# "This Is the End"
"Is this as far as we go?"
Elizabeta quickly assessed the situation despite the chaos. They could no longer hold out. The loss of troops was severe enough to declare total annihilation if this had been a war between ordinary humans.
With supplies exhausted, firearms had been abandoned. Swords and spears were broken, and soldiers in good condition could be counted on one hand. Everyone had been fighting through injuries both major and minor, gritting their teeth.
"Prepare to retreat. Send a signal to the dwarves."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Thirty-six hours. They had held out for quite some time. If she were to be greedy, she would have liked to stall a bit longer, but they had at least achieved their minimum objective.
By flaunting an obvious trap, they had tied up the Seven Dragon Generals for a day and a half. They had gathered and halted the demon army that had been ravaging the entire country.
From here to the great plains was a day's journey through underground tunnels. If they could quickly begin their retreat while simultaneously collapsing the tunnels behind them, the enemy would have to cross the surface on foot. An army of that size would certainly need more than two days to move in this season.
Yes, it was close, but this much could be considered mission accomplished.
She sighed as she looked at the soldiers who were beginning to lay down their weapons in fear.
How many had died? The most courageous men, the finest warriors this country had to offer, had fallen countless times.
After this battle, it would take a very long time for Krasilov to gather forces of this magnitude again.
'No, after this battle is over, there will be no need to maintain such a large army.'
Once the Seven Dragon Generals were defeated, the demon tribes would fracture, and it would take centuries before they invaded the United Kingdoms again. The demons' losses would be significant as well.
The other dynasties of the United Kingdoms wouldn't dare raise armies. They had already suffered serious national depletion from the war. They couldn't possibly divert their insufficient national power to a war economy when they barely had enough to stabilize their internal affairs.
Then her reign would be peaceful. With the counterintelligence headquarters intact, there was no need to worry about domestic politics. A busy but peaceful twilight years awaited her, strengthening the foundations of the nation for her child's future.
Just a little more, yes. Just hold out a little longer. That's all the trial they needed to endure...
—CRASH!!!
The ground collapsed behind her. At the rear of the camp, on the riverside where the enemy had not yet charged, soil washed away with a thunderous roar.
Elizabeta frowned. She hadn't given the order yet. How hasty.
"Have you already opened the retreat path? Retreat should be carried out in an orderly fashion. Why so rashly?"
"N-no, Your Majesty. We haven't yet... W-we haven't made contact with the dwarves..."
"What...? Then what is this...?"
Elizabeta's eyes turned to the rear. That was where the wounded soldiers too injured to continue fighting had been placed. Beyond the makeshift tents, at the end of the washed-away soil, short metal weapons suddenly emerged.
And soon, red eyes appeared in the dark tunnel.
More and more. Densely packed.
"Goblins."
[Hahaha... Ahahahahaha!!! Queen of humans, did you truly think I wouldn't know!!]
Monsters emerged from the darkness. More and more, increasing in number. They cast their shadows under the sun.
Each one was an insignificant creature on its own. But their numbers, and with monsters surrounding them from all directions, meant that their escape route at the rear was effectively closed.
The condition of the soldiers was insufficient to break through them, prevent goblin ambushes in the dark tunnels, and advance.
The voice of the god reached Elizabeta's ears.
[You joined hands with the dwarves under the mountains. You've been escaping with their help all this time! With such a background, if you engage in battle on the surface, couldn't you predict that I would have prepared escape routes underground?]
"Your Majesty... I shall open a path."
[The god does not speak falsehoods. Your death is confirmed, and your struggles are already in my grasp. Uahaha, hahahaha!!]
A sigh escaped Elizabeta's lips.
The goblins charged. The royal guards and knights had already moved to block them, but there were too many. Even superhumans had human blood and flesh. Even goblin spears and swords would tear and pierce flesh if they made contact.
