Chapter 24
“I’ll make the same proposal. Surrender. Once you die, everything will return to where it belongs.”
“Oh-ho, judging by the bold nonsense you’re spouting, it seems the Kingdom of Arhan gave you some proper support. Did you bring a small number of men who can each take on a hundred?”
The Second Prince’s gaze shifted toward those lined up in rows on either side of Lloyd.
For some reason, every one of them had their hoods pulled low, and their weapons were quite unusual.
They carried completely mismatched weapons—longswords, bastard swords, claymores, pikes, and so on.
“You could say that.”
“But what are you going to do? If they’re merely capable of taking on a hundred each, I doubt they can make up for a tenfold difference.”
The Second Prince sneered.
And at that moment, huge clouds of dust rose on both sides of the Second Prince.
Another force had appeared.
“……They’re mercenaries.”
Haines, who stood behind Lloyd, spoke in a heavy voice.
He had concentrated mana in his eyes and identified the flags held by those who had appeared.
But their number reached a staggering two thousand.
The mercenary companies they had hired alone numbered nearly as many as Lloyd’s troops.
Murmur murmur!
The soldiers grew agitated at the sight.
The numerical disparity had already been severe, and now that mercenary companies had joined them, everyone wore grim expressions.
“You can see what this means, can’t you? Let’s not needlessly sacrifice our soldiers. What crime have they committed? We may be crossing swords now, but they’re all citizens of the same kingdom.”
Seeing the soldiers’ agitation, the Second Prince continued.
He was cleverly using the atmosphere on the other side to his advantage.
At the same time, he was boosting the morale of his own troops.
“Did someone who cares so much about the kingdom’s citizens start a rebellion?”
“A rebellion? I merely removed someone unfit for the position of Crown Prince. You lack the ability to lead the kingdom. His Majesty the King is ill. Therefore, the kingdom needs me. I alone can make the Kingdom of Polstein a great power. That’s why even Marquess Madrain chose me.”
“You’re completely wrapped up in your own stubborn delusions.”
“Ability is what matters. I proved mine, while you failed to prove yours. That’s why we’ve reached this outcome.”
The Second Prince spoke confidently.
He spoke as if he had already won the war.
“That’s true. I admit that much. I showed a disgraceful side of myself. But things will be different from now on. I intend to prove it and show you myself.”
“I’m sorry, but you won’t have that chance. You’ll die here.”
Killing intent swirled in the Second Prince’s eyes.
His eyes said he would kill Lloyd here without fail.
“That would have been true before. If I were the person I was before I changed.”
Despite the continued mockery and contempt, Lloyd remained composed.
Even by his own assessment, his past self had been pathetic.
It was true that he had been unfit to be Crown Prince.
But that was precisely why he had been able to change.
“This is hardly the time to indulge in sentiment. Decide. Will you surrender and save the people, or sacrifice them to the very end and die miserably at last? Personally, I recommend the former. At least you won’t disgrace yourself.”
The Second Prince spoke as if issuing his final offer.
In truth, the outcome was practically decided.
They had the disadvantage of having to fight a siege, but the difference in troop strength was already more than ten to one.
Even so, there was only one reason he was talking like this.
He was urging them because he wanted to minimize casualties and avoid shedding blood needlessly.
He had even deliberately spent money to hire mercenaries for that purpose.
“I’ll return those words to you verbatim.”
“So you really intend to see this through to the bitter end.”
“You won’t know which is longer or shorter until you measure them against each other, will you?”
“Tsk! Marquess Madrain.”
The Second Prince clicked his tongue at Lloyd’s completely unpersuaded demeanor.
He had expected it, but he had still hoped Lloyd would heed his advice if at all possible.
Then everyone would have it easier.
But as expected, Lloyd chose the worst possible option.
“I’ll bring you his head.”
“I’m counting on you.”
Marquess Madrain answered expressionlessly and slowly walked forward.
He moved while staring straight at Lloyd, who stood atop the castle wall.
Yet even seeing that, not a single person readily attacked.
Because he was a Sword Master, no one could bring themselves to loose an arrow even though they had their bows drawn.
“Come out, Sir Haines. Shouldn’t we finish the match we left unfinished? Or have you still not recovered?”
“I suppose it can’t be helped, given that I’m an old man.”
“Are you planning to avoid me?”
Marquess Madrain asked with a sardonic expression as he looked at Haines standing behind Lloyd.
His words were polite, but his expression and eyes were the exact opposite.
“There’s someone else who will keep you company.”
“Someone else?”
Marquess Madrain’s brow furrowed.
Everyone in the kingdom knew that he was a Sword Master.
Yet there was someone else to face him?
That could mean only one thing.
Whoosh! Thud!
Perhaps because he had reached the same conclusion as Madrain, the Second Prince’s face, which had been watching casually from behind, hardened as well.
Then a figure descended from the top of the castle wall.
Despite the considerable height, they landed on the ground with astonishing lightness.
“That person will keep you company.”
“……Who are you?”
Marquess Madrain asked, glaring sharply at the slender figure with their hood pulled low.
But no answer came.
Instead, two swords flashed out like lightning and rushed at Marquess Madrain.
Ssshhk!
Faced with the ominous momentum and sword strikes, Marquess Madrain drew his own sword.
In an instant, he raised an aura blade and swung at the mysterious attacker.
