Chapter Three: Battle on the Plains
Chapter Three: Battle on the Plains
“You’ve got some nerve, eating peacefully when we’re up to our eyes in trouble!”
Al dragged himself to the dining hall to have breakfast, only to immediately be told off by Jamka.
“I admit, Ranbolg made some mistakes, but tell me: what was going through your tiny brain when you charged at a former guest of the state!?”
As Jamka smashed his hands down on the table, Saaya jumped up and hid behind Luna. Other than those four, Feena, Cecilia, and Brusch were also present at the table. Sharon, of course, was not there.
“Calm down, Jamka. Luna and Saaya are guests too; startling them would look bad for the whole country. Besides, don’t you think it’s strange?” he asked Jamka while simultaneously calming him down and enjoying his breakfast.
“Don’t I think what’s strange?”
Feena answered Jamka’s question. “They’re acting too fast. No general should be allowed to declare war without the approval of their country, despite what atrocities they or other guests may have suffered. They planned this from the start.”
“But I still can’t accept you rushing after Sharon all alone.” And, naturally, as his self-proclaimed legal wife, she couldn’t miss the chance to deride Al.
“I’m really sorry for that, Feena. I’d like to apologize to you too, Kanon.” Al bowed before them. From what he’d heard, Feena, Kanon, and Cecilia had taken on the entire enemy army by themselves, so he couldn’t thank them enough. Yet, for some reason, Feena averted her gaze.
“It’s okay. The compensation was more than worth it,” she said while giggling, which made Al wonder what in the world had happened while he was unconscious.
“Either way, our enemy is an army of eight thousand led by the tyrant Prince Ranbolg, while our numbers barely scratch half of that. We’ll need a damn good plan if we want to beat them!”
“Certainly, Ranbolg’s army was a handful to deal with at first. They’re rumored to be a band of misfits and mercenaries, but they followed Ranbolg’s and their lieutenant commander’s orders to the letter. Individually, their skills were above that of an average soldier’s, though they were nowhere near the level of an Eshantel warrior! Plus, Lady Cecilia easily disposed of them once she let loose!” Kanon threw in her two cents. Ever since their battle with Ranbolg’s army, Kanon started referring to Cecilia as ‘Lady’, looking at her with genuine awe and dread.
What in the world happened in that battle?
“Their army is skilled and numerous. I experienced their wrath first-hand. But…” Al took a dramatic pause and looked at each person present. “But, I think we can win with everyone’s help. It’ll be tough, it’ll be risky, but I want to save Althos. And there’s one more thing I’d like to do.”
He sat up straight in his chair.
“I want to save Sharon. Please, lend me your strength to save her!”
He bowed in front of everyone.
“Oh my, I already gave you my answer.”
“It’s a wife's job to fulfill her husband's requests. Also, I want to save my friend.”
“This is my chance to repay you for everything! Trust me, I’ll tear them a new one!”
“Ah! I-I’ll help too!”
Cecilia, Feena, Kanon, and even Luna offered their help.
“I’ll be there for you too!”
“Mm.”
Brusch answered Al’s request as well, while Jamka simply nodded.
“Thank you all so much.” He was a bit embarrassed after getting so much support, so he decided to stuff his mouth with chicken to hide his slight blush.
I can’t let myself get carried away this time. I won’t charge at them; I’ll fight to the very best of my abilities!
The sorrowful eyes of a certain crimson-haired girl crossed his mind. He mercilessly bit into his chicken while staring at the empty space in front of him.
◆◆◆
“Useless, all of you! Why didn’t you find the assailant last night!?” Ranbolg slammed his fists on the table at their temporary headquarters.
“We’re using all of our power to search for the perpetrator! Please, give us a bit more time.” Gatou, who had just recently woken up from the nightmare Cecilia’s spell induced, let Ranbolg’s wrath slide. Despite how it seemed, Gatou, the ex-mercenary, had never sworn loyalty to him. He was simply on a secret mission that required him to see Ranbolg’s orders through to the best of his abilities.
“Hmph, whatever. We should begin our march toward Althos. I trust that the army is prepared to embark.”
Gatou silently nodded. Their strategy for dealing with Divas in the last battle was deemed mostly successful. He believed that with a bigger platoon, they could even hold a certain blonde-haired, blue-eyed Diva at bay. Understandably, Gatou himself didn’t want to face her again and planned to keep his distance from that part of the battlefield, but…
“Lord Ranbolg! Our scouts have reported movement at Althos! They’ve begun amassing their troops and are ready to march on our location!”
“What!? Are they out of their minds!?”
According to reports, Althos only had four thousand-odd soldiers. It was unbelievable to hear that they were now taking the initiative with an army half the size of Ranbolg’s own. It seemed like a foolish act of self-destruction, a plea to die an honorable death. That was perfect for him, though, as he didn’t want to spend any more time in the middle of nowhere.
“Good, we’ll engage them. Everyone should’ve recovered from that Diva’s attack, so mobilize all the troops and move out according to our training!” Ranbolg’s orders echoed through the tent.
Althos will fall. After that, I’ll go back home, marry Sharon, start a rebellion, and usurp the throne! Ranbolg smiled as he went over his roadmap to success.
◆◆◆
“Hmm… Where am I?”
Sharon woke up on the ground. Despite spending the night on a thin rug, which was a far cry from the luxury beds she was used to, she’d had a pleasant dream and felt completely refreshed.
