Volume 3, Chapter 225 - The Hero of Pena IV (1/3)
Gi Gu Verbena endured and endured, and it wasn’t until two days after being attacked by the Order of the Blue Knights that he was able to rendezvous with the king. They had to move while being wary of their surroundings, so they were slower than usual. The Goblin King warmly greeted Gi Gu as he rendezvoused with them with many wounded in tow.
“You did well coming here safely. You must have suffered greatly.”
The Goblin King personally greeted Gi Gu and awarded his efforts with two days of rest.
“Your Majesty, I have no excuse for Felduk’s failure to capture Pena…”
Gi Gu grit his teeth in shame as he said those words, but the king spoke to him gently.
“Oh Gi Gu. Pena is a strong enemy. You did well. Just being able to bring back these many soldiers alive is sufficient. Our entire army shall take care of the rest and force Pena to capitulate.”
After the Goblin King eased Gi Gu’s heart, Gi Gu bowed to him deeply, then the Goblin King received Pale’s report regarding the damages incurred.
“Although not many of Gi Ga Rax’s Aransain died, many of them have been wounded. Gi Gu-dono’s Felduk is in a similar state.”
“It is good that not many have died.”
“Yes. But I never thought Pena would be able to resist this much. This failure is my fault.”
Based on the difference in equipment of the army that attacked Gi Ga and Gi Gu, the goblins believe that the enemy might have two different platoons. One supporting reason behind this is that Allen did not appear in the frontlines when fighting Gi Gu. It could be said that the presence of an army with a commander that was so remarkable has led the goblins to make an error in judgment.
Even Pale herself had a hard time guessing the enemy’s real numbers, as the spies she sent to Pena only reported several small platoons leaving the city.
A cavalry that could break Gi Ga’s forces. Moreover, one with enough forces to afford sending a detached force. Given that information, Pale had no choice but to reconsider if attacking the enemy swiftly was a good idea.
In the unlikely event that they are able to force Pena to surrender, so long as Queen Raksha is alive and a strong army remains, they can flee to the north, and they will still have the chance to attack and restore their kingdom later. Pale had originally thought that Pena no longer had the strength to spare and could be blown by the passing winds, so she couldn’t help but frown upon seeing their unexpected tenacity.
“How many days will it take to move the army?”
The Goblin King’s question broke Pale’s thoughts for a moment.
“Roughly 7 days.”
At this point in time, Pale believed that there was no such thing as being too cautious. They could first ensure that the rear support was in good health, then they could surround Pena in one fell swoop. So long as they could suppress the symbol of Pena, Queen Raksha, regardless how strong their army is, they will lose their cause.
Until then it should be possible to gather even more information, Pale thought.
“In that case, let us not move our army from this camp.”
Pale nodded to the Goblin King’s words.
If they were to dispatch their army to force the surrounding cities to surrender, they will likely only be eaten by the superior army of the enemy. In order to avoid losing the advantage that they had, they had to avoid losing soldiers while they approached Pena.
“It seems our movements are being leaked.
“…The nearby cities are probably informing them.”
What the Goblin King was concerned about was losing the information war. It is no exaggeration to say that it was because the goblins have always been able to gain precise intel on their enemies that they have been able to gain victory after victory until now. But unlike before, the enemy this time has taken the initiative over them.
“Can we buy them?”
Pale’s eyes opened wide in surprise when the king said that.
“…It would be difficult, I believe. They probably consider kneeling to monsters as a humiliation.”
“Hmm…”
The Goblin King became thoughtful once more. As he thought to himself, Pale stared at him from the side. The Goblin King noticed that and turned to her.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I just didn’t expect it. I thought you hated such backhanded methods.”
The Goblin King wryly smiled at that.
“It’s a small price to pay if it means saving my soldiers’ lives.”
Although the goblins were able to ally with the Kushain Believers and raise their diplomatic level to some extent, the other countries still see them as nothing but monsters that could not be reasoned with.
“In that case, we’ll have to take some other measures.”
There’s also the strategy of advancing while destroying the cities one after another, but this king would probably reject it, Pale thought.
The Goblin King and Pale spoke for a while, but in the end, they decided to lock themselves in their camp and wait for the wounded to recover.
◆◇◆
A warm welcome awaited Allen when he returned to the imperial capital of Pena. When all that fear the people had for the goblins was turned upside down, the people packed the streets and blessed the Order of the Blue Knights for successfully repelling them.
But Allen was not happy about that, and instead he steadily worked toward his next move.
He appealed before the Elder Council and asked them to send a messenger to Germion Kingdom and seek an alliance.
“Peace? With our archenemy, Pena, whom we’ve been at war with for so many years?”
“We humans must unite now. If not, the monsters will trample over our country and our families taken away!”
To persuade the reluctant elder council, Allen himself appeared before their wealthy members to report his army’s results and ask for their help.
“We can’t allow the monsters to approach this country! They have the Free Cities in their hands, and they even have a portion of Germion Kingdom. They are a threat to humanity!”
