kscans

t/n: phewww. finished chapter 5. next arc coming right up.

OldKnight v5e10 part 2

CHAPTER 5 WARS OF NATIONS – Episode 10 Hillpri Marche (Part 2)

4

The monster swung its greatsword. A golden light bullet that’s taller than a person flew towards Kirie. Kirie dodged the bullet, which should have been invisible. However, he couldn’t completely avoid it and was torn to shreds and blown away. Bard approached the monster with his spear. His weapon was a magic spear. He thought a longer weapon would be better against this opponent. The monster unleashed a torrent of light. Bard, Karz, and Arflaburne were blown away.

As Bard looked up and saw the monster with its back turned, Jog and Chantillion were struggling beyond it. They had been hit by the light bullet. When the General of Greed mowed down multiple enemies at once, he created a wave of light, and when he targeted a single enemy, he fired a light bullet. Both were difficult to dodge, as Karz had taught them. The light was only visible to people like Karz and Bard. Indeed, there was no way to dodge it. However, the most terrifying attack from the General of Greed was not either of these.

Jog quickly got up and charged at the monster again. He swung his black sword at the monster. With the greatsword still emitting a golden light, the monster met Jog’s black sword with a horizontal strike. The black sword was broken in half, and Jog was slammed into the ground. Jog, who had suffered a fatal blow, lay motionless.

This was it. This attack was the most terrifying. There was no choice but to assume that it would be fatal.

Arflaburne leaped in from the left. The monster raised its greatsword. Arflaburne threw his shield. The monster changed the trajectory of the greatsword it was about to strike Arflaburne with and deflected the shield. Arflaburne’s magic sword pierced the monster’s abdomen. But in a split second, the monster twisted its body and sent Arflaburne flying with its left fist. At the same time as Arflaburne’s charge, Bard thrust his magic spear into the monster’s side. However, the magic spear was repelled by the armor and muscles, only managing to make a shallow wound. In the next moment, the monster’s left fist caught Bard’s chest, and Bard was sent flying with the magic spear still in hand.

Despite its massive size, the monster’s speed and reflexes were extraordinary. Bard understood the meaning of Karz’s comment that it had no openings. An opponent like this wouldn’t allow anyone to get close. Indeed, this was an enemy they couldn’t fight head-on.

But… wasn’t it about time for the poison to start taking effect? After the concentrated attack of the improved crossbows, followed by the strongest lineup launching consecutive attacks, it wasn’t because they thought they could defeat him. By keeping him moving, they were helping the poison from the crossbows to finish off the monster. Each crossbow arrow was coated with the poison of the Wormegier (rotten snake). Jurchaga had gone all the way to Pakula to get it.

Surrounding a single opponent with a large group and aiming at him with poisoned arrows from the crossbow unit was an unimaginable strategy in a knight-to-knight battle. Bard deliberately chose this unimaginable strategy. The opponent was none other than the one that Cantor Edda, Karz, and Seifert had been unable to handle. It was truly a demonic beast in the form of a human.

And the strategy had worked perfectly. It had worked, but the monster didn’t fall. Why? He had about twenty arrows stuck in him, some of them deeply embedded. Could it be that the poison wasn’t working? If that were the case, there would be no way to defeat this monster.

Why wasn’t the monster falling? He showed no signs of suffering and remained calm. Kirie stood up behind the monster and swiftly attacked it with his godspeed footwork. The monster quickly turned around and struck Kirie with a sword enveloped in golden light. Kirie stared at the attacking great sword and was blown away. He was thrown to the ground and lay motionless. Jog and Arflaburne were unable to stand up. Karz and Chantillion were trying to get up, but they had little strength left to swing their swords. As for Bard, he stood with a magic spear as a staff, but he had no energy left to attack.

At that moment, Bard suddenly thought. When he had referred to the monster as a demonic beast at the council meeting, it was just a figure of speech and nothing more. But, perhaps. Perhaps, it was actually correct. A beast turned into a demonic beast gains a strong life force, grows in size, and becomes a formidable monster that is not easily killed by cutting or stabbing. Could this man be exactly that? Just as a beast bathed in demonic aura becomes a demonic beast, could this man have also absorbed the breath of a demon?

In that case. If that’s the case.

