◈ 525. [Side Story] Discipline (2)
Whether or not the air on our side became cold, Mikhail continued.
“Our Vermillion kingdom is in a remote area in the northwest of the world. It’s a very beggarly environment with deserts, snowy mountains, and even the sea nearby. In other words, monsters invade from everywhere.”
“… .”
“I’ve been dealing with monsters since I first rode my griffon at the age of five. And to be honest, I don’t think dealing with monsters is that difficult.”
Mikhail gently stroked the neck of the griffon standing behind him and looked straight at me.
“Prince Ash. You inflated the threat of a monster invasion to scare the world, and as an excuse you launched this gigantic alliance. To lay the foundation for the Everblack Empire to unify the world.”
“… .”
Silent, I shrugged.
“So what do you want to do, Crown Prince of Vermillion?”
“I will prove it. That a monster invasion is a minor crisis.”
Mikhail spread his hand out in front of him.
“When the next monster invades, let’s compete with the blue sky knights and the unit under your direct control. Which one has a higher criminal record.”
“Hoo… .”
I unknowingly smiled, baring my teeth.
“What if you win? What will happen?”
Mikhail answered without hesitation.
“Take command of the front lines here… We, the Sky Knights, will take over.”
Lucas was furious, but I restrained him with my hand.
The boy knight Mikhail continued to speak in a sonorous voice.
“It doesn’t matter if you are the head of the alliance. But we will take command of the front lines.”
“… .”
“That way, we’ll be able to keep your Everblack Empire’s dominance in check in this huge alliance.”
indeed.
Pretty hairy for a fifteen-year-old.
As the empire is overwhelming in terms of actual national power, the position of the head of the alliance is not touched. By proving that they are more competent at dealing with monsters, they aim for command of the front lines.
‘If successful, here on the world defense front, an alliance of all countries in the world… … The national prestige of the Vermillion Kingdom rises at once.’
The name of the young crown prince will be widely known on the international stage.
Moreover, the match itself had a fairly good chance for the Sky Knights.
Air cavalry, the Sky Knights, all riding on griffons… … .
In the game, it’s a force that can only be obtained in the second half of the third year, but it’s still very useful, so I put it to good use. It is obviously a very good quality elite.
You would have thought it was a fight worth fighting for, and in fact, it has quite a chance.
The problem is that if the frontline commander here is a sane person, there’s no way he would accept a match like this.
“Fun.”
I’m not quite normal.
“Let’s like it.”
I accepted it coolly, and Lucas looked at me with his mouth wide open.
“Master?!”
“But the conditions must be clear.”
Pushing Lucas away, I bluffed Mikhail.
“If I win. You and your Sky Knights must become my faithful limbs. don’t you agree?”
“of course.”
As if he had made up his mind to that extent, Mikhail nodded happily.
But at my words that followed, my face went pale.
“If it’s water, it bites; if it’s dead, it’s dead; okay?”
“no… that’s a little… … .”
“We have to do the Griffon Air Show. I will ask for it at every event. Flying in formation with three turns in the air!”
“… .”
“Anyway, I’m going to pamper you until the bones fall out, but you can’t complain at that time. okay?”
Mikhail thought for a moment, but then nodded.
“good. accept it.”
In fact, there’s not much to lose over there.
Even if you stay still, you will become my subordinate as a member of the alliance. Before that, there will be an opportunity to compete for the command position. There’s no reason to refuse.
“Good. The next defense is in a week.”
I smiled and reached out into the new barracks.
“Don’t expect it, Mikhail Vermillion. I dared to bet on the monster frontline to defeat the monsters, so I’m looking forward to seeing how great they will show.”
“… .”
“Now then, until then, do not make trouble and move in quietly. Hurry in!”
Only then did the Blue Knights, who were having trouble moving in, began to enter the new barracks one by one, dragging their griffons.
I whispered to Mikhail, who was about to head into the barracks with his griffon.
“And this is advice.”
“huh?”
“The monsters you’ve met and the monsters on the Monster Front are completely different. Please keep that in mind.”
“… .”
Mikhail looked at me with clear eyes, and then went inside again, dragging the griffon.
As soon as Mikhail was gone, Lucas lunged at me with a whoaaaagh sound.
“Why did you accept it, my lord?!”
“Eh? We will win, but is there a problem?”
“There is no such thing as one thing! The betting conditions are strange! We have so much to lose and you have nothing to lose!”
Lucas sounded stern, as if scolding my emotional response.
“If we lose, then why are you taking such an inefficient gamble if you hand over the command!”
“If it’s enough to beat us, wouldn’t it be bad to leave it to them?”
“yes?”
“That’s why you’re saying that they’re competent and well-informed when it comes to fighting monsters?”
“uh… .”
Lucas let out a blank sound. I chuckled.
“yes? If they can beat us, they’re very talented. It will be fine if you leave it to me.”
“That too… It is, but… . no um… … .”
Of course not.
I calmly grasp the stats of our army and the Vermillion Sky Knights.
And in reality, there are all kinds of variables and real abilities that cannot be explained simply by stats alone.
‘I can’t lose.’
Stat Variables In all respects… … we are ahead
The attack must be carried out in the realm of certainty.
I was confident of a hundred out of one hundred victories.
“And there is a lot to gain from this one game.”
“A lot?”
“Michael is one of the strongest in the world, and the Sky Knights are a high-quality manpower that stands out among the troops joining this time.”
I clenched my fists as I turned to my men.
“If I break them down and make them a habit, the rest of the troops will naturally obey me.”
