Chapter 192

Chapter 192 - War of Wrath (9)

There is a moment that determines the flow of a battlefield. It's the same as a large snowball continuing to grow its size and speed once it rolls once. Once it rides the momentum, whether it's victory or defeat, it's a straight line.

The central nobles sensed that. In the sight of Eugene beating up the berserkers making them into cowards.

"What are you doing! Are you descendants of great men of the sea even doing that?"

"The souls of cowards will be chased away from the entrance of Valhalla!"

King Kruger's royal guard knights took the lead and charged.

"The Count is over there. Once we catch that person everything ends! To the hero who catches the Count, I will bestow half of his ransom, no, the entirety of his ransom as a reward!"

"Uwaaaaa!!!"

The central warriors who burned their fighting spirit once again also rushed at Eugene simultaneously. It was the highest level of momentum since the battle began.

"Wa, wait a minute Lord!"

Such a massive prize money was put on Eugene that the accompanying adjutant panicked and looked back.

"They have to stake that much for the warriors to at least show foolhardy courage, no? If they don't all rush in together there's no answer for that monster!"

Already one central knight who charged first was sliced away along with his warhorse. It's a knight renowned for winning King Kruger's tournament.

"Let's pincer attack!"

"Sir Charles! The only one who can respond to that ignorant axe is you!"

Knights attacked Eugene from 3 directions. The front is unusually a knight wielding a two-handed sword from horseback.

"Enemy of the King! Take my sword!"

Charles is a knight equipped with amazing technique enough to freely wield a two-handed sword from horseback.

He pressed down passable enemies with the reach and destructive power of a two-handed sword, and when meeting a strong enemy, he drew out openings with a soft swordsmanship that parries attacks with the flat of the blade.

"I admit your strength is stronger than mine! But I'll teach you that strength isn't everything!"

"Technique is a choice, but strength is destiny."

Unlike Charles who shouted as if screaming, Eugene spoke calmly.

Vwoooong!

The sound of the large, sharp axe blade cleaving the wind gave goosebumps like a ghost's wail.

Unlike how he rushed in with good momentum, Charles didn't dare strike back at that attack. He twisted his body with all his strength and dodged.

Claaang!

The axe blade that narrowly missed by a few cm sent Charles' helmet flying high into the sky.

His head was safe, but his eardrums were ringing and a headache formed just from that impact. But the second attack was already flying in.

'I can't dodge!'

Charles poured out all the strength he had since he was nursing and held out, gripping his two-handed sword.

Puuuuck!

The dwarven-made sword blade withstood Eugene's slash, but it couldn't do anything about the kinetic energy. The blade that violently bounced backward pierced its master's face.

"Sir Charles!"

The lamenting two knights spurred their horses even more and pounced from both sides.

"Heup!"

Eugene let out a short energetic shout while holding the axe handle with both hands.

Chwaaang!

Sweeping the axe blade rotating nearly 300 degrees, the two knights were sliced away simultaneously.

"Damn it. Isn't that not a human?"

Warriors who saw that sight from the rear rank began to backpedal. Pride that they boasted of being the strongest in Britannia vanished in front of an enemy forming the shape of destruction.

"It is the King's order to go in and fight!"

"Enter that den? That's not going to fight but going to be executed!"

The place Eugene was fighting was not a battlefield but a slaughterhouse. The Central army entering that place felt like they became naked pigs rather than soldiers.

On the other hand, the Southern nobles on the same side were just in awe.

"Did I see wrong?"

A southern squire rubbed his eyes. The sight of a warhorse hit by Might tumbling over and the knight riding it being ejected into the empty air lacked a sense of reality.

"You saw right."

"L-Look at that blood rain splattering!"

Whenever Eugene swung Blackout, it gave the illusion that red fabric was fluttering in strong wind.

"Smash the central bastards!"

The southern soldiers on both wings also had their morale pierce the sky at that sight.

The belief that even if they are pushed back for now, the giant warhorse and axe will crush enemies and come to help. That granted soldiers the courage to firmly protect the formation.

'Southern bastards or something...'

'Are these bastards the ones who were so docile?'

For the Central army, the appearance of them trusting their commander and acting up was extremely infuriating, but because they were pouncing so fiercely, they had no choice but to back down.

* * *

A sight of the berserker unit, which honed ancestral wisdom to the limit, disbanding, and even the knights they trusted being butchered. King Kruger denied reality for the first time.

"You must escape now!"

"Escape to where?"

King Kruger muttered despondently. What difference does it make retreating if there are no places left politically?

He established the King's authority with overwhelming power and fear.

