317 - Return
――When Lariel's main force began their invasion, Cartaphus also moved.
It was a land that shared a border and had been plagued by frequent skirmishes for a long time.
As soon as an invasion began, Banseim would react immediately.
At a Banseim stronghold, knights stood atop the fortress with their mouths agape, watching the sight of Cartaphus launching a full-scale invasion.
"...Impossible. Why can I see flags other than Cartaphus's!"
The flags of nations surrounding Cartaphus.
Faced with an army the likes of which he had never seen before, the knight in charge of the fortress immediately decided to send a messenger to Central.
"Request reinforcements from Central. This fortress won't hold for long!"
As the messenger ran in haste, the two armies faced each other across a river.
However, the unprepared Banseim side could not possibly gather enough manpower, even if they tried.
"The Queen of Cartaphus makes her move while things are in turmoil in the east... But even if the east has fallen, we still have armies on the scale of hundreds of thousands in the west and south. Even Central still has reserves!"
The commander spoke loudly enough for the surrounding knights and soldiers to hear, attempting to reassure them with his words.
However, a messenger arrived at the fortress guarding the north. It was news that Fanbailu in the west had moved and Margrave Rezno had betrayed them, and that nations including Jampea had moved in the south――.
――Ludmila looked at the fortress facing her across the river from atop her horse.
She had stormed that fortress, or defended it, many times. It was a fortress that served as a symbol of the struggle between Cartaphus and Banseim.
"Now, I believe the messenger should have arrived by now."
Then, Valkyrie, who was beside Ludmila, spoke up.
"Is there a meaning to intentionally slowing the march? Moreover, you seem quite passive."
Ludmila chuckled as she looked at Valkyrie.
"It is obviously better to win without fighting. By delaying slightly, they will not only realize that reinforcements aren't coming, but they will also learn that Banseim is being attacked from all directions. The enemy's morale will plummet."
Valkyrie looked forward.
"Is that the excuse you will use if you are late to the rendezvous?"
Ludmila wore expensive-looking white fur over black leather armor that covered her entire body. A longsword in its scabbard hung from her shoulder.
"The north is closest to Central. I have no desire to be the first to arrive and wear down my troops. Besides, timing the rendezvous is important. If we collapse first, it will affect the morale of the alliance."
Acting while also seeking her own profit, Ludmila smirked a while later when she saw an envoy from Banseim arrive for the purpose of negotiation――.
――In the west, the army centered around Fanbailu, whom Margrave Rezno had let pass through, had begun their invasion of the west.
The surrounding barons, viscounts, and landed nobles gathered their dependents and prepared for thorough resistance, but they likely never imagined that Margrave Rezno, who was entrusted with the border, would simply let Fanbailu pass.
Unable to prepare in time, they were being defeated individually before they could merge their forces.
Fanbailu was eager to use this opportunity to reclaim the territories once stripped away by the Wolt family, and Margrave Rezno was invading the newly granted territories to confirm his holdings.
Then, Bauris Rezno occupied the manor of one of the baron families and made it the base for Rezno's army.
A baron brought before the Margrave lay bound with rope.
"Margrave! Do you understand! Is this not a clear act of betrayal!"
Bauris looked at the baron before him.
"The Banseim royal family betrayed me first. Moreover, to demand not only the heir, but even my wife and grandchildren... You, do you feel nothing about having your family taken as hostages!"
The baron glared at Bauris.
"Is that not the way of the nobility! It is not as if it has never happened in the past! You traitor to the state, swayed by family affection!"
However, Bauris remained unshaken.
"Who would swear loyalty to a state without authority? It is simply that the current Banseim has no such value. You were the ones who misread the tide of the times."
Then, one of Bauris's subordinates ran up.
"Lord Bauris, I have searched the manor. As you pointed out, it seems he already had a mistress. There is a child, and they appear to be the baron's child without a doubt."
Bauris looked down at the baron.
"...Knowing your family was not safe, you prepared an heir for yourself. You sold out your family, didn't you?"
The baron made a somewhat crazed smile.
"What of it? It is our duty to continue the bloodline. I knew those taken as hostages were not safe. But... what of it! For the stability of the house, I would cast aside my family as many times as necessary. That is what we nobles are!"
Bauris thought of the faces of his son, his son's wife, and his grandchildren.
"Hmph. But this baron's house is finished. I will let it be known that you died an honorable death in battle. If your family is alive, I shall take care of them. I pity the family you abandoned."
Once the baron was led away, Bauris covered his face with his left hand.
"Lord Bauris."
As his subordinate looked on with concern, Bauris spoke.
