“Huff. Huff. Huff.”
Rough breaths rose up to the tip of his tongue.
His chest greatly heaved up and down.
“Pu, push on a bit more! The Sedes Castle is before our noses!”
Mills Voisa shouted with a defeated look.
“Ye, yes, sir.”
“Le, let’s push on, all of you.”
The commanders, knights, and soldiers who followed behind laboriously raised their voices.
Everyone’s looks were a mess.
‘Among fifty thousand soldiers, are the ones that followed behind only about five thousand……’
Mills exhaled a long sigh.
It was a complete defeat.
‘Roan Lancephil isn’t a human.’
He didn’t wish to admit it, but couldn’t help but admit it.
Roan swept the battlefield together with a rain of fire.
Holding a single spear, he alone fought against fifty thousand soldiers.
‘But the soldiers who were actually done in by that bastard are about five thousand.’
Of course, annihilating five thousand soldiers alone from the start was an ability beyond the human limit.
‘Afterwards, more than twenty thousand soldiers were annihilated at the Lancephil Fief Regiment’s attack headed by Ian Phillips.’
Mills tried to gather the remaining soldiers and step up in counterattack but couldn’t achieve what he desired.
Because more than twenty thousand conscripts had all surrendered to Roan or ran.
The rumor Roan had spread in the battle waged with the Rinse Liberation Army 2nd Squad had perfectly struck on.
‘The bastard, even while waging a battle immediately at this moment, prepares for a different battle and war, and the next battle and war.’
His level was different than himself who was busy at the battle immediately before his eyes.
Mills tightly clenched his teeth.
‘But it is still too early to give up.’
His gaze continued towards the front.
Already the Sedes Castle was right before his nose.
‘The surviving five thousand elite soldiers and the five thousand soldiers left in the Sedes Castle. For now, we will engage a castle defense battle and await the Byron Kingdom Army and the Istel Kingdom Army’s linking up. If needed, we could even request reinforcements from the Estia Empire……’
Furthermore, the Sedes Castle was plenty in supplies as befitting the North Rinse Kingdom’s capital.
The number of the castle’s residents too were large that they could be utilized as defending soldiers in an emergency.
Uddck.
His teeth naturally gritted.
‘Roan. Don’t think it ends like this.’
Mills clenched his fist as he hurried his steps.
One among the commanders walked ahead and shouted.
“Open the gate! It’s the Liberation Army 3rd Squad! Sir Mills Voisa has returned! The Commander in Chief has returned I say!”
Thunderous voice knocked the tightly closed castle gate and the castle wall.
But for some reason, the castle gate did not show even a hint of opening.
No, even in the towers and ramparts there wasn’t any reaction.
“Hm?”
At that moment, Mills who was looking up the rampart creased his brows.
‘That glint just now was……?’
Instantly, goosebumps shot through the back of his neck.
Cold sweat flowed together with an unpleasant and nervous feeling.
“Raise the shields!”
Mills instinctively shouted and completely crouched down his body.
“Eh?! Eh!”
“Sh, shield?!”
Numerous commanders, knights, and soldiers flustered at the abrupt order and then grabbed their shields a moment behind.
At that instant.
Piing! Piing! Piibibibibing!
Together with a clear echo, black arrows covered the sky.
Ssweaaaaaak!
A sharp shriek of air pierced into the ears.
“Da, damn it! Wha, what is this……”
“Block them!”
Five thousand remnant soldiers hurriedly raised up their shields.
But regardless, the speed of the arrows falling was slightly faster.
Pubububuck! Pubububububuck!
“Kek!”
“Kuuk!”
“Ggruk.”
The remnant soldiers that had barely survived and walked with their last strength all the way to the Sedes Castle turned into porcupines and fell one after another.
“Kuuk. Commander in Chief, sir. Staying like this is difficult!”
“We must move back, sir!”
The commanders hid their bodies below the shields and shouted with desperate voices.
Mills for a very short moment faltered.
‘The Sedes Castle was the last bastion, but…… kuuk.’
His face remarkably twisted.
‘Roan Lancephil. Are you bastard truly a ghost or something? Just when have you captured the Sedes Castle!’
A feeling of wanting to at the very least angrily scream out.
“Kuuk!”
“Uuuuh!”
Even while Mills contemplated, the Liberation Army 3rd Squad’s soldiers were losing lives one after another.
“Commander in Chief, sir!”
The commanders loudly called Mills.
Only then Mills tightly bit his lower lip and then nodded his head.
“We retreat. We move towards the northeast and link up with the Byron Kingdom Army.”
Finally, the retreat order fell.
“Retreat! Retreat!”
