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Chapter 229
Espionage Activities
Ferda stepped outside and looked up at the siege weapons.
The trebuchets, the culmination of Imperial technology.
Since they were early models, other kingdoms had long since figured out their structure and could manufacture them, yet even so, their performance and efficiency still showed remarkable results in recent times.
-Fire!
The sound of wood creaking and winding.
En u m̂а̇..і d
At the same time, a heavy rock flew into the sky.
Kwoong......!
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The collision sound of the stone falling inside was heard, but there was no sound of anything collapsing.
Once one was fired, they immediately readjusted and prepared to fire the next rock.
Now that the civilians' safety didn't matter, they just had to push them inside the kingdom's outer castle walls.
"This is the 8th bombardment currently. And the expected impact points are like this."
Е́nú mа.ì_d
With over 20 trebuchets, the map she marked was packed with numbers.
Ferda saw that among them, there were three spots that overlapped.
"This place got hit three times but there's no collapse sound?"
"That's correct."
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"Hmm......."
Normally in cases like this, one would judge it to be a sturdy building that trebuchets couldn't bring down.
We b n о v е l E̊ ṅu̇ m̃ a
But it wasn't even an outer wall—a civilian house couldn't possibly be that sturdy.
"Good news for us."
"Is that so?"
"It means they're maintaining the Legion's power to maintain the kingdom's form, which means we're dealing meaningful damage through the siege warfare."
One questionable point was whether this was coercion or obsession—it was confusing.
King Heinkel had an obsession with protecting his own kingdom, so neither would be strange.
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"How do the various kings plan to deploy their forces?"
"The details differ, but the gist is similar. They create sacrificial pawns and concentrate fire on the parts that become King Heinkel's strength."
"Everyone's after the same thing."
They want power comparable to Erdes Roton, President of the Serdes Magic Association.
What is human greed, anyway?
It's not like they don't know that such terrifying power comes with a price.
Е n ǔm а̄_.іd
On the other hand, it wasn't incomprehensible.
The more eyes watching, the more anxious they get, and the more anxious, the more they demand greater power—that's the ugly shackles of humanity.
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"Huh? What are you doing here?"
At the familiar voice, he turned his head and saw Jed.
As it happened, right next to where Ferda and Garnet stood was the tent where Jed was staying.
He appeared scratching his bird's nest hair, looking like someone who'd just woken up.
Е̄ n̂ ǔ m a
Ferda and Garnet looked at him with pathetic expressions.
"The sun's about to pierce the sky and you're only coming out now?"
"Ugh, don't even mention it. Trying to sleep on a hot, humid floor was tough. And I worked hard all night too?"
"What work?"
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"What else, intelligence gathering."
Jed grinned, and Garnet narrowed her eyes.
Е̊ńüm а́. і̀ d̊
"Try saying that again."
"Come on, scary with words. Between us."
"I said try saying it again."
"Ahem, found out yesterday that King Hudret's army received grenades from alchemists."
Alchemists and grenades.
"Explosives?"
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"Yes. There are just regular explosives too, but among them there are bombs containing deadly poison gas, they say."
"King Hudret wages war ruthlessly."
"Originally he doesn't operate that way, they say. He likes conquest, but shows mercy to those who surrender, and does his best to win favor with those who'll become his citizens."
"Is that so?"
"So when they heard a plan to massacre like this time, the knights couldn't easily accept it either, they say."
When he heard the talk of massacre, he thought he was the same type as Ureas.
Е̂n̊ u m̄ а́
Ferda reflected that his thinking had been shallow.
"I see."
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He nodded quietly at his surprisingly detailed intel.
But Garnet still looked at him with suspicion.
"Don't believe him, Regent-nim. Everything coming out of that swallow bastard's mouth is lies."
"What?! How can you say such harsh things?"
Ӗ n̄u_m а . іd̊
"Our own people don't even know this yet, how the hell do you know?"
"Why are you like this? I'm a person who does my job too."
"No, I know there's no report of you going out, so how are you doing intel? You gonna keep lying?"
"Did you watch my tent all day? Why would you do that? To see my body? You scheming female cat......."
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Jed flashed a greasy smile and flirted with Garnet.
"Changing the subject at the weird part......."
Ӗ ń ü m а
As Garnet took a step forward, Jed reflexively stepped back.
"Freeze."
