The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne

Chapter 167: The Lost Sword Saint

Around the time Leo arrived in Rostock.

The imperial army was deployed further to the east.

This unit was dispatched from the Northern Border Defense Force that protects the northern border.

Leading that unit is Gordon who was appointed as the vice-general of the defense force.

The order he received was to monitor the movement of the Spirit Turtle and rescue as many civilians as possible.

However.

Just now..what did you say!?

At the command center, Sonia slammed the desk as she stood before Gordon.

That was how unbelievable Gordons order was.

Dont make me repeat myself. We will not deploy our troops

Have you not heard of the report that there are many villages in the forest!?

I heard it.

Then we should be dispatching a rescue unit right now!

The monsters are rampaging because of the Spirit Turtles movement. Dispatching our men would incur a considerable loss. This is no time to be wasting human resources.

Saying so, Gordon puts his arms together and looks at Sonia who is voicing her opinion.

Gordon was separated from his aides since he was appointed to the northern defense. As a result, he is utilizing Sonia as a valuable human resource despite her failure in the south.

Sonia who had lost the will to live after facing failure after failure regained her energy after seeing the crisis that befell the people and tried to get Gordon to dispatch the troops but she was rejected.

A waste..? Isnt it exactly the duty of the military to protect the citizens!?

My duty is to my subordinates.

Isnt that just self-justification! Your Highness was given a command to save as many lives as you could! Swinging your sword to protect the people would be helping your subordinates! That is what you should be doing!

This is my decision. I will not change that.

Saying so, Gordon waved her away as if she was a nuisance.

Seeing that, the guard grabs Sonias arm but Sonia glares at the guard with a bloodcurdling expression.

Release me.

!.

..Your Highness. This is your last chance. You must immediately dispatch a rescue unit. That is the way for you to become an emperor.

Annoying. I will not participate in a worthless fight.

Hearing that, Sonia let out a deep sigh.

If you are aiming for the throne, the natural course of action would be saving the people. At the very least, you must show that you are doing everything in your power to do so.

If you become an emperor, you must help the people. That is what an emperor is.

However, Gordon doesnt have the people in his eyes. He only thinks about his own subordinates. His reason is that he sees them as what he needs to win the succession war.

But if you dont protect the people that you dont need, you will not be able to become the emperor.

As I thought, you are not suitable for the throne..

Whether I am suitable or not is not for you to decide.

That might be so, but I will never recognize you as an emperor. Since you are not protecting the people I wont even recognize you as a soldier. Youre disqualified both as a soldier and a prince.

Gordon doesnt make a move against what Sonia said.

He could cut her head off on the spot but that would be a waste. If she is going to die then it would be better if her death could benefit him.

Seeing through his thought process, Sonia suggested an idea.

I will lead the troops out myself. It will only be those who volunteer. You will be able to get rid of me and the subordinates who annoy you all at once, everyone will see that you have put in a minimum effort as well. How about that?

Hou? You are planning to die for me huh?

It is not for you..I.am only doing what I can.

It was the word Grau said to her.

Sonia, who was told to do what she could, has been struggling with it for a long time.

What could she have done? What can she do now?

Thinking of such questions, Sonia looked back at her fathers teaching. Sonias father taught her strategies. It was both to help Sonia and the people.

Like how he helped Sonia, her father was a strategist who always worked for the good of the people.

That is why Sonia admires the appearance of her father.

However, after her family got taken hostage, Sonia was getting farther and farther away from the image of the step-father she adores.

She was always developing a fifty-fifty plan that would be fine no matter what the result is.

It was a convenient way for her to make excuses and it was far away from what her father had taught her.

What would her father do?

Surely, he would do what is best for the people.

What she has been doing until now was like an opportunist. That was why Grau reprimanded her.

Even though she did not do everything that she could, she wanted to be saved.

Not only will no one come to save her, she will not be able to save anyone.

What Sonia, who was once prepared to face her death, set her sight on is clear. Simply commit herself for the people. To act in the way that her father wouldnt be ashamed of.

Even if that action will cost her, her fathers life.

This strategyit is for the people. If your sword is true then you should be swinging it for the people as well. Victory will not come to those who forget that. Just like I was.

I am different from you. Death will not stop me. Just go off and die if you like. For my sake that is.

Sonia realizes that her words no longer have any meaning and turns her heels.

Then, she gathered all the soldiers and recruited the volunteers.

