Chapter 91. Time of the Wolves (1)
Late at night.
In the commander’s tent, brightly lit by candlelight, Blanc was lost in thought while looking at a map.
Quietly gazing at the map, Blanc soon nodded and removed one of the many pieces placed on it.
“As expected, this hasn’t changed.”
Would the flow of the world before the regression and the flow after Blanc’s return align exactly?
Not necessarily.
There were those like Rakshar and Emilia who returned from death due to Blanc’s active intervention, and there were cases where his actions, even if unintended, became a starting point that produced results different from before the regression.
However, the death of the King of Gartaria was a massive event that could not be influenced by the ripples Blanc created.
“With this, Prince Aleid’s intervention has been blocked.”
As Antonio, the regional commander of the Torch Knights, had informed him, Prince Aleid was the sponsor looking after the three lords and the hidden conductor of the Norington invasion.
However, from now on, he would have to engage in a fierce bloody battle with his brothers to succeed to the throne of Gartaria.
It was obvious that he would pour all his power into that to preserve his status and life.
Blanc removed the piece symbolizing Aleid from the map.
His eyes were shining blue.
“From now on, no one will be able to hinder me.”
On Blanc’s hand.
The piece symbolizing Prince Aleid was crushed.
***
“We should have attacked then!”
Baron Vicious, who had lost his reason, flashed his rolling eyes.
Now, all that remained for him were the territory residents starving after losing the burnt castle and wheat fields, and the corpses of his sons that had been shattered into pieces.
“It is not too late even now!”
Vicious' bloodline was severed.
Vicious' future no longer existed.
Therefore, the only goal of life left for him was just one.
It was the destruction of Blanc Cadmus.
“Now is the time when we must not move. Please calm down, Baron Vicious.”
Baron Kamora stepped forward personally to try and calm Baron Vicious, but upon seeing his eyes, which had strangely large whites, he gave up.
‘Still, he will be useful when standing at the very front…….’
It was unreasonable to demand reason and cool-headed judgment from Baron Vicious, who had lost everything.
Still, since he was fiercely burning with hostility toward Blanc, he could be used when someone needed to stand at the very front.
“It is as Baron Kamora says. If we move rashly now, we might give an opportunity to the Cadmus army, which is eyeing for a chance to cross the river.”
Baron Langketa sided with Baron Kamora and defended him.
Blanc’s detached force, which had wiped out the 300 cavalrymen sent by the allied forces and proudly returned to the main unit.
Rather than taking the long way back to Free City Baywood, they approached a place that cleverly escaped the range of the allied archers, leisurely crossed the river, and joined their main camp.
It was because they judged it safe.
Although the moment of crossing the river was the most vulnerable, it was difficult to stop them as the soldiers of the allied forces had already firmly solidified their positions.
If they had cavalry, they might have been able to inflict damage using their mobility, but now the situation was that the allied forces had practically no troop type called cavalry.
“How long do you intend to hole up here and conduct a siege that isn’t a siege? Do you know how many opportunities we have missed in the meantime?”
Baron Vicious lost his reason but gained boldness instead.
In his logical structure, which had been connected in a strangely linear structure toward the target named Blanc, the current situation was frustrating beyond measure the more he thought about it.
The allied forces, who did not act rashly despite having conditions superior to the opponent.
“What benefit is there in guarding this place for a thousand or ten thousand years!”
It was a result that occurred because they had built a camp in such a good location.
However, no matter how good a location they built a camp in, it was useless if the Cadmus army did not pounce.
The allied forces had initially intended to buy time and use the impatience of the Cadmus army, but now the situation was happening in reverse.
“Still, time is on our side. They are not ones who rose upon a solid foundation.”
As Baron Kamora said, Blanc’s soldiers were mercenaries hired with money and troops borrowed from his maternal and wife’s families, so it was normal to judge that it would be difficult to maintain the military force for a long time.
However, although Blanc did not have a solid foundation, he had piled up gold coins to burn as much as he wanted, so consequently, it was a misjudgment by Baron Kamora.
“Time? Do you mean to say you think the variable called time is still favorable to us?”
Moreover, time was not on the side of the allied forces anymore either.
Baron Vicious looked at Baron Kamora with bloodshot eyes and said.
“Right now, my residents will find it hard to endure this winter. To them, time is like a grim reaper slowly approaching!”
Baron Vicious slammed the table and stood up.
“This is all! A result that occurred from Baron Kamora’s complacent judgment!”
“Watch your words! Do you think we could have obtained the support like now from Prince Aleid if it weren’t for me!”
Baron Kamora also refuted Baron Vicious' words with his chin trembling.
However, Baron Vicious merely smirked and ridiculed upon hearing Baron Kamora’s words.
“Are you laughing at me right now?”
Baron Kamora prepared to get angry seeing Baron Vicious ignoring him.
However, there was something he had overlooked.
“Prince Aleid? Are you still looking for the culprit who enticed us and drove us into this dog-like battlefield?”
“S-Such insolence!”
Baron Vicious was a man who had lost everything.
A person who merely burns the present without a future.
To him, Prince Aleid had become nothing more than a distant illusion.
“If not for him, if only not for him, if only he hadn’t ordered…….”
A bizarre madness began to rise in Baron Vicious' eyes.
“My sons would not have died so miserably…….”
As Baron Vicious lowered his head, a strange silence began to hang inside the tent.
A silence like death that no one could easily break.
However, that silence did not last long.
“Report!”
The silence was broken by a messenger who suddenly threw open the tent and entered.
“Speak.”
