Chapter 237: Those Who Are Forced

***Arc 10 One Who Doesn't Acknowledge, Chapter 237 Those Who Are Forced***

Arc 11 Chapter 260 part 2, the last chapter of main story uploaded!! After that there's still 90 side chapters (ongoing)

Distrust of King Arkaz, who advocated a policy of cooperation and reconciliation with Alberan.

A faction that viewed this attitude as weak formed the Anti-Arkaz Alliance.

The large tribes Veeze and Meeklea, who suffered a lot of losses in the last war, led an uprising against King Arkaz's decision.

In the blink of an eye, the entire eastern region was conquered.

The man leading it was Ledo Rani, the chief warrior of the Rani, a tribe affiliated with Veeze.

After the Great War, he fought through the Elderant Civil War alongside King Arkaz, but parted ways due to a conflict of opinions over future policy.

At least from the information, there was nothing suspicious about him, and if he was a man who once fought under Veeze, then the reason was clear.

Revenge was the most obvious motive.

The three major tribes originally had a hostile relationship.

Veeze and Meeklea joined forces because they had a common enemy, Arkaz, who had escaped hardship and stolen the royal power, and the result was an army of 40,000.

The goal of its leader, Ledo, is to control the western part of Alberan and to establish a new nation, Vezrea, to replace the weak Elderant led by Arkaz.

Inevitably, they conquered the eastern area of Elderant and headed east.

They begin an invasion of western Alberan.

They broke through the border in the blink of an eye and took control of the city, choosing the large city of Michelsave, the base of the Western Army, as their first target, just before the Great Sea of Trees in the east.

One could say it was truly like a flash of lightning.

Politically, right after King Arkaz advocated a conciliatory policy, it was inevitable that Alberan would be taken by surprise by this invasion.

Envoys were traveling back and forth between the two countries for negotiations, including reparations for the prolonged war.

They never dreamed that an army of this size would launch an invasion.

War was just a means of diplomacy, not just violence.

Their choices were always rational rather than impulsive, and they operated on the tacit understanding that all international relations were always based on rational calculations.

Naturally, Alberan had no means to prevent this invasion that ignored that understanding.

The mob of rebels that appeared wreaked havoc in the west, and the army besieging Michelsave, the main base of the Western Front, swelled from forty thousand to sixty thousand in the triumphal mood.

On the other hand, the western general, Toluca Carnarius, made an emergency mobilization but it numbered only 20,000.

Using a part of Michelsave's population as militia, they totaled thirty thousand.

The numerical disadvantage was clear——and Michelsave was not an impregnable fortress.

Since the era of Aurugorn Hilkintos and his predecessors, the Western Front prioritized mobility.

Rather than concentrating forces in one stronghold for defense, they built small forts in various locations, luring the enemy through gradual retreats, wearing them down, and delivering a decisive blow.

The Elderant lack of cohesion, and the fact that a single tribe would repeatedly pillage and plunder in various parts of the country, was also another reason.

They place more emphasis on sustained battles than on decisive battles, and on defeating individual units through mobility, and when it comes to forts, they place more emphasis on quantity than on quality.

Michelsave was no exception, and unlike Wulfenite, it was not a city that could fight against a large army.

Ledo, aiming to establish Vezrea, took advantage of the superiority in numbers and attacked day and night.

Carnarius led a small group of elites magic possessor to carry out sabotage operations, took lifted the heads of the enemy commanders commanding the castle walls with his hands――seeing that further siege was impossible, Carnarius decided to retreat.

To open a gap to the east of the siege, they set out, and the leader of the rear was a highly esteemed veteran.

――Felworth Keithriton.

"...It's a face I've seen before. To meet again in this way, fate is a curious thing."

Surrounded by soldiers from both armies on a grassy plain, he wore silver armor shaped like a dragon and carried a large spear.

The old general had a smile on his deeply wrinkled face, dismounted from his horse, and played with his long beard.

"It looks like you're no longer a kid who I can take on opponents on horseback, Ledo of Rani."

"...I heard you were on your deathbed but"

He thrusted a giant sword almost as tall as his body into the ground.

Steel breast plate, gauntlets, and leg plate.

He was lightly armored to the point of concern as a military commander, yet he didn't even wear a helmet.

Despite bathing in a large amount of blood, his body remained unscathed.

"Now that we're on the battlefield, I won't show you any mercy. t's also a memento of that battle. ...Sorry, but I'll be taking your life, Keithriton."

Ledo said, looking uninterested.