“Bah, I ’ate this!”
Next to her was the half-naked Airi.
“Oh, I see…”
Ranbolg considered yesterday’s attack an attempt to free Sharon, so he moved her to the Lost Children’s tent for further surveillance. After being stripped and chained to the others, she had been left there for the night, but she was happy to see them first thing in the morning.
“I’m not dreaming. I’m not dreaming, right?”
To make sure that she was, in fact, awake, she gently poked the peacefully sleeping Airi’s cheeks.
“Mhhmhmhm… Nooo, stahhhp…”
She wasn’t dreaming, but…
“Naaah! Stahhhp! I’m flattered, Ya Majesty, but Sharon—”
Wham!
“Aaaah! Oi, that ’uuuurt!”
Airi was rolling on the floor while rubbing the top of her head. Sharon was certain that this couldn’t have possibly been a dream.
“Oi, now! Dun be so rough on me! I can’t even foight back now!” Airi said while sitting up and staring at Sharon with her brown eyes.
“You were having a strange dream, so I wanted to snap you out of it,” Sharon answered with a nonchalant tone and a playful smile.
“Hmmm, it’s quite rare for you to not hold back, Sharon. Or did you find her comments revolting to the point that she deserved your unfiltered wrath?” the person lying next to Airi addressed Sharon in a sleepy voice.
“You really think I’d ever do something so pitiful?” Sharon answered calmly.
“I see you’ve still got that habit of denying claims of mischief with a straight face.”
“Fer real! Ya always ’ave on a mask, but yer twitchin’ mouth gives ya away!”
“What!? That’s not—” Sharon hurriedly covered her mouth, but that didn’t stop the others from chiming in.
“Hey, Sharon! What kind of person is Alnoa? Is he cool? Nice?
“He’s a total tenderfoot! B-But, well, I guess he’s n-n—nothing! Nothing at all!”
The tent roared with laughter as a small crowd formed around Sharon. She knew all of them, and they hadn’t changed at all in the past years. No matter how tough or brutal their circumstances were, they endured with a smile.
Maybe this is where I truly belong, she thought while enjoying their chit-chat.
◆◆◆
“The only question is who we should leave behind,” Al said to himself while scratching his head.
He was in his office along with the three Divas, Jamka, Brusch, Luna, and Saaya. Luna was definitely the odd one out, but since she had been inevitably caught up in the situation, Al invited her to the meeting to discuss her immediate return to her country. It was a real shame, but it had to be done. Al considered inviting her to have some fun as reconciliation once things settled down.
“Is there really anyone we can leave behind? Based on the plan you proposed, I’ll be necessary to command our troops.”
“Me too! I’m your future bride, and you totally need an expert reconnaissance network, right!?”
Ignoring Brusch’s comments about being his bride, she was right. Both her and Jamka were absolutely necessary on the battlefield, along with Cecilia, Feena, and Kanon to boost their military strength.
“Haah… Y’know, I’m starting to realize that we may not have enough staff.”
“Oh my, but you have me! I’d massacre an army of ten thousand for you!” Cecilia said boastfully.
Al heard that when Feena was making her escape, Cecilia single-handedly dispatched two thousand soldiers, which was an incredible feat and would definitely come in handy in the upcoming battle. However, he had also heard that she’d collapsed from exhaustion.
I don’t want to push her any further, he thought, but he knew deep down that her help was invaluable.
“I’d love to have you with us, but don’t you dare push yourself past your limits!”
“Oh my, to think that the heavens blessed me with such a kind little brother! It must be the overwhelming love speaking that we’ve crossed the boundaries between siblings! Just hearing your kind words gives me strength enough to face a million—”
“My love didn’t cross any boundaries, and I told you not to push yourself! Hm, Feena? Is everything okay?”
Feena had been silently staring at them for a while now. Interestingly, she was sitting between Cecilia and Kanon despite always taking Al’s side when possible.
“Hmph!”
“Huh? What? Did I do something wrong?”
“No. You didn’t do anything.”
He was starting to feel relieved, but Feena’s mood didn’t improve one bit.
“Ahaha! She’s just jealous! Luna and Lady Cecilia have been hogging you all for—Nghh!”
“Can it, Boing-Boing!” Feena elbowed Kanon’s side.
“Whyyy!? Don’t bring that name back!”
It seemed like Kanon’s feelings were more hurt than her body.
“Right, sorry,” Al said. “You were the first ones to dive into eight thousand soldiers to save me, so showing some gratitude is the least I can do. So tell me, is there anything I can—”
“Hug,” Feena responded immediately, looking at Al with puppy-dog eyes.
“Huh? No, I mean, that’s—”
“Mm♡“
Cutting Al off, Feena jumped at him, over the desk that separated them.
“Nghhh! Why so sudden—”
“Ooh! Me too, I want one too! Give me a… Ah! A piggyback ride!”
She changed her mind after taking Feena’s death stare.
“Why now!? Do you really want a piggyback ride in the middle of our strategy meeting!?” Al, still holding Feena, stood up to further illustrate his complaint, but that was a grave mistake.
“Ooh! I’m being carried like a princess!”
While Feena reveled in joy, Kanon quickly circled around Al, and…
“There!”
…hopped on his back.
“Wait, you’re… actually not heavy at all, but…”
Even during such a surreal experience, he could appreciate Feena’s sweet scent and the soft feeling of Kanon’s chest pushing against his back. As a man, he couldn’t bring himself to shake them off, so he accepted his fate and sat back down.
