Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 231

231.

Olivia’s aura showed no mercy, striking down soldier and knight alike.

Bang-! Bang-!

The traps Lillian had set detonated in a relentless barrage.

Caught between the explosions and Olivia’s relentless attacks, the Allied Kingdom soldiers lost all will to defend their supplies.

As some soldiers broke ranks and fled, fear spread like a plague, and soon, nearly all of them threw down their swords.

“I… I surrender!”

The knights fared no better.

Olivia halted her sword.

“Drop your swords! Spare those who surrender!”

*Even if the operation succeeds and you achieve a great victory, do not think about seizing the supplies. Do not take prisoners either. Burn and eliminate everything in that place.*

Ken’s words echoed in her mind, but Olivia couldn’t bring herself to strike down the soldiers who had surrendered.

Still, she had no intention of claiming the supplies.

“Burn all the remaining supplies!”

The knights and soldiers hastily set fire to the piles of provisions.

With the traps still detonating sporadically, it didn’t take long for everything to be engulfed in flames.

“Take the prisoners and return to Grenian!”

Hamilton rushed to Olivia’s side.

“Commander, we must abandon the prisoners.”

Olivia frowned.

“Abandon the prisoners?”

“The enemy camp is close to the border. They must already know about the surprise attack and will surely send reinforcements. If we don’t move quickly, our path back to Grenian could be cut off.”

Olivia bit her lip.

*If we don’t take the prisoners, they will all die.*

Since they failed to protect the supplies, the commander of the reinforcements would likely execute the surrendered soldiers.

Olivia sighed and nodded, her face grim.

“Abandon the prisoners.”

Hamilton sighed in relief.

*If the Crown Princess takes prisoners, make sure she abandons them. When you tell her to abandon them…*

As soon as Hamilton conveyed Ken’s instructions, Olivia abandoned the prisoners without further hesitation.

Hamilton began to suspect that Ken had foreseen this entire scenario.

*Amazing.*

Hamilton took the lead, his expression determined.

Since the enemies were likely blocking the main roads, they would have to take a less obvious route back.

“We’ll run at full speed until we reach the mountains, then we’ll proceed stealthily.”

Olivia nodded, her voice firm.

“Everyone, follow the vice-commander’s orders. I’ll cover the rear.”

Hamilton blurted out, concern etched on his face.

“Your Highness!”

“Is there any knight here stronger than me?”

No one dared to challenge Olivia’s assertion.

Olivia repeated her command to Hamilton.

“Hurry and depart.”

“Yes.”

Hamilton had no choice but to lead the way, his worry still evident.

They immediately set off at a terrifying pace.

Each of them was a seasoned knight, so they kept up with Hamilton’s speed without difficulty.

Olivia brought up the rear, constantly scanning their surroundings.

*Hamilton is a truly invaluable asset to His Highness.*

Olivia had come to this realization after working closely with him.

Hamilton was far more than just the leader of an intelligence unit.

Despite having spent his entire life in the West as a former slave, he seemed intimately familiar with the geography of the entire continent.

He knew every path, every mountain pass, every hidden river crossing, even those unknown to the locals.

“The mountains are close! Once we enter the mountains, it will be nearly impossible for the enemies to track us, so run with all your might!”

Hamilton’s words spurred the knights to push themselves even harder.

Olivia was no exception.

Now that the operation was a success, it was time to fulfill the promise she had made to Arun.

*You must return safely.*

Olivia remembered Arun’s earnest plea and mustered her remaining strength.

The mountains were now clearly visible in the distance.

A faint smile touched Olivia’s lips.

This special forces operation had been a resounding success.

* * *

Back at the castle, a commotion erupted in the enemy camp.

I turned to Ken, a grin spreading across my face.

“It seems Olivia succeeded in her mission.”

Ken nodded, still practicing his sword swings.

“Yes, it appears so. The enemy is clearly agitated.”

I smiled broadly.

“The beginning, at last.”

“They will undoubtedly send for more supplies soon.”

Just then, a retreat signal echoed from the enemy camp.

The knights and soldiers attacking the castle walls began to withdraw, and the barrage from the mages and elementalists ceased.

Our soldiers erupted in cheers.

I plopped down wearily on the castle wall.

“It’s dangerous up there.”

Ken said, sitting down beside me.

“What about you, then?”

“I’m a knight; I can easily jump down from this height. But you, Your Highness, would likely break your legs.”

“I have spirits to protect me; I’ll be fine.”

Ken watched the enemy forces retreat, a thoughtful expression on his face.

“They must be feeling the pressure. Right now, they’re probably only focused on the loss of supplies. But commanders often overlook something crucial.”

“What’s that?”

“That soldiers are also people.”

“People?”

“People who need to eat and relieve themselves to survive.”

Ken’s smile deepened, a hint of something unsettling in his eyes.

“The Allied Kingdom replenished their supplies every three days. But did they eat well and sleep soundly during those three days? Not at all.”

I pondered this, a frown creasing my brow.

Ken elaborated, his voice low.

“The Allied Kingdom soldiers were receiving only the bare minimum of supplies. They were practically starving by the last day of each three-day cycle. In other words, three days is the absolute maximum they can endure with the supplies they receive.”

“I see.”

“Since the supplies are gone, they will continue to starve. They’ve already gone one day without food; tomorrow will be two, and the day after that, three… Soldiers are not knights. After just three days, many of them will collapse without even being attacked.”

Ken’s smile was now undeniably eerie.

*I’m glad he’s on my side.*

I was increasingly grateful to have Ken as an ally.

“They won’t have the strength to mount a serious attack. The initial wave is over, and from now on, they will have to focus on replenishing their supplies, which will naturally divide their forces.”

Ken stood up, stretching his limbs.

