69.
After that.
“I’m withdrawing now.”
We left Kalen behind and walked away alone.
Certainly, I did not leave him alone because of things like fate, roommate, or a knight.
“The one left alone needs to return to convey the situation and draw out the troops, that’s why… Did you really anticipate that?”
“Mm.”
The hamburger guy.
After this battle, not only did his intelligence suddenly improve, but he started bowing to me with respect.
“Forgive the ugly one who looked down on you. Although I have lost my position, my blood runs in your veins. I, the disgraced Donal DeMc, pledge loyalty to you. May the glory of the West be yours.”
Well.
He seemed determined to do that, so I just let him do as he pleased.
“By the way, you must have gained extra points. Congratulations.”
“No, it’s thanks to Adrian.”
hahahaha, this is something.
He has completely become a loyalist 1.
Since I already have a loyalist 1 on this side being a graduate student, this guy is a loyalist 2.
But just because a mere heir to a Western viscount has sided with me doesn’t mean some spectacular event like my life graph showing an upward trend will occur.
This is just a taste.
I always have to constantly prove myself.
It’s the lament and sorrow of a former rogue.
Anyway.
After talking a bit, I found out that the hamburger guy’s dream is to live comfortably with his parents in a moderately large territory and a moderately spacious castle.
What is this?
He was a good guy, wasn’t he?
“To reach that level in the West, you probably have to become a marquis.”
“That’s correct. I plan to graduate and work my way up to become a marquis.”
“I’ll cheer you on. Hamburger, you can do it.”
“Yes. If I become the head of the family, the DeMc family will pledge loyalty not to Ebnis Sofu but to Adrian Rothschild de Repelheit.”
“Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that. Donal, when it’s time for you to serve, you can decide once you have become the head of the family.”
“Ah…”
He nodded as if he understood my true intentions.
This could be a bit of a risky statement.
A noble pledging loyalty to me, who is of the ‘commoner’ class.
It could potentially turn into a story of rebellion against the ‘lord of the West’.
If the Rothschild Viscount or some other prominent Western family overheard this conversation and pushed for it.
As an example, the Hamburger family could be in so much danger that they would all be executed.
Even though it’s a mixed medieval fantasy world, it’s still a strict class society.
Furthermore, I felt that the gazes of the three magic department students I was with had changed a bit, but their interests were clearly elsewhere.
“Am I really an elf?”
“Really?”
“I’m just half-elf. More importantly, I’d prefer if you didn’t come too close.”
“Oops, s-sorry…”
The female student holding a staff stepped back.
That’s more of an Elven characteristic rather than… just an Elf’s characteristic.
Someone who doesn’t allow their heart doesn’t really welcome closeness.
“Adrian, how was it?”
“It was excellent. Especially the ‘Hymn of the Queen’ was truly admirable.”
“Do you know that?”
“I’m not completely ignorant about Elves. Rather, without that, our victory wouldn’t have been certain. No, if you weren’t there, we wouldn’t have been able to find our way through the forest properly.”
In response to my words.
“Umm… um, um….”
Relvrian, who was leaning next to me, made a groaning sound for a moment, then muttered to himself.
‘Looks like it won’t work.’, ‘I understand why Reyna acts that way.’, ‘But the three of us are friends, right?’, ‘I have to push away these bad thoughts.’, tapping his cheeks twice.
Anyway, since we secured the victory, we hurried back to the camp…
“They’re coming back over there! Raise the victory banner!”
Seeing Reyna standing in front of the camp, we couldn’t help but smile.
Black hair cascading down to the waist.
And eyes shining green.
“Alright! Welcome back, everyone!”
As she reached her hand towards the sky, fireworks-like objects flew up and burst.
Yes.
“For our heroes, a reward!”
Although it was just a small-scale skirmish, we emerged victorious.
***
Upon my return, an immediate meeting was convened, and people gathered around the table once again.
“Have you regained some strength now?”
“…Yes. Resting in the shade helped a bit, phew.”
It seems we still have to wait a little longer, perhaps because it’s still midday.
I turned my gaze to Frana, and Reyna nodded in agreement.
“Alright. We’ve eliminated the enemy scouts for now. Also, we’ve received some new information.”
Dividing our forces into two.
One to eliminate the scouts, the other to scout through the rocky mountains.
With the information brought secretly by Reyna’s ‘attendants,’ the conclusion was as follows.
“There seems to be a large-scale battle tomorrow at dawn. The time is 5 a.m.”
5 a.m.
“…Isn’t that just before sunrise?”
Everyone nodded at Hamburger’s words.
“When the sun is just rising, and at its most intense, Lady Vladir is at her weakest.”
“They must be aiming for that vulnerability. Leader, are we certain about the source of this information?”
