"Oh heavens, why have you given me such trials...!"
Crown Prince Zeraitz let out a long lament as he gazed toward the sky.
He had been certain of victory.
In fact, they had been on the verge of securing it.
But the sudden and completely unforeseen arrival of reinforcements on the enemy's side had turned the tide of the battle entirely.
Of the 100,000 troops he had assembled for the subjugation army, only about 30,000 remained.
In one battle, 70% of his forces had been wiped out.
It was a total defeat.
"Your Highness, we must continue. Please, move quickly."
Hearing the dry, emotionless voice from behind, Crown Prince Zeraitz whipped his head around.
There stood Guy, the head of the Nerester family, looking at him with indifferent eyes.
He maintained a minimal level of courtesy, but that was it.
There was no emotion in his gaze—no respect for the Crown Prince, nor any sneer directed at a defeated commander.
It was as if he were staring at a pebble lying by the roadside.
A surge of anger rose up within Zeraitz.
'Why is it that everyone associated with Melvinger is like this…!'
The subjugation army hadn't only fought against the Red Lion Army.
They had also faced an overwhelming number of barbarian reinforcements, turning what should have been a "handful" of an enemy into a massive horde.
200,000?
No, perhaps 300,000?
It might have even been 500,000.
How so many troops could have emerged in the relatively small eastern frontier was beyond him.
Moreover, it made no sense why the barbarians—who had been known as long-standing enemies—had joined forces with the Red Lion army.
Regardless, the overwhelming numbers of the barbarian reinforcements swept through the subjugation army like a tidal wave, utterly destroying them.
And that wasn't all.
The scariest part about the barbarian horde wasn't just their sheer numbers.
Each one of them was a seasoned warrior, hardened by a lifetime spent traversing rough mountain terrain.
They vastly outmatched his soldiers in terms of quality.
In addition, demons appeared intermittently in their ranks, causing havoc, and assassins exploited the ensuing chaos, multiplying the casualties like an avalanche.
The most shocking moment came when the Indigo Lion's head suddenly fell from his shoulders while he was leading the vanguard with great success.
It wasn't long before they realized the assassin was the same one who had targeted Prince Cromhel in the north.
And when one of the Hexagram fell to the ground, the morale of his army plummeted into the abyss.
At that point, they saw no chance of victory.
Even retreating was difficult.
The enemy surrounded them on all sides.
In that moment of despair, the Nerester family appeared.
They had been traveling near the area, making their way to the main camp after leaving the imperial capital later than the other noble houses.
Thanks to their timely arrival, Crown Prince Zeraitz had been saved.
Considering these circumstances, Guy was a literal lifesaver for the crown prince.
But Crown Prince Zeraitz knew something else.
If Guy had been willing, he might have turned the tide of battle again.
'If only he had fully engaged…!'
The troops Guy had brought were not merely his private soldiers.
He had also brought with him the Senate and the members of the Guest House, both of which the Inspection Bureau labeled as "unpredictable" and "dens of chaos."
If the monstrous beings who regarded even the senior members of the Magic Tower as amateurs had joined the fight, the Red Lion Army that had humiliated him, the mysterious assassin who had killed the Indigo Lion, and the barbarian chieftains could all have been wiped out.
But Guy had not done so.
He had focused solely on securing the Crown Prince's safety and, once that objective was achieved, retreated without a second thought.
It was a decision driven by practical gains.
For Zeraitz, who had hoped to use this war to elevate his political standing, this was a maddening decision.
However, Crown Prince Zeraitz couldn't object.
The command of what little remained of his army was now firmly in Guy's hands.
If Guy decided to refuse further participation and return to his lands, it would be disastrous.
Especially with the Red Lion Army and a barbarian army numbering 500,000 advancing toward Imperial territory, Zeraitz needed Guy on his side, even if it meant begging him to stay.
If he angered Guy, he might not only bring disaster upon the Empire but also lose his already tenuous standing.
He had to stop the enemy's advance, no matter what.
'Damn it, damn it...!'
Crown Prince Zeraitz clenched his fists, trembling in frustration.
At this point, he had entirely forgotten about the Star's Legion, which he had abandoned in the midst of the enemy's camp.
***
–Return immediately.
After the shockingly irresponsible order from the main camp was delivered, Elric immediately sent out scouts and reconnaissance parties to assess the situation accurately.
"The Chanaifu tribe has been confirmed advancing west! The number of their troops... we can't even begin to estimate!"
"The Shanshan tribe has been confirmed heading south! Their destination is Imperial territory!"
"The Castle of Silence has been confirmed to be abandoned!"
"According to testimony from captured prisoners, the Red Lion Army held a meeting with the twelve barbarian chieftains."
"The Red Lion Army has crossed into Imperial territory."
"The enemy's estimated numbers exceed 500,000!"
"It seems the retreat of the main camp is indeed true."
Every report was filled with nothing but despair.
