NOVEL NEXT Chapter 291
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As Chel rampaged across the battlefield at her own leisure, up until that moment, she truly believed everything was going exactly according to her plan.
“HAAAAA!”
She didn’t give a single damn about her life.
If only she could deal maximum damage to Serpina’s forces—
Abandoning survival and charging headlong into battle certainly succeeded in delivering an unexpected pressure to the enemy that they hadn’t anticipated.
There was no need to worry about magic either, surely.
Whether or not magic was cast at the castle meant nothing to Chel who had already forsaken it—
And if they aimed their spells at her position, they’d inevitably harm their own soldiers tangled up in combat with her.
Even if Serpina’s side decided to take some losses and still cast magic, it would be a profitable move for Chel.
After all, sacrificing their own troops would only tarnish Serpina’s reputation in the long run.
A charge solely focused on leaving a mark on Serpina!
From the perspective of simply inflicting damage on the enemy, there was no denying this was undoubtedly Chel’s best decision.
Proof of this—
Wasn’t it clear how Serpina’s soldiers were falling apart like disorganized rabble, unsure what to do?
“Focus on destroying the siege weapons first!”
If they could destroy as many siege weapons as possible before they were even set up, it would surely deal enough damage.
Was it the favorable wind? Or perhaps the disarray of the enemy?
The unprepared weapons were being dismantled by Chel’s forces at an alarming speed beyond imagination.
So fast!
Chel, drunk on battle, gazed at the collapsing siege weapons with a satisfied grin.
‘Good. If I can keep fighting like this and systematically eliminate their armed men one by one…’
At that moment.
Instead of burning with renewed determination, Chel should have realized her forces were moving far too quickly.
She ought to have questioned why her soldiers were so easily overwhelming the siege weapons.
But before she could think about it in detail—
“Chel Brance!”
From afar, a delicious-looking morsel rolled right into view.
Clang!
“Cranfis! Long time no see, you miserable old man!”
Cranfis was someone she’d faced during the era when the continent was still unified.
Back when Algord and Sidemid were left without a monarch and all order crumbled helplessly, he was the foolish general who stayed loyal to Einhardt’s side despite rejecting Orlando Brance’s offer.
“What a pitiful struggle. They call you the ‘First Sword of Brance,’ but what a grand title for a rat throwing tantrums in a fight they cannot win!”
“You look like your insides are burning up! No matter how much you mock me with words, I can see the fear in you beyond that!”
After exchanging a few more blows, Cranfis began to be clearly pushed back.
This was all part of Cranfis’ calculations.
“Commander!”
From the distance, another rider galloped toward them.
The golden-haired knight Irian.
In the current Serpina army, he was the de facto ‘next-generation general,’ wielding immense influence.
He immediately came to Cranfis’ aid and started attacking Chel from the opposite side.
“Just because two flies are swarming me!”
Clang!
“Did you think I’d be pushed back!!!”
While most people might feel disadvantaged in a 2 vs 1 battle, this wasn’t the case for Chel. The more people attacked her, the more she felt a cathartic rush as a berserker.
Moreover, her body was built to fully support such tendencies.
Though she wasn’t in her prime, taking on both Irian and Cranfis here was entirely within her capabilities.
Thus, after exchanging a few more rounds—
Despite being pummeled by two against one, her momentum showed no signs of wavering.
In fact, the advantage was gradually tipping in Chel’s favor.
‘This… we’re really getting pushed back…’
They had somewhat expected it based on Cranfis’ cold assessment that two against one would still result in being pushed back, but actually experiencing it physically made everything go dark before their eyes.
But… they couldn’t afford to lose here.
Cranfis and himself had an important mission assigned by the strategist.
‘Somehow, we must wear down Chel’s stamina!’
Just as they clashed for a while longer—
“Ah…!”
With the metallic clang, Irian lost his spear from his grip.
Battle-hungry Chel seized the moment, her eyes gleaming as she lunged at the weaponless knight.
“This is getting tiresome! Let me handle you one by one! You first, brat!”
‘Damn it…!’
Without properly exhausting Chel’s stamina, letting him go now could jeopardize the entire operation.
But there was no time to lament over oneself; the battlefield clock ticked relentlessly.
“Die!!!”
‘I need to dodge to the side…’
Even if it meant sustaining some wounds, dodging sideways would allow him to survive—
That’s what Irian thought as he tried to move his body as much as possible.
But suddenly, in front of his very eyes—
“Guh…”
“…S, Commander!”
Before he knew it, Cranfis had interposed his arm to block Chel’s attack.
Of course, it was less of a “block” and more of him taking the hit instead.
“Guh…ugh…”
“…”
Startled for a brief moment, Irian quickly grabbed the axe Cranfis had been holding—
And swung it directly at Chel.
“Kghh…”
With a crack, part of Chel’s armor shattered—
Allowing them to land their first proper effective blow on him.
