Chapter 341: The Sound of Dice

I felt as if the flesh of my body and the bones of my skeleton had been twisted hard.

Was it because of the coldness of the death snow? My joints didn’t move that well, and I couldn’t get up. I slightly opened my eyelids while keeping my breath warm.

What was going on?

I saw with my own eyes the place where the magical fiery heat burned Valerie. However, my memory from there was hazy. What happened after that? Who died and who survived?

My blurry vision slowly regained focus and reflected the scene in my eyes. It was then that, for the first time, I found myself lying on someone’s back in the woods.

Somewhere beyond this sight I saw a silver hair. Similarly, a black and blue hair as well. Ah, were they here?

…I closed my eyelids.

I pretended to be asleep without breathing wildly, yes as much as possible. I prayed that my white mist would not be visible.

I knew that I had to be asleep. Being awake was not good in this case. I grasped the seriousness of my situation immediately.

Human instinct was great. Right now, it was telling me that if I opened my eyes now, something bad would definitely happen.

At least one or two bones would be broken. Or even my neck. I had those thoughts.

On the other side, I knew those three very well even though I didn’t know how the current situation came to be. I was sure that everything was not going to roll in the wrong direction. They were that kind of people. I had that much trust.

With my eyes closed, I listened to my surroundings. Something soft stroked my throat. I could hear a voice talking about something.

What was this feeling? It felt like a finger now.

「…Your throat is shallow. You’re awake. I see, you’ve got no courage to face me, ah? 」

It was Caria’s dignified voice that I often heard. Yes, it was her. She could imitate this tone.

My heartbeats increased tremendously. I felt several eyes all over me. It wasn’t just Caria’s, but everybody’s. Waves of hot gazes. A chill ran through my spine.

Throbbing. With my eyes closed, I raised my hands gracefully. A loud sigh was heard from the crowd. My joints were squeaking.

「C’mon, what are you doing? I’m not going to criticize you in a place like this. Even with this, I think I know so little about you, huh? 」

When I opened my eyes slightly, Filaret spoke those words with her shiny black hair. Her expression was tight, but somehow her lips were gentle. There was no hint of blame in the words she uttered.

However, looking at those rounded eyes, my cheeks convulsed involuntarily.

Contrary to her expression and lips, Filaret’s eyes weren’t smiling at all. I could see her holding the unbearable emotions that filled her heart. The same went for Caria.

「…That’s right, not here. Important talks have a proper place.」

With her blue eyes narrowed, Eldith looked outside the forest and said those words.

I could see the enemy cavalry deployed in the open, albeit some distance away from the forest. For now, rather than trying to attack us, they seemed to be wary of a surprise side attack from the enemy.

With Eldith supporting my body, I turned my gaze to my surroundings, and my understanding of the situation progressed.

Ghazalia’s reinforcements, which had been requested by the letter, arrived in time. That’s why the Gharast soldiers retreated in order to investigate whether there was any other ambush, in short, to solidify their foothold.

Yes, in order to take a firm foothold. In order to kill us. For the fall of Prison Beulah.

The situation improved with our reinforcements, but the outcome did not change. The Gharast soldiers were still under the control of this place, and Valerie was right at our tail. There was no change in our predicament.

「Now, do you have any ideas, my knight? I don’t think you’re going to say that you’re going to charge enemy territory in your condition, or am I mistaken?」

While holding my upper body, Eldith caressed my cheek and spoke. She could do whatever she wanted because I couldn’t move my body.

I opened my mouth and exposed my dry throat to the cold wind. Then, I raised my body slightly. A strange fatigue attacked my whole body.

「…Ah yes, of course. He already done it. He’s just waiting for the results. 」

Filaret continued, saying, “That’s a lot of confidence.” She didn’t sound as if she were sure, but sounded as if she were somewhat surprised.

I didn’t think Filaret really thought that it was just a random spur of the moment to attack Prison Beulah.

No, considering what I had done so far, that was something I couldn’t deny. At least, not this time.

Originally, there was no point in holding Valerie here, no matter how much of a hero she was. Gharast was a great power even if it had declined. It was not going to wither even if we shook the branches and leaves a little.

Therefore, it took a big fire to weaken it. A big fire that reached the very root. Only the fall of the storm advocate Valerie could weaken it.

「They missed their chance. They could have taken down Prison Beulah or slaughter me…but they didn’t do either.」

If that’s the case, then it was time to settle down. Opportunity and predicament were two sides of the same coin. If you missed one side, the other side would appear. In the past, when I was an adventurer, I was hurt and fooled many times over. After all, I didn’t have the luck or ability to take advantage of an opportunity.