The enemy's numbers were at least 500,000, and they were chasing the retreating Imperial forces into the Empire's mainland.
The most shocking news was that the gates of the Eastern Great Wall—considered part of the Empire's core territory—had been opened.
The enemy's advance was far too swift.
As a result, the Star's Legion found itself stranded in the heart of enemy territory, drifting like an isolated island.
No other word captured the situation better than completely isolated.
The only small comfort, if it could be called that, was that there were no reports of the enemy preparing to attack them.
Perhaps, so focused on their rapid advance, the enemy hadn't even considered them a threat.
Although they might bear a grudge for the death of Claymore Sagnard, they wouldn't divert their forces just for revenge.
"..."
"..."
"..."
But even though they were safe for the moment, it didn't change the fact that the Star's Legion was in serious danger.
To the Red Lion Army, the Star's Legion, cut off from the main army, was little more than a speck of dust—something they could brush away with a single flick of the finger.
Before the enemy turned their attention this way, they had to figure out a way to survive.
But even in the leadership meeting, no solid plans emerged.
Only deep silence lingered.
The events of the past few days had been overwhelming, leaving them all mentally exhausted.
"We're already too late to follow the main camp's orders."
No one could argue with that.
Even Count Caliger and Viscount Kuransibil, who had constantly opposed Elric, were silent.
"And moving recklessly is dangerous. We don't want to unnecessarily draw their attention."
"Do you have any good ideas?"
Herman's one good eye, the other covered in bandages, met Elric's. The sight of his injury pained Elric, but Herman's gaze remained intense and unwavering.
"We have two options."
"Two?"
"Yes. One is to retreat to Ketrain Castle and wait for an opportunity."
"Isn't that risky? Won't it just provoke the Red Lion?"
"It's the best defensive stronghold that the Wynz Border Province has to offer. If we're planning to hold out, there's no better place for a siege."
"Hmm... so it has its pros and cons. And the other option?"
Herman stroked his chin thoughtfully.
It was true. Right now, that seemed like the most reasonable plan.
The problem was how long they could hold out and when—if ever—the Imperial army would launch a counteroffensive to rescue them.
'But given the Crown Prince's animosity toward us... it seems unlikely.'
Herman didn't have high hopes.
That's why he was curious about the second option.
But Elric's answer was shocking.
"We surrender to the Red Lion."
"…!"
"…!"
"What nonsense is this?"
"Bow our heads to the rebels? Kneel before barbarians? How could a noble sworn to the Empire and the Imperial family even suggest such a thing?"
The first to object were Count Caliger and Viscount Kuransibil.
For them, the thought of becoming rebels when the situation was already dire was unthinkable.
They were even considering deposing Elric and taking command themselves if it came to that.
But
"Sit down."
Elric's cold, steely eyes locked onto them.
The words Count Caliger and Viscount Kuransibil had been about to shout froze in their throats.
'Those eyes...!'
'He's grown even stronger!'
When they saw Elric's emerald-like eyes gleaming with a jewel-like brilliance, their hearts dropped in fear.
Elric wasn't even emitting any mana.
But the atmosphere had completely changed.
Was it his aura?
His dignity?
Or perhaps his presence?
They didn't know how to describe it.
But one thing was certain.
In this moment, Elric exuded something intangible that made him utterly unapproachable.
It reminded them of the Emperor himself, who could command and overwhelm any audience with sheer presence alone, even without uttering a word.
And
Count Caliger and Viscount Kuransibil had seen something similar a long time ago in House Melvinger.
Usdun Melvinger.
The former head of the family, whose presence had always driven them into despair and filled them with inferiority, was now reflected in Elric!
"Didn't you hear me say sit down? Caliger, Kuransibil. I don't like repeating myself."
In Elric's clear emerald eyes, they could see their own strained expressions reflected like in a mirror.
Finally,
Thud!
The two men sat down, grinding their teeth in frustration.
It wasn't just Elric's charisma. They could also see that Herman and Sailor, the strongest fighters in the army, had no intention of supporting them. In fact, their expressions were cold.
"Insubordination on the battlefield is punishable by immediate execution. I'll let this one go, but it won't happen again."
Elric's warning was ice-cold.
Count Caliger and Viscount Kuransibil bit their lips but said nothing in return.
They could only seethe in silent rage, their anger toward House Melvinger burning even brighter.
But Elric paid them no further attention.
Instead, he scanned the room and spoke again.
"I have no desire to recklessly endanger the soldiers just to satisfy my own ambitions. If there's a way to save even one more life, I'll take it."
Herman nodded heavily, a satisfied smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. He clearly approved of Elric's stance.
"So, I'd like to hear your thoughts. Does anyone have a better idea?"
There was a moment of silence.
Then.
"I might have an idea."
Sailor, the old Gray Lion, looked at Elric with a serious expression.
Gone was the playful, mischievous gleam that was his usual signature.
[T/L: You can read ahead chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]