Chapter 58 – Resolution: Mercenary of the Western Land

“Vilgard-sama. Most of the enemy has surrendered to us. Some have escaped by bypassing our deployed troops in the front, but…”

“Let them go. They will spread the word of their defeat and our strength. The remaining local people will likely surrender as well.”

I anticipated that the enemy commander would make a move at this moment. I had already hidden Shamia and the Utt tribe around the west of the lake. Upon receiving the report that the enemy forces had started to move, I quietly proceeded with the preparations.

First, I had fires lit across a vast area on the northeastern side of the lake. This would make the enemy recognize it as our field position. They would likely think to proceed along the northern route on the highway to launch a surprise attack.

However, as confirmed before the Katzbarie invasion, the northern side of the lake is a wooded mountainous area. I had almost our entire army hidden there during the night. When the enemy forces moved, I sent part of the Kyamura tribe’s supply unit along the highway.

The enemy fell for it and pursued the supply unit, increasing their marching speed. Thus, their main force extended horizontally along the highway.

From here, it was simple. I had already positioned troops at the front to start the battle and halt the enemy’s advance. Next, I deployed hidden soldiers to block their rear.

With both front and rear routes blocked, the troops I had hidden north of the highway began to fire arrows. This caused great confusion and then we launched an assault.

This way, the enemy will be driven back towards the lake. Once they completely lose their will to fight, we can call for their surrender and the battle will be over.

Enemy forces are valuable. We should minimise the number we kill and try to make use of them afterwards.

“Vilgard-sama. Among the captured enemy soldiers, there are quite a few who were recently conscripted.”

“Just as we had in our pre-battle intelligence. So it is almost certain that this army is the entirety of the forces that were left in the territorial capital.”

This leaves the Katzbarie forces with only the units containing the Imperial Army in the south. No troops remain in the territorial capital.

“Release those who were recently conscripted and swear allegiance to me.”

“Yes!”

This way, even those who were not recently conscripted, those with low morale or those who prefer working in the fields will likely leave the military.

If we carelessly release those who remain, they might become bandits. I intend to hire as many as possible into my army.

“The gates of the territorial capital should be open to welcome back their departing army. We will enter now, in the early morning, and capture that lord. Garshin, I will leave 15,000 soldiers here. Command them and bring the prisoners to the territorial capital slowly.”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

“The remaining 10,000 will come with me into the territorial capital. Let’s go!”

“Oooo!!”

■

“Hi… hiiiiii…!”

Shred, leading a small group of followers, fled from the territorial capital, riding his horse westward. He planned to escape to the territory of Clostova.

“Hic…! Gra… Grandpa…!”

The soldiers who had narrowly escaped from the Battle of Lake Lavrie returned to the territorial capital and reported the outcome to Shred.

They told him that their army had been completely surrounded by the lake and the enemy forces, with no way to escape. They reported that their forces had almost certainly been annihilated.

In reality, Vilgard had called for their surrender midway, preventing complete annihilation. Thus, the time taken to organise and guard the prisoners allowed Shred to escape from the territorial capital.

“How…! How could…! This…! How could this… happen…!”

Shred was crying. Maikent had been a valuable subordinate to him, someone who had looked after him since childhood and had been his father’s loyal right-hand man.

Having lost such an important subordinate and family member, Shred regretted his actions. If only he had complied with Vilgard’s demands, none of this would have happened.

But time cannot be turned back. As a result, a strong sense of guilt continued to dominate his mind.

“I… I…! What have I…! I am unfit to be a lord…!”

Having caused Maikent’s death, he would surely be disowned by his father in the afterlife. No, perhaps Maikent would laugh and intercede for him.

Oh…why did he let his greed for a noble-like negotiation get the better of him? Why did he think he could teach Prince Vilgard the ways of nobility?

At that moment, Shred believed that both Prince Vilgard and Godrick valued him highly. He assumed that they would make significant concessions for the sake of his vote as a great lord.

But in reality, the only one who placed high value on him was Godrick; Prince Vilgard hadn’t even considered negotiating from the start.

He no longer hesitated. He decided to humbly admit his failure and submit to Vilgard. Although he realised it too late, the skill with which Vilgard had defeated the Imperial Knights and was now incorporating the Lords’ Alliance was no fluke.

“Why… why…!”

