Chapter 177 : Chapter 177

Chapter : 177

“Mobilize ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the army! By the sacred treaty, I shall willingly protect them!”

Now that I understood the situation, there was no time to dawdle.

It was not my domain that had been invaded, so I could afford to be calm, but the lords whose lands were under attack could not.

Their blood would be drying up day by day, and rushing to their aid was the only right course of action.

More importantly, this would be the first defensive battle fought to aid a lord of the customs union. For that reason alone, it had to be handled perfectly and decisively.

“Shall we also issue a mobilization order to the other lords, my lord?”

“The other lords?”

“Yes. No matter that you are personally leading the army to protect the customs union… this attack is clearly an attack on the customs union itself, is it not? The affiliated lords have a duty to respond accordingly.”

Hmm. There was logic to that.

It just did not seem like a particularly good option.

‘If I call in those jackals, they will only chatter about wanting a share of the spoils.’

My objective was to effectively govern the customs union, not to needlessly divide authority.

Authority, by its nature, came with responsibility.

I intended to shoulder that responsibility myself and thereby obtain full authority over the customs union.

Besides, their military strength was predictable. If they did not trip us up, that would already be a relief.

“That will not be necessary. They would be thrilled, I am sure. We will proceed as we are. Mixing in other lords’ troops would only cause harm to our own forces.”

At my words, the elf knights nearby burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahaha! Precisely, Your Excellency! How could inferior human knights—ah, of course, excluding Your Excellency—replace our noble elf knights! In any case, human knights can never measure up to us!”

“Indeed! They would only hold us back. Better they are not here at all! Just as Your Excellency says!”

“As expected of our honorable lord—your judgment is impeccable!”

“…….”

It was oddly soothing to hear, but I kept my mouth shut.

If I added even a single comment, it was hard to imagine what those elf knights—whose brains were apparently filled entirely with muscle—might start rambling about next.

Quietly turning my head away from them, I addressed Chamberlain Hamil.

“So, has the mobilization been completed?”

“Yes. Six thousand infantry and roughly seven hundred knights have been assembled and are standing by. At your command, we can depart immediately.”

“Is that not too few, considering the enemy numbers twenty thousand?”

At that moment, Magician Agpiel, who had been listening quietly, asked in a voice tinged with concern.

A difference of roughly three times in numbers.

No matter how elite our troops were, the disparity did sound burdensome at first glance.

However.

“We could handle even thirty thousand. The soldiers we have trained would not collapse against a mere peasant rebel force. Is that not so, Sir Biden? Captain Konrad?”

I had a fair amount of confidence.

And Captain Konrad shared it.

“Of course! Human Lord, trust me—no, trust our legion!”

Sir Biden was the same.

“We have prepared with sweat and blood. If you entrust it to us, we will show you the results.”

No sooner had I finished speaking than they pounded their chests, openly displaying their confidence in battle.

“Hm. Hearing that does ease my worries somewhat… but we must still not let our guard down.”

“Thank you for the advice, Magician Agpiel. In fact, as we advance, we plan to hire additional mercenaries while assessing the situation.”

“Hohoho. Then that is reassuring.”

Magician Agpiel stroked his beard with a pleased smile.

Nobles who achieved success at such a young age usually became arrogant and refused to listen to others, but this young noble was different.

It was most satisfying.

“Would hiring roughly three to five thousand mercenaries suffice?”

“I believe that would be the safer course as well.”

“The exact number should be decided after sending scouts to confirm the enemy’s true size. Hiring too many blindly would cause supply issues.”

“Hohoho. Our wise Margrave will see to it himself. What more could I possibly add?”

As we spoke and hurriedly marched our army toward Baron Ryueg’s territory, an unexpected development occurred—one that neatly resolved our shortage of troops.

“Your Excellency! I hear you are subjugating those filthy peasant rebels! I wish to take up this sword willingly—please accept me!”

“May God’s grace be upon the honorable lord! I too have brought my forces to protect the customs union. I will join you! Give the order!”

“Though I am but a knight with a modest manor, I have not forgotten my honor. I have brought three squires and ten soldiers—please, I beg you to accept us!”

The moment we entered the main road beyond my domain, nobles came pouring in from all directions with their troops.

From fairly powerful lords, to minor lords, to knights who could barely be called lords at all, possessing nothing more than a small manor.

They all brought whatever troops they could muster and joined me.

‘This is an opportunity!’

‘I must earn merit this time if I want a smooth path ahead.’

Each of them carried their own ambitions and goals.

Thanks to that, the previously worried Magician Agpiel now wore an exceptionally bright expression.

“Hohoho. Your reputation has truly grown, has it not? Nobles willingly joining without even being offered compensation.”

“They are only doing it because they want something in return. Nobles are remarkably quick to read the situation.”

“Even so, is it not commendable? Think of it positively.”

“Well… that may be true, but….”

With Magician Agpiel speaking this far, it was difficult to argue further.

Still, something continued to nag at me deep down.

‘Tsk… are these fools going to charge off on their own again?’

It was the accumulated distrust I had developed toward the nobles of [Pangea Universalise].

‘No, surely not. This time will be different. And if someone does act up, I will make an example of them.’

Lately, I found myself thinking “surely not” far too often.

---

Near Baron Ryueg’s territory.

Leading an army that had grown to over ten thousand, I halted the troops briefly before the battle.