"...What he says may be correct, but still, there is a part of me that prays for my son's safety. The hope is slim, but if only he were alive... no, I am afraid to know. What has become of my son."
The knight who was his subordinate also looked down on the spot.
Celes was cruel and heartless. She was a woman who would calmly kill even those who were devoted to her.
Bauris told his subordinates.
"We move forward for now. If the rendezvous is delayed, there is a possibility our territories will be reduced for that reason. Hurry and move to suppress the next target."
The subordinates followed Bauris as he left the room――.
――The south.
Jule provoked Banseim and then immediately fled into the mountains, luring them in.
He showed a stance of fighting only on the battlefields where they excelled. Perhaps because they learned that surrounding nations had moved and they were being attacked from four directions, a sense of impatience was visible on the Banseim side.
They likely wanted to defeat Jampea quickly and move to help others.
"They've underestimated us."
Jule, the King of Jampea, had a white cloth draped over his shoulders and wrapped around his waist over his armor. It was decorated with gold and stood out.
"Your Majesty, will you simply continue to draw in the southern troops like this?"
"That is the promise, after all. On flat ground, they are naturally more advantaged. Well, I intend to attack if they show their backs... though the enemy might collapse first."
It was entirely possible that the landed nobles in the south, hearing of the continent's movements, would consider switching sides.
Indeed, seeing Banseim becoming passive even while fighting, Jule touched his chin with his hand.
"Now, I wonder where the main attraction, the leader of the alliance, is at the moment."
When Jule said that, Valkyrie, who was nearby, answered his words.
"They are already before Banseim's direct territories. They are currently facing the last landed noble."
Hearing that, Jule said.
"The east lost before and had their soldiers absorbed. So, there is no real resistance, huh. In that case, I must firmly pin down the southern soldiers here."
While saying so.
(If possible, I'd like to lead the southern lords and rush to their aid to put them in my debt. If I do that, I won't have trouble finding a place to marry that one off. I can't keep her in the country, and she's a nuisance, so I want to somehow push— entrust her. It seems Ludmila-dono also failed, so I must move as well)
Jule thought about how to push off his problematic half-sister while considering his next strategy――.
――An army of approximately 190,000 surrounded the city of the last lord before Banseim's direct territories.
It was Lariel's main force, but they were not showing any movement now.
Because they had been able to make such a rapid advance, it wasn't that they were out of breath, but they were taking breaks while negotiating with the opponent.
The ones handling it were Baldoor and Maxim.
An envoy from the count's house had come and was explaining the current situation while sweating with an indescribable expression.
Inside the tent, the envoy seemed to be desperately making excuses before the two of them.
"W-we are also puzzled as to what on earth is happening... W-we certainly held our spears against you, but when blue particles of light suddenly fell, we returned to our senses, so to speak."
Before Lariel had left.
He had dispelled Celes's charm on the surroundings. Because of that, the count's house, which had been bellicose, had suddenly become passive.
Baldoor, while understanding the other's feelings.
"Why don't you calm down a bit? In such a state, we cannot even negotiate properly. I recommend you return and organize your feelings."
The envoy said to Baldoor.
"B-but! I cannot remain calm before such a massive army. Voices of anxiety are already rising internally――"
Maxim crossed his arms.
"That is your convenience, not ours. Calm your interior, and once a policy is decided, we shall resume negotiations. Well, we must set a time limit. For now, come back in a week."
Seeing the envoy's shoulders slump, the two felt a pang of heartache. After sending the envoy away, the two sighed. Baldoor wiped away his sweat.
"With this, we've bought time and can avoid doing security activities."
Maxim agreed.
"If we charge in immediately, management will be a pain. We can't march while Lord Lariel is absent. Besides, it would be troublesome if the soldiers ran wild inside the city."
The two were somehow hiding the fact that Lariel was absent, sending the envoy away to buy time.
Baldoor looked up.
"...Somehow, Lord Lariel's return to his hometown has been realized."
He said so sadly――.
Within the memories of the successive heads in the orb, I had seen the manor many times.
However, seeing it in reality like this gave me a different impression.
"Various details are different. The flow of time exists even for the manor."
At the fountain located past the manor's main gate, a stone statue was placed. However, the shape of the statue was different from the one I had seen in the orb.
Novem, who was beside me, remained expressionless.
"...It was destroyed when Lord Myzel and Lady Claire had a marital spat. It was repaired, but Lord Myzel said he was tired of seeing the previous one."
A marital spat... It seems my father also had a side that was very typical of the Wolt family.