What use was it to hold them back? They were surrounded on all sides, and the Seven Dragon Generals were approaching. Even if they entered the tunnel, how far could they flee while constantly dealing with ambushes from these short demons who could so easily dig underground passages?
Had the dwarves been defeated...?
She had made the best choices. She had never made a mistake. She had never given up, no matter how difficult and lonely it was. Every decision had been rational.
But this felt as if the world had abandoned this country.
Elizabeta smiled sadly and drew her sword, turning around.
"I'm sorry."
"Your Majesty..."
"But at least you won't die alone. Someone will remember us. Even if this is our end, it certainly won't be the end of this country... of humanity."
The royal guard bowed his head silently at Elizabeta's words.
"Will you join me? Will you resist death? So that before our ancestors, we can pride ourselves that we fought for our homeland, lived meaningfully, and died worthily."
"I will fight for Your Majesty and extend my sword toward death."
"Very well then. Sons of Krasilov. Let us at least break beautifully before Mother Krasilov."
At Elizabeta's words, the royal guards and knights raised their weapons. Under the laughter of the frenzied god, before the densely approaching demons, the knights prepared for their final battle.
At least the world would remember this day.
With that determination.
The midday sun hid behind clouds. Long shadows covered the battlefield.
Beneath them, the eyes of demons filled every direction as they charged.
"We made it in time."
"Yes, Master."
"Wait a minute, everyone. Is this really the best plan?"
"Are you afraid, sir? For the record, I am not."
"This plan... if it can even be called a plan... Guardian Lord. Did you agree to this?"
"Those who want to participate can do so, and those who want to opt out can do so."
"Damn it."
—Click.
The visor lowered.
The field of vision was narrow, and sounds echoed. Rough winds filled the inside of the helmet, swirling around. It made one's head dizzy.
Beyond the limited view, a young man holding the sword of Etakrihi smiled and pressed down his helmet.
"Knights of Tilles."
On the deck that was more vast than large.
Under the blue sky, above the white clouds. In that space where rough winds swirled.
"Let us show why the United Kingdoms are united. All spears ready!"
"All spears ready!!!"
The knights raised their spears. The intertwined antlers, the emblem of Etakrihi drawn on the flagpole, fluttered in the wind, almost bending.
The young Guardian Lord, with a military flag in one hand and a sword in the other, placed one foot on the edge of the deck, on the bulwark.
Without a trace of fear, smiling broadly, he joked:
"If you make a mistake, you die. Anyone who thinks they might make a mistake should stay behind. Wouldn't it be embarrassing for the Eastern Knights to die in a foreign charge?"
The knights gritted their teeth and glared at him without answering. The young man laughed loudly, stepped on the bulwark—
"For the glory of Tilles!!"
—and jumped off the deck.
Simultaneously, all the knights on deck charged. Damn it, this is crazy, who calls this a charge? It's suicide.
Suicide? Planning to die? How unfortunate, should have trained more regularly.
Exchanging such remarks, gritting their teeth, kicking off the bulwark together.
"For the glory of Etakrihi!!"
Gripping their lances tightly under their arms. Aiming at the enemy with firmly fixed spearheads.
Since everyone here was superhuman, the enemy's position was clear no matter how far away.
From the deck of the airship, death descended from the sky.
Whether horizontal or vertical, if one could concentrate the impact force of the charge entirely on the spearhead, that was a lance charge—or so they desperately thought.
And when it came to lance charges, no one present could be compared to any country's masters.
An aerial assault transcending eras was taking place.
[...What...?]
The god murmured quietly, looking up at the sky. The phenomenon beyond comprehension left his thoughts unable to catch up.
All the demons stopped. No, everyone present, including the humans.
They all stared blankly at the dots falling from the sky.
"Haha, ahahat...!!"
Elizabeta burst into laughter at the sight.
"I know who taught you. It's your own karma. Ahahat... Vanka, your disciple truly takes after you!!"
The airship tore through the clouds, revealing itself, and the gun batteries at its bow began to aim at the ground all at once.