Kill the Emperor Chapter 67 : Chapter 67

Translator: AkazaTL

Pr/Ed: Sol IX

***

Chapter 67 : Battle of Rodlan (1)

"Tsk, how did our situation end up like this."

The eldest son of the Alphonse family, Tomon Alphonse, frowned as he watched the busy soldiers.

"You saw it during the strategy eting earlier too, right? That guy Helkane acting all high and mighty as if he owns the world."

Recalling Helkane's appearance, Tomon shuddered.

What tornted him most recently were the strategy etings held twice a day, in the morning and afternoon.

It was truly a ti of torture, having to watch Helkane, who was busy showing off.

If he had it his way, he would have left the battlefield imdiately and returned to his official residence.

However.

"They say Reichart has begun marching south with their entire army. We must respond as well. We will welco those bastards at the Rodlan Plains."

"As you all know, this battle is a critical one on which the fate of the Royal Family and the nation depends. The leaders representing each family must attend without fail."

Because of the order Rishu gave two days ago, leaving was sothing he could not even dream of.

The high-ranking nobles of Abysin had to participate in the march unconditionally.

"Damn it, shit. That beggar-like bastard, acting up trusting only his mother when he has the blood of a dirty traitor..."

In the first expedition, he lost his father, and his only brother had one hand cut off.

Now, just thinking about the word war made him grind his teeth.

But to be dragged here again half-forcibly.

"A guy who couldn't even make a squeak when Father was around..."

Tomon, who almost teared up from the resentnt of being Helkane's bridesmaid and longing for Beverick, spoke in a feigned lively voice.

"Being like this reminds of the day you first achieved military rit 5 years ago. How is it, do you rember? Bosman."

"U... Ung."

Bosman nodded his head with a still dazed expression.

Tomon bit his lip.

'Pitiful guy,'

Tomon started chatting away with the intention of boosting his brother's spirits.

Even he, who had committed nurous evil deeds in his life, pretended to be a caring brother to his younger brother.

"I, you know. I still vividly recall the expression of that guy who held onto my ankle begging to save at least his daughter."

"Yeah... too..."

"You appeared with a ta-da back then and shoved the daughter's severed head right in front of that old man who looked like a bug. Kikiki."

An incident where they massacred a village of fire-field farrs hiding deep in the forest because they were jealous of the news that Helkane had defeated a nearby bandit group.

The fire-field farrs who were living in hiding peacefully were frad as bandits and helplessly murdered.

"Kik, they were noisy for re bandits."

"..."

"I haven't had such a fun hunt ever since. Kukuku."

Perhaps just recalling the mory of that ti was interesting, as Tomon clutched his belly and giggled.

But Bosman only stared into the void with eyes that had lost focus.

"Tsk..."

When Bosman, who would have normally giggled along saying it was good, showed no particular reaction, Tomon quickly beca dispirited and shut his mouth.

"Huh?"

Tomon suddenly stood up from his seat, looked around for a while, then sat back down and tilted his head.

"That's strange. I definitely thought I heard the sound of a snake just now..."

***

"A report has co in from the scouts. They say the Reichart forces are stationed at the entrance of Pobada Forest. If they resu marching tomorrow, they will encounter our forces at the Rodlan Plains before noon."

"To think he ca this far already. It seems Hein has marched quite diligently?"

"Because he would be most afraid of the regions that declared neutrality changing their minds at this point. His intention must be to turn eyes towards himself to prevent fear from spreading."

Helkane, sitting across the tea table from Rishu, nodded and answered.

"Right. If Hein had watched the surrounding neutral forces collapse, he would have been besieged and dried to death like a rat trapped in a jar. It would have been much easier if he did..."

"Anyway, since the enemy army has marched out, we have to prepare to intercept, so he must have also calculated that the neutral lords wouldn't suffer additional damage."

Since they heard that Reichart's main force was moving south, Rishu also had to concentrate her troops.

Because of that, the troops sent to strike the neutral zones could no longer press on and had to withdraw.

"Right, but such vermin can be cleaned up slowly later anyway. There is no need to worry about them in advance. Because there is sothing else we need to focus on."

Rishu smiled with eyes like half-moons.

Before anyone knew it, there was one more ring on her finger.

"The ring suits you well."

"It is an elixir sent thinking of Your Highness's health, so he deserves to be happy. He is so stupid it makes laugh."

Two days ago, Helkane presented Rishu's gift in a secret place inside the Royal Palace.

"Madam herself? I didn't know I would be this happy. Sir Helkane, give it here quickly."

Luplan, blinded by desire, drank the dicine in one go as soon as he received the bottle.

And then, before the dicine even went all the way down his throat, he let out a groan and collapsed.

Helkane, confirming there was no one around, took the ring off his fallen hand and hid his presence.

Ten minutes later.

"Ugh..."

Luplan woke up letting out a groan similar to when he collapsed.

And then he walked out of the room with a gait like a ghost.

Crown Prince Luplan would not know even in his dreams.

That 'that mage' who gifted the Dragon Tooth Soldiers and Rishu had secretly plotted a conspiracy.

And the conspiracy Rishu prepared beca a cold sword, turning Luplan, the Crown Prince of a nation, into a puppet.

"It was so much easier than I thought that I was bewildered."

