Chapter 156: Just who is that person……? (2)
“Hmm, I’m surprised. I thought she would have become my adopted daughter around the age of six or seven.”
“That’s what you would think.”
“But how could she become the head of Mangya? Was it possible even though she wasn’t related by blood?”
“Because she was a smart child.”
Baron Dakard’s words, “smart child,” could answer all questions. And I could feel the paternal love contained within those words.
“But your wife……?”
“She passed away ten years ago.”
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s alright.”
I lifted my cognac glass and took a sip to hide my face. The subtle sweetness and bitterness, the warmth, all flowed in at once. It’s good alcohol.
“What was Aila’s childhood like?”
“It wasn’t ordinary. A six or seven-year-old child wouldn’t read financial statements with a joyful expression. And understanding the contents, too. She also learned to speak very quickly, so by the time she was three, there was no need to teach her formal and informal speech separately. She was a child who could grow up without her parents’ help.”
As a parent, he could have felt disappointed, but he was speaking as a father proud of his remarkable child. Enjoying reading financial statements at the age of seven…… That’s so like Aila.
“I really want to see what kind of people her biological parents are. They must be extraordinary.”
I nodded, thinking of Artshever. Of course, I don’t think he’s Aila’s biological father. Because Aila sincerely denied it. However, Artshever told the truth. This is still a mystery to me.
“How is my daughter as a friend?”
“Huh? Ah, I see. You must be curious. Hmm, I think I can say she’s a friend who doesn’t get boring because she shows new sides as you get to know her. She hides a lot, and even though it’s obvious that she’s hiding things, the people around her don’t feel uncomfortable at all. Aila has a strange knack for making others accept her comfortably.”
“How is she as a woman? I’m very worried if there’s anyone who might take her away.”
Suddenly, the chilling smile Aila showed a few days ago came to mind. The words “I agree” rose to my throat, but I managed to change them to something else at the last moment.
“Well, wouldn’t Aila just pick up a groom from somewhere and show up? I think she’ll suddenly barge in, confidently declaring that she’s going to marry this man.”
“I agree. She’s a smart child.”
Baron Dakard smiled bitterly. If it really was Aila, she would come in grabbing some man by the neck, saying, “Father, this man is my husband!”
It was while he and I were forming a deep sense of empathy. Aila and Levidian entered. As soon as she entered, Aila rushed to Baron Dakard.
“Father, it’s been a while!”
“Oh my, you, a grown woman, in front of others……”
“Eh. What does it matter? Ah! Father, I told you to shave every day! How many times do I have to tell you that growing a beard doesn’t suit you? Anyway, I can’t leave the house.”
Baron Dakard stroked his chin with an embarrassed expression. It was a moderately grown beard, and I thought it looked pretty good, but I guess it looks strange to women.
Aila fussed over Baron Dakard, pointing out and correcting his appearance. Meanwhile, Levidian was watching the friendly father and daughter with an envious expression.
Ah, that’s right. She’s never been able to do anything family-like with her father since childhood.
I coughed to get Aila’s attention.
“Ahem! Aila, you seem happy?”
“Yes! Yes! How is my father? Isn’t he handsome?”
“Hmm, hmm! Aila, sit down.”
“Yes-!”
Aila, who was about three times more cheerful than usual, sat next to Baron Dakard with a happy expression. They really are a close father and daughter.
Thanks to his overly cheerful daughter, Baron Dakard smoothed his reddened neck and spoke.
“But are 5,000 men all? I received the orders, but I’m still dumbfounded.”
“That’s all. Of course, we’ll join the remaining 17,000 later, but for now, it’s only 5,000. And this force will be the true vanguard that Herduke sends to Narvilt.”
The official date of the decisive battle is May 4th, but the actual start date of the war should be considered April 22nd. We will attack Narvilt about 12 days earlier.
The declaration of war has already been issued, and the departure ceremony is over, so the troops are moving towards the Narvis Plain.
