Rinse Kingdom Senate.
A group made of old nobles who had served at least three kings.
Though the number of affiliated nobles were very small, one couldn’t underestimate the power they had even so.
But because they had no particular wish on the worldly affairs, there were almost no cases in which they actually exercised their power.
In fact, though there were many people in the royal family and the noble houses as well as amongst ordinary citizens who predicted that the senate would reject Roan’s inheritance of the count title, in actuality did not take any action at all.
Furthermore, they showed no particular movement at the times of throne succession war and the Second Prince Tommy’s death that occurred afterwards, Simon and the hexers’ conspiracy, and even Kallum and Lukan’s alliance.
‘That senate has sent to me their insignia?’
Roan slightly creased his forehead.
No, the insignia wasn’t the problem.
The identity of the object, or perhaps the order that they had sent with the insignia was important.
Because it was an event so beyond expectation, it was difficult to guess their intention.
‘In the end, I can only face it.’
Roan lightly bit his lips and looked at the thousand-man commander.
“Bring them in.”
“Yes. Understood, sir.”
The thousand-man commander answered shortly and then exited back out of the barrack.
“My lord. What could it be?”
“The senate……”
“I remember that the youth party 12 Hatchlings and the senate as having not so good a relationship, but……”
Numerous misgivings poured down.
A moment later, the barrack door opened and the thousand-man commander showed up again.
“I have brought them in, sir.”
As soon as his words finished, a group of young men and women entered inside the barrack.
They were the surviving nobles amongst the 12 Hatchlings with Sith Wiggins at the head.
The number was total of six including Sith.
They appeared with an insignia of blue cloth with three lions embroidered on before them.
It was the senate’s insignia that directly revealed the pride of having served at minimum three kings.
Before the senate’s insignia, Roan and the Count Lancephil House’s retainers all stood up from their seats.
‘It is the senate’s insignia.’
‘The senate really sent people.’
‘And the youth party 12 Hatchlings at that……’
Tense looks flowed amongst the retainers’ faces.
Meanwhile, Sith who had entered inside the barrack bowed with a moved expression.
“Rinse Kingdom’s Baron Sith Wiggins greets Sir Count Roan Lancephil.”
After that, other nobles followed and bowed.
Perhaps because of harrowing travel, they all were of ragged and troubled appearance like one.
But perhaps because they had met Roan, looks of relief were plain on all of them.
“Good to see you.”
Roan shook Sith’s hand and wordlessly stared at him for a long time.
Roan and Sith were a pair with considerable relationship.
At the time when he suppressed Elton Coat’s rebellion, the very one who recommended Roan as Simon’s side’s representative was Sith.
Furthermore, Sith had sent Baroness Elva Dionell and labored to enlist Roan to the 12 Hatchlings since before that.
‘Come to think of it, is Baroness Elva Dionell still following Prince Kallum?’
Elva who in the last life was called the Maiden of Blood and Iron and raised great achievement in Kallum’s ascension to the throne.
In this life too she was guarding Kallum’s side.
‘She should soon come to herself if she has any thought.’
Roan faintly smiled and offered seats to Sith and the many nobles.
“Let us first sit down and chat, sirs.”
“Yes. Thank you very much.”
Sith and the young nobles sat down on the seats and exhaled a long sigh.
Their nervousness had finally loosened.
Roan looked back and forth between those 12 Hatchlings and the senate’s insignia and asked in a quiet voice.
“Has the youth party 12 Hatchlings allied with the senate?”
At those words, numerous nobles including Sith drew bitter smiles.
However, there was no hesitation to their answer.
“Since us 12 Hatchlings, and senate are all Rinse Kingdom’s nobles, sir.”
Other nobles quietly nodded their heads at Sith’s words.
In the first place, the 12 Hatchlings’s founding goal was the Rinse Kingdom’s prosperity.
Currently at the point when the kingdom had collapsed, there was no reason to split sides with the senate and fight.
Sith stared straight at Roan’s eyes and stood up from his seat.
“Before passing the senate’s will, there is one thing we must say, sir.”
“Do say it.”
Roan lightly nodded his head.
Sith collected his breath for a moment and then spoke in a powerful voice.
“Us six of 12 Hatchlings wish to join Sir Count Roan Lancephil.”
“Please.”
The other nobles, as if they had been waiting, stood up from their seats and lowered their heads.
