Dududududu!

  A fine dust blew up into the air along with the sound of horse hooves.

  A group of horsemen sprinted towards east like an arrow.

  The ones at the lead were Mills Voisa and Chester Kowan.

  With stiff expressions, the two continually kicked their horses.

  “Chester! Make sure to keep your promise!”


  “You as well!”


  Chester answered back shortly at Mills’ words.

  Currently, the two have reluctantly allied themselves.

  ‘The main castle as well as most of the Coat Barony has already fallen into that Tale bastard’s hand.’


  ‘We have already fallen behind in this competition.’


  Hating and competing against each other wasn’t any different than setting Roan’s victory in stone.

  ‘The one good news is that Elton didn’t return to Tradi Castle and has run towards the Byron Kingdom.’


  ‘That Tale bastard is also chasing Elton. We still have a chance.’


  Mills and Chester picked out the entire cavalry and the elite soldier from the legions’ eighteen thousand soldier and went off on a chase.

  Although Roan had started the chase first, it wasn’t too hopeless of a situation.

  ‘Elton’s camp was closer to us.’


  ‘The distance we have to catch up to is much shorter on our side.’


  Mills and Chester once again kicked their horses.

  Dududududu!

  The sound of horseshoes loudly rang out as the five thousand strong cavalry sprinted rapidly.

  Their goal was Elton.

  No it was to place the princes they each served into the position of the Grand Duke of Grain.

  *****

  They sprinted for two days and nights.

  In the first place, that was a enough time to have already reached the border if there was a definite destination.

  But to catch Elton who may be hiding somewhere or perhaps running towards somewhere, Mills and Chester were moving while going through anywhere that had a high possibility of finding him.

  And as they did so, all they had done was reach the Coat Barony’s northeastern countryside region despite two days passing since they began the chase.

  “Keep up just a bit more!”


  “The ringleader of the rebellion is definitely just up ahead.”


  Mills and Chester encouraged the tired soldiers.

  The knights who used mana techniques showed a slight sign of exhaustion, but there was no problem to their stamina.

  The problem was the regular horsemen who were elites but didn’t know how to control mana.

  They were slowly becoming exhausted from the forced march that continued on without a rest.

  ‘Damn it. Chasing anymore is impossi……’


  A curse mixed with irritation got stuck in his throat.

  His eyes became big and round.

  On Mills and Chester’s faces, who had climbed over a small hill, a light of joy and ecstasy appeared.

  It felt as if, in a single moment, the pressure and exhaustion that was crushing down on their entire body flew away.

  “We caught him.”


  Said Mills.

  “Yeah. We finally caught his tail.”


  Chester gave a short reply.

  The two’s gazes were directed towards the lush forest that spread below the hill.

  At the entrance of the forest that spread towards the rugged mountain far away, a group of people was taking a rest.

  Their number was barely three thousand.

  They were the Elton and the Coat Barony troop that Mills and Chester had so desperately chased.

  ‘The number on our side is five thousand strong. Although they may be exhausted, they’re made up of knights and elite soldiers.’


  ‘We can take on a mere three thousand countryside soldiers.’


  Mills and Chester had similar thoughts.

  In truth, it was hard to say who had the advantage just by looking at their numbers.

  Although the ones who were following Elton at his sides were countryside fief soldiers, they were those who were categorized as elites among those soldiers.

  If Mills and Chester thought of them as the same level as the rebellion forces they faced until now, they could easily get hurt.

  ‘I know very well that it’s not an opponent we can scoff at. But……’


  Mills and Chester bit down on their lips.

  The reason they couldn’t order the exhausted soldiers to rest and were considering an irrational attack.

  ‘Roan Tale will soon arrive.’


  ‘If we make a mistake, we could lose this perfect chance.’


  They had to cut off Elton’s neck before Roan got there.

  If they could do that, the biggest achievement would be Mills and Chester’s to take despite falling behind in the fief’s suppression.

  “Should we sound the horn for the attack?”


  One vice-captain came up and asked.

  Mills squinted his eyes and shook his head.

  “We approach as stealthily as possible. Once we close the distance, we will blow the horns and attack at the same ti……”


  When he had spoken to that point.

  Vvuuuuuu!

  A horn sounded out of nowhere.

  Mills and the vice-captain, who had been sharing sharp gazes, quickly turned their heads to search for the horn player.

  At the gazes that suddenly pour down on him, the horn player shook his horn as if to say it wasn’t him who blew it.

  At that moment, he heard Chester’s voice.

  “Mills. Look other there.”


  The voice was heavy and composed.

  It was a voice completely devoid of the joy and ecstasy that had floated until now.

