Chapter 540: Those who received training

The elderly former general Richard moved swiftly once his policy was set. After agreeing on the overall framework with Lugis, Richard immediately began reorganizing his army.

Having annexed the forces of the old Gharast Kingdom with the new Kingdom’s armies, Richard once again made his soldiers raise their spears and head for the battlefield.

The official reason was to defeat the Great Demon Zebrililith. However, the nation’s ultimate goal was different.

The ultimate goal was to conquer the north. In other words, the territories directly controlled by the Cathedral…and defeat the pretender, the former king, Ameritz Gharast.

By achieving this, the new Gharast Kingdom would finally be able to put an end to the unstable military and political situation.

Furthermore, this great expedition would be carried out in cooperation with the Heraldic Order, and its allies: Ghazalia, the Bolvat Dynasty, and Elizard to the south.

Of course, this was just official, but it was tantamount to a mutual oath of non-aggression.

The reason they were able to align with other nations in less than a month was partly due to the success of Richard and the Heraldic Order, but the real reason was probably the looming threat.

…Namely, the existence of the fortress bastion beast, Zebrililith.

If it continued to devour the continent and was left unchecked, it would pose a threat to all nations. It must be put to an end by any means necessary.

This was a common goal among all forces and individuals alike.

Queen Philos, who ultimately agreed to the expedition, gave the following speech to Lugis, Richard, and the other soldiers.

「The Cathedral has unjustly taken control of our lands and extorted money and valuables from the people under the guise of taxes! Moreover, the former king is a tyrant. This is a rebellion. Suppress the rebels immediately and raise an army to protect the people from the Great Demon and evil! 」

There were plenty of justifications. Everything was proceeding smoothly. Everyone was busy running around, busy with this important matters.

There was one person, however, who wasn’t happy about the situation. Richard’s lieutenant, Neymar Gloria, reported to her superiors after completing the final training in the barracks.

「…Battalion Commander, no, General. I believe your Excellency should not be on the front lines this time. This expedition is unavoidable, but we cannot win. 」

Richard’s eyes remained on the report as he listened to Neymar’s words.

He didn’t look up, but he could hear Neymar’s voice clearly. Neymar herself knew this, so she continued speaking.

「If we advance north, then the Cathedral will undoubtedly move. Our maximum number of troops is 20,000, plus 30,000 including the private soldiers of the nobles. On the other hand, the Cathedral possesses 50,000 troops from the former kingdom and the Cathedral Knights. Their morale is extremely high, dedicated to the cause of protecting the Cathedral. The quality of the commanders is by no means low. There’s absolutely no need for you, Your Excellency, to take the downfall. Leave it to that man. 」

「That story again, Neymar. 」

Neymar looked at Richard and spoke frankly. This was a sign of her frankness, but it was also a flaw. She was completely unsuited to persuading others.

There weren’t many outstanding figures who could easily accept an opinion that was completely opposite to their own.

She was capable of absorbing everything, but her oratory skills were lacking. Richard slightly averted his gaze from the report and raised his head.

「I’ll say it again and again, Your Excellency! Are you satisfied with being treated like a lizard’s tail by that man!? The Cathedral will not be hostile to you if you wish to return. General Brightness would surely welcome you with open arms, Your Excellency! 」

「You really aren’t cut out for persuasion. People won’t be won over by such blunt words. Reason only works if it has a powerful meaning. 」

「…If its reason that you want, then Your Excellency, you must think you have no chance of winning. 」

Richard couldn’t help but laugh, his wrinkles twisting in his face.

Until recently, Neymar was a stubborn person who would shut up as soon as he managed to persuade her. She could easily be broken if given the right opportunity.

But now, she had tenacity. She had the determination to stick with her opponent.

「…If we’re going to do it head-on, then yes. You’re not wrong. We’re facing the Cathedral and that Great Demon. Not only would we be at a disadvantage, but we’d have to split ourselves in half and fight. But I’ve been there many times. If you want to go, then you can go north. 」

「I won’t go alone. 」

Neymar stood straight, looking directly at her superior. Her eyes were clear, and he could tell she had no guilt whatsoever.

