Chapter 83 : Chapter 83

Chapter 083: A Lie Greater Than Truth

My expectation that capturing Kana and Iroen would make their lackeys surrender quietly was slightly off the mark.

Surprisingly, there was resistance.

A small group of cavalry chose to fight to the death.

They were, after all, regular soldiers of Conwell, comrades who had shared bonds in places like the Archduke’s campaigns and the demonic realms.

In the end, blood was spilled.

Fortunately, there were no casualties on our side.

“You’re telling me to take them? All these horses… every single one?”

“It’s far short of the number requisitioned, but take them for now. Once the commotion settles, I’ll personally explain the situation to the Youngest Lady.”

“M-My lord…”

The stablemaster had led the villagers to evacuate to Firefield Village.

It was a necessary task, but there was no reason for him to bear the burden alone.

I don’t have the right to praise his merits, but I wanted to offer some comfort, even in this small way.

“Sweetheart, it’s about time we head up. The young master Theodore is probably waiting with bated breath.”

The Theodore forces had set up a base in Firefield Village.

A place steeped in the sorrows of the Empire’s settlers was now being used for various purposes by different people.

It felt oddly surreal.

* * *

By the time we arrived at the Theodore forces’ base in Firefield Village, it was late at night.

On the way up, we encountered sentries, and they were impressively disciplined.

Hmm.

I casually surveyed the camp, feeling almost like a senior officer conducting a surprise inspection in the dead of night.

I tried adopting a critical stance, but surprisingly, there was little to fault.

The tents were set up systematically, and the sentries were positioned appropriately.

This wasn’t just better than expected—it was a complete turnaround.

Declan Theodore. Isn’t he supposed to be a greenhorn?

I muttered to myself, and just then, he appeared.

“Sword Fiend Bihen Benkou! Haha! Welcome!”

I clasped hands with him as he let out an unnecessarily hearty laugh.

“Bihen Benkou, eldest son of the Benkou family. My greetings are late.”

“Haha! To formally meet the famed Sword Fiend like this—it makes me feel like I’ve grown as a man. It’s an honor, Bihen Benkou.”

Declan led the three of us into his tent.

At the center of the tent was a round table with a map of the Kingdom’s eastern region spread out.

The map, untouched by any wear, was crisp and pristine.

“Hmm, for the Sword Fiend to visit such a humble place. I’m at a loss for words. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

No sooner had I sat down than a young girl, who appeared to be an aide, peeked in and whispered something to Declan.

He listened with a bored expression, then suddenly glared.

“What? You’re saying… she can’t come out because she washed off her makeup?!”

“Ahh! M-My lord! If you say that so loudly…”

“This won’t do. I’ll drag her out and shave her head bald to set her straight. Does she think this is some kind of picnic? There’s a limit to disgracing the family.”

Declan huffed, rolling up his sleeves.

I asked, “What’s the matter?”

“Well, it’s… ahem. My younger sister is declining to join us. Please forgive the rudeness. It seems the long journey made her forget her manners briefly. I’ll go fetch her…”

“No need for that. If it’s because of me, don’t bother. It’s largely my fault for arriving late. I’ve caused an inconvenience, it seems.”

“No, no! My sister’s just immature and lacks decorum…”

“Don’t worry about it. Making a fuss over such things in times like these is the real breach of etiquette.”

With a reluctant expression, Declan sat across from me, looking uneasy.

“Thank you for your magnanimity. Truly…”

“How’s the logistics situation?”

“…a great man… Huh?”

“I’m asking how many days’ worth of rations you’ve brought. Local procurement is best avoided. If you’ve secured a supply line to the rear…”

“Ah, uh… Just a moment.”

Declan pulled a crumpled note from his pocket and glanced at it nervously.

“Hmm, we’ve prepared about two weeks’ worth of dried rations. As for a supply line… there isn’t one.”

“So Lord Theodore is planning for a short, decisive battle. What about the composition? Regular forces? Or conscripts?”

“Well, that’s…”

He hurriedly checked his note again, his brow furrowed deeply.

“…They’re all valiant warriors of Theodore.”

“?”

“…?”

