A Maiden’s Unwanted Heroic Epic

Chapter 211: Ingredients

***Arc 9 One Who Sent Off, Chapter 211 Ingredients***

――The estate of the royal capital.

"... Please don't squeeze my body."

"Geez, please don't say things that make me sound bad. I don't do such things."

"I wonder? Thinking of what you had done to Onee-sama makes me terrified."

“You...”

Bery, who lifted Kreschenta from the bed, blushed in embarrassment and then sighed.

Since that incident, Kreschenta’s verbal attacks had been like this.

For Bery, it was a difficult and awkward weakness that was hard to refute.

Kreschenta, who was being princess carried in her arms, looked at Bery with amusement and smiled as she wrapped her hands around Bery’s neck.

She was in a very good mood as she hugged Bery tightly and rubs herself against her feminine body――because she has just had a nap.

After using Bery Argan, a less-than-ideal Christand servant, as a pillow to relieve the fatigue of the day, she was now full of energy and in a state of complete replenishment.

Having no plans from here on and having already snacked on cookies upon waking up, there was no place for the excess energy to go――except to focus on the education of the poorly performing servant, Bery Argan.

"Oh, Bery-sama, the horse care is ..."

Elvena, who appeared in a little trot as she exited the hallway, looked at Bery, who was holding up Kreschenta, and Bery told her with a wry smile.

“Thank you. I'm going to prepare dinner with Kreschenta...you can take a break for a bit.”

"That's right. Argan-sama is just skipping work with the excuse to sleep together, so you should take a break."

“...yes."

Elvena looked at the lovely Queen who was clinging to Bery, then, after a small laugh, excused herself and entered Krische’s room as they passed each other.

She was probably going to clean the sheets.

Elvena was always very attentive to details.

"So what are we going to make today?"

"Hmm, let me see ..."

Berry looked up at the ceiling with the face of a little girl

"How about some hamburgers with ground beef and onions?"

and smiled gently at Kreschenta.

Neither the Alberan side nor the Elsren side was up to anything, and there were no problems regarding the battlefield cleanup.

The battlefield cleaning was not particularly unusual.

While the reasons often included paying respects to the dead, in reality,it was a custom stemming from a highly sanitary perspective.

A decomposing corpse, if not properly buried, will release a miasma that curses the living.

Although this teaching had been handed down in the region around Alberan since time immemorial, several hundred years ago, the queen of the time, Grabaraine, discovered the causal link between war and epidemics from various records, and widely spread the idea that the corpses of the dead of war who had not been properly treated would become a breeding ground for disease.

If left unchecked, diseases could spread not only to the soldiers on the battlefield but also to unrelated towns, wreaking havoc.

Although the degree of spread and damage vary, an epidemic could be a disaster that shook the nation itself. It was impossible to leave it unattended, and even during war, it was customary to cooperate with each other to clean up the battlefield and take care of it.

In small-scale battles, cleanup might be done at dusk, but in a large-scale battle like this, spending a whole day on it was not uncommon.

Once an epidemic broke out, it was an unstoppable calamity.

It's not only the soldiers who suffer, but also the commanders, no one who would refuse this unless the situation was very extreme.

Putting aside if it was fall or winter, in spring when the temperature rose—before the bodies decayed, it was necessary to clean them up. Elsren, who was downwind from Alberan, urgently needed to address this issue.

It was a problem that they had given two days’ time to the Alberan, but they would need to spend the next half month to a month to attack Wolfenheit.

There was no idea of ignoring the decayed corpse and attacking Wulfenite’s, and this decision was reasonable.

The corpses were thrown into a large hole, piled on top of each other, and were set on fire with oil.

With such a large number of corpses, it was impossible to do the work carefully, resulting in many half-burnt corpses, but not many people cared. They didn't even want to look at them.

The smell of burning meat——the sound of popping oil.

The inside of the hole was like a hamburger made by kneading minced meat.

Saliva involuntarily seeped into their mouths, and some of them spat out their stomach juices at the perverse emotion that arose.

The psychological state of those who came in contact with the "dismembered human body" was already poor to begin with.

If it were just a corpse from the battlefield, there would be less damage, but the corpses here were only a part of a person——handling a damaged corpse was very different in terms of feelings.

The number of the intact corpses brought by prisoners of war from within the walls of Wolfenheit was also fewer, and what they generated was more fear than anger.

The feeling of literally mangled corpses and guts.

The minced meat that used to be people.

As they saw the figures of those who had entered the northern section, their mental state worsened due to the corpse processing that was buried in name only.

Contrary to Baszlar and Linkara's thoughts, very few of them felt hatred toward Alberinea when they saw the corpses of their former comrades-in-arms.

They felt nothing but fear when they saw her chopping up corpses and throwing them with a trebuchets

And the same was true for the men watching from the fortress.

Watching from afar the enemy soldiers who were "burying" the dead, there was relief in their hearts.

If they had been born in a different country, they would have been among them.

Looking at the piles of corpses being carried on carts, and seeing their internal organs spilling out and being dragged away, they were most grateful that they were born in Alberan.

At least they were not in a position to make enemies of Alberinea.