Hamburger, who had been sitting quietly all this time… no, when Donald showed determination, she widened her eyes, looked at me.
“Well, there were some incidents like that.”
“Understood. Yes, the source of the information is reliable. We have someone we can trust. But we must not let our guard down. Adrian, can we cross-verify?”
“Maybe around midnight, it could be possible.”
“I’ll take care of it.”
Well.
That’s about it.
“So, should we prepare in advance for a large-scale battle?”
“They wouldn’t like a direct confrontation either. We need to come up with another plan.”
As they discussed among themselves.
“…Adrian, do you have any ideas?”
With Donald leading the conversation.
Everyone’s gaze turned towards me.
“hehehe.”
Reyna shrugged her shoulders and chuckled.
“Do you have any ideas? Please let our leader know,” she said, stroking her chin and looking at me.
This is something.
It’s grateful to rely on others, but relying too much would make things uncomfortable on this side too.
* * *
To be honest.
The key point of this final exam is the food supply on the second day.
Food carriages appear at completely random locations.
The defense team must escort them into the castle, while the attack team must seize them.
The food carriages could be on the top of a rocky mountain, in a cave somewhere in the mountains, in a forest, or not far from their respective bases.
If the “Leader” survives for three days without dying, without the armor being torn apart, and successfully defends the “Crown” at the center of the castle, it will be a victory for the defense team. So, the importance of food goes without saying.
The reason they decided to fight outside the castle is not just to make a futile attempt, but to break our morale at dawn when Lady Vladir’s power weakens and then besiege us with the food they have.
However.
From Noble mtl dot com
The answer is surprisingly close.
“The drainage system… right?”
“That’s correct.”
“If it’s true… we could completely finish it before the third day, before they even arrive.”
Sieges take a tremendous amount of time.
Naturally, the attacking team is at a disadvantage.
If we reach the third day without any changes in the situation, defeat is almost certain.
“A castle is a place where people live. If they can come in, they should also be able to go out.”
That’s why we’re targeting the drainage system.
“In the dawn battle, we’ll achieve only ‘strategic victories’ like destroying their defensive structures, and we’ll leave the food for them to take… and when they escort the food back.”
“Yes, I understand. So, our main force will advance towards the castle to draw attention, and the ‘Elite Team’ will infiltrate the drainage system in advance…”
Smiling, Reyna looked at me and spoke again.
“We’ll completely destroy both the outside and inside. Is that your opinion, Adrian?”
I nodded my head, and everyone exchanged glances, looking at me.
There weren’t any words, but everyone seemed surprised.
“…By any chance, do you know the location of the drainage system?”
“There’s an informant in the defense team. After the pre-dawn skirmish ends tomorrow, they will pinpoint the location, organize the team to enter, and swiftly advance.”
“Alright.”
It’s a flawless and endless operation.
This was a strategy that was almost used daily by the attack team when playing ‘Erhan’.
“Good suggestion. Let’s go with that.”
“I agree.”
“Alright.”
Everyone nodded, and following Reyna’s announcement that the meeting was adjourned, they rose from their seats.
Before long.
The arrival of dawn.
Still too early for the sun to rise.
The cold, stiff air flowed through the camp, and a tingling tension circulated among the assembled troops.
“Let’s depart.”
Following the leader at the front, the hooves of the warhorses hit the ground.
A large number of troops deployed from the camp and began to run towards the north.
To the west, a forest; to the east, rocky mountains; in the center, a desolate plain leading to the enemy’s fortress.
Hooves trampled the desolate plain as they advanced.
No one shouted, no one made a sound.
Only the sound of hooves filled the space.
Before long…
“Front! Enemies sighted!”
There.
A faint fortress revealed its outline, with the figures of enemies who had hit the drainage ditch in front of it.
It begins.
Dozens of magic circles rose into the air.
“Magic!”
“Don’t panic, stay calm! Rear magic users, prepare for interception!”
However.
If one were to be frightened by such a sight and turn back, they would not have marched in the first place.
“Bladyr Lady.”
“Don’t address me so casually!”
“It’s the pre-dawn before the storm… You may not be fully ready yet, but have you regained your condition?”
“Hmph, even if I have, I won’t tell you.”
Ignoring the disobedient cousin, she spoke and rushed forward.
Only she stood at the front.
Before long.
aaargh!
She tore into my wrist with her fangs, as wings spread out behind her.
With her wings spread high, the army of the attack team swiftly rushed towards her.
Blood dripped down my wrist.
She reaches her arms up.
Between her hands filled with blood, the blue moon, not yet setting, slips in.
The black bat wings reveal her silhouette.
Crimson eyes.
Numerous prey are approaching.
“【Blood Magic: Blood Spear】.”
And then.
From the dark-stained sky, hundreds of blood spears rained down.