The beginning of it all. It all started a few days ago when the Zaruda invasion force led by the First Princess of the Oltmere Empire, Shardina Eisenhardt, began to prepare for a hasty retreat.

　A huge, gleaming lighted fort rises above the endless flat land.
　The solid stone fortress would not budge from a half-hearted attack.
　The thousands of garrison soldiers stationed inside will be on alert for anyone who approaches.
　Inside the warehouse set up inside the fort, a mountain of food and armor collected from various parts of the Oltomere Empire for the invasion of Zaruda was stored.
　And the linkage with the urban areas scattered in the rear.
　If they were to choose a head-on force offensive, it would have to take tens of thousands of troops, a large number of siege weapons, and months or more to complete the task.

''That's Fort Notis.......I see, it is indeed a great fort.　

　The man lifts the faceplate of his helmet upwards as he is swayed by the back of his horse and stares at the fort, which is gradually growing in size.
　In fact, this fort, built on the western edge of the Notis Plains, had been a defensive stronghold against the Kingdom of Zaruda for decades after it was built.　
　It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on a new one.　

''Yes, but if now...''

　The petite squire who follows beside the man's murmurings replied in a beautiful voice like the ringing of a bell.
　His chest is richly curved.
　You can't see her face because she has her masks down, but spilling out of the gaps in her helmet is her silky, lustrous silver hair.
　At the girl's words, the man shrugs his shoulders and nods his head.

'Well I've arranged this and that for that reason. If I fail here, I won't have a face for Elena-san to see.

　It's true that it would be difficult to take down Fort Notis by straightforward means.
　However, it's not absolutely impossible, as long as you don't choose any means.
　We spent a lot of time preparing for this, and for that reason we spent a lot of sacrifice and time preparing.
　And now, at last, the time has come....

'Thank you for your patience. It took some explaining, but they are allowing us to enter the castle.

　The knight who had driven his horse from the fort raised his voice breathlessly in front of the man.　
　He lightly raised his right hand to work at the sight of him, and the man looked back at the long line of men following behind him.
(All the preparations are over........they're doing exactly what I expected them to do.......)
　The man may appear calm on the surface, but his heart is raging with anxiety and frustration.
　The fate of a country rests squarely on his thick shoulders.
　If you are a decent person, you will be unable to move.
　But he doesn't know that inside his heart is a hunger and craving for the idea of fighting. He doesn't know that the joy of having the opportunity to show off his power to the fullest is mixed in with his heart.
(It's all right ... it's going to work out ... nothing has changed in essence since then.)
　My lips were dry with tension and excitement.
　Scenes from her childhood that should have been years ago flashed through her mind.
　Those days when I was desperate to keep my place and my pride.

Let's go!

　The people around them nodded in silence at the man's words.
　The group slowly made their way down the road leading from the town of Adelfo to Fort Notis.
The sound of countless horses and carriage wheels.
　Their silver armor gleamed in the dark night by the light of the torches.
　It was a flock of messengers from the underworld who had come to announce their death....
　The setting is the plains of Notis, near the border between the Oltmere Empire and the Kingdom of Zaruda. We return to the land of this beginning where General Belhareth, who was called the guardian god of the Zaruda Kingdom, was crushed by the ball.




　A rude office set up in a corner of the solid Fort Notis.
With a deep sigh, Greg Moore, Fort Notis' garrison commander and head of logistical support, let purple smoke slowly rise from his mouth.
　The taste of the finest cigar from the central continent calmed his irritated mind.

''Yes, they brought the armor and food that was gathered in the imperial capital.

　Moore placed the cigar in his hand on the ashtray and accepted the document offered to him by his entourage.
　Indeed, it was an official one, stamped with the seal of the Oltmere Empire.

''I see... but it looks like that's more than the number we were supposed to have?

'Yes ... probably assuming we're going to be attacked ...'　

　Moore's temples twitched as he heard those words.

'Joshua Berhares........'

　He has a grim face with blond hair trimmed short.
　It is a sturdy physique.
　And the peculiar smell of a man who has survived the battlefield for a long time emanating from his body.
　The scar of the laceration running on the left cheek gives a heavy intimidation to others.
　Although the belly has come out a little due to age, there is no doubt about his ability as a warrior.
　There is naturally a reason why he has been appointed as the captain of the garrison and in charge of logistics for this Notis fort, despite having more than top-notch competence as a warrior.
　Moore's large hand unconsciously rubbed his right thigh.
　The wound he received in the battle against the Knights of Zaruda in the Battle of Notis Plains.
　It's a leg that should have already been lost as a result of being trampled by a horse's horseshoe and forced to be amputated.
　I've been using expensive secret medicines like hot water, and as a result of generous treatment by a high-ranking legal practitioner, the foot was finally regenerated, but I still feel some discomfort from before.
　There is no hindrance to daily life.
　But when you wear armor and wield your beloved large sword, you can't help but feel like you can't keep your footing.
　If you're dealing with miscellaneous soldiers who can't use martial arts, there will be no problem. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for, because the difference between being able to use a Dharma technique and not being able to use a Dharma technique is that big.
　Even if it is against a young knight who has just mastered the Dharma arts, there is no problem. A misunderstood warrior who is unable to assess his own strength is not much different from a miscellaneous soldier in Moore's eyes.
　But it's not enough to deal with an experienced warrior who has mastered martial arts and survived many battles.
　That's just a small discomfort.
　However, that small discomfort can be fatal on the battlefield.
(If only this leg were normal, I would go to the front lines myself and crush it with Your Highness.　
　He never intended to belittle or insult the task of rearguard, but it was still a toothless thing for Moore, who had been on the front lines for a long time and slaughtered the enemy.
　He glanced at his beloved great sword propped up on the wall.

