episode_0016
by fnovelpia
16. Fighting Through Injuries
Part of his shoulder was gone.
Without even a shred of magic, his frail and soft muscles had been torn apart as if exploded.
Thick blood vessels were severed, skin peeled away, and a portion of his muscles had been ripped apart.
He hastily used potions to close the wound and applied bandages as emergency treatment.
Yet, Cain lay drenched in cold sweat inside the makeshift medical tent.
Meanwhile, Erika bit her nails, her legs trembling.
Adel and Luna could only endure the heavy atmosphere inside the tent.
“Sister, I’m back.”
After what felt like an eternity, Vivian returned.
The woman who had taken the injured Cain and personally escorted him to the infirmary.
Erika, still expressionless—
No, despite her legs and hands shaking from anxiety, she forced herself to speak calmly.
“The fox?”
“Potions have their limits, he said.”
“And?”
“He lacks magic, but his body is sturdy enough to endure injuries like these for about three weeks.”
“I see.”
She added that if they returned immediately and had the priest examine the wound, there might not even be a scar left.
Erika crossed her arms and tapped her fingers rhythmically against her wrist.
Suppressing her restless emotions, she closed her eyes and sank into thought.
Had she lost herself in thought for about five minutes? Erika, whose lips had been tightly sealed, finally spoke.
“We retreat.”
“What?!”
Adel protested vehemently upon hearing Erika’s decision.
So absurd was the order that, despite having sworn to serve her liege, she slammed her hand on the table in defiance.
Veins bulging in her neck, Adel rebelled against Erika’s decision.
“Are you out of your mind?! Sister, have you lost your wits over a man?! Retreat?!”
An insult unthinkable in a typical lord-vassal relationship.
Yet, despite Adel’s rudeness, no one inside the command tent objected or affirmed her words.
“Sigh… This situation is just… ridiculous.”
Vivian Penrose, who had beheaded Lionel and earned merit, let out a sigh.
What had happened since the duel turned into a siege?
Erika, who had formed a lord-vassal bond with them, had practically forced them to capture Penrose Castle.
But since then, one plan after another had failed, and they had been stuck in a stalemate for over a month and a week.
This war was supposed to be a swift blitzkrieg, ending in less than a week…
Why were they struggling like this?
The traitors, of course.
In the depths of winter, when food supplies were dangerously low.
They should have crushed them in a surprise attack, but thanks to the traitor’s betrayal, they were forced into a siege.
Still, if they had just returned after beheading Lionel, it might have been bearable.
Now, with only three days’ worth of rations left.
And Erika’s prized man returning severely wounded.
To any observer, Penrose had won, and Erika had lost.
What would the minor nobles think seeing their lord return without conquering even a single castle despite such a massive investment?
“Maybe I should betray her too, or raise a rebellion—who’s to say Erika can even win anyway?”
Such treacherous thoughts would flourish.
Moreover, this war was one the minor nobles had never supported wholeheartedly.
If they retreated now, Erika’s political survival would be at stake.
Adel glared at her sister, knowing all this yet still ordering a retreat.
Erika remained composed, responding calmly to Adel’s objections.
“Then, can you take that castle in three days?”
“That’s…”
Adel clenched her jaw at Erika’s words.
This war had never been meant to be a siege from the start.
Under normal circumstances, sieges required at least a year and steady supplies.
If they could breach the walls in just three days, siege battles wouldn’t be the most dreaded scenario on the battlefield.
“Besides, the people’s hearts have turned. There’s no hope of them opening the gates or rebelling now.”
The moment Cain collapsed after taking an arrow meant for her, Erika had screamed in despair.
Her words were so vehement that the townspeople, fearing repercussions, had barred the gates.
Forcing their way in was impossible.
Food was running out, and resupply was unthinkable.
The people’s loyalty had shifted, leaving no chance of internal strife.
Retreating now meant losing much, but pressing forward was hopeless.
Knowing this, Vivian and Luna remained silent, taking no side between Erika and Adel.
“I’m sorry. This is my failing.”
