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A few mercenaries stood as guards, maintaining a strict watch.

Ghislain walked in without hesitation, pushing open the door to the barracks. Inside, a group of people lay sprawled on the floor, their eyes hollow and exhausted.

“Well done, Alfoi and friends.”

It was none other than Alfoi and the other mages.

This was the reason Ghislain had been able to anticipate the enemy’s movements.

“Ugh… damn it…”

Alfoi tried to raise his hand as if to protest but collapsed again. His body had given out after pushing himself too hard.

Ghislain smiled brightly as he looked at them.

“Thanks to you, we managed to hold them off. You did great. I’ll be counting on you from now on, too.”

“When will this war end…?”

In truth, the mages had planned to just throw some fireballs from the walls and flee when the battle began.

After all, if the Ferdium estate falls, their contract will become null and void.

As long as they can hide the fact that mages from the Scarlet Tower had been in Ferdium, the tower wouldn’t suffer any consequences.

Since the war started, they had been constantly looking for the right moment to escape.

But from the very beginning of the battle, mercenaries had been hovering around them, preventing them from fleeing.

And today, at Ghislain’s request, they had to endure a grueling ordeal.

“I’m never doing this again… my head feels like it’s about to explode…”

Alfoi groaned in a dying voice. Ghislain nodded.

“Yeah, you probably won’t need to use that magic again. I’ll ask you for something else next time.”

“Phew… that’s a relief.”

Alfoi responded with a deflated voice.

The magic they had used was none other than a large-scale detection spell.

Six mages cast the detection spell over all areas beyond the reach of the fortress gates’ defenses.

In theory, it was the best option, but the problem was that the human mind could only process so much information simultaneously.

It was no surprise that some of them had collapsed, bleeding from their noses, trying to cram dozens of different viewpoints into their heads simultaneously.

Still, thanks to them, Ghislain had been able to accurately pinpoint the direction from which the enemy forces were advancing and what they were targeting.

“Vanessa, can we talk for a moment?”

“Huh? Yes, of course!”

Vanessa, who had been tending to the mages, quickly followed when Ghislain called her.

She had been helping care for the mages who had collapsed after waiting in the barracks, but she still found Alfoi terrifying.

He constantly berated her, accusing her of hovering uselessly even though she couldn’t use magic.

Ghislain climbed the watchtower next to the barracks and took in the view of the dark fortress walls.

“Being around those guys must be uncomfortable, right? There’s no choice but to move together when things get urgent. Just bear with it for a while.”

“…It’s fine.”

Though his attempt at comforting her wasn’t particularly graceful, Vanessa was grateful for the kind words, even if they were just empty consolation.

After a brief silence, as Ghislain remained quiet, Vanessa hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked the question that had been nagging at her the most.

“How did you know the enemy would come today?”

The plan to use detection magic to locate the enemy wasn’t particularly special.

The enemy likely didn’t know there were mages on this side, so they wouldn’t have made any preparations for it.

It would be strange if someone with access to mages didn’t think of such a strategy.

However, Vanessa couldn’t understand how Ghislain was so certain that the enemy would attack today.

Ghislain chuckled softly before replying.

“I’ve seen it before. That firework signal.”

“Have you fought them before?”

“Yes.”

Each territory had its own preferred signal system.

In his past life, Harold frequently used fireworks as signals.

Each time, it threw his forces into confusion. Of course, they were utterly crushed by Ghislain’s overwhelming strength before they could even attempt anything.

“Even if I hadn’t fought them, it was an obvious trick.”

Even without having fought them before, he would’ve been able to guess what they were aiming for.

After fighting in countless wars in his previous life, he had experienced every kind of situation.

“Still, if it weren’t for the mages, we wouldn’t have been able to wrap things up this smoothly.”

Even if one could guess the enemy’s plan, accurately detecting their movements wasn’t easy.

Thanks to the mages, they had managed to fend off the ambush with ease, and even had time to counterattack.

“By the way, how do you feel after experiencing your first war? Are you getting used to it?”

Ghislain had constructed a watchtower beside the barracks, where the mages could observe the battlefield.

Vanessa’s expression darkened slightly.

The image of people dying still played vividly before her eyes.

“It… it was terrifying.”

Ghislain had told her to get used to it, but she wasn’t sure if she ever could.

On the first day, her face had gone pale, and she had to repeatedly fight the urge to vomit.

