30 Years Have Passed Since the Prologue - Chapter 265

There can be no denying that there was hunger and poverty in this land. The resources were not abundant. However, that’s merely the excuse of the defeated. At the time the Great War was winding down, the ‘high nobility’ who remained in the rear were all living well.

Most of his salary never reached his mother. It only lined the pockets of the officials who took away the ‘transport fees.’

The Jarl of Drovian were no different. They were merely greedy for more land and rights. The current hunger is simply the result of their killing Einar’s family and their defeat by Einar.

“The reason Einar forgave you is that he did not want to slaughter half of the Drovian population. Nothing more, nothing less. He judged that killing all of you would mean there would be no future for Drovian anyway.”

Ivan growled in a boiling voice.

“You should have repaid your debt with your lives. You should have known how to be grateful for Einar’s mercy.”

“Are you suggesting I should be grateful for being left to starve instead of being killed straight away?”

“That’s exactly what you should have done! If you had even that much spirit, then you should have fought! If you couldn’t fight, you should have submitted! If you couldn’t do that, then at least you should have remained silent!”

Ignoring Einar’s summons is one thing; I could give you some leeway on that.

But actively obstructing Einar’s summons and killing all of his messengers and Huscal, leaving their king in silence, is unacceptable.

Hadn’t they already faced enough death? The Hero Party deserved a far better treatment than that.

Ivan gritted his teeth at the thought of Jill Ber’s end.

As always, the nobles in the rear could not tolerate even a single cent being taken from their rights. These pigs of peace take for granted the sacrifices of those who brought them their peace.

Their logic has always been the same. Survival equals victory. Yes, one can say that surviving means winning. However, they must not insult those who died to save them.

Veins twisted like snakes in Ivan’s forearm. There was no need for conversation now.

“Come. In my right as Einar’s consort, I challenge all of you.”

There was no Jarls who could dare to meet Ivan’s gaze. They exchanged glances and began to step back.

The challenges of Drovian are strict. Any warrior has the right to challenge their Jarl. However, since not all Jarls can be warriors, the Jarl has the authority to appoint a ‘dueling representative.’

“Anyone will do. You can bring the strongest warrior from your camp. It doesn’t have to be one-on-one. You four can attack me at once. So—”

Ivan jumped down from his horse and addressed the four aged Jarls who looked down at him.

“Come. Don’t run away. You have no right to flee.”

“Yes, you have no right to challenge us!!”

Ulrik shouted. He averted his gaze from Ivan’s as he shouted.

“You’re from the West! Einar’s consort? How can we trust your claims when Ecdysis isn’t even present here!”

“Oh, I guarantee that.”

Angvar chuckled as he stood behind Ivan.

“I came with Ecdysis to my territory. So drop those needless worries and arm yourselves. Are you struggling now that you’re old?”

“Angvar!! You are the same! Who can prove that you didn’t conspire with Krasilov to plunder your own country?!”

“Oh please, really. Don’t go around saying you’re from Drovian. If you’re going to whine like that, maybe you should cut off your dick and start picking potatoes.”

With Angvar’s sarcastic remark, Ulrik’s face turned bright red. He soon turned around and shouted.

“All troops prepare for battle!! We don’t need to believe those scoundrels! They are the raiders who plundered our village!! Angvar, Ivan! Your bravery in challenging us with merely three thousand shall be praised!”

“Is that your answer?”

In response to Ivan’s question, Ulrik laughed back.

“That’s right. You might be able to escape alone, but how will you handle the disparity in numbers? Even if you kill us, how many of the Elbark warriors who trusted your command will survive? And even if you manage to flee, how can you save Einar with just your own strength?!”

He wasn’t wrong. The logic of power in this place was clear.

Beneath the hills, the northern warriors have already readied for battle. They had bought enough time through conversation.

On the other hand, the Elbark warriors standing atop the hill were noticeably fewer in number. At best, they were just a mere detachment, perhaps less than three thousand.

They were all infantry and nothing more than an ordinary Drovian combined army without any special war devices.

The warriors below the hill number four times that. A force of twelve thousand was close to an entire legion, one that could rival those from the Great War period. Although they were also all infantry, the difference in momentum was stark.

The Jarls laughed.

You wasted too much time. You probably believed you could easily seize control of the camp by stirring them up into accepting a challenge with words.

But what if a battle breaks out? That number alone wouldn’t be enough to prevent annihilation.

Ivan agreed. He wasn’t foolish. He was aware that the Jarls had put themselves in harm’s way to waste time. Had he attacked first and ambushed the northern army’s rear, he could have fought under more favorable conditions.

However, he had willingly played along with the Jarls’ intentions. He happily gave them time.

He was equally short on time.

The goal of this mission wasn’t victory in battle.

There was no need to massacre Drovian warriors to save Einar. They needed to be drawn to the front line. He must not kill all of them here.

Thud thud thud thud…!!

Far away, the sound of something running reached faintly.

The warrior at the very back turned around. A small cloud of dust was rising from far beyond the horizon.

He squinted his eyes. The dust cloud appeared to become larger. Gradually, it was kicking up more and more dirt.

Like a storm, a thick cloud of dust was rising.

“It’s impossible to time it perfectly.”

Ivan said with a smile toward the Jarls.

“What…?”

“It means it’s impossible to synchronize and reach the same front line without making contact with the legion at the southernmost tip. Even if there could be real-time communication, that’s beyond what humans can do.”

Thud thud thud thud…!!

The dust cloud in the distance grew larger over time.

The Jarls’ expressions became increasingly tense.

“But we have someone here who can do it.”

If there is a chance of victory, then one does not face defeat.

If there is even a glimmer of possibility, then victory can be guaranteed.

Yuri, a regular war orphan, graduated top of her class in practical and written exams at St. Jan’s University’s Knight Department. In subjects of warfare and even chess, a mandatory subject in the Knight Department, she scored an A+.

The chess of this world is fundamentally different from that of Earth. In fact, she was a beginner who didn’t know the basic moves of chess before she became possessed.

Despite that, she has never lost even once. Her possession specialty shines even brighter in the realm of ‘legions’ than that of ‘individuals.’ It’s a skill more suited to the field of ‘strategy simulation’ rather than ‘RPG.’

From the macro perspective of possibilities and probabilities, she can always make the ‘right’ move.

Thud thud thud…!!

Failing to make it in time means Ivan and the Elbark warriors will ‘certainly’ face annihilation.

If they manage to arrive on time, then Ivan and the Elbark warriors will ‘certainly’ achieve victory.

To accommodate Yuri’s conditions, Ivan calculated the ‘fastest time for the Southern Army to gather and reach the northeast’ and positioned himself here.

In order to activate her ‘possession specialty,’ which is dormant if impossible conditions are presented, he needed to expose himself to ‘the very slim chance that isn’t zero.’

Ivan smiled at the sight of Ecdysis charging forward, waving the banner of Einar.

A trained operative does not gamble. They only prove.

For Drovian—!!

Ecdysis’s shout echoed from afar, followed by the warriors’ response.

Burn it down—!!!!

A battered train barreled across the tracks. And alongside its speed, warriors were running on either side, kicking up dust.

At the front car of the train, the roof completely ripped off to make it an open-top, Ecdysis waved Einar’s royal banner, shouting.

Burn Drovian to the ground!!!!

“I really don’t understand why we have to chant something like that.”

The only thing he still couldn’t grasp was Ecdysis’s transformation.

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