What Do You Wish For With Murky Eyes: Record of Highserk War - Chapter 37

Gerald Berger was in the most secure chamber within the Sarajevo Fortress, immersed in contemplation.

“Craist’s Three Heroes, how troublesome. I never expected the complete destruction of the Liguria Battalion.”

The Liguria Battalion, the unit with the most combat experience against Liberitoa, boasted the most highly trained troops among the infantry units of the Highserk Empire. Having traversed countless battlefields such as open-field battles, siege warfare, maneuver warfare, and defense battles, they were now regarded as one of the two supporting wings on the Ferrius front, alongside the Jáfe Cavalry Battalion.

A piece as valuable as gold or magical silver was lost. Underestimating the enemy’s firepower, delayed orders for withdrawal, and as a result, the Liguria Battalion found itself engaging in close combat with more than double the enemies. The leader of the Liguria Battalion perished, and although some core members were sent to the rear, it was not a complete retreat, but reconstruction would not be easy.

“Even if I activate the trap, do we have enough decoys? Perhaps, we should have conserved them in the rear from the beginning.”

Despite being praised as the God of War, Gerald misjudged the enemy forces and lost one of the precious battalions. Gerald cursed his own foolishness.

“No, can’t afford it. We can’t lament the lost ones who won’t come back. I can’t afford to become senile and retire.”

Gerald shifted his focus. Even if the mechanisms are activated, if the momentum can only be maintained, there’s no pushing through. While they had unused tactics, the assassination of key figures required platoons of death squads and was uncertain. Sabotage operations could only deploy a small number given the time for retreat, and at most, it would disrupt the enemy’s sleep and slightly diminish the quality of their breakfast.

“Following the second plan, we’ll bleed them out in Sarajevo Fortress and focus on scorched earth and delaying tactics in the Myard territory.”

Once he relinquished the acquired territory, Gerald’s position would be stripped by the Imperial Parliament.

“As the Empire is carved away, it’s either a life in the countryside or dying in frustration and boredom.”

The issue was where the enemy would stop. Despite the Four Nations Alliance’s extensive appeals both domestically and internationally, it was nothing but a joke to Gerald. While the surface-level relations seemed good, behind the scenes, there were conflicts over interests, power struggles, and disputes for leadership, with the seat of the alliance leader at stake.

“Myard is certain. The key is how much we don’t let old Kanoa bite into us.”

Tracing the map with his finger, the veteran general immersed himself in thought. He exhaled purple smoke, dropping ashes. When he reached out to the lamp to light a new cigarette, the window trembled ever so slightly.

“What’s happening?”

“I’ll go check.”

Gerald’s attentive attendant tried to leave the room, but Gerald stopped him with a gesture.

“No, I’ll verify it myself.”

Gerald, accompanied by his attendant, left his room and headed to the war council room where the staff was waiting.

“What’s going on?”

Gerald entered the room and stopped the nearest staff member. The chaotic atmosphere in the room indicated an unexpected situation.

“There was a massive explosion in the old third bastion where Ferrius is positioned, followed by a major fire in the old sixth bastion where the Four Nations Alliance is stationed.”

“Fire? Did Liberitoa’s black water catch fire?”

Gerald had infantry battalions attached to horseback, but he hadn’t allowed night operations. It wasn’t clear if it was an accident or some form of deception.

“Get the entire army, including reserves, ready for combat. The Jáfe battalion too.”

“Your Excellency, where to!?”

“The visibility is poor. Get up to the fortress walls.”

Gerald skipped two, then three steps of the cobblestone stairs, rushing up to the castle wall pathway. Leaving the bewildered defenders behind, he entered one of the side defense towers and leaned out from the rooftop arrow slit. The enemy camp was indeed on fire, covering a wide area from the third bastion with the traps to the sixth bastion. The screams carried by the wind were undoubtedly from enemy soldiers in the camp. Above all, what excited Gerald’s heart was the azure flames.

“Haha, ahahaha!! It’s burning. That’s undoubtedly the azure flames, «Ignis Fatuus»! It must be Walm from the Duwei Squad!”

Gerald declared to the staff who caught up with him.

