Volume 5 Chapter 4 (1/2)
Volu's hands are tied”
——— The Holy Crusaders, the Centre, a Sloppy Camp
…Boom!
……Boom!
Musketeer of Light: ”Sigh…”
Spearry”
Artillery us rations?”
Musketeer of Light: ”That can't possibly be… Moreover, we have supply units to our rear, I'm sure lots of food are about to arrive”
Spearht: ”Then why…”
Artillery all the food away”
Musketeer of Light: ”What is the Ash Green King doing?”
Spearht: ”The Church promised us that this would all be provided for”
Artilleryain…”
Scout: ”Ah, I e could have some hot bread every now and then”
Musketeer of Light: ”I feel like I haven't eaten that in a very long time”
Spearht: ”Yeah…”
Scout: ”…” Storowls
Musketeer of Light: ”…” Storowls
…Boom!
……Boom!
Spearht: ”… Hey…”
Artilleryman: ”What is it?”
Spearht: ”This soup…”
Artilleryman: ”Yeah”
Spearht: ”Isn't that the forbidden—”
Artilleryman: ”Shh!”
Artilleryman: ”You can have some too!”
Scout: ”Potatoes”
Spearht? To eat that?”
Artillerys we raided from them”
Musketeer of Light: ”H-here”
Artilleryman: ”Well, it's food, so I'll eat it”
Musketeer of Light: ”N-no…”
Spear tio”
Musketeer of Light: ”Really?”
Spearht: ”Yeah”
Artilleryman: ”We have to eat it, ere forced to”
Scout: ”Yeah, that's right”
…Boom!
……Boom!
Artilleryman: ”Dammit! Dammit!”
Thron
Spear, are you hurt!?”
Artillery here! They told us ould have lots of bread to eat!”
Spearht: ”…”
Artilleryuidance of the Holy Spirit to hty nobles not promise us lots of bread to eat? damn them!”
Spearht: ”damn…”
Artilleryman: ”This soup is just salt water with several beans in it, how are we supposed to be full! Look! Even before the battle begins, on't be able to lift a finger, e!?”
Spearo before the Repentance Committee…”
Scout: ”Shh!”
Musketeer of Light: ”In the end, we have descended to the depths of hell co to such a place to eat these heretical potatoes…”
Artilleryht All of this…is the fault of those damn nobles…”
Spearht: ”Stop!”
Artilleryman: ”You think so too, don't you!?”
Spearht: ”Stop! Don't make an enemy of the nobles! Do you want to be killed! I'm sorry If you really want to die so much, leave me out of this! But, they have paladins, aro ahead”
Musketeer of Light: ”damn damn!”
Artilleryman: ”…… ……”
Scout: ”…I want to go home”
Spearht: ”Hurry up and eat”
Scout: ”…”
Musketeer of Light: ”…”
——— The Pavilion of the Holy Crusaders Besieging the City of the Gate
Small-time Royalty: ”The supply units?”
noble Lord: ”That's right”
Proud Marquis: ”Then…”
Arrogant Knight: ”They were ambushed by the Southern Alliance and the Demons, all they could defend are these 20”
noble Lord: ”Why? They were equipped with muskets, weren't they!”
Proud Marquis: ”Precisely!”
Arrogant Knight: ”Perhaps they were defeated by superior numbers”
Small-time Royalty: ”So what happened to the food we have left?”
Arrogant Knight: ”The Lord of the Kingdom of Copper has very quickly taken custody of the supplies that his subordinates ed to protect for himself”
Small-ti like that We have to take back those rations right now!”
noble Lord: ”Wait”
Small-time Royalty: ”But”
noble Lord: ”The garrison units were deployed with an average of 2,000 soldiers to every logistics depot These were comprised with a core of lower nobility, and a serf-based musketeer force to make up the remainder”
Sdoistics depots That's why the Kingdom of Copper recalled all the liht!? At this rate, these limited supplies will be passed from serf to serf until they all disappear!”
noble Lord: ”But, think about it The garrison units were defeated and retreated, right?”
Proud Marquis: ”Yes…”
noble Lord: ”That's right Recalling the li to the failure of defending the responsibility for it In order to cover up this responsibility, what do you think they would do?”
Small-time Royalty: ”…Then…”
Proud Marquis: ”What There are still supplies out there”
Arrogant Knight: ”Hanisround anyway”
S that willsaid, I hear the Crown Prince Marshal has returned?”
noble Lord: ”Yes, it appears he's in the fore”
Proud Marquis: ”Then I suppose his logistics attempts have failed too?”
