Chapter 269

――WAAAAAAH!!

With the thunderous cheers of the Lunarien Army, the siege to finally occupy Madlen Castle had begun!

Even as they advanced to this point, not only did the Lunarien Army suffer no losses, but they even reinforced their troops. Under the precise commands of Francis and Charlotte at the forefront, they began their seamless assault.

The siege was led by Francis and Charlotte. Dealing with the enemy interception force fell to Gustaf and Aaron.

“Siege weapons, aim forward in unison!”

“Don’t panic against the interceptors! Our numbers far surpass theirs!”

“This is a battle we can only win! Never retreat!”

For decades, the great city of Madlen on the Southern Continent knew nothing but peace. Now, outside its walls, chaos unfolded—a literal scene of hellish proportions.

Though the Karelia Army fought hard despite knowing their defeat was inevitable, unfortunately for them, even in defense, the exchange ratio between the two nations’ forces wasn’t significantly different.

This was both encouraging news for the Lunarien Army and a nightmare for the Karelia Army.

Commander Luna chose not to lead from the front this time but remained at the rear, fully concentrating on commanding her main forces.

Truthfully, given her role as monarch, this was the logical decision.

No matter how brilliant she might be on the battlefield, risking her life was something that couldn’t be justified when she had only one. The death of a ruler and commander would mean the near collapse of the nation.

Still… it bothered her. She couldn’t help fidgeting. Sending others into battle while staying safe in the back didn’t sit well with her nature.

At that moment,

“My Lord.”

Chief of Staff Jinoru, the Nation’s Strategist, approached her.

“I’ve just returned after deploying the troops as you ordered.”

“You’ve worked hard. To be honest, it was less my order and more your suggestion… though…”

“If my proposal was accepted, then it becomes your order, does it not?”

“Hmm… yes, I suppose so…”

Luna almost always followed Jinoru’s advice. Out of ten suggestions, she’d accept nine without much thought.

It wasn’t because he was exceptionally intelligent or renowned for his strategic acumen—though he certainly was—but simply because he was sent here by Sir Swoen.

In Luna’s mind, following Jinoru’s advice was akin to respecting Swoen’s will.

Jinoru seemed to sense her unease and gently offered some stern words.

“I understand your heart, but a ruler must never recklessly enter the battlefield. There will surely come a time when your strength will be needed, but this is not it. Trust your vassals now.”

“I do trust them… it’s just…”

“…I know, My Lord.”

This woman wanted to fight alongside her soldiers.

Whether she saw staying behind as cowardly or simply enjoyed combat, Jinoru could tell it was the former that weighed heavier on her spirit.

“A ruler must steadfastly guard their position. That is your duty to your vassals.”

A ruler’s duty.

Yes. Sir Swoen said it too—there are times when leaders must act like leaders.

“…I’ll keep it in mind.”

Luna nodded, casting one last glance toward where her comrades were fighting.

…The time had come to shoulder everyone’s hopes.

* * *

As the battle began,

Cecile, fulfilling the strategist’s final request, disguised herself as a trading company head and hid the unconscious Karelia in a carriage.

Given that the Loengrin Clan itself made its fortune through trade, pretending to be a merchant leader was no challenge for her.

We’re going to lose this battle.

Our soldiers are fighting valiantly till the end, but… whether we can win or not was clear enough.

There was no need for detailed analysis. With Cecile managing supply lines from the rear, she instinctively understood the situation.

We had no reinforcements like Luna’s sudden mercenary units, nor anyone with latent mage talent.

“It’s okay though.”

As Vanessa said, the northern gate, away from the main conflict, remained relatively calm.

Even amidst the ongoing battle, since both the Lunarien and Karelia armies valued honor, civilians wouldn’t be harmed unless absolutely necessary. Thus, disguised as a merchant, she felt confident about slipping through unnoticed.

Thump, thump.

Cecile, fearing her heartbeat might betray her, cautiously moved along under the escort of soldiers.

Friendly forces would recognize the situation, so there was no need to worry about them. Moving calmly rather than hastily, she slowly distanced herself from Madlen Castle now turned into a battlefield.

How far had they gone?

Finally, the battlefield appeared smaller in the distance.

But complacency was dangerous. As Vanessa emphasized, crossing the bridge was critical before relaxing.

Her hands sweated nervously—she had to succeed for the strategist who fought until the very end.

“Cross the river quickly. Once over, we can speed up. Getting past the Roland Army border checkpoint might be tricky… but there are ways.”

And just as she reached the bridge…

“!!!”

Standing guard at the bridge were soldiers holding the bright lime-green flag—the exact same banner Cecile had seen on the battlefield earlier: the Lunarien Army’s flag.

“What…? Why are they here?”

Hadn’t all forces been deployed to the battlefield?

Could it be…

“They stationed troops here to block passage even before the battle started…?”

Just as she pondered this, voices of the soldiers reached her ears.

“Is that really a trading company?”

“Sounds like what the strategist predicted.”

“Strategist…?”

Currently, the Lunarien strategist was undoubtedly Jinoru Knighthardt, the former imperial chancellor. Had this old man anticipated everything?

“So… Miss Vanessa foresaw our lord being evacuated…?”

――Darkness clouded Cecile’s vision momentarily.

Nausea churned in her stomach, but she regained focus.

“Calm down.”

We’re merchants. They’ll let us pass easily if we play it cool.

The soldiers approached casually.

“Sorry, but we need to conduct a checkpoint inspection.”

“As you can see, we’re just traders…”

“It won’t take long. Please cooperate.”

“…”

Resisting here would only raise suspicion.

We’re perfectly disguised as merchants, with altered voices. Finding Lady Karelia hidden inside would be unlikely.

“Alright. But please hurry; we have an urgent schedule.”

“Yes, understood. Let’s proceed.”

The soldiers moved towards the cargo compartment.

Thump, thump.

Cargo rustling sounds filled the air, but hiding her in “that spot” meant they’d never find her.

“Are we done yet?”

“Just a moment longer.”

At that moment,

A familiar face walked over.

“That woman…!”

Violet, the strategist girl who accompanied Luna, had arrived.

Though startled by someone she recognized, Cecile reassured herself—only a brief encounter before, and now disguised, she wouldn’t be exposed.

“Still conducting inspections?”

“Almost done, no suspicious items found.”

“…”

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Please, just let this end normally.

Seemingly unaware of the tension, Violet approached the disguised Cecile and asked.

“Are you the head of the trading company?”

“Yes.”

“What goods are you transporting?”

“Cloths.”

“Would it be alright to ask the approximate price for such quantities?”

Though surprised by the question, it was within expectation, so Cecile smoothly provided an amount.

“I see. Is that price certain?”

“Yes.”

Violet paused briefly before speaking directly into Cecile’s disguised eyes.

“We’ll pay five times that amount. Hand over the carriage to us.”

“…Excuse me?”

What… nonsense is this?

I can’t hand over this carriage—it holds our lord, Lady Karelia!

But rejecting an offer for more money also seems strange. Thankfully, Cecile knew how trading companies operated.

“This is already contracted merchandise. While the price is tempting… as you know, trust is a crucial asset in trade.”

“That part should be resolved with additional payment.”

“Meaning… I must resolve this…?”

Hold on.

You’re telling me to handle it…?

Caught off guard by the subtle discomfort in this phrase, Violet dropped a bait Cecile couldn’t possibly bite.

“Let me give you a choice. Either sell the carriage at your stated price, or watch it burn right here… What will you do?”