Chapter 65 - An Orc Above Orcs vs. A Knight Above Knights (5)

"At this rate, we will be annihilated. We must pull the frontline back and reorganize in the rear."

Maximilian and Erhim Kilinger proposed a retreat.

"Impossible!"

"We cannot abandon the castle."

The Commander, his son, and all the commanding officers unanimously shouted that it was absolutely impossible.

"Holding out unconditionally isn't the solution. There is nothing to gain from fighting, is there?"

Erhim calmly explained the disadvantages of the battle situation and stressed the need for reorganization.

"It is not a battle to gain something. It is a battle to keep from losing."

Vincent reached out to the map.

"Do you know why Ballorhard built a fortress in such a barren place? It is because this is the only path for monsters leaving the Blade Mountains to head south."

Erhim Kilinger tried to argue back, but Vincent was faster.

"If the monsters pass through here, no one knows where they will head. Whether they will go southwest or head east along the border. Or if they will head straight for the south. If we are to rebuild the frontline, where to where should we even build it?"

Vincent's finger swept over the south of Winter Castle.

At least six domains were adjacent to Ballorhard. All of them severely lacked the troops to fend off the Orcs. If this place were breached, at least one of them, or perhaps more, would turn into hell.

"Why on earth! Why is there still no sign of the reinforcements that were supposed to come!"

Maximilian shouted in a sudden outburst. It was the first time he had shown such passion.

"They have forgotten the winter. They have forgotten the harsh season."

In contrast, the people of Ballorhard, whose castle that had been protected for generations was now hanging by a thread, were calm.

"By any chance, before this..."

Maximilian asked with a look as if he had been struck in the back of the head.

"Still, didn't Your Highness bring as many as two legions this time?"

My uncle smiled brightly. The commanders of the reinforcements shut their mouths as if at a loss for words.

They had realized just how lonely a fight these people had been waging all this time. In this barren land unknown to anyone, they had been carrying on an unending war for hundreds of years.

This probably wasn't the first crisis they had faced, either.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Maximilian spat out curses. This, too, was a side of him that had not been seen before. The calm and gentle prince was unusually unable to control his emotions today.

It was likely because he had seen too many people die right before his eyes. The battlefield was a place where too many things perished for a kind-hearted and highly responsible prince to keep his sanity intact.

"Calm yourself."

I pressed down on the shoulder of the panting Maximilian.

"Brother..."

His kind eyes looked straight at me. That overly gentle gaze was full of self-reproach and grief.

"Even so, we have no intention of just holding out like this only to hand the castle over."

*Clap. * My uncle drew their attention with a clap of his hands and gave Vincent a look.

"Dragging this into a war of attrition will only increase our troop casualties. Therefore, our forces will open the gates and charge out starting at dawn tomorrow. The target is."

Vincent's finger pointed somewhere on the map. It was a place where an exceptionally massive flag stood tall, even among the spots clustered with red flags.

"The Warlord."

His hand lightly knocked the flag over with a *tap*.

"If we strike down the king, the enemy will also lose their momentum."

Erhim Kilinger furrowed his brow and asked in return.

"There are still at least seven legions stationed outside the castle walls. To reach the Warlord, we must break through at least three or more legions. Will that be possible?"

My uncle gave the answer to that question instead.

"I will take the vanguard and open a path."

At my uncle's words, the command staff of Winter Castle scrambled to express their intent to volunteer.

"The Black Lancers will support the rear."

"One hundred knights of Ballorhard will join you."

"All members of the Ballorhard heavy infantry will participate."

My uncle accepted some of them and declined others.

"I also..."

Maximilian raised his hand.

"You stay out of it. There's no need for two of the Leonberk bloodline to participate."

I forcefully grabbed and pulled Maximilian's hand down.

"If it's two..."

"Uncle. Save a spot for me."

My uncle did not refuse my words. It was a wise judgment. I wouldn't have listened even if he tried to stop me anyway.

"Those of you remaining, please take charge of the castle. We must prepare for the worst-case scenario as well."

At those words, the atmosphere in the conference room sank heavily.

Only then did they seem to clearly realize what it meant to leave the castle to catch the Warlord.

Once we left the castle, whether things went well or poorly, retreating mid-operation was impossible. Failure meant nothing other than annihilation.

The gazes of the reinforcement command staff swept over the Commander and the suicide squad before turning to me.

Their eyes seemed to ask if I was really going to participate.

I merely shrugged my shoulders at them.

The meeting came to an end. People left the conference room one by one.

"Ian."

I was also about to leave the conference room when my uncle called out to me.

"Under any circumstances, think of your own survival first."

To think my uncle would say such a thing.

My mind became complicated by indescribable emotions.

"Worry about yourself, Uncle. From what I saw when you fought the Knight Slayer, you were completely..."

I ended up snapping at him pointlessly and bluntly.

"Defending Winter Castle is the destiny of the people of Ballorhard, not yours."

Looking at me, my uncle said this.

"Anyway, I get it, so get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow."

I slipped out of the conference room as if running away.

Smack.

I slapped both of my cheeks. I snapped to my senses.

This was no time to be soaking in sentimentality. Among those who had participated in the meeting, I sought out the leader of the Silver Foxes.

"Your Highness."

Antoine had already decided to entrust his future to me. It was likely because he coveted the Poem of Martial Deeds I had shown during the mountain expedition.

