Chapter 8 – Starting the Mop-Up Operation of Hero’s Sword!

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Imperial Calendar, Year 260 – Moon of the Peridot

Five days had passed since I――who was staying in the village of the Warihara clan――had sent a letter with a troop dispatch permit to Malida in Castle Ashley while using Luminas as messenger. They had passed, but…

An unbelievable scene took place in the village of the Warihara.

By the way, an ancient book on the art of war in my former world mentioned that soldiers valued swiftness. As explanation, it further said, 『In war it is of paramount importance to deal with everything quickly』, but this world seemed to follow the idea, 『Meatheads value the speed of light』. It basically meant, 『It is of paramount importance to implement anything related to war instantly on reflex』.

Or in short, they’re simple idiots who marched day and night without sleep, completely disregarding the soldiers’ level of exhaustion!

Malida did a forced march that allowed the oni to arrive in this place, which was five days by foot away from Castle Ashley, in less than 2.5 days. With this, the soldiers will be completely pooped and useless…I thought, but I apparently underestimated the way the meathead clan trains their bodies.

The soldiers, who arrived at the village, moved around full of life and vigor after they ate something and took naps of one hour in alternation.

“Albert, we’re finally able to do battle, right? It’s okay to thoroughly crush that armed organization called 『Hero’s Sword』, isn’t it? Right? Right? It’s fine, correct? Uuuuh, I want to cut them up as soon as possible!”

Lator had noticed and approached me. Now he was talking while looking at me with bloodshot eyes. Because it would be his first battle of the year, he seemed to overflow with motivation.

It’s dangerous, so I’d like you to stop doing practice swings with your ax in a place full of people.

“My stupid son seems to be in high spirits or something, but I’ll take the vanguard. This year we hadn’t had a single large-scale military exercise and I was just getting bored of doing nothing but warehouse construction, land reclamation, and embankment building anyway. You’ll let me go wild, won’t you? At this rate, my big spear will get all rusty.”

Hey, Chief Retainer, I’d like you to also stop swinging around your big spear in a place full of people. It’s dangerous.

Still, oni finish their preparations at lightning speed when it’s time for battle, don’t they? And yet they don’t even try to move a single finger when it comes to domestic affairs… Heck, just what am I going to do with this meathead clan?

“Albert! I’m going to participate in this battle! Recently my skills have deteriorated because I haven’t been cutting down any people. The opponents seem to be the remnants of Hero’s Sword, but will they be able to calm my boiling blood? As far as I’m concerned, I’d like to achieve a quota of 200 kills!”

And there’s another dangerous person with dangerous ideas. In the modern era, she’d have been immediately arrested by the police and taken in for questioning. Yep, that’s my wife for you.

Sorry for her being such a hotblooded berserk.

The resting soldiers were also loudly singing a weird song in a chorus. It’s scary. So damn scary.

Being under drugs during battle would affect the morale, so we must strictly punish those using them, but taking a closer look, they had simply shaken free from their tension and were now rejoicing over the possibility of going into battle.

I saw the Warihara clan members in the village hugging each other while trembling after seeing the oni make such a racket with a dangerous vibe.

Those combat maniacs were eagerly waiting for the battle to start.

“Wait a moment. What’s the point in kicking up such a fuss now? Besides, you three being here while leading the oni means no one is at Castle Ashley. Who’s protecting that place?”

Malida answered me with a serious look, “I left it to Liese-tan. I’ve properly passed her the right to command the soldiers, so no need to worry. Proxy Supreme Commander Liese von Alkor is protecting Castle Ashley for us.”

“Haaaaaaaah!?”

“What’s up with that damn long sigh?Liese-tan is quite popular, despite her looks. I’m also relying on Luminas and Lichere to immediately report back to me, if something goes wrong.”

Ugh! She has adopted simple, good measures that make it hard to scold her.

No, no, that’s not the issue here. Her having left our headquarters in the hands of Liese who used to be our enemy while departing to a distant land with her whole army is a huge problem.

Liese is madly in love with me, so the probability of her betraying us is almost zero, but having said that, would anyone head into battle while bringing all the warriors of the clan? She probably doesn’t consider that her home might be gone, once she goes back after winning the battle.

I feel like she’d only get scolded by the demon king, who doesn’t trust Liese, if he learned of this. We cannot afford to inform him that Malida left the strategic key point Castle Ashley to the family head of the Alkor family.

