Recently, Amelia had found herself in a bit of a predicament. She had been struggling for days to stabilize her newly expanded territory, an unintended consequence of absorbing six territories all at once.
It was the natural fallout from a hasty territorial expansion that left little time for preparation. To make matters worse, the economy of the eastern region was in shambles after enduring rift crises and wars.
She constantly berated her vassals to get things in order. If they had taken it, they were responsible for managing it.
"Is the food transport complete?"
"Well… there are just too many places we need to send supplies."
"I told you to focus all resources on that task for now, didn't I?"
"We haven't even been able to fully assess the current state of the territory yet."
"Tsk, maybe taking on so much at once was too much after all."
Normally, she would have scolded her complaining vassals harshly, but this time, even Amelia had to concede.
Although it was just six territories, they weren't small territories. She had cherry-picked the most fertile and expansive lands in the east.
Measured in baronies, they added up to dozens. In terms of size, they rivaled the Seiron Kingdom—a small nation, to be sure, but still comparable to a whole country.
Stabilizing even one new territory takes considerable time and effort. That was why Ghislain had always prioritized stabilization after conquests.
No matter how capable Amelia was, taking this much land at once was bound to cause indigestion.
And then, an unexpected issue arose, one no one had anticipated.
"What? Marquis Branford has fallen from power?"
"Yes, my lady. The king has regained his vigor, and the lords who lost their lands have all rallied to him."
"Hmm…"
"A royal decree has been issued to revoke the agreement and return all the lands to their original owners. What should we do?"
Amelia sneered at the report.
She hadn't risked so much to seize these territories for nothing. Opportunities like this to expand her holdings didn't come often.
Still, the removal of the nobles who had mediated the agreement presented her with a headache.
The royal court pressured her daily to return the territories and renew her oath of fealty to the king.
When she ignored their demands, they blocked the trade routes connecting Rayfold to the eastern territories. They didn't dare confront the north, but they were bold enough to disrupt her supply lines.
"Those fools…"
Amelia gritted her teeth. To stabilize her new territories, she urgently needed to draw on Rayfold's resources.
She could easily deal with the weakened royal army, which was split from the northern army.
The problem was the king's alliance with the Duke faction. Amelia had already betrayed them and was now their sworn enemy.
She had to make a choice—fight or compromise.
Just as she was deliberating her next move, astonishing news arrived.
"Marquis Perdium… has rebelled?"
"Yes, he is currently advancing on the capital alongside Count Fenris. The northern army, along with other troops, are heading to the southern front to hold off the Duchy army."
A satisfied smile spread across Amelia's face.
'This is my chance.'
If the two sides clashed again, she could exploit the situation to her advantage.
But before Amelia could decide her course of action, Ghislain's message arrived.
Flap!
"Hello, I'm here."
"..."
Amelia's face darkened as she saw the raven blatantly enter as if visiting a friend's house.
Its arrival could mean only one thing: Ghislain was about to make another demand.
"Fine… what is it?"
"I'm here to deliver a message from my master."
"Go ahead."
"I'll establish a direct connection with my master's consciousness for you to communicate."
"…Hmm."
Putting everything else aside, the raven was an extraordinary spirit. It could be used for scouting and, as in this case, as a communication tool.
If Amelia had something like this, she would use it to its fullest potential. What a shame it wasn't hers.
After a moment, the raven's tone changed.
"Hey, Amelia. Long time no see. How have you been?"
"Don't act like we're friends. Get to the point."
"So prickly… Anyway, I'm heading to the capital to seize it. I need you to head to the southern front and hold off the Duchy army. Make sure they can't advance north."
"..."
"Why aren't you answering? Hey, Dark, is this thing connected properly? Yeah, it's connected!"
"..."
Amelia watched the raven's back-and-forth with a deadpan expression before finally speaking.
"Why should I help you?"
The audacity of this man was astonishing. She'd helped him a few times, and now he seemed to think they were allies.
Ghislain replied with his usual nonchalance.
