The courtyard was in a terrible state of ruin.

After breaking through the main gate, the Yenzie army attacked at once—it seemed that about half of the Verscia’s army was intercepting it.

With the Verscian soldiers falling on the background, Gaizel demonstrated his might—it was as if he had been possessed by the spirit of a lion.

With a single swipe of his long sword, multiple enemies—who attempted to gang up on him—was swept away all at once. At the receiving end of his fighting skill—which was a sight to behold—the enemy’s soldiers fell one after another.

The Verscian soldiers around him were in awe.

“A, amazing…”

“T, that’s right, His Majesty is a war genius…”

The captains were reminded of such an anecdote as they dealt with the enemy soldiers.

—after the death of the former emperor, His Majesty Dilph, there was a battle for the throne involving siblings and nephews.

To ensure victory, the exchange of information regarding the internal affairs was crucial between the aristocrats. When the battle involving armed forces finally started, Gaizel, the youngest amongst his brothers, who also didn’t show the slightest interest in ruling, charged alone—

—and that was how he acquired the seat of the emperor.

His achievements didn’t stop there.

Verscia, whom had lost its great leader, was thrown into confusion—it ended up becoming the target of other kingdoms. The dissatisfaction those kingdoms held towards Verscia was only natural—after all, they had been enslaved. Taking advantage of the opportunity, endless armies invaded.

The knights were dispatched around the border every day and did their utmost to maintain defense. But at one point, after Gaizel had ascended to the throne, he gave them a strategy.

As a result, the conflicts occurring in various parts of the kingdom gradually ceased. By the time Gaizel was inaugurated as the next emperor, it was said that he had returned Verscia to its original, stable, state.

For that reason, some knights hailed Gaizel as the ‘genius of war’.

However, after he became the emperor, he began to refuse anything that was related to war. He also showed an arrogant attitude toward his subjects.

Apparently, it didn’t bode well with the aristocrats, thus the anecdote linked to Gaizel began to get twisted around as evidence of their fear towards him.

Gaizel, who wasn’t even aware of the anecdote, wiped the blood off his sword as he continued to battle.

…There are many of them.

After mowing down the enemies attacking from the side, Gaizel exhaled. It was as clear as a day that the Verscian soldiers were being pushed back.

But he couldn’t give up there.

If I fail to stand my ground here, then Tistye will…

Again, several enemy soldiers appeared, Gaizel turned around and kicked the enemy behind him with grace.

However, unaware to the presence of the soldiers beside him, Gaizel’s side got slammed. He groaned and regained his posture, but his long sword was no longer inside his grip.

…Tch!

Even if he tried to reach for his sword, he would be attacked as he bent his body. The moment Gaizel was at lost, a knight from Yenzie swung a large sword towards Gaizel’s forehead—

—damm, it.

Mysteriously, the blade slowed as it was reflected in Gaizel’s eyes. Gaizel gently closed his eyes before the sword’s shadow.

In the back of his eyelids, he could recall her silver hair.

Her face as she smiled happily.

I am sorry.

It would be better if I could convey this to you in person.

—Tistye…

…I,

Towards you…

 

 

Gyain—!

Towards the clanking sound of the metal, Gaizel suddenly opened his eyes.

The sword which was supposed to have descended on Gaizel was being blocked by a giant hatchet.

With an abrupt shout, the knight of Yenzie was defeated.

While gazing at the back of the person who had suddenly appeared, Gaizel was at lost for words.

“…Why, are you here?”

Sturdy upper arms with a thick beard covering his face—it was the person whom had helped Gaizel back in Isiris—Dita.

“I told you. I will definitely repay you.”

“We are here, too!”

When he looked around, not only Dita, but the men of the village were also there.

The skills of the men who had faced the harsh winter through hunting were tremendous, it was more than was possessed by the average knights. The fierce men had gathered—they shot the enemy down with terrifying precision using their bows.

“Your Majesty, are you safe!?”

Van, who had escorted Tistye, appeared before Gaizel and returned to him his fallen sword. However, the moment Van saw Dita swinging his ax, he showed an incredulous expression—

“L, Lord Dita…!”

“Van, you know this person?”

“Why, he’s the legendary knight leader—Dita Cervantes, the undefeatable Knight Captain whom contributed tremendously during the reign of the late Majesty Dilph!”

“Dita Cervantes…”

“When His Majesty returned here, most of the knights of the previous generation have been replaced. That might explain why you don’t know him. Knight Leader Dita suddenly retired and no one knew of his whereabouts…”

Destroying the armored soldiers using his immense strength, Dita finally turned to Gaizel.

His sharp gaze penetrated Gaizel’s eyes. It seemed that the former champion hadn’t completely retired yet.

“In truth, I never intended to return here again.”

“…”

“Reckless marching, expansion of the kingdom… that Dilph guy was hopeless.”

“So, you were acquainted with my Father…”

“It was a rotten relationship. When I heard that he died, I thought this kingdom was over.”

Dita defeated an enemy who tried attacking from behind with a single smash of his elbow. Gaizel also turned around dexterously, deflecting attacks from left and right, before finally beating the attacking soldiers to the ground.

In the face of the ever-increasing number of enemy soldiers, Dita raised the corners of his mouth in satisfaction.

“But, as long as you’re here, this kingdom might not be so bad.”

The Yenzie soldiers had surrounded them, but Gaizel and Dita confronted them, keeping each other’s backs safe.

Through their exchange of impenetrable tactics, the enemy soldiers were thrown out one after another—at the desperate sight, the enemy’s morale was falling.

Before long, an enemy soldier retreated.

Then, another one. Dominated by fear, the enemy soldiers began to retreat. Gaizel, who saw the development, roared like a beast from the bottom of his throat, as if declaring the end.

“We got the upper hand! Soldiers, crush the enemy at once!”

While dust was rising, screams were heard from all over. Then, the Yenzie army finally found it impossible to maintain the front and retreated, scattering all over the place.

Gaizel, full of injuries, looked at the backs of their armor as they ran back from where they came from—the destroyed main gate.

Shifting his line of sight, there was Dita who was also full of wounds. Dita was breathing wildly, and as he did so, his shoulders shot up and down. When Dita noticed Gaizel, he grinned.

Looking back, there were the captains of the knights, Van, and also the knights who had suffered grievous injuries.

Before he knew it, the dukes and counts who were supposed to be in the meeting room were also there. They were all equally stunned.

Gaizel slowly turned forward, breathing intermittently.

Below, was the city of Verscia.

Although traces of battle could be seen everywhere, the soldiers of Yenzie were no longer present.

Gaizel raised his sword and shouted with all his might, his black hair danced almightily.

“—Victory is ours!!!”

WAAAAAH—!

Voices full of delight and relief resounded across the castle, seemingly without end.

---

***T/N: Again, I expected to turn mushy due to fluff but instead–

—REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!11! ///paint cheeks de la Braveheart/// 

I FEEL LIKE WINNING MY OWN WAR!!!!!!!!!!

WAAAAAH—!

FREEEDOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!! ///charge towards her unfinished laundry

I am sorry.

It would be better if I could convey this to you in person.

—Tistye…

…I,

Towards you…

When this happened, my love toward this character due to the Author’s skillful writing, even though this is one of the most cliche scenes ever, DID NOT make me sobs at all, NOT AT ALL–!!!!!! I AM NOT CRYING, YOU ARE CRYING–!!!!

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