"Listen to me carefully from now on."

At my words, Antoine straightened his posture.

I told Antoine what I had been thinking about for a while. After hearing all my words, Antoine's eyes widened, and he just stared at me blankly for a long time.

"Aren't you going to answer?"

"No, but before that... then what about Your Highness..."

Antoine finally opened his mouth after a long while, his eyes darting around.

"If it's about your payment, don't worry. Go find my knight. Arwen Kirgayen. I've left the payment for your men with her, just in case."

"If that's the case."

Antoine did not question me further. I quite liked that neat attitude.

"Then keep it in mind."

"Your Highness."

As I finished my business and was about to leave the tent, Antoine held me back.

"What is it?"

"I pray for your luck in battle."

To him speaking with an uncharacteristically serious face, I roughly waved my hand.

I still had a lot of things to do.

"For what reason has Your Highness called me..."

This time, I met and talked with Erhim Kilinger. Having heard everything I had to say, Erhim stared at me intently. It was an expression seemingly different yet similar to Antoine's.

"Using my name won't work. Whether you use Maximilian's name or my uncle's name, that is up to you."

"I shall do so if necessary."

Satisfied with the reliable answer, I smiled and was about to turn around when he called me.

"Your Highness."

When I gave him a look, Erhim spoke to me.

"If you return safely after successfully completing this matter, the Iron Lions will stand behind Your Highness."

"Do as you wish."

I waved my hand dismissively and left Erhim's tent.

Even after that, I went around meeting quite a few people. Among them were Nicolo and Vincent. Maximilian was there, too.

"I shall leave a record of everything so that Your Highness's dying will does not go in vain."

"I'm not dead yet."

"Yes. That is exactly right. A knight does not die even in death, so their spirit and will are akin to eternal immortality."

Nicolo picked up his pen and recorded every single word I said. He spouted nonsense in between, but I completely ignored it. Still, the records left by this old man would surely be of great help in the future.

"Ballorhard will not abandon the castle under any circumstances."

"Keep this in mind. If left alone, the idiots in the rear won't be able to stop a goblin, let alone an Orc. There has to be someone with experience. That is how the casualties will decrease."

Vincent protested, and I relentlessly persuaded him. As a result, Vincent also replied that if the worst-case scenario occurred, he would act with my words in mind.

Though it wasn't exactly satisfactory, this would be the best for now.

"But why didn't you say this in the conference room?"

"Because I didn't want to throw cold water on them when they were risking their lives and cementing their resolve."

"Your Highness, who speaks so, is also one of them."

At Vincent's words, I chuckled, realizing he was right.

"Your Highness. I will count the Warlord's military banner as two hundred."

I wondered what he meant by this, but it meant for me to return alive with the flag. It was a truly Vincent-like expression.

I giggled, answered that I understood, and left Vincent's room.

As I was strolling down the corridor of the castle, a familiar woman was looking at me from afar.

"Arwen."

"Your Highness."

Firm resolve could be seen on her face as she looked at me. Right as she was about to open her mouth, I beat her to the punch.

"No. You have a lot to do by staying behind."

She mumbled at my words. This time as well, I didn't give her a chance to speak.

"It is because you are here that I can leave the castle with peace of mind. Do you want me to jump into that horde of Orcs carrying a mountain of worries? Is that what you truly want?"

"No, Your Highness."

A desolate expression crossed her face.

Looking at that face, the thought occurred to me that my decision might actually be quite cruel to her. But there was no other way.

I only had two knights to speak of. One of them was a timid lunatic, so in the end, she was the only one I could trust and leave things to.

"I'm counting on you."

At my words, she squeezed her eyes shut. But her lips gave me the answer I wanted to hear.

"I will do... as you will."

I left Arwen standing blankly and walked down the corridor before stopping my steps for a moment.

"That talk about following me even in death, I will not allow it this time. So don't even entertain any useless thoughts."

The man burying his body in the shadows of the corner remained silent.

As I hadn't said it expecting an answer either, I walked right past him.

"Hoo."

Finally, my tasks were done. Thinking I should get some sleep now, I opened my door and stepped inside, only to find a guest waiting.

It was Maximilian.

"Brother."

I furrowed my brow at Maximilian, who jumped up as soon as he saw me.

"I'm going to rest."

Knowing his business would just be clinging to me and whining, I coldly ordered him to leave.

"Please, finish your mission safely and return."

I didn't know how many times I had heard these words today alone.

"If you return safely..."

"I will return safely, so if you have something to say, say it when I get back."

"That would be better. After all, you will return safely."

Speaking and answering all on his own, Maximilian sprang up and bowed deeply toward me.

"Then have a peaceful night."

Having said that, Maximilian opened the door and disappeared.

"Seriously, anyone would think I was going off to die."

As I sighed and shook my head, I suddenly felt a strange sensation. Belatedly realizing when I had felt this feeling before, I furrowed my brow.

"If you're here, show yourself. Stop peeping."

At my words, the messenger of the voyeuristic Elder High Elf abruptly revealed herself through the window.

An owl again this time?

[It seemed you had a lot on your mind, so I was merely waiting for a moment.]

"I'm sure you were."

I was not surprised by her sudden appearance.

"I called for you ages ago, took you long enough."

Because I had been waiting for her messenger to come.