Count Kandore, commander of the Delphine Army's 5th Corps invading the eastern region, found himself deeply troubled.
The eastern region had been the first battleground of the war. As a result, the royal army and allied forces had mobilized quickly, and their numbers were greater than in other areas.
The 5th Corps had diligently fought through these forces, advancing toward the capital, only to have its supply lines threatened near the final defensive line.
"This is incredibly vexing."
The force of 50,000 had dwindled to 40,000 after several battles and a surprise attack by Amelia.
It was still a substantial number, but the remaining defensive line was formidable. The royal army and allied forces that had moved to the east had all converged there.
"They probably have at least 20,000 troops gathered…"
The defensive line needed to be broken with everything they had, but the Rayfold forces were lurking behind them, making it impossible to advance without worry.
Thus, the 5th Corps had halted their advance and were locked in ongoing strategic meetings.
"We should prioritize securing the supply line. Waiting for reinforcements from the Duchy seems like the best option."
"If we do that, the defensive line will only grow stronger. Reinforcements are still arriving for them from both the capital and the north."
"But advancing in this state is risky. Even if we break through the defensive line, it's meaningless if the supply line is cut."
"That's true. Without siege weapons, it will be impossible to capture Cardenia with just 40,000 troops."
"Aren't the other corps on the move as well? Once we surround the capital, we can rely on supplies from other areas."
"But the 2nd Corps has already been defeated by the northern army. We have no idea where the northern army might move next."
"Communication with the 3rd and 4th Corps has been cut off. Something must have happened to them."
Even among the staff, opinions were divided. They had marched out with confidence, but the current situation was anything but favorable.
Count Kandore knew the reason.
"The northern army is too strong."
The 2nd Corps, which had moved to attack the northern army, had been defeated. Despite having the largest force and even three superhumans, they had lost.
Because of the northern army, the other corps were unable to move freely.
"Ha, who would've thought that brat would grow up to have such a profound impact on the war."
Count Kandore shook his head in disbelief.
To think that an entire army would have to tread so carefully because of just one force. It was a scenario he never could have imagined before the war began.
"Rayfold is also a problem."
The enemy forces had gathered entirely at the defensive line, allowing them to speed up their advance. With everything around them cleared, there were no obstacles.
Yet they had suffered significant losses when the Rayfold forces, which had maneuvered around them, launched a surprise attack.
What was worse, the Rayfold forces weren't joining the defensive line but had instead settled in one of the rear territories.
"I can't just leave them be… but attacking them isn't a great move either…"
The Rayfold forces numbered around 10,000. While he was confident of victory in a direct confrontation, their tendency to hit and run meant they wouldn't engage directly.
If they decided to keep running, it would be hard to catch them with 40,000 troops. As invaders, it was nearly impossible to bait them into an engagement.
They had considered splitting their forces to secure the supply line, but that would make breaking through the defensive line even harder. Even if they managed, they'd be left in shambles.
No, they didn't even have time to split their forces. The northern army could arrive at any moment.
"This is so aggravating."
Count Kandore felt like he was going insane. Every moment spent deliberating was giving the enemy time to fortify their defenses.
He wanted nothing more than to eliminate Ghislain and Amelia, both of whom were proving to be massive thorns in his side.
As he agonized without any clear solution for days, word came in that the Rayfold forces had seized another territory.
Not only that, but they continued to circle around the supply lines, posing a constant threat. Watching this unfold helplessly was driving him to the brink of madness.
To properly secure the supply lines, he would need large-scale reinforcement from the Duchy.
'Should I send a messenger to request additional support…?'
As his frustration festered, bloodied messengers arrived in a hurry.
"The 3rd Corps has been annihilated!"
"What?!"
"They were ambushed and wiped out by Count Fenris! The survivors were taken as prisoners!"
Count Kandore, his face contorted with fury, shouted.
"What nonsense is this?! The northern army was supposed to be in a different region! How could the same army that fought the 2nd Corps annihilate the 3rd?!"
"It's true! It was definitely Count Fenris!"
Grinding his teeth in disbelief, Count Kandore paused, then spoke.
"If that's true… doesn't that mean the northern army is still far from us?"
If so, there was still time. Perhaps it was better to head west and merge with the 4th Corps.
They could use the 4th Corps' supply lines, and their combined forces would be stronger.
Count Kandore, arriving at the same conclusion as Count Falgau, exclaimed with joy.
