Chapter 198

Chapter 198

***

Gambling was absolutely never something recommendable, but there were people who bet their lives on it. So-called gamblers, or professional gamblers.

When ordinary people merely hoped for a fluke, they caught a glimpse of a thread-like possibility and made a bet.

Suppressing the excitement and resentment and sorrow and impulsiveness storming in their chests, and calmly making a bet. Thus the result was only winning or losing, picking up or losing.

Among those living such a life there was this saying. That the most outstanding gambler was a person who knows the time had come and bets their all without even showing their cards. Not only money but their own life, and life itself, and family, and past and present, and future all.

Rickart's decision was similar to the final gambler. Completely letting go at the most important moment. Cold judgement was necessary there too, but trust was more important.

"There is no support from Adelorn. The King said preparations are complete and it is sufficiently blockable. Purposefully raising an army and consuming supplies and lives he said is not beneficial considering the Kingdom's future......"

Kaspar said. He was a swordsman belonging to the Viola Clan who was once a direct disciple of Bori.

Kaspar broke through the siege net dedicating his life after all sorts of hardships, and going to Adelorn and back his appearance was not a word.

His light armament was entirely torn and worn out, and his scabbard was slung alone on his waist without a sword.

However rather than his attire, whether what he just said was more shocking the people in the seat had dumbfounded or shocked expressions.

Bori and Ice, Marie, Roy and Becca, and Rickart's father Abellich.

Bori widened his eyes round exactly as if not understanding and then barely brought out words.

"Ricky really said that?"

"Yes...... Master."

"If Ricky said that there is a reason."

Along with Abellich, Ice who unlike other people maintained his composure said.

"That would be so right. But I don't understand it a bit so. You and I are okay but Marie is......"

Bori carefully stared at Marie. She at full term had already reached the month of childbirth and her belly was swollen like a hill, and whether quite shocked she merely blinked her eyes and couldn't connect her words.

The point Bori said he couldn't understand was precisely her unborn baby. Since naturally he thought he would mobilize troops and come running in one breath, but it wasn't so.

Other people all thought similarly too.

Ice thought calmly in his own way then added words.

"I say it once again but if Ricky cannot move there is definitely a reason. It is not a situation to send troops out right now. Who knows? They say the Second Prince is the Fifth Prince's enemy, but we don't know now. There is no guarantee the Second Prince won't strike the Kingdom when the house is empty right."

Although different from Rickart's interpretation it was similar in the big context. Meaning Rickart moving itself was the enemies' intention.

But there was a time when the head can understand but it was emotionally hard to accept.

Bori or other people could accept it tolerably, but the part most worried about and conscious of was Marie. Anyway she was the head of the Federation now, and Rickart's wife right?

Because Roy and Becca weren't in a position to easily speak out in this kind of place in the first place, or so-called didn't have the seniority, they were restless.

Abellich was bluntly bowing his head slightly, and Marie who was blank abruptly hardened her eyes and brought out words.

"Father, I am sorry. When I gave such an assurance."

It seemed she had said there would be Rickart's support while exiting the Federation's headquarters and relying on the Stormhearts Castle.

"No. I am okay. I understand the King's measures too. Merely my fear is whether my death won't be enough to handle this matter. Truly that is all, child."

"......"

Fascinatingly, right now instead of feeling regretful or bitter towards Rickart Marie seemed to have a greater feeling of being sorry towards Abellich.

She was only surprised because it was unexpected, and gathering her mind she seemed to somehow know a little too.

Marie looked back at everyone and clearly said.

"The responsibility for this matter is mine. Since there is what I said myself. Sorry everyone. But on the one hand, I think it's also a testing stage we have to pay at least once someday. I will become the Emperor. Was it what I originally wished for inwardly since before? Or did I come to have such a mind because of the baby? I don't know either. I'm sorry about this too. And what I'm more sorry about is I cannot pierce through everything and formulate a plan bound to win like Ricky. Sorry. But, you know......"

Marie blurred the end of her words, and everyone looked at her and listened carefully. Marie stood up from her seat. Even though she gained some weight her characteristic raptor-like eyes were the same.

"My words of being sorry end with this. I will fight until the end, and want you guys to be with me. Even if you leave I won't resent you. Instead, if you fight together until the end whether I become the Emperor or cannot become what happens I will think of you as my people and take care of you. Until death. No even beyond that. Generation after generation."

Although the type was a bit different from Rickart, Marie's charisma was also immense. Furthermore showing resolute will with a full-term body, in some aspect looked more impressive.

