Chapter 137 - Mercenary of the North (4)

The command staff of Dotrin said nothing. They merely stared at me while blinking their eyes.

"Commander of the Vale Mercenaries, Ian..."

Rustle.

Before I could even finish speaking, they rose from their seats.

And then, they bowed their heads politely.

"To the young lion of Leonberk, who did not refuse a long journey to visit us in these difficult times, the nobles of Dotrin offer their greetings."

"Infinite respect and gratitude to His Highness the Prince of the Leonberk family."

I was completely dumbfounded.

At that moment, the King of Dotrin burst into laughter.

He laughed as if he were about to run out of breath. He laughed so hard that his face turned bright red.

Watching the panting, laughing king and his son, I quietly thought to myself.

This was a place that decided the advance and retreat of the army, where the strategies that would dictate the tides of war were forged in the minds of those gathered here.

Anyone who took security lightly wouldn't have been able to sit here in the first place.

Even though it was a fact I could have figured out with just a little thought, I was only now realizing the obvious.

Firstly, it was because I was so anxious to head to the battlefield,

and secondly, because I had become so accustomed to the situation in my home country, where the Empire's lapdogs had infiltrated everywhere, that I subconsciously assumed Dotrin's circumstances would be the same.

Lost in thought, I suddenly looked at the sword grasped in my hand.

VWOOONG.

A needlessly brilliant sword light.

I swear, today was the first time my Aura Blade looked pathetic.

Sssss.

The Aura Blade faded away. The sword cooled down.

Step, step. Thud.

I went to an empty seat and sat down.

As naturally as possible, as if nothing had happened.

"Ahem."

The nobles of Dotrin desperately feigned ignorance to avoid looking at me.

It was a tearfully appreciated consideration.

"The Vale Mercenaries are here."

It would have been better if that bastard Dolosis hadn't been flapping his snout while giggling.

"I said, the Commander of the Vale Mercenaries, Ian, is here."

I ignored the bastard. The nobles also showed absolutely no reaction.

When no one played along with him, the bastard's face became visibly sullen.

Once the clueless bastard gave up on his own, the chaotic atmosphere of the meeting room became much better.

"Then, please give the Commander of our Vale Mercenaries a brief explanation of the battle situation."

However, at the king's single remark, the nobles finally burst into the laughter they had been holding back.

I consistently played dumb and waited for the atmosphere to calm down.

"Ahem."

A knight who had cleared his throat stood up and explained the battle situation.

It was a serious tone, completely devoid of laughter.

"The Empire's forces that have revealed themselves at the border up to this moment are 11 legions and 32 knight orders. Opposing them, our allied forces consist of 6 legions, 12,000 troops, and 20 knight orders."

A massive war mobilizing a total of 17 legions and 52 knight orders from both sides—I was more than a little surprised.

A battlefield where over 5,000 knights were clashing.

Even putting the Empire aside, the number of knight orders mobilized by the Dotrin Kingdom was nothing to scoff at.

How long had it even been since the war started?

There was no way they would have poured out their entire knight force from the very first skirmishes.

In fact, the map spread out on the table had a second and third defensive line drawn on it. That meant the frontline troops weren't their entirety. And this was a weak nation I hadn't even known existed before arriving at the imperial capital.

I looked around.

I saw the nobles and knights sitting around the table.

I captured each of their figures in my eyes.

Without exception, their eyes brimmed with vitality, and their expressions were full of fighting spirit.

Not a single one of them was terrified by the Empire's invasion.

I ended up sighing in admiration.

The future of the kingdom I had so desperately wished for was right here.

Loyal and wise nobles who thought only of their country, brave knights who did not yield to a massive empire, and a king and his family who trusted one another.

I felt a strange sensation. I forced myself to shake off the sentiment. And then I repeated to myself internally.

That the kingdom would soon become like this too. That I would make it so.

I pledged it over and over again.

Even while I was making my solitary pledges, the meeting continued.

"Currently, all fortresses and strongholds on the front lines are under attack, and among them, the situation is unfavorable at three fortresses on the southwestern border."

The knight pointed at the map.

The tip of his finger swept across the three frontline fortresses.

"Is there a way to overturn the battle situation?"

The King of Dotrin, who had suddenly taken on a serious face, asked the nobles for their opinions.

