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Chapter: 86

The forces I called in from Misa Fortress and Yeoan Fortress numbered 2,000. I sent some of them back and called in additional troops from all over the Northern Region.

In this way, I was able to secure a total of 10,000 troops without much difficulty.

As the situation changed, the tide of the war began to turn little by little.

I deployed half of the 10,000 and kept the other half as reserves. I also planned to select the best among them and send them to the monster’s territory.

In any case, the defensive line of the wall became more robust.

I wasn\'t the only one who felt this newfound breathing room.

If even I could sense the change in the war situation, the commanders and soldiers must have also felt which way the tide was turning.

Perhaps that\'s why the atmosphere improved considerably.

The fact that they could now mourn the deaths of their comrades was proof of that.

Just a few moments ago, a comrade who had been fighting alongside them had become a gruesome corpse.

A few days ago, they would have forced themselves to look away and focus only on the enemy ahead.

The atmosphere after dawn had also changed. Whether the battle was ongoing or had ended, the gloomy air that had remained unchanged had shifted. Now, when morning came, voices of comfort and mourning could be heard.

It wasn\'t exactly good news, but it was much better than the despair of not seeing an end to this situation.

"So, I\'m thinking of pushing the front line forward."

In the conference hall, when I spoke, the commanders\' eyes widened. Some elders coughed repeatedly, as if they were choking.

The Wolhan Fortress Lord spoke.

"Would you please explain your plan in detail?"

What I had in mind was to select less than 1,000 elite soldiers and send them down below the wall. I told them exactly that.

"And I intend to take command."

"Ahem..."

An elder cleared his throat. All eyes turned to him.

"May this old man speak his mind?"

"Go ahead."

Well, I didn\'t think there wouldn\'t be a single person to object. It would have been too optimistic to think they would let me do whatever I wanted.

This was the umpteenth time I\'d spoken in this conference hall, and did I really think there wouldn\'t be a single word of opposition?

Still, the elder\'s following words weren\'t a major objection.

"I am not opposed to reorganizing the front line further north, but in this old man\'s opinion, there are two problems."

"What are they?"

"The first is that it may be too dangerous for Your Highness to take command."

The elder who said that added in a flustered tone, "Of course, I do not doubt Your Highness\'s bravery."

Yeah. Of course. Who doubts who?

"Obviously, I have no intention of dying there."

The elder gasped in horror, "Please don\'t say such frightening things."

"I was joking. What\'s the second?"

"...Secondly, after reorganizing the front line, the changed front line may become too distant."

I nodded.

"If the distance is too far for cover from the top of the wall, wouldn\'t that make Your Highness even more vulnerable?"

"In other words, you want me to stay put? Both reasons boil down to that one thing, don\'t they? You\'re worried I\'ll get hurt, right?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

The elder honestly confessed his true intentions. I took my eyes off the elder and scanned the officials in the conference hall.

They all seemed to agree with the elder.

"Hmm."

They\'re worried about my safety, what can I do about this? They\'re telling me not to get hurt, I can\'t exactly hurl insults at them, can I?

But I\'m in a position where I need to gain achievements.

"No. I\'m going."

And immediately, groans followed. I felt a little awkward when I heard long sighs from all over the place.

"Please reconsider."

"There is no reason why Your Highness must be the vanguard."

"No. There\'s no reconsideration. I\'ve already made up my mind."

One of the commanders interjected in an irritated tone, "If something were to happen to Your Highness, the repercussions would be irreversible."

I responded nonchalantly, "You\'re not even from Wolhan Fortress, so why are you so worked up?"

What was that guy\'s name again? Was it Gyo-hyeon?

"Have you forgotten that you said origin doesn\'t matter? It\'s dangerous."

How does he remember that? It was just a passing remark.

We\'re not even that close, what the...

"I know my life is precious too. I have the sense to retreat when I judge it to be dangerous."

"If that judgment rests solely on Your Highness, then this humble servant dares to voice his opposition," the Wolhan Fortress Lord spoke. It was a bit of a shock.

Even the Wolhan Fortress Commander, whom I thought would be on my side, betrayed me.

"I\'ll listen to advice to that extent. I\'m not that unreasonable."

Then the Wolhan Fortress Lord didn\'t object any further. Good. One down.

"It cannot be. It\'s dangerous. It would be better to appoint a military officer from the capital as commander and have Your Highness give orders directly."

I shook my head.

"No way. Do you want me to miss all the demonic beasts while going back and forth?"

Is he trying to kill me with frustration?

"Or what, instead of telling me to order someone, why don\'t you try recommending a suitable commander? Let\'s say I give up. Then who should we send instead of me?"

