episode_0040

I quickly grasped the current situation.

There are currently 8,000 soldiers who can be useful to our military.

If we selected more soldiers who had just returned from battle and were in good health, we would be able to employ about 2,000 more.

A total of 10,000 people. Normally, it might not have been such a despairing number, but-

Now, the enemy was leading a large army of over 30,000 people.

Besides, this is not a castle, but a fortress. Its defenses were also lower than those of the castle, so it was clear that it would be destroyed much faster by siege weapons.

But to protest??

why???

Also, why on earth did they say ‘take a position where you can see the enemy soldiers’?

If the prediction came out like that, there must be a reason. Because it has always been like this.

It would have been nice if we could have slowly sorted out the number of cases.

The remaining people were talking to each other and trying to find solutions in their own way, so it was important to stop thinking and not miss the conversation.

“I think it would be better to withdraw from here as expected.”

Miguel nodded at Parque’s words.

“Hmm… … Approval from the lord?”

“For now, I sent the messenger. According to the date, it was about time for the messenger with the next instructions to arrive… … ”

“What did I tell you?”

“We delivered the news of the defeat in the war, the news that General Kalinz had been taken prisoner, and the news that we might soon be invaded due to the limited number of troops left.”

“… … Is it a question of whether to wait for the messenger or take independent action?”

It hasn’t been long since Miguel started thinking like that.

Just at that moment, a soldier entered the conference room.

He wore a bright red armband on his forearm.

The person we needed now was a messenger.

“Messenger, we have just arrived! This is a message from my lord Lin Brans!”

“Oh! They say the tiger will come when I tell it to, so it came happily. So, what did my lord tell me to do?”

“… … Here it is.”

The soldier looked a little nervous and handed over the paper with Lin’s handwriting on it.

Miguel’s expression grew darker as he read it.

“I… … General Miguel. What does it say?”

“Hmm… … Huh.”

Miguel, who made a trembling sound without answering Parc’s words, soon looked at the messenger and said.

“Are you sure about this?”

“… … yes. It is consistent with what I heard directly from my lord.”

Everyone was looking at Miguel’s face at this moment with an expression of ‘What on earth is this about?’

Miguel didn’t say anything for a while… … Soon, he carefully opened his heavy mouth.

“… … The lord ordered that the fortress be defended.”

“Well, like that… … ! ah. Are you sending reinforcements… … ?”

Miguel nodded slowly at Parque’s words.

“At Anel Castle… … They say they departed.”

“Yes… … ? Are you talking about Agnel Castle? … ?”

Even if you start from Kelstein Castle, it would be breathtaking.

If we started from Annell Castle, there was absolutely no way to defend this fortress from the Serpina army.

‘What on earth are you thinking, she?’

If you weren’t telling us all to fight and get caught or die, you wouldn’t have given an order like this, right?

and.

Miguel gave me the answer to this question faster than I expected.

“… … However.”

After saying that, Miguel spoke in a miserable tone.

“Some generals were scheduled to be reassigned for new missions, so he told them to leave the fortress immediately after hearing about it and go to their assigned location to carry out their missions there.”

“Yes?”

‘… … no way.’

My bad predictions soon became reality and appeared before my eyes.

“… … Miguel Brown, Parque, Lilia, Jayden. The four people below go to Kelstein Castle. And Jack, Cylin, and Swen. The three people below will return to Anel Castle to engage in a new mission… … You said it.”

“… … !!”

“The remaining longevity… … He ordered us to defend the fortress until reinforcements arrived. He said he was expecting an exploit… … You are doing it.”

Only then did everyone realize why Miguel was stuttering and looked at the face of the only person in this place who was not named.

Irene Juliette.

In the end, Rin was still trying to extinguish the flame of her life even in this world line.

* * *

Turn back time for a moment.

Around the time the messenger sent by Parc arrived at Lin.

“Kalinz Brans… … I became a prisoner of Ian’s army… … ?”

Looking at Rin who was astonished with his eyes wide open, the messenger could only bow his head without giving any answer.

‘no… … Why on earth… … ?’

Soon, she too learned the truth of the war.

Rebellion at Cherien Castle. Ian’s military giant.

An unreasonable battle involving 35,000 men.

Finding out why such an unreasonable battle occurred was possible even without the tactician Farfalle.

Brother… … Did you decide that it was ‘worth a try’?

Because I added 10,000 soldiers?

‘Such a fool… … Little brother… … !’

Ever since he was defeated by the Lunarien army, he seemed anxious to make up for it.

It seemed like there was an accident after all.

He thought he was a trustworthy general, so he gave him full authority to act without his approval, and in reality, he was much more trustworthy than Chell, who had an aggressive personality depending on the situation, but he made a misjudgment when he saw the increase in troops.

