Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 372

372

Counterattack

“Say that again. One more time. What did you just say?”

“The Hispania and Nudia forces that remained overnight were ambushed by the enemy.
It was the middle of the night, and the fog was so thick we couldn’t see anything. Also, our warriors couldn’t help them because enemies appeared from all directions, preventing them from even approaching.”

“Tell me more. Tell me more in detail.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know more than that. I rushed to deliver the news as soon as the enemy’s attack began, as Temujin ordered…”

At those words, Zion reflexively looked at Ludwig beside him. He was concerned about the thousands of Hispania and Nudia soldiers still there, but more than anything, the problem was Marquis Volko. Marquis Volko had decided to head to the defense line with the last unit of Hispania, so he would have been commanding the soldiers when the night attack began.

In the middle of the night, a thick fog suddenly appeared. Who would think he could have retreated safely in the midst of that surprise attack?

“…Ludwig.”

He wasn’t showing it, but Ludwig followed and respected his father a great deal. The young boy who always dreamed of achieving glory on the battlefield and returning triumphantly under his father’s influence was now the young man sitting next to Zion. But his hero, his own father, had been ambushed. The situation was such that no one could know whether he was alive or dead, let alone whether they would win or lose. It was only natural to worry whether Ludwig would be able to maintain his composure in that situation.

“…”

He was trying hard to pretend he was okay, but his fist was clenched tightly. The sound of his teeth grinding and his eyes burning with anger. Watching that, Zion cursed the Celestials inwardly. In this situation, if Ludwig were to suggest turning the soldiers around to save those fleeing from the defense line, it would be very difficult to refuse.

“Vice Commander.”

So, when Ludwig finally opened his mouth, Zion couldn’t help but worry. He knew how a son would feel not knowing whether his father was alive or dead, but he wondered if he would really say such a thing, make the military’s position difficult, make his own position difficult, and give other nobles the impression that the future of the Ledenen Marquis family was not good.

“We will arrive at the second defense line in just one more day.”

“…”

“It won’t be good for those moving a long distance to waste time, and the soldiers’ rest time is over, so I think it would be better to depart immediately.”

However, the words that came out of Ludwig’s mouth were completely different from Zion’s expectations or worries. He was still burning with anger and worry, but rather than going crazy and rampaging because the flames were too hot and unbearable, he was recognizing and accepting the situation right away. Like the great knight he had dreamed of in his immature childhood. Ludwig Ledenen was gritting his teeth and focusing on national affairs rather than his own, putting his emotions aside.

“…How are Zann and Eos?”

“Temujin was also caught up in the melee, but I think she’ll be fine. Because it’s Temujin, not anyone else. However, just before I left, I vaguely heard that Eos Baylor was injured.”

Eos was injured. The shock that the words conveyed was as shocking as the news that the Hispania army had collapsed due to the enemy’s surprise attack or that Marquis Volko’s life was unknown. It was Eos, of all people, Eos, that woman, who was injured!

‘…I should pray that she wasn’t seriously injured.’

Lilith was right. The enemies no longer had the leisure like in the novel; they didn’t put their pride first and were enduring the collapse of their image. They were just throwing in the top-tier Celestials, beings that couldn’t even be resisted, and crushing them with force. Even if that appearance could never be called good, light, or just. Even if it was as cruel, miserable, and terrifying as the stories about the demons, they had now declared their will to kill all those who continued to interfere with their task.

‘Those bastards have lost their composure too. Their eyes are flipped.’

The man who flipped those eyes, Zion, bit his lip slightly. Even though they were black-hearted pigeons [deceptive individuals], they had been so thorough in managing their image that he had not anticipated they would openly carry out a massacre like this.

‘Should I be happy or not?’

Originally, he would have smiled and been happy. However, Zion had expected the Celestials to lose their composure the moment the second defense line was blocked again. He was planning to deploy his trump card when the top-tier Celestials, who couldn’t stand it any longer, broke their established methods and started to take action in earnest, but the fact that those bastards changed direction at an unexpected timing was the most painful mistake in the current situation. Moreover, when he thought that Marquis Volko was there, and that thousands of Hispania soldiers and many Nudia soldiers were swept away, a groan naturally came out.

“Young Lord Ludwig.”

“…Yes, Vice Commander.”