But, given that she already entrusted Liese with the job, I can’t change it from here. All I can do is to wrap up the battle quickly and swiftly return to Castle Ashley.

“Malida-sama, I’ve decided on your punishment. Once you finish the battle together with Brest-dono and Lator and we get back home, all of of you will be going straight into the special reflection room!”

“Why am I getting punished!?”

“You say I must enter that special reflection room!? No way!”

“I-I only followed the orders of Malida-nee-san and my Dad!”

“I won’t listen to any protests! From now on we’re going to take the stronghold where 『Hero’s Sword』 has entrenched itself. We will go with the assault strategy for the operation. However, I will decide when we start the attack. The command on the battlefield will be in Malida-sama’s hands. The enemy has entrenched behind a fortress in the mountains, but please win while limiting the losses among our allies to the minimum! Get ready!”

The three troublemakers looked like they wanted to protest, but once I informed them about the beginning of the battle, they reacted immediately and started to order their men around.

“I will smash Fort Onboro of the mountain folk alongside the gate, so don’t worry! We’re heading out! All of you, work hard to earn them achievements! Yahoo! It’s time for battle!”

“Ah, damn it! Malida! That’s sly of you! Everyone, don’t fall behind! We’re heading out right away! Go go! Come ooooon!”

“Ah! How mean of you to steal a march on me, Dad! Lator Platoon, follow me!”

“””Uuuoooohhh!”””

Since the battle last year, the oni have spent most of their time building storehouses, constructing embankments, and reclaiming land in the name of training. Now all the pent-up desire for battle seemed to burst forth. They all left the village and started to run towards the fort with ghastly faces.

Being hit by their raw bloodlust, the people of the Warihara clan rushed into their homes and hid themselves.

“Albert-dono, we finished our preparations, too. It looks like guiding the troops will be unnecessary. Is it okay for us to focus on the bodyguard mission?”

Hakim showed up together with several youths from his clan, but he noticed that they already got a late start.

“So it seems. Please guard me. Warid will be present with several members of the Goshoot as well, but since they will be watching the vicinity, I’d like you to take care of the guarding nearby.”

“As you command. Us Warihara shall serve as your guards, Albert-dono.”

Once Hakim gave his clan members a signal, people carrying a wooden palanquin appeared in front of me.

“The path leading up to the mountain fort is steep and harsh, so please get on this palanquin.”

Tears formed at me eyes thanks to Hakim’s consideration who prepared a palanquin for me to lower my burden-

“That’s a big help. Please go after Malida-sama’s troops.”

I chased after the Erwin family’s forces in the palanquin.

■

We managed to catch up with Malida’s forces, allowing me to order them to stop before the meatheads would have rushed the fort just like that.

“Haah, haah, Albert! How much longer? We’re still not going to attack? I’m about to lose my patience here!”

Malida cut a nearby rock apart with her greatsword as she waited for the start while panting hard. Apparently 『Hero’s Sword』 had noticed our presence as well. However, due to our unexpectedly fast arrival, the enemy seemed to feel scared while confining themselves inside the fort.

Among the 300 people inside the fortress, according to Warid’s report, around 50 had left the fort and surrendered thanks to message arrows that had been shot into the fort.

Well, as far as I’m concerned, I don’t intend to pardon those who surrendered at this point anyway. Going by their information, the food reserves inside the fort are low and only men capable of fighting are entrenched in there.

Because of that, I ordered Warid and Hakim to use the mountain folk for capturing the women and children of the diehard clans as they’re scheduled to be sold off to distant lands as slaves. Because any remnants of the diehard clans would become a seed for trouble in this region, it was a necessary measure.

If they’re going to hate someone, it should be their own clan chief who backed 『Hero’s Sword』.

I looked back at the fort in front of me. 『Hero’s Sword』, which used to pride itself with its big force and influence in Alexa and among the mountain folk, had now shrunk down to 250 people. Moreover, they were already getting cold feet after seeing the high tension of the Erwin family’s soldiers.

I used strategies and schemes to break apart a big organization in smaller and smaller parts, eventually reaching this point where I’ll finish off the small remaining chunk with my strongest weapon.

“Alright! Begin the siege!”

“You heard him! All of you lazy bums, we’re going to wreck that lousy shack over there! Teach them the dread of the oni of Eriwn!”

“We’re not going to let my stupid son being the only one in the limelight! We’ll take the top spot! Follow meee!”

“I’m going to cut down the most enemies!”

