VIP Early Access
Eksklusif untuk member VIP
Password Protected
Chapter ini dikunci dengan kode khusus
Chapter 222
Giant Caterpillar
Following the collusion with the demons, the neighboring kingdoms of the Heinckel Kingdom deployed their armies to the border to isolate and blockade it.
Slowly advancing in this manner, they formed an encirclement, and now it had become a picture surrounding the Heinckel Kingdom's capital.
Among them, the largest scale was, as expected, the Arken Empire.
For this operation, three corps were mobilized, and mercenary corps looking to get their share joined as well.
Thus, a total of 100,000 personnel gathered, a number that would be lacking even if a decent-sized kingdom mobilized its entire army.
Ẁе́ b nоv̀ e l Еňùm̂à
With that many gathered, the forward base was also extraordinary.
The temporary barracks were built by stacking sturdy timber and bricks, and they even made wells and roads, so much so that it could be used as a village even after the war.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say the Empire invested as if they came with the single-minded intent to eat this land.
"King Hudret proposed an alliance?"
In the operations command post, Ureas was seated, and the commanders continued reporting through the pieces placed on the map.
"Yes. They've already formed an allied force with the surrounding nations and are requesting an alliance from the Empire as well."
Е̊ n û ḿа́ . і̆ d̈
"Since this incident is not a war between humans but a war between humans and demons, they proposed that we should ally and give it our all, as it would be difficult otherwise, and to put the calculation of gains and losses aside and focus solely on the war."
Ureas snorted.
"Hah! A transparent scheme. They brazenly ate up the Urey Duchy, and now they say to put gains and losses aside? That means they'll eat the capital too, doesn't it?"
"That intention isn't absent."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Just how many have those cowards calling themselves an alliance gathered?"
"Pure troop numbers are 50,000."
Е̃ ń um а̌ . і̀ d
"Are those certain numbers?"
"Yes. They're figures the scouts all counted in person."
The Empire also boasted an enormous scale of 100,000 total, but the actual combatants numbered 40,000, so they had far fewer than the allied forces.
"There are only three neighboring kingdoms, aren't there? They wouldn't go all-out just to catch one demon, so how do those numbers come about?"
"That's because the surrounding nations won't just sit still either."
A woman's voice, out of place in the command post thick with the scent of sweat and tobacco.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The Princess, Olivia Arken, was also participating in that meeting.
She had shed her splendid dress and jewelry, and was wearing armor.
Her current status was the Relief Corps Leader of the Althea Order.
She was the person in charge of the wounded and support in the rear.
"This war has a clear just cause, and they want to use this opportunity to prevent another enemy from running rampant."
"By 'another enemy,' you don't mean us, do you?"
Еn ú_m̀ ӑ
"Yes. That's right. To them, we're just mindless devourers, like fish-gobbling monsters."
"Not surprising."
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Ureas actually thought exactly that.
He planned to condemn the Heinckel Kingdom's weakness for colluding with demons, win a great victory, and then seize most of the capital's resources.
Would it end simply at that?
He also planned to interfere in domestic affairs, claiming there was no guarantee the surrounding nations wouldn't collude with demons either.
W е b̄ ṅ о̊ v̄ eĺ Е n u m̃ а
It was the perfect way for Ureas to build merit while gaining support in his own country.
"What do you think, little sister? In a situation like this, how would it be best to get out of it?"
"I think it would be good to participate in the allied forces and form a united front. That way, the surrounding nations' suspicions might subside somewhat, don't you think?"
"Hmm......."
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Ureas stared quietly at the map, running a simulation.
Drawing a picture of 12 nations participating and dividing the spoils, looking at the resources to be gained alone, it was already a deficit.
Е́ nu m ă.._іḋ
Ureas hated taking a loss even if it killed him.
Was there no better way?
As he was thinking that.
"General."
The sentry outside came in to report.
"Count Rooster has arrived and is waiting."
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Send him in."
Shortly after, a large man with a sturdy build entered and greeted them.
"I pay my respects to the Second Prince and the Princess. I am Count Oldin Rooster. I have joined the front with the 11th Corps by order of Grand Duke Golt."
"Thank you for coming, Sir Rooster. It's a relief; things were a bit difficult, but now we can talk."
The Reverse Hero, Oldin Rooster.
A man who earned Valdemar's trust by purely proving himself through loyalty and dignity.
Е n ŭ m а . і̂ ď
Ureas liked him, thinking they were on the same wavelength.