Erika bowed her head to her subordinates.
But they merely bit their lips or clenched their weapons, swallowing their frustration.
It wasn’t Erika’s incompetence they resented—it was their own inadequacy.
Not a single one of Erika’s decisions had been wrong.
When planning this war, she had boldly led their strongest force in a surprise attack on Penrose.
Lionel Penrose, underestimating Erika’s forces, had challenged them to a duel and been obliterated.
Were it not for the traitor, the war would have ended in victory within two days—siege unnecessary.
Even the lone questionable decision—directly appealing to the townspeople—had been their best option with only three days of rations left.
“This is frustrating.”
Vivian voiced her feelings, knowing the full truth.
This defeat wasn’t due to Erika’s incompetence—the situation itself had been untenable.
The traitor’s leak had ruined the surprise attack, snowballing into this disaster.
And… deep down, they all knew victory was impossible.
Unless a miracle happened…
“We retreat—”
“W-Wait…!”
Just as she was about to issue the retreat order, the man Erika affectionately called “fox” pushed through the tent flaps.
——————————————————————
I opened my eyes.
My shoulder throbbed relentlessly, but thanks to my sturdy physique, I could still move.
Apart from the lack of strength, I was in better shape than expected…
“That’s the potion’s effect. Soon, excruciating pain will— Hey, where are you going?!”
Ignoring the medic, I stumbled outside.
I hurried to the command tent where the generals were strategizing.
Just as I reached the entrance, I overheard the shocking words:
“We retreat—”
“W-Wait…!”
I barged in before the decision was finalized.
If Erika didn’t value me, this insolence alone would warrant execution.
My ragged breathing betrayed how hard I’d pushed myself to get here.
Gasping, I looked at Erika—but she turned her back to me.
“Count?”
“……”
Why is she sulking?
Or does she resent me for causing this mess?
My chest tightened as she refused to even face me—until she finally spoke.
“Don’t look at me… Not when I’m this pathetic, tasting defeat on my first campaign…”
Ah… So she’s blaming herself as an incompetent leader.
But I couldn’t let this end like this.
Even if I wanted to quit, a company’s collapse would still tarnish my reputation.
Besides, I couldn’t let the company go under while I was still employed.
If they retreated now, Erika’s political standing would plummet.
And as her rumored favorite, I’d suffer the fallout too…
And… I couldn’t bear seeing her, usually so proud, reduced to this.
“Give me a week.”
“What? Do you even understand what you’re saying?”
Adel nearly threw her obsidian sunglasses in shock.
“Stretching this another week means burning through our retreat rations too.”
“If this fails, it’s over—not just politically, but in every way.”
Even Vivian, who usually favored me, objected.
Retreating now would only be a political disaster—their army and cause intact, recovery was possible.
But if my plan failed, everything—military, legitimacy, politics—would collapse.
Yet the more they protested, the more I dug in.
“Enough.”
Erika raised a hand, silencing Adel and Vivian.
Then she looked at me and asked:
“One week. Do you have a way?”
I glanced at Vivian, Luna, and Adel.
Over a month ago, Vivian had fought like a cinematic hero, wielding her glaive in single combat.
If the other three were equally formidable…
“If we can just breach the walls… With the three of you inside, we can win, right?”
“Of course! That parasitic bastard wouldn’t last a single swing against my—!”
Vivian slammed her glaive into the ground, nodding fiercely.
Seeing the others agree, it seemed possible.
As a salaried employee, I couldn’t just laze around.
“This…”
I pulled out a blueprint from my coat and handed it to Erika.
A design I’d shelved due to safety concerns and the lack of a prototype.
Erika studied it before commenting:
“A stove? Or… an octopus hugging a basket?”
A rounded top, a basket large enough for a person.
At its core, a heat source to lift it skyward—humanity’s first flying machine.
Simple enough to build quickly using existing stove materials.
“What do you call this?”
A hot air balloon.
Starting now, I’d craft this world’s first flying machine—to restore my liege’s smile.
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