It has been two days since the troops of the San Rogel monarchy landed.
The walled city-state of Leytin was surrounded by 5,000 soldiers.
"What do you want to do after all?
Even here, Aldis still doesn't understand Marida's true intentions.
Once, when Leytin was attacked by a group of beasts and demons, Aldis had participated in that defense.
I haven't forgotten that Marida and her chamber of commerce had responded in a hurry at that time.
But when it came to this case, Marida's moves seemed to point far from Aldis's understanding of the situation.
'I still understand that he let most of his employees escape from Laitin with their entire families. Unlike last time, we had enough time to escape this time. But that means you're assuming that Leytin will lose, right? Then why are you still here yourself?
It's not just the employees.
If you ask me, Marida's childhood friend, Ellie, the daughter of the Lovell Trading Company, is also away from Leytin because she and her parents have a big business meeting in the west.
It's not just a matter of time before you are able to get your hands on a new one.
It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for. You can't just run away quickly when you are in danger.
'You don't have the kind of personality to worry about that. After all, what can you do with a business association that has no employees?
You know, I have enough employees to keep the Chamber of Commerce from becoming dysfunctional.
It doesn't look like they're doing anything in particular with even that minimal amount of personnel.
Well. The country has bought up most of the things that could be useful in the fight. It's not like we can stock up on new products, well, we'll just have to wait and see.
Shrugging her shoulders, Marida closed her mouth.
Such a calmness of Marida was bothering Ardis.
It was probably because she knew this situation of Leitin being attacked, nine out of ten, that she had hired Aldis as her escort.
Nevertheless, he didn't put Aldis in the brunt of the battle, nor did he assign her to escort the evacuated employees.
It's just a matter of escorting Marida as she goes about her day at leisure.
There is no one who doesn't feel that it is unnatural.
'Nicole. You look like you know something.
'If you won't tell me, young lady, I can't tell you anything: ......
The point of view turned to Nicole.
From the way she spoke, Nicole seemed to have heard Marida's plans to some extent.
Marida interrupts the awkward-looking Nicole to offer her a helping hand.
If you don't like the request, you can always get out. I can even consider the food and heavy iron ore deal without ...... preferential treatment.
...... It's only three days away anyway.
With the certainty that those three days would not end in peace, Aldis made it clear that the escort would continue.
The next day.
Waiting for dawn to break, the attack on the San Rogel monarchy was launched.
The defending Leytin army, including the militia, finally only had more than a thousand men.
As expected, the militia was not well gathered, as Nicole had expected, and most of them, even the mercenaries, seemed to have chosen not to participate or to escape from Leytin beforehand.
The battle became a fierce battle from the first day.
They must have known that with time, reinforcements would come from other city-states.
It seems that the monarchist army chose to capture the city in a short period of time, even if it was a bit of a stretch.
As soon as the two sides have spoken, arrows and magic are flying between the two armies.
The wreckage of soldiers shot above and outside the ramparts and outside the city walls, respectively, exposed the wreckage, and the occasional drifting arrow or spell flew into the city of Leytin, causing damage to the non-combatants.
Even after the sun had set, the attack of the monarchy's army did not stop.
Leytin would spend the night in fear of the attacks, not only of the soldiers, but also of the civilians, who could fly in at any moment.
Leitin's army, which had been busy dealing with the attack all night, was still under attack by the monarchical army the next day.
'What on earth is the enemy up to?'
Even though the monarchy has a larger number of troops, it is unthinkable for them to attack so aggressively and without a break.
"I feel as if you're being cornered by an army that's running out of ammunition.
Nicole answered to Aldis's soliloquy in a ritualistic manner.
Although she did not see the battlefield in person, some information has been received by Ardis through Charu.
It's as if the monarchy's military is in a tight spot if they don't drop Leitin as soon as possible, even if it's not a minute and a second earlier.
It is true that if you take the time to consider the fact that reinforcements from other city-states will arrive, it is understandable that the Monarchist army is seeking a short battle.
But even so, they wouldn't normally continue their offensive incessantly even at night.
Even if they took shifts to rest, the fatigue of the troops would still accumulate. ......
The intentions of the monarchist army were unreadable, and Ardis felt a sense of weirdness.
It was the second night after the start of the engagement.
