Chapter 1, Episode 9: Ally
Imperial Year 1023, May 12th.
Margrave Grinda’s Territory, border town of Links.
A unique town where a gra.s.sland and desert come together.
The town’s citizens are divided with the upper cla.s.s living in the gra.s.sland area in the northern district, and the lower cla.s.s living in the desert area in the southern district.
In the northern district, is the mansion of Margrave Ruzen Kiolk von Grinda.
The walls have a white theme, and in the center is an octagon tower, with a sloping rooftop all around.
The two story wooden mansion built atop a plateau to look down on the town, had an oppressive feeling to it.
Surrounding the mansion was a tall fence, and in the center, there was a man who had collapsed in front of the iron gate.
The soldiers standing guard on each side of the gate rushed to him, fl.u.s.tered.
「H-Hey. What’s wrong?」
「Those are some serious wound there!」
The soldiers turned pale after turning the man over, face up.
There were wounds all over his body. There was even a large wound on his face.
The man grabbed hold of one of the soldiers.
「C-Convey this message to Margrave Grinda immediately.」
「… H-Hey! I don’t know what happened, but let go of me!」
「You’re wounded! Settle down!」
The strength coming from his thoroughly trained arm was beyond normal.
Even though the two soldiers tried to pull him away, he desperately clung on.
「P-Please! My name is Dios von Michael… I serve Lady Celia Estreya… Please, my message!」
「A-Alright, just let go already! I’ll deliver it right now!」
「Please… there’s no time…」
They didn’t have the leisure of confirming the validity of his story.
Dios’s grip continues to grow stronger, and if they make a wrong move, their lives would be in danger.
But having said that, they weren’t able to harm him either. If what he was saying was true, there’d be no telling what sort of punishment they would receive if they caused him harm.
「Hey! Notify the garrison captain!」
One of the soldiers nodded and ran towards the mansion.
Sensing something out of the ordinary, the garrison captain immediately came out from the gate.
「Margrave Grinda will be here soon, so can you let him go?」
He gently put his hand on Dios’s shoulder as he tried to persuade him.
The two glared at each other. This lasted a few seconds.
Dios nods, loses his strength, and crumbles to the ground.
「So he lost consciousness, huh. Call a doctor immediately. If he really is Lady Celia Estreya’s subordinate, Margrave Grinda will reprimand us.」
「Yes, sir!」
After the garrison captain watched the soldier run off, he looked down on Dios.
「Regardless of whether he’s telling the truth or not, it’s certainly not going to be good news…」
The garrison captain’s sighs became small, dark clouds.
Dios awakened two days thereafter.
He came to in one of the rooms of the mansion.
「There were 150 men… I was the only one who survived.」
Dios’s words were steeped in chagrin.
After they withdrew from the battlefield, the wounded soldiers died atop their horses, one after another.
Next, there were bandits. You could hardly expect such fatigued humans to fight well.
By the time he escaped death’s doorsteps and his vision started to blur, he was the only one remaining.
Looking down on him with with a heartbroken expression, was Margrave Ruzen Kiolk von Grinda.
「I see. That was quite an ordeal. I’d like to tell you to take your time and rest, but…」
Margrave Grinda seemed to be at a loss for words, but after shaking his head to the side a few times, he handed a single piece of paper to Dios.
「This arrived immediately after you were carried in here.」
He took it with a puzzled look on his face and opened the letter.
「This is…!」
Dios looked to Margrave Grinda with imploring eyes.
「Be at ease. I will not do anything to betray my niece.」
「But… with this…」
「I know the alias of 「Mars」. Even if this is a remote area, we hear that name often. I doubt I could hold a candle to her, if we fought. And even if I wanted to pet.i.tion the Emperor, he is currently on a military expedition.」
「Then, will you hand over the princess?」
「I told you, I will not betray my niece. Because she a memento of my younger sister.」
「Your opponent is 2,000 strong. How many soldiers are you able to a.s.semble here?」
「… It would be a different story if we were in wartimes, but you could say this place knows not of war. The Grinda territory keeps 3,000 at the ready. But that doesn’t mean we’re able to a.s.semble them all, nor do we have the time to… Gathering even 1,000 would be questionable.」
「Their commander is 「Mars」. That would not suffice…」
Even against a small force, it’s not likely that that female panther would let her guard down.
She’ll come with everything she has to crush us. I knew this first hand.
「We’ll try to await the Emperor’s return, even if our opponent is the one feared as 「Mars, G.o.d of War」.」
「When is the Emperor returning?」
「Word of his victory reached us 5 days ago. He should be on his way back with the First Imperial Prince right about now. Maybe 1 week… 3 days at least. I’ve already sent a messenger. We will not lose this battle until then.」
「Not lose this battle you say…」
「That’s right. According to my scout, the enemy army is currently heading south from Zegen Village to the Grole Plains.」
「So the decisive battle will be on the Grole Plains.」
Margrave Grinda nods in response to Dios’s words.
