Chapter 54: Revolutionary Period - Breakthrough (1)

Chapter 54: Revolutionary Period - Breakthrough (1)

Translated by Mara Sov

Revolutionary Period Breakthrough (1)

The next days were spent preparing for the assault.

At last, reports confirmed the enemy had begun their march towards Reims.

Tens of thousands were drafted to stand against this white tide.

We spent some time sorting out the letters received from Lumiere since we asked for the families of all soldiers to send their words of encouragement to boost the deceptive morale.

Honestly, it was more of a desperate measure than an idea to help the soldiers resolve.

I watched those who received the letters weep or rejoice, as my aide, Louis Desaix approached me with a box.

The box contained the familiar crest of Aquitaine.

Heh-.

I thought only the soldiers would be receiving the letters, but it seems Christine sent me something too-

Desaix passed by me and handed the box to Eris, who was beside me.

Huh?

Huh?

Both Eris and I had the same reaction.

The Countess of Aquitaine sent this gift for you, My Lady the Saint. And as for the Marquis, here

After he handed the box to Eris, Desaix pulled a letter from his vest and handed it to me.

Whats with this?

Not that I wasnt grateful for the letter Christine sent, but why did I only get a letter while Eris got a box?

Those twoI didnt know they were this close. They behaved almost indifferently to each other.

Heh-

That stupid smug smile of Eris, while her eyes darted from the box in her hands to my letter made me want to smother her.

Eris? Whats that?

Hmmm~I dont know? After all, you have to unwrap a gift in s.e.c.r.e.t~~~

No. Wait a minute, Eris. Eris! Come back here!

Hahahaha-. Big sis Christine sent a gift just for mwee~!

That girlShe ran away with the box in her hands.

Stupid Princess.

Shes doing it on purpose, Im sure of it!

Im definitely not jealous at all.

Yes, Christine must have a reason for sending her a gift while I, her beloved, only got a single piece of paper.

Wait, it cant be that shes mad that the moment we got engaged once more, Im leading a suicide mission into the heart of the enemyIt cant be because of that, right?

SomehowIm feeling a bit apprehensive about this letter nowAfter gathering some courage, I managed to open the letter, however, the contents werent written in her usual flowery words, but a direct and on-the-point message.

[ Pierre, I trust youve thought this through and have a plan.

Therefore, Ill be brief.

There isnt a need for you to feel sorry for me. After all, all you have done is choose a path that leads to death, even if you end up surviving.

However, because I believe in you, I expect you to honor my trust and not fail me.

Eternally yours, Christine.]

With great care, I folded the letter and tucked it in my coat pocket.

Ah, I must have worried her a lot if shes this mad.

For her letter to be this straightforward, she must have known my fears, as well as the reasons behind my actions.

Sigh-.

Theres no going back now. And its my duty as a man to honor my ladys trust, isnt it?

Its time for me to make the world forget the name of the Blue Knight.

After the messages had been delivered to all the soldiers and the preparations were completed, the faces of the soldiers were quite a sight to behold.

Some were resolved, while others were planning to uphold their duty with tears streaming from their eyes.

I looked at my aide, Louis Desaix, who stood by my side.

Is this what you wanted?

Desaix, the one who came up with this plan, avoided my gaze.

It should be fine, sir. At least some of our boys arent looking like they will desert at the first opportunityAnd from what I can see, It seems youre quite motivated as well, Sir.

This man is too perceptive for his own good.

With a sigh, I stepped forward and grabbed the magic artifact capable of amplifying my voice.

This was meant for Valliant, who didnt know how to use his mana, so now it ended up in my hands, the man who will lead a hopeless mission.

Looking below the stage I could see Valliants sly smile.

This manhe truly is shameless.

As I took a deep breath, my breathing echoed around the plains.

After a brief silence,

Some bastards had chuckled at my expense.

Ah, damn. This is so embarrassing.

Alright, Ill be brief. Men, we have nowhere to retreat. We stand here in Reims, safekeeping the way to the Capital. If we fall here, the Capital will become a battlefield, and losing the Capital means that the Republic will follow.

If theres no way back. The only way is forward.

Some may think we are mad to face this enemy. But I assure you! If we all stand together we will win.

I looked towards the Knights watching me.

Sir Gaston, Damien, as well the other Knights were ready to charge into the enemy lines.

Once upon a time, the Knights of Francia were a symbol of the old regime. But now they stood as protectors of the people.

I will lead the charge. And the proud Knights of Francia will follow me. We will be the spear that will pierce the enemys heart. So, follow us.

No matter how much we charge, if these men dont fight just as fiercely, we will be annihilated by the encircling enemy.

Eris slowly raised her hand to the sky.