The vanguard is me, Arisein Uck Herduke.
By the way, I’m in charge of initiating the attack, but I never said a word about fighting on the Narvis Plain. It’s not the right way, but it’s not the wrong way either. Um, haha!
“There’s a lot to criticize, but there’s a lot to refute if you attack. I’m confident I can win even if I stand in court.”
“The justice of war lies with the victor. If the Herduke Kingdom wins, future historians will call this a brilliant strategy.”
“On the contrary, if we lose, it will become the most cowardly operation under the heavens.”
“You don’t have any intention of doing that in the first place, do you?”
“Of course not.”
How can I show even a hint of anxiety when I’m taking Aila to the battlefield? Besides, if Aila goes with me, it’s no different from gaining a thousand soldiers and horses.
Baron Dakard smiled softly and took out an envelope from under the table.
“I hope this helps. I’ve investigated the population distribution and terrain of the surrounding area. Please take a good look here and keep it in mind.”
“I guess I can’t take it out?”
“That’s right, Lady Ibi. If this is found outside, it will cause trouble.”
I nodded as I looked at the fairly detailed documents. I think I know for sure who Aila’s teacher is. Is it the Hind family after all?
Baron Dakard said,
“I’d like to hear more about the upcoming operation. I received the orders, but I haven’t received the overview.”
“Ah, I see. Then I’ll let you know.”
Unlike when it was just the two of us, a very business-like conversation began.
Until we depart in two days, how much will I be able to hear about Aila?
Of course, I don’t think I’ll easily find out her true identity. Surely she’ll reveal the whole truth herself later, but shouldn’t I have something to think about and play with before then?
I carefully put away the tail of my thought. Aila will forgive me for this much.
April 23rd, 377th year of the Imperial Calendar.
“Next is Count Deroncas’s manor. How many defenders are there?”
“Including the servants, there will be about 30.”
“What’s the level of defense?”
“Level 3.”
First Sword Doreneu Exofi grasped the situation at a glance, looking at the manor situated between the mountain and the river. Being good at urban warfare also means being able to grasp the situation in the city that much faster.
In other words, the level of defense and the number of troops stationed there, estimated just by looking at the structure, are not that different from reality.
The manor, built relatively comfortably in accordance with the iron rule of having a mountain behind and a river in front, looked very peaceful even under the night sky.
It’s heartbreaking to be the one to break that peace.
“Dispatch one platoon after contacting First Sword Martin.”
“Understood. I’ll take my leave.”
“Good work. Chief Grayman, is there no contact from First Sword Aranas?”
“No, General.”
“Then we’ll have to wait a bit. You, tell First Sword Toledo that I’ll receive the report on the delay of the enemy’s relief force at the next point.”
“Yes, General.”
A messenger went outside, and Chief Grayman wrote down the progress on the chart. Although it’s a secret operation, all developments must be reported to headquarters.
Yesterday morning, the defenders stationed in Baron Dakard’s territory exchanged duties and withdrew. And they came back in the middle of the night.
The 5,000 men of the 3017th Legion, who had exchanged duties on paper, left their unit flags and all other identifiable items at the camp, took different identification from what they had been wearing, and left their posts at midnight.
Perhaps a report was immediately sent to Narvilt’s military command that there was only a change of personnel here. It will probably also include the opinion that the replacement troops are weaker than the existing troops and are therefore likely to be defenders in the literal sense.
The unit originally stationed in Baron Dakard’s territory is a division known to be quite competent in the Eastern Army, and their departure means that they are participating in the main force of the Conquest Force.
Anyway, the attention of the Empire and Narvilt will be focused on the main force of the Herduke Kingdom’s Narvilt Conquest Force, which is bravely approaching the Narvis Plain.
The unit replacement that took place in Baron Dakard’s territory is just a trivial matter. Unit replacements are naturally frequent during wartime, so they will definitely not pay attention to it. I’ll even bet on it if you want.
