324 - The enemy of my enemy is still an enemy, not an ally
――Within the coalition forces that had invaded Central, morale was beginning to plummet in the face of an enemy that kept advancing, no matter how many they cut down.
Day after day, they fought against the Banseim side, which showed no sign of weakening despite suffering tens of thousands of casualties. Mental anxiety was overwhelming the soldiers even before their physical strength gave out.
The initial estimate of two hundred thousand—a number each army had guessed independently—was easily surpassed. In just a few days, nearly two hundred thousand enemy soldiers had surged out from Central. The coalition forces had defeated them.
However, there was no room for celebration.
Shortly before the meeting was held in the Mobile Fortress, the representatives of each nation had been holding their own discussions to align their opinions.
Cartaphus, leading the north.
Fanbayle, leading the west.
Jampea, leading the south.
Each of them discussed based on the premise of how they could reduce their own losses.
Even Lariel's forces, centered in the east, were beginning to see their opinions split.
To cool off from the heat of the meeting, Ludmila stepped outside. After confirming that Valkyrie, whom she introduced to those around her as her guard, was following behind, she looked up at the night sky.
"Now then, every single one of them is already looking for a way out after only a few days. What does the Alliance Leader think?"
Ludmila asked Valkyrie with a slight smile. Valkyrie replied in a detached tone.
"I believe things are proceeding as planned. I predict that if they flee now, the coalition will collapse."
At that, Ludmila crossed her arms. Clad in a fur coat, her posture was truly imposing. Her reddish-purple hair obscured one eye.
"Hoh, so you predicted it, did you? But what is the response?"
Rather than pondering, Valkyrie looked down once, then raised her head.
"...Should the coalition collapse, we will launch a direct assault on Central."
Hearing this opinion, Ludmila asked,
"Was it alright to tell me that?"
"It would be problematic if it were known. However, the conditions for victory on the battlefield have already been met. My master's objective can be achieved even if the coalition collapses."
Ludmila murmured softly.
"Objective, huh. Well, I suppose so."
Ludmila had received a certain amount of information from Lariel. However, she carried the weight of a great power like Cartaphus. The information Lariel provided was limited, and she considered that natural.
Still, she could guess.
(He has brought things to a state where he can challenge them at any time. After that, he likely intends to force them to face reality, or grind them down to deplete their strength. Well, that level of ruthlessness is more fitting for my husband.)
Ludmila smiled.
"The Alliance Leader—Lariel—will surely go to hell if he dies. Well, assuming such a place exists."
Valkyrie bowed.
"He is prepared for that. There is no need for concern."
Ludmila laughed.
"Don't say that. He stands above others. It would be problematic if he grew cowardly over something like hell. Well, if he isn't evil, he's a necessary evil. I respect him. Though, as the one being ground down, I do have my complaints."
Having said that, Ludmila looked up at the sky again. Her flushed skin felt pleasant as it was cooled by the outside air—.
After more than seven days of observing the battlefield from within the Mobile Fortress,
reports began arriving to me one after another. Through Monica, there were casualty reports and requests for reinforcements from each army.
"Chicken coward, Fanbayle has pulled back some of their units. It seems the damage exceeds their expectations. They are requesting reinforcements."
Grasping the orb and grasping the entirety of the battlefield, I saw that the forces in the western direction were indeed rotating their units. Taking advantage of that gap, Fanbayle's forces were being broken.
"...Leave the reinforcement units to Miranda. Tell her to take Glacia and Eliza with her."
Monica offered her opinion.
"Aria-san is also ready."
However, I raised my left hand.
"Aria is too earnest. Even if she pushed them back, there's a high possibility she'd try to save them in earnest and increase our own casualties. Miranda is the right person for the job."
Monica did not push back against my words and immediately issued the instructions. Due to the exchange of magic, the sound of explosions could be heard all around, making it quite noisy.
Vera, who had been watching me, spoke up.
"Is that okay? They're allies who are helping us."
I shook my head.