There were also commanders from each fortress in this conference hall. I made eye contact with them.

None of them raised their hands or stood up. It could be that they lacked courage, but the biggest reason they didn\'t step forward was this.

Standing up here would be no different than declaring themselves a better general than me.

The elders, sensing the situation, let out sighs of dismay.

"Well, haven\'t you all had enough of me by now?"

No words of denial followed.

* * *

The next day, as soon as the battle ended and morning dawned, I gathered all the troops.

When the 10,000-strong army gathered together, it felt like the horizon wasn\'t far away.

The heat of the battle hadn\'t yet subsided, so the densely packed soldiers were probably hot.

I put my helmet back on after taking it off right after the battle ended, and stepped onto the platform where the commanders were lined up.

As I stood on the platform, I could see all the assembled soldiers at a glance.

The sight of 10,000 soldiers, each lined up and waiting for orders, was quite majestic. The morning sunlight glinted off the soldiers\' armor and helmets.

It was like a scene of shimmering silver waves. Above the silver waves, the unit flags fluttered in the wind.

But unlike what they appeared to be, their inner selves were probably cursing me.

Sleepy and tired, they\'re probably wondering why I gathered them when I could just let them go.

I\'ve also been a soldier once, so I understand that feeling very well.

But it\'s okay. There\'s a saying that those who are cursed a lot live long.

It feels like my lifespan is getting longer. Should I stall a little more then? To get cursed at even more.

I took a deep breath.

"Alright."

As I opened my mouth, the soldiers standing in front raised their heads.

Seeing that, the soldiers behind them raised their heads, and the soldiers behind them raised their heads as well.

It was like watching waves.

1,000 of these soldiers would come with me.

In the name of an elite force.

But I wasn\'t going to pick them solely based on their skills.

This is because, while it\'s good to carefully select those with good skills, I believe their own will comes first.

I started off casually.

"You\'ve all worked hard."

As I said that, I could feel the commanders standing next to me looking at the side of my head. Their gazes were piercing my temples.

"But it\'s not the end. We still have a long way to go before we see the end. I believe you all know that."

Even though they probably couldn\'t hear me well, it seemed like even the soldiers in the back row were looking intently at me.

Being a prince is so great. I haven\'t even said much, yet so many eyes are on me.

If I\'m mistaken... never mind.

"We will continue to fight. And there will be an end someday. I have decided to hasten that end."

I could sense the soldiers stirring at my words. They began to murmur.

With so many people, some degree of murmuring was necessary. They would be relaying my words to those behind them.

"The front line will be reorganized. How? By pushing forward."

There were those who had fought at Wolhan Fortress from the beginning, but there were more who had joined in the middle.

They would probably doubt me even more than the soldiers who originally belonged to Wolhan Fortress.

There was only one way to erase that doubt.

"Until I die, or until the demonic beasts that threaten your families no longer appear. We will push the front line forward."

Putting my life on the line.

The commotion among the soldiers grew much louder.

"I will stand at the very front. Is there anyone who will watch my back and follow me? Those who wish to volunteer for the subjugation unit, please step forward voluntarily. I will not force you. I want your voluntary resolve."

When I finished speaking, the murmuring of the soldiers subsided. And silence fell.

Instead, the commanders standing near me were greatly flustered.

"Y-Your Highness?"

"Didn\'t you say \'elite\'?"

I nodded and answered.

"That\'s right."

"But why volunteers...?"

"Even if they are the elite of the elite, if they look like they\'re going to the slaughterhouse, I\'ll reject them."

Let me tell you a little about myself.

After Blood Cloud Fortress fell, I ran for my life. And I survived for quite a long time. So did those who followed me.

But was that because I was as amazing as the guy who was chasing me?

That Jincheon guy.

Of course not. That bastard was literally insane. To the extent that he could treat someone like me as just mediocre.

But I\'m a stubborn bastard.

Just like when I struggled to revive Blood Cloud Fortress, I needed someone who would struggle too.

"By the way, if it doesn\'t work out, I\'m just going to die out there."

I raised my hand and pointed to the northern wall, beyond it to demonic territory.

"Your Highness...?"

I heard some of the commanders call out to me in horror, but I ignored them.

"Not that I\'m planning to die though."

Then I heard what sounded like sighs of relief.

No matter what, would I really die?

I\'m not really planning to die either. No, wouldn\'t it be impossible for me to die? I even survived after dying at the hands of that bastard Jincheon.

And if you ask me what\'s scarier, a fully grown Jincheon or a demonic beast, it\'s obviously the former.

If there was a choice between that guy with a sword and a starving demonic beast, I would run towards the demonic beast without looking back.

I grinned and asked, "Anyway, any volunteers who want to join me?"