The timing of the invasion of Alberan came after they received information from a spy that Keithriton had fallen.

It had been over 30 years since he turned 100 years old.

Ledo had heard rumors of his poor health for some time now, and that he had handed over the position of general to his lieutenant, Toluca Carnarius.

It was certain that he would die of old age soon.

Matching the timing with the disorder that would follow his death——that was what they planned but, donning red armor and carrying a large sword, there was still a spirit of a veteran warrior about him.

His spirit filled the room and there was no signs of aging.

Ledo who knew the great sage Ziglet, that lived for a hundred and fifty years, didn't underestimate just because of age.

Nevertheless, there was genuine admiration within him.

It was true that this man had collapsed and was lying down.

He must have overcome it through sheer willpower and chosen this place as his deathbed.

"Any more of this is a pointless battle. If you say you're going to surrender, I have no choice but to admit it...well, you don't seem like the kind of person who would say something like that."

"...Indeed"

Only 10,000 regular soldiers remained as the rear.

Those who fled were mainly wounded soldiers and 10,000 militiamen.

Regardless of the exact numbers, the withdrawal was only for humanitarian reasons.

The morale of the soldiers was high, and they could have fought to the end.

They simply took this measure to avoid involving the militias in the process――they were not acting for strategic gain.

Once the militias have successfully withdrawn, they had already fulfilled their purpose.

"It's just as you see it. If I could, I would like to die as a warrior."

"Truly a warrior. Both you and I have accomplished our goals. As generals, it's a draw――if we were to compare the outcome, there would be no other choice than crossing with blade. ...What do you think?"

And so was Ledo.

He accomplished his goal of conquering western Alberan.

This was just an afterthought.

Felworth Keithriton was an unmatched general, even in his old age, with a reputation that never diminished.

However, numbers superiority was absolute――even though his side might have suffered some damage, since Ledo has stepped into the main camp like this, the battle was as good as over over.

There was no need to ask. Just keep the momentum going and grind like this and done.

However, the reason why he made such a suggestion was probably because something was stirring within him.

"You're a warrior, Ledo. If you pledge to abide by the Holy Spirit Covenant on that sword, I'll comply. There are good soldiers here, and it would be better for them to fight here as a dead soldier with me than to be slaughtered as a prisoner of war."

Felworth laughed happily, and Ledo put his hand on the handle of the giant sword.

"Very well. ――I swear on this sword and name, Rani's Ledo will abide to it."

And without hesitation, he answered yes.

"Kuku, I can't believe I'm still having so much fun at this age...I had given up on my lifespan, but I feel honored."

Felworth held the large spear he was carrying.

Tranquility itself――an endlessly beautiful stance.

There was no hostility or murderous intent, but there was something that was simply overwhelming.

Like a giant tree that had spread its roots to the earth since ancient times, simply by the power of its own existence.

The skills and spirit accumulated over a hundred years, honed and refined——without showing even a slight flaw, they were sublimated into a single beauty.

The old general Felworth Keithriton was by no means a man blessed with talent.

However, although he was an ordinary man, he fought on hundreds of battlefields large and small.

The old tree that took root in the formless battlefield, over the years, had enveloped itself in flawless beauty.

Its heyday was in the distant past――it was surely on the verge of withering away now.

However, at this moment, as a warrior, the old general was at his peak.

It was like a large tree on the verge of withering and blooming with many flowers on its body.

"Come, Ledo. I may be old, but I'm not dead as a warrior yet."

Ledo narrowed his eyes and noticed that his own hands were hot.

His blood was boiling.

Facing a warrior worthy of respect.

――It was something that had been lost in that battle a long time ago.

The battlefield loses its luster, and battles turn into mere chore.

However, everything that should have been left behind was still here.

Or perhaps he was here to take it back.

That's why, even at the cost of discarding everything he had newly acquired, he was doing this.

Closing his eyes for a moment, he drew the giant sword from the earth.

And the left front half——dragging the tip of the giant sword to the right.

"Veeze's hunting squad leader under direct command of——Sword Princess Shelna Veeze. ...Ledo of Rani will take that life.

Ledo began to sprint like a beast.

"...How should we handle it?"

"I'm going. Taking Krische's army."

Inside Selene's room――Selene answered Kreschenta's question.

Elvena poured tea while looking at the two with anxiety.

"How about Onee-sam――"

"...Kreschenta. Rather than me worry more about Krische right now. Do you think she's in a position to take command on the battlefield?"

An uprising within Elderant and an invasion of western Alberan.

It was a surprising situation.