Baron Langketa, who was maintaining his reason at least, nodded to the messenger.
“Unusual movements have been observed in the Cadmus army.”
“What movements?”
As an unusual report leaked from the messenger’s mouth, the heads of the three barons turned automatically.
“Currently, they are forward deploying wooden barricades and defensive positions.”
Hearing the news that the Cadmus army was forward deploying their formation, Baron Kamora puffed out his chest proudly and shouted.
“Look at this! Didn’t I say they would eventually pounce!”
Baron Kamora, acting conceited saying his thought was correct.
“I will run over right now, rip out that guy’s stomach, and burst his heart…….”
And between Baron Vicious, who was rolling his eyes and vowing revenge on Blanc, only Baron Langketa was feeling something ominous.
‘Why necessarily now?’
The moment Baron Langketa doubted the movements of the Cadmus army.
AOOOOOO-.
The long and high howl of a wolf was heard.
“This is?”
The moment the puzzled Baron Langketa felt something was unusual and stood up from his seat.
“Report!”
Another messenger entered, almost rolling as he threw open the tent, and spoke in an urgent voice.
“From the forest behind us…….”
“From the forest?”
While the messenger, who couldn’t catch his breath because he entered so urgently, mumbled.
“Monsters have appeared!”
Baron Langketa spoke as if it were no big deal.
“If monsters appeared, isn’t it enough to just drive them away moderately?”
In a situation where they had their backs to the forest, a few miscellaneous monsters had appeared not infrequently until now.
So he wondered if it was such a fuss over just a few monsters, but the messenger shook his head violently and reported again.
“Monsters estimated to be in the hundreds are rushing toward our formation!”
“What!”
Hearing the messenger’s report, Baron Langketa felt his heart becoming heavy.
Something was going wrong.
AOOOOOO-.
The howl of a wolf was echoing from behind the camp of the allied forces.
“Prepare the entire army!”
Baron Langketa’s scream-like order fell behind the wolf’s howl.
***
“Huff…… Huff…….”
A Werewolf with gray fur was clutching a flag, staggering and gasping for breath.
His body was full of countless small wounds.
Not a bit of moisture could be found on his long-protruding tongue.
He was exhausted.
To uphold his lord’s command, he ran through the forest of Norington day and night.
However, despite being exhausted, he held a faint smile.
“Su, Success.”
Rakshar, the first knight appointed by Blanc Cadmus.
He upheld his lord’s command and completed the mission.
He saw a herd of monsters running out fiercely in front of him.
They were just running forward as if terrified by something.
And at the end of the direction they were running toward, there was the camp made by the allied forces.
Rakshar gathered his strength once more and raised high the flag he was leaning on.
At the energy the flag held, the monsters around were frightened and began to run away.
The flag Rakshar was holding.
On that flag, a pattern with a black wolf engraved was drawn.
And at the tip of the flag, a red feather was stuck.
A feather emitting a brilliant red light.
It was a Phoenix feather.
***
Blanc looked at his soldiers who had finished combat preparations.
The Tolome Knights under Edwin.
The Quiesco Cavalry under Magnus.
The Brass Helmet Mercenary Corps and Thornbush Mercenary Corps hired by Cadmus.
And even his own Cadmus Knights.
Over a thousand soldiers aligned their formation and waited for the command of the war lord, Blanc.
Blanc spoke to the knights in a quiet but powerful tone.
“When starting the war, I told you all.”
Behind Blanc, who stood with his back to the river, the howl of a wolf echoed.
“That I hold the initiative of this war.”
The sight of the allied forces bustling about in confusion began to be seen across the river.
“It was all me who decided when to start the war, where to fight it, and how to fight it out.”
At Blanc’s words, the knights’ heads nodded.
Because his words were not empty.
“And I have decided.”
Blanc drew his sword and pointed at the camp of the allied forces.
“To end this war today.”
The forest the allied forces had their backs to began to shake wildly.
KRAAAAA-.
Soon, there were hundreds of monsters storming into the allied forces.
Seeing the monsters rushing in black waves, the soldiers of the allied forces were flustered, not knowing what to do.
“With the victory of the Cadmus army.”
The Black Wolf spoke, baring his fangs.
“I have decided so.”
Blanc finished speaking and passed by the knights.
Then he shouted to the Cadmus army aligned behind the knights.
“Cadmus army, take formation! Prepare for the approaching enemy!”
Blanc’s soldiers were already prepared.
From last winter in Holy City Moirai.
“Proudly raise the flag! Soldiers of the righteous avenger!”
Following Blanc’s order, the flag of the Black Wolf went up.
Blanc’s soldiers gathered under that flag were those gathered under a just cause.
“Do not forget who is in front of you!”
The one in front of the soldiers was Blanc Cadmus, the shining star.
One like a star in the night sky that shines anytime, anywhere.
“The master of this battlefield is none other than me, Blanc Cadmus!”
He was the prepared one, the righteous one, and also the shining one.
Blanc Cadmus was one qualified to be the master of the battlefield.
“Therefore, I will also decide the result!”
Blanc raised Aselheit’s sword high and shouted.
“We shall be victorious!”
At his shout, all soldiers of the Cadmus army raised their weapons and cheered.
“Blanc Cadmus! Seeker of the Blue Star!”
“The knight risen from ashes!”
“The last remaining Black Wolf!”
AOOOOOO-.
Along with the soldiers’ cheers, the howl of a gray wolf was heard from behind Blanc’s back.
“Go, my soldiers! Go and bite the throats of the enemies!”
Blanc’s eyes shone chillingly.
From now on, it was the time of the wolves.