"This coalition isn't that kind of thing. They're a group that only came together because there's an enemy called Banseim. Every one of them realized before coming here that they lack a solid foundation. If only my losses are heavy, forces aiming to reap the benefits of the conflict will surely emerge. Besides, even if Fanbayle wins this battle, they'll only be recovering territories they lost in the past. There's a high possibility that clumsy ambitions will surface."
They are cooperating because there is an enemy—Celes of Banseim—but they are not allies.
If they were allies, how much easier would this have been? I wouldn't have to fight a battle that intentionally uses Celes to grind them down.
"To prevent them from showing ambition after the war, isn't it enough to just show our strength here?"
Vera's words were reasonable. Seeing allies dying before her eyes, she looked at me with doubting eyes as I told her to let them be worn down. Even if one understands it intellectually, I believe humans waver when people die before them.
I want to believe that.
"If I show my strength, there's a possibility they'll become even more wary and bolster their military. Well, my strategy is for everyone to get worn down together in harmony. Though, if I were in the opposite position, I'd invade too. Well, it's better than entering an era of warring states where numerous lords vie for power after the war."
It would be out of the question if the surrounding countries invaded the moment Celes was defeated.
Furthermore, it's important to strike whoever you can, whether they're an enemy or an ally, while you still can. After all, the future of the continent is decided in this battle. No, it's almost certain, but there are forces that will be troubled once it is finalized. From the perspective of those with ambition, someone like me is nothing but a nuisance.
Monica called out to me.
"Chicken coward, Miranda's squad has deployed. Shall I notify the Fanbayle side that reinforcements have been sent?"
After thinking for a moment.
"If the contact is too fast, they might say we arrived late later on. Delay the contact a bit."
"Understood."
Hearing the conversation between Monica and me, Vera looked troubled. Seeing her like that actually puts me at ease. My actions are for the sake of the future, but if she did it with joy, it would leave a prickle in my heart.
――Miranda was heading to the rescue of Fanbayle, leading the units of Glacia and Eliza.
Rather than the Kingdom of Fanbayle, it was likely a unit led by some country in the western region. With Valkyries positioned on both flanks, Miranda confirmed the surrounding situation upon arriving at the rescue.
The forces in retreat numbered less than ten thousand.
"A small force took quite a bit of damage. Well, it'll be a pain later if we're too blatantly late, so shall we go?"
If she had hurried, she could have arrived sooner, but she intentionally didn't. Aria had tried to go for the rescue, but by being the one appointed, Miranda firmly grasped Lariel's thinking.
(This kind of thing isn't suited for Aria.)
Aria's simple nature was prominent, but to Miranda, that was also part of Aria's charm.
(Well, it's easier to work when there are fewer people like me.)
Then, Glacia approached Miranda.
"The Fanbayle side's formation has collapsed, and they're being picked apart from there. I think we should charge first and push the enemy back?"
The breakthrough power of Glacia and Eliza was extraordinary considering the scale of the army. However, Miranda rejected that opinion.
"I want you two to focus on command. You have important work ahead, and it would be problematic if you were injured."
Then, Eliza, who had approached to confirm the situation, distorted her expression.
"If it's only to this extent, it's not a problem, is it?"
Miranda directed a smile at Eliza. Then, she began to exert silent pressure. When Eliza looked away, Glacia said nothing either.
As the two returned to their units, Miranda looked at the battlefield.
"...I'm sorry, but for Lariel's sake, I'll have you suffer more casualties."
Miranda apologized in a whisper to the soldiers who were dying—.
――The royal bedroom.
There, Celes was lying down in her sleepwear. While having her mother, Claire, give her a lap pillow, she was waiting for reports to arrive.
When the door was knocked, Meizel, who was in front of the door, answered.
"Enter."
"Excuse me."
When the messenger knight entered the room, he straightened his back.
"Our army inflicted damage on the forces primarily composed of the Kingdom of Fanbayle, but the attacking units were completely wiped out upon the arrival of the reinforcement units. Today as well, no significant results were achieved!"
Meizel wore a bitter expression, but the sleepy Celes raised her face from her mother's lap and looked at the messenger knight.
"I see. Good work, you may leave. Tomorrow, target Cartaphus or Jampea."
"Yes!"
After the knight left the room, Meizel spoke.
