Chapter 25
#25
The bitch probably knew that he would invade the royal capital today.
Kill also knew that Lafi Scouts had been wandering around the territory several times. So he provoked them even more openly, revealing his movements.
It didn't matter if they knew the plan in advance.
After all, the soldiers invading would be only two or three thousand at most, and he would have predicted that some soldiers would have been left behind to defend the territory.
He checked the movements of the royal capital and the headquarters in preparation for any unforeseen events, but until just half a day ago, there were no significant movements in the headquarters and the royal palace.
The bitch probably expected to stop him with the soldiers currently in the capital, but it was impossible.
The manpower of the capital's standing army was far from enough to face the eight thousand soldiers flooding in.
"Then let's go."
The dust kicked up by the soldiers ahead mixed with the mist, blurring the vision. Kill mounted his horse and followed the legion, breaking through the misty fog at the slowest possible speed.
He was the mastermind of the operation, not a hand, so he could leave the fighting to the soldiers and step in at the very last moment.
As they entered the royal capital, the soldiers' movements faltered. Kill, who was watching them from afar, received a new report.
"Soldiers belonging to the headquarters are blocking the way. It seems like they can be suppressed quickly since it's just a squad. Fortunately, there are hardly any civilians since it's dawn."
"Leave the small fry to the rearguard and tell the vanguard to increase their speed. We must enter the royal palace as quickly as possible before sunrise."
The command he uttered quietly was repeated by the soldiers' shouts. As the echoing cries faded away, the marching speed returned to normal.
The march was smooth.
Before entering the royal palace, a larger number of troops than expected blocked the way, but they retreated easily enough to be anticlimactic. Kill felt a sense of unease, but it wasn't enough to worry about, so he silently watched the soldiers moving ahead.
Just as they broke through the royal palace, a servant who had gone to check the situation recited a report with a dark face.
"There are more soldiers in the palace than expected. It seems the enemy knew in advance and prepared."
"Are there so many that it will hinder the advance? They should still be able to be suppressed."
"It's not to an unmanageable extent, but there are many Lykans. After all, it's difficult for ordinary soldiers to deal with them. It will take time, but..."
"It must not be delayed!"
Kill, who had cut off the words decisively, closed his mouth for a moment and pondered a solution.
"There's no choice. Light the Illusion Grass. They are nothing in front of the drug's scent. Never mind that there are only a few Lykans on our side, just light it."
The servant spurred his horse and conveyed his command. Soon, the rearguard lit torches in pots filled with dry leaves and circulated them everywhere.
The Lykan soldiers, who had identified the substance, left their positions with disgusted faces, and soon a tingling scent began to spread in all directions.
⚜ ⚜ ⚜
"Damn it! Illusion Grass! Run away quickly!"
A hoarse voice, half air and half scream, shook the battlefield.
As Zen commanded, the soldiers who were facing the enemy slowly retreated. The enemy, whose morale was boosted by the hesitant demeanor, hurriedly chased after the allies.
The troops that had been heading straight from the main gate to the outer palace gradually dispersed and soon scattered throughout the royal palace gardens. As the enemy dispersed, the tingling scent of the Illusion Grass also spread its distribution.
Even if the royal palace was large, it could not accommodate all four thousand soldiers flooding in. No matter how well they lured them, two or three thousand would be the maximum.
「There's no need to be greedy. Our goal is only to lure the enemy.」
The Queen said that it was not necessary to keep all the enemy troops in the royal palace. She said that this operation would be successful even if more than half of them were lured into the royal palace, so there was no need to worry.
"Run away quickly! Retreat as far back as possible!"
Zen confused the enemy by pretending to retreat.
The soldiers of the Golden Eagle Battalion also pretended to fight fiercely, continuously luring the enemy into the garden. After fighting like that, they escaped at the right timing and ran towards the commander.
The gathered soldiers stared at the rushing enemy with troubled faces. They looked like baby Lykans who had lost their mothers.
Perhaps because he had said he would treat them, the soldiers were more than serious about their acting. With faces full of defeat, they kicked their feet urgently as if they were about to die at any moment.
"Damn it! Everyone inside! We must protect Her Majesty!"
Zen also shouted in a highly excited voice and retreated into the royal palace.
The soldiers flooding in chased after the allies and rushed into the royal palace. The soldiers exchanged glances and then scattered throughout the corridors and cloisters, beginning to lure the enemy.
The corridors, with all the lights turned off, were endlessly damp like the throat of a snake. Unlike the brightly lit garden, a small confusion arose among the enemy as they entered the dark palace.