“Well, I’m glad we could settle this with some hugs, but couldn’t we have done this at a later time?”
“No.” An instant, unanimous response. Al was still dumbfounded by the situation.
“Haah… Normally, I would condemn you for letting women use you as a hug pillow, but I can’t bring myself to do so for some reason.” Luna’s eyes were filled with pity for Al.
“You look like a father whose children are clinging to him after running away from your wife!” Brusch said sympathetically, not bothering to filter herself. Al identified with her description surprisingly well.
The conversation had derailed so far that he didn’t think there was any way out of their deadlock.
“Umm, we were talking about who should stay behind, am I correct?” Luna came to his rescue. Al silently nodded. “What if I stayed here?” she added.
“Wait, you? Here, in this castle?”
Al hadn’t expected such a development.
“Yes! I came here in hopes of forming an alliance with Althos, so helping in your time of need would only be natural.” He realized he’d never asked Luna about the reason for her sudden visit. “With me looking over the castle, no one has to stay behind!”
She raised both her hands to her mouth and chuckled, appreciating her own idea. Having Distania’s princess, Luna, and their Diva, Saaya, watching over the castle would certainly be reassuring. Al crossed his arms and glanced at Jamka for advice.
“Don’t even think about it. We’re not officially allied with Distania yet, not to mention that Luna is a guest. If anything were to happen to her, it’d become an international crisis.”
“I’m also technically a foreign guest.” Unexpected help came to Al from his lap. Feena voiced her opinion while staring at Luna with a smug look, as if she’d gotten revenge on her.
“Plus, an alliance was in place with Freiya and look what happened.” Naturally, Kanon also took Feena’s side. Now, all eyes were on Cecilia.
“Oh my, I really don’t care what happens as long as I can go with Al.”
Now it was all up to Jamka and—
“Thanks for staying!” Brusch bowed to Luna, which meant it was all up to Jamka.
“Then, umm… I’m terribly sorry, Lady Luna and Lady Saaya, but, well, could we possibly, umm…”
Jamka’s hesitation wasn’t uncalled for in the slightest. Luna and Al might have been engaged in the past, but that was years ago. Jamka didn’t want to ask why Luna would offer an alliance and direct help, but not knowing their real intentions frightened him.
“Okay, then what if I let Saaya take part in the battle? That’d prove our alliance to you, wouldn’t it?”
“What!? No! Then who’s gonna be here to protect the castle!?”
Al realized that leaving her here would technically have her participating in the battle as the last bastion of defense.
“I would join you, but I can’t leave Saaya alone…”
“But you have no problem sending her out to the battlefield!?”
It was a bizarre situation. They had been locked in a stalemate just moments ago, but now they were heading toward complete chaos. Cecilia decided to add another option into the mix.
“Oh my, then how about this! I’ll cast a super basic Bind on Luna!”
“What’s with that satisfied look? obviously, we can’t do—”
“Let’s do it!” Luna interrupted Al. “Let’s do it! If stringing me up naked is what it takes for you to trust me, then so be it!”
“Not that kind of bind!” Al reflexively shut down Luna’s delusions, but her foundation didn’t shake at all.
“Why not? It should work for both Jamka and Luna.” Kanon joined the conversation.
“You know, I’m pretty new here too, so I kind of understand how she feels. I have Feena for myself, so I don’t feel like as much of an outcast as she probably does, but I also want to get to know all of you better.”
Al was completely awestruck.
Did something possess you? I never thought the happy-go-lucky girl who always fooled around with Feena would have such deep thoughts.
“Al, I understand your reaction, but don’t you think ‘happy-go-lucky’ is a bit too demeaning?”
Hey, who taught you how to read my mind!?
“Cut it out, Al, or I’ll get mad.” Kanon whispered into his ear in an upbeat tone, but her eyes were colder than the darkest winter night. Al was absolutely certain that she could read minds.
“Anyway! We don’t have time to argue about this! Cast Bind or Discharge or whatever else you want at me! I’m ready!”
“Why are you so excited about becoming a target for spells!?”
Al wanted to plant his face into his hands, but since both of them were occupied by Feena, he had to settle for a sigh.
“Jamka, would you be okay with that?” Al glanced at Jamka to finally settle this issue and move on.
“All right, let’s go with that. Lady Luna, please promise us one thing.” Jamka returned Al’s gaze, urging him to take over. Al nodded in agreement and looked at Luna.
“Luna. If even for a second you feel like you’re in trouble, run. I said the same thing to our citizens and the castle guards. Even if we lose the castle, we can recapture this lump of stone at any time.”
“Hey! What king refers to their castle as a ‘lump of stone’!?” Jamka got caught up on the semantics, but everyone in the room understood the meaning behind Al’s words. Human life was more important than the country or the castle. That principle was the foundation of Althos, after all.
“Oh my, allow me to cast a simple Bind, then.”
For some reason, Cecilia’s eyes lit up when she uttered the word ‘Bind’.
“Thou shall submit to my beloved, adorable brother’s words, protect thy brethren, stay by their side. Should thou break this oath, let—” Cecilia’s divine words filled the room, but based on their previous experiences, most of the people in it plugged their ears. Luna bravely endured Cecilia’s entire speech despite obvious discomfort planting itself on her face.
The next morning, Al left the castle alongside his four thousand soldiers.
◆◆◆
“Good luck, Al!”
