Chapter 468: Something Feels Off. (2)
Ghislain didn’t feel inclined to act hastily.
After hearing about his mother, it became clear to him that the Salvation Church would prioritize taking down the royal family, regardless of what happened to the southern territories.
He had suspected this from the movement of the ducal forces for some time, but now he was almost certain.
“It’s quicker for the ducal forces to wipe out the royal forces in our absence than for us to crush the south. We need to sort some things out before making a move.”
“Sort things out? What do you mean?”
“First, we’ll have to obliterate the Delfine Forces heading toward the capital and have a word with the king. Send a messenger and tell them to evacuate the capital if possible.”
If the ducal forces’ target was the king, hiding the king might disrupt their strategy. He wanted to confirm this.
However, the idea was impractical. Claude responded incredulously.
“His Majesty is currently on the verge of death. Do you think he’s in any condition to flee? Besides, the royal family’s pride wouldn’t allow it. If the king runs, all the lords will lose faith.”
“Well, send the message anyway, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll have to talk in person.”
Ghislain wasn’t planning to act immediately. This time, without the knowledge from his previous life, he was largely relying on his instincts.
He intended to gather information about the Salvation Church, the Shadow Knights, and his mother, ensuring he wasn’t missing anything critical.
Claude scratched his head before asking, “So, who are you planning to help first?”
“Hmm…”
No news had yet arrived about the two remaining legions of the Delfine Forces or the royal troops guarding the key routes.
If even one force fell, the capital would be vulnerable to a swift invasion. If both lost, the situation would become dire.
There was also the issue of the forces maneuvering through the east to advance on the capital. Though defensive lines had been set up, their outcome was uncertain.
“They should be fighting by now.”
“Yes, we’ll probably hear something soon.”
The northern forces were stationed farther north to intercept the coalition army, while the royal forces closer to the southern front would have engaged first.
Ghislain had sent Dark to gather intel, but it was possible that the battle reports would arrive before Dark.
“The other side will send a messenger, and we have Dark out there, so let’s wait a few days. Once the information comes in, we’ll decide.”
With battles raging everywhere, he couldn’t move rashly. He needed to gather intel quickly and plan accordingly.
The northern forces had deliberately blocked the routes to draw the enemy into a pitched battle, but the royal forces weren’t doing the same. They were defending their positions at southern front fortresses.
With coalition forces joining the enemy ranks, they might hold out for a while.
“Be ready to move at any moment. Whether we help another front or head to the capital, we’ll act as soon as we get the intel.”
“Understood.”
“In the meantime, I’ll train Elena and Rachel.”
Claude shrugged, having seen the two together. Both were in for a grueling time. The lord’s training was notoriously merciless.
* * *
Elena, who had been dragged all the way to the northern forces, was thoroughly annoyed.
She had wanted to live as a refined noblewoman, but here she was, stuck on a battlefield reeking of blood. Returning home alone wasn’t an option either.
Left alone in the tent with Rachel, Elena grumbled.
“Ugh, my fate. It figures. I knew things were going too smoothly lately.”
Her territory had only just started to prosper, but instead of enjoying the benefits, she was now being worked to exhaustion.
She wanted to curse out loud but held back, knowing the northern forces were defending the kingdom and their land.
Rachel smiled and said, “You’ll be fine. You have divine power, don’t you? I’m the one who’s worried.”
“Ha! What good is divine power for a noblewoman? It doesn’t suit me.”
“Think of it as learning self-defense skills.”
“Fine, fine. But are you really okay? Aren’t you scared?”
At Elena’s brusque question, Rachel smiled gently and nodded.
Having suffered from illness and isolation since childhood, Rachel was more mature than her age suggested.
She had lost her mother early, and her father, Gillian, was a stoic man, which had only added to her independence.
‘I’m fine as long as I’m with you.’
That was why she didn’t mind being dragged to the northern forces.
It was Ghislain who had cured her illness, and thanks to him, she had met her dear friend, Elena.
Every day was a blessing to her now. While a little afraid, she believed she could face any hardship with Elena by her side.
“For now, let’s focus on protecting ourselves. Besides, they said we’d be fighting Riftspawn rather than people. Unless something extraordinary happens, we won’t have to kill anyone.”
“Ha, don’t believe everything my brother says. If he suddenly decides it’s necessary to kill someone, he’ll throw us in without hesitation. That’s just how he is.”