"Good! We'll abandon this region! With the enemy stronger than expected, let's immediately regroup with the 4th Corps…"
"The 4th Corps has been annihilated!"
Another bloodied messenger stumbled in, screaming.
"…"
Count Kandore froze. In a trembling voice, he asked.
"W-What did you say?"
"The 4th Corps has been annihilated! Count Falgau was also killed by Count Fenris!"
"What nonsense is this?!"
Count Kandore couldn't comprehend the situation. The 2nd Corps had been destroyed, the 3rd Corps annihilated, and now even the 4th Corps?
The consecutive news of such disasters made him feel as though he was losing his mind.
"Does the northern army have wings or something?! This defies all logic! It's not as though Count Fenris is three different people!"
"It's true! It was Count Fenris! He personally killed Count Falgau!"
"Ugh, ugh…"
"And… there's more…"
"What?! What else could there possibly be?!"
"The northern army is heading for the eastern region."
"WHAT?!"
"Furthermore, the royal army's commander-in-chief is leading 25,000 troops toward this region as well."
"…"
Count Kandore's body trembled uncontrollably. He couldn't form words.
This made no sense. How could a human army move at such speed? There was no historical precedent for such mobility.
If they pushed themselves to the absolute limit, it was conceivable, but people needed to eat and rest. How were they managing their supplies? What were they, undead?
Count Kandore, after a long bout of huffing and puffing, finally muttered in a faint voice.
"…It seems we've made a truly terrifying enemy."
The fact that Count Fenris himself was a superhuman aside, his mobility alone was enough to change the course of a war. No one could predict where his forces might appear.
The entire northern army couldn't move like this. It was likely that Count Fenris had selected an elite group to maneuver separately.
Even so, for all the corps to have been obliterated…
'A monster…..'
Fear gripped him. He felt certain that he could never hope to win.
With a pale face and a vacant stare, Count Kandore gave the order with great difficulty.
"…Prepare for retreat."
"…"
The staff said nothing in response.
With the northern army and royal army advancing toward them, the 5th Corps' 40,000 troops could no longer hope to surround the capital, let alone survive.
Retreating now was their only option.
Thus, the 5th Corps decided to fall back.
If they stayed, they would inevitably lose without achieving anything. They needed to preserve their forces, even if it meant retreating.
'Tch… living like this will be disgraceful…'
With all the other corps defeated, he could perhaps justify his actions. After all, the royal and allied forces had continued to press hard.
The problem was simply that Count Fenris was far too extraordinary.
"Move quickly. At Count Fenris's pace, he could arrive as early as tomorrow."
As soon as he resolved to retreat, the urgency became even greater. The 4th Corps had been stationed in the central region. There was no telling when Count Fenris might move again with another force.
"Abandon anything unnecessary! Leave behind anything that will slow us down!"
Now, the retreat had to be at full speed. The 5th Corps discarded everything except the minimum supplies needed to hold out until they reached the southern region.
Watching the retreat preparations, Count Kandore wore a bitter expression. The fact that they were retreating in fear of a single man was humiliating.
"This humiliation… I will repay it someday."
Count Kandore gazed up at the sky, steeling his resolve. Something caught his eye.
"What an ominous raven…"
A lone raven was circling in the sky where there weren't even any corpses. The sight made him feel uneasy.
"Tch, I must be more rattled than I thought."
To feel such dread at the sight of a mere raven—his nerves were clearly frayed.
With such low morale, the 5th Corps turned south.
Meanwhile, the Rayfold forces, who had been lying in wait to target the supply lines, spotted the 5th Corps' movements.
"Uh… those guys are retreating really fast. Looks like they've abandoned all their supplies too."
Upon hearing the scout's report, Bernaph turned to Amelia, who nodded in acknowledgment.
"Well, it looks like we've done enough to justify our actions. It's a shame we couldn't take more territory, though."
Amelia made a regretful face. She had hoped the 5th Corps would clash directly with the northern army to buy more time, but she hadn't expected them to retreat so quickly.
"Well, it's not a bad decision. Ghislain's speed is no joke."
Amelia was also impressed by the reports she'd received. She already knew that Ghislain had exceptional talent for warfare based on what she had heard.
Ghislain, who had emphasized mobility during his western campaign, had now fully embraced that strategy. His pace now far exceeded anything from before.
"The more I learn, the more impressive he is."
