[ Episode 204. Movement and variable ]
The news that Mayton, located in the rear, was attacked spread to all battlefields.
It was a surprise attack, and above all, it was a battle in which he won a great victory against troops with a difference of nearly 10 times, so rumors couldn’t help but spread.
“As expected, you are Adrias-senpai.”
Upon hearing the news, Louis murmured.
He also participated in this war, and the place he was assigned to was Facrael, one of the territories located in the rear.
It was a territory connecting Mayton, the largest logistics base, and the front.
As such, if Mayton had been captured, the next target would have been Facrael, but Adrias’ performance made it impossible.
“I thought you applied for such a rearguard with some ulterior motive, but did you know the information in advance?”
Aside from Luis, who was genuinely admiring, someone said suspiciously to himself.
When Louis turned his head at that self-talk, a woman with a languid expression was lying face down on the castle wall.
“Senior Lucia. Dangerous.”
“yes? are you okay. don’t die.”
“Dangerous is dangerous, but it’s not good for soldiers’ morale. Please come down.”
“You are a bit nagging.”
Lucia got up from her seat.
Then, while balancing on the wall, he jumped inside.
Louise sighed as she stared at the scene dangerously.
“Senior Lucia. We are not here to play.”
“I’m going to stay for today anyway, so don’t worry too much about it.”
Luis scratched his head at Lucia’s confident words.
This unusual senior from the Faculty of Magic came with the Everlast Merchant who showed up two days ago to deliver supplies.
She stayed for two days and left, showing no signs of tension about the war.
It was Louis who was curious about what was going on in his head when he saw his light appearance, as if he was out for a walk.
“But it is a great major. To be honest, if I couldn’t block it in Mayton, the supply route would be cut off, and of course, it would have been surrounded in front and back. We would be in danger if we did.”
“Yes. It would have been impossible to have such a leisurely conversation by now. Maybe…….”
He swallowed the words that he could have died while blocking the advancing enemies from the rear.
It wasn’t that he looked down on the savages, but he was confident in his skills.
Besides, I heard that Lucia in front of me is always languid on the outside, but her skills are not lacking.
Perhaps the two of them could have survived together.
“What are you thinking?”
“I imagined what would have happened if Mayton hadn’t stopped it.”
“How could it be? They must all be dead.”
“Do you really think so? I may sound arrogant when I say this, but I am quite confident in my skills.”
“War is not something that can be solved by individual abilities.”
Lucia leaned her back against the wall and said.
“The only exceptions are superhumans. Even superhumans can be blocked with the same superhuman.”
“I meant to survive.”
“How much easier it would be to live in the world if things were that easy. War has all kinds of variables. Are you the only one surviving? Of course it’s possible. If you can’t see your comrades dying right in front of you, if you can’t hear the screams of the innocent people in the castle, it’s possible.”
At Lucia’s words, Louis was at a loss for words.
He felt ashamed of himself for ignoring Lucia’s attitude a moment ago.
“Of course I will do my best to survive. Because that’s a hundred times better than being killed by a dog with useless emotions. However, this is possible because I am a wizard who judges only with reason. Could an aspiring knight like you do such a thing?”
“……It seems impossible.”
“okay. That’s the difference between a knight and a wizard. That judgment is not wrong. It’s just that my choices are different from mine.”
Lewis nodded.
Hearing her words and thinking again, he realized that there was a high probability that he might be killed if enemies swarmed in Mayton.
“The win at Mayton was symbolic, but it was a huge strategic gain. More than threatening the rear, it must have caused a big setback to the role of the supply route. It would have completely turned the tide.”
“Really… Senior Adrias did a great job.”
“It was always like that. Because I’m an idiot trying to take responsibility for everything while quietly suffering alone behind the scenes.”
A self-deprecating smile crept across Lucia’s face.
Unlike the past, when I was happy whenever I thought of Adrias, I felt increasingly frustrated these days.
From what happened with Salem, I knew he had connections with the underworld.
