Maurice asked with an exasperated expression, "She's claiming the territories as hers?"
"Yes, she's occupied three abandoned territories left behind as the Delphine forces moved north."
"Even if the land was abandoned, how did she seize three territories so quickly? Troops need to be stationed there! How many soldiers does Rayfold even have?"
Declaring empty land as one's own wasn't as simple as just staking a claim. Even abandoned land required stationed forces to maintain control and validate the claim.
The messenger replied hesitantly, still unsure about the situation.
"Well... it seems she stationed around 100 soldiers for security and one or two administrators in the lord's castle..."
"..."
Maurice's face twitched. She had deployed the bare minimum forces necessary to justify the claim, enough to make it clear that challenging the claim would mean declaring war.
This wasn't just unscrupulous; it was outright banditry.
But unlike bandits who merely plunder and leave, she had effectively swallowed entire territories whole without a second thought for ethics.
Maurice turned to Ghislain with a bewildered expression.
"What... what kind of situation is this?"
Amelia had mentioned it before—she'd take care of the rifts or any lands occupied by the Duke's forces herself.
The royalist nobles had scoffed at the terms and accepted them. At the time, they hadn't believed such a scenario would occur, let alone that Amelia could reclaim the territories if it did.
But now, with Amelia rapidly swallowing up territories, things were becoming complicated.
Maurice pressed his temples as he muttered, "She was supposed to take over occupied lands, right? Not just grab empty ones! Isn't something wrong here?"
The areas Amelia occupied were those swept through by the Delphine forces. Strictly speaking, they were lands under enemy influence that the royalists couldn't manage.
However, the Delphine forces had not formally garrisoned the areas. They had simply passed through, focusing on advancing toward the capital.
This made Maurice's head spin.
"This is... wow, this is... what, what do we even do?"
Maurice, his thoughts frozen, repeated himself like a broken record.
The dispossessed lords were sure to throw a fit. They'd been planning to retake their lands after driving out the Delphine forces.
But now, telling Amelia to back off after she had inflicted damage on the Delphine forces and occupied the lands was awkward, to say the least.
Turning to Ghislain, who was still smirking, Maurice asked, "Stop smiling and tell me! What do we do about this?"
"Accept it."
"What? Accept it?"
"You negotiated this, didn't you? As part of the agreement for Rayfold to join the war."
"Sure, but that was so she'd fight the enemy, not stake flags on empty land!"
"She did fight."
"Hah... this is driving me crazy."
Though Ghislain's logic wasn't wrong, it felt completely off. Amelia hadn't fought a proper battle; she'd ambushed, fled, and then claimed abandoned land.
As Maurice scratched his head furiously, Ghislain spoke with a chuckle.
"It's better to recognize her claim. Hers is the only force in the east that has dealt any damage to the Delphine forces."
"Ugh... but the lords will rebel against this..."
"It can't be helped. After all, they lost their lands, and Countess Rayfold is technically the one who reclaimed them."
"Still! Should we really acknowledge such a grab..."
"Yes, for now, leave it alone."
Ghislain's gaze hardened as he spoke firmly.
Amelia had agreed to support the royalists as a trade-off for her actions against the barbarians. Ghislain was ensuring that the deal was upheld.
But it wasn't just about keeping a promise. Right now, her strategic insight and capability were crucial.
Pointing to the map, Ghislain explained, "The lands Countess Rayfold occupied are in the Delphine forces' rear."
Of course, this was inevitable—staking a claim to empty land meant taking areas the enemy had already passed through. But the locations were...
Watching Ghislain trace a line across the map, Maurice's eyes gleamed. While often foolish, Maurice wasn't an idiot when it came to war.
"The rear... That means... their supply lines are at risk?"
"Exactly. The Delphine forces now have a serious problem. Ahead lies a defensive line they must breach, and behind them, Countess Rayfold could disrupt their supplies at any moment."
"They might try to turn back to deal with her."
"Correct, but only if Countess Rayfold confronts them."
Amelia wasn't foolish enough to fight such a large force head-on. She would likely abandon the territories she had taken and retreat to seize more unclaimed areas in the east.
Ghislain smiled as he drew several lines on the map.
"To the Delphine forces, Countess Rayfold will be like a thorn in their side. If they advance, their supplies are at risk. If they turn back, they waste time."
