Chapter 663

“Lord Ragnar. What did you just say?”

Knut, the vice-captain of the Einherjar, the Engraved Holy Warriors, looked at his superior with a face full of shock.

Ragnar. Like Knut himself, he bore the rune of **ᚨ** (Ansuz) on his left eye, using its power to command the other engraved warriors. He was the undisputed strongest holy warrior of the Kingdom of Dane, and now he looked down at Knut with a twisted smile.

“Has your hearing gone bad too? Then I’ll say it again. Retreat all our forces and clear the path for Ka`har’s advance. This is His Majesty the King’s order—and the will of Cardinal Wolfgang Kapriech as well.”

“What are you… Are you saying we’re surrendering to Ka`har?!”

“Quite the opposite. It’s to defeat them.”

Ragnar shook his head and explained in detail the reason behind the king’s order, including details that no ordinary soldier would ever know.

It didn’t take long for Knut’s expression, initially filled with doubt, to twist into anger and contempt.

—

“This country has gone mad.”

Knut, his face distorted, returned to his quarters and declared this to Frigg, the female knight who had been accompanying him like a guard since he was injured.

Hearing the deep anger and contempt in his voice, Frigg quietly put down the sausage she was chewing and looked at him.

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“His Majesty said we’re retreating all our forces to the central region. To avoid being worn down by fighting Ka`har.”

“…Isn’t that just standard scorched-earth tactics? Cut off their supplies, inflict heavy damage on them when they clash with the Empire, and then launch a full-scale attack to annihilate them as they retreat.”

Frigg tilted her head slightly, confused. It seemed like a reasonable strategy, so she couldn’t understand why Knut was so furious.

‘Could it be that he’s against even a strategic retreat? But surely Knut knows there’s no other way to win.’

Even if Dane mobilized all its forces, including the Einherjar, it was impossible to face Ka`har’s main army head-on. They had managed to repel the Red Banner Legion that attacked a few days ago, but with an enemy several times larger and Or-han joining the fray, there was no chance of winning in a full-scale battle.

Using scorched-earth tactics to weaken Ka`har’s forces and then taking advantage of the conflict between them and the Empire seemed like the only viable option for Dane at this point.

But Knut’s face only grew more twisted. And for good reason—the strategy Dane had chosen was…

—

“This isn’t scorched-earth tactics.”

“Huh?”

Knut, with a tone full of disgust, explained the reason for the retreat as Ragnar had told him.

“We’re only retreating the troops. The supplies and civilians are being left behind. They say there’s no time to move them to the rear, and if there’s nothing left to plunder, Ka`har is more likely to march into central Dane instead of heading toward the Empire.”

“Wait, hold on. Are you saying… they’re going to leave all those citizens as prey for Ka`har? Is that what you mean?”

Frigg’s eyes narrowed.

“That’s what they said.”

“That’s insane.”

It was the same reaction Knut had when he shouted at Ragnar earlier, and he couldn’t help but recall the argument from a few hours ago.

—

“Are you insane? Losing over a hundred thousand citizens would mean our defeat right there!”

Knut growled fiercely.

His protest was justified. A year ago, it would have been an indisputable argument.

But not anymore.

“We’re not losing them. They’re sacrifices. The blood they shed will be the foundation of our victory and the sword that protects Dane.”

Ragnar smiled calmly. His attitude was almost theatrically shameless.

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting…?”

“It’s not nonsense. Have you forgotten? The rune engravings we’ve obtained. The true nature of their power.”

Ragnar tapped the eyepatch covering his left eye.

“Magic engravings tempered with blood. That is the essence of runes. According to the mage scholars studying runes, the number of lives sacrificed determines the output of a completed rune.”

Ragnar’s lips curled into a beastly, sinister smile.

“Then, wouldn’t a rune forged with tens of thousands of sacrifices contain enough power to annihilate Ka`har’s remnants?”

“So… you’re saying… you’re going to sacrifice over a hundred thousand citizens to strengthen the Einherjar’s power? Is that His Majesty’s will?”

Knut’s voice trembled with shock.

In stark contrast to the young holy warrior’s dismay, Ragnar’s voice showed not a hint of hesitation as he continued.

“That’s not the only goal. Some of the sacrifices will be used for the summoning of Valkyries at the Cardinal’s request… And after clashing with the Imperial Army without our interference, Ka`har will inflict massive damage on the Empire even if they lose. To the point where they won’t have the strength to intervene in whatever we do next.”

Knut stared at Ragnar in stunned silence. A chilling sensation ran down his spine, just like when he was injured by Aishan Gi-or Hashalleur’s gauntlet.

