Vol 4 Chapter 6 (1/2)

Chapter 6: Three-way Struggle

Part 1

Having rushed up, Doug looked down at the pathetic, quivering man dribbling blood and froth.

Orba had thrown off his tattered clothes and was using them to wipe himself down. He didn't smile so much as once when Doug called out ”You did it.”

”Could you get me a change of clothes?”

”Sure, but” Doug looked quizzically at Orba, ”What are we going to do about him?”

”Give him to me.”

”Why didn't you land the finis.h.i.+ng blow? Are you going to torture him to death?”

Something like that Orba's emotionless smile seemed to say.

Doug shrugged his shoulders. ”Hah. But you fought like a demon. You held back when you were fighting me, didn't you?”

”Don't hold it against me. Things would have gotten complicated if I'd beaten you.”

”You, saying something like that? You who loved picking fights when you were a brat.”

On Doug's order, a new jacket and trousers had been brought. He addressed Orba, who was pulling them on, ”I'll let it slide this time but next time, go at it for real.”

”If there is a next time. What do you intend to do after this?”

”I'm not sure. But this is probably the end of being bandits. We'll divide up the money we got from Mephius in equal shares then split up. Starting normal lives in the villages around here doesn't sound too bad.”

It wasn't only Orba who had been brought to stand at the crossroads of fate. As the smiling bandits embraced each other in turn, looking at closely, their eyes had lost a certain drive. The glint in their eyes, so strong that it had seemed to give off heat, had faded.

Watching them, Orba could objectively understand. They had turned all their grief and despair at having their families s.n.a.t.c.hed away from them into hatred. But then what was left after they had destroyed the target of that hatred, in other words, after it had disappeared?

Fighting, revenge...

Right after it all ended, both body and soul would surely feel empty.

Orba however still wasn't completely finished. He gave himself a shake to pull his body and mind from their lethargy and strode out of the village. Doug ran after him.

”What are you going to do, Orba?”

”I've still got work to do as Mephius' crown prince.”

”And when it's done?”

”I'm sick of being a prince and of being a gladiator.”

So I will walk a path different from either of those was how Doug interpreted his meaning. He was going to call out to him again, but then somehow, Doug abandoned that idea and watched Orba's departing form. Thus their first reunion after six years came to a ready end.

”Chief, did Orba leave?”

A man from the same village as Doug asked him. Although he called him ”Chief”, he was six years older than Doug and had been somewhat acquainted with Roan from the neighbouring village. And of course he also knew of his fight-loving younger brother.

”Yeah.”

”Still, to think that in this world there could be such an impossible story. That that Orba became a gladiator then the prince's body double. I still can't believe it. And then that we got our revenge thanks to that impossible story. I feel as though once I go to sleep, it’ll all seem like a dream.”

”I thought the same when the village was burned down. And in that dream, I thought it would be good if it was just a dream.”

Doug's eyes darkened and he looked around at his joyful companions.

I always, always... felt like I was in the middle of a dream. Even when I was writhing in anguish at reality, on some level it felt like I was in a nightmare I couldn't wake up from.

And now for the first time he had been able to awaken from that nightmare and could finally clearly recognise that the last six years had been real.

”Still. He...”

”He?” asked Doug, suddenly pulled back to reality.

”Orba. Looks like he decided not to come back to the village. Well of course, life as the prince must be more comfortable than coming back to life in the countryside.”

Although Doug had once again turned to his eyes towards the direction Orba had left in, he suddenly s.h.i.+vered.

”Next time... you'll go at it for real?”

”Chief?”

”Although I said it myself, I'll pa.s.s. I don't want to get into a fight with someone like that.”

”What do you mean?”

”He isn't someone who would be able to live a normal life. So he won't come back to the village either. We might never see him again.”

Doug's prediction was destined to be proven wrong. But at the time, he firmly believed it.

They had awoken from their nightmare. But Doug wondered if that was also the case for Orba. Or maybe the Orba he knew no longer existed. Even if he told himself that it had been six years, he had sometimes looked like a different person. In those six years that Doug didn't know about, he had lived in a world that Doug didn't know.

He isn't the Orba from before and of course he isn't Gil either. So... As you are now, who on earth are you?

On Doug's orders, the soldiers of the Black Armoured Division were stripped of their possessions then thrown into the flames. And because he was of course doing his share of the work, he committed an oversight. The corpse of one of those from the Black Armoured Division whom Oubary had brought to the village - and furthermore a man whose face was known to the villagers - was nowhere to be found.

