Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi

South Yuguria Empire – Temporary Capital: Poron Royal Palace.

Wilhelmina sits down on her throne which is one step lower than it once was, and shifts her gaze from the ceiling of the palace which is two steps lower to the city of Poron which is three steps lower.

「Remaining squads are assembling in Poron. ……the loyalty of the people has not yet disappeared.」

A middle-aged man who is the definition of average shouts in a needlessly loud voice.

「――I see. I will also do my utmost. I hope that everyone can lend me their strength.」

Wilhelmina smiles weakly to the middle-aged man and the knights around him.

Her beauty hasn’t changed, but she couldn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes or her pale complexion.

Similarly, the disadvantage in battle could no longer be hidden and the unfavorable situation had become widely known even among the populace.

「Your Majesty……leave it to me.」

「We must fight…… we can’t let things end like this for Her Majesty!」

The people here are those who have served Poron since Wilhelmina was a princess.

They have known Wilhelmina since she was a child and they felt heartbroken to see her so exhausted.

Despite the poor odds of winning, most of them are in agreement to fight and protect Wilhelmina.

Sadly, they did not have the ability to rebound from the inferior position.

That was why Wilhelmina relied heavily on Zaphnes and his men, assigning these veterans to the remote regions of Polpo instead to complete menial tasks such as maintaining security.

「I was scheduled to meet with Commander Eldrito to discuss the formation of the defense line, but I don’t see him. Did I mistake the time?」

「I saw him ride into the city on his horse earlier…… but I thought he just went to scout……?」

However, ever since Maestas’ death in battle, even Zaphnes’s men who were supposed to be tight-knit, began to go missing, forcing these formerly unneeded individuals to be given proper duties as well.

「……I’ll return to my room briefly. If an incident arises, don’t hesitate to inform me.」

「Of course, Your Majesty. Haven’t you not slept these past few nights? Please take care of yourself.」

「As long as we are here, the enemy will not advance a single step! Rest easily.」

When Wilhelmina stood, everyone in the room expressed their concern.

Their loyalty and dedication are unquestionable. They simply weren’t capable enough.

Wilhelmina erased her tired and weakened expression in an instant as soon as she entered her room.

The bags under her eyes were the only thing that remained.

The weary queen acted to draw out the devotion of her subordinates, but the physical and mental stress have clearly accumulated.

That was when she heard footsteps from Zaphnes walking in.

「Oh, you’re back! It’s a terrible situation, but we can still recover. Fortunately, the enemy’s main forces are stuck in Alteria. If we can reorganize and scrounge up new troops from all over Polpo, we can construct a defense line.」

Wilhelmina stared at Zaphnes for a moment, but quickly closed her eyes, and slowly re-opened them.

Those eyes belonged to a little girl clinging to a man.

「……I have no one else to rely on except you. I know this is tough……but please do me this favor.」

Zaphnes stiffens slightly, then smiles and proudly sticks out his chest.

「Yeah. I haven’t been a soldier in appearance only for that long. There might not be a chance for us to win based solely on military strength, but the enemy is also human, meaning they will make mistakes. If we can capitalize on those opportunities, this is far from over――after all, I have no where left to run.」

After Zaphnes made the bold declaration, he mumbled softly to himself at the end, and exited the room.

「……as reluctant as I am……I have to use what I’m left with……effectively.」

Her eyes dart to the corner of the room, but Visitacion is not there anymore.

Bowing in her place was a young man without a trace of emotion on his face.

Wilhelmina reads the document handed to her by the man and unusually scrunches her face in a noticeable manner.

「Hardlett’s investigation report――protection of a party of rebels, attacks on neighboring lords by masked individuals, the building of a giant cannon……a merchant with a large hidden stash of money……if this evidence had come out before the decisive battle.」

Wilhelmina was about to crush the paper in her hand, but realized it was pointless and threw it on the desk instead.

South Yuguria spies had discovered that the Hardlett house is hiding things from the royal family.

If those things were told to the Goldonian Kingdom, it would be damaging enough to promptly strip the household of their privileges.

The information was also shocking enough, that if it was relayed in some way to the Goldonian king prior to the decisive battle, it had potential to confuse the frontlines.

