The Strategist Knows Everything

It would take some time to reach the village from the castle. The unit by the name Hounds left behind around 10 men in the village, with the remaining camping outside the castle. Near that campsite, I got down from the horse, and shouted loudly towards the men who were slowly approaching while watching out for us.

“I have come for negotiations. I wish to speak with the captain of this unit.”

“Hoh. Negotiations, you say. What kind of negotiations? Will you include more beauties?”

As the one-eyed guy who walked over swaying said that, the men who was watching out for Captain Larg and me started laughing loudly. There is no mistake with him being the captain, i believe. His combat prowess is also the highest of second half of the 70s in this area. Thinking that it can rise, he seems to be quite the master.

“I suppose you are the captain though?”

“Yeah, I am their head, Dan. You?”

“Diorood-dono’s subordinate, Kureo Yukito. This is Escort Captain, Captain Larg. I don’t think I will need to say whose escort he is, right?”

“Well, the world beauty, right? We wanted to verify if she is also the best at night that we couldn’t sleep!”

Crude laughing resounded again. It seems like way above my expectations, they are dogs of no upbringing. Seriously, it’s good that I stopped Sophia right there. You have totally no idea what they will do to her.

“You people….!” (TL: Rude way)

“Captain Larg. You should have promised that you will leave the negotiations to me. Please step down. Is it also fine for your side’s subordinates to step down as well?”

“Fine. But we won’t put away our weapons, you got it?”

“I don’t mind. No matter what, I can’t do anything after all.”

“Heii…. You do seem to know your place.”

Subordinates of Captain Larg and Dan slowly stepped away. After seeing that, I first make verifications.

“I heard that your unit is under the direct supervision of the King.”

“Yep, The worst servant of the worst king. Literally getting him to sip plenty of sweet honey. HeeHeeHee”

“I see. Then to be able to sip that sweet honey like always, I have brought a plan of compromise.”

“Plan of compromise? What do you mean?”

“This is a secret we wanted to hide. I wish you would bring this back to your king as present.”

As I said that while raising my right hand slowly, Captain Larg shot a fireball towards the night sky.

Dan promptly reached for the sword on his waist, but realizing that I wasn’t moving, he didn’t draw his sword. However, that was a huge mistake. I only moved my hands. To block my ears.

A moment later, a loud bellow in the vicinity reverberated. It was a volume where it still hurts even when blocking the ears. I believe the Hounds who didn’t block their ears in the first place are surely suffering.

“Wh, What!?”

“Voices! And it’s coming from the castle!?”

“Just how many people are shouting?”

While the Hounds are suffering under the bellow that doesn’t stop after a while, Captain Larg and I also suffered. Though it was something I thought of, I can’t stand the noise and my head hurts. The bellow that continued for a while suddenly stopped. As it was conveyed to stop the bellow only until after a period of time, I myself have taken damage enough to make my head go giddy.

“Ei, Eight thousand voices are indeed amazing….”

“You say Eig..Eight thousand!? Why is there so much people in the castle!?”

“That’s why, didn’t I already say? A secret that we wanted to hide. Actually it was supposed to be a secret reinforcement that should be despatched towards the frontlines but since it has been exposed, then it can’t be helped. Let’s just openly disclose it.”

“…from where did that army came from…?”

“It’s Albion. Well, though likely there are non-knights within the group, but numbers can become power. They are people gathered because of you people aiming at the world beauty. Even now, we somehow hold down their rampage, so we can come over to negotiate. Please retreat quickly.”

“How can I retreat!? That king loves beauties more than gold and intel. If we let her slip away, we have no tomorrow!”

Fear can be seen from Dan’s expression. I see, it seems like the “choker” on that aspect is really firm. But, that is slightly bad. I will be troubled if they fall to desperation. After seeing the menu, the status has raised at a single stroke. I see, this is what you call dead soldiers. No wonder it’s effective in a last stand.

“Then, fight with 8000 soldiers!? Please leave me out of that! I was given a strict order not to cause a war by Earl Uren. Pardon me from deaths!”

“Noisy! We are risking our lives here! If you want us to retreat, then bring the Celsus Maiden here!”

“Please lower down your volume! If that escort captain wills it, you and I can be roasted, you got it?”

“Why did you bring someone like that!?”

“It’s the other way round! I was brought here! You listen clearly, okay? The Celsus Maiden won’t come out. Reason being because every single time she tries to go out, the escort will stop her. And then, that escort captain brought me to the location of negotiation because he wanted to grant her wish of possibly ending it with the least sacrifices. But, I am the person in charge of the castle, being entrusted by his Highness. It’s fine to say that I am not satisfied by this treatment.”