  Mills quickly turned his head and looked below the hill.

  It had changed.

  Within the short moment, the scene below the hill had changed.

  Mills’ face twisted harshly.

  “Byron Kingdom troops……”


  From the entrance of the lush forest, a group of soldiers that couldn’t be seen just a moment ago appeared.

  The gang that held Byron Kingdom’s flag at the lead and blew their horns without a rest.

  They were definitely the Byron Kingdom troops that had marched to save Elton.

  ‘Is it about four thousand?’


  Mills and Chester looked at each other and creased their brows.

  The numerical superiority instantly disappeared.

  Seven thousand against five thousand.

  And on top of that, Mills and Chester’s soldiers were greatly exhausted.

  “For now, let’s set up a formation and let the soldiers rest.”


  Mills decided to take one step back.

  Chester pondered for a moment then nodded his head.

  Although his personality was more impetuous than Mills’, he understood well that forcing an attack in this situation was suicidal.

  Mills and Chester lined up at the foot of the hill.

  The sight of the soldiers lining up by troops were awe-inspiring in its own way.

  The Coat Barony troop realized Mills and Chester’s pursuit only then and busily moved.

  But there was no sign of trying to fall back or retreat.

  They had realized that the situation was more advantageous for them.

  ‘It looks like it’ll be a more difficult battle than I thought.’


  Mills and Chester glared at the Coat Barony troop formation and exhaled a long sigh.

  Then.

  Vvuuuuuu!

  A sonorous sound of the horn hit their ears.

  This time, it wasn’t the sound of the horn that the Byron Kingdom troop was blowing.

  The sound was coming from behind and beyond the hill.

  “What the?”


  “Could it be?”


  Mills and Chester creased their foreheads and looked behind them.

  As if it had been waiting, a single troop flag shot out on top of the hill.

  “Ah……”


  “So they ultimately came……”


  Mills and Chester let out a mute exclamation.

  Leading the Amaranth troop, Roan had showed up.

  Ultimately, their plan to cut off Elton’s neck before he arrived popped like a bubble.

  Dududududu!

  With a sound of horseshoes, two thousand cavalry soldiers ran down the hill.

  ‘Is it merely two thousand……’


  Mills and Chester, who were momentarily dispirited, unconsciously formed strange smiles.

  In the current situation, there was nothing that could be done with merely two thousand soldiers.

  ‘Meaning, we have to cooperate in the end.’


  Ultimately, Roan wouldn’t be able to do anything but extend his hand towards them.

  ‘It’s seven thousand if we combine us three’s numbers. If it’s seven thousand versus seven thousand, it’s doable.’


  Meanwhile, Roan had come down the hill and neared them.

  “Sir Voisa, Sir Kowan.”


  He slightly lowered his head towards Mills and Voisa.

  “You’re a bit late. Sir Baron Tale.”


  Mills lightly greeted him.

  With a single sentence, he tried to decide the hierarchy of the achievements.

  At those words, Roan faintly smiled and replied with a confident voice.

  “Sir Voisa and Sir Kowan were too slow, so I’ve taken a look around the entire Coat Barony.”


  “Hhm……”


  Immediately, Mills and Chester’s faces froze stiffly.

  Since Roan had taken the lead in the fief’s suppression, they had nothing else to say.

  Roan glanced at Elton and the Byron Kingdom troops’ numbers.

  ‘He did it.’


  A strange light flashed in his eyes.

  But he soon hid his expression and turned towards Mills and Chester.

  “Why are sirs merely standing still when Elton is right before your eyes?”


  With expressions that seemed to say can’t you tell even when you see it?, Mills and Chester answered.

  “The Byron Kingdom troops have came.”


  Roan slowly nodded at those words.

  “I see.”


  His expression and voice were awfully calm.

  He raised his right hand and gave a hand signal.

  The two thousand riders quickly took formation and lined up.

  It was a perfect charging formation.

  “Wha, what are you doing?”


  Mills and Chester asked back with shocked faces.

  Roan pulled his reins and replied with a resounding voice as he stood at the formation’s head.

  “I will go and bring back Elton’s head.”


  “What?! Are you saying you’ll face seven thousand enemy soldiers with merely two thousand soldiers?”


  Mills squinted his eyes and shouted.

  Instead of answering, Roan faintly smiled and took out the Travias Spear.

  Chang!

  The spear’s handle extended when he inserted mana.

  Roan raised the spear up high and kicked his horse.

  “Attack!”


  The order fell down and the sound of the horn soon followed.

  Dududududu!

