Chapter 456 – 130. Keiatic Gate Permafrost (4)
In an instant, all the knights and soldiers’ eyes were focused on the party’s table.
This is the soldiers’ cafeteria of the 13 Month Fortress.
Unless it is a high-ranking knight of High Knight or higher. Even the Knight of the Midnight Sun ate here with the soldiers.
New knights take on the role of platoon leader, the lowest level commander.
There were many opportunities to naturally share a meal and mingle with the soldiers.
‘I said it was an order from Her Highness Wilhelm.’
But what is clear. That it was not a place for someone with a status as high as that of Julian to come.
He was second only to Margrave Wilhelm in Essenmund.
However, Yulian didn’t care, sat down at the table and took a spoon.
“I have no intention of interfering with the meal. Let’s talk while eating comfortably.”
Then, they started eating the soup and black bread they had received on the plate. Seeing this, Fabian was frightened.
“Oh, today’s menu is too bad for a noble person like the Count!”
Eric felt the same way.
‘It’s no fuss. It’s really tasteless even for me, a commoner.’
Originally, food in Essenmund is not tasteless. However, this is a front-line military base.
Marquis Wilhelm paid a lot of attention to the welfare of the soldiers, such as meals, to boost their morale.
Still, meals in the army could not be the same as meals outside. So, two or three times a week, there was no choice but to have the same meal as now.
“A noble person like the Count could eat shit soup and stone bread like this?”
“Nonsense! Even the poorest barons in the countryside would overthrow the manor house that day if they served a meal like this…”
The knights and soldiers who were watching the scene also made absurd expressions.
However, Yulian ate the food too calmly and continued the conversation with Fabian.
“Why? It’s okay to talk while eating.”
“More than that, Julian-nim! If you want, I will bring you a meal at my own expense! I can’t dirty the Count’s mouth with such a poor meal!”
“What kind of money does a new knight have? And I’m good enough, so don’t make a fuss. Fabian.”
“Yeah! All right! When I ate it again, I could feel the deep taste in it!”
As expected, Fabian’s flattering skills were amazing.
No, Eric knew that it was sincerity beyond flattery. That brazen flattery surprised Eric every time.
‘Still, it’s really amazing. To think that such a high-status count would be unreserved towards us, who are so lowly.’
Anyway, the four of them, who were reunited after a month, talked for a long time.
Although there were differences in their identity. The four were the motives of the battle end. We had quite a lot to talk about.
When all the food on the plate is empty. Yulian saw the three of them.
“I heard that there will be a large-scale operation soon. In order for the Essenmund Army, which was put on the defensive by the Demonic Beast Army of Permafrost, to go on the offensive in reverse.”
The party nodded at Yulian’s words.
“That’s right! The final goal of the Essenmund army is the annihilation of Greiel! In order to do that, it is said that it is essential to recapture Oustel, a key base farther north than the 13th Fortress. It looks like the three of us will also be involved in the operation.”
Riff was right.
This area called Northheim.
And about 10 km north of the fortress on the 13th, the old city of Essenmund comes out.
The very city of ice where the Reinhardt family reigned as warchief. And originally, the base of the front line of Essenmund before the 13th Fortress existed in Ostel.
“Holy Land Oustel. The place is also very meaningful to our family. However, the city has been taken over by the Demonic Beasts of Permafrost. This time, we must recapture it.”
Said Julian.
As he said, the city of Oustel has great symbolism.
Even under the rule of Marshal Wilhelm, the place was restored and then taken away repeatedly.
Especially since the power of the Witchbeast has been rapidly strengthened this year. That Ostel was still under the domain of the Demon Beast Army.
As such, Oustel is the toughest of the rough places where even the Demonic Beast forces defend themselves.
“I heard that type 1 monsters roam around there like orcs and goblins now.”
Eric nodded at Fabian’s words.
“It’s the main base of the demon army. This operation will never be easy. Maybe… We might have to risk our lives too.”
The three faces became serious.
Leaf, who is in charge of the leader of the three, said.
“Captain Michael has already told the Knights of the Midnight. If you’re not going to fight with unreasonable determination, you’re telling me to withdraw from this operation altogether.”
Eric also nodded.
