My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 239

239. The War Begins (2)

The war between Ruben and Elandur had truly begun.

The war, which everyone had half-expected, finally erupted with Ruben’s preemptive strike.

And the news spread quickly throughout the Empire.

As a result, the Empire’s political landscape was completely overturned.

“I had half expected it…”

“To think they would really start a war…”

Everywhere in the Empire, the related stories never ceased.

“I think Count Cyan has miscalculated this time…”

“I agree… I think the same.”

And most people predicted Ruben’s defeat.

Ruben’s forces numbered less than 3,000.

Ruben’s military strength was truly unbelievable.

It was almost as likely as hitting a rock with an egg [a futile endeavor].

“Maybe it was just for show.”

“This war won’t be that long, I think.”

People thought it was just a show of showmanship.

That’s why they thought the war wouldn’t last long.

The war began amidst such predictions.

And the news that followed completely defied people’s expectations.

“Elandur’s forces… were, were annihilated?”

“Not Ruben’s forces?”

Elandur’s defeat.

No, it wasn’t just a defeat.

“N-Nine baronies and four viscountcies have already fallen?”

“Does that mean… Elandur’s territory has been captured?”

“T-This is absurd…!”

“How long has it been since they mobilized their troops…?”

It was a complete rout.

In layman’s terms, it was a snap [an easy victory].

Ruben was relentlessly pushing up the front lines.

“I-Impossible…”

“Oh, my goodness…”

The entire Empire was plunged into shock in an instant.

Who was Elandur, after all?

One of the two pillars supporting the Empire.

A prestigious family that had solidified its position for hundreds of years.

A family with absolute power that even the Imperial family could not control.

That Elandur was collapsing.

To none other than Ruben, a newly emerging family and territory.

Moreover, not many troops were mobilized.

Only 2,700.

It didn’t even take 3,000 troops to destroy Elandur’s centuries-old stronghold.

“N-No way… This can’t be real, right?”

“This makes no sense…!”

People didn’t know how to accept this fact.

As the entire Empire was turned upside down and in shock.

The dark city, Venerer.

And a shabby house located in the darkest area of Venerer.

“Chieftain Karis disappeared two months ago.”

Hres continued his report to someone ahead of him.

And the person Hres was reporting to.

A silver-haired woman who seemed to hold the moonlight.

The Guild Master of Shadow Moon, Diana.

“……”

Diana showed no reaction.

As if she had no interest in Hres’s report.

More precisely, as if asking why he did such a useless thing.

Diana simply wore an indifferent look.

Regardless of Diana’s feelings, Hres continued his report.

“Two months ago, Karis left the kingdom saying he had to meet someone. Additionally, this happened after Karis met the Guardian.”

In an instant, a different light flickered in Diana’s eyes.

Hres’s report that Karis had met the Guardian.

That was a contradictory report to what Pavel had said when he came the other day.

Pavel had clearly said that the Guardian had not met with the beastmen for several years.

Perhaps noticing Diana’s question.

“What Elder Pavel said is true. The Guardian has not met with any of the beastmen for several years. The meeting just before Chieftain Karis disappeared was the only exception.”

Hres continued his report calmly.

“We have not been able to find out why the Guardian refused to meet. And we have not been able to find out why the Guardian, who had not met with anyone, suddenly met with Chieftain Karis.”

“……”

“However, it is said that Karis went outside the kingdom more frequently after meeting the Guardian. Then, suddenly, he said he had to meet someone, and this time he left the kingdom saying he would be gone for a long time.”

“……”

“We have not been able to find out what the purpose of this was, or who he met. However, we were only able to find out that the person Karis wanted to meet was a human woman.”

And so, Karis left the beastmen’s kingdom.

“Since then, Karis has not returned.”

The circumstances of the beastmen that have not been revealed to the world.

But is it because it is Shadow Moon, the best information guild in the Empire?

