Chapter 255: [Alternate View] Before the Iron Wall Fortress...

【Cosworth Yelenetta】

I checked the map at the headquarters established for the Siege of Centena. The map was filled with numerous markings, but every single one of them seemed to have been written there only to prove how disadvantageous our camp’s position was.

We are superior in the number of knights and mages. We possess artillery and black metal, which the Kingdom of Scuderia lacks, and we can even attack from the sky, where the enemy should be helpless.

Despite all this, I now find myself at a loss as to how to attack Fortress Centena. The council is in chaos, with arguments clashing violently, almost to the point of shouting insults, even without my prompting.

Someone slammed the table where the map lay and shouted particularly loudly.

“That’s why I’m asking! How do you propose we breach a wall that even artillery fire cannot affect!? If we try to approach, they have large crossbows with power exceeding that of artillery! And then there’s that mysterious knight! I heard even a Wyvern was beheaded in a single strike!? I never signed up to fight monsters like that!”

One of the commanders from my Kingdom of Yelenetta retorted to these words.

“There is no other way but to attack! If we can get close enough to the base of the wall, those crossbows won’t be able to fire at us! Surely the wall doesn’t extend deep underground; if we dig at the base and plant black metal there, it must collapse!”

“Even if it collapses, it gets repaired immediately! Did you not see that absurd siege battle!? No matter how fatal the damage, it was repaired instantly! The Wyverns couldn’t approach due to fire magic, and three were taken down by the crossbows and that knight! Don’t you dare mention we still have an Earth Dragon!? It’s obvious it would be defeated before it could even get close!”

Even when a knight from my country, the Kingdom of Yelenetta, proposed a method for victory, a knight from the Shelvia Confederation retorted harshly. The voices of these two seemed to directly represent the current relationship between our countries. Before attacking Centena, everyone would have followed the words of the Yelenetta commander. However, ever since suffering a painful counterattack, the Shelvia Confederation has started speaking to the Kingdom of Yelenetta as equals.

This isn’t just happening among the lower-ranking commanders.

“…Your Highness Cosworth. I am terribly sorry, but the Shelvia Confederation will temporarily retreat here. Our retreat point is the fortress city of Opel. In Opel, we should be able to conduct a defensive battle on favorable terms.”

“Don’t be foolish… If we retreat, it’s over. Not just for my Kingdom of Yelenetta, but for the Shelvia Confederation as well.”

I replied to Towncar, who announced the retreat, that retreating was impossible. Showing an irritated attitude toward my response, Towncar spoke up.

“Your Highness Cosworth. You must be careful with your words. You should recognize that this is the situation we are in.”

Towncar said this in a low voice, glaring at me powerfully. It was too blatant to be called merely suggestive. At his words, I deliberately laughed aloud as if mocking him.

“Hahahaha…! That sounds as if, depending on the circumstances, you intend to take the heads of the Kingdom of Yelenetta’s Knight Order and sue for peace with the Kingdom of Scuderia? My Kingdom of Yelenetta’s main force is currently engaging the main force of the Kingdom of Scuderia. Is it wise to make such a rash judgment in this situation? If the Shelvia Confederation were to side with the Kingdom of Scuderia, my Kingdom of Yelenetta would destroy the Shelvia Confederation before Scuderia and make it part of our own country.”

I threatened him to shake Towncar’s resolve. Towncar grimaced in frustration. No matter what, the Shelvia Confederation is inferior in national power to both Yelenetta and Scuderia. Whether to cut ties with my country or not is not a decision that can be made easily.

I thought I could deter Towncar’s actions with this, but he still didn’t back down. Maintaining his grim expression, he chose his words carefully, probing as he voiced his doubt.

“…Then, are you saying you have a plan to capture that Centena even under these circumstances? I would like to hear that plan. We came to this battlefield as an allied force in the first place. Even if the alliance is a relationship of convenience, we have not completely placed ourselves under the command of the Kingdom of Yelenetta. If we feel a plan is reckless, we should have the option not to follow it.”

“Even if choosing that means you will be annihilated by the hands of my Kingdom of Yelenetta before Scuderia?”

When I said that, Towncar nodded silently without averting his gaze.

At that moment, a messenger rushed into the headquarters.

“What is it!?”

One of the Shelvia Confederation knights shouted at the messenger who burst in with such force. The messenger replied with a tense expression.

“There is movement at Centena! I-it’s unbelievable, but in just one day! In just one day, the shape of Centena has changed! Also, according to the scouts’ confirmation, Centena seems to still be in the middle of undergoing significant changes even now!”

“…An application of that quick construction technique? Surely the appearance hasn’t changed just for show. Is there nothing else to report?”

I asked for confirmation while feeling slight irritation at the messenger’s vague report. The messenger took a deep breath with a troubled face.

“Yes… well, the scouts are terribly confused… They say it’s changing its form moment by moment, almost like a living creature…! Currently, the overall shape has become round, but since it might still be changing, grasping the current situation is difficult!”

Upon receiving the new report, those present began to murmur noisily.

“A round shape? I’ve never heard of such a fortress.”

“Wait, with such a shape, wouldn’t the top of the wall also be narrower? Perhaps the number of those menacing crossbows has decreased.”

“How can you make such a rash judgment! What if that wall is fake? There’s a possibility we’ll come under concentrated fire once we get close enough!”

“Ridiculous. If that’s the case, we should fire our artillery first, and any fake wall will collapse.”

“That’s just a gamble. The problem is the risk of our artillery being destroyed before we can get close. Have you forgotten that?”

Because everyone started talking at once, the discussion became even more disorganized than before. It showed just how anxious they had become about the unpredictable actions of the Kingdom of Scuderia.

“Calm down! Their actions are consistently focused on one point: defending Centena! First, we need to calmly devise a stratagem to crush Centena! Know that there is no need to fight them head-on!”

Thinking the discussion was reaching peak chaos, I shouted loudly. Just then, a new messenger ran into the headquarters.

“What is it!? Are you saying Centena has changed again!? Is it a cube this time? Or a cylinder?”

Out of irritation, I asked mockingly. But the messenger shook his head violently, denying my words.

“N-no! Approximately five hundred cavalry! About two thousand knights! Ten large carriages! A total force of around two thousand five hundred is advancing toward us!”

At that report, everyone froze like statues.

“…What? What are you saying?”

“H-hey. What does that mean? It sounded to me like they launched a counterattack head-on with a small force…”

Only after hearing those murmurs did I finally begin to understand what was happening myself.

“Calm down! Whatever the case, the enemy has thrown away their shield and chosen to cross swords! Such a golden opportunity will never come again!”