The remaining 10,000 troops of the Fenris Mobile Army arrived at the battlefield. They relieved their exhausted comrades, cleaned up the battlefield, and gathered the prisoners.
Along with the follow-up forces, a few priests who had been brought along tended to the wounded despite their fatigue.
Ghislain called the knights who had fought at the forefront during the battle to commend them. Out of the Fenris Knights, about 200 had been participating in the mobile army.
"Well done, everyone. Rest well today, and we'll move again tomorrow."
Gordon raised his hand energetically and asked, "Where are we headed next? Another battle?"
"It's too late to head directly to another battlefield. The plan is to meet the kingdom's commander-in-chief, reorganize the army, and then join the Northern Army."
"Understood!"
"Leave tonight's guard duty to the follow-up forces. Those who fought today, eat and drink to your heart's content."
"Woaaaahhh!"
Everyone cheered loudly. After days of rapid marches eating only rations, they were finally getting proper food.
The Delphine Army, which had numbered 30,000, had left behind a considerable amount of provisions. Most of it would be handed over to the kingdom's forces, but there was enough for everyone to feast for a day.
Some knights, drunk for the first time in a while, ended up brawling.
In the typically strict Fenris Army, such behavior was unacceptable, but Ghislain clicked his tongue a few times and let it slide. Sometimes, it was necessary to let things go.
This was possible because the 10,000 follow-up troops were maintaining strict vigilance, and all nearby threats had been thoroughly dealt with.
After a day of rest, the Fenris Mobile Army resumed their march.
"Dark, the lords' forces must have regrouped and formed defensive lines. They probably don't know we've arrived. Find the largest concentration of troops."
— Got it.
Dark set off first to scout. The Fenris Mobile Army, slowed by the prisoners, moved at a slightly reduced pace.
Maurice, who succeeded in escaping, gathered the nearby lords and allied forces and rebuilt the defense line.
The assembled force was only about 8,000 strong, but they fortified a castle and prepared to hold out.
Maurice raised his fist and shouted to the assembled troops, "Though our numbers are smaller than the Delphine Army advancing here, the grace of the goddess is with us! Saintess Parniel of the Moriana Religious Order stands with us!"
"Woaaaahhh!"
The soldiers cheered with all their might.
They were well aware that the southern front had been annihilated and that the Delphine Army was advancing on their position.
For those trembling with fear, the presence of Parniel, a superhuman and saintess, was their last hope.
Maurice's attempt to boost morale by invoking her name was transparent to Parniel, but she accepted it. After all, the role of a saintess was to give people hope.
Boom!
Planting her massive mace into the ground, she declared, "In Goddess Moriana's name, the Salvation Church will vanish from this world. We will always prevail."
"Woaaaahhh!"
The soldiers cheered again. Parniel's towering figure and her visibly powerful muscles inspired infinite trust.
Normally, people might have questioned her appearance as a saintess, but on the battlefield, she was the epitome of reliability.
Watching her, Maurice smiled contentedly.
"Having a superhuman join us is reassuring. If only grandma were here too."
The fortune-teller had gone missing, and Maurice deeply regretted not rescuing her.
"Grandma, you'd better stay alive. I'll retake the southern front and save you," he muttered softly so Parniel wouldn't hear.
As they raised their morale, a scout ran in shouting, "There's an army nearby!"
"The Delphine Army has arrived! Prepare for battle!"
"No, sir!"
"Then what is it? Another allied force?"
"They're flying the flags of the Northern Army!"
Maurice tilted his head at the report.
The Northern Army was far from here, likely engaged with other forces. How could they be here now?
It could be an enemy deception. Maurice ordered the troops to prepare for battle and climbed the castle walls.
In the distance, a massive army was indeed approaching, flying the flags of the Northern Army and Fenris.
"Is... is this real? Why is the Northern Army here?"
No matter how he thought about it, they shouldn't have been able to arrive this quickly. Even if they had, they would have had to clash with the advancing Delphine Army.
As he watched nervously, someone from the approaching army galloped forward.
Upon recognizing the rider on the black horse, Maurice's face lit up.
"My nephew is really here?"