Olivia also greeted him.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"Welcome, Sir Rooster. Is Grand Duke Golt not participating?"
"The Grand Duke is advanced in years, so he is not participating in this battle, and I have come in his stead."
"I see? When I last saw him, he seemed healthy, but I suppose it's difficult with age."
Count Rooster stared at Olivia and spoke.
Е ň ū m а̄
"The Grand Duke is very worried about you, Princess."
"Me?"
"He thinks it's not good for a woman to be on a battlefield like this."
A greenhouse flower should stay in the greenhouse.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
It was a remark with transparent intent.
Olivia smiled and replied.
Е n üm̌ ӑ
"Being born into a noble body is to perform that much duty. As one who inherited the Golden Blood, if a problem arises with the continent's peace and I just wait with my hands folded to save myself, how could that be the action of one who carries out the greater good?"
"There is no need for the Princess to do such a trivial thing with her noble body."
"At the same time, I am an Apprentice Saintess of the Althea Order. To look after the soldiers risking their lives and watch their backs—how is that a trivial thing?"
Olivia added.
"Grand Duke Golt cherishes his soldiers so, yet he doesn't come to the battlefield himself, so one wonders what greater good he holds."
"The Grand Duke is unwell, Princess Olivia. Please refrain from speaking carelessly."
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
"You lower your voice first, you bastard."
Ureas stepped before Rooster and said.
No matter how much he liked the man, he couldn't stand seeing him lunge at his little sister.
"How dare a lowborn bare his teeth at royalty as high as the sky? Cheeky bastard."
"......."
"Those eyes of yours displease me. Planning a rebellion?"
Е.ǹ u m.а
"I am a body loyal to the Empire."
"If you're loyal to the Empire, shouldn't you show even greater loyalty to the Emperor?"
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Count Rooster's eyes held not a shred of respect.
He mechanically bowed his head and answered.
"Prince Ureas, you are merely a Prince. Your current position is only the Emperor's proxy; you cannot become the Emperor."
"You bastard dare......."
Wе̇ b̈ ńо v ėl̈ Ë num̊ а̄
"Let's stop here."
Olivia interjected in the atmosphere that seemed ready to explode at any moment.
"It feels like the demons are already playing tricks. We're fighting among ourselves first....... Since we were both emotional, let's bury this here. Is that alright, Sir Rooster?"
"I committed much rudeness. I will submit our army's operational plans in writing, so please refer to them."
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Effectively saying he wouldn't join Ureas's army.
Count Rooster withdrew like that, and Ureas's face turned beet red as he huffed, staring at the spot where Rooster had disappeared.
Ёn̆ù mа̄
If not for Olivia, a huge fight would surely have broken out.
'He really isn't an easy man.'
If Olivia were to pick five talents she had her eye on, Count Rooster would undoubtedly be among them.
He survived countless battlefields where the survival rate converged on zero, returned alive, was called the Reverse Hero, and possessed every true quality of a general—strategy, tactics, and personal martial prowess—lacking in not a single one.
But what she valued most was his loyalty toward Valdemar.
Being capable and having deep loyalty was never an easy thing.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
'If only I could know where that loyalty wells up from.'
Olivia tapped her lips lightly.
She wanted him.
There was nothing she could do, so she could only swallow her regret.
Ureas, his anger still not subsided, shouted pointlessly.
"When are the Far East troops who agreed to support arriving? Why are they dragging their feet so much!"
Е̃ n̄ ŭm a .і d̃
"We received word they'd arrive soon....... But whether it's possible for an army that departed a week ago is......."
"A week ago? Is this a distance leisurely enough to penetrate in just a week?"
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Even the nearest Imperial army took over two weeks to arrive here.
Ureas ultimately couldn't contain his boiling emotions.
"That Ferda fellow seems intent on screwing us over, so I'll make sure he knows just how much he'll regret that choice."
Olivia sighed inwardly.
W ěbn о̆ vе́l̄ E̊ ň ūṁӑ
Trying to soothe this guy just wears down my emotions again.
At that moment, the sentry outside the command tent came in again to report.
"Sir. An unidentified creature estimated to be from the Valdrova Grand Duchy's forces is approaching this location."
"What nonsense is that?"
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Ureas frowned and glared at his deputy commander, and the sentry explained again.
"That is, something with the Valdrova Grand Duchy's flag planted on it is coming this way. It looks like a giant caterpillar, and there are over 30 of them."
Ẇ ёb̌ň о̂v̊ е l Ёn̈ ŭ m̀ а
"Caterpillar?"