"The reserve legions and knight orders waiting in the rear have already received the request for support and are moving. However..."

"However?"

"We can only immediately relieve two of the three. We have no choice but to abandon one of them."

The knight's tone was heavy.

"The reserve forces deployed in the southwest are insufficient. If we try to divide our forces and save all three, we might end up failing to save any of them."

"If we must choose one to abandon, which should it be?"

The knight pointed to one of the frontline fortresses.

"Nopsaebaram Citadel."

The king asked the knight.

"Who is the commander-in-chief there?"

"It is His Excellency Count Berten."

"Why is a friend who should be spending his twilight years in his territory over there?"

At the king's question, the knight answered while sweating profusely.

"He rushed straight to the front lines as soon as he heard the news of the war breaking out."

"Man, there is a limit even to an old man's vigor. Tsk."

Clicking his tongue, the king ordered the knight.

"Connect me."

As soon as the words ended, one of the waiting command staff took out a crystal ball and placed it on the table.

It was a communication crystal ball that I had also used a few times.

"It is connected."

At the knight's words, the king opened his mouth.

"Count Berten."

["What brings Your Majesty to call?"]

A sharp, clear voice rang out from beyond the crystal ball.

"Is the current situation very bad?"

["... Your Excellency! The enemy has infiltrated through the waterway! The number is one hundred in total, and enemy forces are continuously reinforcing!"]

["Deploy the waiting troops to stall for time, and gather the archers to wipe them out!"]

An urgent report and a frantic order; after a brief pause, the old man's voice was heard.

["What did you just say?"]

"No. I will consider that as your answer."

Frowning heavily, the king spoke again.

"I will speak bluntly. We don't have the leeway to send reinforcements right now."

[...]

A moment of silence lingered beyond the crystal ball.

["Is there absolutely none? Or will it just take time?"]

"It is a situation where I cannot guarantee the time."

[...]

"Abandon the fortress."

At the king's words, the old man's resolute voice could be heard.

["North, south, east, and west, the Imperial Army is in every direction. Escape is impossible."]

Those gathered in the meeting room let out groans.

["I will try to hold out as long as I can for now. If reinforcements come then, great, but if they don't, it can't be helped."]

At the voice of the veteran general prepared for a battle to the death, the king's face became utterly devastated.

The king's inner thoughts were plain to see.

Even though the Azure Sky Knights were ready to fly toward the battlefield the moment an order was given, he had to sit still and watch the fortress's crisis unfold, so his insides were bound to be in turmoil.

However, the Azure Sky Knights were not the only sword the king could wield.

"I will go."

The command staff looked at me in unison.

"Even if you go, I cannot send many troops with you. You might end up meeting your end alongside the citadel."

The king looked at me with a stiff face and asked.

If I still wanted to go.

"This is exactly what mercenaries are for."

I answered without hesitation.

["Who is that? It's a voice I haven't heard before."]

At that moment, the old man asked from beyond the crystal ball.

"It is a mercenary newly hired by the royal family."

["A mercenary, you say?"]

The old man's voice, which had briefly swelled with anticipation, turned unenthusiastic.

With the fortress on the brink of falling, sending a mere mercenary lackey made him noticeably disappointed.

To such an old man, the king said,

"I guarantee it. You won't be disappointed."

He added that they would be of much more help than one or two average knight orders.

* * *

Once the matter of Nopsaebaram Citadel was settled, the figures in the meeting room noticeably regained their vitality.

"We must use this opportunity to move the reserve forces and prepare for the worst-case scenario. With our current deployment, we cannot respond flexibly to the Empire's offensive."

"If the reserve forces move their strongholds, we will have to revise all the plans we've made so far! It would be better to mobilize the rear troops to fill the gaps between the reserve forces!"

"We need to look at this war in the long term! We must stall for time with only the frontline troops in preparation for a prolonged war! Deploying the rear troops is something to consider only after that!"

Arguments went back and forth. Raised voices were common, and at times, they even pointed fingers at one another.

Even the lowest-ranking knights had no hesitation in expressing their opinions, and if even the king's idea was deemed flawed, they mercilessly refuted it. No one thought this was strange, nor did anyone take offense.

A fierce debate unbound by status or rank; personal gain and selfish desires could not exist here.

