Chapter 81: Ignition (3)
After Frondier finished speaking, he looked around the audience.
He didn’t say this to scare them. Everything he said was obvious.
And maybe they all know it. These words spoken by Frontier are full of potential for realization. If you are in Mangot, this is definitely a method to choose.
Therefore, if all that remains after hearing this is despair, there will be no fight in the first place.
“Frondier.”
The one who broke the silence at that time was Roach’s matriarch, Ampere.
“The walls will be strong.”
Even though those words were said while looking at Frontier, they were addressed to the entire people in this conference room.
“Nothing will change whether they come sequentially or to die in harmony.”
People’s expressions gradually change with each word, or rather, with each syllable, of Ampere’s words.
“Dog death suits wild dogs. “It will happen this time too.”
I didn’t use any auras, nor did I put any force into my voice. Just the unhesitating voice of Ampere himself.
That alone has already changed the atmosphere and is enough to make the eyes of the powerful shine again.
Frondier slowly closed his eyes and smiled as he looked at Ampere’s bold appearance.
──This is Ampere. Ampere is the same as everyone knows.
From Noble mtl dot com
Frondier noticed that the atmosphere in the hall had changed and slowly opened his mouth.
“… … As Lady Roach said, as long as you are properly prepared, the barrier will withstand. Just as Mangot has an advantage, we also have an advantage over Mangot.”
“Being ahead?”
When someone asked, Frontier nodded.
“First, our enemies do not yet know that we are prepared. “We may have smelled it, but we can’t cancel the operation now.”
Mangot is a burning flame.
Once a fire starts, it is not easy to put it out. This is true from the empire’s perspective, but it is also true for Mangot itself.
Now that Mangot has begun to spread like wildfire, no one can stop it.
After hearing those words, Ospreet muttered.
“Even if you can’t attack first, you can defend first… … .”
“That’s right. The Mangot operation was originally premised on the complete absence of caution from the empire. Mangot desperately hoped and hoped that the empire would look down on them. But that doesn’t work anymore.”
Needless to say, Frontier has already discovered Mangot’s operation.
Mangod still does not know that the Empire is aware of their operation.
“An enemy who expects his opponent to let down his guard becomes insensitive to his own guard.”
So, if you are fully prepared, you will be able to minimize damage and take advantage of Cape Mangot.
“But Frondier, how can you be completely prepared?”
This time it was Monty, one of the Zodiacs, who asked.
As he said, the empire is wide. Too wide. No matter how tightly you fill in the gaps, there are bound to be weak points, and it is impossible to block all monsters from attacking at the same time. Even more so if Mangot joins in.
This is not a question of being strong or weak. It’s a question of numbers and scope.
Frontier said to him:
“The second thing that puts us ahead of Mangot is personal force.”
“force?”
“Monsters are generally stronger than humans, and the people of Mangot who have lived outside are also probably stronger than most citizens of the empire. “But the Zodiac people here, those with comparable power, and some other people in the Empire can use force that far exceeds them.”
Although the number cannot be said to be large, there are people in the empire who can defeat monsters from outside. 12 Zodiac members, head of Roach and head of Lisha. Constell’s Aster Evans and Elodie de Inies Richae. And although he is silent, Frontier himself is also included.
“Just by placing them in the right place, the power of monsters will be suppressed as much as possible.”
“It’s the right place… … .”
This time, Sanders sounded anxious. That’s true, it’s plausible, but if you knew the right place, you wouldn’t have to go through this trouble.
Prepare for attacks by putting great talents in the right places. Who wouldn’t say something like that?
“… … “Frondier,”
Empress Fili, who had been listening quietly, opened her mouth.
“Do you know the right place?”
“… … I’m making some predictions. but.”
Frondier stopped talking there.
The hand that was trying to indicate something by pointing at the map also stopped. A look of concern bloomed on his face.
As expected, from here on, it becomes a story about Frontier arranging the talents of the empire here. It was beyond the authority granted to him.
Frontier is not a commander, much less a staff member. In the process of persuading many people by going all out on my own, I am here to share my reasons for persuading everyone and my predictions for the future.
