Chapter 433 - 433: Those who cannot return

Lucen was rather surprised that the enemy force was not a simple one. They had mages at the fourth circle and aura users at the fourth mantle.

Despite all that, they had won rather easily. Defeating these people was not a problem for the current Lucen, but defeating them without killing them was another thing.

Both Alexander and Cael had improved greatly in just a few weeks of being taught by the two Martial Deities.

Lucen surveyed the battlefield. Injured soldiers were scattered throughout the forest, some unconscious while others groaned and clutched their wounds. Broken shields, shattered weapons, and fragments of armor littered the ground between them.

Despite the violence of the battle, Lucen could not see a single corpse.

That had required far more concentration than simply killing them. He had used rubber rounds against less-protected targets and real bullets whenever rubber could not penetrate an aura user's defenses.

Even then, every live round had been aimed through limbs and away from major arteries.

'Those two have become quite powerful. To think the training had this much effect... But to think Inevir would attack at this moment. Has this been happening for long, or are these the first infiltrators?'

Lucen approached the man who looked to be the commander of the group. "So I'll say it outright: I'm going to ask you a few questions, and you'll answer me."

The commander stared at Lucen but said nothing. "I see, so it's going to be like that."

Lucen knelt on the ground to match the commander's eye level. "Let me ask you another question. Do you wish for you and your men to leave here alive?"

The commander finally spoke. "You went through the trouble of keeping us alive during the battle. I doubt you intend to execute us now simply because I refuse to answer."

"You're right. I have no intention of killing prisoners."

Lucen's straightforward answer caused the commander's expression to shift slightly.

"However, that does not mean you are safe."

Lucen gestured toward the mismatched armor worn by the captured soldiers.

"You crossed the border without uniforms or anything identifying you as members of the Inevirian military. You then disguised yourselves as bandits and prepared to massacre a village. As far as Norvaegard is concerned, you are not prisoners of war. You are spies and bandits."

The commander's expression hardened. He understood what Lucen was implying.

"If you continue claiming to be bandits, the military will treat you as such. However, if you admit that you are Inevirian soldiers acting under orders, you might receive the protections given to captured soldiers. Who knows, your kingdom might pay your ransom."

Hearing Lucen's words, the commander scoffed. "You think we came here thinking we would be able to live?"

Lucen glanced toward the injured soldiers scattered throughout the forest. "So you came here to do something, and if you got caught, then that was it?"

The commander did not answer, but Lucen already knew. These guys were basically consumables.

'Still, these guys were human, and humans have emotions.' Lucen looked around, and despite the resolve on the faces of most of the fallen soldiers, there were a few of the younger ones who had a slight tinge of fear.

Lucen returned his attention to the commander.

"You might be prepared to die, but I doubt every soldier here feels the same way."

"They understood the risks before accepting this mission."

"Understanding that you might die and choosing death when another option is available are different things."

The commander glanced toward his men. The older soldiers remained calm, but several younger ones avoided meeting his gaze.

"I don't know you, or what kind of life you have lived. Still, you and these people must have family, people who care for you, wishing for you to return. Do you truly wish to die on this foreign land, never to see any of them again?"

For the first time, the commander's expression wavered. It lasted only a moment, but Lucen noticed it. His words had reached something beneath the man's discipline.

"A soldier cannot abandon his duty simply because he wishes to return home," the commander answered.

"Your mission has already failed. Dying here will serve no purpose."

"... It is as you said; we have failed. Even if we return now, we will only be greeted by shame, and if we're lucky, we'll only be stripped of our ranks and branded as cowards. The officers held responsible may face execution. The worst case is everyone dies; either way, we die. At least if we die here, we become heroes, martyrs, and our families will be taken care of."

Lucen remained silent for several seconds. The commander's reasoning was cruel, but it was not irrational.

If the soldiers died during the mission, Inevir could portray them as heroes who had sacrificed themselves for the kingdom. Their families would receive honor and financial support instead of suffering from their failure.

This was the first time Lucen had to deal with something like this. He had killed many people by now. He was no longer the simple gamer he was in his past life.

Still, such a complicated situation was a first for him. Even if he didn't get the information he wanted, he didn't want to kill these people either, since Alexander wanted them alive. But he understood that what the commander said was the reality of the situation.

'Well, I can imprison them for now. I'll think about what I can do with them later.'

Lucen tried to remember every cliché he read in his past life about this situation, if the protagonist of those stories were able to do something.

Unfortunately, all he remembered were stories in which the protagonist released an enemy army and somehow suffered no consequences. Reality would not be so forgiving.

Lucen released a quiet sigh and rose to his feet. "For now, you and your men will remain alive."

The commander looked up at him. "You would delay the inevitable?"

"Yes, my student wishes you alive, and that's what will happen. I will make sure it stays that way."

Lucen wanted to continue to say that even if they returned home, but he did not say those words since he still had no plan and did not wish to give false hope.

The commander's gaze moved past Lucen and settled upon Alexander, who was checking the wounds of one of the younger soldiers.

"That boy is your student?"

"Yes, he is."

"The Ruby-Eyed Monster has taken a student. That is valuable information, and you revealed it rather easily."

"Well, it's not like you can do anything with that information."

The commander gave a humorless laugh. "Perhaps not."

Lucen turned toward Alexander. "Go to Valerious Village and warn them. Have the village chief send someone to the nearest garrison. Tell them to bring healers and enough restraints for everyone here."

Alexander nodded. Cael remained behind to watch the prisoners while the soldiers still capable of moving began treating their wounded companions.

Lucen looked eastward through the trees. More than a hundred soldiers had crossed the border without being discovered.

'How many more have already passed the borders? Is the war about to begin?'