392 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 392 "Long live His Majesty the King!" "Long live McLine!" "Smash the Empire for us!" "Uwaaah!" As a hundred cavalry entered the eastern gate of Kyle, the citizens cheered fervently. "Th-that’s His Majesty the King..." "And the Queen next to him is so beautiful." "And the knights too!" The king's personal command in the face of the nation's crisis naturally gave the citizens of Kyle hope. - If the king has come here himself, it means we have a fighting chance. That's what everyone believed. Understandably, those who were most anxious about the war news welcomed the royal procession more enthusiastically. 'That's why this spectacle holds significance.' Logan, at the forefront of the procession, responded to the citizens' cheers with a smile, then turned his gaze to the side. He saw his wife's mouth slightly twitching as she maintained her smile, just like him. It was a pitiful sight, but unavoidable. With the entire vigilante force from the midwestern region already gathered in Kyle, boosting the citizens’ morale could directly enhance military might. 'Just bear with it a little longer.' At least when he looked at his wife, his smile was sincere, which meant he had to keep glancing her way for his act to appear a bit more natural. Only after this arduous march concluded did Logan finally reach the inner castle. "Phew, this is truly an impossible task." "You've worked hard, Your Majesty." "You also endured a lot." Logan smiled as he handed a cup of water to Jorge, who bowed his head. "Aren't you worried?" "Excuse me?" "I mean, we've sent the 4th and 5th Divisions and allied reinforcements to the northern and southern fortresses while gathering only the vigilantes here. Doesn't that make you uneasy?" Many still clung to outdated notions and doubted the vigilantes' strength, especially since little information was available about the new group of five superhuman warriors — Ailen, Ronian, Viktor, Bourdel, and Victoria. It was understandable to feel uneasy. However. "How could I be, when Your Majesty is here?" Once the kingdom's finest commander under Wicken Callia, the elite knight spoke without a shred of hesitation. A cough was heard from behind him. "Hem, hem." A towering figure with a scar running from his right forehead to above his left lip twitched. Next to him stood a beautiful girl, looking into the distance as if embarrassed by her master, fanning herself. "Haha, it's also thanks to the wizards from the Golem Tower and the magic corps that we're reassured, isn't it?" Logan couldn’t help but chuckle at Jorge's comment. "The decision was also because Kyle Castle can accommodate a much larger force than the newer fortresses. You can guess." The north’s Shield Fortress hosts the 2nd and 4th Divisions, alongside Liberty’s forces. The superhumans deployed there include the sword master, Bourdel, Luther Kyle, and Gunter Liberty, Liberty’s duke. The south’s Armor Fortress will see the combined forces of the 3rd and 5th Divisions and Terronan troops against the Empire. The superhumans there are Ronian, Viktor, Wicken Callia, and Terronan’s wall, Latin Lawrence, along with mage Gustav Clement. Considering the lack of powerful forces like his master or himself in Armor, 'Tyr' was attached to support Ronian. Had it not been, the ghostly foes that appeared in the training ground would have been killed by Tyr the moment they entered the royal palace. - Tranquil. Bored. Observing the scenery Tyr relayed, it was still quiet at the southern fortress. 'It all begins here.' In Kyle Castle, the expected first battlefield, the 1st Division will join with the magic corps and nearly 300,000 vigilantes. 'The superhumans are myself, Ailen, Clayton, and Victoria.' The kingdom's security during wartime will be managed by the remaining 200,000 vigilantes. This concentration of the kingdom’s forces into three main strongholds was a deployment strategy crafted through the East Wing King's intelligence (such as the dispersion of the Empire's superforces) and consultations with his advisers to maintain balance in power projection. Of course, given the scale of the vigilantes and the magic corps, the forces in Kyle Castle might seem somewhat excessive. - The Imperial Central Army’s elites include both the Sword Soul and the Sorcerer of Whirlwinds. We have no intel on them, so it could indeed be stronger than the northern and southern forces, or just as strong. Damian's opinion was convincing enough to finalize this deployment. However, there was one critical flaw in this strategy. "How are the vigilantes' training sessions?" "...They’re proceeding as instructed. Adaptation is rapid." "Is that so?" "The period is short, but since the orders are straightforward, there shouldn't be any issues. Though, in live combat, who knows." "We have to take that risk." At this point, no groundbreaking or complex training could be ordered. Instead, they focused on basic drills essential for real combat, like maintaining ranks within the larger army and retreating behind the walls when enemies scaled them. In reality, the vigilantes gathered from all over McLine were just townsfolk trained solely to use repeating crossbows. They’d never practiced large-scale battles. They'd probably do their jobs well enough with the enemies outside the fort, but in skirmish situations, they’d be nothing more than meat shields. Logan's orders were merely guidelines to mitigate that weakness, hardly calling them training. "And the weapons?" "The stock of Liberatio and other armaments grows surprisingly fast. Tarren’s arcane workshop promised to prioritize sending half their production here." "...Surprisingly fast?" "Yes. If only they had produced at this rate earlier..." "There are rumors that dwarves’ screams echo throughout the magic workshops, Your Majesty." Jorge extended the conversation with a chuckle, only for an unexpected voice to cut in. "Lord Clayton?" "I stopped by for a moment, and Hamar seemed half-crazed with determination. He kept saying he must protect 'his country.' At least for now, there shouldn't be a shortage of expendable weapons." "Hamar? Seriously?" That dwarf working diligently without oversight or coercion? It was hard to believe. 'Well, I suppose good news is good.' Though momentarily taken aback, Logan decided not to dwell on it. He couldn't afford to disrupt something proceeding smoothly due to the constrained circumstances. "What’s the location of the Imperial Army?" "They should appear within sight in about three days." "...So far, the information checks out." Logan recalled the face of the Eastern Wing King. 