kscans

Chapter 93 - Daily Life on the Battlefield

At the viscount's pale-faced words, Goltor replied, "I’ve recovered enough to return to the front. I just arrived. That’s all."

Hearing this, the viscount asked, "J-Just arrived, you say? Th-Then, could it be, th-that exchange just now…?"

The viscount was trembling, praying for something.

Goltor confirmed his fears. "I saw it all. I saw you trying to drag that beautiful woman away by force."

His voice was laced with considerable anger.

The viscount trembled even more.

So this commander was not only powerful, but also high-ranking.

After a moment of silence, Goltor sighed. "Enough. Your punishment will be communicated to you later. Return to your post."

The viscount scurried away.

The commander stood before us.

"My apologies. He’s a competent enough commander, but he lets it go to his head and acts arrogantly. However, the fact remains that you struck down soldiers, even if it was to protect someone. Therefore, as a penalty, you two will fight on the central front for one week. Any objections?"

We both shook our heads.

Whatever the reason, we had raised our hands against soldiers. It was only natural that we be punished. It was far better than being kicked out of here.

With the commotion over, everyone began to head back to their tents to rest.

Late that night.

In the vice commander's room within the base.

Viscount Totto sat drinking wine, his face contorted in anger.

"Damn it! If Goltor hadn't interfered, I’d be holding that beautiful woman in my arms right now! Well, let him be smug for now. With the way things are going, it’s certain that Lady Grine will become the next emperor. It seems Lady Yorune’s policies aren’t going well.

"When she ascends the throne, there’s no doubt that I will become the commander here. After all, I am of Lady Grine’s faction. Besides, Goltor has the disgrace of failing to protect the former emperor in that incident.

"Normally, he would have been punished immediately, but Lady Yorune and Lady Grine gave him strict orders to continue his duties at the border and forbade him from entering the capital. So his position here remains unchanged. How utterly infuriating!"

He continued to grumble as he drank his wine.

It was then that it happened.

A black mist suddenly appeared in a corner of the room.

From it emerged a bewitching beauty in a maid’s uniform.

Seeing her, the viscount slurred, "Ooh, you’re Lady Grine’s personal maid, aren’t you? What brings you here? Ah, I see, you’ve come to receive my affections. How forward of you."

He said nothing about the black mist.

He seemed to be quite drunk. However, the maid—Harynair the Corruptor—had a face full of rage.

In an instant, she was beside the viscount, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck.

As the viscount choked, Harynair hissed, "You fool. What have you done? If Goltor hadn't appeared, those two would never have come to the Empire again. You would have ruined everything I’ve set up. Now, what should I do with you?"

Her voice was overflowing with killing intent.

It was a side of her one could never have imagined. She had thrown her entire being into this matter, and now, because of this piece of trash…

Not loosening her grip, Harynair continued, "I want to kill you right now, but you’re part of Grine’s faction. It would be troublesome if there were repercussions. So, you will fight of your own free will and die."

She declared it with a furious smile.

A purple gas emanated from Harynair.

The viscount was helpless as he inhaled it.

His face went slack, as if his life force had been drained. Confirming this, Harynair released him.

His eyes were vacant, reflecting nothing.

Her face now a mask of indifference, Harynair was enveloped in the black mist and vanished.

Around noon.

We were with the forces on the central front.

The faces of the soldiers and knights were determined. There were adventurers among them, too, but none I recognized. They must have been here before us.

A man who appeared to be the unit commander spoke.

"We are now heading to the battlefield. As always, your duty is to subjugate the approaching monsters. Additionally, it has recently become clear that the monsters’ movements are becoming more active. A fierce battle is expected, but it will not last much longer. The completion of a new weapon from the capital is near! Everyone, our victory is at hand! I expect great things from you! Move out!"

With that command, we stepped onto the battlefield.

From a distance, I had thought it was just flat land, but up close, there were large holes and boulders big enough to hide a person. There were plenty of obstacles.

The others took their positions, and we joined the adventurers’ section.

And then, we heard the roar of monsters.

That was the signal. A great army of monsters began their advance.

The humans’ first attack was long-range, from the catapults.

The goal wasn’t to hit them, but to break their formation. Indeed, the monsters were dodging the large rocks, and their lines were in disarray.

However, some among them, mainly Cyclopes and Ogres, were destroying the rocks with their weapons. The feats of the strong were always flashy. The monsters were gradually getting closer.

