novelraw Chapter 186: Childhood Friend – Legitimate Heir
Chapter 186: Childhood Friend – Legitimate Heir
186. Childhood Friend – Legitimate Heir
"Honor and money. Which one do you prefer?"
It was a timely question. The warrior who received Caesar's question fell into deep thought.
It was a time when a sense of anticipation was rising in the hearts of the soldiers. They had achieved victory after victory, causing the enemy to flee, and now they were just a day away from the enemy’s capital, the main camp.
The warrior, after seriously contemplating, opened his mouth.
"As a proud warrior of the Dwina tribe, I should answer honor... but honestly, it's hard to choose."
"You're the same, huh?"
A warrior of the Norangdeu tribe burst into laughter. He stroked his recently shaved smooth chin and spoke.
"For me, it's money. I didn't know the world was this big. Above all, the fact that a man can have one woman, it's unimaginable in our tribe."
"Puhaha! So you're going to use the reward to get a new bride?"The warriors sitting around burst into laughter. The Norangdeu warrior, whose tribe practiced polyandry, blushed.
"New bride? We don't have the concept of marriage. We just live with people we get along with..."
The Norangdeu tribe went out to sea to catch fish.
In this tribe, women were more likely to be born with the talent of mana-infused bodies.
Thus, many of the Norangdeu tribe's warriors and great warriors were women, and as a result, many died.
When catching fish in the sea, sea monsters often appeared. These monsters, resembling crocodiles or salamanders, would attach to the boats and try to capsize them. The warriors would desperately try to fend them off, but it was often the female warriors, who led the charge, that died first.
This had a decisive influence on the establishment of polyandry. There were few women, and they were strong, so they took on the role of head of the household.
"You don't get married?"
"Yeah. We hold a festival at the end of the month. It's a toast before going out to sea, and if you want to put it that way, that's our marriage. We also confess to women we've been interested in... Since there are many husbands, there are often cases where we feel neglected by our wives."
Rev, who had been listening quietly from a distance, blushed. He knew that what the warrior just said was a very sanitized version of the truth.
On the other hand, the warriors who didn't know the inner workings of the tribe looked quite intrigued.
"Wow. Isn't that paradise? Some people can't live with their wives, but you can change them anytime... Haha. I'm jealous."
"Jealous? The competition is intense. Unless you're a guy like the general, it's hard to catch their eye. So for me, it's money. If I knew the world was this big and that living with one woman was normal, I would've left a long time ago."
"I'll admit not knowing the world was this big. Hahaha."
The warriors burst into raucous laughter. The barbarians of the Kingdom of Orun. They had lived in isolation to avoid being enslaved, so they couldn't hide their amazement at the shining civilization they encountered.
The massive city. The teeming people. If there was ever a frog in a well, it was them.
"Alright. We've got another friend who chose money. So, Hatu, what about you? Honor or money. Which one?"
Caesar turned to Hatu, a young man they met in the Baruga tribe, and offered him the same choice.
"Family."
Hatu didn't choose honor or money. Blushing, he said,
"My son and wife are the most precious to me. I want to go back soon."
A silence fell. Then the warriors let out a low "Ooooh~".
Caesar bowed his head for a moment. Rev thought he saw him frown, but it was a mistake. When Caesar lifted his head again, he was smiling as usual.
"This guy! You've really grown up faster than me! Hahaha. This friend is newlywed!"
Caesar put his arm around Hatu's head. "Ah! Why are you doing this?" The young man struggled as the warriors took turns spanking him.
Then, with a shrill sound, a Sinis bird flew in. Unable to find a place to perch, it hovered for a moment before landing on its owner's head.
"Enough. Quiet down."
Rev, leaning against a tree, waved his hand. The soldiers, who had been boisterous due to their optimistic view of the situation, fell silent.
Caesar took the letter tied to the Sinis' leg. After confirming the seal of Prince Leo, he handed it to the captain.
"..."
But the captain's expression was unusual. He read the letter, then read it again, as if he couldn't believe it. His face was astonished.
"Captain? What's wrong?"
Rev didn't answer. He handed the letter to Caesar to read directly, and Caesar exclaimed.
"Then the war is over?"
It was a message that Nevis was empty. The listening warriors murmured, and Rev shook his head, answering cautiously.
"...That can't be. Everyone, get up. The rest is over. Contact each squad and approach Nevis. Do not let your guard down."
Ten messengers from the Thousand-man squad ran out. Rev, staring blankly south, murmured quietly.
"It can't be this easy..."
*
The capital of the Kingdom of Orun, Nevis, was located in a basin.
There was a small plain surrounded by mountains, and the soldiers led by Rev cautiously exited the mountains.
And before them was the enormous city. Starting with the sporadically placed shabby farmhouses, the buildings gradually increased in size, blocking their view.
"Prepare for urban warfare. The enemy might be hiding, so we need to thoroughly search the buildings."
At Rev's command, hundreds of squads dispersed. They infiltrated the outskirts of Nevis and began reconnaissance.
Rev also stepped in, and though there were people on the streets, they were all women or the elderly, creating a somewhat eerie scene.