It was a place no different from daytime for Lykans with good night vision, but for humans, it would be just a world of darkness.
"Ugh, don't step on me!"
"Be careful! It's a staircase!"
While the enemies were floundering, Zen and an allied soldier simultaneously let out groans and screams. The enemies were startled and, without knowing what was going on, ran as if possessed, following the place where the screams were heard.
Did these guys even know that the path they were walking on was a cliff?
Zen clicked his tongue and muttered.
"Stupid things. That's why wars need competent commanders."
The Duke's army was not bad in combat ability, perhaps because they had received some training.
However, whether it was because the commanding headquarters was weak or simply because the organization was weak, their judgment in emergency situations could not keep up with the Parnassus army.
It was the same now. They should have stopped and reorganized their posture the moment they sensed the strange atmosphere inside, but because the situation was favorable, they were following them without knowing anything.
This was the difference between professional soldiers and a ragtag mob.
"...No. That's not it."
To be exact, it was the difference between Walter Heiberg's army and the old raccoon's army.
Zen burst into a bitter laugh and tapped his narrowed brow with his fist. The effect of the Illusion Grass was appearing, and the strength in his body was gradually draining away.
Just a little more, just a little more.
Zen, who had reached the audience chamber, hurriedly pushed the Lykan soldiers inside and looked out the window.
The garden, which should have been covered in green, was filled with enemies without a place to set foot. Even in the midst of that, additional soldiers were pouring in towards the main gate.
Roughly estimated, there seemed to be a thousand, no, more than two thousand.
Adding up to the soldiers who had invaded the royal palace, it was exactly the expected number. Zen happily listened to the enemies' shouts coming from both sides of the corridor and rushed into the audience chamber.
"Your Majesty! They're coming!"
Lucy, who had been pacing in front of the throne, greeted him with a bright face.
"You've done well, Zen. Lead the soldiers and go out and wait first."
The Lykan soldiers who had rushed into the audience chamber with Zen hurriedly hid in the secret passage behind the throne. They were also dragging their feet and struggling to get out of the audience chamber, probably because they had inhaled a lot of Illusion Grass.
After putting the last soldier into the passage, Zen staggered towards Huis, who was standing next to her.
Damn herb. He muttered to himself and rubbed his blurring eyes. Zen straightened his back with difficulty and stood facing Huis.
"Hey, cotton ball. We did our part properly, so now it's your turn."
"What's with the quarrel again."
"It's not a quarrel, you bastard. If you don't take good care of Her Majesty, I'll fry you whole in a pot. I was wondering what Lafi fried chicken tasted like, but I'll give it a try...!"
Instead of answering, Huis raised his hand and grabbed Zen by the collar. Then he threw him in front of the secret passage.
Amidst the noise that was unclear whether a stone was broken or a body was broken, a low-pitched voice continued.
"Who's ordering who? You're low in rank. Get lost quickly because you're in the way."
Huis, who had walked towards him, raised his foot and pushed Zen into the passage.
As Zen gurgled and replied to get lost himself, he pulled the stone that had been pushed aside and closed the passage. After locking it for the last time, Huis stood next to Lucy again as if nothing had happened.
Lucy, who had been standing next to the throne with her arms crossed, sat on the chair and crossed her legs. Then she glanced over with an amused face.
"You two are getting along well."
"...Where do you see it that way? Never mind, get up."
Zen tied the rope in his hand tightly around Lucy's shoulders. Then he looked at the rope tied to her legs and raised his head towards the ceiling.
Before dawn, the crescent moon was faintly illuminating the surroundings in the middle of the darkest and deepest sky.
The soldiers' shouts were getting closer and closer, and the sound of footsteps was also getting louder accordingly. As such, the audience chamber door was broken and the enemy flooded in.
"I found them! I found the fake princess!"
The soldier who was wielding his sword at the front checked Lucy's features and let out an astonished cry.
"It's this way!"
"Get out of the way, get out of the way!"
"They said they'd give a reward to the first one to kill her!"
Lucy gathered her dress and slowly rose from her seat.
"Kill must have called me a fake princess."
A relaxed smile, unsuitable for the urgent situation, was consuming her face.
"I wonder who the fake one really is."
Before the words were even finished, Huis, who had been crouching behind her, spread his wings wide and leaped towards the ceiling.
Flap, the large body soared upwards, breaking through the wind. Along with it, Lucy's body, which was connected to it, also floated lightly into the air.
