Chapter 65: Obstructionist

As always, the most tedious part of any mission was the cleanup afterward.

“Hey, move that pile of wood over to the corner. It looks like it’s about to collapse.”

“Understood. Should we clean up the looted shops as well?”

“Just clear out the trash. Don’t mess with anything inside.”

After capturing the royal family, the pursuit force found themselves naturally roped into assisting the locals with restoration efforts.

They cleaned up debris from the streets damaged by the riot, repaired burned roofs on houses, and dealt with bloodstains and corpses.

All the usual grunt work.

This wasn’t out of goodwill—it was due to Carolus’s orders and the major’s judgment.

“How long will it take for the transport team to get here?”

“At least a week. They’re bringing a lot of equipment, so they won’t be able to come quickly.”

“Damn it, I thought I’d finally get to go home, but no such luck.”

Transporting the royal family required more than just any carriage.

They could have used the luxurious carriage the royals had arrived in, but that would have been far too respectful.

There was no way they’d show such courtesy to criminals who had ruined the kingdom and tried to flee to a foreign country.

Instead, Carolus had dispatched a special prisoner transport carriage designed for high-security transfers.

A messenger had already informed them of its location, and once it arrived, the royal family would be loaded into it and taken away.

“Quit whining and focus on taking care of the citizens. Remember, they had to strip down because of us.”

“Don’t worry, sir. Everyone’s working hard without needing to be told.”

Even so, leaving immediately after their task was done would have felt a bit wrong.

Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have been an issue, but they had stripped thousands of people down to their underwear just to find one eunuch.

Public opinion was understandably outraged, with citizens muttering about what kind of perverts would do such a thing.

Given the era, they could have ignored it—but as outsiders, they didn’t want to push their luck.

So, to smooth things over and offer some compensation, they decided to help with the city’s recovery.

At the very least, this would prevent future resentment toward the central government for acts of tyranny.

“Once we’ve tidied up over there, we should focus on getting the men fed. There’s no rush, so let them work at their own pace.”

“Good idea. What’s on the menu today?”

“Sausages with beer soup and rye bread. Pretty fancy for field rations.”

“Can’t complain about that.”

After spending several days like this, things seemed to be settling down, and they were almost ready to depart.

Then, one day, yet another group of uninvited guests descended upon the city.

“Major!! An unidentified group is approaching from the 2 o’clock direction!!”

“A group? How big is it?”

It was just before noon, as morning transitioned into afternoon.

The soldier standing watch atop the city’s tallest clock tower shouted the report as if screaming for his life.

“There are at least a few hundred of them! They’re all on horseback!!”

“…A few hundred people riding horses together? Are you serious?”

“It’s true! They’re all bunched up, and you can see the dust cloud they’re kicking up!”

The major was puzzled.

A large group of mounted riders moving around?

It was unusual, but not unheard of.

Cavalry units sometimes traveled around the country for training or reconnaissance.

But the direction and the area were suspicious.

The 2 o’clock direction… wasn’t that where the Kingdom of Kailas was located?

“Cavalry units haven’t been seen anywhere except along the frontlines with the Empire for a long time.”

Unlike infantry or artillery units, which could be quickly formed by conscripting anyone and training them for a few weeks, cavalry was a different story.

You couldn’t just turn anyone into a cavalryman.

Even if you gathered people who could already ride horses, it was still challenging.

To maintain speed, keep formation, and perform mounted combat maneuvers, it took at least six months to a year of training.

Because of this, as the war dragged on and the kingdom’s resources became stretched, cavalry units from the rear were hastily conscripted and sent to the frontlines.

There simply weren’t enough new recruits to meet the demand each year.

“It can’t be civilians.”

Given that, there was no reason for kingdom cavalry to be roaming around this area, especially this far from the front.

The nearest training camp was at least 70 miles away.

If they were civilians, they would typically use carriages, not inconveniently choose to ride horses.

Considering all the information, there was only one conclusion.

Those people were either a new rebel group or an armed force from outside the kingdom.

Either way, they were unlikely to be friendly.

“Everyone, prepare for combat! Get up and grab your gear, you lazy slugs!!”

“Leave only the minimum number for guard duty! The rest of you, move out! Assemble outside the northern city gate in 20 minutes!”

The major, having quickly made his decision, began donning his armor.

He intended to attempt a negotiation first, but if that failed, there was no choice but to crush them by force and take prisoners.

Once the soldiers hastily formed ranks and gathered outside the city, the approaching group seemed to notice them and slowed their pace as they came closer.

As the distance between the two sides decreased, the appearance, equipment, and demeanor of the approaching group came into view.

“Not bad. They’re sharp.”

Their discipline was evident.

The cohesion and control they displayed weren’t something you’d see in civilians or amateurs.