Surely she wouldn’t turn her back on so easily. Having acknowledged this, Richard finally put the report down on his desk and met her gaze.

「…You’re saying all these optimistic things, but this time we’re not going to attack the Cathedral directly. We’re just going to take up a position in the northern fort. While Lugis deals with Zebrililith, we’ll hold the Cathedral back if it moves south. It’s more like a defensive measure. 」

With the Great Demon Zebrililith approaching, they couldn’t afford to be so reckless as to attack them first.

But if they were just going to defend, they could easily hold off even with only half the enemy’s forces. This time, it was simply a plan to conveniently hold the enemy back, not what people would call an aggressive offensive.

「…Is that so? If General Brightness comes, then it would be a completely different story. 」

Neymar was still gritting her teeth, unable to comprehend Richard’s words. It almost seemed like she was trying to cling to the enemy somehow.

「I served under General Brightness for a time, and as I say, she is on a different level…I cannot see how we could defeat her, even with twice the military strength. I believe that we shouldn’t oppose her under any circumstances. I’m sure you know General Brightness well, Your Excellency. 」

…When it comes to direct combat, there’s no one in this world who can surpass me.

Valerie’s image saying those words in the Burial Prison Beulah flashed before her eyes. Neymar now understood that this wasn’t overconfidence or arrogance, but simply the truth.

Why did Valerie receive such fanatical support from the other soldiers? It was because she possessed an overwhelming individuality that kept others at bay, and she continued to possess enormous passion towards battle.

Neymar felt a sense of fear creeping up from her heels.

Why would someone want that insane monster to be one’s enemy?

Neymar wasn’t stupid enough to not understand what that meant.

After listening to her, Richard nodded.

「Well, you’ve gotten pretty good at talking. I wonder if I did a bad job raising you both. 」

「…I don’t want to be compared to that man. 」

Neymar replied. She always spat out the words, with her face plastered with bitterness.

Richard smiled surprisingly. His eyes held no trace of his usual cunning or ruthlessness. He spoke with a nostalgic tone.

「Well, if that’s what you mean, then Valerie too…the first time I met her, she was still just starting out. I’d given up on the title of hero and had become an adventurer. Do you know what she said the first time we met? 」

Neymar didn’t even shake her head, just staring blankly at his superior.

Richard rarely spoke about his past, so it was quite a shock to hear him suddenly speak with such nostalgia. In fact, this was the first time Neymar had heard that he had been friends with Valerie since then.

What on earth was he planning to talk about?

Richard continued, ignoring Neymar’s shock.

「… “Former hero. For the sake of my ancestors’ pride and the peace of my soul, I challenge you to a duel”. And with that, she urged me to fight with her. It’s one thing to be assassinated, but it’s rare to see someone challenge you to a duel. 」

「So …So, what happened? 」

「How could I lose to a novice like her? But then, she started following me around on various occasions. I often had to take care of her, and I taught her a lot. …I don’t think I can win now, but as you say, I know Valerie better than anyone else. So if you were to choose someone to stop her, then I’d be the one to do it. 」

So… Wasn’t it a mistake to even be at odds with her in the first place?

Neymar could see the anger in her eyes. Her master was surely trying to talk her down again.

Neymar’s lips parted to argue, but no sound came out. Richard spoke before Neymar could.

「Watch carefully. There’s not much I can teach you on the battlefield anymore. You’ll probably never get another chance. Think of this as your last opportunity. 」

With that, Richard stopped speaking. He quietly prepared for the expedition.

For some reason, Neymar could no longer argue. No, she realized that she couldn’t stop him.

Richard Permilis’ destination for this expedition was the northern Medraut Fort. This fort, built within the hills, was proof that the Gharast Kingdom had lost so much land in the past, narrowing its borders. It was also a history of decline in itself.

The conflict between the hero of the past and the hero of the present was no longer a distant future.

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