Bard drew his ancient sword from his waist. The monster looked down at him intently. Bard brandished the ancient sword towards the monster and shouted the name of his beloved horse that was no longer there.

“Stavroooooos!!”

A blue-green light burst from the sword and rushed towards the monster. The light exploded. When it subsided, there stood the figure of the General of Greed, unperturbed.

No, it didn’t work.

The monster replied to Bard’s inadvertently leaked voice.

“No, it did have some effect. I was almost taken down. Gugu, gugu. A sword untainted by filth can unleash such power. But I have absorbed the power of five divine beasts. One alone cannot defeat me.”

Intense exhaustion overwhelmed Bard. He had exerted all his strength wielding the ancient sword. His consciousness would soon plunge into darkness. Would he fall into a long slumber? No. The General of Greed would not leave him to a sleep from which he would never awaken.

No! He must not fall like this. With this formidable lineup and such preparations, if they couldn’t defeat the monster at this moment, they wouldn’t be able to defeat it. Jules would be killed. They absolutely had to defeat it here.

It seemed as if Bard’s prayer had summoned reinforcements from the heavens. There was a sound from the rear. The sound of galloping horses. When a well-trained horse carries a heavily armored knight, it makes such a sound. A lone warrior charged forward. Bard, unable to move his head, couldn’t turn around. The General of Greed looked at the running horse with a curious gaze. Then, he raised his great sword. The sound of hooves drew closer, and the horse passed by Bard.

It was Gorz Boa.

He was the knight who had won the jousting division at the Frontier Martial Arts Tournament. He had a face like a horse and used a helmet that had a peculiar shield-like shape. Just yesterday, they had met after a long time and had just promised to have a good drink again. Gorz Boa held a long and sturdy lance in his right hand, rode a giant horse, and charged with a shield in his left hand. The monster aimed a merciless sword strike at Gorz’s head. The great sword shone dazzlingly in a golden color with a slashing blow that could destroy anything it touched. It easily deflected the shield and gouged into his head. Everyone must have thought that the blow that struck his head would have killed this extraordinary man.

However, Gorz Boa, who was supposed to have lost his life, continued his charge and his massive lance pierced the monster’s right abdomen. It then gouged through, tearing out its entrails. Gorz Boa’s horse, with its master still on it, ran through as if there had been no monster’s attack.

The monster’s face contorted in astonishment, and it instinctively clutched its right abdomen with its left hand. Karz Rowen did not miss the small opening the monster showed for the first time. He had rushed towards the monster from its blind spot. His agility was beyond human limits, and he must have poured all his remaining energy into it. Realizing something was coming from behind, the monster tried to counterattack but was slightly too slow. Karz’s magic sword, Van Fleur, severed the monster’s right arm gripping the great sword at the elbow. As Karz was sent flying, Chantillion’s magic sword pierced the monster’s lower abdomen. The monster flung Chantillion away with its left hand.

But the monster could not do more than that. It stood there, writhing in agony. Yes, that’s right. Now. The venom of the rotten snake, the arrows thrust into it, the wounds inflicted by Gorz, Karz, and Chantillion. They were tormenting and trying to kill this monster.

Later, Bard realized. General Lugurgoa’s strength came from absorbing the spirits of the five divine beasts. His resilience to withstand twenty powerful arrows shot by the improved crossbow was also due to that. The ability to release light bullets, create a wave of light, and give lethal power to his sword also stemmed from drawing out the spiritual power within him. Therefore, when an attack that completely caught him off guard landed, even the monster could not remain invincible. Bard’s use of the ancient sword might have effectively disrupted the accumulated spiritual power within the monster. Suddenly, the ground shook. The Shinkai cavalry had launched an assault upon learning of General Lugurgoa’s peril. In response, Cedermont’s command resounded and the allied forces also began their assault. The front line of the allied forces consisted of knights wielding lances. With this weapon, they would not lose out in reach to the Shinkai forces’ polearms. The impact was truly terrifying. Gorz Boa was also part of this force.

A combined total of over one thousand and five hundred cavalry charged like a raging wave. The thunderous sound was enough to make one think the earth was collapsing. However, it did not result in an even clash. The Shinkai forces’ aim was to ensure General Lugurgoa’s escape. Soon, the allied forces chased away the Shinkai forces who fled towards the north.

