Nigoru Hitomi de Nani wo Negau

“Youth-sama, it seems that the Highserk Empire’s armies gathered in the Sarria City have begun to move.”

“Oh, finally huh.”

Sovereign Ruler Youth Myard, who was called by one of his retainers, nodded slowly. People were moving around in a hurry in the room. They were lining pieces on the wide spread map one after another in front of him.

Youth had already requested assistance from Ferrius Kingdom, the suzerain, through magic tools. He had also sent post riders to local villages and cities, and had begun gathering militias.

“In the Ferrius Kingdom, Winston-sama seems to lead the soldiers directly.”

“It looks like Ferrius is serious this time.”

Winston Ferrius was the younger brother of King Ferrius, and he gained a lot of trust from the king because he had experience in combat. The fact that Winston would be the commander meant that Ferrius Kingdom wasn’t willing to let go of Myard. Furthermore, Youth was convinced that he was going to have the deciding battle with the eyesore, Highserk’s army.

When Youth looked out from the window of the room, post riders were about to pass through the gate.

“It’s been five years since the last battle, it’s been long but unexpectedly short at the same time.”

Youth, with deep-rooted dissenting opinions, carried out scorched earth tactics and left Kanoa Kingdom. He was said to have sold his heart to a monster and lost his mind. He endured those intolerable, endured it, built border forts, and trained his troops. Ferrius Kingdom, who became the suzerain, received many humiliating treatments.

All of that was for this time. Still, Youth knew that the people at the borders were trying their best to buy time. The Highserk Empire, which survived the crucible of war, could be said as a nation specializing in war, and many farmers in there were accustomed to fighting.

Youth, was one of the people who made a terrible mistake in evaluating the Highserk Empire. After all, the majority disregarded that it was just a country whose national power had fallen due to a series of battles.

In reality, it was a hungry wolf with a thin body, but the fangs and claws were sharpened. And he had tasted how sharp it was. That’s why, youth were preparing for their attack this whole five years.

“Should we move the troops at Celta Lake too?”

A vassal points to a piece still hadn’t been moved on the map.

Other than Highserk Empire and Ferrius Kingdom, the other two countries were separated by Celta Lake, so the size of the navy wasn’t that small. In terms of troop strength alone, there was nearly 700 people, but moving the navy to land would only make him lose skilled soldiers, and so Youth wasn’t willing to move them.

“Half of the navy can’t play an active part in the land battle. They don’t have to move.”

And there was also the fact he must be prepared from an attack that might come there. After all, it connected to Craist Kingdom and Liberitoa Trade Federation, and above all, there was a possibility of ‘that’. When Youth saw ‘that’ for the first time, even though he was embarrassed, he had no choice but to fall down. He then remembered one report he hadn’t addressed yet.

“If I’m not mistaken… Craist Kingdom was asking cooperation of our navy for dealing with ‘that’?”

“Yes, I heard that they need a harbor pilot――really, they’re useless.”

Even a decent navy couldn’t escape from ‘that’. Youth understood why the Craist Kingdom offered to cooperate with Myard, which could be said to have the largest navy on the huge lake.

At that moment, Youth thought that under this international situation, there would be no loss even in gaining one’s favor.

“Cooperate with them to a reasonable degree”

Youth switched the gear in his head and listened to the report that came in. But, no matter how optimistic he was, the situation at the border might become hopeless.

Even if he sent troops from now, there still a strong risk that all of them would be destroyed before the troops from all over the country could gather, and it would be too late, for the reinforcements from Ferrius Kingdom.

In that case, the battlefield would naturally be limited. Considering the logistics and the burden on the soldiers, Youth glared at the most suitable land for defense on the map. Pointing to the two tallest hills, the place was the Lilev Plain, a plain in front of the capital, Aidenberg.

“We will prepare a wedding hall and hold a grand ball for Gerard and his minions.”

　◆

The gathered Highserk Imperial Army didn’t fit in the training ground at the fort, and overflowed into nearby vacant lots and boulevards.

The Liguria battalion, the one in command of Duwei’s squad, arrived early, and as a battalion with abundant combat experience against Liberitoa Trade Federation, they got the honor to be at the prestigious position, the training ground where you could see the commander of this whole army, who would give a speech before the battle against the Myard’s army.

From the side, it might look like the battalion was wrapped in glory, but Walm didn’t think so, he thought that it was as if he was in a ceremony to hear the principal’s speech.

The three idiots seemed to have enjoyed the free time, maybe too much, their faces were pale due to lack of sleep and alcohol. It was only a matter of time before the armor would get roasted by the direct sunlight and the one wearing it starting to complain. If this was the battlefield, Walm would have spitting out curse here and there.

Although it was simple, it still was a ceremony before the war for annexing Myard. You could easily imagine what would happen soon.