Diplomatic negotiations with Elderant had just begun——they were completely caught off guard.

'Don't worry', Selene told Kreschenta.

"The north and south can move without any problems, and the Alberinea army is the best army in the kingdom even without Krische. We have Kolkis and Aleha, as well as the Black Flag Special Forces and Jareia Gashea. I'm planning to ask General Remin to come as well. I won't push myself too hard like Krische, I'll just buy time. At least I won't lose."

Currently, only the Alberinea army could move instantly.

It would still take a few days for the others to be mobilized, and right now time was of the essence.

At the very least, they need to hold down the enemy's head in order to prevent them from advancing into the center.

Better to be hasty than slow.

In war, a slight delay could cause irreparable loss.

Delays took away options from the battlefield, took away leeway, and took away the stamina of soldiers.

It was perfectly natural to think that it would be better for Selene to lead the army herself than to have Krische, who was immersed in her research and in a bad mental state, stand on the battlefield――but Kreschenta expressed reluctance.

"If Onee-sama was an ordinary genius general, as Selene-sama said, I would leave it to. It's not that I'm saying you're incompetent and unreliable."

Crescenta said, pointing to the kingdom map pasted on the wall――Elderant, which was adjacent to the west.

"Even I am a little surprised at the timing of the invasion. I thought Elderant was at least not fatally stupid. I thought they wouldn't do anything that would worsen Alberan view of them but..."

Her fingertips traced her cherry lips and her eyes narrowed.

"According to the information about the uprising, it would be fine if it was just a simple uprising. However, the scale is too large for it to be a simple uprising. If it's an uprising of this magnitude, Elderant should have sensed it before it happens, and if that hadn't happened...''

"Elderant had a hand in it?"

"That's what I think. At the very least, I think they knew about it and let the uprising happen on purpose."

Kreschenta held up two of her fingers.

"There are two possibilities. King Elderant is manipulating the unrest behind the scenes and is intentionally trying to cause an uprising and have Alberan crush it. It's the worst diplomatically, but it's not bad in terms of establishing domestic order. "

'I don't care about this', she said, folding one of her fingers.

"The other one is that they're hoping for another war. Break through the center all at once and advance to the center of Alberan, disrupting it. If they disrupt the center of Alberan greatly, Elsren will try to interfere in some way. Dispelling the mindset of neighboring countries that they were no match for Alberan. Putting a dent in Alberan's dominance――well, in the end their intention is to drag us down ."

Kreschenta sipped the cup of warm tea filled with a generous amount of milk and honey and continued.

"The founding of Vezrea is the topic to note. Either way, I think it's almost certain that Elderant had an agenda behind it. I don't want to spend too much time on it. However, I can't order Selene-sama to end it so easily...My hope is, for Onee-sama to end it easily. Did you understand? "

While furrowing her brows, Selene nodded and sipped her tea.

"Of course, I don't want Onee-sama to push herself too hard, but there is no one more qualified than Onee-sama. ...If Selene-sama doesn't like it, I ask Onee-sama myself."

"......"

Serene's gaze wandered, she lowered her eyes, and then shook her head.

"...I'll go with you."

Then, the two of them went to the research room in the basement of the royal castle.

They knocked on the door at the end of the long hallway, but there was no answer.

They turned the knob to open the door, but it was locked from the inside.

The two frowned.

They had said to Krische to not locked the door.

It was also out of concern about her health.

"...Please wait a moment."

Selene's eyebrows furrowed and she tried to kick the door open, but Kreschenta stopped her with her hand and poured magic into the door to find out what was inside.

In some cases, Krische might be working with very delicate magic.

Rather than magic that was carved into a magic crystal, magic that is carved a spell in the atmosphere using magical power could experience changes in the spell even with a slight stimulation.

If that was the reason for locking the door, then there were times when Krische was literally using force to its limits, so rough methods were dangerous.

However, there was nothing particularly unusual going on, on the inside.

Kreschenta used her magic to operate the internal key and open the door.

"K-Krische...!"

A cylindrical container filled with liquefied magic.

Floating there was a nude Krische.

Her eyes were closed as if she was sleeping, and Kreschenta grabbed Selene's hand, who was panicked and tried to help her somehow.

Then Kreschenta looked around seriously, and looked at Krische.

The clothes and underwear were neatly folded.

Touching the container from the outside with her hand, she confirmed that it was definitely her sister, and used her magic to check the state of Krische's body.

"...Please don't worry. Onee-sama alive. Her heart is beating."

"What, is Krische doing...?"

