Volume 3, Chapter 254 – Blanch Ririnoie the War Princess (2/4)

“You spend it quite generously.”

“…Don’t take it away from me.”

“Stupid, you think I’d penny pinch like that?”

“Then please give me back the gold coin in your hand.”

“Oh?”

While Vine the Mad Blade and Sophia were talking like that, money was continuously being spent recklessly onto the merchants connected to the inner palace.

Breaking into stores that traded slaves, stealing goods and money, and even taking the lives of the slave merchants… The way Sophia saw it, Vine seemed to enjoy doing all of that.

“Vine-dono, the slaves have finished eating.”

A female swordsman, who looked like she’d be quite a beauty if she just dressed better, said that. At that, Vine stopped teasing Sophia and turned to her.

“You mean you’re done distributing food to the former slaves.”

“…Yes, sorry.”

The female swordsman opened her eyes wide for a moment, and from the side, it looked like she was feeling down.

“Sheesh, don’t get all gloomy just from that. You’ll put the name of swordsmen to shame, Sally,” Vine said.

“Don’t call me by that childish name!” “Sally retorted.

Vine hung her arm over the female swordsman’s shoulder and reached around her waist with her other arm. When Vine’s lips approached her, she shook.

The fingers around her shoulder gently brushed her evenly cut hair, then as they gently crawled down her back, Vine whispered by her ears.

“You get to play your favorite hero of justice. It’s not good to bully the weak, right?”

“T-That’s… Mn!”

The breath blowing by her ears bound her. Her heart throbbed quickly and loudly.

“That’s what slave traders do. They take the weak and sell them, all so they can fatten their purse… Right?”

“T-That’s might be true, but…!”

The strength was gradually leaving her words as she spoke, and there was even a heartrending breath mixed in.

“Justice should be harsh” (Fis Deardo Hel)

“…Yes.”

Her whispers were honey, her words, poison.

Sally unsteadily walked away with blushed cheeks and her arms wrapped around her. Vine shrugged.

“Whatever, just please give me back my money.”

Sophia coldly said, and Vine shrugged again. She flicked the coin to Sophia and laughed.

“The slaves have gotten more numerous. We should almost be at our limits.”

The slaves she’s gathered that looked like they could fight already numbered over 300. It was quite a big family.

“No orders have been given yet.”

“Then I guess we’ll just continue. I’m having fun, but will this really be enough to turn a country upside down?”

“I’m sure Pale-san is thinking.”

“Good if so.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Who do you think is better between her and the Shushunu’s princess?”

“Well, Pale-san of course…”

“That’s wishful thinking. I only saw her once, but the princess here is pretty good too, you know?”

Vine could clearly distinguish the strong through her nose. But even if that weren’t true, she was able to survive all this time.

“That’s—!”

Sophia was about to argue, but then she saw a carrier pigeon flying toward them. The bird landed on her shoulder, and a letter was attached to its legs. Sophia took out the fastened letter and read it.

“What does it say?” Vine asked.

“Vine-san…”

Sophia paled, and Vine closed one eye as she extended one of her hands. She took the letter and rubbed Sophia’s head as though she were her sister.

“Hmm?　Ku, ha ha ha ha ha!　Now that’s an order I can get behind!”

“…Vine-san.”

“I don’t know who gave this order, but I like it.”

Vine laughed as she looked up at the heavens and covered her eyes.

On the crumpled letters in her hands was written a simple order.

—Bathe Kushunora’s flag in blood.

Vine the Mad Blade laughed in the dark night and executed the order.

◆◇◆

“—Our plans have borne fruit. Henceforth, we shall set out and claim the head of the War Princess.”

Pale said that indifferently, and the gathered generals looked at each other. There was a faint smile on her face as she looked down at the map spread on the table.

“We will break through the borders and force the Holy Shushunu Kingdom’s imperial capital to capitulate, and then her head will be ours.”

“The reorganized Felduk shall attack the western frontlines. Gi Gi Orudo shall break through the southern frontlines.”

“The king’s cavalry and Aransain will rendezvous with the Kushain Believers. And together they shall advance to the Holy Shushunu Kingdom.”

“Will the war princess attack?” The Goblin King asked.

She nodded. “Most likely… But that doesn’t mean that she’ll have any forces left with her.”

Pale had set a trap.

The strength of the cavalry led by the Goblin King.

The attacks made only when the War Princess wasn’t at the borders.

Vine’s despicable acts at the imperial capital.

And the blind spots that existed precisely because Blanche was a genius.

The War Princess was likely a genius at politics and warfare. So much so that it seemed she was loved by god. On top of that, she was blessed with a great cavalry and a major power’s seat of honor that allowed her to make use of that.

Blanche’s ability to control others through fear and gain was enough to make Pale suffer a crushing defeat.

But that’s precisely why Pale was going to win.

Blanche will use the victories she’s secured to bring her country under her command and prepare for war, but Pale will use her hubris to kill her.

“The enemy has prepared trench camps similar to what Felduk once employed. These trenches are highly effective against cavalry and can be likened to that of a moving fortress.”

Pale had fought with her aide, Mehran Le Coude, in her absence, and already knew how strong he was. His tactics revolved around immobilizing horses and covering the battlefield with countless traps. He is also able to turn a flat battlefield into an uneven one by digging holes.

What’s more is that the long spears of the cavalry – regardless how long they may be – are a poor match to the mages hiding in their trenches.

Unfortunately, all of that, including the trench camp, was meaningless before the overwhelming power that was ‘quantity’.

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