Chapter One: The Army Disbanded After Defeating the Demon King’s Forces
TLNOTE: Apologies if several names & terms have different spellings.
lord Danaam’s Territory in the Kingdom of Lionel, Fortress City of Polvic.
Captain Zaltz stood atop the massive walls that encircled the city, gazing up at the banners fluttering in the wind. One bore the lion emblem of the Kingdom of Lionel, while the other displayed the fortress’s own insignia.
Located in the western part of the kingdom, Polvic was strategically built on an important continental trade route, flourishing as a hub of commerce since ancient times.
However, Polvic’s history was also one of war. Its advantageous position meant it was frequently targeted by armies. The walls bore the scars of countless battles.
Looking north, Zaltz surveyed the hills and surrounding forest beyond the city walls.
Normally, livestock would be grazing on those hills, and wagons would be lining the roads cutting through the forest. But now, the hills were teeming with the black-armored troops of the Demon King, encircling the city.
“Damn those demons!”
Zaltz cursed in frustration.
The soldiers clad in black armor were not human; their skin was covered in reptilian scales. They bore the banner of a black dragon, the symbol of the Demon King’s army, which had crossed the sea from the Demon Continent.
About three thousand strong, the Demon King’s forces had been surrounding Polvic. It had been three years since the Demon King was defeated, yet the Kingdom of Lionel still hadn’t purged the remnants of his army from its lands.
“Captain Zaltz,”
Turning, Zaltz saw his lieutenant, Orm, approaching.
Orm had been shot in the abdomen three days ago, and the bandages around his belly were still stained with blood.
“The bird has returned.”
“Is that so?”
Zaltz’s face brightened slightly at the sight of the small rolled-up paper Orm handed him. Twenty days ago, Zaltz had sent a messenger bird to the Kingdom of Lionel, requesting reinforcements from the purge army formed by King Henry to eradicate the Demon King’s forces.
Eagerly, Zaltz took the letter and read its contents. However, his expression soon twisted in disappointment.
“…No reinforcements are coming?”
Seeing Zaltz’s face, Orm understood the letter’s contents and voiced the obvious. As a commander, Zaltz shouldn’t have let his emotions show, but he couldn’t help feeling disheartened.
“It’s from the purge army. They’re engaged with the Demon King’s forces in the Peshal region and can’t send reinforcements.”
“Then what was the point of forming the purge army in the first place? Has the kingdom abandoned Polvic? Even the hero king who defeated Demon King Zelgius has changed!”
Orm’s words were a rare criticism of the king, which normally would have been considered treason. But Zaltz inwardly agreed.
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Six years ago, Prince Henry of this kingdom had set out with five companions, including the Saintess Elizabeth of the Savior Church, the Sage Ekaterina of the Forest of No Return, and the Eastern Swordmaster Princess Lu, to defeat Demon King Zelgius. Three years ago, they had succeeded and returned in triumph.
Two years ago, Henry had ascended the throne after the previous king died of illness. His coronation was celebrated with great joy as the birth of a hero king. But now, few called Henry a hero.
Upon his ascension, King Henry had declared he would eradicate the Demon King’s forces still plaguing the kingdom. Yet, his promise remained unfulfilled, and the land continued to suffer under their ravages, leaving the people exhausted.
“Captain Zaltz, there is still hope. [That person] might come to our aid.”
“[That person]… If her knight order arrives, we might stand a chance against the Demon King’s forces.”
At Orm’s words, Zaltz recalled the name of a certain woman.
This woman had raised an army from the kingdom’s fringes and formed a military alliance with the goal of defeating the Demon King’s forces.
Initially, no one took her seriously, but as she and her knights began to defeat the Demon King’s forces within the kingdom, they saved many areas,
earning a reputation as a reliable force, more so than the kingdom itself.
“Did you send a request for aid to [that person] as well?”
“I did send a request for aid, but Polvic isn’t part of her alliance. She has no reason to respond to our plea.”
Despite Orm’s words, Zaltz shook his head.
“But you sent the request, didn’t you? [That person] might still come to our aid.”
Orm clung to this hope.
Indeed, [that person] had been saving those suffering from the Demon King’s forces. Even if Polvic wasn’t part of her alliance, she might still come to their aid.
However, Zaltz shook his head again.
“No, it’s impossible. Twenty days ago, when I sent the bird for help, her army was in the distant northern Oeres region. It takes thirty days to get from Oeres to Polvic under normal circumstances. Even with a forced march, they could only shorten that time by five days at best. They won’t make it in time.”