If more soldiers had been sent, Carlinz would have really been able to capture Cherien Castle.

Because hitting the Serpina army’s castle and hitting the small country that just raised a large army had different weights.

Then, the Brans Army would have been able to achieve the goal they had dreamed of – planting the sky blue Brans Army flag in the northern region.

When she thought about that, that face flashed in her mind.

The man who insisted that ‘sending soldiers is right’ – Swen’s face.

“… … !!!”

Lin’s eyes became four hundred eyes.

This time too… … It’s the same as back then.

He was right.

‘Nonsense… … !’

The man wasn’t even claiming defense.

He argued that we should gather as many troops as possible and then ‘attack’ the north.

At that moment, goosebumps appeared all over Rin’s body.

This isn’t the first time I’ve felt this feeling.

The moment I first met Swen, who came as an envoy, I felt a similar feeling when a messenger came to announce the invasion of Serpina’s army.

Knowing in advance that Serpina’s army would attack Brans’ army.

You expected a rebellion to break out at Cherien Castle this time?

‘Swen… … How on earth did you… … ‘How did you know this would happen?’

but.

The opportunity has already passed.

No, the mediocre choice actually made me angry.

If Lin himself had not sent any soldiers at all, Kalinz would not have overexerted himself no matter how impatient he was.

The reason for providing vague support rather than providing full support to soldiers was very simple.

Irene Juliet was the first to argue that ‘soldiers must be sent to the North’… … Because I didn’t like it.

So, this is my fault… … ?

‘… … no. It’s not my fault… … !’

Irene Juliette.

The name offended Rin again.

When Rin thought about it, she was a strangely unreliable woman.

okay. If I were to be specific, it was when I was young. She was a woman that my father had not liked since he was still alive.

In this situation, her pride did not allow her to admit her mistakes, as she was finally chosen as the successor after defeating her brothers who felt inferior and was finally selected as the supreme leader.

Moreover, the very fact that she ‘missed the opportunity by not listening to Irene’ strongly shook her composure.

‘… … okay. ‘If you’re right, you need to prove it, right?’

Her head, filled with anger, rushed toward another somewhat lapse in judgment.

Why didn’t he listen to Swen, whom he personally recruited, in the first place?

Isn’t it all because of Iren?

If she wasn’t the only one who brought up that argument, the discussion wouldn’t have been cut off midway, and the outcome would have been different.

So – the person who is ‘responsible’ for this should be the woman who said it, not him.

It was a very arbitrary thought, but the Absolute was in a position where he had no choice but to be forgiven even if he was selfish at times.

no. Before that – who would dare make such a fuss about forgiving her?

First of all, reinforcements will be sent.

However, since the only troops that can be deployed right now are the capital defense forces, isn’t this inevitable?

And surprisingly, after shifting responsibility to myself, I felt more at ease than I thought.

at that time.

Irene’s voice came into Rin’s mind, and she couldn’t remember when.

“Master. Please trust me just once. I will definitely do my best.”

It’s a ball.

Since you say that, would you like to do whatever you want?

‘Try to make a contribution. Irene. Prove that it’s not just words?’

Rin raised the corners of his mouth as he thought so.

In Brans County, falling out of favor with the monarch meant death.

* * *

It was Irene who broke the silence in the conference room where no one was allowed to speak.

“Okay. I, Irene Juliet, will follow your orders.”

“General Irene… … .”

“I will give my all and protect this fortress until reinforcements arrive.”

A fortress that was built by Kalinz in a rush to make a mark, and is not very strategic from the Brans army’s point of view.

She pledged to be loyal to her lord, who was putting her at risk to protect the fortress, as she had always done.

It will always be like that.

Iren of all world lines would have been so foolish and done everything they were told-

Nevertheless, if he survived, his head would have been blown off by his master in the end.

“Everyone, please leave the fortress as soon as possible. It will soon become dangerous.”

“… … .”

Miguel couldn’t say anything as he looked at her face.

Irene said with a smile as if she understood Miguel.

“Don’t worry. Because I am the one holding the sword for you, Lin. Until this body burns down, I will just serve my lord.”

“… … .”

Miguel probably knows too.

As for how Iren is treated in Brans.

But there will be nothing he can do.

Because he didn’t have the strength to twist Lin’s enormous will to push Iren away.

but.

‘I can do it.’

I instinctively knew that an opportunity had come to me.

Prediction made by a brain with 100 intelligence – [Take a position where you can see the enemy soldiers and then sit in.]

I have no idea why such a prediction was made, but one thing is certain.

If you protest as instructed, you will win this battle.

must.

I had the confidence to ‘stumble’ Rin’s persistent and shady will.

