Sword Master of a Fa Chapter 79 : Too Incompetent (1)

Chapter 79: Too Incompetent (1)

The lord of Rak Territory, Viscount Rak, tilted his head in confusion.

With the war in full swing on the frontlines, it was not normal behavior for the northern forces to be gathering in Rak Territory instead of Ragnar.

“How exactly is this situation unfolding…….”

“There is a strong possibility that it was the Grand General’s judgnt.”

The man who should have been at Casio Castle, where a fierce siege was currently underway, stood beside Viscount Rak in full armant.

The forr lord of Casio Castle.

The man who had ultimately stepped down from the position of castellan according to Kyle’s will wore a calm expression.

“……Sir Harte.”

A knight who had been the lord of Casio Castle and also Viscount Rak’s spiritual pillar.

Junior Baron Harte looked at Viscount Rak and smiled faintly.

“It must be a decision made to end the civil war as quickly as possible, Family Head.”

“…….”

“At present, the Dwarf Clan chief is holding out at Casio Castle. Even if additional Monsters are deployed, Ragnar will never be breached.”

The northern forces currently gathering and Ragnar’s troops were thoroughly independent.

However, the common point was that both forces were active-duty soldiers.

They were not standing armies or reserve troops, but elite soldiers born through rigorous training.

“……Sir Harte, I cannot even begin to grasp how this civil war will unfold.”

“Isn’t it one of two possibilities? Either it proceeds normally, or it does not.”

There was doubt as to whether King Clover could endure to the very end.

The military power of the North had always been stronger than that of the Royal Family.

At no point in history had the North ever been militarily inferior.

Viscount Rak, who had been gazing out at his territory from the window of his office, turned his head toward the knight who entered.

“Family Head, I believe you should co out.”

“What is it?”

“The Grand General has just entered the territory.”

“……Already?”

Following Pramo’s orders issued a day earlier, troops from surrounding territories had been gathering since last night.

With Ragnar’s situation still ongoing, Viscount Rak hurried out of his office upon hearing that Kyle had already arrived.

Before the panting Viscount Rak, a massive wolf with blue fur and Kyle revealed themselves.

“Grand General!”

“You look surprised.”

“Isn’t there also the situation in Ragnar? I heard that as many as thirty thousand Monsters invaded Casio Castle.”

“There is no need for

to remain tied to Casio Castle.”

Kyle, dressed in a black uniform, withdrew the hand that had been stroking Frost’s back.

In the anti, Viscount Rak respectfully clasped both hands together.

“How could I possibly understand the Grand General’s intentions? I rely follow them.”

“What is the number of troops gathering in the North?”

“I do not know the exact number. I believe the estimated figure is around fifty thousand.”

“That is sufficient. Has Lord Duren not co to Rak Territory?”

He had clearly said that he could co to the North at any ti.

Since he was the only lord who had not abandoned his territory, he wanted to give him one chance.

At Kyle’s words, Viscount Rak nodded.

“A few days ago, he fled to Rak Territory with all of his territory residents.”

“If you take him in properly, it will be of great help to you, Viscount.”

“Grand General, but I……!”

“He seed to possess the qualities of a good lord. If the Viscount guides him well at your side, he will grow into an outstanding lord.”

At the suggestion that Duren be taken in by the Rak Family rather than the Ragnar Family, he was horrified.

Although he was only a baron, he was a noble officially appointed by the Royal Family.

“How could a Viscount’s family take in a noble who holds a baronial title…….”

“It may be a Viscount’s family for now, but what do you think will happen after the civil war ends?”

“That is…….”

“Pramo will not simply leave alone the Viscount who supported Ragnar from start to finish. How long do you think the Rak Family will remain Viscounts? You staked everything your family had to help Ragnar, so you should receive compensation for it.”

“……Grand General.”

“When I spoke about you, Viscount, I once said this to the Family Head.”