Being pushed out by a stronger person here didn't mean a single defeat. Everything King Kruger had built up would collapse like dominoes.

"Winter is coming soon, so if we rely on the castle walls and hold out we will be able to resist. Norrington Castle is sturdy. We can hold out until next year with the stockpiled food."

It's not that holding out exactly produced a method, but like this it was definitely the end.

"He's over there! There's that Kruger bastard!"

At the Southern knight's shout, a murderous intent that made his skin sting headed this way. At its center is Eugene covered in blood atop Might.

"Excellency! Please make a wise judgment!"

The distance between the two sides is only tens of meters. When considering King Kruger fighting like a warrior, his retainers stopped him with desperate faces.

"Your Highness's great task was right in front of your nose! I will definitely..."

King Kruger's royal guard captain and the strongest man in the Center, Bjorn, rushed at Eugene.

[Kueooooo-.]

And bitten by the hell spirit's teeth, he turned into a single terrible scream.

Those exposed to that wavelength violently lost their will to fight. Even King Kruger.

He might have withstood it if he was in perfect condition. But he was in the midst of receiving extreme stress in a situation where his ambition was collapsing in real time.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

King Kruger turned his horse's head and fled towards Norrington Castle.

* * *

"Shall we pursue?"

"There's no need to catch him. Focus on tormenting and chipping away as much as possible at the ones retreating together."

"Leave it to me, Sir Knight."

Recalling the engagement rules he familiarized himself with before battle, Rex offered a military salute on horseback.

"Since they'll retreat with their own defense prepared, if we try to forcibly catch them we will also suffer damage."

"Still, with that Kruger bastard, isn't it worth swallowing the damage?"

"He's a guy who built up grudges on all sides anyway. As long as the army supporting him has vanished from the world, the whole world will try to kill him even if we leave him alone."

Like that, the horse archers led by Rex bit and hung on like demons.

"Kill all bastards who do not surrender!"

Eugene led his vassals and finished off the Central army left on the battlefield.

Normally Eugene discriminates significantly between when to kill and when to capture. If necessary, he could safely capture them by beating them up with the blunt part and such.

But in this battle, whether knight or noble, he sliced down everything indiscriminately.

'I have to reduce the number of central nobles as much as possible.'

Unlike other regions which have strong ethnic identity as Britannians. The Center is an area difficult to assimilate due to active mixed blood with Vikings.

Some regions even have fiefs that revolve entirely around a plunder economy.

Only if he greatly reduced the lords on the battlefield and swept the Center into chaos with sudden succession would later rule become comfortable.

"Surrender! I'll surrender!"

"Please stop!"

Halt.

"S-Su... hiccup!"

The noble, in front of whose helmet the axe blade stopped about 10cm away, raised both hands with a face looking like he was going to cry. With the sound of weapons dropping from all directions, the Central army declared surrender.

"Collect the flags!"

At Hind's order, soldiers went around and gathered the sprawled noble corpses and family flags.

True to nobles equipped with superb armor and warhorses and receiving the protection of soldiers, surprisingly not many people set out to battle with the resolve to die.

Time to sufficiently agonize whether to keep fighting or surrender is given.

To Eugene who broke that common sense and sliced down haphazardly, it seemed the central nobles were solidly terrified.

* * *

In the rear of the Central army, Baron Boute, who was guarding Norrington Castle, stamped his feet.

"Kruger's army has already collapsed you say?"

Because although he revealed his intent to surrender to Eugene, it was not yet in a completely coordinated state.

Surrenders with large stakes involved often do not proceed with a single letter.

A noble's title, fief, a hostage for trust, a joint signature if there are comrades to defect additionally, and furthermore even compensation.

Since there wasn't just one or two elements to tap each other out on, letters had to go back and forth a few times. But a conclusion was reached without even time to properly prepare anything.

"Baron. Sir Beric is protesting, asking until when they'll be starved. Hurry and make a decision!"

"Eueueu."

Knights who received King Kruger's conscription order to replenish troops were currently patrolling the East and forcibly dragging in men.

A situation where currently a few knights including Beric and about 300 conscripts had entered the castle.

- What are you dawdling for? I say I must quickly go to His Highness Kruger!

- W-Wait just a minute please. There's currently a problem in the kitchen...

The knights making continuous grumbling sounds from their stomachs were protesting to the chamberlain. Because Baron Boute was making excuses and giving out neither meals nor supplies.

If Baron Boute's intent to surrender to Eugene was noticed? The loyalist Beric's group would immediately draw their swords and attack.

Right now when they still didn't know how the situation goes, they had to surprise attack and kill them or catch them as prisoners.

