Volume 10 Chapter 11 Ohrid War Council
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
This matter is being put on hold for now, with Flavia in charge.
Still, what weighed on his mind most was Kispe. More than the distant fairies, it was the demon standing right beside him whose true thoughts he couldn’t read.
If Lilies’s power was what Kispe claimed, then maybe she had known the culprit all along. But if that was true, why had she kept silent? Klock didn’t want to believe it was betrayal. After all, it was Kispe herself who had brought the assassination plot to light in the first place.
They were supposed to continue negotiations with the nymphs next, but even that would depend on how to deal with Kispe. And there was another problem—Cianie. She had gone to scout the surrounding area and hadn’t returned. Three days now. Normally, he wouldn’t worry about her. But even he was starting to feel uneasy.
He could guess she’d gone as far as the western border… but still.
He had wanted her at his side for this meeting. Instead, he found himself alone, sitting as the Borges family’s representative from the Valture District.
The council hall of old Orrid was enormous.
”Look. That’s the Golden Count.”
The hushed words reached Klock’s ears. He turned toward the man’s gaze and saw a figure striding through the hall in bright, elaborate clothing.
That crest—wasn’t it a lion? The Golden Count must be Count Grasso.
With a heavy thud, the man took his seat—one of Conro’s most powerful nobles—right beside the high chair where the regent would sit. That alone showed his rank. Normally, those of higher status entered later, but he had come early. Either he cared little for formal order, or perhaps in today’s Federation—no, in Orrid—that rule no longer mattered.
A nation tangled with ranks and offices. What a tiresome place, Klock thought. He couldn’t tell who outranked whom.
People continued filing in. He didn’t know a single face. Some glanced toward him, but he pretended not to notice, looking away instead. He had no idea who he was supposed to flatter or who he could afford to ignore. Best to play it safe.
Still, what a massive building this was. As expected of an old capital. Was Sanrid even grander than this?
One after another, people filled the seats. Those near the top walked confidently, while those below shuffled, glancing around nervously before sitting. Behind each noble stood attendants—some dressed as butlers, others clearly skilled fighters. A few even looked like maids.
The Borges family arrived late, so Klock took the lowest seat. Flavia stood quietly behind him, her ears hidden with a spell and her body wrapped in a hooded cloak. Since she was shorter than most, she passed easily as a simple servant.
”It seems the Demon Lord’s Army is preparing to attack.”
A man’s deep voice echoed through the chamber. Middle-aged, strong in tone, he walked to the highest seat and sat boldly, stroking his chin.
”The success of the Sanrid supply mission must have already reached your ears,” he said. “Our forces broke through the blockade at sea and delivered food and arms.”
Klock blinked. First I’ve heard of it.
Applause broke out across the chamber. He frowned, but joined in half-heartedly.
”However,” the man continued, “it appears that success provoked the enemy’s wrath. The Daelid siege army has changed formation. They’ve reorganized their troops, and reinforcements have arrived from the west. Soon, a great horde of monsters will march north.”
West, huh? That must mean the same northern advance force—The one beaten by Hermine on the empire’s front line and forced to retreat eastward. Or maybe another unit altogether. Either way, the enemy’s numbers were clearly swelling.
”Let us discuss how to fight. This is our homeland. We will drive out the Demon Lord’s Army that dares to set foot upon it!”
Applause thundered again, louder this time. Several officials near the front had started clapping first—probably to set the mood.
So the meeting had already begun. Skipping the usual stiff greetings might have seemed refreshing, but this opening felt too staged—political theater, nothing more. Maybe that was just how things worked here. Or maybe it was simply wartime formality.
”The enemy grows by the day,” the regent went on. “Already, their strength surpasses all forces gathered within Orrid. Still, defending is easier than attacking. We will meet them head-on when they strike.”
Klock sighed inwardly. Yeah, that was the simplest plan.
But did they even know about the Demon Lord’s Army right before Conro’s gates? If they were advancing up the Corridor of the Wall, their rear would be exposed. Yes, defending was easier—but if Conro fell, their whole strategy would collapse. They’d be trapped between forces, unable to retreat through the Moonshade Corridor.
(My lord.)
Flavia’s whisper reached him from behind.
(What is it?)
(The woman near the high seats… she’s been staring at you.)
(…What?)
He scanned the upper benches with only his eyes—and froze when their gazes met.
Those eyes.
Ada!?
He barely kept from shouting, his face twisting in silent shock. She had noticed his reaction. Her mouth curled into a wicked smile, eyes sharp as a tiger’s.
Terrifying. And she was standing right behind Count Grasso.
”Before this assembly,” the Regent rasped, “we cast the fortunes of war against the Demon Lord’s Army. The omens spoke of a small star in the south—a sign of victory.”
”A small star in the south?” someone repeated.
While Klock was still reeling from Ada’s glare, the discussion had raced ahead. That rough, aged voice had to be the Count’s. He panicked, realizing he hadn’t followed a word—but it was too late to ask.
”Our men investigated,” the Count went on, “and found a small fortress southeast of the Fork Mountains bearing a star-shaped mark.”
