Building A Human Empire By Creating A Clan [EN]: Chapter 131

I entered the tent barrack.

Calliope and Gerhard followed and took their seats.

“Attacking immediately after the duel wouldn’t have been bad.”

I pulled a bowl towards me on the table as soon as I sat down.

“The high-ranking commanders were wiped out right in front of them. Their morale must have plummeted. For a normal army, it wouldn’t be strange if they routed right then and there.”

The child in my arms reached out and rummaged through the bowl filled with nuts.

“But the enemy has a Hwanshin [a being with a god’s power].”

“That’s right.”

I nodded at Gerhard’s response.

Hwanshin Kuirau, with a god by their side, would their morale drop?

The shattered morale would be restored with just one shout from that guy.

“Without a commander, they’ll probably just charge mindlessly like Orcs or Goblins, but even so, they’re still very threatening to the current Imperial Army. If we clash on the plains, the damage will be considerable.”

It would be problematic if the damage was severe even after killing Kuirau.

We couldn’t let the Imperial Army be seen as an easy opponent.

I postponed the battle to create a more advantageous situation.

We decided to set up a defensive line and lure the enemy in.

“But the problem with this method is when the enemy will come. It could be a bad move that gives the enemy time to receive reinforcements.”

“Not if the enemy is impatient.”

So, I made the enemy run out of time.

By now, Koamick should have received the message.

That additional Imperial Army troops had arrived in front of the capital.

“The second supply unit was armed identically to the Imperial Army. Unless they engage, they won’t be able to tell it’s a disguise. And there won’t be any troops to engage.”

I aimed a knife at the capital, their heart, once again.

Could Koamick maintain his composure?

Gerhard smiled.

“Not only the capital but the entire rear is defenseless. He’ll probably think that the entire country might burn down if he doesn’t return quickly.”

Koamick was forced to choose between two options.

Immediately retreat to defend the rear,

Or immediately defeat me and take me hostage,

Either way, it was clear that he was running out of time.

“Now that Koamick is in a hurry, Kuirau must be just as impatient.”

Without Koamick, Kuirau would have to face me alone.

So, he would suggest a joint attack before Koamick chose to retreat. He’d say something like the capital might already be burning, it’s too late, it’s better to capture me instead.

“Tomorrow is the most likely day.”

“Yes. Tomorrow. The time when the impatient enemy will come.”

They’ll start the attack by targeting dawn.

Because that’s when the guard is the most lax.

“This is the battle to end this expedition. It’s that important, and it will be the fiercest, so be fully prepared to avoid mistakes.”

“We are always ready, Your Majesty.”

Gerhard bowed his head.

At that moment, the child pulled the bowl and spilled it.

Whirr—

“Ah—”

As the contents spilled from the bowl, the child in my arms panicked and flapped her small wings that had grown on her back.

“It’s okay. It’s alright.”

I stroked the child’s head, who didn’t know what to do. Then, the child looked up at me with surprised eyes and smiled.

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Transmitter

Mersephone

Lv. 1

Grade: SSS

Traits: [Subordinate], [Apostle]

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“No matter how I look at it, she’s just an ordinary child.”

Gerhard brought his face close to the child’s face.

“If we’re talking about grades, she’s higher than Calliope…”

I glanced at Calliope.

She stood behind me, quietly watching Mersephone.

Slap!

Mersephone’s small hand slapped Gerhard’s hairy cheek.

“Oh, did I startle you?”

Gerhard released the hand pulling his beard and stepped back.

“What are you going to do, Your Majesty? Judging by her appearance, Rachel would like her… but personally, I wouldn’t recommend leaving her to Rachel.”

“Well.”

Mersephone yawned widely, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and leaned her head against my chest.

I carefully stroked her back so that her wings wouldn’t fold, and read Mersephone’s traits.

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[Apostle]

Strengthens oneself with the power emitted by the master’s soul.

————————————

If the system isn’t lying, there must be something there.

Her traits are unusual.

Human Ranch (13)

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[Subordinate #%Possession]

[Grade: 7-Star]

[Creates a subordinate with mu$^wi.]

[The race of the subordinate created is fixed to *@&$(*.]

[The grade range of subordinates created at 7-Star is $&*#$ up to SSS.]

[*[email protected]^ Skill cooldown is 2 hours @[email protected]*&.]

[This @&*^!# grade can be raised to 성*@^( [email protected]&^.]

[Time remaining until next use: 5 minutes 29 seconds.]

————————————

The grade of the Subordinate Creation skill has increased.

It was the day before the final battle with Kuirau.

I thought it would increase during the expedition. The expedition was scheduled to last more than half a year, and if that happened, the skill grade would become 6-Star and more than a year would pass.

