Chapter : 95

The news of the Prince-elector of Bohemia’s army arriving at Caleya city reached the king’s ears.

“…Is that true?”

The King of Aragon couldn’t believe his ears at the unbelievable report. A few days ago, he had almost fainted at the news that Caleya city had fallen.

And now, the army led by the Prince-elector of Bohemia had already arrived at Caleya city?

“Yes, Your Majesty. The banner of the Prince-elector of Bohemia is said to be flying on the walls of Caleya city. And an enormous number of tents are being set up around it.”

It was a preposterous situation.

He couldn’t understand what his nobles had been doing.

Did they just stand by and watch? An external invader, at that.

And that wasn’t all.

“You said you could stop them, didn’t you, Sir Steffen?”

He had given his army to the confident Count Steffen, but it had ended in failure.

The King of Aragon’s anger was directed at him, but Count Steffen didn’t care.

“I could have stopped them. If Your Majesty’s foolish subjects had not surrendered.”

“Ahem.”

“I don’t know what kind of moron would surrender with such walls, but because of that, all our plans were ruined, Your Majesty.”

Instead, he spoke to the king with a frown, as if he were very displeased.

“If you had managed your nobles a little better, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

“A-ahem. You are rude.”

“How dare you to His Majesty!”

“What? Rude?”

At the rather impudent shout, the surrounding nobles tried to intervene, but it was only for a moment. They all had to shrink their necks without a peep under Count Steffen’s murderous glare.

“Now that things have come to this, there is no choice, Your Majesty. It is time to leave the castle and face the enemy.”

“W-wouldn’t it be better to fight with the castle walls at our back?”

Count Steffen sighed at the words of the utterly weak King of Aragon.

With the eastern region already in rebellion and having betrayed him, he was still acting like this? The nobles of the remaining regions might turn their backs on him as well.

If that happened, he really couldn’t guarantee the throne of the Kingdom of Aragon.

“In the last sortie, we annihilated some of their troops. About 3,000 of them. Wouldn’t that be a fairly significant blow?”

“Ah-! Y-yes, it was.”

“If we drag this out, those honorless bastards might betray us, Your Majesty. It would be better to lead the army right now and deal with them in a short time. I will mobilize all of my knights as well.”

“Oh! Is that so?”

At Count Steffen’s words, the King of Aragon felt a sense of relief.

He was arrogant and rude, having become like them from bickering with the savage elves next to him, but the skills of a Holy Empire knight were outstanding.

And Count Steffen, who was called the best among them, was a formidable knight that even that savage Elf King, the Prince-elector of Bohemia, did not dare to fight.

The fact that such a Count Steffen would personally lead his knights was very reassuring.

“Then I will trust only you.”

“Do not worry. The filthy elves and their hangers-on will not be able to withstand my lance.”

* * *

“Uhaha. Drink up!”

“This is very splendid. Hmm, I’ve never seen this food before?”

“The products of the Kingdom of Aragon are abundant, so there are many delicious and rare foods. Please, everyone, eat a lot.”

“Haha. Thank you.”

The meetings of nobles were always like this.

Whether the matter was urgent or not, they always began with a luxurious banquet and delicious food.

And after casually inquiring about each other’s well-being and exchanging praises, when their stomachs were full, they would carefully begin the important discussion.

This time in Caleya city was no different.

As the splendid banquet ripened, the nobles slowly moved to a separately prepared room.

“Hmm, is everyone here?”

“Yes, Prince-elector, Your Excellency.”

The people in the room were a formidable group. The Elf King, the Prince-elector of Bohemia, Count Bozen, a bishop dispatched from the Holy See, the lords of the southern Elang Kingdom, and the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon who had joined them this time.

Most of them were great lords who had brought at least 500 soldiers with them.

“The King of Aragon’s wickedness has gone too far. I intend to subjugate the king on behalf of the Holy See. Just in time, the Bellua Margrave has taken this city without shedding a single drop of blood, so is this not a revelation from God?”

“That is correct.”

“It is finally time to bring down that cruel tyrant, Prince-elector, Your Excellency.”

At the Prince-elector of Bohemia’s confident words, everyone nodded in agreement.

Now that they had come this far, the war was practically over.

To allow the enemy to get this close to the capital.

Wasn’t it a truly pathetic state of affairs?

Moreover, with the nobles from the Kingdom of Aragon lining up around them, victory was practically in sight.

“According to our scouts, the King of Aragon has lifted his heavy bottom and risen.”

“Does he really intend to have a pitched battle with us? Haha.”

“That’s right. I hear the Holy Emperor has provided Count Steffen and his knights as support. He must be daring to attack, believing in that.”

“How dare he! What does he take the Prince-elector, Your Excellency’s, army for!”

At that, the nobles in the room huffed and shouted. When victory is in sight, even the cowardly find courage.

And meritorious service as well.

They were looking at each other, unable to move their lips.

‘Ah… I want to be in the vanguard.’

‘This is a great opportunity to raise the honor of my family!’

‘I need to establish a solid record of meritorious service to receive as much fiefdom as possible in the subsequent distribution of merits, right?’