Looking around, I saw the figure of a servant who had collapsed to their knees and was covering their face with their hands. Those who had taken up weapons and tried to end their own lives were surrounded and held down by the knights I had brought.
I had come to the Wolt family territory located in the southwest.
I had entered with a small number of people, but since the Wolt knights and soldiers I brought along guided me, I was able to enter easily.
And from there, I released them from Celes's binding with the orb.
Aria and Miranda came before me.
"Lariel, I've brought them."
"The Wolt family butler is quite extreme. He even wrote a will. Should I say he recovers quickly, or is he just impulsive?"
I stood before the manor's butler.
"...What happened to Old Man Zel's hut?"
The butler remained with his head bowed.
"I am sorry, Young Master... I am sorry..."
Shannon, who was behind me, pulled on my clothes.
"Lariel, not now. He seems truly in despair. You have to let him rest."
Thinking that she was right, I spoke to those around me.
"Suicide is not permitted. This is an order. Also, I am not considering any particular punishment. I will place guards, but rest for a while starting today."
As I began to walk, Eva and May looked around the manor.
"It doesn't really feel like they've been liberated. They seem very sad, or rather, it feels like we're the ones doing something wrong."
"More than that, I'm curious about that way. Look, here they come!"
The one running toward us was a single knight. His features were in the handsome category, but he was a knight with a baby face that could be considered cute.
"Get out! You disgrace to the Wolt family!!!"
With a fierce expression, he drew the sword at his waist and slashed at me. A guard knight who rushed forward in a panic was cut down, and as Eva and May stepped in front of me.
I pushed them aside with my hand and drew the katana at my waist. The katana of rare metal, which I had finally finished tempering, emitted a pale blue light.
Slashing with the momentum of drawing it from the scabbard, I tore through the opponent along with the knight's sword.
Flicking the katana to shake off the blood, I looked at the opponent.
"A face I don't recognize."
A knight who had been in the manor spoke in a weak voice.
"...He was Lady Celes's favorite knight. After Lady Celes went to the royal capital, he was ignored. He talked to himself every day."
He must have sworn loyalty to Celes from the bottom of his heart. It wasn't Celes's binding, but true loyalty.
"So there are people like that too. I see. Treat the guard knight. Then, collect all weapons. If they resist, you may cut them down."
Giving the instructions, I headed toward the place where I had received the orb.
"...Old Man Zel, I'm home. I'm sorry. I... I didn't make it in time."
In that place where not even burnt ruins remained, only the part where the hut had been was now devoid of grass.
Once, I had received the orb here.
If Old Man Zel hadn't been here, I probably wouldn't be here now.
Eva approached us.
"Lariel, I've brought them. Old Man Zel's family."
I turned around and saw Old Man Zel's family. The grandchildren had grown, and the son and daughter were already of a good age. There was even a great-grandchild. I briefly explained the circumstances and thanked the family.
Glacia, who returned shortly after, seemed to have bought the things I had requested.
"It seems this is all there is right now. Well, it's this season, after all."
Receiving the bouquet, I placed it in the spot where the hut had been.
Eliza looked around.
"It really was in a hidden place."
Clara looked at me.
"Is this a place you wanted to show us?"
I shook my head in denial to Clara.
"It's not that. I actually wanted to show him. That I'm okay. I actually intended to become a first-class adventurer and repay Old Man Zel. But I didn't make it in time..."
Monica's tone was not her usual teasing one.
"A savior of your life. In that case, he is a savior to us as well. To think he managed to maintain his consciousness and live within this maddened manor. There must have been many painful things."
Then, Old Man Zel's son spoke.
"My father was injured in the past when the Adventurers' Guild betrayed us and ran wild in the territory. I heard he worked hard because he was on the verge of becoming a knight from a soldier. The original Lariel was absent, and he apparently fought to protect it no matter what... but he felt regret that he could not meet the original Lariel's expectations."
I didn't know Old Man Zel had such a past.
However, I knew the reason why the seventh head kept Old Man Zel by his side.
"No, Grandfather was grateful to Old Man Zel. He did meet his expectations. Besides, he is the savior of my life. If you have any trouble, tell me. I want to at least be able to protect Old Man Zel's family."
Old Man Zel's family shook their heads.
"My father would be satisfied just hearing those words. Besides, we have a home and assets. The original Lariel treated us very well."
Thinking that the seventh head had also been considerate.
"I see. Then, tell me if anything happens."
Saying so, I looked back at the place where the hut had been.
In a small voice.
"...I couldn't become a first-class adventurer, but I wonder if you can forgive me, Old Man Zel."