Chapter 658

The military meeting didn’t have any particularly impressive remarks.

The possibility of Or-han moving south was already known to anyone with a high enough position to attend the meeting, and the fact that there was no proper countermeasure was also common knowledge.

“Is there no way other than an all-out war? If they rely on plunder for supplies, we could evacuate the cities and villages along their march route, contaminate or burn the resources…”

“Impossible. Considering their mobility, we’d have to burn a third of the Empire. Even if we stop them, the Empire won’t survive the winter. Plus, the local lords won’t obediently agree to destroy their resources and empty their castles.”

Some knights suggested a scorched-earth tactic, targeting Ka`har’s reliance on plunder, but it wasn’t a realistic strategy.

Even if the scorched-earth tactic succeeded in starving Ka`har’s forces, burning that much resources would leave the Empire’s people unable to survive the winter, leading to mass starvation. And on an enormous scale.

If we moved the resources and people to the rear, we might survive the winter, but only the rear territories would have the capacity to do so. Cities near the Dane border would be plundered before they could even move their resources to safety.

Above all, the lords wouldn’t comply with the scorched-earth tactic.

For local lords, their territories, resources, and people were the foundation of their power, so they wouldn’t take kindly to orders to devastate them.

Even if Leopold personally promised restoration and compensation, it wouldn’t matter. A devastated land, contaminated water sources, and burned food couldn’t be restored with mere gold.

“Then… we have no choice but to…”

“Make the Dane border our battlefield. Prepare as much as we can.”

The knight who had advocated for the scorched-earth tactic sighed deeply and bowed his head.

His face looked like someone who had endured a long march only to find the bathroom locked—utterly hopeless.

—

After the military meeting ended without much gain, we—meaning the Landenburg and Imperial forces, minus the minimal defensive troops—marched toward the Dane border.

With the border’s stockpiled resources insufficient to feed such a large army, it was impossible to transport only the troops by carriage like before.

The soldiers had to march to the border carrying over 20 kg of equipment, with lines of supply carts filled with food stretching ahead and behind them.

Under the increasingly hot weather, soldiers carrying dozens of kilograms of gear all day cursed the sun and looked enviously at the knights riding horses.

The Shaulite Church priests frowned at the soldiers’ sun-cursing behavior but didn’t suggest tying them up in the scorching sun until they praised instead of cursed.

Well, with a conscience, they couldn’t really scold the soldiers. After all, the priests themselves were riding carriages in their robes, claiming physical exhaustion.

I briefly turned my attention away from the soldiers and looked ahead again, riding on the horned horse that had quashed the rumors about my promiscuity.

…Well, now it’s a hornless horse. The sharp horn symbolizing the Cascador’s species was broken like a shattered sword. It was slowly regenerating after being summoned for so long.

Of course, I was the one who broke it.

I had no choice. Maybe because I used it as a weapon or shield last time, it tried to attack me the moment I summoned it, so I reflexively broke it.

I was so flustered back then. Not because my summon attacked me, but because of the expressions on the faces of those around me watching me get attacked by a unicorn.

The faces of Ja-han and Nigel, muttering, “Princess Ha-shal-leur, surely…? Surely not…?” are still vivid in my memory.

Their expressions were pure shock. To them, who knew my every move, the only man who could’ve had a “private meeting” with me was Or-han.

Unable to ask if I’d engaged in fiery incest instead of a duel, they just gaped. I had to prove my innocence by jamming the broken unicorn horn into its butt and riding it.

Just thinking about it still makes me cringe.

Fortunately, the Cascador stopped resisting after its horn was shattered in one blow.

Maybe it was because I gave it a fine mare, or because I dressed it in stunning armor, or maybe because I threatened to castrate it with its own horn every time it was summoned if it resisted again.

Anyway, the Cascador tearfully carried me to prove my purity, and that settled everything.

—

“In the end, we’re heading south before even getting our weapons.”

The Red Scale sent by the knight Ludwig trusted the most hadn’t returned yet. Considering only six days had passed, it likely hadn’t even reached the Imperial Capital yet.

If they kept switching tired horses and rushing, maybe… but even then, the new weapon probably wasn’t finished yet.

I guess I’ll have to make do with Durandal for now.

“They’ll bring the weapon to the border once it’s finished, so we’ll get it there. Unless Or-han’s forces arrive first… but the Dane army isn’t a pushover, so they won’t advance that quickly.”

“That’s a relief.”

I nodded and left Ludwig’s temporary barracks, heading back to my tent. Whether Ka`har or the Imperial Army, the marching camps looked similar.

Tents packed like a chessboard and perimeter guards. Well, Earth’s armies weren’t much different. Just the tent materials varied.

“Ah, Sister Ha-shal-leur! Is the meeting over?”

“Yes. Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine!”

Rana, who had been waiting in my tent, smiled and shook her head. Despite riding with me all day, she seemed more energetic than expected, likely due to her increased holy power boosting her stamina.

I originally planned to have her ride in a carriage like the other priests, but she begged to ride with me, so I had no choice but to let her ride the Cascador. The other priests found it awkward.

A tired-looking healing priest, who seemed to be Ludwig’s close aide, told me that Rana, despite only being able to use healing miracles, was already surpassing high-ranking priests in that one skill, making her stand out awkwardly among the church members.

They didn’t openly envy or reject her, but they saw her as something different—an anomaly.

If she could use other church miracles, they’d praise her as a young genius. If her healing was also unskilled, they’d see her as just a clumsy apprentice.

But Rana was like a swordsman who was terrible at everything except thrusting, which she mastered.

That abnormality made it hard for the priests to get close to her.

That’s probably why Rana clings to our sisterly relationship. I’m the only one who unconditionally affirms her and treats her without hesitation.

“That’s good. But if you feel tired, tell me right away, okay?”

“Okay!”

After patting Rana’s head and sending her into the tent, Leonor, who had been watching, chuckled and muttered.

“You know, your attitude toward Rana is way different from how you treat others.”

What are you talking about?

“She’s cute and admirable. If you’re jealous, try being cute and admirable too.”

Leonor tilted her head slightly at my response, then grinned mischievously.

“Sister~?”

“Ugh.”

I genuinely cringed and took half a step back as Leonor mimicked Rana’s tone.

It felt like watching a 20-year-old woman act like an elementary school kid. Goosebumps rose on my blessed skin.

“What’s with that reaction?”

Leonor couldn’t stop laughing for a while, finding my face hilarious.

Act your age, woman…

—

A few days later, we finally arrived at the border city on the Dane side.