Garnet pressed her nose to Jed's neck and sniffed, then frowned.
"That's not your smell?"
"Sleeping in a dump like this, obviously grass and dirt smells soak in, don't they?"
"No, not that, this is—."
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Rustle.
Something moved significantly inside Jed's tent.
It was definitely a tent he used alone, but there was a presence.
Shortly after, someone popped out.
A woman with hair just as messy as Jed's and clothes just as disheveled.
"Hmm?"
W eb̀ nо̆v̄е̇ ľ Еṅu_mа
The woman, stretching with half-lidded eyes, belatedly noticed the three and opened her eyes wide.
With an awkward face, she burst into hearty laughter.
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"Haha, this is an unsightly sight to show you."
"......."
"Late introductions. I greet the Regent of the Valdrova Grand Duchy. I am Janine Clive, Knight of the Hudret Kingdom."
"......I am Ferda Valdrova, pleasure to meet you."
Е̄ṅũm̂ӓ .і d
"Last night, together with Sir Jed, we exchanged operations and got to know each other a little. Please don't worry, Sir Jed didn't leak any secrets or anything."
"......I see."
"Then I'll be going now. Sir Jed."
"Huh?"
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"When you return, send a letter. Or stop by before that."
With an unbefitting shy face, she winked and just left.
Е n_u m a
Jed touched his forehead and muttered.
"I definitely told her to leave quietly from the back......."
Ferda quietly watched the woman's retreating back, then realized something and asked him.
"That woman named Janine, isn't she the general called the Bankrupt General?"
"......Yes."
"She's famous as the Beautiful Sword Master who said she wouldn't accept a man weaker than herself, right?"
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"She misspoke and they say she ended up an Old Maid."
"I see."
"......."
"Don't misunderstand. She seduced me first. When you brought that woman Erdes, King Hudret's knights came here too, and we 'just talked normally' but then they suggested sharing strategy and somehow it ended up like that!"
"I see."
Ferda wondered if it was something to explain while sweating buckets.
Ẅ еb̊ n о v̄ е̇l̆ Е numa
Ferda didn't care what Jed did.
The reason Jed was explaining so desperately was because the target wasn't Ferda but the woman next to him.
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Unlike Ferda, Garnet was extremely interested, glaring at Jed with glaring eyes.
"Strictly speaking, isn't this also intelligence operations?"
"......."
"Going deep into enemy territory—."
Ēn̆ u m̈ӑ.і̆d̂
"Is 'just shut up' not an option for you?"
Garnet said that, and Jed finally shut his mouth.
* * *
Count Rooster's camp of the Imperial Army.
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Though part of the Imperial Army, they were closer to an independent special forces unit.
Count Rooster knelt, sharpening his sword on a whetstone.
Ё n̈ um a
With eyes closed, he focused on the sound of the sword being sharpened.
His mind is calm.
To jump into a crucible of excitement, he had to be like this.
That was why he'd survived and returned from operations with a 0% survival rate.
-What do you think a soldier's duty is?
A question rising in Count Rooster's mind.
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It was a question a man had thrown at him when he was a young knight cadet who knew nothing.
-A soldier exists to devote himself to the country. But that alone shouldn't make him an existence that must bear everything.
That devotion comes because we know there's a great future; because we know that someday I, my friends, my family will be rewarded.
He reached out a hand to his worthless self.
-I'll take responsibility for your future. So can you devote yourself to me?
That man never took his words lightly, and even now kept that promise.
Ѐ ñu.m̂ а̊
So the answer was the same as back then.
Count Rooster slung his sword on his back and stepped out of the tent.
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There, his knights waited for orders.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes!"
"This operation must have no mistakes. Grand Duke Golt-nim is watching."
Е̄ǹ u m̆ а̃
"Yes!"
Count Rooster led the way, passing them and moving forward.
Ending the terrible siege warfare, now it's all-out war.
Time to pour everything out.
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* * *
Ending the three-day siege warfare, full-scale siege warfare began in earnest.
W ëbňо̄ v̆е l̂ Е n̂um̌ а̌
Flags fluttered in the wind and the army's footsteps advanced in perfect formation.
The plains near the Heinkel Kingdom were instantly packed with humans.
Over 100,000 soldiers gathered toward one place.
Ferda, together with the commanders, watched the situation from the front lines first.
"They've moved this much, but they don't show themselves."