Yet astonishingly, the result was evenly matched.
“Huh!”
Though he had unleashed a proper slash intending to send the tightly wrapped hood flying, his opponent did not move an inch.
Marquess Madrain let out a hollow laugh at that fact.
At the same time, his mind began racing.
He wondered who among those from the Kingdom of Arhan could possibly parry his strike.
Swish!
But that thought did not last long.
The mysterious attacker lunged at him.
Yet the astonishing events were only beginning.
The moment Arrelia launched herself forward, the 299 War Elves raised their arms.
Hummm!
At the same time, a massive longbow appeared from their raised left arms, accompanied by a faint resonant hum.
They had taken longbows as tall as themselves from their respective subspaces.
“A-Attack!”
At that sight, the Second Prince shouted urgently.
A warning bell had suddenly gone off in his head.
But the War Elves’ attack was a moment faster.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
When people thought of elves, the thing most often associated with them, alongside spirit arts, was archery.
Proving that fact, the War Elves displayed incredibly precise archery.
They targeted and killed only those who were clearly commanders.
“S-Shield-bearers!”
Seeing men die with their heads pierced before they could even properly react, let alone counterattack, the nobles shouted with ashen faces.
Some even retreated outright.
They were trying to get out of the arrows’ range.
But elven archery was not constrained by distance or shields.
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Whether they retreated or blocked with iron shields, the War Elves’ arrows pierced their targets with unerring accuracy.
They imbued the arrows with mana, allowing them to pierce even iron shields in a single stroke.
“It’s about my turn.”
-Is it finally our turn!
Jade, standing beside Rainy, muttered as the War Elves seized control of the battlefield in an instant.
Like the Second Prince, Lloyd was most concerned with minimizing casualties.
Though they were facing each other as enemies now, these soldiers would return to being citizens once the Second Prince was dead.
That was why Jade had received a request from Lloyd.
-What are you going to do?
“Killing them would be easy, but His Highness the Crown Prince doesn’t want that.”
Rainy was nearby, but she did not hear Jade talking to himself.
Her entire attention was focused on the battlefield.
The War Elves’ performance was impressive, but she could not take her eyes off the battle between Arrelia and Marquess Madrain.
Because she believed the outcome of the war rested on those two.
-Let’s call a whole bunch of our kids too! We’ll beat them with sheer numbers!
Silestin shouted excitedly.
It seemed the large-scale battle had gotten her excited.
But Jade had no intention of doing that.
“Silairon.”
Whoooosh!
A huge wind began to rise around Jade.
Then several War Elves who had been firing arrows looked at Jade.
The flow of mana was one thing, but everyone was surprised when a high-grade wind spirit was summoned.
Kkyu!
Whid’s eyes lit up at Silairon’s appearance, which looked like a blend of a phoenix and a vermilion bird.
Even though they were young, Whid could distinguish between what was splendid and what was ugly, and was awed by Silairon’s appearance.
Kiiieee!
Silairon, however, showed little interest in Whid.
Instead, they rubbed their beak against Jade, who had summoned them, acting cute in every possible way.
As if thanking him for calling them out.
“First, do me a favor.”
Screech!
At his words, as he gently stroked their beak, Silairon’s eyes changed.
At the same time, Silairon’s roar rang across the battlefield.
It had instantly incapacitated the soldiers, much like a dragon’s fear.
“Aaaah!”
“My ears!”
“Guhhh!”
At the noise that seemed capable of tearing their eardrums apart, the soldiers dropped the weapons they were holding and covered their ears.
They had instinctively clutched their ears at the sudden noise.
The troops escorting the nobles and commanders were no exception.
Thwack! Thud!
The War Elves did not miss the opening.
Despite having made no prior arrangements whatsoever, they took perfect advantage of the timing.
“Damn it! What are you all doing?! Especially you spirit mages!”
Seeing his allies fall helplessly, the Second Prince shouted furiously.
Irritation surged at the sight, completely different from the scene he had envisioned.
“T-The spirits won’t obey us. I think they’re frightened by the opposing upper-grade spirit.”
“You useless fools!”
Having obtained information that there was a spirit mage named Jade in Molcas Fief, the Second Prince had also made inquiries and brought spirit mages here.
It was to counter Jade, who had joined Lloyd.
But despite the high price he had paid to hire them, the spirit mages truly could do nothing.
“W-We’re sorry!”
“Shut up! Captain!”
“Ride out!”
In the end, the Second Prince played his strongest card.
He sent out all the Royal Knights and the knights brought by the nobles.
Soon, a cavalry force composed entirely of knights began charging toward the lord’s castle with terrifying momentum.
Screeeeech!
At that sight, Silairon howled once more.
But the knights were not foolish enough to fall for the same attack twice.
They were all Experts capable of wielding mana, after all.
Boom-boom-boom!
Especially since the most skilled men were positioned at the front, the War Elves’ arrows could not get through.
With mana infused into their thick shields as well, even the most precise archery was useless.
That was also what made a cavalry force composed entirely of knights so terrifying.
“We’ll break through the castle gate like this!”
The deputy commander leading the cavalry shouted from the front.
Though Sword Master Haines stood firmly atop the castle wall, he was confident.
An injured Haines could be handled by twenty high-level Expert knights.
And in the meantime, the other knights would sweep aside the enemy and capture Lloyd.
“That won’t happen.”