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CHAPTER 5 WARS OF NATIONS – Episode 4 Shinkai’s Ambition

1

I had a dream of Idora. I definitely had one, but I can’t remember what it was about. It feels like I was taught something important in the dream.

Even though I woke up, I couldn’t open my eyelids. But something warm gently enveloped my body. A liquid was poured into my mouth. It was a delicious and nourishing taste. As I savored it, I fell back asleep.

2

Someone is here. Who is it? It’s Jurchaga.

‘Did I… survive?’

Bard tried to speak, but it seemed like his throat was crushed, and he couldn’t make a sound. His body couldn’t move either. It was as if he was paralyzed.

A water jug was inserted into his mouth, and water was poured into it. No, it wasn’t water. It was wine mixed with plenty of well water. It felt refreshing in his heated mouth.

If he was alive, there was something he had to ask immediately. Bard desperately tried to form words. After his efforts, his throat produced a hoarse and barely audible voice.

“How many… died?”

That was the thing Bard wanted to know the most right now. Jurchaga seemed to understand the question without hesitation and answered with a slightly sad expression. But Bard couldn’t hear it because of the ringing in his ears. Sensing that, Jurchaga leaned closer to Bard’s ear and said,

“A lot… survived.”

Comforted by those words, Bard fell asleep once again.

3

Over the next few days, Bard gradually recovered to the point where he could have conversations. He still couldn’t stand or walk. His hands, feet, and entire body had become thin and weak.

It’s unbelievable, but today is the seventh day of March. The horde of demonic beasts attacked on the seventeenth day of January, and Bard collapsed around dawn on the eighteenth. It had been seventy-two days. Bard had been sleeping for almost two months.

Jurchaga and Karz took turns taking care of him, giving him water, cow’s milk, fruit juice, and vegetable soup to drink through a straw. They wiped his sweat, cleaned his eyes, changed his underwear, and even took care of his personal needs. They had been doing this for the past two months.

‘What happened back then? Why am I still alive?’ Bard heard about it from Jurchaga and Seifert.

At that time, the light that overflowed from Bard was visible to everyone outside. The torrent of light ran across the horizon of dawn and reached the horde of Riverbear demonic beasts that were approaching from afar. For a moment, the demonic beasts exposed to the blast of light seemed completely unharmed when the light subsided. However, at that moment, the eyes of the Riverbear demonic beasts, who should have had red demonic light, lost their glow. The Riverbears, who had been moving in a controlled manner until then, began to scatter and eventually walked away in the opposite direction.

What was even stranger was the Manunos. There were about fifty to seventy Manunos far north of the northern gate. About twenty more were approaching the Riverbear demonic beasts. The Manunos who were with the Riverbear demonic beasts were bathed in the torrent of light. It was said that the overflowing light also reached the Manunos on the north side of the northern gate. After Bard lost consciousness, all the Manunos returned to the north. With the demonic beasts of the Oohana.

No one understood what had happened. The only thing everyone knew was that Bard’s miracle had saved Lordvan Castle and prevented the demonic beasts from advancing further west.

The damage was extensive. Of the thirty knights dispatched from the Fafarlen family of the Goriora Empire, twelve died and eleven were injured. Among the squires, twenty-four out of thirty died and six were injured. Many foot soldiers who fought bravely as archers also suffered casualties, with thirty-one out of sixty dying and twenty-two being injured.

The unit dispatched from the Gaineria Kingdom had nineteen deaths and forty-one injuries among the seventy-two knights. Among the non-combatants, two out of eighteen squires died and eight were injured.

The Frontier Knight Order of the Parzam Kingdom had twenty-six deaths and thirty-eight injuries among the sixty-nine knights. Vice Commander Maitalp Yagan was among the deceased. Among the squires, seventeen out of eighty died and fifty-two were injured. Among the knights of the Archeos family, one out of nine died and eight were injured.Part of the novel: [Three out of fifteen knights died, and six were injured. Two out of the six knights borrowed from Mithra died, and one was injured.

