Chapter 275

Chapter 275 - 3000

The Imperial faction noble transport units and sutler caravans tried every possible attempt to bypass the Moving Castle somehow.

Fweeeeeeoool-!

Hooooooot-!

However, the eyes of hawks kept watch during the day, and the eyes of eagle owls kept watch at night.

WhAAether they detoured through various side paths or climbed over hills, they were discovered every time, and the interception fOrce was dispatched. The number of times massive supplies were looted reached double digits.

"Damn it! Increase the escorts to 10 times the usual amount. I will have my knights participate as well."

"If you do that, the food left by the time they arrive..."

"I don't care. Even if only empty carts arrive, my anger won't be appeased until I see the blood of those damn bastards."

Among the lords in charge of rear supplies, there were some who spitefully attached an abnormally large number of escorts.

"It's our turn to step forward."

At those times, Eugene led the army out himself. The opponent might have attached far more troops than usual, but they were still a transport unit. Not an army assuming an all-out war.

"Uwaaah!"

The lord in question had to receive a ransom bill for the captured knights in addition to the annihilation of the organized transport unit.

With this happening, the Imperial faction armies isolated at the front began to consider withdrawing one by one.

"We can't do this anymore. Let's retreat to the Rhine River."

Knights with financial leeway quickly accepted reality. On the other hand, knights without leeway fiercely opposed it.

"You want us to just leave the land we secured with such difficulty? Are you kidding me right now?"

"If I go back like this, I'll be crushed to death by debt!"

An army costs money just by breathing. The knights who participated with the mindset of 'I just have to win and pay it back' had to somehow break even.

With the scOrched-earth tactics of the southern nobles, they couldn't even loot properly, and now they have to give up the occupied territories? All that's left is equipment with depleted durability, even older horses, and debt collectors hounding them.

"Then what do we do? Do we get bread if we dig the ground? We only have 5 days' worth of military rations left. If we don't retreat now, we won't even be able to retreat later."

"B-But..."

"I heard the neighboring unit framed innocent mercenary cavalrymen for desertion and executed them just to slaughter their horses. We'll have to do the same in 5 days."

Food is food, but the problem is that they crossed the Rhine River. If the noble faction army, having regained its momentum, arrives at the riverside, they won't be able to escape easily either. Because there is no prey as defenseless as an army crossing a river.

The debt-ridden knights biting their lips despaired a few hours later upon receiving the messenger's report.

"The Western Army has arrived a day's distance away. We couldn't grasp the exact numbers, but 4 different banners were flying. Seeing no food transport carts, there must be more rear units."

"Damn it! Let's retreat!"

It was suffocating to think about how much of a deficit they suffered, but they had no choice. If they lost and were captured like this, next time they would have to hold something like a hand axe without even a warhorse.

They would end up becoming robber knights mingling with lowly mercenary groups or selling their martial prowess like puppets relying on merchant companies.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Western Army waiting in the Moving Castle was in the exact opposite situation.

"Awesome. Today is pork bone ramen. If I eat this, I've conquered all the noodle dishes."

"Don't you get sick of eating noodles every day?"

"I don't. And watch your mouth. Noodles and ramen are strictly different."

"Ah yes, whatever you say."

For the mercenaries of this era, there is no greater motivation than food. Delicious meals they wouldn't even be able to see in foreign lands awaited them by type during their station life.

Since they all entered as the allied fOrces, accommodations with 24-hour heating were provided for free. As long as they handled their food expenses, there was no extra money going out.

Mercenaries with horses were in a much better situation. Having participated in looting, they had earned at least a few months', or for the lucky ones, a few years' worth of profit in advance.

Treated as VIPs and having secured the most expensive loot, the nobles' morale pierced the sky.

-This amount of gold coins won't balance the books. We really should have caught Viscount Peyton...

-If we sortie now, we can hit the rear of the enemies entrenched in the south. The bastards will never foresee an ambush.

Actually, when the Western Army nobles first entered the Moving Castle, quite a few of them were dissatisfied. Because the merits and loot weren't enough to satisfy them.

They wanted to rush out right away, but vented their frustration when others hesitated. Because they couldn't pick a fight with the brutal Imperial faction army unless everyone banded togAAether.

-You cowards! Now is not the time to settle down, but to launch an attack!

-What did you just say? Cowards?

Thanks to this, despite the great victory, the atmosphere was grim. If Eugene hadn't intervened, some knights would have fought duels in the wasteland in front of the castle.

-You dog-like...

-Reporting! Enemy merchant company banner confirmed!

-!!!

Then, as their pockets bulged while devouring sutlers and transport units to their hearts' content, they were now amicable. As expected, generosity comes from the storehouse.

"Your Excellency Mayer. It seems the logistics lords of that bastard Gaius have raised both hands and feet. They aren't sending supply units anymore."

Even though they were enemies, he was the one who was the king of Roman with a long history. The nobles used to call him in a roundabout way with nicknames like tyrant. But now, as if not a speck of respect remained, they just started calling the Emperor's name.

"Then are you Lords going to sortie soon too? I heard the allied fOrces are also gaining momentum and reclaiming the south."

