Extra Chapter 56 – When a Mute Cries, a Crow Falls (24)
Spring was a time to plow fields and sow seeds. As it marked the beginning of the years' harvests, it was the busiest and most important season for farming. Nevertheless, Giant warriors recruited farmers and started a war. In a kingdom built on poor soil, the only land they had claimed capable of producing food in abundance had been turned into a salted wasteland by their enemies. Spring rains, that people usually eagerly hoped for, carried the salt deep into the soil and killed the budding seeds. Their researchers said that it would take more than ten years to purify and recover the land, even if the nation's full efforts were put into it. Even that was a hopeful estimate. It was no exaggeration to say that the fertile lands they had conquered from the Holy Kingdom had now become entirely barren.
"To avoid starvation… for family, for revenge, for the nation... many have gathered."
The number of soldiers had nearly doubled compared to previous years. In addition to conscription, there were many who volunteered due to circumstances worsening in the Giant tribe. The new head of the witches, Feliva, sighed when she saw the troops heading to the front lines. She felt sorry for them, watching them as they marched off to hell. But there was someone else who sighed for a different reason than her.
"To do this to a land that they need to retrieve. I couldn't believe my ears. I simply couldn't."
Jabal, the new head of the great warriors of the Giant tribe, touched the barren earth with an incredulous expression on his face. It was only when he saw the white salt on his hands that he accepted the truth. They really tried to cut their own lifeline. It was now the land of the Giant tribe, but it had been the Holy Kingdom's territory just a decade ago. From the perspective of the Holy Kingdom, it was a land that had to be recovered. This was no different from simply abandoning the territory altogether. The move didn't seem rational to Jabal.
"They're saying that even if we steal some meat, they'll take back bones or even the heart." Feliva said bitterly.
Jabal looked at her with contempt in his eyes. "Didn't they do this because their king died early thanks to you witches?!" he cried out.
"Isn't that something the Giant King agreed to do as well? That's why the former head of the great warriors sacrificed his life and invaded the enemy's capital to help us." Feliva responded coldly.
Jabal bit his lip. He didn't want to admit it, but the witches and Giants were accomplices, accomplices who bore equal responsibility over their actions on the battlefield.
"Tch! I'm busy preparing for battle! I'll be on my way."
As Jabal stormed off to the command barracks, Asanchatar snorted from nearby. "We warned them that the previous Holy King was an unconventional figure in many ways."
Zilaven nodded in agreement. "I know. But it wasn't our curse that caused the Holy King to die. It was just because of illness, but I guess Jabal doesn't know that?"
Ilua, the new Witch of Pride, cast a sound barrier around them and warned, "We deceived them on purpose, how could you speak so carelessly about it?"
Zilaven flinched and began making excuses. "No, even if the Giants used just a little bit of common sense… would a curse work so well, to the point of causing death, against the Holy King? When his power was directly focused on repelling curses? Besides, Merlin is still alive."
The new Witch of Anger, Jasmine, warned, "Don't look down on the Giant tribe. They are more ruthless than you think."
"Doesn't such a description insult them more?"
"I only speak the truth."
While the others debated, Feliva smiled bitterly and looked at the Holy Kingdom in the distance.
"Anyway, isn't all that matters is to make sure the Holy Kingdom is destroyed? In the process, if the Giant tribe has to be destroyed too, then so be it."
Everything would flow towards the prearranged future.
* * *
Mordred opened Arietta's office door angrily.
"What's going on?" Arietta asked, tiredly stamping the seal on another document.
Mordred stared at her in disbelief. "Why are you keeping me tied up here instead of sending me to the front lines?" he asked.
Arietta replied as she looked over the next document, "If you're here for official affairs, please speak formally, Sir Mordred. I am no longer someone you can speak to so carelessly."
Mordred was on the verge of a frustrated outburst, but soon lowered his head.
"… Excuse me, Your Majesty the Holy Queen."
Mordred had entered her office uninvited, during work hours on a weekday. Considering their relationship, he should not have acted so rashly. Plus, Euss was in the room assisting her, and outside her office was full of knights and court attendants, so he had no choice but to be wary of others' eyes. Above all, Arietta was now weighed down by the burden of being the Holy Queen. Acting as he did normally wasn't something that would benefit her now.
"So what is going on?"Get faster updates on novelping dot com.
"Your Majesty the Holy Queen, please send me to the front line. Please allow me to protect your loyal soldiers and subjects."
Mordred's skillful court etiquette made Arietta smile slightly, but she quickly hardened her expression again.
"I cannot allow it."
"Why?"
"You are my escort knight. Your duty is to protect me. This place where I am is the front line for you."
At Arietta's answer, which sounded legitimate, Mordred closed his mouth. But he knew better than anyone that it was just an excuse.
"Is this because of the prophecy? Does Your Majesty think I will betray you like everyone else?!"
Arietta slammed her fist on the desk. "Nonsense! Do you think I would believe that?!"
She truly did not believe that Mordred would betray her. Mordred tried to read the emotion in her eyes for some kind of clue, but he couldn't figure it out.
"Then why? Why does Your Majesty keep me tied to the capital!"
"The front line does not want you!"
The Knights of the Round Table also trusted Mordred. But they couldn't be certain of a future that hadn't come yet. That's why they decided to block any possibility of betrayal by preventing him from facing enemies that might tempt him to their side.