“Say it in simple terms.”

“Intel to you guys that after the Celsus Maiden came out from the castle…”

I cut my words off there. That’s because I saw the object we were waiting for from behind Dan. Captain Larg most likely noticed it as well. “It” is walking towards this place.
What we saw was a fire ball made from a small magic. For this reason, you can’t mistake it. It means that the ambush team was successful. If that’s the case, it’s pointless to continue stalling time here. We will have Captain Larg lead us for retreat later, and we will have Sophia and her escorts cooperate with the 150 man, already excluding the ambush team, to fight.

I, who was thinking of that, suddenly have my hand binded, and thrusted a dagger before me.

“Don’t move…. If this person in charge dies, wouldn’t it be bad for Albion?”

“Person in charge? What are you talking about?”

Hey hey hey. Don’t tell me. It’s a joke, right? No matter what, that’s terrible. There’s a limit to being unexpected.

“Huh? Isn’t this guy being entrusted as the person in charge for that castle?”

“That castle is being governed in subst.i.tute by Earl Uren’s bother. That guy there is only the prince’s servant. If you want to kill him, just kill him.”

“Wh..What!? Y..You! You deceived us, didn’t you!?” (TL: What do you think?)

In the instant Dan put strength into his arms after saying that, Captain Larg was making a move, but stop his movement immediately.

Not just Captain Larg. I, Dan, and though there is some variations between everyone, plugged up our ears while the outrageous bellow was resounding. Dan released his hands from me, and dropped his dagger. Due to my delay to deal with it, my head was thumping hard.

Though it was totally unexpected from all angles, I was running to proceed under Captain Larg in any case. But, my leg was caught and fell down just like that. The one who caught my leg was Dan. Seeing that he is bleeding from his ears, it seems like his eardrums had burst. He appeared to have no longer bother about the pain of his ears.

As if horseback riding, Dan climbed to my back and unaware of when he had retrieved the dagger, he raised it overhead with his right hand.

It’s over. Thinking that, for an instant, I remembered about the time when I was stabbed by my best friend. I do not wish to experience that heat or the likes a second time. Dan’s movement can be seen in slow motion, with the dagger closing in on me. (TL: Took the last sentence from the light novel, as the web version doesn’t make sense to me.)

But, at the next instant, Dan’s right arm was pierced by an arrow.

“Guaaa!!!”

Before I know it, the bellow has stopped. At the moment I noticed it, I used both my hands to jostle Dan with my full strength, to be released from my pinned down state.

Somehow, the moment for the relief was also only a brief period of time. Dan’s subordinates are coming towards this place. Due to the hearing the high volume sound, everyone is lightly staggering, and I was also unsteady as well.

“Stand down, Kurei!”

“Don’t be unreasonable.”

Though I somehow managed to crawl over to the feets of Captain Larg, Captain Larg told me to step down further. What a totally absurd thing. I don’t think I can even walk, if I don’t leave myself as it is for some time.

“Nope. That’s more than enough.”

“Sophia-sama!? It’s dangerous to come out to the front!”

“It’s fine. If it’s this number…. there are no problems!”

Sophia directs her hands towards Dan and the rest.

A breeze at the start, it gradually turned into a strong wind, that began attacking Dan’s group. It’s not a wind strong enough to blow a human away. But because of that, Dan’s and the rest could continue withstanding it by clenching their teeth. However, Sophia’s aim was likely a different thing.

Even if people don’t get blown away, the weapons do fly. Dropped items are without exceptions, but also items that have nothing holding onto it, and things pinned to the ground. All of those gradually began to soar to the skies. As expected, weapons that are slung at the waist couldn’t be blown away but most of the weapons were raised to the air. Though it will literally end if she dropped the weapons as it is, Sophia did nothing of that sort, as she controlled the wind and dropped the weapons in a different location.

Somehow managed to withstand the wind, what waited for the exhausted Dan’s group were 150 soldiers. Without weapons, Dan’s group, who have lost the will to fight, have no means of resistance and was caught without showing a single resisting-like action.

Unexpected things happened continuously midway, so it was quite life-threatening but well, it seems to have been in the direction of the success.

I gave a large sigh, and surveyed the soldiers that are raising cheers.

“You really have great skill, you know.”

“If I haven’t got the skill to shoot, what were you planning to do?”

When I leaned my back on a large rock for a break, Mikana showed herself, so when I called out to her, she queried me that question.

Even if you ask me how, I can’t answer because I have no other means.