They craved only victory, and to achieve it, they gathered their opinions with one heart and mind.

They didn't care in the slightest about anything else.

It was as if they had lived up to this very day solely for the war against the Empire, solely to achieve victory in this war.

Old memories came to mind.

The kingdom of the past used to be exactly like this, too.

While I was lost in sentiment, the meeting concluded.

The knights and I decided to ride wyverns to the vicinity of the front lines before sunrise tomorrow morning.

Since the battle situation at Nopsaebaram Citadel was so urgent, the knights and I decided to ride wyverns to the vicinity of the front lines by dawn two days later.

In the place where everyone had left, the king looked at me and sent a deep gaze.

"Dotrin will never forget your dedication."

It was exactly what I was hoping for. Later, when the kingdom resolutely rose up against the Empire, it would be a great strength to have Dotrin by our side.

The king reached out his hand.

I grabbed his firm hand, and we exchanged glances.

The king's eyes were full of goodwill.

* * *

Within a day, the battle situation changed drastically.

It was said that the Empire's Mages, who hadn't shown themselves until now, had been deployed to the battlefield in large numbers and were fiercely assaulting Dotrin's fortresses.

All communications between the royal palace and the frontline fortresses, which had been built up over a long time, had reportedly been blockaded.

"Will you still go?"

The king asked again.

No matter how many times he asked, my answer remained the same.

Dolosis and Jean Catherine came to find me and wished me luck. Second Prince Kislan, whom I had seen when I first arrived at the royal palace, also came to express his gratitude and wish me luck in battle.

And another day passed.

Looking out at the world outside the window, where the dusk was still thickly settled, I walked down the corridor of the royal palace.

After walking for a while, a spacious clearing appeared.

And there stood the Wyvern Riders.

The knights, wearing antique blue uniforms, drew their swords in unison.

VWOOOOONG.

A brilliant radiance that drove away the thickly settled dusk gathered at the tips of their swords.

"May the young lion of Leonberk be blessed with luck in battle!"

The knights shouted vigorously.

It was a modest departure ceremony.

However, I also quite liked it.

I squared my shoulders and walked proudly among them.

"Please stay safe."

"We will also join you soon."

Every time I passed by, the knights bowed their heads and offered a word.

Some wished us victory and luck in battle, while others expressed gratitude to our party for heading to the endangered fortress in their stead. And some even promised a next time, vowing to repay the favor someday.

Passing them all, I arrived before the king.

The King of Dotrin smiled playfully and said to me.

"I hope the martial name of the Vale Mercenaries spreads across the entire continent."

At those words, I could neither laugh nor frown.

I merely grasped the king's firm hand in silence.

"Death to our enemies! Only victory and glory to the allies of Dotrin!"

Listening to the magnificent shouts of the knights, I mounted my horse.

I looked back.

The King of Dotrin and his knights were watching us with the exact same expression.

I gave a courteous nod and spurred my horse, following behind the knight acting as our guide.

We exited the royal palace and passed through the gates of The Capital once more. Then, riding our horses a little further, we arrived at a certain mountain foot where the wyverns were hidden.

There, I abandoned my horse and mounted a wyvern.

"Hold on tight!"

The wyvern roared powerfully and took flight.

The ground quickly grew distant, and the massive royal palace was soon out of sight.

By the time we finally reached high up in the sky, the sun was rising.

With our backs to the sun, we headed west, and further west.

And finally, we arrived at the foot of a mountain somewhere not far from the battlefield.

By then, the sun that had risen high had already set.

"I will go as far as here. I wish you luck in battle."

The Wyvern Rider who had seen us off offered a brief farewell and flew high into the sky. He circled above our heads a few times before disappearing into the east.

"I will guide you."

After waiting a short while, the Dotrin mountain infantry who had been on standby nearby appeared and led our party.

As we walked following them, a fishy metallic scent strongly wafted over us.

I absentmindedly took a deep breath.

The intense smell of blood and iron dug deep into my lungs.

Thump, thump.

My heart began to pound wildly.

Only now could I truly realize that I had arrived on the battlefield.

SWIIISH!

Right then, dozens of flames soared into the sky.

I absentmindedly raised my head, following the red trajectories.

The darkness that filled our surroundings momentarily receded.