Even with the saintess, it was difficult to oppose the Delphine Army due to their lack of troops and mages.
The arrival of the formidable Northern Army was an enormous relief for Maurice.
"Open the gates at once! No, I'll go out by myself!"
Maurice hurried out with his aides to greet Ghislain.
"Ha ha ha! My nephew is here!"
"...You're alive. That's fortunate," Ghislain replied calmly to Maurice's enthusiastic welcome.
If Maurice had died, the morale of the entire army, excluding the Northern Army, would have plummeted.
Such was the importance of the commander-in-chief.
Maurice, astonished, asked, "But how did you get here? The Delphine Army was advancing this way. Did you not encounter them?"
"They've already been annihilated."
"What? R-really?"
"The survivors were taken as prisoners."
At Ghislain's words, Maurice scrutinized the approaching army. Indeed, a significant number of soldiers stood disarmed.
"This... this is unbelievable. How...?"
It was incomprehensible. The Delphine Army that had defeated him had been dealt with so swiftly, and the prisoners brought along as well.
Rumors that Count Fenris was the hero to end this chaotic era weren't unfounded.
"You're... truly incredible..."
Maurice was at a loss for words, repeatedly muttering how extraordinary Ghislain was.
He felt a growing certainty that victory in this war was within reach, thanks to Ghislain.
"I should have asked grandma more about him," Maurice muttered, regretting that he hadn't sought more information from the fortune-teller, who had focused only on his own fortunes.
After snapping out of his daze, Maurice asked, "But there are too many prisoners... We can't handle this many right now."
At a glance, there were easily over 10,000. It was astonishing that they had surrendered so quietly.
Had it been any other army, they would have attempted a counterattack by now. But facing Ghislain, they seemed docile.
At Maurice's concern, Ghislain chuckled.
"Just reintegrate them into the kingdom's army. You can reorganize them, can't you?"
"Well... I'd like to, but their numbers are greater than ours. I'm not sure if we can manage..."
"The kingdom's commander-in-chief can't handle that much?"
Maurice bristled at the remark.
"It's not that I can't! I'm just worried my subordinates might find it overwhelming!"
"After eating and sleeping together for a few days, they'll be fine. Are you taking them all today?"
"Y-yes, but... while I'm fine with it, the other nobles and the church might have something to say..."
Since the Duchy had already been branded as heretics, it was tacitly agreed that all their followers should be executed. Maurice feared the numerous complaints that might arise if they were spared.
Ghislain squinted and asked again, "The kingdom's commander-in-chief can't manage that either?"
"Fine, fine! I'll convince them! If I decide to do it, it'll get done..."
In truth, Maurice wasn't confident. While he could handle Marquis Branford, the bishops of the church would be relentless in their opposition.
If he was unlucky, he too might be branded a heretic.
Desperately thinking of an excuse, Maurice blurted out, "W-well, I'm not sure we have enough provisions."
"We brought all the supplies from the Delphine Army. If it's still not enough, I can have Fenris and Perdium resupply you immediately."
With the kingdom's roads well-established, supplies could arrive in a matter of days.
'Damn it, what do I do? I don't want to look weak,' Maurice thought.
A man who was both a superstitious believer and obsessed with appearances, Maurice finally came up with something.
"R-right! There's a saintess here right now!"
"A saintess?"
"Yes! A superhuman saintess! I only survived thanks to her. She appeared just in time when the pursuing forces were closing in! Truly divine intervention, I tell you. That old fortune-teller of mine was spot on..."
Maurice rambled about his experience, but Ghislain barely paid attention.
"A saintess, and a superhuman at that?"
"Exactly! But I'm worried she might oppose it... It's difficult to go against a saintess, you know?"
Conceding to a saintess wasn't a matter of shame; it was a given.
Hearing this, Ghislain furrowed his brow in suspicion.
The only true saintess he knew was none other than the one referred to as the Saintess of War, one of the Continent's Seven Strongest in his past life.
Could she really have come to the Lutania Kingdom?
It made no sense. There was no reason for her to be here.
"Is she truly... a saintess?"
"Yes! She's officially recognized by the church!"