5

They had won. They had defeated General of Greed. That wound was fatal. The wound in the abdomen was prone to decay. Moreover, having torn through the entrails, there was no hope of survival. With his right hand lost, there was no fear of his final struggle. Pursue them, chase them, Cedermont. Drive them out of this land.

Then, a lone horseman arrived. It was Gorz Boa returning. Bard, who was on the verge of collapsing, mustered his remaining strength to at least call out to the distinguished hero.

Gorz approached. Seeing him approach, Bard lost his voice.

His left arm was gone. It must have been blown away along with the shield. His helmet had come off, revealing his face. Half of his face had been gouged out. He had lost his left eye and the left half of his brain. In that state, a human could not survive. Before Bard, the horse stopped. Gorz looked at Bard with his remaining right eye and smiled faintly. It seemed like a smile. Then, he swayed and fell from the horse.

Bard’s body also began to falter, and someone supported him. It was Jurchaga. Bard stared in astonishment at Gorz, who had fallen to the ground.

A girl approached. She was a peasant. The girl knelt beside Gorz and closed his open right eye, then she cradled his bloodied head in her hands, weeping.

This girl was Marche, wasn’t she? Unknowingly, Bard thought so. Marche was a girl from the village of Rocal. Gorz had protected that village from enemies about ten years ago, and the girl had expressed her gratitude to him. However, six months later, the village had been ravaged by a terrible epidemic and all its inhabitants slaughtered. Gorz had said that he must have killed the girl, Marche, at that time. But she hadn’t died. Worried about Gorz, she had come to this terrifying battlefield.

Suddenly, a dark emotion swelled within Bard. Surprised by himself, he tried to discern the nature of that feeling. It turned out to be jealousy. Bard was consumed with envy. He couldn’t help it. Gorz had defeated an enemy no one else could, protected the country, the king, and the people, and now he was dying in the arms of his beloved. Could there be a more noble way for a knight to die? What a difference between himself, who had failed to die and was living in old age and ugliness. That’s why Bard was so envious. With disgust at himself, Bard let go of his consciousness.

6

The girl was indeed Marche. Thanks to Jurchaga’s inquiries with Marche and Gorz’s attendants, Bard was able to learn about it after waking up. When the village was razed by Lord Gorz’s soldiers, Marche was away visiting her married sister in a nearby village. At first, she was shocked and deeply saddened by the destruction and loss of lives in the village. However, upon learning that it was Gorz who had ordered the village to be burned, she became concerned about something else. She was certain that the kind knight must be suffering inside. She wanted to convey that it wasn’t true. Thanks to swift action, the spread of the death ash disease was contained. Marche’s sister’s village and the other villages were unharmed. She wanted to convey her gratitude and that she held no grudge. So, a few years later, she went to the town where the lord lived to meet Gorz. However, Gorz had become the adopted son of a count ruling a different territory and was no longer there. When she visited the town ruled by the count a little later, unfortunately Gorz was not present. She visited three times, but Gorz was always absent.

In fact, Gorz was not absent. The count had ordered his retainers not to let the village girl meet Gorz. Upon hearing this, Bard felt anger towards the count’s actions. However, upon reflection, he realized that the count’s decision might have been an act of kindness, considering that the survivors of the massacred village had come to meet Gorz.

This time, she heard rumors that all the knights in the country were gathering in the Gort Plains to fight against the Shinkai army. Thinking that Gorz might also come, she disregarded her sister’s warning not to go due to the danger and went to a place where both armies could be seen. Yes, Marche’s village was close by. The destroyed village of Rocal* was also located in a corner of the Gort Plains. Bard thought Gorz Boa would have died satisfied this time, having protected what he needed to protect. (t/n: perhaps Rokaru->Rocarl would be better. Or Local Village? this is not a comedy novel)

Jurchaga removed the flower tube attached to the blown-off helmet and handed it to Marche. Upon hearing its origin, Marche shed new tears and hugged the flower tube. Gorz’s attendants did not reproach her for it. While the attendants carried away Gorz’s remains and armor, for some reason, his left arm was left behind. Marche dug a hole and buried Gorz’s arm, placing a stone as a grave marker and offering the remaining flowers from the flower tube. Chantillion and Arflaburne followed the pursuing army, while Karz, Jog, and Kirie offered silent prayers at the grave marker.