Al waved to Luna, who stood atop the castle walls. Judging by the blue, cloudless sky stretching out before them, it was safe to assume that they’d have to battle under the blazing sun.
After marching for a while, Al remembered something and moved next to Kanon.
“Hey, Kanon…”
“Oh wow, that’s rare. You never come to talk to me.” There was a lot of truth in that statement.
“I’m, uh, sorry for yesterday. Or, well, for everything.”
“Huh? Sorry for what?”
Unsure of where to even start with his apology, Al simply bowed his head.
“I never realized that you were lonely. I should pay more heed to your warriors as well.”
Being busy was not a valid excuse, as he should’ve prioritized helping Kanon and her troops—his brand new citizens—assimilate faster.
“Hahaha, why the long face?” Kanon was puzzled at first, but quickly began laughing at Al.
“I promise I’ll pay more attention to you. Feel free to make yourself at home, and come to me if you need anything. I’d be happy to help with any of your requests.”
“Huh!? ‘I’ll take care of your every need, you don’t have to worry about anything for the rest of your life!’ you say!?”
“No, I never said that. All I’m saying is that you should consider yourself family—” Al realized his grave mistake, but it was too late.
“F-Family!? Then after this battle is over, do you think we can make a descend—”
Fwooooosh!
A harrowing, frigid breeze was suddenly unleashed next to Kanon, to the point where it started freezing her flushed face.
“Cold! It’s too cold, Feena! Are you trying to turn me into a snowman!?”
The ice crackled on Kanon’s face as it slowly broke up and fell onto the ground.
“Tch, you can handle this much.”
“Yeah, but do you really have to freeze me just before a battle!?”
Kanon’s warriors witnessed their accomplished leader’s childish quarrel from behind. Despite having known her as a fierce, battle-hardened man for years, their loyalty to her didn’t falter in the slightest.
I’ll have to get to know them better too. If I don’t, he’ll never forgive me. The face of her friend who’d passed crossed her mind.
“Maybe I should have a pub built after this battle.” A certain crimson-haired girl popped into his mind after uttering those words. “Right. I’ll have to stuff her with food once we’re back home.”
He gripped the reins and set off for the border, where Sharon was being held captive.
◆◆◆
“Yeah, seriously! He’s a weakling, yet every time I ask for half a slice of cake, he goes off about food costs and me being fat and all! How cheap can you get!? And don’t even get me started on…” Sharon was gently stroking her silver hair ornaments while telling the others about her life in Althos, or, more specifically, while badmouthing Al.
While the soldiers were restlessly running around outside, the Lost Children, chained up and wearing what amounted to scraps of clothing, enjoyed their time in the cafeteria, eating and listening to Sharon’s stories. Regardless of their circumstances, they were happy to be reunited. After moving to the cafeteria, Sharon had been bombarded with questions upon Barbara’s proposal.
“Our duty is to monitor the area and to act as your personal guards. In order to carry out our duties to the best of our abilities, we need to know everything about your life. As such, we will interrogate you right here, right now!”
The Lost Children consisted of five hundred youths gathered by the Freiyan king in search of the next Diva, but they were currently being used as a bargaining chip against Sharon. They’d received the same torturous training as she had and were a notch above the average soldier in terms of combat ability, so they were also deployed as combat slaves under the direct command of the Freiyan royalty. The platoon’s commanding officer was Airi, while Barbara was their lieutenant. Now, they were all listening to Sharon go off on Al with a collective wry smile.
“Did I say something strange?” Sharon was simply enjoying their reunion without giving much thought to what she was saying.
“Well, you didn’t say anything weird, but, you know…” Barbara looked around for support, which she got in the form of four hundred ninety-nine simultaneous nods. Sharon was completely dumbfounded.
“Nhhhh! Tha’s it! Imma ask it straight!” Airi had been listening with her arms crossed, but she suddenly jumped in front of Sharon.
“You’re too close! What!? Is there something in my hair!?”
She moved her hand to where Airi was looking, but all that was there was her silver hair ornament.
“Where’d ya get that? Who got it fer ya?”
“Would you believe me if I told you I bought it myself?”
“O’course not! The Demon King’d break loose if ya got sumthin’ so girly yaself!”
Airi, despite being rude, was pretty much on the mark. As a matter of fact, Sharon had gotten it from the Demon King.
“So, who did you get it from?” Barbara gave Sharon a look like a parent urging a child to spill the beans on mischief they’d caused.
Sharon slowly realized that she was trapped in all directions. The pressure on her was getting suffocating as the sea of people stepped closer and closer, staring at her in search of an answer.
“Umm, it’s from… Alnoa…” She caved under the pressure, and answered with deadpan eyes, to which…
“Haaaaaaaaaah…”
…the room was filled with half a thousand disappointed sighs.
What is this, some sort of a séance? Desperate for an explanation, she pleaded to Airi with her eyes.
“Yah, yah. I’ll explain it to ya slowly, that yer thick, dull block’ead can process it, got it?”
“Who are you calling a blockhead!?”
“You, Sharon. She’s calling you a blockhead.”
Sharon struck back, but Barbara immediately came in with a sneak attack.
“List’n, Sharon. We’re at war wit Althos, and want intel on ’em. Do ya understand that much?”
“Do you really think I’m that dumb? Of course I understand that!”
“So then why ya only talkin’ ’bout Alnoa?”
“Wait, did I talk that much about him?”
