Game of the Monarch

On the first day of the siege, Lobiance Castle walls stood strong. While the walls weren’t high, it was quite strong and stood firm despite being attacked with catapults. 

“Wahhhh!!”

“We won!!”

The soldiers on the wall cheered and rejoiced at successfully protecting the castle. 

The next day.

As soon as the sun rose, the Southern Army began attacking the castle walls once again. And just as the previous day, it was another passive attack with a focus on long-range projectiles. No attempt was made to scale the castle walls. Confident from yesterday’s victory, the Northern Army responded more skillfully to the attacks. 

“Concentrate the arrows! Cluster them so the shields can’t block them.”

“Aim the ballista at the enemy’s catapults! Destroy their main mode of attack!”

If you use a long-distance projectile, then no matter how hard you try, the castle under siege will have advantage as time goes on. They can attack farther from a safer location by utilizing the different elevations of the castle walls. By the end of the second day, the Southern Army left no traces behind. 

“Wahhhh!!”

“We won!!”

“Get lost you southern country bumpkins!” Intoxicated with their victory, the regular soldiers mocked the enemy.

And the third day, fourth day…

The days passed until it became the tenth day. The battles for those ten days had been half hearted at best. For whatever reason, the Southern Army repeated those inconsequential attacks and the soldiers on the walls no longer felt a sense of relief but rather felt it was tedious.  

“Are those idiots doing the same shit again today?”

“Aren’t they tired of it? They don’t know how to give up.”

The battle was the same everyday, repeating the same attacks day by day that the soldiers on the wall began to complain. Although the commanders saw them like this, they didn’t bother to rebuke them for their lack of military discipline since the commanders themselves were also becoming indolent. But as the tenth day passed, the situation changed a bit. 

“I am Jerome Taker from House of Forrest! Who amongst the Northern Knights will compete against me?!”

One knight was outside the castle walls asking for single combat.

“What’s he doing?”

“I think he wants to engage in single combat, Your Highness.”

“I know that. I mean why’s he doing that all of a sudden.”

One of the Second Prince’s advisors carefully responded. 

“Since there’s been zero achievements, it seems as though they have no choice but to worry about their soldiers’ morale, Your Highness. So they may be thinking of raising morale through single combat.”

The Second Prince thought that analysis was plausible and nodded his head. 

“So that’s why. Then in that case, if we cut off his head, we could sink the enemy’s morale? Am I correct?”

“Yes, Your Highness. But…”

“Do we have anyone? Whoever it is, as long as they can behead him, I’ll greatly reward them.”

With the promise of a reward, several knights stepped forward.

“Please leave it to me, Your Highness.”

“No, please leave it to me, Your Highness. I will definitely bring back his head.”

“No, I will…

As they were arguing, one of the knights stood up from his seat.

“All of you back off. I, Leon Valod, will go.”

Once he stepped forward, the other knights were overwhelmed and stepped back.

“Ohh… Sir Valod. You’ll do it?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I will go.”

Leon Valod was one of the strongest amongst the Northern knights.

“I’ll go out and show that arrogant fool the strength of the North, Your Highness.”

“Then, I’ll leave it to you.”

With the Second Prince’s permission, Leon Valod confidently rode through the gates.

“I, Leon Valod, will be your opponent. Be honored and prepare to go to hell.”

Watching Leon approaching him with a cocksure attitude, Jerome calmly confronted him.

“We shall see who dies and goes to hell.”

“Haaa!”

With no further words, Leon Valod charged towards Jerome. The clear aura on Leon Valod’s sword was evidence that he was an expert.

Clang!

As the two knights’ aura collided, single combat began.

“Wahhhhh!!”

“Ohhhhh!!”

As shouts erupted from both sides, the two knights’ swords crossed as they fought against each other. 

Clang! Claang!

Sparks flew as their swords met and the collision of their auras let out a deafening boom. The horses couldn’t withstand the pressure and were pushed back.  

‘No wonder he’s so arrogant. Who knew there’d be a knight like him amongst the Southern bumpkins.’

Leon Valod admitted Jerome was quite skilled as they fought each other.

‘But…’

“Ha!!”

Whoosh.

Leon Valod put all his strength into his attack and slicing through the air, swung his sword at Jerome.

Claaang!!

Jerome was pushed back 5 meters with that one stroke. That he didn’t fall off his horse was admirable. But with this, Leon Valod was able to relax a bit.

“Not bad, but you're unbalanced. You must have been injured somewhere?”

“……”

Jerome didn’t respond but Leon Valod hadn’t wanted one to begin with. Instead, he charged forward. 

“I won’t go easy on you! Take this!”

And Leon Valod continued with his powerful attacks. 

Claang! Clang!

Leon Valod advanced towards Jerome with a flurry of powerful attacks, and Jerome managed to endure it, but as with all things, there was a limit. 

“Haa!!”

Clang!!

Unable to overcome his opponent’s strength, the sword fell from Jerome’s left hand. 

“This is the end!”

Just as Leon Valod swung his sword for the finishing blow…

Fwip!

A single arrow flew towards Leon Valod’s head. 

“Ku…”

Clang!

Leon Valod swiftly lifted his sword to block the arrow.  And using that chance, Jerome quickly turned his horse and returned to his army.

“You bastard! Where do you think you’re going?!”

Leon Valod continued to taunt and mock him, but Jerome retreated without response. Leon Valod could only regret that Jerome had retreated too far for him to pursue. Instead, he raised his sword high into the air.

“I am Leon Valod!!”

The soldiers on the castle wall roared their approval.

“Wahhhh!!”

“Hurray! Hurray for Sir Valod!!”

