The Traitorous Prince

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Brunhilt was a small country.

The reason was that it was a country with a small population, but the biggest reason was that an even smaller number of people were actually effective.

The Brunhi It army was entirely dependent on the transcendent force of the seven Dragon Knights.

When the Dragon Knights and their guards stirred the enemy's camp with overwhelming force, the tactic of cleaning up the enemy's broken army was all they had.

And that was actually enough. This was because the Dragon Knights were that strong.

Without exaggeration, their force was that of a thousand men.

The Dragon Knights destroyed, the guards stirred, and the regular soldiers cleaned up. With this tactic alone, they did not experience defeat, so the number of regular soldiers needed was not very much. Rather, the more regular soldiers there were, the slower the pace of the march and the difficulty in supplying them. So the Brunhilt army maintained only the minimum force to carry out the war,

The weight of the army had been lightened, but its destructive power had not decreased at all. In the first place, the battle was the realm of the Dragon Knights and their guards.

'But this is definitely a malformed structure.1

Yuri groaned softly.

The young Crown Prince was well aware of the structural problems of the Brunhilt army. Only a few dozen were actually in charge of the actual battle in the thousands-strong corps.

Naturally, the fighting power of the other thousands had been neglected because it was useless.

"The vast majority of our Brunhilt army is a tribe of weak savages,'field mouse'."

Sylphide muttered in a slightly desperate tone,

“…”

Yuri was listening quietly with a complicated smile.

The Brunhilt Empire had a social structure made of two ethnic groups. Ten percent of the people were the ruling'dragon1 tribe.

And the rest were the ruled'field mouse' tribe.

In the case of the military, this deformed ratio was more severe, and the number of members of each corps was approximately as follows.

One Dragon Knight was leading the corps.

30 to 50 members of the next generation of candidates to be Dragon Knights were guards,

And 2,000 to 3,000 soldiers, making most of the corps, were all field mouse. Those who were forcibly drafted were poor in training and low in loyalty.

And this was what the Kingdom of Eindel was aiming for.

"A guerrilla war..."

Yuri groaned low when he heard all the soldiers1 reports inside the commander's office.

"Well, it's effective."

The 4th, 5th and 7th Brunhilt Corps, which occupied the eastern part of the Kingdom of Eindel, were stationed in large cities around the country.

However, even the cities were severely damaged by the war, and the collapsed buildings or fortresses were not repaired,

The Brunhilt army was not used to fighting with castles in the first place. They preferred a full-scale battle in the plains, where they could face each other by force.

It was advantageous for them to run out of the castle they had taken and fight on the plain when the enemy came. Therefore, they did not feel the need to repair the occupied castles.

This worked as a poison.

Ready for a counterattack, the elite army of the Kingdom of Eindel infiltrated the city and raided the Brunhilt army, A terrible guerrilla war broke out in the collapsed city.

The Eindel elite army was thoroughly targeting only the regular Brunhilt soldiers. Their training was poor, and they had slackened.

The guerrilla warfare quickly snowballed the damage on the Brunhilt army.

Dragon Knights and guards also participated in the city war, but the city they occupied was large and they could not handle the numerous attacks with only a few dozens of people. In just a few days, the morale of the corps hit rock bottom, and each commander had to choose.

"The 4th Corps and the 5th Corps maintained their occupation of the cities, but the 7th Corps gave up and left?"

The soldier nodded toward the glass asking back.

"Yes, it is as you say."

The 4th and 5th Corps did not abandon the cities despite the damage. However, the 7th Corps gave up the city war and escaped from it.

This was a mistake, After leaving the city, guerrilla attacks came from all sides.

"Don't tell me that the mistakes made by the Eindel army in the early days of the war will be good luck to them this time around."

Yuri laughed as if the situation was funny. Sylphide got a cold sweat when she saw the Crown Prince in such a state.

At the beginning of the war, when the Brunhilt army moved south with small corps, the knights of the Kingdom of Eindel and their subordinate troops were divided into small units and deployed throughout the country,

This judgment was a fatal mistake, and the army of the Kingdom of Eindel was defeated separately by the Brunhilt corps.

But now the situation was reversed. Wherever the Brunhilt Corps went, Eindel's knights and soldiers who survived from all over the country formed small units launch guerrilla attacks.

In the forests, swamps, rivers, mountains...

The 7th Corps, which was about to leave the city and join the other corps, was eaten from all sides.

"What about the damage to the 7th Corps?"

"The number of regular soldiers in the 7th Corps has decreased to around 500 now."

Eighty percent of the troops had evaporated. Yuri frowned.

"That's terrible. What about Sir Lotte and his guards?"