“Two days.”

“Two days?”

“Yes. They will only pretend to attack for about two days and then retreat. When that happens, we can open the castle gates and strike.”

Ken paused, his gaze intense.

“I’ve asked Lillian to set up traps in two locations. The first is a trap to detonate any remaining supplies they might try to salvage, and the second is a trap targeting the retreating enemies.”

* * *

“We must retreat.”

Jane shook her head, her eyes blazing with defiance at Karen’s words.

“The number of enemies has decreased by more than half since the beginning! And you’re suggesting we retreat?”

“All the supplies have been destroyed.”

“Our soldiers are accustomed to hardship. They won’t be unable to fight simply because they go hungry for a few days. And, above all, Karen… you are here.”

Jane took a deep breath and gripped Karen’s shoulders firmly.

“With you here, we can still win this.”

Karen shook her head, her expression troubled.

“No. The High Priest has sent a messenger. He commands us to retreat immediately.”

“The High Priest?”

Karen responded to Jane’s questioning gaze.

“Yes. He has ordered me to return to the South with all haste. The root of evil is there.”

“The root of evil, you say?”

“The Emperor.”

Jane’s face hardened, her eyes narrowing.

“The Emperor himself has gone south?”

“The Second Prince has converted to the Order. The High Priest has personally instructed him. The Second Prince, deeply moved by the teachings, is advancing with a force of devout Southerners, and the Emperor has gone south to stop him.”

Jane frowned, absorbing Karen’s explanation.

“Does this mean we must retreat without achieving our objectives, despite the sacrifices we have made here?”

“If we can eliminate the root of evil—the Emperor—we can prevent this war from escalating further.”

“It is the High Priest’s decision, so we have no choice but to obey.”

Jane sighed, resignation creeping into her voice.

“Retreating will not be easy. And when you leave… you must do so secretly, under the cover of night.”

“Yes.”

“You must depart without the soldiers even noticing. If they realize you are gone, their morale will plummet.”

Karen bowed her head, her voice filled with conviction.

“I will surely eliminate the root of evil and help the alliance achieve its grand purpose with the Order.”

* * *

Ken’s predictions proved remarkably accurate.

The enemy forces were still engaging in attacks, but their efforts lacked their previous intensity.

The mages’ spells were weak, and the elementalists’ spirits seemed to drift aimlessly.

They avoided direct assaults on the castle walls, relying primarily on archers.

Defense was easy.

The soldiers had little to do, and I could manage the defense adequately by simply deploying the highest-grade spirits while sitting atop the castle wall.

“Even if they are only pretending, they are making it painfully obvious that they are about to retreat.”

I nodded in agreement with Ken’s observation.

“That’s right. Not only the soldiers but also the knights appear restless and impatient.”

“It’s time to slowly open the castle gates and prepare to strike. Once the Crown Princess arrives, we will advance immediately.”

“Good. By the way, what about Lillian?”

“She is still engrossed in her studies of the 9th Circle.”

After her battle with Karen, Lillian had retreated into a self-imposed seclusion, dedicating herself entirely to her training.

Ken paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

“Hmm… If Lillian were to join us, we could potentially push all the way to the Allied Kingdom’s capital, but that is a risky proposition.”

“Is it not possible without Lillian?”

“It would simply result in fewer casualties if she were present.”

“Well, there is no denying that our strength would be significantly augmented with Lillian at our side.”

I recalled the highest-grade spirits to the spirit realm, as the enemy forces were clearly withdrawing.

“Have Hamilton infiltrate the enemy camp today.”

I shook my head, disagreeing with Ken’s suggestion.

“We cannot deceive Karen’s watchful eyes. It is far too dangerous.”

“It appears that Karen is no longer in the enemy camp.”

I turned to Ken, surprised by his statement.

“Karen?”

“Karen has demonstrated overwhelming divine power in several attacks.”

“That’s right. She held off two Sword Masters and one highest-grade elementalist single-handedly.”

“Karen was the pillar that allowed the Allied Kingdom soldiers to endure, even in the face of starvation. Not Jane, but Karen.”

“Indeed, she displayed a level of skill comparable to His Majesty’s divine power.”

“Even if they have decided to retreat, their morale has clearly plummeted. The scarcity of food alone cannot account for such a rapid decline. Such a dramatic drop in morale can only be explained by Karen’s departure.”

I asked urgently, my voice laced with anticipation.

“Then, what if we open the castle gates and attack right now?”

“We need to confirm her absence definitively. That is why I have requested that Hamilton infiltrate the camp.”

I nodded, acknowledging the wisdom of Ken’s strategy.

Ken’s insight had never been wrong thus far.

*Even if Karen is still there, Hamilton will find a way to escape.*

I had unwavering faith in Hamilton’s abilities.

He was the one who had infiltrated a city teeming with enemies and beheaded a Sword Master.

“Okay. I will summon Hamilton.”

Ken acted immediately.

Before long, Hamilton arrived at the castle wall where I was waiting.

“Your Highness, you requested my presence?”

“The strategist has briefed you on the situation, correct?”

Hamilton nodded, his expression serious.

“Yes.”

“Is it possible?”

“It is possible.”

“If you infiltrate the enemy camp and confirm that Karen is indeed absent, withdraw immediately.”

“Of course.”

I clapped Hamilton on the shoulder, offering him a gesture of encouragement.

“We will depart soon.”

“Select the subordinates you wish to accompany you and take them with you.”

“It is easier to travel alone. I am not undertaking any mission within the enemy camp, merely confirming the presence or absence of their commander.”

Ken interjected, his voice firm.

“If Karen’s absence is confirmed, conceal yourself near the enemy camp and send a signal. When the signal is received, we will open the castle gates and launch our attack immediately.”