They specifically asked Sharon about information on Althos, so she’d tried her best to give them breadcrumbs.
“Ahhh! Ya’ meat’ead!”
“What!? That’s rich, coming from you! Maybe try specifying what you want next time!” Sharon started to get tired of being called names, but Airi was also at her breaking point.
“Ya know, I still learned sumthin’! Yer all over that Lord Alnoa!”
“Me? All over Al? Where did that come from?” Sharon tilted her head in confusion. Deep down, she knew exactly where Airi was coming from, but she was trying to shoo those thoughts away.
“Haah… An’ ya dun even realize it.” Airi lifted both her hands and theatrically shook her head. The others also seemed to be in utter disbelief.
“Come on, what’s this look on everyone’s face? I mean, Al is…”
Sharon shuffled through her memories. She realized that recently, thinking about Al caused an inexplicable tightness in her chest. What was even more baffling to her was that being next to him only made that feeling even stronger. But naturally, being the way she was, she could never admit to that.
“What!? I’m not…” Sharon’s gradually weaker resistance was completely snuffed out by Airi.
“Then why’re ya wearin’ tha ornament ya got from Alnoa an’ not tha one ya got from tha second prince? Just watchin’ ya stroke it all the damn time’s makin’ me red as a chili pepper!”
“Huh? Who’s stroking what?” Sharon herself hadn’t noticed what she was doing.
“Indeed. When you talk about Althos, particularly Alnoa, your face lights up. Would you like to confirm it with a mirror?”
“No, there’s no way that’s true!”
“Why’re ya pitchin’ a fit? All ya talked about was ’ow much ya love that Alnoa!”
“No! It was more like boasting about having a Casanova for a boyfriend!” Sharon desperately tried to explain the apparent misunderstanding.
“Haah… That’s why yer never gonna kiss. Yer like a dull, naïve lil’ girl.”
Airi’s insult was the final straw.
“Huh!? I’ll have you know that I’ve already—”
Crap! Too late. She could virtually see the thousand ears perk up at her statement.
“Who did you kiss!? Was it Alnoa!?”
“Where did it happen!?”
“Sharonnnn, how did it taste?”
“Wow, I never thought this meathead would…”
“She’s already taken her first step into adulthood!”
Disregarding the curious looks from the surrounding soldiers, the girls flocked over to Sharon. She cursed her mouth for working faster than her brain, but if she didn’t put an end to this quickly, she’d be bombarded with even more questions.
I have to spill the beans, don’t I?
“It was with…”
“Kyahh!”
Everyone’s focus shifted to the source of the sudden shriek, which had interrupted Sharon’s confession.
“Too noisy. Stay put like the good slaves you are.” Behind them, Ranbolg, fully armed, kicked one of the girls to the ground and gave a stern warning to the others.
The tent went dead silent. Not only did no one raise a voice of concern, but they didn’t even cross eyes with Ranbolg. It was surreal to Sharon.
“Hmph, anyway. We’re going into battle in a few hours. Get your chains sorted and prepare for dispatch.” He threw the key to the chains onto the ground, turned on his heels, and left.
“Are you okay?”
Sharon was slowly catching on to how little had changed since she slipped away from Ranbolg’s claws. She was frozen in place for a good ten seconds after he left, and only then was she able to rush over to the abused girl. The roots of the curse put upon her were still nested deep inside her soul.
“Am I imagining things, or did he say that we’re going into battle soon?”
“No, you’re not imagining anything.”
Time stopped for a second before the tent started bustling with chatter. Airi and Barbara cast worried glances at Sharon, who was silently, internally wrestling with herself.
Althos against the Lost Children… Who should I side with?
◆◆◆
“Alnoa, everyone’s in position!” Brusch reported before galloping off to the side. The two armies faced off against each other on the plains near the border under the blazing morning sun. Al glared at the Freiyan army and took a few steps forward. Cecilia, Feena, and Kanon caught up to him shortly after, and with that, he was ready to address his troops.
“Listen to me!” he shouted from the top of his horse, which made everyone cut their chatter and focus on him. Al was never good with public speaking, but he couldn’t show any weakness. Not before a battle. “We stand here today to face the Freiyan army! As has become almost customary, I once again have to say that the odds are against us, as their army is double the size of ours!”
He theatrically slumped on his horse, causing a few giggles in the crowd, but that wasn’t enough. He needed more engagement.
“Their general is none other than the cunning, brutal dictator, Ranbolg! If we are to lose this battle, he will undoubtedly rule our country with fear and tyranny!” Feeling the tension, the soldiers fell completely silent. Al chose his words carefully to illustrate just how grave their situation was, as he truly believed that Ranbolg would transform Althos into a living nightmare.
“But we have three Divas, the embodiments of the great Valkyrie on our side! No enemy stands a chance when we have such powerful allies!” He purposefully decided to exclude Sharon from his speech to avoid creating any unnecessary confusion. He then raised his hand toward the sky while standing next to the three Divas.
A moment later, the crowd erupted. It seemed like the presence of the Divas was more effective at firing the crowd up than Al’s acting.
“I know! Let’s have a feast today in celebration of our victory!”
He unsheathed his scythe and raised it to the sky.
“Yeaaah!” The crowd grew even louder.
Wow, they’re more excited than I thought. Al was starting to gain some confidence in his theatrical abilities.
“Oh my, I will personally pour a cup for the person who does the best!”
“Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The ground beneath the countless cheers shook as Cecilia raised her weapon to the sky and made an enticing offer. Following her example, Feena and Kanon also raised their weapons high into the air.
“I will pet their head.”
“Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
“And I’ll… Just do your best!”
“Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
Ah, okay, I see how it is. They’re only in high spirits because of the girls, huh? No, it’s okay, it doesn’t hurt at all. I’m fine, really.
He didn’t want to wait until the excitement died down, so he turned his scythe toward the enemy and put on his coarsest voice.
“Prepare to attack! He directed everyone’s attention to the battle at hand. “Cecilia, Feena, I’m counting on you.”
“Oh my, leave it all to me!”
“Understood. I’ll show them the power of an angry wife!”
“Let’s go, Kanon!”
After getting cheerful answers from Cecilia and Feena, Al took Kanon and disappeared between his troops.
◆◆◆
“Gatou, the enemy is right in front of us. Why won’t you order an attack!?”
Gatou ignored Ranbolg’s mad scream and merely stared at Althos’ army from their headquarters. Their forces arrived just as he imagined, but their high spirits and booming battle cry worried the seasoned general. He also found their formation unusual. Their vanguard consisted of heavy infantry, boasting incredible defenses thanks to their full-body armor and metal shields, instead of cavalry, a much more conventional choice for a field battle.
“I wonder what that sly king is up to.”
Hearing Gatou’s whisper, Ranbolg glanced at Sharon.
“Beats me. Who knows what that—Ahem, what goes through Lord Alnoa’s mind.” Sharon answered, looking away from Ranbolg.
“Hahaha! Seems our precious Diva woke up on the wrong side of the bed today!”
Ranbolg’s mood immediately improved upon seeing Sharon’s distressed face. He had ordered the Lost Children—Sharon included—to act as his personal guards, presumably because he didn’t want to risk having the girls change sides on the far-away battlefield. Or maybe because he wanted to see the despair on Sharon’s face once Althos had been crushed.
“You just have to stay by my side. Putting you on display is enough to boost our troops’ morale,” Ranbolg said with a smirk.
“I’m nothing but a pretty doll to him,” Sharon said in the faintest of whispers.
Haah… If things hadn’t turned out like this, I’d be at the head of the army, fighting alongside Al. She lamented her fate. Maybe that’s only because Al’s poor, understaffed country needs all the help it can get, but at least I was more than a living, breathing decoration.
Ignorant of Sharon’s struggles, Ranbolg stared at the enemy army.
“Hmph. Their dirty little tricks will change nothing. They’re an insignificant dot on the map with the military genius of a shepherd. They stand no chance against my fabled Knights of the First Order. Listen up! All forces, attack! Trap the enemy army and destroy them with all your might! This is it!”
This is the final piece I need to get my hands on Freiya!
Sharon made an educated guess as to how Ranbolg’s sentence should have ended, as he couldn’t say something like that out loud in front of Airi and the other Lost Children. Regardless, he ordered his eight thousand troops to engage Althos without giving any heed to Sharon’s feelings. But even if he knew Sharon’s innermost feelings, he wouldn’t have understood why his actions gave birth to a small bud of defiance in her heart.
◆◆◆
“The enemy has made their move! They want to use their numbers to surround us!” After a brief report to Al, Brusch immediately rode off to the other direction.
“Thanks, Brusch!” Al raised his voice and waved at her to catch her attention.
She heard his words and waved back, shouting, “You’re welcome! I’ll go and get more intel!”
“All right, here we go. Feena! Wreak havoc on them! Cecilia! Charge in once the enemy has faltered!”
“Roger.”
“Understood.”
The wind spell they used to communicate was working like a charm.
“Kanon, are you ready?”
“Of course!” Kanon raised her sword, and began her speech in a manner not unlike a certain crimson-haired girl. “Listen here! The time to repay their favor has come! Show these Freiyan bastards the strength of Eshantel!”
“Hooah!” The warriors imitated Kanon and pointed their swords to the sky.
Bwooooom!
The ground roared beneath them. Everyone looked toward the source of the impact—a gigantic flame pillar blasting countless Freiyan soldiers away. The battle had begun.
“Attack!” Carrying his scythe, Al charged forward.
“Fireball. Frost Ball. Lightning Ball.”
The blue-haired Diva dispatched countless spells from inside a protective phalanx of heavy infantry soldiers. She’d managed to put a stop to the incoming cavalry by freezing, shocking, and burning the vanguard, with the soldiers behind them simply tripping over their fallen comrades. However, that didn’t stop the enemy from quickly locating Feena and sending countless spells and arrows her way.
“Shields up! Don’t let anything reach Lady Feena!” the commander ordered his troops.
“Sir, yes, sir!” the entire heavy infantry unit shouted.
“Oh my, Absolute Magic Barrier!”
The soldiers raised their shields and Cecilia cast a magic barrier, but a couple of arrows and spells slipped through their defenses, hitting the shields and finding their way into the small gaps of the soldiers’ armor.
“Fireball! Are you okay?” Feena asked the weary soldiers while keeping up her barrage of spells.
“Worry not, Lady Lesfina! We of the heavy infantry will protect you to our dying breath!” He answered with a hearty smile while pulling an arrow out of his elbow.
“Thanks, but don’t die. I want you to keep supporting Althos for a long time to come,” the blue-haired Diva from Subdera said before letting out a small chuckle.
“Whoa…” The soldiers gazed at Feena in awe, forgetting the chaos around them.