But no one dared to speak up.

In fact, this honorable position was meant to be given to the performer of miracles, me.

‘Who would dare to say they will go before the Bellua Margrave….’

The nobles present in this room knew well. That the credit for having the upper hand in this battle all belonged to me.

An honorable position is given to the one who has rendered meritorious service.

An honorable position like being in the vanguard of such a major clash.

“Hmm, everyone is so busy looking at you.”

“Ahem. Others will hear you.”

Of course, I had no interest at all.

On the contrary, I was terrified by this atmosphere. Wasn’t this a situation where I could be forced into the vanguard if I wasn’t careful?

‘Are you crazy? Me, in the vanguard?’

It was very good in terms of establishing merit, but was it necessary? I already had plenty of merits.

And then there was…

‘Steffen. That madman, that slaughtering machine Count Steffen is there. Being in the vanguard has more cons than pros.’

Count Steffen was a famous five-star general in [Pangea Universalise]. An indomitable general who could overcome the disadvantages of the battlefield with his own strength.

If I were in the vanguard and encountered that monster, it would be a catastrophe.

“Why? Are you not interested?”

“What good would it do to be in a position like the vanguard, Magician Agpiel?”

“Haha. You really are peculiar. That’s why I like you so much.”

Putting Magician Agpiel’s words behind me, I opened my mouth to the nobles who were only looking at me.

“To be in the vanguard, wouldn’t a massive cavalry force be necessary?”

“?!”

At my unexpected remark, everyone’s eyes sparkled.

It was a well-known fact that my soldiers were mostly composed of infantry.

Didn’t that mean there was an opportunity for them?

“A-ahem. You are correct. It is best for the cavalry to be in the vanguard.”

“That is right, Margrave, Your Excellency.”

At my words, the nobles stammered in agreement, afraid I might change my mind.

I looked at them and grinned. Their intentions were so obvious.

“What do you think, Prince-elector, Your Excellency?”

“Hmm, it’s a little surprising that you would say that… but it’s true. It’s good for the cavalry to make a sharp thrust in the vanguard. We elves always fight like that.”

With that, he lifted his head with a rather proud expression. I didn’t know what part of that he was proud of, but….

“In that case, may I make a recommendation?”

“Hmm? You?”

“Yes. Even if I cannot step forward myself, I can at least make a recommendation, can I not?”

“Uhahaha. Of course, you can. Speak. Who has caught your eye so much?”

At the Prince-elector of Bohemia’s approval, the eyes of the nobles in the room began to burn with heat as they looked at me.

As if they were telling me to pick them right away.

They were so desperate that it seemed like I would automatically say, “This vanguard is for that person,” but I couldn’t.

Because I had other thoughts.

That was…

“I recommend Count Bozen, Prince-elector, Your Excellency.”

“???”

“Pfft. M-me?”

Count Bozen, who had been grumbling and sipping his wine, spat out his drink at my sudden nomination.

It was a dirty and rude act, but no one cared.

That was how surprising my statement was.

“Aren’t you on bad terms with Count Bozen?”

“Prince-elector, Your Excellency. Should such petty feelings affect such a great matter? Count Bozen has a powerful cavalry, and he himself is an excellent knight.”

“Oh….”

“Truly, what a pious and honorable lord you are.”

At my words, the surrounding nobles let out exclamations of admiration.

Wasn’t this the image of a true knight? Such an attitude of embracing even his adversary.

Of course, I had absolutely no such beautiful thoughts in mind when I recommended him.

‘With Count Steffen, Count Bozen would also suffer great losses, right? Hehehe… I hope they both get seriously injured.’

It was to weaken Count Bozen’s forces by using the slaughtering machine, Count Steffen.

Knights were difficult to train, and it took a long time to recover when they were lost.

The more Count Steffen rampaged, the more severe the losses for Count Bozen in the vanguard would be.

“Therefore, I recommend Count Bozen. His cavalry will do a great job, Prince-elector, Your Excellency.”

I said with a bright smile, hiding my dark intentions.

* * *

-Dum, dum, dum!

The drums sounded.

-Maintain formation!

-Slowly advance-!

The commander’s orders were relayed.

Soldiers from all sides were shouting and slowly advancing.

The position I was in charge of was the right wing. I was deployed with the nobles of the Kingdom of Aragon who had come with me.

The number of soldiers was large, but the command structure was a complete mess.

It was already difficult to give orders to a coalition of nobles, and they were even from different kingdoms.

It was doubtful whether they would follow even a request, let alone an order.

It was a troublesome situation in many ways.

But what could I do? If we were like this, the enemy would be the same.

“Advance! Slowly advance, keeping pace with the main force.”

With that thought, I slowly advanced the soldiers.

But.

“Hmm?”

Before long, a knight burst out from the enemy lines. He was a knight wearing high-quality armor, who at a glance looked like a high-ranking commander.

The knight drew a line on the ground with his lance and arrogantly shouted.

“I am Count Steffen, a knight who serves the Holy Emperor. Is there anyone with the courage to cross this line?”

It was a truly arrogant challenge to a duel.

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