Hres’s report was very detailed.

Of course, it wasn’t just because it was the best information guild in the Empire.

“……”

Diana still had no reaction.

Only an indifferent and uninterested gaze was directed at the air.

Hres slowly opened his mouth once more.

“If we only look at this, it was just a simple missing person case. It was strange that the target was Karis… but I still thought it could be.”

The chieftain of the beastmen, Karis.

It was a really big problem that such Karis had disappeared.

However, it was a problem that could be thought of as, ‘Something must have happened to Karis personally.’

There was no reason for Diana to care.

But Hres’s report continued.

“Circumstances have been detected that Elandur was involved.”

This was not something that could be passed over with the words, ‘It could be.’

Elandur was involved in this.

The beastmen disappeared from the world hundreds of years ago.

But how did Elandur know about this and get involved?

Above all, Elandur was currently at war with Ruben.

In the midst of war, they have the power to interfere in other matters?

Ruben, who is pushing up the front lines with unstoppable force.

Elandur was in a situation where it was difficult to even turn his eyes elsewhere.

“······!”

Diana’s eyes widened slightly.

Contrary to the fact that she had not shown any reaction until now, Diana’s eyes were looking at Hres.

“Kai Elandur moved along with the White Wolf Knights. At first, I thought it was because of the war with Ruben… but the movement was very strange.”

So Hres tracked the White Wolf Knights.

And the fact he discovered at the end of the chase.

“The White Wolf Knights were looking for the kingdom of the beastmen.”

With those words, Hres bowed his head.

And Diana was still silent.

The sudden disappearance of the beastmen’s chieftain, Karis.

Elandur’s sudden suspicious movements.

If Hres’s report was true… it was safe to say that Elandur was involved in Karis’s disappearance.

I don’t know if there is a direct connection.

But it was clear that they were related in some way.

There was no way Elandur would suddenly look for the kingdom of the beastmen.

There was no way Karis would disappear so subtly at that time.

I don’t know why.

I don’t know the exact circumstances.

But if Elandur is really looking for the kingdom of the beastmen.

And if Elandur is thinking of doing something to the kingdom of the beastmen.

“……”

To be honest, there was nothing Diana could do.

There was nothing Diana could do to help in front of Elandur.

The two pillars supporting the Empire.

The absolute power family that has maintained its stronghold for hundreds of years, Elandur.

Even Diana herself could not handle her current situation right now.

Shadow Moon, the best information guild in the Empire.

Shadow Moon was on the verge of being dismantled due to Elandur’s pressure.

That’s why Diana had to hide like this.

However, perhaps because of the war, the pressure has now eased.

So if Elandur stepped in, that was the end of it.

No one can stand against Elandur.

That was a fact that hundreds of years of history had proven.

But why?

“……”

Diana kept thinking of one name in her head.

The name of some crazy bastard who boldly declared war on Elandur.

And the name of a family that is now pushing up the front lines with unstoppable force.

There is no one on the continent who can stand against Elandur.

And there is no reason for Diana to interfere in the affairs of the beastmen.

Luna no longer exists.

I am now the Guild Master of Shadow Moon, Diana.

But I am now.

“……”

What am I worried about?

Why am I thinking this way?

A long silence followed.

“… I should meet Count Cyan Ruben once.”

Diana’s tightly closed mouth opened.

#

A territory that has been devastated.

“We have completely captured the Estis Viscountcy.”

Cyan nodded calmly at Lucas’s continued report.

16 barons and 8 viscounts under Elandur.

By capturing the Estis Viscountcy, Ruben was able to capture a total of 9 baronies and 5 viscountcies.

As a result, it was as good as destroying more than half of Elandur’s forces.

And it took less than a week.

It took less than a week for Elandur’s centuries-old stronghold to collapse.

And the reason why that was possible was, of course.

“There are no problems with the Singijeon [rocket arrow launchers], right?”

