CH 230

Chapter 230 - Those who drag their feet

They did not even ask me when I would be back when I left.

Both Mil and Kiara would know very well that I could not answer even if asked.

We received an exaggerated send-off from everyone and departed.

This time was different from the usual military operations.

The postwar process was expected to be particularly difficult.

Even if we were to build a road through the town of Dorius, we would not be able to begin work unless we knew the exact location on the map.

This time, in addition to a group of engineers, we are also bringing along personnel to prepare the map.

For reasons of ease of protection and physical strength, all but the combatants are riding separately on horse-drawn carriages.

I wanted to know more about the current situation on Dorius’ side before we left.

But… since there is no further news, the beastmen who contracted to be familiar must have been killed.

We have received reports that several people have infiltrated.

There is no way to know if they are all alive or dead.

Normally, there is only one familiar per person.

Apparently, Prytanis is not a powerful magician.

He said that one person was his limit.

When I noticed his gaze, I saw that Prytanis was looking at me.

“What do you think my father will do, Lord Alfred?”

I guess he couldn’t stand the silence anymore and wanted to have a conversation.

Prytanis’s guards do not open their mouths unless spoken to by Prytanis.

He is 15 years old, so it must be hard for him to remain silent.

“I can make an unsubstantiated guess, though. At the moment, there’s nothing I can say with any certainty.”

“So, if you were in my father’s shoes, what would you do, Lord Alfred?”

I don’t have a secret plan that’s like a one-shot deal.

And I’ve made preparations to make sure that doesn’t happen.

“At best, we’ll set the town on fire and fall back to where it will be difficult to maintain your supply lines. If there is a castle there that can be fortified, we will stay there.”

“There are small castles. We originally used them to hold back the demons, though.”

Near a demon tribe’s sphere of influence?

It’s really troublesome…

Prytanis did not seem to be satisfied with my reply.

“But, can we just stay here? It is possible to maintain supplies by even laying roads, isn’t it? Wouldn’t we dry up more if we stayed in?”

“Certainly, a siege is effective when there is a bottleneck. Or if your opponent’s supply lines are vulnerable, you can try to make them run out of time.”

Prytanis folded his arms and pondered.

“A bottleneck… Certainly, there is another castle as an auxiliary to that one. So that is the reason why he built two castles.”

“Who built the castle?”

“My late grandfather. My father’s power grew so much because of grandfather, who was known as the founder of the clan. When I was a small child, I was very much taken care of by him. I wasn’t much loved by my grandfather, although I was estranged from my father and older brothers.”

Was Prytanis’ grandfather a knowledgeable general?

We are lucky not to have to fight against such a guy.

“Then he must have been at odds with the Prophet’s faction.”

“That’s right. But his achievements were so great that there was no overt criticism. My father basically inherited my grandfather’s policies. But since he was not as accomplished as my grandfather, the prophet faction always interfered.”

I guess so.

I can’t help but feel a little sympathy for Dorius.

This is all too convenient, though, since such a tight situation made it easier for us to operate here.

“As for logistics, if they burn the town to the ground and take away its food supplies, they can reduce our own.”

“Oh… it would be a disaster if the beasts starved.”

“Yes, if we don’t give them food, we will be attacked by the beasts. It is better to run away than to stay in your current town. But it is not a win-win situation. They are probably stalling for time, hoping that I will make a blunder.”

Prytanis sighed.

“Well, Lord Alfred, you’ve taken away my father’s options and now you’re marching in. Even if he stalls for time, he doesn’t have a plan to win.”

The world is not as simple as that.

“If it were just me and Dorius on the stage, we could talk about this.”

Prytanis’s gaze turns grim.

“Are there any more actors?”

I had no choice but to chuckle.

“The current situation is a great opportunity for the demon tribe. They’ll let us fight until we either fall together or both sides are wounded to the bone. Then, it would be ideal for them if they could put the finishing touches on the winner, who has wounds all over his body.”

“Oh… that’s true. I think he’d try his hand at it.”

A wise man full of great achievement.

I don’t think there is such a wise man.

“He will try to avoid a one-sided development, so that both sides fall. There is no reason for them to join us. But they have no reason to help Dorius’ side either. There were probably demons who had joined the war as reinforcements. Moreover, they were close relatives of the chief. They left such a person behind, after all.”

I shrugged my shoulders and kept talking.

That’s a very nice vision of the future.

“We who defeated them and Dorius who they left alone. Both will retaliate when the opportunity arises. It’s a very troublesome situation…”

Prytanis also looked up above.

“Yeah… my father tried to retrieve it at first, too. But he thought it would be outrageous to give priority to the subhumans without dealing with the captives. Of course, captives are limited to humans. That’s what one of the prophets started a fuss about.”

Prytanis looked like he really disdain them.

Then, looking outside, he opened his mouth again.

“Then… if we try to ask for the return of the captives, another prophet didn’t acknowledge the existence of Lord Alfred and the others. He made a fuss, saying it was against our founding national policy.”

There is nothing more disturbing than an authority group that drags its allies down.

“If they don’t do that, they won’t win anything.”

“That’s worked for them up to now. I’m sure they will continue to drag their feet in the future. But more importantly, what are we going to do about the demons?”

That’s what I’d like to ask.

I wish someone would tell me the right answer.

“It’s hard to say without seeing the scene.”

However, if they are capable of calculating profit and loss, there are ways to do it.

If they are full of merit, they will be averse to risk.

It’s a blessing in disguise.