Ch.594Conversation With Ludwig

That was the last day I could get a good rest.

After spending a night in the lord’s castle bedroom, we departed for the Wall of Berengaria as soon as morning broke. The knights would have already informed them of my arrival in Landenburg. Ludwig Wilhelm von Landenburg would surely be waiting impatiently.

And so, when we finally arrived at Berengaria…

“Oh… this is completely different from before. The security is extremely tight.”

Leonore Wittelsbach muttered in admiration. As she said, Berengaria’s appearance had changed significantly from before.

The tall wall was densely lined with catapults and ballistas, and temporary structures for attacking below the wall had been constructed at regular intervals. The number of troops guarding the wall had also increased three or four times compared to before.

Though the quality of the troops seemed somewhat lower than before—perhaps because they had scraped together conscripts to fill the ranks—it wasn’t a major disadvantage since they were primarily meant to rain attacks down from the wall.

“It can’t be helped. This war won’t end with just a clash of a few thousand. If Orhan himself takes the field… we need to prepare for something worse than nine years ago. Even these preparations are far from sufficient.”

Nigel responded with a complex expression as he looked up at the wall. His face showed a mixture of pride as a Landenburg knight and concern about the war.

Well… my thoughts weren’t much different from hers. No matter how many standard defensive equipment filled the wall, they could only stop conventional enemies.

Even if they could somehow hold off a Champion, to those who stood above that level, it would be nothing more than an annoying drizzle.

“Hmm…”

“Excuse me… Lord Haschal. May I have a moment?”

As I was examining the structures on the wall and pondering how I would breach it if I were Ka’har, Jahan, who had approached me, spoke up.

“What is it? Something to say?”

“Yes. It may seem like an obvious question, but… do you, ‘Haschal,’ think this is truly the right time to face Ser Khan Orhan?”

His tone strangely emphasized the name “Haschal.” He wasn’t asking me. He wanted an answer from Hersella dwelling within me.

Apparently, Jahan was extremely anxious about attacking Orhan with our current forces.

Right. Since Jahan knew Orhan’s power well, he must feel like an egg yolk flying toward a rock. He probably wouldn’t feel at ease until we had forces several times our current strength, both in quality and quantity.

Of course, given the Empire’s current situation, that was nothing more than an impossible wish.

‘What do you think?’

[Well… I’m not sure if this is the best opportunity either. But there’s no guarantee that waiting will bring a better chance. In fact, things might get worse.]

Hersella’s answer was simple yet rational. I relayed her words directly to Jahan, adding that whether or not this was the right time, we had no choice but to fight anyway.

“…I see.”

Having steeled his resolve with those words, Jahan’s eyes burned with firm determination. With his thief-like face, it looked more savage and vicious than reassuring.

—-

“Welcome! It’s been months since I last saw you.”

In the central command room of the garrison barracks behind the wall, Lord Ludwig who greeted us looked somewhat thinner than before. Whether due to age, fatigue, or the burden of the upcoming battle, I couldn’t tell.

Perhaps all three.

“I heard you’ve been through a lot, but seeing you so well makes me happy as your guardian.”

“You look quite tired. Shouldn’t you get some rest?”

I pulled out a cigarette as I sat down on the sofa in the command room. Taking out a cigarette when sitting on a sofa had become almost a habit.

“It’s my age. Once you’re past fifty, your body isn’t what it used to be. After we overcome this crisis, I’m considering stepping back from the front lines.”

“Who’s going to guard the wall if you retire?”

“Nominally, it would be you. You are my successor, after all.”

Ludwig picked up a Mana Herb that had been placed on the ashtray and pointed it at me. A wisp of smoke rose up in undulating waves.

“Me? Sorry, but I’m a bit busy. I can’t stay cooped up here like you. At least not for the next few years.”

“Don’t worry about that. I have no intention of keeping the Empire’s First Sword confined to the east.”

Ludwig chuckled and shrugged his shoulders slightly, as if I was worrying about nothing.

“To begin with, your talents are focused on combat. Assigning you to manage territories or command troops would be like displaying a peerless sword in a display case. I’ve already arranged people to handle those aspects for you.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

He meant that proxies would take care of all the lord’s duties, while I could go around swinging my sword like I do now.

‘He sounds exactly like Leopold. Do smart people have something in common?’

[Anyone who’s met you directly would say the same thing. Just five minutes of conversation would be enough to determine that you’re the perfect type to ruin a fief if left in charge.]

What a scathing assessment. While I do prefer hunting down enemies to racking my brains over territory management… it’s not because I can’t do it, but because I’m not interested.

‘I might actually be good at it if given the chance?’

[Ha, I’d bet all of Leopold’s remaining hair that the finances would collapse within three years.]

Hersella burst into laughter and mocked me. Her laughter made it clear that she had absolutely no faith in my management abilities.

‘…Why are you betting Leopold’s hair? He doesn’t have much left.’

[Didn’t you always bet other people’s things when making wagers?]

Did I?

Well, I might have. Better not to risk my own things and lose.

—-

“So… you called me to come as quickly as possible, but what exactly is the current situation?”

After exchanging brief pleasantries, I got straight to the point.

Although Ludwig’s letter had included a brief overview of the operation, it was more certain to ask about the details in person. Things might have changed in the meantime.

“According to reports from scouts who successfully returned, Ka’har warriors seem to be scattered across the plains, resting. With the major war over, they’ve likely returned to their homes or military bases to prepare for the next conflict.”

[They’ve disbanded the warriors except for the main force. They couldn’t continue accommodating tens of thousands of troops within Ordos.]

Hersella added her explanation. Unless they were about to wage war immediately, keeping that number in Ordos would cause massive losses.

Ordos wasn’t spacious enough to accommodate all the soldiers, and the supplies they consumed would empty the storehouses.

Therefore, except when attempting large-scale expeditions, they scatter the warriors across different regions during peacetime to maintain order and handle tasks like herding and hunting.

“That’s good news for us. If they’re scattered, this might be easier than expected.”

I smiled, recalling the operation plan Ludwig had sent me.

Although it was closer to a draft with only the general flow and my role outlined, it was enough to clearly understand the mission objective.

“That depends on you and the other knights. While it’s good news that the enemies are dispersed, it also increases the risk of being surrounded. There are pros and cons.”

“I see… if we get stuck, we’d be attacked from both sides and that would be the end.”

The strategy Ludwig had devised wasn’t aimed at defeating Orhan. Rather, the opposite.

The purpose of this operation was to eliminate as many Ka’har forces as possible before Orhan could attack the Empire with his full army.

“So, what do I need to do? Should I just follow what was written in the letter?”

“That depends on what you’re capable of. My knowledge of your abilities is from several months ago, so if your skills have improved since then, we should take that into account.”

Progress… there had been quite a lot of progress. Too much to summarize in just a few words.

“Well…”

I briefly explained to Ludwig about the new powers I had acquired. The increase in strength, the blessing of Kenaz, the power of Hagalaz, and the power of Karma.

I didn’t go into the principles or origins in detail, just explaining at the level of “I can now do these things.”

“Hmm… so it’s like this? Most spears and swords can’t even pierce you, when you swing your sword invisible slashes are emitted, and you’ve mastered magic that melts even steel and turns things to dust at your touch. Is that right?”

“That’s about it.”

“My goodness…”

Ludwig looked up at the ceiling in disbelief, puffing heavily on his Mana Herb.

“…There’s an even greater monster standing before me than Orhan. This is literally a living disaster. If I met you as an enemy on the battlefield, I’d draft a surrender document first thing.”

That was Ludwig’s way of giving high praise.

Probably.