What Do You Wish For With Murky Eyes: Record of Highserk War - Chapter 36

Johanna, a knight of the Kingdom of Craist, was weary of the futile exchanges.

“Our army should take the vanguard—”

“No, the reconquest of the territory is the mission of our Ferrius Kingdom. I would like you to entrust the control of the cavalry.”

“When considering firepower, Craist, which has the Three Heroes, is more appropriate, don’t you think?”

The moon had long passed its zenith. In the room, magical lamps were suspended, providing sufficient light to illuminate the map placed at the center of the room.

Before the major offensive planned for the next day, the military responsible for capturing the fortress was being decided, but it was not going smoothly. Johanna could understand why each country insisted on taking the prestigious role of the vanguard. It was not only a matter of personal pride but also a consideration for the future of the nation. Among the nations that contributed to the defeat of the Highserk Empire, determining which country had contributed the most would significantly impact the influence within the subsequent alliance of the four countries. Therefore, none of the countries were willing to yield. The only exception was the Principality of Myard, which had lost a significant land force. In the military council attended by generals and commanders, only the leader of the country, Rita Myard, was present, creating a situation where the power dynamics of each country could be understood, albeit reluctantly.

Johanna anticipated that either the Liberitoa Commercial Federation or the Kingdom of Ferrius would likely be chosen in the course of the meeting. The Kingdom of Craist had achieved significant victories, defeating the elite Liguria Battalion of the Highserk Empire during the conquest of the third bastion and occupying the same bastion. Additionally, during the fall of the core sixth bastion, they provided support with the magic of the Three Heroes, surpassing other countries in military achievements by a considerable margin.

Johanna had been informed in advance that the reason the military strategist was persistently negotiating was to repay the favor of the Kingdom of Craist yielding the vanguard. Regardless of how the negotiations concluded, the military council to determine the vanguard, which they should not have been given in the first place, was, to be frank, pointless. Johanna felt the urge to vent her grievances at the knight commander who had chosen to skip the meeting.

“How about deciding it by drawing lots?”

“What nonsense are you talking about, Lady Johanna?”

“Yes. Please refrain from making such irresponsible remarks.”

The representatives of each country, who did not miss Johanna’s slip of the tongue due to the lack of progress, began to question her one after another.

“I apologize. It was a thoughtless remark.”

Seeing Johanna apologize, the discussion returned to the original agenda. The only one who showed sympathy for Johanna was Rita Myard, who was participating in the pointless military council. If she had to spend such a wasteful time, Johanna thought she might as well train Yuuto and Makoto or build up morale for the upcoming day. The circular argument was finally broken by the external commotion and the resounding noise of the disturbed atmosphere.

“What’s happening!?”

“Is it magic? What is this?”

The inexperienced civilian officials were struggling to comprehend the situation, but Johanna, recognizing the sounds of battle, especially those caused by magic, concluded that combat was taking place. Even inside the room, military officers and guards, like Johanna, sensed that there was fighting happening outside.

“Probably sabotage by infiltrators.”

When the commander of the Liberitoa Commercial Federation’s brigade mentioned this, some nodded in agreement.

“There could also be assassinations targeting important figures as a diversion.”

“It might be better to wait for information here, where security is tight.”

Johanna, though reluctant to evacuate blindly, couldn’t shake the eerie feeling. The lingering magical presence felt oddly familiar, as if she had experienced it before. Instead of calming down, the disturbance seemed to be spreading. Johanna also noticed that the chaos was not subsiding but gradually getting closer.

“It doesn’t seem to be just ordinary sabotage.”

“What do you mean—”

A civilian official from the Kingdom of Ferrius asked Johanna for an explanation, but before she could respond, a soldier burst into the room, preventing her from doing so.

“Enemy attack! Undead coming from the third bastion!”

The soldier was from the Liberitoa forces responsible for guarding the sixth bastion.

“Calm down. Undead? How many?”

Hugo, acting as the representative of the Liberitoa Commercial Federation in the absence of their foreign minister, asked the brigade commander from Liberitoa who had participated in the military council.

“I-it’s just one. The one we killed, the user of blue flames, is crossing through the Kingdom of Craist’s camp and heading straight for this command post.”

“Nonsense!”

Johanna shouted. She had witnessed the magic pouring down on “it” at an incredibly dense level, a density that even the word “intense” couldn’t fully describe. The ground was ripped apart, and dust rose as high as the back of a dragon species. Even if it had turned into an undead, its body could not have remained intact under such a torrent of destruction.

“It’s a single undead just crush it! Where is it now!?”

“Right over there—”

Wind blew in a room where there should be none, causing the maps to scatter. Sweat gushed from every pore. Johanna kicked the desk aside, pushed the strategists into the shadows, and covered them both with a cloak. Flames danced into the room and instantly engulfed it. Those who were slow to react or in the wrong place emitted short screams and fell to the ground.

Johanna struck the void with «Heavy Strike», sending the approaching azure flames flying. When the azure flames weakened, only seven people remained inside. The Myard representative and their guards, three in total, including the Liberitoa Commercial Federation brigade commander and the strategist Johanna protected. Unfortunately, all from Ferrius perished due to the unfavorable location. The remaining individuals were engulfed by the blast, rolling on the ground while being consumed by fire. Johanna tried to assist in extinguishing the flames, but her efforts were interrupted when a halberd extended from the entrance, impaling the Liberitoa soldier.