The expedition plan didn’t consider whether the skill grade would increase or not.

Because I didn’t know what kind of subordinate would come out with the skill.

You can’t leave the plan to luck.

————————————

Transmitter

Mersephone

Lv. 1

Grade: SSS

Traits: [Subordinate], [Apostle]

————————————

However, I was sure that at least an S-grade would be created.

There was a rule for the subordinates created when the skill grade increased.

‘S-grades and A-grades are created alternately.’

It wasn’t a rule specified in the system.

It was just a certainty that I had because it had been like this until now.

Since I had obtained the A-grade subordinate, Admiral Horatio, in the previous grade increase, it was time to create an S-grade this time.

[The grade range of subordinates created at 7-Star is $&*#$ up to SSS.]

In addition, the maximum grade at the time of creation had also increased, so there was a possibility that SS or SSS would appear.

‘I didn’t expect an SSS-grade to appear right away.’

Until now, the highest grade among the subordinates I had created was S-grade.

There were only three S-grades: Calliope, Pasiphae, and Skadi.

Only three out of thousands of subordinates.

The three people each had specialized talents.

‘Calliope is for combat, Pasiphae is for development, and Skadi is for administration.’

Is Mersephone for religion?

Looking at her traits and appearance, it seems she specializes in religion.

‘Religion…’

There were many subordinates specialized in religion.

Representative of them was Sister Rachel.

She is the head of the Public Church, which is almost the state religion.

————————————

Sister

Rachel

Lv. 71

Grade: C

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Rachel’s initial level was 37.

It had almost doubled, which was understandable.

She had assisted me during the conquest of Germania, captured several priests of the Wolf Church, and even after the conquest, she remained in Germania and played an active role in suppressing the Wolf Church uprisings.

‘But fundamentally, Rachel’s grade is C.’

There is no penalty for having a low grade.

It’s just an indication of what level they are when they are created.

Even so, the reason why I specifically mention the grade and level is because, compared to its size, the level of the members of the Public Church feels relatively low compared to other departments.

Looking at it that way, it should be said that Mersephone’s creation was appropriate.

There are several things to worry about to be completely happy.

“Koo…”

I looked at Mersephone, who was dozing in my arms.

Mersephone was a girl. A very young girl at that.

Her height didn’t reach my waist, and her speech was slurred.

Her age would be four at most?

This was the first time I had such a young subordinate.

‘Looking at her grade alone, she’s higher than Calliope. She’s suitable to be the head of the Public Church in place of Rachel. But her level and appearance are just those of a young child.’

Even if her appearance is young, I don’t know if her mind is that of a child, but Mersephone’s mind was no different from that of a young child. Her grade is the highest among the subordinates, but otherwise, she’s in the lowest situation.

How should I treat this child?

This was the worry I mentioned earlier.

————————————

[Apostle]

Strengthens oneself with the power emitted by the master’s soul.

————————————

At least her trait was relatively clear.

It can be interpreted as strengthening herself with the power of faith.

The questions that arise are whether the strengthening is temporary or permanent, and to what extent the strengthening is. It can be seen that the low level was set low because it can be strengthened with traits.

“Hmm.”

I was about to check her traits right away, but I stopped.

Isn’t there a final battle ahead?

It would be troublesome if something happened.

“Is she human?”

Gerhard asked, looking at Mersephone.

The wings on the back of the dozing child fluttered.

She shuddered as if she was dreaming.

“Probably.”

Because the Subordinate Creation skill only creates humans.

Although I’ve never seen a winged human.

###

Dawn.

A field covered in thick darkness.

But before long, the day began to break.

Kuirau’s army moved.

Sashak… Sashak…

Kuirau, who had lost the duel with Edar yesterday and pretended to accept the result, decided to launch a surprise attack targeting the end of dawn.

Because the time when dawn breaks is when security is the most lax.

They were exhausted from staying up all night, and it was the time when they were complacent that the sun would soon rise and the worry of a night attack would disappear, so Kuirau sent a reconnaissance unit targeting this time.

“Stop.”

The unit leader said quietly at the head of the reconnaissance.

The unit leader hid his presence and examined the Imperial Army’s camp.

The Imperial Army had set up camp behind the hill, and a wooden wall was built on top of the hill. The wall was two stories high, and a pit was dug in front of it like a moat.

The height of the wall and the depth of the pit were less than 1 meter, but considering it took a day to build, it was decent.

In particular, the wall was low in height, but instead, it had gunports on the first floor to deploy cannons. The design was intended to increase the effect of simultaneous fire by placing artillery on the first floor and riflemen on the second floor, rather than the defensive power of the wall itself.

