novelraw Chapter 215: Abyssal Holy War - The First and Final Holy War (3)
Chapter 215: Abyssal Holy War - The First and Final Holy War (3)
Episode 215. Abyssal Holy War – The First and Final Holy War (3)
Northwestern Francia, near the naval port of Brest. The assembly point for the Central Continental Allied Forces.
At the assembly point, where the Magic Tower's Magic Corps was busy installing the ‘gate’ that would connect to the island, the allied forces of the Central Continent were gathering one after another.
The vanguard for the landing operation was composed of elite troops—from Francia, the Iberian Brotherhood, the Germania Empire, the Krafte Kingdom, and the Holy Theocracy's Paladin Order—and they were already prepared to depart. But once the gate was connected, a far greater number of troops would be dispatched, including the armies of the Northern Allied Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom.
Just before the vanguard’s departure, all of the troops of that enormous expeditionary force stood in formation.
“His Excellency the Marquis.”
“Commander-in-Chief, Your Excellency!”
Those I passed saluted or removed their hats to show their respect.
The curses, blame, and jeers I had received before my regression already felt distant, like a dream. Only the respect and praise directed at me had become a heart-swelling reality.
I passed countless men and stood on the platform.I had stood in this position many times before.
Francia's civil war for the throne, the Revolution, the war with the Empire, the Iberian Peninsula War, and the war with Krafte.
I had led them on countless battlefields, and each time, I encouraged them before sending them off to war.
And now, I was repeating war once again.
But this time.
Feeling the countless gazes fixed upon me, I took a light, deep breath and opened my mouth.
“Soldiers. I, Pierre de Lafayette, Commander-in-Chief of the Central Continent Allied Expeditionary Force, speak to you now. We have gathered to stand against the Abyss Corporation, against the threat of the demons.
But I know there are those among you who remember that we were shedding each other’s blood only a few years ago, and who doubt why they must shed blood on yet another battlefield.
I know that for you, who come from different hometowns and different nations, things like justice for one's country are meaningless. Instead, I demand that you come to a self-awareness.
400 years. 400 years have passed since the war where humanity fought for a century to survive against the demons. Humanity survived that war at the cost of countless sacrifices, but we have forgotten that fight.
We were merely happy to have survived, and we lived on, believing in the coexistence the demons spoke of. The blood spilled during those 400 years spent believing the words they uttered with smiling faces has been forgotten, and we have turned our weapons on one another.
But, soldiers, we now know the truth. We know that those demons have prospered amidst our misfortune. We know that while they spoke of peace and coexistence to our faces, they were behind the scenes fanning discord across the continent and sowing the seeds of chaos.
Look at the horrific creatures they have made from the flesh of our neighbors, of our own kin. Until just a short while ago, even such atrocities committed by the demons were dismissed as mere baseless rumors.
If even atrocities that could not possibly be concealed were treated as such, can you dare to imagine how many of their atrocities have gone unknown over the long 400 years?
Our ancestors, your fathers, and all of you have been dancing like puppets for the demons without even realizing it.
Why did this happen? Because we were too busy tearing each other down and being hostile to one another.
And why did that happen? Because they wanted it, and they have been inciting division on the continent.
If so, until when? How much more of humanity must be sacrificed and suffer at their hands?
Eternally. It is for eternity, soldiers.
If we do not rise up now, at this very moment, countless humans will repeat the same fate for all eternity.
Just as that holy war of 400 years ago was forgotten, so too will our pain and fury of this moment one day be forgotten in the passage of time.
Do you want it to be so, soldiers?
Do you want a future for your descendants where they live divided and torn apart, under the sneers of eternally living demons?
If you wish for our children, their descendants, for all of humanity to live as slaves without even knowing they are slaves, then you are free to turn your backs and leave this place now.
But if you do not.
If you are resolved to make them pay the price for all the humiliation and suffering we have endured, and to liberate humanity from their eternal schemes.
Then now is that very opportunity.
The opportunity for us, for the first time in human history, to set foot on that cursed island of demons.
An opportunity that may well be our last is before our eyes.
Soldiers, this is war. It is a mission where you must risk your lives, and survival is not guaranteed.
However, as your Commander-in-Chief, there is one thing, and one thing only, that I will guarantee.
This war is not for a monarch, nor is it for a nation.
It is not a war where humans spill each other's blood, but a war against the demons to protect humanity.
It is a holy war for our freedom, for the future our descendants will live in.
On the battlefield that awaits us on that sunless island, not a single drop of your blood and sweat will be wasted.
So to you, the armies of humanity who have shed blood until now without even knowing why you fought.
I ask you to join this holy war, and shed your blood for your own sakes.
So that in the distant future, when the shadow of the demons has vanished from this continent.
Let the future generations of humanity call our war of this moment! The First and Final Holy War!”
*
The strait between Francia and the Abyss Corporation.
On the deck of the Francia naval flagship, the ‘Libre’.
“Marquis Lafayette. I have always held a deep interest in your military achievements and martial skill. It was quite a shame that you declined the offer of an honorary membership in the Paladin Order before. Now that it’s come up, how about re-considering joining the Paladin Order? If it’s for a knight as noble as you, Marquis, His Holiness the Pope will gladly accept you.”
I felt my soul draining away thanks to Alejandro, the Commander of the Paladin Order, who was chattering endlessly beside me.
“This is a secret, but there are many within the Paladin Order who respect you, Marquis. Not only did you capture the nefarious Halphas and send him to the Holy See, but you also had the insight to recognize Her Majesty the Saintess Queen, and above all, did you not single-handedly vanquish Barbatos, the Great Demon of the ‘Wrath’ company? No paladin in history has ever accomplished such a great feat alone.”