"Fortunately, Sir Lotte, the 7th Dragon Knight, and all his guards are safe."

"Is it only the ordinary soldiers who were targeted..."

Sylphide, who was listening next to him, gritted her teeth.

"Those stupid field rat savages. I can't believe they're so damaged by guerrilla warfare."

"...Sylphide."

Yuri called Sylphide that was grumbling.

"The field mouse tribe is also the people of our country and our loyal soldiers. It's not a good attitude as a military commander to disparage like that."

"Well, it's true."

Sylphide crossed her arms and clicked her tongue.

"Clearly, we can carry out this war only with our Dragon Knights and guards. They're only interrupting our advance..."

"Sylphide!"

Yuri called her again, but Sylphide did not stop at all.

"They're too low to be with us, the great dragon tribe. After this war, I think we need to reorganize the hierarchy with the field mouse tribe."

"Try to refrain from saying that from now on, Sylphide."

Yuri put his index finger in front of Sylphide's eyes and said clearly.

"Those who want to stand above should not despise the people below. Do you understand?"

“…”

Sylphide looked down reluctantly, but her face looked completely unconvinced,

'Sigh...'

Yuri sighed inwardly.

The deep conflict between the dragon tribe and the field mouse tribe was not a day or two old.

'Even after the war, there wi II be a lot of work to be done...'

Yuri rubbed his painful forehead with his hand, and turned toward the soldier who came to report,

Of course, the soldier was also from the field mouse tribe.

Even though insulting remarks poured out in front of his eyes, the soldier remained silent and listened with his head down.

It may well be natural for the field mouse tribe, which had been ruled by the dragon tribe for hundreds of years.

Yuri tried to sound as soft as possible.

"What about Apoleon, the Eindel prince? How did you find out it was him?"

"There is no confirmation yet, it's just that..."

The soldier continued cautiously.

"The commander Nehrau, who sent me, said this must be Apoleon's work."

"If that's what Sir Nehrau said..."

The judgment of Nehrau, the oldest and most experienced veteran of the seven corps commanders, was certainly reliable.

"Good."

Yuri jumped up from the chair he was sitting on.

"My 2nd Corps will go to the east."

Surprised, Sylphide rose from her seat as well.

"The Crown Prince does not have to go in person. I'll go there, Your Highness..."

"No, if the opponent is Apoleon, I have to go."

Yuri beckoned to his guards while putting on his coat, The guards nodded and ran outside at once.

Yuri turned his head toward Sylphide and simply instructed her.

"Sylphide, take over this fort and get your hands on the whole area."

"But!"

"The Ice Fortress is located on the most important road leading to the western part of the Kingdom of Ei ndel. If we can stay here, the West is practically all in our hands."

Yuri smiled and patted Sylphide on the shoulder.

"The other half of the conquest war is up to you. You can do it, rig ht?"

"...All right, Your Highness."

Sylphide was reluctant, but was forced to nod to Yuri's words.

"I trust you, Sylphide."

Yuri patted Sylphide's shoulder a few more times, and suddenly frowned,

"But as expected, I'm worried about the 3rd Corps of Canis who went to Eindelgrass."

If nothing had happened in the East, he would have gone to Canis as soon as it was bright tomorrow.

Yuri turned to the guard next to him,

"What about Canis? "Has he sent any words?"

The guard shook his head.

"Well, even though it's past the time he should have contacted us, there's still nothing..."

"Well..."

It was then.

"I have a report!"

Another soldier leaped inside.

"What, what's going on?"

When Sylphide asked, the huffing soldier pointed west and shouted,

"Now, a big fire has been observed in the capital city of Eindelgrass!"

"Fire? Right now?"

"Yes! I saw it with my own eyes!"

Surprised, Yuri and Sylphide left the commanding room and ran to the fortress walls.

Luna, who was dozing off in the back, also followed slowly with a yawn.

Standing on the wall and looking west, it was true.

Under the dark night sky, black smoke was rising from the far west end with ferocious flames.

"Wow~!"

Luna exclaimed with excitement.

"It's fire. Fire~!"

Didn't she know that it was her hometown? Sylphide broke into a cold sweat. Yuri muttered.

"Is that E'ndelgrass?"

"It must be. It's the only city there."

Even though it was quite a distance away, if it was so clearly visible, it seemed to be a big fire that was burning the city down.

To have such a big fire in the enemy capital could only mean one thing.

"They've succeeded in the siege! They took the capital!"

Sylphide could not hide her smile. She gave Yuri a playful pat on the back.

"What did I say, he's the Silver Wolf!"

"Yes, as expected of Canis..."

However... Yuri shut tight.

Why? How come?