“If you’re worried, you can lead a small number of soldiers and stay here to hear news from those who come this far, or you can head east. If you avoid battle, you’ll be fine somehow.”

“…”

It would probably be a very tempting offer for Ludwig. Since Zion, the vice commander and his superior, had spoken first, it wasn’t like he was asking for it himself, and if he led only a small number of soldiers to sort out the situation with the aim of avoiding battle, there wouldn’t be any major problems for Hispania. However, Ludwig finally shook his head and refused. He said that his mission in this war was to assist Vice Commander Zion Clausen, and that was the order that Commander Volko Ledenen himself had given.

“I understand, Ludwig. Go back to your position and announce the departure again. Now that we know the situation behind us is the worst, we’ll have to speed up even more. Be careful not to let anyone fall behind.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Everyone gathered here has heard about the situation, so be prepared. As soon as we enter the defense line, we’ll have to prepare for battle right away. The enemies have been aiming for our weaknesses, and the battle will proceed in a completely different way than before.”

At Zion’s words, the commanders nodded and stood up from their seats. While they were announcing the departure again, Zion patted the shoulder of the northern warrior who had run all day without rest to deliver the news.

“You’ve worked hard too. If you want to rest for a while, you can rest while moving with us.”

“Thank you for your kind words, but I have to go back right away. Now that I’ve delivered the situation, I’ll be able to deliver news through letters later.”

“Okay. If you go back, be sure to tell Zann if anything happened, and how badly Eos was injured. And tell them to avoid reckless fights and meaningless battles unconditionally. The enemies we’re going to face from now on are strong people from another dimension. It’s just going to increase the sacrifice exponentially if you stick to it for nothing, so tell them never to engage in battle.”

“…I understand. However, I wonder if they will listen to my words…”

Zion was also worried about that, so he was planning to send a separate letter. Originally, he was planning to arrive at the defense line and send a simple letter saying that they had arrived, but now he had to write a very long letter and send it. After sending the warrior back, Zion quickly retreated to the second defense line with the soldiers. If the defense line collapsed, the enemies would not want to see Hispania and Nudia cooperate to defend the second defense line. They had to cross the river and get to a safe place before the enemies caught up with them. While they were moving, news was delivered again from the rear ranks. Another messenger from the northern warriors had arrived.

“Zion Clausen, I have come in a hurry under Temujin’s orders. I had no choice but to send a messenger because I didn’t have the ability to even collect the hawk [messenger hawk] in the midst of the fierce battle.”

“I wondered why the messenger hawk didn’t fly. So, what happened? What’s the news over there?”

“The warriors tried to break through the encirclement and save our allies, but it was too much. The middle of the night, and the fog on top of that, was too fatal. Fortunately, the soldiers who were planning to retreat that night just before the enemy’s encirclement was completed succeeded in escaping, but the rest…”

“So.”

“They barely made a hole, and some soldiers from Hispania and Nudia escaped through it, but some were killed by the enemy’s pursuit. Those who joined our warriors and escaped to a safe place are about 1,000, excluding the soldiers who retreated first.”

“…A thousand?”

He wondered if he had misheard. The troops that remained behind to defend the defense line were 10,000 Nudia soldiers, and Hispania had almost the same number remaining in the rear. At the time, 5,000 of the Hispania army were preparing to retreat, so even if they were excluded, there were still more than 10,000 troops there. Of those more than 10,000 allied forces, only about 1,000 escaped the encirclement. In a single battle, more than 10,000 people died. No, this can’t even be called a war. A massacre, or a slaughter. Yes, that’s the right word to call it. A whirlpool of blood, in which so many people disappeared without a trace. Those who had been armed with all sorts of good and beneficial things until now, when they lost their composure and their hearts became twisted, ended up proving that they were exactly the same as the demons they had been cursing so much.

“More than anything, the situation is not over yet.”

“The situation is not over yet?”

“Those with wings on their bodies came in pursuit as soon as the fog cleared and dawn broke. Temujin and Baylor judged that it was to catch up with the soldiers who had retreated first, but it was too much, and Baylor was injured, and Temujin was just buying time while overcoming the crisis several times.”

“…So what’s the situation now?”

