by Ryota Hori
Nobility, knighthood, royalty. Hodram Albrecht had already been expelled from the ruling classes of the kingdom of Rhoadseria. Still, his grudge had no legitimacy. The fact of the matter was that Princess Lupis didn’t set him up. He betrayed her of his own will and set up Duke Gelhart. The only one who set any traps and betrayed anyone was General Albrecht.
But right now, his mind wasn’t thinking that way. The only thing he was thinking about was how to blame everyone else for his plight. And it was perhaps this nature that resulted in him being forced to flee the country in the first place.
“How are my wife and daughter?” General Albrecht turned his gaze to the carriage moving behind his. “They’re not inconvenienced in any way, I hope?”
“No, milord! The men are doing their utmost to make sure they’re spending their time pleasantly.”
“Good. Those two are my last hope, after all. Am I clear? I won’t tolerate any mistakes.”
“Rest assured, milord. We will escort you to Tarja safely... Am I right, men?!”
Kael prompted the men riding around the carriages.
“““Leave everything to us, sir!”””
Albrecht’s final hope was also the final hope of everyone else here. All of them were people who couldn’t stay in Rhoadseria any longer. That was their punishment for living lavishly behind the shield of the general’s tyranny.
Taking bribes from passing merchants or stealing another’s achievements to move up the ranks were among the lighter crimes people carried here. The worse ones ravaged the wives and daughters of their peers, and the most despicable of them even killed them to make sure they didn’t talk.
The general’s backing was the only reason these people could walk with their heads held high in blatant disregard of the law and common human decency. And with that gone, their lives were hanging by a thread. Even if they weren’t tried by a court of justice, their victims would never forgive them.
The men understood this perfectly well, and this was why they didn’t betray General Albrecht. His flourishing translated to their success, and his decline meant their demise. They weren’t on his side out of loyalty, but out of a simple pragmatic perception of profit. But put another way, this is what made them precious, trustworthy pawns for the general.
“Good! You need only wait until I wed my daughter to Tarja’s prince. I will gain power as a maternal relative, and things will swing in my favor. I will see to it that you will all be treated accordingly!” General Albrecht laughed with satisfaction.
“““Yes!!!””” The surrounding knights replied in unison and bowed their heads.
This was General Albrecht’s last resort. The existence of the daughter he’d produced with his wife, a Tarjan noble. He intended to have her marry a Tarjan prince, and use that to elevate his status.
Of course, this was just his wish. He hadn’t spun any plots among the Tarjan royalty yet. But he had very few paths open to him, and this was the one that gave him the best chance of regaining his powerful position. His heart was far from broken. Men that had tasted the sweet fruit of power tended to become greedy.
I... I can’t be finished here! I will regain power, I swear it!
It was a pleasure that dominated the heart of man. And like a narcotic, it ate away at the heart.
“I will not let things end here!”
Black flames of deluded conviction burned in General Albrecht.
As the sun approached its zenith, sunlight washed over the land. The highways were clear of people due to the chaos of the war. Albrecht’s men kept driving their horses forward, rushing down the road. They were a group of armored knights on horseback, protecting several carriages. Their total numbers reached two hundred.
One row of knights, riding ahead of everyone else, then caught sight of a forested area ahead.
“Finally, we’ve made it here...” General Albrecht spat out tiredly. “Are there any signs of pursuers?”
“No, sir... None so far. I think that after coming this far, we can assume we are safe. Upon crossing this forest, it will be a short distance to the Tarjan border.”
“Just a little longer...” General Albrecht smiled at those words.
He then turned a concerned look at the carriage behind them. Kael, too, looked in that direction.
“The two have been quite patient.”
“Mmm...” Albrecht sighed in response. “Yes, they have... But I’m sure they’re approaching the limit of their patience. It seems my wife has lost her appetite, and isn’t willing to drink water, either. She says it makes her nauseous... My daughter is in a similar state... Their endurance is running out.”
It had been two days since they escaped Heraklion. The carriage shook and jolted as it moved, and it was taking its toll on General Albrecht’s wife and daughter. This was no sightseeing tour, after all. They fled Heraklion with their lives on the line, and it was a source of significant stress for these sheltered women. Still, they didn’t say a word of complaint as they were jolted by the carriage. They understood Albrecht’s position.
“Kael. I say we find a convenient place to set up camp, and stop to rest early. What say you?”
The sun was still out, but General Albrecht asked to set up camp early. His face was full of concern and affection for his wife’s and daughter’s health and wellbeing.
He could sense the two were approaching their limits. And he couldn’t afford for them to die here. His wife was needed to mediate his way into Tarja’s nobility, and he needed his daughter to get married to save his position.
“That’s a sound decision, milord... I’m sure the ladies are quite tired. I’ll have the knights set up camp once we enter the forest.”
Kael seemed to be well aware of the women’s condition. They weren’t far from Tarja’s border, and they hadn’t run into any enemies since they escaped Heraklion.