"Indeed."
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Right before battle, showing themselves and attempting final negotiations was the norm.
No soldiers guarding the castle gate, nothing.
It felt like only death waited inside.
Ureas shouted as if pleased with the situation.
"All that's left is ruthless conquest. Sound the battle trumpets!"
Buuuuu—!
Е̂n̄ ù m̌ а.і́ d̀
The trumpet's deep resonance signaled battle preparation.
The commanders returned to their armies, and Ferda returned too.
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The Far East Army took position in formation as planned.
However, instead of deploying spearmen as sacrificial pawns, they placed knights—who were their entire strength—at the front.
Each and every one armed with large shields and relatively short swords, that alone revealed part of their tactics.
They were moving walls, blocking all damage heading to the rear ranks.
W̆ е̃b nо vе̌ l̇ Е̌ n̈ u ṁӑ
If they don't collapse, Ferda's army would become the army with the least casualties.
But reality and ideals differ, and veteran commanders seeing that tactic would surely call it a greenhorn's dream drowned in ideals.
However, Ferda's army had Alberto.
He stood in the middle of the formation holding a shield as large as the royal palace's main gate and a long club—an ironclad fortress, nothing less.
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Ferda approached the commander standing in formation.
As discussed, Olivia commanded the tactical infantry, with William standing beside her as deputy.
Е nǔmâ . і̊d̀
"Please take good care of my soldiers, Princess-nim."
"May Alte's blessing be with you, Regent-nim."
Olivia glanced at William and signaled with her eyes.
He immediately understood, turned his head, and shouted to the Hestia Army.
"Our future rests on you gentlemen! Who are we?!"
"Who are we?!"
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Morale-filled knights struck the Valdrova crest on their shoulders and led the chant.
The tactical infantry standing behind responded.
"Guardians of the front lines!"
"Where is our homeland?!"
"Humanity's last bastion protecting the continent!"
"What is our mission?!"
Ŵеb̄ nóv̂ е̇ l Е̂n.ũ m а̂
"Punish all evil with blue flames!"
"To the weak!"
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"A warm hearth fire!"
"To the sinners!"
"Flames of karma!"
"Glory to the Phase of Fire!"
Е̃ nu m̊ å
"Glory to Hestia!"
Despite being a mere 500-strong army, they radiated overwhelming presence.
"Impressive."
Ferda smiled with satisfaction.
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Having shown their presence, it would be awkward to just turn back, so Ferda spoke to William.
"When the war ends, I'll grant additional rewards to everyone regardless of merit. Convey that."
W̄е b̄novе̄l Е̃ nu m̈ а
"Yes, Regent-nim."
Ferda then fell back to the rear with his honor guard.
The honor guard was a small elite force consisting of Ruri, Jed, and Arwen.
Ferda looked at Arwen and asked.
"Is the wedding this fall, Sir Consillus?"
"Yes. And I'd appreciate it if you'd just call me Arwen comfortably......."
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Arwen said, reddening.
Even though it had been a while since he became Consillus's adopted son, it still felt awkward.
Jed knew that and teased.
"Why so, Sir Consillus? Is Consillus embarrassing?"
"I don't want to hear any more from you."
"By the way, is it okay? A man getting married this fall jumping into a death trap like this."
Ẽn̂üm̂а̄
"Because I became Count Consillus's adopted son, isn't it all the more something I must do? Assisting Regent Ferda is my duty."
"A man about to walk through hell shouldn't spare his body so much."
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"I'll be in less hell than someone who got caught cheating."
"What cheating?"
"Rumor's spread everywhere. That you spent the night with the Bankrupt General and got caught red-handed by your wife."
"That WAS intelligence operations. And why's she my wife? She's nothing to me?"
W.ê bn о̂ v́е̇.l Ӗn um̈ а́
"Can I tell that to Garnet the Supply Captain?"
"Hey now, why you being like this? Just touched a little and you throw a punch right away. That's not how it works, man."
At the pointless chatter and giggling, Ruri made a displeased expression and spoke.
"Ferda-nim."
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"Why?"
"I will protect Ferda-nim."
W е̂bn о̌v̇е̇ ľ Еnum a
Small frame, but carrying a massive axe on her shoulder that even grown men couldn't handle—extremely reliable.
Buuuuu—!
The battle trumpet sounded again.
The war began.
