The activation of the Dimensional Stone thankfully went off without a hitch.
Thanks to that, everyone was able to safely reach the dense forest that was our destination.
This place was not only a road leading to the Bertus Family’s castle but also a perfect spot to evade the watchful eyes around us.
“Ha…”
“Ariel!”
However, Ariel collapsed to the ground for a moment, complaining of exhaustion due to the excessive magical power she had infused.
It wasn’t exactly a full-on collapse; Edgar managed to catch her just as she staggered off her horse, but her condition was definitely not good.
“It’s best if you hide out here with the escort unit as planned.”
“I’m fine, so don’t worry. I can handle this much.”
Even though Edgar set up a temporary camp and urged her to rest with the soldiers beside her, Ariel was stubborn.
There were various reasons for her insistence.
First, there was no guarantee that hiding here would keep them from being discovered by enemies.
Second, it was her own stubbornness not to remain protected anymore.
“You know. Albrecht, that man is the empire’s greatest magician. Is there even another magician who can deal with him if I’m not there?”
Of course, there were magicians among the troop they had brought.
But it was impossible to find someone of Ariel’s caliber.
Within the Robeheim Family, someone of Minette’s level would be needed, but she couldn’t be absent for other reasons at the moment.
“After all, you’re the Supreme Commander. Even if Albrecht appears, you shouldn’t reveal yourself directly on the front lines.”
“I’m not saying I want to fight at the forefront. I mean that we’ll need at least some reinforcements when that man shows up.”
The abilities of magicians, especially those categorized as great magicians, are beyond imagination on the battlefield.
They can turn small skirmishes among soldiers into mere child’s play, and sometimes even a dire situation can be flipped on its head in an instant.
If Albrecht is an ace up their sleeve, then Ariel was contending to take on that role here.
Of course, Edgar didn’t think he would lose to such a man, but if the situation turned unfavorable, who knows what could happen?
With the two’s opinions sharply at odds, Gale finally intervened.
Aside from the two of them, he was the one with the most authority in this unit, and he figured the soldiers watching wouldn’t help morale either.
“If you two are so staunch in your opposition, how about considering a compromise?”
“…What do you mean? A compromise?”
Ariel, who had raised her voice, took a moment to breathe and questioned Gale’s words. They were at an impasse because they hadn’t been able to find a compromise, so his suggestion seemed like a mockery.
“Her Highness wishes to participate in the battlefield, while Sir Edgar believes that the fatigued Her Highness should rest, correct?”
“Exactly.”
Edgar chimed in on Ariel’s behalf.
To this, Gale offered a rather cheerful smile that didn’t match the heavy atmosphere and proposed an idea.
“But since this is a matter of great urgency, we shouldn’t keep all the soldiers here and delay progress… So why not split the main force and the reserve unit, allowing Her Highness to lead the reserves and follow afterward?”
“Gale, that….”
Edgar’s expression hardened as he tried to dissuade him upon hearing that suggestion.
It made sense as they didn’t have much of a force due to the use of the temporary Dimensional Stone, and splitting the forces could lead to a very unstable situation.
What, then, only march with a small escort like the escort unit and then join in later?
That would pose an even greater risk than just staying in this forest.
Imagine trying to catch up with the main force engaged in intense battle with only about twenty soldiers; they could easily get cut off in the process.
‘Still, I can’t afford to delay the battle. Even if the Lukeville Family holds them off, they can’t do it for long.’
After all, the key to this operation is that the Lukeville Family has a considerable force tying them down.
Before they return, somehow defeating the enemy to at least not face complete annihilation and then securing an advantageous position for when reinforcements arrive is the top priority.
Eventually, it seemed they wouldn’t be able to fully accept Gale’s opinion, and things were about to fall flat, but suddenly, Ariel’s eyes sparkled, and she concurred with his words.
“Okay, I’ll do as Gale suggests. Even if that’s impossible, just take me along.”
“Did you forget? Splitting our forces in a situation lacking strength ….”
Even though he had reminded Ariel of this countless times, her stubbornness nearly caused Edgar to raise his voice.
But the moment he met her eyes, he was left speechless.
It wasn’t that piercing gaze typical of a child throwing a tantrum, but rather a look that seemed about to burst into tears.
“I know this is stubbornness. But can’t you just trust me this once?”
“…”
“I feel like I have to do this. My instincts are screaming at me—not to let you go alone this time.”
He had said multiple times he couldn’t risk sending her off alone, but Ariel knew the reality well.
There are certainly times in life when one simply has no choice, and there would be occasions in battle where he’d have to send her far away.
But this time felt different, like it absolutely shouldn’t end like that.
Her mind kept insisting she had to protect him, no matter what.
She had never felt such a sensation in her life. Even when she first became aware of her feelings for Edgar, she didn’t recall hearing such a clear voice before.
Faced with Ariel’s earnest plea, Edgar clenched his fist.
He knew all too well that this was a form of unreasonable stubbornness. It had no foundation or reason behind it.
But when he thought back, that time, when he first expressed doubts about Albrecht, Ariel had believed in him without question.
