A Maiden’s Unwanted Heroic Epic
chapter-196

***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 196 Moon Mirror***

"Shit, are they insane? Don’t tell me their entire army is here."

Ledo cursed as he slashed the enemy soldier with his giant sword.

The fierce attacks of the enemy never ceased.

It was not just a harassment attack, the enemy was seriously aiming for the center.

What he saw after passing through the forest was a majestic brave battle line of the Alberan army.

A heavy rain of arrows.

Because it was such an unexpected night attack, the response was delayed, and the Elderant army was pushed all at once.

Against those who were openly aiming for a siege, a decent general would not think of breaking through the center.

If the enemy had faced even the slightest trouble, they would be surrounded and lost――it’s a mad move.

However, just because they thought so, they were caught off guard, and the Elderant Central Army was in a pinch.

The reason they were able to hold out was that the border between the two armies was a forest――a terrain favorable to Elderant, and that the Veeze hunting squad led by Ledo fought hard.

They ran left and right to stabilize the front that had been pushed in, preventing the army from collapsing――but even so, it could be said that they had lost ground.

If this continues, their disadvantages wouldn’t change.

Ledo made that decision and charged forward, planning a counterattack.

However, when he broke through the enemy line in the forest and came out of the forest, he saw an enemy line again――at least as many as the Elderant Central Army, and the enemy force, including those that had entered the forest, would surely exceed 40,000.

They must have left little reserve for Meeklea in the south or Arkaz in the north.

It was an all-out frontal assault.

The elite――Veeze hunting squad led by Ledo was also in turmoil.

"Ledo, this is impossible! We have no choice but to maintain the front line until Arkaz or Meeklea arrive! I'll take over..."

"You're going to die! Do you think after we push this far, they’re going to allow us to retreat easily!"

He immediately refuted Bez's words.

They had come this far by forcibly breaking through. If they simply turned around and left, they would be chased and many would die.

"I'm going to take the commander's head and leave! The flag is right there――let's go!"

The enemy was sending a large army into the forest on the border between the two armies.

The enemies in this grassland were mainly archers. The infantry line was thin.

The soldiers were tired.

However, they were Veeze's hunting squad.

They were the most elite of the great Veeze tribe, the best squad in Elderant.

They have sharpened their fangs on the battlefield, and ordinary enemies were no match for them.

"Get out of the way!!"

Leading the way was the Giant Sword Ledo.

He freely swung a large sword with a blade of five shaku, thick enough to be more like a board than a sword, wearing armor was meaningless in front of that blade.

He smashed spears, shattered shields, and took lives.

It was an intuition that could be called a beast's sense of smell that led him to attack the enemy's strong front rather than their weak points.

The opponent was an army led by the veteran Felworth Keithriton.

He instinctively understood that what appeared to be a vulnerable area was a fake, created intentionally, and was merely a lure.

He knew that if they went through there, they would be exposed to a storm of arrows from both sides.

He passed through the battle lines in one breath, and the flag he saw was the general's flag, not that of the corps commander.

He could see a female general giving instructions on horseback.

And she too recognized them and lowered her visor, which was painted with a face of indignation.

Jumping down from her horse, a long sword in her right hand and taking a steel shield to her left from a squire.

"Bez! Bite it all at once, shave off the left and right!!"

His instincts were right.

The enemy had prepared archers in the vulnerable areas.

If they had gone there, they would have been destroyed by the simultaneous fire.

However, the enemies were also shaken by the fact that their side overtook the enemy head-on――the enemy were one step behind their breakthrough.

If they attack the enemy general before the enemy archer commander could recover, the enemy would not be able to rain down arrows.

Ledo lunged forward――his posture low, and charged in all at once.

He stepped forward like a beast running on all four legs, right in front of the enemy general.

Twisting his whole body, he fluttered like a butterfly from there.

Swinging the giant sword around, he uses its inertia to step forward, dazzling the enemy, and sneaking around to the left of the enemy――bypassing the side of the raised shield in just a moment.

Then, with the same momentum, he used the centrifugal force to deliver a single blow.

He didn’t allow the opponent to parry anything. With all of his power, it crushes all the barriers in front of him, cutting it in half.

"――Don't underestimate me!!"

However, the enemy was also a commander of an army.

Instead of taking the option of running away from the sword mowing down, she stepped forward.

Twisting and bending her body――against it she also created a whirlwind.

