Chapter 511
Let’s End This Here. (2)
‘I've been outmaneuvered!’
Cold sweat trickled down Kaiyen’s back.
The Fenris Mobile Corps was renowned for its speed. He had anticipated that they would act separately.
However, their number was merely twenty thousand. While not insignificant, it wasn't a force large enough to cause a major issue even if they joined the enemy ranks.
No, in fact, he had hoped for it. This was the perfect opportunity to kill Count Fenris before the Ferdium Army and the Royal Army arrived.
Regrouping his forces later would be easy. No matter how great the losses, as long as that man was eliminated, it would be a success.
‘But... they struck from behind?’
Count Mowbray had remained neutral until now. The Duchy had pressured him multiple times, but he had declared he would side with the victor and firmly sealed off his territory.
With his powerful military, even the Duchy had hesitated to attack him outright, so they had left him alone for the time being.
Just in case, they had stationed surveillance forces nearby, but even the Royalist Faction had not made contact with him.
‘He hadn’t met with anyone. So how did this happen?’
Count Mowbray had been defending his territory with an iron grip using his own army. The Duchy’ surveillance units had been monitoring them the whole time.
Yet, he had still allowed passage.
‘That means... This was agreed upon long before the war even started! When did they meet?’
Kaiyen quickly pieced the situation together. They must have met before the war began. Otherwise, there was no way the Fenris Mobile Corps would be granted passage so swiftly.
Ghislain had saved Edwin, Count Mowbray’s son, by extracting Dark from his body a long time ago.
The Duchy had no knowledge of this. They hadn't even imagined that the Fenris Count would march directly into the Ducal Territory.
Ignoring the southernmost territory, considering it insignificant, had been a mistake. Even if they had to suffer losses, they should have forced him to take a clear stance earlier.
‘What should I do?’
There were barely any forces left in the Ducal Territory; only ten thousand defenders remained.
Of course, he did not think they would be easily overrun. Elois, a 7th-Circle Mage, was stationed there, and he had prepared numerous traps.
But it was still unsettling. Count Fenris had always done the unexpected.
‘I must act immediately!’
He couldn’t let Count Fenris run rampant in the Ducal Territory.
No matter how fast the Mobile Corps was, they would still need time to bypass the southern edge. Meanwhile, Kaiyen’s forces could march south directly.
He immediately turned to Gartros.
“Hold this position. I must head south.”
“...So we've been struck from behind. Will it be difficult to stop them?”
“It’s fifty-fifty. Even if we block the Mobile Corps, we might lose Count Fenris. It would be better to seize this opportunity and eliminate him once and for all.”
“Hmm… Understood. I will hold the line here.”
With Ghislain’s flanking maneuver, the situation had completely reversed. Now, Kaiyen's forces had to defend against the Northern Army, which had entrenched itself in the fortress.
If the Ferdium Army and Royal Army arrived, the entire enemy force could flood into the south.
Kaiyen assembled his forty thousand elite cavalry. He couldn’t afford to take other unit types. They needed to move as fast as possible and intercept the Fenris Mobile Corps.
With forty thousand, they could maintain mobility while also holding a numerical advantage.
“That arrogant bastard... This time, I will take his head for sure. Move out!”
Dudududududu!
At Kaiyen’s furious command, forty thousand Delfine cavalry thundered southward.
From atop the fortress, Amelia watched them with a cold smile.
* * *
“Unbelievable. You really came.”
Count Mowbray looked at Ghislain and let out a sigh of admiration.
He had heard many rumors of Ghislain’s exploits. The young man he had briefly met as an Exorcist had now risen to a level beyond comparison.
He had even captured the capital, and his father was preparing to become king. No, at this point, he was already king, just not in name.
Ghislain also smiled as he met Count Mowbray’s gaze.
“You kept your promise.”
Count Mowbray could have blocked him. He had gathered all his forces in preparation for war.
Since the conflict with the Duchy was not yet settled, he could have broken his promise and withdrawn entirely.
But he did not. Instead, he pulled back his forces and opened the way.
That was why they could stand face to face now.
Count Mowbray straightened his back and declared,
“If I intended to break it, I wouldn’t have made it in the first place. I am not that dishonorable.”
Edwin stood beside him, fully armed. He no longer looked as timid as before. Though tense, his eyes were alive with determination.
It seemed that the physical therapy Ghislain had performed on him back then had proven quite effective.
Dark, upon noticing Edwin, slinked over and teased him.
“Kekeke, isn’t this my former master? How have you been?”
“Ugh…”
Edwin grimaced. The memories of that time resurfaced, making him feel uneasy.
Thanks to Dark, he had lived in isolation from the world. But in reality, he had merely survived like a beast.
Ghislain, upon seeing Edwin fully armed, turned to Count Mowbray and spoke.
“You don’t need to worry too much. The Duchy will be finished with this battle. If I happen to lose, you should join the Ferdium forces.”
“I will go with you.”
