Volume 3 Chapter 172 Strategy Meeting 1️⃣
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
That evening, the kingdom issued an official announcement regarding the revival of the Thorn Demon. The part about the possibility of sacrificing residents was carefully omitted—though the potential remained. The decision came after consultations with the administrative aides and the Knights.
If word got out that a sacrificial spell had already been cast within Ramsey, the townspeople might panic. Whether or not they had homes or families, they would likely abandon everything and flee. That alone could plunge the town into chaos.
And if that happened… Ramsey’s population could drop below seven thousand in an instant. The conditions for the spell would be met—and the disaster would begin before anyone could stop it.
That was the worst-case scenario Kian wanted to avoid at all costs.
By the time he returned to the old strategy room after the announcement, Rufna and Linca had also come back.
The office once used by Lord Owl had long since been cleared, leaving only a broken floor and a shattered desk. In the center of that ruined room, Kian, Natra, Rufna, Sarah, Linca, and Serena stood in a circle, each face grim and focused. Talia, seated with grace near the broken balcony door, quietly gazed out over the peaceful fields of wheat and the quiet town of Ramsey.
Kian stepped forward, the faint sound of his ‘Silver Ice’ armor ringing softly.
”Everyone, thank you for your hard work,” he said, bowing slightly. “I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused. Once this is over, I plan to give out proper bonuses. I’ll pay them from my own allowance—Rean gave me more Gold Coins than I know what to do with.”
”That’s generous of you, Sir Kian,” Natra said, folding her arms. “But there’s no need to talk about money right now.”
”She’s right,” Sarah added with a small nod. “We’re not just some adventurer party out for profit.”
”I understand,” Kian said, lowering his eyes. “But I still want to do this properly. I’ll give the reward later.”
”You’re so diligent,” Rufna said with a smirk, shrugging her shoulders.
Kian continued, his voice calm.
”There’s something else I need to say. Before we discuss the real issue—I want to apologize. I dragged all of you into this because I couldn’t stand by and watch Owl’s attack. If I had just said, ‘It’s not my problem,’ none of you would’ve been in danger.”
”Stand by?” Rufna blinked, frowning. “What are you talking about, Master?”
”There was no option to stand by,” Natra said plainly. “Stopping him was the only path forward.”
Rufna and Sarah exchanged puzzled looks as Natra stepped in again with a clearer explanation.
”Sir Kian, you’re Princess Maribel’s Master Knight. As her representative, you were assigned to audit Lord Owl. That role was officially recorded by the Adventurer Guild. If you had turned your back on what happened that day, it would have counted as neglecting your duty. You could’ve been held responsible.”
”Yeah, well… that’s true,” Kian said, glancing away.
”Kian, listen,” Sarah said, her voice sharp. “If you had stayed silent and let him attack the people… you wouldn’t just be kicked out of Izerland. You wouldn’t even be allowed in Franz anymore. You’re the only one strong enough to stop Owl, and that made you responsible. If anyone found out you just stood there and did nothing, they could accuse you of being a co-conspirator in the massacre.”
”There’s still debate in our legal system about whether inaction counts as a crime,” Kian said quietly, almost to himself.
”If a husband stood by while his wife tried to strangle their baby, thinking ‘Well, the baby cried too much anyway, so who cares’—that would be murder here too,” Natra snapped.
”…I don’t think that situation is entirely the same,” Kian murmured. “But I did think about the risk of being prosecuted. Whether or not I’d actually be blamed, I still couldn’t shake that sense of duty as an auditor. Still, I keep wondering… wasn’t there a better way to avoid responsibility?”
Kian’s words trailed off, and Rufna let out a long sigh.
”There wasn’t,” she said flatly. “Even before Owl lost it, the only move was to convince him. If you’d stood by as his old friend instead of acting as an auditor, everyone would’ve blamed you—hard.”
”Um… may I say something?” a soft voice spoke up.
Kian turned toward Linca, who had raised her hand timidly.
”What is it, Linca?”
”Why did you agree to become an auditor in the first place, Sir Kian?”
The question hung in the air, and everyone except Serena let out a sigh. Rufna rubbed her forehead.