Many of the soldiers in the eastern wall heard the words of Baszlar Lukazan. They knew that his words were not entirely baseless.

If asked whether it was right or not, they could only say it was too cruel of a treatment

However, despite Alberinea being such a monster, they had no intention of going against her.

While she might be a terrifying presence as an enemy, she was, in any case, a hero of their nation—as an ally there was no one as reliable as her.

Their awe of her, who destroyed the trebuchet by her individual prowess, had not disappeared, and the enemy still doubled their number.

Everyone was rightfully aware that she had created this mental and situational advantage.

‘It's just a bunch of silly pretenses. Wars are fought to win. And the one who kills the most people and destroys morale wins. ...If we're going to talk about respect for the dead or order, wouldn't it be better to just fight Krische one-on-one and call it a day?’

She was a ruthless killer, no doubt, but there was a certain truth in her words.

The battlefield was a world that demanded a being like her.

The battlefield did not desire a kind and gentle commander, but a strong commander, even if they were cruel and crazy.

Rather than speaking of reason and losing, one should obtain victory even if through ruthlessness——this thought was correct, and she embodied it perfectly.

The fact that Baszlar, who had retreated without engaging in a fair and square battle with Alberinea, proved her twisted righteousness was better than losing.

Far better than losing.

Such were the excuses they made for themselves.

The soldiers on the ramparts looked behind them and turned their attention to Alberinea, who had appeared on top of the tower.

“It's looking pretty clean, looks like things are going well.”

“Uwah, this is terrible...”

Suiko and Krische were on the tower.

The woman next to them, with her long black hair tied up like a horse's tail and shelved in the wind, frowned as she looked at the bodies thrown into the pit to be burned.

"...Well, with this it should be fine for the most part."

“Yes. Two days without fighting is the best. Guess this is an effective way to use corpses?”

“I'm a little put off by the fact that it's so effective, but, well, that’s true.”

Kalua exasperatedly looked up at Krische while saying that.

"Fufu, well, I'm glad Usa-chan is doing well. Commander Bald Eagle and Assistant Marshal Skeleton were worried that Usa-chan was pushing herself. Onee-chan is relieved."

“Worried?”

"That's right, Worried whether Usa-chan is lonely."

With a gentle smile on her beautiful face, she jumped on the Gururun and gently stroked Krische’s head.

Gururun yawned, showing no signs of concern——Two humans were light to her.

Although she would wake up if she was hungry, daytime was a sleepy time for her.

Even Though she got used to life in the capital. The difference from her long-standing lifestyle was not something that could be easily adapted.

"Ehehe, Krische maybe a little lonely..."

"Good, Usa-chan is becoming more honest than before. Onee-san is happy."

Hugging her slender body and smiling, Krische also smiled——then held up a finger and said to Kalua, somewhat proudly.

"Fufun, Krische is different from before. Krische has grown a little."

"...? Huh, growth ..."

Kalua looks at the girl in her arms and tilts her head.

Interpreted correctly it means she had grown a little taller.

Krische appeared unchanged both mentally and physically, but it was Krische who could sense even the most subtle changes.

She seemed like she would say that even over her hair they grow a little.

"Oh, I see. Now that you mention it, Usa-chan looked a bit more splendid."

"Is that so? Ehehe..."

When she casually went along with the conversation and praised her, Krische placed her hand on her cheek, shaking happily.

There was no change in this small princess, but if she was happy, that was fine.

“Is there anything Usa-chan needs to do?”

"Hmm, not really. It's over after checking Jaragasha’s condition. All that’s left is cooking...”

"Oh, nice. It's been a long time since Usa-chan's cooking. What will you make?"

“Hmm, right...”

Krische, with the expression of a little girl, looked into the hole where corpses were thrown and pondered.

"How about some hamburgers with ground beef and onions?"

She smiled softly at Kahlua.

Kalua looked at the "hamburger steak" in the hole and shook her head saying ‘Please spare me that’ with her cheeks twitching.

After the two-day cease-fire ended, nearly 5,000 POWs were returned to Elsren.

Most of them, however, were deeply traumatized.

They had been engaged in the disposal and dismemberment of the corpses of their comrades, and were so frightened of Alberinea that they had become useless as soldiers.

Baszlar Lukazan no longer considered them as a fighting force, and decided to assign them to rearguard work, such as escorting Transportation and goods, instead of fighting.

Demoralized soldiers demoralize their allies as well.

Forcing them to charge into battle would not produce any results.

At least they wouldn't be useful until the capture of Wulfenite.

The Holy Empire Army resumed its attack on Wulfenite tomorrow morning.

However, this was just a pressure——Similar to the northern part, Bazlar considered a night assault by elite forces.

In the north, it ended as a failure.

However, the breakthrough itself was not a failure.

The enemy used explosives that utilized magic crystals——the information obtained by soldiers and prisoners of war who barely escaped from the northern wall, elaborate magic engraved in a misfired magic crystal.

Although he did not investigate the details taking into account the danger, Baszlar thought that this was at least not suitable for mass production.

The damage from the explosions was tremendous, but if the enemy could repeat such explosions on that scale, they could afford to wait a little longer.