“U-Understood! Then I’ll be at your service until the time comes for me to part from this mortal world!”
“But you’re Althos’—”
“Raaaaah! Listen up, you bastards! Protect that wonderful smile at all costs! Should you meet your maker in battle, flip him off and get your ass back here! No lives will be lost today!”
Feena’s words seemed to have fired up the troops.
“I’m Al’s wife, so I suppose it’ll work out somehow.” With that, she got back to blasting the enemy with countless spells from behind the cover of the wall of soldiers.
“Oh my, let me know if you get injured and I will get you back on your feet immediately. But I will punish you if you come to me with mere scratches!” A calm, collected voice boomed through the tense battlefield.
“Listen up, you bastards! I understand that getting punished is a fantasy for some of you, but this isn’t the time for that! Do your best to protect Lady Cecilia’s bright smile!”
“Hooah!”
Their enthusiasm wasn’t just for show; they fought for the girls with everything they had. The heavy infantry alongside Feena continued their advance through the hellish battlefield, and before the Freiyan army could react, they’d made their way into the heart of the enemy troops, splitting their forces in two.
Their phalanx might have made it into the thick of the battle, but the enemy headquarters was still a ways away, and the wave of Freiyan soldiers only grew as they inched closer to their goal.
◆◆◆
“What the hell is that man doing, trapping his own forces!?” Ranbolg viewed their efforts as nothing more than a desperate struggle, but the simple fact that they didn’t throw in the towel drove him mad.
“What are you fumbling around for!? Crush them already! The first unit to break their defenses will be rewarded!” His orders gave each individual unit an incentive to work toward, but it also decreased the unity between his troops.
◆◆◆
“Don’t overextend! Focus on defense!” Jamka’s order boomed across the battlefield.
Only two, maybe three enemy soldiers could get close to any member of Althos’ phalanx at once. Blinded by the elusive reward, they kept up the continuous pressure, but their stamina was finite. Slowly but surely, the Freiyan war machine started to lose steam, but the exhausted soldiers at the front refused to give up their spots to incoming reinforcements in pursuit of the reward. This resulted in the phalanx being surrounded by a group of dead-tired soldiers who could do nothing but poke at them every once in a while, while the able, fresh reinforcements endlessly piled up behind them.
“I’ll double the bounty of the first unit to tear down Althos’ defenses!” Al used this chance to spread fake information using his trusty wind spell, further damaging the Freiyan army’s spirit.
Watching from the headquarters, Sharon noticed a fatal flaw in Al’s plan. The Freiyan army may have been in complete disarray, but that didn’t rob them their numerical advantage. Althos’ soldiers were humans too; the Divas’ smiles may have kept their spirits up for a while, and they may have been supported by Feena’s relentless barrage of spells and Cecilia’s healing abilities, but their stamina was limited. It was only a matter of time before they would be overwhelmed and swallowed up. But then…
“Rahhh!”
…a new unit charged through the middle of the split battlefield, led by a man wielding a huge scythe and a girl wielding a long blade. Sharon stared at them in awe.
“Al. Kanon.”
Hearing Sharon’s relieved whisper, Ranbolg furrowed his brow.
“Focus! Increase pressure on the sides! Vanguard, prioritize defense! Stop their cavalry at all cost!” Gatou’s orders carried across the field.
“The first and second lines of defense have been breached!”
Looking back at the battlefield, Ranbolg realized that the third line of defense had been breached as well. Furthermore, he could see Al rushing toward them with his own eyes.
“Move it! Get out of my way!” Al swung his scythe, carving a path for himself on the battlefield.
“Ahhhhhhh!” Kanon rode next to Al, slashing through the incoming spears. “Ahaha! I’m not letting you lay a finger on Al until we reach our goal!”
“Kanon watch ou—!”
Al noticed a couple of Freiyan soldiers behind Kanon. He didn’t have the time to get his scythe in position to fend off the incoming blades.
“Sorry, Kanon!”
“Kyah!”
He grabbed her shoulder with his free hand and pulled her away from the danger.
“Leave him alone, you bastards!”
A katana suddenly swung in from the side, breaking all the swords aimed at Al and Kanon. By the time Al turned around to check what had happened, the pursuing Freiyan soldiers were lying on the ground, unconscious.
“For crying out loud, Kanemitsu. Thanks for the help, but keep in mind that I’m a princess!” Kanon explained while sitting in Al’s arms, fending off the incoming attacks.
“Ahn, Al! You’re so rough!♡“
He knew exactly what the change in her tone meant.
“Kanon, we don’t have time for that now! Please…”
“I know, I know!”
Do you really, though?
She looked straight into his worried eyes and roared as she dispatched a couple of enemy soldiers with a single swing, then grinned.
“I told you, didn’t I? As much as I’d love to flirt, we have to get through here somehow!”
Kanon kept swinging her sword from the comfort of Al’s arms.
“I really appreciate your hard work, Kanon, but could you get back on your own horse soon?”
“Noooo! I like it here! I can’t—”
“Ice Pellet. A big one.”
Thunk!
She was interrupted by a lump of ice hitting her on the head.
“Quit your bickering and hurry up!”
“Ugh! Feena, you meanie!”
Kanon collapsed in Al’s arms.
“This is bad!” He shook Kanon by the shoulder, to which she put her hand on his and squeezed it tightly.