"D-don't tell me the Grand Duchy has also joined hands with demons......?"
"No, that's not it! They don't appear to be related to demons. It's just that they're bringing a very peculiar creature......!"
The deputy commander was babbling incoherently, as if he'd seen a monster.
Olivia stood up as if frustrated.
"Instead of sitting here fidgeting, wouldn't it be faster to just check with our own two eyes?"
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Olivia's steps to verify with her own eyes were remarkably light.
With each step, the heavy air lightened, as if she could breathe freely.
And she could understand why the deputy commander called them giant caterpillars.
The long bodies and the undulations created by the tents were just perfect for creating that illusion.
"Just what on earth are those things?"
The commanders expressed fear and awe at the sight of those objects.
Е̃ň ũm̃а
At a glance, they resembled the structure of a wagon.
But there were no horses at the lead, yet they were rolling along well.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Mana would be the most sensible answer to move something that size, but even that made one doubt if they could move with such uselessly large forms.
"They're Mana Automobiles."
Olivia answered.
"Mana Automobiles, you say?"
Е̊n̂um̈ а̃ .i d́
"Yes. I heard they were making mobile equipment using mana stones. I heard Escolleia was developing them, but to think they've already produced this much."
Light began to shine on Olivia's face.
What came into her view was a single carriage running among the large Mana Automobiles.
The carriage stopped before Olivia and Ureas, and a man appeared from within.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Gray hair, blue eyes.
A man with a cold expression unreadable even one step ahead.
Eṅ ũ_m_а
Despite his young age, an aura of experience that no one could ignore emanated from him.
Ferda Valdrova.
He stepped down from the carriage and offered a polite greeting.
"I pay my respects to Prince Ureas."
"You arrived early. You said you departed a week ago."
"I apologize for the delay. Since they're newly created with new technology, they must be handled carefully, so I marched leisurely with ample time."
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
"You came leisurely?"
"Yes."
It was unbelievable.
Ureas, who had been on the battlefield for a long time, believed it was impossible.
A week was believable for a forced march of elite few, but with the scale Ferda brought, even a forced march would have taken at least three weeks.
'Those caterpillar-looking things must be that useful.'
Е̃ nu m а .і̄d́
He coveted the magitech weapons with tremendous firepower, and now the Mana Automobiles caught his eye too.
Others were the same.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
As the Mana Automobile procession aligned in perfect order, the soldiers inside began pouring out in droves.
Wearing helmets and armor, they looked similar to or inferior to Ureas's own troops.
Instead, they held something like staves instead of long spears.
"Is that the thing that kills monsters in one shot?"
Ẇе̄_b̂ n ôv̂еl̇ Е̇ ń u m̃ ä
"How do you kill monsters with something shaped like that?"
No matter how you looked at it, they didn't feel strong, and the infantry didn't feel well-trained either.
It seemed like they'd fall helplessly if charged right now, so they couldn't help but look down on them.
Ureas was the same.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Looking at the troops he brought, he asked Ferda.
"I heard you sent 100 knights, but the infantry numbers don't even look like 1,000."
Е̄ n̄ u m̀ а̄. і d
"All infantry are 400 selected Tactical Infantry."
"Won't you employ cavalry?"
"Yes. We plan to form a defense force centered strictly on Tactical Infantry. I judged that would be most effective."
"So you'll walk over our corpses."
Ureas sent a displeased look.
He already knew Ferda had declared participation because he didn't want to hand out magitech weapons.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
"There's nothing to worry about. Even if our army advances defensively, we will never retreat."
"That remains to be seen. If the vanguard is shoddy, it's all for nothing, isn't it?"
"You're right. That's why we're selecting the best elite knights from the Far East and placing them in the vanguard."
"Best elites......."
Ureas glanced toward the knights.
They might have names in the Far East, but in the Empire, they were just frogs ruling a well.
Еn û m̃а̃
As he scanned them, his eyes happened to land on a man wearing heavy cavalry armor.
"That is......?"
Baca cerita ini hanya di situs resmi Enuma.id!
Ureas wasn't the only one who saw him.
The other commanders also fixed their gazes on that man.
"That man is......."
"That armor and huge club....... There's only one person who handles such a thing...... Could it be!?"
Е ń ù m а̄
A man Ureas had once visited, offered a knight position to, and who arrogantly didn't even listen before leaving.
Ureas asked Ferda if that man was the one.
"Don't tell me that's the man called the Moving Fortress?"
