A Maiden’s Unwanted Heroic Epic

Chapter 205: Girl Fortress

***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 205 Girl Fortress***

"Long time no see, General Verreich. Woof Woof and the others too."

"Yes, long time no see, Krische-sama."

Nozan saluted, raking his coppery hair that fell in front of him.

As if following suit, Grunmeld and the others stood up and saluted.

"...That nickname hasn't changed hu."

Grunmeld sighed with resignation.

She arrived at the fortified city of Wolfenheit, surrounded by massive walls and deep bunkers.

Inside the fortress in the center――inside the conference room.

A map of eastern Alberan was spread out on the desk, and on top of it was a map of the surrounding area of Wolfenheit.

Countless pieces represented the battlefield situation.

Looking down at that for a moment, Krische shook her silver hair and tilted her head in confusion.

“Do nicknames change?”

"...It's not like that, but...no, never mind. I gave up."

“...?”

Krische tilted her head even more curiously, and Nozan, with a wry smile, indicated the seat next to her.

Krische sat down and turned her gaze to the black bean tea tea that was offered.

“Hey, milk and honey.”

“Y-yes sir.”

A bald man with glasses and a nervous look on his face――Sardan Garcalon, the commander of the Second Corps, said that, and the squire panicked and left the room to get milk and honey.

Some of them had a sweet tooth, but black bean tea had a strong implication of being a stimulant.

No one ever asked for milk and honey in a serious meeting, and it wasn't available in this conference room.

Sardan didn't have a particular sweet tooth, but he was fed up with drinking too much black bean tea.

Krische's arrival was a good opportunity.

"Thank you. Corps Commander Garcalon."

"No. I also drank a little too much black bean tea and wanted to change my mood... It was a good opportunity."

A highly strung fierce face.

Sardan looks like that, but he also had a childish side, and he know Krische’s personality well from the recent civil war.

He said that with a gentle smile, and Krische smiled as well when she saw his expression.

"...Now that Krische thinks about it, Krische hasn't thanked Corps Commander Garcalon for the other day yet."

"Thank you? ...Ah, don't worry about Kielzaran. It was only a natural proposal for military service."

Krische looked even happier when she heard the words, ‘only natural.’

Then she gazed passionately at Sardan.

“Ehehe, Krische just thought of something.”

"...?"

Sardan tilted his head,

"The nickname for Corps Commander Garcalon. How about Bald Glasses?"

And he stiffened.

The atmosphere in the room froze, and only Grunmeld was drinking the black bean tea, his shoulders shaking while holding his face and looking down.

“Krische thought Smooth Head (Tsururin) would be good but Skeleton and Bald Eagle both have smooth heads, and Krische felt like it would take away from the individuality. ...But if it’s Bald Glasses anyone can tell it’s Corps Commander Garcalon.”

“It’s a really nice name,” Krische said as she put her hand on her cheek and shook her body.

It was as if she was trembling with fear of her own naming sense.

In fact, most of the people here were horrified by the pet name she gave.

"K-Krische-sama, I appreciate your feeling, but..."

Sardan recovered from his stiffness while glaring at Grunmeld, who was laughing, and at Nozan, who seemed to be secretly holding back his laughter.

"Uh...does Corps Commander Garcalon like Smooth Head better?"

However Krische was a born hunter.

It was not a matter of refusing or accepting. Bald Glasses or Smooth Head――With just one word, Sardan was cornered into a no-win option.

"That's not it――"

“Hmm, Krische does think that Smooth Head had a better sound than Bald Glasses, but…Ehehe, it’s okay. It’s just a subtle difference, and even Smooth Head is ....…?”

If he had allowed the time, Sardan might have found something to persuade her.

However, what was heard at that moment was the sound of a crushing sound that resounded a little far away.

"...It's their trebuchet."

"Ah...I see. That's pretty quick."

Krische immediately understood Nozan's answer.

On the east side of Wolfenheit, the Elsren army was encamped a short distance away, and was currently preparing to attack the Verreich army, which had been holed up here――they were assembling a large stone trebuchet.

"It's probably still in the test firing stage. I was thinking of launching a night attack tonight, but――"

Just as he was about to say something, there was another crashing sound. vibration.

Krische frowned in annoyance.

"Hmm, but it seems like it's going to be noisy, so let's deal with it quickly. Krische doesn't want to be woken up at night either."

Krische said, ‘Krische'll go for a moment’, stood up and started trotting about.

Since the Civil War――Nozan who and the others who had been watching her fight against Keithriton’s army looked at each other and stood up as well.

"Looks like we'll see something interesting."

“It was a relief that Krische-sama arrived so quickly.…It seems like one of the hassles will disappear quickly.”

Nozan smiled bitterly at Granmeld's words.

Only Sardan, who had been cut off from the conversation, looked stunned, making an indescribable face.