It should be fine... We’ve escaped the enemy’s pursuit... They likely sent their men in the opposite direction. What matters now is to make sure the ladies stay in good health... Their lives are our lives.
Carelessness and self-interest. Those two traits sealed their fate. Because they failed to notice the blade of vengeance, gradually bearing down on them...
Chapter 4: Helena’s Revenge
That night, the moon illuminated the sky with its gentle light. They kept their campfires small, but thanks to the light of the moon, visibility was good enough.
“We truly are out of luck...”
“Yes, agreed... Getting a nightless vigil today, of all days, really is bad...”
Two knights mouthed their complaints as they looked over the dark forest. Both were clad in armor and held sharp spears. Both were the same age, but the one on the right was taller. That night, General Albrecht gave everyone permission to take off their armor and rest.
But a few unfortunate guards, these two included, were given guard duty that day, and weren’t able to sleep without their armor. The march certainly strained their bodies. Of course, being professional soldiers, their stamina was impressive. Still, they were only human, and the strain was significant. It was only natural they would bemoan their misfortune.
“But we cross the border tomorrow. And once we do...” the taller knight whispered.
“Yes... After coming this far...” the other knight agreed.
“But leaving Rhoadseria behind, huh...?” The taller knight sighed.
He was born into a family of knights that had been loyal to the kingdom for generations. Or at least, that held true until his father’s generation. This knight held no loyalty for the royal family, and that was why he obeyed General Albrecht, who helped him fulfill his aspirations and desires. Money, women, his position within the knight order... All the things loyalty to the royal family would never grant to him were granted to him by siding with the general.
But now, the gears had been completely unhinged.
Princess Lupis, who was nothing more than Albrecht’s mouthpiece and marionette, broke free
of his control. And now the country’s nobles were abandoning General Albrecht and his faction. Now they had nowhere to live in Rhoadseria, and they had only two paths open to them. They either wander the continent until they find a new master to serve, or stick to General Albrecht and wait for his resurgence.
Neither of those is a very good gamble...
Until just a few months ago, they were living their best lives. But now they were forced to flee their country, and the hardship of it all was hanging over their hearts.
“Don’t say that!” The knight scolded him.
“But...” The taller knight tried to cling onto his words.
“Shut up! I know that much without having to hear it from you!”
The other knight felt the same way, but hearing someone else say it annoyed him.
“Right... I’m sorry,” the taller knight apologized, overwhelmed by his friend’s outburst.
“Forget it, right now we gotta focus on keeping watch! And tomorrow we finally cross into Tarja—”
They suddenly heard something cut through the forest’s air, and the shorter knight’s words were cut off halfway through.
“What’s wrong...?” The taller knight eyed his friend suspiciously.
To him, it looked like his partner kept his gaze fixed on the forest, standing at attention as he always did. But something struck him as different.
What? What’s wrong with hi—
But his thoughts would freeze on that question forever, as yet another arrow shot through the forest...
Sakuya fixed her gaze on the two knights who were now reduced to silent corpses, and slackened her bow’s string. She had kept it primed to fire another arrow in case either of her targets still drew breath.
Fixed to the bow was a black-dyed arrow. It was black down to its arrowhead, and it was practically impossible to see or evade it under the darkness of night. And regardless, the smallest nick would be enough to make the poison smeared over the arrowhead circulate within the victim’s body and make them crumble to their feet, foaming at the mouth.
This was a special set of bow and arrows, made for assassinations and passed down in Sakuya’s clan. As a clan of ninjas, they were adept at blending in with the dark.
“Master Ryoma... It is done. Those were the only guards.”
As if prompted by Sakuya’s words, a large-built man dressed in black appeared behind her.
“Yeah... Let’s go.” Ryoma nodded slightly.
He made a hand signal in the direction of Sara, who stood behind him.
“Then, everything is going according to schedule,” Sara whispered to Ryoma, and turned her gaze to the mercenaries following her.
“Yeah, everything’s looking good for now. Make sure to make lots of noise.”
Sara nodded wordlessly at Ryoma’s instructions and approached the camp while crouching. She was followed by Lione and twenty other mercenaries. Laura was likely finishing her preparations in a separate group, with Gennou.
“Milord! Preparations are complete!” one of their mercenaries reported.
“Begin!” Ryoma ordered his men.
Several of the mercenaries disappeared into the forest, and before long red lights started rising from the camp. At first they were small red sparks in the darkness, but within seconds they spread throughout the camp, lighting it up in luminescent red.
“Fiiiiiire! A fire broke ooooout! A fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire!”
“No, it’s the enemy! We’re under attack!”
Screams filled the camp, which was set up a short ways from the highway. Soon, the sounds of clashing metal mingled with the screams.
“What?! An enemy attack?!” General Albrecht sat up in his bed hurriedly. “Someone! Explain what’s going on!”
Tearing off the blanket, General Albrecht rose to his feet and reached for his personal sword.
“Beloved? What’s the matter?”
His wife, who was sleeping next to him, woke up.
“Father...” His daughter, who was sleeping a short distance away, also raised her voice in concern.
