Chapter 433
Chapter 433: Just Like Last Time, We Have No Choice but to Threaten (3)
Dark, clutching Ghislaine’s Letter, transformed into a crow and vanished into thin air.
Ghislaine immediately gave instructions to her close associates.
“It’s too late for the Northern Army to move with us now. We’ll send only the Penris Mobile Army to the Northern Fortress.”
Currently, the Northern Army had reached the far edge of the West. They had cleared the Central region and moved directly to the West. The East was temporarily under the control of the Kingdom Army and local lords.
To reach Kaifiller Fortress, they would have to cross the West, but most of the Northern Army comprised infantry, making them slow. Only the cavalry, excelling in mobility, could arrive on time.
Gillian asked with a worried look in his eyes.
“The rift has expanded without anyone knowing. It’s grown to consume all the land in the North. There must be a massive increase in Cracked Beings.”
“Yeah, that makes sense….”
Ghislaine tilted her head slightly and continued.
“There should be around five hundred thousand of them.”
“…….”
The expressions of the people stiffened.
Cracked Beings possess strength far above that of regular soldiers. If there were five hundred thousand of those things, it would be truly horrifying.
However, Ghislaine spoke nonchalantly.
“There’s no need to worry. While their numbers are high, this time we’ll fight near the fortress. They’re just mindlessly rushing in. As long as we have enough time, we can deal with them all.”
In fact, Equidema was the biggest issue; the Cracked Beings could be swept away by Penris’s overwhelming firepower.
But the question was how long that would take. If it were merely a matter of handling the rift, everyone wouldn’t be this worried. After all, they were specialists in dealing with rifts.
Gillian expressed his concern.
“What if the Mobile Army goes first to hold them off, allowing the Northern Army to join in? While we protect the fortress, the barbarians won’t just sit still.”
“Right, those guys have allied with the Salvation Society, so they were probably able to create the rift. They’ve likely gathered all the tribes.”
The barbarians would certainly bet everything on this battle, bringing thousands of warriors with them.
After pondering for a moment, Ghislaine shook her head.
“No matter how I think about it, the timing doesn’t add up. By the time the Northern Army arrives, we’ll have either been wiped out or claimed victory by then.”
“Even if it’s difficult to join in on rift handling, we should at least be able to counter the barbarian horde sweeping through the North. With just Penris’s forces, it’ll be tough to tackle both at once.”
To face the five hundred thousand Cracked Beings, not just the Mobile Army, but also the ten thousand Penris soldiers remaining in the territory must join toward the fortress.
Even if they left the Penris Army in the territory, they would only have about ten thousand. Such a number would struggle against the barbarians. The best they could do would be to protect Penris.
In the meantime, the barbarians would undoubtedly raid and occupy the other unprotected territories.
All the Northern forces had already been mobilized. The Kingdom Army trusted the Northern Army and had sent all its men to the southern and eastern fronts.
In the end, it meant they had to block the barbarian horde at the Northern entryway.
But currently, the available troops were far too few.
Ghislaine chuckled softly and replied.
“They’re trying to shake us up. But it’s fine. The barbarians will be held off by someone else. In the meantime, we can quickly deal with the rift.”
“Huh? Who would that be…?”
Gillian asked, perplexed, before recalling someone.
“Could it be…?”
“Yeah, that ‘could it be.’”
“Will they really do it? They have no reason to endure a loss. I’ve heard they’re not the type to do that at all…”
“Exactly, they’ll do it. They absolutely hate incurring losses.”
Ghislaine was certain. If they didn’t help out from here, it would put a brake on their ambitions, so they would inevitably follow her lead, gritting their teeth.
“Anyway, it’s meaningless for the Northern Army to turn back. It’s better to do what we can. Tenant.”
“Yes.”
“The Penris Army is heading to support the Northern Fortress. In the meantime, keep the Northern Army occupied with the rift. Can you do that?”
“Understood.”
Tenant had already gone to the rift in Ghislaine’s place before. While it would be hard to handle Equidema, stopping the expansion of the Cracked Beings was manageable.
Just then, a messenger sent by Claude arrived.
“All remaining Penris forces and weapons have been moved to the Northern Fortress. This is a letter from the Chief Officer.”
[If we get invaded here, we’re all dead. There are no remaining troops. We need to deal with the rifts and hold off the barbarians as quickly as possible. I’m seriously packing to flee, but Wendy is…].
