NOVEL NEXT Chapter 35 - The Bridge of Parting
They had ridden their horses for three days straight. With minimal rest, the assault force led by Prince Riohart pressed forward in a forced march, reaching the outskirts of the royal capital.
Along the way, scouts confirmed that a detachment, just as expected, had left Balstadt composed solely of knights.
Scouts were stationed in the path of their approach. According to their reports, the First Knights order were estimated to catch up in about two hours.
“So far, everything is going as planned,” said one.
“No, things are a bit off. I expected them to arrive a little later,” the prince responded.
Within two hours, they would likely reach the royal castle and secure control of the castle. However, it will be likely impossible to ask the First Knights order to surrender as the king within mere two hours
The prince’s expression darkened at the thought.
“Don’t worry, we’ve accounted for this. Besides, as desperate as we are to die, we might cling to life longer than expected. Just focus on your task, Your Highness.”
Despite these words of reassurance, the prince, who was sending this man to what could be his death, didn’t know what expression he should wear.
“I know, but… I guess I’m just not experienced enough. … It’s not often one gains experience in such a way.”
“Well, you will have time to gain that in the future. We’re just about to cross the bridge.”
At Georg’s words, the prince looked up.
The bridge spanned the outer moat, a large river running through the plains around the capital. It was about 100 meters wide. Naturally, the bridge built to cross it was wide enough to accommodate twenty men side by side, constructed sturdily from stone.
Once they crossed, they would part ways with the troops remaining here. And the one who would command those troops was, of course, Georg.
Though the prince thought he was prepared for this, he realised his resolve was still too weak.
He needed to steel his resolve before crossing this bridge. If only time would slow down.
As he was lost in thought, an unexpected sight caught his eye.
“Hey, Georg. There’s a bunch of scrap and crates piled up by the bridge.”
“Ah, since the operation was decided, I sent a fast messenger ahead, and I asked an old friend of mine to gather materials we could use for barricades… seems like the guy went above and beyond.”
Georg squinted at the scene, a playful smile on his face. The prince couldn’t help but chuckle, feeling a bit foolish for worrying so much.
Ah, of course it was presumptuous of him to worry about a man like Georg. After all, this reliable man beside him was far tougher than a young man like himself…
“I’ve heard that the heir to the Luenbeld family was undefeated in street fights,” the prince remarked.
“Haha, just youthful recklessness. Though, I feel like I haven’t changed much, just gotten older.”
Finally, the prince felt like his usual self again. If this was part of Georg’s calculation, it was both annoying and amusing.
Then finally…
They crossed the bridge.
The prince had steeled his resolve..
“Well then, Georg. … The rest is up to you.”
“Don’t worry, leave it to me. You’re in good hands,” Georg said, thumping his chest in confidence.
As they reorganised the troops, Egret and Ellie caught up from behind.
“Hey, Egret and Ellie, thanks for your hard work. Alright, I’ll leave His Highness in your hand.”
“… Got it. You should be careful too.”
“Yes, Sir Georg, good luck.”
Though they hadn’t known each other for long, their farewells were brisk. But that only made them more reliable. These two were experienced, not given to unnecessary sentiment or excessive nerves.
The 100 knights accompanying them were all handpicked elites. And with these two by his side, the prince was in more than capable hands. A confident smile spread across Georg’s face as he realised this.
“Then, Your Highness, this is where we part ways. May fortune favour you.”
“And you as well, Georg.”
The prince was wearing a better expression now, Georg thought. And with that, he felt like cracking a joke, glancing at the prince with a mischievous grin.
“Oh, one last thing, Your Highness. It’s fine if we stop them here, but… would it be alright if we kill them too?”
At that arrogant, defiant remark, even Prince Riohart blinked in surprise before bursting out laughing. His laughter echoed for a moment before subsiding.
“Yeah, go ahead. It’ll make things easier for us!”
“As you wish, Your Highness! We’ll deliver a glorious victory!”
Exchanging smiles and nods, the prince turned his horse towards the royal castle. The knights, along with Egret and Ellie, followed him. The knights remaining behind stood in salute as they watched them leave.
After the prince and his group left, Georg and his men hurriedly began constructing barricades. They were all skilled at such tasks, and they worked quickly.
By the time the scouts reported the inevitable appearance of the First Knight Order, they had created a temporary fortress.
“Whoa, they even got us crossbows… How many do we have? What, a hundred? That bastard really went all out, hah… didn’t he?”
The troops were quickly split into three groups. One group, armed for close combat, was stationed in front of the barricade, while fifty crossbowmen were deployed on each side. Georg would command the centre, while the two battalion leaders would take charge of the flanks.
Just as they finished the deployment, the First Knight Order came into sight…
“Alright, let’s get this show on the road. Hey, you guys! This is it. Are you ready?”
“Of course! What about you, commander? Are you shaking yet?”
“You’re such an asshole!” Georg barked, laughing.
None of them weren’t afraid. They all feared death. But they faced that fear with smiles and stood their ground.
As their commander, Georg’s role was to give them the final push they needed.
“Hey, what do you think of our prince?”
“He’s something special. Might be even better than the old king.”
“Right? Even though he’s still young, he came up with most of this plan himself. And despite how tough he is, he spent the whole time worrying about sending us to our deaths. He wrestled with it, made up his mind, and resolved to do it—for the sake of this country’s future.”
His voice grew serious as he spoke, his words measured and deliberate. He looked around at his men.
Each and every one of them wore a serious expression, despite the grins on their faces.
“Listen up! His Highness has made his decision. He’s ready to bear the burden of our wives and children! So, all we have to do is one thing—make this as grand as we can! Don’t leave behind any disgrace!”
“You bet!”
“There’s no coward here, you bastard!”
“You think we’d disgrace ourselves? Not a chance, commander!”
“Good answer, you bastard!”
They laughed and turned around.
The enemy was just about to reach the bridge.
With a loud clap, Georg slammed his fists together.
“Let’s give them hell!”
A thunderous roar of approval echoed in response.
Next: A Leap into the Future