To put it simply, Frontier is now in a similar position to where he was explaining the situation to the professionals in the conference room at the Phenomenon headquarters.
Although they deliver reports and predictions, they do not have the authority to order anyone to do anything.
“… … “I am speaking from my personal opinion.”
Therefore, Frontier changed his words a little. Even if you can’t give orders, you can give opinions.
If he felt that his appointment was appropriate, the emperor would probably listen to his words at least a little. As for Frontier, he can only hope that there will be no major changes in the layout he has arranged.
But then.
“your majesty.”
Someone quietly opened his mouth.
The voice was so familiar, but the name was so unfamiliar that everyone looked in the same direction.
It was Ampere.
Ampere said, looking at Emperor Bartello.
Everyone looked at him in surprise.
‘Ampere opened his mouth to the emperor!’
After the emperor threw away his infant son, Frondier, Ampere never opened his mouth to the emperor.
There was nothing that couldn’t be opened, but if it had been done, the Roach family would have immediately become a feared enemy of the Empire. There was probably no way Ampere would have called Bartello by his honorific title at the time.
Therefore, Ampere’s not getting close to the emperor or the imperial palace was antagonizing the emperor, but he was also showing utmost courtesy to the emperor. Don’t be rude while there is no interaction.
“I am so sorry to hear this from you.”
People’s mouths dropped open as soon as that formal wording was added. It was an extreme level that could not have been possible for Ampere.
“Give Frontier the authority to deploy troops.”
“… … .”
Bartello’s gaze landed on Ampere. The two were looking at each other with expressions on their faces that were hard to tell.
The clash of eyes between the two, who had once acted like enemies who did not want to face each other, was an unbearable pressure for those around them.
“If you say that’s too much, you should at least listen to what he says. It’s not because Frontier is my child. If you look back at Frontier’s achievements in the past, you will see that his opinion has sufficient validity.”
“Ampere, this is a meaningless request.”
The Emperor interrupted him. Ampere kept his mouth shut, but an eerie fire burned in his eyes.
“What do you think of me?”
The Emperor turned his gaze and looked at Frondier.
“I told everyone here in advance. “Do you remember?”
“… … !”
At those words, Ampere’s eyes widened slightly, and Fili, who was guarding Bartello’s side, quietly let out a voice.
“… … “His words are the will of the imperial palace.”
“It is the will of the empire.”
The emperor completes it.
Bartello shook his head as if he didn’t feel like talking anymore and said.
“It makes no difference whether I give Frontier authority or not. I will lay it out exactly as he said. Ampere, don’t treat me with extreme respect that doesn’t suit me. “It is truly difficult to see and hear.”
Ampere looked like he had a hard time reacting to that. It was a truly rare expression for him to see.
When Bartello looked at that and spoke with a really faint smile.
“Weren’t we all once the empire’s dogs?”
Ampere seemed to have gone back to the distant past.
Ospreet heard those words and smiled like an emperor. All of the Zodiacs calmed down for a moment as if they were remembering the past.
The Emperor turned his head and looked at Frondier again.
“Frondier, go ahead. Just once, use your talents and treat everyone here like a horse. “If there are people who make a fuss, I will make them walk on all fours with my own hands.”
These are truly harsh words coming from the emperor, but they are also Bartello.
Frondier said, feeling a different burden than expected.
“… … “Then first, Tavern.”
* * *
Meetings at Mangot are always held at a round table.
There is no particular limit to the number of people, but this meeting is always comprised only of people from the top of Mangot.
Hagley is the only person who can attend the meeting without being called, even though he is not a member of the top floor.
Those who sit at the round table call themselves ‘the shepherds of the round table.’ Of course, it is an imitation of the Arthurian legend ‘Knights of the Round Table’.
But they have no chivalry and no land to protect. They simply lead the young lambs of Mangot. That’s why shepherd.
Of course, not everyone likes this title.
This was especially true of Notker, who was the most talkative man in the round table discussion except Belphegor.
“Where is the shepherd who throws all his sheep into the fire pit?”
