Ghislain felt no desire to act hastily.
After learning about his mother, he became increasingly convinced that the Salvation Church aimed to take down the royal family, regardless of what happened to the South.
He had long suspected this from observing the Duke's movements, but now he was nearly certain.
"It'll be faster for the Duke forces to crush the Kingdom's army we leave behind than for us to take over the South. For now, we need to sort things out before making any moves."
"Sort things out, how…?" Claude asked.
"First, we'll annihilate the Delphine forces advancing on the capital. Then, I'll meet with the King. Send a messenger to warn the capital to evacuate if possible."
If the Salvation Church's target was the King, having him go into hiding would disrupt their strategy. Ghislain wanted to confirm this point.
However, the reality of the situation made this an unlikely option. Claude, looking incredulous, responded.
"His Majesty is barely hanging on. Do you think he's in any condition to flee? And even if he could, there's no way he'd do it. The royal family's pride won't allow it. If the King runs, it'll change the hearts of every lord in the kingdom."
"Let's just send the message. If that doesn't work, I'll meet him personally and try to convince him."
Ghislain didn't have any concrete plans just yet. This time, without the benefit of his past life's knowledge, he was relying more on intuition.
He intended to ask questions about the Salvation Church, the Shadow Knights, and his mother to see if there was any information he didn't yet know.
Claude scratched his head before asking, "So, which side are you planning to help first?"
"Hmm…"
There was still no news regarding the remaining two Delphine army corps and the kingdom's forces guarding the routes. If either side lost, the Delphine forces could push directly to the capital. If both lost, it would become even more disastrous.
The Eastern forces advancing via flanking maneuvers toward the capital were also a concern. A defensive line had been established, but the situation there was equally uncertain.
"They've probably engaged by now," Ghislain said.
"Of course. We should hear something soon."
The Northern Army was stationed further north to prepare for the allied reinforcements. The Kingdom's forces, positioned closer to the Southern front, would have engaged the enemy before the Northern Army.
While Ghislain had sent Dark to assess the situation, it was possible that news of the battles would arrive before Dark did.
"Let's wait a few more days to see what information comes in. Once we know, we'll make a decision."
With battles raging on all fronts, moving without adequate information was risky. They needed to gather intelligence quickly and plan their next move.
Unlike the Northern Army, which had deliberately blocked the route to force engagements, the Kingdom's forces were defending various fortresses along the Southern front. With reinforcements from the allied forces joining in, they might hold out for some time.
"Make sure we're ready to move at any moment. Whether we need to support another front or head to the capital, we'll act as soon as the information comes in."
"Understood."
"In the meantime, I'll train Elena and Rachel a bit."
Having seen the two arrive, Claude shrugged. It was obvious they'd be put through the wringer. Ghislain's training was notoriously brutal.
***
Elena, now dragged all the way to the Northern Army, was absolutely furious.
She had dreamed of becoming a graceful noblewoman, yet here she was, in a battlefield filled with the stench of blood. Going back on her own wasn't an option either.
Left alone in the tent with Rachel, Elena muttered complaints.
"Ugh, my life… Of course. Things were going too smoothly lately."
The territory was finally thriving, but instead of enjoying the fruits of her labor, she was now forced to expend even more effort.
She wanted to let out a string of curses, but knowing that the Northern Army was protecting the Kingdom and their territory, she bit her tongue.
Rachel smiled and said, "It'll be fine. You have holy power, don't you? I'm the one who should be worried."
"Hmph, what good is holy power to a noblewoman? It's not exactly fitting."
"Think of it as learning some self-defense."
"Fine, fine. But are you really okay? Aren't you scared?"
At Elena's curt question, Rachel smiled and nodded. Having spent her childhood plagued by illness and without friends, she was far more mature than her age suggested.
She had lost her mother early and had a stoic father in Gillian, which had further shaped her.
'I feel fine as long as you're with me.'
So, being brought to the Northern Army didn't bother her.
After all, Ghislain had been the one to cure her illness. Thanks to him, she'd been able to meet her precious friend, Elena.
To her, every day was a gift to be grateful for. Though she was a little afraid, she felt that with Elena by her side, she could overcome any challenge.
"First, we need to learn how to protect ourselves. Besides, we'll mainly be fighting monsters from the Rifts, right? Lord Ghislain said we probably won't have to fight people unless something extraordinary happens."