"Pathetic lot. To be unable to produce even decent results."
However, Celes smiled as she rested her head on her mother's lap again.
"It's fine, Father, because I can prepare as many as I want. Besides, isn't an enemy who keeps winning without an end in sight more difficult? They might think Central has no more military strength left. But they keep coming out one after another... ufufu."
Meizel smiled at the amused Celes.
"True, Celes. Surely the enemy's morale will collapse first in the face of an endless war. Once that happens, we only need to hunt down the collapsed rebel army."
Celes laughed.
"Then, shall we just invade as is? My legions don't need food or sleep. Well, if there's a weakness, it would be my sleep time, I suppose?"
Laughing, Celes imagined the panicked faces of the coalition forces. Pursuing them, and then running wild in other countries to mass-produce soldiers.
Celes was delighted at the thought of spreading death throughout the continent—.
Night.
While letting Miranda's returned unit rest, I was talking with Novem.
On the roof of the Mobile Fortress, I confirmed with Novem.
"Celes's skill—no, the skill Agrissa created—is the resurrection of the dead?"
Novem, without looking at me, gazed toward the walls of Central.
"No, resurrection of the dead is impossible with a skill. Besides, there are limits to creating skills, so it is not such a thing. It is a type of skill that reproduces the memories of those who once lived using the dead as a medium. ...It's a skill like a failed work."
Facing the same direction as Novem, I pondered Celes's skill.
"Then, no matter how many enemies I defeat, it's meaningless, huh. Central's population exceeds one million. Though the number of people has decreased due to troop deployments and such, there should be at least that many. Honestly, she really did it."
Then, Novem looked at me. He had an expression that looked more tired than usual.
"Celes-sama does not have only one skill. Since it's a skill that exerts that much power, there must be a considerable load. Furthermore, Celes-sama's original skills should be almost unusable due to the limits of her ability. The number of skills she possesses is an unknown quantity."
When I fought Celes.
She had probably already used several skills. It might be due to simple ability, but there were things that couldn't be explained by that alone.
Celes, who was that strong, couldn't avoid the snowball Shannon threw. I believe she was relying on a skill, and by chance, there was a hole there.
"She stole all of my original abilities and sealed my memories as a bonus. Then she used up her own skills. That alone is enough. Because I won't have anything more stolen from me."
One troublesome skill has already been crushed.
And Celes, who only uses monotonous attacks.
Perhaps the limit is closer than expected.
Novem looked at me worriedly.
"...She will be waiting, I imagine."
"Probably. For her, this battle is a game. If it were a serious fight, she would still be struggling."
Celes launching an offensive is the action I fear most. If my talented personnel are defeated individually, the plan will collapse.
I judged that the reason she doesn't—no, can't—do that is because the load of the skills on Celes is greater than imagined. Though she might be waiting, having calculated that as well.
"Lariel-sama, the morale of the coalition forces also seems to be near its limit. It may only be a matter of time before they collapse."
"True. Even though I'm winning, I hate this kind of battle. Well, I don't like war itself much. I'd rather be dealing with monsters."
Then, just a little. Just a tiny bit, Novem looked happy.
"Indeed. There should be more things to do than humans fighting each other."
I looked up at the night sky.
"...If I hadn't met Celes in Central like that, would I have continued being an adventurer?"
To my question, Novem replied,
"Eventually, word of Celes-sama's deeds would have reached you. Since she would have launched an offensive across the continent sooner or later, it may have been a matter of time."
If I had fled far away, I surely wouldn't have had to go through various hardships. After Celes killed Old Man Zel, my hut was burned down, and I lost Rondo-san and the others—the adventurer comrades I had known.
I laughed softly.
"What is the matter?"
"No... rather than many unknown people being massacred, having a few people I know killed resonated more in my heart. Am I crazy? Well, I probably am crazy."
Then, Novem shook his head.
"No, that is not the case."
I took a deep breath. Then, I turned around to return indoors.
"I'll call everyone together tomorrow. Once preparations are complete, we execute the operation."
Having said only that, Novem bowed and obeyed my words.
"Yes. As per your orders, Lariel-sama."