Notker is in an ambush in the forest with his troops.
The place where he was located was Tavern. In fact, the best place to watch Tavern from outside the wall was in an area with thick trees called the ‘Sacred Forest’, but since Belphegor had told them not to enter, they took cover in the forest further to the west.
He had no intention of opposing this operation. Loyalty to Belphegor also did not change.
I just didn’t want to call myself a ‘shepherd’. Everyone in Mangot wants to burn themselves using their own lives as material. His role is not to send the sheep. I will jump in with them.
“Even if it’s the same fire pit, it shouldn’t burn here. “Be careful.”
The commander of the unit following him opened his mouth. Notker laughed.
“okay. It means nothing if you get swept away by monsters. “Our attack will be in the midst of chaos due to the monster invasion.”
Frondier expressed it as a ‘union’, but the monsters and Mangot are not really on the same side.
There is no such distinction for monsters anyway. Mangot is just taking advantage of the monsters’ continued invasion of the defense wall.
In other words, the alliance between Mangot and the demons cannot use any strategy other than the ‘quantity offensive’. But that alone is enough.
“Yes, this place was originally said to be guarded by Ridwi Urfa.”
“It is said that a man named Hector has now become the head of the family. It is said that this is to make up for Ridwi’s absence as Zodiac. Rumor has it that he is Ridwi’s hidden child.”
Notker, who had good eyesight, looked at the top of the wall first. If the Empire is really prepared, they might stick their heads out from above the wall. Even Ridwi, who doesn’t often participate in wall battles, will be different this time.
“If only I could see his face here… … . huh?”
At that time, Notker’s expression changed. On top of the wall was Hector, as his subordinate said. I’m sure it’s because I saw his face in a photo beforehand.
But next to him, there was a man who couldn’t just pass by.
“… … Hey, that. “Isn’t this Astor Evans?”
“yes?”
Since my subordinate’s eyesight was not as good as his, he created a magic telescope and looked at the barrier.
It is a bit of a cumbersome spell, so it is not used often, but most people in charge of scouting know how to use it.
“… … okay. “This is Astor Evans.”
Blonde hair, neat appearance. Blue, clean eyes look down the barrier. It was an unmistakable sight of Aster Evans.
“… … hehehehe.”
Notker, who had been watching quietly, suddenly laughed.
“Good. “I just didn’t like the nonsense that a child who wasn’t even an adult was at the Zodiac level.”
“… … Notker. “It is not time yet.”
“I know, I know. “Do you think I can charge like a stage gun without thinking?”
“Excuse me.”
“Well, just when the time comes.”
It contains the creepy murderous look in the noteker’s eyes.
“I’ll take care of that guy. No, I don’t even like the expression ‘taking charge’. “I will bring you that head within 30 minutes.”
“… … “Yes, please.”
The subordinate stops further elaborating and nods.
In this case, the note taker can just be left alone. Then, surprisingly, things work out well.
… … And in between.
Hector briefly saw Aster standing side by side on the wall.
“… … hey. “I heard you came from Constell?”
“Yes that’s right.”
“Then you also know about Frontier?”
“Do you know Frontier? “He is a classmate of mine.”
Indeed, that’s right.
Just like Frontier, this guy also has an unusual energy. Hector felt it right away.
Hector heard about the defense arrangement decided by the empire through Ridwi.
I said I would follow Hector without a word because it was an order from the empire, but I strangely remember the words Ridwi said when sending this man named Aster here.
──A hero needs a sword, do you know what I mean?
‘A hero?’
In that thought, when Hector looks at Aster again, his appearance and aura are worthy of being called a warrior. No, rather, if the word ‘warrior’ were made into a person, he would look like this.
Hector behind him inadvertently cast his gaze toward the sacred forest.
‘… … What if it’s a sword?’
A legendary sword that is said to be sleeping in a sacred forest and we don’t even know if it exists or not.
Hector shakes his head at such a thoughtless thought.
If they really thought like that and left him here, the person who carried out this operation must be out of his mind.
Guess Aster would be getting that Excalibur soon.