Published at 1st of July 2023 9:16 am

Volume 12, Chapter 5 – War Maiden, Part 2

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

The next moment, her eyes went blank.

Liz stood up as if she was about to burst――,

“Eh…..”

Looking around, she saw that she was surrounded by a white cloth. Various weapons are propped up in one corner.

She heard a noise and turned to see that the chair she had been sitting in had collapsed.

Nearby was a wooden desk with a large number of reports on it.

She felt her senses return, and finally, she understood where she was.

Feeling pain in one corner of her head, Liz took a drink of water and began to walk, holding her temples.

“Looks like I fell asleep before I knew it.”

The headache was the worst, but it wasn’t a bad dream. She finally got to talk to the girl she had wanted to see.

However, she couldn’t catch what she wanted to say at the end.

It was very disturbing, but there was nothing she could do about it.

“I’ll have to ask her next time I see her.”

Although she did not know when she would see her again, she decided to keep it in the back of her mind for the time being. Now was not the time to worry about such things.

The sun was shining brightly as she passed through the entrance of the tent.

The sky was bright and clear to the point of being refreshing.

Only the sun was allowed to reign in the sky, pouring warm rays of sunlight to bless the people rooted in the ground.

“Did you sleep well?”

A voice asked, and she looked up to see Aura, the small military strategist, standing there.

Around her, the staff was running around busily.

Grantz’ main camp――Liz looked back and saw the simple tent she had just been in. At the entrance, the lion banner of the first emperor and the lily banner of Liz was fluttering.

Still feeling the reproachful gaze on her back, Liz turned around with a wry smile on her face.

“…I must have fallen asleep in the middle of the war council. Aura… I’m sorry, okay?”

“It was hard to cover it up.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Liz put her hands together and bowed her head, and apologized sincerely. It was no wonder that Aura was angry at her because she had fallen asleep during the war council meeting. Above all, it was an important military discussion concerning the Vanir Three Kingdoms.

Still, although she was apologizing to Aura, she was in an uplifted mood and could not seem to get depressed. Not that she wasn’t afraid of an angry Aura. It was because she had fallen asleep that she was able to see Rei, and her heart was very warm and peaceful.

December 5th, 1026th year of the imperial calendar.

West of the Great Grantz Empire――a plain three cells (nine kilometers) away from Fort Zeltselt.

Currently, 90,000 troops of the Great Grantz Empire, led by Liz, were in position. Facing them were soldiers in white armor of the long-eared race――an army of 120,000 soldiers from the Vanir Three Kingdoms, all in white, unlike the Grantz.

“That’s the so-called Red Army, huh…?”

Liz muttered in admiration as she gazed at the army of Vanir Three Kingdoms quietly awaiting the start of the battle.

The Red Army――so named because the white armor of the Vanir Three Kingdoms is stained red with the blood of the enemy soldiers.

It was said that the redder the white armor, the more blessings of the “Fairy King” would be obtained, according to a legend in the Vanir Three Kingdoms. However, since the southwestern part of the central continent was not a region where wars frequently take place, due in part to the strong dominance of the long-eared race, it was rare for the armor to be dyed red.

Therefore, it was said that when the long-eared race, who valued honor, would defeat a thief at night, they would tear up the corpse of the thief and bathe in their blood. It was said that they were called the “Red Army” because of their insane acts.

“They seem to have high morale, so it seems they will be a formidable force.”

There was nothing more troublesome than the long-eared race led by Pope Vanir.

The only existence recognized by the “Fairy King” may boost their morale, but it would never be a detrimental factor. They may launch a decisive attack in order to offer their victory to Pope Vanir. Their high morale should allow them to forcefully correct any disadvantageous situation.

“If it’s about skill and morale, I’m sure we’re as good as them, but I wonder if it’s the number of men we have that will make the difference between victory and defeat.”

Liz asked the small chief of staff standing next to her for an opinion.

Aura, whose leaden eyes were fixed on the enemy forces, turned her gaze to Liz.

“The most important thing in the art of war is how many more troops you can gather than your opponent.”

“If that is so… then we have no choice but to work hard with determination so that we don’t lose.”

Aura looked dumbfounded at Liz, who brought up mentalism.

“As expected, you can’t win with feelings alone. The goddess of victory smiles when various factors come together.”

“No, that’s not true. If you lose your feelings, it’s the end. Besides, the goddess of victory smiles on those who work hard.”

“…..It’s strange to say it… but then, Liz should keep the soldiers’ morale up.”

Aura turned her gaze somewhat distantly toward the plains that would become the battlefield.

“I don’t have Liz’s charm. I don’t have the talent to be chosen as the holder of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword. I am not a good talker, so I sometimes offend people. I have many faults, far more than most people.”