The fully equipped soldiers lined up looking up at the podium where the commander went up without looking away.

An idol would have a pale face given such attentions.

The decorations that decorated the stage were blood-soaked armor. A total of 9 battalion, 18,000 soldiers, in front of such a massive number of soldiers, a man who was the main character of this war stood on the podium prepared at a higher place than others.

Although from a long distance, the gray hair was especially stood out. Even though the man had a medium-sized body, but you could feel an intimidating feeling from him. You could feel the unwavering confidence and mental based on experience in the eyes.

The sound at the training ground completely disappeared with the appearance of the leading role. The man slowly opened his mouth…

“You did well to be here. I’m Gerard Berger, the leader for this army.”

He was the war god of the Highserk Empire, who had participated in all the wars for 30 years since Highserk Empier just a small nation and won the wars. An old general who was famous as the devil of Highserk’s from the neighboring countries.

The Aleinard Forest Alliance, the Garmud archipelago and the Republic of Meiris, those immovable three powers had been despising the long-running war around Highserk Empire as a small skirmish, but still, no one had made a fool of Gerard Berger.

“Veteran soldiers who have won skirmishes with Myard, men of valor who have experienced how to fight those riches of Liberitoa, and strong men who have beaten monsters every day in the demon territory are gathering here in Sarria City. All of you is a symbol of our pride Empire.”

Although he used magic tool, it echoed not only in the training course but also in the surrounding streets and vacant lots. Not only the Highserk Imperial Army, but also the inhabitants of the Sarria City leaned out of the windows, and some were out on the main street, listening to the speech.

“As you all know, it was five years ago that the Kanoa Kingdom fell into the sweet words of the Ferrius Kingdom and started a war with our country. Did the war end and life return to the way it was before?”

Gerard took a deep breath and continued,

“The answer is no. Because the Duke Myard and the Ferrius Kingdom betrayed the Kanoa Kingdom. Even if I don’t tell you what they did, the Sarria’s citizens that joined our army know it more than enough. But today, let me say it, when they fell into inferiority, they abandoned more than half of their compatriots, burned down the fields that feed the people, and took away food and livestock.”

The typical scorched earth tactics that have been repeated in history were also practiced in the Kanoa Kingdom.

Not only military facilities, but also houses, fields, and forests were burned, food was taken away. Then those Myard’s soldiers and the Ferrius Kingdom’s Army retreated to the designated line of defense.

Although the Highserk Empire had a lot of victory, it was difficult for them to transport supplies to the inner part of the enemy’s land, so they had to rely on local procurement.

In Highserk Empire, there was a line called as transportation line that was a combination of rivers and warehouses, but the shortage of magic bags and wagons, which was the important key of logistics, in enemy territory, made it impossible to advance further.

Ferrius Kingdom and Myard also intended repel the Highserk Empire of the territories which failed to procure locally, but as Highserk Empire had a good communication line that was in place, they failed to prevent the Highserk’s army that were transporting goods to the occupied territories of the East Kanoa Kingdom. The Heighserk Empire managed to somehow provided food to the extent where they citizens wasn’t starved but also couldn’t eat a fulfilling meal either. And it took five years to rebuild the occupied territories.

In those five years, neither the Ferrius Kingdom nor Myard stayed quiet on the sidelines. Although troops were dispatched several times to recapture the land, they always failed. They attempted to disturb the soldier’s movement by revolting in the city, but it failed as they failed to understand the citizen’s grudge.

“With the elite of Sarria City, let’s put an end to the five-year war with them. Be Brave! Overrun your enemies! Everything you want is in Myard! Tell those people of Myard and Ferrius, who are they waging the war with. Death to them!!”

” “DEATH TO THEM!!” “

When Gerard Berger hit the podium, the soldiers responded as if the training ground had exploded. Some stepped on the ground with a loud voice and raised the spear. Some slammed shields and swords. Walm read the air and participated there. There might be some who like Walm, blending well there. But more than half seemed to be really enthusiastic about it.

The speech maximized the morale of the soldiers. The veteran commander was really good at instigating people, and he was exactly a heroic figure of the military nation born after long-struggling war.

The city itself seemed to be shaking due to the heat of the people. Although there were many defensive wars, the militarism of Highserk Empire could be said as invasive.

Even though you couldn’t say that what Highserk Empire did was right, but the endless hellish war might end if could get rid of Myard and Ferrius Kingdom. Perhaps the life of Highserk Empire’ citizens would be better.

Such expectations were emerging in Walm.

The movement began with the afterglow of the speech remaining around the unit. A bloodthirsty soldier, an excited warhorse, began to move all together.

And so, the fire of the Myard annexation war was about to be lit.

TN: Here, an image of the character design of Willart, the only Magic User of Duwei’s Squad

Willart (Character Design 1)