Chapter 109: art 4)
"No, this isn’t how it should be."
"It shouldn’t be…"
"I was chosen by the Duke himself as a knight!"
Joseph sat astride his horse, fixedly watg the rapid colpse of the "Hion" from a short distance away.
His "soldiers" were screaming, g, and fleeing in all dires, chased by small yet savagely aggressive monsters.
In tless fantasies, he had envisioned himself leading troops in fierce charges, triumphing over enemies, earning the Duke’s special endation, being granted nd, and being a true noble.
At worst, he’d imagined dying heroically, fighting to his st breath with an audieo witness, being a tragic hero immortalized in balds.
But now, he led a pack of “gray animals” towards defeat, on the verge of a lonely, meaningless death on this barren pin.
"This is not how it should be!"
Joseph’s expression twisted with determination.
Amid the chaos of fleeing soldiers, he spurred his horse forward, charging against the retreating crowd, trampling several soldiers and even decapitating the leadier with his sword.
Holding the deserter’s severed head, Joseph, blood-spttered and snarling, roared,
"See this? This is the fate of deserters!"
"You cowards! Animals!"
"Fight! Fight to the death!"
To the soldiers, he looked as terrifying as the monsters pursuing them.
Joseph’s forceful exhortation had a slight effect, slowing the fleeing crowd. Faced with the choice of dying in battle or at their ander’s hands, some soldiers mustered a sliver of ce for a final stand.
But soon, they were overwhelmed by the wave of monsters, sinking into an even more desperate retreat.
Surrounded by kobolds and goblins, the soldiers could only flee instinctively.
"Die, you monsters!"
Joseph, atop his horse, beheaded a kobold with a siroke.
But soon, goblins swarmed him from all dires, ging to his arms, g at his eyes, biting his face.
"Thud!"
He was knocked off his horse, hitting the ground heavily.
Joseph pulled a goblin off his arm, stabbing it to death, his face twisted in rage.
"You damn vermin! Die!"
His voice hoarse, spitting, he summoned his st ounce of strength to stand, shaking off the goblins ging to him.
But before he could swing his sword, moblins jumped on him, the weight f the exhausted Joseph to his knees.
He struggled repeatedly, drawing moblins and kobolds, who cwed and bit, piling on him like a small mountain, rendering him immobile.
"Die…die…"
"Die…"
His voice grew faint, finally drowned out by the monsters' savage roars.
"For Ember !"
"For the great red dragon master!"
The kobolds and goblins tiheir relentless chase and sughter.
When the mob dispersed, all that remained was a bloodstain, scattered bones, and torn clothes. The eagle-and-sword crest on the chest of the discarded garments y soaked in blood, unnoticed.
O had symbolized everything Joseph idolized about nobility.
But on this bloody battlefield, it was worthless, unworthy even of a kobold’s attention.
Aiden, captain of the First Northwind Eagle Guard, nded on his giant eagle, striding into the ao report.
"My lord, the Hion is colpsing."
"About six thousand fleeing troops are heading toward our position."
Robert nodded slightly, saying calmly, "Held out for less than an hour—just as I expected. This rabble’s only purpose was to clear the way for our forces and redunecessary losses."
He tapped his fingers rhythmically oable. "And what of the enemy?"
"Primarily goblins and kobolds, about twenty thousand strong, including some dragon-blooded beasts, but they’re only fit to fight the ‘Hion’—hreat to us."
"Good. It’s time to show these foolish creatures—"
"What real warfare looks like."
Robert rose slowly aed the tent.
Aiden and Seider followed closely.
F imperable formations, the "Talons of the Eagle" stood ready in their gray robes, shields and spears creating a forest of steel.
Warhorses neighed, and the armored cavalry braced for the charge.
Hundreds of eagle guards circled in the sky, keeping watch over the battlefield.
Behind the tent, soldiers pushed the massive crossbows forward.
"Soldiers—"
Robert’s voice, soft but magically amplified, reached every ear.
"True war is upon us, and our enemy is unlike any other—savage monsters: goblins, kobolds, ogres, even dragons."
"They may be strong, powerful, or capable of breathing deadly fire, but remember, behind you is the Duchy of La, the pce of your parents, wives, children, and friends. The red dragon’s expansion is relentless, and our only choice is to strike bad show these monsters ht!"
"The duchy has sheltered us for years, and uhe Duke’s prote, we’ve thrived. Now, any man with honor and ce must repay this debt with loyalty—to fight and die for the Duke and for the Duchy of La!"
"For the Duke! For the Duchy of La!"
Robert raised his silver sword, rallying the troops.
These soldiers, many sons of city folk or minor nobles, had grown up with the best military training. The words "proteg one’s homend, h one’s duty" resonated powerfully with them.
ons trembled in unison, spears struck the ground rhythmically, and a wave of cheers erupted.
"For the Duke—"
"For the Duchy of La—"
The rousing t echoed through the ranks.
Yet a shadow darkened Robert’s face.
He turned, asking quietly, "Aiden, why hasn’t the Sixth Battaliourned?"
Aiden’s heart sank, replying quickly, "Not sure, but they may have entered the dragon."
FAL