But when it came time to leave the territorial capital, he rode his horse westward. He feared what would happen if he went north to meet Vilgard. He imagined that he would undoubtedly be subjected to gruesome torture and unbearable pain before being killed.

After all, Vilgard was the man who had slaughtered 100,000 Imperial Knights and had now surrounded and annihilated another 50,000 territorial troops. Shred pictured Vilgard as a giant, capable of sweeping away entire armies with a single swing of his arm.

What would happen if he meekly presented himself before such a fearsome warrior? He might have every bone in his body meticulously broken and be dragged through the streets.

Even without Maikent, he couldn’t believe that the remaining 20,000 troops in the south could achieve anything.

“Ah… ah… ahhhhhhh!!”

Driven by his desire to avoid death, Vilgard decided not to go to Vilgard and instead headed toward the territorial capital of Clostova.

He didn’t even notice the greedy glances his few remaining followers cast at his belongings.

■

Once, there were two forces that invaded the Amatsuki Empire. the Ironclad Knights and the territorial army of the Caldo domain led by Maibar.

The mercenary Bliss, who had been employed by Lord Maibar, had just returned to his headquarters after several years of espionage.

“Ah… ugh…!”

“Hahaha! It’s always a pleasure to see, isn’t it? The way a noble lady’s pretty face twists!”

Maibar was originally a subordinate of the mercenary demon king, Seazak, who wreaked havoc in the western territories of the Empire. Seazak was a traitor who, after initially invading the Empire with a neighbouring knightly order, turned on them and began his reign of terror in these lands.

Seazak appeared to act impulsively but he was surprisingly thorough in his groundwork, ensuring that no neighbouring country dared to attack him. He would occasionally harass the Empire, plundering its lands.

In the western part of the Empire, under Seazak’s control, there were many Imperial nobles. Among them, he selected young women to serve as sex slaves for his subordinates.

As a reward for the valuable information Bliss had brought back, he was given a noble lady. He was now at home, where he had her bound hand and foot, abusing her at will.

“Heh… heh…! Times like this make me glad I stayed with him…! Take this!”

“Nngh…!”

Nobles, compared to commoners, often had more attractive features. Noble marriages were usually arranged for political reasons, but beautiful women tended to bear more children, passing on their genes through generations.

The noble lady Bliss was assaulting was indeed beautiful. She had long, light purple hair and fair skin. Her face was well-proportioned, and her body—her breasts and hips—were highly alluring to men.

But now, this beautiful woman was bound, her legs spread wide and suspended against a wall. Her hands were tied behind her back and chained.

“How about it…? You’re not pregnant yet, are you…? I’ll make sure you carry my seed…! Bear another beautiful woman for me…!”

“No…! No, please…! Not today…! Stop, please…!”

“Oh! Finally talking, huh!”

Bliss grabbed the woman’s hips with both hands, thrusting into her with a force that made her feel like she was being driven into the wall. She was terrified that he would finish inside her.

“Please…! Just for today…!”

“Huh!? Fine, whatever… Stick out your tongue. If you give me a good kiss and make my tongue happy, I won’t finish inside you.”

“O-okay…”

The woman opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue as instructed. Bliss, without stopping his thrusting, leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. The woman fervently moved her tongue, trying to satisfy Bliss’s demands.

“Mmm, mmm, nch, ha…”

Seeing the beautiful noble lady desperately entangling her tongue with his excited Bliss even more. He increased his pace and drove himself deep into her, pressing her hard against the wall before stopping.

“Ha… Ah…!? No… don’t tell me…”

“Well, your kiss was so passionate… I couldn’t help it.”

“No… noooooooo!!”

He ground his hips against her, making sure to release every drop inside her. Once satisfied, Bliss withdrew and broke the connection, leaving the woman hanging against the wall. He adjusted his clothes and quickly stepped outside.

“Ah, that was refreshing. Nothing like a rank-one woman.”

“Oh, there you are, Bliss.”

“Eh?”

A boy ran up to Bliss, someone he recognized well.

“What is it, Yalt?”

“Seazak wants you to see you.”

“Really?”

Being summoned by the mercenary demon king who ruled this land meant another dangerous mission—more espionage, raiding a nearby village or possibly attacking a noble’s carriage.

“Haa…Well, I guess I have to go.”

Bliss didn’t have a good feeling about it, but he obediently headed toward Seazak.