Knight Nido Yuiru from the Toad family, also known as “Crooked Nose,” and Knight Husban Tielta, known as the “The Flashy,” both died. They sacrificed themselves to protect Bard, who was about to be killed by Shirozuno during the battle after the collapse of the North Gate. Bard himself cannot recall that moment.

In addition, eight non-combatant attendants and residents died, and about twenty people were injured. Knight Natz Cajnel, borrowed from the Argolide family, suffered injuries and temporarily lost consciousness, but he got up after two days and energetically helped with post-war processing. He consulted with Seifert and provided rewards and condolences to the participants from the Parzam Kingdom. He also made sure to give a more generous reward to the Mithra knights who did not receive rewards from their affiliated knight order, and entrusted the condolence money and explanatory letters for the deceased to the surviving knights. These letters were written in the names of General Bard Rowen and Vice Officer Knight Natz Cajnel. After completing these procedures over a period of about two weeks, he reported to Bard about what had been done and what still needed to be done. Then, he entrusted the remaining matters to Karz and Jurchaga, and departed for the capital with the report for the king received from Seifert. Someone had to report to the king and the Argolide family, and there was no one more suitable than Natz. Lordvan Castle, which had already been understaffed, did not want to lose another person. Swordmaster Zendatta and his disciples also headed for the capital. It goes without saying that they received rewards commensurate with their work.

Bard read Natz’s letter. He also wrote letters to the families of Knight Nido and Knight Husban, known as the “Crooked Nose” and the “The Flashy,” respectively. However, due to his unstable condition, he dictated the letters to Karz. He heard that both of them still have living mothers. How would they interpret this news? He entrusted the rewards and condolences, along with the condolence money, to Seifert, asking him to deliver them when the next envoy from the Margrave arrives.

Bard also wrote a report for the king. At the end of the report, he signed it, stamped it with the general’s seal, wrapped it in thick leather paper, sealed it with Koineshirii tree sap, and stamped it with a seal. Then, he carefully sealed the dagger engraved with the royal seal and the general’s seal and entrusted it to Seifert.

At the end of the letter, he wrote that he would like to resign as general. He had to take responsibility for the disastrous battle. Out of a total of 378 combatants, including command-level personnel, 137 died and 185 were injured. Of course, these injuries refer to severe injuries that cannot return to the front lines for at least ten days, excluding minor injuries. The attrition rate was a staggering 85.5%. No one had ever seen or heard of such heavy losses in Bard’s long military career.

No. The problem was not the ratio of the dead and injured. It was not a matter of numbers. There should have been a better way to fight. The gods had given him enough time. But Bard couldn’t make full use of it to prepare. There was no end to the thoughts of “If I had done this there” or “If I had done that beforehand.” The fact that these deaths and injuries were caused by Bard’s foolishness put the blame on him.

He couldn’t have charged forward. If he had done that, they would have been completely wiped out. But even in the face of the enemy, there could have been more preparation.

And, there was something else. The power of the ancient sword. That mysterious power. If he had used it in the initial stages.

No, no. He knew that was just hindsight. At the time it happened, there were no choices. But still, Bard thought. The ancient sword had been telling him. That now was the time to use himself. If only he had paid more attention to that tingling sensation.

Karz and Jurchaga silently watched Bard’s inner turmoil.

4

Bard received even more distressing news that weighed heavily on his heart. It was the complete annihilation of the Goriora Frontier Knight Order stationed at Myrao Castle.

The method was the same. They attracted attention with the Long-eared Wolves and then, at night, the Owl Monkeys invaded from the opposite side. They opened the doors from the inside, and the Long-eared Wolves jumped into the castle, causing irreparable damage before they could react. The Knight Order Commander managed to evacuate the young attendants at least. However, they were attacked one after another by the Long-eared Wolves while escaping, and in the end, only three boys made it to Lordvan Castle. Out of the Knight Order Commander, Deputy Commander, 30 knights, 15 squires, and 10 attendants, excluding the two who arrived first and the three who arrived later, everyone fell victim to the demonic beasts’ claws and fangs. The Knight Commander, Tide Nowinge, was a man of few words, an honest old veteran. The Vice Commander, Keiba Kohou, was a spirited young man who also used a battle hammer, and he once laughed, saying he wanted to meet Godon Zarkos. They are no longer in this world.

