Ch.90Chapter 90. Encounter, Serpina’s Army (5)

* * *

“The Serpina Army invaded Gelstrom Castle?”

“…Yes.”

Anima fell into thought at Erinandorf’s report.

‘At this point, they’re targeting Gelstrom first instead of Raclaine?’

She had assumed that if they were to attack, it would definitely be Raclaine.

Strategically speaking, Raclaine would have been the most tempting target for the Serpina Army.

Occupying this place would not only put them face-to-face with the Hesna Army in the south but also allow them to establish a position that would feel like surrounding the Brans Army.

Anima sank into contemplation.

Why had they invaded Gelstrom first instead of Raclaine?

‘Could it be…’

With just a little thought, the reason wasn’t difficult to deduce.

‘Has Serpina’s target changed from the Brans Army to our Aeshus Army…?’

If that assumption was correct, everything made sense.

If they were planning to set aside the Brans Army and deal with our Aeshus Army first, then Gelstrom Castle, which was the most difficult for us to defend, would naturally catch their eye.

What was difficult for us to defend meant, in turn, that it was easier for the enemy to conquer.

So, should we just remain still, entangled in the scenario that the Serpina Army had drawn up?

As she was lost in thought, a familiar male voice reached her.

“…What are you going to do now?”

Erinandorf approached with his large frame and asked Anima, who was sitting in the lord’s seat.

“Ern. What do you think I should do?”

“…I.”

Erinandorf bowed his head before Anima.

The large man’s gaze was looking down at her.

Physically, he was certainly looking down, but in reality, it would be more accurate to say he was looking up to her.

“Anima, I’ll do whatever you tell me to. You’ve always been right.”

“I don’t think I’ve always been right.”

“It doesn’t matter. Even if it’s not right, I’ll make it right.”

Anima smiled faintly.

“That’s kind of you.”

When he spoke to Anima and when he listened to her words.

Erinandorf maintained an expressionless face throughout.

But—in that stoic expression after hearing her words, there was clearly something.

A piece of sadness.

“I never understood Yurie’s thinking. No matter how excellent someone might be, there was no reason to remove you from the position of National Strategist… when you were already doing so well.”

“Let’s drop that now. Objectively speaking, Ginor is an extremely talented person, and placing such talent in the right position is also a virtue of a ruler. Besides, back then, the Empire was just our motherland, right? It would be childish to only select people who haven’t received the Empire’s salary.”

“…Are you really okay with this?”

Anima easily read the hidden meaning in Erinandorf’s question.

Is it really okay to accept that someone who received the Empire’s salary now holds a key position in the Aeshus Army?

He was clearly saying that to her silently—that’s what she thought.

“I will appoint Ginor Nighthart as the new National Strategist.”

It was Erinandorf, standing right in front of her, who had been more outraged than herself when Yurie had made that announcement.

He was originally a retainer serving the Aeshus family.

He was an incredibly strong warrior, but not the type whose mind worked particularly well.

Perhaps that’s why.

Among all people, he had been the one who had silently followed her strategies without any questions.

“…Yes.”

Anima slowly nodded.

Erinandorf stared at her silently for a moment—

Then, after taking two steps back, he knelt before her.

And spoke in a very serious tone.

“You can order me to do anything. I will definitely win.”

“…”

Anima looked at Erinandorf and fell into thought.

If 70,000 troops are currently heading toward Gelstrom Castle.

Those troops must have departed from the nearest Hisfil Castle.

According to the latest information, the remaining troops were positioned along the border of the Brans Army.

Then couldn’t we take advantage of this opportunity to target Hisfil Castle?

‘Should I send a spy first? …No. That would take too much time.’

The most important thing in such surprise-like operations was speed.

If they moved after fully understanding the situation, there was a high possibility of falling behind at a crucial timing.

‘What should I do?’

If anything, Anima wanted to achieve proper results.

Even though she had been removed from the position of National Strategist, she wanted to somehow prove that she was still useful.

She was feeling impatient… but she couldn’t move without any information either.

‘…Even if it means being delayed and missing the decisive timing, it would be better to send a spy first to check the situation at Hisfil Castle.’

If they headed toward Hisfil Castle for a surprise attack and there were many soldiers there, it would be a disaster in itself.

They would unnecessarily lose troops, which would mean losing this Raclaine Castle that they had barely managed to obtain.

Wasn’t advancing into the central part of the continent a long-cherished project of the Aeshus Army?

She couldn’t ruin Yurie’s trust, who had handed over the position of castle lord to her because he trusted her, due to impatience.

Even if it meant missing an opportunity, she would act cautiously.

After making that decision, Anima finally looked down at Ern, who was kneeling before her, and said.

“Listen, Ern.”

“Yes.”

“Send a general this way. I have something for them to do.”

