Chapter 389 (2/2)

「Then we’ll have to take you by force!」

The one who charged at me wasn’t the man in front, rather it was the man to my side .

I thought so . He was the one giving off murderous intent, not the escort captain .

「Hmph . 」

I take a step back to escape the sword at my throat and slip away from the thrust to my side .

The sword grazes my stomach and pa.s.ses right by me .

「Uwah!?」

Even though the sword pa.s.sed me, the man who lunged hasn’t moved .

I grab his right wrist and pull him in the same direction as his thrust, only at a faster pace .

The man flies by at a speed several times faster than his initial attack and he crashes face-first into the wall, knocking himself out .

「Putting up a fight, are we!?」

Another man swings his sword from the opposite side .

I block the slash with the steel candlestick, which was set down and picked back up, then unleash a front kick to his unguarded abdomen .

「Uwaah!」

The man shoots through and destroys the window, falling down magnificently .

「Why!? Why do you reply to Radhalde’s injustice with loyalty!?」

I use the candlestick to parry the attack of the escort captain who shouts in frustration .

「What do you know?」

I swing the candlestick as hard as I can .

The escort captain, knowing my brute strength, holds his sword with both hands and defends my strike .

「Erich is my friend . 」

I abandon the candlestick and tackle the man, running while keeping in contact with him until his back collides with the wall, and since our momentum is so strong, we bust a hole in the wall and fall through, landing right in front of the stairs .

「Unlike you lot . 」

I grab the man by the collars and hurl him down the stairs .

His body falls onto his buddies, who were running up the stairs after hearing the sound of fighting, and all of them tumble to the bottom in a jumbled heap .

「Friends can be forgiven . 」

The choice of women aside, a few men whose names I don’t know will not affect the weight of the scales enough to change my relations.h.i.+p with Erich .

If you make friends on the basis of logic, they aren’t real friends .

Celia brings me the Dual Crater which was resting in the corner of the room .

「Guh…… I did not think you were so in love with Radhalde……」

「Don’t say something so disturbing . I felt my a.s.s shudder . 」

The escort captain gets up unsteadily .

Around him are five of his subordinates, all of whom eventually draw their swords .

「Hey, are you serious?」

I mumble as I descend the stairs .

「Of course! Unless we punish Radhalde, our lord and the dead soldiers won’t be――」

No, no, that’s not what I meant .

I stare at the men with my Dual Crater on my shoulder .

「I mean, do you seriously think that you’ll win against me? That’s what I’m asking . 」

The men stop moving .

Their swords seem to be frozen in place and gradually, their hands begin to shake .

「If you want to do this, come at me . 」

I take one step forward .

「200-kill Hardlett . 」

The man takes a step back .

「What are you going to do?」

Murderous intent emits from my eyes .

「U-unstoppable war demon Hardlett . 」

One of them tangles up their legs and falls on their a.s.s .

As I walk down the stairs at a steady rhythm, the men would match by taking the same amount of steps back, until they were backed against the wall where they inevitably wither from my murderous gaze .

Good grief, all that mattered was that they lost their will to fight .

I wouldn’t hesitate to slaughter them if they were really determined, but I’m sure troubling consequences would follow .

「Hey . 」

I swing my sword, signalling for them to drop their weapons immediately .

The men―― excluding the escort captain, one by one let their swords fall to the floor .

Intent to kill can no longer be felt from the captain and I even sense fear .

I’m guessing he has to put on airs in front of his subordinates and disarming himself isn’t an easy task .

Perhaps I’ll engage him in a friendly chat .

「If your plan was realized and Erich…… the Military Commissioner was expelled, then what? n.o.body can take command better than he can . Your heart might become clear, but Goldonia will be destroyed . 」

Contrary to his belief, Erich is winning on the battlefield .

n.o.body could have predicted that the enemy would cross the river .

No greater commander than that guy will appear and the enemy will attack, thinking they caught a break .

「Resistance to the bitter end is not the only choice…… after outing Radhalde, the plan was to persuade His Majesty to make peace with South Yuguria . 」

「Peace? Isn’t that surrendering?」

The captain looking down said it all .

「W-we were the ones who started it! Although the entire picture has not been fully grasped, many feudal lords support this idea!」

As a feudal lord, even if in the worst case the country falls into ruin, they don’t care as long as their own territory is safe .