Viscount Rak possessed outstanding talent in many fields, to the extent that he could serve as a chancellor.

Elder Tade’s grandson might possibly have even greater talent, but that child was still far too young.

If the dynasty were to change, there was a high likelihood that Viscount Rak would be appointed as chancellor.

No—Kyle intended to lead it that way.

“But is there not the Military Officer?”

“Aron is not soone who follows Ragnar, but soone who follows .”

The idea that Aron followed Pramo and worked for the royal family was nonsense.

In the first place, the reason Aron moved for Ragnar was because of Kyle.

He was not the type to leave Kyle and move to a new refuge.

If he had been that kind of person, he would never have left the Tyless Empire to begin with.

While thinking about Aron, Kyle soon fixed his gaze directly on Viscount Rak.

“Viscount Rak.”

“Please speak, Grand General.”

“We will advance on the capital after dealing with the Monsters.”

“……Grand General, we do not know how long the Royal Army deployed along the Northern Boundary Line will hold out. According to information brought by Baron Duren, the Royal Army suffered massive losses in a single clash.”

At Viscount Rak’s hesitant words, Kyle raised the corner of his mouth.

It was unmistakable mockery.

Up until now, the North and Ragnar had steadfastly repelled countless Monster invasions.

Seeing them fail to stop even once was nothing but pathetic.

“No matter how many Monsters there are, I heard that an army of fifty thousand was deployed near the border?”

“It seems that they failed to prepare adequately. Moreover, I hear that the terrain where the Royal Army first encountered the Monsters was flat land.”

“A foolish judgnt.”

That the Royal Army, lacking in both numbers and physical capability, chose to fight Monsters on flat terrain was in itself laughable.

Neither the Ragnar Family nor even the North ever confronted Monsters on flat ground.

It was no different from a suicidal act.

One had to consider that most of the Kingdom of Daon’s terrain, excluding the North, consisted of plains, but even making that argunt was self-defeating.

After all, they had flattened the mountains, claiming they would generate national funds through agriculture.

“If they are pushed back before the northern army moves, then that too will be their fate.”

With those words, Kyle walked forward.

As Kyle entered the mansion, Viscount Rak lowered his head.

* * *

This place was hell.

In a single clash, the Royal Army had to suffer unimaginable losses.

Half of the twenty thousand troops that had advanced at the front were lost.

“……Isn’t it ridiculous?”

“Commander…….”

“I took them lightly. I moved thinking they were on par with ordinary Monsters, so this outco was inevitable.”

Although they had joined up with the thirty thousand troops in the rear, Deira was now completely dazed.

Because of his absurd misjudgnt, innocent soldiers had been massacred.

Twenty thousand versus seventy thousand.

Naturally, given the nurical disadvantage, choosing a defensive siege would have been the correct decision.

But the Royal Army had made no preparations whatsoever.

Even reinforcing the lords’ castles of the two territories that had been damaged three months ago would have left ti to spare.

With the single objective of containing the North, they thought they would rely face off, never imagining that Monsters would break through the North and co pouring in.

“……It was my mistake.”

“How can this be the Commander’s mistake? Ragnar deliberately let the Monsters through!”

“…….”

“Isn’t this the family that should be protecting the northern region of the Kingdom of Daon instead attacking the kingdom instead?! The fault lies with Ragnar!”

When others do it, it is an act worthy of death; when I do it, it becos sothing natural.

Even while knowing how the Royal Family had oppressed the Ragnar Family and thoroughly exploited them using the shackles of the oath, the knight vented his anger.

Deira let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.

No one could criticize the Ragnar Family now.

‘A family that endured for hundreds of years against Monsters this powerful. A place that protected the North by risking their lives just to survive. How could anyone condemn Ragnar?’

If not for what happened three months ago, criticism would have focused on Ragnar.

However, the Royal Family had attempted to attack the Ragnar Family, which was carrying out the crucial duty of stopping the Monsters, while they were defenseless.