The sight was unbearable to watch with her eyes open.

The soldiers falling helplessly, dying in pain, had made her forget even the constant burden of her own unfortunate fate.

What had they done to deserve such a gruesome end?

That thought filled her mind completely.

“How are you able to fight like that, my lord?”

Vanessa had also witnessed Ghislain’s rampage from afar.

She had been deeply shocked by the way he killed enemies without hesitation.

He was the man who had shown her immense kindness, something she could never repay.

A young lord who was always playful, sometimes even a bit absurd, and so different from the typical nobles.

She had never imagined that such a violent nature was hidden beneath that facade.

Though her question could have been interpreted as a criticism, Ghislain responded calmly.

“These lands, the people of this estate, my family, my retainers, the knights and soldiers, the mercenaries who follow me… They’re all people I love. No matter what, I must protect them.”

Vanessa couldn’t respond.

It had only been two months since she arrived here.

During that time, she had been focused on the training Ghislain provided and preparing for the tasks he assigned her. She hadn’t had much time to get close to anyone else in Ferdium.

While she deeply admired and followed Ghislain, she didn’t yet feel a strong connection to Ferdium itself.

To her, both the allies and enemies alike were simply unfortunate people dying on the battlefield.

As if sensing her thoughts, Ghislain continued.

“But not for you, right? That’s why I have no choice but to make you do this.”

“……”

“These are the people you’ll have to kill.”

His tone was resolute. Vanessa, her voice trembling, asked in return.

“Isn’t there any other way to win?”

Ghislain had prepared a terrifying trap.

If the plan succeeded, not a single enemy would leave alive.

At first, she hadn’t thought too much about it—she just wanted to help Ghislain.

But after witnessing the slaughter firsthand, she realized the gravity of what she had to do.

After a moment of silence, Ghislain spoke again.

“If the enemy splits their forces and surrounds all three gates, we could win even without you. I could defeat them one by one. We’d suffer some losses, but even if they occupy the fortress, we’d have the advantage since we know the terrain better.”

If the enemy divided their forces, they had a chance to win in their current state.

“But the enemy isn’t stupid. If they move cautiously, staying united… even if we win, we’ll suffer near-total destruction.”

“……”

“In the end, if one side has to be wiped out, wouldn’t it be better if we’re the ones who survive?”

“……”

Vanessa nodded silently.

Ghislain’s words were right.

Though she hadn’t had time to bond with the people here due to her magic training, the short time she had spent in Ferdium had been among the few truly happy moments in her life.

If they lost the war, Ghislain would die, whether by defeat or surrender.

The only way to save her benefactor was to win this war.

Ghislain looked into her eyes and smiled.

But the smile reflected in the moonlight wasn’t pure or innocent.

It was filled with an inexplicable bloodlust and ferocity.

His eyes showed the determination to kill anyone who stood in his way.

“You can do it, right?”

This wasn’t a question. It was an order. An undeniable command.

It was only then that Vanessa began to grasp Ghislain’s true nature.

“My lord…”

It would be a lie to say she didn’t know his true nature at all.

Vanessa still hadn’t forgotten the threat Ghislain had made when they first met at the Scarlet Tower.

But at the same time, she wanted to be his strength.

Whether it was out of pity, necessity, or simply on a whim, he had pulled her out of her despair. She wanted to be of help, even if only a little.

However, this wasn’t blind loyalty to a savior.

‘I…’

Despair had weighed down her life. She had been mocked for being incapable, and no matter how hard she tried, she never seemed to achieve anything.

‘I’m tired of that.’

She could no longer hide behind others, just watching them from the shadows.

She needed to overcome her despair and step forward into the world.

To overcome pain and defeat her setbacks, she had to take that first step herself.

A life of her own choosing.

Helping Ghislain was the first decision Vanessa had ever made for herself.

For the land where she would spend her life. For the person who had recognized her. And for herself.

She no longer wanted to live, running away.

“…I’ll do it.”

* * *

Viktor sat inside the barracks, frowning in thought.

‘I can’t bear this.’

He didn’t think he would lose this war.

Of course not. Ferdium could be taken at any time by launching a full-scale assault and throwing in enough forces.

But it hurt his pride to have been repeatedly thwarted by such an enemy.

‘Should I just go out there and kill them all myself?’

If he led the charge, he could unleash devastating power.

He was that strong of a knight.

‘No… If I do that, I won’t be recognized for it.’