I would incur too much enmity and be stuck sneaking away at night, so I’ll stay out of this .

「I understand the logic, it just doesn’t feel good . 」

Patriotism is secondary to me, but cutting off Erich after he fought his best to secure victory while preserving myself is truly a horrible feeling . If he said, “I was treated as a sacrificial p.a.w.n so I hate Erich and I’m going to kill him . I didn’t think about what would happen after”, I would probably feel better about that .

「It would be perfect if Lord Hardlett acted……it doesn’t matter, it will happen regardless . It isn’t just us feudal lords, rumors are being spread that ministers of high n.o.bility in the capital, and perhaps individuals of higher ranking, are in agreement……」

「Ministers, you said?」

What the heck? They’re going to gang up on Erich as he is facing the enemy and stab him from behind?

「I’ve changed my mind . I’m going to the capital . 」

「Hah?」

I repeat myself to the stunned captain .

「I said I’m going to the capital . Stop staring at me like that and get ready, moron!」

「Y-yes sir!」

I tell Nonna softly as she sticks her head out from the second floor to see what is going on .

「You should get ready too . If you need help packing, use these guys . 」

「Ahun . 」

I kick the a.s.s of a man who threw away his weapon .

「Does this mean you’re conspiring with them to start a rebellion?」

Nonna asks with a face that’s turning pale .

「Of course not . I simply thought Erich had no friends, so I would go provide some a.s.sistance . 」

I have another reason which I’m keeping to myself because Nonna’s face would turn even more pale if I told her .

「Is it okay to disobey orders and leave the headquarters on your…… auu!」

I flick Celia’s forehead, stopping her from saying more .

「The enemy is unlikely to come here so conveniently . ……even if they did-」

The outcome of a battle in the capital is way more important than a battle here .

「Then let’s go . 」

「No…… I mean……」

The escort captain is not speaking articulately .

Has he gotten scared after all he’s done? If he says that, I’m going to throw him to the ground .

「No, I just think you could at least put some clothes on…… you’re terrifying on so many levels……」

「Mu, I was naked, huh . 」

That reminds me, I was getting serviced by Nonna and Celia right before the attack .

It feels like I’ve been moving around naked a lot lately .

「We’ll head out after I put on some clothes . 」

「Us too . 」

「We shall accompany you . 」

「To the capital!」

I hear the poor trio shout beside me .

They sound energetic, but when I look over at them, their hands are bound together with rope .

They definitely surprised in their sleep and got captured .

「Eh? They weren’t enemies?」

「「「My eyesー! My nose is burningー!」」」

In the garden, Natia had opened a bottle containing a bluish purple liquid and fanning the fumes with her hand .

The three men were exposed to the gases and various juices are leaking from their eyes, noses, and mouths .

「…… they’ve reformed so let them go . 」

「Got it . They should heal naturally within half a day . 」

The men are writhing in agony .

Half a day…… maybe it’s better if I punch them in the head and knock them out .

「The drug has an awakening effect, so they won’t go unconscious even if you punch them . They’ll only feel more pain . 」

「Is that so, that’s pretty amazing . 」

They’ll have to put up with this punishment for interfering with a person’s love life .

Now then, off to the capital we go .

Protagonist: Aegir Hardlett . 25 years old . Spring .

Status: Goldonia Kingdom Margrave . Great Feudal Lord of Eastern Area . Mountain Legend . Friend of the Dwarves . Friend of the King of Aless . Dragon Slayer Hero .

Elf Mediator . s.e.x King of White City .

Fellow Travelers: Celia (adjutant), Nonna (legal wife), Sekrit (injured), Natia (tear gas), Mack (escort), Gido (escort)

Hardlett Army (In territory under Leopolt’s command)

Escort: 130 men .

Infantry: 11 500, Cavalry: 1200, Archers: 1400, Bow Cavalry: 5800, Cannoneers: 450

Total: 20 480 men .

Cannons: 60, Large Cannons: 30, Dwarven Cannons: 16, Field Cannons: 20, Chariots: 45

a.s.sets: 200 000 gold

s.e.xual Partners: 776, children who have been born: 68 + 565 + 1

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