A Wish to Grab Happiness

Far above Fort Medraut. With the world below in view, the Great Demon Owful wriggles the shadows. The strange shadow, unaffected by sunlight, made up the shape of a person.

What you see beyond the eyes is unmistakable warfare. An extreme example of the struggle between people eating each other and fighting for their lives.

The spears of Richard the Brave and Valerie the Hero are no longer defining each other in a way that can no longer be avoided. The corpses of the soldiers were stacked on top of each other and a roar could be heard.

'Twenty years, no, at least if only you had been born ten years later.

Owful's words were directed to Richard, who was issuing a proclamation to the general at the outer wall of the fort.

He was at the highest point of humanity's bravery. But that was no longer forty years in the past, and how much strength was left now? It is too difficult to lay a finger on Altius.

It's the right form of humanity. People will always grow old. People will always age, they will live hard in the present, and then they will have to pass it on to the next generation. Even if the next generation is not what I want.

But there is only one woman who has tried to twist the natural course of events.

"Altius. "Altius, I knew you were a terrible woman.

The shadows shift their gaze to the Great Sacred Army.

An army of sixty thousand, led by the hero Valerie. A male demon defeating demonesses against a single rider.

And there he was, slightly away from her.

Gold. The one with the soul of a great hero. A savior who unquestionably forms the supreme in this generation.

--Hert-Stanley has arrived on the battlefield.

Undoubtedly, the reason why Valerie had decided to throw herself into the war effort was none other than because of the presence of gold. In other words, it was sent by Altius.

It is possible that even Valerie's anguish was known to Artius. That's why he had taken the first move.

Also, the fact that Hert is here means something other than boosting Valerie.

He is the saint's guardian and commander of the army. Hence, his actions are not single-handed.

Owful squints his eyes and looks into the distance. He can see tens of thousands of troops, including demons, strolling down the streets again. In a few days, they would join up with Valerie's army. If that happens, the total number of troops will swell to nearly a hundred thousand.

It's a good thing that you're not the only one who's been in the same boat as me.

It's very much like you, Althea. I've never been able to teach you anything.

Owful said as he spat out. It was close to the tone he had used when he was a human, before he became a great demon.

Great Demon Altius - she has only the will to defeat and dominate her enemies. She knows and allows all the means to do so.

Oufuru, who had been through history with her many times until now, understood Altius' thoughts in a handful of ways.

No longer would Fort Medraut be a weir to hold back the demonic hordes. Its fall is certain. The main army led by Lugis would not be able to reach it in time.

If that happened, Altius would not take the reluctance to hold the front line. She'll focus on cutting off the head of the enemy, no matter what time it is.

--So, if the fort fell, it was a given that they would trample the royal capital directly.

If that happens, Lugis will be left alone. The eyes of victory would be lost. They'll be hunted down like a lion tormenting its prey. As the subordinate Allueno wishes.

Owful dropped his gaze. He clenched his fingers. He could feel the magic power flowing into each of his fingertips.

Those who are called Daemons gain their power through faith and temples, and so their souls. In this world where heraldry has been restored, the magic power possessed by Oufur is vast, incomparable to the world of the past.

But originally they should all be used to oppose Altius. When the Military Lugis reached the bottom of Altius, they were meant to push him back.

If he used his magic power to intervene here and now, he would no longer have the power to give Altius his last breath.

Owfur unintentionally asks himself. Should he trust Rougis? Or--should he leave it to the next?

Altius was wrong, he says so, but Rougis' achievement is a glorious one. It is no different.

Every human being has failed to reach his horizon. At this point in time, the fact that he is still turning his blade on Altius is itself astounding. Stepping out of the framework of humanity, he has become an adversary of Altius.

That's why Oufur thinks. If he cannot reach her with him, then there is no longer anyone who can kill Altius in this era. There is no one who can devour her ambitions.

That is not strange. No matter what generation, there will be an absolute who cannot be stopped by anyone.

So it's one thing to hide yourself again and leave everything to the next generation.

The world is bowing to you. The world will bow to you.

Even this voice would be heard by Altius.

For a few seconds, which seems like an eternity. Countless thoughts and attempts pile up in his brain. After biting down on his teeth, Owful says.

''-- Alright. You have won, Artius. I can no longer think of any other option.''

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.

The appearance of Fort Medtraut looked like it was about to abandon its appearance as a fort.

