Count Kandore, commander of the Delphine 5th Corps that had invaded the eastern region, found himself deep in thought. The east was the first region where the war began. Because of this, the Royal Army and the allied forces had mobilized quickly, resulting in a larger allied force here than in other areas. The 5th Corps had fought hard to break through and march toward the capital, but their supply lines were now under threat, with the final defensive line still intact. “This is infuriating.” The 50,000-strong army that started the campaign had been reduced to 40,000 after several battles and a surprise attack by Amelia. Although still formidable, the remaining defensive line was no pushover. The Royal Army and the allied forces from the eastern region had converged there. “They must have at least 20,000 soldiers gathered...” It would take their full strength to break through. Yet with the Rayfold forces lurking in the rear, Kandore couldn’t advance comfortably. Thus, the 5th Corps had halted their march and were locked in endless strategic meetings. “Shouldn’t we focus on securing the supply lines first? Waiting for reinforcements from the Duke’s faction might be a better plan.” “If we wait, the defensive line will only grow stronger. The allied forces are already receiving supplies from the capital and the north without issue.” “But advancing now is dangerous. Even if we breach the defensive line, it will be meaningless if our supply lines are cut.” “Exactly. Without siege weapons, it’s impossible to capture Cardenia with just 40,000 troops.” “Aren’t the other corps also advancing? If we encircle the capital, we can receive supplies through other routes.” “But hasn’t the 2nd Corps already been defeated by the Northern Army? We have no idea where they might move next.” “Communication with the 3rd and 4th Corps has been cut off. Something must have happened.” The staff officers were divided in their opinions. They had marched out with confidence, but their current situation was dire. Count Kandore knew the reason for this. “The Northern Army is too strong.” The 2nd Corps, which had moved to engage the Northern Army, had been defeated. They had the largest forces and even three superhumans, yet they lost. Because of the Northern Army, the other corps were also unable to move freely. “Tch, to think that brat would grow into someone capable of influencing this war so profoundly.” Count Kandore shook his head in disbelief. They were being held in check by a single army. Before the war began, he couldn’t have imagined such a situation. “And then there’s Count Rayfold.” The allied forces had gathered at the defensive line, expecting them to increase their pace, having cleared the surrounding areas. Yet the Rayfold forces had bypassed them and launched surprise attacks on their rear, causing significant damage. Worse, the Rayfold forces didn’t join the defensive line but stayed firmly entrenched in the rear territory. “I can’t just leave them alone... but attacking them isn’t a good idea either...” The Rayfold forces numbered about 10,000. Kandore was confident he could defeat them in a head-on battle, but considering their hit-and-run tactics, they were unlikely to engage directly. If they kept retreating strategically, it would be hard to chase them down with 40,000 troops. As the invading force, Kandore’s troops had limited options to lure them into a decisive confrontation. Splitting his forces to secure the supply line was another consideration, but doing so would weaken their ability to breach the defensive line. Even if they succeeded, it would leave them in shambles. More importantly, they didn’t have time to split their forces. The Northern Army could arrive at any moment. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢 “This is maddening. Truly maddening.” Count Kandore felt as though he might lose his mind. The longer they delayed, the stronger the enemy defensive line would become. He wanted nothing more than to kill both Ghislain and Amelia. Unable to think of a solution, Count Kandore agonized for days. During that time, reports came in that the Rayfold forces had captured another territory. Worse, they continued to hover near the supply lines, posing a persistent threat. Simply standing by and watching this unfold drove Kandore to the brink. To properly secure the supply line, they would need reinforcements from the Duke’s faction in the form of a large army. “Should I send a messenger to request additional support...?” As Kandore wrestled with this decision, bloodied messengers arrived in haste. “The 3rd Corps has been annihilated!” “What?” “They were ambushed and completely wiped out by Count Fenris! Some survivors have been taken prisoner!” Count Kandore’s face twisted with fury as he demanded answers. “What nonsense is this?! The Northern Army was supposed to be in another region! How could they annihilate both the 2nd Corps and the 3rd Corps?” “I-it’s true! It was definitely Count Fenris!” Grinding his teeth in disbelief, Count Kandore paused before speaking again. “If that’s true... then the Northern Army must be far from us right now, correct?” That meant there was still time. Perhaps it would be better to move west and join forces with the 4th