「But it’s meaningless now……」

Now that they’ve suffered a crushing defeat in battle, removing the prominent Hardlett is like pouring water on a hot stone, and the only possibility to turn the tides is if he becomes an ally…… in other words, make him betray his country.

「Hardlett was sent back to his territory due to his behavior on the battlefield. If we can convince him to change sides and flank the enemy’s main forces, we might be able to reach the capital……」

「But Your Majesty, he has completely rejected that offer. Moreover, with us being on the verge of defeat, we lack the persuasive power to promise him status or prestige……」

Wilhelmina keeps her head still and only moves her eyes to stare in the man’s direction.

「In addition, the conspiracy to neutralize him backfired. He was supposed to be interested about me…… and now, that sentiment has probably changed into anger.」

「In other words――」

Wilhelmina finishes the man’s sentence.

「There’s a chance. If that man holds a burning rage toward me, the possibility remains.」

It is easy to manipulate a person of passion.

Turning a flaming fury or a gut-searing hatred into love and affection is not unfeasible.

The same applies to the opposite.

「Let us try……although our chances aren’t great, at this rate, we can only sit and wait for our demise.」

Wilhelmina is not optimistic and doesn’t expect Zaphnes to reverse the situation.

「Visitacion isn’t here now either. Because of the shock of defeat and my total exhaustion, I will rest for a while. ……prepare for a long journey and several skilled spies. All of them must be women.」

「……is this a final gamble?」

Wilhelmina scoffs.

「It is one step before the end. The last one is……not a bet. It is a way to take him to hell with me.」

–Aegir POV–

Outskirts of Rafen.

「Kill meeee! Kill meeeee!!」

The screaming Visitacion shakes free from my hand and throws hard objects at me, then even tries to throw her own belly at the very end.

「Calm down! What are you trying to kill your own child for?」

I grab hold of both her hands and stop the barbaric act.

The ruthless assassin from before is nowhere to be found.

The crying and flailing Visitacion’s belly is already the same size as that of a woman’s belly in her last month of pregnancy.

Nearby, a midwife comments tensely.

「It’s been ten days……yet she looks close to giving birth. I-I watched it grow before my eyes……awawa.」

In that moment, Visitacion suddenly stops struggling and she lifts her lower half, groaning in pain.

「O-oow…… could this be……noooo! I don’t want my stomach to be destroyed from the inside!!」

The midwife peeks at her crotch.

「She’s giving birth now! I thought she could wait until we arrived in Rafen, but since we won’t make it in time, we have to deliver the baby here!」

「Oh, I’m counting on you. Is there anything I can do?」

「I don’t want this! Chop my head off! Kill me before a monster pops out!!」

The midwife silently urges me to leave.

I guess there’s no choice, since Visitacion is clearly distressed when I’m here.

I exit the tent but strain my ears.

「Please push! Don’t close your legs!」

「At this rate, the baby won’t come out……ah, this is no good! I see the feet first, could it be a breech presentation!?」

「Wait look closer, this is a hand! Is the baby trying to pry open the birth canal!? J-just in case, get the sword.」

「Gyaaaaaaa!!」

After a few moments of continued screaming, I hear the crying of a baby.

Determining it was an acceptable time, I opened the flap of the tent.

「I-it is a healthy baby boy.」

「Although it was her first birth, it was very easy…… rather, he came out on his own.」

「It is a healthy human child.」

I’m a human and she’s a human, so of course a human will be produced.

The only strange thing was the fact she gave birth ten days after getting pregnant.

The midwives, having checked the health of the baby, washed him in warm water and handed him to Visitacion to hold.

「……a normal baby. Eh? Eh? Am I a mom now?」

While crying, the baby fumbles for Visitacion’s breast.

「……ow…… ah, milk is……」

Visitacion starts to breastfeed with a clueless expression on her face.

I give an obligatory pat to both the new mother and child.

「I’m not going to love you. I’m not going to live with you either. However, I will take responsibility now that your child is born and take care of your needs so you can raise him up properly.」

I declare as such, sucking on her opposite tit to taste her breast milk, before walking out of the tent.

