[Murcia]
Van narrowed his eyes and said, “There’s a traitor.”
That expression—on his small face—looked nothing like a child’s. A cold sweat ran down my back before I realized it. Normally, Van is gentle, mild-mannered, even soft-spoken. But in that moment, it felt like I was staring at a battle-hardened general who had clawed his way through countless blood-soaked fields.
Is this the blood of our father, Jarlpa, showing through?
Or perhaps something innate in Van himself? Either way, one thing was certain: he had a talent for war that I utterly lacked.
“…But to think someone would conspire with the Kingdom of Yerineta… I cannot understand why anyone would do such a thing.”
That was all I could manage to say. Van gave a wry smile and looked out the window.
“There are a few possible reasons, but all of them are just guesses. Still, there’s other evidence suggesting a collaborator. For example—the fact that the Kingdom of Scuderia hasn’t been able to expand its territory for years. And also, that they were completely blindsided by the first surprise attack. That, too, is suspicious.”
He spoke casually as if it were nothing, glancing down at the ground outside while explaining. But his words were terrifying. Listening to Van, I realized I had only just caught up to the same line of thought.
“…Then, the reason our kingdom has failed to expand is because someone has been leaking information to Yerineta. And if that’s also why their ambush succeeded… then the traitor must be one of the eastern nobles—someone in direct contact with Yerineta…”
Even speaking the words made me shudder. The Kingdom of Scuderia may be one of the great powers, but if nobles charged with defending the border were secretly allied with the enemy, then nothing could stop a disaster. At the wrong moment, we could lose vast swaths of territory—perhaps even see the enemy march all the way to the royal capital.
Yet Van only smiled faintly, expression ambiguous.
“That’s true. But… I think it’s dangerous to suspect only the nobles.”
“…What?”
Before I could question him further, a thunderous boom shook the earth from the direction of the walls. I knew that sound well by now—that was one of those black spheres.
“Oh? I hope the walls are okay.”
I shrank back instinctively, while Van leaned forward with all the alarm of someone who’d just knocked over a cup on the table. He peered out, narrowing his eyes as if to sharpen his vision.
Right on cue, more explosions from the black spheres rattled the ground in rapid succession.
This time, the blasts were scattered, irregular, covering wide swaths of ground—as if the Yerineta army were attacking recklessly.
“Ah, they’ve pulled back.”
Van’s voice cut through the deafening noise.
Now that he said it, I could see it too: the enemy troops had drawn a little away from the walls, avoiding their own blasts.
Van confirmed this, then turned toward the small fort ahead of us.
“All right—Super-Ultimate-Catapult-of-Doom ready yet?”
“Yes, it’s ready!”
“Good! Let’s test it!”
His order was delivered lightly, almost playfully. Yet deep inside the fort, machinery stirred. I couldn’t see all the details from here, but something had been mounted on its side.
A moment later—fwish!—something was launched with a sharp whistle, arcing high through the sky. A black object tumbled gracefully, then dropped neatly into the rear ranks of the Yerineta army.
Boom!
The object exploded on impact. There weren’t as many flames as the enemy’s black spheres, but the destructive force was undeniable—several dozen soldiers were sent flying, and their formation thrown into chaos.
As if that weren’t enough, Van’s ballistae began firing in quick succession. The enemy ranks must have felt like they were being pummeled by the heavens themselves.
This… this might already be decided, I thought.
But Van tilted his head, looking puzzled.
“…Strange. They’re not retreating?”
I quickly looked back at the battlefield. Indeed, despite the heavy blow, the enemy showed no sign of withdrawing.
“Why would they—!?”
The words caught in my throat as an even greater roar and shockwave rocked the entire castle.
“W-wahhh!?”
“Hmm. Did the wall collapse?”
I struggled to keep my balance, while Van calmly moved to the balcony railing to see. He narrowed his eyes.
“…Oof. That looks bad.”
His tone was absurdly relaxed. Then he cupped his hands and shouted.
“Hey, everyone up there, you okay!?”
From atop the wall, through the haze of dust, voices called back.
“Yes, sir!”
“The wall is intact, but the main gate has been breached!”
“Lord Van, please evacuate immediately!”
Van just chuckled and raised his voice even louder.
“Thanks! But I can’t evacuate—I’ll be staying to fight! Those in the towers and the castle, target any who’ve gotten past the gate. The rest of you, keep firing outside the walls. They must have siege weapons out there—if you spot them, take them out first!”
“Yes, sir!”
“Suspicious tubes sighted in front of the gate! Destroying them now!”
“Roger that!”
His instructions sounded almost leisurely, but the knights carried them out swiftly and precisely. Training under Dee certainly played a role—but it was clear that their trust in Van himself was what made it work.
And then, I realized—Dee wasn’t here.
“…Van. Not only have my men yet to arrive, but I don’t see Dee either. Knowing him, he’d insist on being by your side at once.”
Van, who had been thinking, pointed toward the small fort with a grin.
“Dee’s already up there, leading.”
“…What?”
I turned. And indeed—on the terrace of the fort’s top floor, Dee stood, leaning out and shouting commands.
“Do not let the rear escape! The central stone walls are too steep to climb—hold this fort and we claim victory! Rear guard, keep the arrows supplied!”
Van, meanwhile, surveyed the battlefield with steady eyes, utterly serious.
Once, Dee had clashed bitterly with Commander Stradale over tactics and strategy. Yet here he was, saying nothing, entrusting full command of the overall battle to Van. That could only mean one thing: Dee trusted Van’s knowledge and instincts in war completely.
“…So my premonition was right after all. The Marquis of Feltio, who cast Van aside… they may be walking into an age of hardship.”
I muttered this with a wry smile, gazing at Van’s back.
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