“The Northern Army has successfully halted the advance of the Delphine Army’s 4th Legion!” The messenger’s news lit up Maurice’s face with joy. “Really? What happened? Did they win a battle?” “No, sir. They launched a surprise attack on the supply convoy and successfully severed the supply lines!” “Oho! So, there’s someone in the Northern Army capable of pulling off such a maneuver besides my nephew?” Ghislain nodded in agreement beside him. The strategy mirrored Amelia’s tactics in the east, holding back the Delphine Army by targeting their resources. It seemed Claude had split his forces to slow the enemy’s advance. The Delphine Army, unprepared for the Northern Army to act so swiftly, had fallen for it. “That’s a relief. It looks like we’ll be able to arrive before the two sides clash.” Unlike the loyalist faction, which maintained supply lines from the capital and the north, the Delphine Army’s supply routes had grown increasingly stretched. Now, with their supply line severed, the enemy was in a difficult position. This disruption also meant that the vanguard of the Northern Army could join the defensive line in time. Of course, Ghislain reminded himself, the favorable situation didn’t mean they could let their guard down. The enemy could still come up with a strategy to turn the tide. Ghislain turned to Maurice and spoke decisively. “I’ll lead the Fenris forces ahead with the saintess.” “What about me?” “Follow slowly behind. The situation might change, and we may need to redirect forces elsewhere.” It was possible that Maurice would need to pivot to defend the capital or reinforce the southern front. “Hmm... This feels like a lot. I’m not sure I can manage this properly...” Maurice glanced uneasily at the troops behind him. Even though the prisoners had converted, their sheer numbers made him nervous. Quickly following Ghislain wasn’t feasible either. The army was a hodgepodge of remaining kingdom forces, allied troops, and former prisoners. Such a mix would never move with speed or coordination. Seeing Maurice’s hesitation, Ghislain narrowed his eyes. “What, the commander-in-chief of the kingdom’s army can’t handle this? One big defeat, and you’ve gone soft?” “That’s not true! I’m just being cautious, alright?” Every time Ghislain poked at him, Maurice became flustered, abandoning the dignity of a commander-in-chief. Watching Maurice snap back at Ghislain like a bickering child, the other soldiers shook their heads in exasperation. After much back-and-forth, Parniel intervened and proposed leaving the priestly contingent behind to help maintain order. Since the prisoners had just converted under the saintess’s guidance, the priests might help keep them in line. With the matter seemingly resolved, Hubert, who had been quietly observing, spoke up. “Don’t you need any mages? Should I come with you?” Hubert had no desire to stay behind. The combination of Ghislain and Parniel guaranteed safety, making their company the most secure place on the battlefield. Ghislain, however, firmly declined. “No, your mages need to stay here.” “Ah, I wanted to come...” Hubert grumbled, then asked casually, “How’s Alfoy doing?” Originally intending to push Alfoy out of the succession for the Scarlet Tower, Hubert had changed his mind after being impressed by Alfoy’s performance at the recent Mage Tower exchange. “He’s doing well,” Ghislain replied. In truth, he wasn’t sure about “well,” but Alfoy had certainly adapted to his new role. His Circle had even advanced. Hubert looked somewhat wistful. “Well, as long as he’s doing well...” Their relationship had become strained after repeated rejections, and it seemed like it was time to mend fences. Watching both Maurice and Hubert, Ghislain shook his head in mild annoyance. They were perfectly capable when he wasn’t around, but as soon as he appeared, they became overly dependent on him. It was an unfortunate side effect of his prior successes. “Ugh, fine. I’m heading out first. Let’s move! We need to support our allies!” Clicking his tongue, Ghislain led the Fenris Rapid Deployment Corps forward, with Parniel following astride the largest horse available. As the group disappeared into the distance, Maurice muttered under his breath. “If only that old hag were here... I could’ve asked her what to do.” Even at the last moment, Maurice couldn’t let go of his attachment to the fortune-teller. *** Count Falgau, the commander of the 4th Legion advancing on the capital, was deep in thought. “Hmm, this situation is far from ideal.” The supply convoy trailing behind his forces had been annihilated. This wasn’t a minor skirmish—it was a devastating loss. The fact that such a large force had been completely wiped out suggested the enemy was no ordinary foe. To make matters worse, more grim reports followed. “The 2nd Legion has been defeated, and the Northern Army is mobilizing! They have revealed a hidden superhuman among their ranks!” “The 5th Legion has halted their advance due to interference from the Rayfold Army!” Falgau turned to his advisors, seeking clarity. “What about the 3rd Legion?” “We haven’t received their routine communication yet.” “Hmm... I suspect they might be engaged in battle as well.” Unbeknownst to them, the 3rd Legion had been ambushed and obliterated by Ghislain, leaving no survivors or messengers to deliver the grim news. Having shattered the southern front and marched rapidly northward, Falgau found himself grinding his teeth in frustration at the looming crises on all fronts. “Should we attempt to secure the supply lines again... or continue our advance? That’s the question.” Advancing was still an option. The defensive forces ahead