Tower of Karma

With their victory, the Arcadian army was able to push in to Raconia. The morale of the army of Ostoberg was definitely not high; after having some battles between the them, the situation became one that they had to hold their defenses at Raconia. The one that had been having the superiority in the skirmishes and at the defensive war at Raconia was Arcadia.

“The situation of the battle doesn´t seem to move.”

The few words Karl muttered were about the siege.

The fort of Raconia wasn´t a fort that was that much strong, but even so, as a fort, it served its purpose. It had a stone wall that surrounded the fort, and while its gates were made of wood, they were ma.s.sive, and wouldn´t be easily destroyed.

As for the ways of attacking into the fort, the most basic one was to shoot arrows from the distance, and during that gap of time, have the soldiers place ladders at the wall. This was the basic way of attacking into a fort, but because carrying on with the basics was all it was possible to do at their current situation, it couldn´t be said that it was going well. It was commonly said that it was necessary for the attacking side to have about three times more the army strength, but who would have thought that [this saying] was the literal description of their present situation.

“Just like those times before, the ones this time are retar… aren´t very intelligent.”

“Retar… what?”

Puzzled, Karl asked.

“Don´t worry about it. Ah, see that they are starting to put the ladders there? It is a honor to raise achievements, and the ones that do receive a treatment proportional to that. That´s what those guys that are clinging at the ladder are aiming at.”

As their conversation was smoothly flowing, Willian pointed his finger at the people that were hurrying to go up the ladders like it was first serve first come.

“However, there aren´t really many stories of these kind of things having success.”

The ladder where his finger was being pointed at had been taken down by a soldier from the Ostoberg side. Karl gasped. Willian looked at the allied soldiers falling down with a  disappointed gaze, having already already given up hope on them.

“The chance for successfully raising achievements is low. The risk is also big. Now that the situation is leaning towards us, we, who have already raised enough achievements, do not need to raise more of them.”

Because of that, the two of them gave detailed instructions to the people of the ten man squad they were part of, and so they were slowing down their own march in purpose. During the time at this war, they were already able to win this much authority. What happened about the n.o.ble Karl and his sword had already become open to the public.

“”Yes, it is fine even if we don´t take this too seriously. I took the head of a centurion; I don´t need to act recklessly.””

In a way only him would hear, Willian spoke to himself as a way to confirm his thoughts. The answer he got from thinking that much since that time was that he didn´t need to recklessly go after achievements anymore during this war. There was no need to commit to risks like at that time when he fought the centurion. It would be only natural if Karl had already got his ticket to being promoted to a ten man squad captain by now.

“”Even if I take the head of another centurion, there won´t be any promotions.””

In that case, he didn´t need to make any moves. However….

ズクリ (Tl note: Couldn´t find the meaning of this anywhere…)

Somewhere in his heart, it started throbbing. Willian himself wasn´t aware of that; it was a part of his heart he couldn´t feel that was throbbing.

“”Am I being impatient? How foolish. I am calm. I am more rational than anyone, and I am able to carry things through with more composure than anyone here. And it is not only that. Right now, doing this is enough!””

In the depths of his heart, he…

“I am the supreme general of the kingdom of Ostoberg, my name is Strakules! Brats of Arcadia, if you want my head, come take it! Gahahahaha.”

The eyes of Willian, Karl and of everyone in the battlefield were focused onto a single place. It was that much of a large battlefield; people wouldn´t give a s.h.i.t about only a single person. However, that man was clearly different from all the other men.

“…Karl, what is that?”

Willian looked at [that] in confusion.

“Didn´t he just self introduce himself? More importantly, who would have known that the supreme commander Strakules was really here! Uwah, this is the first time I saw him.”

While Karl was being all carefree, Willian was trembling in fear. The shine of the man in front of his eyes. No, the shine of the man that was supposed to be far away from him was oppressing. It was possible to say that this shine was his aura. Willian, who had intended to not allow anyone to be above him in his life, for the first time had yielded. He ended up yielding.

