Chapter 486: The Reason for Ferocity

A house far from the center of the capital. A dimly lit room.

There were many vacant houses in the capital amid the chaos caused by the demons, so there were plenty of places for secret rendezvous.

The sorcerer Oilland of the Bolvat Dynasty had arrived at the secret place somewhat early, having placed guards and scouts in the surrounding area.

The person he was meeting with this time was likely someone the demons were paying some attention to. It would be best to proceed with caution. There was a possibility that they would have noticed the moment the messenger was sent out.

The person he was meeting was Caria Burdnick. In the Heraldic Order, she was known as a War Princess and was revered as such.

To be honest, Oilland couldn’t hide an expectation in the depths of his eyes as he waited for her to appear. Although his expression was serious, as befitting a soldier, he still couldn’t hide the emotions welling up inside him.

Although Oilland was a sorcerer and a soldier, he had never actually served on the front lines of a battle. This was partly due to the prestige of his family and partly due to his luck, but it was hardly an honorable military career.

But the heroic woman he was about to meet was different. She had an unparalleled military record and was one of the heroes who had led many soldiers.

It was common on the battlefield for soldiers to be infatuated with heroes. This was no different even for those from other nations. Oilland was no exception and even had a certain respect for the existence of Caria Burdnick.

They had communicated several times through messengers, but this was the first time they would meet face to face.

Then, moments later, when the time came, Caria Burdnick’s silver hair shone faintly in the dimly lit meeting place. The woman sat down in a chair, accompanied by several soldiers.

「…I’m Caria. You’ve taken the trouble to call a messenger first, which is useless. Time is precious. Let’s get to the point. 」

Caria Burdnick’s appearance and speech were the same as those Oilland had heard of before. However, Oilland felt a little uneasy after seeing her.

When he saw her, he noticed that her skin looked strangely pale, and her eyes were weak. She had no spirit or dazzling presence that he thought was associated with the concept of a hero.

At first glance, it even seemed like a small girl was leading a group of soldiers. The woman with the copper-colored eyes standing next to her seemed much more suitable for the battlefield.

Oilland distorted the corners of his lips to hide his agitation, then spoke firmly.

「I apologize. But this method was the best considering the risk of information leaking. 」

Oilland’s way of speaking was truly military. He only spoke what was necessary, swiftly and reliably. If anything, his speech was closer to that of the Gharast Kingdom Army. This was probably because he valued ​​the way of a soldier rather than that of a sorcerer.

「I’ll be frank with you. I would like you to cooperate with us in our activities in the capital. 」

Caria narrowed her silver eyes slightly and raised her eyelashes. She seemed to be listening, but she didn’t seem enthusiastic. Her gaze was directed elsewhere, not at Oilland.

「What specifically? What activities are you talking about? 」

Oilland nodded and observed Caria’s reaction closely.

「There are two activities we’re focusing on. The first is the rescue of General Mastigius, who was taken prisoner on the recent battlefield. This must be accomplished. 」

The news reached the capital a few days after the magical devilish being Poisonous Junelva returned from the battlefield. It turned the capital into a gloomy place, even before the return of the demon army.

In other words, the rebel army led by Sorcerer General Mastigius La Volgograd had been annihilated, and Mastigius and the other leading sorcerers had been taken prisoners.

This was the worst possible news for the people who had not yet succumbed to the evil forces and were still lingering in the capital.

Even though he had once succumbed to the evil forces, Mastigius was certainly a symbol of the Bolvat Dynasty. It was because of his existence that many people still had not given up hope. The reason why the soldiers were barely able to be controlled under Oilland was because of their hope in Mastigius’ strength. No matter how many hardships they faced, many people believed that as long as His Excellency the General was there, they could survive.

For this reason, Oilland said that now that Mastigius had rebelled against the demons and been taken prisoner, those evil forces would undoubtedly execute him.

「In this hellish situation, the majority of people who are still shouting their protests against the demons are those who were in His Excellency’s care. If we lose His Excellency, they will no longer have anything to support them. 」

Humans who had lost their support were the most fragile of all. The soldiers who gathered under Mastigius’ name would easily turn from an army into a group of people.

