364 – Identifying Friends and Families – 3
At my request, Jeon Seung Gong seemed to be in trouble.
If it had been during the last war, I would have accepted the request, leaving my friendship and worries behind. No, rather, he gave the order before I asked. Jeon Seung-gong is not a person who will reflect his private feelings in public affairs. You must be aware that if I come in, the chances of capturing Khan increase.
The reason why Jeon Seung-gong hesitates is simple. First, I am serving in the name of an inspector, not a combatant, and second, because there are many big players involved with me.
‘There are only three intertwined dukes.’
It is a fact that the emperor appointed me as an inspector in order to ‘participate in an emergency battle’. Officially, however, inspectors are not obligated to participate in combat.
Such an inspector said he would face a formidable enemy called Khan, but Jeon Seung-gong accepted it? If Ma Jong-gong, Iron-blooded Ball, or Hyeong-myeong-gong, who cannot blame the emperor, express their regrets to Jeon Seung-gong, the position of Jeon Seung-gong is really embarrassing. No matter how successful it is, the group beating of the three dukes is harsh.
“I understand the Inspector’s feelings. But the Inspector doesn’t have to fight directly. Trust the soldiers of the Empire.”
In the end, Jeon Seung-gong returned a principled answer.
However, the fact that a principled answer comes out at this timing is not a firm rejection, but just a justification. He was reluctant to participate in the war by the inspectorate, but the situation was not favorable and the will of the parties was strong, so he had no choice but to accept it.
“I am well aware of the bravery of our soldiers, but Dorgon is also good at pulling himself out. If he misses now, the damage to the Empire will be even greater.”
That’s why he participated in building justification. If I stand on the front line, the warlord will have no choice but to bear the burden, big or small. So, the trick is to make that burden as small as possible.
“Also, it’s embarrassing to move for personal reasons in the affairs of the country, but Dorgon must have a deep grudge against me. I can’t stand still for fear of my father’s anger.”
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At that, Jeon Seung Gong also nodded his head. In normal times, it would be absurd to bring up personal reasons for national affairs, but this time is an exception.
Majong-gong, Iron-blooded, and Hyeong-gong, who will express regret to Jeon Seung-gong, are all related by blood. In such a situation, ‘How can I stop the inspector from saying he will save my father?’ If you put forward the justification, the three of them have nothing to say. Just as they protested against Jeon Seung-gong for blood ties, I also moved for blood ties.
“If you move with the ink gwangdae, the inspector is allowed to participate.”
As soon as the justification was completed, Jeon Seung-gong quickly accepted. Although there was a condition of being with the Mukgwangdae, in the first place, the Mukgwangdae was my escort and a force that could be active even if it was immediately put into the front line. It is a willing condition.
“Thank you, sir.”
After bowing his head to the Jeon Seung-gong, he quickly left the barracks.
I felt like I would regret it for the rest of my life if something irreversible happened at the slightest delay.
***
Georg, who was bent down, raised his head while spitting out a handful of blood.
“Like a dog.”
I bit my lip softly at the short words that seemed to contain various emotions. I felt no different from Georg.
The nomads appeared with a rain of arrows that seemed to fill the sky, fired several more arrows, and charged with deafening shouts. It’s lax, but there’s a limit to dealing damage from a distance against troops hiding in their own defense line.
As more than 10,000 nomads rushed in, the ground shook and the wind howled. Even I, who have already experienced it several times, felt chills down my spine, not to mention ordinary soldiers.
That’s why I took the lead in encouraging soldiers. He raised his sword against the approaching calamity.
“As expected, it’s strong.”
However, the disaster in front of them was a disaster that was difficult to deal with with two people.
“I didn’t really want to look at it, but I think I’ve become stronger than before.”
A muttering of admiration was heard as Georg gnashed his teeth. It wasn’t that his pride was hurt simply because he was evaluated by the enemy. I admit that he is stronger than us.
“Hmm, or is it just a temporary thing and I’m not used to it?”
It’s just that I’m angry at talking while acting as if anyone can see it.
Dorgon, stroking his chin, dealt with us with a long stick he had picked up somewhere. I would rather have a bow or a spear, but I am dealing with both at the same time with a weapon that has never been used in the last war.
And I felt embarrassed that I was being pushed against such a weapon. Georg, who had just been shot right in the stomach with a stick, gasped for breath and barely raised his head.
‘It’s not easy.’
It’s something I was determined to do, but after experiencing it, it’s really confusing. It’s hard for the two of them to stick together, isn’t it a serious gap?
It’s fortunate that Dorgon only cares about us, though. While we capture Dorgon, our forces are using knights and wizards to deal with the nomads somehow. If Dorgon broke into that melee, the battle line would quickly collapse.
“Ah, now I remember.”
Meanwhile, Dorgon, who had been touching his chin, opened his mouth again.