After some time from the battle, an unseasonable long rain fell, washing away Gorz’s grave marker along with the aftermath of the battle. Strangely, the once desolate place turned into a grassland, blooming with colorful flowers. Unbeknownst to anyone, the place came to be called “Hillpri Marche” (Marche’s Flower Garden). (t/n: マルチェの花畑 -> Maruche no Hanabatake. a french speaker might probably give a more apt translation)

7

Chasing the fleeing Shinkai army, the allied forces liberated the town of Casse and then captured Fargo and Ezite. Cedermont prohibited further pursuit, but many feudal lords continued to chase the Shinkai army. It was undeniable that the Shinkai homeland was extremely wealthy, and many sought to seize its riches. However, the strength of that country was formidable, and those who pursued too deeply suffered a severe counterattack. Although they failed to capture General Lugurgoa, they managed to killed or captured many Shinkai soldiers.

Bakou General, who had invaded the Goriora Empire and barricaded himself in the castle of Kobushi, abandoned the castle and withdrew during the night. The generals of the Goriora Empire were more impressed than angry at the brilliance of this sudden retreat.

King Julelan of Parzam declared that the death of the former king, Wendelland, was part of a Shinkai conspiracy and that his regret had been fulfilled by the victory. He conducted the funeral and ceded Lordvan Castle to the Goriora Empire while transferring the frontier marquis Mados Arkeios to Fargo. At the same time, he appointed Mados as the acting ruler of Ezite, which he made into a royal territory and established the new position of Baron of the West, appointing Mados to it. For safeguarding the king to the end and providing valuable information about the Shinkai Army, Seifert, along with his other merits, posthumously elevated his title from Count to Marquis. His eldest son succeeded the marquisate, and he was appointed as the governor of Kasse, a city also designated as royal territory. Although he was a young ruler, he would be supported by the excellent vassals nurtured by Seifert.

Julelan also awarded Bard the first-class merit, but as he was not a knight of the kingdom, he only received a commendation and a reward. Gorz was awarded the second-class merit. A stone monument was erected in the royal square, his title was conferred, and a reward was given to his adoptive father, the count.

The issue of handling prisoners of war took a while to resolve. For ordinary soldiers, a fixed period of slave labor was deemed acceptable. They would be subjected to unpaid heavy labor in places like mines. As part of the reward, the participating feudal lords would receive a portion of them. The problem lay in the treatment of the generals. Mixing them with ordinary soldiers could incite rebellion. They were capable of killing their masters and escaping, and their strong desire to resist would make them very difficult and unmanageable slaves. However, simply keeping them under guard would be costly. When the discussion leaned towards the idea of having no choice but to kill them, Cedermont voiced a different opinion. He suggested forgiving and releasing them.

The generals were heroes and warriors in their own country. By helping them, they could earn their gratitude, but killing them would incur their resentment. If Shinkai remained quiet, there would be no problem. But what if they showed their fangs to the other countries again? In that case, which would be better, an enemy fueled by resentment seeking revenge or one who had been shown kindness? In this light, it was best to release them without any conditions.

This opinion was adopted. The captured generals were given horses and provisions and released, with a message conveyed. They did not demand ransom, but if they acknowledged their defeat in this war, it would be a symbolic gesture. Soon, a large amount of gold bars arrived from Shinkai. Since Shinkai showed no willingness to negotiate, and with no agreement for ending the war, the gold bars were considered as compensation, and the war was declared over. The gold bars were distributed among the feudal lords, and the slave labor of the general prisoners of war was reduced from fifteen years to ten.

It was discovered that two of the senior officials in the Parzam royal court had been colluding with Shinkai. Cedermont argued that they should be utilized.

“They are like a thin suspension bridge connecting Parzam and Shinkai, two countries with no diplomatic relations. By forgiving their past wrongs and using them, we can keep track of Parzam’s situation in that country and obtain some information from there. If we execute them, it will only lead to a complete rupture between the two countries, raising unnecessary suspicion and distrust.”

However, this opinion was not accepted, and the two officials who had colluded were forced to commit suicide, along with their retainers.

This war, involving most of the major countries in the Central Plains directly, was the first of its kind in history and came to be known as the War of Nations. It is also referred to as the First War of Nations to distinguish it from the campaign three years later.

(End of Chapter 5 “War of Nations”)