"That's true."
"And they didn't bring siege weapons. They likely planned to bring them with the follow-up forces once they besiege the capital, Cardenia. Securing their rear is critical for them."
"But what if Countess Rayfold gets captured quickly?"
"Does it seem likely? Do you think she'd fight a hopeless battle? The Delphine forces will have to rack their brains trying to catch her."
How this played out depended on the Delphine forces' strategy, but Ghislain doubted Amelia would be easily caught.
'If she were that kind of person, she'd have died by my hand long ago.'
For now, the eastern front could be left in Amelia's hands.
Ghislain didn't care who controlled the eastern territories. If necessary, they could retake them later.
His focus was solely on destroying the Duke Delphine and the Salvation Church.
Maurice nodded, finally seeing the logic.
"Alright, if Countess Rayfold can buy time..."
"The Northern Army can deal with the remaining Delphine forces and move east immediately."
"Yes, that works."
Maurice looked confident. With Ghislain and Parniel on their side, there was no way they couldn't handle the remaining Delphine forces.
Ghislain turned to Maurice with a serious expression.
"Still, as commander-in-chief, you need to send Countess Rayfold a clear order."
"What kind of order?"
"She must directly threaten the Delphine supply lines. Only then will her claims be recognized. Warn her that if the east is completely breached and the capital besieged, she'll be fighting the royalists too."
"Huh? Why? Wouldn't she do that on her own to survive?"
"She's unpredictable."
Amelia thrived on chaos and wouldn't tolerate any one side dominating the battlefield.
Right now, she was aiding the royalists, but that could change at any moment. Maurice understood the need to keep her in check.
Though dealing with Amelia was tiresome, her abilities made her indispensable.
"I'll make sure the message is delivered. With that settled, about the prisoners..."
Maurice glanced nervously at Parniel. Managing the sheer number of captives was a daunting task.
Parniel, understanding the situation, nodded.
"I don't mind, but they must all convert to the faith."
Maurice's face lit up with relief.
Honestly, he'd been most worried about the nobles and clergy's backlash. But with the saintess's approval, he had the perfect excuse.
With Parniel's authority, even the Lutania priests couldn't oppose the decision.
'Heh, let them argue with the saintess if they dare.'
Feeling a weight lifted, Maurice nodded solemnly.
"Very well. All prisoners will convert to the Moriana faith and be reorganized accordingly."
Ghislain smirked. Maurice's motivations were so transparent—both a strength and a weakness.
With Parniel and the priests' assistance, the mass conversions began.
The process was rushed, grouping the prisoners for efficiency.
The prisoners didn't resist much, as most had originally been adherents of the Four Great Churches.
Though uneasy about being forcibly inducted into the Moriana faith, they accepted their fate.
As the conversions neared completion, Gordon, the "muscle-bound fool," stepped forward toward Parniel.
The Fenris knights looked bewildered, and Ghislain watched with curiosity, wondering what Gordon was up to.
"Hoo…"
Taking a deep breath, Gordon suddenly tore off his armor and ripped his shirt, baring his muscular physique.
"That crazy idiot! What is he doing?!"
Maurice pointed at Gordon and shouted.
"Someone grab that fool! How dare he strip and show off his muscles in front of the saintess!"
"Drag him out of here! That moron!"
"Ahahahaha!"
While Maurice fumed, Ghislain and the Fenris knights burst out laughing.
The royalist commanders and strategists looked on with disgust. The Fenris forces truly lived up to their reputation as chaotic, undisciplined soldiers.
But Gordon was unfazed, striking poses and flexing his chest, biceps, and triceps with pride.
"Hoo... interesting," Parniel said, intrigued. She waved off the soldiers attempting to drag Gordon away and observed him closely.
As a devotee of Moriana, the goddess of war, Parniel valued physical discipline and strength, even if this wasn't exactly what she had in mind.
Grinning, she rolled up her sleeves, revealing her own bulging muscles.
When Parniel flexed her arm and tensed her muscles
"Ahhh..."
Gordon immediately lost all his resolve.
He couldn't win. Just looking at her broad shoulders and arms, he knew. There was no need to see anything else.
Was this what innate talent looked like? That perfect, massive, sculpted physique was everything Gordon had ever dreamed of.