「I understand the contents. So, what’s the second activity? 」

As expected, Caria’s reaction was shallow. It wasn’t that Oilland dissatisfied with her behavior, but he was worried that she didn’t seem to have any sense of accomplishment. Oilland thought that at this point, she would have some reaction, whether positive or negative.

But now, rather than pretending to be unresponsive, she seemed to have no interest at all.

「The second activity is to withdraw from the capital…In other words, I would like you to help evacuate the citizens from the capital and the surrounding villages. 」

Oilland said this, and finally, Caria reacted.

Oilland didn’t miss the slight twitch of her fingertips and the movement of her eyelids. Oilland said, continuing his observation.

「I apologize for asking for your aid. With the main army led by His Excellency annihilated and the kingship in the hands of demons, we no longer have the military strength to resist the demons and their army, let alone the Great Demon Vrilligant. 」

Oilland stated the facts calmly. Oilland didn’t think that this was a cowardly decision. Rather, it would be a much more cowardly decision to choose to retreat now.

The reason they had not chosen to retreat until now was because Mastigius was outside with his main army.

They would gather strength in the capital and rebel when the time came while the demons’ attention was drawn to Mastigius’ army. They were able to endure submission because they had this hope and plan.

But now that their main army had been crushed, the best they could do was to leave the capital as quickly as possible. Of course, if the surrounding villagers were evacuated as well, some damage would come, but that couldn’t be helped. It was the best thing to do.

Moreover, the fact that Oilland, who was only a soldier with only a captain’s rank, had to make this decision was already abnormal, and spoke volumes about the dire state of the Bolvat Dynasty.

Of course, among the rebel forces who remained in the capital, there were initially many powerful people known as the Round Table Sorcerers, and many high-ranking military figures.

…It was just a matter of whether they were executed, made into the evil’s plaything, or knelt on their knees.

Well, being executed and being made into evil’s plaything were pretty much the same thing, Oilland thought, biting his lips lightly.

At first, there were supporters not only among sorcerers but also among the citizens, and in the capital alone the number of rebels reached tens of thousands. There were also many who, although unable to fight, became the evil supporters.

Kiel Bazarov was assigned as the highest commander of the humans who abandoned humanity.

Kiel Bazarov knew humans well. What they thought, how they moved, and what they feared. Within a few months, many were killed, and many turned from mere supporters to informers.

With each passing day, top officials were killed, and finally a division commander became the leader of the rebel forces. And when news came that the main army led by Mastigius had been defeated, Oilland made a decision.

There was no point in staying in the capital and resisting. What could a force that had been whittled down from tens of thousands to a few hundred do? The answer was…they could do nothing at all.

It would be much better to choose to retreat than to pile up a mountain of dead bodies and watch the villagers die. They didn’t have another choice but to cooperate with other nations and retake their homeland from evil.

There was no telling how many years or decades it would take.

This was surely not just Oilland’s view. The soldiers and sorcerers who followed him, as well as those who had submitted to the demonic powers, all shared the same understanding.

The nation of the Bolvat Dynasty had already fallen.

「Please tell Lord Lugis this information, since he is currently acting separately. 」

Caria listened to what Oilland said, looking directly into his eyes. Oilland felt a slight heat coming from her silver eyes.

He didn’t know what emotion it was. But it was certainly not a friendly one.

After a few careful seconds, Caria finally opened her mouth.

「…What do you mean? Do you want him to clean up the mess after your defeat? 」

Oilland could see that Caria’s silver eyes were clearly trembling with irritation. He could even feel the hostility.

Oilland sighed softly. He really thought he had drawn the wrong straw.

However, Oilland was the one left behind, so he had to fulfill his duty, no matter what. That was the kind of man Oilland was.

「There’s no other option. I believe that it is the duty of a soldier to take the only remaining option even in the worst-case scenario. In this situation, no matter what we do…」

Caria said, biting into his words. With her natural spirit and a certain kind of ambition, she said.

「…I don’t agree with everything that you said, Oilland. He came here to win, not to lose. 」

That’s right, yes that’s right. As if remembering something, Caria muttered and declared.

「And if it’s difficult for him to do it alone, then I’ll help him grab that glory. That’s what I’m here for. 」

Caria smiled ferociously and shook her cheeks while looking straight at Oilland.

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