Chapter 210
Elester looked at Lucia, who was lost in thought.
The reason Lucia was contemplating between battle and retreat.
Unlike Legion Commander Crowley, the Bone Dragon was not an existence that must be stopped.
It was strong. But it was also clear that its 'level' was much lower compared to Crowley.
'Even if the human alliance army gathers, the outcome against the Legion Commander is uncertain... but a dragon of this level can be sufficiently stopped by a kingdom.'
There would be some damage, but it wasn't an existence that couldn't be blocked by the power of a single country.
That was the dragon's position.
To elaborate a bit more...
'There's no need for us to bear that damage.'
Not only the injured, but the stamina of the knights was exhausted.
The only ones who could fight the Bone Dragon now were Adonis, Lucia, Caron, and Elester himself.
'But Caron went after Volkan, and my mana is depleted...'
The ones who could actually fight were Adonis and Lucia. It was fair to say only the two of them.
Moreover, there was no guarantee of winning in this situation.
'After retreating, we leave the Bone Dragon to another country.'
Rather than leaving it, it was more like dumping it on them.
This was the most rational and sensible judgment.
Of course, in this process, they wouldn't notify the other country that 'the Bone Dragon is heading your way'.
Because they might try to hold the Empire responsible after the incident.
Moreover.
'It's a very good opportunity to reduce the enemy's forces.'
The dragon may be inferior to the Legion Commander, but it's not someone to be easily defeated.
It would at least half-destroy one or two divisions of the kingdom.
If lucky, it could even kill a few high-ranking knights.
'I don't know where the Bone Dragon will head... but to come to the Empire, it has to pass through at least two countries.'
In that process, there would be no foolish country that wouldn't fight the Bone Dragon.
The dragon might head to the center of the kingdom, but would they just leave it alone?
There was nothing more foolish than that.
"Lucia, what do you think is best?"
"...Does my opinion matter? Now that the mister is gone, the next in command is you, Teacher."
"Hoho, what power does this old man have? I'm the one who declared retirement long ago and holed up in a corner of the academy. So don't worry about it."
Lucia, who slightly turned her head, narrowed her eyes.
Although Elester had declared retirement, Lucia knew there had been some kind of political deal.
'Is this a test... Your nasty personality hasn't changed.'
The elderly man who looked extremely benevolent, Elester.
It was a completely different appearance from what Lucia had seen at Annwood Academy more than 20 years ago.
'You used to beat students with your staff.'
His movements were so mysterious that even the children who enhanced their bodies with mana couldn't avoid his staff.
Lucia, who unconsciously recalled the past memories, shuddered slightly.
Anyway, Elester, who was strict enough to be nicknamed the 'Tiger of the Academy'.
He often gave puzzling tests. Just like now.
'...There's no reason for us to fight that thing.'
Lucia knew it well too.
It was literally a good thing to reduce the enemy's forces without lifting a finger.
However.
"Let's fight."
"The reason?"
"Research on Volkan, the value of dragon bones, and... it's something that happened because we meddled unnecessarily."
If Lucia and the subjugation force hadn't come here?
Volkan, who failed to resurrect Crowley, would have left this place without lingering.
Tightly hiding information about himself until now.
It would have been much more advantageous to reveal himself at a critical moment.
"Hmm... But didn't we do this to do a good thing? Revealing Volkan's identity. Just by doing that, we can say we did our job. Shouldn't we leave the rest to other countries?"
As Elester said.
Other countries, including the kingdom, didn't even know that Volkan was trying to resurrect the Legion Commander.
Even if the Legion Commander's resurrection was impossible from the beginning, it was clear that they had done a great deed by risking danger.
"We started this. So ending it with our own hands..."
"We have already made enough sacrifices. And you're saying we need to make even greater sacrifices? For other countries?"
No, it wasn't for other countries.
What Lucia had wanted to protect from the beginning was something else.
In the end, Lucia had no choice but to reveal her true feelings.
"Because civilians are innocent."
"What?"