Following Malida and the oni, I drew my sword, took my mountain folk guards along and ran towards the fort in order to give this long conflict the finishing touch.

“Keep them away from the gate! Shower them with arrows! Shoot! Shoot until you’re out of arrows!” A soldier in thick armor yelled atop a watchtower, followed by a rain of arrows.

“Move, move, MOOOVE ASIDE! There’s no way for such bumbling arrows to hit me! How stupid!”

Brest rushed out in front of the army, easily whirled around his big spear like a fan, repelled the incoming arrows, and closed the distance to the main gate in one breath as if being a runaway, high-speed train.

That’s super dangerous! Isn’t Brest considering the possibility of him dying by a stray arrow?

He must know that the death of a general can lead straight to a rout. Or isn’t he aware of him being a general?

I’m trying to understand the oni bravery as much as possible, but I can’t watch it calmly since it’s so risky.

And just as he clung to the main gate while sweeping away arrows with a sword, he next held his aloft and leaped in.

“I cannot help but love baaaaaattle!! Come at me with more spirit, you lazy mutts!”

As soon as Brest swung his spear down, the fort’s gate door was divided in two. It’s the same technique Malida used in the past when we took the three border forts, but maybe it’s a standard for oni to possess that technique.

“ALRIIIIGHT! The gate is open! Advance! Go, go! Get the enemy’s heads! Don’t leave a single one alive!”

The gate door crumbled apart thanks to Brest’s slash, resulting in the castle’s interior being stormed right after the battle began.

I feel like another oni legend will be added to the bloody reputation of the 『Erwin Oni』.

“Blasted old man! You fucking stole my turn! And the enemies sure suck as well for allowing the likes of my old father to break through from the front! Damn it! The Lator Unit is going to get those kills from now on!”

Having the limelight stolen from him, Lator got pissed and once he encouraged his own troops, he started to clean up the enemies, who had gathered in front of the gate after recovering from their initial shock.

“Folish son of mine! You’re 200 years too early to steal a march on me! Hunt, hunt! Don’t allow the Lator Unit to get those heads! Breast Unit, chaaaaaarge!”

The soldiers under Lator and those under Brest efficiently cornered the enemy soldiers as if the usual bad blood between both units was just a lie, lopping off one head after the other.

“Hiii! They’re too strong! No good. It’s impossible!”

“No way we can match these guys!”

“S-Stop! Please stop! I’m surrende――”

With their main gate already breached, the fort’s soldiers were in panic. They were cut down by the meathead soldiers of the Erwin family, collapsing to the ground after losing their heads. I also slew several enemy soldiers after entering the castle grounds, but the enemy’s will to resist had declined drastically due to the oni’s brutal onslaught by that time.

Getting cornered this much, the chance for a reversal of the battle situation shattered alongside the enemy soldiers’ hearts.

“How booooooooring! So disappointing! Small-fry like these guys don’t even get me going! Aren’t there any strong fighters around here!? Anyone with some skill?”

Malida appeared after kicking an enemy soldier flying. She was wearing her revealing armor, which made her almost look as if she was naked.

Wai-!? Malida-san!? You mustn’t provoke the enemy soldiers with such a getup!

“Weak, they’re way too weak! Are there no strong men in this fort!?”

Malida’s loud voice carried well across the battlefield.

“Fuck! Don’t look down on us! You’re just a stupid woma――”

An armed soldier of Hero’s Sword got angry at her provocation, but was blown all the way to the wall after getting punched by Malida’s face in the mug.

As always, Malida possesses some ridiculous strength. She’s so damn cute at night, but her ferociousness on the battlefield is scary as hell.

“People who lose to a woman like me, have no right to call themselves men, you idiot!”

Several enemy soldiers couldn’t suppress their anger any longer after further provocations by her, and came slashing at her all at once. Malida evaded their slashes at hair’s breadth and used her counterattacks to accurately lop off their heads.

It was a display of superb swordplay. She mentioned something about her skills having become rusty before the battle, but there was absolutely no sign for that.

“More blood! There’s too little blood flowing! Is there anyone else allowing my greatsword to suck up their blood!?”

Malida dashed past the enemy soldiers like a beast on its search for prey, creating many blood fountains in her wake. Watching the overly gruesome way of dying for their comrades, the legs of the other armed soldiers gave in, causing them to flop down on the ground.

“M-Monster!”

“Hiii! I don’t want to die!”

