Chapter 293 – Playing the drums and the janggu (Doing everything) (3)

Cale needed to use his time wisely in order to deal with this obvious statement.
He was standing on top of the tower of one of Maple Castle's castle walls and looking out.

"Comman, no, priest-nim."
"Ah, Chief Harol."

Cale pointed to the person next to him as Chief Harol approached.

"This is Guardian Knight Sir Clopeh."

"Ah."

Harol let out a gasp. He could see the white-haired man with a concerned look on his face.

This was the Guardian Knight of the North who was the symbol of the defeated Indomitable Alliance. It was already well-known that he had decided to serve the Roan Kingdom.
However, Chief Harol still could not help but be anxious around him.

'A sword master. He is also the captain of the Wyvern Knights Brigade.'

Although this Guardian Knight may have fallen because of the Roan Kingdom, no, the Henituse territory's miracle-like strength, his strength was real.
Harol respectfully greeted this strong individual who came to help the Whipper Kingdom.

"It is an honor to meet you, Guardian Knight-nim."

Harol could see Clopeh Sekka smiling back at him. Clopeh's smile had the class and elegance of a knight such that Harol could not help but gasp.
Clopeh seemed to have even more class than their prisoner, Duke Huten.
He was finally able to understand why the people of the Paerun Kingdom held their Guardian Knight in such high regard.
That sacred knight slowly started to speak.

"How could my lowly self say no to the great and mighty Cale-nim's request?"

Harol flinched.
Clopeh didn't care as he smiled brightly and continued to speak.

"In fact, I am extremely happy that I can assist him in creating his legend."

'Legend?'

Chief Harol's pupils started to shake. However, Clopeh's gaze was as firm as a boulder.

"For me to have to pretend to be Cale-nim…My heart is beating fast just thinking about how my name will go down as a part of his legend."

Harol's endlessly shaking pupils headed toward Cale.
However, Cale avoiding his gaze made Harol contemplate things before finally starting to speak again. He truly seemed like a chief who was serving a troublemaker like Toonka.

"The Whipper Kingdom is just thankful that someone like you, who is a sword master and the captain of the Wyvern Knights Brigade, has come to help us."

"Heh."

Harol suddenly heard laughter.
Harol's eyes opened wide as he looked back toward Clopeh. The Guardian Knight lifted up his hand that was not holding a staff and started to speak.

"I apologize. I suddenly felt the need to laugh."

Clopeh barely managed to hold back his laughter that kept coming back and apologized to Harol. Harol was about to get upset, but calmed himself down after seeing Clopeh looking extremely apologetic and Cale looking at Clopeh as if he was stupid.

Clopeh and Cale made eye contact at that moment.
Clopeh recalled the conversation he had with Cale through the video communication device yesterday.

'Clopeh, the people of the Western continent still believe that you are a sword master and can control the wyverns. Isn't that right?'

'I knew it! Just as I suspected!'

Clopeh could not hide his joy.

He could not use aura anymore.
It was because of these ticking time bombs he had as arms and legs.
As for controlling the wyverns?
That was a lie that they had spread throughout the continent from the beginning.

However, the majority of the people still believed his lies to be the truth.

'I knew my name would be lifted high if I followed Cale-nim!'

He really would be able to etch his name into a legend.

'Adin, you stupid bastard.'

The Paerun Kingdom would go down on the right side of history for choosing to surrender to the legend named Cale.
However, as for the Empire and the Imperial Prince-

'It's the end.'

Clopeh was not excited because of the Imperial Prince's upcoming demise. There was just one reason he was excited.

'I can live.'

The fact that he had fake limbs did not matter as long as he and the Paerun Kingdom managed to survive. Cale Henituse was someone who knew how to make deals.
He was someone who used both the carrot and the stick effectively.

'Clopeh, the Roan Kingdom will make it so that the Paerun Kingdom will be the leader of the northern three kingdoms if you do a good job this time.'

Just following the legend gave them benefits.
Clopeh barely managed to stop his laughter and looked toward Cale with a calm expression.

"I will do my very best, Cale-nim."

He returned to his handsome but concerned expression.
But the fact that the crazy bastard went from laughing to concern in seconds made him really seem like a lunatic. Cale had a look of disapproval on his face, but just nodded his head.

'He's someone who would do the job right for the benefits.'

Clopeh was someone who was still oddly rational even though he was crazy.
Cale had to now know how to effectively use this crazy bastard.

"Chief Harol, I'm sure you're aware of it already, right?"

Harol's gaze changed from the chaotic expression he just had while looking at Clopeh. Cale continued to speak.

"Imperial Prince Adin and the Vice Tower Master will soon arrive here."

Harol gulped after hearing that. Clopeh's gaze turned sharp as he looked at Cale. The two of them were both thinking about the same thing.

