Chapter 187:

Chapter 187:

“As you know, if someone you know has fought with the Dawn Army, there’s a high chance they’ve made a pact with the Immortal Order.”

The words Isaac left echoed in Lianne’s ears as she returned to the castle. Naturally, she was not foolish enough to take the enemy’s words at face value and be shaken by them. Yet, the reason she could not rebuke Isaac’s statement was because she herself harbored similar suspicions.

“There are external forces within the Georg household.”

After the death of her father, Vio Georg, numerous clansmen and nobles had flowed into the Georg territory from outside. In fact, Lianne herself was one of those people, completely unsuspected.

She had to avenge the dishonored Vio Georg and restore his honor. It was a value and purpose that was quintessentially Elil.

However, the method was quite different from what Lianne had imagined.

She remembered the traditional method.

On a vast plain, countless flags and soldiers lined up, and the fate of the battlefield was determined by the duels of brave young knights. An epic of heroes born from unexpected tactics and critical crises... Romantic, if put nicely, and barbaric if not.

Lianne, while casting her vote for being called barbaric, respected and loved the tradition.

Thus, she listened to the stories of the clan elders and gathered many opinions. However, the first war she engaged in against the former king Alfred was filled with hatred, vengeance, and slaughter. The elders said it was because of Alfred’s cruelty and the Georg family’s loss of honor.

But if one must engage in dishonorable fights to regain honor, where exactly does honor lie?

Should honor be regained by killing Alfred? Was honor just hanging on the head of that vulgar fat man?

Moreover, Lianne hadn’t even managed to kill Alfred. Alfred, despite being a swordmaster, had died of hypertension from indulging in rich food and excessive drinking. Perhaps, it was a historically unprecedented event for a swordmaster.

As the war fizzled out, Lianne harbored many doubts.

“Among the elders of the Georg family... there is someone inciting hatred.”

And that person had particularly stood out among some factions during this war, and Lianne had already narrowed down her suspects to one. It was something she did not want to believe and it did not help boost the morale of the Georg troops either.

“Dawn Army veteran.”

“Contract with the Immortal Order.”

“Death insurance.”

The words left by Isaac spread in her mind. Amidst a desire to scream, Lianne crossed the drawbridge leading to the castle.

At that moment, cheers erupted.

“Lianne! Lianne! Lianne!”

Despite expecting a subdued atmosphere due to the severe losses, Lianne felt bewildered as she observed the soldiers. As she dismounted from her horse, Villon Georg was the first to rush forward. He embraced her tightly, pride evident in his gesture.

“Thank you, clan leader! Thanks to you, we’ve saved the Georg troops!”

“Uncle.”

She could see the returning cavalrymen cheering in her view. The soldiers were also sending their praises to them. Having stirred the kingdom of Ellil and incessantly harassed the Aldeon troops outside the castle for a long time, they had become heroes.

In a situation where they could neither eat properly nor rest, these men had dramatically appeared and saved the Georg troops when they were in crisis. They rightfully deserved the acclaim of war heroes.

And Lianne was the hero who had saved that cavalry.

“Uncle, may I have a word...”

“Lady Lianne, I know you’re tired, but please, just a moment.”

Villon’s earnest expression made Lianne close her mouth.

“Today, our troops were essentially defeated and barely managed to retreat. We need to boost morale, or else everyone will go to sleep anxious.”

Since his point was valid, Lianne responded to the soldiers. Villon raised her hand to answer their cheers, and the cheers of the soldiers grew even louder. At that moment, Villon shouted.

“Today, we faced a great crisis!”

Villon’s booming voice quieted the soldiers. Lianne was surprised by the sudden speech but decided to stay quiet for morale’s sake as he had suggested.

“The enemies have desecrated the battlefield of Ellil by bringing in foreigners and heretics! Our troops wavered momentarily due to their cunning and desperate schemes, but that was all!”

“The force was almost fully intact.”

The Georg cavalry had been fiercely clashing at the front lines, in conditions where it was difficult to replenish supplies and manpower. Under normal circumstances, their numbers should have been much lower. However, the Georg cavalry Isaac fought today appeared almost entirely intact.

This meant that the Georg cavalry could essentially all be members of the Immortal Order or have signed death insurances.

However, the concept of the Immortal Order still seemed foreign to Edelred.

“Why would the Immortal Order interfere in our affairs? We last participated in the Dawn Army over a hundred years ago and have had no involvement in such matters since...”

“Your Highness, you are unaware, but the Immortal Order has consistently shown interest in Elil. I know of a lich who dragged a knight of the Elil order around as a Dullahan. They might have come to offer ‘immigration’ due to a constant shortage of people, or perhaps their aim is to deplete forces to ensure that there are no future participations in the Dawn Army.”

Unlike Edelred’s thoughts, the Immortal Order had ample reasons to meddle. Strong humans lead to strong undead.

Recruitment of talents was always a significant concern for the Immortal Order.

Edelred, lost for words, then protested.

“Why are you telling me this only now? If they are instigating our wars, perhaps we could have avoided this conflict!”

“I only became certain of it today. But what would have happened if I had accused the Georg army of harboring spies from the Immortal Order without any evidence before?”

“Well...”

Edelred pondered the future consequences and then fell silent. The Kingdom of Elil had accepted Isaac, the bearer of the Codex of Light, because he was from the White Empire, sharing the same roots and a similar culture.

However, the Immortal Order was different. By the standards of Elil, they were an evil that must be eradicated, deserving of disdain. In the early days of the Dawn Army, the Kingdom of Elil had eagerly sent its most knights to exterminate them.

Immortal Order spies in Georg? Then this war was heading towards a situation where one side must be completely annihilated, with the Georg side rightfully being the one to suffer.

It’s unrealistic to expect the Georg army to respond with, “Ah, I see. Then we will surrender half of our knights.” They would likely react angrily, dismissing it as a baseless slander.

Naturally, the Georg family would fight desperately to survive.

“That’s why we absolutely needed proof.”

“...But sooner or later, wouldn’t the outcome be the same? If this becomes known, there will be calls for the extermination of the Georg family. Unless it is known who belongs to the Immortal Order...”

“No. Our task hasn’t changed. Do you remember what our objective was?”

“Huh? Capturing the fortress of Elion... Oh, could it be!”

Isaac nodded.

“Returning the division ritual and receiving an oracle at the Holy Land of Elion will solve everything. Elil will send down his messenger to sift through the impure.”

***

The next day, the Georg army did not move from the fortress.

As usual, there were taunts and challenges to duels, but perhaps due to the severe losses from the day before, or maybe some new orders had been received, the Georg army did not respond and firmly locked their gates. Although a siege seemed inevitable, the Aldeon army was undisturbed.

Delfric muttered as he observed the immobile Georg army.

“Just as the Holy Grail Knight said, they don’t move an inch.”

“Given the severe losses they suffered yesterday and the lack of cavalry to disrupt our rear, it’s understandable.”

Then how would the Aldeon army conduct a siege against them?

Isaac’s conclusion was simple.

Just don’t.

That afternoon, the Georg army realized that the Aldeon army had lifted the siege and withdrawn completely.

–TL Notes–

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you want to read more than 25 advance chapters or support me, you can do it at /Akaza156