"Oh, I'm not asking for free. Remember how well I compensated you last time? I'll make sure you're satisfied again. I hate freebies too, you know."
That piqued Amelia's interest slightly.
"Fine. If I block the Duchy army, you'll have no trouble taking the capital. What's in it for me?"
"I'll help stabilize your territories. You're struggling with that right now, aren't you? After I seize the capital, I'll send you plenty of food and materials."
"Hmm…"
It was an enticing offer, but not quite enough.
"I can solve that on my own, given time."
"You won't have time if the Duchy army pushes north. Even if the northern army holds them off, the longer the war drags on, the harder it'll be to secure the resources you need."
Amelia smirked coldly. He knew her weaknesses all too well.
Still, she was curious about why he was so eager to involve her.
"The southern army should be enough to hold them off. Why do you need me?"
"First, to minimize casualties. Your abilities would be a great help."
"And the second?"
"I don't want you pulling any stunts behind my back. That'd be a hassle. I'm sure you were already plotting how to exploit this situation."
"..."
Amelia let out a silent laugh. He knew her too well.
Ghislain's tone grew more serious.
"My targets are the Duchy faction and the Salvation Church. I don't want unnecessary distractions or losses."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I'll cut you down this time. As soon as the capital is secured, I'll head straight for the east."
"You… dare…"
"Choose. I know fighting you would be exhausting, and I'd take some losses, but I can't leave you unchecked before facing the Duke faction in full force."
Grit.
Amelia clenched her teeth. Once again, he was trying to use her power through a mix of threats and persuasion.
She understood his meaning. With the kingdom's finest sword now involved, the time for resolution was at hand. Ghislain considered her a potential threat that had to be dealt with.
In other words, this was her last chance to align herself with him.
"..."
Amelia remained silent for a long time, her expression icy.
Ghislain waited just as silently. Even the raven, Dark, looked uncomfortable under the tension.
'What's with this power struggle…?'
Despite her simmering anger, Amelia's mind worked furiously to find a way to turn the situation to her advantage.
'He says he'll come for me, but that's a heavy burden for him too.'
Ghislain wanted to reach the southern front as quickly as possible. Fighting her here would only benefit the Duke faction. He wouldn't want that.
But she couldn't afford to keep resisting. She knew Ghislain well enough to understand he was capable of following through on his threats.
'He has more to lose now, but… he's still the kind of man who'll do whatever it takes when pushed.'
If he decided it was worth the risk, he might really attack her. She needed to find a compromise.
Their relationship had always been a precarious balancing act. The fact that he needed her help showed how valuable her power was.
"Unless…"
A sudden realization struck her, and Amelia slowly nodded.
The forces on the southern front alone should be enough to stall the Duke faction. Even if she schemed against him, Ghislain could handle it with the Perdium and royal armies in the capital.
So why was he so insistent on involving her? Perhaps he had other plans for her strength.
Amelia had a hunch about what he might want.
"If this isn't your final offer, let's hear the rest."
Ghislain laughed. She really was as sharp as they came.
"Of course. There's more. Let's discuss the details."
The two talked further, and after the raven left, Amelia immediately began gathering her forces for the southern front—this time with a new ambition in her heart.
***
"I'll take command."
"…Understood."
Having been informed by Ghislain in advance, Gillian handed over command to Amelia without protest.
Her abilities were already proven, so there was little opposition to her taking charge.
From that moment, the battle began to shift.
"Baron Valois, take charge of the right wall."
"Understood."
Amelia quickly reorganized all defensive positions. Even Baron Valois, who had surrendered after Daven's death, was brought in for this purpose.
With his unmatched defensive skills, he effectively held off the Delphine forces.
But Amelia wasn't content to simply hold the line. The enemy's numbers and strength were too great for that. To minimize losses and prolong the battle, she needed to whittle down their forces.
"You're the dwarves who set up those weird stakes before, right?"
Amelia's question made Galbarik and his fellow dwarves roll their eyes and look away. They had once impeded her advance by planting stakes in the ground.
[Made by the Great Blacksmith and Friends.]