The firepower of the Singijeon played the biggest role.

A strategic weapon that mercilessly assaults castles, the Singijeon.

In front of the Singijeon’s arrows, the concept of defending a castle was meaningless.

A castle built of mere bricks could not serve as a barrier.

Would it matter if it was built of steel, let alone bricks?

I don’t know, but it seemed like Ruben’s barrier, ‘You Can’t Pass! Titanium Book Lv.7′ would have to be in place to have any meaning.

Therefore, the process of war was simple.

The Singijeon’s firepower destroys the castle walls.

After that, Ruben’s soldiers and knights enter and sweep away.

In fact, the Singijeon was the Singijeon, but Ruben’s forces played a decisive role.

Ruben’s forces were on a different level.

They could not withstand close combat, let alone sieges to climb the castle walls.

In addition, there was a strong magic corps supporting the rear.

The castle was captured in an instant.

In layman’s terms, it was a snap [an easy victory].

But that was no longer possible.

From some point on, Ruben’s advance speed gradually slowed down.

First of all.

“Where is Amelia?”

It was because they needed time to receive supplies.

The speed of supply could not keep up with the speed of advance.

The Singijeon’s arrows needed to destroy the castle walls were considerable.

Although they indiscriminately assaulted the castle, the materials consumed were also almost assault level.

Of course, the dwarves in Ruben were producing them with a 1+1 special event [buy one get one free].

But the time it took for the supplies to arrive could not be helped.

“They said they departed immediately after receiving supplies from Ruben. I think it will take about a day.”

It was necessary to adjust the speed of advance.

Also, the supply problem was a supply problem, but the soldiers also needed rest.

No matter how easy the battle was, war was war after all.

It was natural for the soldiers’ physical and mental strength to be consumed.

“Tell the soldiers to rest well today. The supplies will come tomorrow, so give them plenty of the remaining food.”

In many ways, it was time to stop the advance and take a rest.

“I understand.”

Lucas bowed his head sharply at Cyan’s order.

Then he slowly left his seat as if to give instructions.

Cyan looked at Lucas and turned his head again.

The soldiers were cleaning up the wreckage of the destroyed battlefield.

Contrary to his worries, the war was going smoothly.

It was an inevitable war that caused damage, but so far there was nothing that could be called damage.

The situation was going smoothly and as desired.

It was a truly ideal situation.

‘It’s strange…’

However, Cyan could not shake off the thought that something was strange.

‘Why is there still no movement?’

That’s because Elandur was too quiet.

Currently, half of Elandur’s vassals had been annihilated.

Of course, Elandur itself was still intact.

However, the annihilation of the forces was a fatal blow to Elandur.

So they had to take action at this point.

They had to move before they were gradually defeated one by one like this.

Aeron, the commander of the White Wolf Knights.

Kai Elandur, the eldest son of Elandur.

And Durak, the number one sword in the continent.

Elandur’s elite forces had to show their faces.

But they had not shown their faces until now.

Not only the elite forces, but even the White Wolf Knights were nowhere to be seen.

‘Is Elandur’s situation this bad?’

Of course, considering Cyan’s embezzlement and the theft of slush funds.

Considering that they were struggling with the budget, he could understand to some extent.

‘It shouldn’t be this bad?’

Still, it wasn’t this bad.

Of course, if it was any other ordinary family, Cyan would have nodded.

But Elandur was not an ordinary family.

Above all, Cyan had served as Elandur’s deputy administrator.

Elandur’s potential does not collapse this easily.

If they were going to be destroyed so easily, they would have been destroyed 200 years ago.

It wasn’t for nothing that they were called a centuries-old stronghold.

But Elandur was not taking action.

Even though their base was being devastated like this, they were not taking any action.

No, to be precise, they had taken action.

It was just that the action was nothing more than a trick.

“Th-Thank you! Ruben soldiers, thank you so much!”