When the commanders and knights shouted in a loud voice, the soldiers who were barely holding on hurriedly began to walk backwards.
It was a mindless retreat as if a dog with its tail set alight.
Pbuck. Pbuck.
As Mills and the soldiers retreated, the arrow shower too lessened.
“Should we chase, sir?”
One soldier who was watching the situation from above the rampart cautiously asked.
“No, there is no need.”
The person answering shortly was none other than Pichio.
He faintly smiled and stared at the back of Mills’s head getting further away.
“They are already caught in the snare.”
Even if they do not particularly chase, it was clear they would soon be caught.
Roan was already seeing through to that point.
Furthermore, Pichio too wasn’t a position that could carelessly leave the Sedes Castle.
‘If not careful, we could lose the castle.’
Inside the Sedes Castle, those who followed Clay, Duke Webster House, and the Estia Empire were still holding their breaths and watching for their chance.
Right now, guarding the Sedes Castle and awaiting Roan was the best plan.
Pichio turned his head and stared at the south.
‘My lord.’
It almost felt like Roan’s flag could be seen.
‘Do please hurry in, sir.’
A heated thing filled his heart.
‘Here is your land.’
Pichio exhaled a long sigh.
His breath rode the wind and flowed towards the south.
*****
The weather was bright.
The sky was clear without a speck of cloud and the sunlight was warm.
The gently blowing fall wind even tasted sweet.
On a day when everything was perfect.
The tightly closed Sedes Castle’s gate widely opened.
A drawbridge laid over a swelling moat.
In front of that alone stood Pichio.
He, with a neat uniform appearance, stood straight and stared at the south.
Dum! Dum! Dum! Dum!
Quiet sound of drums was heard.
Following behind, a sound of musical performance familiar to his ears rode the wind and flew up.
It was the performance of the Milta Military Band of the Lancephil Fief Regiment.
Flap!
Finally, at the road’s end showed up an army with giant flags before it.
Below the flags, the sight of Roan Lancephil riding a warhorse was visible.
Although it was slightly worn out from the fierce battle, the cleanly maintained crimson armor took on light and twinkled.
The crimson mantle worn around his shoulders rode the wind and fluttered.
Even from just watching him, awe and majesty were naturally felt.
Roan did not merely develop his might and charisma as he experienced countless battles and wars.
He, as he led a grand troops and legions, had become a true leader.
The march was very slowly done.
There was no reason to hurry.
A moment later and together with a cool autumn wind, Roan and the Lancephil Fief Regiment arrived before the Sedes Castle.
“Congratulations on your triumphant return, my lord.”
Pichio saluted and bowed his back.
Roan faintly smiled and climbed down onto the earth.
“Pichio. You have done well until now.”
He held Pichio’s hands together and thanked his hard work until now.
“I had merely done the work I had to do, my lord.”
Pichio was humble.
Roan quietly stared at such Pichio and soon slowly nodded his head.
“I look forward to your work from now on as well.”
At those words, Pichio deeply lowered his head.
All sorts of hardships and humiliations he had suffered at Clay’s side disappeared like melting snow.
“The castle’s citizens have come out, my lord. I will lead you up to the fief lord’s castle.”
Pichio called the North Rinse Kingdom’s palace a fief lord’s castle.
Roan wordlessly nodded his head.
When he lightly waved his right hand, the commanders who lined up behind him all climbed down from their horses.
“Thousand-man commanders and the Amaranth Troop will follow me to the fief lord’s castle. The rest of the troops will set up camp.”
“Yes sir!”
Quiet but powerful answers.
Roan, with a proud smile, moved his steps inside the Sedes Castle.
As they entered into the wide-open castle gate, a fully stretched main street came into their eyes.
It was a street wide enough for about four carriages to simultaneously move through.
A level that wouldn’t be inferior even compared against the capital, Miller.
‘Hhm.’
Roan forcibly swallowed a hum.
To the giant main street’s sides stood an incredible crowd.
It felt as if the Sedes Castle’s residents as well as even the nearby region’s citizens had all gathered.
The shocking thing was that it was greatly quiet despite that many people had gathered.
To add a slight exaggeration, it was enough to be able to hear even the breaths of the people at their sides.
Step. Step.
Roan moved his steps with a composed expression.
Austin and Harrison, Brian and Pierce, Walter and so on too followed his back.
Gulp.
The castle’s citizens dryly swallowed and stared at Roan and the Amaranth Troop.
Heated and stinging gazes.
No, some passionate gazed poured down.
Meanwhile, Roan and the Amaranth Troop had already arrived at the fief lord’s castle located in the Sedes Castle’s center.
At that very moment.