”I see,” murmured the regent.
”The defense of that fortress,” the Count declared, “will decide our fate.”
”Very well,” the regent said. “We understand its importance. The Orrid Knights will take charge of that star fortress.”
You’ve got to be kidding me, Klock thought, turning his head away to avoid Ada’s stare. He wanted to tell them to use logic, not fortune-telling, but superstition ran deep here. And to be fair—Kuzuha’s magic, even Athena’s ability—those were both forms of divination. He couldn’t deny such things entirely.
”Wait, please,” someone said suddenly. “Orrid’s knights are our main force. Their valor belongs on the front line. A fortress defense is best left to others.”
”Then who will do it?” the regent asked.
”The Borges family should take that duty.”
”…The Borges family?”
The words made Klock lift his head a beat too late. The regent and the Count both turned their eyes toward the lower seats. Their gaze found him, narrowing in recognition.
”Uh… us?”
”We’d heard of your presence,” the regent said, “but I see you’ve finally decided to act.”
Every face in the chamber turned toward Klock. He raised one eyebrow. Man, I wanna go home already.
”The Borges family has not yet joined the war,” someone said. “They’ve been conserving their strength. Surely they can hold a fortress.”
”No, we—”
There was no way they could defend a fortress. The Brigante unit was built to move alongside other troops, not to hold ground. They had only ninety-two soldiers—far too few for defense.
The Count’s lips curled upward, his eyes filled with open hostility. That expression—noble-born contempt so plain it almost stung. Klock realized in an instant: this man was an enemy.
”I heard,” the Count said smoothly, “that your house refused a request to join the defense of Valture. Guilt must weigh heavily on you. Surely you wish to redeem yourselves with some glorious achievement?”
”…Yeah, something like that,” Klock muttered.
What a smug way to put it.
”At the front line,” the Count continued, “you’ll have all the chances you want to prove your courage.”
”Indeed,” said another noble. “The Borges family has avoided battle long enough. Our own troops are exhausted. Let them have the honor of the front line.”
Voices began to agree one after another. Smiles, narrowed eyes, polite gestures—but the intent was sharp as knives.
These bastards…
They were handing him a clearly suicidal mission under a paper-thin excuse of divination. It was obvious now—they’d planned to trap the Borges family from the start. So this was why Kreis hadn’t come himself.
”What say you, representative of House Borges?”
”Klock,” he said, forcing a grin. “Our unit’s small—around a hundred elite soldiers. We’re built for open-field battles, not fortress defense. Holding a fort alone would be… difficult.”
Even the best soldiers couldn’t hold a wall if they didn’t have the numbers. A hundred men wouldn’t even cover the perimeter. Defending a fort was out of the question.
”You needn’t worry,” said the Count. “The Star Fortress is small—barely room for five hundred. A hundred is the perfect number.”
He pressed on relentlessly, not even looking at Klock anymore. The decision had already been made.
A tiny fortress? Klock thought bitterly. Then don’t bother defending it—just abandon the damn thing.
”And if you lack soldiers,” the Count added, “you should conscript them at once. We’ve all sacrificed for this war. The Borges family must stop pampering its people. I hear the folk of Valture mock the other districts for fighting while they sit idle.”
”That’s nonsense,” Klock said quickly. “Just rumors.”
”Rumors?” the Count barked. “We’ve all heard of Valture’s bad reputation.”
”Weren’t you ordered to raise at least three hundred men?” another noble cut in. “Why do you only have a hundred?”
Words came flying from all sides. Klock pressed his lips together and stayed silent. It wasn’t just the Count—everyone was piling on, one after another. He could feel it in their eyes: hostility, malice, contempt. They had singled him out completely.
If they even knew Borges hadn’t conscripted anyone, then they’d done their homework. A house that avoided the front lines, hoarded its strength, and stayed home while others bled—it was the perfect target for hatred.
Great. We’re the scapegoat now. Kreis, you snake—you set me up for this.
They meant to throw the Borges troops away, then let the family fall from grace.
The regent wasn’t defending him either. This whole “decision by discussion” had been fixed from the start. Positions were assigned not for strategy, but to keep the noble hierarchy satisfied.
”Now,” the regent said, “let’s decide the rest. The four forts along the Nichirin Road still need commanders…”
And just like that, Borges was done for. They’d been assigned the most dangerous outpost with barely a hundred men. No debate. No chance to object.
Fantastic, Klock thought. What a joke.
He’d expected something like this, but it still burned to actually face it.
In a normal war, everyone wanted the front line—it meant captives, ransom, profit. But monsters didn’t pay ransoms. In defense battles, the front line just meant casualties. There’d be little reward, and even less glory.
A hundred soldiers couldn’t hold a fort. They’d tell him to call in reinforcements from Conro, since they’d been “saving” their troops until now. There was no arguing that—it was technically true. And so, he could only take the blame and bow his head.
Maybe he could negotiate later?
No—pointless. They had no intention of listening. They’d probably pat him on the shoulder and smile while sharpening the knife.