“I should have never believed in something like Hero’s Sword.”

“I heard the soldiers had followed Hero’s Sword to the bitter end without getting shaken by Albert’s schemes, but those were nothing but small-fry, huh?”

Malida cut off the heads of the soldiers as they sat on the ground.

“Malida-sama, I will leave the clean-up to you. I have a small business to attend to.”

“Sure, count on me. No oni would struggle with small-fry like this anyway.”

Entrusting Malida with the eradication of the enemy soldiers who had lost their will to resist as a combined force, I headed to a certain place with my guards while sporadically cutting down assaulting enemy soldiers. My destination was the private chamber of Bleach Oxner which was situated in the deepest part of the fort.

I knocked on the door of the room which was supposed to be Oxner’s location according to what one of the surrendering soldiers said.

“Excuse meee, the Great Chiefs of the mountain folk and a member of the Erwin family are visiting. Bleach Oxner, are you in? If so, please come ouuut!”

I hit the door violently, but there was no reply from inside. But, he should be in that room, nonetheless.

“If you don’t come out, we will break down the door.”

I drummed against the door many times over, demanding a reply, but there was no sign of him coming out. Thus I signaled Warid and Hakim to destroy the door.

The young ones of the Warihara clan rammed themselves against the door, smashing it down.

“Hiii! Stay away!”

The one illuminated by candles inside the otherwise, dark, windowless room was a guy in glittering golden armor – Bleach Oxner. He was the one who had gathered believers by posing as a Hero of Holy War who had received an oracle from God Eutel, but to me he looked like nothing other than a fat pig.

He probably got this body from leading a life of laziness and indulgence, using the money he ripped off his believers.

“Since you didn’t answer my calls, I had them break down the door as promised. You understand the reason why we came here, right?”

“Gaaaaaahh!”

The cornered pig drew its sword and charged at me. I lightly dodged the swing, grabbed my opponent’s hand, pushed him down on the ground, and locked his joints.

“O-Ouuuuch! Stop! My arm! My aaaaaarm!”

“If I can have you cooperate with me, I will desist from breaking your arm. If not, you might consider your arm as forfeit.”

I put more strength into my joint lock hold.

“O-Ouuuuch! I-I got it. I’ll cooperate. I will!”

“Okay, please take us to the place where you stoved away the treasures which Hero’s Sword hoarded. Come on, I’m counting on you.”

The pig hero’s eyes darted around restlessly after he heard my request.

“You’re not going to try to tell us something stupid like there are no such treasures, right? I’m a former priest of Alexa, so I’m well aware just how much wealth Hero’s Sword has illegally amassed.”

Even in my previous world, it was said that monks needed no capital and didn’t have no expenses, making their income pure profit, but even in this world, those related to religion have various sources of income and in addition to that, they’re privileged as they’re exempted from tax payment by the country.

Hero’s Sword has also been spared from taxation as a religious organization, which allowed them to hoard a huge stash of money.

“Ugh! Will you let me go if I hand over the money?”

I should consider this impudence to try negotiating with me after things had reached this point quite admirable. Even if I let a single swindler, who lost his entire organization, go, it won’t have much of an impact.

“Yes, I will let you go. I promise.”

The pig hero was convinced that he managed to save his own hide, revealing an expression full of relief.

“Let go of my arm then. Otherwise I won’t be able to guide you.”

The instant he knew he was safe, his attitude made a full turn. As soon as I let go of his arm, Warid bound him with a rope.

“This should still allow you to guide us.”

He made the pig understand his situation by thrusting a sword at his neck.

“T-This way. There’s a mechanism over here.”

The pig hero moved to the wall of the dim room, went down on his knees, and fiddled around with a small protuberance on the floor.

So they added a mechanism in such a place, huh? The room is littered with all sorts of things, so it’s quite likely anyone would have overseen this inside the darkness.

Once a click could be heard, a gap appeared on the wall.

“It’s over here.”

The pig hero pushed the wall with the gap, revealing a hidden room. Inside were piles of the riches which Hero’s Sword had gathered from Alexa and the mountain folk.

“Ah, it’s really in there. Just to make sure, evenly splitting with us mountain folk is okay for you, Albert-dono?”

“The valuables in here seem to have a worth of around 50,000 gold coins, even by a low estimate. Half of it will be given to the mountain folk as 『return』. The remaining half is our share. Warid, Hakim, use the money to grasp control over the mountain folk.”