She was not fazed by the pressure of Ledo's giant sword, and when she evaded the blade, her whole body drew a spiral.

Slamming the steel shield into Ledo's body.

In Lorca's swordsmanship, it was not a shield to protect oneself, but a weapon to crush and crush the enemies who stood in one way.

"Tsk!"

Instantly, Ledo gave up on the attack, kicked the blunt steel weapon, and somersaulted――keeping his distance.

"My name is Tekla Lemin! A noble of the Kingdom, defender of the people of Alberan and its shield. ...... Do not underestimate me as a woman, barbarian invader."

From inside the visor depicting anger came a hard voice that echoed through steel.

"Guess you’re not a general just for show huh. ...I don't intend to underestimate you. I've seen enough strong women to make me sick."

Ledo smiled as he thought of Shelna's face.

"I am Ledo of Rani, under the great tribe Veeze! I have no grudges against you or Alberan, but I’ll have you die he――!?"

He stopped moving when he heard a sudden explosion from behind.

The female general opposite him also showed a momentary tremor, and she immediately turned her attention to Ledo’s rear.

It wasn't a sound coming from the forest. Ledo, who was born and raised in the forest, wouldn’t mistake it.

The sound of branches and leaves shaking like ripples was definitely coming from beyond the forest, from the main camp.

"Ledo, the headquarters――"

"――I know!!"

Ledo yelled, bringing his giant sword forward in his hand.

However, the female general Tekrea leapt behind, opening the distance between them and raising her voice.

"Alberinea has arrived. Everyone, buy some time! There are only a few enemies, and there's no need to be afraid of the beasts that have come out of the forest. If we buy some time, this battle will be over."

"Tch..bastard"

"Ledo of Rani, I recognize your strength as a warrior...but unfortunately. I am not a beast but a soldier, shield of the weak. I have no intention of fighting a fair battle against a bloodthirsty beast that oppresses the weak and wields barbarism. ――Spear thrower! "

The sound of the wind was raised along with the signal.

Ledo moves forward while breaking the oncoming spear.

Tekrea retreated further, and Ledo took another step――

"Ledo, it's impossible! Don't push too far! It's an enemy attack, something is wrong with this situation. Remember why you left Zuren behind!"

However, with Bez's words, he gave up on pursuing further.

"The enemy's target is the main base――this isn't just a night attack! They're here to decide the outcome with some kind of magic! You should stand back now and protect Shelna-sama!!"

"But, Bez――"

"Suicide Corps, Follow me! Cut off the general's head right here!"

"You idiot, what are you doing――"

"Shut up! You go to Shelna-sama! Meeklea to the south will be coming this way, if I can hold out until then, I'll survive somehow!"

Bez thrusted his sword into the enemy soldier's chest and declared.

"No matter what happens, we can't lose Shelna-sama. You should go back first!!"

"...Damn it, Bez, I'll punch you later."

"Then I’ll pat you back, boy!"

Bez laughed and moved forward.

In this situation, the troops were divided――even if they were able to decapitate the enemy general, there was no way they would survive.

However, a surprisingly large number of soldiers chose to remain with him, and Bez led them, replacing Ledo, and heading towards the enemy general.

He couldn’t come back alive.

Clutching the huge sword so much that his hand bled, Ledo glared at the female general and turned around.

Ledo cut off the enemy soldiers in the rear and headed into the forest――to the main camp.

"Zuren!"

"...I'm fine. It's just a scratch."

"Hg..."

Blood was dripping from Zuren's left arm.

Blue flash and explosion.

The damage to the main camp was not great.

They were saved by the fact that the damage was concentrated not at the main camp, but at the line of battle in the rear.

But the cost――the confusion and damage was so great that even Shelna was shaken.

The battle line was blown away, and the few remaining main reserves were almost completely destroyed.

The remaining reserves were being used to maintain the front line in the forest ahead.

The main camp was almost completely exposed.

"Griffins…!"

Zigret, the head priest who survived unharmed, raises his staff and points it towards the sky.

The blue light shone off the magic crystal at the tip, and what was released was a flash of light――the magic crystal engraved on the priest's staff converts magic power and releases it as offensive particles.

The flash of light instantly pierced the wings of a griffin flying high in the sky, shooting one down.

Two men fell from it,

"...!?"

However, the griffin cavalry around them instantly moved and caught their body in the air.