They'd even inscribed a cheeky message.
Now they feared retribution.
But Amelia simply chuckled and issued a new order.
"Start digging tunnels. The Rayfold forces will fill in for any manpower shortages."
"What?"
"Just do it."
With reinforcements on hand, the digging proceeded without issue. The dwarves obediently constructed tunnels under her direction.
Meanwhile, Kaien, commanding the Delphine army, noticed the change in strategy.
"The enemy's tactics have shifted."
As time wore on, both attackers and defenders grew fatigued, leading to increased casualties.
But now, the enemy's casualties are steadily decreasing.
What had previously been a chaotic, ferocious defense had transformed into something more precise and methodical, like a well-oiled machine. This new approach was far more effective for holding the line.
"This is going to be troublesome."
The Delphine side had over a dozen superhumans, but the enemy's superhumans were extraordinarily capable.
Endless bursts of holy power healed their wounded, while spirits appeared out of nowhere to disrupt attacks.
Despite their overwhelming strength, the superhumans on enemy side did not operate independently but worked alongside the soldiers, focusing solely on defense. This made breaking through their lines a daunting task for the Delphine army.
Meanwhile, word continued to arrive that the Royal Army was surrendering to the Perdium forces. The situation grew increasingly dire for the Delphine forces.
After days of grueling stalemates, one of the Delphine mages reported, "The fortress's interior has been obscured. Their entire magic contingent seems to be dedicated to blocking our view."
In large-scale battles like this, both sides typically field hundreds of mages, some of whom are tasked with surveillance. Even when counter-magic was used, the view was never entirely obstructed. However, at this moment, the enemy's positions were nearly invisible.
"Hmm," Kaien mused briefly before giving his orders.
"Prepare for a night raid."
When defenders block the enemy's view, the most likely reason is to prepare for a stealth attack.
As Kaien expected, the enemy's cavalry attempted a surprise attack on the Delphine army's flanks under the cover of darkness.
"Attack!"
However, prepared troops quickly countered, sending the raiders fleeing.
While the Delphine army was busy pursuing the cavalry, chaos erupted on another front.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"What's going on?!"
The sounds of explosions from the rear startled Kaien. Moments later, a soldier came running to report.
"Enemy mages have appeared in the rear!"
"What? How?"
"They tunneled in, it seems!"
Kaien was stunned. It was almost unheard of for defenders to dig tunnels instead of attackers.
The reserve forces in the rear were caught off guard by the sudden attack. Though the enemy retreated quickly after their surprise attack, minimizing damage, the fact that they had been breached was a significant problem.
"These bastards..."
The audacity of the defenders forced the Delphine army to divert more resources to guarding their rear.
Attempts to use the enemy's tunnels for a counterattack proved futile as the tunnels had been securely sealed. Excavating them again would alert the defenders immediately.
'To think the defenders would act so boldly…'
With comparable forces, defenders usually have the upper hand. However, the enemy's aggressive tactics were pushing the Delphine soldiers to their limits, increasing their fatigue.
Amelia, however, wasn't content to merely rely on bold tactics. She made use of everything at her disposal, including hot air balloons for nighttime bombardments with arrows and magic.
At times, her forces would emerge at night to skulk around the enemy camp, unnerving the Delphine troops. These harassing tactics proved effective, wearing down the nerves of Kaien's forces. Amelia had truly mastered the art of psychological warfare.
Kaien, however, wasn't one to remain passive. He reorganized his formations and assigned efficient watch shifts.
Once the adjustments were made, Amelia's forces could no longer carry out guerrilla tactics as effectively. But the time lost was already a significant issue.
"The capital has fallen!"
The news hit Kaien like a thunderbolt, and he clenched his jaw. Now, the Fenris army, the Perdium army, and the remnants of the Royal Army would begin marching south.
Once those reinforcements arrived, the Delphine army would be at a severe disadvantage. They needed to act before that happened.
Kaien turned to Gartros and said, "We must engage, even at greater risk to our forces."
