One month ago.
Outside the barracks, a clanking sound was heard.
Erdene knew who was coming to her barracks just from the oddly offbeat, cheerful yet somewhat rhythmic footsteps.
“Your Highness the Princess.”
As Thelma lifted her head while pulling back the tent, a crumpled wad of paper flew right at her forehead.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Princess on the battlefield?”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
Perhaps because she was so used to getting hit once or twice, Thelma’s expression showed no sign of apology.
Erdene decided that when she returned to the empire after the war was over, she would fix that rascal’s hair.
“What is it? If you’re here, tell me.”
At Erdene’s words, who had lowered her gaze to the map she was examining, Thelma finally looked at her with a slightly troubled expression.
“What is it?”
Thelma swallowed dry saliva and closed her eyes tightly, feeling as if she would let things be.
“Three or four of the prisoners of Vinothin escaped.”
Erdene frowned and glared at Thelma.
“So, are you saying that three escaped, or four?”
Thelma’s lips twitched slightly.
It didn’t seem like the number of prisoners would make much of a difference in the results, but it seemed better to answer that it was three.
However, before she could even speak, Erdene snapped again in an angry voice.
“If three escaped, I’ll cut off the head of the one in charge of the prisoners, and if four escaped, I’ll put the other head back and cut it again. So speak clearly.”
“Three.”
Thelma answered immediately, moving her lips slightly to add, “Maybe.”
Fortunately, Erdene had slammed the table in half, so her muttering did not reach her ears.
“You little rats.”
The low voice made Thelma feel a chill down her spine. Erdene’s eyes were blue with anger.
“Isn’t this strange?”
“Yes?”
“The prisoners. There have been a lot of escapes recently. Of the ten we captured last time, two escaped. Five tried, and three were killed on the spot, but two escaped. Our soldiers are stationed in this area, and we have surveyed the terrain several times. How could they not be noticed?”
Thelma said.
“Princess... No, isn’t it because they are little rats, as you said?”
“Thelma.”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to die?”
Since she had no desire to end her life, Thelma immediately tucked her tail and became a docile and silent lamb.
“Dispatch the soldiers and chase them to the end. They have been starving for a long time. If there is anyone who falls, bring their corpses.”
“Understood.”
Thelma answered obediently and left her barracks, even though a search party had already been dispatched.
At this point, it was best not to touch Erdene.
If she were to stay by her side and sparks flew, she would have to consider herself completely asleep tonight.
Erdene saw through Thelma’s hurried escape.
She stared blankly at her back and then sat back down in her chair, placing her gauntleted hand on her forehead.
“Damn it, what the hell is going on?”
Among the inland allies, Vinothin, which bordered the southwest of the empire, was the most insignificant of the many kingdoms in the inland.
Even if you don’t try to look at it lightly, even non-soldiers would laugh or yawn at the thought of a war with Vinothin. It was widely said that even if hundreds of Vinothin soldiers gathered, three of Hirschsten’s elite soldiers would be enough.
So it was almost a miracle that Vinothin was able to hold out against Erdene Badd for nearly a year.
Of course, for Erdene and the imperial soldiers, it felt like a strange nightmare as each day passed.
‘We fought a long, sluggish battle for a year. Even when we tried to push forward, they knew exactly when to retreat and kept repeating... Did they realize that we had no intention of entering the capital? But if that was the case, why did they continue to reinforce the military in the border area? If they were simply afraid of defeat, they would have sent a messenger in the evening.’
The strategy that Erdene and her military officers had come up with together was all in vain.
The soldiers of Vinothin moved as if they knew in advance where the Imperial Army would move.
Although they sometimes fell into traps, the results were insufficient and unpleasant.
She felt like she was being completely fooled into a play where she was deliberately sacrificing a few people out of fear of arousing suspicion.
‘Even if we take the plains and logging areas we were aiming for this way, it will be a loss for us. Who would have imagined that this war would last a year? I thought everything would be sorted out in at least three months.’
A clinking sound was heard between the heavy gauntlets.
“Merton!”
Erdene’s booming voice echoed outside the barracks.
Merton, the most skilled of the Empire’s knight commanders, came in with a swollen face from not sleeping properly for several days.
“You called, Commander.”
“We’re changing the plan. We’ll not only take the entire plains and logging areas in the southwest that we originally intended to take, but we’ll also push deeper into the west and take the gold mines.”
“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“That’s right. We wasted a year just to get a little bit of land and forest. This tedious work has been going on for a year! I heard the captives escaped again. Those who know nothing but playing brass and wooden soldiers as warfare have been holding out against us for a year? It is impossible, and the pride of the empire does not allow it.”
Merton listened to Erdene silently.
His pride was hurt, but he did not like the sudden change of strategy.
If someone other than Erdene had made the same suggestion, he would have just laughed and left.
“Have you heard anything about the arrival of the second cavalry?”
“They will join us in three or four days.”
Three days. Erdene’s eyes flashed with a strange gleam.
Merton knew from many experiences when she would give off such an aura.
Those were the eyes of a beast with only a vicious instinct left. She must have decided that it was time to end this tedious hunt.
Erdene said.