Allen’s sense of crisis that made him value every second in gold coupled with his zeal gradually won over the hearts of the people of Pena. With the Holy Sword Guradion in his hands, he became the hope of Pena just like the late Aizas. With that, both the elder council and the people came to accept him.
But the more Allen worked, the more he destroyed his body, and the more his relationship with Queen Raksha worsened. What she wanted was not a hero, but a man who would stay beside her.
Even if Allen tried to make a little time to see her, she would refuse to see him. In turn, Allen himself gradually grew further and further away from Queen Raksha. The war continued to be unpredictable, and Allen had no choice but to keep a tight watch on the goblins’ movements, while seeking an alliance with the powerful country up north.
To make things worse, the power of the holy sword was corroding his body.
His body grew thinner by the day. His skin lost its luster. Dark circles formed under his eyes. With some light makeup, they were able to hide those things, and he continued to stand at the frontlines of both war and diplomacy. He knew that Pena’s fate now laid upon his shoulders.
“This is the seventh day that the goblins have cooped themselves up inside their camp. They should be moving soon.”
Perhaps that terrifying intuition was the prize he gained in exchanged for his weakening body. Allen was waiting at the office of the knight commander for the response of the surrounding cities.
“Knight-Commander, why don’t you rest for a bit?”
This aide of his was getting restless after seeing his condition worsen by the day, and he couldn’t help but implore him to rest.
“Yes. After I clean up these documents.”
After clearing the documents regarding conscription, he turned to his aide. The figure of his aide blurred a little, forcing him to apply pressure on his eyes and shake his head.
“…I’ll lie down for a bit. If anything happens, please take care of it.”
His aide saluted to him, then left him as he rested his back against the sofa.
“They move during nighttime, but…”
Although the goblins weren’t doing it just because Allen said so, on the next day, Allen got word that the goblins had begun to move. But the speed was far beyond what Allen expected, and they were now only a day’s distance until Pena.
Although he had only gotten a little sleep, when Allen got word of that, he jumped up and immediately summoned the Order of the Blue Knights.
“We’ll attack the goblins on daybreak. Prepare heavy equipment and throwing spears.”
“OU!”
After hearing that spirited reply, Allen nodded, then he took out the map to scrutinize the information they had and determine the goblins’ location.
“They’re not making this easy for me. But…”
Allen ordered the remaining soldiers to build more of the walls that have been under construction since Gi Gu began his invasion, then he dashingly rode on his horse.
◆◆◇
The Goblin King and Pale thought up a plan to use the black of the night to quickly approach the headquarters of their enemy, but the adventurers Allen sneaked into the nearby cities were able to notice them and inform Pena.
The goblins moved as fast as they could because they wanted to get as near as possible while it was still dark, but when the sun rose, and they came to see the clouds of dust stirring up in the distance, they had no choice but to stop and prepare to enter formation.
“…They still picked up on that?”
Pale muttered in annoyance as she looked sharply at the clouds of dust up ahead. Ever since this battle with Pena began, it was as if there was a mist covering her thoughts, preventing her from seeing the whole picture.
The enemy’s tactics felt like they were precisely attacking her where she’s not looking.
“Gi Ga-dono to the rear. Gaidga Tribe and Gi Gu-dono, spread out. We’ll receive the enemy!”
’If you’re going to come, then come!’ Pale seemed to say with her formation that quickly extended both wings.
“Felbi, druids! Prepare to attack the enemy with long-range attack! When they enter range, fire immediately.”
The elves and the druids readied their arrows and their magic bullets. When Pale saw the enemy’s numbers, she calculated that they were approximately 2,000 men strong.
“2,000… If so, then the enemy will definitely try to circumvent us. They won’t attack us from the front—”
It was because of that she intentionally placed the mobile army of Gi Ga Rax at the back. As the enemy slowed down to dodge the barrage of magic bullets and arrows, Gi Ga’s Aransain would slam into them. As extra insurance, Gi Gu Verbena and Rashka’s forces would also be present in the front lines.
At this point, Pale overestimated the strength of the Order of the Blue Knights. But it can’t be helped since she couldn’t think of any way for the enemy to be able to consecutively defeat Gi Ga and Gi Gu.
Pale drew up a plan that would lead the enemy all the way to their destruction. As she ordered her soldiers to prepare, she waited for the enemy to come.
When the dense cloud of dust lifted up, a team of sand horses approached them.
At the head of the sand horses was a youth wielding the dazzling Holy Sword Guradion. The way he cried out valiantly as his horse rode onwards and a strong wind rose up made it seem as if all his enemies would falter. It was with this strange pressure that he appeared before the goblins.
“Fire!”
At Felbi and Gi Za’s behest, magic bullets and arrows rained from the sky. Any other foe would have dodged that barrage, but the Order of the Blue Knights only rode faster.
“—You’re kidding, right!?”
“Pale. As expected, the enemy is strong!”
Right beside Pale, who was giving orders, was the king who rode upon a terrifying carnivorous horse.
He smiled fiercely.
“They’re coming! Stand your ground, subjects!”
“OU!”
The goblins cried out in response.
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