”Yeah, seriously… that’s the one. If I remember right, you took the job while searching for Rean, didn’t you? Thought it was just a side gig or something. Should’ve known better.”
”Her Highness kept saying, ‘You only need to observe Owl and report back in secret,’” Natra said, her tone dry. “But the official documents clearly said you were acting as her representative. I should have noticed and questioned that part.”
Natra stared off into the distance, recalling that moment. Beside her, Sarah gave a small sigh.
”I had just joined the party back then,” she said softly. “But I should’ve said something. I’m sorry, Kian. I stayed quiet because I didn’t want to go against your decision, considering my position in the party.”
”Ah, then… it was Sir Kian himself who made the final call to become the auditor?”
”That’s right,” Kian said. “Why? Is that important?”
He gave Linca a puzzled look, and she hesitated before lifting her gaze.
”I might be reading too much into things…” she began, “but I believe this entire incident may have been part of Sir Umar’s scheme.”
”…Explain,” Kian said, prompting her gently.
Linca nodded slowly, her voice calm.
”Sir Umar’s true goal was to approach Princess Maribel and seize control of Izerland to oppose Lord Jibril. But both Sir Kian and Lord Owl were in his way. So I believe he used covert agents to eliminate the child, incite the townspeople, and bring about the fall of both men in one move.”
Sarah’s eyes widened. She snapped her fingers.
”I see. During the ancient temple investigation, he was watching Kian. Even if he didn’t understand him completely, he observed his actions. He saw Kian’s pattern of avoiding politics and power, always stepping back. And from that, he must’ve assumed Owl would do the same.”
She raised her head, eyes sharp.
”To Umar, Kian was nothing more than a fool—someone who acted on emotion without grasping the weight of his position. So this time too, he predicted Kian would retreat, thinking ‘It’s not my problem’ and walk away from his duty.”
”Typical Umar,” Natra muttered. “Using twisted tactics to break people down psychologically.”
”Wait a sec…” Rufna’s brow furrowed. “Aren’t you guys overthinking this? I saw Umar too. He could barely sit up straight during the day. The man’s a wreck. Why would he go this far to kill his own son? And if you’re right, that means he planned to sacrifice everything—Owl, Master, his last pieces… That’s madness.”
”No, Rufna,” Natra said, her tone firm. “That man intends to kill Sir Kian. Even before we deal with Demete, he’s already aiming for it.”
”That’s… insane.”
Rufna looked down at Natra, her face clouded with concern.
Linca glanced around the group, then spoke again, her voice calm but steady.
”During this break, I’ve been gathering intel on Izerland through informants. I also found out that Lord Oswald’s defense team is the same group of lawyers who once backed Sir Umar during his peak. They’re the ones who stood behind him when he was at his strongest.”
Kian murmured as if remembering, “Now that you mention it… Her Excellency Maribel said that powerful names like Azrael and Châtillon are backing Oswald.”
Linca gave a small nod.
”Sir Umar likely plans to take control of Lord Oswald. If you’re planning to stay on the sidelines, Sir Kian, then perhaps he thinks he can toast to that past incident over drinks. But Oswald will never forgive either you or Princess Maribel for what happened with Ramsey.”
”Lady Linca,” Natra said firmly, “that man is someone we’ll have to face sooner or later.”
But Linca shook her head.
”Even so, for now, we shouldn’t act. If we want Izerland to move forward, we can’t deny the value of a knight like Oswald of Ramsey.”
”I’m sorry, Lady Linca,” Sarah said quietly, “but I only wish to take down Oswald.”
Linca turned toward her.
”Miss Sarah… why do you feel that way?”
Sarah looked away, her eyes clouded.
”…It’s personal resentment. You could call it retribution.”
”That’s so petty~desuwa, don’t you think?” Linca teased.
”What did you just say?” Sarah snapped.
”Hey, hey… come on, both of you, calm down,” Rufna said, raising her hands in surrender.
While the others argued, Kian closed his eyes and reached out in his thoughts to Talia.
(What do you think?)
Her reply came with the same cool tone she used during her ‘glasses’ form.
