Ch.603Just Surviving Isn’t Enough

The elite light cavalry of Aishan, the Blue Banner Army, was seething with anger. The past few days of pursuit had been an exhausting forced march even for them.

While Haschal’s detachment had only been riding for three days, the Blue Banner Army had been galloping from Ordos to here for nearly six days without proper rest.

And they’d had to bypass and break through all kinds of obstacles along the way.

Metal fragments that might have been armor pieces were scattered everywhere, fires had been set in all directions turning vast grasslands to ashes.

Even perfectly normal ground had been collapsed and torn up as if two earth dragons had mated there.

To make matters worse, every water source along the escape route had been contaminated with filth, poison, and horse carcasses. Because of this, the Blue Banner Army’s horses and soldiers had to pursue without even being able to drink proper water.

While Haschal considered the Blue Banner Army that had finally caught up with the detachment to be incredibly persistent, the Blue Banner warriors were equally cursing her as the most stubborn woman they’d ever encountered.

After such hardship, they had finally gotten close enough to see their target. One can imagine the feelings of the Blue Banner warriors.

“There she is! That bitch whose legs we’ll tear apart!”

“Finally caught up with you, damn runner!”

Even warriors who had avoided explicit insults since she was still a direct descendant of Aishan-Gioro were now hurling all kinds of vulgarities with rage in their eyes.

======[ Haschal ]======

I chewed on the cigarette in my mouth, trying to suppress my anxiety. The distance between us and the Ka’har was gradually narrowing.

If things had gone according to Ludwig Wilhelm von Landenburg’s calculations, we would have barely shaken off the pursuit… but things never go exactly as planned.

Whether we moved too slowly or they had become even more persistent than before, one thing was certain—at this rate, they would catch up to us before we reached the protective range of the Wall.

“…What should we do, miss? Judging by the fire in their eyes, I don’t think they’ll spare us if we surrender. Should we offer a ransom?”

Leonore Wittelsbach, who had slowed down to come beside me, muttered nonsense that sounded like a joke while sweating profusely, covered in dust.

Her courage is admirable. Making jokes in a life-or-death situation. Perhaps her encounter with the evil god had gifted her with an enlarged liver.

“They might spare you. Not by paying a ransom, but by paying with your body.”

A knight princess captured by barbarians. It’s clear what would happen to her. Probably comparable to a female warrior defeated by goblins.

“Ugh. I’d rather die.”

Leonore shuddered as if the mere thought gave her goosebumps.

[ ……Tsk. ]

Hersella clicked her tongue quietly. She seemed displeased by my conversation with Leonore. Come to think of it, the story of a female knight becoming a barbarian’s prisoner and suffering humiliation would remind her of her mother’s fate.

“…At this rate, we’ll make contact within an hour. If you don’t have a plan to deal with them, dispersing would be our best option.”

The eighth sword of Landenburg, Jan Ridel, approached with a grim face.

“Disperse…?”

Does he mean we should scatter and flee? So at least some might survive?

That’s impossible. If the enemy numbers were small, perhaps, but against thousands of pursuers, dispersing would only lead to us being picked off one by one. Breaking formation wouldn’t make us any faster.

…No, that’s not it.

Among us, there was exactly one person who could reach the Wall without any problems if they dispersed and fled alone.

Someone riding a tireless magical beast instead of a normal warhorse, someone who could outrun horses even on foot if they had to.

[ If we scatter, at least you could escape. ]

Yes. Me.

Jan’s suggestion essentially meant sacrificing everyone else to send just me back inside the Wall.

It was a rational decision. From Landenburg and the Empire’s perspective, one hundred seventy cavalry and five masters were replaceable forces, but I was an irreplaceable core asset.

If sacrificing five masters could save my life, it would actually be beneficial. Logically speaking.

……My mouth tasted bitter.

– Hiss.

I spat out the cigarette that had burned down and looked at the cavalry riding ahead of me. People who turned their heads to look at me, waiting for my orders with trembling eyes.

Fear, trust, anxiety, resolve, grief, determination, despair.

The flood of emotions pouring through their eyes.

Like stars shining, dark as the abyss, sticky as a swamp, and burning like fire—this torrent of emotions filled my chest and showed me the path I needed to take.

My mind felt clear.

[ …If you want to survive, following that man’s suggestion would be wise. What will you do? ]

Hersella asked, as if testing me.

My answer was already decided.

‘I’m sorry to tell you this… but I decide how I live. Abandoning others and fleeing to survive pathetically isn’t my way.’