Arrogant Knight: ”No, it appears that he has come with 800 carts of food”
noble Lord: ”But the crucial issue is, did he counpowder?”
Proud Marquis: ”Well…”
noble Lord: ”noble Lord: ”On top of that, the supply units”
Small-time Royalty: ”Huh?”
noble Lord: ”More than 20 of the units jettisoned all their valuables and fled, but had the Crown Prince Marshal come earlier, he should have been able to rescue at least half of theht?”
Proud Marquis: ”That's…”
noble Lord: ”…”
Small-time Royalty: ”Don't tell me…”
noble Lord: ”Of course His Royal Excellency wields the greatest power a the Holy Crusaders That has never been in doubt And it's true that he has distinguished himself over anyone else in this war… But the loss of nearly all our rear supplies is definitely not a small responsibility”
Small-time Royalty: ”B-but The Crown Prince Marshal was on a mission to penetrate the Lands of the Pale, so the responsibility of coarrisons… It's not his fault that he was unable to make it in time”
noble Lord: ”Yes it is He had the responsibility to ensure that there was no possibility of hi unable to make it in time”
Small-time Royalty: ”…!”
Proud Marquis: ”Hahahahahha”
Arrogant Knight: ”…Hahahaha”
noble Lord: ”Take a look at this City of the Gate Have you ever seen such a dorain trading towns in comparison Even the Holy Imperial City cannot compare to its behemoth size”
Small-time Royalty: ”Th-that's…”
noble Lord: ”Of course, the advantages of seizing this City are all about its expected scale If ere able to seize this growing city, then all the riches and glory would end up going to that young and illustrious hero from the Empire No matter what, the Crown Prince Marshal cannot afford to slip up”
Proud Marquis: ”Really?”
Small-time Royalty: ”Mmmm”
noble Lord: ”That's right It has been happening for a long time While our noble armies induce this City to capitulate, we have been taken in by the persuasive words of the Crown Prince Marshal That's right! He's pushed the responsibility to those pigs in the South In this way, he was able to bury his responsibility in this debacle This was sohtfully have considered”
Proud Marquis: ”Hmmm”
Small-time Royalty: ”But it's not like we can stop him, can we?”
Proud Marquis: ”That's true…”
Arrogant Knight: ”His heroics are the backbone of the Holy Crusaders after all”
Small-time Royalty: ”That's true”
noble Lord: ”And he has the full support of the Church”
Proud Marquis: ”You mean the Primarch?”
noble Lord: ”What the Primarch desires is the capitulation of the City of the Gate We cannot allow the seat of the Holy Spirit to be bes forces against the Southern Alliance, if we concentrate our forces to take down the City of the Gate, then use this fact to shake the hearts of those heretics, surely that is what His Holiness would desire”
Arrogant Knight: ”Indeed! Indeed!”
Small-time Royalty: ”In that case…”
noble Lord: ”Hahaha Hurry and raise this to the Council, everyone will…”
Proud Marquis: ”Got it I also have so the nobles ould be interested”
Small-time Royalty: ”I'm certain the other royalty will support it as well!”
noble Lord: ”To our successes”
Proud Marquis: ”Indeed!”
Arrogant Knight: ”Hahaha Let us drink to the Glory of the Spirit!”
Small-time Royalty: ”Drink!”
noble Lord: ”Drink!
——— The Demon World, the Rearlines of the Holy Crusaders
”Hurry, it is the Crown Prince Marshal's orders”
”Move, move”
”Where are the saw bits!”
”Move it to the pavilion!”
Strategist: ”What is our location?”
Scout: ”On this line, we are but 4 li away”
Holy Imperial General: ”4 li…”
Strategist: ”On horseback, we'll be there in two hours”
Crown Prince Marshal: ”Yes”
Holy I the e have been doing?”
Crown Prince Marshal: ”Yes Prioritise the anti-cavalry stakes From e understand, the Southern Alliance is mainly comprised of infantry, but they also have powerful shock troops In eight or nine out of ten encounters with them, the battle was decided by the power of the Paladins of the Lake We cannot underestimate these cadre of Paladins who have earned the epithet 'The Winter Roses of the Isle of Light' Their commander is, the Female Paladin”
Strategist: ”You'd think she wouldn't just be the corand commander of all their forces”
Crown Prince Marshal: ”If we understand this, we'd have a lot ht”
Strategist: ”With the Lone Winter King a them, it's clear the Southern Alliance is serious This one battle will decide the fate of the Alliance Their grand co, and while he's not a person I agree with, I will admit that he is more than a capable commander They clearly do not intend to lose They've asseenerals, the best of the cavalry units, and sallied out to ainst them”
Crown Prince Marshal: ”Any news from there?”