“First Sword Aranas reports to the General. All patrol and liaison personnel within 30 kilometers have been captured or eliminated. As expected, the garrison was fully mobilized and withdrew a week ago. Only a few liaison personnel remained.”
“They wouldn’t have expected us to come from this direction. The prisoners will be handed over to Baron Dakard’s territory as before.”
“Yes. Loyalty!”
The liaison officer saluted and left the tent.
Taking control of the military communication network in an area with no garrison or large cities, only on alert, was as easy as taking candy from a baby.
The first day of the operation.
Like the old saying that history is made overnight, we’ve accomplished quite a bit.
If we hadn’t known the Western Army’s communication system, it would have taken time and we wouldn’t have been able to meet the deadline, but fortunately, both I and my subordinate soldiers know the Western Army’s communication system very well.
There’s a historical reason for this. In fact, the Eastern Army was established before the Imperial Army. Therefore, all Imperial Armies established later adopted the Eastern Army’s system as it was. This means that the Western Army is no exception.
Orknesia transformed into the Herduke Kingdom and achieved independence from the Empire, but it did not change the existing system it had been using. Narvilt also did not change the existing system just because it was the system of the Eastern Army, which became the enemy.
In other words, we know exactly how regular communication will go up to the higher-ups.
Above all, the information provided by Baron Dakard was a great help.
“Currently, we’ve occupied two villages and are about to occupy one manor…… We’ve cut off the military communication system, but the merchants are the problem. It’ll be troublesome if the rumors spread faster than expected.”
On May 4th, the designated day of the war, I have to occupy the city ‘Hanah’ located in the northwest of the Narvis Plain.
The Narvis Plain is open towards Orknesia but closed towards Narvilt.
It’s a kind of funnel-shaped terrain that narrows down with mountains and rivers. At the mouth of the funnel is the Narvis Fortress, which acts as a stopper, and the city closest to the stopper is Hanah.
Most people know it as the city that supplies logistics to the Narvis Fortress. It actually plays that role, but in fact, that perception is largely wrong.
There is a secret hidden in the city that looks like an appendix to the Narvis Fortress, a secret that only a few of the Empire’s highest echelons know about. Even my father doesn’t know about it, and as always, a secret is a weakness.
Two years before I died, it wasn’t even considered a secret, but anyway, it’s a secret now.
In the sense that they protect each other’s secrets, the two places have a complementary relationship, so to conquer the Narvis Fortress, you have to attack Hanah at the same time.
Now it seems like if we just occupy the Narvis Fortress, the road to Narvilt will open, but in reality, it’s the opposite. If we only occupy the fortress, the biggest road leading into Narvilt, the military route, will be closed.
Therefore, we have to occupy the fortress and the city at the same time, but we can’t. This is because to get to Hanah from Orknesia, we must cross the river, Hanah’s main force is the navy, and the Imperial Eastern Army’s western flank garrison has no navy.
“Risel, we’re back.”
“Yahoo―! Everything alright?”
While I was reviewing the operation by looking at the military map, Levidian and Aila returned. I had sent them to the occupied villages for persuasion and minor requests for cooperation because they had a much better impression than soldiers.
I greeted the two of them with a smile.
“Welcome back. How did it go?”
“I think it went well. They seemed most relieved at the words that they could live tomorrow as they lived today. They readily gave us the things we asked for because they were common.”
“Above all, the food and alcohol worked wonders. Hehe.”
Aila laughed cheerfully, and I smiled back at her.
In the end, all I found out about Aila was the very Aila-like news that her personality hasn’t changed since she was six years old.
As she said herself, she’s a genius, so it seems like her personality was formed at a very young age.
If not?
The truth will be revealed later.
Naturally, she noticed that I was asking Baron Dakard about her identity, and right after that, she said something that made me terrified.
《Risel, will you marry me?》
I was able to gain an opportunity to reflect on how dangerous it is to show excessive interest in the opposite sex. (Fortunately, Levidian wasn’t there. Whew.)
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