297 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Episode 297: "Something's Strange..." Logan tilted his head, puzzled as he observed the retreating enemies. It wasn't just the fact that the three-nation alliance had ignored Tria and converged here. Despite having superior numbers, they were shattered by the adversary. The defeat was such that both soldiers and commanders alike would have seen their morale crumble. Yet, what was curious was that the elite troops, not including the regular soldiers, quickly regained their composure and retreated in an orderly fashion. Moreover, instead of heading towards the capital right before them, they fled towards another fortress to the east. "Is there a fortress more fortified than the royal castle in the Lomen Kingdom from a strategic perspective?" "...No. There is one called Taron Castle, but it's hardly a fortress. The east is composed solely of allied nations." Karyl Zamode's demeanor had drastically changed. Once dismissive and patronizing, he now spoke with deference and his head slightly bowed, emphasizing his subordinate position. Even his close subordinates found nothing odd about this change. This was because Logan, or rather Gile, had demonstrated an overwhelmingly dominant presence in the recent battle. - Even Grand Duke Gunter couldn't have achieved such a feat. Though no one explicitly stated it, a consensus had formed among the commanders: a new strongest force in the kingdom had emerged, and it resided in their minds as truth. For Logan, though, these opinions were insignificant, and he merely frowned as he listened to Karyl. "So why are the enemies fleeing east instead of towards the capital?" "I suspect they are regrouping with the remaining allies. The escapee—ah, the one who fled from you, Sir Gile—was Kaltun of the Romero Kingdom. They seem to be consolidating their remaining forces under a surviving commander." It was a plausible explanation. "...But it's unsettling. The presence of the allied forces here itself is a mystery." "We are currently investigating what we can. We'll have news soon." "Alright. Inform me immediately once you find out." "Of course." Who exactly was the supreme commander? The conversation didn't make it clear. - Even after a great victory, thinking ahead as he does, truly... To the commanders, who were already completely won over, even this seemed impressive. However, when the forces of Liberty entered the capital of Lomen, Lyle, Logan felt an even greater sense of unease. "The king and his retinue are nowhere to be found." "It appears as if their resources have vanished as well." These consecutive reports implied that the Lomen royal family was either preparing for a total war elsewhere or had anticipated a defeat. Given the scale of the allied forces, the likelihood of the latter seemed low, leaving only one conclusion. "The forces we faced yesterday weren’t all there were. Either more reinforcements are yet to arrive, or this doesn't quite fit the concept of a four-nation alliance." In the clash, only a third of the forces were either killed or captured. While morale may have dipped, the remaining force alone was a match for Liberty's strength. If there were additional forces, the battle's outcome was not yet certain. However, Karyl had a different perspective. "Reinforcements? Of all the nations, only Calon might provide them, but Calon’s strength lies at sea, not on land. It was probably a contingency measure." Considering that the Duchy of Tahiti was in chaos, their contribution during the clash was notable. Karyl was confident that the forces shown by the twin kingdoms of Lomen and Romero during the battle were nearly all they had. Moreover, "No nation other than Calon has a transcendent. Since Sir Gile is with us, our victory is assured." Karyl grinned as he spoke. ‘Wouldn’t it end quicker if that transcendent holed up in the capital joined the fray?’ Logan had to stifle the truth welling up in his throat at that smiling face. The excessive protection for the king nearly led to Liberty’s defeat, yet there was no critique. ‘Is this stupidity or extreme loyalty...?’ Perhaps he wasn’t pointing out faults because the war was won thanks to him, but to an outsider, it all seemed foolish. "Well, it's fine by me." "Excuse me?" "Oh, nothing. So, any news from Tria? With things this messed up, we haven’t heard back yet?” "Ah, we're pressing for information, but..." Judging by the uncomfortable expression, there hasn’t been any reply yet. Logan could only suppress a sigh as all they could do was wait. Luckily, the awaited information arrived the very next day. And the news was far from pleasant. - An inexplicable terror event at the Tria castle. King Ramon I of Tria has died. - Tria's government is paralyzed. The advancing army has retreated. Logan intuitively knew it was the work of the Empire but saying it out loud here was impossible. However, his irritation and anger seeped into his next words. "Unbelievable. Are you saying we only learned this crucial information now?" "It seems the Tria royal family kept it hidden. King Ramon I had so many children that the issue of succession is quite complicated..." Those present heaved sighs, averting their gazes. Logan, who had unofficially become the de facto commander of the army, sneered. "Our enemies possessed this information in advance and convened an alliance, yet we're only hearing of it now. Is there anything else I am unaware of about our military issues?" Karyl Zamode avoided eye contact, and none of the others dared speak. ...Or so he thought. “Considering that Terronan is struggling, perhaps this is actually a blessing in disguise? If we seize the advantage and subdue the three nations, our Liberty could emerge as the strongest nation within the alliance.” A strategist's hopeful words changed the atmosphere in the room. "Indeed..." "Truly..." "That seems plausible, certainly." Karyl Zamode also looked at Logan with anticipation, but Logan couldn't bring himself to smile. "Struggling, you say?" "The Calon's transcendent, the Tide Wizard Gustav, is reputed to be invincible in naval battles. That’s why Terronan was tasked with dealing only with Calon from the start." The Tide Wizard. For a fleeting moment, Logan worried about Eileen, who was likely there, but it was something he had already been prepared for. Now, he had to trust his partner, who had become a transcendent. "Indeed. If that's the case, it would be an optimal outcome for our homeland." Of course, he didn’t believe things would unfold so optimistically. 