78

‘I thought I knew how it would go at first…’

Hamel muttered softly as he surveyed the battlefield.

When they arrived at Northwatch, the weather had turned foul.

A blizzard raged, making it impossible to see an inch ahead.

Hamel, hurrying toward the castle, suddenly halted the horses and spoke.

“All dismount.”

“What? Now?”

“Yes.”

Hamel dismounted first and said.

“There is fighting about four hundred meters to the east. Beyond that hill.”

“…How do you know that?”

“I heard it.”

Hamel answered calmly.

As if it were the most natural thing.

The soldiers could not hide their bewilderment.

A violent blizzard was blowing.

All they could hear was the roaring of the wind.

To hear sound from hundreds of meters away and even pinpoint its direction in such conditions.

Even those who had lived as rangers their whole lives would shake their heads.

But the soldiers’ faith in Hamel was sky-high.

Thus the soldiers dismounted and armed themselves without delay.

“How many enemies?”

Daniel asked quietly.

Hamel slowly shook his head in reply.

“The engagement doesn’t seem very large, but I don’t know the details.”

“The situation isn’t that good.”

Daniel looked disappointed.

And for good reason—the vanguard were all cavalry.

Their strength came when they were on a horseback.

It’s natural that cavalry overwhelm infantry in mobility and destructive power.

Moreover, the wild men who didn’t herd animals had no cavalry.

Therefore measures against cavalry were also inadequate.

It’s no wonder the North raised cavalry and knights as their main force.

‘But now is not a good time for a mounted charge.’

The blizzard ruined visibility and the snow had piled deep.

They couldn’t tell what the terrain was under the snow, and the horses might slip.

In that case, horses could be injured or riders could be unseated.

“Close up the gaps to the sides and front and advance. Follow me.”

The moment they crested the hill ahead.

The scene he had heard about unfolded before Hamel’s eyes.

“Kyaaah!”

A ranger clutching his leg and screaming.

And dozens of wild men charging at him.

And about ten ranger comrades watching helplessly.

Hamel did not hesitate.

Whoosh

The dagger he had received from Sturnhelm flew instantly.

The dagger struck the neck of a wild man who had raised an axe, even through the whipping blizzard.

“Draw blades, all of you. Rescue the allies ahead and neutralize the enemies.”

“Aye!”

Clang

The cold sound of metal pierced the blizzard and struck their eardrums.

Now the knights at the front could make out the enemies’ forms.

They simply marveled at Hamel’s tracking ability.

The enemies were bewildered by a dagger that had flown from somewhere.

The visibility was still terrible.

The blizzard hid their presence, their footsteps, even their shapes.

To them, it must have seemed as if a large force had suddenly appeared.

The knights realized the wild men were not few, but they were not afraid.

Because before them walked a silver-haired priest with calm steps.

“You’ve done well.”

Hamel tapped the shoulder of the man who seemed to be the ranger captain and passed by.

The ranger who had barely survived blinked as if he couldn’t comprehend the situation.

With those words, Hamel leapt into the battlefield ahead of anyone else.

He filled his legs with aura and drove them into the ground.

His ears heard the sharp ripping sound of air.

High-speed movement using aura had been Daniel’s specialty, but Hamel could now execute it smoothly as well.

For a moment, Hamel’s charge, faster than a horse, was a nightmare for the enemies.

“Huh?”

One wild man stared blankly at Hamel, who had just appeared before him.

Thunk

At the same instant, the wild man’s vision went dark.

This was not the only one to experience it.

Those who saw Hamel.

And those who did not.

All equally lost consciousness.

The only one who could watch it to the end was a rookie ranger with a wounded leg.

“Th… what is this.”

The rookie ranger gasped.

For Hamel hadn’t drawn a sword from its scabbard.

He simply swung the sword while still in its scabbard, lightly striking the wild men’s necks.

That alone sent the wild men collapsing to the ground like dolls with cut strings.

To the ranger’s eyes, it looked like magic.

‘There’s no need to kill them, after all.’

Hamel swung the sword calmly as he advanced.

In any case, one swing of the sword was enough to subdue them.

He wanted to avoid killing if possible.

Hamel was a priest, not a soldier, and defending the border was not his duty.

In truth, the wild men were merely defined as enemies by the Empire; they were people like any other.

“Take those who surrender alive.”

“Yes! Take the surrenderers alive!”

The soldiers passed Hamel’s words along the line.

Surprisingly, the fight was brief.

The wild men were equally exhausted by the weather.

They were hungry and worn out, and above all their morale had collapsed due to the sudden raid.

Their boldness toward the rangers had been driven by the hope that even if some died, the rest might survive.

But the effortless display Hamel showed was overwhelming.

No barbarian was eager to fight a losing battle.

And the word that captives would be spared carried beyond the blizzard.

Although Hamel had not intended it, that became the spark that prompted their surrender.

Thunk

“P-please, just spare us…”

One by one the wild men dropped their weapons and raised their hands.

The vanguard simply walked among them and calmly restrained them.

Despite being outnumbered five to one by Hamel’s vanguard, the wild men all surrendered.

Thirty minutes after the engagement.

No more screams were heard on the battlefield.

At that moment, the blizzard began to abate.

Rupert approached Hamel and reported.

“Post-battle damage report. Total wounded: twenty-four. No fatalities.”

“Well done. Where are the wounded?”

“This way.”

Hamel approached the wounded and offered a prayer.

Those from whose bodies Azure Flame blossomed rose with expressions as if waking from a dream.

Especially the severely wounded, whose injuries healed in an instant, even shed tears.

“Thank you. Thank you, mr. priest.”

“You’re welcome.”

Hamel nodded indifferently and checked on the other patients.

