I couldn't say there was no hunger or poverty. This land isn't abundant in resources. But that's just the excuse of the defeated. At the end of the Great War, weren't all the "high nobles" who remained in the rear living well and eating well?
Most of his salary never reached his mother. It only went into the pockets of officials who skimmed off the "transportation fees."
The same goes for the Jarls of Droan. They were merely greedy for more land and rights. The current hunger is simply the result of them killing Einarr's family and then being defeated by Einarr.
"The reason Einarr forgave you was to avoid killing half of Droan's entire population. Nothing more, nothing less. He judged that if all those people died, Droan would have no future anyway."
Ivan growled with a boiling voice.
"You should have repaid your debt for your lives. You should have been grateful for Einarr's mercy."
"Are you saying we should be grateful for being left to starve instead of being killed outright?"
"Yes! If you had any dignity, you should have fought! If you couldn't fight, you should have submitted! And if you couldn't do that, you should have at least remained silent!"
Ignoring Einarr's summons—fine. One could argue there were mitigating circumstances.
But they shouldn't have actively blocked Einarr's summons, killed all the messengers and Huskarls he sent, and abandoned their king in silence.
Hadn't they been thrown before death enough already? The Hero Party deserved better treatment than that.
Ivan gritted his teeth as he recalled Jil Ber's final moments.
As always, the nobles in the rear couldn't bear to part with even a penny of their rights. These pigs in peacetime took for granted the sacrifices of those who secured their peace.
Their logic was always the same. Survival equals victory. Fine, let's say winning means surviving. But they shouldn't have insulted those who died to keep them alive.
The tendons in Ivan's forearm writhed like snakes. No more dialogue was necessary.
"Come. By my right as Einarr's son-in-law, I challenge all of you."
None of the Jarls dared meet Ivan's eyes. They looked at each other and backed away slightly.
Droan's challenge ritual is strict. Any warrior has the right to challenge their Jarl. However, since not all Jarls can be warriors, a Jarl has the authority to appoint a "duel proxy."
"Anyone will do. Bring your camp's finest warrior if you wish. You don't have to come alone. All four of you can attack at once. So—"
Ivan jumped down from his horse. He addressed the four old Jarls who looked down at him from their mounts.
"Come. Don't run away. You have no right to flee."
"You! You have no right to challenge us!!"
Ulrik shouted. He cried out while avoiding Ivan's gaze.
"You're a Westerner! Einarr's son-in-law? How can we believe your claim when Asidis isn't here!"
"Ah, I can vouch for that."
Angvar stood behind Ivan, snickering.
"She came to my territory with him. Stop with these useless worries and pick up your weapon. Getting too old to fight?"
"Angvar!! You're no different! Who can prove you haven't joined hands with Krasilov to plunder your own country?!"
"Oh, please. Don't go around calling yourself a Droan person. If you're going to whine like that, cut off your dick and go dig potatoes."
When Angvar sneered, Ulrik's face turned bright red. He quickly turned around and shouted.
"Everyone prepare for battle!! No need to believe these guys! They're plunderers who raided our village!! Angvar, Ivan! I'll commend your courage for attacking us with just three thousand men!"
"Is that your answer?"
Ulrik laughed in response to Ivan's question.
"Yes. You might be able to escape alone, but how will you handle this difference in numbers? Even if you manage to kill us, how many of those Eldvark warriors who trusted your command will survive? And even if you escape, how can you save Einarr with your strength alone!"
He's not wrong. The logic of power in this situation was clear.
The Northern Territory warriors at the foot of the hill had already prepared for battle. They had bought enough time through conversation.
Meanwhile, the Eldvark warriors standing firm on the hilltop were visibly few in number. At most three thousand, perhaps fewer, just a single unit.
All infantry with no special war machines—an ordinary Droan collective army.
The warriors below the hill outnumbered them four to one. If their numbers reached twelve thousand, that was close to a full legion even by Great War standards. They too were all infantry, but the difference in momentum was precise.
The Jarls laughed.
You've stalled for too long. You probably believed you could easily take over the camp by provoking us verbally into accepting your challenge.
But what will you do if battle breaks out? You can't prevent annihilation with such small numbers.
Ivan agreed. He wasn't stupid. He knew the Jarls had come out personally to buy time. If he had attacked first, if he had launched a surprise attack on the Northern Army's rear, he could have fought more advantageously than now.
But he played along with the Jarls' intentions. He willingly gave them time.
Because he too was short on time.
Because the objective of this mission wasn't victory in battle.
Because there was no need to slaughter Droan warriors to save Einarr. Because he needed to bring them to the front line. Because he couldn't kill them all here.
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud...!!
In the distance, the sound of something running could be faintly heard.
A warrior standing at the very back turned around. Far on the horizon, a small cloud of dust was rising.
He narrowed his eyes. The dust cloud appeared a bit larger. Growing larger and larger, the dust was rising.
Like a storm brewing, thick dust was rising up.
"It's impossible to synchronize timing."
Ivan smiled at the Jarl as he spoke.
"What...?"
"I mean it's impossible to reach the same front line at the same time as a legion at the southern end without any communication. Even if real-time communication were possible, it's not something humans could accomplish."
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud...!!
In the distance, the dust cloud grew increasingly larger.
The Jarl's expression gradually hardened.
"But we have someone who can make it happen."
If there's a possibility of victory, he doesn't lose.
If he sees even the slightest possibility, he can certainly win.
Yuri, an ordinary war orphan who graduated top of her class in both practical and written exams at St. Yansk University's Knight Department. She earned A+ in not only War Studies but also in chess, a required liberal arts course for the Knight Department.
This world's chess has rules different from Earth's. Moreover, she was a beginner who didn't even know the basic moves before her transmigration.
Nevertheless, she has never lost. Her transmigrator privilege shines more in the realm of "legions" rather than "individuals." Her ability is more suited to "strategy simulation" than "RPG."
From a macroscopic perspective composed of possibilities upon possibilities, she can always make the "right" move.
Thud-thud-thud...!!
If they don't arrive on time, Ivan and the Eldvark warriors will "certainly" be annihilated.
If they arrive on time, Ivan and the Eldvark warriors will "certainly" be victorious.
To meet Yuri's conditions, Ivan calculated "the tightest possible time for the Southern Army to mobilize and reach the northeast" and took his position here.
To activate her "transmigrator privilege," which won't even trigger if impossible conditions are presented, he needed to expose himself to "the most unlikely probability that isn't zero."
Ivan smiled as he saw Asidis charging at the front, waving the military flag.
A trained agent never gambles. They only prove.
"Burn—Droan—!!"
Asidis's cry echoed from the distance. The warriors' shouts followed in response.
"Burn it down—!!!!"
A half-destroyed train raced along the railway. And matching its speed, warriors were running alongside the train, raising dust.
In the lead car of the train, which had been completely stripped of its roof to make an open car, Asidis was shouting while waving Einarr's royal flag.
"Burn Droan down!!!!"
"I have no idea why they ended up with that slogan."
The only thing he couldn't understand right now was Asidis's transformation.