'If the Empire desired turmoil within the alliance, they wouldn't have limited their interference to just Tria.' With such thoughts, Logan forced a smile. – A report just came in that the enemies have deployed from Taron Castle! Just as he suspected, the news of unexpected developments arrived immediately. "Could you have seen wrong? Check again!" "What kind of madness is this!?" "Have they all gone insane?" The command center erupted into chaos at the news that the enemy forces, whom they had decisively defeated just two days ago, were now advancing. * * * "Prepare for full deployment!" A bugle blared with the issued command. Two days were too short to dispel the extreme tension accumulated on a battlefield where life and death were decided. Moreover, the leadership had prohibited the looting of the enemy's capital. For the Liberty soldiers, who either fought among themselves to release the stress of battle or simply stewed in frustration, this news of redeployment was a bolt from the blue. Of course, as soon as they learned the identity of the enemy responsible for the irritating bugle sound, their anger found a new target. "What on earth is happening?" "Where do those defeated loonies think they're going!" "Let's smash them again!" "The Silver Reaper fights with us!" Unreleased stress quickly transformed into morale, and the Liberty army left Lyle with spirits soaring. 'It's impossible to stop them now.' Logan suspected there was some cunning strategy behind the enemy’s actions, rather than sheer foolishness or madness. But this was an army they had already beaten once. Since the enemy forces, now closer in number, were leaving their fort to engage in unfavorable combat, there was no justifiable reason to hold back their own troops. To dampen the soldiers' spirits based on unverified speculation would be even more foolish. Yet, as the battle resumed, Logan and the Liberty forces quickly realized the enemy's strategy. "Sir Gile, please stay behind and guard against any unforeseen variables. With equal forces, we have the advantage." A unified force with a clear command would outperform a coalition force. Karyl’s reasoning was sound. However, as the engagement unfolded, unexpected events began to occur. "Die!!" "This is madness...!" BAM! The Liberty knights at the vanguard suddenly veered, colliding with their own comrades. Neigh! The once-mighty warhorses halted mid-charge, rearing and scattering in all directions. With their formation disrupted, the Liberty knights couldn't withstand the enemy cavalry's charge. Boom! The vanguard exploded like a collapsing wall. To Liberty's commanders, it was a scene straight out of a nightmare. "What is happening!?" "The enemy is up to something weird!" "What exactly is going on!?" Their own forces were inexplicably self-destructing. It was impossible for them to comprehend why. However, from his position in reserve, Logan clearly saw it. A strange, gray energy manipulated the movements of the leading knights and their horses. 'There they are!' – They used an unknown and bizarre magic. It controls minds and detonates corpses. – It was like something out of a legend, a demon's trick. Recalling Victor's report, Logan's eyes scanned the battlefield swiftly. ‘Where? Where are you?’ As his brown eyes caught a glint of gold, Logan pinpointed the source of the magic among soldiers who were cutting down their comrades. Neigh! "Lord Gile!" Karyl shouted as Logan shot forward without a word, but he was just as bewildered. Witnessing the absurdity of allies attacking each other, he had fallen into a state of panic. Thus, even as he watched Logan charge ahead, he failed to provide any support. The sight of a lone silver aura-flaring rider bolting across the field soon commanded the enemy's attention. [There he is] The message magic conveyed the alert, and the enemy magicians scattered across the allied forces nodded simultaneously. Each began targeting the silver flash of a horseman. Yet, Logan could clearly see the gray mana approaching him. ‘Tch. Annoying.’ He easily severed the gray mana coming his way, but he couldn't help those whose minds were already ensnared by magic. "Dieee!" A knight bearing the blue banner of Liberty lunged at Logan with bloodshot eyes. Logan frowned slightly and deftly dodged the spear, striking the knight in the face. He couldn't simply kill a fellow knight in full view of his own men. But. Thud! The knight hit to the face was unseated and tumbled to the ground. In this battlefield, unconsciousness equated to death. However, all the nearby allies turned their attention toward Logan. Soon a visible corridor opened in Logan's path. And at the end of that path— Slice. As the silvery aura blade sliced through the neck of one of the enemy soldiers, “Ah?!” “Ugh. Why am I...?” “Wh-what happened!” Dozens of soldiers engaged in melee snapped back to their senses simultaneously. Logan confirmed this and went around the battlefield, killing one enemy soldier after another. And with each repetition, Liberty soldiers trapped in madness gradually regained their senses. “Is it...?” "Get a grip!" "The enemy’s advancing!" "Sir Gile is defeating their wicked schemes!" Even amidst their panic, Liberty troops began to rally late, seeing Logan stand unrivaled on the battlefield. Amidst the chaos. [Die.] A sinister voice reached Logan's ears, and suddenly, the darkest, most ominous gray aura he had encountered so far began to seep into his body.