The golden barrier manifested, protecting the army from the artillery fire.

A sharp pair squeezed her heart.

The power she held,

It was certainly Divine Power and not some ability she was born with.

This power was obtained after a young girl desperately prayed to every God in existence to show her mothers smiling face to her just one more time, as the woman in question died, filled with sorrow after they had fled the Royal Palace.

Without even knowing what she was doing, Eris reached out her hands towards an incoming cannonball and clenched her fist, but she lowered her hand.

The cannonball fell into the front lines, causing wails and screams to erupt.

Eris closed her eyes tightly, but then, after a moment she turned her gaze towards the cavalry lined beside her, and the man leading them.

-And now, Im asking you to accompany me to this hell.

That was what Pierre had said to her.

Eris looked towards those behind her for a moment.

Countless men clad in blue uniforms were marching.

Despite witnessing what could only be called a Natural Disaster, the Knights were paving the way while countless soldiers believed in her and followed her light.

Once again, a cannonball flew.

But this time, Eris blocked it, enduring the familiar pain coming from her heart.

It was ironic. So much power was needed to save those who were hurt and dying from that cannonball, yet, it takes far less power to simply prevent an attack.

She knew why

It was so, so very hard to save those who were already broken.

That was a lesson a young girl was forced to learn when she had created a miracle and resurrected her mother. Only for the woman to choose death once more.

-Theres nothing wrong with a Saint wanting to save lives. Its those who have to choose who lives and who dies who bear the burdenSo leave that weight to me.

Eris knew. She knew that she wasnt worthy of being called a Saint for giving up on those who could be saved should she wish for it. A Saint wouldnt distinguish between those who must be saved and those who would perish.

Even then, she persevered.

Because that was her oath, her pledge.

And now, the enemies were just a handful away.

As Eris took a deep breath, she felt a tingle, as if her power was being challenged.

Looking towards the horizon, she could see the Witch floating in the air.

Almost simultaneously, a horn was blown from within the cavalry.

The infantry in the front slipped to the sides, allowing the horses carrying the artillery to charge forward.

Follow the Artillery! Keep the formation and prepare to charge! CHARGE!

Following his command, Eris spurred her horse.

Unlike the probing shots being fired until now, a tyrannical amount of cannonballs flew at them.

-Thats why Marquis, if you cannot trust this nation anymoreThen trust me.

She was the one who said it.

Eris clutched the crystal she had been holding inside her robes.

A magic amplification crystal, gifted to her by Christine, so she could protect Pierre.

Soon, a tremendous energy swirled through her body, giving her an unparalleled feeling of exhilaration.

Ah, so thats how it feels like

Raising her hand, a barrier of titanic proportions unfolded.

She could hardly feel the impact the cannonballs had. The pain in her heart was forgotten.

It was an omnipotent feeling.

Glaring at the Witch floating in the sky, her eyes became ablaze with fury.

That woman, responsible for such a calamity was looking down on them as if they were insects.

With the cavalry charge, the panic from the enemys army was visible as giant fireballs flew towards them.

Eris!

Hearing Pierres urgent shout, Eris raised her hands once more.

The golden barrier blocked the fireballs Eris almost fell off her horse from the sheer pain being transmitted to her heart.

But she gritted her teeth and endured.

-No matter the cost. No matter the sacrifices I must make. I dont care if this body crumbles

The number of people who believed in her, a fake Saint, stood in the tens of thousands.

Eris knew that no matter what she had accomplished, she couldnt offer something greater than their lives.

Just a little more.Just a bit more.

The Saint is with us!

Chargeeeeee! For Victory-!

The cavalry and Knights all charged fiercely, followed by the full might of the Francian Army.

The horse-drawn artillery rushed towards the enemy infantry and to their utter astonishment, they pointed their cannons at them.

A desperate volley of cannonballs and spells were released in an attempt to halt their charge.

Eris grabbed another crystal her last one.

An item prepared by the woman who sent her a message, pleading for her to protect the man she loved.

-I will lead you to victory

To fulfill her pledge, Eris clenched the crystal and held it against her wildly beating heart, as she raised another hand to the sky.

Amid the sounds of the cannonballs striking the golden barrier, and the successful explosions of the spells, Eris felt her vision blacken as she fell off her horse.

When she regained consciousness, she was already secured in the arms of Sir Beaumont.

Turning her trembling gaze forward, she saw the cavalry she had protected firing in unison, shattering the enemy infantry with a barrage of destruction.

As she watched the destruction caused by those whom she protected, Eriss eyes slowly closed.

Youve done well, Eris. Now, leave the rest to me.

Just before she lost consciousness, a familiar voice tickled her ears.

TL:

HELLDIVERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

/genesisforsaken