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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: shyan
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Thanks to the demons’ “mercy,” the soldiers of the Falcon Empire managed to retreat safely.
However, throughout their retreat, they were still filled with fear that the demons might ambush them.
While they numbered only a few hundred, the enemy’s forces were in the thousands or even tens of thousands.
If the demons changed their minds, those who had left the castle would be slaughtered without being able to do anything.
This reality automatically compelled them to strategize their retreat… no, their escape.
Fortunately, contrary to their worries, there were no demon pursuits or ambushes.
As a result, the soldiers at Galbory were able to arrive safely at Rob, where the retreat was taking place.
And so,
The stories of their harrowing experiences began to spread among those who had narrowly returned alive.
Tales of the thousands of demon troops and their perilous situation as they barely made it back home.
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“The enemy has completely retreated, Commander.”
“Good. Then let’s depart.”
Hearing the report that the situation was over, Samson stood up cheerfully.
He then opened the tent and stepped outside.
He looked at his gathered subordinates.
There were fewer than a thousand soldiers assembled there.
This was all the force Samson had brought to occupy Galbory.
Honestly, this number seemed a bit insufficient for a siege, and some of them had not fully recovered from injuries sustained in previous battles, so overall, the situation was not great.
However, despite this actual military strength,
from a distance, Samson’s forces appeared significantly larger than they really were.
At that moment,
each of Samson’s subordinates had wooden stands strapped to their backs.
Each stand held about 3 to 4 burning torches tied together.
Additionally, some demons were even holding torches in their hands.
From afar, it would look like there were at least four to ten times more soldiers present than there actually were.
Through this deception, Samson could lead the enemy to mistakenly believe that his forces vastly outnumbered them.
As a result, he successfully captured Galbory Castle without any casualties on his side.
Having achieved their goal easily and without any losses, Samson and his soldiers entered the inner stronghold of Galbory and began to relax while discussing what had transpired.
“Still, just in case, I kept the torches lit until the end, but it seems there was nothing to worry about.”
“Well, they were already men who brought back the head of their commander; it was only natural.”
“Having experienced it before, I must say that the Hero’s tactics are remarkable. I never thought such a simple trick would make the enemy flee.”
“Yes, he is indeed impressive. Not only is he skilled as a warrior, but he also knows how to bring victory in war. When he’s an enemy, he’s dangerously formidable; but as an ally, he’s incredibly reassuring.”
The demons nodded in agreement with Samson’s words as he smiled.
Thus, having achieved victory, Samson and his subordinates further solidified their trust in the Hero who led this plan.
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At that moment when Samson’s group occupied Galbory,
across various regions of the Demon Kingdom, similar “victories” were occurring simultaneously in ways akin to what happened at Galbory.
The overwhelming numbers of demon troops instilled fear in the Allied Races’ soldiers, causing them to abandon resistance.
Although some among them continued to fight valiantly despite this terrifying situation, such cases were few and far between.
In a situation where hope was nowhere to be found, very few could maintain their honor until the end.
Especially for those commanders responsible for the situation.
For regular soldiers, it is not easy to muster the will to do something even at the cost of their lives.
This was especially true when despair and death loomed around them.
Thus, facing a critical point in their offensive where combat power was dwindling directly,
The demons managed to reclaim most of the remaining territory while also breaking the remaining fighting spirit of fleeing enemies through this success.
However,
even amidst this situation, some fortresses continued to resist until the end,
Causing those leading small forces to feel somewhat troubled as they decided to wait calmly for support while assessing the situation.
Since they had primarily moved their troops based on deception rather than direct combat tactics, this was unavoidable.
Among those feeling frustrated was someone who had been feeling uneasy for some time.
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Before her stood Galilee Castle.
Looking at it occupied by elves,
Elisia automatically frowned and felt a deep sense of irritation.
“Honestly… those filthy elves are just so needlessly proud.”
Despite executing deception tactics and surrender offers as instructed by the Hero,
The elven soldiers at Galilee remained stubbornly locked behind their gates.
Regarding this, Elisia decided to wait for support as previously discussed while seriously contemplating whether she should infiltrate and behead the enemy commander herself.
However, she soon shook her head at that thought.
‘Of course, it’s not impossible for me, but if I do something reckless, it might just raise the enemy’s morale. People can sometimes become braver in the face of death.’
Choosing not to worsen the situation with unnecessary actions, Elisia took a moment to give her soldiers a break while observing the movements around the castle.
And then…
During this newfound free time,
Elisia began to think about a concern that had been troubling her lately: the relationship between her mother, whom she loved most dearly, and the Hero who occupied her thoughts.
‘I’ve sent people out to investigate, so something should come up… but what if my mother really has a connection with the Hero? Of course, it’s true that she’s more mature and beautiful than I am…’
Although her mother, Elias, was nearing 400 years old this year, she still looked remarkably young and beautiful.
Elias had such outstanding beauty that it was hard to believe she was a widow with an adult daughter.
Objectively speaking, any woman of Elias’s caliber would easily catch a man’s eye.
In contrast, Elisia felt insecure about her own appearance, which seemed less mature for her age.
She inevitably gave off more of a sisterly or daughterly vibe rather than that of a lover.
As these thoughts crossed her mind, Elisia found herself unknowingly smiling bitterly.
‘Ha… I can’t believe I’d feel jealousy over my mother’s looks…’
Feeling a strange sense of reality hit her regarding this situation, Elisia let out a deep sigh.
At that moment…
“Elisia! Report!”
“What is it?”
Seeing her subordinate rush in with urgency sparked a slight sense of curiosity in Elisia.
The subordinate immediately began recounting what he had just witnessed.
“A group of enemies has appeared on the western side path. It seems they are trying to enter Galilee Castle.”
“What? Reinforcements have come all the way out here?”
Galilee was essentially isolated like an island in the heart of demon-occupied territory.
Knowing that their situation was not good enough to send support this far made Elisia realize that the appearance of new enemies was truly unexpected.
However,
the subordinate spoke cautiously to her.
“It seems that way, but honestly, I can’t be sure. Their numbers are too few to be considered reinforcements.”
“How many are we talking about?”
“At most, there are barely 100 of them.”
“Only 100?”
Indeed, 100 soldiers seemed far too few compared to the forces inside the castle, so it didn’t seem very significant.
However, it also raised suspicions, so Elisia felt it necessary to gather more details.
“Let’s go check them out; I need to see them with my own eyes and make a judgment.”
“Yes, understood, Elisia.”
Thus, Elisia arrived at the forest path where the enemies were coming in alongside her subordinate.
But right after that, as she carefully moved among the “reinforcements,” she spotted a familiar face.
“That girl is definitely…”
A female paladin appeared to be leading the group.
Elisia recognized her immediately.
She was a member of the Hero party that had invaded the Demon King’s castle in the past and had briefly clashed with Elisia herself.
And…
She was one of the “traitors” who provided a crucial opportunity for the Hero to turn against the Allied Races and join forces with the demons.
As these facts came flooding back,
A cold smile began to form on Elisia’s lips.
What is Elisia planning?