I wouldn’t have been able to have that conversation with Salem Yedidiah otherwise.
And I knew that he was quiet on the outside, but he was always busy and doing something.
I pretended not to care much, but I was always checking his movements.
‘Because I’m a benefactor.’
I thought so hard.
The reason she cares about him is because she was saved by him, not because of other feelings.
“From hearing that, it seems that Lucia-senpai has a close relationship with Adrias-senpai.”
“It’s like that.”
“Honestly, I still don’t know much about Adrias. It’s certainly not that he doesn’t talk much, and he’s not acting like something, but it’s an atmosphere that’s hard to approach.”
“Senior is just an idiot.”
“yes?”
Lucia smiled and shook her head at Louis’ embarrassing question.
“Nothing. One thing is for sure, you are mistaken. Seniors aren’t cold people, so you don’t have to be so hard on them.”
“All right. Still, I want to experience it firsthand rather than just hearing about it.”
“okay.”
While affirming Louis’ words, she thought too.
In the end, the way to confirm your true feelings is with Adrias.
“I’ll have to check it myself.”
I don’t know when that will be.
**
I visited the Earl of Mayton, who was busy doing post-war processing.
Even though he had a troubled expression on his face, he immediately greeted me brightly when he saw my face.
“Oh dear! The hero of Mayton has arrived!”
“You are suffering a lot.”
As soon as I brought out the formal greeting, the Count immediately offered me a seat.
“Don’t stand, sit down. It can’t be if the benefactor is having a hard time. Why did you find me all of a sudden?”
“I have a request.”
“ask?”
He shook his head, but spoke quickly.
“If it’s Lord Cromwell’s request, I’ll do anything. What do you want?”
“I’m trying to change my unit.”
It must have been an unexpected request.
It is a request that no one would have expected.
However, in order to move as planned, it was necessary to move unconditionally.
Because my next battlefield wasn’t here.
“It is not a difficult request. Is there a place you want?”
“I want to go to Claudia.”
“Claudia? Claudia… I see.”
Earl Mayton, who accepted it coolly, put on a curious expression, but did not bother to ask.
It would give the impression that I knew and plotted something, but it was an unavoidable loss if I wanted to protect everyone.
“Are you leaving right now?”
“Is it possible?”
“It’s very unfortunate, but if Lord Cromwell wants to do that, I’ll stamp it right away.”
He not only spoke, but also wrote letters and took pictures of seals.
Then he handed the letter to me and said.
“The Claudia Marquis family has been close to our family for generations. I will contact you with the Communication Artifact in advance.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“no! It doesn’t compare to how you saved Mayton. If this war ends in the near future, I will definitely repay the favor, so look forward to it. I will show my benefactor that our Mayton family is not just such a family.”
“You look at me so well that I don’t know what to do. I hope that Cromwell will have a close relationship with Mayton in the future.”
“Of course! Rather, I want to ask you from my side.”
After the conversation, I went back to my room and packed my things.
Since I had told Fione in advance, her preparations were completed in an instant.
“It is very fortunate. Honestly, do you know anything about this war?”
“I do not know.”
I dismissed Pione’s suspicious question and rode on.
The place we are going to now is the Marquis Claudia’s territory located ahead.
Although not at the forefront, it seemed that simultaneous local warfare was taking place.
“Well, if I just report it, the judgment will be made from above. Be careful, old man. Because I’m recording every move.”
“okay. work hard.”
It’s a pity for Fione, but this time I won’t do anything that stands out myself.
This plan is difficult to solve on my own.
So I’d rather not step out.
‘If everything goes according to plan, I’ll be able to solve it even if I stay still. It’s easier thanks to going to Harungel’s grave.’
If there is a variable, it is the butterfly effect I created.
Originally, Mayton should have been captured.
But in the end, I succeeded in protecting it, and the ordeal that should have been directed at Louis and Lucia was abolished.
‘The more you overcome the trials, the stronger your playability is, but…’
I should have stopped this time.