  The two thousand cavalry charged with the sound of horseshoes towards Elton and the Byron Kingdom troops.

  “Eh?! Eh!”


  “Damn, that insane!”


  Mills and Chester shouted at Roan’s independent and reckless attack.

  “We have to stop him immediately!”


  Chester’s face especially burned red as if it would explode.

  But Mills, who had been quietly analysing the situation, calmed his breathing and made a strange expression.

  “Roan Tale’s troop is originally famous for being strong.”


  “What are you saying all of a sudden?”


  Chester creased his brows.

  Mills continued to talk.

  “If it’s Roan Tale’s troops, they should be able to deal a big loss to the enemy even though they can’t win.”


  “Ah……’


  Chester let out a quiet exclamation.

  It was impossible for Roan alone to break Elton and the Byron Kingdom troops.

  ‘The Amaranth troop will be annihilated and Elton and the Byron Kingdom troop will also receive quite a big damage.’


  After that, they would step up, cut off Elton’s neck, and suppress the rebellion forces.

  It was the best situation for Mills and Chester.

  And furthermore, they could have the soldiers recover their stamina while the Amaranth troop rioted.

  In many ways, Roan’s reckless attack was something very favorable to them.

  However.

  “Would the merit raised from such action be honorable?”


  Chester asked.

  Mills made a bitter smile.

  “Let’s not think up to that point.”


  He let out a short sigh.

  “Huu. If we think about even something like that, there isn’t anything we can do.”


  Chester quietly whispered at those words.

  “Right. We’ve already been as cowardly as we could be.”


  Already, there was the time when they cooperated to slow down Roan’s marching speed.

  But the thing they were trying to do now was something on a completely different scale.

  Mills and Chester, with stiff and solid expressions, chased Roan’s back with their eyes.

  Vvuuuuu!

  The sound of horn, which made their hearts jump until a moment ago, felt irksome.

  ‘Don’t be embarrassed. It’s a choice for the future.’


  Mills and Chester held down their shaking feelings.

  However it was, they had grabbed a brand new chance to turn things around.

  Of course, only the two of them thought that.

  *****

  “What the?”


  He spoke with a dumbfound voice and expression.

  Elton looked at the troop charging towards them along with the dust clouds and leaked out a light laugh.

  “Whose troop is it?”


  The sudden question’s answer came immediately.

  “It’s the Amaranth troop. It’s Roan’ Tale’s troop.”


  “Roan Tale!”


  Elton gritted his teeth and glaringly opened his eyes.

  Then he soon snorted and shook his head.

  “He must have lost his mind after raising merits several times. To attack with only that many soldiers.”


  “Yes. Even though we already have met with the Byron Kingdom troops……”


  Tony echoed back and snickered.

  As soon as his words finished, the sound of horn and drums echoed immediately as if it had been waiting.

  Vvuuuuu! Boom! Boom! Boom!

  It was the sound of Byron Kingdom troops, which were standing on the left and right of the Coat Barony troop, preparing to intercept.

  Elton look at that sight and ordered with a voice full of confidence.

  “We’re also intercepting! This time, let’s finally cut off that disgusting and horrible Roan Tale’s neck!”


  “Yes! Understood!”


  The vice-captains and the adjutants answered and moved quickly.

  Elton stood at the lead and glared at Roan and his troops sprinting straight at him.

  ‘The battle this time is your loss!’


  He pulled his reins and kicked his horse.

  Hihihihing!

  The horse loudly cried then soon kicked off the ground.

  Dudududu!

  With Elton and Tony at the lead, the three thousand Coat Barony troop began to charge against Roan’s troops.

  Vvuuu!

  Then, the four thousand Byron Kingdom troop went out to intercept.

  The thing they were targeting was the merely two thousand strong Amaranth troop.

  Seven thousand against two thousand.

  It was a truly difficult and impossible fight for Roan.

  Everyone thought so.

  Elton, Mills, and Chester.

  But Roan at least was making a faint smile.

  ‘We did it.’


  Everything flowed as he wished.

  As he kicked the horse several times, the wind of the battlefield blew over his armor.

  Soon, the soldiers of the Coat Barony troop were in front of his nose.

  Roan raised his spear up high.

  Simultaneously.

  Kboom!

  Roan’s troops and Elton’s troops violently collided.

  Chang! Chajang! Chang!

  Spears and spears, swords and swords clashed and metallic sounds exploded out.

  Sparks flew and streams of bloods ruptured.

  “Uwaak!”


  “Kuc!”


  Death throes and screams.

  The hushed battlefield soon regained its noise.

  Roan’s spearmanship was blinding.

  It wasn’t that it was blindingly skillful, but it literally was blinding.

