Chapter 207 : Chapter 207

Chapter : 207

-DING-DING!

[Great ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Achievement!]

[With ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a brave charge, you beheaded an opponent who had been off guard in a single strike. This outstanding cavalry charge of yours will remain in history for ages, serving as an example for knights to follow.]

[Notification: ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Honor increases.]

[Notification: ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Knights admire you. You can hire knights more easily.]

[Notification: ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍You have obtained the title ‘Brave Warrior’.]

[Brave Warrior: Increases the unit’s impact power.]

A clamorous window of notifications appeared.

But I did not have the leisure to care about it.

“Hoo… hoo.”

I exhaled roughly and wiped away the sweat streaming down.

It had been sheer luck.

For whatever reason, Count Josef, the commander-in-chief, had clearly let his guard down.

If he had run, it would have been fine.

But this magician had been preparing a spell, determined to counterattack no matter what.

Even now—look.

-ZZZT, ZZT!

Sparks were still spitting from the headless corpse.

If I had moved even a little later, that magic might have struck me.

“Unexpected. For a magician of that caliber to make such a mistake.”

Magician Agpiel, who had followed close behind, seemed to be thinking the same.

He clicked his tongue as he stared at Count Josef’s hollow death.

“It seems he never imagined I would break through like this.”

“Well… it is difficult to predict what you will do, after all.”

As if he were thoroughly sick of it, Magician Agpiel shook his head and swept his gaze around.

In truth, even he could not have imagined I would force my way in here through sheer brute strength.

Good heavens.

He had witnessed that miraculous power many times, but to pierce the center guarded by thousands—together with a hundred knights—and kill the commander…

No matter how often he saw it, he never grew accustomed.

“So, will you pursue them as they flee?”

“Pursue them? Hmmm… It would be good to finish them, but…”

I trailed off and glanced back.

-Hoo… hoo.

I could see the elf knights, exhaustion written plainly across their faces.

Their eyes still glittered as if they could charge at any moment, but they had reached their limit after forcing themselves to keep up with my reckless assault.

Even if the enemy was collapsing quickly, it could still become dangerous if we pushed like this.

There was no battle more likely to shatter discipline than a pursuit.

Especially—

‘I do not see Count Steffen. If the cavalry of Count Steffen, their strongest force, is nowhere to be seen…’

He might have withdrawn due to discord within the command, but Count Steffen was not in a position to be so relaxed.

He was surely waiting somewhere, watching for his chance.

“You often seem to overestimate people far too much. Well… I suppose it means your humility and caution are admirable…”

Of course, Magician Agpiel found this entire line of thought rather out of nowhere.

He had met many nobles and scholars, but it was exceedingly rare to see someone think so deeply.

Especially when, as now, their relationships had been torn apart by a struggle for power.

A rival’s mistake became one’s own merit, did it not?

If anything, one might watch even more coldly from the sidelines.

If it was Count Steffen.

Help them?

That would be difficult unless God Himself showed a miracle.

And yet—

-WAAAAAA—!

As if to mock Magician Agpiel’s thoughts, a thunderous roar burst from the forest to our side.

-Charge! Save our allies!

Count Steffen’s cavalry, which had been lying in ambush, struck the flank of the Margrave of Bellua’s army as it pursued.

“?????????”

Magician Agpiel could only gape.

“You… are you truly performing miracles now?”

He blurted such a vacant thing, as if he had lost his mind.

“…….”

Count Steffen was, indeed, seasoned.

He steadied the Holy Empire’s imperial army as it crumbled after losing its commander-in-chief, then blocked my pursuing forces with a powerful cavalry formation.

Of course, if I had wanted to end it through force, it was not impossible.

But I did not.

Strictly speaking, this war was not mine, but someone else’s war.

It was a fight between the eastern nobles and the Emperor.

Why should I suffer enormous losses for their sake?

Frankly, even doing this much meant they ought to be grateful.

Look.

“Th-thank you, Margrave, Your Grace!”

“I am truly moved. Ah… to think you came all this way to save us.”

Even now, at the news that I had driven back the Holy Empire’s imperial army, nobles came running breathlessly to my military tent.

They arrived in their nightclothes, hauling treasures, panting before me.

“Haha. Why speak as though it is anything special? It is only my duty as a great lord.”

“How can you say that?”

“He is right. There are far too many these days who do not do what is only natural.”

“Ah, benevolent and honorable Margrave, Your Grace. Thank you.”

Some of them approached with utterly submissive manners and kissed the ring on my hand.

It was an act performed within a contracted relationship of lord and vassal—something a noble who held land ought to do only for a king.

Yet no one pointed it out.

“Indeed. Your Grace is the true guardian of the East.”

They nearly came to blows, scrambling to be the next to kiss my ring.

Of course—

“Mm. It feels rather… unpleasant to see grown men in their nightclothes doing that.”

As Magician Agpiel said, it was more than a little chilling to watch those hulking slabs of flesh insist on kissing my hand.

“C-cough. Speak, then. Speak in front of Magician Agpiel.”

“What, did I curse at them? Hmph, honestly.”

“Please…”

“Fine, fine.”

In any case, amid this minor commotion, I secured the reward for having marched out here.