Before going outside, Grunmeld went out of his way to sit next to him on the other side of the table,

"Don't worry, Garcalon, I didn't even have a choice. Choose the one that's less painful."

He laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

"...Those words don't make me happy at all."

Making a frown, Sardan replied.

――The Elsren Holy Empire army led by Archduke Lukazan.

Among the lines of battle, two men on horseback laugh as they face the walled city of Wulfenite.

"Hahaha, such a large trebuchet and such a large number of siege towers――It’s done quite fast, Duke Sarchenka."

"No, it's not that big of a deal. It's the strength of the engineers and factory workers we brought with us, Archduke."

Wearing a black military uniform——showing slight signs of aging, but with well-kept features and chestnut-colored hair.

Duke Vynal Sarchenka said while gesturing to the engineer who was raising his voice.

Next to the man was a monstrous wooden structure resembling a small fortress.

The gears were spun to pull up a huge weight, and let it fall.

Using a lever, the long arm on the opposite side of the weight swung like a pendulum——hurling a massive stone like a pendulum.

The range and power of the projectile were far greater than those trebuchet that twists ropes or animal tendons and throws stones by its elasticity.

Rather than a trebuchet (Rock Thrower) it’s a trebuchet (Boulder Thrower).

The test shots did not hit the solid walls of Wolfenheit, but they fell in front of and behind it, all of them sending earth tremors that could be felt at a distance of nearly a ri.

They made a roar that surely would have collapsed the houses in the city.

Twelve of them were about to be assembled on this battlefield.

"I fully understand your efforts to make up for last year's failure. I am truly glad that I brought you here."

Grand Duke of the Holy Empire of Elsren, Bazlar Lukazan, smiled and said while stroking his well-groomed masculine beard.

Wearing a military uniform and cloak with elegant gold embroidery and glittering ornaments.

He was the head of the Lukazan family, one of the three major families with the right to the throne in the Holy Empire of Elsren, and one of the five most powerful figures in the great empire of Elsren.

"...Thank you for your kind words. No words of gratitude is enough to express my gratitude for giving me this opportunity."

"Umu. The past is the past——I have no intention of getting caught up in that either. Don't worry."

Even as he bowed his head, anger flickered in Vynal’s heart.

The defeat last year——it was due to a foolish blunder by his brother, Aleha, however the man responsible for putting all the blame on Aleha and the Sarchenka family was none other than this man, the commander.

He made them pay a large amount of compensation and confiscated their lands.

The Sarchenka were in a difficult position because of this man.

On top of that, the man approached them with a benevolent face, extended his hand, and giving favors

It made him think that everything, including Aleha's blunder, was part of this man's plot.

No one raised a voice when this man was defeated by Dougleen Garhka and retreated to his army.

Wasn't this all a plot to crush the Sarchenka family, which had become an eyesore?——The man's self-preservation tactics were so brilliant that it made him think so.

Nevertheless, even against such a man, Vynal had to bow his head.

Arranging siege weapons——the debts incurred due to hiring a large number of skilled engineers and workers.

In order to obtain enough benefits to eliminate this problem, it was necessary to win over this man and achieve great deeds.

"The trebuchets and siege towers...what do you think?"

Baszler looked at the huge siege tower being built and asked Vynal.

Understanding the intention to some extent, Vynal replied.

"Ha. This time it's a holy war——a war to destroy the evil Alberan. I have no desire to be concerned about my own interests. I hope the Archduke's brave army will use it freely for victory."

"Hahaha, well done. However, not rewarding you, who has done all this, would be a shame for a noble. ...I’ll give you the opportunity to conquer Wulfenite and clear your name with your own hands. ...What do you think?"

"...Thank you for your kindness."

Making Vynal spit out money and ordering him to be crushed.

The only reason why they were able to capture Wulfenite in the last battle was because Aleha had killed the enemy general Carmeda with a single blow in the battlefield.

Alberan's army was completely destroyed by the death of the general——just how long would it have taken to conquer it if it hadn't been for that?

There was no way that Bazlar, who had conquered Wolfenheit as if to snatch that credit, did not know this.

Wolfenheit, fully prepared, was still an impregnable fortified city.

The situation was completely different from that time.

This battle was expected to take two months just to capture this part.

The first spear role was merely to be crushed.

What's more, the enemy was Nozan Verreich, who was known as Christand’s number one subordinate.

His skill was as good as that of Christand’s, and that was clear from the vivid retreat so far.

He divided his forces into groups without fear of individual defeat across the vast plains, and he retreated at night, trapping the archers and cavalrymen and cutting them down as he retreated.

It was clear that he was far from ordinary, and was a more difficult opponent than Carmeda.

There's no way defeating such a monster who holed in Wulfenite would be easy.