And that’s how they made it this far.
If on that day, Ariel had brushed off his thoughts as pointless anxiety, he would have had to dismiss his doubts about Albrecht early on.
‘Is this the time to repay that debt?’
In the end, the one with the final say was Ariel.
If she really was determined, she could ignore Edgar’s opinion and pursue the path she wanted.
Yet she hadn’t done so because she truly wished for his understanding.
“…Alright.”
With that, Edgar could no longer offer a rebuttal.
Just as she had given him her unfounded trust, today was the day to repay that kindness.
It might be wrong to bring personal feelings into public matters, but still, Edgar decided to nod.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Do as you wish. You can either rest with the reserve unit and follow later or head directly to the main force. I’ll respect your choice.”
From Edgar’s perspective, he still preferred the former choice.
Depleting magical power brings about significant fatigue. Despite Ariel appearing nonchalant, it was hard to hide that her legs were trembling.
At the very least, it would be more efficient to join the main force after regaining some stamina before they would face future battles.
Perhaps Edgar’s thoughts reached her.
Ariel smiled as she accepted his permission and chose the former option.
“Then I’ll go with the reserves as Gale suggested.”
“Got it. But just in case, I’ll leave one of the five healers with you.”
“It’s fine. The healers are to be with the soldiers in case of injuries, not for me.”
Despite her polite refusal, they still decided to leave one healer with her.
They couldn’t assign many soldiers to the escort unit called the reserve unit, but they could spare a few.
Thus, the reserve unit would soon establish a camp amidst the dense forest while Edgar and the main force would head straight to the Bertus Family’s castle.
Since it was the first time parting like this on a battlefield, Ariel couldn’t seem to let go of her sleeve as she sent him off.
“Let go, so you can go.”
“Ah, I know. Silly. Don’t overdo it. I’ll help when I get there.”
Edgar didn’t know how many times he had heard her say not to overdo it, but even so, he couldn’t help but find it endearing.
Concerns from a lover are always appreciated, especially since he knew of the dangers approaching.
“Alright. Take your time.”
“Uh-huh… be careful.”
Gently stroking his lover’s hair, Edgar turned his horse around.
With her cheeks still flushed from the warmth left on her head, Ariel led the soldiers remaining by her side towards the camp they were about to establish.
All that was left to do was give it their all from their respective positions and hope for each other’s safety.
Because that’s how it is on the battlefield.
* * * * * * *
Crack!
An arrow shot from the bushes struck a man in the neck, sending the new model crashing lifelessly onto the grass.
Once Edgar made eye contact with the following soldiers, he signaled them to spread out to the sides, hiding among the trees and shrubs as they advanced step by step.
‘Looks like all my prior research on the local terrain has paid off.’
Edgar unfolded the thin paper he had in hand and critically examined his surroundings.
This area was the forbidden private property of the Bertus Family, which made gathering information a bit challenging, but fortunately, he managed to obtain some basic details about the terrain.
There were some unexpected parts along the way, but most of the scouts were stationed where he had thought they would be.
Given that location was relatively open, it would be ideal for monitoring any potential intruders from the area.
The only issue was, due to being in an open area, it was also easy for intruders to spot the guards.
‘If there had been a barrier surrounding this forest, it would have been troublesome, but thank goodness nothing like that was set up.’
No matter the reason, it was fortunate for them that things turned out this way.
Of course, they had prepared means to deal with barriers, but that would have forced them to proceed with a considerable number of troops remaining behind.
“Commander, I believe that the enemy’s vigilance will be high from here onward.”
“I think so too. But we need to come up with a cunning plan…”
As his aide, Leonel spoke with a voice appropriate for a subordinate while Edgar looked over the terrain map with a troubled expression.
It was a topic they hadn’t reached any substantial conclusions on even during discussions about operations at the castle.
That was why they had opted for mobility; to push forward like a tide before the enemy could establish contact. However, there were still many uncertainties ahead.
“May I suggest something?”
“Feel free. Do you have a good idea?”
Usually, when two heads come together, unexpected good ideas spring forth.
Recalling that Leonel had occasionally provided decent suggestions even during state matters, Edgar eagerly passed the terrain map to him.
He wanted him to elucidate on what kind of operation he had in mind.
“Since we collected the enemy’s uniforms, let’s use them to assemble a small group of soldiers and pretend to be wounded to distract the guards.”
“Pretend to be wounded, huh… That might actually work.”
Edgar had thought about tricking them by pretending to be from the same unit in enemy uniforms, but he hadn’t considered the idea of using wounded soldiers to divert attention.
Moreover, appealing to their compassion was always a good way to lower the enemy’s alertness.
As long as they didn’t pass along information about who’s attacking, it wouldn’t hurt to inform the enemy that intruders had been spotted.
“Who will lead this?”
“I will take charge. Since I have received your request, I can’t burden the Commander with any reckless tasks.”
Leonel smiled confidently.
Seeing that expression, Edgar couldn’t bring himself to voice that it might be dangerous.
Because that’s how it is on the battlefield.