“Send the fastest horseman to tell the rear cavalry what I said. The cavalry will not join the main force but will turn around the mountains and advance straight to the third border of Vinothin. The capital will be just past there. Tell the cavalry to enter the capital and set up camp.”
Erdene’s attitude was merciless, ordering them to go straight into the center of a country, not even a city.
However, Merton just nodded silently.
Erdene, who had been lost in thought for a moment, continued to give the order.
“And we will deploy the entire army at midnight tonight. We will destroy the defensive line they have built and advance inland. Then, within three days, we will join the rear cavalry and strike the border of the capital.”
“Understood, Commander.”
Merton went outside to relay her order to the other knight commanders and adjutants.
The crisp map on the desk crumpled in Erdene’s hands.
“We will end this war within a week. Even consideration ends here.”
Erdene, who was slowly losing consciousness to the sound of the weapons ringing in her ears, opened her closed eyes.
She couldn’t have fallen asleep in the meantime, but her head strangely felt hazy and uneasy.
The conversation she had with her immediate adjutant, Thelma, and Knight Commander Merton ten days before the end of the war with Vinothin was making a mess of her head.
There was a spy, Erdene thought.
As she gripped the elegantly curved armrests that looked like they were blowing in the wind, the wood grain cracked.
‘There was definitely a spy... But who was it? Who on earth was it? It couldn’t have been among the Knight Commanders. Then was it among the adjutants? Among the soldiers? How and when did they sneak in? Vinothin attempted a surprise attack from the very first battle with us. Maybe, maybe that Tenek guy passed our military information to Vinothin. Yes, if that’s true, it makes sense. Understandably, we couldn’t find out who the spy was despite all the searching. If Tenek was behind it...’
The poor armrest screamed at her evil power that had lost its reason. Her blue eyes were still turned toward the bright scenery outside.
There was a window facing west, but it was still early for the sun to set.
The weather would soon get hotter, so she would have to endure longer and longer if she waited for the sun to set.
Then, a large, heavy bell sound was heard from afar.
At first, she thought it was a hallucination, but after the sound continued two or three times, she could feel the majestic vibration reaching her feet.
‘You could hear this kind of bell sound in the empire too. Back then, they rang the bell to announce the dispatch of troops.’
At the fourth bell, Erdene turned his head back and called out,
“Is there anyone there?”
A servant came in quickly and bowed politely.
Erdene pointed out the window.
“What are you talking about?”
At her question, the servant opened his eyes wide for a moment as if he had never heard such a strange question before answering.
“It is the hourbell, Your Highness. It has struck six times, which means it is now six o’clock in the evening.”
Erdene knew who was coming to her barracks just from the oddly offbeat, cheerful yet somewhat rhythmic footsteps.
“Your Highness the Princess.”
As Thelma lifted her head while pulling back the tent, a crumpled wad of paper flew right at her forehead.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me Princess on the battlefield?”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
Perhaps because she was so used to getting hit once or twice, Thelma’s expression showed no sign of apology.
Erdene decided that when she returned to the empire after the war was over, she would fix that rascal’s hair.
“What is it? If you’re here, tell me.”
At Erdene’s words, who had lowered her gaze to the map she was examining, Thelma finally looked at her with a slightly troubled expression.
“What is it?”
Thelma swallowed dry saliva and closed her eyes tightly, feeling as if she would let things be.
“Three or four of the prisoners of Vinothin escaped.”
Erdene frowned and glared at Thelma.
“So, are you saying that three escaped, or four?”
Thelma’s lips twitched slightly.
It didn’t seem like the number of prisoners would make much of a difference in the results, but it seemed better to answer that it was three.
However, before she could even speak, Erdene snapped again in an angry voice.
“If three escaped, I’ll cut off the head of the one in charge of the prisoners, and if four escaped, I’ll put the other head back and cut it again. So speak clearly.”
“Three.”
Thelma answered immediately, moving her lips slightly to add, “Maybe.”
Fortunately, Erdene had slammed the table in half, so her muttering did not reach her ears.
“You little rats.”
The low voice made Thelma feel a chill down her spine. Erdene’s eyes were blue with anger.
“Isn’t this strange?”
“Yes?”
“The prisoners. There have been a lot of escapes recently. Of the ten we captured last time, two escaped. Five tried, and three were killed on the spot, but two escaped. Our soldiers are stationed in this area, and we have surveyed the terrain several times. How could they not be noticed?”
Thelma said.
“Princess... No, isn’t it because they are little rats, as you said?”
“Thelma.”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to die?”
Since she had no desire to end her life, Thelma immediately tucked her tail and became a docile and silent lamb.
“Dispatch the soldiers and chase them to the end. They have been starving for a long time. If there is anyone who falls, bring their corpses.”
“Understood.”
Thelma answered obediently and left her barracks, even though a search party had already been dispatched.
At this point, it was best not to touch Erdene.
If she were to stay by her side and sparks flew, she would have to consider herself completely asleep tonight.
Erdene saw through Thelma’s hurried escape.
She stared blankly at her back and then sat back down in her chair, placing her gauntleted hand on her forehead.
“Damn it, what the hell is going on?”