“I have heard that we have already tried to attack that place three times in the past two months, but have failed. His Highness Wilhelm was wounded and attracted Graiel’s attention… But the Eschenmund forces were unable to recapture Oustel and had to retreat.”
“Even though the elite Essenmund army came forward?”
For an instant, Yulian’s gaze turned to Eric.
Eric stiffened.
Although Count Julian was the motive of the end of the battle. Eric, from Essenmund, couldn’t treat Julian as close as the other two.
Even so, Eric is now a Knight of the Midnight Sun. He hurriedly made up his mind and answered Yulian.
“Yeah! His Highness Wilhelm and Captain Michael. Even vice-captain Pavel participated in the battle, but failed to recapture it. It would have been possible if we had decided to attack Oestel without looking back, but…”
“If you overdid it, you might have suffered a huge loss of troops. I heard he decided to retreat.”
“That’s right.”
At Eric’s words, Yulian nodded.
“Then, this operation must be a success. By any means.”
And at those words, the three people’s eyes changed.
The three people who had been with Julian in the Pantheon knew it well.
That this young Count is a man who makes the impossible possible.
It was the same in the battle of Mayeon and in the suppression of the rebellion in the imperial capital.
‘And also in the Battle of Harsen.’
Meals are all over.
Yulian stood up from the spot and spoke to the three of them.
“I know the skills of the three of you better than anyone else. So, look forward to this operation as well.”
And at his words, the eyes of the three people became serious.
“And let everyone never die. You guys will someday become my limbs.”
At those words, Yulian stopped Fabian from standing up with an expression full of emotion.
But both Eric and the riff on the other side felt the same way as that Fabian.
The thought of wanting to serve Yulian as their lord was the reason the three entered the White Night.
Obviously, this operation was a recapture battle that required life and death.
Eric’s blood started to boil. He was also an Essenmund man.
‘For Reinhardt.’
Two days later. The Oustel recapture war has begun.
The battle continued for four days. And the recapture war came to an end with a result that no one expected.
***
Oustel Temporary Essenmund Army base.
There, in the commander’s barracks, the high-ranking commanders of the Essenmund army were gathered.
“The results are absolutely ridiculous!”
Midnight High Night. And Richard, the 5th member of the White Night Knights and the chief of staff, shouted.
Also, Captain Michael and Vice-captain Pavel, who were sitting together, felt the same way as Richard.
Captain Michael answered Richard’s words.
“Sir Richard is right. The framework of the operation was the same as the previous recapture. But the result is completely different from the last time.”
Vice-captain Pavel nodded at his words.
“It’s unbelievable, our complete victory. On the other hand, Greyel’s Demonic Beasts suffered an unexpectedly large blow.”
Like she said
Ostel, which was evaluated as an impregnable city among the Essenmund army, was recaptured very easily.
It was never a base that could be recaptured so easily.
Oustel is the halfway point between Permanent Tongto and Reinheim. Thus, the faction that occupied this place will take the initiative in future wars.
It was said that whether or not Ostel was recaptured was important enough to decide the outcome of the future battle with Greiel.
Captain Michael and the staff, of course, predicted in advance that this recapture battle would be as difficult as the previous operation.
‘But it turned out to be completely different. Thanks to Count Julian!’
Pavel thought for a moment about the outline of this operation.
The resurrected Graiel was very strong.
Although he was angry, neither Michael, the leader of the White Nights, nor Pavel, the vice-captain, could face Greiel alone.
So, Marshal Wilhelm had to directly draw the attention of Greiel.
While he drew attention, the rest of the Essenmund Army had to recapture Oustel.
‘But it was the same for us to lose power.’
Since Margrave Wilhelm was tied to Greiel.
In the battle, it was clear that Wilhelm’s absence would make the previous recapture operation difficult.
‘However, I didn’t feel the absence of His Highness at all during this recapture battle.’
The outline of the operation was the same as last time.
No, if there is a difference, there is only one person. Only a young swordsman named Yulian took part.
“To think that Count Julian would perfectly fulfill the role of His Highness Wilhelm… Hehe. I don’t know if His Highness will feel good or bad when she hears it. I didn’t feel the vacuum of His Highness at all in this recapture battle. Because of that one young count.”
At Michael’s words, all staff members present at the meeting agreed.