“…”

Erinandorf didn’t answer but nodded, then got up and walked out of the audience chamber with heavy steps.

In the empty audience chamber, Anima rested her chin on her only remaining arm and bit her thumbnail.

‘Somehow… I need to produce visible results. Somehow…!’

The arch-enemy who had appeared before her, Serpina von Einhart.

She wanted to somehow prove her worth by landing a blow on her.

That desire was the driving force that kept her moving now.

After sending the spy, how many days had passed?

While she was focusing on taking care of the internal affairs of Raclaine Castle and training the soldiers, a messenger sent by the spy dispatched to Hisfil Castle arrived at Raclaine Castle.

The content was as follows:

[There are 61,000 troops in the castle, and they are currently preparing to depart].

‘So there were troops left after all.’

Indeed, it was the Serpina Army that had absorbed the entire population of the north.

Despite having already sent 70,000 troops, there were still over 60,000 troops remaining in the castle.

Setting aside the fact that she almost made a big mistake by rushing out for a surprise attack without checking, there was a particularly concerning phrase.

‘Preparing to depart?’

In other words… are they sending troops to Raclaine Castle?

As a feint?

But, Raclaine Castle had 69,000 soldiers.

And the vanguard commander protecting it was Erinandorf Arisian. A quite renowned and excellent general.

So what this meant was… from the perspective of the Serpina Army, sending those troops here would be tantamount to suicide.

Wasting troops trying to breach a castle they couldn’t breach?

If those troops were to launch an invasion on Raclaine Castle as they were, there would be two possibilities.

First, the commander of the Serpina Army was an extremely talented person.

Second, they could afford to lose that many troops and still launch a full-scale offensive.

The possibility of the first was very low.

The Serpina Army was certainly the strongest nation on the continent.

But strangely enough, it was a country that lacked renowned generals or strategists.

From the beginning, when they were cleaning up the feudal lords scattered across the northern continent, all the generals who didn’t surrender to her disappeared as dew on the execution ground.

It was a natural result considering that generals with enough courage not to surrender were all excellent generals.

Even if they had inherited all the infrastructure of the Empire, all the renowned retainers from the Empire era had scattered and become feudal lords.

What sustained the Serpina Army were many average generals and even more troops.

If the Aeshus Army relied on a few excellent generals, the other side was conducting a quantity offensive, which would roughly match up.

Anyway, the second possibility was more likely… but somehow, the picture in her mind wasn’t clear.

If they had many soldiers, it would make more sense to gather them all at once and send them, rather than sending them meaninglessly to this side multiple times.

After thinking that far, suddenly another possibility crossed her mind.

‘Are they planning to invade where the Brans Army is, not our side?’

To the northwest of Raclaine Castle, which is the southwest of Hisfil Castle, was Elgaim Castle.

If you go a little further from this Elgaim Castle, passing through a few small castles, you reach Anel Castle, the capital of the Brans Army.

‘Ah.’

Only then did the picture that the Serpina Army was drawing start to become visible.

The Brans Army side was currently suffering from a shortage of troops, so it would be much easier to occupy than attacking us.

Their morale was also at rock bottom due to continuous defeats.

‘If that’s correct… we might be able to capture Hisfil Castle.’

The last thing that bothered her.

If they were targeting the Brans Army, why did the enemy send troops to Gelstrom Castle?

She wasn’t sure about that part… but she thought it was probably to divert our army’s attention.

Since they invaded Gelstrom Castle, we would focus on defending that side.

‘Something doesn’t quite fit perfectly…’

Yes.

Here, let’s be cautious and send a spy to monitor the situation first.

Once we confirm the information about this and that, we’ll have a better sense of what to do.

‘While preparing for departure… let’s wait for the next messenger.’

If the troops don’t depart from there, we can just give up on Hisfil Castle.

Above all, cautiously, without making mistakes.

Thinking like that, Anima began to draw up her own plan.

Believing without a doubt that this would be the wings that would make Yurie soar.

*

Some time later.

“Really? You’re saying they’ve departed?”

“Yes, that’s right. I saw it with my own two eyes.”

The news that the troops who were preparing to depart from Hisfil Castle had left through the west gate of the castle carrying yellow flags reached Anima’s ears.

If you continue straight west from the castle, you reach… Elgaim Castle in the territory of the Brans Army.

‘It seems my prediction was correct.’

Anima had been granted quite a lot of autonomy for a castle lord.

This meant she could act independently on most major matters without Yurie’s approval.

Recently, she had established a one-month armistice agreement with the Hesna Army.

Now it was time to take action.

“Call General Erinandorf here.”

“Yes! Understood!”

After sending the messenger, Anima recalled Yurie’s face.

I’ll be your wings.

That promise was still very valid.