Chapter 1

―――I will die here.

Seeing the approaching enemy army, the boy thought this. His name is Ginova, the Crown Prince of the Antalya Kingdom, who is fifteen years old this year. He has gray eyes and ash-blonde hair tied back in a single braid. Due to his age, he is still small, and his neck and arms are so slender they could be mistaken for a girl’s.

Ginova stands atop a small hill. He commands about a thousand infantry and is preparing to defend this hill, hastily fortified, against the enemy army. On the other side, the elite army of the Rostok Empire, directly under the command of the emperor, is advancing. Their numbers are ten thousand infantry and five thousand cavalry. They are marching straight toward this defensive position without breaking ranks.

Furthermore, at the forefront, the imperial flag of the Rostok Empire is fluttering. This means it is a personal campaign. The emperor of the Rostok Empire, Dandalion I, known as the Flame Emperor and a renowned general, is personally leading this army.

For Ginova, it is almost certain that this will be a hopeless battle. However, he cannot run away. He is leading the rearguard. If he runs away, the main force will be pursued by the enemy. Therefore, he cannot retreat from here.

“Your Highness... Shouldn’t you at least escape...”

The one who advised Ginova was a knight named Kwald, the commander of the Antalya Kingdom’s Royal Guard. While Ginova is the nominal commander of this defensive position, Kwald is the one actually in charge.

“It is an imperial command. I cannot do that.”

In response to Kwald’s advice, Ginova shook his head calmly. The reason he is leading the rearguard, despite being the Crown Prince, is only one: it is by the command of his father, King Garellean II of the Antalya Kingdom.

Of course, Garellean did not command Ginova to die. If he successfully repels the enemy army and returns to the capital, Kurshil, he will surely be praised and rewarded. However, if he runs away without fighting, he will surely be severely reprimanded. He might even be disinherited and confined.

No, the rise and fall of his own position were trivial matters to Ginova at this moment. He could not abandon the soldiers who remained with him and escape alone. He expressed his thoughts like this:

“Besides, if we are to run, we will all go together.”

Kwald smiled despite the inappropriate situation. Of course, he did not think they would escape safely. Even if they did run, the Rostok army would not let the Antalya army escape. To the Rostok army, the Antalya army is nothing but a group of treacherous invaders who ignored the non-aggression pact and invaded. After all, this is foreign territory, within the borders of the Rostok Empire, even though it is near the border.

The land that came to be called the Rostok Empire was only three years ago the Principality of Frisia. It had fifteen provinces. The Antalya Kingdom, located to the southwest, had eighty-one provinces, and the Rostok Empire, located to the northeast, had seventy-three provinces at the time. As the numbers show, the principality was a small country sandwiched between two great powers.

Garellean led an army of about eighty thousand to invade the Principality of Frisia three years ago. The Principality of Frisia also resisted with its army, but the disparity in strength was insurmountable, and the land was ravaged.

In this national crisis, the then Grand Duke of Frisia, Leopold II, made a decision. He sought aid from the Rostok Empire, almost selling himself. Emperor Dandalion I of the Rostok Empire immediately responded to this request and came to the rescue with thirty thousand troops. He attacked the side of the Antalya army, which was caught off guard, and severely defeated and repelled them.

The peace treaty signed between the Antalya Kingdom and the Rostok Empire at this time consists of three main clauses:

1. The Antalya Kingdom will pay 50,000 gold coins as compensation to the Principality of Frisia.

2. The Antalya Kingdom will recognize the Rostok Empire's annexation of the Principality of Frisia.

3. The Antalya Kingdom and the Rostok Empire will sign a five-year non-aggression pact.

Garellean adhered to the first and second clauses, but he broke the third. In the third year of the non-aggression pact, he led an army of about fifty thousand to reinvade the former Grand Duchy of Frisia. This was also the first battle for Crown Prince Ginova.

However, the result was a great defeat. Once they crossed the border, they encountered the Rostok army before they could even plunder, and Garellean had to retreat. However, a fierce pursuit by the Rostok army was expected. Therefore, the rearguard was left behind to ensure the safe retreat of the main force.