The racket likely woke them up.
“Everything will be fine,” General Albrecht gently told them. “You have me by your side. You’ve nothing to worry about!”
“Milord!” One of the knights called out from outside the tent.
Apparently he didn’t have the courage to barge into his lord’s tent without permission.
“Yes!” General Albrecht spoke to him through the tent’s entrance. “What’s going on out there? I heard one voice talking about a fire and another saying something about an enemy attack!”
“It’s all true, milord! Our apologies, we have failed you. Sir Kael is leading our men to mount a defense, and he’s making preparations for you to set out at once...”
The moment the knight said that, General Albrecht went pale.
I thought they’d have given up at this point, but apparently I was wrong...
“Understood... Did you hear him? You need to get away from here!”
General Albrecht didn’t hesitate one bit. If this was enough to make him lose his sense of judgment, he would never serve as a country’s general. His expression had already turned to that of a warrior who had lived through many battles.
“Beloved, we’re prepared.”
General Albrecht turned around to find his family was already dressed. They had apparently picked up on the situation quickly and prepared themselves accordingly.
“Good! Let’s go!”
General Albrecht took his family and headed for their carriage, accompanied by knights.
“Milord! You’re safe!”
“Kael! What is happening?!”
As General Albrecht hurried his family into the carriage, Kael approached him. He appeared clad in full armor and with sword in hand. Seeing that, General Albrecht’s expression softened. Seeing Kael predict the possibility of an enemy attack and remain in armor made the general look upon him as a dependable subordinate.
“Kael, do you know what’s happening? Are these pursuers sent by Lupis?” the general asked Kael questions in quick succession.
“They don’t carry a banner so it’s hard to say for certain, but...” Kael proceeded to give him an accurate report. “About twenty of the men we’ve set as guards are engaging the enemy in combat. The fire is the enemy’s doing!”
The guards had assumed they were pursuers sent by Princess Lupis, but given the darkness and their lack of banner, it was quite difficult to identify the enemy. But be they pursuers or just plain bandits, there were only two choices available upon being attacked. You either fight, or run.
“I see... How’s the outlook of the battle? Can you hold back the enemy’s attack?”
“I’m afraid not.” Kael shook his head. “But we can buy you as much time as possible, Milord... Take your family and run as fast as you can.”
Kael opened the carriage’s door, urging the general to get in.
“Hurry, Milord. You must make haste! We will hold them back here.”
“Hmm.” Albrecht regarded him with a swift nod. “I leave the rest to you... Kael! Let us meet again at Tarja’s capital.”
And with those words, Albrecht quickly boarded the carriage, leaving everything to Kael’s care. Honestly speaking, there was no meaning in the general staying behind. Albrecht had to survive this. So long as he lived, his subordinates would be repaid for their services. As haughty as General Albrecht may have been, he wasn’t foolish enough to think he could solve everything on his own.
“Now go on, hurry...! Hurry up his horse, you fool!” Watching as General Albrecht got inside the carriage, Kael shouted at the knight holding the reins.
The knight raised his voice in a shout as his whip cut through the air, striking the horse’s behind and prompting it to gallop. The carriage began to gradually accelerate, rolling down the dark road ahead.
Standing around the vicinity were Kael’s knights, whom he ordered to guard the vicinity. They held onto spears
as they looked about cautiously, but weren’t clad in armor. There were roughly thirty men present. Kael had sent the knights that remained vigilant and slept with their armor on to accompany General Albrecht.
Many of the knights obeyed General Albrecht’s orders and took off their armor, but Kael, along with a select few, elected to not take any risks and kept their armor on.
“Milord... Stay safe!” Kael whispered as he looked around.
The knights had spears and swords in hand, but since they didn’t have any armor on, they couldn’t be depended on in a battle. They’d be lucky if the enemies were amateurs, but it was hard to believe any enemy who’d attack them during the night would be that weak.
Everyone present awaited Kael’s command. They knew their only way out of this situation would be to listen to him.
“Listen to me. We must form a horizontal formation here. Gather into platoons, and form a horizontal column! You don’t have your armor, and so your only chance of survival is to gradually edge back while warding off the enemy with the range of your spears! Don’t let them get through that range!”
The knights nodded wordlessly at his order, and began getting into formation with their spears drawn. Still, a horizontal formation was one of the simplest ones employed in this world. The soldiers simply stood side by side, so there wasn’t much preparation to speak of. But it was also the most effective formation for their goal, which was to help General Albrecht escape.
“They’re coming! At the ready!”
At Kael’s order, the knights prepared their spears. They were ready to fight for their lives.
Ryoma watched as Kael gathered what remained of his forces and arranged them in a horizontal formation. His lips curled up into a smile.
“Oh, not bad... He got them to assume defensive positions fairly quickly given the surprise attack.”
“That’s probably Kael Iruna,” Lione said, standing beside him.
“Yeah, I figured. We beat him once, but I guess him defeating Mikhail wasn’t a fluke. He’s a capable commander.”