“Aura…?”

Liz looked at Aura with a surprised expression. She had never heard of such a thought before.

However, everything Aura said was wrong.

It was not that she was charmless.

The “Imperial Black Knights,” to which she used to belong, worship her like a saint. She had a reputation among some of the nobles and the people of the great imperial capital for being soft-spoken and cute.

Liz tried to argue, but Aura put her finger to her mouth and shook her head.

She might be trying to tell her not to say anything.

Liz was perplexed, but Aura took out a book in front of her.

She always kept it with her. She kept it close to her body and slept with it by her bedside.

It was Aura’s favorite book, the Black Book, in which the history of the “God of War” was inscribed.

“I had nothing, but now I have this, so I’m fine.”

She said proudly, a smile on her face. For someone who was always so expressionless, this was quite unusual. Liz thought that it was a lie to say that she was not charming after all.

No one could beat her charming expression with a smile on her face. Even Hiro, who was not present at the event, would probably agree.

“As long as I have this title, War Maiden, I cannot be defeated.”

Aura’s nickname was given to her because of the God of War, whom she admired so much. It was the pride that made her who she was.

That’s why Liz thought Aura was unfair.

If she confessed her single-minded love to someone with a smile on her face, there was nothing anyone could say.

But she wants to protect her. She has to protect her feelings, her smile, and everything else with all of her might.

“Yes, you’re right. Aura can surpass even the God of War.”

“No, I won’t. That will never happen.”

It was a well-meaning remark, but she denied it with great force.

“Read the Black Book, and you’ll see. It tells you how great the God of War is. I’m not even close――”

Aura cut off abruptly and looked up at Liz, clutching the book tightly.

“No, I take back what I said before. I promise.”

After all, Liz thought, she was also the same as her.

If she received such passionate feelings, she would have to respond to them as well.

“Yes, let’s do our best.”

“Yes.”

When Aura nodded strongly, a messenger came to Liz and the others.

“Chief of General Staff Aura, it appears that all the troops have been positioned.”

Aura returned to her usual expression and looked around with a sharp gaze.

“All right. Tell them to wait for my signal.”

“Yes, excuse me.”

Liz also tightened her mind and once again looked at the army of the Vanir Three Kingdoms.

“Did the other side come out with the flowing formation?”

Aura nodded her head in agreement.

“Yes, it is a formation that uses flowing attacks to crush the opponent with overwhelming numbers, giving them no time to rest.”

The flowing formation is one of the eight black formations.

The first, second, third, and even further back, the troops were still formed in a diagonal formation, thick as several sheets of paper folded over each other, which was also a characteristic of this formation.

“But it was also a form that could easily be transformed into a dragon wing formation. We have to be careful about encirclement-and-destruction tactics.”

The dragon wing formation was a formation designed for encirclement and annihilation. The center was at the back, and the left and right sides were protruding. Aura said it simply, but it was also extremely difficult to do so in the middle of a battle. If someone could do it, he would be a man who would go down in history as a commander.

“It can be taken to mean that no matter which formation they choose, it is their intention to crush us to the point of exhaustion.”

“Are we going with the crescent moon formations?”

This was also one of the eight black formations.

The main line was in the center, and both wings were lowered as if to lure the opponent.

In this formation, it was Liz who led the way, and this was where the most intense fighting took place.

However, although this action put the commander’s life in danger, there were also some advantages.

By taking the lead, Liz could play a role in boosting the morale of her allies. Above all, if Liz, who possessed the “Flame Emperor,” one of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword, were to appear at the front, her opponents would be roused to action.

“We are outnumbered, so there is no need for us to fight on their terms. We can use our wiles to conquer the right, and it would be convenient if they attacked us, and there are things we want to try.”

Skaaha was deployed on the left flank, leaving Weiss in command of the right flank. Rosa was positioned in the rear. Liz was not sure what else Aura wanted to try, but she thought there was a good chance they could overturn the numbers gap.

“…..I guess we’ll have to get to the great imperial capital soon, too.”

Liz took her gaze off the quiet battlefield and looked in the direction of the imperial capital.

Aura noticed this and put her hand on her chest, and exhaled deeply.

“Liz.”

“What?”

“It’s okay; I want you to trust me. I will definitely take Liz to the place where Hiro is.”

This was unusual for Aura. The reason is that it was a declaration of victory even before the fight.

In the first place, the distance from here to the Imperial capital was too great.

It was not a distance of three or four days.

Anyone could see that it would take much longer if they were to lead a large army. And yet, Aura’s confidence did not waver in the slightest. Then, there was no other way left but to trust this small military commander.

There was no longer any need to think about anything else. Liz stared at the enemy army with a serious light in her eyes.

“Let’s win.”

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