"Hmph. Don't trust everything he says. The next thing you know, he'll say, 'Oh, it turns out we do have to kill some people,' and just throw us into it. That's how he is—doing whatever he wants."
Elena grumbled, having witnessed Ghislain's reckless tendencies since they were young.
As the two chatted, Ghislain appeared.
"Elena, Rachel. From today, whenever I have time, I'll teach you combat techniques."
Elena shot Ghislain a glare before turning her head with a huff.
"Fine. But I'm picking my weapon."
"Hmm? Your weapon? What kind of weapon?"
"A rapier."
If she was going to learn, Elena decided to change her goal.
She would become a graceful knight wielding a single rapier.
She envisioned herself as a beautiful, noble flower on the battlefield, admired by all who saw her—a dignified and elegant knight.
'Hmph, it's a good look, isn't it? What? You want me to fight like an enraged bull? Forget it. That's not my style.'
She imagined herself as a swan-like knight, shining brightly with grace and flair.
Even though she planned to eventually become a noblewoman, she thought, Why not take a detour for a while?
Feeling better about her decision, she said aloud, "So, I'll use a rapier. It's the most elegant weapon, isn't it?"
"Pfft!" Ghislain covered his mouth with a fist, trying not to laugh. His reaction suggested it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.
"What's so funny? What's wrong with a rapier?"
"A rapier? You? That flimsy little stick? It doesn't suit you at all. One hit and it'll snap like a twig."
"Ugh… Then a sword?"
A sword was standard for knights, so she thought it might be acceptable. It wasn't as elegant as a rapier, but it wasn't bad either.
She could always switch to a rapier once her skills improved.
But Ghislain shook his head again.
"A sword doesn't suit you either."
"Then what? My fists?"
Frustrated, Elena raised her fist, but Ghislain turned toward the tent's entrance and shouted, "Hey, bring it in!"
Moments later, two knights staggered in, carrying something massive.
Thud!
They dropped it in front of Elena—a huge, menacing double-headed axe.
The axe was enormous, larger than a grown man. Its twin blades gleamed with a sinister reddish hue, and a grotesque skull was engraved in its center. The inscription below the skull was even more ominous:
[Death is my path to glory, and my enemies shall dwell in hell.]
Elena stared at the axe, trembling.
"W-what is this? You're saying this is my weapon?"
"Oh, yes. This axe is called 'Harbinger of Destruction.' It's the perfect weapon for you. I confiscated it from a disobedient lord, and Gillian generously agreed to let you have it."
"Get lost."
Where did he even find such a ghastly weapon? If she carried this monstrosity, she wouldn't look like a noble knight but rather a crazed butcher.
Completely oblivious to her thoughts, Ghislain grinned.
"This is a weapon only a chosen few can wield! It's practically made for you!"
The Harbinger of Destruction was absurdly heavy, making it impractical. Only those who had mastered mana could lift it, but doing so drained their mana rapidly.
Thanks to Elena's holy power, she was able to lift the axe without much trouble.
Clenching her fists tightly, Elena shouted, "I can't lift something like this!"
How could anyone expect her to lift something two knights had struggled to carry?
Still, Ghislain gestured impatiently, urging her on.
"Just try it. Give it one shot before you complain. You can do it. This weapon was practically made for you."
"Ugh… You're unbelievable…"
Elena was on the verge of exploding when Rachel spoke up to calm her.
"Why don't you give it a try? He's insisting so much. Just once."
"Ugh…"
Reluctantly, Elena grabbed the handle of the axe and mustered all her strength. It felt incredibly heavy in her hands, the weight forcing her to clench her muscles tightly. But… she managed to lift it.
It was heavy, but she could lift it. She even thought she could swing it around.
With mana training, she might even be able to wield it as effortlessly as a sword.
Ghislain clapped his hands like a seal and shouted in excitement.
"See that? Amazing, right? She lifted it on her own! Without any mana! Belinda! Hey, Belinda, come take a look! She's a total monster!"
Belinda poked her head into the tent, taking a cautious look before saying, "Y-Young lady, it… suits you… quite well."
Her words lacked any semblance of sincerity. The knights standing nearby also wore awkward smiles as they stammered, "Y-yes, it's definitely, ah, the perfect weapon for the young lady. Absolutely fitting. Truly fitting…"
Their lack of conviction made it clear that Ghislain had forced them to say this.
Hearing herself called a monster, Elena finally exploded.
