Chapter 454: Speak Freely (2)
The Eastern region was just beginning to catch its breath after halting the Rift's expansion. However, they could not stop the tidal advance of the Ducal Faction's army.
The Royalist faction, upon hearing the news, was thrown into chaos. They had not anticipated such a sudden move from the Ducal Faction.
Boom!
Maurice, the Supreme Commander of the Kingdom’s army, slammed the table and shouted.
“How in the world did they march straight into the East! The Southern borders were completely locked down!”
His staff, wearing troubled expressions, replied hesitantly.
“The 4th Legion, which was blocking the route, was annihilated in an instant. It seems the Ducal Faction’s forces are far stronger than expected.”
“Damn it! How many of them are there?”
“Approximately fifty thousand.”
“Ugh… Their main forces should still be in the South. How could they spare that much strength?”
His staff could not provide a clear answer. In truth, they still hadn’t been able to accurately assess the full strength of the Ducal Faction's forces. Since the South fell completely under the Ducal Faction’s control, it had become nearly impossible to send spies.
After pondering for a moment, Maurice asked.
“Can the Eastern army stop them?”
“The forces in the East haven’t even properly gathered yet. The lords are acting independently and are being defeated one by one.”
“Those fools! I told them repeatedly to unite quickly!”
An Eastern army commander had already been appointed. However, the lords were preoccupied with addressing the damages in their own territories and were moving sluggishly.
The Ducal Faction seized this opportunity to act at the most opportune moment.
“Damn it. They weren’t making any moves, so I thought they would just continue to be cautious.”
It wasn’t beneficial for the Ducal Faction to engage in direct conflict. Maurice had assumed they would prolong the standoff, waiting for reinforcements to arrive, and then crush them with overwhelming numbers.
“Still, those bastards aren’t stupid. Of course, they wouldn’t wait until all our reinforcements had assembled.”
Maurice stared at the map, sinking deeper into thought.
As the Kingdom’s Supreme Commander, the responsibility for deciding the course of the war fell squarely on him. While the political landscape was led by Marquis Branford, war was a matter that required his judgment.
“If we pull the Kingdom’s army out of the South, their main forces will undoubtedly respond. But if we stay as we are, the East will be trampled…”
While the East was less strategically critical than the central region, it couldn’t simply be abandoned. The enemy could use it as a springboard to march toward the capital.
“Ugh… What should I do?”
As he agonized, a messenger from the Northern army arrived.
“I bring words from Count Fenris.”
“My nephew?”
Maurice’s face brightened. His intelligent nephew would surely have a solution.
“Well? What does he say? Did he decide to move the Northern army again?”
“No, sir. He requested that half of the Kingdom’s army advance to the East and block the Delfine forces’ advance.”
“What? Half of the Kingdom’s army?”
“The reinforcements that arrived first have already departed for the East. They should arrive before the East is fully occupied. While they buy time, the Kingdom’s army can strike the Delfine forces.”
“But sending half would weaken the Southern front. Won’t it create gaps everywhere?”
“The Northern army also plans to move to the Southern front. They said they would deploy the 20,000 troops they’ve recently reorganized in the West to fill any gaps.”
“Hm…”
Maurice fell into deep thought. He had assumed the Northern army would move, but he hadn’t anticipated that they’d request a withdrawal of the Kingdom’s forces.
The Ducal Faction wouldn’t attack from just one direction. They would undoubtedly move through multiple routes simultaneously. Even if the Northern army successfully blocked the South, other areas could still be breached.
“To make matters worse, the assassins have thrown everything into disarray.”
Recently, assassins had been active in several territories, killing many low-ranking officers and officials.
Of course, all of those assassins had been captured and executed without exception. The high-ranking nobles remained untouched.
Though the incidents hadn’t affected the overall war effort, the rumors they stirred were problematic.
“Could they have planned all this?”
The assassinations had indeed created some unease, and the sudden invasion capitalized on that to create a synergistic effect.
But it was only to that extent. Other than some heightened tension among the soldiers, it didn’t amount to much.
Maurice tilted his head.
“The results don’t justify the effort… Why go through with something like that?”
Using assassins seemed counterproductive. It only heightened the Kingdom’s vigilance.
A sudden, overwhelming ambush that wiped out a single territorial army would have had a far greater impact.
“Did they just throw everything at the wall, hoping something would stick?”
It was no wonder Maurice couldn’t understand. After all, the assassinations were merely a ploy to entangle Ghislain and manipulate the atmosphere.
After much deliberation, Maurice finally spoke.
“Summon the crone. It’s been a while since we sought the will of the heavens.”
At Maurice’s words, the expressions of his staff darkened.
“Oh no, here we go again.”
“Ugh, do we really have to go through this?”