“Move out!! Use the traps. Mobilize all reserves. Tonight is the decisive battle!!”

“Y-Your Excellency!?”

Gerald slapped the dumbfounded staff member on the shoulder and shouted.

“Don’t dawdle; speed is our ally. What did you learn at the military academy? Time decides everything. Run, run!!”

The fortress rampart was engulfed in madness. The staff members advanced as if rolling down the stairs, delivering messages to each battalion. The fortress interior, like a living organism, was undulating as if about to awaken.

—————

The stabbed side ached, the numbness in the fingers was fading away. The legs, which had been running tirelessly, were also screaming in pain. Walm’s field of vision, having lost blood and magical energy continuously, began to distort.

Why did he start all this? The self who spoke of reason, morality, and grandiose things now succumbed to emotions, spreading meaningless violence in vengeance of comrades, and sowing death. Surely, his comrades were laughing in the afterlife. Walm had nothing but self-deprecation. As part of the Highserk Empire, he, a magical soldier who had been counted among the dead, was attacking an enemy soldier from behind in the middle of the night before a major offensive. Walm continued a seemingly pointless struggle, and he wondered if, by now, his comrades were waving their hands in support from the top of the fortress walls.

As he struck the halberd against a soldier blocking his path, the soldier fell like a cut thread without uttering a dying scream. Without a glance, Walm advanced. His destination was the gathering place of the seized warehouses. There were plenty of highly flammable materials gathered there. Even if they were taken back, the facility would still serve its function as a storage site. If convenience was sought, the Four Nations Alliance should have utilized existing facilities.

Two soldiers jumped in again. With his left finger unusable, Walm slid the halberd with just his palm and delivered a deadly blow to the throat. The spearhead was evaded, but the end of the halberd had an ax on the left and a claw-like barb on the right. Even if the spearhead was avoided, the Craist soldier couldn’t dodge the returning barb.

Walm circled around the right side of the soldier with the slashed throat, creating distance from another. The remaining soldier, with an expression of fury, attempted to retreat from Walm, but at the moment when Walm’s and the dead soldier’s bodies intersected, he made a small thrust. The spearhead extended from the back of the dying comrade, and after a small groan, he fell to the ground on his knees without being able to take evasive action. With the sound of gurgling behind him, Walm continued running.

In this short period, Walm had sensed his own growth. A heightened sense, as if his six senses were sharpened. Despite his left eye being supposedly cloudy and impaired, he did not feel it as a hindrance. In a corner of what seemed to be the storage area, many guards were stationed. Soldiers of various types and from different countries were gathered.

“Don’t let him enter the storage area!!”

Whether for boosting morale or to motivate oneself, Walm saw it as good news.

“The frequency of the «Ignis Fatuus» has decreased. Surround him and wear him down!!”

There were sharp-minded soldiers. The thoughts of the commanding officer were generally correct, but there were still some mistakes. Along the way, he had been reserving «Ignis Fatuus» for the Three Heroes and the Rehauzen Knight Order. By focusing on densely packed targets, he could control «Ignis Fatuus» leaving some reserve capacity.

Walm poured magic into activating «Ignis Fatuus». A hot wind raged, and azure flames overflowed from his body. Walm vaguely realized that there were no comrades to protect or territories to defend; there were only enemy soldiers to kill. Rather than for defensive purposes, activating it indiscriminately within the enemy’s territory would make his skills more effective.

“«Ignis Fatuus»! Aaahhhh!”

“Wait, run—Aaahhhh!”

“Get away!! Get away!!!”

Soldiers with even a single experience of «Ignis Fatuus» embodied in that moment abandoned everything and fled. Those who chose thorough resistance and those who were slow to react were all dragged into the sea of azure flames.

Walm advanced through it calmly. In the end, neither the Three Heroes who inflicted severe injuries on Walm and slaughtered the squad nor the main force of the Rehauzen Knight Order appeared. Walm didn’t know if the powerful soldiers or knights were significantly involved and rendered unable to deploy when the camp was burned.

Opening a corner of the burning warehouse revealed it to be a food supply warehouse. For Walm, who had not consumed anything for nearly a week while in a state of suspended animation, the sweet scent spread out. This was under the assumption that the smell of death was not mixed in — which was not necessarily the case.