"Civilians will likely be the first to face that thing. They will suffer great damage until the kingdom assembles and sends troops."
Lucia, who remembered the pain of war, the deaths of loved ones, and the sorrow of loss.
She didn't want civilians to experience that pain.
Even if they were people from another country.
Elester widened his eyes. On the contrary, Lucia tightly closed her eyes.
'Worrying about people from another country... He'll think I'm crazy.'
She wouldn't have any excuse even if she was hit by the Force Hammer.
It was when Lucia was preparing to be scolded by Elester.
"Hoho, you've grown a lot."
"Pardon?"
"I thought you'd be a muscle-head for life... but you've become an adult before I knew it."
There was something more important than winning a war.
Protecting as many people as possible.
Ending the war with minimal damage.
And this condition had to be contemplated and endured by both the victor and the loser.
Because if there were no people, it would eventually lead to a weakening of national power and another war.
'To think she realized what I realized after turning sixty...'
Moreover, wasn't Lucia the epitome of a dimwit?
Yet she had realized it on her own.
Elester couldn't help but smile contentedly.
'Well, it's a small picture of valuing human life rather than the big picture of national power, but...'
That alone was enough.
"...I was already an adult from the beginning. I was already an adult when I met you, Teacher."
"Was that so? I'm sorry. From now on, I'll treat you as an adult."
"...You really saw me as a little kid, huh."
But this was unavoidable.
Because Lucia's mental growth was slower compared to her skills.
Grumble grumble.
Lucia's grumbling appearance. It was the same as the one she showed at Annwood Academy more than 20 years ago.
That appearance of Lucia gradually grew and changed into the appearance of a well-grown adult.
'How do children grow so fast in the blink of an eye...'
It was simply amazing.
Elester had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Lucia had finished preparing to become a 'hero'.
"Hoho, it can't be helped. This powerless old man has no choice but to follow the commander's orders."
"...Is it really okay? Even that sparkling old man over there is here, not to mention Uncle Caron."
"He's not here right now, is he? In case of an emergency, the rule is that the commander here is you."
"Teacher..."
As mentioned earlier, Lucia knew.
That Elester would have chosen to retreat.
Because it was a very good opportunity to save the children called the future of the Empire and at the same time inflict damage on other countries.
'Yet you respect my opinion...'
She was just grateful.
"What are you doing, Commander? Hurry up and give the order."
"...I understand."
Lucia, who took a deep breath.
Soon, her mouth opened, and Lucia's resonant shout echoed across the battlefield.
"Catch that lizard with only bones left! Everyone, prepare for battle!"
Crunch crunch crunch-!
Simultaneously with Lucia's shout.
The Bone Dragon, which had succeeded in escaping from the underground, spread its wings wide.
*
"...In the end, they're fighting."
"The enemy's leader seems to have run away... and the dragon has risen. It's a complete mess."
"Let's finish up quickly and go help. Although they are strong... the dragon won't be an easy opponent."
Brave words. But there was no strength at all in their voices.
Because the number of skeletal knights approaching them was so large.
'At least more than twenty. The hundreds of skeletal soldiers following behind are also a problem.'
The most terrifying thing about the undead.
They don't get tired.
In contrast, the subjugation force's stamina and mana were depleted.
Even the reliable nanny was busy gasping for breath.
"Hohoho, a fight after a long time. It's not easy."
...Although her strange way of speaking remained the same.
It was when the pitiful force called the subjugation force was tidying up the battle line.
"Ugh... What? Why am I lying down?"
"Asteon! Are you coming to your senses?"
Asteon, who had been caught up in the Black Mages' explosion, opened his eyes.
It was when they were briefing him on the current situation.
"Where's Edwin? Where's that guy sprawled?"
"Huh?"
"He was with me. If I'm this hurt even though I'm sturdy, he must be badly injured too. How's his condition? Is he hurt a lot?"
"...I'm sorry."
When Asteon asked about Edwin's well-being.
An apology was returned instead of an answer, and Asteon's expression briefly became blank.
Even the dull-witted Asteon could tell. That Edwin had entered eternal rest.
"You stupid guy. Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault."
"I should have thought more coolly. I should have been more careful. If I had, by now..."
Grab-.
Asteon grabbed Kiel by the collar.
"I know well that you're a great guy, but don't delude yourself into thinking you can do everything. What happened to us was something you couldn't do anything about."
"Asteon..."
"What you, the great one, should do now is figure out how to overcome this crisis. Look down on us and order us around as usual. It's annoying, but it's a fact acknowledged by everyone here that you make the best judgments."
Asteon placed his hands on the ground and began to get up with difficulty.
"Hnnnngh!"
Asteon, who finally succeeded in standing up, snapped his fingers.
"Sorry, but can you bring me my shield?"
"In your current condition, you can't fight..."
"There's no choice because you've become stupid! I'm the only one who can fill in the gap!"
Kiel picked up the shield and hung it on Asteon's arm.
'To be worse than the injured...'
Kiel found his own appearance utterly disgusting.
The strategies he had studied in his spare time were of no use in this situation.
Wouldn't what was needed at this moment be Edwin?
Then even in this situation, he would have made nonsensical remarks and brightened the atmosphere.
'If I had died and Edwin had lived instead...'
No, this kind of thinking wasn't good.
Because he had promised Sylvia that he wouldn't blame himself or engage in self-loathing.
It was when Kiel was pulling himself together.
Bam!
Suddenly, a tremendous impact pierced his head.
At the same time, Asteon's triumphant smile was visible.
He thought he had hit a rock, but that wasn't it.
It was because Asteon had headbutted him.
"Don't think strange things again."
Kiel gritted his teeth.
"I wasn't? I was just planning a strategy."
"Yeah, is your head a bit cooler now?"
"No, it's so hot I could die."
"That side of you isn't bad either. So, the strategy?"
Kiel looked at the sky.
The magic circle that had been floating in the sky had long since lost its form.
There was no longer any sense of Black Mages in the surroundings.
'It's right to assume they're all dead.'
In that case.
"Those skeletons won't be able to resurrect anymore."
"What?"
"Even if there are Black Mages left that we didn't detect... at most one or two times. More than that would be difficult."
It was the end of the battle, and their leader Volkan had fled long ago.
The hiding Black Mages would also be hurriedly leaving this place.
"The problem is those skeletal knights... They look a bit stronger than the ones we were dealing with. If we can somehow handle them, we have a good chance of winning."
"What, we just have to break them one or two more times? Then it's easy."
Bam! Bam!
Asteon tapped the shield with his palm a couple of times.
"We've smashed them hundreds of times! There won't be anyone whining about not being able to break them one or two more times!"
Asteon stood proudly at the forefront.
However, he was soon pushed back to the rear. Because others stood in front of him.
"The injured should fall back."
"Argh! You bad guys! The lead has always been my role!"
Asteon grunted and tried to go forward.
Of course, it wasn't easy.
Kiel whispered in his ear while watching him.
"You know what?"
"What?"
"Lady Sylvia hugged me tightly."
"Wh-What!? What's so pretty about you!"
"I'm prettier than you, of course. I must have looked reliable too."
"Tch... When you say 'reliable', it's this Asteon. No luck."
"Well, try your best. Then she might hug you too. Of course, surviving comes first, though."
"Uooh! Everyone, get out of the way! Asteon, the epitome of reliability, is coming through!"
Kiel chuckled while watching him stagger forward.
With that strong will, he would somehow survive.
When the subjugation force rushed towards the skeletons, luck fell upon the battlefield.
"Everyone, attack!"
"Support the main force!"
It was Sasha's team and Otone's team.
How glad I was to see those faces. I must be dying.
Kiel shouted loudly.
"You came so quickly!"
"Thanks for the warm welcome. We're glad to see you too!"
As the skeletons and knights clashed from all directions.
The final battle began.
--TL Notes--
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