Regressor of the Fallen Family-Chapter 297

Logan tilted his head, perplexed as he watched the retreating enemies.

It wasn’t simply about the three-nation alliance ganging up on Tria, neglecting her and targeting this location. It was that despite their vastly superior numbers, they were completely shattered by the enemy. It was the kind of defeat that could break the spirit of soldiers and commanders alike.

Yet, those presumed to be elite, excluding the regular soldiers, quickly regained their composure and were retreating in an orderly fashion.

And they weren’t heading towards the capital city right before them, but to another city in the east.

“Is there a fortress in the Roman Kingdom stronger than the royal capital? Strategically speaking?”

“No, there isn’t. There is a castle called Taron, but it isn’t considered a fortress. There are only our allied nations to the east.”

Karil Zamod’s attitude had changed dramatically.

Gone was his dismissive high-handedness, replaced by a politely bowed head that emphasized his subservience.

However, those directly under him, who were stricken by the same awe for Logan—no, for Gael—did not find this behavior strange.

The image Gael had shown in the recent battle was indeed dominating.

– Even Duke Gunter would not have been able to do as he did.

Although no one mentioned it outright, a consensus had formed among the commanders. The kingdom had found its new strongest champion.

For Logan, these gazes mattered little and he simply furrowed his brow as he listened to Karil.

“Then why are the enemies fleeing to the east and not the royal city?”

“They might be following any remaining allies. The one you, um, Gael, missed, well, escaped from you, was a man from the Romero Kingdom called Kaltoon. It seems they’re trying to gather the remaining soldiers under surviving commanders.”

The logic was there.

“Still, I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Why the alliance forces are here and all.”

“We’re looking into it right now. We should have answers soon.”

“Good, let me know at once.”

“Of course.”

The conversation was such that it was difficult to discern who was in command.

– Even straight after a great victory, thinking ahead… indeed…

Commanders, already wearing rose-colored glasses, saw even this as impressive.

But when Leah entered Romen’s capital, Logan’s unease peaked.

“There is no sign of the king or the royal family anywhere.”

“It seems all the resources have vanished.”

Reports suggested that the Romen royal family had prepared for a total war effort elsewhere or a defensive retreat.

Given the size of the alliance forces, the latter was unlikely, so only one conclusion remained.

“It seems yesterday’s force was not all of it. There might be more reinforcements we haven’t seen yet. It doesn’t really fit the name ‘The Four Nations Alliance,’ does it?”

Only a third of the force had been killed or captured in the previous battle.

With the remaining soldiers still numbering enough to match Liberty’s power, if there were indeed additional forces, they did not have a complete upper hand.

But Karil had a different view.

“Reinforcements? The only country that could send any would be Calron, but Calron’s expertise is its naval force, not its army. It was just a precaution.”

Considering the disorder within the Duchy of Tahiti, the force they fielded was already overextended.

Karil was convinced that the troops shown by both the twin kingdoms of Romen and Romero were nearly all they had.

Moreover.

“There are no superhumans in the remaining three countries besides Calron. With Gael fighting alongside us, our victory is certain.”

Karil declared this with a grin.

‘If the superhumans holed up in the fortress took action, it might end even sooner.’

Watching Karil smile, Logan had to swallow the words that rose in his throat.

There was no criticism of the excessive guarding for the king’s safety that almost led to Liberty’s defeat.

‘Is this stupidity or are they just overly loyal…’

To him, it seemed lamentable from an outsider’s perspective despite the war being won by his doing.

“Well, this works for me.”

“Hm?”

“Oh no, nothing. So, any news from Tria? With things getting this complicated, still no contact?”

“We are urging them, but…”

Their troubled expressions indicated the wait was ongoing.

Logan sighed, for there was nothing to do but wait.

Fortunately, the awaited news came the next day.

And it brought with it an unwelcome turn of events.

– Unexplained terror at Tria’s royal capital. King Ramon I of Tria dead.

– Tria’s government paralyzed. Advancing army retreating.

It was the Empire’s doing.

Logan knew instinctively, but here, he had no words for it.

Yet the frustration and anger found their way into his next words.

“…Damn it. We only now find this critical information?”

“The Tria royal family seems to have kept it hidden. With Ramon I having so many children, the succession issue was complex…”

Hearing the report, each person in attendance looked away and sighed.

Now unofficially in command of the army, Logan replied with a sneer.

“The enemy knew this information, preparing and even forming an alliance beforehand, while we are only now made aware. Is there anything else about our army’s matters that I might not know?”

Karil Zamod, avoiding eye contact, had nothing to say, and neither did anyone else.

Or so it seemed.

“If Teronan is struggling, isn’t that to our advantage? If we seize the initiative and suppress the three nations, Liberty could become the strongest in the alliance.”

Those words from a bright-eyed staff officer shifted the mood in the room.

“Indeed…”

“Certainly…”

“That makes sense. No, it surely does.”

Karil Zamod looked at Logan with bright eyes, but Logan could not smile.

“Teronan is struggling?”

“The maritime sorcerer of Calron, Gustav, is said to be invincible at sea. That’s why Teronan initially intended to deal with Calron alone.”