If they were retreating out of fear of Ka`har, he could at least understand, even if he despised it. But the fact that this insane strategy was the result of cold, calculated reasoning to gain an advantage from the deaths of tens of thousands filled him with an indescribable sense of revulsion.

It was as if the leaders of Dane, including his superior, were no longer human.

Of course, Ragnar showed no concern for Knut’s feelings, calmly ordering him to obey the king’s command.

“If you understand, then follow the order, Knut Svenson. You’ve always hated Ka`har, haven’t you? You said you wanted to avenge your sister, didn’t you?”

Knut’s face hardened. His sister. Astrid. The memory of her final moments flashed through his mind.

Ragnar smirked with satisfaction and lightly patted Knut’s shoulder.

“It’s natural to feel repulsed. I understand. But… if we want to annihilate Ka`har, this is the only way. This is the best strategy our Kingdom of Dane can choose.”

“……”

Knut nodded silently without a word.

—

Though Knut had shown agreement in front of Ragnar, he had no intention of going along with such a mad plan.

So, as soon as he returned home, he confided in Frigg.

“…So what are you going to do? If the royal family, the Church, and even Captain Ragnar are all in agreement, opposing them would be pointless.”

“There’s no way we’re the only ones against this madness. If we inform the holy warriors and knights, we can gather opposition…”

Frigg shook her head.

“That’s reckless. As long as Captain Ragnar has the Ansuz rune, the engraved warriors have no choice but to follow him.”

**[ᚨ]**

Ansuz. The rune symbolizing the gods.

This engraving took the left eye of the chosen one but granted them the power to command all others who bore runes.

Knut also had the same rune engraved in his lost left eye, but his power of command couldn’t surpass Ragnar’s.

Even if Knut gathered engraved warriors who agreed with him, the moment they faced Ragnar, they would all turn against him.

“Besides, there are few knights who would defy His Majesty’s order to protect the citizens. Who would welcome a fight with no chance of victory, no meaning, and only the risk of being branded as traitors and executed?”

“So you’re saying we should just let this atrocity happen?”

Frigg stared at Knut with her usual expressionless face, then sighed deeply and looked away, muttering her response.

“…Yes. Let it go. Rather than choosing a meaningless death, it’s wiser to put aside your conscience for a while and turn a blind eye. It’s nothing special. Ordinary people live like that all the time.”

“…That’s not right.”

Frigg sighed again. Knut, at his age, still clinging to the illusion of justice, was frustrating to her.

“Don’t you get it? All you’ll do is add one more corpse to the pile. Nothing will change.”

“Even so, we have to stop it. How can I stand by and watch my homeland turn into a den of demons worse than Ka`har?”

Knut’s resolve was firm. His voice, like his rock-solid expression, was filled with unwavering determination.

Frigg realized once again. Knut had already made up his mind, and once he did, no one could persuade him otherwise.

As always.

‘This stubborn fool…!’

Extreme irritation rose like a volcano, and Frigg gritted her teeth, her brow furrowing.

Looking at the man in front of her, who seemed to choose only the path to his own death, she felt the urge to pluck out his remaining eye.

“Fine, do as you please. If dying in self-satisfaction is your style, then it’s a fitting end for you.”

“…Yeah. That sounds like me.”

Knut nodded calmly, accepting her sharp sarcasm. Frigg felt the heat in her body surge to her head.

“Ha…!”

She completely broke her expressionless facade, furrowing her brows deeply. She grabbed the beer mug on the table, chugged it down, and slammed it back with enough force to shatter it.

Knut looked at her with a slightly surprised expression.

“Great, a fitting end for you. I’m so annoyed I could burst.”

Frigg pushed her chair back, stood up abruptly, and approached Knut. She grabbed his arm, slung it over her shoulder, and lifted him up.

“What are you sitting around for? Let’s get up and go find people willing to die with you. Time’s running out.”

“Ah, no… This is my choice. I don’t intend to drag you into it. I’ll handle it on my own.”

“Shut up. You can’t even walk on your own two legs without using rune power. You went off on your own to seek revenge and came back a cripple with one leg. What do you mean, handle it on your own?”

Frigg shot back sharply.

Her expression made it clear that if he dared to retort, she’d tear his throat out. Knut could only remain silent with an awkward expression.

Frigg, supporting Knut, led him out of his home and into the streets in the dead of night.

“Do you know, Knut? You’re the worst superior. Stubborn, self-centered. The kind of person who pushes all his subordinates into the grave and then lies down beside them.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“If you’re sorry, then listen to me for once. Damn stubborn fool.”

Frigg scolded Knut every few steps as they walked.

To gather the kind-hearted fools who would join his cause.