276 - Pincer Attack
――Banseime's main camp.
The Banseime forces, who were still fighting inside Beim, were troubled by the stalemate of the battle.
The order given by Celes was the ambiguous "crush Beim," and the words "kill them all" were also used. However, there were questions about how far they should execute it, and how much Celes would be satisfied with.
A battlefield with uncertain victory conditions. However, for Banseime, Beim was more of a hunting ground than a battlefield. Yet, the tide had turned in Beim's favor.
The commander-in-chief tapped the desk with his index finger, suppressing his irritation.
"Can't you just blast the city with magic and shut them up? The moment we lost the advantage of numbers, everything ground to a halt."
One of the generals stood with his arms crossed, looking down.
"However, if we destroy all the city's functions, we won't be able to maintain the labyrinth managed by Beim. At worst, there's a risk it could go berserk. Since it's a labyrinth exceeding a hundred floors underground, there's no telling how much damage would occur."
The existence of the labyrinth was the reason why Beim could not be annihilated in one go. If they carelessly stimulated it and caused it to activate or go berserk, it would be disastrous. A neighboring country that once existed beside Beim had been destroyed by a smaller labyrinth.
Therefore, the Banseime side needed to maintain the labyrinth after securing it.
However, inside the city, the residents of Beim had the home-field advantage, and in a limited battlefield, it was easier for the adventurers to fight.
Even so, the Banseime forces did not lose in terms of number or quality, but...
"That brat from the Imperial Guard hasn't returned either. If the main force continues to take losses..."
As the commander-in-chief muttered, a messenger rushed into the tent.
"Report! The unit led by the Viscount was attacked by adventurers inside the city and annihilated! A female knight in red armor has been spotted!"
"Again!"
The Knight Commander stood up, frowning upon hearing the report.
"I told the Knight-ranks and Baronets to move in tight formations, and now they're targeting the Barons and Viscounts?"
Next, another messenger with a pale expression rushed into the tent.
"Report! Our positions inside the city have been seized. A female knight in green armor led thousands of soldiers in a surge, and our units retreated!"
One of the generals shouted.
"Send reinforcements! Damn, have we let them get cocky?"
Then, another messenger rushed into the tent. Covered in mud and leaning on two soldiers, the messenger was utterly exhausted.
"What is it this time!"
The messenger spoke while gasping for breath.
"...The elite unit led by Imperial Guard Captain Bread has been routed. Only a few thousand survived. Lyell Wolt of South Banseime has seized Redant Fortress... The South Banseime forces are approximately thirty thousand... The army flies the banner of Cartaphus... they are absorbing the people of Beim and heading this way."
The commander-in-chief stood up in surprise at the report. Then, he spoke to the generals in the tent.
"They had that many men ready! ...Withdraw the units that entered the city immediately. We will reorganize! At this rate, we'll be caught in a pincer attack!"
How many soldiers were still left inside Beim? And Banseime had also suffered significant losses inside Beim.
In a battle where the retreat path had been cut off by Lyell, the generals of Banseime's previous expressions of composure had vanished—.
I had left some soldiers behind at Redant Fortress as a sort of insurance.
"I don't think they'll betray us, but I feel people of that type are too competent for their own good."
While riding in the porter, I lay back, and instead of Monica, who was glaring at Valkyrie No. 1 and No. 2 nearby, Eva, who was taking notes, turned her gaze toward me.
"Hey, don't start thinking about other things after asking someone to write a song for your ancestors. So, this Fredricks person met a Kirin, right? I mean, how can someone be so cold to children yet love animals? Seriously, how am I supposed to turn this into a song or a story?"
Complained to by Eva, I remained lying on the sofa.
"Sorry. But I have a lot to think about. Also, the Fifth Head had his reasons. He was a kind person. Kind, and clumsy."
Eva shrugged and went back to taking notes. Then, looking at her notes, she spoke.