Elena grumbled, well aware of Ghislain’s difficult temper from their shared childhood experiences.
While the two women were chatting, Ghislain suddenly appeared.
“Elena, Rachel, from now on, I’ll teach you combat skills whenever there’s time.”
Elena shot a glare at Ghislain before turning her head and muttering, “Fine. But I get to choose my weapon.”
“Huh? A weapon? What weapon?”
“I’ll go with a rapier.”
If she had to learn, Elena decided she might as well aim for something grand. Her new goal was to become an elegant knight wielding a single rapier.
She envisioned herself as the graceful and noble flower of the battlefield, admired by all. A proud knight whose beauty and poise would go down in the kingdom’s history.
‘Hmm, isn’t that a fitting image? What? You want me to charge around like a raging bull? Don’t make me laugh. That’s not how I fight.’
In her mind, she saw herself as a swan-like knight, gracefully dominating the battlefield.
She knew she would eventually settle down as a noblewoman, but taking a slight detour seemed acceptable.
Feeling more open to the idea of training, she declared her choice. “A rapier. It’s the most elegant, isn’t it?”
“Pfft!”
Ghislain covered his mouth with a fist, barely holding back his laughter. His reaction made it clear that he found her choice absurdly amusing.
“What’s so funny? What’s wrong with a rapier?”
“You? Using such a flimsy little stick? It doesn’t suit you. It’d snap the moment you tried to stab anything.”
“Ugh… Then, a sword?”
She assumed he would suggest a sword, the most basic tool of a knight. It wasn’t as elegant as a rapier but would suffice. She could switch to a rapier later when her skills improved.
But Ghislain shook his head again.
“A sword doesn’t suit you either.”
“Then what? What are you going to teach me? My fists?”
Elena raised a clenched fist in frustration. Ghislain turned his head and shouted toward the tent entrance.
“Hey, bring it over!”
Moments later, two knights appeared, struggling to carry something enormous.
Thud!
They set down a massive, menacing double-bladed axe. It was so large that it dwarfed an average adult male. The axe’s red-tinged blades exuded an ominous glow, and the central area bore a grotesque skull engraving. Below it, an inscription read:
"Death is the path to your glory, and your enemies shall reside in hell."
Elena trembled at the sight of it. “W-what is this? Is this supposed to be my weapon?”
“Oh, yes. This axe is called Harbinger of Ruin. It’s the perfect weapon for you. I confiscated it from a defiant lord, and Gillian has graciously agreed to let you have it.”
“G-get lost.”
A monstrous axe like this? Carrying it would make her look less like an elegant knight and more like a butcher.
Unfazed, Ghislain grinned and exclaimed, “This isn’t just any weapon! It’s not something anyone can wield it was practically made for you!”
Harbinger of Ruin was notoriously heavy and impractical. Only those with mastery over mana could lift it, though doing so drained substantial energy. But with her divine power, Elena would manage.
“I’m not carrying that thing!” she shouted, clenching her fists. How could anyone expect her to use what two knights could barely lift?
Ghislain urged her with a playful wave of his hand. “Just try it. Give it one lift. You can do it. This weapon was born for you.”
“You… you’re insufferable…”
As Elena’s frustration reached its peak, Rachel interjected gently, “Don’t be like that. He’s going out of his way; at least give it a try.”
“…Fine.”
Reluctantly, Elena grabbed the handle of the axe and mustered all her strength. To her surprise, she lifted it. Though it felt hefty, it wasn’t unmanageable. She even thought she could swing it effectively.
With enough training and mana control, she could wield it as effortlessly as a sword.
Ghislain clapped his hands like a seal, exclaiming, “See? Amazing, right? She lifted it! Without even using mana! Belinda! Belinda, come see this! She’s a total monster!”
Belinda peeked her head into the tent, observing the scene with wide eyes. She hesitantly said, “Ah, my lady, th-that… it suits you well.”
Her voice was devoid of sincerity, and even the nearby knights forced awkward smiles.
“Y-yes, my lady. That weapon truly seems made for you. It suits you perfectly.”
The tone in the voices around her carried no sincerity, making it obvious that Ghislain had forced them to compliment her.
Hearing herself being called a "monster" finally made Elena snap.
“What do you mean it suits me?! How could this kind of weapon possibly suit someone destined to become a noblewoman?!”
Voooom!
“Wha—!”