“Hurray for the Northern Army!!”

Although he couldn’t take the enemy’s life, the morale of the soldiers was clearly lifted. Having achieved his intended purpose, Leon Valod returned to the castle amidst the cheers.

* * *

“Well done. You’ve worked hard.”

Jerome was welcomed by Viscount Sabian who had come up with the strategy for this siege. He seemed a bit apologetic towards Jerome.

“I’m sorry for asking for such a burdensome request.”

But Jerome looked back at him gruffly.

“I only carried out my orders.”

“Thank you, Sir Taker. You carried them out perfectly. Because you agreed to my request, the success rate of this operation has increased even more.”

“Since my Lord trusts you, I also trust you.”

With that, Jerome got off his horse, he looked at the stableman approaching him.

“This guy here is probably more tired than I am. Give him soft fodder and let him rest.”

“Yes, sir.”

Then, with his right hand, he passed his horse’s reins to the stableman. 

* * *

“Hahahahaha! You sure are amazing, Sir Valod.”

The Second Prince was ecstatic. His knight had triumphantly won the single combat and sent back his enemy’s knight with his tail tucked between his legs. And thanks to that, his soldiers’ morale had been raised and his own honor increased. Why wouldn’t he feel happy?

“He wasn’t that big of a deal, Your Highness.”

While Leon Valod’s words were humble, his facial expression said he was very proud of himself for winning the fight. When his fight was continuously praised by the people around him, Leon Valod couldn’t contain his joy and loudly exclaimed to the prince.

“One day I will behead Duke Palan and offer his head to you, Your Highness.”

“Hahahaha… I don’t doubt that you will.”

Was it that they were well matched? Or was it that both their dreams were ridiculous? Either way, the atmosphere surrounding them was great, perhaps too great. 

* * *

Since the day of the single combat, the spirits of the Second Prince’s rebels were high enough to pierce through the sky. Not only were they able to fight back with long-range projectiles, but they had also sent the cavalry to break apart the enemy lines. 

“Attack!”

When the rebels, who had been on the defense until now, boldly attacked, the Southern Army were thrown into a panic and quickly retreated, leaving behind their siege weapons. 

“Light their siege weapons on fire!”

The rebels didn’t miss this chance and lit the siege weapons on fire, then quickly moved back behind their castle walls before their enemies could respond. 

“This is it!”

The Second Prince clenched his fist and cheered when he heard that all the bothersome siege weapons had been burnt. Although he didn’t know what the enemy would do without their siege weapons, he believed they didn’t have a chance now. 

The next day…

“Attack!”

“Wahhh!!”

Unlike before, the enemy had started a full-scale attack on the besieged castle. Maybe they had decided since they already lost their siege weapons, there was nothing else to lose? It was the first time the Southern Army was fully attacking. As the archers fired their arrows, the foot soldiers used grappling hooks and ladders to scale the walls. 

“Those bastards must be out of their minds.”

After listening to a messenger’s report, the Second prince clenched his fist and shouted out an order. 

“Don’t be frightened! Show them the might of the Northern Army!”

‘We just need to get over this crisis.’

The Second Prince believed this was the enemy’s last stand. They might have tried every possible method, but in the end, their siege weapons had been destroyed and all it had done was meaninglessly waste time. The Second Prince believed that’s why they were making such a frantic last-ditch effort. He also believed that as long as they passed this, they would be able to peacefully wait until reinforcements from the Republicans came. 

But then…

“Save our comrades!”

“Ahhhh!!”

Three brigades appeared from behind the Southern Army. They were flying the tri-colored flag of…

“It’s the Republic! It’s the Hildes Republic!!”

“The reinforcements are here!!”

All the soldiers were able to recognize it. The reinforcements had finally come. For a moment, the Second Prince trembled. It was finally time to counterattack.

“Open the castle gates! All knights, follow me!”

“Your Highness, do you plan to personally go out?”

“Of course!”

Although one of the advisors tried to stop him, the Second Prince couldn’t be stopped. He immediately led the knights through the castle gates. In front of his eyes, he could see the terrified Southern Army trying to retreat. 

“Charge!!”

“Ohhhh!!”

The Second Prince valiantly led the Northern knights forward. And as soon as he had distanced himself from the castle…

Beeeeeeep!!

A long whistle sounded.

And at the same time…

“Now’s the time!”

“Surround them!”

The Southern Army who had been fleeing until now, moved in unison to quickly form a crescent moon formation, instantly closing behind the knights led by the Second Prince. Soon, they had completely blocked the Second Prince from retreating back to the castle. 

“Wh— what?”

“We… we can’t retreat, Your Highness.”

Seeing the knights thrown off balance, the prince loudly tried to rally them. 

“Don’t panic!”

No matter how clever the enemy’s tactic might be, the current situation was still in their favor. Since the Republican forces came, all they had to do was rush forward and join those reinforcements. There was no need to retreat back to the castle. 

“Charge forward! It’s our way out!”

Having made the decision, the Second Prince’s horse charged. And from the knights who were encircling them from the back came Rick’s voice.

“He said they would run forward. They’re really running as he expected.”

Tommy nodded from next to him. 

“This war is now also over.”

They were sure of victory by this point. 

“We’re almost there!”

The Second Prince ran his horse like a madman. When the enemy had blocked their back, his heart had dropped. But as long as the reinforcements from the Republicans came, it didn’t matter. 

At this moment, the tri-colored flags fluttering far away were his salvation and his hope. 

However, when he reached the soldier raising the flag…

“Huh?!”

“Your Highness!”

All of a sudden, all the tri-colored flags disappeared. And as though previously planned, the Southern Army’s flag rose in its place.