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“How was that? Do you feel like trusting me now?”
He nodded. He would not waver again.
“...Yeah, I’ll believe in you. I promise.”
“All right, it’s a promise.”
Altina smiled from ear to ear. Her face was like a clear spring day.
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The plaza, where the heat of the duel refused to subside, was like an unplanned, unprecedented festival. The noise showed no signs of dying down.
It was then that the echo of bells reverberated through the square.
The source of the ringing was no mystery. They came from the highest watchtower on the fort.
These bells had chimed before, time and time again.
The soldiers stood dumbfounded, at first not understanding what they could mean. The plaza’s clamor faded until they could hear the voice from the watchtower.
“Enemy attack!! Enemy attack!! Barbarians from the northern front!!”
The barbarians were using the cover of the blizzard to attack!?
Unrest and tension spread almost instantly through the troops, who immediately looked to Jerome.
“Margrave!” Regis yelled.
This was the only moment they had to establish the new relationship between him and the princess. If they didn’t demonstrate their shifted position here, it would render the match the girl had staked her life on pointless.
“...Settle down... I understand.”
Jerome walked to Altina.
He set a knee down on the snow.
“Princess, the enemy is here! Your orders!”
The soldiers watched in a daze, before hurriedly emulating him.
With Altina at the center, troops fell to their knees one after the next. The wave spread like a ripple on the water’s surface. The change in their cognition was amply conveyed.
The girl’s resolve had borne fruit.
Everard was among the ones on their knees, a wide grin spread across his face.
Altina was exhausted beyond measure. Her legs shook, and she continued clinging to Regis simply because she feared she would collapse should they part.
Regis whispered in her ear. After a nod, she issued the orders.
“Sir Jerome, I order you. Lead one hundred cavalry as the vanguard to meet the enemy. Discern their strength, and if possible, construct a battle front... If the enemy is too numerous, return with the safety of our troops as the priority!”
“As you will it!!” The general nodded and stood. “You lot, we’ve been ordered to sortie! Ready the horses, and bring me my lance! I’ll wring the neck of any trash that dawdles!”
The soldiers moved obediently under Jerome’s command.
Success. They had managed to display the princess’s new standing.
Regis placed a hand on Altina’s nearly crumpling back to support her.
“Hold on, a bit longer... Can you walk to the central tower?”
“O-Of course I can...”
He very much wanted to avoid the victor being carried off on a stretcher while the loser led the charge. She had to hold on for now.
Everard rushed over.
“You sure you don’t have to take her to the infirmary?”
“The infirmary won’t make for a noble sight... We’ll go to her bedroom under the pretense of a change of clothing. I’ll call the doctor to treat her there.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Ah, if we don’t bring the sword...”
“I’ll order my men to get it.”
“Thank you. The enemy is using the blizzard to launch a surprise attack—there shouldn’t be too many of them. Our response was swift, so best case scenario we can drive them off with the vanguard...”
“What shall I do?”
“Mr. Everard, please prepare the second wave. Two hundred cavalry, on standby.”
“Standby? We shouldn’t go out, even if we’re ready?”
“A battlefront has yet to be solidified. Perhaps the vanguard will be forced to run, perhaps it’ll become a free-for-all... Please see how it develops before heading out. Otherwise, you’ll disrupt the first unit.”
“I see... Understood. Leave it to me!”
Everard gathered the knights.
They would have to prepare the infantry as the third wave. There likely wasn’t any need for orders on the defense of the fort.
Under normal circumstances, he would have sought out the opinion of Jerome, who was well versed in how this regiment fought. But in order to display Altina’s status, he could only dare to have him sortie.
His decision had been driven by politics this time. On a strategic level, the best plan would be to hold up in the fort until the enemy’s strength had been accurately ascertained, then send out a perfectly prepared corps to meet them.
But such textbook examples and chess strategies could never be applied so rigidly to a real battle.
Jerome’s vanguard left through the front gate; soldiers with weapons in hand raced to their stations; the knights ordered to carry the Grand Tonnerre Quatre hurried to the central tower.
The only ones moving slowly were an injured Altina, and Regis, who was holding her up.
A weak voice passed her lips.
“I’m... all right... so... Regis, focus on command...”
Was her terrible complexion due to fatigue? The cold? Loss of blood?
Regis put all his efforts into a composed smile, a bluff he maintained to put her at ease.
“Don’t worry, Altina. This situation is one I know a thing or two about. It’ll be fine, just leave it to me.”
“...You sound confident.”
“Of course.”
“Not like you at all.”
“R-Right...”
She saw through him all too easily. He evidently didn’t have the talent to be an actor.
Good grief, Regis thought.
“Yes, I’ll admit, I wanted more time to get a grasp on our forces. Additionally, I wanted to sortie after confirming the barbarians’ scope... But sending Sir Jerome before the enemy could deliver an arrow to our gate was not a terrible decision. I think we can fend off this surprise attack. It’ll work out... Probably.”
“I see. That’s good.”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Perfectly fine... Hey, Regis...”
“Yes?”
“Thank you. When I was being questioned, and you said you’d be my tactician... It made me pretty happy.”
“I should be the one thanking you. I’ve wanted to say it for a while now, but... Altina, thank you for trusting in me.”
The main gate opened with a heavy noise. The bugle was blown, signaling the advance of the second wave. The battle cries of several hundred men amalgamated into one mighty roar.
Regis stood at Altina’s side, watching the soldiers charge onto the battlefield.
To be continued...
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