All he could do was request aid from Conro, though he doubted it would come. Kreis clearly didn’t expect much from him anyway. To Kreis, simply sending troops was enough—success didn’t matter.
Still, he hadn’t written them off completely. He’d sent food and supplies, after all. If Klock managed some miracle, that’d just be a bonus.
Guess I’ll just have to make it count.
The whole “revival of Livorno” thing was just a cover. What mattered now was making a name. If they were going to fight anyway, he wanted to win—and win big. Maybe this was the chance.
Brigante needed victory as proof of worth. No one wanted to die for nothing; soldiers sought power, pay, and pride. Tales of triumph could attract new recruits faster than gold.
If word spread that the Brigante crushed the enemy with overwhelming might,
every free warrior in the region would come running.
A hundred men defending a front-line fortress—any sane person would refuse on the spot. But they weren’t ordinary.
They had an unbeatable trump card.
We’ll have to let her take the lead this time, Klock thought.
They’d rely on Cianie.
She was their last resort, their “hero.” Without her power, they didn’t stand a chance—but with it, even this hopeless battle might turn.
He’d planned to use her in the first engagement anyway. So maybe this worked out.
A hundred men against a fortress assault—ridiculous. If a thousand monsters came, they’d be wiped out. But Cianie alone was worth ten thousand soldiers. Ten thousand and ninety-two—that was an army no monster could beat.
Let’s show them what we can do, he thought. Let the Borges and Brigante names echo across the land.
Only one thing worried him:
Cianie still hadn’t returned.
But when he got back to camp, that fear vanished.
There she was—gray hair, blue eyes, calm as ever. Relief flooded through him. He hadn’t realized how much he depended on her until now. She’d once chased after him—but somewhere along the way, he’d become the one following her. So this is what it means to rely on a capable woman, he thought with a wry smile.
”Klock,” she said quietly. “Got a minute?”
”Yeah. Where the hell have you been? I was starting to worry.”
”Sorry,” she said. “I had a lot to prepare for the Black Chronicle.”
”…The what?”
He blinked, not understanding. But something about the words gave him a bad feeling.
Cianie tilted her head slightly, a faint, troubled look on her face.
”I have to go fulfill the prophecy and defeat the Demon Lord,” she said. “I’ll be away from you for a while.”
”…What?”
”Don’t you remember? The prophecy I showed you when we left Barreith.”
’After returning from the Crimson Spire, she will meet with Tiet. Together, they will go to defeat the Demon Lord Dainheorl.’
Klock froze, as if turned to stone.
Notes:
• Flavia – Younger Forestkin princess (132). Gentle yet resolute. Sent by Queen Isabella as marriage pledge to Klock, the Chain Binder, symbolizing the Void’s loyalty to the Goddess Teekua.
• Cianie – A noble girl with a fluffy white and light blue dress, indicating her high status. She has a hesitant and flustered personality but is kind and courteous. Her relationship with Klock begins as an accidental encounter and develops into a romantic interest. She has a fiancé but expresses feelings for Klock, complicating their relationship.
• Valture – A district within the Conro Federation, administered by Baron Kreis Borges. Outwardly it appears stable and prosperous, but its politics run on favors and hidden bargains, making it a place where strangers like Klock can be measured as assets or prey the moment they arrive.
• Orrid – Southern pleasure town near Conro, known for its chaos and vice. Serves as Brigante’s next destination and Count Grasso’s sphere of influence. Rumored den of spies and mercenaries.
• Count Grasso – Human noble of Conro known for strict discipline. His troops appear during Klock’s campaign march under the Borges crest. Leads the region’s highest-ranking house, commanding respect and tension with Klock’s forces. Alias: “The Silver Lion.” No direct ties to Klock, but his vanguard includes Ada, a former comrade turned rival.
• Hermine – Daughter of the Emperor of the Second Empire of Dusselhelm. A companion and friend of Anna. The mage. She is pragmatic and encourages Anna to focus on her duties as a hero rather than her personal revenge.
• Ada – Female. Ada the Wild Wind. An A-rank adventurer. Her appearance is striking, with black hair mixed with fiery red, multiple earrings, and an axe spear as tall as she is. She is incredibly strong and fast, with a Unique Skill called the ‘Blessing of the Wind’ that enhances her speed and agility. Ada is ruthless in combat but shows a surprising willingness to negotiate. She is highly respected in adventurer circles and feared by criminals. Her relationship with Klock is adversarial, as he stole from her and escaped using trickery.
• Athena – Harpies adventurer; appears alongside Alice at Barreith gathering, flirtatious, joins Klock and volunteers for upcoming battles
• Kreis – Baron of Valture and district chief. A middle-aged noble weighed down with gold chains and jeweled rings, yet it’s his hawk-like eyes and sly smile that mark him as dangerous. He meets Klock at the Borges family’s social gathering, greeting him by name as Maria’s son before Klock can even introduce himself—like a predator that already knows its prey.
• Dainheorl – He is the conqueror of the Demon Continent, appeared as the council leader, known for his godlike strength and four horns.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply