novelraw Chapter 184: Childhood Friend - Hypocrite
Chapter 184: Childhood Friend - Hypocrite
184: Childhood Friend - Hypocrite
"It's slippery. Watch your step."
In the forest, Rev warned the fifty warriors following him. The barbarian warriors nodded silently.
The forest floor was covered with soggy leaves that had been soaked by the winter snow. The fallen leaves acted as compost for the trees, which were now sprouting light green buds in the spring.
Rev and the warriors walked silently through the slushy, sloping forest. After a while, Rev spotted a mountain hideout.
[ Achievement: Mountain Hideout Occupation - Easier to find bandit hideouts. ]
This was an achievement from a previous Childhood Friend scenario round. While traversing mountains, Rev could easily locate bandit hideouts, which also made good bases for soldiers during a war.
"Even if it’s not the first time, it’s still amazing. How do you find these places, Captain?"
Lieutenant Cesar was impressed. He ordered the warriors to clean out the hideout and whistled for Sinis, informing the main unit of the base's location.
- Whistle!Sinis flapped its wings, responding to its owner’s frequent calls. Cesar’s writing on its back was crooked.
Rev didn’t answer. Surveying the hideout left deserted by bandits who fled at the onset of the war, he designated positions for the warriors to stand guard.
After meeting with Leo and getting an overview of the situation, Rev immediately joined the westward advancing army of the Border Count of Guidan.
He intended to meet and lead the warriors sent to Guidan's territory by various tribes, but their numbers were much lower than expected.
Three thousand six hundred.
That was including the seven hundred warriors from the Meiwa tribe that Rev had brought. It was embarrassing to have boasted to Prince Leo that ten thousand warriors would come.
When asked why so few came, the great warriors of the tribes gave their reasons.
The villages Rev had visited in person had met the promised numbers. However, the villages contacted by the chiefs, which Rev had not visited, were suspicious of Rev's identity and hesitated to send warriors.
"Still, the most passionate warriors have come. It might be better this way, filtering out the weak ones."
The great warrior of the Dwina tribe, which Rev had first visited, tried to console him. But Rev could only sigh inwardly.
Wars are won by numbers, not just bravery.
Rev had expected some reduction in numbers on the way to Guidan’s territory, but the fact that only three thousand six hundred arrived was a shock. The absurdity was compounded by the fact that only the Norand tribe sent the promised number of warriors.
Rev felt ashamed of his {Seduction Skill}. He avoided the wistful gaze of the female great warrior who had led the Norangdeu tribe’s warriors.
Nonetheless, the war was proceeding smoothly. Though they had predicted a very tough fight, thanks to Leo’s efforts, many nobles joined the rebellion.
Moreover, when it became known that Princes Athon and Elzeor de Lognum had used royal guards to attack the Marquis of Guidan’s mansion, some nobles within the princes’ faction turned their backs.
They hadn’t followed the dissolute princes, who harassed noble ladies, out of genuine fondness. Many disliked them but had no alternative or were swept along by the factions the princes had divided.
Furthermore, the two border counts, the Marquises of Guidan and Drazhin, had standing armies they could immediately mobilize. Their forty thousand elite troops brandished swords toward the capital, Nevis.
The Lognum royal family hastily issued a mobilization order, and farmers who should have been sowing crops in spring donned armor.
Of course, this didn’t mean the rebel army could advance unimpeded. Even hastily conscripted soldiers blocked the rebel army’s path, and more importantly, the royal knights slowed them down.
Over three hundred knights. These weren’t just any knights; they were the kingdom’s strongest force.
When these knights paired up and hid in the forest, the army couldn’t advance easily.
Our magical force is superior, but since they have wizards too, we have to divide our soldiers. Soldiers grouped in tens were easy prey for the knight duos.
"We need to increase the number of soldiers in each squad."
It was Rev’s suggestion.
As the general commanding the barbarian warriors, Rev attended the commanders' meeting and proposed grouping the soldiers in units of twenty to thirty instead of ten. He based his argument on the assumption that the enemy wizards were limited.
"I asked the wizards. Our side uses six wizards rotating to maintain the ‘Cloud Eye’ spell for battlefield visibility. The other side seems to have one wizard maintaining it. They might be short on magical power."
We can’t advance in large formations unless we are sure they have no wizards.
"Even if they have one or two backup wizards, it’s unusual for one wizard to maintain Cloud Eye alone. This makes their mana flow pattern more predictable. If no wizards are deployed, we can afford to increase the squad size slightly. This will reduce the damage from knights."
This proposal was accepted.
Rev then went to the battlefield as a field commander. With nearly three times the number of knights on the battlefield and lacking strategic expertise, Rev had little to do among the veteran commanders.
"Cesar, I’m stepping out for a bit. Tell the thousand-man commander..."
“Yes, I’ll tell him you’re off to hunt knights.”
The early-thirties Cesar saluted playfully. He had a broad brow and thick earlobes, giving him a vigorous appearance.
His dark skin would have made him seem serious if not for his frequent cheerful smile.
But Cesar wasn’t a serious person; he liked to joke, which made General Rev frown.
No, I’ll scold him after I return.
