Chapter 168: Those Who Are About to Die
Baumgarten Territory, First Fortress. Inside the brick-built strategy room.
“Reporting! The first contingent of the national army, led by General Altmeier, has entered the Eastern Frontier Territory! They will now deploy a defensive line in conjunction with the territorial armies of each domain!”
“That was fast. As expected of Old Man-sama.”
“Amazing!”
At the report from the messenger soldier, who possessed the Telepath Gift, Cassandra and her guard, Susane, let out sighs of admiration.
“When will reinforcements arrive in Baumgarten?”
“The national army is expected to reach the Margrave Baumgarten Territory in four days.”
“Four days…”
We absolutely have to hold out in Baumgarten Territory for another four days…
Outside the strategy room, the battle was intensifying. The moat was already filling up with monster corpses, and it was uncertain when the castle gate might be breached.
With the bird’s-eye view-like vision granted by her Hawkeye Gift, Cassandra could see Orcs repeatedly ramming logs into the castle gate, attempting to break through.
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“Hold the gate! Soldiers above, prevent the gate’s destruction!”
Achim, the Commander of the Baumgarten Territory Army, shouted himself hoarse, encouraging his soldiers. However, that alone wasn’t enough to turn the tide of their disadvantage.
An explosion, the latest of an uncountable number, resounded, blowing away the Orcs who were trying to break the gate. But no matter how many Orcs were blown away, new ones carrying battering rams would simply appear.
The Baumgarten Army was forced into a difficult fight against the monsters’ offensive, which disregarded their own lives.
Are death-seeking soldiers truly this terrifying…?
A heavy feeling spread through Achim’s heart.
At this rate, the castle gate would be destroyed. If that happened, monsters would come pouring in all at once. That, at all costs, had to be prevented.
“Commander Achim! At this rate, the gate… Should we pull back the soldiers?”
“Zasha…”
“You must decide quickly.”
“Zasha, I’m sorry, but… I need you to die.”
Zasha’s eyes widened for a moment, but then she smiled.
Zasha understood. Achim was planning to repair the gate once it was breached.
The moment the gate was destroyed, someone would charge out from their side, scatter the monsters, and in that time, their allies would repair the gate. People who looked like carpenters were already waiting near the castle gate with bricks. They surely intended to stack the bricks and seal the gate.
However, Zasha had seen the flaw in this plan. The one who charged out the moment the gate broke had to be someone skilled enough to fight and scatter the monsters. And, because the gate would be sealed, that skilled person would not be able to return.
Achim was truly, not jokingly, ordering Zasha to die.
“If the plan is decided, then I am relieved.”
“I’m sorry…”
“No. We can’t let the Commander die. This Zasha shall meet her end in a blaze of glory.”
Perhaps because she had been an adventurer, Zasha had already steeled her resolve. She responded to Achim in her usual manner.
“Please take care of the Young Lord for me.”
“Leave it to me. I’m truly sorry…”
“It’s a good day to die. If you apologize so much, I’ll feel quite abashed.”
Zasha started walking towards the castle gate without showing any sign of hesitation. However, her steps would stop before she reached it.
“W-wait a moment, please…”
It was the lumberjack Zasha had seen once before. His figure, wrapped in bloodstained bandages all over his body, was painful just to look at.
The man spread his arms, blocking Zasha’s path.
“I ain’t smart like my younger brothers, so I can’t put it into words well, but what the Young Lord needs ain’t folks like me, but people like Achim and you, missy. That’s why you can’t die, missy!”
“That’s right. Can’t bear to see young’uns die. Leave that kinda thing to us old geezers.”
“Yep. We gotta protect Baumgarten until the Young Lord comes back.”
“The Young Lord will definitely come back. When he does, Baumgarten will be revived. What’ll be needed then are people like Achim and you, missy.”
“Won’t ya leave the dyin’ to us old geezers?”
As if responding to the lumberjack, five men had gathered. All of them were battered and bruised. Among them were some so grievously injured it was a wonder they could even stand.
“You all are…!?”
Achim recognized their faces. They were all men born in this Baumgarten. And they were men who knew the hopeless Baumgarten of the past. They were men who had witnessed Dietfried’s reforms with their own eyes.
“If Baumgarten survives, if only the Young Lord comes back, then everything will be alright. We won’t have to worry about our wives and kids anymore. We won’t have to fear starvation anymore. We won’t have to go through the misery of abandonin’ our own kids anymore. Right, Achim?”
“Yeah…”
Before he knew it, about ten men had gathered before Achim and the others. All of them were from this Baumgarten. They all wore the cheerful smiles peculiar to those who have already accepted death.
“Leave this to us. If we can’t do it, then you can count on the missy.”
“Yeah… Fare you well…”
“Yeah!”
The chances of success with them were low. But Achim couldn’t bring himself to trample on their resolve.