"I have momentum that Sir Beric will forcibly break into the kitchen. For now, feeding them something..."

"Absolutely not! Are you telling me to break the custom of hospitality?"

As long as he surrenders offering the castle and supplies, Eugene would treat him generously. However, the brand of betrayer would follow him around for the rest of his life in the future noble society.

He didn't even want to imagine having infamy as an evil person who threw away humanity attached on top of that.

The custom of hospitality is a value considered important in all regions, but in Britannia, which cherishes ancient things, it is close to the realm of faith.

"Then please quickly make a decision. Sir Beric might feel suspicious at this rate."

"Damn it..."

The Baron made a decision. In this state of affairs, standing on King Kruger's side against the Southern army is an act of a crazy person.

"Attack! After dealing with the knights, blockade the castle!"

"Understood. Everyone follow me!"

"Yes!"

The knight gave dozens of pre-prepared crossbows to the defense troops, then scrambled out putting spearmen at the front.

Watching their backs, Baron Boute chewed on his fingernails. His wife who quietly approached pulled his hand and hugged it to her chest.

"You did well, honey. There's no better choice than this."

"Right? It must be like that, right?"

The Baron showed his tearful face only to his young wife with a large age difference.

His wife was pregnant with the Baron's baby. Even if he wore the stigma of a betrayer, he wanted to let his child enjoy a safe life.

"Keuaak!"

"Y-You dirty traitor bastards!"

Due to the surprise attack of the defense forces, the noise of battle was heard from the courtyard inside the castle.

The loyalist knights and soldiers, who were scattered and resting, collapsed unilaterally.

Because they were in a state of fatigue from gathering conscripts, monitoring them, and marching. They had no talent to withstand the bolts and spearheads the defense forces, accustomed to the inside of the castle, shot from all directions.

"Uwek!"

Beric, who killed two spearmen in one breath even with 3 bolts lodged in his body, threw up a handful of blood.

He couldn't believe an earnestly trained life of nearly 30 years ended this vainly and despicably.

"Disgusting! Are you even a knight doing that?!"

"A knight merely follows his lord's command. I serve Baron Boute, not a tyrant."

Beric, pouring curses, had his head cut off by the Baron's knight.

"Clean up the corpses later. Scatter into 3-man teams and drag out all guys who might possibly have hid too. You two go tell the defense troops on the castle walls to hang white flags."

"Understood!"

The Baron's knight closed the eyes of Beric who died with his eyes open. It was an era where it was hard to live as a good knight, let alone a good retainer.

* * *

The central nobles who surrendered preserving their lives were merely a handful.

"A-As expected, he must have been a monster."

They feared Might who was tearing and eating a dead horse nearby.

Riiiip!

Chomp chomp.

What a mouth to tear off the softest belly skin and swallow it like pumpkin leaves. The teeth sprouting there are more savage than those of a lion.

"That's going into that mouth."

"Smack."

The low-level soldiers or mercenaries smacked their lips as if it was a shame. Because warhorses that died during battle were a sort of special meal.

This is something even nobles couldn't carelessly touch, like the right of serfs to glean ears of grain after harvest.

Because since ancient times it was told not to touch eating and drinking. Especially for warriors who fought a deadly battle.

"Captain. The meat is intact though?"

"Oh!"

Fortunately, Might's most favorite parts are not flesh. Because he gulped down mainly the horse's internal organs in slurp sounds, the lean meat meant for the Southern army was almost as is.

The vassals, who finished the cleanup of the battlefield over a day, completely accepted Eugene as their lord.

"There probably hasn't been this perfect a victory in the history of Britannia."

"Glory to His Excellency who drove out the tyrant and brought justice!"

The Center King Kruger rallied possessed demon-like strength. In today's fight, the Southern nobles were all convinced.

'If we had fought led by Viscount Winchester, it would have been us rolling around as corpses.'

The reason Kruger claimed to be king and engaged in oppressive occupation operations became understood. Since he had the power to suppress dissatisfaction, he aimed for a quick battle and quick resolution.

Just who is this young monarch who crushed such a person from the front with strength?

"King Kruger committed a grave sin against the history of Britannia. He rightly must be punished with extreme penalty."

"If Your Excellency carries out the sentence and takes his territory, no one will dare oppose it."

The vassals knelt and admonished Eugene.

There were many who said such words out of loyalty and respect, but there were also those who sparkled their eyes expecting crumbs to fall.

"King Kruger will receive the punishment of death, but I have no intention of finishing off his family as well. The rules of nobles he destroyed will be set straight by me."