  Following the spear’s path that endlessly flowed like water, a light flashed.

  Each time the Travias Spear’s handle and blade moved, a flower of blood blossomed without exception.

  Sssekk! Sssukk!

  “Kueek!

  “Kek!”


  The Coat Barony troop’s soldiers lost their necks and fell.

  It was an overwhelming might.

  Using the last tens of wars and battles and hundreds of days of training, Roan had developed his mana technique and spearmanship by more than several levels.

  In the movement that used to be only rough and powerful, a hint of leisure could be felt.

  The mana that circled his body also repeatedly flowed and stopped according to Roan’s will.

  Sssskk!

  The war horses and soldiers were completely cut apart with a horrifying sound.

  “Uuuu. It, it’s a monster!”


  “No way!”


  The common soldiers were filled with fear at Roan’s might.

  But despite Roan’s such feat, the overall progress of the battle was extremely disadvantageous.

  It wasn’t easy to overcome a numerical disadvantage in a battle started with a frontal attack instead of a trick.

  “Uhahaha! Roan! Serves you right! The day I finally break your high nose has come!”


  Elton let out a crazed laugh at his advantageous situation.

  Of course, he didn’t forget to stay in the back where Roan’s spear didn’t reach all the while.

  The Coat Barony troop’s soldiers who were intimidated by Roan’s might once again raised their spirits.

  “Yeah! There’s no need to fear!”


  “They’re only two thousand!”


  “We also have reinforcements!”


  The vigor that went up once was like a tidal wave.

  It was a helpless and perilous moment for Roan and the Amaranth troop.

  But despite that, the face of Roan, no the faces of the Amaranth troop’s soldiers were strangely relaxed.

  That disturbed Elton’s temper.

  “Roan! What’s with that damned and disgusting leisure! You’re now cornered!”


  He felt needlessly restless.

  ‘He can’t possibly have another card up his sleeve, could he?’


  Roan cut down another enemy soldier and calmly answered.

  “Who knows if reinforcements will suddenly appear.”


  “Reinforcements?”


  Elton creased his forehead as asked back, then snorted.

  “Hmph! Why don’t you look behind you! Even the ones who came first are just standing still like that, so what reinforcements! Unless a miracle happens, no reinforcements will appear!”


  He jeered acidly.

  Roan looked back at those words.

  Thanks to Kalian’s Tears, he could clearly see Mills and Chester as if they were in front of his nose.

  ‘Even so, it seems they’re feeling self-conscious.”


  Mills and Chester’s faces were stiff.

  Probably, they were conflicted between pride and conscience.

  “Roan! Your neck will be cut off here today!”


  Elton raised his sword up high.

  “Attack! Everyone attack! Kill them all!”


  At the order that followed, the Coat Barony troop’s soldiers pushed the Amaranth troop back even more fiercely.

  It was a situation where they were helplessly pushed back.

  And at that very moment.

  “Sound the horn!”


  Roan gave the order.

  Vvuu! Vvuu! Vvuu!

  The horn’s sound echoed strangely unlike before.

  At the same time, Roan looked at Elton and made a deep smile.

  “Elton.”


  His voice was cold.

  “The reinforcements have finally arrived.”


  “Re, reinforcements?!”


  Elton as well as the Barony troop’s soldiers nearby all looked around with ghostly pale faces.

  But there were no signs of reinforcements anywhere.

  Elton soon gave out a crazed laugh.

  “Hahahaha! You must finally have lost your mind! What reinforcements! Just where are your reinforcements!”


  Immediately after he finished those words, the Byron Kingdom troops that were formationed at the left and right blew their horns.

  Vvuu! Vvuu! Vvuu!

  It was the exact same sound that the Amaranth troop had blew just a moment before.

  Elton’s face instantly turned stiff.

  At that moment, a booming cheer exploded out from all directions.

  “Just where are we? Right over here!”


  The owners of the cheer.

  Shockingly, they were the Byron Kingdom troops.

  “Wha, just what……?!”


  Elton was so shocked that his jaw dropped.

  That was also the same for the Coat Barony troop’s soldiers.

  Seeing the Byron Kingdom troop suddenly point their swords towards them, they were dumbfounded.

  At that moment, the Byron Kingdom’s flag that had been soaring up high fell down to the ground and a new flag arose.

  “Ah……”


  Elton let out a tiny exclamation.

  Roan cheerily smiled as he watched that sight.

  “Elton. It seems a miracle has happened just like your words.”


  Just like that, the wind of the battle completely changed.

  End.

  Translator: CSV

  Proofreader: st8_lupe.