'Have they conscripted all the adult men?'
Upon interrogating the remaining citizens, Rev's suspicion was confirmed. There had been a massive conscription right after the war started, and an evacuation order was issued a couple of months ago.
But why? The question rose to his throat, but the citizens wouldn't know. Rev bit his lip, feeling the creeping anxiety.
"General, there are no enemies here. We sent scouts, and there are no enemies on the walls either. The gates are destroyed."
It was the report from the Centurion. Nodding, Rev said, "I'll check for myself," and headed for the north gate of Nevis.
Indeed, the Centurion was right. There was no one on the over eight-meter-high walls, and the shattered gates were hanging loosely on their hinges.
Rev climbed the wall. He instructed the Centurion to search inside the castle and took a look around the empty Nevis.
Only then did he realize the enemy's intention. Rev stared intently at the mountains surrounding Nevis.
His tracking skills indicated the western, southern, and eastern mountains. The king, princes, nobles who sided with the twin princes, and most of the knights were hiding around Nevis.
So, this was a trap. They were using the capital as bait, waiting for them to occupy Nevis.
A wizard who arrived soon after confirmed Rev's suspicion. A barrier to neutralize mana lords had already been set up around Nevis, which was a preliminary measure for a siege.
They must be planning to win through a siege, unable to match the magic power...
It didn't make sense.
In a siege, the defending side has an overwhelming advantage. Even if the gates were broken, they could be blocked with soldiers, and the advantages of the walls would persist throughout the siege.
So why did they abandon it?
It was too big a bait for a trap. Knowing it was a trap, they couldn't ignore it as it had the deeds of the city at stake.
'Is this a miscalculation by the enemy, or is there something I don't know?'
Rev continued to ponder from the watchtower. The scorching sun turned his skin red, but he didn't move.
"Uh... General. What should we do? We haven't completed the search, but there don't seem to be any enemies inside the castle."
A Centurion, unable to bear the heat, asked. Unable to find an answer after much thought, Rev shook his head, snapping out of his reverie.
"Tell Caesar to contact the main force and inform them that Nevis is completely empty. However, they should not enter until the search is completed. Send scouting teams to those mountains. The enemy will be hiding there. Observe their movements, but don't get too close. Confirm how many siege weapons they've made."
Rev issued a flurry of orders.
He commanded them to search for possible explosives hidden in the walls, barricade the gates, and expel all citizens from the castle, suspecting spies among them.
Rev reached a conclusion. The reason for abandoning the defensive advantage remained unknown, but their rebel army had targeted Nevis and needed to occupy it.
Capturing a king was always difficult.
A king could flee, so gaining the support of the nobles constituting the kingdom was the strategy.
However, despite the rebels' successive victories, they hadn't yet gained the nobles' support because of the knights.
Royal knights who had swept through the eastern territories were still patrolling each territory. This made the neutral nobles hesitate to join the rebellion, fearing attacks on their lands.
But if the rebels captured the capital and publicized it?
Many nobles would turn their backs at once. This would effectively cut off the fleeing king's support.
Of course, the enemy knew this. Which meant...
They were confident in their siege abilities. They even set up a barrier to neutralize mana lords and left the castle empty, signaling their confidence in a successful siege.
This was Rev's concern. The uncertainty about the source of their confidence.
Despite the rebels' advancing front lines, the enemy hadn't sent reinforcements. They relied on untrained recruits to buy time, allowing knights to disrupt the rear.
Why didn't they send reinforcements?
Presumably, they judged they were short on magical power, making frontline battles difficult.
So they prepared barriers and siege warfare. During the two months of the rebels' advance, they must have produced a lot of siege weapons. The Nevis garrison likely trained new recruits in siege tactics...
'So this is the final showdown.'
Rev cracked his neck. He exhaled his anxiety and busied himself around Nevis inside and out.
But nothing unusual was found. Even Rev, who knew all the underground passages and entrances/exits of the Nevis palace, saw no problem for defense.
Despite debates, over the next few days, the main force cautiously entered Nevis.
Through the north gate, they carefully divided supplies into the castle and brought in soldiers bit by bit, wary of a sudden attack.
Meanwhile, the enemy no longer hid their intentions. They descended from the mountains with countless siege weapons and established positions to the west, south, and east.
They seemed truly intent on a decisive siege battle. They had many knights suitable for small-scale skirmishes (having broken the gates), and while the rebels had the castle, they couldn't use their magicians, so neither side had a clear advantage.
However, the reason for abandoning the castle's advantages soon became clear.
The northern part of Nevis was occupied by the rebels. Most of the soldiers were inside, but concerned about a prolonged siege, they tried to secure more supplies.
Naturally, all focus was on the enemy movements surrounding them. Rev and Leo concentrated on tracking the positions of key figures.
One day, the northern supply route was attacked. Though the damage was minor, Rev and Leo rushed to the walls in shock. The enemy didn't move. The attackers bore the red shield emblem of...
"Duke Tertan's forces!"
It was the army of Duke Rupert Tertan, the western border lord of the Kingdom of Conrad.
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