Chapter 81: Too Incompetent (3)
Slo stared at the gigantic troll corpse that had collapsed with a hole pierced through its heart.
Soon after, his vacant gaze fixed itself on the man approaching him.
“Do you think you are soone who deserves to live?”
Red eyes and white hair.
At the cold gaze looking down at him, Slo’s body began to tremble.
“Ka, Kyle Ragnar. A traitor to the kingdo—”
Puuuk—!
Before he could even finish the word traitor, Kyle’s sword was thrust straight into his heart.
Even while showing such a disgraceful state, still thinking of Ragnar as traitors was the worst of all.
“Harte, I’m starting to wonder if this is really right.”
Kyle pulled his sword out of Slo’s heart and looked toward the surviving knights.
In response, Harte drew his blade and personally severed the necks of four knights.
“The sword has already been drawn, Grand General.”
“If the sword is drawn, it ans it has to cut sothing.”
“Whether monsters or an incompetent royal family, once the sword is drawn, shouldn’t it cut sothing? That’s a life lesson I learned while living as a knight of the North.”
At Harte’s words, Kyle nodded.
“There’s no need to drag this out. Once the Northern Army is ready, we annihilate the monsters and then march on the capital.”
“I will follow.”
At Kyle’s decision, Harte bowed his head.
With royal knights killed, civil war was now certain.
Looking at the knights whose bodies were growing cold, Harte shook his head and turned away.
Dealing with the monsters was no problem.
Most of the monsters had chased after the fleeing Royal Army, and the ones left behind here didn’t even number four thousand.
Although they had only brought the Rak Territory Army, there was no chance of struggling against a re four thousand monsters.
After completely dealing with the monsters that the Kingdom Army had struggled against, Kyle returned north once more.
He could have reduced the numbers further, but the Northern Army’s preparations were not yet complete.
And he had no desire to deliberately follow after the Kingdom Army just to help them.
Kyle sent the surviving soldiers back, attaching the knights’ corpses along with them.
This was both a gift and a warning from Kyle to the Kingdom Army.
“I’m looking forward to seeing just how far they’ll be pushed back. We’re returning!”
Even though the decision was to return to Rak Territory rather than advance, the soldiers showed no doubts.
In the North, Kyle’s orders were more important than commands issued by the king.
After dealing with only part of the monsters and returning to the territory, Kyle slowly dismounted from Frost’s back.
“We greet the Grand General!”
Akun shouted as he bowed his head toward Kyle.
Every mber of the Ragnar Knight Order, who should have been at Casio Castle, had appeared in Rak Territory.
On top of that, troops were arriving one by one from northern territories.
“What about the defense of Casio Castle?”
“The Orc Lord has joined us. We succeeded in the second defense, and reduced the monsters from thirty thousand down to ten thousand.”
“Good work.”
The entire Ragnar Knight Order, who had just arrived and been waiting for Kyle to return, bowed in disciplined unison.
At first, they had been knights with pitiful skills, but through various experiences and events, they were growing rapidly.
Above all, Acacia’s training thods had been a trendous help to them.
“It’s nothing. We know well that without the Grand General stepping in, such a result would never have been possible.”
“How does that matter.”
“That’s right.”
“Commander, the Ragnar Knight Order will move independently together with . Prepare thoroughly.”
At the words telling him to directly support Kyle’s movents, Akun’s eyes filled with fervor.
“I will personally verify the Ragnar Knight Order’s potential for growth.”
“We will do our utmost!”
As Kyle entered the Rak Viscount’s residence, Akun clenched both fists tightly.
Soon after, Acacia’s voice flowed into his ears.
“I’ve always told you. Being able to receive instruction from that person is a once-in-a-lifeti fortune. So show everything you’re capable of.”
“I will keep that in mind, Instructor.”
After confirming the arrival of the Ragnar Knight Order, Kyle headed to the office to et the Rak Viscount.
The knight guarding the office spotted Kyle and bowed his head.
“I’ve co to see the Rak Viscount.”
At Kyle’s words, the knight imdiately opened the door.
The Rak Viscount was seated in the office, ard, reviewing docunts.
“Why are you ard?”
“If I say I want to go to battle too, will you take
along?”
“You know that’s not possible.”
“I figured as much. But even if I can’t participate in the war, I have no intention of staying comfortably in the rear.”
Even though he couldn’t participate in combat, the Rak Viscount wanted to face this civil war with proper resolve.
No matter how much it was the rear, there was always the possibility that the Kingdom Army could detour and attack the North.
“That’s admirable resolve.”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t need to worry too much about the North’s defense. Pramo has decided to co to Rak Territory personally.”
The defense of the mountain range would be handled by the Orc and Dwarf clans.
Considering the past, when they couldn’t even divert troops despite the lord’s castle being directly attacked, this was trendous progress.
At Kyle’s words, the Rak Viscount nodded.
“I already heard from the Family Head. By the way, when are you planning to depart?”
“We depart tomorrow. How many troops have gathered?”
“About forty thousand, and it seems around seventy percent have completed assembly. However, we haven’t grasped the exact number.”
The original estimate had been fifty thousand, but already forty thousand had entered Rak Territory.
If assembly were fully completed, it might beco a massive army of sixty to seventy thousand.
“I’ll move with just the forty thousand gathered now. The remaining troops that arrive later can be deployed to defend the North.”
“Will that be all right?”
“That should be sufficient. If I find the numbers lacking, I’ll request support imdiately.”
“Understood.”
“With the teleportation gate, I don’t intend to worry about troop convergence. Even forty thousand troops should be enough to seize a single city.”
Even without the teleportation gate, it would suffice to request reinforcents composed of cavalry.
Fortunately, the Continental War Front was supporting horses, so forming cavalry posed no problem.
