“Indeed. Also, there is another important point. This is an order from Jaldabaoth-sama. We must not kill them all, but let a few escape. Therefore, my plan is to kill everyone guarding the western gate ― our side ― and chase away the ones manning the eastern gate.”
“In other words, whoever’s attacking the eastern gate needs to be able to keep firm control over their men, am I right? Otherwise, it feels like it’ll end in a complete slaughter.”
After Nasrene said that, everyone’s eyes went to a single individual.
“I see… Then you won’t mind if I bring all my kin with me, then?”
“Can you leave a few as messengers?”
“Certainly, Rokesh-dono. In that case, Hektowyzes Ah Rahgara and myself will be responsible for the eastern gate.”
“After that, we need some people on the north and south walls to give them some pressure. While there’s no need to actually take those points, we ought to kill off an appropriate number of defenders there. I’d like to send some ranged fighters over…”
There were three people present who were adept at long-range combat. The person Rokesh chose from among them was the silent Zoastia.
“Muar Praksha-dono.”
“―Acknowledged.”
That was all “Blacksteel” said in reply.
“Everyone else will be on the western gate. While I don’t think there’ll be a chance for you to show your stuff, I’ll leave any strong opponents that show up there to you. After all, I need to command the entire army, so I won’t be able to make it to the frontline.”
The remaining three demihumans ― Vijar included ― all nodded their heads.
“Since we are all in agreement, we shall attack that city in two days. I hope you will all get your rest and gather your strength before the humans wail in despair.”
Part 2
Neia swallowed the stomach acid rising inside her as she walked towards the Sorcerer King’s room. As she did, an intense sourness spread through her mouth.
She took up the pouch tied to her belt and drank the water within.
The water tasted bad since it was tainted by the odor of the leather which held it, but it helped quell the burning sensation in her throat and the stench in her mouth. However, the anger still remained in Neia’s chest, and her face was still pale.
She recalled the stomach-churning scene that she could not forget, even if she wanted to.
The demihuman army had encircled this city for a full three days now.
The enemy had not attacked or attempted to parley, simply letting time pass. But today, the demihumans had brought out their captives from the Holy Kingdom to the outer walls of the Loyds district, where Neia had been posted. If they had skilled archers or slingers present, they might have been able to launch an attack, but they unfortunately had nobody like that on hand.
Neia was confident of hitting the demihumans if she used the Sorcerer King’s bow. However, launching a rash strike may have triggered an all-out attack. That would have led to a battle of 10,000 against 40,000, and they would have to open the city gates if they wanted to save those captives.
Once the gates were opened, the demihuman forces would surely pour in like an avalanche. Such a thing could not be allowed to happen, and so all they could do was stand aside and watch.
There were less than twenty captives. They were made up of males and females, adults and children, but there were no old people among them. All the prisoners were naked and covered in scars and bruises.
Just as the gathered people of the Holy Kingdom began to think they had been brought out as collateral for some kind of negotiations, a tragedy unfolded.
The demihumans began to kill the captives.
A demihuman who seemed to be about three meters tall had decapitated a prisoner and then raised the severed head in an inverted position. Neia had clearly seen how the earth had drunk the vast quantities of fresh red blood spilled upon it.
After that, the demihumans began to butcher the prisoners’ corpses.
Neia had seen her father process animal carcasses before. However, the sight of such a thing happening to human beings dealt a mighty blow to Neia’s psyche.
After that, the demihumans ate the captives one after the other, while they were still fresh.
The most cruel part was watching how some people had been eaten alive.
Even now, Neia’s ears still rang with a child’s cries as a demihuman chewed his belly open. It was accompanied by the sound of his innards being torn out.
Fortunately, Gustavo had been wise enough to keep Remedios from following him, under the pretext of protecting the prince. Surely they would have been fighting by now if she had seen something like that.
Neia sighed deeply, then took another mouthful of water and forced herself to swallow it.
She had heard someone say that it would feel better to throw up if one was nauseous, but given that she was heading to the Sorcerer King’s room, it would be disrespectful to arrive with the stench of vomit clinging to her.
After checking her breath several times, Neia stood before the door to the Sorcerer King’s room.
There was nobody on either side of the door.
Now that the city had been encircled by the demihumans, there was nobody to spare on protecting ― or rather, keeping an eye on ― the Sorcerer King.
Neia knocked on the door to indicate her presence to the person within.
“Your Majesty, I am Squire Neia Baraja. May I enter?”
“Come in.”
After receiving permission, Neia quietly entered through the room’s door.
The interior was simply furnished since the demihumans had wrecked most of it. Even so, it was still more than what anyone else in the city had.
The Sorcerer King stood with his back to Neia as he looked outside the window.
“It seems quite chaotic outside, given how I’ve seen so many people running around from up here. We’ve been encircled for four days, but this is the noisiest it’s been since the first day. That would mean… are there signs that the enemy is preparing to attack?”
The Sorcerer King had shown no intention of participating in this battle, simply staying in his room without incident. He had not even shown up for the strategic meeting when the demihuman army began fanning out around the city.
Naturally, the Liberation Army’s leadership had not been happy about this, but they found it very hard to ask anything of the Sorcerer King after he had said, “After taking future matters into consideration, don’t you think it would be bad if the king of another nation stuck his nose into your business?”
Neia had been ordered to attend various meetings in his place. This was the Liberation Army’s plan to share what they knew with the Sorcerer King, and Neia approved of it. However, that had led to Neia witnessing the tragedy which had unfolded earlier.
“…No, the demihumans haven’t made any big moves like that. But… the demihumans, ah… how shall I put this, maybe they are trying to make a show of force, so their positions have shifted a little.”
“I see. In that case, this standoff will only continue for a while more, no? The demihumans are trying to shake your troops and weaken their morale… come to think of it, do you think you can win this battle?”
No. Neia longed to say as much.
For starters, there was a vast difference in the respective strength of their forces.
10,000 humans versus 40,000 demihumans.
Even that figure of 10,000 included the elderly and children. In addition, they had not yet fully recovered from the wounds ― both physical and mental ― and the fatigue they had incurred at the prison camps.
While the defenders typically had the advantage during a siege, that only applied when both forces were evenly matched