The Forgotten Field Novel - Chapter 227

THE FORGOTTEN FIELDS (NOVEL) – CHAPTER 227

Chapter 227

Varkas took in the camp with a general sweep of his gaze as he held the reins tightly with a hand where the veins stood out, and then suddenly spurred his horse forward. He sped down the descent through the slope, making the ragged features of the camp become even more apparent.

The wooden barricades surrounding the valley basin were so severely damaged that it was difficult to find an intact section, while the scattered tents were packed with an immense number of wounded. It was a scene that betrayed the outbreak of a fierce battle, requiring no intelligence to realize its magnitude.

He dismounted from his saddle and strode toward the defensive barrier. The guard, who had been watching his approach from a distance, rushed to push aside the fence to clear the path. Varkas entered and uttered curtly and without preamble:

—Where is His Highness the Crown Prince?

Instead of answering, the bodies of the soldiers lined up on both sides of the entrance tensed and they exchanged cautious glances. Varkas read the tragic terror latent in their silence, clenched his teeth, and headed straight toward the central tent, where the headquarters was located.

Meanwhile, the knights of the imperial army rushed out after hearing reports of the arrival of the main force of the Imperial Alliance; most of the faces were familiar to him. Varkas examined the faces of his former subordinates with cold glances, and then took a step inside the large tent. There, his eyes landed on Kailias, who was attempting to rise from his bed with the help of a servant.

—Greetings to the Duke.

The man made a formal greeting as he sat on the edge of the bed with a rigid face. Varkas looked with glacial eyes at the man, who wrapped his shoulder with thick bandages due to a wound, and went straight to the point:

—Explain to me what has happened.

—We… fell into an ambush —the man replied, clenching his teeth—. Half a day’s journey from here to the northeast lies the enemy’s stronghold. It is an impregnable fortress situated in the middle of a mountain slope that resembles a rock wall. We detoured north to cut off their water sources and completely block the access to the fortress with the aim of drawing them out. And there was the trap that the enemies had laid…

—I am not asking you to recite a long list of excuses to me.

A faint groan escaped the high-ranking knight’s mouth. Upon hearing that sound, Varkas realized that he was gripping the man tightly by the hair. It seemed he had lost the ability to contain his aggressive tendencies entirely for some time now. And he was assailed by the thought that everything he had done to eradicate his innate nature had perhaps been nothing more than a futile effort.

Varkas twisted the man’s head upward violently and hissed coldly in front of his disfigured face:

—Did you not receive instructions to stay in the rear and wait? Explain to me a convincing reason that justifies why you dared to disobey my order and launch a reckless attack.

—We did not have the right… to disobey the order of His Highness the Crown Prince —the man uttered harshly from between his clenched teeth—. He is the one who will become the next Emperor. We, the knights of the ‘Roim Knights’, swore loyalty to him…!

—Loyalty does not simply consist of running after the master like a trained dog wherever he points —Varkas contradicted him coldly—. The true duty of a subordinate is to stop his lord, even by biting his legs, if he heads toward ruin.

—We do not believe that the judgment of the Crown Prince was entirely wrong —the man said, looking at him with wide eyes—. Many loyal to the Empire lost their lives due to the Northern rebellion. Among them, comrades who lived with us for long years. How is it possible then to crown as Crown Princess the daughter of the family responsible for their deaths! That is something that shakes the foundations of the Empire’s order from the roots. We completely support His Highness’s decision that excessive tolerance toward those who raised the sword against the Empire will bring another disaster!

An ironic and twisted smile crossed Varkas’s lips as he silently looked at the expressionless man.

—Then, where is His Highness the Crown Prince whom you completely support now?

The man’s face turned pale on the spot, to the color of the earth. He avoided looking at him while clenching his bruised lips.

—He… was taken prisoner into the hands of Heimdall.

Varkas did not utter a word for a long while. When the man could no longer bear his silence, he added anxiously:

—It seems that Heimdall was targeting His Highness from the beginning. They deliberately leaked information about the location of the rebels to lure him into the trap, with the intention of taking the Crown Prince hostage to paralyze the movements of the imperial army.

—In other words, you have completely handed the heir to the throne over into the hands of the enemy.

The man opened his mouth as if ready to object, but clenched his teeth. He seemed to have realized that any word he said would be nothing more than a futile excuse.

Varkas looked with a cold expression at the man’s blood-congested face, then released his hand as if throwing something away.

—From now on, I will assume control of the ‘Roim Knights’ and the imperial elite forces. As soon as the Alliance mages finish tending to the wounded, gather all the troops at Heimdall’s fortress.

The man jumped up with a horrified face.

—Have you heard my words well?! Did I not say that His Highness the Crown Prince is being held as a hostage?! If you launch an attack now, His Highness’s safety could be put in jeopardy. Currently, we have no choice but to agree to Heimdall’s demands…!

—The instant we agree to their demands, the Empire will embark on the path of disintegration.

The knight’s neck tensed at this blunt declaration.

—He will demand autonomy for ‘Balto’ and massive war indemnities. And even if negotiation concludes with the payment of a ransom, the prestige of the Empire will fall to the ground. Instead, Heimdall will be revered as a hero of the North, and Balto’s independence will become an inevitable step.

—Things do not necessarily have to go that way…!

—At a time when the Bleston family has turned its back on the Empire, do you think the inhabitants of the North will accept imperial rule peacefully?

—…

—If Balto becomes independent from the Empire, the other princes will not sit idly by. In a matter of a few years, the entire continent of ‘Lofeden’ will return to the era of the ancient kingdoms, plunging into an endless spiral of wars and massacres.

The knight’s face became as pale as that of a corpse. Varkas observed the features of terror that were beginning to cover the man’s face and continued speaking calmly:

—Therefore, there is no room for negotiation.

—Do you mean… that you are going to sacrifice His Highness the Crown Prince now?

Varkas did not respond with any word. The man stumbled forward toward him after rising suddenly.

—That is not something you can decide on your own! At least, a report must be sent to His Majesty the Emperor first…!

—His Majesty’s decision will be no different. If he is given the choice between the safety of the Empire and the heir to the throne, the answer is already decided in advance. —Varkas dealt his final blow with cold blood—: Furthermore, His Majesty has another heir. Is there not another successor to the throne born under legitimate procedures currently residing in the Imperial Palace?

The man looked at him with eyes full of shock. Varkas left the man frozen in his place and walked out of the tent.

The knights with rigid faces surrounded the entrance, as if they had overheard the discussion taking place inside. Varkas examined them slowly and dictated his order in a low voice:

—Tomorrow, as soon as it dawns, we will advance toward Heimdall’s fortress. Let each of you complete your preparations to perfection.

The main force of the Alliance joined the camp just as the sun completely hid behind the mountain peak. The soldiers who emerged from the gloom of the growing darkness began to reinforce the ragged defenses immediately, and at the same time began to prepare for the next day’s march. Most of the commanders did not object to his decisive resolution. Late at night, they gathered in the central tent to begin discussing the detailed strategy for the assault on the fortress.

Chapter 227

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