister. I’m fine.”

Reilan comforted his crying sister, glanced once at the soundly sleeping Yupia, and—

“It can’t be helped. It’s not a bad thing; it’s for everyone’s sake. Father said so too. Only we can stop Serpina.”

“I know… I know. But still…”

“I’m fine, but… promise me you’ll keep Yupia out of this. Understand?”

“Yes… yes, Reilan…”

Was awakening to magic a blessing or a curse?

At least for Marilyn now, becoming a mage was closer to a curse.

* * *

How much more time had passed?

What entered the sight of the soldier guarding the outer wall of Einhart Castle was a bright yellow flag—symbolizing the original owner of this land.

“The enemy is coming!”

Upon hearing the soldier’s words, the generals all began preparing for the upcoming battle.

“Don’t be afraid, everyone! We have three mages on our side!”

“By winning this battle, we will become heroes recorded in history! Risk your lives for the greater cause! Don’t fear death! Remember that this is ultimately the way to both preserve your lives and become heroes!”

The rebel generals were shouting loudly to encourage their soldiers.

In reality, it was more like self-brainwashing than encouragement for the soldiers.

It was fine to decide to drive out the notorious villainess Serpina after hearing Nathan’s words in a moment of overconfidence—

But naturally, as the battle drew near, they couldn’t help but feel fear.

The great mage Reika. And the new strategist Swen.

As members of Serpina’s forces who had been working for her in the capital until recently, they inevitably knew about the existence of Swen’s faction.

Now they were facing those very people!

The core personnel who were currently controlling Serpina’s forces!

The only fortunate thing for them was that Irene hadn’t come here because she had been appointed as a corps commander.

They thought they might have a chance since they had three more of those impressive mages on their side, but no matter how many times they considered it, there was no general who could match Irene in battle.

No matter how impulsive the decision had been, the water was already spilled.

For them to survive, they had to somehow make Nathan’s dream a reality.

“Come at us!!!!!”

—And so, the vanguards of both sides began to clash in earnest.