Maurice, eager to prove his point, led Ghislain to meet her. The saintess and her entourage had already come out to the gate upon hearing of the Northern Army's arrival.
"Saintess, this is Count Fenris, the man who's become the talk of the kingdom. He's practically my nephew," Maurice said proudly.
"Greetings. I am Parniel, saintess of the Moriana Religious Order," she introduced herself calmly.
But Ghislain couldn't respond so casually.
'She's really here... The saintess…'
How could he forget that towering physique and imposing aura? Ghislain vividly remembered fighting alongside her several times in the past.
But the real question was,
'Why is she here?'
The saintess had no reason to be in this place. She should have been elsewhere, stopping someone else.
Someone taking advantage of this chaos to wreak havoc—the Master of the Dead, another member of the Continent's Seven Strongest.
'With the saintess here... that madman will only grow bolder.'
Ghislain hadn't worried much about him because the saintess was supposed to be handling it. They had fought far from the Lutania Kingdom in his previous life.
But with the saintess now in Lutania, the Master of the Dead would have no obstacles as he undermined other kingdoms.
This could provide the Salvation Church with an opening to regain power.
"I suppose it can't be helped. This is the result of my actions," Ghislain muttered to himself.
In his past life, the saintess would never have paid attention to Lutania. The Salvation Church had been hiding its true nature, and the Duchy had already taken complete control of the kingdom.
'The more I act, the more the future inevitably changes.'
It was Ghislain who had drawn the allied army to Lutania to resolve the kingdom's issues quickly.
This had resulted in more high-ranking Salvation Church priests gathering in the region.
Strategically, it wasn't a mistake. The goal was to reduce the influence of both the Salvation Church and the Duchy as much as possible in this war.
Apparently, the saintess had come to assist, aware of his efforts.
Ghislain calmed himself. After all, hadn't he started this to change the future? Changes in the future were only natural.
'It might be better to join forces with the saintess and swiftly resolve the internal issues of Lutania first.'
Strategies should always be adjusted to fit the circumstances. For the royalist faction, which lacked superhumans, this might even be an excellent opportunity.
As Ghislain paused in thought, Parniel asked, "Is there... a problem?"
She slightly flexed her arms. She had encountered many people who doubted she was a saintess based on her appearance alone.
Proving her faith through strength had become her specialty.
Ghislain immediately shook his head.
"No, it's an honor to meet the saintess of the church. I am Count Fenris."
Already knowing her identity, Ghislain harbored no doubts.
At that, Parniel offered a faint smile.
"I heard much about you on my way here. A hero who will save the kingdom and the strongest in the North. Truly remarkable."
"You flatter me. I've heard you rescued the commander-in-chief and even dealt with a high priest of the Salvation Church."
Maurice, listening to their conversation, laughed heartily.
"With the two of you together, my heart feels so secure! Come, though it's modest, let's have a small banquet to celebrate—"
Maurice's words were cut short as Parniel flexed her muscles and took a step closer to Ghislain.
Standing a head taller than him, she looked down, and Ghislain raised his head slightly to meet her gaze.
Parniel gripped her mace tightly and smiled.
"Count, do you know how a saintess operates?"
Shing.
Ghislain slowly drew his sword, smiling as well.
"I've heard the stories passed among the people. They say the saintess moves as her heart dictates..."
The saintess did whatever she pleased and justified it as the goddess's will. In other words, logic didn't apply to her.
The moment you demanded reason from her, you risked getting beaten.
Parniel nodded.
"That's correct. And now... my heart is asking if I should assist you. There's something about you that feels unsettling. I need to see your true 'strength.'"
Parniel was even more sensitive to the Salvation Church's energy than Erenes. Her holy power was completely opposed to the energy of the Salvation Church.
That's why she felt uneasy as soon as she met Ghislain.
If something felt off, it had to be confirmed. She needed to ensure the person before her was not 'evil.'
Boom!
Parniel stepped closer to Ghislain, her smile turning cold.
"This, too, must be the goddess's will."
Maurice's face turned ashen, as though the world were collapsing around him. The atmosphere had grown dangerously tense.
He couldn't understand why things had escalated so suddenly between them.