As evidence, copies of the magic artifact left behind by Count Henson before his death spread throughout the kingdom.

Of course, commoners without money or status could not hear his recorded ssage directly, but nobles were different.

It beca the decisive factor that caused nobles—already uncooperative toward King Clover—to completely turn away.

“If we fail to stop the Monsters here and let them flow into the interior of the Kingdom of Daon, the Daon Royal Family is finished.”

“Commander, even so…….”

“Send a communication to the Royal Court. Tell them that we must hold the Northern Boundary Line no matter what.”

Deira gripped the hilt of his sword, his body trembling.

He had spent his entire life serving within the Royal Knights Order.

Living as a knight in a country without war ant lacking combat experience.

‘Kyle Ragnar will definitely move.’

Kyle possessed overwhelming martial power, but judging from his actions so far, he was also adept at political maneuvering.

He was a genius who had subtly turned public opinion in Ragnar’s favor.

Letting out a sigh, Deira soon shook his head violently as if to dispel the thought.

‘Right. For now, I focus solely on the battle.’

Deira sensed it instinctively.

The mont this war began to collapse uncontrollably, not only the Royal Family but even the Zaira Family would et their end.

The civil war between Ragnar and the Kingdom of Daon could co later.

Right now, they had to stop the Monster invasion at all costs.

“Even if it ans mobilizing all the kingdom’s strength, we must defend this region no matter what. Hurry and assemble the knights.”

At his fierce gaze, the knight bowed his head and went outside with a resolute expression.

Of the three territories along the Northern Boundary Line, only one had survived.

But when Baron Duren disappeared without a word, taking all the territory residents with him, the frontline they had to defend expanded endlessly.

On top of that, having lost ten thousand out of fifty thousand troops, only forty thousand remained.

And yet, they had not reduced the number of Monsters at all…….

Deira knew well that this was not a matter of survival, but a battle upon which the fall of the nation depended.

The royal palace of the Kingdom of Daon, which should have been peaceful.

Though it was late, Duke Zaira’s face turned pale as he rushed toward the Second Grand Hall where King Clover was.

Because the First Grand Hall had beco unusable after freezing over due to Kyle, they had no choice but to relocate.

Opening the doors of that Second Grand Hall and stepping inside, Duke Zaira clenched his lips as he saw King Clover clutching his forehead.

“Your Majesty, an urgent report from the Royal Knights Order Commander.”

“……What is it this ti?”

Three months ago, the closure of the North.

And then, a rchant group possessing enormous capital known as the Continental War Front joining hands with the Ragnar Family worsened King Clover’s headaches.

After all, the trade ban imposed on Ragnar at the cost of losses had instantly beco aningless.

On top of that, the foolish choice made by Count Henson had put the Royal Family in a difficult position.

“They report that a Monster horde of approximately sixty to seventy thousand has appeared along the Northern Boundary Line. There was one battle…… and ten thousand troops were lost.”

Hearing the news Duke Zaira brought, King Clover sprang to his feet.

This was already the second ti.

At the words that Monster invasions had occurred twice in just three months, he tightly shut his eyes.

“……Duke.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Prepare to deploy additional troops. If the Monsters flow into the interior of the Kingdom of Daon, the Royal Family will inevitably be shaken.”

“We will do everything in our power.”

“And issue a forced conscription order to the nobles. Whether their territories are near the North or far away, gather troops without exception. Right now, the war against the Monsters is not the only problem.”

No matter how thoughtless or foolish a king he might be, he had still studied statecraft and learned the principles of governing a nation.

He was not a fool who could fail to see that Ragnar had moved openly.

The war against the Monsters was indeed a problem, but what ca after was far more likely to beco an even greater one.

“I understand.”

“Duke, keep your wits about you as well. This will beco a war between the Royal Family and Ragnar.”

With a resolute expression, King Clover clenched both fists tightly.