'How does Commander Cale know about that top secret information?'

Most of the Western continent's power players knew that Imperial Prince Adin had departed from the Empire for the battlefield.
However, nobody could tell the moment they would arrive on the battlefield.
That was why Harol had to hold back his shock at Cale's information network.

'I wouldn't trust it if it was anybody else, but…'

It was coming from Cale Henituse. He had to believe it.
Clopeh also believed Cale. Of course, he had an idea about how Cale might know this.

'I'm certain the Caro Kingdom's crown prince Valentino gave him that information.'

Clopeh had seen the conversation between Valentino and Cale.
Clopeh was correct; Cale had heard from Valentino who was supposed to meet with Adin on the battlefield.

The Caro Kingdom had been allies with the Mogoru Empire for a long time and Valentino was known to be Adin's eternal close friend. Furthermore, the Caro Kingdom had been willing to come assist the Empire on a moment's notice.
Clopeh didn't know for sure, however, he started to get the chills.

'Just how far do Cale-nim's hands reach?'

He imagined Cale controlling all of the power players on the Western continent.
He then heard Cale's voice again.

"Let's get started."

Cale needed to move quickly before going to meet with the Imperial Prince.
He looked toward Chief Harol and started to speak.

"I need to show him the fires of hell as soon as he gets here."

Harol looked down at the gate.
Commander Toonka.
He was stationed with the warriors outside the closed gate.
Next to him was the helmeted swordsman, Choi Han.

"We will strike first this time."

Cale's voice echoed in Harol's ears.

"The majority of the Empire's knights are gone right now."

There were some casualties as the black towers had fallen during the first battle, however, the soldiers, alchemists, and mages were all pretty much still there.
However, Duke Huten, as well as the Knights Brigades, were almost all gone.

"The Imperial Prince is leaving the minimum number of knights at the capital and coming with the Second Knights Brigade and all of the other remaining Knights Brigades."

The knights that Adin was coming with were not just the royal knights.

"In addition, the Empire's nobles are bringing their family Knights Brigades as well."

Harol's expression stiffened.
He was afraid of the Empire's royal family, but the nobles who had supported the royal family until now were strong as well.

'The Imperial Prince is planning on finishing off the Whipper Kingdom.'

He had recruited the nobles for this as well.

"The Alchemists' Bell Tower's Vice Tower Master and some handpicked alchemists are coming as well."

The Empire was coming at them with full force.
However, the Whipper Kingdom did not have any way to increase their numbers. In fact, they were less than before due to the injured soldiers from the last battle.
Harol looked toward Cale.

"Is that why we need to strike before they get here?"

Cale nodded his head.
They needed to do it before the Imperial Prince got here.

"Let's turn this place into a mess."

Harol picked up the trumpet. He heard Cale's voice at that moment.

"We are aiming for the Empire's remaining knights and the Lions."

The Whipper Kingdom's strategy was the same as usual.
The greatest defense was offense.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-

The battlefield had been quiet after the first battle.
Harol's trumpet broke that silence.
It was at that moment.

Screeeech-

The closed gate to Maple Castle opened.

***

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-
Edrich, one of the Lion tribe's successor candidates. He flinched after hearing the trumpet.

"Are the Whipper Kingdom bastards blowing the trumpet right now?"

His gaze went toward the Vice Captain of the First Knights Brigade, the highest ranking knight remaining.

"Shit!"

However, the Vice Captain did not have time to pay any attention to the Lion's gaze. He immediately got up. The leaders of the alchemists and the Mage Brigade got up behind him.

"His highness is about to arrive soon!"
"Damn it! Why are the Whipper bastards doing this now when they have been quiet all this time?!"

The alchemists and mages could not hide their shock.
The Whipper Kingdom's forces that had run wild as if they had wanted to rip them all into pieces had not shown any reaction ever since the end of the first battle.

Plop.
The Vice Captain of the First Knights Brigade opened the flap of his tent and headed out.

He could see the desolate land with the debris from the destroyed black towers.
He could also see the damaged and charred ground.
The Empire had set up camp right next to that area.

There was naturally a temporary wall that the alchemists and mages made for them between them and the Whipper Kingdom. These walls that were made of dirt and not stone gave the Empire's forces a sense of relief from the Whipper Kingdom's attack.

"Why are they moving now when they didn't even move when we made this wall?"

The Whipper Kingdom's forces had not done anything, even when they made this dirt wall.
So why now?

'Why did it have to be right before his highness arrived?!'

The Vice Captain immediately started to walk up the stairs to the top of the dirt wall. The leaders of the alchemists and mages followed behind him.

"Ah, so annoying."

The Lion Edrich looked at their movements with boredom. Gronica, his cousin from his mother's side, approached him at that moment.