The opponent was not just a mere griffin cavalryman.

Its operational proficiency――skilled warriors were holding the reins.

Probably all of them.

This is not something that can be accomplished overnight.

"...Kreisharana warrior."

Shelna's eyes widened and she murmured in shock.

The story that was passed down along with the ancient dragon's visit to the royal capital was that a messenger from Kreisharana visited Alberan, and relations between the two countries were restored.

It must be true.

Since they appeared on the battlefield like this, there was no room for doubt.

The Griffin Cavalry of Kreisharana, who once ruled the skies, was on Alberan's side.

"Those who survive, flee to the northern forest now!! Join up with the Kirs army and rebuild the main camp!! ――Zigret-sama, Zuren!"

"hg, as instructed! Leave behind anyone that can't move!"

The Griffin Cavalry was small in number.

However, they have unknown weapons, and there weren’t many of them here at their headquarters.

What would surely follow was the enemy's deadly attack――it would be naive to think that the main force alone could deal with it.

They need to hide in the forest for a while.

Restoring control was impossible in this situation――her decision was extremely quick.

They have no choice but to leave behind anyone who couldn’t move.

And her choice was the best, at least for that place.

With the bombardment of Bonjara, the black armored soldier and Suiko cavalry archer leaped out from the south side.

The plan was to direct the enemy attention to the Griffin Cavalry that flew from the west side, right behind the enemy's main camp, and attack the main camp from the right and south ――easily taking the head of the enemy general and destroy the main camp, but,

"Muu...they're running away fast. Gururun you can't just play around."

Krische pouted her lips and patted the Suikp on the neck.

The Suiko smashed the cranium of the enemy soldier who was rolled around with her paw.

The rest of the body twitched, but no one paid any attention to it.

This was not a battle, but a cleanup.

The soldiers in black armor proceeded through the encampment, putting the finishing touches on the wounded soldiers who were left behind.

"This quickness of judgment...we’re being read huh."

Krische lets the inorganic purple sparkle in the bonfire, looking at everything around her and capturing it.

The enemy fled quickly.

Normally, one would not abandon their headquarters and run away, but she was probably a general with excellent decision-making ability.

The quickness of her decision to immediately flee to the northern forest instead of the south.

And the enemy's force distribution――it was clear that the enemy was wary of a surprise attack from the rear.

The other party was completely aware of where Krische appeared and what they were aiming for.

Krische narrowed her eyes, thinking that it must be a ‘quite’ smart opponent.

However, the state of the main camp――even if they were noticed, it was at the last minute at most.

If they had realized this from the beginning, they would have added a little more thickness to their main force.

Only after making many guesses after the night attack, did the other party arrive at the correct answer.

Although the situation was still in chaos, the girl found a clear answer in an instant.

The enemy's footing was completely thrown out of whack by the bombing.

The immediate decision to retreat was a wise decision, but could restore order, there was no trap.

In short, the surprise attack turned into a pursuit.

"Krische-sama, we have finished processing the main camp flag."

She nodded at Dagra’s words and sighed that it's one more thing for her to do.

A bothersome opponent――she should kill her quickly.

"Krische wanted to put the enemy’s general neck here... but guess it can’t be helped."

While throwing the Banjara at enemy soldiers who came out from the eastern forest, for the time being the mopping up around the main camp was completed.

The bombs weren’t specifically designed for bombing.

Rather, its use was for encountering battles.

It was one of the remote attack methods provided to Black Flag Special Force.

Due to the fear of accidents, it is only held by squad leaders and above who are good at using magical power and have a certain level of composure, but in a situation like this where there are many encounters, a single shot could have a great psychological impact.

In the match against Gulshan, the thrower was crowded together, causing some failure, but it was a pretty good achievement for the first battle of hand-thrown Bonjara.

The enemy was unable to leave the forest due to fear of the unknown weapon.

"We're done, including dealing with the remaining enemies. The battle here is over and we're going to chase down the enemy general who ran away. The vanguard is Krische and Bald Eagle, the rear is anyone will do."

"Ha!"

"Gururun, over there."

More hassle. It was very unpleasant that they escaped.

However, it was only a matter of taking a little longer.

"Hi――!?"

The people running away were the elite of the main camp――but not all of them were magic possessors like the Black Flag Special Force.

It took only a moment for Krische to bite the rear of the main camp that had escaped.