"Right now, Onee-sama is researching things like souls...I also not really."

Her heart was beating.

However, there was no movement in the magical power.

It wasn't just that she was unconscious.

Even if one is asleep, magical power moves unconsciously.

At least Krische wasn't just asleep――she was unconscious for another reason.

Feeling anxiety, she made a formula and manipulated Krische's internal magic.

Although she was immersed in highly purified liquefied magic, she was in a state similar to that of an ordinary person who could not handle magical power――most of the magical power had been lost from Krische's body.

She frowned and tried to recover Krische from that condition.

"ah......"

It was then that Krische opened her eyes.

Somewhat blank stare――Kreschenta leap and placed her feet over the edge of her cylindrical vessel, pulling Krische's body up onto her floor, staining her dress with liquefied magic.

Krische's face contorted as she vomited, spitting the liquefied magic out of her mouth.

"Krische...!?"

"Onee-sama"

Selene patted Krische back, and Kreschenta put her hands on Krische's cheeks and looked into her eyes.

A glimmer of reason appeared in her empty eyes, and she moved her mouth slightly.

But she didn't speak, and she loses consciousness.

Kreschenta checked her condition with a frown, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"...She just fell asleep."

"Is Krische okay? She――"

"Maybe it's just fatigue and depleted magical power... Just to be sure, I'll stay here for a while and check Onee-sama condition. Once things calmed down, we'll go back to the mansion. Argan-sama will be more worried."

"......,yes"

Selene breathed a little relieved and looked at Krische.

She then strokes Krische's cheek and told Kreschenta.

"I'm going after all. I can't let this child go."

"...Selene-sama"

Selene held her eyes tiredly and she closed her eyes for a moment.

"Besides, there's nothing I can do while I'm here. I'll go as soon as possible. I'll leave the two of them to you."

She said, opening her eyes.

She averted her gaze from the sleeping Krische.

"...You, Krische, and Bery, are all doing what is needed to be done. I'm the only one who can't do anything....Don't worry, I'll properly do the bare minimum."

Selene said bitterly, 'I'll notify Anne', and headed out the door.

Kreschenta saw her off, and picked up Krische body, moving her to the couch.

There were no major problems. However, that was simply because Kreschenta arrived in time.

One wrong step and Krische might have not woken up.

Krische didn't pay attention to anything.

――Just, for Bery's sake.

Kreschenta stroked Krische's cheek and kissed her.

Then she looked at her sleeping face for a moment and clenched her fist.

"...Please believe me, Onee-sama."

With a wavering gaze, she lowered her head.

"I really wished for the same thing you wished for, Onee-sama."

'――I'm sorry.'

She huddled into Krische's body, as if clinging to it.

For a short period of time, it was like a storm.

That's how one might describe a fierce battle.

However, what was there was a literal storm.

The length of the blade was 5 shaku, the width was as wide as the palm of his hand, and its thickness was more like an iron plate than a sword.

An ordinary person wouldn't even be able to lift it.

If they were to swing it around, it would tear off muscles and tendons, and easily break bones.

With a sturdy bone structure, flexible muscles, and an extremely advanced sense of balance, someone possessing all these qualities could be said to be a kind of a genius.

He controlled and killed the centrifugal force of the huge sword that wield a grown man, and he gripped it with his unique gait and load shifting.

Rani's great sword――The enormous energy it generates was fully connected to the next flash, and it overlaps.

It was truly a foreign sword.

It was the exact opposite of orthodox sword techniques, which aim to manipulate the sword as if it were your own hands and feet.

Ledo manipulated his body into the sword accessory.

Instead of swinging the sword, he used his own body for the sword to swing around――the result was a combat technique that was beyond the comprehension of ordinary people that couldn't be called swordsmanship or taijutsu.

He acted like an amateur, leaving the center of gravity to the sword rather than himself.

The power of the sword being swung at high speed makes it swung his body around, as if dancing.

The violent slash that crushed the air would crush and bisect everything in its path, making it seem as if the giant sword were moving on its own.

Ledo's existence is like a decoration attached to the sword's handle――but due to the centrifugal force, the image of Ledo's body being swung around disappeared, and now only the afterimage of the blade remained.

The dancing giant sword was mythical.

The blade of victory that was said to belong to Koreis, the god of valor――a magic sword that dances on its own in order to cut down its master's enemies.

Lifeless and cold, the magic sword would not stop until it cut down its opponent.

The pressure and madness that resided there was like a storm of swords, chilling the spines of all who saw it, regardless of friend or foe.