Rev changed his mind. Scolding Cesar for not being serious wouldn’t change him, and there wasn’t time for it.
There are knights nearby.
Rev sprinted in the direction indicated by his {Tracking Skill}, which was working quickly now. Cutting through the forest, he startled friendly soldiers, shouting the password "Delmizar!" to reassure them. He ran a long way before stopping.
Four knights were carefully observing an allied squad.
They’ve increased their numbers too.
Rev came to hunt knights targeting squads, but didn’t expect there to be four. {Tracking Skill} only indicated one person's direction at a time.
Four...
Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Rev decided to wait. Observing the knights watching the squad, he waited until they moved.
“Knights!”
The barbarian warriors shouted. Normally, a messenger would immediately run to call for reinforcements, but whether due to lack of training or warrior pride, they hesitated.
Rev clicked his tongue, waiting for the clash...
[ Quest: Duelist 978/1000 - {Swordsmanship} skill level increases. ]
He struck the back of a knight’s head. Shouting “General!” the warriors charged the remaining three knights.
“You cowardly bastard!”
The knight, whom Rev recognized from a previous encounter as an apostle of Barbatos, shouted in indignation. Rev remembered cutting this knight in half in his memories.
Although he felt a twinge of guilt, the truth was, he wasn’t a knight and didn’t gain any insights from life-and-death battles. His swordsmanship skills remained unchanged, so it was only logical to prioritize efficiency.
Just as in the war between the Kingdoms of Bellita and Astin, the Cross Church had declared neutrality in this civil war within the Kingdom of Orun.
Without priests on the battlefield to provide healing, overconfidence in {Swordsmanship Lv.5: Forte Style} could lead to severe consequences.
Rev faced the furious knight with his sword. As the other two knights clashed with the warriors, he extended his arm, touching his sword to the opponent’s.
This was the swordsmanship of Count Herman Forte.
A technique focused on hiding preliminary movements, it adhered strictly to fundamentals.
First, deceive the breath.
Inhale while keeping the chest compressed, signaling no intent to attack and appearing to engage in a probing maneuver, then launch off the ground using only ankle strength.
As the sword unexpectedly thrust forward, the opponent attempted to parry. At that moment, Rev pivoted, shifting his weight to the right, and delivered a spinning back kick as the sword was deflected upwards.
Following this, he used Bart's swordsmanship. Before his body fully rotated, he released his right hand from the hilt, swinging the sword downward with his left.
“Ugh!”
Even so, a royal knight is still formidable.
The opponent reacted, stepping back and avoiding the kick while noticing the descending sword. He managed to retreat with only a cut on his arm.
However...
“Hup!”
A barbarian warrior was behind him. As the knight turned and decapitated the warrior, Rev’s sword plunged into the knight’s side, breaking ribs and piercing the heart.
Though he was embarrassed by the ‘Duelist’ message that appeared, Rev quickly charged the next knight. After a brief clash and an exchange of shouts, the warriors' cheers erupted.
[ Quest: Duelist 980/1000 - {Swordsmanship} skill level increases. ]
Even though Rev could have won 4-on-1, the battle was decisively over when combined with the 31 warriors against the remaining 3 knights. Drawing from past experience, Rev endeavored to ensure he personally killed at least one knight, but he missed one again.
“What are the casualties?”
“Four dead, three severely wounded, seven lightly injured. A great victory! If you hadn’t come, sir...”
If I had fought alone, even those wouldn't have died.
Despite the remarkable feat of killing four knights, a rarity in the entire kingdom, Rev felt more guilt than joy.
Though revered as a hero by the barbarians, Rev felt like a hypocrite for having no real interest in their liberation. Indeed, he was a hypocrite.
Rev didn’t smile.
With a grim expression, he ordered, “Bury the dead and send the severely wounded to the rear.” Misinterpreting his demeanor, the ‘Master-Servant Relationship’ achievement counter increased by twenty.
It feels disgustingly mocking.
Ignoring the condescending message, Rev returned to his original position, bypassing Cesar’s enthusiastic praise.
"Uh... sir?"
Cesar followed Rev into the mountain hideout where he had collapsed.
Though Cesar thrived on teasing his commander, he was perceptive enough to avoid approaching when Rev was in a bad mood, indicating he had news to share.
“What is it?”
“A message has arrived.”
Cesar handed over a letter with a formal demeanor. It was from Prince Leo.
“Leave me.”
Cesar, curiosity piqued about his commander exchanging letters with the leader of the rebellion, left quietly, closing the door.
The letter detailed information about Sir Bart and his former royal guards. Bart had abruptly left, suggesting it might be due to his wife.
Leo speculated similarly in the letter.
It seemed Bart might have returned for his long-lost wife and children. However, what puzzled them was that Bart had reportedly sent his second son back, promising to return after completing his mission and asking for forgiveness.
What’s going on in this game...
Deeply troubled, Rev tucked the letter away. Since Leo wasn’t asking for any immediate action, Rev lay down and repeatedly reviewed the letter’s contents.
Thinking about the commotion back at the main camp, where his achievements would be excessively praised, Rev’s stomach turned.
I’m just a despicable hypocrite.
Rev tossed and turned in the dark, musty hideout, curling up and eventually falling asleep.
Lena...
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