“I’m fine, just a bit dizzy. Things are heating up back there, so it’s time to say goodbye!” She slipped out of Al’s arms, sending a wink his way before hopping back on her own horse. “Beware, you fools! My love tanks are full! May the gods have mercy on any poor soul who gets in my way now!”
Al didn’t even bother asking what ‘love tanks’ were; he simply watched in awe as Kanon wreaked havoc amongst the enemy troops.
“Hiyah! Yah! Yah! Yah! Yah!”
The enemies were falling at an alarming rate.
“Go! Follow her lead!”
The warriors spread across the open road behind Kanon.
“Whew! Well, that’s the fabled Eshantel warriors for you, I suppose. But I can’t laze around back here either!” He was just about to follow the trail Kanon had blazed, but two warriors rode in front of him and blocked his path.
“Hey, you’re in the way! Move!” Al shouted, but all he got in response were cheeky smiles.
“With all due respect, Your Majesty, a battle is waiting ahead of you. I believe that you should save as much stamina as possible. Getting you there safely is our battle to fight, and we won’t let anyone steal our glory!”
Their argument was, effectively, “Everyone should stick to their own job”.
“Guess I’ll listen to them and take a small breather,” he wished, but wishes are rarely granted on the battlefield.
“Hold fast! Hold until the very end! Your comrades who got knocked out are now coming at them from behind! Once we get them inside the pincer, Althos is done for!”
Freiya’s last line of defense was their heavy infantry with magically boosted defenses. They’d managed to slow down Althos’ advance considerably, to the point where they’d come to a standstill.
“Ahaha, that’s all she wrote, huh?”
Kanon looked at Al and shrugged. Inviting his help, the warriors finally let Al through.
“Good luck, Al!”
“Huh?”
As he rode up next to Kanon, she wrapped one arm around his waist and effortlessly lifted him up.
“Feena told me something really interesting. Apparently, you can cancel a Diva’s powers.”
Al had a really bad feeling about this.
“Kanon. Can we talk about this another time and focus on their heavy infaAAAAAH!”
“Of course! Now, gooooo!” She threw him high into the air, and…
I’m flying.
…swung her twinkling blade right at him with all her might.
Clanggg!
“Aaaaaah! Dammit, Kanon! I’ll remember thiiiiis!” Al just had enough time to leave some parting threats before he flew across the sky toward the enemy’s headquarters.
“Don’t worry. You can curse me out all you want after you bring Sharon back,” Kanon said with flushed cheeks as she watched the king shoot off into the distance.
“Haah, haah. I’m here. Let’s finish this!” Al had arrived safely—albeit in a less-than-graceful manner—sliding on his butt for a couple of yards before coming to a halt. Pain radiated through his lower half, but he couldn’t let that stop him. Not when Feena, Kanon, and his entire army were fighting with their lives on the line just outside.
Hold tight. I won’t take long, I promise.
Eager to put an end to this battle, he fixed his stance and drew his scythe.
“Pfwahahahaha! Magnificent! Absolutely magnificent! I expected sheer strength to crush any plans you had, but I didn’t think you’d make it all the way here like a reckless madman!” Ranbolg seemed to be enjoying himself. “Notify all troops! Cease all military activities at once! We’ll show our appreciation for King Alnoa’s arrival and settle this battle with a duel!”
Ranbolg gracefully drew his sword from atop his horse. This was to be a grand battle between the Demon King and the Prince, a story often depicted in fairy tales. Seeing how beat up Al was, Ranbolg must’ve been certain of his victory. Unfortunately for him, he got one crucial detail completely wrong.
“Hey, I’m not fighting you! I came here to fight the Diva!”
“…Huh?” Ranbolg stared at Al, his mouth left wide open.
Not gonna lie, I’m glad I got to see that, but I have more important things to do. Al ignored Ranbolg, and looked at his opponent.
“Come, Sharon. Let’s settle this once and for all.”
Sharon wore the same dumb expression as Ranbolg.
“Right. Let’s put an end to this quarrel with a duel.” After confirming that Al was fine, she answered with a gaudy smile.
“All right. I will approve of your duel, but remember: if our Diva wins, Althos will have to surrender,” Ranbolg declared pompously.
Good, everything’s going according to plan.
Al was happy to hear that, as getting to this point of the battle had been a grueling experience. They’d had to face an army of eight thousand without relying on any carefully crafted plans or anything, but luckily, everything had worked out the way they wanted. The only question that remained was how much time he could buy.
“Someone grab me my sword!” Sharon was visibly stoked for their throwdown.
“G’luck, Sharon!”
Someone grabbed her sword and stuck it into the ground right in front of her.
“Thanks, Airi.” She removed her sword without even looking at her. “Jeez, I didn’t expect a challenge from a weakling like you. That’s fine, though. Let’s set the rules! I’ll have you admit defeat without killing you, and if you land a single hit on me, victory is yours! Plus, I’ll even apologize for the cake.”
Al didn’t hear the last part of Sharon’s sentence; he only looked at her and smiled wryly.
“I see you aren’t making this easy on me.” The rules may have sounded favorable for Al, but he’d never even managed to touch her during their practices. “But all right. Let’s begin!”
“Show me what you’ve got!”
“Same to you. Don’t you dare hold back; show me what a Diva is capable of!”
“I’ll make you wish you’d never said that!”
Al held his scythe at an angle and Sharon raised her sword. The large-scale battle should’ve been over, but the pressure was stronger than ever at the Freiyan headquarters.