As soon as he had left the village, Orba called out for s.h.i.+que and handed him down some orders. This time, s.h.i.+que took several imperials guards with him and they ran towards the village.

Orba watched them go with a weary face then, when he finally turned around, he opened his eyes wide at the sight of Vileena and Hou Ran standing side-by-side.

”This is...?”

”I had Ran bring me.” Vileena's face was pale and her voice listless. She had an air of not being able to tell what was what. ”What happened over there? The general?”

At that question, Orba was a.s.sured that s.h.i.+que had used his wits and kept Vileena away from anywhere where sounds might reach.

While waiting for s.h.i.+que and the others' return, Orba gave the princess a matter-of-fact explanation. Flames could still be seen leaping from the direction of the village. This time it was Vileena's turn to open her eyes wide.

”General Oubary did?”

”Yeah. When I was inspecting Apta, I heard plenty of testimonies of how six years ago, taking advantage of the chaos of war, he and his Black Armoured Division attacked the villages in this area. Then this time, having come to Apta once again, I knew that Oubary would repeat the same thing again and was in the middle of investigating that.”

”...”

”Having learned that I had been in contact with the villagers, and in order to seal our mouths, he brought his soldiers for a sudden attack on the villagers and me. But I was able to learn of it beforehand and set a trap, and we were just able to, so to speak, turn the tables on him.”

Orba himself thought he was pretty convincing. There shouldn't be anything left to cover.

”To expose such a disgrace for Mephius was unbearably painful, but this is reality. Personally, after Taúlia, I would have preferred not to fight Mephius' military.”

”But...” Looking dissatisfied, Vileena seemed to want to protest. Orba was about to nod understandingly at that when,

”Not letting people know anything is a bad habit.” A voice came from so unexpected a direction that Orba gaped blankly. ”However the prince has a prince's circ.u.mstances. Don't argue with him here, Vileena. He's exhausted.” When Ran said that, although Vileena still looked far from convinced, for now at least she put her verbal a.s.sault on hold.

As soon as s.h.i.+que and the others had returned, Orba set off for Apta. Incidentally, s.h.i.+que's group had brought a horse-drawn carriage with them and had previously dumped into it an object tightly bound with rope and cloth that they had brought from the village.

”Honestly, what a stupid thing to dream up!” Bringing his horse up to Orba's, s.h.i.+que cursed under his breath. ”The smallest mistake and you'd have been dead.”

”Same as usual.”

”True.”

”I'm grateful.”

Orba's murmur was scattered by the wind.

”Eh?” At s.h.i.+que's response, Orba increased his horse's pace.

”Anyway, I'm glad you're still alive.”

”No”, Orba said clearly as they cantered through the early evening, ”I'll be dying after this.”

The people at the fortress all came out to greet the prince when he returned to Apta.

”Prince!”

”His Highness has returned.”

”Where on earth have you been until now?”

Raising one hand, Orba held back the surging wave of people, all clamouring at the same time, gave them an enigmatic smile then retired to his own room. Just before that, he called a soldier a gave him an order to ”Have a messenger ready to go to Birac”.

There were countless letters that Orba immersed himself in writing until the break of dawn. As the sky and the river Yunos melted together in the pale dawn, Orba opened the door and stepped out.

”The messenger for Birac?”

”Yes. I will depart as soon as I receive your orders.” The awaiting imperial guardsman answered. ”I should arrive there the day after tomorrow, no, tomorrow even.”

”Oh? Then that's good.”

Orba called for the several dozen Imperial Guards still remaining within the fortress and had them prepare for departure. In the hall where they had a.s.sembled, besides the soldiers were also Vileena, Hou Ran and Krau.

”Your Highness”, the princess rushed forward. ”Then, you are...?”

”Heading for Garbera, yes.”

Ooh - there was a stir from the soldiers. Even now, the reinforcements led by the masked gladiator Orba where still being held at the border by Odyne's forces. This was saying that the prince would go there in person.

The countenance of the nearby soldiers turned joyful and their spirits were lifted as this was certainly like the prince, when,

”Will that really be alright?”

Ineli Mephius' figure appeared at the entrance of the hall. Her hands on her slender waist, she smiled scornfully.

”Will what be alright?”