Ghislain wasn't someone who would back down. Nor was he someone who listened to reason when stopped. Maurice knew this all too well.
That bastard had already drawn his sword before they even started fighting.
'If only the old were here.'
Without the fortune-teller, Maurice had no one to turn to for advice.
He felt like crying.
***
Side Story: Lucas's Love Advice – A Tale to Comfort a Heartbroken Knight.
The fight among the knights at the drinking party had started with Lucas's nonsense.
Ghislain had treated the knights to drinks and meat, boosting their morale immensely—except for one knight who stood sullenly to the side.
Ghislain tilted his head and asked, "What's with him? He looks like he's been dumped."
The knight, nicknamed "Wind" for his swift movements, looked even more dejected at those words.
Lucas slung an arm around Wind's shoulders, laughing.
"He actually was dumped. Hahaha!"
Though the war was ongoing, the Northern Army's arrow delivery system continued to operate successfully. The gaps left by the army were filled by estate soldiers, new hires, and mercenaries.
Unfortunately, that same delivery system had worked against Wind this time. He had recently received a breakup letter via arrow delivery.
"Hmm..."
Ghislain crossed his arms in thought. Having never been in a proper romantic relationship himself, he didn't know what to say.
So, he offered a simple but sincere word of encouragement.
"Stay strong. I believe better things are ahead for you."
Knowing that romance was not his forte, Ghislain quickly left the scene.
After the food and drinks had been served, a slightly drunk Lucas sat next to Wind and started talking.
"I'll tell you about my heartbreak. Consider it some relationship advice."
"No, thanks. I don't want to hear it."
"Before I came here, there was a woman I truly loved."
Ignoring Wind's protests, Lucas gazed wistfully at the night sky.
"We had even promised to marry. But back then, I had nothing. Then she said it was fine, that we could live with her family."
Everyone listened intently, curious about how things had gone wrong.
Lucas continued with a bitter smile.
"I was so grateful. She lived with her mother, and I confidently told her I'd treat her mother like my own. It was all I could offer. But that's where the problem started."
Gordon, curious, asked, "Why was that a problem? Saying you'd treat her mother like your own seems like a good thing. Most women would appreciate that, wouldn't they?"
Lucas replied with a serious expression.
"At first, she liked it too."
"Then what happened?"
"I really treated her like my mother."
"...???"
"I asked her to make me food when I was hungry, walked around the house in my underwear, asked for allowance money, complained about the food, and got annoyed if she woke me up... That's how I treat my mother."
"..."
"And so, I got kicked out. I treated her like my mother, but she didn't treat me like her son."
'Is this guy insane?'
Everyone looked dumbfounded. Some of the female knights thought to themselves, 'If a guy ever says he'll treat me like his mother, I'll be careful. That's a trap. I'll just tell him to show proper manners instead.'
Lucas beamed as he concluded.
"After that, I went through some stuff and ended up here in Fenris. Over time, things got better. See? My story should help you a little, right?"
Not even a little.
The knights around him all stood up and began beating Lucas.
"Ow! Damn it! What are you doing!"
Even Lucas, known as one of the best in Fenris, couldn't fend off multiple people ganging up on him.
As Lucas was beaten, Wind gazed at the night sky.
Though a cool breeze blew, the heaviness in his chest didn't seem to lift.
"..."
Everyone experiences heartbreak at some point, but only the person going through it knows how deep the pain runs.
Superficial consolation isn't much help, and Lucas's nonsensical advice certainly wasn't.
Still, after enough time, healing would come. That's the belief Wind held onto.
So for now, it was okay to wallow in the pain. Whether by exhausting himself or simply letting time pass, it was fine.
Like his nickname, this pain, too, would pass like the wind.
And, as the lord had said, better things surely awaited.
All of that could wait until tomorrow.
For now, the priority was beating the crap out of Lucas for his nonsense.
"Huuh..."
With a deep breath, Wind joined the others in stomping on Lucas. At least taking it out on Lucas seemed like a way to relieve some stress.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sounds of blows continued unabated.
"Aaargh! You bastards! Stop it!"
Lucas's screams echoed into the night sky.
[T/L: Please support me and read extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]