5

Seifert said something strange. He asked if they could also offer their swords to the Grand General.

He was skeptical and asked him why. Arflaburne had returned to the imperial capital as soon as the demonic beast attacks were over. He had received orders to return as soon as possible. Before that, he went to Bard, who was still lying unconscious, and offered his sword. Bard himself was unconscious and didn’t receive or return the sword, so the sword offering ceremony was not complete. However, Arflaburne said that he had offered his feelings, and asked Karz and Jurchaga to pass on the message. Upon hearing this, the knights of the Fafarlen family rushed to Bard and ended up offering their swords, leaving behind a list. Bard was truly speechless because there was actually a list.

The act of a knight offering their sword to another knight can sometimes be seen as a way to beautify the relationship of subordination or employment, but in essence, it is a bond of souls. Indeed, nobles offer their swords to their monarchs, and hired knights offer their swords to those who pay their wages, but the meaning of “my sword is wielded at your command” is only a superficial interpretation. The sword is the knight’s soul. Offering it means being guided by the radiance of the other knight’s soul and expressing gratitude for reaching a higher dimension of one’s own soul, as well as declaring the determination to look up to the other as a guide of the soul. It is said that chivalry surpasses royal orders. The dictates of chivalry must take precedence over the laws of the country, the king’s commands, and all the various entanglements that knights must bear in the mortal world. In reality, there are no knights who can truly embody such a beautiful way of life, but that is why knights always hope to meet a true knight who embodies true chivalry deep in their hearts. Regardless of their social status, knights have the right to offer their swords to the knights they have recognized as their soul mentors. Offering a sword to a knight recognized as a guide of the soul does not invalidate the sword offered to a king or lord. However, it is true that offering a sword to knights from other countries or knights belonging to hostile forces would raise suspicions of disloyalty or betrayal. Therefore, the knights who offered their swords to Bard in this way can be said to have been impressed by Bard’s way of being as a knight, to the extent that they didn’t mind being misunderstood.

Moreover, Seifert said that the knights of Gaineria also wanted to do the same. However, they couldn’t execute it because Jog Ward didn’t allow it.

How foolish. Bard thought. How could they misunderstand such a commander who is dirty, foolish, and useless? The purity of the knights of the Fafarlen family is precious, but Bard cannot accept the swords of the people listed in this list.

Seifert urged Bard, asking if he would accept the swords of the knights of Goriora but not the knights of the Parzam Frontier Knights. “No, I haven’t accepted them either,” Bard replied, but Seifert cried and said that if he refused, it would damage his reputation as the Knight Commander. Reluctantly, Bard conveyed that he couldn’t return the swords because he was still sick, but he would accept their feelings. Immediately, knights crowded into the room one after another and offered their swords. A second list was left behind for Bard.

6

In the Central Plains, the storm of Shinkai’s invasion was raging. It had taken an unexpected turn and reached an extremely critical situation.

Shinkai sent envoys to the countries of Parzam, Thula, Seion, Gaineria, and Goriora to declare war. Shinkai’s grand cause was to rectify the injustices and incompetence of the kings who were immersed in the chaos of war and build a peaceful world. The Shinkai army, which was expected to invade Parzam, unexpectedly struck the capital of Thula and captured it in just one day. In other words, they bypassed the northern side of the Mordos Mountains. They didn’t engage in any battles with the cities of Thula other than the capital and directly attacked the capital, capturing the king and various high-ranking officials.

Yet, Shinkai’s actions afterward were nothing short of unbelievable. Merely three days after staying in Thula’s capital, they attacked Seion’s capital and, astonishingly, captured it in a day.