'Is he really planning to betray the Empire? That treacherous king?' Despite having no faith in his ever-grinning face and dubious words, the information provided by him had been accurate so far. "Yes. Hence, how about implementing the plan we discussed previously?" "Oh, you mean severing the Empire's supply line?" "Yes." Jorge's eyes were earnest, and his suggestion was worth considering. The information sent by the Eastern Wing King included detailed routes of the Empire's logistics. However, the plan had already been discussed among close aides since the Empire’s declaration of war, only to be abandoned. Because the main problem couldn’t be resolved. "Even the supplies that travel with each legion would suffice for several days of combat. But if we divert our forces to strike at the Empire's rear, can we defend the castle?" In modern full-scale warfare between nations, the conflict often comes down to clashes among monsters like knights, wizards, aura users, and sorcerers, from a common person’s perspective. When these monsters leap over or demolish fortresses, the struggle tips and the battle is effectively determined. Unless both sides are extremely unwilling to expend forces, as seen in the Grandia civil war of a past life, battles rarely extend beyond weeks within a fortress. "A few days at best..." "Moreover, while we've poured all our resources into this war, the Empire hasn't. The same goes for resources. Even if we disrupt the supply routes, how long can we maintain it?" "..." "And above all, the biggest issue is we still can't completely trust the 'spy's' information. It’s accurate for now, but there’s no guarantee it will remain so." They might establish trust only to betray at a critical moment. This concern is inherent in any information source, and McLine must exercise utmost caution in decision-making. Jorge's face turned red with embarrassment from the harsh scrutiny. "I apologize. It was thoughtless of me..." "You took the fall for me." Logan interrupted Jorge’s apology with a disgruntled expression. "...Pardon?" "I said the same and got grilled by Damian. He said I lacked insight. Welcome, comrade." "...Pardon?" "Puhaha!" A bright laugh erupted from behind the awkwardly laughing Jorge, capturing everyone’s attention. It was Victoria, who covered her mouth with her hand and bowed her head, a smile on her reddened face. Her mentor, looking down at her with a mixture of disbelief and disapproval, quickly bowed to Logan. "My apologies, Your Majesty." A subtle chuckle escaped. "It's fine. We could all use a bit of amusement. Ah, Sir Jorge, don't let this dishearten you. Always share your thoughts for the sake of the nation. Surely you’re not upset that we're on the same level, are you?" "...How could I be, Your Majesty? It is an honor." Jorge bowed with a smile at the king’s warm consideration. "Your approach has become quite gentle. It showed admirable consideration, Your Majesty." As they exited the office to inspect the walls, Clayton trailed immediately behind, wearing a satisfied smile. Logan looked at him curiously. "Consideration?" "To maintain Sir Jorge's morale... Wasn't it a deliberate gesture?" "Ah...? Oh! Yes, indeed. Consideration. Haha, precisely. People do need to grow, after all. You can't manage everything with reprimands or force forever, haha." Logan's response was belated, as the initial silence had been lengthy. 'Was he genuine!?' Clayton felt somewhat embarrassed for having briefly admired the young ruler’s apparent growth. Yet even with such doubt, the transparency and sincerity of the young monarch's actions reflected a charm that made Clayton chuckle inadvertently. 'I guess I've completely bought into it.' Initially, he had aligned with them for the future of his disciples and a steady income source. How had such a simple association led to this point? Perhaps driven by the upcoming grand war, Clayton found himself absorbed in emotions, while the young ruler seemed to misconstrue his laughter. "I'm serious, truly! It was all to bring some cheer as consideration for Sir Jorge." …If you say so. Clayton could only chuckle and sigh at the irony. Three days later. At the expected time, the Imperial Army came into view, whether fortuitously or unfortunately. "They’re coming!" "The Imperial Army is approaching!" "Alert!" The morale at Kyle Castle, formerly soaring high with the king's presence, began to wane the moment Imperial banners materialized across the fields. Their gleaming silver armor and radiant weapons shone brightly. Over 150,000 troops, adorned with golden dragon emblems on their chests or shields, moved with seamless precision. Their unwavering coordination, even among the frontline knights and soldiers, exuded an indescribable aura of intimidation. "What are those strange formations?" "It's unsettling..." Amidst the murmurs, ordinary soldiers expressed their discomfort at the overwhelming pressure, while those with military knowledge could only tighten their expressions. 'How does one train such a colossal force to march in unison as if breathing as one?' Faced with the eerie terror invoked by the Imperial Army's movements, Logan's expression naturally hardened. "So, that is the Imperial Central Army..." These were the true elite forces of the Empire, forces that had not appeared during the campaign against Grandia in his previous life. "The amount of training must be incredible. Although, I’m not sure that kind of coordination can come just from training." "These are the opponents we must face." "Yes. We are no less prepared." "Indeed, we are." At Jorge’s words, Logan took a deep breath. There was no longer any path to retreat. In fact, this might be the moment he had been waiting for. 'Finally...' The turning point that brought down his family and ruined the nation. The disaster that had sealed the fate of his self-destructed life. Now, he had the chance to overcome that disaster with his own hands. Feeling his heart race in ways he couldn’t comprehend, Logan gripped the stone wall with trembling hands. Crack. Unable to withstand the pressure, a piece of the stone wall crumbled in his grasp. At that very moment, the Imperial Army, now closer, restructured its formation. Seeing this, Logan, channeling the boiling mix of emotions within his chest, shouted with all his might. "I, Logan McLine, King of McLine, challenge the Empire’s foremost swordsman, Tris Hornsby, to single combat!" Logan's voice, imbued with immense force, resonated beyond the walls of Kyle Castle, shaking the entirety of the battlefield.