“No matter how much we try to dissuade him, it’s useless...”
Soon, an elderly woman with a hunched back entered the room. Maurice’s face lit up with delight.
“Oh! Crone! I have something important to decide today, so I need your fortune-telling.”
“Hehehe, I knew you’d call for me soon.”
“Ah, as expected of you! You're always spot on. Remember when you said that someone I disliked would bring me great fortune? It turned out to be true! That person is now my nephew.”
“Hehehe, I’m glad it worked out well.”
“Alright then, let’s have another accurate reading today.”
“Of course, of course. Now, what is it you wish to know? I’ll tell you everything.”
The old woman was a shaman. She had been residing with the Marquis’s family for many years, offering advice to Maurice.
Maurice had a penchant for superstition. It was also part of the reason why he used to criticize Ghislain, calling him a witch or a demon.
Thus, he placed great trust in this old woman, believing she was remarkably accurate in predicting the future.
The priests of the Four Major Temples were well aware of this but chose to turn a blind eye. They dismissed it as a mere pastime of the Kingdom’s Supreme Commander.
Maurice adopted a serious tone and said, “The war is at a troubling juncture. One side is being completely overrun. But my nephew suggested moving our forces to the other side. Should I do it?”
“Hehehe, let me see for you.”
The old woman rummaged through her bag and took out animal bones. She then drew bizarre red symbols on the floor and cast the bones onto them.
“Hohoho!”
Accompanied by strange chants, she threw the bones several times and scrutinized their positions closely.
“Hmm… this is...”
“What? What? Is it bad? Should I not move the forces?”
“No, moving them is the right call. However...”
“However, what?”
“Your nephew’s family may face some danger.”
“What? What does moving the army have to do with my nephew’s family?”
“That’s just what the bones say. Since your nephew advised the army’s movement, I included his fate in the reading.”
“Hmm? Alright then. If the crone says so, we’ll move the forces. Relay the news to my nephew.”
“Hehehe, will the Marquis also head out to battle?”
“Of course! As Supreme Commander, I must be there. Oh, and you’ll come along too, so prepare yourself. I’ll arrange the best carriage for you to travel comfortably. You need to be there to perform your readings before the battles, right? Are you up for it?”
“Hehehe, of course, I am. I’ll make the arrangements.”
As the old woman left, Maurice turned to the Northern Army messenger with a solemn expression.
“Inform the Northern Army Commander that I’ve decided to mobilize the Kingdom’s forces. Also, warn him about the fortune suggesting danger to his family. Given the recent surge in assassinations, it doesn’t hurt to be cautious.”
“...Understood.”
The messenger, having witnessed the entire process, wore an incredulous expression. The Supreme Commander of the Kingdom’s army was deciding military movements based on a fortune-teller’s words. It made the severity of the Kingdom’s crisis all the more palpable.
“Alright! Let’s get moving! It’s time to crush those damned Ducal forces!”
Maurice roared and left the room. After he departed, some of his staff approached the messenger, speaking in an imploring tone.
“Please try to understand. The Marquis wasn’t always like this.”
“Years ago, he lost his youngest child, and despite every effort, the child was never found. That’s when he started relying on these superstitions.”
“To make matters worse, that crone once told him he would find the child someday. That’s why she’s still here.”
“He even set aside an estate, promising it to the child once they’re found. He’s prepared to grant them a count’s title. That’s the kind of parent he is.”
“So please, keep this to yourself. There’s no good to come from spreading such things. You hear me? What unit are you with in the Northern Army? I’ve seen your face, you know.”
The staff explained the situation with a mix of pleading and veiled threats, trying to ensure the messenger’s silence.
Though these details were common knowledge among high-ranking nobles, they were not meant for the masses.
The messenger reluctantly nodded, his expression strained.
“I... I won’t spread rumors.”
“Good, good. Let’s pretend today didn’t happen. Make sure to convey the decision to your commander properly.”
“...Understood.”
The messenger left, carrying the absurd scene in his heart, and returned to his camp.
Upon arriving, he immediately reported to Ghislain.
“They’ve decided to send half of the Kingdom’s army to the East.”
Ghislain nodded, as if he had anticipated it. It was going as he had intended. Even if Maurice opposed, Marquis Branford would have ensured the move.
“Alright, then. The allied forces will arrive around the same time. Was there anything else?”
“Uh… well…”
The messenger hesitated. He wasn’t sure if he should relay the other part. But as a messenger, it wasn’t his place to omit information based on personal judgment.
“Why? Speak freely.”
Encouraged by Ghislain’s words, the messenger gained confidence and said, “The Supreme Commander warned you to be cautious about your family’s safety.”
“Hmm? My family? What does he mean by that?”
“Well, with assassins running rampant recently, and… um...”