“Well….. Most likely not able to do a thing?”

“You say it in a very cheerful way. It could have been your deathbed, you know?”

“I know. But that fear was the 2nd time after all. It’s possible that after experiencing it the first time, something inside me broke. Or maybe I got used to it? Mysteriously, I forgot everything about fear.”

“There was an attempt of murder on you before?”

“Yeah, well, something like that. That’s why, Thank you.”

After saying my grat.i.tude with a smile, Mikana blinked her eyes multiple times. Looks like it was really unexpected.

“Why the grat.i.tude?”

“You did saved me, and I am also spared from feeling that heat again. Since this is the 2nd time I am saved, I believe a more substantial grat.i.tude is required.”

“…then, please a.s.sist me in my dream.”

“What kind of dream?”

“I have a dream to become a general like Kaguya-sama whose fame spread towards various countries. Since I have to be promoted first, I wish that you would become the mediator for that.”

Seeing Mikana announced that with a serious expression, I couldn’t help laughing. An outlook of a knight that is proficient in sword, but actually good in the bow, and though doesn’t seem to be interested in promotion, she is actually very interested in it. This girl is really interesting.

“I !”

“I think that’s a fine dream. That’s a big dream. If it’s within my extent of my a.s.sistance, I will help. For now, let’s hear the report for the result of the ambush, shall we?”

“… within the unit, though there were 2 who were injured, the rest were safe. The villagers, naturally, were fine.”

“It’s too successful. I wonder if it’s because the opponent were weak?”

“….Though there were problems at the last phase, I believe it’s because your plan was good. Strategist-dono.”

After saying that, she faced her back to me and went off.

In exchange, it’s Sophia who walked over this time. Though there aren’t people around, it’s best to go with honorifics here.

“How’s your condition?”

“Although I am feeling sluggish and unable to exert any strength, I believe I am still on the better side at the fact that I still have my life. That sudden bellow, was it Sophia-sama?”

“Yep. As it was sudden, I couldn’t moderate it though…”

The true form of the loud bellow is the collective voice of the people of the castle town, a loud volume of around 800 people. And it’s just that Sophia used Wind to send the sound over as it is. Since it’s as if someone is shouting close to your ears, it’s a kind of sound wave weapon. Though a magician capable of achieving this scale seems to be pretty much only Sophia.

The real objective of the bellow is to seal the ears temporarily, so as to keep their awareness away from the village. During the interval of the bellow, the ambush team was to set off from the back gate, and gain overwhelming victory. Though the achievements of the ambush team were to an unexpected extent, for now, it went according to what I imagined.

“Yukito….”

“What?”

“I am really sorry.”

“Antic.i.p.ating a “Thank you”, that was totally unexpected.”

I was shocked when she suddenly lowered her head. It’s also right to say I am feeling fear to the point of whether the escort unit saw us.

“…. I manipulate the wind …..to collect voices far away. That’s why I know that how much Yukito tried to persuade and work hard. In regards to that, I didn’t reward you anything….”

“Wait a minute. Firstly, this time, the fact that miraculously there were no deaths is due to Sophia. It was Sophia who protected it. So it’s fine about the rewards. That is not the problem. What kind of conversation… did you hear?”

“Conversation about abandoning the village, and the period of stalling time just now.”

“Rather than that, a lot earlier, you weren’t listening to the conversation mainly between Dio-sama and I, right?”

We only spoke of crude stuff. It’s really bad that it’s mainly regarding Sophia. Without doubt the words of Earl Uren, but after that, there is also that matter where the two of us, Dio-sama and I, were debating why Sophia is such a beauty. (TL: Seriously? -_-”)

Instantly, Sophia turned red. At the same time, I also turned red, don’t you think? We were heard. That conversation. Even though it’s a conversation because it’s between men.

“I, it’s not like I planned to listen….. Uhm… The conversation between both of you sounds fun… I unconsciously brought it via the wind….”

“…how far is the effective range?”

“Eh…..?”

“How far do you have to separate to not be able to hear?”

“Let’s see….. From the beginning to the end of a large street would be the limit, i think. ”

“I got it. I really understand. I will think of conversation spots seriously.”

“….are you angry…?”

“I am not angry, but seriously embarra.s.sed. I wonder when was the last time I was this embarra.s.sed…. Please tell me earlier. If I knew…. I would be more careful about the topic…..”

While saying that, I let out my biggest sigh ever.

3 days later. After hearing the war results, under Dio-sama’s orders, I ended up being summoned to the frontlines, and Sophia will also be returning to Albion.

The civil war in Veris is gradually entering the climax.