Chapter 256: Panamera’s Judgment

“It’s irritating.”

“Huh?”

After touring the new Fortress Centena and seeing its defensive capabilities and various facilities, Panamera furrowed her brow and muttered something strange.

“Do you have a cavity?”

When I asked that, she slapped my back so hard it made a sound.

“I have never had a cavity in my life!”

“Ehh? That has to be a lie, right?”

When I looked at her skeptically, Panamera glared at me, so I shut my mouth. Confirming that I had fallen silent, Panamera spread her arms in front of the lined-up ballistae and turned to look at everyone.

“With all this done, we could certainly defend ourselves even if the Kingdom of Yelenetta or the Shelvia Confederation attacked. Since we cannot commit our entire military force to this place, this war potential is more than enough for mere defense. However, are you satisfied with that? Marquis Fertio, whom we set up as the General, was gravely injured and left half-dead, and there have been numerous casualties. Looking at this Centena, those cowards from Yelenetta and Shelvia might not even come at us. Are you fine with that?”

Panamera voiced her question to everyone as if provoking them. At her words, some knights looked down with expressions of frustration. Stradale did the same. Confirming that a significant number of knights felt this way, Panamera smiled.

“I have a plan. Are you in? I promise I will show the enemy what we are made of.”

When Panamera continued with those words, I felt as if a fire had been lit in the knights’ eyes.

Thus, in the blink of an eye, Panamera instructed the reorganization of her own Knight Order, the Centena Knight Order, and the Fertio Marquis Knight Order into a new unit and shared the operation for the attack. The plan seemed reckless, but strangely, when Panamera spoke of it, it carried an odd persuasiveness.

“Boy. It is time to avenge your father. Lend me that carriage and all of the mechanical bow unit.”

“I’m not dead, though!?”

I unintentionally shouted a retort to Panamera’s outrageous statement. Panamera shook her shoulders and laughed.

“Come to think of it, that’s right. Well, you survived because I cauterized the wound to stop the bleeding. Forgive me.”

Sighing at Panamera’s words, I checked the status of my own forces. Since I had been focusing mainly on remodeling the fortress for the defense of Centena, I only had fifteen armored carriages in total. As for the mechanical bow unit, I could send about fifty people at most.

“If you give me a day, I can build about five more carriages…”

“No. Upon seeing this strengthened Centena, the enemy will likely take some kind of action. We need to toy with them before they can make a move we can’t predict. The most troublesome outcome would be for the Kingdom of Yelenetta’s Knight Order to return to their Royal Capital. Conversely, if we can defeat all of the Kingdom of Yelenetta’s knights right here and deal a massive blow to the Shelvia Confederation as well, depending on the circumstances, the victory of the war could be decided in that instant.”

It seemed Panamera wasn’t willing to wait. Well, I understood what she wanted to say, but if we launched an offensive and got ambushed from the mountains, it would be a disaster. We also had to leave some forces for defense.

“In that case, let’s send ten carriages and twenty members of the mechanical bow unit. However, the mechanical bow unit stays at the very rear.”

“…That’s few. That is far too few.”

“No, no, the total number of my knights is small to begin with…”

Panamera complained with dissatisfaction, so I furrowed my brow and complained back.

“Only ten carriages? Surely you can be a bit more generous?”

“No. In the first place, I am opposed to this, you know? These ten should be enough, right? If you think it’s dangerous, retreat immediately, okay?”

I pursed my lips and retorted to the protesting Panamera with a similar expression. Panamera sighed deeply.

“Haa… Boy, don’t become a stingy man. A man with a narrow heart is boring.”

“I am providing them for free, you know. If anything, I think I’m being quite generous.”

I smoothly deflected Panamera’s complaint. Panamera shook her head, looking unamused, and began her own preparations.

Perhaps only an hour or two had passed. Under Panamera’s command, many knights were assembled. As I stood in the front row alongside Stradale and Talga, Panamera looked at the exceptionally large carriage in the back.

“…Isn’t the carriage the boy is riding in excessively large?”

“It’s loaded with that many things, after all. Since only I can use it anyway, I won’t give it to you, okay?”

“If you lent me one person who could use it, we could fight on the front lines together…”

“No.”

“Argh, you stubborn mule.”

When I stubbornly continued to refuse, Panamera stomped her foot on the ground in anger. Then, squaring her shoulders, she headed toward the castle gate and mounted her beautiful white horse.

When Panamera mounted her horse and turned it around, the large number of knights straightened their backs in unison. Panamera looked around at these elite knights and spoke.

“Now that we know Baron Van is a bit of a cheapskate, let us make our move as well. You have all accumulated pent-up frustration from being attacked relentlessly until now, haven’t you? Let us unleash that frustration to our heart’s content. Yelenetta’s artillery is nothing to fear! Even if it is a flying dragon, I will burn it down! Come, let us defeat every enemy that stands in our way!”

When Panamera shouted instructions with a practiced air, the Knight Order of over two thousand raised a roar like a battle cry all at once. In particular, the spirit of Stradale, who had allowed his lord to suffer severe injuries, was intense. Usually, he would just ride his horse expressionlessly, but now he was raising his sword and shouting. Who’s a cheapskate? Who?

“…Will we be alright?”

In response to the anxious Arte’s question, I shrugged and exhaled a small breath.

“I’m going along just in case. Well, we’ve taken thorough countermeasures, so it shouldn’t go like last time.”

While answering like that, I was actually very anxious inside.

The newly built castle gates opened, and light from the outside poured in. Naturally, there was no one in the territory on the Shelvia Confederation side. It was to be expected, as the scouts had reported that there had been no movement since their retreat.

“Alright, proceed as planned. Form up outside. Lord Talga, I count on you to provide support from the top floor using the remaining mechanical bow unit!”

“Yes! Leave it to me!”

Talga, who had become completely obedient to Panamera before I knew it, saluted and replied. Truthfully, I wanted to remain in Centena too, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I had been incorporated into Panamera’s plan, and it was frustrating that I lacked the courage to refuse.

Panamera, paying no mind to my thoughts, steered her horse and was the first to exit Centena. Frustratingly, Panamera looked picturesque riding a horse. Seeing Panamera with her blonde hair swaying, advancing majestically in the front row, the general soldiers would undoubtedly have their morale boosted.

“Front row! Form up quickly! Rear row, join the formation in order! The detached force maintain your designated distance and advance!”

Panamera shouted instructions rapidly and moved out ahead alone. The Knight Order followed while hurriedly forming their ranks.

“…It can’t be helped. Law, go with the mechanical bow unit and the armored carriages. If shelling comes, hide behind the armored carriages immediately.”

“Yes!”

Law replied with a tense expression and followed behind Panamera’s knights. Since our numbers were few, we formed a tight column and began our march. After confirming that, I boarded my own large armored carriage.