”Hasn't it already been settled? The reinforcements being stopped by Mephius' troops, which settles whether reinforcements are to be sent to Garbera, is in accordance with Father's – with His Majesty the Emperor's wishes. Up until now, you have been too free in using your own judgement, Brother, but don't think that you will get away with directly defying His Majesty.”

The strong rays of the rising sun suddenly shone through the hall's high windows. They illuminated Ineli's eyes which gleamed triumphantly.

Well now, said those eyes, well now, Oh Fake Prince. If you incur the emperor's displeasure and find yourself placed under restrictions, the likelihood of you revealing your true colours will increase. What will you do? If as I suspect you are an impostor, you won't be able to walk this tightrope.

As the prince fell silent, the soldiers exchanged glances. Vileena too held her breath as she watched attentively.

”Ineli.” As a short while, the crown prince of Mephius approached his step-sister, smiling. ”His Majesty is surely testing me.”

”Testing you?” Opposite him, Ineli was also smiling. What kind of words would the fake use to keep up appearances – there was enjoyment to be had from watching that kind of performance. However,

”Indeed. At this time when Garbera, our partner in alliance, is in trouble, refusing to help them is a 'feigned' intention. Don't you agree? His Majesty is saying that if 'you take such a stupid, s.h.i.+tty order seriously, you don't deserve to be the crown prince'.”

”S-s.h.i.+tty?” While Ineli was still surprised, Orba drew closer to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

”A brat”, Orba continued casually, in a voice low enough not to be heard by anyone else around. He pa.s.sed by Ineli, who was goggle-eyed in astonishment. ”You said that you knew about me. You don't know anything. Any more whining from you and I'll strangle you with my own hands. Got it, little girl?”

As...o...b.. was leaving the hall, the soldiers as well as Vileena and the others followed with him. Left behind, Ineli's expression had frozen, her eyes starting to their limit. Her shoulders trembled, then her entire body started shaking.

”Princess?” Her attendant maids who had been waiting behind her rushed up on concern. They gasped at the sight of their mistress, staring at nothing, her face pale, her red lips enchantingly enhanced by the contrast.

”How dare”, she muttered in a voice too small, too low for those around her to be able to hear, ”How-How dare a mere fake insult me. Remember this well, when I tell Father, he will tear you limb from limb.”

Part 2

A force led by Eric Amon Doria crossed over the border.

As stated by the information that had already reached Garbera, from the two thousand soldiers Eric had with him, he had left six hundred at the border with Mephius. Appointed to command them was Belmor Plutos. During the ritual at the Water Shrine, he had displayed his 'cute' voice, but of course that wasn't his only accomplishment and, as was to be expected of the second son of the Plutos family which had for generations crossed swords with the Northern barbarians, he was a man whose dauntless courage in battle had earned him Eric's trust.

Naturally it was Eric himself who was leading the main force of a thousand four hundred. They were currently moving southwards along the eastern bank of the river Yunos. The river that formed the border with Mephius flowed west and pa.s.sed by Zaim.

Majestically flying constant above Eric's troops was the large dragonstone battles.h.i.+p ”Venu”. It was of a scale to be able to carry eight hundred soldiers but Eric had allowed neither men nor goods to be loaded within it. If the s.h.i.+p was made unwieldy from weight, it would have to be covered in light armour. The soldiers were therefore advancing on horseback while the supplies were being transported down the river by barge. And the heavily armoured s.h.i.+p was like a fortress in the sky.

”Garbera is a country that is certainly used to handling airs.h.i.+ps.” Such was Eric's a.s.sessment. They would also be proficient at bombing and attacking s.h.i.+ps. An empty wars.h.i.+p was easier to control.

On the other hand, the cruiser-cla.s.s Dragonstone s.h.i.+p ”Regin” that had been left with Belmor was unarmoured and made of almost nothing but dragonstone, having been prepared with speed in mind.

”Garbera”, a young warrior serving the Plutos family laughed while on the march, ”must be convinced that Belmor's group is being used to keep a sharp watch on Mephius.”

”That's what I'm hoping.” Jolted atop his horse, Eric answered shortly. On his brow was a circlet in the shape of a helmet. When the time came, he would obtain consent from Mephius' Emperor Guhl to cross the Mephian border. If Garbera sent troops to confront them, Belmor's unit would be able to escape that way. The enemy would not be able to hinder them, nor could they ignore them, and their forces would be split in two in vain.

