Its quiet.

Edelred mumbled as he, alongside Isaac, stared at the Elion fortress, standing at the edge of the lake. The white surface of the castle, which jutted out from the lake, was covered with moss and vines. The ancient castle, shrouded in mist in the middle of the lake, looked mysterious in itself, but it was nothing compared to what lay beyond the lake.

Is that island over there the Holy Land of Elion?

Beyond the faint mist, a spiked wall-like island was visible.

Edelred nodded at Isaacs question.

Yes, it is. Its where Elils body is laid to rest. The lake is open to everyone, but the island itself can only be entered by those who possess a Holy Sword.

Cant we just take a boat there?

No, its the same. If you dont enter through the designated gate, youll either get lost in the mist or get stranded on a reef. The Holy Land isnt managed that poorly.

Although Edelred possessed a Holy Sword and was the king of Elil, he had never set foot in the Holy Land. The Georg family, who were the protectors of the Holy Land and traitors, had denied his entry. They even refused to return one of the Holy Swords, the Rite of Division.

To unify the kingdom, he needed to receive Elils oracle and gain recognition. If they blocked him, he would either break in or continue the civil war forever.

The Elion fortress is merely a foothold to reach the Holy Land. Ive heard that theres a hidden bridge under the water connecting the fortress to the Holy Land, so official entrants cross that bridge.

Isaac nodded. He knew it was true because he had crossed that bridge in the game.

Well, crossing the bridge will have to wait until after we capture that fortress.

Behind them, camps were being set up to besiege the Elion fortress, while preparations for a defensive battle were in full swing on top of the fortress.

They stood at a distance where the arrows fired from the fortress would barely miss them. Mors had worried they were too close, but they needed to be this close to observe Georgs troops reactions. However, there hadnt been any notable reaction yet.

Isaac was counting the moving silhouettes, trying to estimate the number of troops. Though he couldnt pinpoint an exact number, Mors reported that it seemed like there were more troops than expected. Given the destroyed villages, this was somewhat anticipated. The key was how many knights were inside that fortress.

The most formidable force of the Georg warlords was the Elion Knight Order. So far, the ones who had been rampaging through Elil Kingdom were the knights and cavalry of the Georg family, but there had been no encounters with any Elion knights, except for the hostages Isaac had previously encountered.

Given that the Knight Order was personally raised and taught by Lianne, they were likely the most threatening force within Georgs army.

Do you think the cavalry has joined?

Well, its a bit ambiguous. According to Delfric, the commander of the knights, it seems they didnt join the fortress.

Really? I thought they moved faster than us.

According to the scouts, some cavalrymen were spotted on the western outskirts. At that position, its clear they purposely avoided joining.

The Georg cavalry, which had been harassing Elil Kingdom, suffered significant damage when they ambushed the main Aldeon army while returning. Afterward, they shifted their strategy to undermine morale with constant harassment, but even that was thwarted by scatter tactics.

Since then, the cavalry hadnt been seen until the Aldeon army arrived at the Elion fortress, leading them to believe they had joined with Lianne, but they were found on the outskirts.

Edelred and his advisors tried to understand the Georg cavalrys thoughts.

General Mors thinks theyre planning to attack us while were engaged in a siege.

The fortress would serve as an anvil, and the cavalry as a hammer. It was a conventional and straightforward strategy. In fact, it was hard to think of any other strategy. However, Mors couldnt strongly advocate for this idea for a reason.

The Georg cavalry isnt well-supplied. The villages that could serve as supply bases have already been burned by Georgs forces, and if they move too far, they wont be able to act as a hammer when needed.

Exactly. General Mors pointed that out too. They might just be trying to annoy us.

If the Georg cavalry werent worried about supplies, they would be well-positioned to pin down the Aldeon army from both sides with the fortress and cavalry. However, given the damage they had already suffered from Isaac, it was questionable whether they could launch a proper surprise attack again. If they failed, they would be annihilated without the protection of the walls.

It would be better if the nobles who went back to their territories arrived on time but theyre late, it cant be helped.

It was only natural for the nobles, who had neither a rallying point nor motivation, to be late. The nobles aligned with the Saltain faction might not want to waste their knights in a useless civil war. They already had a convenient excuse that their lands were attacked.

Well, theres no need to solve the enemys problems. I think they have plenty of issues themselves.

Isaacs gaze turned toward the Elion fortress. Just then, the gate opened, and someone came out.

Lets proceed according to plan for now.

***

An army consumes a lot of manpower, equipment, and resources, so why maintain it?

The answer is because its cheaper.

Isaac recalled the Persian army that invaded Greece and Chinas million-strong army. In medieval societies, feeding and maintaining such an army was no small feat, and often, they were merely bloated numbers to make up the headcount.

The real purpose of an army is performance.

Its to show that they have a large population and the national power to feed so many people.

In reality, the Persian army fought few actual battles while conquering vast territories. Just the sight of their massive numbers marching in front of enemy castles was often enough.