It would have been fine to wait after Baszlar's forces, including those in the east, entered.

It was something that Baszlar and the others hadn't anticipated at all, making it an excellent opportunity for a surprise attack.

But they didn't do that——did they fear the risk of inviting enemies into the wall?

No, in view of the risk, the benefit of destroying this army was great.

It was not that they did not choose it, but that they could not choose it——it was more reasonable to think of it that way.

Therefore, the second breakthrough would succeed.

He was convinced of that, and in reality that would be so.

A forced breakthrough and opening of the gate by the elite was not a bad strategy in itself.

It was difficult to prevent it. In the siege battle, the attacker takes the initiative.

At least they should be able to send some troops into the walls and disturb enemies.

The opponent earned two days.

He didn't think this was meaningless.

The enemy thought that if they earned time, they would win.

That was why they would take wulfenite before that.

Bazlar was a decisive and valiant general.

He didn't possess the indecisiveness of a foolish commander.

However, the dusk fell.

And Baszlar frowned upon hearing various reports.

"…The supplies haven't arrived?"

"Yes. sir Even at this hour, they still haven't..."

Linkara answered while thinking, and Baszler narrowed his eyes.

The town that they used for supplies back and forth was two days away from here.

Five days ago, the supplies were sent without delay, and on a schedule, the carriage on the round trip was to deliver the supplies again today.

Two days to return, one day to rest and load, and two days to return again.

“What about the messenger?”

“There doesn’t seem to be any at the moment?”

If that cycle was broken, it could be due to some problem with the loading of supplies——for example, not gathering the required amount or bad weather.

Or there had been a rebellion or riot in the city.

However, in either case, a messenger on a fast horse would come.

But it wasn't coming——it was strange.

"... Send someone to the rear and let them confirm it."

"Yes sir. ... Alcosas, please check with several horses back."

The man who was called saluted and headed quickly to the outside.

After seeing him off, Linkara turned to Baszlar.

"North Arna, South Garhka, there was no report of attacks from both. It's quiet."

“...The one in charge in the back was Natrias, wasn't it?"

Elsren was under a Holy War headed by the curia——for that they created a massive logistical army.

This time Minuos Natrias, the emperor's second son, was appointed by the curia to lead it.

A political power balance, creating a situation so that Lukazan couldn’t monopolize the credit of taking down Alberan.

That said, after all, it was a logistics army.

It would be Lukazan who obtained the achievement.

It was natural that Natrias didn’t find it interesting, and this also might be some kind of plot.

The Holy Empire was vast, with abundant human resources.

There was no country that could oppose it directly——however, when the country suffered a major defeat, it always involved internal disputes or politics.

Both Baszlar and Linkara, who knew this well, naturally focused on such matters.

——It would take them a little while to understand the situation.

"Messenger! My apologies during the meeting !!"

"...What’s going on?"

"Yes sir! The enemy castle has opened."

"Opened? Did we break through?"

"No, it looks strange, and the capture of the fortress wall is still——"

Ignoring the report, Baszlar stood up and went outside of the tent.

Linkara and the others followed Bazlar Lukazan.

――As reported, the gates of Wulfenite were open.

Instead of soldiers, black-armored giants emerged from it.

It was the rumored monster that was rampaging in the north section.

At the same time, a reconnaissance cavalry, who had been heading to the back, ran a horse with all his might in front of the baszlar.

"Your Excellency! !! A 20,000 scale enemy army from the east is――"

Looking at the enemy general that appeared, she split the bread vertically.

On the fortress wall atop a Suiko, around the little girl――around Krische Christand the girl were black -painted armor soldiers.

And there was also the figure of Nozan Verreich in armor.

"The ingredients are minced meat and bread. Ehehe, General Verreich, do you want some?"

"No, I will refrain."

When he smiled and refused, Kuische offered it to someone opposite him.

“Kalua, do you want some?” she said, offering one slice of bread.

“Then, I will take it”, Kalua picked it up and looked toward the horizon.

The walls were thirty shaku tall――they could see far away.

――Far beyond what the Holy Empire army could see.

"Glad that it's on schedule. ...Ojii-sama also came too, so the situation is ready."

Dt dusk――a black shadow appeared from beyond the indigo-tinted sky.

Then the griffins take to the sky.

“General Verreich.”

"Yes"

Nozan raised his hand, and the sound of a trumpet sounded.

In the twilight――under the uncertain mixture of day and night sky.

Numerous flags depicting wings and wolves were being waved all over Wulfinite.

"...All troops dispatched, it's over."

――Alberinea made a major detour of her army from the northern part of the kingdom and advanced it into the mountains of Mikna, just as in the previous battle against Sarchenka.

The 20,000 elites cut off the Holy Empire's invading army, taking their supplies, and headed west.

Utilizing the mobility of the Griffin Cavalry, they approached Wulfenite while hunting the enemy messengers.

Many military historians said that the reason for the Holy Empire's defeat was greed――the timing of Alberinea's appearance was the final crossroad for their survival.

At that time, Alberinea was indeed an existence equivalent to Dragon.