Among the inland allies, Vinothin, which bordered the southwest of the empire, was the most insignificant of the many kingdoms in the inland.
Even if you don’t try to look at it lightly, even non-soldiers would laugh or yawn at the thought of a war with Vinothin. It was widely said that even if hundreds of Vinothin soldiers gathered, three of Hirschsten’s elite soldiers would be enough.
So it was almost a miracle that Vinothin was able to hold out against Erdene Badd for nearly a year.
Of course, for Erdene and the imperial soldiers, it felt like a strange nightmare as each day passed.
‘We fought a long, sluggish battle for a year. Even when we tried to push forward, they knew exactly when to retreat and kept repeating... Did they realize that we had no intention of entering the capital? But if that was the case, why did they continue to reinforce the military in the border area? If they were simply afraid of defeat, they would have sent a messenger in the evening.’
The strategy that Erdene and her military officers had come up with together was all in vain.
The soldiers of Vinothin moved as if they knew in advance where the Imperial Army would move.
Although they sometimes fell into traps, the results were insufficient and unpleasant.
She felt like she was being completely fooled into a play where she was deliberately sacrificing a few people out of fear of arousing suspicion.
‘Even if we take the plains and logging areas we were aiming for this way, it will be a loss for us. Who would have imagined that this war would last a year? I thought everything would be sorted out in at least three months.’
A clinking sound was heard between the heavy gauntlets.
“Merton!”
Erdene’s booming voice echoed outside the barracks.
Merton, the most skilled of the Empire’s knight commanders, came in with a swollen face from not sleeping properly for several days.
“You called, Commander.”
“We’re changing the plan. We’ll not only take the entire plains and logging areas in the southwest that we originally intended to take, but we’ll also push deeper into the west and take the gold mines.”
“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“That’s right. We wasted a year just to get a little bit of land and forest. This tedious work has been going on for a year! I heard the captives escaped again. Those who know nothing but playing brass and wooden soldiers as warfare have been holding out against us for a year? It is impossible, and the pride of the empire does not allow it.”
Merton listened to Erdene silently.
His pride was hurt, but he did not like the sudden change of strategy.
If someone other than Erdene had made the same suggestion, he would have just laughed and left.
“Have you heard anything about the arrival of the second cavalry?”
“They will join us in three or four days.”
Three days. Erdene’s eyes flashed with a strange gleam.
Merton knew from many experiences when she would give off such an aura.
Those were the eyes of a beast with only a vicious instinct left. She must have decided that it was time to end this tedious hunt.
Erdene said.
“Send the fastest horseman to tell the rear cavalry what I said. The cavalry will not join the main force but will turn around the mountains and advance straight to the third border of Vinothin. The capital will be just past there. Tell the cavalry to enter the capital and set up camp.”
Erdene’s attitude was merciless, ordering them to go straight into the center of a country, not even a city.
However, Merton just nodded silently.
Erdene, who had been lost in thought for a moment, continued to give the order.
“And we will deploy the entire army at midnight tonight. We will destroy the defensive line they have built and advance inland. Then, within three days, we will join the rear cavalry and strike the border of the capital.”
“Understood, Commander.”
Merton went outside to relay her order to the other knight commanders and adjutants.
The crisp map on the desk crumpled in Erdene’s hands.
“We will end this war within a week. Even consideration ends here.”
***
Erdene, who was slowly losing consciousness to the sound of the weapons ringing in her ears, opened her closed eyes.
She couldn’t have fallen asleep in the meantime, but her head strangely felt hazy and uneasy.
The conversation she had with her immediate adjutant, Thelma, and Knight Commander Merton ten days before the end of the war with Vinothin was making a mess of her head.
There was a spy, Erdene thought.
As she gripped the elegantly curved armrests that looked like they were blowing in the wind, the wood grain cracked.
‘There was definitely a spy... But who was it? Who on earth was it? It couldn’t have been among the Knight Commanders. Then was it among the adjutants? Among the soldiers? How and when did they sneak in? Vinothin attempted a surprise attack from the very first battle with us. Maybe, maybe that Tenek guy passed our military information to Vinothin. Yes, if that’s true, it makes sense. Understandably, we couldn’t find out who the spy was despite all the searching. If Tenek was behind it...’
The poor armrest screamed at her evil power that had lost its reason. Her blue eyes were still turned toward the bright scenery outside.
There was a window facing west, but it was still early for the sun to set.
The weather would soon get hotter, so she would have to endure longer and longer if she waited for the sun to set.
Then, a large, heavy bell sound was heard from afar.
At first, she thought it was a hallucination, but after the sound continued two or three times, she could feel the majestic vibration reaching her feet.
‘You could hear this kind of bell sound in the empire too. Back then, they rang the bell to announce the dispatch of troops.’
At the fourth bell, Erdene turned his head back and called out,
“Is there anyone there?”
A servant came in quickly and bowed politely.
Erdene pointed out the window.
“What are you talking about?”
At her question, the servant opened his eyes wide for a moment as if he had never heard such a strange question before answering.
“It is the hourbell, Your Highness. It has struck six times, which means it is now six o’clock in the evening.”
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