It was a letter laden with whiny complaints. Upon seeing it, Ghislaine couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Looks like they’ve prepared everything without me even saying a word.”
As soon as Claude heard the news, he immediately dispatched troops to the Northern Fortress. It meant he predicted how Ghislaine would move.
Despite everything, he was quite capable.
Ghislaine mounted her black steed and shouted.
“Perdium is in crisis! We must all charge at full speed!”
The already informed Mobile Army did not hesitate to march at incredible speed.
They knew that if Perdium fell, the next target would be Penris.
Moreover, quite a few from the Mobile Army hailed from Perdium. They absolutely did not want to see their hometown trampled.
Thus, Ghislaine and the Mobile Army set off toward the Northern Fortress.
In the urgent situation, Rosalyn sighed at Ghislaine’s hasty departure without even a proper goodbye.
“Ugh, stay strong.”
Could there be anyone busier than Ghislaine in this kingdom? Probably not. Without him, they wouldn’t navigate through this turmoil.
So, she couldn’t truly get angry this time either.
She could only watch Ghislaine’s retreating figure, just like before…
*
Amelia sat in her chair, gnawing on her lips.
She had heard that the sudden rift approached the Northern Fortress, threatening to consume it entirely. Simultaneously, she received news that the barbarian army was on the move.
The picture quickly formed in her mind.
“It seems Raul was at work.”
Having allied with the Salvation Society, he must have incited the barbarians to act.
The issue was how perfectly timed it was.
“If we leave the rift unchecked, it will grow to an unmanageable size.”
While there was an option to retreat from the Northern Fortress, it would be no different than battling with the barbarians.
As they fought to hold them back, the rift would only widen, and more enemies would appear. It was obvious that even Perdium would fall within the rift’s domain.
Ghislaine and Zvalter, who both loathed the territory residents suffering, would want to avoid such scenarios at all costs.
Of course, if things turned dire, it might be the only option. Minimizing damage was the best course back then.
But right now, the best method would be…
“Looks like it’s time for me to take action.”
While Ghislaine dealt with the rift, she would confront the barbarians. That way, they could achieve the best possible outcome.
The problem was, she just didn’t want to.
“……Who would benefit from that?”
She didn’t want to help Ghislaine. Ultimately, he was someone she needed to take down. That was her honest sentiment.
Though that was how she felt, there were still reasons causing her to hesitate.
“He hasn’t allied with the Duke Faction yet.”
The more damage Penris suffered, the better it was for the Duke Faction. And the Duke remained in solid form.
If Amelia were to eventually take down the Duke Faction herself, she needed Ghislaine and the Duke to incur significant damage in a conflict.
The Crown Prince Faction alone could never reduce the Duke’s strength. It would require both the Northern Army and Ghislaine to make it possible.
The momentum of the Northern Army must not diminish here. Thus, Amelia considered shifting her position from the North to the East.
“Phew…”
Amelia pressed her forehead again. If she left this situation unchecked, it would mean playing right into Raul’s hands.
That in itself was humiliating, and the greater Penris suffered, the stronger the Duke she’d have to face would become, so she couldn’t ignore this.
However, she was also quite hesitant to expend her forces to help Penris.
“Tsk, this situation is thoroughly entangled.”
The barbarians sweeping through the North didn’t bother her that much. She could fend them off, or even switch her base entirely.
But the Duke remaining strong was unacceptable. She knew all too well the Duke’s power.
Penris must face the Duke with its best forces.
While Amelia was deeply pondering whether to help Penris or not, a raven suddenly entered the great hall.
Caw!
The crow, rushing toward Amelia, was promptly caught by Bernap.
“Caw! Let go! You rude creature! Do you know who I am to dare grab me like this?”
“What are you?”
As Dark screeched, Bernap looked utterly baffled. A talking crow? This was his first time witnessing such a thing.
“Wait, could it be…?”
Since Roderick’s Army had raided the North, a significant rumor had circulated around Penris. That Ghislaine was even using spirits.
Many soldiers had seen Dark transform into a crow, so it was impossible for rumors not to spread.
“Are you the spirit that the Count of Penris is said to command?”
“Yep! Will you let me go, spirit king? If you don’t, I’ll curse you!”
“Why are there so many kings in that territory? They’re all rude and strange, aren’t they? But you can curse? Is that for real?”
As Bernap innocently asked, Dark growled in response.