War is like a monster that sucks in everything.
If it was Louis or Lucia, who I play, I would have solved it safely because I knew the information, but now they had no information.
Of course, they also became much faster and much stronger than the original game speed, but the presence or absence of information surpasses even military force.
“I’m having a hard time because the train is blocked.”
Phione muttered next to her on horseback.
This is unavoidable because trains on the northern route were suspended due to the war.
I told her, calculating the approximate distance traveled.
“You can relax. It will arrive in a week.”
“yes. Anyway, homelessness has given me a win. And you should have a lot of experiences like this now.”
Actually, I don’t know much about Pione.
It was not a character who entered the academy in the first place, and her family was the Marquis of Ardi, who was pro-emperor, but in the game, there was little to do with the imperial palace except when receiving rewards.
So, there was absolutely nothing to do with the Marquis of Ardi.
It was a high-ranking aristocratic family called the Marquis, but it was not a family of great importance, so I only knew the name.
“Have you ever been homeless while being the daughter of a marquis?”
“Anyway, since I’ve already told you that I’m an informant, I’ll be honest with you. Because I don’t want to arouse suspicion from you like a monster, and I’m not loyal to the imperial palace.”
“It’s fun. So what do you have to tell me?”
“You know that there is an intelligence bureau in the imperial palace, right?”
“uh. It’s an organization run by the Duke of Kazaf.”
“There are quite a few nobles belonging to the intelligence agency. Our Ardi family is one of them.”
“Are you training there too?”
“yes. That’s it. They go through all sorts of weird training. Not everyone gets it, only abandoned people like me get it. We are the family.”
It was surprising to see him say that he was an abandoned person.
From the time I proposed the deal to the emperor until now, I’ve seen her as a pretty ambitious woman, is that why?
“Still, I am not giving up. I have faith that I will definitely succeed.”
“It’s good to be positive.”
“I say these things because I am a senior. You know what it would be like if it were someone else, right?”
The more I look at him, the more he seems like someone who could use something.
Of course, I haven’t confirmed that ability yet, but at least if there was an advantage, the emperor would betray me and stand by my side.
‘If I thought the opposite, if there was an advantage, I would soon betray. Just like you’re doing now.’
She was openly saying that she was reporting to the emperor.
It’s rather reassuring because it’s not hidden.
But if you think about it, it seemed like you were trying to lower your guard by not hiding it on purpose.
“I’m bored, but let me ask you one question. Why are you going to Claudia?”
“I’m going to make a major.”
“What other information did you get? Like at a meeting?”
Seeing her openly accusing me of belonging to the gathering, I shrugged.
“What is a rally?”
“Stop flirting. Did you hear it all from Fade? And take it easy. If we spread this information, the fact that our family also traded with the assembly will be known and the family will be exterminated.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Actually, there was no information I heard at the meeting.
You don’t even have to ask because you already know everything.
Because it was a war that he had experienced dozens of times in the game, he knew all kinds of variables and the butterfly effect.
I used a different method back then, but this wasn’t the first time I’d saved Mayton.
“Eh, that’s okay. It’s as if you’ve revealed your identity at the time you accepted the deal with me anyway, but it’s frustrating.”
“for a moment.”
I pulled the horse’s reins.
Seeing me like that, Pione also stopped her hurriedly walking horse.
“What’s going on…”
Before she could finish her words, I kicked the horse’s back, drew my sword, and swung it.
Chun!
The shock spread so much that my hands tingled.
Even if you swing flawlessly, you can feel the heaviness.
This sense, no way…
“There must have been a guy who was quite usable.”
A voice came from the bush, and muscular naked men with menacing spirits appeared.
“If I see something out of the ordinary, I must catch it.”
The moment I saw the man talking lightly, I furrowed my brow.
Occurrence of unexpected unexpected variables.
‘He’s not the guy over here…’
He
was an Auror Master.
[ Episode 204. Movement and Variables ] End