However, Vynal still had no choice but to achieve results.

There was no way he could say no to his words.

"However...I never thought that idiot Orugan would be defeated so quickly. We don't have much time to spare. Remember that we have to attack this place as soon as possible."

"Huh...I’ll make sure to open a breakthrough for the assault."

"Hmm, that's fine. I'm looking forward to it, Duke Sarchenka."

Without being able to carry out the plunder that was included in the plan, they paid large sums of money to purchase cargo from the captured cities.

On top of that, Gulshan was defeated by Alberan, and Dougleen Garhka was applying pressure from the south.

If something went wrong, Vynal would definitely be held responsible.

And that would mean the end of the house.

In his mind, he was thinking about how to achieve success in this siege, when suddenly, the soldiers started to make noise.

"——!?"

Suddenly, the sound of crushing echoed around them.

When he looked in the direction of the sound, he saw a distorted wooden object.

——It was a trebuchet.

It had been a small fortress, but it had lost its support on one side and tilted with a distorted sound.

As it lay on the ground, countless screams and roars echoed.

"——What's going on!?"

Bazlar shouted as if howling.

Vynal stiffened and stared in shock.

“Suddenly the trebuchet was——"

The soldier next to him started to speak, and there was another roar.

The large trebuchet that was standing next to it collapses. Screams echoed.

The distance to Wulfenite was almost one ri.

That was the range limit of this large trebuchet.

Was it damaged or something? Baszler was thinking that, but when he saw the second stone trebuchet collapse, he realized that this was no mere accident, and immediately turned his attention to Wulfenite.

There were enemy trebuchets and giant crossbows that were set, but they were small types——it was for the siege towers and battering rams that would attack.

At this distance——the enemy's trebuchet was out of range.

A set giant crossbow could reach it, but only that.

At this distance, there would be no power to destroy the large trebuchet, and it would be nothing more than harassment.

Just what is——as he thought that, what he saw was on the left, at the edge of the castle wall.

It was a shadow that came flying from there.

There was another roar, and this time the unfinished third one shattered.

"W-what...?"

Vynal was stunned by this.

And what jumped off the castle wall was a small black and silver shadow.

A loud cheer echoes from the walls of Wulfenite——a spear is thrown from the top of the wall, and someone jumps down to catch it.

Then, when they held it in reverse grip, ran and released it.

The spear that flew at an insane speed was the fourth one.

The wooden monster fell down without any hesitation, and pieces of wood burst out.

"What...what are you doing! Send out the cavalry archers!! Kill that guy!!"

Baszlar finally understood everything and screamed.

It was just an enemy's throwing spear.

——However, its power was extraordinary.

A loud, thunderous cheer that seemed to split the atmosphere reverberated over Wolfenheit.

*Trot trot* Running in front of the fortress wall——along the moat.

She grabbed a spear that had been thrown from the top of the castle wall, threw it at the trebuchet, and rolled.

A swoosh of the wind, and after a beat, a crushing sound.

Without looking at the wooden monster crumble, she continued on her way.

Throwing with the right hand, then the left, her silver hair swaying, the girl ran in front of the trench, receiving cheers.

It would have been better if she could have destroyed everything from the top of the castle wall, but aside from the edge of the wall that ran perpendicular to the enemy camp, there wasn't enough distance.

A throwing spear that could pierce even Dragons from a distance of 1 ri.

The castle walls were too narrow to kill the recoil, and that was the reason why she descended to the ground.

"——Alberinea, cavalry archer!! Please Return!!"

Amidst the cheers, she heard the voices of the soldiers recognizing the enemy as she once again raised a spear.

Aiming and releasing, a shattering sound.

The number of trebuchet crushed was now eight.

While easily causing significant damage to the enemy army, Krische turned her gaze towards the enemy formation.

Facing her directly was a line of more than 100,000 enemy soldiers so many that she needed to see a few ri to the left and right.

What appeared in the gap between the lines was the cavalry archer.

The distance was less than one ri.

Krische’s lip pouted as she saw the archers heading straight for her, and she fired a spear in their direction.

From the acceleration that seems to shrink the space, to the violent sudden braking.

However, her whole body movement was controlled and accelerated by her magical power——her body bends like a bow, and her hand fires a mad spear of destruction.

At the Cavalry archers――The spear pierced through the front, and did not stop, leaving a hole in the human body.

It sprayed fragments in the wake, killing and wounding them, and with a single throw she destroyed the cavalry line.

Terrified horses ran amok, throwing off their riders.

Cavalry archers――horses ridden by nomads, people like them, were fast and light, fundamentally different from the heavy horses trained for close combat.

There was no such thing as a strong horse that would remain unfazed by a spear that easily killed more than a dozen of them.

One throw was enough for a unit.

At that moment, she used another spear to destroy another trebuchet. There were now three left.