Even magic possessors couldn’t escape from Suiko’s legs.

If the opponent was just a human being, it was the same as standing still.

Krische proceeded through the forest, being careful not to go too far ahead, and shot the fleeing soldier in the back.

For Krische, killing with a bow is no different from shooting at a practice target.

If the opponent had turned their back, she would not miss the target.

One, two, ten, twenty――

"Ooh, thirty. Ehehe, it sure is easy shooting from behind."

Krische jumped down and replenished her arrows from the corpses of the archers she had shot dead.

Elderant, who used a short bow, was very handy in these situations.

After seeing Dagra and the others catch up, she moved forward again. Krische repeated shooting at the target practice.

The soldiers of Black Flag Special Force stiffened their spines as they watched their commander ride atop the Suiko and mass-produce corpses.

There was not a single one missed. They just run.

If she drew her bow and released it, one person would die, and the bushes and darkness would become irrelevant.

Even those who hold their breath and hide turn into corpses.

Even the veteran ones, including Dagra, Couldn’t completely kill the fear that arises in their heart.

"Honestly, I find it even scary. How dreadful."

"...Krische-sama isn’t that kind of person

Dagra answered Waltza, who was running next to him and admiring the corpse.

"This is a battle――as a soldier on the battlefield, Krische-sama is just doing what is expected of her. ...However, Krische-sama is far too skilled at it."

She kills because there was an enemy. That was it.

As a military personnel, what she did was nothing out of the ordinary.

But Krische was a heresy that was too capable.

She didn’t even think of people as people and casually killed them.

A battle wasn't a battle, and what she did was always murder, not combat.

One-sidedly, mercilessly, ruthlessly.

"When I look back, I suddenly realize that all the brilliant military exploits, honor, and splendor of the battlefield were all just a lie. ...Krische-sama is the ideal that we soldiers aspire to, and that's precisely why she is so far removed from that aspiration."

Compete for something through violence.

Force unreasonableness through violence.

The ultimate essence of the act of war was that.

"A battle where we sacrifice our lives to each other――pride as warriors is just an afterthought after all. Krische-sama is right, she only sees the essence of war. And she will show off that essence. ...The true nature that we hide and refuse to see."

‘That's probably why it feels so scary’, Dagra continued.

The battle against the Holy Empire――the battle in the mountains.

Krische was truly a hunter.

She was the one who kills, not the one who was killed.

There was no difference between now and then.

She didn’t avert her eyes or run away from the unreasonable things that occur on the battlefield due to pretty words.

She looked at the battlefield more seriously than anyone else.

She realizes that war was a world ruled by mathematical logic, devoid of compassion or warmth, and simply a sludge created by human vices.

The longer you were with her, the more you knew her.

She was endlessly pure.

The reason they felt fear there was precisely because they felt as if they were being exposed to something that they had covered up with pretty words.

"More than anyone else, I curse myself for finding such Krische-sama so frightening."

Waltza looked at Dagra.

Then his eyes turned to Krische who was leading the way and continued to ‘shoot target practice’, and a scene from the past was reflected behind his eyelids.

‘……Hm. Krische wants to go back to the estate early and cook and have a tea party with Bery and Selene, so if you ask Krische what it's for, guess if it's for that purpose.''

What are you fighting for? The answer to that question.

She was a girl who smiles at the prospect of a happy future without any remorse, even though she was covered in blood, killing many people and taking away their lives.

She was completely out of place and insane――a blood-soaked innocent murderer.

Once you understood, it even felt refreshing.

But at that moment, Waltza didn't know how to express all the emotions that came to him.

A young girl who was pampered by her servants without worrying about her appearance in front of others――now she was just committing murder over and over again right in front of his eyes.

As she inhales and exhales, countless lives end as if it was only natural.

Someone's parents, someone's husband or lover, a famous hero or a coward.

Regardless of anything, without distinction.

On the battlefield, she wielded what was only proper.

――And like that, she spread death.

"…At least, the one who is truly terrifying is probably not that young girl."

If the world were kind, she would be endlessly kind.

"I finally understand why an honest and upright soldier like you swears such loyalty to Krische-sama. ...You don't really see her as a soldier huh."

She was simply a mirror.

What was reflected there was not her true nature.

"What I felt when my arm was cut off...must have been something close to that."

Waltza said and touched the prosthetic hand on his left arm.