The reorganized Allied Forces dispersed in all directions. Now, each unit would focus on securing their designated strongholds and dedicating themselves to defense.
By holding these positions, they could pressure the enemy’s rear even if they attempted to advance into other kingdoms.
Ghislain also sent numerous scouts and Dark in every direction.
“So now we’re playing hide-and-seek with them.”
From now on, the advantage would fall to whoever could detect the other’s movements more quickly.
The enemy didn’t have their own fixed strongholds. It was somewhat disadvantageous that Ghislain’s forces had to move to hunt them down.
The Ruthania army split into two corps, led by Claude and Tenant.
Claude’s corps would guard the most critical supply route, while Tenant would defend a key stronghold.
The remaining forces belonged to Ghislain and Julien. They would rush to wherever the enemy’s position was detected.
As Julien finished preparing for departure, he asked:
“...How certain are you about this assumption?”
“Fairly certain. If they have a ‘hidden blade,’ now is the best time to reveal it.”
“...I see.”
“Now that the forces are split and mobile warfare has begun, their communications network will inevitably weaken.”
No matter how quickly Atrode’s forces sent messengers, communication between distant corps would remain difficult.
They had likely devised multiple contingency strategies in advance, but the links between their units were effectively severed.
However, there was one way to mitigate this probRem.
“If there’s someone in the middle relaying messages and passing along information, it becomes far easier.”
“...”
Julien remained silent for a long while, deep in thought.
Only after a few moments did Julien slowly speak.
“If there really is a traitor, we’re going to suffer losses.”
“Exactly. That’s why we must hope it’s just speculation.”
“...”
“Well, I’ve at least prepared some safeguards. Not everyone will be caught off guard. It’s just that there were too many suspicious individuals, so I couldn’t deal with them all.”
“Wouldn’t it have been better to reveal this beforehand?”
“Hm.”
At that, Ghislain folded his arms and thought for a moment.
He had considered that idea, but there was no evidence. This time, even Ghislain couldn’t be completely certain.
It was purely intuition based on experience and the information he had from his previous life combined with the current situation.
He couldn’t exactly reveal that he was a regressor, so there was no way to earn their trust.
“There’s no proof. It’s just a hunch. And I couldn’t point to just one person.”
“...”
“If I claimed there were suspicious individuals without evidence, we’d fall apart before even fighting the enemy. And if it turns out to be true... the moment we catch the traitor, the enemy will change their strategy.”
Even Ghislain couldn’t execute allies without proof or certainty.
Moreover, Count Vipenvelt had undoubtedly prepared for this as well.
So it was better to anticipate the possibility and deal with the enemy decisively when the time came.
Julien gave a small nod.
“You’re right; it’s not an easy probRem.”
Ghislain wasn’t wrong. If chaos erupted within their ranks, the war would only drag on longer.
They needed evidence. And unfortunately, in such urgent situations, that evidence often came at the cost of their allies’ lives.
Both Ghislain and Julien could only hope such a thing wouldn’t happen.
If a traitor existed among the comrades who had fought alongside them until now, it would be a devastating blow.
But a mere three days later, the bloodied messenger brought news that shattered that hope.
“A-Ambushed! The enemy was lying in wait! Our forces have scattered from the battlefield!”
An entire corps was annihilated while moving toward its stronghold. And a day later, another messenger arrived with more grim news.
“Another ambush! The enemy was waiting for us! Everyone has fled in disarray!”
Another corps fell. Of the three corps Ghislain had suspected, two had been destroyed.
They were the ones he had ordered to depart first, due to his suspicions.
So they were lying in wait.
The enemy was certain of which direction they would move. That meant information had leaked.
Ghislain slowly nodded.
So it was him.
In the end, the traitor was just one person.
The silver lining was that, as soon as the forces realized they were at a disadvantage, they scattered and fled.
It was inevitable. Ghislain had previously instructed everyone to flee immediately if the situation turned unfavorable.