“Understood. The mountain folk have been struck in awe over the ingenuity of Albert von Erwin. If you tell us to lend you our hand, we will immediately come to your aid.”

“I’m looking forward to that.”

“For my part, I’m eagerly awaiting the child between Luminas and you. Come on, Hakim, we’re going to carry out this big haul here.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

Warid and Hakim started to carry out the riches in the hidden room with big smiles on their faces.

Even if we give half of it to the mountain folk, the amount of valuables should be more than plenty to compensate for the costs for the schemes and battle this time plus a little extra profit.

“This is all. You’re letting me go now, right?”

The bound pig hero urged me to release him.

“Yes, let us go outside for starters. I’m a man who keeps his word properly, so don’t worry.”

I took the pig hero and went outside where the oni were finishing off the enemy soldiers who were screaming in odd ways.

“Well then, you’re a free man as promised. Please strive hard to get out of here.”

I cut the rope binding him with my sword and kicked him inside the fort’s courtyard where the oni were having their bloody banquet.

“FUUUUUUUUCK! You shitter tricked me! There’s no way I can get out of this place!”

“Usually the one getting tricked is at fault for allowing themselves to be cheated. You tricked your believers in the same way, didn’t you?”

Ignoring the pig hero who was glaring my way with bloodshot eyes, I called out to Malida, “Malida-sama, I found the commander. Please handle the punishment.”

Malida, who was dyed crimson red by blood sprays as she mowed down the enemy soldiers trying to escape, immediately set the pig hero in his shiny, golden armor as her next target.

“Oni! An oni is here! Don’t come! Stay awaaa――”

“There’s no room for pigs on the battlefield!”

Malida lopped off the pig’s head in passing. The head of Bleach Oxner rolled around on the ground in its golden helmet while his corpulent body flopped down to the ground.

“Outstanding.”

Malida picked up the head.

“I took down Bleach Oxner, the leader of 『Hero’s Sword』!!!”

Malida thrust the head in the air and shouted in victory. This also decided the battle. The remaining soldiers dropped their weapons and lifted their arms, surrendering.

The siege battle had ended all too quickly. And even though I had resolved myself for some losses, it was a huge victory with 0 dead, 2 seriously injured, and 10 lightly injured.

“Gaaaah! Don’t go all surrendering on me! Fight! Fight and die, you blasted small-fry!”

“I still didn’t get enough fighting! Pick up your weapons and stand up! As long as you hold a weapon, I can butcher you without going against military regulations!”

“I still didn’t manage to finish my warm-up! More! I need more enemies!”

The oni of the Erwin family kicked up a fuss inside the fort, apparently not having fought enough yet. But, unfortunately for them the battle was over at this point.

However, we cannot lower our guard until we get back to Castle Ashley. The remnants of Hero’s Sword, who split away during the internal conflict a while back, seem to have escaped to a noble house at the border, which surrendered to Elancia in the past, for some reason.

Ah, it’s not the Alkor family, by the way.

Given that I intend to use that front to gather points with Liese’s Alkor family, I’m waiting on further information being gathered as I’ll need the permission of the demon king to investigate and subjugate.

But, before any of that, it’s time to take a temporary break.

■

※ Orgus’s Point of View ※

My ties to Hero’s Sword were publicly disclosed by someone. Thanks to that, I was doubted for having warned Hero’s Sword about the approaching crack-down by the Kingdom. Accordingly I was constantly pressed to justify myself in order to clear the allegations over the past month.

Just today I was once again questioned by the nobles of the anti-Hero’s Sword faction, led by Goran, about the contents of a certain document in front of a large group of nobles.

“Haah, those nasty bastards. I told them I don’t know anything and yet they kept asking me the same shit over and over again!”

As I was sitting on the sofa of my own room, the anger from before revived in my mind.

“As might be expected, with that document out in the open it might be a bit hard to insist on not knowing anything…”

“I know that! Now that it’s come to this, I will remedy my failure by succeeding with the foreign campaign! What is going on with the reorganization of the royal army in Tiana!? I haven’t heard anything from Marquis Brolish!”

Prime Minister Zazan kept his face lowered and his back curled as he groveled in front of me.

“The reorganization of the royal army has been struggling with the lack of soldiers since Hero’s Sword, which was supposed to shoulder the core of the new troops, has been banned. I have received a message from the marquis that a recapture of Sura, Zaysan, and Benia would be impossible with the current forces, but I kept it to myself as I didn’t want to spoil your mood, Your Highness.”

