<h4>Volume 3: Chapter 236 - Setting Sun (4/4)</h4>


    “Young M— I mean, Milord. The situation calls for urgency.”


    At the words of the old knight, who served as his tutor, Sivara knew that he had to decide the fate of the people of the fief that he had to protect.


    Germion Kingdom was already on the verge of destruction; therefore, both as a noble and as the feudal lord walking in the footsteps of histe father, Sivara had to make the decision.


    One path was to protect the east to the very end and endure the attacks of the goblins.


    Choosing this path meant he would have to rely on reinforcements from the Holy Shushunu Kingdom to protect his own fief. It was the same thing as abandoning Germion Kingdom. A n wherein he protected only his fief while the goblins overran the capital of Germion Kingdom.


    But it was a firm decision. Germion Kingdom could no longer be saved. It only made sense to protect what could be saved.


    So long as Sivara himself was mentally prepared to walk this path, as well as be a vassal state of the Holy Shushunu Kingdom, then it was not a bad n by any means. After all, the goblins were focused on the western region and the imperial capital and were not looking toward the east one bit.


    The second path was to rescue the king and Jize, who had been confined, and relocate the capital to the east.


    Frankly, this n was essentially a gamble. If he were to walk this path, he would have to fight the goblins, break through them, and save the king or a member of the royal family. Although risky, it was an attractive option, for it meant saving his friend, Jize, and it held the possibility of rallying the forces of Germion Kingdom.


    The third path was to abandon the east and flee to the Holy Shushunu Kingdom.


    The goblins have already invaded half of Germion Kingdom. Defeat was certain no matter how one looked at it. It only made sense to rely on the Holy Shushunu Kingdom and flee with his whole n. It was an attractive proposal so long as Sivara was willing to turn a blind eye on his duties as a feudal lord and his pride.


    Sivara could still make it in time. If he wanted to prioritize the safety of his family, he should choose this path. The Holy Shushunu Kingdom has juste out of a civil war. They should be more than interested in people who know how to manage a fief or serve as amander that can lead an army.


    “Yes, I know.”


    As Sivara felt the tension in the air, he exhaled.


    “We’ll go to the capital. We’ll move our army to the west.”


    When he clearly said that, the old knight, who served as his tutor, knelt to give his gratitude.


    “A gant decision, milord. All of us shall apany you.”


    “Thank you. This is the hardest path, but I am a holy knight. A holy knight is someone who must protect his country. I can’t lie to myself.”


    Sivara took his eastern division army and marched for the capital.


    They numbered approximately 1,500. Despite including private soldiers into that number, it was not a reassuring number as far as contesting the goblins went.


    ◆◆◇


    It was only after Gund finished going around the minor nations with nche the War Princess that he found out that Germion Kingdom was already on the verge of destruction.


    “Impossible!”


    When Gund got word of the news, his face paled and he yelled angrily, then he told nche that he was going back to Germion Kingdom.


    “There’s no need to hurry so. Even if you go now, you won’t make it in time. And even if you do go, you won’t be of much help. It would be best if you just stayed here—”


    “Gund-dono, any further won’t be eptable.”


    nche couldn’t finish her sentence because Gund had drawn his great sword. In a sh, the great sword he held in his hand was pointed right at nche’s neck. But at the same time, so was the short sword of nche’s feeble aide.


    “—Why don’t you stay behind here and wait for an opportunity to take vengeance?”


    Gund’s eyes tore open when nche said that.


    “Don’t make meugh!　I am! I am a!”


    Gund was gritting his teeth so hard from anger that he couldn’t say anything coherent. The aide just looked at him calmly, but the moment his master gave the order, he would immediately lop off Gund’s neck with his short sword.


    “Oh Gund. The precious holy knight of a country, Gund. Why do you fight? For your friend? For loyalty? For vengeance?”


    nche gently pushed away the great sword with her finger tips and approached Gund. She stretched out her arm to Gund, but Gund turned around.


    “I am a knight. It is my duty to defend my country. This time for sure, I will…”


    Gund didn’t reply to nche’s question. His eyes merely wandered about nkly, then he quickly made his way through nche’s extended arm and walked away.


    “…He rejected me.”


    nche said as she exaggeratedly puffed up her cheeks. After chiding her aide for saying too much, she spoke in a somewhat angry tone.


    “Why don’t you choose your words better next time?”


    “It’s a problem I’ve had since birth. Please forgive me.”


    “Forgiven.”


    nche became thoughtful for a moment, then asked her aide.


    “Hmm… So, I take it a request for reinforcements hase from Germion Kingdom?”


    “Nothing official. But a request dide from a man who named himself Sivara, the holy knight defending the east.”


    “So even the central pirs of the country have been paralyzed…”


    She looked coldly at her aide, then she turned over the cuffs of her luxurious overcoat and headed for her room.


    “I will seek an audience with my dearest king. Make arrangements. Also, prepare 500 mana guards. Hurry.”


    “As youmand.”


    nche went back to her room without sparing a nce for her aide, then she changed her clothes into something more suitable for an audience with the king.


    After being permitted an audience, she appeared before the king to ask that he break their alliance with Germion Kingdom. Saying that Germion Kingdom no longer had any power and - if anything - should be a target of invasion instead.


    When she said that, not only the king, but even the officials were surprised.


    “Germion Kingdom is no different from a sick person that can no longer be saved. It is only proper that thest rites be given for the deceased.”


    “But… If we just break our alliance like that, won’t the other country start to doubt us?”


    The king, who was still in the prime of his life, spoke while evidently being pressured by this girl before him.


    “My dearest king. At this rate, Holy Shushunu Kingdom will be crushed by the influx of refugees from Germion Kingdom. The goblins are intentionally leaving the east alone.”


    The reason they were attacking the north, the south, and the west, while intentionally ignoring the people fleeing was because they wanted to gather all of the refugees to the east and drive them away to the Holy Shushunu Kingdom, nche pointed out.


    “Can you spare anything for the refugees?　Minister of the State, I believe the supplies from Fatina have currently been stopped.”


    Under that clever gaze, the minister of the state couldn’t say anything but groan.


    “Could monsters really be so wise—?”


    “Whether they can or not isn’t the problem. The issue is that we are currently being driven toward such a situation.”


    ncheughed as she cut the words of the minister of the state.


    “O beautiful war princess. Will we able to avoid such a cmity if we were to attack Germion Kingdom?”


    “Your Majesty!”


    As the king silenced the civil officials that cried out, ncheughed.


    “If you give permission to dere war against Germion Kingdom and the Kushain Believers, then certainly.”


    The king closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them next, he gave her permission.


    It was only a matter of time now before Gund made his way back home and the deration of nche Ririnoie the War Princess would reach Germion Kingdom. It was a shocking event, but even then, there was no stopping the attack of the goblins as chaos continued to ripple.