SOTBW - 145

Maximón read Rachel’s letter with a detached expression. The main content was a demand to sever ties with Najane and the announcement that she would soon be coming down to Noctis Fortress.

As Maximón scanned the letter, his eyes narrowed. The date at the bottom was from long ago. It seemed that the supply delays caused by the bandits occupying the lands around Elbision hadn’t just affected goods but had also disrupted mail deliveries.

Everyone at Noctis Fortress knew that Maximón and Najane were deeply connected, but rumors about their relationship had only started circulating about a month ago. Even with the abundance of informants among the nobles active in Noctis, could Rachel really have discovered Najane’s presence so quickly?

It had been less than two weeks since Maximón had begun openly staying by Najane’s side. Unless someone planted by the Rochelle family had reported Najane’s confinement to the mansion, it was difficult to imagine how Rachel could have learned of her so soon.

However, Rachel Rochelle wasn’t the type of person to do such things. She wasn’t one to hide loyal followers or scavenge for information like a rat.

Still, it was clear that someone had informed Rachel of Najane’s presence shortly after she arrived in Romsoa. Judging by the date written on the letter, there was no other plausible explanation.

Maximón reread the contents of the letter slowly. Rachel claimed she would be coming down to Noctis Fortress, but given the lack of follow-up news, she was likely either held up in Elbision or unable to leave the Rochelle Marquisate due to her deteriorating health.

The latter would be preferable, but if it were the former...

Maximón frowned as he wiped the ink stains from his fingers with a handkerchief. Though he didn’t want to admit it, he knew Rachel well.

During his adolescent years under Taylor’s tutelage, Rachel Rochelle was always nearby. That wasn’t to say they shared any sort of friendship.

Rachel was someone who did whatever she set her mind to.

Like Rakhshu Elgort, she was filled with ambition and confidence to become a legendary swordsman—a hero who would be remembered in history. She wasn’t afraid of the grueling training that even adults shied away from. When the Seriths began spreading like a plague, threatening the fate of the Kingdom of Bastronia, Rachel naturally set her sights on becoming the commander of Noctis Fortress.

Many believed Maximón and Rachel would compete for the position of commander. However, Rachel started suffering from an incurable disease that caused her limbs and organs to rot, leading her to lose her sense of self.

Having lived her entire life for one purpose and striving to achieve it, Rachel was inevitably broken when her physical freedom and extraordinary swordsmanship were taken from her.

Faced with a terminal diagnosis, Rachel didn’t have many options. Becoming Maximón’s partner and the wife of the commander must have been a horrifying choice for her, but it was likely the most rational conclusion she could draw at the time.

The position of commander of Noctis Fortress, which determined the fate of the Kingdom of Bastronia, was everything to Rachel. She had unwaveringly believed that fighting with a sword was her entire life.

Maximón, too, saw the benefits of becoming the son-in-law of the Rochelle family, so he became engaged to Rachel. Driven by a desperate determination to cling to life, Rachel was doing everything she could to extend her days, even if it meant becoming the wife of the commander since she could no longer hold that position herself.

Maximón stared at the neatly written letter, then picked up a new pen.

His first thought was to request a dissolution of the engagement. It was uncertain whether the Marquis of Rochelle would agree, given his devotion to fulfilling his only daughter’s wishes, but Maximón couldn’t stand the idea of Najane being hurt because of Rachel.

As he carefully wrote out his request to break the engagement, Maximón frowned slightly. If Rachel had left the Rochelle Marquisate and was heading south, there was a high chance she would be staying in Elbision.

Judging by Rachel’s health, it would likely take three or four months for her to leave the manor and reach Noctis Fortress. The years-long delay in their wedding was also due to her condition.

Because of her incurable disease, which caused her limbs to rot, she constantly had to bathe in holy water and rest until the pain subsided. Without this care, her lifespan would only shorten. Even so, if Rachel was truly on her way to Noctis Fortress...

“This is the worst,” Maximón muttered irritably, recalling Rachel’s fiery personality.

Sealing the completed letter in an envelope, Maximón let out a deep sigh. No matter what Rachel or the Rochelle family decided to do, he had to successfully dissolve the engagement for Najane’s sake.

________________________________________

To the west of Elbision lies a small fortress that has been abandoned for about a decade. Perched atop a hill, the fortress was once the most strategically vital and impregnable stronghold in the region.

Behind it, a sharply twisting river provides natural protection, and the steep incline of the hill makes it difficult even for someone on foot to ascend.

The fortress wasn’t always abandoned. It had once been manned by Elbision’s defense forces, guarding the road leading south. However, when those soldiers were relocated to Noctis Fortress, the stronghold was left deserted.

Elbision lacked enough soldiers to defend its territory, and the few remaining troops were mostly aging veterans. As a result, the bandits who took over the fortress and grew in strength could only be watched helplessly.

Of course, they didn’t just sit idle. When it became clear that the bandits were growing in number, they repeatedly appealed for help to neighboring lords and the king.

However, after being outright rejected or ignored every time, their last resort was to reach out to the fortress at Noctis. The lord of Elbision, clearly embarrassed about relying on Noctis’s aid, promised to provide ample provisions for the punitive force led by Daniel.

Daniel watched the soldiers setting up camp outside the walls of Elbision’s fortress and then stood before its gates. Raising his head slightly, he could see the small, looming fortress in the distance.

Although the fortress had been abandoned, it was still operational. Despite reinforcements being sent from the capital, the reason the bandits couldn’t be eradicated was precisely because of that fortress.

The bandits were far too clever. Most of them were deserters who had fled Noctis, so they knew exactly how to fight advantageously. They had raided supplies nearly twenty times, amassing enough resources to sustain a prolonged siege.