Once was enough when I left Ka’har.

“I reject the suggestion to disperse. Continue advancing! Run with all your might until we reach the Wall! I’ll be behind you!”

I drew Durandal and pointed forward as I shouted.

A blue light resembling the sky rippled along the blade.

—-

[ You choose a reckless death? That’s unlike you. Haven’t you repeatedly said you have reasons why you must not die? ]

‘I never said I would die.’

Yes, I do have reasons why I must not die. I need to protect this world heading toward destruction, cutting down all the bastards with the unreliable Demian.

If I die and Demian fails, it won’t end with just our two lives. Everyone I know, everyone in the world will die. Or end up in a fate worse than death.

How could I bear that? Just imagining it makes me furious to the core.

So I must survive to the end and protect the world. That’s why I’ve kept telling myself I have reasons not to die.

[ Then… ]

‘But not like this.’

Should I flee every time things look unfavorable just because I need to survive?

That’s no different from being dead.

‘I won’t survive by fleeing pathetically.’

Surviving that way is meaningless. Just being alive doesn’t solve anything.

Instead of abandoning others and running away, I must fight and win.

‘Fight. Win. Protect. Survive. That’s the way I’ve chosen to live.’

Hersella was silent for a while.

In the silence where only the thunder of hoofbeats echoed, she spoke again after about ten seconds.

[ …A warrior’s life is struggle. ]

‘What…?’

I tilted my head at the sudden, contextless remark.

[ Proving one’s existence through struggle. That is the true duty of a warrior. Just as you are doing now. ]

[ You are truly a warrior. ]

It was her own version of high praise—something I never imagined would come from Hersella’s mouth.

For me, it felt somewhat like the leader of barbarians saying “You are a barbarian among barbarians! A true barbarian!” as a compliment, so my feelings were a bit mixed.

[ If you wish to fight, then so shall I. Let us go. Let us fight, achieve victory, and survive. As warriors. ]

‘Yes. Let’s do this.’

I nodded with a slight smile.

—-

The distance with the enemy continued to shrink, and in a few minutes, their arrows would be able to reach our backs.

I would have preferred to advance further before fighting, but… that seemed impossible. The soldiers who had discarded their armor for mobility couldn’t possibly withstand the Ka’har arrows.

If we delayed even a few more minutes here, my resolve would mean nothing as our forces would be annihilated in a rain of arrows, leaving only a few masters and knights.

Therefore, I had to stop them before the arrow rain began.

“Let’s go! Cascador!”

I gently pulled the reins and turned my horse around.

Like a motorcycle sliding on an unpaved road, Cascador dug deep into the ground with his hooves and changed direction. A cloud of dust rose up and covered Nigel’s back who was riding ahead.

“Lady Haschal?!”

“Are you crazy, miss?”

Nigel, Jahan, and Leonore, who immediately guessed what I was planning just by seeing me stop, shouted with shocked faces as they tried to halt their horses.

Karim and Jan also looked back at me with surprised eyes.

“Keep going! I’ll buy some time and follow later!”

“But…!”

“This is an order! An order from ‘Haschal Median Aishan-Gioro’! You understand what that means?”

My words were directed at Jahan, who looked ready to join me. I was telling him this wasn’t just my order, but also Hersella’s—the real Haschal’s—so don’t think of refusing.

“Even if it’s Lady Haschal’s order, I cannot…!”

“You’d be useless here and would only get in my way!”

Harsh words, but true. No one but me could possibly stand against that army. Even masters don’t have bodies impervious to swords and arrows.

In one-on-one combat, they might fight hundreds of times without a scratch, but surrounded by hundreds of warriors, they wouldn’t last long.

“Grrrr…!”

Understanding my meaning, Jahan ground his teeth and turned away. He too must have realized he would only be a hindrance.

To be frank, if Jahan died or became a hostage, it would disturb Hersella’s composure.

“…You must return. Understand?!”

“That’s right! I won’t forgive you if you die! If you die, the Empire and the Holy State will be turned upside down!”

Nigel and Leonore shouted at the top of their lungs as they galloped forward. Their rough tone couldn’t hide their worry and anxiety.

And so, I sent all my allies ahead and remained alone to face the enemy.

‘…Good thing I changed pants.’

[ Though you look utterly indecent. ]

I shrugged as I looked down at my leather pants that barely covered the upper part of my thighs.

When we decided to retreat, I had changed just in case and covered my exposed legs with bandages. Now it seemed like foresight.