Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"He... he... seems cooked?"
Paul covered his nose, feeling a bit nauseous as he looked at the "teppanyaki" in front of him that was clearly overcooked.
Luckily, though, the wave of attacks had been repelled again—just after that person had been roasted. Judging by the context, that person's identity must have been important, though Paul had no idea who was behind the charred armor—well, who they originally were. Of course, he had no interest in finding out; the sight would probably haunt him for life.
Paul almost wished that the person inside the armor was his family's knight, Ferguson. His hatred for that traitor had reached the sky, and he had already cursed him hundreds of times in his heart.
Since his transmigration, this was the first time Paul had faced such a dangerous situation. Well, he had once encountered a crazy wizard on the road, so maybe not the first.
"Ugh—" The sound came from a guard lying next to him. This brave and loyal soldier had taken a blow meant for Paul. After being bandaged, the guard was no longer able to fight.
Paul knelt down, carefully adjusting his guard into a more comfortable position.
"Thank you, my lord," the guard said. "Don't say anything. Just rest well."
Inwardly, Paul prayed for the guard's recovery. Alas, with such deep wounds, he had neither penicillin nor sulfonamides to help.
"My Lord Grayman," Ladia reminded him from the side, "after so many failed attacks, the rebels may try a fire assault. The kindling they've gathered isn't just for cooking."
"Do you... have the confidence to keep everyone safe?"
Paul looked at Ladia skeptically. Although his camp was set up in an open area, the ground was covered with thick grass.
"I'll do my best."
Do my best? Hearing this made Paul feel a bit bitter, but her next words lifted his spirits.
"Additionally, I bring good news: the Eighth Infantry Battalion is on its way here."
"What?"
Paul shouted in surprise. This was fantastic news.
"Everyone!" he called out to the camp, summoning all his strength. "Our reinforcements are on their way. The Eighth Infantry Battalion is heading toward us right now. If we can hold on, the dawn of victory will shine upon us with the rising sun!"
As soon as he announced this, the oppressive, anxious atmosphere in the camp seemed to vanish almost instantly. No one cheered, but every pair of eyes sparkled with renewed hope.
"But!" After thinking it over, Paul decided to prepare them in advance. "The traitors may try to set the forest on fire to deal with us, so be mentally prepared. Lady Setia will use a special method to protect everyone, so don't be overly concerned."
This made everyone's hearts tighten again, and serious expressions returned to their faces.
As for Lady Setia's special method, after the recent battle, most had a rough idea of what it was. That sudden burst of flame had left quite the impression.
Though certain legends about her possible identity made some people uneasy, there was a strong sense of respect for this beautiful woman who fought alongside them. Facing life-and-death situations together forms a mysterious bond, no matter how unfamiliar or distant people were before.
The upcoming battle would be one where danger and hope coexisted!
…
Chacon's horrible fate shattered the rebel soldiers' morale. After several failed assaults, rumors had begun to spread: the tyrant lord, Paul Grayman, controlled evil black magic that could bypass defenses and take lives. Now, with a dragon of fire shooting out from the camp to incinerate Chacon, it seemed to confirm the legend that Grayman possessed such dark powers.
Under immense fear, the attacking mob retreated once more, leaving behind a field of corpses and the screams of the wounded. They withdrew to where Ferguson and his group were stationed.
"What the hell did you just say?"
Old Walter's eyes widened with fury upon hearing the news of his son's death from the retreating soldiers. His gaunt hands gripped the messenger's arm tightly.
"Impossible! This is impossible! My Chacon was blessed by the gods. There's no way he could have died to Grayman's evil black magic!"
Walter's crazed demeanor terrified the messenger.
"Lord Walter, please calm yourself," he said, his voice trembling, fearing the notoriously harsh old man might stab him on the spot.
"Ahhh—ahhh—ahhh!"
Old Walter howled to the sky, "Paul Grayman, I will avenge my son!"
Ferguson watched coldly from the side, allowing Walter to vent his rage.
When Walter finally stopped to catch his breath, Ferguson placed a hand on the old man's shoulder.
"This is truly a tragic event. Chacon was a good lad, and he gave his life for justice."
"Screw justice!" Dmitri Walter shook off Ferguson' hand. "I want to send Paul Grayman straight to hell!"
Walter stormed over to a burning torch, gripping it tightly and raising it high.
"Ferguson, execute your final plan. Burn Grayman and his lackeys to ashes to soothe my poor child's soul!"
…
Colonel Carter Holley of the Eighth Infantry Battalion lashed his horse again, urging the slowing steed to pick up speed, its hooves rising high like before.
Before setting off, the local city hall had cooperated with the army's request, gathering over 400 horses overnight. For the under-strength Eighth Battalion, with just over 260 men, this was more than enough. Every soldier rode a horse, and the rest were brought along for rotations during the journey.
Colonel Holley was now incredibly grateful that his men had undergone riding training; otherwise, those horses would have been useless.
"Report!" A messenger rode up from the front of the formation and saluted.
"What is it?"
"We're nearing Babol Village."
"Good!" Colonel Holley rubbed his hands in anticipation.
Lord Grayman's letter mentioned that a few households in Babol Village were involved in the rebellion.
"Seal off all the roads in and out of the village immediately."
"Yes, sir!" The messenger rode back to the front of the line.
Lord Grayman's letter had only mentioned that he was trapped somewhere near a forest. Colonel Holley needed to extract more specific details from the rebels' families.
(End of the Chapter)
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Translated 4 Series, 1.65K+ Chapters and 2.01M+ Words.