「I’m still a small man. A true man would smile and embrace her.」

But anger wells up within me every time I see Benel sleeping like she’s dead.

If I try to force myself to go near her in such a state, it will not be pleasant for me or her.

The correct answer is for the both of us to stay away from each other while I provide her with money.

「Haah, how do I tell him? I’m a pirate. Plus I entertained a number of men in the 105th corps…… aaah, I wonder if he’s going to tell me not to give birth. He also seems to have a wife in Rafen too…… dammit, it’s because I didn’t say anything sooner that it’s become so hard to say now, gosh!」

When I walked outside, I found Annette pacing back and forth, muttering to herself.

「If it’s going to be like this, might as well go for it. If I can’t take it back, then I just have to prostrate myself, then I’m sure everything will be fine and he’ll let me have the baby!」

I wonder what she’s talking about.

I call out to the oddly pumped up Annette, but an excited cheer drowns out my voice.

「I-it’s a miracle! It’s truly a miracle!!」

「Magic…… that much I know. Is it healing magic? I’ve never heard of it, but seeing it happen in front of my eyes……」

I turn in the direction of the sound and see the young Altair.

She is in the center of injured Royal army soldiers and Libatis citizens.

The injured Royal army soldiers should have been transported to Trisnia or the capital where doctors are. Why are they here?

「A ligament in my leg was torn. I’m not sure if I will ever move it again.」

「Mm.」

Altair holds her hand over the soldier and a green light immediately shines down.

Suddenly, the soldier, who finally stood up with the help of a cane, presses down the leg which is supposed to have a torn ligament on the ground.

「You’re kidding, he’s standing. No, far from that!」

The soldier, who planted his foot firmly on the ground, is jogging lightly on the spot.

「Is it better? That’s good.」

Altair says it like it wasn’t a big deal and then covers her face with a white cloth in embarrassment.

If I remember correctly, Altair had some kind of special power.

「……would you like to become a believer of……」

「Yes, of course!! How can I not after witnessing such a miracle!!?」

Another incident happened not long later.

「Uwah, a zombie!! One, two, there are three! Did they seize control of the corpses bound for Rafen!?」

「I didn’t cremate them because we aren’t that far away, but now that backfired!」

Some of the soldiers in my personal army have suffered wounds and managed to survive, but have exhausted themselves. It seems the consideration to not bury them along the way so they can be returned to their families turned out to be a bad choice.

「Shit! Draw your swords, aim for their legs first and cripple them――」

With that said, the fighting strength of zombies is not particularly high.

They aren’t opponents that armed soldiers will lose 1-on-1 to and therefore nothing to be excessively afraid of.

Even so, if the soldiers aren’t careful, the zombies can still bite their necks or gouge out their eyeballs.

It occurred right when the soldiers readied their weapons.

「Nn, you must not lose your way. Go back.」

Altair steps forward and swiftly raises her hands.

Immediately, black mist trails from the unwillingly howling corpses and then disperses in the air.

The dead bodies stop moving at the same time and collapse like puppets that had their strings cut.

「Cleansing magic……this is my first time seeing it.」

「Hey, you serious? Does this mean―― she’s the real deal?」

People start to kneel in front of Altair.

She then promptly hides her face behind the cloth again and timidly offers the people to join her religion.

「I see, that’s how she’s growing her following.」

Celia and Myla, or really everyone except Irijina, were in alignment, saying how the expansion of the church of Altair would be bad, but Altair herself isn’t going overboard like she’s done in the past. I’m sure it’ll be fine if she recruits a couple members here and there.

Again, I leave the area and hear another familiar voice,

「O Your Grace. I pray that you forgive this sinner……Your Grace, O Your Graaaceeee!」

The frantic voice I hear from the shadow of a carriage belongs to the person ranked second in the Altair church and always accompanying the young Altair, Remia.

I take a peek, seeing how she’s praying in such a weird place.

「Hey, Altair is over there. If you have business……」

「O Your Grace, I can’t contain it! I’m cumming, I’m cumminnnggg! Don’t loooook!!」

Remia, was in fact seated with her lower half naked, vigorously stroking the meat rod attached to her female body.