Furthermore, Belmor's troops were ready to attack Garbera's main force from behind when they crossed the Nouzen mountains. Conversely, they would have the opportunity to perform a pincer attack.

”But... it's galling that there appears to have been a disturbance on Mephius' side.”

There was the issue of the reinforcements sent by the crown prince being halted by General Odyne. However, the young warriors usually stationed in Dairan didn't pay it any mind,

”With this, we have proof that the emperor is keeping his promise. There is no need to worry.”

”Let's thoroughly show off our Dairan spirit to that insolent Garbera and to our own country of Ende, grown poor through indolence.” Eric grinned broadly at the gossip.

He was a man who had spent his infancy and adolescence in Dairan, an area fervent with military spirit. Rather than holding rites and banquets in the capital, immersed in Ende's somewhat decadent customs, he preferred to be as he was now with trusted companions, spurring their warhorses towards battle. And he believed that he had thus the ability to expand the country of Ende.

Their current target was the fort that Noue Salzantes had hastily had constructed. According to the scouts, about three hundred soldiers were crammed in there. They would start with that.

Does Garbera mean to halt us with this then have its main force sortie from Zaim?

Before departing for the front lines, Eric had committed a simple topographical map to memory.

But Zaim is known for being a strong fort. Staying in place and conducting a defensive war would be sure way of playing things, however...

In the meantime, Eric didn't intend to scatter his soldiers any more than this. If the main force made a sortie from Zaim, he would have Belmor's troop go through Mephius and attack the enemy from the west. In that case, even though the enemy would further reduce their soldiers, they would not be able to turn back. With the fortress filled with soldiers, this was advantageous in terms of number of troops.

Noue Salzantes received the information that Eric was ascending towards the mountain fort.

After sending back the messenger from Zans of the Order of the Knights of Black Steel, he folded his arms. Eric was marching by the banks of the Wendt, along a path at the bottom of a gorge over which steep cliffs towered on either side. From their speed, he could garner that even at the cost of sacrificing their ether, they were thoroughly investigating the terrain by means of airs.h.i.+ps.

It meant that the reserve unit was laid out to cover every contingency,

He is quite able.

Regarding Eric Amon Doria, rumour had it that although he was gifted in the military arts, he was utterly devoid of prudence. But whatever his political ability might be, when it related to warfare, a singular intuition kicked in.

There had still been no communication from Mephius. It would take too much time even if he sent out a messenger from here to Apta. Besides, the real lord of Zaim, Zenon Owell, had from the outset held no expectations of Mephius.

That we are about to directly cross swords with Ende is already the mark of my defeat.

This being Noue, such were his thoughts. In this war, there was by its nature no other way to victory other than that of taking the path of not fighting. Garbera had little to gain from this conflict, as even if they somehow pushed away Prince Eric Amon Doria's army, they would not have the reserve force to advance their troops over the enemy's borders.

And furthermore... if the centre of the continent were once more to be at war, that major power, Allion, might see a chance to strike out from the East. The relations.h.i.+p between Allion and Ende runs deep.

It was for this reason that Noue had deliberately acted to create a debt of grat.i.tude from Mephius' Gil, in the expectation of reinforcements from his country. Since the enemy had probably planned to be in communication with Mephius, it would certainly cause considerable alarm if troops came from that same Mephius. Ende had set his strategy back to square one, and Noue judged that they should withdraw their troops after all.

It's unlikely that Mephius can make it on time.

Although he thought it shameful, Noue was already half prepared. Naturally he wasn't one to forget to make preparations once war had begun.

”Even Eric can't want a drawn-out war.”

Noue stroked his glossy hair and focussed his almond-shaped eyes on the river Wendt below. Awaiting nearby, the cavalry captain Rogier briefly looked his way but didn't say anything since Noue muttering to himself was proof that he was engrossed in his thoughts.

”It should be possible to limit the enemy's movements at the double forts. Surely Mephius wouldn't be so shameless as to not only not send reinforcements but also to join Ende in attacking from our flank.”

Of course, if the reinforcements from Gil were on time, there would be no need to cross the mountains. It was not Noue's creed to incorporate unreliable elements into his strategies, but he remembered Gil's fearless expression.

No matter how bad the situation, there is the possibility of rescue appearing so suddenly as to be anti-climactic. He could not so easily throw away his expectations.

Two days before Ende's troops crossed over the border...