“… … Then, please do me a favor.”

“Okay. Excuse me, but I would like to spend my time taking care of wounded soldiers. Do you mind if I leave first?”

“Let it be so.”

“Then.”

Irene said that and slowly left the conference room.

After that, a situation occurred again where no one dared to open their mouth.

Only then did I raise my hand.

“I have something to tell you.”

“… … Opinion?”

Miguel, who looked somewhat tired, looked at me and asked a question.

Why?

Even in this situation, I wasn’t anxious at all.

I wasn’t even angry. Rather, I felt like the burden of having to persuade someone had been lifted.

Iren does not die here.

They were driven to Saji by the monarch, but ironically, this place is not Saji.

That’s right – the absolute correct answer had already popped into my head.

I slowly opened my mouth.

“I will stay here.”

* * *

“What?”

Miguel looked at Swen with a shocked expression, then quickly regained his composure and asked:

“… … Look, you. Sorry, but may I ask your name?”

“This is Swen.”

“Okay. Swen. He must be one of the generals who came with General Irene not long ago. anyway… … What do you mean by staying here?”

“I would like to help General Irene and fight the war.”

“What?”

At Swen’s words, the once quiet conference room began to stir.

Miguel also couldn’t help but be embarrassed.

‘Are you going to stay here and fight?’

It’s a good word, but anyone who has eaten Brans’s rust can notice it.

Lord Lin Brans is now… … It drove Irene to the brink of death.

The fact that she was hated by her lord Lin was information known to anyone who had served in Brans County for a long time.

In the first place, the problem was sending reinforcements from Arnel Castle, not Kelstein Castle.

It would be like showing the rest of the generals that ‘we did enough.’

There may not be many people who are simple enough to fall for it, but there was a big difference between doing it and not doing it.

but… … Even after seeing her like that, you would stay here and help her?

“No… … Yeah, well, you might want to fight for our military. But you… … Do you know?”

Miguel said with a serious expression.

“Your lord has summoned you, but not responding is the same as breaking his order. This is a problem before your patriotism.”

“But wasn’t this fortress built under the leadership of Kalinz himself? As it is such a place, I want to fight until the end rather than give up.”

“Huh… … .”

at that time.

Parc, who was next to Miguel, shook his head in his own way.

‘Come to think of it… … That man used to say things that praised Kalinz.’

If Farc was a smarter person, he might not have noticed that ‘Kalintz was placed in the dangerous vanguard position instead of Airen.’

He wasn’t that great of a person.

Therefore, I looked at the situation itself in a simplified way.

‘Are you planning to get hold of Kalinz’s connections?’

Calinz Brans.

Although he is said to have been taken prisoner, he probably won’t die.

It would be useful to execute this man directly, but from Ian’s point of view, he would not be able to do so for fear of repercussions.

Even if Serpina’s army recaptures Cherien Castle and takes over the prisoner, it would be much wiser to use him as material for diplomacy – even though he was a prisoner, there was a high possibility that he would not die.

There was a good chance that a prison escape would be successful in the midst of the chaos.

At least, if I was planning to work in Brans County for a long time, I thought it would be a wiser decision to go with Kalintz rather than the difficult to please master Rin or the somewhat tyrannical Chell.

If he comes back alive, everything that the man named Swen did here will move Kalinz’s heart.

‘I guess he threw his life away to get ahead somehow.’

Although it is a slim probability, if this becomes known, he will be on the road to success in Brans County with a strong supporter named Kalinz.

Those young, new generals sometimes showed that kind of spirit to achieve success.

Parc was already too old, so seeing him was more important.

Was that why?

Parque wanted to help the young newcomer do as he pleases.

If the result is death, isn’t that also a problem he must deal with on his own?

Of course, it was all Parque’s illusion.

“General Miguel. I think it would be better to let them do whatever they want.”

“What… … ?”

“Although we departed from Castle Arnel, it is true that reinforcements are on the way, and isn’t General Airen very capable? For no other reason than to say that they want to fight for our military. Maybe a miracle could happen?”

“… … .”

Miguel was lost in thought for a moment after hearing Parque’s words, and then he remembered that they had little time left.

okay.

From his perspective, it was impossible for him to pay any attention to the fire moth throwing itself into the burning fire.

“… … I understand. I will do my best to convey your wishes to my lord.”

* * *

okay.

I wanted to hear that.

I bowed down and answered.

“I will definitely give you good news.”

“Mmm. I’m looking forward to it.”

It may not seem like you’re expecting much, but you might be surprised.

This fortress will definitely not be taken away.

One way or another, it is now spilled water.

Now was the time to do what only I could do.

‘let’s go.’

Irene Juliette.

To prevent her spark of life from going out.