Every member of the vanguard watching this thought the same.

It was unlikely, but they wished Hamel would lead them.

And…

‘I certainly do not want to meet him as an enemy.’

Some officer-ranked knights, including Rupert, raised bitter smiles.

Monsters that could turn the tide of battle merely by appearing on the field.

People called them “asymmetric forces.”

Typical examples would be a sword master or an archmage.

Hamel’s current display was nothing short of an asymmetric force.

---

By the time Hamel finished treating the wounded.

A man approached Hamel.

“I’m Caesar, senior ranger of Northwatch. Thank you for saving us.”

“Hamel Saint Gilmore. You’ve done well.”

“…!”

Caesar flinched at Hamel’s introduction.

It was because the man before him was the hero popular among troubadours these days.

But he soon understood.

‘Well, that earlier was… beyond the rumors. I had thought the songs were exaggerated.’

It was at that moment that Caesar nodded.

Hamel calmly asked about the situation.

“You must have heard about the raid. Why were you outside?”

The question was valid.

A ranger unit was by no means a small force.

It was a big problem that those who should have been preparing for an attack inside Northwatch Castle were outside.

Caesar bowed his head deeply and answered.

“I’m sorry. We were protecting people who had not yet taken refuge in the castle.”

“You bought time, then. You fought bravely.”

“…Yes? Is that all?”

“Do you have something more to say?”

Hamel and Caesar looked at each other in puzzlement.

In the North, where sacrificing a few for the many was accepted, Caesar’s actions might have drawn rebuke, but with Hamel it was different.

From Hamel’s viewpoint, Caesar’s actions for the refugees were the right choice.

Caesar was greatly moved by Hamel’s reaction.

He felt that the sacrifices of him and his men had been acknowledged.

He suppressed his emotion and brought up another subject.

“…No. More importantly, the wild men’s chieftain says he has something to tell you.”

“To me?”

Hamel tilted his head and followed Caesar.

There sat a giant, about twice the size of the other wild men, glaring at Hamel.

“You are wounded.”

“He resisted to the end. He was skilled enough to give us trouble.”

Daniel, standing beside him, shrugged his shoulders.

If Daniel said that much, it meant the man had the strength of an advanced knight.

Considering their crude weapons and armor, he must be quite capable.

Hamel looked down at the chieftain and asked.

“I heard you have something to say to me.”

“Yes. Are you the leader of these people? Then I’ll give you a warning. It’s better to empty the castle and withdraw while I’m speaking nicely.”

“Why?”

Hamel asked expressionlessly.

The chieftain sneered and threatened.

“In about three days our main force will arrive. Ten thousand strong, united from many clans. That little castle can be swept away in a day.”

“…By all means, continue.”

Thinking Hamel was afraid, the chieftain grew bolder and shouted.

“Do not oppose us and no one will be harmed. We only wish to go south. Or better yet, why not have your Northern forces join us? I hear the Empire’s eastern lands are rich!”

Hamel watched him quietly.

The chieftain thought Hamel was considering it.

He imagined he might be persuaded.

But Hamel’s next words shattered his hopes.

“First, you are mistaken about something. In two days, the North’s protector Raikard will arrive here leading soldiers himself.”

“…Ra-Raikard!”

At the mention of Raikard, a name already like a nightmare to the wild men, the chieftain’s face went pale.

That was not all.

Hamel continued speaking.

“And I’m not actually of the North. I’m the lord of the east of the Empire and a priest.”

“…Gasp!”

In short, the chieftain had made an absurd proposal.

He had suggested leaving the North alone to strike below, yet the owner of that very estate stood before him.

The chieftain could only squeeze his eyes shut with a shock-white face.

“…Kill him.”

“There will be no killing.”

“…?”

The chieftain wore a baffled expression.

Hamel spoke calmly.

“Didn’t I say earlier? I’m a priest. I have no intention of needless killing.”

“…!”

The chieftain widened his eyes in surprise.

He had thought it a shallow trick to disorient them, but did he truly mean not to kill?

Having been treated so differently from the Northern forces until now, the chieftain could not easily dispel his suspicion.

But Hamel truly seemed to have no such intention.

“So is that the end of it? I’m planning to head to the castle soon.”

Hamel rose and prepared to leave.

The chieftain hurriedly called after him.

“W-wait.”

“…?”

“You really… will spare us?”

“I’ll ask Lord Raikard on your behalf. Besides, the North has recently lost many of its estate’s people.”

Hamel thought it quite possible.

This era was like that everywhere, but especially in the North manpower was wealth.

Many citizens in Lonelybirch had been killed or injured.

From the North’s perspective, in need of replenishment, they couldn’t afford to be picky about whether they were wild men.

If luck favored them they’d become domain residents, otherwise slaves, but better than death.

Hearing Hamel’s reply, the chieftain hesitated, then spoke with difficulty.

“I have more of my people. May we bring them as well?”

“…You mean there are more of your forces?”

Hamel flinched and replied.

They already had overwhelmingly more captives than Hamel’s soldiers could manage, and now there were more.

The chieftain, noticing his expression, shook his head and said.

“You needn’t worry. I guarantee it.”

“…Let’s go.”

Hamel followed behind the bound chieftain, together with Daniel.

They walked for some time.

There was a cave some distance from the battlefield.

Entering there, Hamel could not speak easily.

“….”

People.

Hundreds of unarmed civilians.

The people, startled to see Hamel, pressed themselves like frightened mice against the cave wall.

The chieftain looked at them and gave a wry smile.

“They are my people. Children and the elderly.”

“….”

Hamel began to understand why tens of thousands of wild men had gathered.

This was not a large-scale invasion by the wild men.

‘…This is.’

A refugee procession.