In short, Mikhail and the Sky Knights challenged our side as representatives of the newly joined troops.
It is also necessary to run an organization to break the nose of such a cheeky and ambitious newcomer.
‘On the contrary, I’m grateful for the first fight.’
You don’t have to convince me in detail. If this event were to take place once, the ordering would be complete.
“Aren’t you crazy about newbies like that, guys?”
Looking around at his subordinates, he asked in a provocative manner, and heat immediately spread across the faces of his subordinates.
“Let’s show the kids who ignored the fight we’ve been fighting.”
I laughed fiercely, baring my molars.
“The battle against the real monster of a veteran of the monster front… !”
***
“Ah! Winning and taking command! Gwain was going to do it first!”
a few days later
I was checking the situation of the castle wall in preparation for the monster invasion that was soon approaching.
Come to think of it, I almost had a 5v5 PVP with Dusk Bringer and her dragon blood knights. Somehow, things went away… … .
“Did rumors spread about this match?”
“It spread all over the city! A showdown between Prince Ash and Prince Mikhail for command! There is no one who does not know!”
‘I was first~!’
“Is the Archduke still aiming for command?”
“Hmm?! Isn’t that obvious? Guwain is always aiming for the scruff of your neck!”
Having said that, Dusk Bringer playfully clung to my back, then opened his mouth and bit me on the nape of my neck.
stop over there The Archduke’s teeth are so sharp that it stings.
As she managed to remove the Dusk Bringer and put it down, she tilted her head and asked.
“But are you really going to be okay? The Sky Knights are one of the most prestigious knights throughout the continent. It has a reputation comparable to that of the Dragon Blood Knights. Are you sure you can win?”
“Of course it is.”
I’m on the other side of the wall… … I looked at the southern plains.
“Above all, fighting between people is not that important.”
“huh?”
“The next monster invasion coming soon is also formidable.”
It is the 3rd year.
Now, the normal stage wave also comes with more powerful and terrifying monsters than before.
“If there is even a bet, wouldn’t the prestigious Sky Knights fight even harder? Our kids will be stimulated and even squeeze out the strength they used to suck.”
“… .”
“We also test how well we fight and how well we fight, and there are only good things.”
When new people come into the organization, they can stimulate each other like this and lead to good competition.
If these chemistry can be put to good use, there’s no reason not to.
Dusk Bringer, who opened his mouth small and made a sound like hoo~, lowered his big dragon face slightly and asked.
“But in the end, in this confrontation, some troops who do not follow your tactical command will protrude. Are you okay though? Doesn’t it reduce operational efficiency?”
“The next defense battle is fine.”
southern plains.
I nodded my head as I glared at the defense toward the black lake behind it.
“It’s a battle that becomes easier when the airborne cavalry fight each other and draw attention.”
That’s right, the opponent’s monster for the next defense is… … .
***
On the day of the defense battle. early afternoon.
The troops lined up on the wall swallowed dry saliva and glared at the southern sky.
Doo doo doo doo-!
The sound of helicopter wings spinning echoes through the sky.
The ones that appeared, dyeing the sky black, were huge monsters in the form of beetles.
thick upper. Various horns on the head.
And wings that oscillate while wide open, and six legs that are thickly extended.
It’s an army of beetles.
“Wowaaaaaa!”
“It’s disgusting!”
Quilan and Junior, who are weak against insects, screamed at the same time.
I clicked my tongue inwardly. Hey, though, beetles are worth looking at. It must have been a centipede or a bar teacher. I passed out first.
‘Just in time, it’s a flying monster… … .’
I slightly turned my head to the side to look at the waiting Sky Knights.
When is the time when air cavalry shines the brightest? It’s time to deal with the flying monster. They will be able to fully demonstrate their combat power today.
“… ?”
however.
How come our Mikhail, the leader of the Blue Sky Knights and Crown Prince of the Vermilion Kingdom… … The face is white. My fingertips are also trembling slightly.
Approaching, I asked curiously.
“Mikhail? um now… … Are you nervous?”
“Is that possible? It’s the first form of monster you’ve ever seen, so you’re just a little taken aback?”
“… Are you weak against bugs?”
I asked because I was really worried, but Mikhail opened his eyes wide and stubbornly denied it.
“No no?! We, the people of the Kingdom of Vermillion, have griffon blood! And the griffon bravely chews all kinds of bugs! I can chew and eat bugs even raw!”
“Well, you don’t have to eat…” … .”
I tried to calm Mikhail down.
No, I sincerely hope that you will fight well in full condition. Safe and brave without injury huh?
“What is this… .”
“It’s too big, too many numbers… .”
The other knights of the Sky Knights also seemed to be taken aback.
The problem was not that the enemy was a bug monster, but that it was a monster of a size and scale that they had never faced before.
In the meantime, most of the soldiers of Crossroads, who had become accustomed to battle, were watching the army of monsters rushing in unwaveringly, but the new soldiers were already trembling and walking backwards.
“You… Why aren’t you nervous?”
One of the knights of the Sky Knights asked one of the Crossroads soldiers in a trembling voice.
Then, the Crossroads soldier smiled and replied.
“This is medicine. I’ve dealt with a lot of bad guys.”
The new knights and soldiers opened their mouths. Mikhail also looked up at the sky in disbelief.
I, who was listening to this conversation from the back, laughed. Don’t be too surprised, guys.
You guys will get used to it after you get tired of dealing with local specialties.
‘That’s how everyone becomes a veteran.’
At that moment, a scout was heard shouting loudly.
“They are approaching within range!”