「The enemy is likely aiming for the borders of the small country of Baum… But I won’t allow that. First, we stop them at Grole Plains.」
「Then I will go as well.」
「No, I want you to remain here to welcome Elizabeth. Although it’s not exactly well fortified, can I have you take refuge in Fort Alt? For now, I want you to stay there and do whatever you can to buy some time.」
Fort Alt is a stronghold built near the border of Baum.
However, because they are never at war, there are less than 100 soldiers stationed there.
Not only that, because equipment is old, it wasn’t st.u.r.dy enough to be considered a stronghold.
It was too late to regret their excessive celebration of peace come now, but Margrave Grinda lowered his head.
「I do feel sorry. If only I were a better leader… The situation would not have fallen to this.」
「No, I am the one who brought this here. I am the one who is sorry.」
Dios was the one who had brought this troublesome ember with him.
If he wanted to protect his current position, all he would have to do is present the princess.
But regardless, Margrave Grinda is willing to fight.
Just the fact that he would lend his strength in this hopeless battle meant a lot.
「I’m sorry…」
「The princess says the same thing. Please raise your head.」
「Such kind words… You have my thanks.」
Dios thought the Margrave had raised his head, but it lowered once more.
No matter how much time pa.s.sed, it didn’t seem like he would raise his head again, so Dios changed the subject.
「So, what do we do now?」
「We head out as soon as the soldiers a.s.semble.」
「Then I leave that to you. I must go welcome the princess…」
「I will send a messenger to Fort Alt. I leave Elizabeth to you.」
「Understood. Until next time—」
Dios extended his hand.
Margrave Grinda smiled and grasped it.
「Yes. Let us meet again, together with Elizabeth.」
「Yes. Surely.」
And so, the two vowed to meet again and began to take action for their respective roles.
Five days later, Imperial Year 1023, May 17th.
Margrave Grinda is 8 sels (24km) away from the border town of Links.
Heavy cavalrymen were beginning to spread out on Grole Plains.
Behind the line of heavy cavalry was the enemy’s headquarters protected by 500 cavalrymen and a number of flags with crests of purple land and sword and shield planted into the ground.
In the center were a man and woman on horseback.
The man tilted his head and looked to the woman beside him.
「Ura.n.u.s?」
「Yes, do you know of it, Viscount Spitz?」
「Of course I do. It’s one of the 3 Great Hidden Eyes of this world. Is it not true that not even a single elf possesses them currently, even with their extended lives?」
Spitz recalled something and opened his mouth to speak again.
「Ahh, that’s right. Speaking of elves, there was one among Prince Schtobel’s staff of officers.」
「Yes, I’ve had many chances to exchange words with him, and so I asked about Ura.n.u.s.」
「Well they live long lives and have a wealth of knowledge, so I’m sure they know about many things.」
「Yes, it was a very worthwhile conversation. According to him, Ura.n.u.s is apparently capable of reading and understanding all things in heaven, earth, and man, and is able to manipulate the battlefield. He said those eyes would give an absurdly unfair advantage.」
「Was he not joking? I can hardly imagine eyes having such powers…」
Spitz shrugs his shoulders in disbelief.
But he immediately changes his expression.
This was because Bunadara’s face showed she was serious.
「It is certain that it truly existed. And it was an elf, whose people hate jokes, that said this.
I believe it’s credible. Do you not think so, Viscount Spitz?」
「I’m unable to believe it so suddenly. That would render strategy and tactics meaningless. Furthermore, victory is achieved through the hands of people. It is not something you can obtain simply by seeing it with your eyes.」
「Precisely. Those who will seize the heavens, is man. Those who walk the land, is man. Those who manipulate man, is man. Simply seeing would mean you’re no different from a bystander. But regardless, I still wish for it. A heart pounding battle of wits with one who possesses
Ura.n.u.s!」
Bunadara spreads open both arms and looks down.
There, stood a military formation of 1,500 soldiers standing by.
And glaring at them from a distance, were 900 men led by Margrave Grinda.
From the headquarters built atop a small hill, Bunadara spoke as she gazed at the enemy troops spread across the plains.
「Until then, I suppose I’ll enjoy the sideshows.」
The lives of those who oppose her, the lives of those who resist, and the lives of those who are to be trampled…
They are all sacrifices offered unto 「Mars」.
「In order to give reason to the lives you’ve led—」
The roaring of horse hooves, the war cries of the soldiers, and the screams of the hordes of men were all a requiem to Second Emperor Schwarz.
「—Annihilate the enemy.」
She gently whispered, with a smile on her lips.
The drums rang out, the hooves of the horses beat on the land, and 500 cavalrymen began their advance from the right flank.
As Aura prepares to advance for her next move, a messenger comes rushing before her.
「An urgent message! The Princ.i.p.ality of Lichtein is approaching the southern border with an army of approximately 15,000!」
Those words forebode great troubles to come.