Chapter 620

The funeral mass to honor the fallen warriors was postponed until the wartime state was concluded.

The decision was a result of military judgment that the atmosphere of the funeral could negatively affect the soldiers’ morale, the practical limitation of not having the time or personnel to allocate for funeral preparations, and the cynical thought that if they were to lose, there would be no need for a funeral anyway.

If a typical funeral were delayed to that extent, one would naturally worry about the decomposition of the bodies, but in this case, that was the least of their concerns.

The bodies of the fallen warriors were all lying beyond the barrier. Even the masters were no exception. In the midst of a desperate retreat, there was no time to retrieve the bodies of their comrades.

In the end, those who lost their lives in the previous battle had, as the Ka`har put it, become one with the soil of the grasslands.

—

“So, what do you plan to do now?”

I went to Ludwig’s command tent and asked him a straightforward question.

“Surely you’re not planning to give me some cliché answer like ‘trust the barrier and defend,’ are you? I hope not.”

I had told Leonor that we had no choice but to fight a defensive battle at the barrier, but Ludwig might have come up with some other strategy.

[Wasn’t that cliché answer exactly what you told Leonor?]

‘I was speaking in general terms. If I had the brains to come up with some grand strategy, I wouldn’t be wielding a sword instead of a pen, would I?’

In other words, Ludwig, who wields a pen instead of a sword, should come up with strategies I couldn’t even imagine.

Like when he sent Joshua’s main force to the Dane border to provoke a conflict between Ka`har and Dane.

When I first heard about that, it was hard to contain my anger. Leading Ka`har’s army to Dane wasn’t just about causing a military conflict.

It meant throwing countless innocent civilians living there to the wolves, just like the atrocities I had committed when I first fell into this world.

To think he would do such a thing while hiding the detailed battle plan from me. It made me sick to my stomach, reminding me of my past.

So I immediately stormed into Ludwig’s tent and confronted him… but Ludwig, in his calmest tone, defended himself, saying that as the Lord of the Borderlands of Landenburg, he had no choice but to do so to protect the Empire.

– My duty is to protect the lives of the Empire’s people, not the Dane’s. If I can save one Imperial life at the cost of a hundred Dane lives, I will choose that path without hesitation.

– If we lose, Dane wouldn’t be safe either. Do you think Ka`har would distinguish between Dane and the Empire once they cross the barrier?

– Think about it. If the Empire weakens from the war with Ka`har, would Dane help the Empire… or would they march on the Empire like they did with Panam? I’d bet on the latter.

– There might have been a better way… but unfortunately, I couldn’t think of one. Could you have come up with a better plan?

He went on like that.

I couldn’t justify his actions that led to civilian massacres as mere strategic decisions, but it was clear that I couldn’t come up with a better strategy either.

And what else did he say… that we needed to lure Dane’s main forces to the border with Ka`har to save Panam while also preventing Ka`har from using Dane’s territory as a shortcut to bypass the barrier.

Hersela agreed with that part too. She said Or-han had attacked the Empire that way nine years ago.

At the time, the Imperial Army was still strong, so Or-han was surrounded on three sides by two legions and the Landenburg army and had no choice but to retreat.

Anyway, in the end, I had no choice but to suppress my anger.

It wasn’t right to lash out at someone who was just doing their duty with irrational emotional arguments, and it was obvious that if the supreme commander and the strongest force started to clash, even a winnable war would be lost.

—

“A cliché answer… you’re right about that.”

Ludwig nodded as he cut the thick end of his magical cigarette with scissors.

“But as far as I’m concerned, I have no choice but to give you a ‘cliché answer.’ In a situation where neither a decisive battle nor guerrilla warfare is possible, what other option is there besides a defensive battle? Unless we have allies on par with you, the only viable strategy with our current strength is defense.”

“Disappointing answer. I thought the ‘Empire’s Shield’ would have a couple of unexpected strategies up his sleeve this time too.”

I lit a small flame to light our magical cigarettes and sat down on the chair in the command tent.

Startled by the sudden flame, Ludwig, who was about to take out a match, widened his eyes and let out a low exclamation.