The fact that they still claw their way through when they already know they've won or lost makes both father and son a disgusting lot. Attempting to thwart the achievements of my Oltmere is just disgusting. Now we can finally appease His Highness.

　A protracted war situation.
　We've been told that the front line is glued to the Ushas Basin.
　I've been told that the front line is glued to the Ushas Basin," Moore spat evasively in frustration at not being able to stand on the front line.

''The transport unit that we sent to the Zaruda side had suffered a lot of damage from the enemy's attack, so His Highness' anger is natural, but...''

　As a result of the Zaruda side's choice of scorched earth operations, it was extremely difficult to procure supplies in the area.
　And no matter how big a difference in the number of troops, without food and replacement armaments, their true value could not be demonstrated.

''I've been receiving urgings like arrows from His Highness Shardina these days, but I guess I can finally save face with this...''

　Of course, not everything has been taken away, but the speed of the troops transporting them has been drastically reduced to warn them of the sporadic surprise attacks, and no small amount of damage has been done to the supplies.
　The main reason for this is that the Zaruda's side did not want to bring back any supplies.
　Without any hesitation, they set fire to their cargoes and crushed them with rocks.
　It's not a disadvantageous situation for your own troops if you seize them, but they don't show any lust for you.
　The most important thing to remember is that this is the only way to get the most out of the game.
　If you are wary of a surprise attack, you will have to increase the number of troops in your security forces and your transport speed will decrease.
　On the other hand, if you emphasize speed, the amount of supplies you can carry and the number of guards you have will inevitably be limited.　

''Well, I guess that's the end of it, too.

　The aides nodded silently as they watched Moore lift his lips and smile.
　From the front line, word has come in that Shardina has finally made the decision to launch an all-out attack against Fort Ushas.

''Yes........all that remains is to bring these supplies to the front line. Well, it will be enough to give the people who came this time with about two thousand guards to protect them.

　The surprise troops led by Joshua that leap across the mountainous region of Zaruda are estimated to be from a few hundred to at most a thousand.
　This is because it is all you can do to command that many troops in order to maintain nimble mobility.

I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to get the best out of it. The problem is that the number of defenders in the fort will be quite depressed, albeit temporarily....

　Hearing his entourage's words, Moore put a hand to his beard and pondered.
　In the beginning, the defenders of Fort Notis had counted five thousand, but now their numbers have dropped to a little over two thousand five hundred.
　If two thousand from there were to be attached to the guard, the number of troops in Fort Notis would drop to nearly five hundred.
　I'm not going to be able to get the best out of it.

How about we wait for the troops we sent to come back?

No, given how tight the front line is, the sooner we get it to him, the better.

　Moore shakes his head at his aide's question as he looks at the orders he took out of the drawer.
　We can't interfere with Shardina's will to launch an all-out attack.　
　Reading the determination from Moore's expression, the aide nods a small nod.

''Well then, since I have preparations to make, I'll leave you with this.

　The entourage bowed and left the office.
　As he looked behind them, Moore muttered quietly.　

''We're almost there.......When this battle is over, everything will be back to normal.......''

　Although it is a great power, its ruling base is more fragile than that of other countries.
　And now, it is safe to say that the rule of the Oltmere Empire has been greatly shaken.
　The main reason for this is the result of the hollowing out of domestic security within the Oltomere Empire following the invasion of Zaruda.
　Shardina, which was intended to be a short-term battle, has pulled out a significant number of troops from various parts of the country.
　In particular, there are a significant number of cases where only the minimum security forces are left from small farming villages and small urban areas that are not considered of much strategic importance.
　Since it was virtually impossible for Oltomere, which was surrounded by enemy forces on all sides, to extract them from the border garrisons, it was an inevitable decision, but as a result, the security situation within Oltomere had deteriorated drastically.
　Especially in the towns and villages a little off the main roads, bandits have become quite common.　
　It's not that Moore is trying to coddle the commoners.
　Nor is it out of a lofty sense of duty as a ruler.
　What is important in this world is the nation, not the individual.
　And more importantly, the lives of commoners are treated as if they were dust.
　However, the decline in security is not a problem that can be neglected by the invading Oltmere Empire.
　It is difficult to take a policy that completely ignores the common people, even though it is worthless.
　The worsening of security means that the prestige of the country will be damaged and the commoners will begin to question the rule of the Oltmere Empire.
　In their hearts, they may think of the commoners as dust, but if they actually revolt, they will be in trouble.
　Once a rebellion occurs, there is a possibility that a chain of discontent will be lost.
　And it will have a major impact on tax revenues and trade.
　Now that the invasion of the Kingdom of Zaruda was on its way, the invading army could be isolated in enemy territory if the domestic situation deteriorated.
(It's not a good idea to vent the discontent of the commoners now. It's best not to let them live and not kill them...)
　Moore, who is a warrior and is aware of this, can be said to be one of the hardest people to get in the Oltomere Empire.
　In the vast land of the Oltmere Empire. If it's only people who are strong, there are plenty of people who can compare to Moore.
　There are also many people who are more educated and wiser than Moore.
　But there are few people who are able to do both at a high level.
　The other day, the villages near Adelfo were attacked by a large bandit gang, causing extensive damage.
　In order to clean up afterwards, Moore had approached the imperial capital of Oltmere to dispatch a security force, and a significant number of people from the garrison have been dispatched to restore security in various areas.
　It's because it's good to say that restoring security is the top priority in order to allow the troops transporting goods to come and go safely.

''Your Highness Shardina please be patient for a while longer....''

　While looking out the window to the star-filled sky, Moore muttered a prayer to Shardina as she fought in the far distance.
　That would be the right form for a knight loyal to the Oltmere Empire.
　But that's why Greg Moore didn't notice.
　The sight of the Grim Reaper creeping up behind him........