Published at 5th of August 2023 4:48 pm

Volume 13, Chapter 2 – Each Battle, Part 1

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There was an army advancing at a breakneck pace through the Vanir Three Kingdoms―the Church of Vanaheim.

Even as the sun set, they continued to advance, swords in hand, their morale unshaken and showing no signs of fatigue.

The flags that dotted the area were all emblems of the Six Kingdoms.

The most prominent was that of the Anguis army with Queen Lucia, yet to be crowned but a candidate for the unified king.

Even at the front lines, the momentum of the Anguis army was tremendous, and even the elite of the long-eared race were unable to stop their advance, and could only be crushed. All the Anguis could see before them was the holy city of Vanir.

The Six Kingdoms had suffered no hardship up to this point. As it should be, the main forces of the Vanir Three Kingdoms were already in Grantz, and though there was some small resistance, there was not enough strength left to stop the advancing forces of the Six Kingdoms.

On the plain where the two armies were jockeying for position was a simple, gaudy tent.

Inside, a voluptuous woman, Lucia, sipped a glass of wine and surveyed the battlefield.

Around her, the officials were busy with their work.

However, Lucia, their queen, was not giving them any instructions but was enjoying her drink while watching over the work of her subordinates.

Proof that the army of the Six Kingdoms could afford to be so relaxed.

“Lucia-sama. There is no end to the number of people who surrender without a fight.”

Seleucus, her longtime aide, noticed that the silver goblet in Lucia’s hand was empty and began to pour a second glass of wine.

“Is that so? That’s boring. There’s no need to be afraid of the broken-hearted, long-eared race. It’s possible they have something in their guts, but I doubt they can do anything about it under the circumstances…”

Lucia slammed the silver goblet down on the table and wiped her mouth.

“For now, let us concentrate our forces on the Holy City. There is no need for unnecessary fighting. If they want to surrender to me, then accept it. If they resist, then destroy the city mercilessly and silence them.”

Lucia stood up, stepped out of the tent, spread out her iron fan, and hid the lower half of her face. Then she turned her sharp gaze to the battlefield and stared at the Holy City in the distance.

“If we can make the Holy City fall, we will be able to capture the believers. If we take them hostage, the cardinals will have to bow to me… if they think of their own safety.”

It would be a pleasant outcome for the future. Although they lost many soldiers in the battle against the Grantz, the strength of the Six Kingdoms would be strengthened once again.

The movements of the Knightdom of Nara and the Priestdom of Qwasir were a cause for concern, but if the Holy City was taken hostage, the two countries would be forced to follow Lucia.

They would not want their historic buildings, relics, and valuables looted, and they would not turn against Lucia if they thought of the possibility of their destruction.

“It seems that we will be able to annex the Vanir Three Kingdoms more successfully than I had imagined. They have fallen into my hands themselves.”

“If the damage is not too great… will you challenge the Grantz again?”

“If there is a chance to win, a rematch is the obvious choice.”

If the Vanir Three Kingdoms were absorbed, the strength of the Six Kingdoms would be greatly increased.

In that case, it would be more fun to challenge the Great Grantz Empire to another battle and cause a stir.

Besides, if they could get rid of the Faceless King, some of the Grantz nobles would turn against each other. If that happened, the victory of the Six Kingdoms would be unassailable.

However――,

“Is there something you’re worried about?”

Lucia asked Seleucus, who had a sullen expression on his face.

Then he shrugged and asked a question.

“I was wondering what was going on over there. The information is being sent to us by the spy, but the distance and time are causing a gap in our perceptions.”

Indeed, Seleucus was right, the information about Grantz was coming from the spy, but the next report might show a completely different development.

It was necessary to react flexibly to the results, which changed with each report, but the lack of information inevitably led to sparseness.

Still, Lucia felt that no matter what the outcome on the other side, as long as this side did not fail, there would be no problem.

“Whether the Grantz wins or loses, as long as they kill a lot of Vanir Three Kingdoms soldiers, there won’t be any problems.”

If the Vanir Three Kingdoms won, they would continue to march on Grantz, and that would buy Lucia some time. Even if they returned after losing, the soldiers of the Vanir Three Kingdoms, exhausted to the limit, would be no match for them. Before that, they would be treated like bandits in the Grand Duchy of Drall and disposed of.

“My victory is unassailable. After the fall of the Holy City, the exhausted soldiers of the Vanir Three Kingdoms should be warmly welcomed back with swords and spears.”

Smiling happily, Lucia shook her shoulders as she covered her face with her iron fan.

But then she looked up as if she had suddenly noticed something.

“And what about Steichen’s movements?”