Ordinary people wouldn't understand, but someone like Gordon, who had lived his life to build muscle, could recognize it immediately.
No matter how much he ate or trained, he would never reach such heights. Truly, she deserved the title of saintess.
"...."
Everyone else was equally silent.
Gordon was the largest knight among the Fenris forces. He was naturally big, but his obsession with muscles had pushed his physique even further.
Yet, in front of the saintess, Gordon looked like an ordinary man. He didn't even come close to being a match.
With a heavy thud, Gordon dropped to his knees and declared, "I've lost."
"You've done well. You've trained diligently," Parniel replied with a pleased smile.
"My body is nothing but a lump of fat compared to the saintess's muscles."
"Not so. Few in this continent have trained as much as you."
Parniel's smile widened in satisfaction.
It had been a long time since she'd seen someone with such "puffed-up" muscles. It showed dedication to constant, disciplined training and proper nutrition.
Even if his muscles were exaggerated, they were a testament to his sincere pursuit of the goddess's will.
And so, Parniel asked, "Which goddess do you serve?"
"I currently follow the Juana Church..."
In truth, Gordon had originally been a follower of the Moriana Church. As a former mercenary, he had simply adhered to tradition.
Then, after witnessing the powerful holy aura displayed by Piote a few times, he had converted. It wasn't as if he had been a devout practitioner—he had never once donated to the church and was a believer in name only.
Parniel nodded several times before asking, "Would you convert? If you do, I will bestow my blessing upon you here and now."
"I will!"
"Good. This too is the goddess's guidance."
Parniel placed her hand on Gordon's head and began reciting a prayer.
Bright light emanated from her hand, flowing into Gordon's body. The light would protect him from most malevolent energies.
More importantly, anyone who believed in the goddess would now hesitate to harm Gordon, knowing he bore the saintess's blessing.
Parniel smiled warmly as she declared, "From this moment, you are a paladin of the Moriana Church."
"I don't know what that means, but thank you! I feel like my muscles have gained even more strength!"
"...."
Parniel chose to remain silent.
The one most shocked by Gordon becoming a paladin was the clergy accompanying Parniel.
"How... how could the saintess grant such a blessing..."
"He just looks like a muscle-bound fool..."
"How could someone like him become a paladin..."
Everyone, without exception, was left speechless.
Receiving the saintess's direct blessing was a rarity. Even a king's request could be turned down if the saintess wasn't moved. Most people would go their entire lives without seeing someone blessed by her.
What's more, anyone blessed by the saintess was immediately granted the rank of paladin without the usual rigorous examination by the church. Typically, becoming a paladin required demonstrating extraordinary holy power and passing strict church scrutiny.
And now, this strange man had received such a rare blessing after simply showing off his muscles.
"...."
Even Ghislain and the Fenris knights, who had been laughing uproariously, fell silent.
To bless someone like Gordon? Surely, this was a sign the world was ending.
Ghislain shook his head in disbelief.
"That idiot has some extraordinary luck."
Did Gordon even realize the significance of the blessing he had just received? Probably not.
He had simply been enamored by the saintess's muscles and decided to convert.
This was the same Gordon who couldn't read and had often been scammed because of it.
Yet somehow, from the Forest of Demonic Beasts to now, he had not only survived but learned to read, write, and even publish novels. He had also obtained treasures, including a fragment of a dragon heart.
It could be said that Gordon's life had turned around completely thanks to meeting Ghislain.
Despite the brief commotion, the reorganization continued. With the prisoners included, they now had nearly 25,000 troops.
"Ah... thanks to my nephew, we've regained the strength to fight!"
Maurice beamed with satisfaction.
He recalled the despair he had felt while retreating after their defeat. Now, with the addition of the Fenris forces and the saintess, he believed they could take on the remaining Delphine forces.
Ghislain, seeing Maurice's joy, reminded him, "We can't afford to relax. Let's rest today, but we need to move out tomorrow."
"Yes, it'll be tough, but we must."
Dark that Ghislain had left with the Northern Army had now dissipated as its mana was exhausted. They could no longer receive immediate updates.
In terms of strength, the Northern Army outmatched the Delphine forces in the central region. However, their slower speed meant that whether they could establish a proper defensive line remained uncertain.
The following day, as the army prepared to march, they received great news.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]