“The number of type 1 monsters that Count Julian single-handedly cut down exceeded fifty. As a Demonic Beast, I would have never thought of the Count participating in the war. He must have been struck by lightning in a dry sky.”
And all the high-ranking knights in the midnight sun became serious.
Everyone had already heard of Count Yulian’s activities.
Suppression of the imperial rebellion. And even a great victory in the Battle of Harsen. He made a great achievement that was enough to wash away all the mistakes of his previous days as an idiot.
However, seeing his performance with their own eyes was a different story.
“I never thought I would have reached the point where I could use Seonoh’s polar night… So skillfully. Vice-captain Pavel’s words are now believed. He honestly didn’t believe it at all when he heard that he lasted a minute in Dalian against Your Highness.”
Michael answered Richard’s words.
“If you believed that statement as the truth, it would have been a loss of qualifications as a knight. I thought Pavel was joking with me too. The Count was barely able to hold the foundation ceremony for the Lion Heart Sword at the military parade just half a year ago.”
It was Michael who had a brief sparring with the Count at the feverish parade.
“Well, to be honest, I was surprised at that time too. I knew very well that Count Yulian had never learned swordsmanship in his entire life. The Lion Heart Sword, which I learned in just a few weeks, chilled my spine as a master. After all, lion blood is different.”
Everyone nodded their heads at the leader’s words. And excitement began to appear in their eyes.
Knights from Essenmund who are unmatched in their roughness.
As such, the absolute truth they seek is only ‘strength’. Those who have not risen to the pinnacle of strength cannot be the object of their loyalty.
However, everyone in the Midnight Sun personally confirmed that their next lord is so strong.
Michael saw Yulian swinging his sword during the recapture battle and inadvertently recalled his old memories.
‘Like 20 years ago. It was like seeing His Highness in that Great War again. Count Julian.’
The reason Wilhelm Marshal was called a hero was not only because of his skill as a swordsman. Even though he had a noble status, he had the aspect of a deokjang who lived and communicated with soldiers on a dirty battlefield.
Surprisingly, Count Julian showed the same appearance as the Marquis in this recapture battle.
‘I ate messy meals without hesitation… I continued to encourage the soldiers by hanging out with them.’
Strength as a swordsman and virtue as a commander.
It meant having them together at a young age of only 21.
For those who have been constantly listening to and worshiping the legendary anecdotes of the Reinhardt family since childhood.
As if watching their master, the next Marquess’ performance naturally made the blood boil.
“And surprisingly, the sword the Count is holding is Siertia.”
“If it’s Siertia… Isn’t it the sword of the Reinhard family and the holy sword that the swordsman used!”
“Yes. That holy sword, Siertia. It seems that the holy sword chose the count as its new master.”
At Michael’s words, everyone inadvertently crossed themselves.
Most of the staff here were knights who participated in the Great War 20 years ago. And all of them were people who had personally witnessed the Great Saint Agnes.
And the days when the staff were young knights. Before she became a saint, there was no one who did not long for Agnes, who was the daughter of the Reinhard family.
The great saint’s son, Julian, obtained the holy sword, and he couldn’t help but feel anew.
Captain Michael raised his hand to calm the momentary commotion.
“But the war is not over yet. And above all, three days from now. Everyone here must risk their lives once again.”
At those unexpected words, everyone’s eyes turned to Michael.
And Michael, who had been putting his feet up on the conference table.
He lowered his foot and said in a serious voice.
“For the next three days. His Highness Wilhelm and Count Julian leave the Essenmund army. That’s why it’s saying that we must stop the attack of the Demon Beast Army with our own strength.”
That statement was equivalent to saying that the two largest forces of the Army of Essenmund were missing.
However, at Michael’s words, the White Night’s staff became even more excited.
Michael nodded and said.
“In front of the two Reinhardts. It’s time to properly prove that our Midnight Sun is the sword and faithful molar of the Reinhard family. Until the two of you return, we will directly defend Oestel here.”
“All right!”
To the words of the leader, the staff responded in unison. And Captain Michael thought to himself.
‘His Highness must have arrived at Bingjeong-dong with the Count by now.’
It was. The reason why the two of them were away in this emergency situation.
Marquis Wilhelm to his only heir. It was because he decided to pass on the final skill of the Lion Heart Sword.