Scout: ”No, the scouts could only get till there… Once they get closer than 4units”
Crown Prince Marshal: ”I can't say I know their grand commander personally, but their frontline commander is that woman”
Strategist: ”Really?”
Crown Prince Marshal: ”Yeah We saw her coe of the Southern Alliance, that's going to be so passion, her unyielding metal will has to be considered”
Holy Irasp of tactics”
Crown Prince Marshal: ”Well, yeah… No, it's nothing Get the scouts to pull out And let's get more details from them”
Scout: ”Yes! Understood”
Crown Prince Marshal: (If we are to clash spears, we'll need to understand their thoughts a bit more…)
——— The Plains of Strange Cliffs, the Southern Alliance, Forward Vanguard
Paladin of the Lake: ”That is all!”
The Female Paladin: ”Hmm”
Aide-de-Cae formation”
The Female Paladin: ”Yes”
Dual Swordsman of Beasts: ”That formation…”
Aide-de-Cauard of the Holy Crusaders comprises of two layers of anti-cavalry stakes, they're thin constructions made from the branches of shrubs This es of our cavalry It may not be able to take too much, but it will definitely soak up quite a lot of the musket shots we fire at it as well”
Paladin of the Lake: ”I don't understand why, but their formation is wavy as well”
Aide-de-Camp: ”Indeed…”
The Fe to use enfilade”
Paladin of the Lake: ”Enfilade?”
The Fe portions and indented portions If we ai portions, the back lines can simply fall in and reinforce those portions Units which retreat to the rear then support the front lines from a different direction”
Dual Swordsman of Beasts: ”Hmm”
The Female Paladin: ”In other words, it's a partial encirclened to take advantage of the ned to concentrate fire fro formations, our attrition rate rises draeous to the side with greater firepower and numbers”
Paladin of the Lake: ”What…”
Aide-de-Camp: ”That's the first time I've seen this”
The Feest compliment for the Holy Crusaders has never been their sophistication Consider also their innumerous swords and the zealous fervour that burns within them”
Aide-de-Camp: ”A powerful enemy”
Dual Swordsman of Beasts: ”They are led by that man then”
The Fereatest general A truly powerful commander”
Aide-de-Camp: ”…It seems we are under pressure now”
The Feh that forreat deal of sacrifices on our part as well”
Dual Swordsman of Beasts: ”But they're hunkered down like rats in a cellar”
The Fe to pull apart our for to bait us into the attack, and finish us off in one fell swoop That's the way they fight”
Paladin of the Lake: ”In that case, why don't we take a deep breath and play slippery around them?”
Dual Swords is not the way of the Beasts!”
The Female Paladin: ”I also oppose it… At this rate, the Holy Crusaders will continue their attack on the City of the Gate”
Paladin of the Lake: ”Then we have to lure them out!”
Aide-de-Ca with that”
The Female Paladin: ”Hmm An information war”
Aide-de-Camp: ”Indeed Luckily, we have the support of the Tribes of Beasts and Fairies”
The Feht now, both sides want a decisive battle If we attack them full frontal, we'll just turn into food for the muskets, and they too do not want to leave their formations At this rate, the first one who moves becomes readable in the pal to hide our hand and read theirs For that reason, we need more information I fear, we have two requirements”
Aide-de-Camp nods
The Fe can the walls of the City of the Gate hold? This is i contact with the forces within the City However, we need to raise theirthem know that reinforcements have arrived”
Aide-de-Camp: ”Indeed”
The Female Paladin: ”The other one is howParticularly, their food stocks and gunpowder The levels of those two supplies will decide the extent to which they can ood the Crown Prince Marshal is, he can't produce supplies from thin air”
Aide-de-Camp nods
The Feence are of utuard our own intelligence from the enemy”
Paladin of the Lake: ”How shall we do this”
Dual Swordsman of Beasts: ”This is our job”
The Female Paladin: ”This is very important”
Aide-de-Caraphy of the area better than anyone else, no matter what, we have the powerful Beasts with us When it coence, they outclass any force no ot Fairies hidden throughout the area”
——— Across the Demon World
”Kurultai?”
”Yes! Kurultai!”
”The Huain The De them to the very end”
”Where is it going on? The plains again?”
”No, this time it's the City of the Gate”
”Don't tell me this Kurultai is about the ith the Humans?”
”So it would appear”
”Kurultai… War sure is scary”
”But we have to go The De we can do to help the De”
”In that case, send news”
”To the Tribe of Scales, and the Tribe of Wings”
”Kurultai…”
”Have you seen a Human before?”