What’s with this guy? Is he trying to make me laugh?

An awkward silence fell, and my gaze, along with Declan’s, slowly shifted toward Bonnie.

Bonnie looked at me and said, “Unlike Conwell, Theodore is constantly embroiled in minor conflicts with neighboring territories. It’s likely too burdensome to deploy regular troops, so they’ve sent a militia instead. Still, their combat experience makes them better than most territories’ standing armies and besides, there’s Miss Linda.”

“Linda?”

“Here, Declan’s younger sister.”

“…I see.”

If she’s worth mentioning specifically, she must have something special about her.

Bonnie seemed reluctant to elaborate, so I didn’t press further.

At any rate, I had a rough grasp of the situation.

He’s definitely a greenhorn.

I glanced at Declan, who was pointlessly clearing his throat, and thought to myself.

…Fine. I wasn’t expecting much anyway.

I got to the point.

“We’ll join up with the Belmont forces heading south, then move straight to Litania. Let’s avoid unnecessary clashes along the way and move as quickly as possible.”

“W-Wait a minute. Litania? Isn’t that where Callence’s main force is?”

I nodded in response.

Declan asked again, incredulous.

“You’re going there… Wait, you’re not planning to fight them head-on, are you?”

I nodded again.

Declan silently placed his hands behind his head, interlocking his fingers.

“…You’re joking, right? That’s not funny, Bihen.”

“Our situation isn’t relaxed enough for wordplay.”

“Wasn’t our goal to hold Callence in a stalemate, rally the forces loyal to the Youngest Lady, and ultimately secure a imperial decree from Aleos acknowledging her as the legitimate heir, along with a mediation order to end the conflict?”

“That could be one approach. In the end.”

The King of the Kingdom is different from the Emperor of the Empire.

The Aleos imperial family was originally established through the consensus of powerful nobles.

Most of the nobles currently reigning as feudal lords across the land are, if you trace their lineage, tied to the royal family by blood.

By its very nature, imperial authority is inherently weak.

The nobles want the imperial family to merely maintain its existence as it does now.

The presence of the king ensures their power remains secure within the Kingdom’s order.

But what about the king?

He’d want to upend the board. That’s the instinct of those who hold power.

The only thing lacking is a justification.

Perhaps the king has been eyeing an opportunity like Conwell’s current instability for a long time.

If I know this, there’s no way Adeline doesn’t.

Mediation?

If Adeline were the type to sit and wait for that, this fight wouldn’t have started in the first place.

“If the Youngest Lady had intended that from the start, she would’ve gone to Aleos, not Litania. Don’t you think?”

“Well, that’s true, but… ugh. This is bewildering. I hadn’t even considered an all-out war.”

“There’s a reason Lord Theodore sent battle-hardened troops and didn’t bother establishing a rear supply line.”

Declan buried his face in his hands, his legs trembling slightly.

I could hear his quiet muttering: There’s no way Father would send me to my death…

“Don’t worry. I have no intention of letting you—or anyone—fall into danger.”

“Ahem, well… If the Sword Fiend says so, that’s reassuring, but…”

Why does a swordsman pursue the pinnacle of skill?

There are many reasons, of course, but for those who stand on the front lines, it’s because they must bear the responsibility that comes with the awe they inspire in their soldiers.

A master who has reached the zenith should be able to charge alone through the path Wesker cleared for them, slay the enemy commander in one swift strike, and end the battle decisively.

“I’ll handle the fighting. All I ask, my lord, is that you keep the ranks tight and make it clear to everyone that Adeline’s forces are strong and intact.”

That alone should suffice.

Hmm?

A sudden chill ran through me.

My head instinctively turned to the side.

Flutter.

The tent flap swayed slightly.

…Did a rat sneak in and out?

* * *

“Ah!”

Linda, who had been spying on the tent, quickly ducked out of sight.

“Phew! I almost locked eyes with him!”

She clutched her chest with both hands.

Her heart felt like it would burst.

Just then, an aide who had come along to attend to her and her brother approached from the opposite direction, carrying a tray with tea and snacks.

“Huh? Miss? Why are you… mmph!”