“…Pardon?”
“I cannot stand by and watch the kingdom fall into the hands of heretics. Though my cavalry won’t be as fast as the Fenris Mobile Corps, I will lead all of my riders and follow as quickly as I can.”
“Will you be alright?”
“At this point, I must make my decision as well. Besides, I can also guide the ‘other army’ that will follow behind.”
Count Mowbray grinned. He could no longer cling to neutrality. In truth, he had abandoned that stance the moment the Salvation Church began its rise.
He had endured the Duchy’s pressure and refused the royalist faction’s outreach all for this very moment.
He had believed that Ghislain would eventually come. And so, he had endured the duchy’s surveillance and political oppression while waiting for this day.
Ghislain also smiled and nodded.
“That’s good to hear. Then, I leave it in your hands.”
The more troops, the better. The news that he was bypassing the main road to strike at the duchy would soon reach Kaiyen.
He had already eliminated the surrounding scouting forces. As soon as Kaiyen received the report, he would undoubtedly descend upon them with incredible speed.
“Well then, I’ll depart first.”
“I will try to hasten my march as much as possible.”
With the aid of a soldier assigned by Count Mowbray, Ghislain selected the fastest route.
No one stood in the way of the Fenris Mobile Corps. The Duchy had already withdrawn almost all of its defensive forces, summoning them elsewhere.
Thudududududu!
As a result, Ghislain and the Fenris Mobile Corps advanced toward the duchy at an astonishing speed.
The few remaining watchmen were annihilated in an instant. The southern lords could do nothing but watch.
“The Count of Fenris has come all the way here himself…”
“How bold of him to move so decisively.”
“He truly is the kingdom’s greatest master of surprise.”
They all cowered behind their walls, too afraid to act. Lacking troops of their own, they were already struggling to protect their own territories.
All they could do was anxiously await the outcome of this war. If the Duchy lost, they too would be stripped of their positions.
News of Ghislain’s approach quickly reached the ducal stronghold.
“That bastard… he’s always a thorn in my side.”
Elois, the Duchy’s 7th-circle mage, renowned as the greatest sorcerer in the kingdom, stroked his beard with a grimace.
“Viscount Joseph, can you hold them off from the castle?”
Raul shook his head.
“Impossible. The Fenris Mobile Corps possesses formidable siege weapons. With these flimsy walls, we won’t stand a chance.”
The ducal stronghold, Eclipse, was the heart of the duchy, a vast city. However, the walls surrounding it prioritized beauty over defense, offering little in terms of protection.
In truth, there had never been a need for strong fortifications. Who would dare attack the Duchy?
Reaching this place was supposed to be impossible. Any invading force would first have to break through countless vassal territories and fortresses.
And yet now, no one stood to stop the army that was bearing down upon them.
Elois let out a dry chuckle.
“Hah… In all my eighty years, I’ve never seen such an army. That brat from the north has become the force that will decide the fate of the kingdom.”
Raul replied with a solemn expression.
“You must personally take the field.”
“Yes, I suppose I must. There’s no need to damage this beautiful place. I never thought I’d have to use that, but here we are. I suppose living long enough allows one to witness all sorts of things.”
The Duchy had not been entirely unprepared.
As a master of illusion magic, Elois had been crafting traps ever since he first arrived at the ducal estate.
Decades of preparation had led to the creation of a battlefield that could neutralize an army of tens of thousands in an instant.
“At last, my masterpiece will be put to the test. If my opponent is the kingdom’s shining star, then this shall be a worthy price to pay.”
Elois and Raul led a force of ten thousand defenders out.
Their opponents had far greater numbers and superior strength, yet no one was afraid. That was how overwhelming the presence of a 7th-Circle Master was.
The defenders waited at a predetermined location. There was a specific reason they had to fight here.
Elois habitually stroked his beard as he asked Raul,
“How long must we wait?”
Despite holding the highest rank, Elois knew nothing of military strategy. Nevertheless, it wasn’t an issue.
Raul would assist him anyway.
“They should be arriving soon.”
“Hmm, the report came in not too long ago… Are you telling me an entire army, not just a unit of cavalry, could truly be that fast?”
“Their mobility is the best in the kingdom, no, perhaps even the entire continent.”
Even while moving with siege weapons, they required no supply lines. No army could match their speed.
The technology behind it remained shrouded in secrecy. That was what made it all the more maddening for their enemies.
Elois chuckled.
“What a shame. They would have been an invaluable ally if they were on our side.”
“If they were that kind of people, we would have already won them over.”
Raul let out a bitter smile. He had subtly broached the topic during a banquet in the past, but Ghislain had firmly refused.
Looking back now, it was truly regrettable.
‘Should I have kept trying to persuade him?’
Could things have turned out differently? If they had promised him all of the North, provided extensive support, would the outcome have changed?
‘No, that’s impossible.’
Even back then, Ghislain had harbored deep animosity toward the Duchy. And he had made that hostility unmistakably clear.