As the messenger stammered, Ghislain narrowed his eyes and said, “Just say it as it is. Be honest.”
“...Yes, sir.”
The messenger relayed the information exactly as it was, without embellishment. After all, there was no way to explain why such a statement had been made without speaking plainly.
Hearing it, Ghislain was deeply shocked.
‘To think it would be this serious.’
He had known that Maurice had a penchant for superstitions, but he hadn’t realized it was to such an extreme degree.
Had the fortune teller said something else, Maurice would have stubbornly clung to it. Just imagining the scenario made Ghislain feel dizzy.
“...All right, you’ve done well.”
Once the messenger left, Ghislain sank into thought not about Maurice, but something else entirely.
The mention of his family being in danger had brought to mind the recent surge of assassination activity.
‘Those bastards wouldn’t act without a purpose…’
Fenris and Ferdium had taken robust measures against assassinations. Unless a literal superhuman intervened, it was practically impossible to murder anyone under their protection.
The assassins trained by Belinda had been meticulously stationed around family members and key figures, which was why they hadn’t joined the Northern Army.
‘Could it be… that they have another plan?’
The assassins had been spreading news of their intentions too blatantly. Recently, assassins had been active in several Northern territories, as if signaling they were on their way to Ferdium.
But the assassins must have known that even if they succeeded in killing Ghislain’s family, it would only provoke his wrath, without changing the larger picture.
‘If that’s the case…’
It was a message meant for him. A ploy to lure him back. It was as though they were declaring: “We will attack your family, so hurry home.”
‘If I leave my position…’
In the meantime, the main forces of the ducal house would march toward the capital.
‘I’ve figured out their objective.’
It was clear that the ducal house’s strategy was to separate him from the Northern Army.
Yet, Ghislain still couldn’t fathom how they intended to execute it. Even if they truly planned to attempt assassinations, how would they know when he would leave and time their advance?
‘What are they planning…?’
The answer came a few days later when Ghislain received a letter.
[I will kill you. Wait for me in Ferdium. If you wish to protect your family, you must act immediately.]
Below the curt message was a sketch of a black crescent moon and the signature "Melchior."
Now they were openly threatening to kill his family. It was practically a plea for him to come.
Given the ducal house’s evident need to separate him from the Northern Army, it was far more likely that this was no mere bluff.
“But what is this?”
The threat aside, the illustration and the name "Melchior" piqued his curiosity. Neither had appeared in his past life.
Ghislain called his closest advisors together, hoping someone might recognize the sender.
His sudden summons drew puzzled expressions from most of them. Only two people were preoccupied with their own thoughts.
‘Damn it, another strong guy has shown up. Just wait. One day, I’ll surpass all of you.’
Kaor, who had recently recovered from his injuries, clenched his teeth as he glared at Ereneth, who was ahead of him. It annoyed him that his ranking within Fenris kept slipping.
In contrast, Alfoi, having instantly recognized the gulf in strength, chose to remain submissive. He harbored no thoughts of revenge, only his usual idle musings.
‘I want to be a count or a lord. I’m sick of being a servant.’
His thoughts were always consistent in this regard.
Ghislain clicked his tongue at the transparency of the two, then showed the letter to his gathered advisors.
However, even with their combined experience and knowledge whether it was Gillian and Kaor, both seasoned mercenaries; Vanessa, who had accumulated vast knowledge; Alfoi, who had been at the magic tower; Tennant, a prominent figure from the West; or Ereneth, who had lived an exceptionally long life none of them could identify its origin.
Except for one.
“Y-Young Master! This is…”
Belinda’s eyes widened as she looked at the letter.
“Oh? What is it? Belinda, do you know what this is?”
“Young Master! You must return to Ferdium immediately.”
“I was already considering it, but… why are you so alarmed?”
“The person who sent this… He always kills those precious to his target before going after them! We must return to Ferdium at once! This is no idle threat!”
Belinda was so agitated that she spilled her words in a rush, her gaze tinged with fear.
“Calm down for a moment. Who is this Melchior? And how do you know him?”
Belinda hesitated, scanning the room. There were too many people present to reveal her identity, but there was no time to argue about clearing the room. The situation was that urgent.
Letting out a deep sigh, she began speaking in a resolute tone.
“Listen carefully, everyone. I will now reveal the secret I’ve been hiding.”
Everyone held their breath. They had long harbored curiosity about her true identity.
Why was she, ostensibly just the head maid of Ferdium and Ghislain’s tutor, so exceptionally skilled?
Why did she wield techniques that only assassins would use? Most had suspected she had a background in assassination.
As all eyes focused on her, Belinda spoke with a slightly sorrowful expression.
“Don’t be surprised by what I’m about to say. The truth is… I’m from an assassin organization.”
The revelation was so predictable that no one was surprised.