“Should I change?”

It should be enough as a send-off for fallen comrades. Dragging one of the slain bodies into the warehouse, Walm stripped off the equipment. There was a risk of exposure with the equipment of the hostile Craist soldiers. Walm chose the familiar Ferrius gear. While the Liberitoa soldiers’ equipment might be the most familiar, he had often conversed with Ferrius soldiers taken as prisoners. Given the influx of militia during the emergency mobilization, blending in was convenient.

Regretfully, Walm wore the familiar gear of a fallen soldier and threw him into the burning warehouse. He pondered over what to do with the mask but it made such intense vibrations that he decided not to abandon it. Although the living mask was generally harmless, discarding it unilaterally might lead to unforeseen consequences.

With borrowed equipment, Walm distanced himself from the storage area. Mimicking an injured soldier posed no problem, especially since Walm himself was already seriously injured. He straightened the broken fingers forcefully and stemmed the bleeding through cauterization. He appeared as a soldier who had suffered a surprise attack, not someone who had rampaged as a wielder of «Ignis Fatuus». Sitting at a corner of the earthen wall, mixed with the dead and wounded, he could pass as one of the Ferrius soldiers whose camp had been set on fire.

“Darn it, the flames are intense! Carry the seriously wounded to the infirmary!!”

“Don’t let your guard down. The storage area and the command post are under attack.”

“Come on, get up quickly, or you’ll be consumed by the fire.”

One of the Ferrius soldiers grabbed Walm’s shoulder and helped him stand.

“That’s a nasty injury. Let’s take you to the infirmary. Security is tight there.”

For Walm, it was an unexpected proposal. In the burning camp, the search for the wielder of «Ignis Fatuus» and firefighting efforts were ongoing. If carried among the wounded, it would be easier for Walm to heal his injuries and escape. Dragged along, he arrived at a place where numerous injured were gathered under a tent. It included not only those Walm had killed but also those injured in the ongoing battles with the Highserk Empire for several days.

“Healing mage-dono, we have a severely injured one.”

“He’s badly hurt, but he can still be saved. Take him further in, please.”

The destination was filled with a choking death stench, accompanied by the burning of medicinal herbs and incense, which ironically induced nausea.

“Please lay him down there.”

The soldier who carried Walm quickly returned to the burning camp, likely for firefighting or transporting more wounded. He seemed to be a very diligent person.

Walm turned his gaze to the near-death comrades lined up. There might be around twenty of them, all suffering severe burns. They certainly didn’t expect the instigator to be standing there like a comrade. It was a bitterly ironic scene. Walm wearily directed his attention to the surgical table. The healer skillfully cut away adhered clothing, cleansing the wounds with practiced hands. What surprised him was the magical power and healing ability of the healing mage treating him.

The regeneration speed was astonishing. Lost skin and blood vessels were reconnecting and regenerating on a wide scale. The healing mage looked young, appearing to be in their late teens. Long hair was tied back and tucked into a hat. There was no mistaking that this was the last of the Three Heroes of Craist. Although it was a meeting with a fellow countryman, Walm had no reason to rejoice. After all, they were currently enemies engaged in killing each other. If he were foolishly honest about his identity, he knew he would be killed.

“Ayane-dono, the next patient is here.”

It was Walm’s turn, and he was placed on the surgical table. Armor and clothing were removed, making him feel embarrassed.

“Contusions all over the body, burns and lacerations on the right abdomen, three fractured ribs, and all fingers on the left hand are completely shattered.”

The female assistant systematically identified the injuries Walm had sustained.

“Let’s begin.”

The girl who made the declaration held out her hand to Walm’s wound with a serious look in her eyes. The warmth of the healing magic she used was more soothing than what he had felt before, and the pain began to ease. Walm thought to himself, understanding that with a healer capable of such powerful recovery magic, the soldiers could confidently dive into the battlefield. For the Highserk Empire forces, she was undoubtedly an obstacle to be eliminated.