"Aren't you overthinking it? Now that we're in Zain, they won't be able to track us easily. Well, there's a possibility they could break in, though."
I gave a smile to Eva, who was worried about Banseime's movements.
"No need to worry. It seems they're reorganizing their forces to wait for us. They split their army in two out of fear of a pincer attack, but they still outnumber us."
Although Novem and the others who entered Beim were doing their best, we also needed to hurry.
Inside the jewel, the Third Head was deep in thought.
'Even if we have ships, how many can we send at once... committing forces piecemeal is a bad move.'
The Seventh Head was laughing.
'They won't be able to blast magic recklessly anyway, out of fear of the labyrinth. Novem is over there, so she'll probably deflect any reckless attempts. Man, as expected of a former Goddess. Or was it an Evil God? Well, either way.'
They really are light-hearted people.
No. 1, who was facing Monica in the cargo area of the porter, reported to me.
"Oh, a report from the sisters in Zain. It seems Zain has set up resting areas. Once we reach them, we can let the soldiers rest."
Hearing that, I sat up.
"That helps. Please tell Aura and Selma-san, and Gastone-san, that I'm grateful."
While the Banseime army was searching for us in the lands of Beim, we had entered the Four-Nation Alliance and were heading for the port.
The reason was that it would be rude to use surprise attacks every time, so we decided to attack head-on this time. This was the Third Head's idea. As expected of the one who thought of scorched-earth tactics, he's quite dirty. The Third Head is incredibly dirty.
――Miranda was leading the thirty Valkyries, the soldiers brought from South Banseime, and the adventurers and soldiers who had joined them in Beim.
In terms of numbers alone, there were fewer than three thousand, but they fought with proper equipment and moved unnecessary personnel to the rear.
While looking at a map of the city area, they monitored the enemy's movements and struck the enemy they discovered by surrounding them.
Miranda lined up wooden boxes and placed a map on top, marking it.
"So, the evacuation is proceeding, I assume?"
When she asked a veteran-looking adventurer with a beard, the other nodded.
"We're doing it. But I've never heard of evacuating people into a labyrinth with guards. It's like evacuating into a monster's nest."
Miranda looked at the adventurer.
"It can't be helped. We don't have any ships to evacuate them. The merchants fled on their own, you know? Then, we just have to do what we can."
Too many people――it was caused by the development of magic, and the increase in population was also due to the existence of magic for treatment. Additionally, Beim relied heavily on importing food. However, even with that much import, it was consumed, and they had earned money by exporting other things. This was because Beim managed a giant labyrinth.
The population that had increased in that way was now dragging them down. Because there were not enough places to evacuate, Miranda and the others decided to use the labyrinth.
"Besides, the labyrinth is such an unexpected place that they won't notice. If they enter, it'll be the adventurers' playground."
At those words, the adventurer nodded. He placed a hand on his head and laughed a little.
"True, I don't feel like we'd lose there. In fact, we're fighting in a pile of rubble."
The cityscapes of Beim, which had prospered through magic and fire, had collapsed, and rubble rolled across the roads. Many buildings had collapsed, and it had now become ruins.
Around them, the soldiers of Beim were looking at Miranda and the others. Then, the adventurer who had been acting as the coordinator spoke a word.
"...If people like you had come sooner..."
Whether they resented Miranda and the others, or resented the upper management who had fled, it was certainly a complex emotion.
Miranda let out a small sigh.
(I have to skillfully guide them to resent the Beim merchants and guild executives. Also, now that the enemy's offensive has weakened, it might be a good time to pull back and reorganize.)
In the position prepared by Zain, we were letting the soldiers rest.
After that, we would make a forced march to the port of Galleria, and from there, we would enter Beim using the ships we had prepared.
In the middle of such plans, in my tent, Clara was lying down, exhausted from operating the porter. Monica was preparing sweets and drinks to serve to guests.
The atmosphere in the tent was tense. Outside, it had become dusk, and the sounds of soldiers shouting could be heard, perhaps because they were drinking alcohol.