“Wilhelm Krasius of Tylglechen, Georg Hideen of Horfeld. Those were the names for sure. I remember everything else, but I thought they were going crazy because the names were blurry.”
I could feel that Georg was even more fascinated by those words. Until now, the enemies he had dealt with wholeheartedly had not known his own name. Enough to take a toll on you mentally.
“Don’t get me wrong. I just couldn’t remember the name. I know you guys are strong enemies.”
“A guy like that wields a stick like that?”
“I’m sorry. This is a spear in its own right. It’s just that it has no blade.”
Even I, who had kept my mouth shut at the sneering tone, almost spit out swear words. It’s a trivial thing, but it’s strange to scratch the inside, and his personality is a piece of sh*t, maybe because his father died.
He glared at Dorgon, then sighed and gripped his sword even tighter. Unfortunately, humanity and power are not proportional. No matter how tough your personality is, there are strong people, and how those people survive in battle.
‘I can’t last long.’
I glanced at the left hand holding the reins, more precisely at the shoulder. Even more pitifully, I felt the unusual pain from earlier.
It is natural. How long had it been since the arrow was stuck? This time the stick was stuck. Even if you recover, if the same place suffers in succession, problems will inevitably arise. At least he can hold on to the reins, not the sword, but he won’t even feel the pain if the battle gets longer.
‘Still, if you hold on a little bit, you’ll back down.’
Fortunately, the screams that resonated throughout the battlefield were terrible only in the beginning, but now they have faded somewhat. This is impossible if a fierce battle is underway, so it means that the nomads are refraining from long-term offensives.
Then, since this battle has a strong meaning as a search battle, I will fight moderately and then retreat. And as long as the nomads don’t retreat with only the leader left, the disaster in front of them will soon disappear.
I didn’t even expect to win in the first place. So hold on just a little bit, until they back out—
“I need to sort things out soon.”
As soon as I heard those words, my vision slanted.
“Wilhelm!”
Georg’s voice filled with astonishment followed, but I wonder if he was more surprised than I was.
‘…A monster.’
It was only after blood pooled in my mouth that I was able to grasp the situation. The guy who had been riding the horse all of a sudden jumped out and threw the baton. The rod that had gone through his horse’s neck reached all the way to my chest.
This is an incomprehensible situation. Could it be that he made the leap by using his footsteps as stepping stones? Or was it a normal hippopotamus and then charged? Either way, it’s an action that takes a lot of time, but I didn’t notice it. I didn’t see a single moment of that long process.
When the gap is this big, it makes you laugh. In three years, this monster has grown stronger.
‘Damn it.’
The ground is getting closer and closer. The horse with its neck pierced collapsed and I stumbled, too, and my body couldn’t move properly to keep my balance. It wasn’t that his chest was pierced, but it seemed that the attack had shaken his insides.
Even in the midst of that, I instinctively protected my head. If you fall off the horse in this state, you will be seriously injured, but you can avoid instant death. As long as you’re breathing, there’s no problem.
Of course, this is a futile move. Even if you avoid instant death, no one will save the enemy wriggling on the floor. As proof, Dorgon took out the rod that had pierced his horse and swung it again.
‘I can see it this time.’
I felt like I was about to laugh. Did his eyesight rise because it was time to die, or did he move leisurely because he was dying?
I wish it was the former. Death as a soldier was always prepared, but how disgraceful it would be if the end was stained by the enemy’s mercy and carelessness.
‘How many times have I fought with this guy?’
Suddenly, Carl’s face came to mind. A guy named Abhi fell in an instant against this monster, but Carl fought many equal battles. Unlike his incompetent father, he is indeed an outstanding son.
… If the son hadn’t gone to war, he would have been more comfortable. It’s only after reaching this point that I think I should dry it harder.
However, this must be a pointless regret. I wouldn’t have listened to anything Carl said back then.
‘You’re putting an extra burden on a child in need.’
That’s why it’s sad. He has a lingering attachment to the north, and although he cannot be of any help to his son who has served in the army, he is in a situation where he will become a burden to his heart.
No, maybe I’m overestimating myself too much. How good a father I was to that child, how can I not let my death become a burden?
Thinking that way made my heart feel a little more comfortable—
“Oh.”
Dorgon suddenly raised an eyebrow, let out a short exclamation, and walked past me.
“Come, Krasius Carl!”
…?
‘Who?’
My thoughts were interrupted by the name out of the blue. The kaleidoscope that shimmered in front of his eyes disappeared before he knew it.
I wondered if I had heard the wrong thing right before my death.
“It’s been a while, you bastard who lost his father!”
The voice that followed was clearly Carl’s.
“If I’m alone and lonely, I’ll go look for my family, but what if I want to increase the number of orphans!”
The contents were strange, but the knife is right.