Episode 231 – The Mad Dollmaker
"I heard. The situation's changed."
In the middle of a frantic sprint, a familiar voice rang out.
Turning my head, I saw Karl bringing Lochter with him. Beads of sweat dotted both their foreheads, indicating they had run with all their might after sensing the urgency of the situation.
"What about the Allied Forces? How did you leave them?"
"I left Heinz in command and slipped out secretly."
He had switched to a carriage upon hearing the news and disguised himself as a soldier to escape unnoticed.
Maybe that’s why Lochter was dressed in shabby military attire. The twin swords hidden beneath a worn cloth stood out, but apparently, no one suspected the commander of the Allied Forces would desert his position, so he had gone unquestioned.
"As long as my absence is concealed until the Allied Forces reach Beneta, there shouldn't be a major problem."
"Things are falling apart from the start."
"It couldn't be helped. The absence of the witches left us no choice."
“Didn’t we sowhat anticipate interference from Demtor?”
I gave a bitter smile and nodded at Lochter's question.
Kal had warned , and the movent of the Stars had been suspicious, so today's situation wasn’t entirely unforeseen.
The real problem was...
"I didn't expect the entire Demtor force to show up."
An overwhelming force had arrived, far beyond expectation.
Had it only been so of the Stars, we wouldn’t have had to pull Natasha and Lily out.
The power of the Millennium Tree was that lethal to mages. No, even if all of them ca at us, we thought we could hold out under the protection of the Sacred Tree.
As long as we had enough experience, that is.
What I feared most was the witches' lack of experience.
"I feared a single mistake could lead to an irreversible disaster, so I had no choice but to send the two witches away."
"Mistake? What kind of mistake are you talking about?"
"A common sort of delusion."
Unlike the witches, who had spent over a decade secluded in the Ghost Forest, mages had achieved trendous growth through conquest, relentless research, and exchange.
As ti passed, the gap between them widened rapidly. And now, it had beco an irreparable disparity in power.
"The witches probably think things are different inside the forest. Until now, mages haven’t even dared to co near it."
"But you’re saying it’s not the sa anymore?"
"Mages are among the most rational beings. They don't act unless safety is guaranteed or victory is certain."
"Didn't you send the two into the forest? That should be enough, right?"
"It should be, but... honestly, I’m anxious."
Even Natasha, before leaving, said this was a rare chance to eliminate the mages.
Even soone like her from Ortain believed that strongly in the forest's protection.
If they just focus on hitting and retreating, they could hold them off well enough.
On land where mana dries up, mages have a limited amount of ti they can endure.
It was a battle that could only end with the mages retreating if dragged out long enough.
As I explained, Karl raised a question.
"Wouldn't the outco change under the forest’s protection? Like you said, it’s a disadvantageous fight for the mages."
"If all the Stars co at once, it'll be tough."
"How can you be sure? You've never fought them directly."
Since the Witch Massacre, the Stars of Demtor and the Ortains had never clashed directly. But after more than a decade, I had so data to estimate their current power difference.
I can roughly tell from the story.
When the protection of the Millennium Tree vanished due to Kal’s sche, the Ortains lasted less than thirty minutes against the Stars.
It might be different inside the forest, but the mages had Blood Nature.
They'll definitely go all out in one strike.
If this battle goes badly, it might change how the witches respond in the future. But if all the Stars charge in, there was a real risk even the Millennium Tree might be endangered.
Elder deia needs to convince them well.
Cordy and Natasha clearly trusted my words, but the other two Ortains did not.
They had already clashed with once, casting opposition votes when I tried to establish a defensive line.
I’d sent Natasha a note to warn her, but I still couldn’t shake off the unease.
"The dice is already cast for the witches. Let's focus on Beneta."
"Yeah, we should."
I nodded at Karl’s words.
He was right.
There was no ti to be worrying about the others while facing Kal.
The best course was to quickly settle things with Kal and then head to support the Ordor Forest.
If Demtor's movent was a signal sent by Kal, then Beneta might already be in danger...
We kept our mouths shut and focused on running.
, Lochter, Karl, and the ghosts tore through the forest at full speed, trees shrieking in protest as we passed.
But it still wasn’t enough.
"Increase the pace."
"...Tiring, this is."
Karl grimaced, crouched lower, and burst into a sprint.
An incredible speed.
The others followed behind.
One more day to Beneta.
I could only hope nothing major happened before we got there.
***
Kal looked up at the sky.
He held out his fingers, gauging the direction of the wind.
A harsh breeze blowing from the direction of the fortress.
Rubbing his fingers together, he muttered softly,
"The stench of blood must be thick inside the castle."
He lowered his gaze from the sky and stared off toward the tiny black speck that was Beneta in the distance.
Had Beneta’s scouts spotted them yet?
It was hard to be sure. They were still far enough that they’d have to ride hard on horseback to reach the fortress.
