Chapter 254.2

Vine hung her arm over the female swordsman’s shoulder and reached around her waist with her other arm . When Vine’s lips approached her, she shook .

The fingers around her shoulder gently brushed her evenly cut hair, then as they gently crawled down her back, Vine whispered by her ears .

“You get to play your favorite hero of justice . It’s not good to bully the weak, right?”

“T-That’s… Mn!”

The breath blowing by her ears bound her . Her heart throbbed quickly and loudly .

“That’s what slave traders do . They take the weak and sell them, all so they can fatten their purse… Right?”

“T-That’s might be true, but…!”

The strength was gradually leaving her words as she spoke, and there was even a heartrending breath mixed in .

“Justice should be harshFis Deardo Hel

“…Yes . ”

Her whispers were honey, her words, poison .

Sally unsteadily walked away with blushed cheeks and her arms wrapped around her . Vine shrugged .

“Whatever, just please give me back my money . ”

Sophia coldly said, and Vine shrugged again . She flicked the coin to Sophia and laughed .

“The slaves have gotten more numerous . We should almost be at our limits . ”

The slaves she’s gathered that looked like they could fight already numbered over 300 . It was quite a big family .

“No orders have been given yet . ”

“Then I guess we’ll just continue . I’m having fun, but will this really be enough to turn a country upside down?”

“I’m sure Pale-san is thinking . ”

“Good if so . ”

“…What do you mean?”

“Who do you think is better between her and the Shushunu’s princess?”

“Well, Pale-san of course…”

“That’s wishful thinking . I only saw her once, but the princess here is pretty good too, you know?”

Vine could clearly distinguish the strong through her nose . But even if that weren’t true, she was able to survive all this time .

“That’s—!”

Sophia was about to argue, but then she saw a carrier pigeon flying toward them . The bird landed on her shoulder, and a letter was attached to its legs . Sophia took out the fastened letter and read it .

“What does it say?” Vine asked .

“Vine-san…”

Sophia paled, and Vine closed one eye as she extended one of her hands . She took the letter and rubbed Sophia’s head as though she were her sister .

“Hmm? Ku, ha ha ha ha ha! Now that’s an order I can get behind!”

“…Vine-san . ”

“I don’t know who gave this order, but I like it . ”

Vine laughed as she looked up at the heavens and covered her eyes .

On the crumpled letters in her hands was written a simple order .

—Bathe Kushunora’s flag in blood .

Vine the Mad Blade laughed in the dark night and executed the order .

◆◇◆

“—Our plans have borne fruit . Henceforth, we shall set out and claim the head of the War Princess . ”

Pale said that indifferently, and the gathered generals looked at each other . There was a faint smile on her face as she looked down at the map spread on the table .

“We will break through the borders and force the Holy Shushunu Kingdom’s imperial capital to capitulate, and then her head will be ours . ”

“The reorganized Felduk shall attack the western frontlines . Gi Gi Orudo shall break through the southern frontlines . ”

“The king’s cavalry and Aransain will rendezvous with the Kushain Believers . And together they shall advance to the Holy Shushunu Kingdom . ”

“Will the war princess attack?” The Goblin King asked .

She nodded . “Most likely… But that doesn’t mean that she’ll have any forces left with her . ”

Pale had set a trap .

The strength of the cavalry led by the Goblin King .

The attacks made only when the War Princess wasn’t at the borders .

Vine’s despicable acts at the imperial capital .

And the blind spots that existed precisely because Blanche was a genius .

The War Princess was likely a genius at politics and warfare . So much so that it seemed she was loved by god . On top of that, she was blessed with a great cavalry and a major power’s seat of honor that allowed her to make use of that .

Blanche’s ability to control others through fear and gain was enough to make Pale suffer a crushing defeat .

But that’s precisely why Pale was going to win .

Blanche will use the victories she’s secured to bring her country under her command and prepare for war, but Pale will use her hubris to kill her .

“The enemy has prepared trench camps similar to what Felduk once employed . These trenches are highly effective against cavalry and can be likened to that of a moving fortress . ”

Pale had fought with her aide, Mehran Le Coude, in her absence, and already knew how strong he was . His tactics revolved around immobilizing horses and covering the battlefield with countless traps . He is also able to turn a flat battlefield into an uneven one by digging holes .

What’s more is that the long spears of the cavalry – regardless how long they may be – are a poor match to the mages hiding in their trenches .

Unfortunately, all of that, including the trench camp, was meaningless before the overwhelming power that was ‘quantity’ .