““What… happened to me.””

It was a monster that stood in a distant, high and unreachable place. It was probably stronger than Kail, and besides, his power was at a different dimension that Willian had never seen before. All in all, its power was at a different magnitude to the one of a human.

“”Where am I right now?”

From the outer wall of the fort, Willian started to compare himself to the man that was standing at an even higher place. To one side, one was radiant, and to the other side, the other one was buried in the ground. There was too much difference. The difference between n.o.bles and slaves could be seen there.

It was to the point all he could do was to accept it…

“”What I am…””

“Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrl!”(Willian)

“Hyai!? Wh-what is it, Willian!?”

Willian was restless.

“I will go ahead. However, this is the battlefield. I don´t know what might happen. You must definitely not go away from the squad and move in unison. You guys too, protect Karl-sama. If Karl-sama happens to die, I will kill all of you in the name of Lord Teirah.”

“Eh, but…”

Willian bursted out into a dash. He wasn´t the usual calm Willian. With a grim face, he turned into another person; one that greedily wanted to look up at the skies.

“Willian!”

Karl´s voice wouldn´t reach him. In an extreme velocity, he ran through the battlefield.

“I can´t lose!”

Willian himself didn´t know what he was angry about. He had no idea why he had dashed out, or why he was running now. The only thing he knew was that…

“Your Highness! This is too reckless. What would we do if your Highness was to be hit by arrows.”

“Umu, sorry, sorry. But look, the livelier ones got baited.”

Strakules and his subordinate were looking at the battlefield from a high place at the outer walls.

“I see. By looking at their equipment, those are the light infantry. In other words… The white brat that had done Haian in should be among them.”

“Indeed. Though not as much as I do, that brat really stands out. Guhaha.”

It was impossible to discern the normal soldiers from one another. It was a war that could only be seen as a bunch of specks of sand squirming around. However, the two could clearly see the dangerous sprout that was in the midst of that.

“Whether you are genuine or false, you will prove it yourself. I will go down here and mess you up.”

“May that be your will, but the heavy infantry has already flanked the enemy from the east gate.”

Ignoring Strakules, who was surprised by what his subordinate said, the subordinate was looking around down at the battlefield.

“They broke in.”

The Ostoberg army suddenly appeared from the side and completely ate up the Arcadian army, who were looking only upwards at the walls. Those numbers were overwhelmingly lower than the Arcadian army, but the advantage in the terrain, battle formation and also in the quality of the soldiers were all inclined towards Ostoberg.

“Guhah. Like always, that detestable guy is too much serviceable. Even though I wanted to go do that too.”

“We should let the soldiers do the surprise attacks. After all, this war is meaningless.”

Strakules´s subordinate narrowed his eyes. It was a gaze that somewhat looked like the one of a tiger. Interrupting his subordinate thoughts, Strakules held the shoulders of his subordinate.

“And that´s why; let´s make this have some meaning.  There aren´t that many fellows that stand out like that. That white brat is all unstable, and lacks experience, but on the other way around, doesn´t it mean he still has s.p.a.ce to grow? Try him. If he is worth eating, let him live. If he doesn´t, you can remove him.”

The man beside Strakules was well aware that the eyes Strakules had when he spoke that somewhat had an air of certainty. Moreover, Strakules himself told him to go test the white brat.

“As you wish. Please, leave the trifling matters to me.”

“Umu. I will leave it all to you. I will go fight at the war!”

After Strakules took his leave, the man once again glanced at the scenery of the battlefield.

“This is a worthless war for his Highness to have come. Make it at least have any meaning, white brat.”

The heavy infantry forced their way in. The [whiteness] the man was steadily gazing at was obstructing their advance. It was worth watching the manner he was able to make his way from the place he was before all the way there.

“Hou, it seems that you can do some work.”

The man narrowed his eyes at the gust of splashing blood.