Bori silently listened to Marie's words with his arms crossed, then rolled his eyes and looked left and right before saying.

"But well, it's not like we have a choice right?"

Thereupon everyone seemed to agree. A tragic atmosphere like we will dedicate our lives and fight for the Queen, wasn't formed right away.

Because even if they weren't serious normally and spoke frivolously, their affection wasn't weak.

Especially the swordsmen belonging to the Federation all liked Marie. Although giving high pay couldn't be ignored, they didn't dedicate their lives and be loyal to a superior just with that.

The animal called human had to have human affection to risk their life and be loyal.

Compared to Rickart who knew and hung out with a small number of acquaintances and whose human relations were somewhat closed, Marie was not. If that was the difference between the two it was a difference. Everyone loved Marie.

That was why even though contact couldn't be reached, the swordsmen of the Federation were hard at work doing sabotage in the enemies' rear. In general cases if it became this kind of situation they were bound to pretend not to know or run away though.

From the Fifth Prince Bellator's perspective this part was also why the situation wasn't flowing as he thought. Around this time they should run away and scatter but such a thing didn't happen.

Marie's strong point wasn't novel operations deviating from common sense and execution ability, combat power, attack power like Rickart, but sticky integration power within the organization.

"If Ricky said it's doable like Ice said then it's doable. And I won't just stay still because I'm a woman, because I'm pregnant, because I'm his wife. Since I said I would become the Emperor, I will bear it."

Marie saying so held her sword and waddled out of the meeting room. Everyone was more surprised than when they heard Rickart's news and their eyes widened round.

Exiting the meeting room and going down to the lower floor there were many people. And stepping out of the inner castle there were even more people seen living pitching tents in the inner courtyard. Because they had gathered all the village people.

The people were spending a wartime daily life like hanging laundry and lighting a fire and putting a cauldron up to boil porridge, then as Marie revealed her appearance everyone stared.

Unable to wear armor due to her full-term body, and walking confidently holding a sword in her hand in baggy clothes, that appearance was truly impressive.

Since Marie wasn't interested in adorning herself, her long blonde hair fluttered like a flag in the wind.

As she climbed up the wooden palisade enemies were seen stationed below the hill. The village was completely devastated, but that wasn't done by the enemies but the result of the residents directly tearing down their houses with their own hands and completely burning the fields to execute scorched-earth tactics.

Of course they also didn't forget to pour feces and urine into the wells so they couldn't be utilized as drinking water.

The enemies were about 2 thousand people. It wasn't as many as thought. Because the Fifth Prince Bellator couldn't mobilize his entire troops.

The army he operated was about 8 thousand to 10 thousand, but the main force stayed in the capital and the remaining troops were used to form a siege net over a wide area, and a part among them was besieging the Stormhearts Castle again.

Actually rather than besieging it was correct to say they were just killing time below. They didn't have technicians or ability sufficient to make siege weapons, and since the castle was on a hill they couldn't throw in troops all at once, and above all because there was the Fifth Prince's directive to only besiege and not attack.

Because Bellator's strategic goal to the end was drawing Rickart out and driving Marie out to Adelorn again.

However there was no person currently within Marie's camp possessing the insight to see through this overall situation besides Rickart. They only knew vaguely, and judging by seeing it directly with their eyes was all.

And Rickart saw that they could block the enemies even just with that.

The thing that first caught Marie's eye was that there was no purple flag among the enemies' flags. Meaning it wasn't a siege force directly commanded by the Fifth Prince.

"Roy, bring my flag. Bring it and stand it here."

"Understood, Queen."

Because the flag was quite a large flag and heavy, Marie ordered Roy, not Becca. Because being tiny his strength was enormous.

Moreover right now he was the attendant serving Marie instead of Rickart. It was right for a specially appointed standard-bearer or attendant to hold the Lord's flag.

Roy went down the stairs again and brought the purple flag that was planted in the inner castle. The flagpole alone was enormously thick and sturdy, and the flag was huge enough to be seen well even from far away.

The emblem was embroidered mixing the Nivelinger family's oak tree and Adelorn's symbol the golden eagle.

In the case of lower nobles when a woman married she often followed her husband's surname, but in the case of a daughter of a family with some name even if she married she often used her family's surname exactly as it was, therefore Marie was still Nivelinger, not Rikarn.