“Hhm.”
The Count Lancephil House’s retainers who had been watching leaked out quiet hums.
The young nobles who represented the kingdom were all lowering their heads towards Roan.
It was the moment that Roan who was no more than a mere spearman from a mountain village just few years ago came to place the kingdom’s nobles under his command.
Roan lightly nodded his head.
“There is no reason for me to refuse. But,”
His voice turned grave.
“You will have to lower yourselves on your own if you wish to follow me.”
At those words, Sith and the five nobles once again lowered their heads.
For they knew well of the meaning of Roan’s words.
“Sir Count’s words, we will engrave, and engrave again into our minds, sir.”
An answer with a politely set manner.
With this, Sith and the surviving 12 Hatchlings’ nobles came to follow Roan.
Of course, they still had the goal called Rinse Kingdom’s reconstruction and prosperity.
The events from now were something to be watched for.
Sith, with a layer brighter expression, took out the main topic.
“I will tell you the reason we have brought the senate’s insignia, sir.”
And shortly then took out a long object from his pocket.
The object wrapped on fine silk was as long as a forearm.
Instantly, numerous nobles’ expressions solemnly sank.
Sith stepped out to the side and kneeled on one knee towards Roan, then help up the object with both hands.
The other nobles who were watching all kneeled down on one knee following Sith and lowered their heads.
“It is the senate’s will.”
Sith spoke in a serious voice.
Roan, with a puzzled expression, stared at the long object wrapped in cloth.
‘Just what could this be to be so……’
He cautiously extended his hand towards the object.
Spark.
The moment his finger touched the object, he felt an unknown shock.
‘What?’
Roan cautiously held up the object and carefully pulled off the fine cloth.
The object that that instant appeared a long stick of black color.
It was a rather ordinary stick from a glance, but a golden gem was attached at its end.
“What is that?”
“I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before……”
Numerous retainers creased their foreheads and tilted their heads.
On the other hand, Roan was goggling his eyes.
He knew the identity of this solid and ordinary stick he right now held in his hands.
“This……”
He unconsciously left his words open.
Sith faintly smiled and nodded his head.
“Yes. That is in fact……”
A very short silence.
“The Grand Commander’s Command Baton.”
The instant his words finished.
“G, Grand Commander?!”
“Grand Commander you say?”
Numerous retainers shouted with shocked expressions.
Sith minded them none and added on.
“The only one who can overcome and solve the kingdom’s crisis right now is Sir Count Lancephil.”
The tip of his voice slightly shook.
Sith, while passing the senate’s decision, was tense even unbeknownst to himself.
“The senate has appointed Sir Count Roan Lancephil as the Grand Commander.”
Grand Commander.
The special rank that was used only for a limited time when the kingdom was in danger.
There was only the king above and he had the power to lead, control, and command all nobles regardless of rank.
It was a powerful position that temporarily received all of administrative and military command of the kingdom.
Especially like in the current Rinse Kingdom in the situation where there was no king, the weight the Grand Commander’s position held could truly be seen as great.
When everyone couldn’t continue their words with shocked expression, Ian spoke in a quiet voice as if to rant.
“The only army that could properly be used in the Rinse Kingdom right now are the Lancephil Legion and the Tale Legion, so what use is there even if they give the Grand Commander’s rank now.”
It was true.
Of course, although many nobles were still speaking out their own voices from their fiefs, majority were neophytes without a single proper battle experience.
Currently, the only army in the Rinse Kingdom that could carry out the war with the North Rinse Kingdom, South Rinse Kingdom were the Lancephil Legion and the Tale Legion, in short only the Lancephil Fief’s army.
At that moment, Sith cheerfully smiled and spoke up.
“It will be a bigger help than you might think.”
A voice full of confidence.
His gaze headed towards the Grand Commander’s Baton.
“Since the things the Grand Commander’s Baton can give aren’t only such powers.”
The smile hanging on his mouth turned even thicker.
*****
“Block!”
“Die!”
“Pierce!”
Shouts incredible enough for goosebumps to rise all over the body stormed.
Voices full of venom.
Soon the sounds of iron and shattering air pierced through the shouts and hit the ears.
Chang! Chajang! Chang! Ssweaaaaak!
Sparks flew and blood jumped.
Arpeau Forest about half a day South of the capital, Miller.