Though force could be used when necessary, knights showed their true strength more in open-field battles than in sieges.

Viktor had no intention of remaining just a knight known for his individual strength.

At best, such a man would only rise to the position of Knight Commander.

His goal was to become a high-ranking commander of the kingdom’s forces.

To do that, he needed to capture the fortress with minimal losses in order to prove his command abilities.

Feeling a headache coming on, Viktor let out a deep sigh.

‘How did they know about the informant? Was there a betrayal?’

That couldn’t be. With anyone else, maybe—but there was no way Count Desmond would have failed in managing the informants.

‘Could Ferdium really have a tactician that skilled?’

Grinding his teeth, Viktor felt as though someone was toying with him from above.

His strategy had failed; instead, he had been caught in a counterattack.

It was hard to suppress the humiliation that coursed through him.

“I suppose I have no choice.”

Though angered, he was no longer interested in continuing this tactical battle.

The supply situation was already dire, and he couldn’t afford to wait any longer.

He’d be labeled incompetent if he failed to capture this place soon.

Just as Viktor resolved to launch a full-scale assault, two middle-aged men entered the barracks.

They wore smug expressions as they looked down at Viktor.

“The count expected the fortress to be taken in two days. But it’s already been two days, hasn’t it?”

“We fail to understand your tactics, Sir Viktor.”

Viktor did not hide his displeased expression as he responded.

“I have thought this through. The war will end soon.”

The two men before him were mages sent by Harold.

To prepare for any unexpected situations, Harold had sent not one but two 4th-circle mages.

However, these mages did not get along well with Viktor, who was a knight.

“If the damage in capturing a mere estate is significant, it will only disappoint him. You know Count Desmond’s personality well, don’t you?”

“Why not split the troops and attack the other gates simultaneously? We still have a larger army, so their forces would be spread thinner, wouldn’t they?”

The mages were giving their advice, but Viktor frowned and shook his head.

“Splitting up would have little effect. The situation would be no different from now. We’d need to divide into at least three groups to noticeably reduce the enemy’s forces.”

“Then why not do just that?”

“One of the enemy units is quite formidable. If even one of our divided forces gets crushed, the advantage of having a large army would disappear. Even if we capture another gate, we’d have to re-engage in urban warfare.”

Viktor, if nothing else, highly regarded the unit clad in black armor.

Had they not suffered at their hands again today?

There are foes one can confront and those one cannot. The black-armored unit was the latter.

If they divided their forces and reduced their numbers, the enemy would seize the opportunity to strike.

It was the only way Ferdium could possibly win.

“If we had more troops, we would have surrounded them on three sides and fought. But for now, it’s better to keep the troops together.”

Viktor could not be everywhere at once, watching every front.

Although Viktor’s reasoning was sound, the mages were not convinced.

They believed he was just making excuses out of fear.

Silently mocking Viktor as being timid, one of the mages asked again.

“Are you just going to let us sit idle? They don’t have any mages on their side.”

“If they have no mages, we two alone could kill hundreds.”

As the mages continued to complain, Viktor responded irritably.

“We’ll head out soon, so prepare yourselves. I will use your magic in the final battle.”

“The final battle?”

When Viktor explained his plan, the mages finally showed interest.

“Indeed, they say you excel in both swordsmanship and strategy. It must be true.”

“If that’s your plan, I approve. As expected from the knight favored by the Count. Hahaha.”

The mages’ empty flattery only deepened Viktor’s displeasure.

He knew they were looking down on him.

They saw him as a novice, commanding such a large army for the first time.

‘Hmph, just wait and see. Once we win this war, I’ll rise even higher.’

Though this was his first time commanding a large army, not once did he think he would lose.

Harold’s trust in him was the same as his belief in himself.

Viktor had never met someone as thorough and meticulous as Count Desmond.

And Viktor was like a disciple to Harold, having learned everything directly from him.

Harold had provided him with thousands of elite soldiers, mages, and even siege weapons, and the force was overwhelmingly strong.

Just before their deployment, Harold had told him that with his swordsmanship, he could overcome any unforeseen variables and still achieve victory.

“We’ll begin tomorrow. With our supplies running low, this will all be over soon.”

The mages nodded and left the tent.

Alone, Viktor’s gaze grew colder as he stared at the map.

“I will win with minimal losses.”

As the enemy gave their best, so would he. And that would ensure that they would never lose.