The maritime sorcerer.

Worries about Aileen bubbled up in Logan’s mind, but he had already braced for this.

He needed to trust in his other half, now a superhuman.

“Indeed. This turn of events would benefit our homeland significantly.”

Of course, things were not likely to go that smoothly.

‘If the Empire wanted to exploit the chaos, they wouldn’t have limited themselves to meddling with Tria.’

With this thought, he offered a forced smile.

– Enemy troops have set forth from Taron Castle!

This unexpected report arrived as if to confirm Logan’s thoughts.

“Are you sure?! Confirm it again!”

“What nonsense is this!?”

“Have those bastards all gone insane?”

The skirmish report from two days prior stated the enemy army, previously crushed, was now advancing towards them.

The bizarre news caused an uproar among the command staff.

* * *

“All troops, prepare to march!”

Buuuu.

The trumpet sounded the issued command.

Two days was too short to unwind the extreme tension born from the battle between life and death.

Moreover, the upper echelons had forbidden looting in the enemy city.

Soldiers of Liberty, unable to release their stress with fellow comrades or suffering silently, now faced a bolt from the blue.

However, the annoyance that caused the trumpet’s call was soon directed somewhere else once the soldiers learned of their enemies’ identity.

“What’s going on?”

“Those retreating cowards, since when!”

“Let’s smash them to pieces again!”

“The Silver Reaper fights with us!”

The stress that couldn’t be relieved converted into morale, and the Liberty troops’ spirits soared as they departed from Lail.

‘I can’t just shut this down.’

Logan, suspecting a different ploy by the enemy rather than assuming their commanders had lost their minds, was right to think so. But the army had already won once against these foes.

Now, with not much difference in the number of forces, the enemy leaving their city to face a disadvantageous battle — there was no justifying holding the army back.

It would be foolish to dampen morale over unverified speculation.

However, the renewed battle soon revealed what the enemy’s stratagem was all about.

“May Gael stay here to check for any unexpected variables. We hold the advantage if the powers are equal.”

A unified command chain would have an upper hand over a divided alliance. Karil’s words were reasonable.

Yet, as the battle renewed, things began to go awry.

“Die!!”

“This madness!”

Boom!

The charging Liberty knights at the front suddenly veered off and rammed into their comrades.

Neighing fiercely, the warhorses halted their charge and started to scatter in all directions.

With their formation disordered, the Liberty knights couldn’t withstand the enemy’s charging cavalry.

Crash!

The vanguard of the knights was crumbling like an explosion.

For Liberty’s commanders, it was a scene from a nightmare.

“What on earth?!”

“The enemy has cast some strange spells!”

“What in the world is happening?!”

Their own forces were literally self-destructing. They couldn’t understand why.

However, it was plain to see for Logan, who was standing by in the rear for any contingency.

He could clearly see the alien grey energy controlling the lead knights and the horses.

‘Those are the ones!’

– They used unknown, bizarre magic. It controlled minds and burst corpses.

– It was like devilry from legends.

Recalling Viktor’s report, Logan scanned the battlefield.

‘Where? Where are you?’

The moment a gold hue shot through his altered brown eyes, he spotted the source of the magic amidst his own fighting soldiers.

Neigh!

“Gael!”

Karil shouted as Logan dashed off, but he was just as preoccupied by the unbelievable chaos of friendly troops attacking each other.

As he watched Logan gallop away, he couldn’t offer any support, and the lone figure tearing through the battlefield wearing a silver aura attracted the enemy’s full attention.

[It’s him.]

A message spell relayed the voice, and hidden mages within the allied forces nodded in unison.

They each began their own incantations toward the silver-knighted rider.

But Logan’s eyes detected the grey mana surging towards him.

‘Tsk. What an annoyance.’

He easily snapped the tendrils of grey mana hurtling towards him, but he could do nothing for those already ensnared by their magic.

“Die!”

Clad in Liberty’s blue standard, a knight whose eyes had rolled back in madness lunged at Logan with his spear.

With a slight grimace, Logan swerved and struck the knight’s face without killing him—as his own men were also watching.

Bang!

Thud.

The struck knight was knocked off his horse and tumbled to the ground. In such a battlefield, unconsciousness meant certain death.

But the surrounding allies were all charging towards Logan.

A bloodless path opened where Logan passed.

And at the end of that path…

Snap.

As the silver aura blade cut down one enemy knight after another, one soldier was struck in the throat.

“Huh?!”

“Argh, why am I…?”

“What’s this?!”

Soldiers who had been wildly brawling moments before suddenly regained their senses.

Noticing this, Logan moved to and fro across the battlefield, striking down one enemy soldier after another.

And with each repetition, more of the frenzied Liberty troops awoke from their madness.

“What?”

“Snap out of it!”

“The enemy’s coming!”

“Gael! Gael is shattering the enemy’s trickery!”

While the panicked allies were floundering, the sight of Logan alone overpowering the battlefield began to lift the Liberty army’s morale, albeit belatedly.

Then…

[Die.]

A grim voice echoed in Logan’s ears as the most concentrated and menacing grey energy yet began to seep into his body.