As Roy stood the flag up, only then the enemies below the hill raised their heads and began to look up at the castle. Purple, oak tree, golden eagle, and the woman fluttering blonde hair standing below that flag.

Even without words the meaning was conveyed just looking at the flag. It meant could you guys dare to strike me.

No matter how much the authority of the Emperor fell to the ground during the era of the previous Emperor, and the current Emperor seat was also in an interregnum state, a royal was still a royal.

It was natural to be reluctant to strike a royal unless it was an equal status like a King or Duke, the same royal. It was a status-based society to the end, and such perception was deeply rooted.

The army currently besieging the Stormhearts Castle was led by a person named Count Gustred. He was a person with a definite status difference from a royal.

Because he too saw the purple flag hung out and knew its meaning, his expression hardened considerably.

Looking at the flowing situation it didn't seem the work would go well according to the Fifth Prince's intention either, but if it went wrong it seemed perfect for getting the blame dumped on him.

The most important element determining victory or defeat in siege and defense, wasn't things like the scale of troops or how well supply was done. The most important thing was will.

The will to protect, or the will to break through. Whichever of the two fell away first was the one to lose, and the side to endure until the end was to win.

At least the Stormhearts Castle protected by Marie even if small in size, its will to protect didn't seem behind the ancient fortress of Sinatria.

The Imperial Capital Nibelungen wasn't the oldest and most developed city, but it was the most special city in that the Emperor resided there.

However right now it didn't have that specialness. Because there was no Emperor.

The Emperor's palace was inside a forest, and the palace blended with the neatly trimmed forest was quiet and on the other hand splendid.

But right now, it was excessively quiet. Even though the employees and officials weren't small in people. All of them equally seemed to be afraid even the sound of walking would be made.

The Emperor's audience chamber was even more so. Even though it was a space where sound echoed loudly, only speaking sounds seemingly like whispering were heard.

Because there were exactly two people in this wide place in the first place it looked quite desolate.

Bellator sitting in the Emperor's seat was receiving news delivered by a trustworthy retainer through whispering. Although they valued strict security, there was a somewhat eccentric feeling to it.

"......Prince Harwich they say is currently staying in a place called Adelibari enjoying hot springs. The King of Adelorn keeps saying there will be a positive answer, but it is already the first week. Now I consider it sufficient to doubt that underlying intention."

Gathering his personal opinion short at the end the spymaster distanced himself from Bellator's ear. Bellator slowly tilted his posture to the opposite side, and supporting his chin with a slightly curled hand fell into thought.

"He indeed noticed my intention......"

Bellator muttered lowly. Thereupon the spymaster who was standing quietly carefully brought out a story.

"How about manipulating the Duke of Frederia? Executing a siege with 2 thousand is beyond our capacity, and there is a difference in status too. Since sacrifices are unavoidable the foolish Second Prince wouldn't just stay still either. So picking over everything in various ways, I see drawing the Duke of Frederia in as correct. Since the couple as a pair fucked him over, he will definitely not hold good feelings."

Rickart secretly seized the gold mine, and Marie had a record of exposing the illegal acts of the Duke. Naturally, from the Duke of Frederia's perspective he had no choice but to dislike both of them.

But whether because he was a person picked only seeing his ability, his origin being lowly the spymaster's words were a bit inappropriate. Fucked him over. Was this a word to say to the Prince now.

Sure enough Bellator glanced swish up at the spymaster once. He wasn't particularly frowning, but his eyes seemed to say to watch his mouth.

"I apologize."

"Go."

"Yes."

The spymaster bowed his head and withdrew.

The sound of the door closing was heard quietly, and Bellator remained alone in the audience chamber. He thought quietly but no particularly good method came to mind.

Actually the spymaster's suggestion sparked his appetite but because he originally didn't like revealing his own thoughts he didn't give a hint either.

Bellator was an Emperor type who made all judgements and decisions alone and suddenly ordered and gave directives. He was extremely unpleasant about others jumping to conclusions or guessing his thoughts in advance, and depending on the time even killed them secretly when there was no need to did so.

As a result, a result like now was natural. No one in this splendid and wide space, and being alone. Unlike Marie. History will inform who was more suited for the Emperor's seat.

Ultimately Bellator gave one directive after a long deliberation. Throwing in all troops capture the Stormhearts Castle as quickly as possible and kill Marie.

He too knew that far that if the opponent made a bet he too had to make a bet. Though a careful Bellator but this time somehow a competitive spirit arose unconsciously.

You Rickart will throw your weight around? Then I too will throw my weight around.