Corps. Using the 4th Corps’ supply lines would strengthen their position, and the combined force would be a significant advantage. Count Kandore, aligning his thoughts with those of Count Falgau of the 4th Corps, exclaimed with newfound enthusiasm. “Good! We’ll abandon this region! The enemy is stronger than anticipated, so we’ll regroup with the 4th Corps immediately—” “The 4th Corps has been annihilated!” Another bloodied messenger stumbled in, crying out. “...” Count Kandore was momentarily speechless. His voice trembled as he forced out the words. “W-what did you just say?” “The 4th Corps has been wiped out! The Corps Commander was killed by Count Fenris himself!” “What nonsense is this?!” Count Kandore’s mind reeled. The Northern Army had already crushed the 2nd and 3rd Corps, and now even the 4th Corps was gone? The continuous stream of devastating news made him feel like he was losing his sanity. “Does the Northern Army have wings or something?! This makes no sense! Count Fenris isn’t three people at once!” “I-it’s true! Count Fenris himself killed the 4th Corps Commander!” “G-gah...” “And there’s more...” “What now?! What else is there to say?!” “The Northern Army is advancing on the eastern region.” “What?!” “And they’re joined by 25,000 troops under the Royal Army’s Supreme Commander.” “...” Count Kandore’s body trembled uncontrollably. He couldn’t find the words to respond. This was absurd. How could a human army move this quickly? In all of history, no army had demonstrated such mobility. If they marched without rest, it might be possible—but soldiers still needed to eat and sleep. How were they managing their supplies? What were they, undead? After a long silence, Count Kandore muttered weakly, his voice hollow. “...We’ve made an enemy of a truly terrifying man.” Even setting aside Count Fenris’s superhuman abilities, his army’s sheer mobility alone could change the course of the war. No one could predict where they might appear next. Not all of the Northern Army could move like this. Count Fenris must have been leading an elite force. Even so, it was beyond comprehension that all their corps had been annihilated. “A monster.” Fear gripped him. He was certain now—he could never defeat this foe. With a pale face and hollow eyes, Count Kandore spoke with great difficulty. “...Prepare for retreat.” “...” His staff officers said nothing. With the Northern Army and the Royal Army both advancing, the 5th Corps’ 40,000 soldiers could no longer dream of besieging the capital. Survival itself was now uncertain. If they were to retreat, it had to be now. The 5th Corps began its retreat. If they stayed, they would lose without even being able to fight back. Preserving their forces was the only option left. “Tch... even surviving will be humiliating...” Every corps had been annihilated, so he could expect some leniency. After all, the Royal Army and allied forces had maintained relentless pressure. The problem was that Count Fenris was simply too exceptional. “Move quickly. At Count Fenris’s pace, he could be here tomorrow.” With the decision made, urgency overtook them. The 4th Corps had been stationed in the central region, and there was no telling when Count Fenris might lead another detachment their way. “Abandon anything unnecessary! Leave behind anything that will slow us down!” The retreat had to be at maximum speed. The 5th Corps discarded everything except for the minimal supplies necessary for survival. Watching the preparations, Count Kandore’s face was filled with bitterness. To think that they were running for their lives because of one man. “I’ll repay this humiliation one day.” He clenched his fists, his resolve hardening as he gazed at the sky—only to spot something circling above. “A damn crow... how unlucky...” A single crow circled overhead, even though there were no corpses nearby. The sight unsettled him. “Tch, it seems I’ve grown cowardly.” To feel ominous about a mere crow—it was proof of how much his spirit had weakened. With morale crushed, the 5th Corps began their retreat southward. Meanwhile, the Rayfold forces, which had been persistently harassing the supply lines, detected the 5th Corps' retreat. “They’re retreating very quickly, huh? Looks like they’ve abandoned all their supplies, too,” reported a scout. Hearing the report, Bernaph turned to Amelia, who nodded in agreement. “Yes, it seems we’ve done everything necessary to justify our actions. It’s a shame we couldn’t take more territories, though.” Amelia wore an expression of mild regret. She had hoped the 5th Corps would engage the Northern Army and buy more time. She hadn’t expected them to give up so soon. “Well, it’s not a bad decision on their part. Ghislain’s speed is no joke.” Even Amelia had been surprised by the reports she had received. She knew from prior information that Ghislain possessed extraordinary talent in warfare. During the Western campaign, Ghislain had already demonstrated a focus on mobility, but now that he was fully committed, his speed far exceeded those earlier feats. ‘The more I learn, the more extraordinary he becomes.’ Though she didn’t like to admit it, Ghislain’s ability to conduct warfare was undeniably top-tier. ‘I don’t know how the Duke’s faction will react.’ Amelia would have to monitor the Duke’s next moves and assess how much strength they had lost. Only then could she determine her next course of action. After organizing her thoughts, Amelia spoke. “We should return as well. We need to quickly consolidate the ‘territories we’ve claimed.’” “Uh... won’t the other lords just let it slide?” “What can they do? It’s already mine. I’ve settled everything with the Supreme Commander.” Amelia smirked with a hint of mockery. She would need to move even more actively now. It was time to transport the resources accumulated by the Rayfold forces. “Spread the word and start preparations for resettlement.” There was no way to expand her power base further within the North with Ghislain’s presence. It was even hard to act freely. That was why Amelia had devised an alternative strategy—using the chaos of war to establish a new foundation. And one far larger than her existing holdings. “Oh, by the way, make sure to recover the supplies abandoned by the 5th Corps. The quantity should be significant, and we’ll put them to good use.” “Understood!” Bernaph saluted energetically. As always, things went well when they followed Amelia’s lead. Meow! Watching the scene, Bastet narrowed her eyes and let out a mocking cry. *** The 5th Corps moved as quickly as possible, having abandoned nearly all of their supplies to facilitate their retreat. “We’ll reach the southern border soon,” a lieutenant reported. “Hm.” Count Kandore nodded. Everyone was exhausted, but their relentless pace had allowed them to evade pursuit thus far. They were nearing the southern frontline where they had fought at the beginning of the campaign. Beyond that lay the territory of the Duke’s faction, where they would finally be safe. “Do we still have any provisions left?” “Nearly all are gone, but the soldiers will endure. We’ll arrive soon.” “...I see.” Count Kandore’s face darkened. Fear of the enemy had forced them to abandon their supplies and retreat with their tails between their legs. Now, his already weary soldiers were left starving. Starving one's soldiers was not the mark of a great commander. Though the thought unsettled him, survival was the priority. “Tell the troops to hold out just a little longer.” “Yes, sir.” The exhausted 5th Corps resumed their march, driven solely by the hope that they would soon reach safety. But that hope was shattered by grim news. “P-Penris forces are ahead! They’re about 20,000 strong!” A scout returned, pale with terror, and delivered the report. Hearing this, Count Kandore’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What are you saying? Penris forces? Not the Northern Army?” “Yes, only the Fenris banner is present. It seems Count Fenris is moving independently.” “....” Count Kandore was speechless. They had abandoned their supplies and fled as fast as possible, yet the Fenris forces had arrived ahead of them. How was that even possible? “Do we have a spy among us?” His trembling voice elicited no response from the officers. How could a spy move undetected in an army on the march? But the fact that Count Fenris was already there was equally baffling. How could he know their every move? It felt as though they were being watched at all times. “Commander, I believe we must prepare for battle.” “There doesn’t seem to be any way to avoid it.” At the grim statement, Count Kandore exhaled heavily. Fight a battle with starving, exhausted soldiers? There was no other choice. The Fenris forces would never allow them to escape unchallenged. He thought back to the crow he had seen before they departed. A sense of foreboding had lingered since then. “This is truly a terrible situation.” If he had known it would come to this, he would have prioritized feeding his troops and conserving their strength. “Prepare for battle...” He couldn’t simply die here. He had to find a way to fight and win. Though how they could possibly defeat that fearsome army remained a mystery. The troops formed ranks with tense faces. The fear among the soldiers was palpable. Exhausted, starving, and now facing the most feared army in the kingdom—despite their numerical advantage, a heavy sense of impending defeat hung over them. That fear grew as they saw the Fenris forces slowly advancing from the distance. “T-that’s the Fenris army...” “Count Fenris... the undefeated warlord...” “Can we really win against them?” Just the sight of the Fenris banner sent waves of unease through the troops. The fear spread quickly, infecting everyone. Under normal circumstances, Count Kandore would have scolded them and rallied their spirits, but he stood silent. Even he was overwhelmed by the sheer presence of the approaching army. Clop, clop. Ghislain, mounted on the Black King, advanced slowly at the front of his forces. As he gazed at the Delphine troops preparing for battle, a smile spread across his face. “You attacked at will, but retreating requires my permission.” Ghislain had once fought against the Duke’s faction in his past life when they were practically synonymous with the kingdom itself. He knew better than anyone how formidable they were. Which was why... He had no intention of letting even a single member of the Duke’s faction return unscathed.