It would cut right through even the most massive battle lines.

Armor and shields were no better than cloth before that sword pressure.

Even warriors who knew many formidable opponents couldn't accept this sight as reality.

What Rani's Ledo was holding was indeed the magic sword of Koreis.

"...!"

Even Felworth Keithriton couldn't do anything in front of it.

Unable to step into the sword storm in front of him, unable to thrust his spear, he simply widened the distance and avoid a direct hit.

The strain of wielding such a heavy giant sword would definitely eat away at the wielder physical strength, and he planned to wait for an opening――However, the sword's roar and speed never slowed down.

Continuing to spit blood from the previous battle, swinging the sword――Ledo dedicated everything, his life and all the talent that was bestowed to him, to this giant sword.

It was no longer an effort but an act of madness.

Ledo was no longer a person, but the sword itself, and the demon sword, to which he had given his everything, danced with joy as it consumed his soul.

There was no such thing as fatigue.

What was there was a demon sword whose soul would continue to dance forever.

The sword danced, playing the song of death, mocking the foolish person who had taken possession of God's property while in the body of a human being.

"Gugh..."

Even though Felworth body had deteriorated, his soul remain unclouded due to the many experiences he had accumulated.

――However, as long as he was human, it was not an opponent that Felworth could beat.

A natural reaction for a living being.

The overworked body and concentration, the body that had reached its limit screamed, and there was a momentary gap.

He immediately readied his spear, but it was pointless.

The blade swung down, slicing the iron-core spear in half and slicing from his right shoulder.

Felworth leaped, his face contorted in pain, escaping backward.

As if the spell had been broken, the wind weakened and Ledo appeared from within the storm.

"...It's the closing curtain, Keithriton. If you were younger, you would still be able to dance....But your body has reached its limits."

"Kuku...the growth of young people is amazing..."

Felworth lifted his cheeks even as he fell to his knees, covered in sweat and his face contorted in pain.

"Shelna Vese...the madness that resides in that sword...revenge huh"

Ledo dragged his sword and closed the distance.

His eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth.

"Save your preaching."

"I won't preach...I just feel pity."

Ledo pulled the sword from his waist with his left hand.

It was once a sword bestowed upon him by the king along with the name Yagarinea.

"With that much training, that much talent. A warrior of your caliber would have accomplished their goal no matter what. ...No matter what kind the opponent is, as long as they are within the realm of humans."

Even after losing all chance of victory, the old soldier still stood up.

"I praise you as a warrior. That's why I pity you. ...You won't gain anything."

The blade called pride on the left.

It could be called a useless struggle, and it was not a meaningful act.

However, it was only the path he had taken and his pride that made the old general stand.

"...That's my decision, Keithtiton. I thought I told said to save your preach."

However, the coolness reflected in his eyes.

There was no fear, hatred, or even hostility toward Ledo――just as he said.

There was even the kind of emotion in his eyes that an old man would have for his grandson.

"I...see...certainly, this can also be called...a sermon."

Felworth laughed and his body relaxed.

He seemed to fall down――but his feet took a step.

It was elegant and exquisite.

Literally the last swing of his life――now, Ledo only need to open up the distance and he would die.

However, Ledo complied and stepped in.

Despite its weight, his sword caught the wind――chasing out from behind and taking the lead.

From bottom right to top left.

The sword accelerated as if scraping against the ground, easily cutting the old general's silver armor in half and splitting his torso into two.

And while his torso was being slashed, Felworth's blade was swung into Ledo's right arm.

The blade, which advanced by inertia without putting any weight on it, had no power, and instead of cutting the arm in half, it carved a small cut there.

That was the final moment of the old general..

'General Keithriton', a heartbreaking voice rang out, the soldiers of Alberan fell to their knees, and the soldiers of Ledo cheered.

Without looking at them, Ledo touched the wound on his right arm.

Then he picked up Felworth's sword and placed it in his left hand.

"...take the helmet and bury him here just like this."

"Huh...but his neck――"

"Don't make me say it twice...This man is not a general, but a warrior. I don't have the pleasure of exposing that and getting credit for it."

Ledo said and looked up at the sky.

He achieved the one thing he couldn't at that time due to his lack of strength, yet his heart did not clear.

Something that clung to him, didn't disappears.

In any case, from the beginning, it was not to achieve something.

It wasn't even for the sake of gaining something.

Everything was already too late, and everything that was out of reach was now, in the distant past.

He knew that nothing lies ahead.

――There is no meaning, no value.

The wind blew through the meadow and he closed his eyes.