Now that matters had come to this, the eastern region would effectively become my own yard.

I had secured a foothold to finally stabilize the northern trade network that had been so precarious.

Count Steffen and the remnants of the Holy Empire’s imperial army still remained, but it hardly mattered.

Reversing a war that had already tilted once was no easy thing.

If we advanced while pressing them slowly, before long the Holy Empire’s influence in the eastern region would be forced out.

‘Then there is only one thing left.’

Another disputed region where interests collided.

‘The Duchy of Aquitaine… I wonder what has happened there. I hope Sir Biden has handled it well.’

What had become of that place?

Personally, I hoped good news would arrive from the south as well.

Please.

At the same time.

Contrary to my hopes, Sir Biden was having a miserable time.

“So… this is all the manpower you can mobilize, Your Grace, Duchess of Aquitaine?”

“That is correct. Is it too little?”

“Hm…”

When he received the dispatch order, he had already sensed that the situation in the Duchy of Aquitaine would not be easy.

But to think it would be like this.

How could a vast fief like the Duchy of Aquitaine have only two thousand troops for defense?

With that, they could do no more than defend the capital.

“C-cough.”

Then Fernando, the garrison commander beside the Duchess of Aquitaine, cleared his throat and spoke.

“To be honest, we could mobilize more troops if we wished. But we cannot fully trust them. Rather than gather men who might betray us at any time in one place, it is better to lead only forces we can be certain of…”

“I understand. I was not criticizing you, General Fernando. I only wished to confirm the situation.”

“C-cough. Cough.”

At Sir Biden’s words, General Fernando kept coughing as if embarrassed.

But coughing would not change the circumstances.

In these wretched conditions, Sir Biden had to face armies attacking from both sides: the Catalia Kingdom and Crown Prince Charles I.

“Is there any method at all, Sir Biden?”

The Duchess of Aquitaine, though she did not handle armies herself, understood well enough that the situation was dire.

With a hardened expression, she questioned Sir Biden.

If there was no way, she was preparing to think of what came after.

Better to lose land than to lose her life, was it not?

“A method…”

But fortunately, Sir Biden was not the sort of man who gave up because things were difficult.

Rather, the more difficult it became, the steadier and more solemn he grew.

“The outcome of this war depends on how quickly my lord, the Margrave of Bellua, Your Grace, drives the Holy Empire’s imperial army out of the eastern region and comes here.”

“Hm. That makes sense… but can we endure until then, Sir Biden?”

“That is right. To be honest, I am deeply worried that the pro-Catalia nobles in the border region will simply surrender…”

The Duchess of Aquitaine and General Fernando trailed off.

They wanted to defend, but the situation was not forgiving.

But Sir Biden thought differently.

“If we embrace them, there is a possibility, Your Grace, Duke of Aquitaine.”

“Embrace?”

“Yes. We should provide the interests they have always wanted, and first consolidate our manpower. As I understand it, there is a rugged mountain range between the Catalia Kingdom and the Duchy of Aquitaine, and the fortresses built to defend it are well established. If we embrace them, we can at least block the Catalia Kingdom’s advance for the time being. Then we can gather our forces and deal only with Charles I in the north.”

“But if we grant them the interests they want, in the end the Duchy of Aquitaine will be nothing but an empty shell!”

General Fernando sprang up, protesting.

A large part of the pro-Catalia nobles’ demands aimed to shrink the Duke of Aquitaine’s authority and take autonomy for themselves.

“Hm…”

For a moment, Sir Biden was left speechless.

In a political matter like this, he did not have the insight to answer cleanly.

-SWISH.

So Sir Biden turned to look at Magician Azuela, who was standing blankly beside him.

Sir Biden remembered clearly: whenever his lord, the Margrave of Bellua, faced difficulties, he had said Sir Biden should seek advice from that witch(?).

Others distrusted her, and he himself did not find her agreeable, but he trusted the Margrave of Bellua’s judgment without reservation.

If the Margrave of Bellua had said it, then that magician would surely be of some help.

“Eh?”

Of course, for Magician Azuela—who had been planning to simply waste time quietly—it was a bolt from the blue.

“Sir Biden? Why… me?”

“My lord told me that in difficult matters like this, I should receive the magician’s help. He said you would offer wise counsel. Please persuade them in my stead.”

‘Eh?!’

What nonsense was this?

Magician Azuela panicked.

What in the world did this stiff, stubborn knight believe in, to say something like that to her?

But…

“Gngh… all right.”

In the end, she could only nod.

Was it the gaze of a true mad zealot?

Those clear eyes staring straight at her held a coercive force she could not refuse.

With a sigh, Magician Azuela stepped forward.

“Wait. Wait—please calm down. Listen to what I have to say, General Fernando.”

Of course, separate from that—

‘Damn it! What am I even supposed to say?’

Azuela was in absolute misery.

“Oh, yes, Magician.”

“Lady Azuela. Do you have something to say?”

“Uh, well…”

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on her.

She had stepped forward, but she had no sense at all of what she should say.

What was she supposed to say?

But there was no turning back now.

‘Fine. I do not know. Somehow it will work out.’

So Azuela squeezed her eyes shut tight and shouted.

“Uh… well. So. I mean… if you approach it like this…”