However, Walm was nothing but a defeated soldier. He hadn’t received any orders to kill. He was a patient receiving treatment. Harming the one providing aid would mean risking the fragile life he was trying to hold onto. Besides, repaying kindness with harm was something he wanted to avoid if the situation allowed.

“Thank you, Healing Mage-dono. I feel surprisingly light.”

“I’m glad I could help.”

In less than 10 minutes, the treatment was complete, and Walm sincerely expressed his gratitude. The girl smiled modestly, as if trying to hide her embarrassment. The surgical table was cleaned, and the next patient was promptly placed on it. Walm left the treatment room after the healing was finished and headed towards a corner where many injured were gathered.

“tch…”

Walm inwardly clicked his tongue. Two of the remaining Three Heroes of Craist, and the female knight from Craist, had come to the infirmary.

“Good. It seems the «Ignis Fatuus» user hasn’t come around here.”

“Yeah, when I heard that Johanna-san was attacked, I thought my heart was going to stop.”

“If I hadn’t made a mistake, the damage wouldn’t have spread.”

“No one expected such a surprise attack. It’s not Johanna-san’s fault.”

A black-haired boy comforted the female knight. Walm continued walking, hoping they would get lost in casual conversation.

“However, despite sustaining such injuries from eyewitness accounts, they haven’t been finished off yet.”

Five steps remained. Cold sweat streamed down Walm’s forehead.

“The storage depot is on fire, and there’s no progress in extinguishing it. The darkness isn’t helping, and they can’t be found.”

Walm and the group passed each other. Unconsciously, he reminded himself not to speed up his pace.

“Hm?”

“What’s wrong?”

“There was a soldier I thought I recognized, but I don’t know any Ferrius soldiers, so I found it strange.”

“Maybe they just looked like someone you know.”

“Yeah, that might be it.”

“Hey, Ferrius soldier over there, have we met somewhere?”

Ah, it’s not going well. Walm began to dislike the fate that seemed to be turning in his favor. His voice was also heard. He had to change his tone as if he was crushed.

“…During the assault on the bastions, I might have been in your line of sight.”

Walm self-deprecatingly acknowledged his terrible voice, but he didn’t lie.

“I see, Ferrius also joined the assault. You might have seen us there. By the way, you’re closing one eye, what happened?”

“I got hit pretty badly by enemy magic.”

“That’s unfortunate. But it’s lucky your head wasn’t crushed.”

“Thank you.”

“Sorry for stopping you.”

“No, I feel fortunate to have been approached by a Craist knight.”

Walm, now trying to keep calm, moved forward, thinking he had done well this time. All that remained was to find an opportunity to escape.

“Where are the Three Heroes?!”

A messenger burst into the infirmary, calling out the names of the Three Heroes without paying attention to Walm.

“We’re here.”

“Did Johanna-dono accompany you?! Hurry to Gran-sama’s side, there are many Highserk soldiers inside the bastions!”

“Is the front breached!?”

This was news to Walm as well. The Highserk soldiers were supposed to have retreated beyond the bastions, abandoning the various strongholds.

“It seems the enemy took advantage of the fire and infiltrated through some underground tunnels. The Jáfe Cavalry is launching a counterattack from the fortress entrance. Currently, it’s in the hundreds, and the infiltration shows no signs of stopping. Gran-sama is calling for help to seal the entrance with magic.”

Walm found the abundance of earthworks on the sixth bastion intriguing. He had dug the ground thoroughly before, experiencing various excavations such as moats, trenches, and foxholes. However, more soil seemed to be concentrated in the sixth bastion than he had encountered in those experiences. Walm never considered that it might be the soil from constructing underground tunnels.

Under normal circumstances, Walm might have welcomed the arrival of friendly forces with a little dance, but fate was a damn trickster. If these guys had the means to seal the entrance, Walm was conflicted. There was a fear that if left alone, he might be abandoning hundreds of soldiers. Should he prioritize his own life—

“I understand. We’ll head there immediately.”

Despite convincing himself that he had worked enough, Walm, in a moment of natural response, found his mouth opening.

“May I say something for a moment?”

Even Walm himself thought he was being foolish. However, if he let this slide, he would no longer be a soldier.