"Then let us proceed. Inform the priests to give it their all, even at the cost of their lives."
The Delphine army shifted tactics, throwing everything they had into an all-out attack. Their entire force focused on a single section of the wall. Catapults and mages unleashed relentless barrages on that point.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Although Amelia's forces concentrated on defending the targeted section, soldiers scaling the walls on other fronts made it difficult to allocate sufficient troops.
When attackers escalate their aggression, defenders inevitably suffer heavy casualties as well. But Amelia made an unusual decision.
"Move all stone, timber, and any large sturdy materials behind the targeted wall. Treat it as disposable."
They prepared an improvised blockade behind the crumbling wall, then abandoned the area entirely.
With the freed-up forces bolstering other fronts, the defenders suffered fewer casualties and held their ground more effectively.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The targeted wall continued to crumble under the unrelenting assault, becoming increasingly unstable. The mages defending it had been reassigned elsewhere.
Crash!
Eventually, the wall collapsed completely. Though the Delphine army was temporarily stopped by the pile of debris that had been hastily erected behind it, they knew it was only a matter of time before they broke through.
Kaien surveyed the stacked debris with a cold gaze.
"By tomorrow, we'll breach it. Kill them all."
While the makeshift blockade was substantial, superhumans could clear it within a day. Once inside, the Delphine army would hold the advantage.
Amelia was well aware of this. Her decision to abandon the wall wasn't made lightly.
"We're abandoning this fortress and retreating. The goal now is to lure the enemy deeper into our territory."
Under her orders, the entire army evacuated the fortress under the cover of night. The following morning, Kaien rejoiced at the news.
"Excellent! Pursue them immediately!"
The next fortress was significantly smaller, barely able to accommodate the enemy army.
This meant it would be poorly defensible and easy to destroy after a few attacks.
The Delphine army pursued the retreating defenders relentlessly, eventually surrounding them in the smaller fortress.
"What's the enemy's movement?"
"They're still moving south, but their large numbers make them slow. It will take them at least a week to arrive."
"Capture this place within two days and annihilate them."
While the task was daunting, the Delphine army had the advantage in superhumans and superior soldiers. They could afford to be aggressive, as much of the enemy consisted of recruits and poorly trained levies.
"Attack!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The defenders were struggling to keep up, their smaller fortress offering little protection.
If this continued, a full-scale battle would soon break out, favoring the Delphine army.
Amelia watched the situation unfold and nodded.
"Their commander isn't just skilled in combat; his ability to maneuver troops is impressive."
Kaien had quickly adjusted to their tactics. Though he suffered some initial setbacks, his forces avoided significant losses.
He adapted to changing conditions swiftly and knew exactly when to strike.
If this continued, Amelia's side would inevitably sustain heavy casualties.
Even so, Amelia smiled.
"I've done my part."
She had bought enough time for Ghislain's forces.
The Perdium army and the Royal Army were still far from the battlefield, but the Fenris army—renowned for their unmatched mobility—were a different story.
Looking up, Amelia saw a raven circling overhead.
"That thing is so convenient for communication."
She sighed wistfully. She wanted one for herself but knew it wasn't possible.
While Amelia observed the unfolding situation with calm detachment, the Delphine army pressed their attack with ferocity. At this rate, the fortress would fall within two days.
As Kaien glared at the fortress with smoldering intensity, a dust-covered messenger came running.
"What is it? What happened?"
"Count Fenris… has…"
"Has what? The mobile army has arrived?"
"N-no, sir."
"Then speak quickly. What's going on?"
Terrified by Kaien's sharp tone, the messenger shouted, "The Count Fenris bypassed the front line and moved toward Mowbray County! He's now advancing directly into the Duchy!"
Ghislain had freed Edwin, the son of Count Mowbray, from possession by the evil spirit, Dark. In gratitude, Count Mowbray honored his promise and opened a path for Ghislain.
Hearing the unexpected news, Kaien's expression hardened.
With their entire army deployed at the front, the Delphine heartland was now exposed to attack.
[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]