CH 210

The End of a Warrior

Translated by SoundDestiny

Edited by SoundDestiny

This time, the operation was a night raid by a small elite group. The aim was to take out the ringleaders of the rebellion.

The enemy forces outnumber them ten to one. If he was to follow the Art of War, it was considered standard practice to retreat without fighting, or to stay in the castle or fortress.

However, under such war conditions, the Prime Minister and military strategist Sven Arbeil decided to carry out a blitzkrieg operation.

Although the walls of the Royal City are solid, they have collapsed as a result of the recent earthquake and repairs have not been completed in time. Even if the city were to be brought into a siege, there was no telling how long it could be defended.

Even if Sven was to wait for reinforcements, their main force is fighting the undead in the west. Even if they were able to send in reinforcements, they might allow the undead to invade if their western border is stretched too thin. If this happens, it would be a national crisis.

“『According to reports from the agents….the majority of the enemy forces are militia with no real combat experience. Then, of course, they wouldn’t be prepared or experienced enough to deal with sudden combat.』”

Sven sent an elite force of about 80 men, led by Angelica, into the enemy position, setting fire everywhere and creating chaos. The militia immediately screamed and ran for cover, and the chaos spread to the regular soldiers.

Fear is a disease that infects like measles. The large number of people fleeing in confusion made it impossible to deal with even less than one-hundredth of one percent of their own force of assailants.

Angelica was able to get the appropriate militiamen to give up the location of their commanding officer, and then successfully hunt down Rewir at leisure.

‘I let that commander get away…..But that’s a good thing. Sven would ambush him.’

While Angelica was facing the enemy in front of her, she thought of the face of her bloodless little brother in her mind.

On any operational action, it is only natural to have a second or third plan ready in case of failure.

Sven, the planner of the operation, has anticipated Rewir’s escape route and is lurking there with another separate army. By now, Rewir will have been captured and killed.

On the contrary, Sven seems to have been thinking about what would happen if he missed Rewir, or if the night raid failed, and has been planning his strategy accordingly. Angelica felt proud of her little brother’s skill.

‘I really don’t want to let my brother out of my sight, but Neimilia also said that the time we don’t see each other……our love grows, so I guess it’s just for today.’

“Your face……looks familiar. Aren’t you Greiz in The Ash Demon?

“Hou…… this guy is a surprise. I didn’t think anyone in this country could still remember my name.”

When Angelica guessed his name, the Captain under Rewir – the ‘ash demon’ Greiz – blinked.

“I know you. You are the one who, in a battle against the Empire about ten years ago, did a great job of taking out one of the enemy generals, despite being a mercenary. You were decorated and invited to join the regular army, but declined because of injuries sustained in battle. I heard that you left the service. …… I wonder why someone of your stature is joining the rebels.”

“………….”

Greiz remained silent and scratched his grey-haired head. He appears to be choosing his words rather than not wanting to answer. Angelica, who has already missed Rewir and left Sven in charge, waits patiently for a response.

Eventually, Greiz opens his mouth with a grave expression.

“Lung Diseased.I don’t have much time to live.”

“…………”

“My wife died last year. My late son lost his life in an epidemic while I was in the war. There is nothing left. I have nothing to protect and no reason to return. All I have left is my pride as a warrior.”

“So… you’re a man who wants to die.”

Angelica realised why Greiz  was here.

The soldier with a history of war in front of her probably wants a place to die. He has chosen to die on the battlefield rather than spend the rest of his meaningless life without a reason to live.

He was not interested in the rebellion. It doesn’t matter if there is a cause or not, he would have been happy anywhere where he could burn up the rest of his life while being consumed by illness.

“『Slaughter Princess of Ilkas』….. Isn’t that the same for you?”

“…..”

“You lost your home in the war with the Empire and your family is already dead.　You must have lost your purpose in life just as much as I have.”

“Misguided. It’s completely incorrect.”

Angelica snickered and hit the ground with her cutlass and prosthetic leg.

She narrowed her eyes in disdain and shot a cynical smile at Greiz.

“I wish you wouldn’t treat us as kindred spirits without permission. I have people to protect. I don’t want to die, and I don’t want to die on the battlefield. My dream is to die in the care of the people I need to protect.”

Angelica spins a thin, pointed dagger in her hand and thrusts the tip at Greiz.

“You…..are in the way of my dream of a peaceful old age. If you want to die, I will kill you, so blow away quickly.”

“…..Good. Then there will be no more words to talk about. Let me colour the end of my life with all my might!”

Greiz holds his spear and drops his centre of gravity in a low posture. He then kicked the ground hard and released a stabbing thrust with frightening speed.

Angelica had heard that he had retired from the mercenary army due to an injury, but his speed showed no sign of such blanks.

“..!”

The tip of the spear was aimed at Angelica’s neck, but at the moment, Angelica’s figure disappeared.

“Uu…?!”

“That’s fast, though not as fast as I am.”

Angelica’s body is stretched to the limit and her prosthetic left leg is thrust up towards the sky. The high kick from her prosthetic leg kicks the spear of the Greiz away from his hand and disappears into the night darkness.

“Haah!”

“…..!”

Angelica swung her prosthetic leg down in a heel drop motion. The metal leg was dropped at Greiz’s head, but it only slammed into his shoulder as he instantly turned his head away.

“Guu … ghaa…!”

With a clanging sound, Greiz  drops to both knees on the spot.

A blow from her prosthetic leg smashed his right collarbone. Greiz’s forehead is covered in greasy sweat from the intense pain caused by the fracture.

The man, who has lost his weapon and is now kneeling without any means of resistance, is asked briefly by Angelica.

“Any last words?”

“…… nothing. That’s enough.”

“Right. Good for you.”

Angelica thrusts a dagger into Greiz’s neck. The next moment, his body burst from the inside.

This is the inner power that made Angelica Ilkas feared as the ‘Slaughter Princess’. It is a water-attribute magic sword – the 【Bakusaiken】.

(爆砕剣)explosive sword.

The mercenaries who had lost the meaning of life and joined the rebellion in search of a place to die was blown to pieces under the moonlight without even leaving a decent corpse.