’Lady Linca and Lady Sarah both have their reasons. But with no real proof, it’s just speculation. If Umar truly intends to kill you, then he should be taken out before the Beastmen get involved. Don’t let emotions cloud your actions.’
(────)
Talia turned her chair slightly from the balcony and looked their way.
’Still, without concrete evidence, it’s meaningless to be paranoid about Umar. Your current focus should be on breaking the Beastmen Alliance. That goal takes priority above all.’
(Thank you.)
Kian quietly agreed with both Rufna and Talia. Rufna’s belief that Umar had no intention to kill might be a mistake. Blaming the recent riot entirely on him was likely going too far.
For now, their strength had to be used against Arminus and the others. If they lost focus, an out-of-control Owl might lead to the deaths of all Ramsey’s people. That wouldn’t just be tragic—it would be Kian’s responsibility, too.
”I do think there’s a chance that Umar’s people have already infiltrated Ramsey,” Kian said as he stood, looking around at everyone. “Thank you, Linca. Sarah. But for now, we must protect this place. …That said, if anyone here believes we should abandon Ramsey and fall back, say so. I won’t blame you. I myself am suggesting reckless ideas, so please speak honestly for your own good.”
”If we leave Ramsey now, they’ll just tell us to take responsibility and go fight the Thorn Demon next,” Rufna said with a shrug. “Compared to that immortal monster, the Beastmen Alliance is still something we can handle. We have no choice but to fight.”
”I agree with Rufna,” another added. “The southern jungle of Azrael, where only gorillas live, is a nightmare. You can’t even jump properly in that place.”
Kian turned his eyes to Serena, who had stayed silent all this time.
”What about you? No one will fault you for taking a step back. If you choose to leave for a while, we’ll welcome you when you return safely.”
Serena smiled faintly.
”I’ll fight with you, Kian. Like I said before, let’s put all the hard stuff aside. I just want to help the people of Ramsey. Maybe it’s naïve… but that’s how I really feel.”
”It’s not wrong,” Linca said softly, smiling at her.
Then she turned to Kian, her gaze sharpening. “Fighting for others… for the sake of the world… That’s something the Tsai family forgot a long time ago. Now that I have a reason, I’ll throw myself into this with everything I’ve got.”
”Thank you,” Kian said with a nod. “What about you, Natra?”
”I am your sword, Sir Kian,” Natra answered. “I’ll follow you wherever you go.”
”I’ll stay until the end,” Serena added firmly.
The others gave a small nod, one after another.
From the back of the room, Talia whispered, ‘We really do have good companions.’
Kian reached for the bell resting on the sofa.
”Let’s move on to actual defense plans. I’ll call the old butler and Gunter, the military officer. Is everyone alright with that?”
* * *
The old butler entered the room, bringing in a heavy table meant for military meetings. Even at his age, he moved like a seasoned warrior, using enhanced strength to carry the large furniture with ease.
Meanwhile, Kian greeted Gunter, who had just recovered enough to stand. The once-hospitalized officer walked in alongside two other knights.
Unlike the silver-white armor of the Owl Knights, these two wore crimson plates adorned with a blazing sun crest.
Needless to say, that red armor marked them as knights of Lord Oswald’s legion.
”Lord Kian, these are Sir Gary and Sir Homork the Third,” Gunter said as he gestured to the two knights in crimson armor.
”I’m Gary. An honor to meet you,” Gary said with a polite nod.
”I am Homork the Third. Pleased to make your acquaintance,” the other added with a slight bow.
”Kian of Izerland. It’s a pleasure,” Kian replied with a smile as he shook their hands.
But the moment he touched their gauntlets, a strange chill ran through his body.
”They serve under Lord Oswald’s elite legion—the ‘Holy Unit,’” Gunter explained. “They’ve volunteered to join us.”
”Holy Unit?” Kian tilted his head, puzzled.
It was Homork the Third who answered, voice calm and matter-of-fact.
”To put it simply, our unit is composed entirely of homosexuals.”
”Huh?” Kian blinked, caught off guard.
”And we’re also the strongest corps within the Ramsey Knights,” Homork added.