Ghislain let out a bitter laugh. Even with suspicion and preparation, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} this had been unavoidable.
Count Vipenvelt. He’s no easy opponent.
He had taken the risk of splitting his forces in front of a massive army. After laying the groundwork, he had forced Ghislain’s side to make a move.
Then, he revealed the blade he had prepared long ago.
Most people wouldn’t dare to attempt such a thing.
But your little trick ends here.
Ghislain clenched his teeth, his expression cold.
He had identified the traitor and had prepared countermeasures for the remaining corps.
This wouldn’t work again. Now it was time to hunt them down.
“...”
Julien said nothing upon hearing the news. He simply armed himself and mounted his horse.
The enemy’s position was now clear, and it was time to pursue them.
Before Julien departed, Ghislain summoned Dark. The crow-shaped Dark perched on Julien’s shoulder.
“Ahem, I am Dark No. 28. Let’s proceed with this crucial mission together.”
“...Alright.”
Ghislain smiled as he bid Julien farewell.
“Be careful, friend. The remaining ones aren’t pushovers.”
“You too.”
With his usual calm demeanor, Julien began riding forward. Watching his back, Ghislain muttered quietly.
“Was there another way?”
Ghislain always moved with certainty. No one else could find a better method than him.
It was only possible because he had regressed. He still believed that.
But he couldn’t help but wonder.
If it had been Julien, would he have come up with a better solution in this situation?
After all, Julien had been the brilliant commander who once led humanity’s alliance in Ghislain’s previous life.
After pondering for a moment, Julien shook his head.
“No. I always trust your judgment.”
At that, Ghislain smirked faintly.
Come to think of it...
Julien was the only person who had never once disagreed with his decisions. Truly a reliable comrade.
Dark muttered quietly from Julien’s shoulder.
“Julien, I don’t trust Master’s judgment. You know why? Because Master has a nasty temper and just does whatever he wants. Do you think he needs judgment to throw a tantrum? I don’t.”
“...”
“I’m telling you this because it’s just us, but it’s much easier being with you than with Master. Why? Because his temper is terrible. Remember the other day when—”
“...”
Julien didn’t respond with a single word. He simply rode on.
His horse began to gallop faster. The elite cavalry of the Allied Forces followed close behind.
Before long, they were charging like a tempest. Dark, now excited, spread his wings and soared into the sky.
“Yippee—!”
The other side wasn’t worth worrying about at all. Unless they had overwhelming numbers, any enemies that crossed their path would simply vanish.
After Julien departed, the senior knight, Lukas, lazily asked:
“Aren’t we leaving yet?”
“Not just yet. We’re waiting for something.”
There were currently two confirmed enemy positions. However, as more of their corps were ambushed, the number of targets would soon increase.
Ghislain waited another two days. His trump card was nearly complete.
Clank, clank, clank.
The sound of wheels echoed as massive, prison-like carriages approached. These were the “mobile workshops” where captured mages and dwarves toiled endlessly.
Galbaric, with dark circles under his eyes, stepped off the carriage and banged on the doors of the others.
“All right, we’re here! Get off! Hey, soldiers, unload the new weapons!”
The mobile corps soldiers bustled about, pulling things from carts that had arrived with the carriages.
These were magical weapons, combining Galvanium shafts with Runestones.
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“Wow, so these are the new weapons?”
“They’re really supposed to release magic from here?”
“But we don’t even have mana—how are we supposed to use them?”
The soldiers marveled at the weapons in their hands. They couldn’t use them frequently, but they had enough power to land a decisive surprise blow on the battlefield.
As the soldiers diligently unloaded the weapons, Galbaric continued banging on the carriages.
“Hey, hey, hey! Quit slacking and get out! We’re here!”
“Uuurgh...”
Alfoy stumbled out, groaning like a zombie. The other mages were no different.
The Allied Forces had plenty of mages, but the Ruthania mages were constantly being pushed to their limits—forced to fight and work in grueling shifts.