Enemy soldiers surround the fort and many ladders hang over the outer walls. The garrison, which was meant to burn it down and kill the enemy soldiers with their spears, was steadily diminishing in number, little by little.

'The arrows are coming!　Shield at the ready!

The moment you see arrows blowing up from the enemy's line, Richard lets the words fly. The moment they all readied their shields and hid in the shadow of the stone wall--.

The blowing wind cut through and a rain of arrows covered the outer walls. Relentless inorganic killers, sometimes penetrating the shields and taking away the lives of the soldiers.

Richard clicked his tongue. Normally, I would like to fire a volley of arrows from here as well. But the difference in numbers is too overwhelming. It's no different than pouring water on a burning stone.

''General, the guns are ready!

I don't want any confirmation!　Fly them all at once!

Bithia, who raised her voice, must have understood, because the moment Richard said it, there was a gurgling sound and a huge stone was launched by gunpowder.

Only this sound, which is rare on the battlefield, and the sight of the stone falling, slightly stops the enemy soldiers in their tracks. It is a piece of technology that can be called a heraldic sword.

But still, the numbers are different. Killing and killing the enemy, they spring up even after killing and killing. Even the black sword of Richard, the commander, was tangled in blood.

''It's an impressive sight. I'd like to lead an army like that too. ...... Do you want to go back to King's Landing, Bisia?

'Nonsense. A soldier would shoot an arrow if he had time to whine.

...... Vicia, you.

Richard was aware that his second-in-command's voice was unpleasantly snarled. He looked at his appearance in the lull where the enemy's offensive had temporarily ceased.

Then I understood. It's a miracle he's alive and moving. He has arrows all over his body. Looking at the places where blood is oozing from his belly, he must have suffered fatal damage to his internal organs.

He can no longer be saved.

General. I'm a soldier.

Before Richard could say anything else, Bithia said it while standing. He knew that once he sat down, he couldn't stand up again.

Richard couldn't help but stifle the words he was about to say at his second-in-command's words. Rest now, he couldn't possibly tell him.

So he skipped the order in his usual tone.

'Vicia. You can't hold the enemy back any longer. We've got a few more hours to make the most of our desperate efforts. We've got another half day to make the most of it.　

Even though they have been fighting for close to half a day, the momentum of the Great Holy Church Army has not stopped. They have a firm objective of defeating heresy, and led by the Silver-rimmed group blue Valerie-Brightness. The general is well versed in the art of getting his troops into a frenzy.

If she was serious about it, this fort wouldn't have lasted from the beginning. This could only be a foregone conclusion.

'Is the blockage as expected?

Yeah. Bithia, you better have a drink ready. --I'll have the enemy in custody.

Richard said, looking into Bithia's eyes. The light hasn't gone out yet. Rather, it shines dignifiedly, and it even seems to say that this is the time to be at its peak.

'General, may I have one last thing to say to you?'

Bithia nodded in response to the order and said in a snatched voice. His throat, which had continued to issue proclamations to his subordinates, was already aching for even the mere act of uttering a voice.

Still, he says. They knew they no longer had time for each other.

'I have crossed the battlefield many times with the General. "I have crossed the battlefield many times with the general, when you were my commander, and when you were a brave man. I've seen the same kind of men. --You said you wanted to return to King's Landing, didn't you, General?

The voice in the old age says, snatched but grounded.

Richard never interrupted the words.

'Nonsense. We are not following the princess, nor do we trust our lives to her. I told you, we have only fame now.

--We want the fame of having fought alongside you. It's a good thing that you're not going to be able to get away with it. That's all.

...... I'm a guy who never got anything done, man.

Then let's do it right here.

His second-in-command turned on his heel and gathered his men to carry out his final orders. A chuckle escaped Richard's lips, and the wrinkles in his cheeks deepened.

Richard couldn't leave this outer wall. It was here, and he had to make them believe that the enemy general was still in the fort.

So he couldn't watch Bithia's end. That's why you can't watch the end of Vicia.

That's why he called out to his back only.

I'm not going to allow you to have a drink after a victory. It's good to have a good drink after a victory.

We're looking forward to it, General.

The old general and his old lieutenant are now parted. There was no longer any life left in the fort and it would not fall.

A few roars could be heard, and the main gate of the fort could be heard creaking.

Nevertheless, Richard laughed it off.

'I'll show you the battlefield for the last time, kids. A battlefield is a deadly place.