"Excellency. Is Your Excellency not being too overly merciful to such human trash?"

"You are truly just!"

Unlike the vassals who were regretful for various reasons, those faithful to tradition were moved.

To take such a great victory and glory and not be swayed by greed but guarantee the noble rights of nobles!

Naturally, Eugene also had his own reasons.

'The Center is troublesome to rule directly.'

Unlike the South which is a strategic point of commerce, and the fertile East, the Center is barren. With assimilation with Vikings, it is also a place where a very rough and exclusive culture flourishes.

A land where there's not much to gain but is hard to manage. For this kind of thing, it was convenient to win over a trustworthy person among their members to rule it.

'If it's Krey he'd probably do well.'

Eugene intended to kill King Kruger, pull down his firstborn for the crime of collaboration, and then seat Krey.

The Southern army, having taken a brief reorganization and rest, began pursuit.

Because they just need to follow the traces Rex left while bothering them pursuing, it was an easy task. Broken wagons and Central army corpses with arrows stuck in them followed endlessly.

"It's over."

"..."

The central nobles in a prisoner position hung their heads at the traces of the miserable pursuit battle.

All directions were enemies, their food was seized, and the army collapsed like grains of sand. At this level, it's meaningless even if the King escaped to the Center. Holding out relying on a castle would probably be impossible too.

"It is over."

Valda also said the same words.

Since she belongs to the side of the victor, the emotion contained is joy rather than frustration. However, it also contained a bit of complication.

"You buried too much blood and death on your hands."

"Isn't it what defending a family as a noble is? Both Kruger and the lords who surrendered wearing the stigma of betrayal are the same. Their methods are just different from mine."

"You are an honorable knight. You cannot be compared to such a tyrant."

"There's no such thing as absolute in ruling."

Eugene touched Valda's held hand to his cheek. Might sensibly narrowed the gap between the two people.

"The time for me to live as a monarch is long. I won't be able to stay as only a righteous and brave knight forever. There will come times I will have to take the appearance of a wicked villain as well."

Eugene, stopping his words for a moment, smiled bitterly.

"Or hiring such a villain and pretending to be clean observing from behind."

Associating with various nobles, studying their history, Eugene could clearly know just how cruel they had to become to protect their families.

Speaking honestly, he isn't confident if he could find a better method when placed in such situations.

"Right now I have many good methods permitted to me, but later on if it is necessary, I could become a monster as much as I want."

"If such a situation comes, I will protect your honor with all my strength."

"How?"

Eugene smiled warmly. Even if it was talk without a method, her heart deeply considering him was thankful. At times like this, he realized vividly that Valda was his wife.

"The crying sounds of full cows and fields of good harvest. If surrounded by those things, the masses have no interest in the cruelty taking place in secret places."

Golden eyes shining like twilight stared at Eugene.

"You are more outstanding than anyone in getting rid of enemies, and I in fertilizing the land. In a world where all enemies have disappeared, if people eat well and live well, who would complain about that?"

Valda's white hand pointed to the front and released the power of magic. At its end were 2 Central army corpses rolling on the ground.

Rustle.

The bushes and mosses scattered sparsely nearby prospered rapidly and covered the corpses. It was a shape like a coffin gifted by nature.

"A polite and romantically packaged compost processing."

"I can do the same in politics too. As your wife, to protect your honor."

Eugene was regretful that it was currently during a march. Perhaps because of making shy remarks, Valda whose ears turned red changed the subject.

"What will you do if you arrest Count Kruger?"

"The vassals have proposed a few plans."

Eugene spread a finger one by one.

"Deliver the same Blood Eagle punishment, or draw and quarter him then hang one in each region of Britannia, or tie him naked to a pillory then invite western and eastern nobles to hit him once each."

"For them it might be deeply satisfying, but they are methods that would hurt your dignity."

"It wouldn't be good for the relationship with Sir Krey who will become the new Northern administrator either."

On the outside Eugene as a knight revealed his anger at King Kruger's tyranny, but on the inside he had no particular grudge. That is a part well known by Valda who mixes flesh with him as husband and wife.

How is it good to dispose of him? That worry of Eugene's was eliminated by the messenger Rex sent.

"We found King Kruger's corpse. They say a guerrilla unit of the Eastern army that had scattered after the defeat of the war ambushed him."

A while later, King Kruger's corpse placed in front of Eugene had 14 arrows lodged in it.

"He got hit a lot."

And with 4 arrows lodged in his face alone, it was distorted uglily. A strange expression looking like he's agonizing but also like he's shivering in extreme cold.

In that face, Eugene caught a glimpse of the ordeal the central people would experience going forward.