“Sir Count Lancephil! Thank you very much!”
Someone among the crowd shouted at the top of his lungs.
That was the start.
“Thank you very much, sir!”
“We’ve been waiting!”
“Roan Lancephil! Roan Lancephil!”
“Lancephil! Lancephil!”
“Roan! Roan!”
Heated cheers exploded out.
It was at a level where the ears hurt and the bodies shook from the cheers that simultaneously exploded.
Roan who was about to enter into fief lord’s castle stopped his steps and turned and looked back.
“Waaaaaah!”
Thanks to that, the cheers turned even louder.
Roan again moved a few steps towards the main street and then deeply bowed his back.
Numerous commanders and the Amaranth Troop’s members also followed Roan and bowed at their back.
Before ordinary commoners, a kingdom’s nobles and generals had lowered their heads first.
“Ah……”
The citizens who chanted Roan and praised the Lancephil Fief Regiment let out quiet exclamations.
They stopped their cheering and lowered their heads towards Roan and the Amaranth Troop.
A warm silence fell on the entire Sedes Castle.
Like that, the people who were each different, but also the same lowered their heads towards each other.
After who knew how long.
Roan again straightened his back and moved his steps towards the fief lord’s castle.
There was no long speech.
Now wasn’t the moment when words were needed.
They, through heart to heart, had already exchanged countlessly stories.
‘This is the reason I followed the lord.’
‘It’s the point our lord is different than the other nobles.’
‘This sir is a man who will become even greater.’
The Count Lancephil House’s retainers looked at Roan’s back and tightly clenched their fists.
Burning energy rode their veins and whirled.
Pride and respect.
They resolved and resolved again to forever follow Roan’s back.
“We have arrived, my lord.”
Pichio who walked ahead stopped in front of a giant door.
It was a door far more splendid than at the palace, king’s grand hall in Miller.
Roan slightly nodded his head.
Soon two taemusas of the Amaranth Troop approached and fully opened the tightly closed door.
Through between the slowly opening gates, a brilliant scene showed up.
A grand hall decorated with all sorts of decorations and jewels.
“Hhm.”
Few commanders including Austin leaked out groans.
Because they felt repulsion and discomfort at the overly brilliant grand hall’s appearance.
At that moment.
“Ah! You finally came.”
A bright voice echoed the grand hall.
Roan quietly stood and looked at the opposite side of the gate.
A giant chair situated at the end of a longly laid out carpet.
At that place sat a young man wearing a uniform brilliant enough for the eyes to hurt.
“That very man is Barry Webster, my lord.”
Pichio approached and whispered in a small voice.
Roan slightly nodded his head.
The young man, he was the very king of North Rinse Kingdom and the son of the dead Duke Bradley Webster, Barry Webster.
“I have been waiting.”
Barry brightly smiled and gestured.
An unthinkably bold look.
No, it was an idiotic look.
Roan did not carelessly move.
“Tsk. Do you not hear his majesty the king calling!”
“Hurry and give your greeting!”
The aged nobles situated below Barry raised their voices.
Their numbers were at most five.
Although there also were ones that looked like knights behind them, their number too was about twenty or so.
“They are people who originally were sidelined to countryside by Clay, my lord. The instant they heard the news Clay died, they have returned to the Sedes Castle and are aiding Barry Webster at his close side.”
Pichio once again spoke in a quiet voice.
Roan faintly smiled and looked at Barry and the aged nobles.
‘Foolish things.’
He had already noticed their intentions.
‘They must wish to be treated as a kingdom’s king.’
Sure enough.
“Count Lancephil. Our North Rinse Kingdom had no desire to fight with the Rinse Kingdom. This war was all something Clay has started.”
Barry bitterly smiled and shook his head.
“Of course, not properly controlling my follower is my mistake. And so, I wish to recognize the mistake belatedly and ask for forgiveness.”
The instant his words finished, the old nobles in the surrounding echoed on.
“It was all Clay, that lowly bastard’s act.”
“Since that bastard has died anyway, this event is no different than finished. Why don’t we stop the quarrel about this point and form peace?”
“As a price for admitting our side’s mistake, we will pay war reparations and transfer over the South’s McGinley Region.”1)
“Not only that, what do you think of making an alliance together and amicably working together as brother-nation?”
Nonsenses continued on.
They, through any means, tried to protect the North Rinse Kingdom.
‘We can live extravagantly until death if we can just maintain the kingdom.’
‘We will be able to enjoy riches for ages.’
Foul desires fully filled their heads and hearts.
Roan looked at that sight and formed a bright smile.
He couldn’t hold back a laugh.
It was ridiculous enough to become enraged.
