novelVol. 2 - Ep. 14
| ← Ch.038 | Ch.040 → |
The adjutant general greeted Eustasia when she arrived at her mansion.
"Welcome back."
Eustasia put the cake box on the table.
"General. This cake is... ?"
"I didn't buy it to eat, " said Eustasia with a straight face.
"Then..."
"The enemy general sent me this as a present to provoke me as if I don't know how to enjoy life."
"Understood."
"Yes. I told him I didn't need it, but he was mocking me, saying that he gave it to me because I was a woman. Such a shallow move."
She expressed her anger, and she looked like she was about to start a fight.
"Should I throw it away?"
"No. I won't react to him as he expected. I will eat it to show him I don't care."
"Sure."
The adjutant general left.
She locked the door and held her knife and fork.
Hmm. Hmmmmm...
She enjoyed the cake in silence and lay down with her eyes closed.
Hmm. Well... It... it is delicious. Not bad.
He was so annoying; he wouldn't give up on trying to convince her to join him.
Yeah... Your country with Ereka... it's a great one.
The harvest season was coming, and this was the most difficult time for the people. The only people who were not starving in her country were those who were living in her territory.
But they didn't have much to eat either.
The people in their country were enjoying desserts. She was truly impressed by Sungjin and Ereka. She wished that her king could do... 1/10 of what they were doing.
No, I will make it happen. I will win this war to take more power and get more trust from the king.
So I must defeat you first.
His ability and his ambition to become an Arc Master was a threat. And he had a dangerous plan to build a country for the people.
He is a dangerous man.
And... although it was impossible...
If, and it's a big if, you defeat me, I still won't join you.
He didn't know one thing. What he saw was her trying her best to be realistic in order to make her country a better place. But he didn't know about her oath to her king.
Her realism was her way to serve her king. The death of her king meant her death as well. There were only two possible endings:
His death.
Or her death.
* * *
Chapter 10
The battle day came.
The Kingdom of Sevrantina had to send heroes to three different battlefields to fight against the three kingdoms at the same time.
The question was, who would take which battlefield.
The people of Sevrantina relied on Sungjin's promise for his victory. They knew their country, where the extras were able to enjoy life, was a miracle. They knew how extras in the other countries were living, and they remembered how it was when they were under the Blood Ruler.
Oh, our gods.
Knowing that the gods were not interested in their lives, they still prayed to them.
Please let our queen and Master Sungjin win.
They were praying for their lives... but they were also praying for their heroes who were trying to save them.
There were people who were wishing for the three kingdoms' victory. They were the heroes of the three kingdoms.
We can benefit from this victory.
Especially the heroes who were selected to fight in the battle, they had even more hope.
If we win...
They would get more land and more money, and they would probably level-up or get some upgrades.
Then there were many treasures of the Kingdom of Sevrantina.
The young and naive queen let the extras own things, so once they were conquered, they would get a lot of things from the extras.
And it was clear that they had the upper hand. They had three times the military force that the Kingdom of Sevrantina had.
Because...
There were people inside the Kingdom of Sevrantina who were helping the three kingdoms.
Although they had the dominant force, two kings, other than the mad King Seyzo II, wanted to make sure of their victory.
They knew that the best way to win against whatever Sungjin had planted on the battlefield was to plant a traitor inside their walls.
Sungjin had to fight at three battlefields at the same time, so he had to recruit more heroes to fight. If those kings could buy off one of those heroes, then that secret agreement would guarantee their victory.
They had already bought off Marquis Utram and Count Shine who were the next strongest high-level heroes after Ereka, Rittier and Jenna in the Kingdom of Sevrantina.
They promised Marquis Utram and Count Shine double the land that was taken away by Sungjin.
Sungjin's defeat was guaranteed.
...
In the meantime, Sungjin was about to announce the allocation of the military force. Everyone wanted to know about his plan that was kept secret until the last day.
All the heroes from the Kingdom of Sevrantina gathered to hear the announcement. Marquis Utram and Count Shine were in the crowd.
It is clear that we will lose.
The others are worried that they will lose their status, but we are safe.
To keep their status, all they had to do was to share Sungjin's plan to the alliance of the three kingdoms and exit the battlefield early.
"So here's the plan. Jenna."
"Yes."