However, this time was different. Even if I was covered in mud, even if I was drowning in humiliation, I would move my fingertips.

There was a strange liveliness in my lungs. Caria narrowed her silver eyes while looking at my profile. What, did she have something to say?

「…What, I just think it’s the most fun when you’re doing your schemes. Whatever you decide, be it good or not, I will follow you.」

She said things that were easy to understand. Even though I understood the perilous situation of the ongoing conflict, I didn’t feel bad when hearing her voice.

—

While creating a simple encampment on the plains of the area, Valerie invoked her magic power into her magical armor. Little by little, she repaired its outer surface as the ultramarine hue glowed faintly.

It was probably the result of leaving the area of the caster. The flames of the battlefield magic were extinguished completely. However, it was not possible to prevent all of the internal erosion. Valerie had to accumulate her magic power little by little and use it for self-repair.

However, it was not for that reason that she was taking time to reestablish herself. Valerie could self-repair even in the middle of combat if necessary. She was just waiting for information. Repairing the magical armor was just an incidental thing.

Then, came what she awaited.

Adjutant Neymar approached Valerie with a parchment. She raised her face to meet Neymar’s gaze and nodded to encourage her to speak.

「I would like to report. An army of what seems to be elves has been confirmed in the depths of the forest. The scale is about 1,000 at the most. There has never been an elf settlement in this area. They are probably dispatched from the Hanging Gardens of Ghazalia. I don’t see any kind of aggression so far. 」

It was a serious report, yet faithful to the basics. Valerie nodded in satisfaction and widened her eyes. She didn’t want to pursue anything more from Neymar.

Valerie understood Neymar’s straightforward nature, even though she met her not too long ago. Valerie liked that nature.

Neymar made sure to judge the facts in order to be accurate with the numerous pieces of information she had gathered. Neymar had the talent to do it quickly.

Valerie therefore concluded that the information was true.

「I’m going to carry out a siege to Prison Beulah. You know what I mean, Adjutant Neymar. 」

For a moment, Neymar fluttered her eyelashes as if taken aback, but then hardened her expression and gave a big nod.

「You’re going to drag the elf army out of the forest? 」

Valerie nodded and placed the repaired magical armor on her shoulder. As if her armor had a will of its own. Then, she entwined her body.

A legion of elves was a threat if they hid in the woods. The shadows of trees were like traps, allowing the bows and arrows to devour the cavalry.

However, when it came to a battle on flat ground, there was no way the elves would win against the soldiers Valerie’s led. Therefore, it was Prison Beulah that Valerie had to get her hands on. In other words, she had to handle the elves in any way.

It would be nice if the elves came out of the forest during the siege of Prison Beulah. Then, she would run her heels and strike them down. But if they didn’t come out of the forest, fine, because Valerie would defeat them by her own hand. It would be easier than twisting a baby’s hand, as a siege against an opponent who had lost a commander meant a weak opponent.

「I will deal with the sorcerer and the silver-haired swordswoman. Please inform the soldiers not to interfere with this. The Great Evil…He can’t move anymore.」

What floated in Valerie’s skull were the strong people she met. It would be a heavy burden for officers and soldiers to face them. Valerie had to decapitate that strong people herself. As for the Great Evil Lugis, there was a high probability that he wouldn’t show up on the battlefield because of his deep injuries.

Valerie saw Neymar reacting to those words from the corner of her eyes. She straightened up and seemed slightly nervous.

「What is it, Adjutant? 」

Neymar’s eyes widened in surprise upon hearing Valerie’s question. Then, she tilted her braids and said the following.

「…It’s just a possibility. But I’ve heard that he came in such condition in the Battle of Sanyo. Besides, the Great Evil is the person who has made me feel the bitter taste of defeat.」

Neymar’s expression was not bitter as she professed those words, but rather filled with another emotion. Was it fair to say that she was rather enthusiastic, or ambitious?

Valerie liked Neymar’s honest side. Valerie even smiled as she nodded to her words.

In that moment, a frenetic sound resounded. It was footsteps. It was strange, too.

A messenger. He ran quickly to Valerie’s side. His voice was broken, and from his exhausted appearance it was clear that he led his horse to gallop for several days.

The attire of the messenger was not made of the silver-rimmed ultramarine equipment used by Valerie’s soldiers.

…He was a royal messenger.

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