"Fitting? Fitting? What part of this suits me? Do I look like someone who should wield this monstrosity?"
Whoosh!
"Whoa!"
Suddenly, Elena swung the Harbinger of Destruction, sending Ghislain scrambling backward in alarm.
Each swing caused a powerful gust of wind to tear through the air. It truly seemed the axe was meant for her.
Even the knights retreated cautiously, unnerved by her newfound ferocity.
Elena's eyes gleamed dangerously as a wicked grin spread across her face. For a moment, she bore an uncanny resemblance to her brother.
"So it suits me, huh? Then why don't you all have a taste of my axe?"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
As Elena swung the axe wildly, Ghislain and the knights fled the tent. Though she had no formal training, the sheer force of her swings was enough to destroy her surroundings.
Within moments, the tent was reduced to shreds, collapsing into a pile of torn fabric.
"Hey! Weren't you going to teach me combat techniques? Aren't you coming? Come on, you coward!"
Holding the axe with both hands, Elena bellowed as she continued swinging it recklessly.
From a safe distance, everyone watched as she rampaged like a berserk warrior.
Ghislain, observing his sister's chaotic display, muttered to himself, "Well, I wanted her to be a raging bull on the battlefield… but now she looks more like a raging rhinoceros beetle."
The way she wielded the enormous axe, which was larger than herself, made her resemble the insect in question.
After a while, Rachel managed to calm Elena down, and embarrassment crept in as more and more people gathered to watch her outburst.
Eventually, Elena agreed to continue her training—on the condition that she could switch weapons later.
Though Ghislain's lessons had barely started with basic stances, they were interrupted by urgent reports from Dark.
— Master… the situation isn't good. The area is littered with corpses… I'm continuing my search.
Soon after, bloodied messengers arrived one after another with grim news.
"Eastern defenses have collapsed, and the Eastern Army's commander is dead! The Delphine forces have resumed their advance toward the capital!"
"The 3rd and 8th Corps of the Kingdom Army have been defeated! The Delphine forces are advancing on the capital!"
"The 6th Corps and allied forces sent to reinforce the 3rd and 8th have been defeated!"
"Some of the allied forces have been annihilated—among them, troops from the Kingdoms of Seiron, Moltona, and Lombars."
"The lords have scrambled to form another defensive line, but their numbers are critically insufficient!"
Including the Eastern Front, three routes remained open for the Delphine forces to advance. On two of these, the Kingdom's army and allied forces had been utterly crushed.
There was still no definitive news regarding the remaining corps.
— Master… it seems…
Even after receiving Dark's report, Ghislain did not move immediately.
Dark could only relay what he had seen on the ground. He had no knowledge of the Kingdom's overall strategy, intentions, or movements.
To get an accurate picture of the situation, Ghislain sent Dark to continue scouting while he waited for further reports.
Eventually, news came regarding the last corps.
"The Southern Front has completely collapsed! The Kingdom Army's Commander-in-chief, Marquis Maurice Macquarie, has fled with only a small force!"
Ghislain rubbed his temples. He hadn't expected the disparity in power to be this severe.
While it was true that superhumans could significantly influence the battlefield, the outcome wasn't usually determined by the presence of one or two superhumans. If that were the case, wars would simply be fought between superhumans.
This level of defeat meant that from the knights and soldiers to the commanders, the Kingdom's forces were utterly outmatched by the Delphine army.
Hearing the news, Ascon clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Pathetic. Not a single one of them knows how to fight properly."
Ascon wasn't wrong. Every front had been thoroughly defeated—there wasn't even a single strategic retreat.
The situation was dire. Nobles who had defected from the Duke faction might now panic upon hearing this news. If they returned to the Duke's fold, things would become even more complicated.
Ghislain's aides wore grim expressions as they processed the news. It was hard to even know where to begin addressing the mess.
The Northern Army remained intact, so the war could continue, but if the capital fell and the King was captured, it would all be meaningless.
Breaking the tense silence, Ghislain issued rapid orders.
"Tell the forces gathered in the West not to join the Kingdom's or the lords' armies. Instead, they're to march directly to the capital and hold Cardinia. Tell Perdium to send all its troops to reinforce the front-line fortress at Fenris and fortify the defenses."
"And what about us?"
In response to Claude's question, Ghislain considered for a moment before making his decision.
"We'll split the Northern Army into two."
The situation had deteriorated far too much for them to move as a single force.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]