Now, with various circumstances entangled, they were undeniable enemies but in truth, Raul still did not understand.
Why had Ghislain displayed such intense hostility back then?
‘Was it fate that we would become sworn enemies?’
That was the only explanation. The Count of Fenris at the time couldn’t possibly have known about the plot to eliminate Ferdium.
Raul pushed aside his thoughts. In the distance, a cloud of dust rose as the enemy army charged forward.
Elois spoke in an awed tone.
“It’s true. They really are fast. Remarkable.”
Unlike the relaxed Elois, Raul quickly scanned his surroundings and shouted,
“Prepare for battle!”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The soldiers raised their shields and lowered their spears.
The entire defensive force consisted of infantry, far fewer in number than the Capital’s Mobile Corps.
No matter how elite they were, if they allowed the charge to break through, they would be wiped out in an instant. Their opponent’s breakthrough power was renowned as the strongest in the kingdom.
Dududududu!
Indeed, Ghislain showed no intention of slowing down, not even to catch his breath.
“We’re breaking through! Crush them in one fell swoop!”
Clang! Clang! Clang!
At Ghislain’s command, the knights at the vanguard lowered their lances. The blue glow of their weapons would shatter the enemy’s front lines in a single blow.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The Mobile Corps spread out, mirroring the knights by lowering their spears. Once the knights disrupted the enemy formation, they would follow and grind the rest to dust.
A strategy so simple and precise that it was terrifying. The only requirement is absolute, overwhelming destructive force.
This was Ghislain’s favorite charge tactic.
Dududududu!
The sight of the charging Mobile Corps made Raul gulp nervously. The defending forces waiting behind him felt the same.
With their current numbers, they could never hold them back. No, no army could withstand that charge.
“Elois, quickly...!”
“Yes, yes. Don't worry.”
The only one who remained composed, Elois, slowly extended his arm.
The mana flowing from his hand seeped deep into the ground.
Ziiing—!
The magic circles that had long been hidden beneath the earth began to glow.
Once activated, it was nearly impossible to stop, even by sealing mana. These magic circles merely amplified Elois' spell.
The magic of a 7th-Circle Mage, amplified dozens or even hundreds of times, unfolded across the battlefield.
“May you all have sweet dreams.”
Saaah...
As Elois spoke, luminous particles rose from the ground. They shimmered, weaving into the advancing Mobile Corps, seeping into their bodies.
And it didn’t stop there. The light scattered into the air, multiplying and filling the surroundings.
It was a breathtakingly beautiful sight. But the Mobile Corps, directly exposed to the spell, never got to appreciate it.
Dagdak, dagdak, dagdak…
The galloping horses began to slow. Their eyes grew unfocused, mouths hanging open.
The same happened to the knights and soldiers riding atop them.
“Ah…”
The overwhelming momentum that could have overturned the battlefield vanished in an instant. The warriors lost their focus, staring blankly into the air.
They were seeing illusions. Each of them, a different vision.
Some saw their childhood. Others, their beloved lovers. Some saw their distant parents. Some tasted their favorite meals. Some saw themselves training, growing stronger...
All stood dazed, gazing at what had once brought them joy, at what they longed to see.
“Khk…!”
A few high-ranking knights bit their lips until they bled. They had resisted the illusion to some extent.
Yet, even they couldn’t move their bodies. They wavered on the border between reality and illusion.
Watching as the Mobile Corps slowed and their formation collapsed, Elois smiled.
“I shall handle Count Fenris. The rest should be no trouble, correct?”
“You need not worry.”
With an excited expression, Raul nodded. Killing an enemy who was practically asleep, what could be easier?
Elois was truly extraordinary. This was the power of a true mage. He had completely overturned the battlefield in an instant.
All the time and money spent preparing those magic circles had finally paid off.
Dududududu!
Only Ghislain was still charging forward at the front.
With a joyous expression, Raul shouted,
“Attack! The enemy is nothing but scarecrows!”
This time, the defending forces surged forward with confidence. Against foes who couldn’t even resist, there was no reason for hesitation.
Watching them, Ghislain sneered.
“As expected of the kingdom’s greatest mage.”
Had they been unaware, they would have been annihilated here without resistance. They hadn’t brought mages capable of breaking the illusion or protecting their allies.
Had they done so, their advance would have slowed, giving the enemy even more time to prepare.
In the end, there was no avoiding Elois' spell.
But Ghislain had already anticipated the enemy’s trump card and made his own preparations.
“Dark!”
His voice thundered across the battlefield.
Fwaaaah!
A violent black aura erupted from his body.
Dark instantly devoured nearly half of his mana, and a massive form began to take shape in the air.
Seeing the wavering humanoid figure, Elois froze for a moment.
“W-what is that…?”
No one could answer. No one knew what it was.
Then, Ghislain shouted once more.
“Awaken!”
Zzeoong—!
With an explosive burst, Dark’s form spread across the entire Mobile Corps.