“They made it very well.”

The unit leader frowned and muttered before lying down.

Three guards with torches were walking on the wall.

“Huh?”

One guard stopped walking and looked beyond the wall.

“What’s wrong?”

The other two guards followed his gaze.

All they could see was the fog that was thickly laid in the darkness.

“No, I heard something.”

“Sound? What sound?”

The guard put his hand to his ear and tilted his head.

Just then, a gentle breeze blew.

“Am I mistaken?”

The sound of the wind brushing past his ears muffled other sounds.

As the guard passed by, the unit leader let out a sigh of relief.

“That was close.”

However, once suspicion arises, it does not easily disappear.

The reconnaissance unit slowly advanced while lying on the ground.

Kuirau’s main force followed behind the reconnaissance.

‘We’re almost there. When I signal, we’ll break in immediately.’

The distance between the reconnaissance and the camp was only about a hundred meters.

They just needed to get a little closer. The purpose of the reconnaissance unit was not simple reconnaissance. Their purpose was to seize the wall by surprise and neutralize it so that it could not respond to fire until Kuirau’s main force arrived.

If they engaged in close combat, the Imperial Army’s new weapon that had annihilated the cavalry in the first battle would not be able to exert effective firepower. Kuirau’s victory was certain.

‘Prepare!’

The reconnaissance unit, which had approached close to the ground, was about to stand up when,

Thud!

A drum sounded.

“What…”

The reconnaissance unit leader widened his eyes.

‘The wall, it’s higher?’

No.

It was humans standing on the wall.

So many humans that they filled the wall.

The Imperial Army’s riflemen aimed their guns at the reconnaissance.

‘It’s a trap!’

The Imperial Army’s response was faster than the thought could be spoken.

“Fire!”

Ta-ta-ta-ta-tang!

The riflemen fired a volley.

The reconnaissance unit had approached the camp while lying down.

As a result, the reconnaissance soldiers were not prepared at all. To the riflemen looking down from the wall, the reconnaissance lying down was just an easy target.

Hundreds of reconnaissance soldiers were pierced by bullets.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

At the same time, field guns and siege guns also fired shells.

The shells were aimed not at the reconnaissance unit but at the main force behind them.

“Aaaaaaaaaaa!”

“It’s a trap!”

What good would it do to scream belatedly?

The Imperial Army poured out a volley and immediately began reloading.

This moment was the Imperial Army’s most vulnerable moment, but Kuirau’s army hesitated to charge. This was because arrows were pouring down like rain.

Shu-shu-shuk!

Archers fired arrows from behind the wall.

There were many arrows falling to the ground because they were not aiming at the enemy. However, it was enough to stop the enemy’s charge, which had fallen into mental confusion.

Because Kuirau’s army had lost all of its high-ranking commanders the day before.

They had promoted those who were only centurions as a temporary measure. They were able to prevent the command vacuum for the time being, but it was impossible to skillfully command ten or a hundred times as many soldiers as they had previously commanded overnight.

“Don’t panic!”

“It’s a trap! We’re the ones who fell into the trap!”

“W-what should we do? Should we continue the attack?”

The commanders hesitated as the surprise attack failed.

Should they continue the battle?

Or should they retreat?

“You morons!”

At that time, Kuirau shouted.

“What are you doing! Attack immediately!”

The magic-filled shout stirred up the wind.

The wind whipped the skin like a whip and cleared the fog.

The fog disappeared as the sun was rising on the horizon, and the Imperial Army’s camp, which was a few tens of meters away, was clearly visible.

The fact that the destination was closer than they thought and the uplifting feeling caused by Kuirau’s power calmed the confusion.

“Kuirau-nim [Kuirau-sama, showing respect] has spoken!”

A commander of ten thousand shouted.

“Kill all the humans!”

“Kill them all!”

Then other commanders of ten thousand and commanders of a thousand also shouted.

Kuirau’s entire army began to charge at once.

Even the commander of the reserve unit, who should have been watching the situation and deployed to the vulnerable front lines, was recklessly ordering the charge like a warrior at the forefront due to his limited command experience.

“The gods desire it!”

30,000 Lizardmen rushed towards the Imperial Army’s wall.

Ta-ta-ta-ta-tang!

Boom! Bang! Bang!

The artillery, which had finished reloading, fired a second volley.

The Lizardmen army, which had reached close range, suffered even greater damage than before, and the front row literally disappeared. However, unlike before, the back row did not hesitate and ran and jumped into the pit.

“Kill the humans!”

They stabbed the wall with their sharp claws and climbed onto the wall.