“Ginova, I will give you a thousand soldiers. Hold the enemy army here as the rearguard.”

“It is as you command.”

Ginova accepted the order calmly. There were objections to this imperial command. After all, Ginova is the Crown Prince, the future king. If anything happened to him, what would become of the Antalya Kingdom?

“Your Majesty, I will take the rearguard. Please return to the capital, Kurshil, with the Crown Prince.”

The senior officers of the Antalya army, led by an old general, urged Garellean to change his mind, but he did not revoke the command. In the end, the officers thought, “This command is a sign of the Emperor’s trust in the Crown Prince,” and did not raise further objections. This anecdote suggests that Ginova already had the qualities that made them think so at that time.

However, Ginova did not think of himself as the great person they believed him to be. On the contrary, he thought of himself as immature. Moreover, he lacked confidence. Even now, he feels his legs trembling at the sight of the approaching Rostok army.

Soon, the Rostok army will complete their formation and launch an attack on this defensive position. The time is drawing near, and the soldiers are gripping their weapons with tense faces. Amid the rising tension, Ginova thought:

(If I fulfill my duty as the rearguard here, will Father recognize me...?)

Until now, Ginova had never been expected by his father, Garellean. People around him say, “That’s not true,” but he has never spent time with his father as a father and son. His father’s and mother’s eyes have always been cold when looking at him.

However, in this first battle, Ginova was given the great responsibility of the rearguard. If he fulfills this duty, his father and mother might see him differently. Thinking this, Ginova felt as if he had found a way out in the midst of death.

Perhaps the goddess of fate found his situation amusing. Something unexpected happened.

“Your Highness, look at that...!”

Kwald raised a worried voice. He pointed to beyond the Rostok army. There, a new cloud of dust was rising. Something was coming this way. The size of the dust cloud suggested a considerable number, at least on par with the Rostok army.

(What army is this...!?)

While thinking this, Ginova squinted and looked closely. This is a battlefield, and with such a large dust cloud, it is natural to assume it is an army. However, his assumption was wrong, and he opened his eyes wide. What he saw were not humans but monstrous creatures, pouring in.

“Monsters...! So, this is a stampede...!?”

Ginova let out a trembling voice. Monsters are enemies of humanity born from dungeons. They are beings that embody hostility and violence, hate humans, attack them, and eat them. When a large group of monsters overflows from a dungeon, it is called a stampede, which people fear.

This stampede occurred at this critical moment. A large group of monsters is about to pour into the battlefield, where about sixteen thousand people are gathered. It must be a hunting ground that stirs up hostility.

“Your Highness, this is a golden opportunity!”

Kwald, who regained his composure first, said this. The large group of monsters is coming from behind the Rostok army. This means the Rostok army will be the first to be attacked.

Moreover, they are being attacked from behind. An army cannot easily change direction. It is not as simple as turning around to fight when attacked from behind. To fully utilize their strength, they need to face the enemy head-on.

Therefore, whether they continue to fight or reorganize their formation, the Rostok army will suffer significant casualties and show a weakness. Taking advantage of this weakness, they can launch a sudden attack and defeat Dandalion I. This was Kwald’s strategy.

“If we defeat Dandalion I, the Rostok army will collapse. It will also make it easier for us to retreat. This is our only way to survive!”

Kwald strongly advised this. It was a tempting offer for Ginova. If he could defeat Dandalion I, his father and mother would have to recognize him. However, he clenched his teeth and shook his head.

“That... I cannot do.”

“Why not!?”

“If the Rostok army is attacked from behind by a large group of monsters, they will suffer significant casualties. I agree with that. However, I do not think they will ignore us and give us an opportunity to exploit.”

Ginova explained. For example, if they keep about a thousand soldiers to contain the Antalya army, the Rostok army can focus on the large group of monsters. They have the numbers and training to do so.

Moreover, Dandalion I is known as the Flame Emperor. As his nickname suggests, he is an excellent knight. He will likely lead the charge into the large group of monsters to encourage his troops.