"Why don't you go up and take a look?"

Edrich didn't feel like it.
It was one thing if the Imperial Prince was here, however, it would be a waste of his energy to take action when it was just these small fries were around. However, Gronica said something to get Edrich to start moving.

"Did you forget about the Flame Dwarves?"
"Ha… Those bastards."

Edrich had not forgotten about how the Flame Dwarves had mocked him when he was falling from the tower. He started to walk behind the Vice Captain.

'I came here because of my father's orders, but…'

Edrich had come here just to maintain his position as an heir, but he didn't plan to work very hard. However, the existence of the Flame Dwarf tribe was extremely annoying to Edrich.

"…I will kill those bastards."

Those useless bastards needed to pay the price for messing with the Lion tribe, the most glorious tribe on land. He slowly walked up the dirt wall.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-

He heard the Whipper Kingdom's trumpet as he finally made it up the wall and looked out to the battlefield.

Screeeech-
The silence on the battlefield was broken as Maple Castle's gate opened.

He could see Toonka. The commander was standing in the front as usual.
The Empire's Vice Captain started to shout.

"Gather the knights! Prepare the soldiers!"

The mage and alchemist leaders started to shout as well.

"Mage Brigade, time to get ready!"
"Team 1, prepare the fluids! We need to properly use alchemy this time! His highness and the Vice Tower Master-nim will be here soon!"

The leaders of the Empire's forces became alert.
The Imperial Prince was coming.
The Vice Tower Master was coming.
They could not show the two of them a terrible sight.
However, the soldiers had different views.

"…They said that his highness would soon be here with the nobles."
"Can't we just fend them off with the dirt wall for now?"

The soldiers had not forgotten about the terrible sight of the Empire's unbelievable defeat. Everything had been destroyed and they could only watch as the Empire's knights burned to death.
That memory instilled a strong sense of fear toward the Whipper Kingdom's forces.

"Hurry up and move!"

However, the soldiers had no choice but to move. They could not disobey their superiors' orders.
One of the knights approached the Vice Captain and reported in.

"Vice Captain-nim! The First Knights Brigade is prepared!"

The knights who had barely managed to survive wished to go back onto the battlefield.
The Vice Captain looked at the battlefield and responded back.

"We will head out soon."
"Yes sir!"

His gaze headed toward Toonka, the warriors, and the helmeted swordsman.
The Lion Edrich was looking at them as well.

The helmeted swordsman.
This swordsman who was not a sword master somehow managed to easily defeat a sword master like Duke Huten.
This unknown person was the variable in this battle.
The Lion Edrich looked past the helmeted swordsman toward the sky above Maple Castle.

"Dwarf Kanelle."

'Is that bastard going to come out as well?
I will definitely kill him if he comes out. I will find a way to bring him down from the sky and kill him if he shows up on that white skeleton bird.'

"Kehehehe."

Edrich could not hold back his laughter as just thinking about killing Kanelle was making him excited.
It was at that moment.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-

The trumpet blew one more time.

"Huh...?"

The Vice Captain rubbed his eyes.

"Edrich!"

Gronica called out to her cousin Edrich. However, Edrich could not respond to Gronica's shout as he stared at the battleground underneath the dirt wall.
No, he was looking at Maple Castle's gate.

"Kahahaha! This is the second battle!"

Toonka was casually walking out with his arms opened wide.
The helmeted swordsman pointed his sword at the Empire's forces.

However, that was not the issue.
There was Toonka, Choi Han, and the warriors.

But behind them…
There were others coming out through Maple Castle's entrance.

The Vice Captain started to shout.

"…The, B, Bear tribe!"

There were hundreds of Bears in their berserk state.
They walked through the gate and broke the silence of the battlefield.

The Lions became nervous.

'It wasn't just the Flame Dwarves?
Even the Bears that went to the Gorge of Death betrayed Arm, no, betrayed the other Bears?'

"…Edrich."
"Damn it."

Edrich grumbled as he thought about the Bear tribe's ruler. At the same time, he looked at the Bears coming out of Maple Castle.

"…They betrayed their king."

As someone who also aimed to be a king, Edrich started to frown.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
There were iron balls at the end of the chains around the Bears' arms and legs.
Hundreds of these iron balls rolled on the ground behind the Bears and caused some vibrations.
The ground started to shake.
Then they noticed someone else on top of Maple Castle's castle wall.

"…That person is here as well."

Edrich observed that, 'brown robe.'
One of the mages ran up the stairs to the top of the dirt wall and shouted at that moment.

"His highness will arrive soon!"

The Empire's forces heard Toonka's shout at the same time.

"We will show you hell for a second time."

Hell was another name for war.
The second battle started as the countdown for the Imperial Prince's arrival was nearing its end.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]