NOVEL WEB Chapter 14: Battle, part one (83)
Chapter 14: Battle
They gather in the castle in the capital, the nobles of Re-Estize that is. What was rather hard to say though, is where their loyalties lay. If one were to look at their past actions, they would assume that these people were traitors. They filled their own pockets with whatever money they wanted.
If one were to consider their words, they could be considered squawking birds, always bothering those perceived beneath them. It mattered all the same in the end, at least for marquis Raeven. The man himself was tired of all of the drivel that came from their actions and words.
For instance, he was engaging in the looks on their faces and the words they spoke while the messenger read out loud the message the Baharuth Empire had sent them. A new nation and personage had made his appearance as well.
“To the leadership of the Re-Estize kingdom, or to any of those representatives that read this missive. We, The Baharuth Empire and The Sorcerer Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown, wish to formally announce the following:
The Land of the Katze Plains has been owned by The Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, and his family line, since before the founding of the Re-Estize kingdom. We request you return the land.
The Land of the Forest of Tob has been owned by The Sorcerer Queen Aeskell Ooal Gown, and her family line, since before the founding of the Re-Estize kingdom. We request you return the land.
The Land that the city of E-Rantel has been built upon, and by extension the city itself, has been owned by The Sorcerer King Ainz Ooal Gown, and his family line; since before the founding of the Re-Estize kingdom. We request you return the land.
The Village of Carne also hereby secedes itself to The Sorcerer Kingdom of Ainz Ooal Gown.
If these requests are not met, it shall be war. We give you one month to answer. Vivat Rex, Regina, et acies eorum,” The messenger finished the message.
The nobles all looked at each other, then burst out laughing. Be they noble faction, royal faction, or simply neutral. The king, though, stayed silent. He raised a hand into the air, and the chief warrior Gazef Stronoff stomped his foot on the ground.
The noise itself quieted the men around him. He then spoke in a voice the belied how tired of bloodshed he was. The Marque grimaced at such a thing. The king should project power, or at least authority.
This man didn’t. Though, he did have the loyalty of the chief warrior who did. Then he glanced over to the second prince and scowled. He didn’t project power either. He did though have the makings of such an air about him.
“Everyone, your thoughts?” The king asked a simple question.
“We have done our research, and we cannot find any note of a man or family line matching this, “Ainz Ooal Gown,” fellow. Or even his seemingly wife, “Aeskell Ooal Gown.” It is utter madness,” said Marquis Boullope.
“Well then what are we waiting for!?” screamed out the eldest prince, “We should answer their demands with swords instead of words!” he let out.
Marquis Raeven shook his head in exasperation. This was going to be a long day, wasn’t it?
…
Climb didn’t know what to think. The man that had saved his hero was declaring himself some kind of king. He was demanding the city of E-Rantel as well. Climb was rather confused, all things considered.
What was he supposed to think about? After all, Sir Gazef seemed rather scared when they had mentioned this Ainz Ooal Gown. He also seemed saddened by the fact that one of these villages had already seceded to him and his brand-new kingdom.
Climb sighed a tired sigh and looked down at the capital city. He would be moving out soon, his princess had tasked him with aiding Sir Gazef in his efforts in the battle to come.
All of a sudden, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He jumped up with a slight noise of surprise, only to see the tired visage Brain Unglaus. The blue haired man shook his head in a tired way and spoke to the now slightly hyped up boy.
“You know kid, you should really focus more on protecting the princess than wallowing in your own thoughts. It could get you into some trouble down the line,” he gave the sage advice.
Climb nodded in thanks, then when he was about to thank the man with words, he noticed an even more impressive man walk behind the sword wielder. Brain turned around without a word of surprise and smiled.
“Ah Brain and Climb, just the people I wanted to talk to,” spoke Gazef Stronoff, the strongest man in the kingdom.
Brian nodded his head in thanks for the praise. Then said his own words.
“You know Gazef, it would be a lot more fun if you just out spoke the words. Both of us already know that you’re here,” he said, and Climb frowned.
Gazef, then spoke as he gestured for them to follow him. The face that had been smiling, just a moment before, was now hardened. Climb hardened his own face, yet Brain still kept his smile up, as if to lighten the mood.
They walked up the tower that they had been standing right besides and Gazef began to talk.
“Climb, I don’t think you should be at the battle for the Katze plains, let us old men fight there,” he said, and Climb shook his head.
“No, Princess Renner tasked me with aiding you in the battle to come,” he spoke, “I cannot go against her word.”
Gazef just sighed sadly.
…
Leinas looked out across the castle, or rather, the bastion city, the fortress city, the monolith city, the heartland city, whatever the right word to use was. This city had been a village at one point. But now, it was a powerful seat of strength.
She didn’t know where Nazarick got the manpower, but it was worth it. The walls themselves weren’t like anything she had ever seen. The shear size of them and the thickness made E-Rantel look poor by comparison.
The walls had many sides, this was so they could angel anti siege equipment at their enemy and fire at them in retaliation. They had a moat around the whole thing, a artificial river had been dug to feed it.
Don’t even get her started on the men that were garrisoned there. Instead of the usual swords and such, they had been trained first and foremost in crossbowman-ship. Their own armor that seemed to have been made rather quickly, if the evidence was right, was surprisingly good and covered most of the men’s vitals.
She was shocked. Along side with them, were demi-humans that had also been trained with these rather powerful looking crossbows. There were lizardmen, goblins, and even a few ogres and toadmen.
“It’s a sight isn’t it,” a girl said beside her.
Leinas turned to the girl no older than twenty and nodded her head in agreement. The girl then spoke. With her voice came a conviction.
“Lord Ainz ands Lady Aeskell built this all for us. They taught us strategy, swordsmanship, and how to use those powerful crossbows and ballista. It’s all rather fast,” Enri Emmot said, and Leinas couldn’t help but agree.
She then turned to her own men that the emperor had sent with her. they all seemed stunned, for lack of a better word. They, for all their training, hadn’t ever seen about half of what was here.
“Let us hope that this is a quick war,” muttered Leinas in contemplation.
The general, Enri, nodded head in agreement. It was in that moment that Leinas knew that her decision to become a member of the four imperial knight was a good one.
After all, if she hadn’t been there in the palace, she wouldn’t have the chance or the luck to get cured of her curse. Life truly was strange sometimes.
…