"… What is that?! How is that different from saying you don't trust me?" Mordred cried out.
"Please understand those who are on the battlefield, and me. You are simply too strong." Arietta said empathetically.
If their strongest ally turned against them, he would become their worst enemy. Mordred wanted to refute her. He wanted to shout that if they were so worried, that they should put a leash on him, or put a curse on him so Arietta could kill him at any time. If he could regain their trust by doing so, he would willingly accept a curse into his body. Those words almost came out, but he couldn't say anything when he saw Arietta's distressed expression. He lowered his head because he knew those words would hurt Arietta greatly.
"… Please forgive me for my sudden visit and disturbance. I will excuse myself."
"I'm sorry."
Mordred tried to smile. "No, please do not apologize. Do what you believe is right."
Maybe he was already cursed. Long ago, he would have abandoned everything and left in search of freedom, but perhaps he couldn't do so anymore because he was cursed. What should such a curse be called? Friendship, or love? Whatever it was, he thought it was a terrible curse.
"I will always protect Her Majesty the Holy Queen, as an escort."
He stepped back with a renewed commitment. It was a terrible day.
* * *
As time went by, the battles grew fiercer. Despite suffering from hunger, the enemy attacked ferociously, and the armies of the Holy Kingdom shrank at their fierce hostility.
"Did they boil and eat tree roots or something?"
Caradoc clicked his tongue as he looked at the barren, treeless mountain in the distance. Now that it was summer, the mountain should have been lush with green leaves. Based on the state of the mountain, it seemed that the enemy had been digging up tree roots since the previous winter.
Bedivere, who was moving with Caradoc, smiled bitterly. "Well, we did commit an evil deed. That's why they're attacking much harder than we thought."
Percival and Lancelot led the knights around the front line, shouting that the enemy would destroy themselves if the fighting dragged on, since they had no food. The generals of each army made every effort to maintain morale. The country of the Giants was a place where there wasn't much food in reserve anyways, since their entire food supply was dependent on the frontline area. However, the problem was that the time needed to be stalled by the Holy Kingdom was at least half a year. Caradoc had set up traps all over the front line to deal with the aggressive enemy. There was a difference in the number of soldiers and morale, but they were even due to strategy. From the perspective of the invaded, if there was an advantage the geographical advantage could be occupied.
"Why don't you take a break, Caradoc?"
Bedivere looked worriedly at the haggard Caradoc. But Caradoc shook his head.
"No, if I take a break, more of my troops will die."Visit novelрing.com for the full chapter.
It was thanks to his tireless efforts as the chief of staff that they had been able to plan the operation of the entire army and move each unit organically.
Lionel, who was helping Caradoc move, warned, "Listen to Bedivere. If you collapse because you don't rest, we'll be in bigger trouble."
"That's true, but…"
Bedivere and Lionel glared at Caradoc intensely, who raised his hands as if surrendering. "Okay. I'll just finish this up and then rest."
Caradoc was plotting the next operation in the barracks behind the eastern front. Effort alone was usually not enough to anticipate and respond to enemy movements. In particular, since the front line was so wide, but the Knights of the Round Table were few in number, choosing the most efficient movements was a difficult task.
"I miss Sir Mordred. Just letting him loose in the enemy camp with Sir Tristan as support would be more efficient than attacking with tens of thousands of troops."
"It can't be helped."
"It is all for Her Majesty the Holy Queen and Mordred."
The three knights nodded and encouraged each other to cheer up for the sake of their comrade. Then, suddenly, outside the barracks, they heard an explosion and a clash of weapons.
"It's an ambush!"
"Defense team, argh!"
The three knights rushed out of the barracks with the swords they had put down. There were only a handful of attackers in the ambush, but they couldn't help but feel hopeless as they were caught completely off-guard.
"The head of the great warriors is attacking the rear himself?! Is the Giant King going to kill the head of the great warriors again?"
The small force was composed entirely of famous elite warriors. Still, regardless of the fact they ambushed from the rear, now that they had exposed themselves, almost none of them would survive the pursuit of the Holy Kingdom's army.
"There he is! If we can just kill him, this battle will be our victory! Everyone give your life for the Giant King!" Jabal, their new great warrior leader, shouted.
This was well known to those doing the ambush. They were willing to sacrifice themselves because they were convinced of the need to kill Caradoc, even at the expense of their own lives. Upon Jabal's order, the enemies rushed at Caradoc.
"Caradoc, run away." said Bedivere.
"You must not die here." said Lionel.
Caradoc hesitated. Then Bedivere shouted, "Hurry up and go! … See you in five-hundred years."
"... I'm sorry!"
Caradoc rode off on his horse, leaving behind the smiling Bedivere.
"After him!" Jabal shouted, pointing his sword towards the fleeing Caradoc.
When Jabal rushed forward with the other ambushers behind him, Bedivere and Lionel blocked their path.
"No one may pass! Who dares to try?"
The two knights burned their life force and brought the absolute maximum power of the Holy tribe. Then, Bedivere used his ability to bring up a giant wall of earth, while Lionel used his ability to send out a magic shadow that stretched out and grabbed the enemies by their ankles.
"You all will die here with us!"
By the time Caradoc arrived at the allied army headquarters that day, Bedivere and Lionel had already fallen into a long sleep. It would be a long time before their master came.