“We managed to buy time somehow, so we confirmed that the soldiers who retreated first had relatively safely escaped the attack range. And Baylor, who was injured, gathered the remnants who joined them and retreated behind them, and Temujin is leading the warriors to a place where the enemies can’t recklessly pursue.”

In a nutshell, the enemies were continuing their pursuit, and they were running away from it. They were creatures anyway, and they wouldn’t be able to wander around and kill people all day, so they would focus on moving as much as possible when they seized the opportunity to kill the enemy and break their morale. Zann immediately realized that and was using the mobility, which was the strength of the northern warriors, to continue luring the enemies to ‘force’ them to pursue.

‘Even if the Celestials fly around like pigeons, they can’t fly for long because they’re chicken pigeons [domesticated pigeons unable to fly long distances] in the first place. Zann seems to have realized that and is continuing to buy time.’

Zion hoped that she would buy more time so that the speed of the enemies would be reduced a little. The damage they had already suffered was too great, and more than the soldiers, Hispania seemed to have lost something important.

“Is there any news about Marquis Volko Ledenen? Words from those who succeeded in breaking through the encirclement and retreating, or even news.”

“There were Hispania soldiers who fought on Baylor’s side and somehow escaped, and one of them said that he had received Marquis Volko Ledenen’s will to be sure to convey this news to the main force.”

“…What happened to that person?”

At Zion’s question, the warrior paused for a moment and then carefully opened his mouth after hesitating.

“I’m not sure, but… the command was completely swept away as the formation collapsed. He said that at the moment he escaped, he no longer knew where to go due to the enemy’s fierce offensive.”

“…”

In their position, they no longer needed prisoners. Rather, it would be better to completely kill those who had directly seen and experienced their cruelty to shut their mouths. In addition, it would be the best way to create a sense of fear on this side.

“We are thinking that everyone on our side has died.”

At those words, Zion closed his eyes and slowly let out a long sigh. Ludwig and he had thought that it was possible, so they had to prepare themselves, but hearing it directly from someone else like this made him feel completely messed up. A feeling that he didn’t even want to express, literally ‘fucked up.’ That was exactly it.

“Are you going back too?”

“Yes. The front line is so unstable that the letter you sent first will not be enough. In addition, it would be good to inform the soldiers heading to the defense line of the direction, so I have to go back.”

“I always appreciate the hard work and sacrifice of the warriors, and I hope you will definitely convey that to Zann if you can.”

“I will. Isn’t it natural since it’s a request from Temujin’s fiancée?”

After saying that, the warrior turned his horse back towards the path he had come from without resting much. Even though he knew that he could be caught by the enemies and tortured to death while returning, he couldn’t find any signs of fear. As expected of the northern warriors, those who lived only by riding horses in the harsh wilderness.

“How is it? Is there any news?”

Lilith, who had slipped in while the soldiers were leaving and succeeded in disguising herself as a magician again, approached Zion and asked him that. She knew that Zion was quite close to Marquis Volko, so she said that out of concern for her man.

“…That must be his destiny.”

The words that Ludwig shouted in the novel, ‘I am happy to die for the country.’ Those very words. Marquis Volko probably muttered that and swung his sword until the very end. A man who was born a warrior and had no choice but to be one until he died. The nobleman who was recognized by Count Lichten as a loyal subject and knight of honor of Hispania, and at the same time a great commander, would have fought until the very end.

“The enemy’s counterattack is fierce. And it will get even worse. The top-tier Celestials are guys that even I can’t easily guarantee victory against. They are Celestials, but at the same time, they are the least Celestial-like.”

While shouting light, they unhesitatingly enter the darkness, and while defending justice, they do not hesitate to do injustice. While whispering benevolence and warmth, they eventually turn into a bloody appearance, wielding spears, swords, and maces when you approach them. That is the top-tier Celestial, the beings that some call the most noble and pure descendants of light.

“…Certainly, that counterattack is fierce. And quite, no. It hurts a lot.”

“Zion.”

“But, it’s not like we didn’t think about a counterattack.”

He had expected that they would explode like this someday. He had already prepared to counter that fierce flame and prevent it from burning again by responding to that counterattack, and it was probably progressing smoothly.

“The counterattack is not theirs. That word, that’s ours, Lilith.”

―――――――Author’s Note―――――――

Zion’s illustration….

Has been completed….

However, even with the illustration, his genius appearance could not be fully expressed…!