Though she hated to admit it, Ghislain's ability to conduct war was truly top-tier.
"The Duchy's next move is uncertain."
Amelia contemplated how the Duchy would react, as understanding their depleted strength would dictate her own future actions. She organized her thoughts and spoke.
"Let's head back. We need to quickly secure the territories we've taken—'our lands.'"
"Uh… won't the other lords object?"
"What can they do about it? I took it fair and square. It's all been agreed upon with the commander-in-chief."
Amelia sneered, her face full of mockery.
Now, she too had to move swiftly. She needed to transport the resources from Rayfold's lands.
"Spread the word and start preparing for the migration."
Within the North, Amelia could no longer expand her influence freely because of Ghislain. Moving about without restrictions had become increasingly difficult.
That was why she had devised another plan, leveraging the chaos of war to establish a new foundation—one far larger than her previous territory.
"Ah, right. Collect the supplies the 5th Corps abandoned. There must be plenty, and we'll make good use of it."
"Understood!"
Bernaph saluted energetically. Doing things Amelia's way always seemed to yield good results.
Meow!
Bastet, observing this exchange, narrowed its eyes in a mocking meow.
***
The 5th Corps moved as quickly as they could. Having abandoned most of their supplies, such speed was possible.
"We should reach the southern border soon."
"Good."
Count Kandore nodded at his adjutant's report. Everyone was exhausted, but thanks to their forced pace, they had managed to escape thus far.
They were now close to the southern front, where their initial battles had taken place. Beyond that lay the Duchy's territory, a safe haven.
"How's the food supply?"
"It's nearly depleted, but the troops should hold out since we're almost there."
"I see…"
Count Kandore wore a grim expression.
They had fled in fear of the enemy, abandoning their food supplies along the way. The already weary soldiers were now starving.
No capable commander would allow his soldiers to go hungry, but it was better than dying.
"Relay to the troops to endure a little longer."
"Understood."
The weary 5th Corps resumed their march, driven by the hope of reaching safety soon.
However, that fragile hope was shattered by a dire report.
"F-Fenris Army is ahead of us! About 20,000 strong!"
A scout returned, pale as a sheet, to deliver the news.
Count Kandore's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What did you say? Fenris Army? Not the northern army?"
"Yes, it's only carrying Fenris's flags. It appears Count Fenris has moved separately."
"…"
Count Kandore was at a loss for words.
They had fled immediately upon hearing of Fenris's movements, even discarding supplies. How could he already be ahead of them, waiting?
"Do we have a spy among us?"
His trembling voice received no response from his advisors. How could a spy infiltrate a marching army?
Yet, the fact that Fenris was already there defied logic. How could he know their every move so perfectly?
It felt as if their every action was being monitored.
"My lord, it seems we have no choice but to prepare for battle."
"It's unavoidable."
Count Kandore exhaled deeply, overwhelmed by despair.
Fight with starving, exhausted troops?
Yet there was no alternative. This massive army would never outrun Fenris's pursuit.
A memory of the raven he had seen earlier surfaced in his mind. He had felt uneasy then, and now it made sense.
"We're truly in the worst situation."
In hindsight, it would have been better to let the troops eat and rest to conserve strength.
"Prepare for… battle…"
There was no choice but to fight. They couldn't simply die without resistance.
Victory against such a fearsome foe seemed impossible, but there was no other option.
The soldiers, faces tense, formed ranks. Fear was most evident among the infantry.
Exhausted and starving, they now had to face the kingdom's most terrifying army. Despite their numerical advantage, the air was heavy with defeat before the battle had even begun.
That fear deepened as the enemy slowly approached.
"Th-That's Fenris Army…"
"Count Fenris… the undefeated lord…"
"Can we really win this?"
Just the sight of Fenris's flags caused a ripple of unease among the soldiers, spreading rapidly.
Normally, Count Kandore would have rallied his troops, shouting to boost morale. But now, he too was silent.
He was overwhelmed by the imposing presence of the approaching army.
The sound of hooves echoed.
Ghislain, mounted on Black King, advanced steadily toward the enemy.
As he watched the Delphine forces prepare for battle, a smirk spread across his face.
"You had free rein when attacking, but for retreating, you'll need my permission."
Having battled the Duchy—a force akin to the kingdom itself—in a previous life, Ghislain knew full well the extent of their power.
For that reason…
Not a single soldier of the Duchy's forces would be allowed to return unscathed.
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