Ghislain hastily stepped back, startled, as Elena swung the Harbinger of Ruin without warning. The mere swing of the massive axe generated a powerful gust of wind. Truly, it was a weapon perfectly suited for her.
Even the knights retreated cautiously.
With a mischievous glint in her eyes and a wicked grin that mirrored her brother’s, Elena declared, “So, it suits me, huh? Then why don’t you all get a taste of my axe!”
Vooom! Vooom! Vooom!
As she wildly swung the axe, Ghislain and the knights bolted out of the tent. She didn’t even know any proper combat techniques yet, but the sheer force of her swings tore everything around her apart. The tent was quickly reduced to shreds, collapsing in a heap.
“Hey! Didn’t you say you’d teach me combat techniques? Aren’t you coming? Come on, fight me, you bastard!”
Elena gripped the axe with both hands, shouting as she swung it wildly. From a distance, everyone watched her tantrum in astonishment.
Ghislain, observing his sister rampaging like a lunatic, muttered, “Hmm, I wanted her to be a raging bull on the battlefield… but she’s more like a raging demon.”
The sight of her wielding an axe larger than herself and swinging it with abandon made her look exactly like that.
Eventually, Rachel managed to calm Elena down. Part of Elena’s restraint came from the embarrassment of being the center of attention as the soldiers gathered to watch her.
Finally, under the condition that she could change weapons later, Elena agreed to the training.
Ghislain began the lesson immediately, but it only covered basic stances and fundamentals. The session was cut short when news arrived from Dark, who had been sent to scout the battlefield.
― “Master… The situation isn’t good. It’s filled with corpses… I’m continuing to survey the area.”
Soon, bloodied messengers arrived one after another, bearing dire reports.
“Eastern defenses have collapsed, and the commander of the eastern forces has been killed! The Delfine Forces are advancing toward the capital again!”
“The 3rd and 8th Royal Army Corps have been defeated! The Delfine Forces are en route to the capital!”
“The 6th Royal Army Corps and allied forces sent to support the 3rd and 8th Corps have also been defeated!”
“Several allied contingents have been annihilated, including forces from the Kingdoms of Seiron, Moltona, and Lombars.”
“The lords have gathered their troops to form another defensive line, but their numbers are far too insufficient!”
With the east included, there were three total routes for the Delfine Forces to march toward the capital. Out of these, the kingdom’s and allied forces were completely crushed in two.
No confirmed news had come from the remaining route yet.
― “Master… It seems…”
Even after hearing Dark’s report, Ghislain didn’t act immediately. Dark could only relay what he saw. He lacked the full context of the kingdom’s current state or its strategic movements.
To fully understand the situation, Ghislain ordered Dark to continue his reconnaissance and waited a little longer.
Finally, the report about the last route arrived.
“The southern front has been completely destroyed! Marquis Maurice McQuarrie, the Royal Army’s Supreme Commander, has retreated with only a small number of soldiers!”
Ghislain pinched the bridge of his nose. The disparity in power was far greater than he had expected.
Though superhuman individuals could heavily influence the outcome of battles, the results weren’t typically determined by just one or two of them. If that were the case, wars would simply be fought between the superhumans themselves.
This crushing defeat meant that from soldiers to knights to commanders, none in the kingdom’s forces were a match for the Delfine army.
Ascon clicked his tongue and remarked, “Ugh, what a bunch of incompetent bastards. Not a single one of them knows how to fight properly.”
He wasn’t wrong. It was stunning to see every unit fail so spectacularly, with not even a single force managing a strategic retreat.
This situation was dangerous. If the nobles who had defected from the ducal faction caught wind of this defeat, they would be consumed by fear. If they decided to rejoin the ducal families, the situation would become even more dire.
Ghislain’s closest aides wore grim expressions. The path to resolving this disaster seemed insurmountable.
Though the northern forces remained intact, they wouldn’t matter if the capital fell and the king was captured.
Breaking the silence, Ghislain swiftly issued orders.
“Tell the forces gathered in the west not to join the Royal Army or the lords’ armies but to march directly to the capital. Have them secure Cardenia. Ferdium must send all their troops to Fort Fenris on the frontlines and strengthen its defenses.”
“And us?” Claude asked.
After a brief moment of thought, Ghislain made his decision.
“We’ll split the northern forces into two.”
The situation was far too dire to move as a single unit.