However, countless cavalry archers had appeared from other parts of the enemy's line.

“Muu, that’s a bit too many.”

Throwing a spear while getting hit with arrows was also a hassle.

She decided to take a break and jumped over the moat, putting her feet on the slight protrusion of the wall and easily climbing it to the wall which was 30 shaku high.

When she let out a sigh, the soldiers around her cheered even louder, and Krische covered her ears in annoyance.

Immediately, a scream-like voice was heard, and what came running over the castle wall was a large, elegant 8 shaku tall Suiko.

Without saying a word, Krische leaped onto Gururun, and went straight down the ramparts.

With a sigh, she looked up at the fortress wall and pouted her lips as she gazed at it in annoyance.

"...What noisy people."

"Hahaha, it can't be helped. Everyone is happy that Krische-sama has appeared."

Nozan, who had apparently followed as he leapt across the roof, came down, followed by the Grunmeld.

The other corps commanders could be heard shouting on the ramparts.

‘Now that Alberinea has come, we no longer have anything to fear’――something like that, they verbally announced to the soldiers on the ramparts.

“How are you feeling?"

“Krische didn’t overexert herself so Krische is fine. Krische’s going to take a short rest, after that it’s the other three.”

While saying this, Krische rotated her shoulders and stretched her arms.

Grunnmeld laughs, amazed.

"My goodness, I'm still surprised even when I got a look at it again. With a small body like that, making something like that possible."

In terms of weight, she was probably less than a third of his weight.

The small, delicate girl's spear throwing was an anomaly that defied any imagination from her appearance.

She easily crushed a large trebuchet with one of her spears.

Just by her presence, she changes sieges and defense battles.

If this were a siege from the opposite side, she might even be able to assassinate the enemy general in a solo night raid.

Although she was just an individual in this situation, she was worth much more than an army.

"In any case, I heard that Krische challenged the Ancient Dragon the other day and was allowed to use Mana (True Name) but.....”

“Um, Krische didn’t challenge Regalave, Krische had an audience with Regalave…”

“Put that for later, Grunmeld. Don't talk about such things in a place like this."

Nozan looked around and sighed.

There were many soldiers who believed in the Holy Spirit.

"...It's okay, Krische-sama, We've been informed of the circumstances by Assistant Marshal Faren."

"Ah, I see."

It was a secret that she threw her spear at the Dragon.

To Krische who looked a little troubled, Nozan smiled and nodded.

"However, what a good timing. Right after Her Majesty's speech, it’s Krische-sama――I don't think there are any soldiers who think this is a losing battle anymore."

“Krische heard from Selene that it was quite difficult to deal with Elsren.”

“In the field is...I’m embarrassed to say this, but I felt relieved after joining Wulfenite. We were able to reduce the damage somewhat thanks to a well-set trap... but still, from the eyes of our soldiers, it probably seemed like we were retreating helplessly.”

A step-by-step retreat based on careful preparations――avoiding direct combat, there would be less damage, and inflicted more damage to the enemy.

However, the soldiers who did not know what was going on had a completely different view.

Many of them considered this to be a mere escape.

As expected, that was why the enemy pursued us without suspicion, but the morale of the soldiers dropped more than expected——probably due to the situation of being attacked by three countries.

Some intentionally put a cheerful look on their face, some with the face of a dead person.

Nozan army was overflowing with such soldiers, and so were the people who remained in this city.

If the situation worsened, there was a risk of riots.

However, their morale had completely recovered due to the 'performance' just now.

It can be said that the morale lost due to the retreat has now been recovered.

Within today, ‘Alberinea's Trebuchet Smashing’ had spread throughout the city, and things had completely recovered.

Most of the members of Nozan’s army knew the power of her spear during the civil war.

At least none of the soldiers would doubt it.

"Hmm, well, if that's the case then it’s good. Krische'll continue the talk later. Krische'll quickly destroy the rest."

“Yeah, us too.”

The Suiko simply jumped onto the high fortress wall, and Nozan and the others climbed onto the roof.

A moment later, the sound of wind and crushing echoed again.

A tremor and cheers filled the heavens and earth of Wulfenite.

——That day, Alberinea single-handedly destroyed 12 large trebuchets and three half-built siege towers.

Over 200 people died in the collapse, including famous engineers and craftsmen, and the Holy Empire of Elsren army was forced to retreat against a single individual.

Alberinea's throwing spear was enough to repel even an army of 100,000 men.

Many considered the victory of Alberan in the Five Nations War to be solely attributed to Alberinea as an individual.

If one were to read her tales on the battlefield straightforwardly, there was no doubt that she was an unparalleled warrior at that time——regardless, there was no one who doubted that she was an extraordinary individual.

Many records stated that Alberinea was such a heretic as if a matter of course.