Chapter 206 : Chapter 206

Chapter : 206

A ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍wide-open hill with a clear view of the battlefield.

“Caught ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍them!”

Count ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Josef, the commander-in-chief, let out a triumphant shout at the messenger’s cry.

“Wahahaha! ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Excellent.”

Just ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as planned, everything was moving.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had taken heavy losses to the sudden, large-scale crossbow operation that had appeared in the Margrave of Bellua’s formation, but that was fine.

A crossbow’s bolts were not infinite.

Even now—look.

His swiftly moving left and right wings had already begun to encircle the Margrave of Bellua’s wings, which were crawling along like turtles.

It was true that their ranged attacks were piling on damage, but if they endured, those attacks would eventually stop.

And when that happened…

‘I will show you what awaits an army that has lost its mobility!’

They had packed themselves together, tightening their battle line to increase their defense, but that would only become poison.

It meant the area they could cover along the front had shrunk.

If he surrounded them and cut off communication between their units, those forces—broken into smaller groups—would not be able to respond to his army’s rapid maneuvers.

Of course, Count Josef was saying all of this because he did not truly understand the Margrave of Bellua’s army.

“The enemy is approaching fast!”

“Ah—! We are being surrounded! What should we do? Re, retreat?”

“Do not waver! Follow the training. Follow the training. Raise the pikes! Tighten the phalanx even more!”

Even while being encircled in fragmented unit groups, the Margrave of Bellua’s army did not shake.

If anything, it became even harder, even stronger.

“This is our chance! They are trying to force their way between the phalanxes—where else do you find idiots like this? Push forward exactly like this. Press into the phalanx beside you.”

To use the crossbows more efficiently, each unit had been spread out with wide spacing.

In an instant, those gaps narrowed.

-Oh, oh?

-Th-the pikes are closing in.

-You lunatics! Stop pushing. We have to pull back, I am telling you!

As a result, the Holy Empire’s imperial army, which had tried to wedge itself between the pike phalanx units to complete the encirclement, found itself counter-encircled from the front, rear, left, and right.

-Kyaaaah!

-CRUNCH. CRRRK!

A wall of pikes pressed in, inch by inch.

And because the Holy Empire’s imperial army had pushed too deep, there was nowhere left to run.

They would only end up like meat on iron skewers.

And that was not the only thing Count Josef had failed to anticipate.

“Hm?”

Not long after the wings engaged, and the central lines began to grind against each other in a contest of strength—

-WAAAAAA—!

A thunderous roar suddenly erupted from the Margrave of Bellua’s formation.

The banner that symbolized the Margrave of Bellua was whipping in the wind at the very front.

“Ha! The Margrave must be quite anxious, Commander-in-Chief!”

“Indeed. Dragging the commander’s banner all the way forward just to seize the momentum—hahaha.”

That was a double-edged sword.

It could raise allied morale, but if it were captured, morale would plummet.

A war that had been won could be lost in an instant because of that.

That was why the Holy Empire’s nobles mocked the Margrave of Bellua.

How foolish did one have to be to make such a choice?

“With our splendid knights, they will cut down that impudent standard-bearer at once.”

“The banner will snap soon enough, and the fight will be over. Congratulations in advance, Count Josef!”

But unlike them, Count Josef could not rejoice.

The front—

The central battle line, where he had placed his strongest knights and elite troops—

Was buckling.

“???”

A rider bearing the Margrave of Bellua’s banner was knocking down the Holy Empire’s knights one after another as he charged.

-CRUNCH!

-CRRRK!

Whoever it was, he seemed to be shouting something boldly as he came in, but knights were falling with absurd helplessness.

“That… what is that!”

“To think the Margrave of Bellua had a knight with such martial might!”

The nobles who had been scanning the battlefield beside him cried out in astonishment.

It was the bearing of a one-man army.

But there was something even more shocking.

“No. Wait!”

“Could it be…?!”

“That is it. It is the Margrave of Bellua!”

That knight was the very Margrave of Bellua—the one spoken of only in rumors.

“A knight blessed by God, they said…”

“That is truly incredible. Is that really a man?”

He held a massive banner in one hand and swung a heavy war hammer in the other, rampaging across the field.

The sight drew admiration from the nobles.

They were men who knew how to handle a blade themselves; they understood exactly how impossible that prowess was, and how extraordinary it must be.

Of course—

“You mad fools! Have you lost your senses?!”

To Count Josef, a magician by origin, it was both ludicrous and terrifying.

“Now. Now send in more knights! You have to stop the Margrave of Bellua. No matter what, hold the battle line!”

Count Josef screamed as he watched the line begin to collapse in an instant.

If the center broke, the lightly equipped wings would be surrounded at once and crushed into a miserable pulp.

That was why he had built the center from his strongest troops—yet it was breaking like this.

He had to stabilize the line quickly, and he had to stop that monster called the Margrave of Bellua.

But—

-WAAAAAA—!

Another thunderous roar burst from the front before he even had time to respond.

He wished it had been his side, but sadly, it was not.

The Margrave of Bellua—

That monster of a knight had led the knights and pierced straight through the center.

“!”

Only then did Count Josef understand why Count Steffen had opposed this so fiercely.