However, Barry and the old nobles looked at Roan’s smile and misunderstood on their own.
“Right. If this event is resolved nicely, Count Lancephil, I will grant you an honorary title of duke. What do you think?”
Barry tactlessly continued on nonsense.
“Hahaha. That is good, your majesty.”
“As expected of your majesty the king!”
The old nobles loudly laughed and flattered.
At that moment, the smile disappeared from Roan’s mouth.
He coldly stared at Barry and the old nobles.
“the South’s McGinley Region” as in the McGinley Region which is included in the group of regions collectively called “the South” that constitutes the southern portion of the North Rinse Kingdom; similar to the term “the South” when talking about USA. ↩
“What a load of rubbish.”
A voice even more suffocating from exasperation.
Kuung.
A silence fell onto the grand hall’s inside.
Barry and the old nobles who had loudly laughed and chattered stared at Roan with their mouths fully dropped.
They, with shocked expressions, couldn’t continue their words.
At that moment, Roan lightly waved his right hand.
Suddenly.
“Yes sir!”
The Amaranth Troop’s members kicked off the ground and pounced towards the old nobles.
“Eh?!”
“Eh, eh, eh……”
The old nobles, at the abrupt situation, merely blinked their eyes and waved their hands.
Their bodies froze like stone statues.
And.
Ssskuk!
The Amaranth Troop’s members’ swords slashed the old nobles’ necks.
Literally an event unfolded in an instant.
“U, u, uuuuack!”
Barry widely goggled his eyes and screamed.
Bang!
Shocked far too much, he fell from his chair and rolled on the ground.
“Uuack! Blood, blood!”
The old nobles’ blood wetted his palms and uniform.
“Uuuuuh.”
Barry sharply shook his hands with a spiritless expression.
Truly a miserable sight.
“Y, your majesty!”
“You, you bastards!”
The knights at the back tried belatedly to pull out their swords.
But.
“Do not move carelessly.”
Already, the taemusas including Brian and Pierce had caught their backs.
“Kuuk.”
The knights pulled their hands away from their longswords and raised their hands above their heads.
In the first place, they couldn’t handle Roan and the Amaranth Troop with their level and numbers.
It was a scene where Barry’s idiocy was shown off.
He completely couldn’t discern Roan and the Lancephil Fief Regiment’s skills.
Roan slowly moved his steps and stood in front of Barry.
“In the name of Rinse Kingdom Supreme Commander Roan Lancephil, I arrest Barry Webster with treason.”
At those words, Barry raised his head and looked at Roan.
Whitely bleached face.
He shook his head with an unbelieving expression.
“I, I am the North Rinse Kingdom’s king. The North Rinse Kingdom’s……”
The moment his words reached about that point.
“The kingdom called North Rinse does not exist in this world.”
Roan looked at Barry with a firm expression.
Barry continued and shook his head.
“No. No! I am a king of a kingdom! I am a king!”
A final squirming.
Roan formed a faint smile.
“Barry Webster. You are neither a king, nor a noble.”
As expected, it was a firm voice.
“You were a brat of a noble house that didn’t know of the world, and is merely a criminal that drove innocent people to death because of empty desires.”
Roan deeply breathed in.
“Criminal Barry Webster. I sentence you to death penalty.”
Finally, the judgment fell.
One among the taemusas stepped forwards and pulled out his longsword.
Sssrung.
The metallic sound pierced into the ears.
“U, u, u, uh. Sa, save me!”
Barry extended his hand towards Roan.
Roan, with an emotionless face, signaled the taemusa with his eyes.
At that moment.
Spat!
The longsword split the space.
Ssskuk!
Together with a horrid sound, the head of Barry who crawled on the floor cleanly cut off.
A meaningless death.
Like that, Barry Webster, who disturbed the Rinse Kingdom together with Clay, met his end.
“Huu.”
Roan exhaled a long sigh.
Everything had finally ended.
However, now was not the time to rest.
There still was the truly important work left.
“Austin.”
At the quietly calling sound, Austin approached.
“Tonight, I will announce my intent to everyone.”
They were incomprehensible words, but Austin already knew their meaning.
“Yes sir. I will make preparations.”
He, with a moved expression, lowered his head.
The many commanders lined up behind him were also the same.
They knew what Roan’s words signified.
Roan quietly stared at the numerous commanders’ faces.
The past years brushed past before his eyes.
Starting from a rank-and-file spearman and coming all the way to here and now, he experienced countless events and countless wars.
‘This was something impossible without them.’
Roan made a faint smile.
He spoke with a calm and gentle voice.
“Let us go to the Capital, Miller, together with me.”
