Ch.545545. Swift and Decisive (3)

Spirit magic and archery have good compatibility. This isn’t just a saying—it’s an established theory that elves have devoted hundreds of years of practice to perfect.

Of course, there’s the extreme difficulty that handling spirit magic requires both basic spirit resonance and talent for it.

But if one breaks through those terrible odds and reaches mastery in both spirit magic and archery, then within the limits of one’s mana, no one on the battlefield can stop spirit magic that extends alongside arrows.

“Disaster! The second defense line has been breached!”

“Wasn’t the second line being defended by the allied forces of the two baronies…! They boasted so much about trusting only themselves… What the hell are those bastards getting paid for if they give way so easily…!”

“It’s because of Baron Karpel’s spirit magic…! They say he’s displaying skills on a completely different level from what he showed in the Winter War!”

“Damn it…!”

Behind the second defense line.

The final defense unit guarding the lord’s castle was busy swallowing curses while looking down at the territory beyond the castle walls.

Every time magic swept through different areas, they could only suppress sighs as they watched their allies fall helplessly.

‘Those crazy bastards…!’

Not just the head of the family.

Even those who followed him were extraordinary.

‘What the hell is a barony supposed to be, having so many crazy women like this!’

The knights wielding long spears made for cavalry seemed devoid of any fear of injury or death. They moved freely even through paths where allied arrow storms poured down. Even when their comrades fell, they kept charging forward without blinking an eye.

‘Baron Karpel isn’t the only problem.’

Every time the sword-wielding knights delivered strikes in exquisite trajectories, hard-earned chances for counterattack were wasted.

In the time bought by their efforts, the barony’s battle mages gathered their full power to unleash magic.

Each of them was a war-crazed monster.

“Ugh…!”

The defense captain standing on the castle walls gritted his teeth.

The suicide mission of jumping into enemy lines with the sole intention of wiping out the Viscount Akion’s family in one go.

What made it work so successfully and what made it impossible for them to stop was the presence of Baron Karpel. Just one person.

“This is maddening…!”

In this impossible situation, she knew that this final wall would soon be facing them.

‘Even if we run—’

Knowing full well that the real knights of the alliance gathered behind the wall would immediately behead her, she shouted with a madness born from the belief that she might somehow stop the scent of death emanating from the enemy.

“Draw your swords! We have nowhere to run anyway, so we must stop those demons here!”

Unlike the soldiers who died following orders without knowing anything.

She herself had been involved in the corruption and underworld dealings of Viscount Akion’s family.

Being in the same boat as Viscount Akion, even if she surrendered to the barony, her head would fly once the truth came to light.

“Pour oil now and throw torches! Detonate all the pre-installed explosive devices to keep them from getting close!”

“But there are still our allies down there—”

“Necessary sacrifices! You think I want to do this? There’s no other way to stop their advance!”

The defense captain pushed aside the conflicted soldier and reached for an oil jar.

“If you’re just going to stand there dazed, get out of my way!”

After throwing the oil jar over the wall, she snatched a torch from a nearby soldier.

“What are you all doing! Pour the oil quickly! Do you dare disobey orders!”

Only then did the soldiers begin to move.

When they all dropped their torches at once, fire began to spread below the wall.

Beyond the instant chaos—

“Now! Detonate!”

The defense captain activated the explosive devices as well.

BOOM—!

The magic devices installed to block the enemy’s advance all exploded at once.

As the ground shook and ear-shattering noise echoed throughout Viscount Akion’s territory, she praised the effectiveness of the items imported from the Empire.

Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief at the seemingly halted advance of the barony forces—

“…Damn it!”

While some knights and cavalry were rolling on the ground coughing blood, the barony’s forces had successfully minimized damage thanks to their mages who had constructed defensive magic.

“H-how…!”

Her decision had only served to increase her master’s anger, becoming a futile act.

She tried to quickly reorganize the defense forces during the time before they prepared to attack again.

“The gate…! The gate is opening!”

“Why is the gate—! What’s happening?!”

On the verge of losing her mind at the news of the opening gate—

“The soldiers guarding the gate were killed by assassins from inside…! It must be the barony’s scheme!”

“How is this possible…! Weren’t we told the background checks on everyone in the lord’s castle were perfect…!”

“That’s… I don’t know either…”

“Ha—”

She could only let out a hollow laugh.

‘I was wrong.’

If they could deliver such a devastating blow from the inside at the worst possible timing for them, it meant that their spies had already reached deep into Viscount Akion’s family without their knowledge.

To think they would lose so miserably even with seven families united, even with the advantageous position of defending—it was like saying they had been played in the palm of the enemy’s hand all along.

Finally, the defense captain—

“……”

Quietly raised her hands while looking at the baron aiming his bow at her from below the wall.

“It’s all over.”

With the desire to live just a little longer if she was going to die anyway—

Swish—!