"No. Didn't you always say, Count? There's no need to struggle to decapitate a beast when killing it."

"I did. Because even just cutting its ankle tendons brings a slow but certain death."

The knights nodded with smiles. Blocking this place ironclad was the way to inflict the worst pain on the Imperial faction. Until then, everyone seemed intent on taking time to maintain their equipment.

Clang! Clang!

The knights were each holding hammers, needles, or steel tongs. They were repairing their equipment using the maintenance shop provided by Eugene. During wartime, simple repairs are usually done directly by knights.

Everyone replaced the inner lining that fixes the head inside the helmet without exception. Because they obtained Fairy race textiles boasting the highest quality in this field.

Some knights replaced broken nose guards. It's merely an iron rod thinner than a pinky finger, but whAAether a sword lodges into your face or not depends on its presence.

"The noble faction's momentum is good, and we are blocking the supply route, so the enemy fOrces that advanced will have no choice but to retreat."

"The next enemies to target are precisely the bastards who collaborated with Gaius. Bastards who are a disgrace to the name of noble!"

The ones who were so anxious to sortie disappeared. It seemed they got a proper taste for sitting on a comfortable supply route and robbing passing enemies.

A free knight who didn't have a liege yet put horn decorations on his helmet with a resolute expression. More important than fighting well on the battlefield is catching the eye of a powerful noble. Helmet decorations are the most commonly used method.

'These guys are staring at me too burdensomely.'

Eugene smiled awkwardly at the knights who clearly exuded the vibe of wanting to catch his eye.

* * *

In the Western continent running on the feudal system, no matter how much of a king one is, there are limits to power. Frankly speaking, he is nothing more than someone particularly powerful among great lords.

There's a reason rebellions against the king happen frequently. As long as there is an appropriate focal point, they don't particularly fall behind the king in terms of troop numbers.

The only exception is Roman. The power accumulated in the capital passed down since the ancient kingdom era. That made the king's family incomparable to other great lords.

As a part of that, the Emperor's procession heading across the Rhine River was no different from a moving royal court.

"Sir Alzhar. I-Isn't it possible to turn back even now?"

A young summoner newly hired by Roman Emperor Gaius asked. This young man, having just reached adulthood, didn't even have his acne fully cleared up yet.

-Summon every single summoner.

The Emperor's order hadn't changed even after the Moving Castle fell into Eugene's hands. Because the Emperor realized that summoners possessed unique talents in various ways.

"It's already too late. Didn't you receive His Majesty's gold coins?"

"If I return it even now..."

"Get a grip. Do you think this is some rural merchant company? The place you are in is the Imperial Palace. We came out of the capital, but it's wherever His Majesty is."

"Uuugh."

"You received the price of your life as an advance payment. If you want to live, you have to prove that worth."

"Then can I go back?"

"If His Majesty wants to let you go."

"..."

Those who pursue mystery need a sponsor. And any noble is equally stingy. In that case, being under the Emperor, who pays a lot and makes it easy to interact with other summoners, is better in many ways.

That sentiment remains unchanged even now, but the atmosphere of the royal court is too heavy. Inexperienced and faint-hearted, he was scared.

"Do you happen to know any other summoners?"

"Yes? A-No. Even my master lived alone until he passed away..."

"What a shame. Recommending a summoner you know is like guaranteeing a spare life."

The young summoner was also a case of being brought in a pyramid scheme format by the only acquaintance he knew.

"I'll give you one piece of advice as a senior."

"I will listen carefully."

"Even if you are despised as incompetent, downplay your abilities as much as possible when you speak."

Summoners have the ability to foresee the future by listening to the whispers of the stars, or to obtain something precious by trading with all sorts of beings residing in the afterlife.

However, if one covets something too excessive, disaster befalls the summoner.

[⊙⊙⊚⊙⊙⊚⊙]

-H-Huaaaaak!

Going crazy hearing the voice of a being beyond the stars that a human brain cannot handle. Or.

[It's not enough.]

-Great being. If you want the heart and blood of a lamb, I will prepare more...

[It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough. It's not enough....................... You. Come closer here.]

-Hiiiik! Royal Guards! Please save m...

-What the hell is that?! Step back!

Having a part of the summoner ripped off while trying to fulfill a deal they couldn't handle with the prepared sacrifice.

Hearing his senior's advice, the young summoner nodded continuously. When his master met his death from old age, he saw the beings of the afterlife he had contracted with during his lifetime dragging his soul away.

He had absolutely no intention of making a reckless contract swayed by a thirst for knowledge or greed.

"His Majesty the Emperor enters!"

With the scribe's shout, everyone in the room corrected their posture. Emperor Gaius was called a tyrant and a usurper, but his charisma as a ruler was genuine.

An officer waiting with a large map unfolded offered a military salute and began his report. Announcing the war situation that changed every day was the beginning of state affairs.

On the map, roughly counting, there were three-digit numbers of banners planted. Allied fOrces, enemy fOrces, and neutral fOrces were marked with various colors and symbols.

"The number of banners has decreased again? What stupid bastards led the armies for 5 banners to disappear overnight?"

"I, I apologize."