His anxiety did not disappear at all,

“…”

But now was the time to judge calmly. Yuri decided to believe in Canis.

Yuri turned back. Before he knew it, his fully armed guards were waiting on their knees.

Yuri commanded lowly, but forcefully.

"Tomorrow, we will go east at the break of dawn. 2nd Corps, get ready to go."

"Yes!"

One ofthe guards blew a horn.

Pooooooo-

The soldiers of the 2nd Corps, who had already received the orders, quickly wrapped up their military camp and completed their preparations for the march, Looking down at the orderly scene, Sylphide gulped down.

The best of the seven corps of the Brunhilt army.

The 2nd Corps under the Crown Prince began to move.

Sylphide was watching the magnificent sight with a great tension, and a strange sound came from the side.

"Cool, cool... yum yum..."

“…”

Luna, who was sitting with her back against the wall, had fallen asleep. Everyone looked at her in a cold sweat. Smiling, Yuri looked back at Sylphide, who was speechless.

"Sylphide, take Princess Luna to her guest room."

"Yes? What?"

Sylphide seemed to dislike it, but kept silent at Yuri's next words.

"We can't let a man touch a princess's body, can we?"

"Ugh..."

Sylphide supported Luna with her mouth sticking out discontentedly.

"Yum yum..."

Luna smacked her lips in her sleep and glued herself to Sylphide. Sylphide hated it, but did not remove her.

Sylphide helped Luna and whined and disappeared inside. The smile gradually disappeared from Yuri's face, who was watching it with a chuckle. Yuri looked west again.

“…”

In the far capital ofthe Kingdom of Eindel, a hazy, ominous feeling was rising...

* * *

Dawn was slowly breaking from the east.

Two thousand men from the 2nd Corps of the Brunhilt army were ready to march in front of the Ice Fortress.

"Good."

Yuri, who finished inspecting his troops, climbed on his horse with a light movement.

"Well then, Sylphide, see you."

Sylphide, who was standing in front of Yuri, nodded vigorously.

"Just leave it to me, Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Take good care of Princess Luna,"

“…”

As Sylphide turned her head to the side unwillingly, she saw Luna yawning heavily.

"Yaaaawn~"

Yesterday, she slept well without knowing the world, so how did she know and followed the prince's departure?

"There's something with Princess Luna... I have a feeling."

Sylphide tilted her head at Yuri's words.

"A feeling?"

It was the first time she heard such words from Yuri, who always talked about human nature logically.

Yuri nodded slowly.

"Yes, I have the feeling that she's important."

Sylphide looked at Luna wiping tears from yawning.

'She's important? This crazy girl?'

"Huh?"

Luna smiled broadly as Sylphide looked at her.

"Hehe?"

“…”

Sylphide nodded reluctantly.

"...I'll try."

"Yes. Please, Sylphide."

Yuri smiled and patted Sylphide on the shoulder.

"Cheer up!"

Facing Yuri's refreshing smile, Sylphide instantly felt better. All the more as his soft touch on her shoulder.

"Princess Luna, Then I'll go now."

Yuri lowered his head to Luna, who kept yawning with her mouth open. Luna rubbed her sleepy eyes with the back of her hand and tilted her head.

"What? Yuri, are you leaving?"

"Yes, I have something to do."

"Oh, uh..."

Luna, who was hesitating, asked,

"Can I see you again?"

Yuri, who looked surprised for a moment, smiled warmly.

"Sure."

Yuri took Luna's hand and kissed the back of her hand slightly.

The Crown Prince's beautiful red lips touched the back of the princess's white hand.

"We'll meet again, Princess Luna."

Luna's round, green eyes bent brightly.

"Yes! Have a safe trip, Yuri!"

"Yes."

Giddy up! Yuri and the guards on horseback took the lead, followed by a corps of 2,000 men.

As a large number of people moved, sand dust rose. While everyone was covering their mouths and noses, Luna jumped in place and waved brightly.

"...Come back, Yuri! Let's play again!"

It didn't take long for the 2,000 men of the 2nd Corps to move away from the fortress,

Luna, who was staring at their backs, suddenly turned around toward Sylphide. Surprised, Sylphide's shoulders flinched.

"Sylphi!"

"Yes, yes? What's wrong?"

"I’m hungry!"

“…”

Shaking her head, Sylphide headed for the fortress with Luna.

"Eat breakfast as soon as you get in, Princess."

"Hehe, thank you, Sylphi!"

Luna, who clung to Sylphide's arm, laughed.

"What are we going to do today?"

This foolish princess did not even realize that she was a prisoner. Sylphide closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead like the Crown Prince.

Rather than defeating the enemy, it seemed harder to deal with this noble prisoner.