If you're going to call it a secret, I wish you wouldn't just spill it...
Weren't paladins supposed to be the taciturn types, training in seclusion as both clerics and knights?
Half-exhausted, I was listening to Alejandro’s meaningless nonsense when I saw Ludovic Dureng, the captain of the Libre, passing by and gestured frantically.
'Come here, Captain!'
You like to talk a lot too. The two of you who love to talk can have a grand old time. Just leave me out of it.
But Dureng mimed grabbing his neck, then held his hands up in an X and shook his head.
My neck?
Ah, the cross necklace Eris gave me.
...Is he saying he's not on good terms with religion?
And what if he isn't? You think I'm listening to this because I'm on good terms with religion?
I can appreciate God or Eris, but I can't stand the stuffy fanatics of the Holy Theocracy!
Get over here this instant!
But Dureng pretended not to see my desperate gestures and scurried away.
“What do you say, Marquis Lafayette? Not just I, but all the brothers of the Paladin Order are counting the days until the glorious day we can call you a brother. Of course, it is merely an honorary position. We do not expect to take the Commander-in-Chief of the Francia Revolutionary Army to the Holy Theocracy. Ah, of course, it would be an immense pleasure if you were to come, hahaha!”
I fought to suppress the sigh that was about to escape and, looking at the paladin who had no sense of tact or diplomatic rhetoric, I opened my mouth.
“It is an honor that you would say so. I will review it positively.”
“Oh, truly? His Holiness the Pope will be most pleased!”
Ha, fine.
If I'm going to be tormented anyway, I might as well put it to constructive use.
“In that sense, I believe there is a need to discuss constructive combined arms cooperation between the Revolutionary Army and the Paladin Order.”
“Combined arms cooperation, you say...”
Alejandro’s voice immediately turned hesitant.
Seriously, this guy.
“We will be in enemy territory, at the very least. Shouldn't we avoid a situation where the cavalry charges recklessly and engages without any possibility of retreat?”
“What? A paladin retreating from a fight with demons? That is unacceptable, my brother!”
Who's your brother! I only said I'd consider it!
No, more importantly.
“On the battlefield, a tactical retreat is something that can happen at any time due to tactical necessity-”
“Brother, in Chapter 4, Verse 12 of the Holy Scriptures, it is said: If faith is firm, holy grace will be with you, and there is nothing you cannot achieve, so there shall be no retreat before the enemy. All members of the Paladin Order will advance steadfastly in the name of Her Majesty the Saintess Queen and God, and we will crush all enemies before us without a single step of retreat.”
...This is hopeless, this bastard.
To think I was considering combined arms with fools like these, I must have been out of my mind!
As I stood there with my mouth agape in disbelief, Alejandro seemed to interpret it in his own way and smiled with a benevolent face.
“There is no need to be so ashamed, brother. You cannot be blamed for not knowing the teachings of the Holy Scriptures when you have not yet received formal education as a Paladin. If you learn slowly from now on, you will be able to open your eyes to a new path.”
I'd like to decline that path.
...I think I'm starting to understand why the Pope was so reluctant to send the Paladin Order.
The commander would at least be someone with some political skill, or if not, the most competent among them. But if the commander is in this state, there’s nothing more to see.
I have no doubt about their strength as knights, but concepts like force preservation or strategic thinking are completely absent from their minds.
The thought that they might willingly fight to the death, calling it martyrdom if they die fighting demons, sends a shiver down my spine.
While I was racking my brain dealing with Alejandro, fortunately, my greatest ally was on this ship.
“Excuse me, Marquis Lafayette, Commander of the Paladin Order.”
“Ahem, Admiral.”
The moment Christine appeared, Alejandro shed his uncomfortably chummy attitude and took a step back.
It was something I'd definitely noticed; the Paladin Order finds Christine’s very existence burdensome.
A young and beautiful woman who is also a military commander, a merchant whom they subtly despise, and on top of that, the dark influence represented by the ominous title ‘Black Witch of Aquitaine.’
She has all the elements that those so-called ‘noble clerics’ would shun.
But honestly, if he wants to get on my good side, can't he even have the minimal sense not to show his blatant dislike for Christine?
“I'm afraid I must ask for your understanding. A slight problem has arisen with the landing operation.”
“Hm? What is it, Christine?”
“Compared to the width of the landing beach we scouted beforehand, the transport capacity required by the Paladin Order is larger. Especially for the warhorses.”
Ah, warhorses.
Indeed, these weren't light cavalry, but large warhorses for 500 knights in full plate armor.
On top of that, they had a significant number of cavalry among their squires, so landing all of that wouldn't be easy...
...But there's no way she wouldn't have calculated that in advance. Not Christine of all people.
Alejandro’s expression turned as if he had bitten into something foul.
“So, you're saying the landing will be delayed?”
“Yes, it appears the warhorses will take up the most personnel and time to land, so we will unfortunately have to disembark other units first.”
“Wh-what nonsense is this! Don't tell me the Revolutionary Army is doing this to land before the Paladin Order-”
Ah, at this point, I think I see Christine’s intention.
“Of course not, Commander. The Paladin Order will step on the shore first, alongside the Revolutionary Army. Unavoidably, the warhorses will be brought ashore later. This much cooperation should be possible, right, Admiral?”
“Of course, it is possible.”
Christine answered promptly, and Alejandro let out an `Ugh-` and a groan before bowing his head respectfully to me.
“I am grateful for your consideration, Marquis Lafayette.”
As he did so, I mouthed my thanks to Christine, and she gave a slight smile and a nod.
Perfect.
Now, at least I won't have to watch those paladins, their brains filled with muscle and faith, charge ahead before the other units have even finished landing.