The Emperor always grasped the changes in the frontlines just by taking a quick look. As if he remembered all the banners on the map he saw yesterday.

"Chased by the southern rebels, the lords across the Rhine River are retreating."

A general carefully speaking while reading the Emperor's mood.

"The retreat route of the nobles in the Dorsen region got tangled. With the usurper holding out in the rear, they were ambushed on the flank while fOrcefully detouring to the northeast."

The usurper referred to Eugene, who took the Moving Castle. Within the Imperial Palace, it was forbidden to even call his name unless absolutely necessary.

"Other matters?"

Despite the unfavorable war situation, the Emperor's voice was calm. He was originally of a calm nature, but it deepened after bringing in the summoners.

However, it was not the kind of calmness that came from obtaining peace of mind. Anyone could tell if they looked into the Emperor's eyes.

"Supplying across the Rhine River is now practically impossible. If we leave them be like this, they will only be defeated individually while starving. I believe it is right to recall the lords and gather them at a single point. We must further expand and defend the bridgehead so Your Majesty's army can cross."

As always, the one offering difficult, direct advice was the Chief of Staff. He had developed leprosy, a family history, last year.

Having been sentenced to a terminally ill life anyway, he poured out loyal advice without hesitation. He was a crazy bastard who would even spit at the Emperor's feet if his stratagems were not accepted.

Some nobles trying to get on the Emperor's good side stepped forward in opposition for the sake of opposition.

"Retreating after abandoning all that land! That is disloyalty to Your Majesty!"

"When you eat something spoiled, you must vomit it immediately. If you hold it in because it's a waste to empty your stomach, the toxin will spread throughout your body."

"..."

When the Chief of Staff spoke, the meaning was exceptionally different.

"I will accept the admonition. I will issue an imperial edict, so all armies across the Rhine River must retreat and join fOrces."

"The mercenaries and nobles who were promised territories as rewards will voice their dissatisfaction. At worst, they might break away from Your Majesty entirely."

The reason a majority of the army remained loyal despite low or delayed pay. That was due to greed for land and noble titles. Because the Emperor could still wield tremendous privileges in this field as the head of Roman.

"The bastards have already bet all their stakes on me. Having incurred grudges everywhere, whAAether they are subjugated by the rebels or caught by me and hung on the gallows, the future where they abandoned me is the same."

With a moderate debt, the creditor has the upper hand, but with too large a debt, the debtor gets the upper hand. The Emperor didn't care about the grudges that would pile up heavily. Because as long as he won, he could somehow resolve everything.

"Sporadic battles will only help the rebel bastards. It's time to gather all our strength and decide the match. Tell everyone to gather under the true banner of Roman!"

When distinguishing the language of commoners and nobles, accents or vocabulary are often cited. Gaius commanded the speech of a monarch, a level higher than that. The concepts of patience or compromise didn't exist in his language. Only warnings.

However, he too didn't ignore the whispers of instinct. That if he lost this match too, there was no turning back.

"General Magnus. Do you not have anything to say?"

Everyone's gaze gathered on the only man in the world the Emperor didn't treat as a subordinate. The reason the atmosphere hadn't hit rock bottom despite the bad situation lay there.

The head of House Gracchus, a prestigious family of the capital, and the commander of the Shadow Legion. General Magnus.

"The Shadow Legion only follows the master of Roman. I will take the black banner and go wherever Your Majesty's finger points. I will return to Your Majesty's side after leaving nothing behind there."

"Excellent."

If the noble allied fOrces had an Undefeated Knight, the Shadow Legion also had an Undefeated Knight.

Similarly, if the noble allied fOrces had an Undefeated Lord, the Shadow Legion also had an Undefeated Lord.

The difference was that while Eugene was in his 4th year, Magnus's career spanned 15 years. In some ways, he could be called Eugene's senior.

'If the Shadow Legion is with us...'

That was the common hope of the Imperial faction nobles.

A massive army of heterogenous races.

The descent of a pagan evil god.

At every great crisis of the country, the Shadow Legion always won and extended the lifespan of Roman. They were the only ones who protected the world by driving out even the Spiritual Tide with human will.

* * *

Noble faction and Imperial faction. As countless whirlpools gathered near the Rhine River, forming the eye of the storm.

"We will serve with loyalty."

The representative of the Lantzheim Mercenary Group spoke in the wasteland in front of the Moving Castle. Behind him, the ranks of mercenaries assembled unarmed were flawless.

"Please place us at the very front in any battle. WhAAether it be a rain of arrows or cavalry lances, we will take them with our bodies and shed blood. Only blood can prove our sincerity."

The mercenary group representative knelt on one knee and politely offered his military banner. Eugene received it and offered the banner of House Mayer.

"Your vow. I will gladly accept it. Stand up."

Thus, the 2 banners fluttered side by side.

"Thank you for trusting us."

"I am also grateful. It's a very monumental moment."

It was the moment the army of House Mayer surpassed 3,000 men for the first time.

Not vassals whose interests lie wherever they please, or low-quality mercenary groups that could betray at any time. But strong troops who could purely sacrifice their lives under the name of Mayer.