Daniel scratched his head with a troubled expression. Initially, he had assumed there might be around three hundred bandits, but the lord of Elbision revealed that there were no fewer than four thousand bandits entrenched in that fortress. At that number, they weren’t bandits anymore—they were essentially a rebel force.

The lord of Elbision, aware that outside help was necessary to resolve the situation, had underreported the number of bandits out of fear of being held accountable by the king.

Four thousand was no small number. Daniel himself had brought an army of exactly four thousand.

If he couldn’t find a way to breach the fortress, it would inevitably lead to a drawn-out campaign. But spending too much time here wasn’t an option.

Noctis was still embroiled in relentless, harrowing battles every day. Every order had seen five hundred knights conscripted from the field except for Romsoa, yet even the presence or absence of those five hundred made a significant difference.

For the peace of Elbision and the safety of Noctis Fortress, this issue needed to be resolved swiftly.

Daniel stared intently at the fortress before turning away. The current situation was absolutely unfavorable for him.

He needed to either lure the bandits out of the fortress or destroy its walls. Destroying the walls, however, was unrealistic. Even if they set up cannons at the base of the hill, the range wouldn’t be long enough for the cannonballs to reach the fortress.

The best option was to advance to the fortress walls, set up ladders, and climb. But that would inevitably result in significant casualties. For Daniel, who was committed to sending as many soldiers back to Noctis as possible, it was the worst possible tactic.

Daniel entered the soldiers’ camp. Having fought against the Serith, he thought fighting against people wouldn’t be as difficult, but the atmosphere was far worse than he had anticipated.

The soldiers from Elbision had lost all morale, and the soldiers from Noctis—most of them wounded—showed little tension and even less fighting spirit.

Though a wave of despair washed over him, Daniel maintained a calm expression and began organizing his desk. He needed to find a way to break through this situation, no matter what.

As part of Noctis’s punitive force, the soldiers here might prefer to stay longer, but Daniel wanted to finish off the bandits quickly and return to the Romsoa Order to fight alongside his comrades in the field.

Daniel’s expression darkened with deepening concern as he sat in his chair.

There was no one here to consult. He had to think and make all the decisions alone.

He briefly considered using a ruse to lure the bandits out under the pretense of moving supply wagons. But the bandits would have already noticed the arrival of reinforcements at Elbision. These were cunning men, sharp enough to entrench themselves in a fortress and prepare for a siege. They wouldn’t fall for such a shallow ploy.

He needed a strategy that minimized losses and resolved the situation as quickly as possible.

As Daniel racked his brain, he began formulating ways to bait the bandits out of the fortress. He desperately wanted to avoid unnecessary casualties among his troops.

The soldiers of Elbision, numbering only about a hundred, couldn’t be relied on for help. The punitive force he had brought from Noctis was his only option for dealing with the situation.

“Excuse me.”

At that moment, a woman’s voice came from outside the tent. Startled, Daniel lifted his chin from where he had been propping it on his hand and looked toward the tent’s entrance. The voice came again, clear and polite:

“Excuse me, Sir Luamars. May I come in?”

Startled, Daniel quickly rose from his seat and pulled aside the tent flap. There, standing before him, was a woman with neatly tied hair. When she saw Daniel, she smiled brightly and greeted him with a polite bow.

The woman was dressed in a maid’s outfit. Assuming she must have been sent by the lord of Elbision, Daniel blinked in confusion. The woman, still smiling, introduced herself:

“I apologize for arriving so suddenly. My name is Popin, a maid in service to the Rochelle family. My master has expressed a strong desire to meet with the commander of the punitive force.”

“The Rochelle family? As in the Marquis of Rochelle?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Popin handed Daniel the invitation she was holding.

Daniel opened it on the spot and read its contents.

“Lady Rachel of the Rochelle family is staying in Elbision? Isn’t she unwell? Why is she here?”

“That is a private matter, so I’m afraid I can’t disclose it…”

Popin smiled awkwardly, seemingly uncomfortable.

Daniel fiddled with the invitation, his expression complicated. Rachel was the fiancée of Maximón.

Inevitably, Najane came to mind. If Rachel was in Elbision, it likely meant she planned to pass through here on her way to Noctis Fortress.

Could it be because of Maximón and Najane’s relationship?

Daniel couldn’t help but look at Popin with a troubled gaze.

“Why is she inviting me to dinner?”

“My lady mentioned that she has something she’d like to discuss with you, Sir Luamars.”

“What does she want to talk about?”

“I don’t know the details, but I believe it’s related to the bandits occupying the area around Elbision.”

If Rachel knew something about the bandits, it wouldn’t hurt to hear her out. It would also give him an opportunity to find out why she left the Marquisate of Rochelle to come here.

Tucking the invitation away, Daniel spoke kindly to Popin.

“I’ll meet with Lady Rachel tomorrow at noon. It must’ve been hard coming all the way here in the cold. You should hurry back.”

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness. Then, I’ll see you tomorrow at noon.”

After a polite bow, Popin left the camp. Daniel watched her retreating figure and, once again, found himself unsettled by the relationship between Maximón and Rachel. He rubbed his forehead, feeling uneasy.

However, there was no time to dwell on Maximón and Najane. The weight of the enormous task that had to be resolved was pressing heavily on Daniel’s shoulders.

Still holding the invitation, Daniel stared in the direction Popin had disappeared, then turned and went back into his tent.

By now, the sunset was painting the sky beyond the western hills.

In Elbision, a land seething with chaos caused by the bandits’ atrocities, the pitch-black night slowly began to take hold.