“Shh, shh! Please, be quiet!”

“Mmph…”

Linda hurriedly covered the aide’s mouth.

The two sides stepped in perfect sync, their movements perfectly coordinated.

Only after they were a safe distance from the tent did Linda release her hand.

“How could you raise your voice like that out here!”

“Well, why are you even out here? If you’re going to do this, just slap on some makeup and go in confidently.”

“Hey, weren’t you the one who said I should play hard to get?”

“That was then. There’s nothing to play with this guy right now.”

“R-Really?”

“Obviously. You just met him today, for crying out loud.”

Linda scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“Still, don’t you think he’s at least a little aware of me? I mean, I must’ve made quite the first impression.”

“…”

The aide barely swallowed a sigh.

It was quite a talent to say something like that while acting shy.

“I don’t mean to throw cold water on you, but… I got a quick look at him…”

“And?”

“…He’s not an easy one.”

“Huh? Not easy? Why?”

The aide crossed her legs and furrowed her brow as if deep in thought, still politely holding the tray.

“Just a feeling…”

“Hey! Stop dragging it out and tell me!”

“He didn’t seem interested in romance.”

Linda froze at those words.

It was like a bolt from the blue.

“Wha… Really?”

When it came to reading people, this aide was second to none in the Kingdom.

To Linda, she was practically a master in this field, an absolute authority.

“I heard he’s young… but up close, he didn’t seem like it at all. Maybe it’s his aura.”

The aide’s words barely registered.

Linda’s shoulders slumped in defeat.

“Still, Miss, it’s not hopeless.”

What was this?

Linda’s eyes, which had been dull and lifeless, suddenly gleamed with intensity.

“What hope!”

“I think I know a way to get close to this Bihen Benkou.”

“What! What!”

“Well…”

After ensuring no one was around, the aide leaned in and whispered cautiously in Linda’s ear.

Linda, listening with grave seriousness, gradually grimaced.

“Huh?”

“I’m serious. Trust me.”

“Even so…”

Linda Theodore.

At eighteen, raised as a precious jewel, she faced the first true hardship of her life.

* * *

The stablemaster rallied all the people of Ludglen for a grand send-off.

“Good fortune, my lord!”

“Come back victorious!”

The fervent cheers and support of the common folk…

I couldn’t have experienced this in my past life, could I?

“…May you all stay safe.”

Hiding my flushed face, I quickly tugged the reins.

“Once this fight is over, you’ll need to seriously think about your future, sweetheart. You’ll surely earn a title with this.”

“Hmm. Bonnie’s not wrong. This will go down in history. There’s never been anyone with noble titles in both the Empire and the Kingdom,” Declan chimed in.

Both Bonnie and Declan spoke with ease, brimming with confidence.

They meshed well together. Well, better they be relaxed like this than stiff with tension.

We were en route to the rendezvous point agreed upon with Viscount Mosfield.

How far had we gone? We’d set out in the morning, and now the sun was well past its zenith.

Thud thud thud! Thud thud thud! Thud thud thud!

From the horizon, a group approached, kicking up a cloud of dust.

“Halt!”

Declan issued the command to the troops.

As I used my keen eyesight to scan ahead, Clyde whispered beside me.

“Huh? Wait, isn’t that… Kendrick?”

“Kendrick? You mean the Kendrick who led the mercenary coalition during the last campaign?”

“Yeah, that’s him! After we got ambushed on the way back and scattered, I hadn’t heard from him since. He’s alive!”

I turned my head again, narrowing my eyes to focus.

Kendrick and his group were charging at full speed in a single line.

Another group was hot on their heels, clearly in pursuit.

Then, I caught sight of the banner of the pursuers.

The crest of the Conwell family.

As expected, Callence’s men.

Shing.

I drew my Bastard Sword and turned to Declan.

“Our allies are being chased. I’ll go handle it. Please wait here for a moment…”

Thud thud thud!

Something shot past me like a bolt.

As I turned to see what it was, Declan’s eyes widened in shock.

“Linda!!”

…Huh?

“What’s that crazy girl doing charging out like that?!”

Before I knew it, she was galloping alone toward the enemy.

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