The distance between Thula’s and Seion’s capitals was roughly thirty days of travel. Moving their army in just three days was akin to a lightning-fast invasion.

If Shinkai’s approach up to this point could be called astonishing, what they did next could only be described as madness. The General of Greed, their leader, divided the army into three.

One part, led by the General of Greed himself, advanced on Parzam. Another, led by other influential generals, marched towards Gaineria. The last part, again under other influential generals, headed for Goriora. In essence, they launched a three-front offensive without consolidating or pacifying the recently captured territories in two different nations.

This seemed like an absurd tale, and it raised considerable doubts.

The lightning-fast capture of Thula’s capital implied that the surrounding influential cities were left untouched. Knights from these areas would naturally come to recapture the capital and aid their king. Defeating them and making the knights submit was necessary to establish a solid victory. Moreover, it didn’t end there. Calming the local populace and instilling a sense of virtue in them was essential for a conquest to hold. Neglecting this would lead to rebellions and defections, ultimately rendering the conquest incomplete.

Despite all this, the General of Greed, in just a short span, advanced towards Seion. One had to wonder what sort of forces were left in Thula. Without substantial forces, Shinkai’s troops, still considered invaders, would be swiftly annihilated. Although it was a remarkable feat to capture Seion’s capital under such circumstances, it would render them unable to continue their military campaign for months, if not years.

However, despite all reason, Shinkai expanded their offensive to Gaineria, which was relatively nearby, and even reached the distant Goriora Empire and Parzam Kingdom. No matter how mighty their military might be, dividing it and sending troops to distant locations would weaken each individual force. Without pacifying the occupied regions or preparing for potential rebellions, disrupting supply lines would occur, and the troops wouldn’t receive adequate rest or replacements. They’d be scattered, vulnerable, and exposed.

Yet, Shinkai appeared to be progressing favorably in the war against these three nations, defying all common sense. Such absurdity couldn’t be happening. In the Gaineria royal court, they even suspected that Thula and Seion had a secret agreement with the General of Greed from the beginning.

But if that were the case, there would be no need to keep it a secret at this point. Furthermore, there was no indication that knights from Thula or Seion were mixed among the invading forces, which was odd. Without achieving any feats, they wouldn’t have the right to demand a share of the spoils.

Interestingly, most of this information was provided by Jog Ward. Jog received urgent messages from King Gaineria and immediately relayed them back to the capital while fighting against the Shinkai forces. Despite the fierce battle, he managed to send messengers to Lordvan Castle at regular intervals to keep them informed of the situation.

However, Gaineria had little precise information about Thula or Seion. Moreover, details about the war situation in Parzam and Goriora were limited to fragmented reports and unreliable rumors. As a result, the true state of affairs remained unclear.

Parzam’s capital was distant, and the northern road had fallen under Shinkai’s control. Messengers could not travel freely, and the situation made frequent communication impossible.

7

Bard’s health visibly improved. However, it wasn’t as simple as regaining muscles by eating like he did in his youth. He entrusted his somewhat frail body to Yueitan’s back and set off towards the north on the 18th of March.

His destination was the vast forest known as the Great Forest, which stretched far beyond the foot of Fyuza. According to the information he gathered in the capital, Queen Manuno resided there. Bard couldn’t help but wonder why Manuno people (shall we call them Manunians?) controlled demonic beasts to attack humans. He felt the need to uncover the reason behind it.

Karz and Jurchaga, upon hearing Bard’s determination, nodded without objection. Though they couldn’t accurately gauge the distance from Lordvan Castle to the forest, it was said to be roughly around 150 “kokuri”. From Bard’s perspective, who had lived on the frontier, it seemed like an impossible journey to the ends of the earth. However, upon further consideration, the distance from Mithra to Lordvan Castle was already more than enough at 150 “kokuri”

Bard continued his journey, thinking that places that seemed unreachable from a distance might actually become accessible when he ventured forth. He was accompanied by only one person, Karz Rowen. What they were heading for was the forbidden land known as the Great Forest of Giant Trees, where it is said that those who venture in never return alive.