“Wiley.”
“Yes, my lord?”
“Where’s the main force now?”
“A day and a half away, sir.”
“They’re half a day behind schedule. Was the training insufficient?”
“I apologize.”
He clicked his tongue briefly and pulled on the reins. As he halted at the front, the ten thousand cavalryn behind him also stopped.
“We rest here. Make sure the soldiers eat their fill.”
When Wiley moved, the guards followed.
Once the order was passed down, the soldiers dismounted, chatting as they began their al. They took out rations from their pouches—along with them, multiple other pouches hung at their waists.
Loot bags filled with gold coins and jewels. The soldiers had plundered every village they passed on their way here.
As they ate, they shared vulgar jokes and stories, proudly boasting of their exploits—most of them about the won they had violated in the villages.
[The one who takes her first is the master.]
Just as the lord had declared, this war was one of plunder. Every village around Beneta had been trampled and pillaged.
Perhaps because of that, the soldiers’ morale was high even on the eve of battle. So even looked forward to what lay ahead.
Beneta, the city of non-humans.
A place overflowing with wealth and weapons crafted by master artisans, ho to beautiful elves and rare beastkin.
It was a place too tempting for human greed to ignore.
The sa went for the main force on its way.
Kal’s planted informants were continuously feeding them sensational tales of plunder in real ti.
The main army now feared the war might end before they even arrived.
Sssssk—
Sitting on a small rock, Kal used a twig to draw on the ground.
It looked like idle doodling, but his mind was whirring more than ever.
“By now, Demtor must have moved. The only variable is Hunt, after all.”
Just how much strength did he have?
Pondering, he dropped the twig and gently closed his eyes.
As if visualizing sothing, he sat there blankly for a mont before moving his fingers—and noticing sothing missing.
His brows twitched.
The silver coin he habitually toyed with wasn’t in his hand.
“My lord.”
As the familiar voice called out, he opened his eyes to find Rengua bowing before him.
“What about the curse formation?”
“It can be activated at any ti.”
The Dagger of the Rotting Dead, crafted using the heart of a witch.
Once the curse formation was triggered, it would begin to absorb the soul of the dead.
Kal stood up, brushing off his seat, and looked at the spot where the dagger had been buried.
It was the location Rengua had been secretly working on for a month.
The wall of Beneta Fortress.
By tomorrow, it would beco a bloody altar—one that would mark the highest number of casualties in Tobaron’s history.
Kal stared at Rengua. Under that gaze, Rengua bowed even deeper, unsure of what to do.
[Rengua Field – Descendant of the Blood Oak Shaman (Madness)]
He had made a na for himself among black shamans, but in Kal's eyes, he was still lacking.
His curse power was inferior to Donecolint of the Siren’s Scream, and in human fabrication, he fell short of Dominic Huaton.
However...
[Rengua Field – Blood Oak Staff (Rage)]
[Madness Control]
[Madness Infection]
[Madness Explosion]
And now, a new divine na earned from crafting the war puppets:
[Mad Dollmaker]
Awakened as the owner of a divine na that ruled madness, Rengua began to shine.
With mass-production of cursed dolls using the Stone of Madness and the crafting skills he acquired through the process, he had successfully transplanted Lyon's heart.
Lyon and Wiley could be discarded depending on the situation, but Rengua was now indispensable.
He had beco the most vital person who must remain by Kal’s side.
"You made this grand plan possible."
“We are all simply moving according to your will, my lord.”
"I’ll count on you from here on too. Know that my fate lies in your hands."
At Kal’s final words, Rengua bowed deeply.
As dusk fell and twilight began to creep in, Wiley approached and reported.
"The main force is a day away."
"Once the signal drops, the entire army will charge the castle. Prepare them."
"!"
Kal gently closed his eyes again.
It was ti to send the signal.
Harkman Oleve's image appeared in his mind.
The small box in his hand.
The wide-area mana bomb, Terremor.
After transmitting the signal via the war puppet, Kal summoned Rengua and Wiley for a private discussion.
This place could be left in the hands of the shamans.
They were already conditioned to looting, and he had planted the desire for Beneta deep in their hearts.
Like moths to a fla.
The cavalry would charge toward the blast signal, consud by greed.
Even if they all died, it didn’t matter.
Their goal was never to take the fortress.
Their mission was to prevent the dwarves from repairing the broken walls until the main army arrived.
That alone made them useful.
And for such a task, his key people were not required.
Kal looked around.
Rengua, Wiley, and 150 hand-picked elite knights.
That would be enough.
“When the signal goes off, we move separately.”
“What’s the target, my lord?”
"The Blue Rose Inn."
The key that would elevate Rengua's Mad Dollmaker to the next level.
“We capture the priestess Nella first.”
He had to acquire Dominic’s chira research journal.
It was an indispensable piece of his grand plan.
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