Chapter 13: Battle (2)

Didi who asked the king to fight was overjoyed about the fact that the king agreed. He can only be pleased about it. He didn't know things about chances or potential but he knew that with the king fighting, they will win. No, they can only win. That was the strength he believed in but because of that strength, he knew that they'll be subjected to torture and abuses of the one blessed by the battlefield so he prepared himself for the worst, always ready to offer himself in place of his comrades. That should have been the situation but… The king was weird. He didn't punch them nor did he place unreasonable orders on his men. Instead he asked them,

"Do you want to be stronger?"

When they were asked, they all said yes. Even Didi said yes. That was the instinct of a goblin however they all know that not everyone will be blessed by the battlefield so they weren't enthusiastic about it. The king however laughed at them and so he picked 5 men, including Didi and said that he will teach them. At this point, all of the goblins thought of him as a fool. The blessings of the battlefield are something that one does not have any influence or something that one cannot teach.

However they all still followed him. They knew what would happen if they rejected him so they were diligently following the teachings of the king. That was why they were so surprised when they got blessed by the battlefield.

"W-what?! I am a Low Goblin now!"

"Me too! I am now a mid rank Goblin!"

The king put on a satisfied expression whenever one was blessed by the battlefield. As far as they know, nothing or no one can influence the blessings of the battlefield. They can only marvel about the identity of this goblin. So far, all of them except Didi got blessed. He was stuck. The other goblins comforted him but Didi's mood didn't get better. He was working harder than anyone else. He was the one doing the battles with the most effort. Even before the king saved him, he was the one strongest except for the Elder and yet his companions surpassed him. He felt bitter at this fact. That was why he sought the king.

"King! Why am I not blessed by the battlefield? Am I not good enough?"

Didi was seriously asking the king about this. He was happy that his fellow goblins are getting stronger but he wanted to be strong too, for the sake of his people. If even the king told him that he was not good enough, he was planning to direct his efforts somewhere else. He wanted to be useful to everyone. That was the kind of eyes he was making every time he spoke to the king. Didi didn't know why but the king always shows a reaction when he met Didi's eyes.

"If you are still not blessed, that means the efforts that you are making now is not enough."

Didi was glad to hear this but still, he was sad that the battlefield hasn't recognized his efforts. He hung his head from this and the king spoke to him once more.

"In order for you to be recognized, I will give you a mission! Slay an orc together with your brothers!"

****

Prawler Benson was in a dilemma. He was a commoner born from a farmer family. His father wanted him to succeed his farm however every time he tilled the land he felt like he doesn't belong there. During his youth, he was forced to battle because of a monster invasion on his village. There, he knew what he had to do. He knew in just one fight that he belonged to the battlefield.

After that, he entered the army and became a soldier. He was praised for his physical prowess and his eye for strategy making him a general in just 20 years. Many were displeased about him being a general despite being a commoner but his strength cannot be ignored. He who roamed the battlefield for many years was a man who enjoyed wars. He was thrilled by the pressure and the pleasure of being able to do what he wants on a battlefield. He is what you call, a man whose plate was the battlefield.

Right now, he was moving on the orders of His Majesty the King and stationed his forces on the outer part of the Raoz Forest. As expected, he was happy. There will be a battle, a big one at that. He moved his forces fast and settled near the big tree, he was truly anticipating the battle however his feelings of happiness was broken by the news delivered by his messenger.

The news that destroyed his happiness was that the church is the one behind this mobilization. He wasn't just displeased, he was enraged, so enraged that he even considered going against his official orders and go back to the base in the borders. Of course, his men were angry too.

"Damn it! What are the nobles doing?! They are nobles because they have power and yet they only followed the words of the Church?!"

"Yeah! Those parasites only do nothing but destroy the happiness of the people! They can't even do their work correctly!"

"Now, now. Calm down. The news is indeed the truth but we cannot go against the order of His Majesty the King. If we do, we'll be labeled as rebels."

"Stop."

With one word from Prawler, all the men expressing their discontent about the situation was silenced. They could only be silent. This one man hates the church more than anyone else, at least in this room, and yet he told them to stop. The weight of his words is in a different scale.

"We'll endure."

"Ah."

No one voiced their arguments about the decision of Prawler. He is the man with the highest power right now in this place and no one could go against him but even without that, his men will follow him. That was how much trust they have in Prawler, the man who prioritized them and protected the people even against the abuse of the nobles.

"Yes si-"

"Commander! I have a report!"

Before they could answer with their determination, a man interrupted the meeting. Without waiting for the permission of the guards, he barged straight in and kneeled.

"500 man commander Guy has sent me! I apologize for my rudeness but it is of urgency!"

The men gathered here was the core of the southern army. Even if a messenger has come from the kingdom, they have to wait until the meeting is over. That is common sense yet when they heard that Guy was the one who sent him and even added the word urgent, they didn't even reprimand the man. Instead, Prawler personally asked the man to continue.

"Speak."

The man swallowed his saliva because of the pressure. He then continued.

"We need to retreat now!"

****

The wind blows and a cape flutters. The man standing on a cliff oversees the trees beyond and another who is standing beside him is an old man with a face full of wrinkles who is acting like a butler. The butler-like man calls out to the man in front.

"Your Royal Highness, everything is moving as you wish."

His eyes were sparkling, full of admiration for the man in front of him. That look of admiration is something only a fanatical believer can express. Indeed, he is like a fanatical believer for the man in front. He continues his words.

"At this rate, even the Church will not be able to reprimand our nation for doing something like this."

The man laughed at the words of the butler-like man. He said to him,

"This Raoz Forest...

He raised his right hand in the direction of the trees and slowly clenched his hand.

"Is my playground!"