The unit commander shouted, "All forces! Defend this position to the death!"

With a roar from the human side, the battle began.

At the frontline base.

In the commander’s office.

Goltor gazed out at the battlefield, a sight he saw every day.

Just then, there was a knock, and the door opened.

A woman in purple armor and glasses entered.

Seeing her, Goltor asked, "What is it, Chevre? Has something happened?"

To this, the woman—his aide-de-camp, Chevre—replied, "Yes. I heard that the vice commander went to the eastern front. Is this because of yesterday’s incident?"

Goltor answered, "Before I could inform him of his punishment for yesterday’s incident, the viscount himself requested to be put on the front line. I was honestly surprised. A man of strategy, with no martial prowess, wanting to fight. I don’t know what brought about the change of heart, but his eyes were genuine. Still, it’s a fact that we can’t afford to lose him. That’s why I assigned him to the eastern front, where the danger is lowest."

He said it with a weary expression.

The viscount’s personality made him easy to misunderstand, but he hadn’t reached the position of vice commander through influence alone. He was skilled at assessing the battlefield, managing troops appropriately, and always devising the best strategies.

However, he was too confident in his own abilities, which led him to behave like an incompetent fool.

It was an endless headache. But today’s viscount was different.

He had come first thing in the morning and said he wanted to take command on the front lines. The sudden change was bewildering at first, but since Goltor had been about to deliver his punishment, the request was, in a way, a blessing. He had approved it and sent him to the battlefield with the highest probability of survival.

Sensing his intent, Chevre said, "However, yesterday’s report stated that Worms appeared on the eastern and western battlefields. Isn’t the appearance of a new monster dangerous?"

To this report, Goltor replied, "I have informed the viscount of that as well. He should be able to handle it. As long as nothing out of the ordinary happens."

As he said this, he looked out the window.

The eastern battlefield.

The viscount was commanding the troops, holding the line.

The monsters that appeared were mostly Goblins, and the adventurers and soldiers were dealing with them without difficulty.

The viscount gave precise orders from the rear, and there were currently no deaths or even serious injuries.

The adventurers were impressed by the viscount’s competence. The arrogant attitude he had shown at first had given them a strong impression that he was useless.

But they were wrong.

The viscount had become an indispensable presence on this battlefield.

But then, rocks suddenly fell from above. An avalanche of boulders. They managed to avoid them without difficulty, but they were cut off, unable to reach for aid immediately.

The viscount's stranded unit.

"Find a way out immediately. With rocks this big, there might be a passage somewhere. As soon as you find one, call back the troops in front. We need to regroup."

They moved on his orders.

At that moment, something else fell from above. But this time, it wasn't a rock.

It was a half-man, half-horse monster.

"...What a pity. If only you hadn't angered her, you could have secured a fine position."

With those words, the monster—Rodel—brought down his blade without mercy.

The battle on the central front was fierce.

The approaching monsters were individually weak, but they were formidable in groups.

I fought while conserving my strength and magic. If I miscalculated my stamina allocation, I would die. It was a harsh battlefield, but perfect for training.

Tina was doing the same, fighting at a close but safe distance from me.

I don’t know how much time had passed.

Just then, I sensed an incredible killing intent from behind the monsters’ rear guard.

I could feel its presence from afar. I couldn’t make out its form clearly, but I could tell it was huge. And it had two horns.

There were many monsters like that. The information was useless.

As I was thinking this, the monsters began to retreat. So, today’s battle was over.

After watching them go, the human side also returned to the base.

Empire, Royal Capital.

Weapons Development Department.

Grine was asking the Dwarves about the new weapon.

"How is the progress on the weapon?"

To this question, the foreman replied, "It is complete, but we will be conducting performance tests to ensure its safety, so it will take another two or three days."

Grine responded, "If it’s a test, couldn’t you just conduct it on-site?"

The foreman looked troubled. "But if there is any kind of malfunction, it may stop working. It would be impossible to repair it on the battlefield. If we were attacked by monsters during that time, it would be all over."

Grine wanted to show her dissatisfaction, but she held it in. "I understand. But please complete it as quickly as possible. The weapons I provided before—their modifications and mass production are complete, I assume?"

The foreman’s expression changed completely. "Of course. The modifications are complete, and mass production has been successful. They have also been installed. As long as the tests go well, we can deploy at any time."

Satisfied with this response, Grine said, "Is that so? I have high expectations. For the performance of this new weapon."

With those words of gratitude, she left the workshop.