These people had clearly undergone extensive training and likely lived and worked as a group for a long time.

They also seemed to have battlefield experience.

That distinct aura of people who had killed and survived against others of their kind was unmistakable to someone like the major.

“But their equipment’s absolute garbage. Is this some kind of disguise?”

Despite being seasoned and likely elite fighters, their gear was embarrassingly substandard.

They were clad in a mismatched array of leather armor, quilted garments, and battered iron plates covered in scratches—more akin to second-rate mercenaries than professional soldiers.

“This is way too suspicious.”

The disparity felt unnatural.

It didn’t make sense for fighters of their apparent caliber, who would be highly valued anywhere, to be dressed like this.

The only plausible explanation was that it was a deliberate disguise for some ulterior motive.

If they were ordinary mercenaries, there would be no need to hide their identity.

It was more likely they were part of an exceptionally renowned group—or, perhaps, they weren’t mercenaries at all.

Whatever the case, they were the sort of people who had no business being in the kingdom.

After all, the kingdom hadn’t hired mercenaries since the early stages of the war.

Why would mercenaries stay in a place with no work and no pay?

Something wasn’t adding up.

“There’s a messenger approaching. Looks like they’re asking for negotiations.”

“Don’t attack—just let them come. Let’s hear what nonsense they’re spouting.”

The two sides faced off at a cautious distance for a moment.

From the opposing formation, a soldier carrying a white flag stepped forward.

The soldier approached until he was right in front of the major, gave a light bow, and spoke.

“Greetings, officer. I am Geronimo of the Akulus Mercenary Company, under the Kingdom of Kailas.”

“I don’t care who you are. Just state your business.”

“Yeesh, you’ve got quite the impatient personality, huh?”

His tone was unbearably flippant, but every movement betrayed signs of extensive training, and his sharp gaze couldn’t be hidden.

The major kept his guard up, glaring at the man without the slightest hint of relaxation.

“We’re here for a very simple reason. We’ve come to protect a certain esteemed individual who is currently in your custody.”

“Carl VII, you mean? We’ve already detained him and his family.”

“…Is that so? Well, this is turning into a bit of a headache.”

Geronimo clicked his tongue before politely making a proposal.

“Why not hand them over to us? The entire family, that is. That way, there won’t be any bloodshed, and we’ll ensure their safety.”

“You’ve got to be joking. He’s a criminal. He’ll soon be transported to the capital to stand trial. Do you seriously think we’d hand over our enemy to some random rabble with no clear allegiance?”

“Well, wouldn’t cooperating with us be better than dying over something so pointless?”

Geronimo gestured toward the mercenaries standing behind him.

“Sir, we number over 1,000 strong—far more than twice the size of your force. I think it’s pretty clear who would come out on top if a fight broke out, don’t you?”

“…”

“There’s no need to throw your lives away. Just hand over a few people, and this all ends. Don’t waste lives needlessly—please, make the smart choice.”

Listening to Geronimo’s honeyed words, the major responded with a brief question.

“You’re not from Kailas, are you?”

“What? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“When people from Kailas speak the kingdom’s language, they often mess up the pronunciation of ‘L.’ But you don’t have that habit. Instead, you struggle with ‘B’ and ‘D.’”

It was something the major had learned during his officer academy days, studying linguistics as part of his general education.

Each country’s language had unique characteristics and quirks in pronunciation.

“And wouldn’t you know it, people from the Holy Nation speak exactly like that.”

“…You’re sharp.”

Realizing his secret had been exposed, Geronimo immediately dropped the act and revealed his true colors.

“So, what are you going to do about it? If I, or rather, we, admit to being from the Holy Nation, what changes? Your situation of being outnumbered remains the same.”

He abandoned his earlier pretense of politeness, now arrogantly attempting to intimidate the major.

“Unfortunately, you’ve learned too much. But don’t worry—I’ll make sure your journey to the afterlife is a peaceful one—”

Shk!

“Shut it.”

Before Geronimo could finish, the major had already drawn his sword and severed the man’s neck with a single, clean strike.

Flicking the blood off his blade, he turned to his soldiers and roared.

“Listen up, everyone! These foreign bastards have dared to trespass on our land, and now they want to steal the king! Let’s crush these thieving scum!!”

“WOOOOO!!!”

“Wipe them all out! And if any of you idiots fail to kill your share, I’ll deal with you myself!!”

The soldiers’ morale soared to its peak, and they launched an all-out charge against the enemy force.

“Wha—? Prepare for impact! Lower your spears—!”

“Lai lai cha cha cha!!!”

But the enemy didn’t stand a chance.

They were ruthlessly cut down by the kingdom’s seasoned veterans, who attacked with insane precision and ferocity—charging from their saddles, dual-wielding swords like madmen steeped in the chaos of war.