“According to the spy’s reports, there has been no movement near the border between the Free Peoples and Steichen.”

“But we must be on our guard. Even though the Supreme Chancellor is away, not all of the army is working together. We must watch Steichen’s movements closely.”

With the Holy City in sight, Lucia remained cautious, and it was Seleucus who tilted his head in doubt.

“I don’t see the need to be so cautious. Even if Steichen is moving, they have to cross the Free Peoples and Qwasir territory to get here―two countries, albeit small ones. In my opinion, the chances of them coming this way are slim…”

“What do you think is better, to avenge the Grantz or to cooperate with them?”

“The territory of the Grantz is large, and I think it is better to take revenge if they think they can secure that vast area of resources. Especially in the south of the Grantz, something unusual seems to be happening, and if they take advantage of the current situation, Steichen will easily be able to cut through it.”

“I don’t think so.”

The territory of Grantz was certainly attractive, but if it was bypassed, it would not be easy to withdraw one’s hand. Once trapped in a complex framework, the last thing you want to do is keep fighting until one of you falls.

Even if you carve up the territory, you don’t know if you can defend it.

And the conquered territory will become a battlefield, the land will be desolate, and resources will be lost. Then it would be better to take a safe place.

The free peoples who followed the Vanir Three Kingdoms, now that their territories were thin on the ground, had much to gain by going after them.

Most importantly, if they could get through there, it would be the Vanir Three Kingdoms, who were in turmoil after being attacked by the Six Kingdoms.

“The Supreme Chancellor and others will either follow their instincts or their reason. The choice between the two will determine our fate.”

After that, only the outcome awaits.

Who will lose, who will win, who will laugh, who will cry, and the answer will be drawn from the abyss between life and death.

In other words, the world was now coming together.

At the center of it all, without a doubt, were the Grantz.

Regardless of victory or defeat, it would be passed down to future generations.

Though the time and place may be different, the powerful people of today, without exception, would have their names engraved in history.

And the name that would be inscribed in the most prominent place should be hers, Lucia thought to herself.

“People must be tired of Grantz playing the leading role forever.”

Lucia exhaled in ecstasy, holding her cheeks with one hand.

＊＊＊＊＊

The Republic of Steichen was originally a confederation of states.

It began about 400 years ago when three countries―the Principality of Lichtine, the Kingdom of Jotunheim, and the Kingdom of Nidavelir―formed an alliance to fight the threat of the Great Grantz Empire, which was vying for control of the southern part of the Central Continent.

Eventually, the Principality of Lichtine became independent, and the two remaining powers took the lead in running the Republic of Steichen. This had not changed in modern times, but in recent years a disturbing aspect began to emerge.

It all began three years ago when the then Supreme Chancellor of the Senate died, and a new Chancellor was elected.

Beginning with poisonings, betrayals, and intrigues, the Republic of Steichen was eventually split in two and plunged into civil war.

However, with the intervention of the Great Grantz Empire, the Jotunheim faction, composed mainly of Beastmen, defeated the Nidavelir faction, composed mainly of Dwarves, and the Republic of Steichen was once again united as one.

The current Supreme Chancellor was Skadi Vestra Michael, who was now the head of Jotunheim.

She has returned to Trilheim, which was now the home of the Jotunheim faction.

Jotunheim was a region where the beastmen flourished as the core.

Therefore, the western side of Jotunheim from Trilheim, the stronghold of the Jotunheim faction, was mostly occupied by the beastmen.

Jotunheim also lay on the only plain in Steichen with a clear horizon stretching in all directions.

To the west were granaries fed by fertile land.

To the east was the fortified city of Gastropnir, which controlled the largest hunting grounds in the world. There, horse breeding was encouraged to take advantage of the terrain, and the horses were exported to other lands, supporting the wealth of Jotunheim and, eventually, the economy of the Republic of Steichen.

If the dwarves were masters of forging, the beastmen were masters of breeding, and so the dwarves who made the best armor and the beastmen who made the best warhorses were considered the best of the best. The coexistence of the dwarves, who made the best weapons, and the beastmen, who bred the best warhorses, was the reason why the Republic of Steichen has been able to maintain stability and survive as a powerful nation.

“Aren’t you done yet?”

Skadi said with a yawn, and one of her close aides smiled wryly.

“This is also an opportunity for us to assert our raison d’etre, so I think it will go on for a while.”

“I see… that’s annoying.”

With a tired look on her face, Skadi looked around once more.

She was now in the Supreme Council of Trimheim.

In the circular conference hall, representatives from various regions sat to discuss future policy, but when the matter of the Grantz came up, the assembly erupted into a scuffle.