The beautiful forest and the fields famous as the royalties and nobles’ picnic place were turned into a horrid and gruesome battlefield.
“Left wing match the advancing speed! Send the signal!”
“Yes sir!”
Clamorous order was quickly passed down.
Dum! Dum! Dum!
Soon a giant flag madly waved together with the sound of drums.
Instantly like a lie, the left wing stopped their feet and reorganized their formation.
“Richard Troop, Neumann Troop! Hit out at the center army and unfold to left and right!”
“Yes sir!”
The order continued to pour down.
Each time the drums and horns noisily rang and many flags madly flew.
The shocking thing was that each time, the troops that received the order moved without a single bit of error.
Uddk.
The man who sent down various orders in front of the center army clenched his teeth.
‘We stopped them somehow until now, but the number difference is as expected too big.’
The man who was glaring at the battlefield on the opposite side while completely frowning his face was Tale Legion’s vice-commander and three-thousand-man commander Semi.
Semi who received Roan’s order and was separately leading the Tale Legion and managing each region’s defense had heard the news that Kallum Rinse and Lukan Diez’s allied army was advancing to the capital, Miller, and set up a defense line in the Arpeau Forest region.
‘We are at the most ten thousand. That side is over fifty thousand.’
Uddk.
His teeth gritted once more.
‘So we have to retreat to the capital, Miller, in the end?’
He wished to at least stop to the end turning the Miller Castle into a battlefield.
With the capital at the center, big and small castles and towns were scattered in its surrounding.
If the capital, Miller, became a battlefield, they couldn’t protect the nearby castles and towns.
‘Looking at Kallum and Lukan’s actions until now, the possibility of horrible pillaging and foul and appalling acts happening is high.’
Due to that, Semi had chosen not a castle defense battle but a field battle and tried to somehow stop Kallum Lukan Allied Army.
In that process, Semi overcame the number of over five times the difference and was stopping their advances for close to ten days.
These were all something possible thanks to efficient troop formation and order system, and soldiers of outstanding skill on top.
Of course, this was also something possible because Semi’s commanding that could perfectly use all of these was there.
“Vice-Commander! The right wing is crumbling!”
One thousand-man commander ran over and shouted.
“They don’t even give a room to breathe.”
Semi bitterly smiled and analyzed the battlefield.
Certainly, the right wing’s formation was rapidly crumbling.
But even so, they couldn’t send out the left wing and the center army’s soldiers either.
‘Let’s fall back.’
Only the soldiers would be lost even if they forcibly hold on.
‘Even the people around the capital should have ran away by now.’
He wished to believe so.
“Right wing retreat. The center army’s reserve army will take right wing’s rear guard.”
“Eh?! Tha, that means……?”
Nearby commanders asked back with shocked expressions.
Semi nodded his head.
“We retreat to the capital, Miller.”
A difficult decision.
“Kuuk.”
Many commanders clenched their teeth and swallowed their groans.
Rage pushed up to their throats.
The situation where they had to retreat like this was regrettable.
“Re…… treat.”
“Retreat… retreat!”
The thousand-man rank and above commanders barely brought the word of retreat to their mouths.
Vvuuuuuuu!
Soon the sound of horn echoed out in every direction.
The troop commanders who represented as Semi’s adjutants swarmed to his side.
“I will take the rear guard troop, sir.”
“No sir. I will take it.”
Loyalties that poured down.
But Semi faintly smiled and shook his head.
“The greatest elite troop in the Tale Legion is Impasse.”
Impasse Troop was the three-thousand-man troop with Semi as the troop commander.
“I will take the rear guard. All of you retreat!”
Semi spoke with a resolute expression and voice.
“Legion Vice-Commander!”
“You cannot!”
Numerous troop commanders shook their heads and stood their places.
Semi’s eyes turned fierce.
“Ignoring orders is a heavy violation of the military law! I can only to cut off your heads if you don’t retreat right now.
A sharp killing intent stormed.
“Legion Vice-Commander……”
The troop commanders stared at Semi with heated eyes.
Semi who was making a stern expression then snickered out a laugh.
“I said I’ll take the rear guard, not die. I’ll complete the mission and return so hurry and retreat. The possibility of me dying goes higher the more and more you guys dither like this.”
At those words, the many commanders couldn’t be obstinate any longer.