Gary, his eyes clear and unwavering, put his arm around Homork’s shoulder and gave his cheek a kiss. Both were burly men with thick beards, their movements confident and unbothered.
”We never retreat when protecting those we love. We fight with our full strength. That’s how we became Lord Oswald’s top forty warriors,” Gary said, his voice steady.
Homork mirrored his look, turning to Kian and Serena with a knowing gaze.
”We actually met during the Lower-Rank Adventurer exam back in Izerland. So this isn’t our first encounter.”
”Ah… from back then,” Kian muttered.
”We were part of the group that accompanied Lord Oswald when he searched for Princess and Lady Christina,” Homork said. “Gary and I were there as well.”
”We serve as knights, mages, and night scouts… though the last part may not be relevant,” Gary added with a chuckle. “From today forward, the Holy Unit will be under your command, Lord Kian. However, if this turns into a revival of the forbidden Ramsey army, we’ll have to withdraw.”
”No, forty men is more than welcome,” Kian answered without hesitation.
”Then, we place our trust in you,” Homork said. He took Gary’s hand again and stepped back, silently signaling their readiness.
(A unit of homosexual warriors… Sounds exactly like something Oswald would create. But these two—they carry strong magic within them. Their physiques are unbelievably refined. Even through armor, the shape of their muscles is clear. Their training must be beyond ordinary.)
As if sensing Kian’s gaze, both men turned to look at him. Their eyes sparkled playfully, and they gave him a charming wink.
Flustered, Kian quickly looked away.
’Kian…?’
A voice echoed in his head—glasses girl’s voice, followed by Linca’s cold tone.
Sarah and Natra, meanwhile, remained calm, watching silently.
(What does Linca think of me right now…?)
’Bi~~sexual~~’
(No! Don’t say it in that gross, teasing voice!)
Shaking the thoughts away, Kian spread a large map of northern Ramsey on the table. He calmly began assessing their current forces and supplies.
* * *
The enemy numbered around three thousand.
Their composition included 700 Black Panthers, 800 Steel Tigers, 300 Silver Wolves, 300 Cat Beastmen, and smaller groups—Dogs, Rabbits, Boars, Horses, Dwarves—totaling roughly 600 to 800.
Only the Black Panthers, Steel Tigers, and Silver Wolves had proper arms and armor.
The rest looked like bandits: no standard equipment, only scraps of cloth and crude hand axes. Unlike Azrael’s elite sword styles, most western warriors depended heavily on their gear. Poorly equipped fighters had much lower combat strength.
They did, however, carve magic runes into their weapons—probably for slaying beasts in the wild. But their defense seemed to rely on sheer muscle and thick hair.
As for spellcasters, only the Black Panthers, Steel Tigers, and Silver Wolves had high-level magicians.
The numbers: 20 Black Panther mages, 15 Steel Tigers, and 36 Silver Wolves.
Only the Silver Wolves and a few Black Panther units had experience in siege warfare. The rest simply raided farms and villages, careful to avoid Oswald’s firepower.
So, from a strategic view—excluding the three main tribes—the rest were unorganized, scattered fighters. But individuals among them were dangerous. Powerful warriors could break through weak points and crush the defense line. Owl must have also been troubled by such “renowned generals.”
Incidentally, the Silver Wolves had been severely weakened due to the sleeping curse Kian had used.
The numbers on record were from before that raid—so in truth, they were already under 300.
Meanwhile, Ramsey’s side had 101 members of Owl’s Knight Corps and 40 from the Sacred Corps. Including Kian’s group, their total stood at 147.
Magicians numbered 10 from Owl’s corps, 40 from the Sacred Corps, and 3 more—Rufna, Sarah, and Linca.
Kian and Natra also possessed magic swords, adding counter-force against enemy mages.
”With all that considered,” Kian said, “I propose we confront them in an open-field decisive battle.”
”You can’t be serious!” Gunter’s eyes widened in disbelief. “They outnumber us twenty to one! A field battle is suicide! We should hold the checkpoint north of Ramsey and defend.”