“Grand General, rather than this, detouring and striking the capital directly might be a way to reduce damage.”
“I’d like to do that too, but from the start, the reason the Northern Army is moving isn’t the civil war itself, but to save the kingdom’s citizens who would suffer damage from the monsters. That will beco Ragnar’s image.”
At his words, the Rak Viscount nodded.
They wanted to minimize the Northern Army’s losses, but public opinion was also necessary.
The goal of replacing the royal family could not be achieved unless the kingdom’s citizens supported the Ragnar Family.
Thus, Kyle remained in Rak Territory for a day to prepare for the campaign.
By the ti the inspection ceremony for the departure was held, the number of troops gathered from the North amounted to roughly forty-six thousand.
It was slightly short of the target of fifty thousand, but this was more than sufficient.
The lined-up soldiers and knights, along with the northern lords standing ard, looked up at the tall platform that had been constructed.
“I am Kyle Ragnar, Grand General of the Ragnar Family.”
As Kyle spoke softly atop the platform, not only the knights but even the lords widened their eyes as they stared at him.
“Until now, the North has made countless sacrifices and served as the shield of the Kingdom of Daon. However, the Royal Court thoroughly turned its back on us, and rather than offering aid, it raised taxes and made the entire North suffer.”
Though his voice was quiet, Kyle’s words struck everyone’s ears.
At his calm tone, the soldiers revealed resolute expressions.
“Nevertheless, the Ragnar Family intends to remain the shield of the Kingdom of Daon to the very end. Never forget that this is not for the sake of the Royal Court. Raise your swords and spears for the kingdom’s citizens who live in this land alongside us. And show them—those who proudly ignored and abandoned the North.”
With those words, Kyle forcefully drew the sword at his waist.
Soon, the blade enveloped the sword body.
“Do not be afraid. I will always be by your side.”
As they gazed at the red flas flickering before them, the soldiers simultaneously raised their swords and spears toward the sky.
“Waaaaaah!”
When the soldiers finally stopped roaring after cheering for a long while, Kyle shouted loudly.
“We march!”
Kyle lightly leaped down from the platform and landed, and Frost, who had been waiting, ran toward him.
Mounting Frost’s lowered back, Kyle turned his head.
He was curious.
How far the Royal Court, which was only paying attention to the civil war, had been pushed back in just one day.
King Clover had surely forgotten what his true priorities were.
The capital of the Holy Empire of Ru, Ardelphier.
At the very top of the white Papal Palace built at the center of the land, an old man overlooking the empire ground his teeth.
“Your Holiness, the Kingdom of Daon has requested support.”
“……The situation of the Empire is not so good that we can heed a small nation’s request for aid.”
Due to the war with the Tylers Empire, the Holy Empire of Ru had suffered trendous losses.
The number of Masters, once five, had been reduced to two, and they had lost the First Holy Knight Order of the Empire as well as the empire’s greatest knight.
Moreover, by entering a non-aggression pact for the next twenty years, the Holy Empire of Ru had beco unable to clash with the Tylers Empire.
Even aside from that, there existed a vast gap between the Holy Empire of Ru and the Tylers Empire.
It was not a matter of elite troops—once there was a difference in the number of Masters, there was no hope even if a war were to be started.
In such circumstances, it was difficult to concern themselves with the remote Kingdom of Daon.
“But it concerns the Monster Mountain Range.”
“……Speak.”
“They say that monsters have flowed into the interior of the Kingdom of Daon.”
“The reason?”
“It is said that the pact between the Ragnar Family and the Daon Royal Court has been broken.”
“If the Ragnar Family has turned its back, the Kingdom of Daon is finished anyway. The pact being broken is no different from saying that the Heir of the Frostfire has appeared.”
“That is correct. Coincidentally, it is said that two Masters have appeared within the Ragnar Family.”
“Two Masters, you say…….”
“We will refuse the request for support.”
“Do so. In any case, the royal family of the Kingdom of Daon is useless. Even if the royal house changes to the Ragnar Family, the religion of the Kingdom of Daon will still be Ru.”
Perhaps it was a good thing.
If the Kingdom of Daon’s royal house changed and ca to possess two Masters, the Holy Empire of Ru believed it would be able to request support from the Ragnar Family on religious grounds.
“Understood.”
“By the way, is there still no news of the White Devil’s whereabouts?”
“……We are searching across the entire continent, but he has not been found.”
“The notion that the White Devil died is absurd. He must surely be hiding sowhere and living on.”
The monster that had slaughtered four Masters of the Holy Empire could not possibly be dead.
At the Pope’s words, the one clad in priestly robes bowed his head.
Those who knew Ian Kailers never believed the news that he had died in the Lutein Gorge.
“The opponent is the cunning fox of Tylers. Do not miss even a single movent, and remain vigilant.”
“Understood.”
The Pope turned his body and clenched his fist tightly.
“If only the White Devil had not existed, we could have judged the Tylers Empire in the na of Ru…….”
It was regrettable.
If not for the outstanding individual nad Ian Kailers, the war would have ended long ago.
Had the previous emperor of the Tylers Empire not discovered him, the course of the war would have been completely different.
In fact, when the forr emperor of the Tylers Empire passed away, the empire suffered consecutive defeats at the hands of the Holy Empire.
And it was Ian Kailers who completely recovered the situation when morale had plumted.
“We will find him by any ans necessary. He has surely changed his face using magic.”
“You may provide the pursuit unit with all magic items. No matter how much it costs, it is acceptable as long as we can find the White Devil.”
“This ti, we will eliminate the White Devil without fail.”
“Yes, he must—must be eliminated.”
At those words, the Pope bared his teeth and growled lowly.
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