“Aaahhh!!”

As flames erupted from within, black smoke and azure flames spewed from the throat. The «Ignis Fatuus» user had caused flames to erupt from the interior they had pierced.

“You scum!!”

The brigade commander, who had unsheathed the longsword hanging from their waist, flashed it, but when the halberd became imbued with magic, the sword and it’s owner were severed halfway. The remaining person, before drawing the longsword, had their entrails burned by the halberd, and after intense spasms, they fell motionless. Johanna, who had heard that the «Ignis Fatuus» user primarily attacked from a distance, realized that her understanding was significantly mistaken.

Frankly, Johanna currently only had the bare minimum equipment. Questioning herself about how far she could endure, the «Ignis Fatuus» user pointed at Johanna with twisted and bent left finger. Through the mask, Johanna sensed death and a dense killing intent. The broken finger creaked, and the enemy, exhaling azure flames from their entire body, transformed into an incarnation of fire, attacking Johanna. Her hands went numb when «Heavy Strike» clashed with her sword.

Merely standing there, the magical membrane was being completely shaved away. The left finger of the «Ignis Fatuus» user holding the halberd was entirely crushed. Nevertheless, Johanna was being pushed back by the pressure of the sword. In the clash of the sword guards, they deflected each other’s blades, but at the moment of separation, azure flames clung to Johanna. The ice wall that Johanna instantly deployed scattered high-temperature steam and dissipated.

Through the mask, Johanna exchanged glances with the «Ignis Fatuus» user. Even amidst the madness, she realized that he had not lost his intellect. He was a far more dangerous opponent than when he was deployed in the battalion. Without friendly forces within range, the constraints were lifted. As Johanna’s mind raced, she suddenly realized—Liguria Battalion had been annihilated at the third bastion. There were no comrades to shield. Was this solo assault on the central command motivated by a revenge-seeking madness?

“Resistance is futile! Liguria Battalion has been obliterated!”

“….”

The response came in the form of «Ignis Fatuus». Just as the fire was about to swell again, Johanna braced herself, but she was blocked by a blade sliding in from the side.

“Gu, Ugh…”

It was a sharp blow delivered by an elderly knight of the Myard Principality.

————–

Rita Myard, who had participated in the military council, couldn’t keep up with the ongoing battle in front of her. Despite experiencing numerous battles, including the Siege of Aidenburg and the escape to the floating city of Celta, she felt that those experiences were now meaningless. More than 20 people had attended the military council, but now only a handful remained.

“Rita-sama, please step back!”

Literally blindsided by the bodyguard Lutwidge, a longsword pierced through the gap in the armor, causing the «Ignis Fatuus» user to bleed from his abdomen.

“It’s shameful interference. I make no excuses.”

Using «Heavy Strike» and «Ignis Fatuus», the fire manipulator attacked Lutwidge, but Johanna flanked him, preventing a quick resolution. Still, the «Ignis Fatuus» user didn’t falter. He responded to the front with «Heavy Strike» while filling the sides and blind spots with blue flames. Rita could only retreat to the wall to avoid being caught in the chaos.

Cursing her own weakness for what felt like the umpteenth time, Rita’s gaze briefly met with the «Ignis Fatuus» user. Intense breath and heat approached Rita. The «Ignis Fatuus» user attempted to change the direction of his attack momentarily, but Lutwidge forcibly redirected the attack towards himself.

“I… should have killed you that time.”

“Ah…”

With an exchange of words that lasted only a few minutes, Rita vividly remembered every detail of that conversation and the taste of the words she uttered during her escape. The seemingly kind smile was lost, and the wide-open eyes burned with the flames of wrath and hatred.

The invader, a benefactor who had likely been a good person at heart, had been driven to madness by the war, and Rita, one of the leaders of the Four Nations Alliance had been a part of that. She even felt disgust at herself for weighing the unlikely possibility of saving his life and the influence it would have afterword, despite her duty to her country and people.

As the surging magic filled the room, the two knights assumed defensive postures. Although the room was ravaged by «Ignis Fatuus», its wielder was no longer present.

“Rita-sama, are you injured?”

“I’m fine. …As for him.”

“Yes, from Aidenburg… but, for now, it’s best to forget.”

She couldn’t afford to lose composure in front of people from other countries. Rita took a discreet breath, composed herself, and then called out to the strategist of the Craist forces who had collapsed amid the debris of the table.

“Are you alright?”

The strategist of Craist, having risen from the debris of the table, glanced around the room and responded to Rita.

“I-I can move on my own. It seems we’re the only ones left. Just hearing about it is vastly different from experiencing it. We underestimated that thing. The danger of being alone surpasses even that of the Three Heroes.”

“Yes… For now, let’s regroup with the soldiers. We must also find Gran-sama; the surroundings are still dangerous. My apologies, would Myard-dono also evacuate with us?”

“Thank you.”

Rita agreed to the proposal from the knight of Rehauzen. There was no need to be stubborn and expose themselves to unnecessary danger. The camp was attacked, followed by the command post, and if there were to be another attack— Rita couldn’t discern where the soldier consumed by madness would head next.