“…I see.”
Orm’s shoulders slumped at Zaltz’s words.
As Zaltz placed a comforting hand on his lieutenant’s shoulder, a loud sound echoed from the hills.
Looking down, Zaltz saw the Demon King’s soldiers banging gongs, beating drums, and blowing trumpets. With these sounds, the soldiers carrying ladders, bows, and battering rams began to advance.
“Orm… gather the soldiers. Everyone who can still move.”
At Zaltz’s command, Orm quickly gathered everyone. About three hundred men assembled, but half of them were Polvic’s residents. Due to a lack of soldiers, the residents had been recruited as volunteers, including children, the elderly, and women.
All the gathered soldiers had grim expressions, knowing their chances of survival were slim.
“Soldiers, you have been brave,”
Zaltz addressed them, praising them unconditionally.
“Your courage and valiant efforts, I can guarantee, have made you heroes. Each one of you is a true hero, as are those who have fallen.”
At Zaltz’s words, tears filled the soldiers’ eyes. Whether from the frustration of defeat, fear of death, or grief for their fallen comrades, Zaltz didn’t know why he, too, felt tears streaming down his cheeks.
“We have no chance of victory. However! We, the people of Polvic, will not easily surrender these proud walls of our city! We will fight to the very end and show our resolve. Today, we die together!”
The soldiers responded to Zaltz’s rallying cry with a roar. Not one of them fled. Yet, their three hundred voices were faint and fragile, like the flickering flames of candles.
Zaltz turned to face the north, glaring at the approaching Demon King’s forces.
The black army surged towards Polvic, resembling a tsunami that threatened to engulf the walls and sweep them away.
Facing imminent death, Zaltz clenched his fists. Orm gritted his teeth, trying to overcome his fear.
The soldiers held hands, embracing one another as they struggled not to cry. Yet, none of them looked away from the approaching black tide.
At that moment,
Zaltz noticed something white appear from the eastern forest’s edge in the corner of his vision.
At first, he thought it was a bird. But no, it was a horse. A single white horse, ridden by a human soldier in gleaming white armor, carrying a white flag, emerged from the forest.
“Who is that? A messenger?”
Zaltz wondered aloud. He hadn’t heard of any knights arriving. Charging into a battlefield teeming with the Demon King’s forces alone was sheer folly. Even for a messenger or scout, the white armor was too conspicuous. It seemed utterly out of place.
The soldiers of the Demon King’s army who saw the white knight seemed to have the same impression. The Demon King’s soldiers were equally baffled by the white knight, letting him pass without attacking.
As the reptilian soldiers watched the white knight with bewildered expressions, a spear pierced through one of their heads.
Following the white knight, cavalrymen clad in fiery red armor appeared, their spears killing the Demon King’s soldiers. Beside them, cavalry in brilliant blue armor also charged, cleaving through the demonic ranks.
More cavalry followed, a dozen or so, slicing through the Demon King’s formation from the side as they pursued the white knight.
“Are those knights our allies? But such a small number against so many is madness!”
Zaltz couldn’t believe his eyes. Although they had caught the enemy by surprise, fewer than twenty cavalrymen seemed hopelessly outnumbered.
However, their worries were unfounded. Following the white knights, an additional four hundred cavalry and eight hundred infantry appeared, launching a flanking attack on the Demon King’s army.
“What is that? Who are those knights? Which soldiers have come to our aid?”
Zaltz let out a cry of joy, but he couldn’t identify which knight order had come to help. The area around Polvic had been ravaged by the Demon King’s army, and the nobles were too occupied defending their own territories to send reinforcements.
“Captain Zaltz, that flag!”
Orm pointed to the flag held by the white knights.
The pure white flag bore a lily of the valley embroidered in gold thread. There was only one knight order known to carry such a flag.
“The Romelia Knights, led by Saint Romelia, have come to save us! They’ve come!”
Tears of relief and gratitude flowed down Zaltz’s cheeks.
They were the ones Zaltz had sent a plea for help to, the only hope against the Demon King’s army.
“Captain Zaltz! Could that leading white knight be Lady Romelia, the Count’s daughter?”
Orm asked in a voice filled with astonishment.
Zaltz nodded at his vice-captain’s words. The white knight leading the charge was indeed Romelia von Graham, the only daughter of Count Graham.
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