The situation unfolded in an instant.
Chel swiftly pulled out the sword embedded in Cranfis’ forearm, turned her horse slightly to retreat, and covered the wound caused by the axe that had grazed her.
“You damned brat…”
“I, Irian…you did well. Your judgment is indeed quick…”
“Commander! Are you alright?”
“Rather than worrying about my safety, focus on that guy… that monster. If we can finish him off here, then…”
“But if we do that, Commander’s life will be…”
Even though Chel had briefly taken an axe to his body, he exhaled lightly and re-established his fighting stance.
Clearly bleeding, he glared at them with unwavering intensity.
Monster.
The title of ‘First Sword of Brance’ wasn’t just empty flattery.
If they continued this fight, assuming reinforcements arrived, maybe they could defeat him—but Cranfis would definitely die.
Then what decision should be made? What is truly in everyone’s best interest?
As Irian hesitated between options, that moment—
Clang!
“You, you wench!”
The opponent facing the re-engaged Chel was none other than the red-haired knight and deputy commander of the occupying forces— Iren Julieat.
“Irian Lord! Withdraw with the Commander! Leave this place to me!”
“Iren General…”
Without further ado, Irian gave a quick bow and quickly evacuated with Cranfis, retreating swiftly from the battlefield.
At this point… they had done what the strategist asked of them.
The rest was up to Iren.
“Hmph… Iren Julieat. So we meet again, you filthy traitor. I’ve been waiting to see your ugly face once more with my own two eyes. I’ve long desired to kill you with my own hands.”
“In betraying our lord, aren’t we both the same?”
“How dare you call it betrayal when I carry the blood of the Brance family…?! How can you, who disgraced the face of my father who devoted his entire life to the Brance clan, call yourself anything but dirty scum?!”
“…”
“Isn’t there anything left in your life outside of the Brance family? The Juliat house exists solely for the sake of the Brance family! There’s nothing left for you! You’re utterly alone in this world!”
Iren slowly closed her eyes.
In normal circumstances, such words would have shaken her deeply… but not anymore.
Because what anchored her wasn’t the Brance family anymore.
And because she wasn’t alone anymore.
“You’re pitiable too, Chel.”
“What…?”
“Crushed under the name of Brance, you rebelled unwillingly. Because you couldn’t trust your siblings. Because you couldn’t even trust your relatives, aren’t we qualitatively the same?”
“…!!”
Chel’s face twisted violently, almost visibly.
How dare someone bearing the name Juliat pity… pity her, of all people?!
The pain from the axe-wound seemed to fade away, replaced entirely by… overwhelming rage.
“…Iren. You… really wish to die, don’t you?”
“Unfortunately, I have no intention of dying for you. I have too many things left to do.”
“What did you say?”
Just as Chel was about to continue her tirade—
――BOOM!!!!!!!
‘Wha, what is that?!’
An enormous explosion-like sound erupted from behind.
Perhaps it was magic?
‘But if it’s magic, wouldn’t it also harm our own side…?’
Still, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable given the situation.
Especially considering who she was currently fighting.
‘Serpina, that witch, has finally decided… to clean us up, regardless of collateral damage to her own forces…’
Just as she confirmed her suspicion that hitting the woman was indeed the correct strategy…
Iren began to turn her horse and distance herself from Chel.
“Running away, Iren!!!”
Although leaving this area increased the risk of being caught in the explosion—
Judging from the situation, it seemed the mage had already been deployed onto the battlefield. With only one mage present, there wasn’t too much to fear.
Besides, despite barely holding on until now, she could feel her vision gradually blurring.
Still, she could beat that woman.
Before dying, she wanted to kill that woman with her own hands—
With only that thought in mind, she pursued Iren.
* * *
After distancing themselves a fair bit from the main battlefield—
“Take this!”
Chel finally turned her horse again and continued exchanging blows with Iren, whose weapon met hers.
Surprisingly, Chel wasn’t being pushed back here either.
Even after battling two opponents earlier, she was evenly matched with Iren.
If anything, Iren appeared to be gradually losing ground.
“…”
Though Iren’s movements suggested she was trying to lead somewhere, it was hard to analyze with precision given the amount of blood Chel had lost during the chase.
“No idea what you’re thinking, but!”
Clang!
“With this… it ends!!!”
Just as Chel raised her sword to strike Iren down—
――Pierce, and—
“Huh…?”
Thud!
Before she could swing her sword, Chel dropped it from her hand.
Slowly raising her head, she looked down at her chest.
And realized—
A green rapier wrapped in crimson flames had pierced straight through her chest.
And a man’s voice reached her ears.
“It isn’t Iren who ends here—it’s you, Chel.”
“This… is…”
Before she could comprehend what was happening, turning her head revealed—
The silhouette of a white-haired man and a pink-haired woman.
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