To defeat him, Ginova and his men would also have to charge into the large group of monsters, breaking through the Rostok army’s formation. This is far more difficult than just buying time.

“Then let’s retreat! If the enemy is preoccupied with the monsters, it will give the main force enough time to retreat. The rearguard’s duty will be fulfilled!”

Kwald suggested this. However, in that case, the Rostok army will reorganize without worrying about their rear and then fully utilize their strength to break through the center of the large group of monsters. They will then spread out and drive the large group of monsters into the Antalya Kingdom.

The large group of monsters will pour into the Antalya Kingdom. Villages and towns near the border will suffer catastrophic damage. If the main force is attacked from behind during the retreat, Garellean might be in danger. This would be the worst possible future for Ginova and his men.

“Then, what should we do...!”

“...I think we should send an envoy to Emperor Dandalion.”

After thinking for a moment, Ginova answered with a stern face. The message to be delivered is as follows:

“Please reorganize your ranks behind us and then encircle and annihilate the monsters. We, the Antalya army, will buy you the time.”

“Do you intend to cooperate with the Rostok army!?”

Kwald exclaimed in surprise, with a hint of reproach in his voice. Until just a moment ago, they were preparing to fight the Rostok army. It is difficult for him to suddenly switch to cooperation. To calm him down, Ginova said:

“Commander, the Rostok army is indeed the enemy of Antalya, but the monsters are the enemies of all humanity. We must not confuse this.”

“But what if the reorganized Rostok army attacks us from behind!? Or, if the Rostok army does not move, we will be massacred and cannot retreat! We will be annihilated!”

Kwald’s concerns were valid, and the possibility was real. Ultimately, it depends on the conscience of the Rostok army, specifically Dandalion I. Ginova acknowledged this and nodded before saying:

“In that case, we will die. We were prepared to die from the beginning.”

When he told this to Kwald, his face was clear, and a small smile even appeared. At that moment, Kwald felt an indescribable awe and naturally knelt, clasping his right fist with his left hand.

“As you command. I will follow your command, Your Highness.”

Kwald was serious about dying here. Ginova’s words had something that made him think so. Most importantly, even if they die here, their honor and that of the Antalya Kingdom will be preserved. They will be remembered in history.

Ginova nodded slightly. An envoy was immediately sent to the Rostok army. As Ginova and Kwald watched tensely, the Rostok army split and moved behind the small hill where they stood.

Seeing this, Ginova and Kwald both let out a sigh of relief. Dandalion I had accepted Ginova’s proposal.

“Your Highness, the envoy has returned.”

“Bring him here.”

When Ginova said this, the soldier who had been sent as an envoy to the Rostok army approached. The soldier knelt before him and bowed his head. Ginova asked the soldier:

“Did you meet Emperor Dandalion directly?”

“Yes, I met him directly and delivered your message word for word!”

“I see. And what did the Emperor say?”

“He said, ‘I will borrow some time. When the reorganization is complete, you will witness the might of my army. Until then, I pray for the bravery of the Antalya army.’”

Hearing this, Ginova nodded. In reality, there is no guarantee that Dandalion will act as he said. As Kwald pointed out, there is a real possibility that they will be attacked from behind or left to die. Or, even if Dandalion has no such intention, the reorganization might not be completed in time, and Ginova and his men might be annihilated. However, he no longer cared about such things.

Ginova looked ahead. The monsters were approaching. If he only considered this, it would have been much easier to use the Rostok army as a shield and not cooperate. He chose the path of the warrior. However, it was also a path of pride.

Ginova raised his right hand and then brought it down. This was the signal for Kwald to give the order.

“Do not let them break through here! Begin the attack!”

Arrows were fired. The battle began.

On March 2, 635, to hold back the Rostok army, Ginova, the Crown Prince, remained as the rearguard on a small hill near the border. However, in the face of the unexpected stampede, he decided to temporarily cooperate with the Rostok army to fight the monsters. Ginova did not know that this decision would be a turning point in his fate.