”Nope”
”I bought this pot on merchant the other day”
”Humans What are they like?”
”If they're able to attack this far, they must be a very warlike race”
”So, like the Beasts?”
”I sort of get the feeling they're like the Demons of the Pale”
”That's true”
”In any case, a Kurultai Let the elders know!”
”That's right, this is a big issue!”
——— The City of the Gate, the Walls, Logistics
Boom…!
Boom…!
”For the Holy Spirit!”
”Long live the Holy Spirit!”
Volunteer Archer: ”Ah, those guys… they…”
Hu, this is the wall the Disciple Engineer made! It's not the kind of wall you can destroy with swords and spears What weird people!”
Engineer of the Pale: ”I wonder wat they're trying to do”
Beast Soldier: ”Don't waver! Stay vigilant and repair”
Volunteer Archer: ”Just what are they doing…”
Boom…!
Hu to the walls”
Engineer of the Pale: ”Don't pay attention to it Alright, we're done here”
Beast Soldier: ”Head back into the City and get the next shi+ft”
Volunteer Archer: ”Right, got it…”
Disciple Engineer: (This is the liined, but this is the peak of the stress they can take It does throw our guys into an odd state, so I suppose this is a sort of fear attack too…?! I should really have studied military sciences more These people are weird These Humans… have they no respect for human life!?)
Engineer of the Pale: ”Supervisor, we've got more rocks”
Disciple Engineer: ”Ah, right Mix it up and try to repair the daes to the foundations Woah! There's just ten of you?”
Booom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Giant Builder: ”—!”
Volunteer Archer: ”Get down! Get down!”
Huineer: ”Sir!”
Hu! They've suddenly concentrated fire here?!”
——— The City of the Gate, the Holy Crusaders
Disciple Bard: ”Are you alright? Here, water Drink”
Artilleryman: ”Sorry, ah… Ah…”
Scout: ”Water, please…”
Spearht: ”Drink this”
Militia of Light: ”…damn”
Disciple Bard: ”I'm sorry There's no more bread…”
Artilleryman: ”No, it's fine We haven't had bread for months…”
Spearht: ”Why…”
Artillery Heads”
Disciple Bard: ”Eh?”
Artilleryman: ”…We, the Holy Crusaders, are peasants How about them?”
Spearht: ”Yeah”
Artilleryman: ”That's e can't be cohts and noblemen Even the co Heads, that's all we can do”
Scout: ”…”
Spearh we're supposed to be from the same Crusades, they really treat us very differently”
Militia of Light: ”But it's still better this way”
Artillery time since I was even treated any way at all”
Scout: ”That's true… Oh we have to go”
Artilleryman: ”I understand”
Boom!
Spear on!?”
Artillerydom of Copper refused to cooperate with us, and so when the surroundings get smelly from the sulphur, we have to relocate the tents For this reason, we have to keep going around continuously hacking down logs”
Scout: ”And if you don't et whipped…”
Spearht…?”
Militia of Light: ”…This isn't acceptable”
Disciple Bard: ”I'o see your Lord! Why can't he just notis there!?”
Artilleryet close to them, they'll kill you”
Scout: ”Well, let's go…”
Spearht: ”But…”
Militia of Light: ”…”
Disciple Bard: ”…”
…Boom!
Artilleryuys…”
Scout: ”…”
Spear”
Militia of Light: ”What?”
Spear a congregation, and giving out wheat as well”
Scout: ”Nah I've only been once, but it was so a second time… I really don't”
Artilleryman: ”But, bread…?”
Scout: ”Even then”
Spearht: ”I want bread too”
Militia of Light: ”Me too…”
Artilleryht as well It's just a repentance cereet wheat It's fine, no et any work done If I can get soe even my life or my soul for it”
Spear too”
Militia of Light: ”…”
Disciple Bard: ”Guys… Guys……”
——— The Holy Crusaders, the Formation Centre, the Pavilion of the Hundred Chevaliers
Ash Green King: ”…”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Are you awake, your Majesty?”
Ash Green King: ”What time is it?”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”A few more hours to sunrise”
Ash Green King: ”I see…”
Boom!
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Haha, what is the matter”
Ash Green King: ”H… It's just…”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”It's just?”
Ash Green King: ”I do like running h this hair”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”It is an offering for your pleasure then”
Ash Green King: ”…”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Haha Do not make that face”
Ash Green King: ”So it belongs to me?”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Yes”
Ash Green King: ”These fingers too?”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Yes”
Ash Green King: ”And these breasts?”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Yes”
Ash Green King: ”And this mouth?”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Of course”
Ash Green King: ”—”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Express your desire, your Majesty”
Ash Green King: ”What a farce”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Why? I have offered you this white body many ti?”