”We can’t fortify,” Kian said, shaking his head. “No reinforcements are coming. If we wait, the enemy will just leave a small force to pin us down, then rush to Ramsey’s food stores. We’ll lose everything without even fighting.”
”But… even knowing that, charging out against three thousand still sounds reckless.”
”Please, let me finish,” Kian said quietly.
He pulled out another map and laid it over the current one. This new map showed the wetlands in front of the northern checkpoint—the location he had chosen for the final battle.
”We’ll fight here. In the Ramsey wetlands.”
Kian accepted a pointer from his attendant and began tracing lines across the map.
At the front of Ramsey’s defenses, a small raised hill stood as a natural strongpoint. Behind it, however—where the Beastmen were invading—lay a vast stretch of treacherous wetlands. For heavily armored warriors, moving through that kind of terrain would be nearly impossible.
On both sides of those wetlands, two artificial rivers flowed down from the Nordende River toward Ramsey. The rivers were wide, wide enough that even Rufna, with her magic, couldn’t completely freeze them. Soldiers weighed down with gear would sink and drown if they tried to cross without a boat.
In short, the Beastmen had no choice but to march straight through the wetlands toward the hill where Kian’s forces waited—forced into the mud, slowed with every step.
”We’ll place Rufna at the front line,” Kian said, folding his arms as he looked at the map spread across the table, “and respond to their advance with large-scale magic fire. At the same time, we’ll station two magic units at the far ends of the rivers. They’ll cast diagonal support fire to break the enemy’s charge from the sides. Use Mode Angre or Daplin tactics. Crossfire lines and wipe them out.”
He paused for a moment, then continued calmly.
”Before we begin, we need to confirm the effective range of both our magic and theirs. If we can identify the types of siege magic they’re using, we can prepare more focused countermeasures.”
”May I speak?”
Homork the Third raised his hand.
Kian gave a small nod, signaling him to go ahead.
”The enemy possesses stone projectile magic and a thunderstorm spell that calls down lightning from the sky,” Homork explained. “The stone magic has a maximum range of 500 meters. The lightning, about a kilometer. The projectiles are roughly three to four meters across. As for the Silver Wolf unit… I have no details. I’ve only heard that Glen Silverwooloo, his family warriors, and a creature called Barghest are all powerful magicians. Additionally, the High Warlord Isthbaran and Juji of the Burning Spear wield large-scale magical attacks through enchanted swords. We should proceed with caution.”
”Silverwooloo’s already been taken out,” Serena said quietly with a small nod.
”Well,” she added, her voice soft, “neither Glen Silverwooloo nor Barghest are part of the current ‘Storm Herd.’ Juji still lives, but the High Warlord… he’s gone.”
”In that case,” Kian said, glancing at Rufna, “we can assume the fighting strength of the ‘Storm Herd’ has dropped by at least half.”
”Rufna, what’s your magic range?” he asked.
”I can use most types,” Rufna replied casually, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. “But for battlefield use… I’d recommend summoning meteors or rainfall to wash enemies away. Or channeling electricity into the wet earth. The first two can reach about ten kilometers. The electric one, maybe one kilometer. I use a magic bow for all of them.”
”Is that acceptable, Kian?”
”Go ahead, Sarah,” Kian said as the robed woman stepped forward.
With a gentle swish of her white robe, Sarah looked around the room, then spoke calmly.
”I can control insects. Using them, I can spread evil spirits and induce deadly disease in the enemy camp. With the right wand and insects, the range is up to ten kilometers. Without those, it drops to somewhere between a few hundred meters and five kilometers.”
”I can also manipulate fungi,” she added, her tone flat. “If I spread a lethal strain in their camp, and no one trained by the Royal Capital is there to respond, the infection could devastate them. With a magic bow, I can spread it as far as twenty kilometers. The real issue is deciding which strain to use.”
”…It might be best not to use the insects,” Linca said, her voice firm.
”I don’t doubt Ms. Sarah’s ability,” she continued, “but that method would affect non-combatants—women, children, everyone. And in the end, we’d have to burn entire villages to contain the outbreak.”
”I don’t care if it’s insects or fungi,” Sarah replied without blinking. “As long as it kills the enemy, that’s enough for me. If we’re going with fungi, then let’s go all in.”