"Anyway, His Majesty has entrusted most of the practical state affairs to His Highness all this while, and now His Highness is as good as our puppet, so..."

The sealing tools that can control the Dragon Tooth Soldiers were now all in Rishu's hands.

"Now everything will go according to Mother's will."

***

"This concludes the strategy eting. Are there any questions?"

"..."

The commanders sitting in their seats did not say anything.

"...It is a gamble. Young Master."

Even the voice of Bolpar, who had experienced all sorts of hardships, trembled slightly.

"Yes, it is a gamble."

I, Hein Reichart, did not deny that the plan I drafted was sowhat dangerous.

"I believe you all know about the military strength Rishu Vispon has prepared."

At my words, the commanders nodded with heavy expressions.

Rishu did not try to hide her cards.

To the point where it seed like a symbol of confidence that their power was superior.

Thanks to that, the commanders of Reichart were also well aware of the Dragon Tooth Soldiers, the immortal skeleton unit that turned Asolpa into ashes.

"To speak clearly, we are inferior in objective power."

I did not deny that our power was inferior.

"And as we are placed in a disadvantageous war situation, we have no choice but to make a bold choice. Even if we have to take so risks."

"How much do you see the possibility of the operation's success, Young Master?"

Larmus, who had been listening to silently, asked the question in a cautious voice.

"It would be more accurate for the Tower Master to say that rather than . Tower Master, what would be the possibility of the selection succeeding?"

"What did that young lady say?"

"She said we can expect a probability of about 60-70% if the preparations go smoothly."

"Hmm..."

Bolpar, who was lost in thought for a mont, soon let out a hearty laugh and spoke.

"Hoho, if the person in charge says so, wouldn't that be correct? The role I and the mages of the Magic Tower will take is only a supporting role."

Clap!

Bolpar clapped his hands once.

"Now, now. That young lady said the success rate would be over half, didn't she? The Goddess of Victory will be with us in this battle."

"Haha!"

At Bolpar's words trying to boost the sowhat stagnant atmosphere, laughter burst out little by little from the commanders' mouths.

Everyone rembered.

The beautiful goddess who appeared like a cot and led the war to victory.

"When you return to your respective camps, please make sure to convey the guidelines for action in case of operation failure to the vice-commanders and field commanders."

Confirming that the commanders' spirits had revived a little, I delivered the precautions once again.

"If the operation fails tomorrow, the whole army must retreat imdiately. And as I ntioned, the top priority to consider when retreating is speed. Please keep in mind that even if the adjacent unit fails to retreat smoothly, the top priority goal should be rapid retreat, not supporting that unit."

With this request at the end, the strategy eting of the Reichart camp was all concluded, and the commanders of each unit scattered to their respective barracks promising tomorrow.

"It is truly a funny thing. That not a single person opposes when the supre commander confidently ntions the word gamble ahead of a critical battle."

"I also didn't think those people were such positive people."

"Hoho, I don't think the reason is just because they are blindly positive."

Bolpar remained in his seat as if he had words left and threw a joke at .

"Then what do you think is the reason, Tower Master?"

"What other reason would there be? It is because they trust the Young Master firmly. They would also know well that the plan the Young Master drafted is sowhat unstable."

Bolpar's experienced eyes turned towards .

"Nevertheless, the reason they are not anxious is not because they trust the operation the Young Master drafted, but because they trust the Young Master."

"Is there any difference between the two?"

"Hehe, there is a difference. There is a lot, actually. You act innocent while knowing exactly what this person ans. Are you perhaps embarrassed? Kuku."

"Could that possibly be the case?"

Bolpar nodded with an expression saying he knew nothing of suspicion.

Those who kept this seat until a mont ago clearly rembered the appearance I showed over the past few years.

Haken, Alcala, Sub-Dragon, up to the 1st Subjugation Force.

Looking back, none of them were easy tasks.

However, I always showed results like miracles.

They firmly believed in the miracle I would show.

"Anyway, this person trusts the Young Master. We will follow the Young Master's orders without a shred of doubt. By the way, can't you tell just this person slightly?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I an the trump card the Young Master is secretly keeping in your bosom. No matter how much this person thinks about it, it seems what you told us during the eting isn't everything, so just confess a little."

Bolpar demanded an explanation about the hidden card with a subtle voice, but.

"A trump card, well."

"Eing, you are acting truly cold-heartedly. Hoho, well it is fine. If the Young Master does not speak, it must be because there is a deserving reason, so I will not rush you."

Bolpar, who looked at with an inscrutable expression, soon stood up from his seat.

"Then I will take my leave now."

"Rest well."

"I know well that tonight will be a most difficult ti. It is only truly regrettable that this person's ability is lacking and cannot lighten the Young Master's burden."

"..."

"But Young Master, I hope you know just this one thing, that we trust the Young Master."

With these words, Bolpar bowed his head in the most polite posture with his hands gathered.

"Then, have a good night."

With these words, Bolpar left my tent.

"Trust..."

Left alone, I chewed over the words Bolpar left behind with my eyes closed.

"Trust , Gillian! I will dedicate my everything and lead you to victory!"

A smile that was neither cold nor warm ford on my lips.

The forest wind seeping through the slightly open crack of the door ssed up my neatly arranged hair.

The wind that resembled that day long ago.

I whispered in a low voice.

"It's a phrase I'm hearing after quite a long ti."