"You command the east battlefield to fight against King Leoric. Take Sir Linte, Sir Illis and Sir Ustan."
"Okay."
"Then Ereka."
"Yes, Sungjin."
"You will fight against the Kingdom of Sharsha in the center. Take Sir Cecil, Sir Lanpa and Sir Ninde."
"Okay."
"And I will fight against Seyzo II on the west battlefield. Rittier, come with me, and Sir Arif and Sir Karls will join me."
"Yes, Master Sungjin."
When Sungjin finished his announcement, the heroes couldn't understand his strategy.
Gathering all their forces into one spot to defend at least one battlefield would be a better strategy. But here he was, being overly arrogant and trying to fight all three at once. But such an arrogant attitude was something they had expected from Sungjin; they just couldn't understand why Sungjin would exclude Count Shine and Marquis Utram and replace them with lower-level heroes.
"Master Sungjin, why don't you give us a chance?"
Count Shine and Marquis Utram asked a natural question. It was obvious that they didn't feel comfortable with this decision.
They glared at Sungjin fiercely. It was more than fierce. They looked like cold and cruel beasts looking at prey.
"I'm sure you guys know why."
The other heroes didn't understand what they were talking about, but Count Shine and Marquis Utram became pale.
"That... that is..."
They couldn't understand how Sungjin knew about their secret deal.
Should I find an excuse?
But he already knows everything.
Should I confess?
Would he forgive us if we confess?
No, maybe it's all over.
"Ha. I don't know how you learned about it, but we were granted asylum in the Kingdom of Sharsha! So you can't take us as your prisoners!"
That was their last form of resistance, although their asylum was not granted by the temple.
Those two... traitors... ?
Then the other heroes understood what was going on. Although they expected to have some traitors in such a difficult situation, they were terrified that Sungjin knew about it.
He... he is really a devil...
He couldn't be just an extra.
Maybe it was true that he was a great demidevil back in his world and he has yet to gain his power back in this world.
Many believed that theory to explain the extraordinary abilities of Sungjin. And also, the theory made the heroes feel better about themselves for having a normal extra as a king.
"Oh. Sure, go for it. You guys will be my prisoners anyways when I defeat the three kingdoms. I will let you go now."
They didn't waste a second and run away when Sungjin answered them confidently.
The other heroes wanted to know how Sungjin found out about the treason, but they couldn't dare ask him. They just thought that they should be careful if Sungjin wins this war.
The secret was the extras.
Sungjin knew that the enemy would try to buy out some of the heroes on his side. He also knew that the enemy would try to buy only a few in order to not have to pay too much.
There was a limited number of heroes he had to keep his eyes on, and he ordered the extras who were serving the heroes to report him if the heroes were having suspicious meetings. Of course, all the extras cooperated since they wanted Sungjin and Ereka to win.
Knowing about the traitors didn't change his disadvantageous situation; the difference in level between him and his enemies on each battlefield was still huge.
When Eustasia bumped into Sungjin at the west entrance of the temple, she looked at him in silence then looked away.
There was nothing left to say.
They had to fight for their faith and their destiny.
Don't get cocky since you found the traitors.
When King Ilkandi tried to buy out some heroes on Sungjin's side, she didn't stop it because there was nothing to lose on her side.
The two strongest heroes left the Kingdom of Sevrantina, so now, they had an even lesser chance of winning.
On the right side of the battlefield, King Leoric had one wizard of level 7, two of level 6, and one knight of level 6 supporting them. On the other hand, Jenna was a level 5 wizard with another wizard of level 4 fighting with her.
That was a two-level difference, and nothing could change the situation.
The central battlefield as well.
Ereka was level 7, but the other heroes were two level 4 and one was level 3. King Ilkandi, on the other hand, was level 7, and he had three level 6 knights supporting him.
And here, where I'm going to face you.
Eustasia and Seyzo II, who were level, brought two level 5 warriors. While level 0 Sungjin brought level 6 Rittier and two other level 5 heroes. Sungjin's great command would be useless with this much of a power gap.
However, she didn't doubt that he had a plan.
I am ready to make your plans useless.
I will defeat you with our stronger forces. I've learned everything I need with one defeat. Now it's time for my payback.
The ending was clear. The three kingdoms would divide the Kingdom of Sevrantina into three.
They got the signal, and the battle started.
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