Some shouted that now was the time to destroy the Grantz, while others insisted that the current friendship should be maintained and that the two sides should remain in a relationship of mutual combat. Others said that the Zahle River should be dammed again to regain the barrier that the Lichtine had taken in the last war.

And so, as the debate heated up, a variety of arguments began to emerge.

Many opinions, ranging from the ridiculous to the realistic, were expressed in a great variety, but the agenda never progressed, and some of the angry council members started cursing each other, which eventually led to a fistfight, which at first was amusing and Skadi applauded, but by now she was getting tired of it.

“Su-Supreme Chancellor… I think we should attack the Grantz here.”

The one who said this, gasping for breath ,was a member of the Nidavelir faction.

His clothes were torn, and his nose was bleeding. In his painful condition, he suddenly broached the subject, and Skadi had to do her best to hold back her laughter.

But she couldn’t laugh any longer. They were about to start another fistfight.

Tired of watching, Skadi decided to voice her own opinion.

“Rejected.”

“Why? The southern nobility has lost an absolute pillar, Vetu, and is in disarray. I think this is the perfect opportunity to chip away at the southern region of the Grantz…”

“Isn’t it boring? Who will praise you if you attack the weakened Grantz? Who will admit that Steichen is the strong one?”

If Vetu was alive and well and the South was formidable, it would have been a fun situation.

But even if they fought the South without Vetu, the result would be obvious.

Such a battle would be boring.

As a Beastmen who sought fun in war, it would never be exciting.

“If you think about the interests of the nation, such personal feelings would be trivial. If we can defeat the southern part of Grantz, the Republic of Steichen will be able to achieve further prosperity.”

He was certainly not wrong.

It made sense to expand their territory by attacking the Great Grantz Empire.

Many southern nobles would probably fall to their side. However, it was also inevitable that resistance would arise, and the Republic of Steichen would be exhausted if it had to deal with them. If the Grantz were to fall, the power of the Faceless King would also increase.

It was unknown what his goal was, but if he was determined to maintain the supremacy of the demon race as he did a thousand years ago, there was a high probability that the Republic of Steichen would also become a target.

Even more problematic was what happen if Grantz won.

If Steichen tried to attack them from the rear, Grantz would never forgive Steichen. Then, even if they had won the territory, it would be difficult to hold it. A country involved in war becomes deserted and desolate.

Even if they were close to victory, other countries would intervene and take away all the goodies.

Or, within the Republic of Steichen, the dwarves who held a grudge against the beastmen might revolt again. If this were to happen, neighboring countries like Lichtine would respond and attack. This would be a repeat of the Grantz.

Judging by the Supreme Chancellor’s position, she would like to sit back and watch the situation unfold, but as beastmen, they had no interest in sitting idly by. After all, they were a fun-loving race.

“What do you think――Gaah!?”

Skadi grabbed the head of one of the council members who approached her and looked at the council members.

“What do you think is more fun, sitting and waiting for your demise or going on a rampage and meeting your demise?”

When asked, the answer was obvious. Everyone had a fighting spirit in their eyes.

“If that’s the case, I have a suggestion for you. I want to value the opinions of the dwarves.”

It would be unpleasant to cause unnecessary resentment and start a rebellion. So a small concession was in order.

“We can curry favor with the Grantz and get a big reward later.”

As soon as the head of the detained councilor was released, he asked with a frown on his face.

“S-so you’re going to send reinforcements to the Grantz?”

“No, I don’t think we’ll get there in time if we start making preparations now.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“Don’t just look at Grantz. There are free peoples to the west of us. Let’s take over their entire territory.”

“T-that’s a good idea…”

They had been at each other’s throats for years. There had been many skirmishes near their borders. If they could be freed from that hassle and also expand their territory, they would have no complaints.

“We would then organize a detachment and lead it directly.”

“You mean you’re going to march in two directions?”

“What are you talking about? The Vanir Three Kingdoms are further to the west, and it will be no fun if we don’t attack them as well.”

Not only would they be able to sell their favors to the Grantz, but they would also be able to further expand their territory.

There was no room to argue.

Looking around, many people seemed to agree with Skadi, and she patted herself on the chest.

“Well… I’ve paid my debt, so to speak.”

Skadi whispered in a low voice, and a boy came to mind.

He was one of the “kings” who possessed overwhelming power, even if he was a bit arrogant.

The story started when Skadi couldn’t control her instincts and got into a fight with him and lost.

“After that, I’ll let you have your fun on your own.”

The debt was paid. All that remained was to hope that the South would not be a disappointment.

Skadi prayed that there were competent people in the southern part of Grantz.

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