”Uh… is it just me, or is this getting kinda scary?” Gunter, the civilian representative, asked nervously.
Kian shook his head without hesitation.
”This is war. It’s normal.”
After several more rounds of debate, the decision was made. They would face the Beastman Alliance head-on, right in the Ramsey swamp.
Once that was settled, a list of pre-battle tasks was drawn up—eleven in total:
—
Preparations:
1. Confirm the maximum range of Rufna and the other magicians’ spells. Rufna will test hers personally.
2. Survey the terrain of the Ramsey swamp, where the battle will take place.
3. Obtain magic wands for Sarah and Linca. If possible, find one for Natra as well.
4. Collect the fungi required for Rufna’s fungal spells.
5. Gather any other catalysts needed for magic.
6. Determine the maximum range of Kian, Natra, and Rufna’s magic swords. Also, test how much magic the thorned swords of Natra and Rufna can absorb.
7. Develop a method to counter Arminus.
8. Gather intelligence on the prominent generals among the Beastmen.
9. Secretly attempt negotiations with factions like the Steel Tigers, Cat Beastmen, or Silver Wolves—divide and conquer.
10. Conduct mock battle formations using all 147 members of the Ramsey army, if possible.
11. Begin covert construction of a magic fortress foundation on the small hill at the center of the battlefield.
—
”──Does this cover everything?” Kian asked, glancing around the room.
”It’s a tough situation,” he continued, voice steady. “We’re clearly at a disadvantage. But no matter what, we must protect Ramsey. I’m counting on each of you to give your all.”
The room fell silent as the others gave solemn nods.
Kian raised his voice one last time.
”Tomorrow, gather here again at the same time. We’ll discuss countermeasures against the enemy general, Arminus. Even if it’s a small idea, I want everyone to bring one strategy to the table. ──Dismissed.”
With that, the war council came to an end. The members stood and began to leave.
Serena walked out with her butler, likely to help prepare dinner for the group.
’Kian, do you have time later?’
A soft voice called to him from behind.
He turned to find Talia standing there, quiet and composed.
”…?”
Linca, who had been heading out with Sarah, suddenly glanced back. Her eyes narrowed slightly. When Kian gave her a relaxed smile, she tilted her head, nodded back, and continued on.
(There’s something going on. I should report to Maribel, but… she won’t appear in the dream realm until late tonight.)
”Then accompany me,” Talia said quietly, her lips moving gently.
Her words didn’t echo in his mind like usual—they came out naturally, reaching his ears just like anyone else’s.
(Where are you going?)
”To the fourth basement of the Catacombs,” she replied, her tone light. “Where Tobal Cain’s magic circle lies.”
(What’s there?)
”A secret strategy meeting about defeating Arminus,” she answered with a mysterious smile. “The preparations are nearly complete.”
Notes:
• Linca – Jibril’s favorite girl. High-ranking warrior monk woman from Shin, with strong abilities like ignoring attacks and poisons.
• Serena – Wolfmen Girl
• Demete – A male dark elf shaman and a servant in the Umar household.
• Arminus – Male. Leader of the Black Panther Tribe. Possesses extraordinary physical abilities, enhanced by the tribe’s unique technique that repels energy and magic attacks. His speed and strength surpass those of High Warlord Isthbaran. Wields the magic sword Balmung, capable of cleaving through an ice dragon with a single strike. His black fur provides camouflage in low visibility, making him nearly undetectable. Relationship: Leader of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
• Gunter – Male. One of Owl’s knights, fully armored in a turtle-like appearance. He is easily distracted by Linca’s charm and struggles to maintain professionalism. His relationship with Owl is one of a subordinate, and he is often scolded for his behavior.
• Mag – The wolfwoman under Yelmar—the one who was caught by Kian’s group earlier.
• Isthbaran – The High Warlord of the ‘Storm Herd.’
• Juji – Male. Leader of the Wolfmen’s ‘Jinsou’. A skilled warrior with sharp senses and combat abilities. Relationship: Part of the Beastmen Alliance’s delegation.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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