Ugh! He’s been unnecessarily considerate! Even though he probably know that I can only redeem myself with a success in the foreign campaign, now that I’m cornered.

I was about to start a flurry of insults against Zazan, but swallowed it down.

“Marquis Brolish believes that retaking Sura, Zaysan, and Benia would be hard, but he came up with a different proposal.”

“A different proposal?”

Zazan fetched a map from his pocket and spread it on the table.

“Yes. As a matter of fact, the border lord of the Floyger family defected to Elancia during a border dispute four years ago. Now he has sent a request to change sides because he can’t endure the bad treatment by Elancia any longer.”

Zazan pointed at the front line region of Elancia, where Alexa touches borders with Albert’s Erwin family. It’s also close to the Alkor family’s fief, who betrayed us after the last battle.

“The Floyger family has participated on Elancia’s side during the wars in recent years, but they are unhappy about the Erwin family receiving preferential treatment during the conferrals of honors.”

“Hoh, so they’re dissatisfied with the rewards? That’s certainly a typical motive for a border lord to betray their liege. Can we trust them though?”

“The head of the Floyger family has already sent his wife and children to Marquis Brolish. Originally I planned to bring this story up with you after things had progressed a bit further, but we cannot postpone weathering through this situation.”

Because Zazan was also being called into question as my guardian, he has become eager to recover from the blunder.

“But, a betrayal won’t amount to much of a success in foreign affairs. Even if Sura, Zaysan, and Benia are impossible, we must capture some place.”

“Accordingly, I have worked out a potential target with Marquis Brolish. As for a plan, we have judged that it would be possible to retake this land by using the royal army in Tiana and the soldiers of the Floyger family.”

Zazan pointed at the fief of the Alkor family.

“But, if we meddle with the Alkor family, the Erwin family will likely mobilize.”

“Alexa’s royal army will take care of attacking the Alkor family. Meanwhile the Floyger family’s army and the remnants of Hero’s Sword, which they intend to use as disposable pawns, will launch a surprise attack on Castle Ashley, the stronghold of the Erwin family. Even the Erwins likely won’t suspect a betrayal by the Floyger family, so they will hurriedly send back their soldiers to defend their headquarters. Meanwhile the advancing royal army should be able to occupy the Alkor family’s fief. And once our royal army has occupied the Alkor fief, the Floyger family plans to return to its own territory and reinforce their defenses while leaving the remnants of Hero’s Sword behind as prey for the Erwin family which would have come back by that time.”

Hmm, it’s not a bad plan. As long as we don’t mistake the timing for the Floyger family’s betrayal, it should throw the Erwin family into unrest. Besides, having the remnants of Hero’s Sword fight the Erwin family and thus perish will be convenient for our side.

“What’s the probability for success?”

“I would say around 80%.”

“And, what sort of reward is the head of the Floyger family asking for? Given that he’s a border lord, he won’t betray his current liege for nothing, right?”

“Yes, indeed. Glyze Floyger is asking for 20% of the Alkor fief’s territory and the confirmation of his present peerage in Alexa…”

Hmm, I see. A demand befitting of a greedy border lord. But, we must redeem ourselves from our previous blunder. They might be disposable pawns, but I must promise them plenty of rewards for the sake of securing the necessary military accomplishments.

“Very well. I will write up a letter, promising the cession of 20% of the Alkor fief’s territory to the Floyger family once we have secured the Alkor family’s land. Also, I’ll go to Tiana and take of the royal army’s command myself! Staying in the capital will just lead to me being summoned into questioning every day anyway!”

The instant I mentioned going to the front lines, Zazan’s expression which had been rather gloomy so far, changed into a beaming smile.

“T-Thank you very much! If Your Highness takes the command in Tiana, I am sure we will definitely come out victorious, no matter what we have to face!”

“We should inform Father that I’ll be going to Tiana in order to encourage the troops. The troop dispatch itself will be kept secret. It’ll be fine to report on it after we have won.”

I don’t feel like we’ll lose, but you can never exclude all possibilities. It’s better to be cautious.

“Yes! I will go ahead to Tiana and sort everything out with the Floyger family in advance.”

Zazan bowed and left my room.

For the day to come where I must personally go to a place close to the battlefield…shit! My legs aren’t stopping to shake!

With my legs trembling against my will, my boots caused a low clacking.