“Legion Vice-Commander. You must come back, sir.”
“We will await you at the capital, Miller.”
Semi nodded his head in place of answer.
Soon the numerous commanders led the troops and began to quickly fall back.
Vvuuuuuu!
The sound of horn signaling the retreat echoed even louder.
Semi looked back at the Impasse Troop’s members who remained together with him and smiled.
“I’m sorry about pushing you guys into death.”
At those words, the soldiers instead cheerfully smiled and shook their heads.
“Who else could take on such an important mission but us, sir?”
“Isn’t this all because we are standouts?”
“It’s an honor to fight together, to the end, sir.”
The Impasse was certainly a powerful force.
Semi nodded his head and pulled out his longsword.
An incredible number of Kallum Lukan Allies Army surged before his eyes.
“We’ll hug the forest and the hill and quickly attack and quickly retreat.”
It was a plan to repeat hit and run and slow down the enemy’s pursuing speed.
“Yes sir!”
The soldiers of the troop all saluted and answered in one voice.
Semi looked at the retreating allies and screamed at the top of his lungs.
“Charge!
“Charge!”
The troop’s soldiers echoed and spurred their horses.
Semi and the Impasse Troop’s soldiers brought salmons to mind.
The sight of climbing backwards against soldiers violently flowing in one direction.
It truly was a heroic and reckless charge.
“Cut me down first if you wish to go to the capital, Miller!”
Semi roared and swung his sword.
Sssguk! Sssck!
Multiple enemy soldiers that fiercely rushed fell down with horrid sounds.
Chang! Chajang! Sssguk! Ssskuk!
Sparks flew with metallic din.
Heads were cut off and limbs fell down.
“Damn it! Pierce through!”
“Go around!”
“Chase! Chase!”
Few troops turned their horseheads to avoid Semi and the Impasse Troop.
Of course, there was no way that Semi would see this and sit still.
“Intercept! Intercept the path of pursuit!”
There were forest and hill on left and right.
If they could just push, the enemy no longer had room to advance.
If they could just block off the place where the cavalry could freely run, they could slow down the pursuing speed for the time being.
“Damn it! Annoying bastards!
“Pierce through! Kill them!”
“Push with the numbers!”
The Kallum Lukan Allied Army’s soldiers shouted with completely cross expressions.
Semi and the Impasse Troop’s soldiers that blocked the giant army’s path with small numbers seemed irritating.
Their attacks became ferocious.
Ssskuk!
“Kuuk.”
A sword pierced an Impasse Troop’s soldier’s stomach.
A situation where it wouldn’t be strange for him to directly expire.
But the soldier grabbed the sword that was piercing his stomach with his left hand.
“Kuuk. I’ll cut off your head even if I die now.”
“Eh?! Eh! T, this bastard……!”
The enemy soldier that happily thrusted in the sword panicked and tried to pull out the sword.
But the sword of the Impasse Troop’s soldier was faster than that.
Ssskuk!
The blade instantly cut off the enemy’s head.
However, the soldier whose stomach was pierced too couldn’t dodge death.
He looked at the bold Semi slaughtering the enemy by his side and made a faint smile.
“Le, Legion Vice-Commander. Kuuk. I’m going first. Legion Vice-Commander, do come very slowly, sir.”
That was the end.
The soldier dropped directly down and lost his life.
It was not simply him.
The Impasse Troop’s soldiers whose numbers were lacking were one after another losing their lives everywhere.
But as fitting a powerful force, even when they died at their time they cut off even a one more enemy’s head and died.
“A, awful bastards!”
“The hell are these guys!”
The Kallum Lukan Allied Army’s soldiers that had ferociously pushed trembled with bleached-white faces.
Semi proudly looked at those troop members.
“I won’t let you guys’ deaths be in vain.”
He drew up the mana within his body and more fiercely pushed the enemy army.
“Kuuk!”
“Kuguk!”
The enemy army’s soldiers helplessly fell down.
But Semi too had a limit.
His strength slowly expired from the endlessly swarming enemies.
A physical limit.
Even worse, the mana within his body too was nearing its bottom.
“Alright! Even that guy must be slowly tiring!”
“Monstrous bastard! Just how long is he holding on!”
The Kallum Lukan Allied Army’s soldiers clicked their tongues.