were minimal—if they could break through, the capital would be within reach. However, surrounding the capital would pose another challenge. “Without siege weapons, we can’t easily capture Cardenia. If we delay, supplies will run short, and the Northern Army will surround us.” If his forces were encircled, not even their superhuman strength could guarantee victory. The Count of Fenris, known as the strongest in the north, was reported to be among their ranks, alongside other powerful allies. After two days of deliberation, Count Falgau finally reached a decision and addressed his advisors. “We will not march on the capital.” “Pardon? Then what will we do?” “We’ll regroup with the 5th Legion in the east.” “Are you suggesting...” “The forces opposing the 5th Legion are far more substantial than ours. That’s where the allied armies have concentrated their support. On top of that, the 5th Legion’s supply lines are under threat.” Falgau pointed to various locations on the map as he elaborated. “So we’ll join the 5th Legion, breach the defensive line there, and secure their supply routes. With even a portion of our troops, we can hold the supply line.” “And what of our current position?” “If we move now, the Northern Army will follow. So we’ll pretend to continue our advance toward the capital.” “Pretend, you say?” “Yes. We’ll push northward and annihilate the defensive line. This will force the Northern Army to rush to defend the capital. In the meantime, we’ll shift eastward.” The advisors nodded in agreement. In their increasingly precarious situation, it was the best course of action. If they managed to join forces with the 5th Legion, their combined strength would number 100,000—a force more than capable of both securing supply lines and breaching the enemy’s defenses to surround the capital. While the thought of the 2nd Legion, with its three superhumans and 100,000 troops, falling to the Northern Army was unsettling, Falgau remained confident that once their supply lines were reestablished and the capital surrounded, reinforcements from the ducal faction would arrive. Falgau’s eyes gleamed as he spoke. “We’ll abandon the current supply line. The Northern Army targeted it only to buy time. If they had the strength to stop us outright, they wouldn’t have bothered attacking our supplies.” Thus, Count Falgau ordered a forced march, even at the cost of their supply lines. Falgau’s prediction proved accurate. The forces guarding the fortress ahead numbered only 10,000—a paltry sum cobbled together from 5,000 remaining defenders and 5,000 reinforcements rushed in by Claude. “A small fortress like this? We’ll take it in no time. Attack.” Under strict time constraints, the Delphine Army launched their assault immediately. Boom! The Delphine Army’s mages rained large-scale spells upon the fortress. Unfortunately, the kingdom’s defenders had no mages of their own, which emboldened Falgau to unleash his magical firepower without reservation. As the soldiers cowered in fear of the incoming spells, an elf stepped forward, her voice resonating with authority. “Flowing currents, shield this place with your purity.” Whooosh! A massive surge of water materialized, forming the figure of a blue maiden. It was Endairon, the high-ranking water elemental. Endairon’s watery form spread wide, cloaking the fortress in a shimmering barrier. The Delphine mages’ spells slammed into the barrier but failed to breach it. Boom! Boom! Boom! The barrier shuddered under the relentless magical assault but held firm. The soldiers in the fortress gazed at the elf with awe. It was none other than Ereneth, who had arrived ahead of the others alongside Gillian. Ereneth spoke again, her tone commanding. “Resilient earth, fortify this place with your unwavering will.” Rumble! Suddenly, the ground beneath the Delphine Army collapsed, and jagged rocks erupted from the earth, throwing the enemy ranks into chaos. “Argh! What’s happening?!” “It’s an elemental! Stop it!” Caught off guard, the Delphine Army’s formation crumbled as their mages scrambled to suppress Noeannen, the high-ranking earth elemental. Meanwhile, the other half of their mages continued their barrage on the fortress. Boom! Boom! Boom! As Ereneth continued channeling energy into the elementals, she turned to Gillian and asked, “Are there no catapults here?” “Not a single one,” Gillian replied. “How long do we need to hold out?” “About two days.” “That reckless man didn’t anticipate this, did he?” “At least the supply convoy attack bought us time.” The delay caused by the destruction of the supply convoy had given their vanguard just enough time to reach the fortress. Ereneth nodded. “It will be a grueling fight.” “Focus on stopping their magical attacks. I’ll handle the rest.” Gillian’s determination was palpable. Though only he and Ereneth had arrived in time, he was confident that with their mounted archers and his own resolve, they could hold the line. Despite their best efforts, the Delphine Army’s sheer numbers posed a daunting challenge. As their forces pressed forward like a tidal wave, the defenders braced for impact. “Hold your ground!” Gillian roared, his axe raised high. As the clash escalated, a shadowy figure in a black robe stepped forward among the Delphine ranks. “Leave this to me,” the Inquisitor of the Salvation Order said, his tone icy. Falgau nodded approvingly. “Very well. It seems the one they call the White Lion, Gillian, is among the defenders.” “A promising target,” the inquisitor replied. “I’ll handle him.” Unnoticed by all, a lone raven began circling high above the battlefield, its black feathers glinting ominously in the sunlight.