Though it was already too late.

-NEIGHHHH

-Kyaaaah!

-CRACK! THUD-THUD-THUD.

Screams came from every direction, along with the brutal sounds of things snapping and breaking, and the feverish heat of the battlefield wrapped around my body.

The heat blazed like fire, scorching me from head to toe.

A soaring exhilaration, as if no one in the world could stop me.

-UUUUUNG!

As though to prove that feeling true, the blessing mystery I had received from the goddess boiled inside me.

“Your Grace! Margrave, Your Grace! You are truly magnificent!”

“This glory belongs to you!! Your Grace! Your Grace!”

The elf knights around me clung close, shouting in rapture, as if it was not only I who felt it.

The ground was littered with corpses.

And not the bodies of common rabble, but the bodies of knights trained for many years.

Even facing one alone, victory was never certain.

Yet I had fought dozens of knights by myself.

Just as the elf knights said, it was an achievement that would be remembered for ages.

Even so, I could not let that exhilaration sweep me away.

“Hoo… hoo… How is the front?!”

I shouted through ragged breaths.

My rampage had forced the battle line into a brief lull, but I knew it would not last long.

We still lacked much if we were to crush them completely.

In a war of this scale, what I had done was no more than a speck of dust.

Of course, if that speck found a trigger, it could swell into a wave and crash down.

“Good. It seems you have come to your senses. The wings are still holding. It looks like the training is paying off.”

“That is good news, Magician Agpiel.”

“It is good news, but… it does not seem wise for you to remain in the battle line this long, does it? Why do you not fall back now? It seems you have shocked them enough.”

“Mm…”

At Magician Agpiel’s calm assessment, I let out a low groan.

He was right.

But I could not do that.

Instinct.

My instinct was shouting at me.

Do not stop here!

To bring down a savage beast, you have to finish it with a final blow that closes its throat.

And to win a war, you have to strike the vital point that cuts off the enemy’s breath.

And I could see it, faintly.

A gap shimmering between the tightly packed enemy ranks, as if it were guiding me.

And at its far end—

‘Count Josef…!’

On the rise, the Holy Empire’s commander-in-chief, Count Josef, was watching the battlefield.

“No, Magician Agpiel. This is not the time to pull back.”

“What?”

Having made my decision, I spoke and gripped the banner again.

Sometimes, intuition mattered, too.

“Raise your weapons! We will run to the very end!”

“Oh!!”

“WAAAAAA—!”

I shouted as instinct led me on.

“Our target is… Count Josef! We are going to strike off their head!”

When the fearsome Margrave of Bellua finally halted, Count Josef was able to let out a breath of relief.

It had been brief, but it had bought him time to recover the battle line that had been collapsing.

“Send the disciplinarians at once! Tell them that anyone who runs will be punished under military law!”

That was why Count Josef barked and drove those around him.

If he did not, it felt as though the army would break apart at any moment.

‘Truly fortunate.’

Wiping away cold sweat that had run down from tension, Count Josef thought so.

It was sheer luck.

That young noble had no information about him.

If it had been the wily Count Steffen—who had clashed with him countless times—he would have ridden the momentum and chased him down at once.

“Thicken the guard in front of me, now!”

Count Josef roared and began hurried preparations.

Count Josef—the court magician—was preparing his own specialty.

Lightning magic infused with a powerful lightning essence.

At first, he had been so startled by that astonishing divine might that he had not even been able to think of preparing magic, but not anymore.

-ZZZZZT!

Before that monster of a Margrave of Bellua charged again, he would complete the spell—

That was what he thought.

But—

-WAAAAAA—!

-For glory! An honorable death calls to us!

-Support the Margrave, Your Grace! Follow him—now!

The Margrave of Bellua began to move again.

And he was dragging a great many elf knights along on his left and right.

The charge led by the Margrave of Bellua was like lightning itself—like the lightning Count Josef commanded.

Such power made armor and shields meaningless.

Everything he struck split apart like rotting logs, and every knight who rushed in was cut down.

If knights were like that, soldiers were no different.

No—if anything, it was worse.

They raised spears and tried to form a phalanx, desperate to stop it, but once a charge had gathered momentum, it could not be halted.

-DUDUDUDUDU!

-KRASH! CRUNCH!

Wherever the charge collided, the formation began to crumble with savage sounds.

Like a wall built on a sandy shore.

SPLASH—! SPLASH—!

Everywhere the wave-like charge of the Margrave of Bellua met them, the battle line collapsed.

“A-a monster!”

“The Margrave is using the devil’s power!!”

“Run!”

Elite troops hardened by long wars fled like newly raised conscripts, gripped by terror.

Turning their backs on each other, they scattered with screams.

“Uuuhhhh?!”

Count Josef stared, his mouth hanging open as a foolish sound slipped out.

Did they not say that when a man receives too great a shock, his mind turns blank?

The Margrave of Bellua’s charge was exactly that kind of shock.

And so Count Josef stood there stupidly, unable even to finish the spell he had been preparing.

Even with the enemy already at his doorstep.

“Josef!!! Count!!”

And that—

-CLANG!

-FLASH!

Was Count Josef’s end.