“Of course! My power will devour your soul, and all the creatures of the heavens will assault and tear you apart, while the beings of the earth will trap you and throw you into the abyss…”
Before Dark could finish the curse, a cold voice interrupted him.
“What a noisy fellow. Bring him closer.”
At Amelia’s command, Bernap brought Dark nearer, still firmly in his grip.
Upon seeing Amelia, Dark’s eyes sparkled.
“You’re Amelia! I’ve come to deliver a letter from the Count of Penris!”
Amelia replied with an unimpressed expression.
“You’re quite audacious, just like your master.”
“I’m a great being! Accept the Count of Penris’s will at once!”
“I refuse.”
“What?”
“Given your current state, I assume whatever you say will irritate me. That’s just the kind of person he is.”
“Ugh… that might be true…”
“I won’t accept whatever you say, so get lost. I have no intention of listening to the words of some rude creature in front of me. Relay that to Ghislaine.”
“Huh?”
Dark blinked in surprise. Until now, he had always been treated politely by those wrestling with Ghislaine, so he was taken aback by this reaction.
“I… I’m supposed to deliver a letter, you know? Ugh! Just take it!”
Regardless, he only needed to deliver it. But the movement of Bastet, who was in Amelia’s arms, was even quicker.
Meow!
Bastet skillfully climbed up Bernap’s arm. Then, she immediately unleashed a flurry of “cat punches” at Dark’s face.
Thwack!
“Ow! What the heck is this?!”
Dark exclaimed in shock, but Bastet did not stop.
Papapapapapack!
With an incredible speed, the punches kept flying. Dark was beaten senseless, struggling to even comprehend what was happening.
“Stop! Ugh! I have something to say! The letter! You useless cat!”
Meow!
As Dark screamed while being pummeled by Bastet, it was his first time experiencing such treatment since meeting Ghislaine.
The sharing of consciousness was a merging of senses. That’s how they could see and move.
Pain was minimized, so it wasn’t that painful, but the sheer speed of the blows made it impossible for him to regain his composure.
“Hey, wait! The Count of Penris is! Ugh! So you’re leading the troops! Ugh!”
No matter how much he tried to speak, he had no time. With Bastet constantly punching him, his head kept turning.
It was a strange accumulation of pain.
Meow!
Papapapapack!
As Dark got hit, he thought to himself.
‘These insolent creatures! But what if it’s my fault if she doesn’t budge?’
Dark realized the seriousness of the current situation. In fact, as he existed in Ghislaine’s consciousness, he understood better than anyone else.
His role was to deliver the letter and prompt Amelia to take action. He could convey the contents verbally if need be.
But what if Amelia refused? What if that’s also revealed to be his own rudeness?
Ghislaine would definitely not let him off easily.
As that thought crossed his mind, he felt a chill.
‘Oh no! Amelia must block the barbarians!’
Everyone was attentive to him, and they were all blissfully ignorant. He just now realized that not everyone was a subordinate of Ghislaine.
Sure enough, venturing outside meant trouble.
While getting beaten by Bastet, Dark struggled to speak.
“C-Count! Ugh! Just m-m-m-please! Ugh! Listen to me! Please!”
For the second time in his life, Dark’s tone became polite. It was the moment when an arrogant spirit began to learn manners.
Meow!
Pufff!
“Ugh! Stop the violence!”
“Enough, Bastet.”
At Amelia’s command, Bastet ceased her cat punches. Dark lowered his head, wearing an expression of shame.
‘Ugh… I’ll remember this, you cursed cat. I’ll unleash a curse on you.’
Amelia raised a finger toward Dark, who had learned manners.
“Where’s the letter?”
“Y-Yes, here… ugh.”
With a pop, a letter flew out of Dark’s open mouth. His body, made of mana, made storing things inside easy.
“……”
Bernap picked it up with a fingertip, shook it off, and handed it to Amelia.
Seeing her frown at the letter, Dark hastily made excuses.
“She’s holding me against my will!”
To safely store the letter, Dark always kept it inside his body.
But with Bernap holding him, the only places it could come out were his mouth and the rear end. He wasn’t dumb enough to pull it out from behind.
Had it come out from his rear, he would have been promptly kicked out without a second thought.
Amelia received the letter without hiding her disdain and examined it.
And when she opened the letter, her face turned icy.
“This fellow….”
As expected, the letter was filled with threats.