“What is it? Every moment is—”

The female knight’s soft gaze transformed into a sharp look as she fixed her eyes on Walm.

“Sir, what happened to your eyes? And your voice.”

Walm reverted to a foolish tone and opened his previously clouded eyes.

“Well, I was thinking of taking Healer-dono and the wounded as hostages.”

“Johanna, that person—”

Even the Three Heroes’ Yuuto realized a moment later and attempted to draw his weapon. Walm, changing his tone, shouted before that.

“Don’t move! If you draw it, the whole area will be engulfed in blue flames.”

With a threatening tone filled with murderous intent, all eyes in the infirmary focused on Walm.

“You, the wielder of «Ignis Fatuus», did you rob someone?”

Johanna bared her fangs and accused Walm.

“As you keenly observed.”

Walm considered launching a surprise attack, but if he used «Ignis Fatuus», his magical energy would undoubtedly be detected. In that case, even if he could handle the small fries, the skilled knight and the Three Heroes with their magical abilities remained. It was unclear whether he could contain them even in the best circumstances.

However, with the opponent holding hostages, Walm’s movements were naturally constrained. Although surrounded on the surface, Walm had no intention of relinquishing control.

“Could you stay quiet here for a while? I don’t want to burn to death the Healer-dono who healed my wounds and the defenseless wounded.”

Walm spoke, blending truth and falsehood. Walm had no intention of killing people out of personal grudges as a soldier, but killing those targeted by personal grudges or their close ones in the course of battle… it was hard to admit, but there was a part of him that desired it. While he didn’t actively seek revenge, he wouldn’t mind killing them if the opportunity presented itself.

“Bastard, that’s cowardly.”

Walm ignored the words of the boy called Yuuto. He sensed the boy’s anger escalating, but Walm had no intention of engaging in such arguments at this moment. Ignoring him, Walm received a remark from Johanna.

“Do you think we can’t endure your «Ignis Fatuus»?”

“Some might endure, but well, most probably won’t.”

Holding the enemy’s main forces captive was already a significant gain. Even if the restraint failed, he could still burn the wounded and healers. Walm would likely die, but he could potentially kill the female knight, the blonde girl, and maybe the boy.

“In an instant, the skin blisters, exposing the nerves that feel even the touch of water as pain. Moisture evaporates from the eyeballs, and the trachea and lungs burn from the scorching heat. Well, many of you probably already know that.”

Walm spoke to the wounded soldiers who suffered burns. The faces of those who had experienced the azure flames before turned pale, trembling.

“A cruel way to kill.”

“It’s cruel. Even you lot are of the same kind, my unit was restrained, had their eyeballs gouged out, and were killed.”

“The Rehauzen Knights would never—”

“Then, Craist soldiers? Soldiers from the other three countries? It doesn’t matter. From my perspective, someone among you did it.”

The surroundings, now fully aware of the situation, were enveloped in silence, in stark contrast to the commotion outside. Even the slightest sounds, like the gulp of saliva or the rustle of fabric, echoed in their ears.

Several minutes had already passed. While engaging in trivial arguments, Walm could have just waited for the Highserk Imperial Army to rampage through the fortifications. Breaking the silence, however, was a messenger from the Craist soldiers. Perhaps unable to endure the impatience due to holding crucial information, the messenger, in a spontaneous or perhaps reckless act, drew their sword and attacked Walm.

Lowering his hips, Walm drew the longsword with his right hand, reversing half of his body to perform a diagonal slash with «Heavy Strike», cutting through the soldier’s sword. As he jumped backward, the female knight and the Three Heroes’ Yuuto also drew their swords. Guards rushed in all at once. Walm couldn’t discern whether it was intentional or reflexive, but the fact remained—they were in motion.

“I see.”

Threats held no meaning unless executed. Hesitation would lead to being seen through and overcome. Walm let the remaining magical power flow, and the bonfire to the underworld responded.

“Wait—”

The anguished voice of the chestnut-haired girl, who hadn’t drawn her weapon, reached Walm. However, Walm no longer retained enough humanity to hesitate just because of that. The surgical room, along with the healing mage who had peeked out in response to the commotion, was enveloped in the flames of «Ignis Fatuus».