Its a cheap way to wage war.

Eventually, Isaac believed that the military must grow in proportion to the national power

The issue is that the Kingdom of Elil is closer to Sparta rather than the Middle Eastern countries conquered by Persia.

Being a country of war enthusiasts, Elils military was both exceptional in quality and size. However, the purpose was not vastly different: to pressurize and intimidate the enemy.

The dry reeds by the lakeside rustled eerily. The movement of the reeds revealed the flow of the wind. And along with the wind came the female knight, Lianne Georg, who Isaac had seen before, approaching on horseback with another knight.

When they got close enough for Isaac to speak in a suitable tone, he raised his hand. Having faced Lianne before, he knew there was a chance they wouldnt be able to stop her if she charged at Edelred.

The man accompanying Lianne, however, looked quite dissatisfied at the distance.

Can you even hear me from this distance, Holy Grail Knight?

You have a strong voice, as expected from a follower of Elil. Who are you?

Lianne responded to Isaacs question.

This is my uncle, Villon Georg, Holy Grail Knight. Since weve met before, you probably know who I am?

Its been a while, Lianne Georg.

Edelred answered instead of Isaac, nervously. Liannes gaze shifted from Isaac to Edelred. She responded with a tired smile.

Its been a while, Edel. Youve grown taller.

I

Edelred, King of Aldeon. This is a formal meeting, so I request that you show respect.

Before Edelred could answer, Isaac interrupted, sensing his voice faltering. The mist was thick, and the lake was quiet, an environment that amplified voices. Given the distance, they had to speak loudly, which meant the knights on both sides could hear.

Villon bristled at Isaacs words.

The usurping Aldeon family

Thats correct, Uncle. Since Kaldbruch acknowledged him, a king is a king, right? I apologize for my rudeness in my excitement. Your Majesty Edelred, please forgive me.

Lianne bowed her head and apologized. Edelred nodded without speaking, unable to find his voice. Villon seemed to want to say something, but perhaps not wanting to scold his niece in front of their enemies, he kept silent.

Lianne scanned the Aldeon army.

Flags of noble families from all over the Kingdom of Elil were fluttering. Though flags of the noble families supporting the Georg family were also hanging in the Elion stronghold, they were far fewer in number.

Im proud that youve managed to unify this much, Your Majesty. Honestly, considering your disposition, I thought it would be difficult.

One crucial flag is still missing.

At the hint of reconciliation, Lianne tilted her head.

If its about that, I believe weve already sent you our response.

Recalling the murder of the messenger, Edelred flinched. Lianne continued calmly.

Innocent Majesty, I understand what you intend by coming here, but let me teach you something from someone you once called sister.

Tap, tap.

Lianne suddenly urged her horse forward, approaching slowly. Instead of trying to stop her with words, Isaac drew his sword. Simultaneously, Villon raised his hand, shouting, and the Aldeon army responded with cheers and the clash of weapons. From the Elion stronghold, arrows were loaded, and taut bowstrings screamed.

Isaac set a mental boundary, ready to attack if Lianne crossed it. But Lianne stopped precisely at that boundary.

Edelred, frozen, locked eyes with Lianne.

You see now.

Lianne smiled faintly, speaking in a quieter voice, as they were closer.

This war isnt something that can end with us saying, Yes, lets reconcile. I regret my fathers death, but ultimately, it was his chosen mistake and consequence. However, the elders of our clan dont see it that way.

She turned to look at Villon.

The elders believe that because of the Aldeon royal family, my father lost his honor, which was more important than life, and that to reclaim it, the royal family must be brought down.

She shook her head, exasperated at the countless advice and criticisms she faced.

But it was my father who took on the mission that lost him his honor. The root of it goes back to the Georg family pledging allegiance to the Aldeon family as kings a hundred years ago, and further back to the Elil era, which established the tradition of venerating the strong

Lianne sighed deeply.

The past has accumulated and now presses upon us, Your Majesty. We didnt appear out of nowhere but have come here from the forefront of the past.

Isaac thought of Urbansus at her words.

Her words accurately pinpointed the principle of Urbansus.

All living humans are influenced by Urbansus. The dead, past eras push and press the present. Lianne and Edelred were being pressured at the forefront. One day, they too would be absorbed and stained by the past.

Lianne had accepted that pressure quietly, while Edelred was simply less affected.

So go back and prepare for war, Your Majesty. The elders already believe weve lost too much honor because of you. Until we reclaim it, the Georg army will neither reconcile nor surrender.

Lianne smiled broadly before turning her horse and heading back to the stronghold. Isaac sighed and sheathed his sword. He looked again at the Aldeon army surrounding the Elion stronghold.

The greatest utility of an army comes from intimidating the enemy. To win without fighting. But Lianne had firmly declared that this intimidation wouldnt work.

That left only one option.

To pile more bodies on top of the already accumulated corpses.

Until the present generation drowned and pickled in the blood.

Be it honor or justice, only those who stand atop the corpses will seize it.

TL Notes