She simply threw her weapon onto the wall with no strength left.

* * *

The count’s intelligence department was certainly capable.

I heard they couldn’t fully infiltrate the inner circle because time was short, and they hadn’t uncovered much information or found many openings. Despite talking as if they hadn’t accomplished much, they ended up doing something this significant.

I heard Lord Benner came up with the main plan. Perhaps someone who served as the deputy head of intelligence is indeed different.

‘…I was upset about being hit by unexpected magic.’

The anger that had risen because several of our troops suffered injuries and serious wounds due to the suddenly triggered magic was somewhat appeased when I saw them opening the gates themselves.

‘They said they had recruited people within the viscount’s territory who could provide justification and serve as spies.’

The personnel from the count’s intelligence department couldn’t get close to the family head or those very close to him, but they had laid groundwork with opportunistic individuals just below them or those with weak mentalities.

If things didn’t go well, they were told there would be proper support from the count’s family and a long war would begin, along with pressure from various families. Thanks to the efforts of the intelligence department, who had even disguised themselves as low-ranking personnel and replaced someone, this miracle was achieved.

We shouldn’t miss such a good opportunity.

“The gate is open! Enter proudly through the gate and capture the family head!”

And so our assault team entered the lord’s castle, met with the defense unit that had lost their will to fight as they threw down their swords.

“Trisha!”

“Firing now!”

As Commander Trisha of the magic main force fired a signal flare into the sky, green flames burst forth.

Soon, Sione’s unit, which had been freely moving through the interior, would also converge here.

Unlike outside, the lord’s castle was filled with knights of excellent skill.

“Ray!”

“That way!”

Together with Sione who joined midway, we began to take control of the area with the fiercest resistance inside the lord’s castle.

‘…It’s challenging, but.’

The difference in skill between a Master and an Expert is like that between a child and an adult. Even Siabel demonstrated techniques that an Expert couldn’t imagine, facing a dragon head-on.

‘There are two Masters here.’

With me and Sione at her level.

Facing knights at the Expert level and mages of similar caliber, not dragons—we couldn’t possibly lose, even if it took time.

So, with a mana potion in my mouth, I continued the chaotic battle until we finally obtained the surrender and capitulation of the viscount’s territory through force.

“I have a message for the Baron from the intelligence department.”

“A message?”

“These are the justifications we’ve created internally.”

After receiving the preparations made to bring down the viscount’s territory, just as I was smiling at the end of this tedious battle, everyone including Sione and I twisted our expressions like evil spirits when we confirmed the faces of the captured noble lords.

“Hanelrn.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Make them kneel.”

“I will do as ordered.”

Well, they hadn’t done anything good.

They even got angry despite being captured.

“Wait, we did not surrender! As prisoners, we deserve proper respect—ugh…!”

“Even if you are knights following your lord’s orders, if you lay even a finger on me…! Urgh…!”

But soon, due to Hanelrn’s forceful restraint, which was more aggressive than expected, the noble lords fell disgracefully to the ground with their faces in the dirt.

“I ask the two viscounts of the alliance who were guarding Viscount Akion’s territory.”

I looked down at them and asked.

“I’m curious where Viscount Akion has gone, abandoning his territory.”

Viscount Akion, who abandoned his territory and disappeared.

Where the hell did that guy run off to?

When I asked this, the two nobles giggled as if something was amusing.

“Are you curious?”

“I cannot tell someone as ill-mannered as you, who doesn’t know how to treat prisoners with respect. What a pity.”

Their demeanor showed signs of madness, as if properly enchanted by something.

Their unnatural attitude and clouded pupils told me that they were definitely not in a normal state.

‘So they did have something prepared.’

It seemed strange that they were not only sending troops but sitting comfortably in the viscount’s territory just watching, when it wasn’t even their own family.

Viscount Akion’s family must have pulled some trick.

“Really…”

Sighing at their attitude that was making things troublesome, I—

THUD—!

“Ugh—!”

Finally discarded what little face I was saving for them and kicked them soundly.

They took the hit so well, and the way they rolled was quite amusing.

“H-how dare you treat the head of a family so roughly…!”

“I merely kicked some traitors who sold the kingdom to the empire.”

At this, I just shrugged my shoulders and mocked them.

Now that the “justification” had been established, they deserved to be public enemies not just to me but to the entire kingdom.

“What’s there to be concerned about?”

They should have been more careful about who they messed with.

“I’ll ask again.”

So I asked them again as they rolled on the ground, busy catching their rough breaths.

“Where did Viscount Akion go?”

Whatever he’s doing, Viscount Akion will be shattered to pieces anyway.

Wouldn’t it be better to end this cleanly without further embarrassment on both sides?

Well, if they still resist—

“…We cannot betray Viscount Akion.”

“Ah, I see.”

They’ll just have to come to their senses after more beating.

What a pity.