Ash Green King: ”It is the duty of kings not to believe the honeyed words of women”
…Boom!
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Hahahaha… this is the type of man that turns me on”
Ash Green King: ”It's a matter of policy”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Are you chasing me away?”
Ash Green King: ”Do you enjoy this?”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”…Yes I have no lust for powerful, but I get giddy in the presence of strong individuals”
Ash Green King: ”…”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Have I spoilt your dreams?”
Ash Green King: ”No As you wish, I will drink of this poisoned cup”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Indeed”
Ash Green King: ”Come closer”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Yes”
Ash Green King: ”…Sunrise is still far away”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”What's with that face Are you not content?”
Ash Green King: ”Do you want to become mine?”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”…Yes”
Ash Green King: ”So this is what you're into”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Stop playing Ah… You're a mean person”
Ash Green King: ”What are you saying A your wish?”
Leader of the Hundred Chevaliers: ”Yes As rant your every wish After all, sunrise is still far away”
——— The Demon World, the Southern Alliance, the Battlefield
The Female Paladin: ”…”
Disciple Soldier: ”Madam?”
The Female Paladin: ”…”
Disciple Soldier: ”Madam Paladin?”
The Female Paladin: ”Ah Sorry What's up… Ah, that's the Crown Prince Marshal's defensive line”
Disciple Soldier: ”Hmph Pathetic”
The Feot anti-cavalry stakes, mud walls, and while rudimentary, they even have watchtowers Those dirt piles appear to be for extinguishi+ng fires too…”
Lone Winter King: ”Are you alright? Feeling unwell?”
The Fe a bit tight”
Iron Fist King: ”I feel the same It is a formidable defence”
Lone Winter King: ”Will our defence be okay?”
Disciple Soldier: ”Firstly, we don't know the range of the enemies' cannons But we seem to be at a safe distance for now”
Iron Fist King: ”In other words, we are at a loss on how to continue”
Seneschal: ”That is correct”
Iron Fist King: ”We're going to need to know this to plan our strategy”
The Female Paladin: ”How troublesome”
Lone Winter King: ”…If what the Feested is correct, then the Crusaders themselves are in rather distressed situations”
The Butler: ”This is true According tothe Holy Crusaders, especially aroorse everyday On top of this, even without considering the food crisis, it appears that the great disparity between the lives the nobles are leading and the ones the peasants are is beco”
Lieutenant of Metal: ”Spies? Are they okay?”
The Butler: ”Nyohohohoho It's a sis didn't even need too much effort to slip into their ranks The troops already treat them like one of their own”
Iron Fist King: ”To begin with, an army of that size is definitely not just coot fletchers, blacksmiths, stableht be sheltering all kinds of refugees as well”
Lone Winter King: ”That's right, their problems are severe then”
Lieutenant of Metal: ”What problems?”
Iron Fist King: ”Their hunger… The nobility and royalty of the Central Kingdoms are not aware of it No, they have no intention to make themselves aware of such issues The starvation of the people is not part of their personal reality They have beco a sheltered life within theirpeople, they can expect no support from above”
Disciple Soldier: ”…”
Lone Winter King: ”In any case, from now on, I have a role to play as well”
The Butler: ”Yes”
Lone Winter King: ”We'll monitor the Holy Crusaders, and report on their movements to the best of our abilities On top of this, I want to reach out to the Holy Church Can we set up some kind of communication…?”
The Butler: ”Understood”
The Female Paladin: ”Is it possible?”
The Butler: ”Who do you think you're speaking to! I have never been discovered when stealthing around in my entire life Do not humiliate me!”
The Female Paladin: ”…”
Aide-de-Camp: ”…”
Disciple Soldier: ”…”
The Butler: ”And they seereat tits”
Aide-de-Camp: ”…Ah That person”
The Female Paladin: ”Please don't say anymore”
Slap!
The Butler: ”O! What was that for!”
The Fe and let us knohat intelligence you've got?”
The Butler: ”Can't you give an old, loving Butler a break? She's surrounded by all these ugly musketeers”
The Female Paladin: ”My beloved blade would happily cleave an old man's head from his neck”
The Butler: ”Hmph What a heartless bitch”
The Female Paladin: ”Hurry up”
The Butler: ”It's because you're heartless that your chest has no row”
The Female Paladin: ”Hurry up and tell us!”
Aide-de-Camp: ”I'm not sure why, but she seems rather tired of this…”
——— Five Years Ago, the Kingdom of Branches, the Portal where Demons were first discovered
The Female Paladin: ”Hey Hero”