Chapter 14: Demon’s Lair – 19
As the sun rose the following morning, the Marquis’s army organized their formation and advanced to within approximately 500 meters of the castle walls.
It seemed this was just within the effective range of large crossbows (ballistae).
Similar to the previous battle, around a hundred cavalry, including the Marquis, headed toward the castle walls.
This was a customary declaration before battle, a formality in this world, but I couldn’t shake the anxiety that something might happen. After all, it was akin to the commander riding out unarmed in front of the enemy.
Thus, I asked the Marquis to allow me to accompany the group. Since the leader of this contingent was Earthlin, my request was granted without issue.
The group halted about 50 meters from the castle walls, directly in front of the raised drawbridge. On top of the walls stood a man, likely a high-ranking noble, surrounded by around ten followers. I recognized the mustached figure as Count Meltone, who had been shouting at the guild in the Royal Capital.
As the Marquis declared our righteous cause, Count Meltone, reclining on the castle wall, raised his voice in response.
“Traitors Lagantz and Durack! The will of the King and the hearts of the people shall bring judgment upon those who disregard them! There is no need for a declaration of war against such scoundrels! The King’s command is to leave their corpses to rot in the fields!”
As the noble raised one hand, around thirty adventurers suddenly appeared atop the castle wall.
They wielded bows and staffs, clearly backline fighters. Their intentions were obvious.
“Eliminate the leader of the scoundrels!”
With that command, the adventurers launched their attack. Ten arrows and over a hundred fiery spears flew toward us in unison.
Having already drawn my mace from the Item Box, I stepped forward and unleashed a Shockwave. The overwhelming wall of energy shattered the arrows and magic, scattering them into nothingness.
“Thank you, Soushi!”
“Earthlin, take the Marquis and retreat! I will commence the operation from here.”
“Understood. I leave it to you!”
The Marquis and his party turned their horses and galloped back toward their forces.
To prevent them from being attacked, I continued to run forward while using Shockwaves to keep the enemy at bay.
There was a moat about ten meters wide at the base of the castle walls. However, if I could reach the edge, I would be well within range for my Shockwave. From just before the moat, I began firing Shockwaves at the adventurers atop the walls.
The invisible Shockwaves struck, carving away sections of the wall in a circular pattern. Naturally, the adventurers standing there could not escape unscathed.
“Wha—! A monster! Run, retreat! Get down from the walls!”
The common soldiers atop the walls scrambled to flee.
Count Meltone, who had been shouting moments ago, was now frozen in fear, his followers struggling to help him stand. But as I unleashed another Shockwave to intimidate them, they abandoned him and fled.
I followed up by obliterating nearby ballistae and catapults, ensuring the Marquis could not pursue. The castle walls near the gate were already in ruins, a nightmare for the defenders.
Now it was time to scale the walls. First, I needed to cross the moat, which I did by tossing a number of wooden planks—obtained from Oz—into the water to create a makeshift bridge.
I climbed the stacked wood to reach the walls. While I could have destroyed the surface, it had enough irregularities to make climbing feasible. I stowed my shield and mace, using only my arm strength to scale the ten-meter-high wall in one swift motion. The top had originally been difficult to climb due to its overhang, but it had already been compromised by my earlier Shockwaves.
Upon reaching the top, I found Count Meltone desperately trying to escape from me while sitting on the ground. Grabbing him by the collar, I lifted him up, causing a stir among the soldiers inside the walls.
Below the walls, behind the castle gate, stood thousands of defenders. The central street ran from the gate to the second wall, where these thousands of soldiers awaited. They looked up at me, unsure of what to do, their breaths held in anticipation.
“I have captured the enemy commander! If you value his life, open the gates and lower the drawbridge!”
The murmurs among the soldiers grew louder. Some attempted to approach the gate, only to be stopped by their commanding officer. The atmosphere suggested that the morale of the troops was indeed low.
From atop the wall, I unleashed a controlled Shockwave, striking near the officer who had just halted his men. The force sent about ten soldiers flying.
“If you won’t act, I will. However, know this: I will slaughter every last one of you. You can either cling to the Marquis’s mercy or face my wrath. Choose wisely!”
In such a situation, a threat of this magnitude was necessary. They likely only needed a reason to surrender. With a little push, about twenty soldiers rushed toward the gate, beginning to remove the massive bolt. A few others operated the machinery to lower the drawbridge.
With a creaking sound, the drawbridge descended, and the massive gates swung open. At this point, the battle for the walls was effectively over.
“Drop your weapons and step back! Kneel before the ground! If you resist, your lives will be forfeit!”
Despite their low morale, the soldiers surprisingly dropped their weapons and knelt with astonishing ease. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had inadvertently acquired some skill to intimidate them. Otherwise, it was almost frightening how easily they submitted.
Looking back, I saw the Marquis’s army closing in. As I watched, the vanguard crossed the drawbridge and entered the street.
At the forefront was Earthlin, mounted on horseback. Upon seeing the kneeling soldiers, he momentarily looked surprised before breaking into a grin and leading his troops down the street.
“W-what are you… Why is an adventurer like you… with someone like Lagantz…?”
As I released my grip, Count Meltone knelt before me, his face twisted in fear as he looked up.
“Why, you ask? Perhaps it was the will of the heavens? That was what you just claimed, wasn’t it?”
“Don’t mock me! Just a mere adventurer dares to speak to me like that?”
“To a coward who has forgotten the ways of war, yes. Such actions deserve severe punishment, do they not?”
With that, Count Meltone fell silent, unable to respond further. As a defeated commander who had broken the rules of war, he was likely facing the death penalty, which explained his demeanor.
After a while, the main force, including Marquis Lagantz, the boy Ryusha, and General Durack, entered through the gates.
I noticed that a few onlookers had begun to gather in the street. Upon recognizing the Marquis, the boy, and the general, their eyes sparkled with excitement as they scattered to fetch others. It seemed there was a welcoming atmosphere for the Marquis’s army. I couldn’t help but feel astonished at how little respect the King commanded, leading to such a situation.
Now that the main force had arrived, it was time for me to make my next move. I grabbed Count Meltone by the collar and lifted him up.
“How many soldiers remain in the royal castle, and what schemes are they plotting? I would also like to know how General Durack’s family is being treated. If you answer honestly, I might be able to speak on your behalf to the Marquis.”