“Thank you. And… when did I say I had no strategies? If we have no choice but to fight defensively, then figuring out how to defend is the commander’s duty, isn’t it?”

Ludwig closed his eyes, savoring the smoke from his magical cigarette, and continued in a calm voice.

“I was actually planning to discuss that very issue with you. I didn’t expect it to be a private conversation, but… that’s not important.”

“Discuss?”

“You’re the only knight who has recent experience fighting Or-han.”

That’s true. The Or-han Ludwig faced was, like the Jollekgem, stuck behind the barrier and stagnant.

“It’s not hard to predict how a human fight will go, but a fight with beings beyond humans is uncharted territory even for me. I have no choice but to ask you.”

Ludwig leaned forward slightly and stared at me intently.

…It’s a bit of a heavy gaze.

“What do you want to know? I already explained last time that they fly around punching and kicking, and that my attacks can’t break through their Indestructible Body.”

“You did. But, wasn’t it more that you couldn’t win because you ran out of energy, rather than being completely overwhelmed? Or-han also seemed reluctant to fight any further.”

“Exactly! That’s right. He looked just as tired as I was. It was practically a draw.”

My voice was a bit higher than usual as I answered.

As expected of the Empire’s Shield. He understands that the fight wasn’t a crushing defeat for me but a draw or a narrow loss.

Yes. One must have at least this much wisdom to be worthy of the heavy responsibility of being the Lord of the Borderlands.

“If it weren’t for those Blue Army guys, I could have left a deep wound on that body. It’s really a shame.”

[How pathetic… how can you be so pathetic…!]

Hersela sneered in disgust, but I generously ignored her harsh words. It’s not a crime to lack wisdom.

Hersela simply lacks the intelligence to understand the significance of that fight. Unlike me. So, I, the wise one, should understand her.

“Ahem, ahem… If you say so, it must be true. But the outcome of that battle isn’t the important issue. Both sides are still alive.”

Ludwig coughed and flicked the ash from his magical cigarette. It was a thick one, so it burned much slower than mine.

“There are two things I want to ask. Can you hold out until Or-han’s Indestructible Body reaches its limit, and does the Blessing of Invulnerability remain active even after your energy is depleted?”

Can I hold out until Or-han’s Indestructible Body breaks?

Well, there are too many variables to give a definitive answer.

If we fight in the air, my energy will deplete faster, but it’ll be easier to absorb his attacks. If we fight on the ground, the opposite will be true.

Whether it’s a one-on-one fight or a many-against-many fight with support from others will also affect the outcome, and if Hersela fights directly instead of me, who knows what will happen.

“Whether I can hold out depends on the situation. But maintaining the Blessing of Invulnerability won’t be a problem. The Blessing of Invulnerability doesn’t consume the Power of Feats.”

Hearing my answer, Ludwig smiled with a satisfied expression.

“Then there’s a way. I need to know more precisely what you can and cannot block.”

“…There’s a way?”

Half-doubting, I followed Ludwig’s question and listed the things I could block.

About five minutes passed. Ludwig, puffing out magical cigarette smoke like a chimney, finally came up with a strategy after much thought.

A strategy to send Or-han to the next world.

—

I had a dream.

A dream from over a decade ago, now faint even in memory.

“Home… I do miss it. But I can’t go back now.”

Golden hair shining like a sunrise over a wheat field.

The scent of marigolds carried on a gentle breeze.

“Do I regret it? No. It was my choice. Thanks to you, I was able to save countless people from the horrors of war. What greater honor could there be for a knight?”

I still remember it vividly.

Eyes as clear and blue as an autumn lake, a voice as warm and affectionate as spring, yet overflowing with pride.

“However… not being able to let my parents know I’m alive… or show them their granddaughter… does weigh on my mind a bit. Will there ever be a day when I can see them again…?”

Looking westward with a faint smile, I blurted out without thinking.

“…Yes. Someday, definitely.”

That promise was never kept.

—

“……”

The man who opened his eyes silently stared at the ceiling of his chamber for a while, then let out a deep sigh and sat up.

Arms as thick as a horse’s thigh. Abs that looked stronger than steel. A massive body that seemed like a metal statue come to life.

Aishan Gior Or-han had awakened from his sleep.