Charging straight into combat would have been foolish.

Having rushed a long distance, the soldiers’ stamina had dropped considerably. They needed time to catch their breath, and we needed information on the peasant rebels.

Who their commander was, how their forces were organized, and what state their equipment was in.

Though we had arrived in haste and lacked detailed intelligence, people of the [Pangea Universalise] era were strangely careless about such matters. Men who ate, slept, and breathed war were content to estimate numbers by eye alone before fighting.

“So, how large is the enemy force?”

“They have fewer than a hundred cavalry, and the rest are all infantry. Their equipment appears quite good. It seems they looted armories in each territory as they advanced.”

“Hm, I see… then that is fortunate, at least. Few cavalry.”

At Viscount Avignon’s report, I let out a breath of relief. If their cavalry strength had been significant, it would have been troublesome in many ways. As it was, we could simply crush them with force.

No matter how numerous, undisciplined infantry were of little use.

Viscount Avignon continued, adding further detail.

“Furthermore, while the infantry are well-equipped, their arms are completely mismatched—spears, swords, axes, and so on. In individual combat, they may be threatening due to their gear, but in an organized battle, they should be ineffective, my lord.”

“Yes, I thought the same. Still, we must not be careless. Have some cavalry lie in ambush in the forest on the right. When the enemy lets their guard down, we will strike from the flank and inflict heavy damage.”

“An excellent decision.”

Cavalry were, by nature, most effective when breaking unprepared infantry. A sudden lance charge bursting out from the side would undoubtedly deal the enemy a devastating shock.

“Ah, but Baron Ryueg mentioned something rather strange.”

“Something strange? From Baron Ryueg?”

At my question, Viscount Avignon wore an oddly troubled expression.

“He said… that the enemy leader performs miracles, much like you, my lord.”

“?”

“He supposedly emits a pure white radiance, deflects all blades and arrows, and butchers people.”

“??????”

What nonsense was this?

Did such a thing even make sense?

A miracle—meaning a power that nullified all attacks?

“Because of that, people are calling the commander an Immortal and fearing him. Rumors are already beginning to spread, my lord.”

I wished things would proceed smoothly, but as always, it felt like they never did.

Damn it.

---

-BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

-Form ranks! Do not rush out alone!

-You there! Fall back! Match your steps! One! Two! One! Two!

With thunderous drumbeats, the shouts of commanders and the marching of soldiers’ feet filled the plains near Baron Ryueg’s territory. The sight of tightly packed long spears moving in unison looked like a massive forest in motion.

It seemed Captain Konrad’s and Sir Biden’s claims of rigorous training had been no exaggeration.

Even with such a large army on the move, everything proceeded smoothly and without congestion.

However, regardless of the soldiers’ condition.

“Hmmm.”

I was uneasy.

“What worries you so? The soldiers might see and start worrying themselves! It could just be a rumor.”

“Hem. Still, smoke does not rise from a chimney without fire. Even if only half of it is true, it bears watching. On the battlefield, peace of mind comes only when there are no variables….”

At that, Magician Agpiel clicked his tongue.

“Tsk, tsk. That caution of yours is the problem. A miracle, you say? Then we break it. Your very existence is a miracle, is it not? Do not forget—you are one blessed by the Goddess of Life. And I am here as well. A mere miracle—could I not block it with mystery if I tried?”

“Ah?”

Come to think of it, he was right.

Magician Agpiel was with us. With this dependable mage, known as a Great Sage, it might indeed be possible to counter a commander who wielded miracles.

“Hmmm. Still, I am rather curious.”

“About the miracle-wielding commander?”

“Yes. Miracles are not things that appear easily. They emerge once in a very long span of time… though, well, sometimes they do appear rather frequently.”

“…Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Tsk. A man should not be so unmanly as to pry into such things.”

“……?”

Why was he suddenly snapping at me?

Had something unpleasant happened?

Perhaps that thought showed on my face, because Magician Agpiel frowned and continued.

“In any case, miracles are not granted to just anyone.”

“Of course. That is what I have heard as well.”

“And yet, this commander suddenly performs miracles. That is what troubles me—especially when he is merely a rebel leader.”

Magician Agpiel knew well how grotesque starving, enraged peasants could become.

They called themselves rebels and claimed to stand for the weak, but in truth, they were little more than bandits and looters.

And among such a group, someone worthy of miracles appeared?

“Either a god truly pitied the poor and granted him a miracle….”

“Or some other force is at work, Magician Agpiel?”

“Indeed. Such cases are not uncommon. It would suffice for him to possess a magic item brimming with mystery.”

“Hm… I did hear that many magical armors were lost when the Crusader Knight Order collapsed. That explanation does seem plausible.”

I nodded.

With remnants of the Crusader Knight Order having joined the peasant rebels, it made even more sense.

They could easily have brought out hidden, mystery-laden armaments.

And that question was finally answered when the two armies drew close enough to face each other.

“Filthy usurper, Margrave of Bellua! Come forth and receive my blade! I, who bear the true blessing of God, shall reveal the true divine will to a false guardian! Come out at once!”

As the peasant rebels’ formation split, their leader charged forward.

The rebel leader, shining with dazzling brilliance.

“Hm. Mystery, then.”

“A magical artifact.”

Even from this distance, it was clear that he was protected by an extremely powerful magical artifact, overflowing with mystery.