“We thought we were going to die…”

“Th-Thank you for saving us!”

People were bowing their heads repeatedly to Ruben’s soldiers.

They were none other than Elandur’s people.

It happened when Cyan captured this viscountcy.

Elandur suddenly began to use ordinary people as shields.

Usually, when a territory war breaks out, ordinary people are evacuated to a safe place.

Regardless of the outcome of the territory war, the people are the people.

And the attacking side does not touch ordinary people.

They were innocent people.

It was not stipulated by the Imperial Law, but it was an unwritten rule.

But Elandur was not.

Elandur used the people as shields.

Because of that, Cyan could not easily use the Singijeon in this battle.

The Singijeon’s arrows do not distinguish between friend and foe.

If the Singijeon was used, the damage to ordinary people would be beyond words.

Of course, he could ignore all that and launch an attack.

That’s what war was like.

A history written with blood and slaughter.

There were no means or methods in war.

‘Still, that’s not right.’

But Cyan didn’t do that.

It wasn’t just a matter of ethics and morality.

This was bound to have a significant impact on the morale of the soldiers.

Ruben’s soldiers took up swords to protect Ruben.

Ruben was a gathering place for those who were oppressed and abandoned by the world.

The human territory residents, including Grayson, were from Elandur.

The dwarf territory residents, including Semir, were from the same race.

Everyone in Ruben, including Asrandiz, had such pain from the world of dark elves.

Everyone in Ruben had such pain.

Ruben took up swords in the pain that no one reached out to.

Because they didn’t want to give such pain to their families.

Because they didn’t want their children to grow up in such pain.

They risked their lives and never refused hard work.

That’s how Ruben’s swords and shields were made.

But that sword is directed at innocent people?

That shield does not protect the powerless?

They do the same thing as those who abandoned them?

Of course, they were people in a hostile relationship.

So they could do that once or twice.

But that would gradually eat away at the soldiers’ minds.

And it was clear that it would eventually destroy the soldiers.

It will destroy not only the soldiers but Ruben itself.

‘This is not a problem worth considering.’

Above all, Cyan didn’t like it either.

The speed of advance was slowing down, but Cyan didn’t mind.

‘They committed such crazy짓 [짓 is a Korean word meaning action or deed, often used in a negative context, implying a foolish or bad act]…’

He was only concerned about Elandur, who used this strategy.

No, this couldn’t even be called a strategy.

It was just sacrificing innocent people.

It was an unacceptable inhumane act.

But the fact that Elandur committed this insane act.

It could be seen as an act with one clear purpose.

‘Are they trying to buy time?’

To slow down Ruben’s advance speed.

Thereby trying to buy time.

And that means.

‘Are they preparing something?’

It could be thought of like this.

It could be a simple speculation, but Cyan didn’t think so.

Elandur’s elite forces, who don’t even show their faces.

It was certain that they were hiding something.

‘The problem is what that is…’

There was no way to know right now.

For now, the only thing he could do was to increase the speed of advance.

But even that was difficult because they were using the people as shields.

Fortunately, Sera’s magic corps was there.

If not, this battle would have been quite difficult.

“Hmm…”

Deepening worries.

It was then.

“Um… Lord.”

A voice calling Cyan was heard.

Cyan turned his head and saw a man with a sharp impression.

“Kerner?”

It was none other than Ruben’s assassination instructor, Kerner.

Kerner made a decisive contribution to the kidnapping of important figures in this war.

Kerner showed the aspect of a special assassin.

“It’s not that, but there’s someone who wants to see you, Lord.”

“Huh? Me?”

Kerner nodded slightly.

He wondered what he was talking about suddenly in this war.

And judging from the atmosphere, it didn’t seem like it was someone from Ruben.

In the first place, if it was someone from Ruben, there was no reason for Kerner to deliver it like this.

They could just come directly.

He wondered who it was for a moment.

“That is…”

Kerner carefully opened his mouth.