The sun that was above their heads slightly slipped towards the west.
A desperate fight.
Leading merely a single troop, Semi had stopped fifty-thousand strong grand army’s pursuit for quite a long time.
‘Back, we have to back off.’
Semi clenched his teeth.
They had to hide between hills, or perhaps in the forest and then prepare a counterattack once again.
“Fall back! Fall back!”
He gave the order.
But there was no one who listened.
No, they couldn’t listen even if they wish.
The attacks that poured down from the front were so fierce that they had no room to fall back.
“Kuuk.”
“Kuk!”
The Impasse Troop’s soldiers fell in ones and twos.
Now the remaining number didn’t quite reach one thousand.
“Fall back! I said fall back!”
Semi went forwards alone to protect the soldiers that were dying out.
Instantly, the enemy’s attacks poured down towards Semi.
In that time, few members of the troop could retreat to the back.
But.
“Legion Vice-Commander!”
“Look out!”
Semi’s life became jeopardized as a price for saving his soldiers.
‘Kuuk.’
Semi clenched his teeth.
Spat!
At the attacks that poured down from everywhere like swarms of bees, his armor became caved in and his skin ripped.
There thankfully were no large wounds, but red blood flowed along his face and limbs.
‘Is it the end like this?’
Semi exhaled a long sigh.
For some reason, the tips of his lips gently went up the moment he felt his end.
‘I have no regret.’
Just.
‘Not being able to support my lord to the end is regrettable.’
He thought that if it was Roan, he would go to a much higher, much wider place.
Semi wished to watch that sight from his side.
A regrettable look floated up fully on his face.
Ssweaaaaak!
At that moment, numerous swords and spears flew before his eyes.
He could parry away about two amongst them if he swung his sword, but that was the limit.
His entire body would be pierced by the remaining swords and spears.
Semi deeply breathed in.
Even when he died, he didn’t wish to die servilely.
He fully opened his eyes and instead made an even brighter smile.
‘My lord. I will be now……’
He sent his final goodbye inside.
No, he tried to send it.
The goodbye couldn’t quite reach its end.
Booooooom!
With an incredible roar, a crimson wall, a wall of fire erupted in front of his eyes.
“Um?”
Semi creased his brows at the abruptly occurred anomaly.
The swords and spears that had flew towards him had all became piles of ash and disappeared.
“Firewall?”
He wondered if it was a magic but soon shook his head.
Because the unique mana of magic wasn’t felt.
“Ah!”
Suddenly, Semi widely opened his eyes with a quiet exclamation.
Simultaneously, goosebumps rose on his entire body.
The person who had made the wall of fire, he had realized who that was.
The smile that fully spread on his face became even thicker.
Meanwhile, the highly erupting wall of fire disappeared.
“Wha, what the?”
“What was that just now?”
Kallum Lukan Allied Army’s soldiers were of dumbfound expressions at the event that just occurred.
Semi looked at those appearances and spoke in a slightly elated voice.
“You bastards, you better be running now at least.
At those words, the soldiers snorted.
“Hmph! What nonsense are you saying all of a sudden?”
“Have you gone mad before death?”
Sneers poured down.
Semi minded them none and retreated back a step.
The surviving members of the Impasse Troop too did the same.
They too had realized who it was that had made the giant wall of fire that had erupted just now.
Smiles together with relief fully floated up on their faces.
Semi fully opened his arms.
“That sir has come.”
The enemy soldiers frowned at the incomprehensible words.
“That sir?”
Semi gently smiled and added on.
“The Crimson War God……”
The moment his words reached to that point.
Booooooom!
Together with a thunderous sound, one dark-red ball of flame fell down from the sky.
“Huuk!”
“Kuph!”
An incredible wind pressure stormed everywhere.
The ball of flame that landed on the ground, shockingly, was a young man wearing a crimson armor.
The young man holding a black spear in one hand and blazing out dark-red flame.
Semi looked at his back and screamed at the top of his throat.
“It’s Sir Roan Lancephil!”
The ball of flame that fell from the sky.
He, just like Semi’s words, was the Crimson War God Roan Lancephil.
Roan faintly smiled and lightly spun the Travias Spear around.
“I will incinerate you all.”
His quiet voice rode the wind and filled the battlefield.
< Amaranth (26) > End.
Translator : CSV
Proofreader: Fujimaru