Clunk.
From one carriage emerged a figure who would later be known as one of the Continent’s Seven Strongest: the Legion of One, the Eternal Archmage, the Great Magician Scholar, and many other titles.
The moment he stepped out, Jerome staggered, holding his forehead.
“Ugh, I feel dizzy. I just wanna go home.”
Jerome looked half out of his mind. He now fully understood how torturous it was to perform the same repetitive work every single day while being confined.
Not even during his long years of mental training had he experienced such suffering.
“Ugh, I hate the sunlight.”
Having been locked inside, even seeing sunlight felt unfamiliar and overwhelming.
Still, Jerome had done his work diligently. After all, there was nothing else to do inside the carriage.
Thanks to his invaluable labor, Ghislain had been able to equip the mobile corps with new weapons.
Ghislain greeted Jerome warmly.
“Hey! Jerome! You really worked hard!”
“...”
Jerome turned his head, looking a little sulky.
Unbothered, Ghislain threw an arm over his shoulder and said cheerfully:
“During war, everyone works hard. At least you didn’t have to fight—wasn’t it easier?”
“...I think I’d rather fight.”
Jerome meant that sincerely. Seeing how the Fenris mages had endured the same ordeal with such composure, he had newfound respect for them.
Now he understood why Alfoy’s mana control was so exceptional. With such grueling repetition, anyone would develop automatic reflexes.
Hearing Jerome’s response, Ghislain’s tone grew sly.
“Sorry to say this as soon as you’re out, but you’re going to need to deploy.”
“Where to?”
Ghislain leaned in and whispered a few words into Jerome’s ear. Jerome’s eyes widened in shock.
“What? Seriously?”
“Yes. This is a critical battle, and we need your power. If we want to save people quickly, we have to act.”
“Ugh... Fine. I’ll leave right away.”
Despite his exhaustion, Jerome was someone who liked helping others when he could. Given the urgency of the situation, he moved quickly.
He approached Alfoy, with whom he had grown close over time.
“Alfoy.”
“What? No, don’t talk to me. I’m tired.”
“I’m in a bit of a rush right now. I need your pure power.”
“What are you talking about? Do you have any idea how corrupted my mind is? Want me to show you how dirty I really am?”
If anyone were to name the least pure person in Fenris, Alfoy would undoubtedly be among the top contenders.
But Jerome didn’t need Alfoy’s twisted thoughts—he needed his untainted mana.
Grab.
Jerome seized Alfoy’s wrist and said apologetically:
“Sorry. I’ll pay you back later.”
“What? Wait—what are you doing? Let me go! Aaaargh!”
Alfoy screamed as Jerome drained his mana, collapsing into unconsciousness. Being weak-willed, he was the easiest target for such mana extraction.
Jerome wasn’t out of mana himself. However, he needed an additional boost to cover a long distance quickly.
Jerome grinned at Ghislain.
“All right, I’m off.”
“Okay. Be careful. Don’t overdo it and start acting on your own again.”
“Don’t worry about me.”
Flash!
A blinding flash distorted the space around Jerome, and he disappeared from everyone’s view.
Ghislain mounted his warhorse, Black King, and said:
“Let’s move out. We’ll test the new weapons as we go.”
Vanessa and several other mages also mounted their horses, ready to follow the mobile corps.
The remaining forces, including the captured workers, would travel to the Ruthania main unit with Galbaric. Alfoy, meanwhile, was slumped over on another mage’s back.
Neigh!
The Black King let out a long, piercing cry and charged forward. The mobile corps followed in formation.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
Ghislain and the mobile corps galloped furiously across the plains.
Ghislain’s expression had turned cold and hard.
Just wait a little longer.
The enemy’s strategy and bold moves had been excellent—flawless, even.
But choosing mobile warfare against him had been an incredibly reckless mistake.
Now, Ghislain would show them, with perfect clarity, who was the fastest on this continent.