This day as well as the day before, the monarchy army threw arrows and magic into the air while surrounding Leytin.
It's not just the soldiers of Leytin, but also the citizens of Leytin who are attacked by the incessantly pouring murderous intent, even though they may not be able to aim properly.
Fires were going up all over the place.
The faces of the people running around trying to extinguish them were beginning to show signs of fatigue.
It had only been two days.
But it was two days with no time to rest.
The incessant attacks of the monarchy's army were definitely making Leytin more and more exhausted.
'Miss. I'm going to go check the warehouse to make sure it's clear.
There are four men and women in the office of the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce.
Aldis, Marida, Nicole, and the middle-aged man who had been introduced as Marida's confidant.
Coincidentally, they were the same members as when Aldis first met Marida eight years ago.
At that time, she had only thought of him as a servant, but according to what the employees had told her, he was the de facto number two in the Chamber of Commerce.
She is the oldest employee who took over the Chamber of Commerce at a young age and practically ran it until Marida came of age, and has continued to support Marida for many years after that.
Marida had let most of her employees flee before the monarchist army besieged Leytin, but this man was one of the few remaining members of the group.
'Yeah. "Yes, please, Kujon.
The middle-aged employee known as Cudgeon bowed reverently to Marida and hurriedly left the room.
Continuing to stare at the door after he left, Marida exhaled loudly, as if there was no one to see here.
To Ardis it looked like a deep breath to calm herself down.
'Will you move?'
It will move. In fact, I can't believe it won't move after all this preparation.
Nicole and Marida exchanged words as if they were the only two people who could communicate with each other.
'Hey, talk to me in a way I can understand,'
Marida called out to the disgruntled Aldis with a serious expression on her face.
'Aldis-kun,'
What?
I'm moving on now.
Aldis just narrowed her eyes at the abrupt declaration.
Prompted by her gaze, Marida continued to speak.
The reason I hired you this time is because of today. ─ I am going to run an errand now. In the meantime, I need you to be my escort with Nicole.
'Just to be sure, we're not talking about running into the middle of an army that's besieging Leytin, are we?
I wouldn't do that.
So? What is it that you have to do with certain things?
I'm not going to be able to get a good look at it," he said.
It's a good thing that you're not going to be able to find out what's going on.
Revenge.
Aldis felt something buzz inside her body at that brief comment.
Naturally, she didn't think Marida was joking.
If you look at it, Nicole's expression standing beside her is also very serious.
Apparently, Nicole knows about that situation.
I'm sure you'll be able to see the flicker of hatred in Marida's eyes, and sensing that she has something in common with him, Ardis involuntarily opened his mouth.
'Enemies?'
There is no clear answer to that question.
But Marida's cold words, completely devoid of emotion, just echo in the quiet office.
'...... eighteen years, to this day I have lived.
With no denial coming out of Marida's mouth, Aldis knew that his question was on target.
'So, Mr. Aldis. If you're going to spout those pretty words about revenge being trivial, or useless, or that hatred produces nothing, you can get out of your job as a guard now. Of course, it would be reassuring if you could help me, Aldis, but I won't ask you to force it.
There is no hesitation in Marida's eyes.
Originally, she and Nicole had planned to accomplish their goal even without Ardis.
It's a good thing that Ardis's power is only as good as it's going to get.
''Revenge ...... enemy revenge ......
Closing her eyes, Aldis murmurs.
Deny it in a pretty way? Encourage forbearance and conversion?
That was ridiculous, Aldis thought.
No matter who else tried to deny it, Aldis was the only one who would not deny Marida.
No matter who else tried to laugh it off, only Aldis would not laugh at its will.
No matter who else rejects it, only Ardis does not reject its hatred.
He is not entitled to it, for he does not deserve it.
To deny Marida's actions is to deny your own purpose.
To laugh at Marida's will is to laugh at one's life.
To reject Marida's hatred is to reject one's feelings.
For Aldis, who has lived her entire life on the basis of hatred and revenge against a person, it is a natural companion, a fire that is always blowing up beside the peace and quiet of her life.
Rather, it was the driving force that Aldis understood best.
'Alright. You can take revenge, you can take revenge, you can take revenge. You can take your revenge, you can take your revenge, you can take your revenge, you can take your revenge, you can take your revenge.