The noisy voices from outside, and the sound of Monica preparing tea, were clearly audible. A tent where even Clara's breathing could be heard――Eva had fled the tent in a heartbeat, escaping from this critical situation.
Inside the jewel, the Third Head was excited.
'Uha! This is getting interesting. A tea party with this lineup, I'd refuse it if it were me. As expected of Lyell.'
I'm not happy. I'm not happy at all.
"...Um, Lyell-dono? You seem busy lately, but how is your health?"
Selma-san came to greet us. Naturally, the soldiers of Zain were also there, and she had come to boost morale. Aura-san was too busy to move, so the former Saintess, Selma-san, had come instead.
However, since the song of me and Selma had become popular and spread throughout Zain, Selma seemed self-conscious about it.
Her face was turning red from time to time. Glacia and Eliza were watching Selma-san. The elven singers of Zain had been performing songs for the soldiers, and they had rushed into the tent after hearing the song of me and Selma.
Moreover, it was while Selma-san was there.
"Lyell, what is the meaning of this? You said there was nothing particular going on in Zain..."
Glacia looked at me with a dignified expression. Eliza's eyes were cold and emotionless――no, they were slightly teary. My heart ached.
"No, that's just a song. Really. When I saved Zain, I was rumored to be with Aura-san, but that side has died down, or rather..."
Then, Eliza stood up.
"T-there was another one! Just how many women have you slept with! I'd heard you had many, but this is just..."
From inside the jewel, the Seventh Head's gruff voice was heard.
'Now then, how will you overcome this crisis, Lyell? We can't find a way out. This disadvantageous situation, how will you cut through it!'
He was definitely enjoying it. The Third Head also spoke in a serious voice.
'Why not just pin her down right here? It would be a hassle, and it would be difficult later... but I'd like to see such a situation. No! Maybe going for Clara-chan right now is an option!'
They really were the worst. I was trying to think of an excuse in a tension different from the battlefield... and suddenly, the strength left my body.
"A-ah?"
Then, Selma-san approached me.
"Are you okay, Lyell-dono!"
Then, Eliza spoke.
"G-get away! Consider the age difference, former Saintess! Besides, Lyell is just using such a transparent hand to distract from the conversation... Lyell?"
Eliza peered into my face. Then, Glacia also looked at me...
"This is... no way, at this timing? Why? No, it's certainly a situation where it wouldn't be strange for it to happen."
Then, Monica looked at me and trembled.
"...Fever Time. It's Fever Time! Finally, the time of the true chicken coward has come!"
Glacia tilted her head at Monica.
"Fever Time? No, I understand what you want to say, but if you clash with the enemy after growing in this situation, it'll be dangerous."
Eliza also understood, nodding.
"T-that's right. Lyell needs to be isolated. We'll use Lusworth to—"
Glacia grabbed Eliza's collar and lifted her up.
"You! What do you intend to do after saying that! Tell me! Look me in the eye and tell me!"
Eliza averted her gaze from Glacia. Selma-san was holding me on the floor, as if giving me a lap pillow. This is problematic. The motherly feeling is very comfortable.
In the noisy tent, Monica said to Glacia and Eliza.
"Be quiet! There's no need to panic. As for the chicken coward, since it's after growth, there's no such thing as failure. In fact, you can consider this the start of the real deal!"
My body gradually became heavier. And, while feeling an intense fatigue, I spoke to Monica.
"Wait. Just wait. Stop talking as if my post-growth self is my true form! Stop it!"
From inside the jewel, the Third Head's voice trembled.
'What a timing. Lyell really is a man with luck.'
The Seventh Head also seemed to agree.
'Wonderful. From Galleria to the ship journey to Beim, if you think about the timing... it's what you'd call the best possible timing.'
No. Absolutely not. This time, there is absolutely no way I'll arrive in Beim after growing... I hope so.