Among 3,000 soldiers under Gordon, only 37 volunteered to rescue the civilians with Sonia.

Given that this is Gordons unit, the number is surprisingly high.

With Sonia as the lead, they made their way toward the forest.

-

Sonias rescue unit was attacked by a large number of monsters once they entered the forest.

Due to the movement of the Spirit Turtle, the survival instincts of these monsters made them aggressive and confused.

Currently, Sonias unit is trying to evacuate the citizens out of the forest while intercepting the monsters pursuit.

It is just a little further! Dont stop running!

Sonia found a group of fleeing villagers and successfully protected them from the monsters.

The number of villagers is more than fifty.

It is a number that is too much for Sonias unit to protect while fighting off the monsters, but Sonia still guides them out of the forest while giving her unit appropriate instructions.

Ojii-san. Im sorry, please try your best. Just a little more.

(TLN: Old man)

No, no, I am fine. Are you alright yourself young lady?

Sonia speaks with an old dwarven man who joined up with the group of villagers she is protecting. The old man seemed to be lost by himself in the forest so Sonia took him under her protection.

She is worried about the old man because he is carrying a short white cane with him, but each time she asks him if he is okay, he always answers that he is fine.

But despite being an elf, you are so kind, young lady.

Eh?

I am a dwarf so its been a while since I met a kind young elf lady like you. You are nice, young lady.

Iam a half-elf.

Hearing him mention the elves, Sonia told him so with a dejected expression.

But after the old dwarfs eyes went round for a moment, he smiled.

I see, I see. I understand now. Elves are beautiful and good at magic but they are quite exclusive. That being the case, you also have the blood of a human, young lady. That is why you are beautiful, good at magic, and kind like a human. You have all of their good parts right.

Good parts.?

His reply was unexpected for Sonia.

After all, she had never met anyone who sees the existence of a half-elf like her in such a good light.

Moreover, he is a dwarf, a race that has a cat and dog relationship with the elves.

Ojii-san.you dont hate the elves?

There are guys I dont like. But among the elves, there are good folks as well. Humans are the same. It would be too narrow-minded to generalize them all as a race.

I seeOjii-san, you are kind.

Kind huh..I dont know about that. I have been living the way I like. Listening to the voices, following it, traveling by it. I dont think that doing whatever I pleased is the same as being kind. That being said, there is no doubt that you are kind, young lady.

I..Im not kind.

You are. You are protecting others while putting your life on the line after all.

That is becauseI am a soldier.

She doesnt formally belong to the military.

However, Sonia consciously considered herself as a soldier. Just like how her father was.

She wanted to be a soldier who protected the people.

That is not something that you should lump together like that. If there is a good soldier, a bad one must exist as well. You are a good soldier, young lady. You are wearing that uniform with this nations coat of arms. You must know well of its meaning.

The old man smiles at Sonia.

He then turns his sight ahead.

The place he is looking at is the edge of the forest.

Sonia and the others rushed and made it out of the forest.

However, what she is seeing is a fierce battle between Leos group and the monsters. From Sonias groups point of view, the battle is diagonal to their right. Seeing the battle so up close, the villagers are frightened.

This is.

For a moment, Sonia didnt understand what was happening but she immediately sorted out the situation.

The knights are fighting monsters and spread their front to the right.

They are probably trying to prevent the monsters from going behind them.

That information is enough for her to make the decision.

Run straight at them! Dont turn back!!

Sonia said and instructed her men to spread out to form a line.

This is to prevent the advance of the monsters that are pursuing behind them.

If they are maintaining a line of defense there, it means that behind them is a safe zone.

She has to take the villagers there.

Judging so, Sonia has all her soldiers take out their bow.

Nock the arrow and wait for my signal! Now, run!

Responding to Sonias words, the villagers suppress their fear and start running.

Meanwhile, the old man was looking over the other side of the forest.

Ojii-san, hurry!

Umu, it seems that is the direction I wanted to go.

It is impossible to get there right now! Please hurry!

Sonia forces the old man on the horse she was riding and makes the horse run to the defense line.

OOh! Young lady! Isnt this a little reckless?

Its fineI will definitely protect you.

Sonia said so and lures the monsters toward her men.

Then, at the last minute, she gave the signal.

Fire!!

She also shoots out a fire attack magic herself as her men release their arrows at the monsters.

The salvo scare off the monsters.

At the same time, Sonia continues to command her men.

Ten steps back!!

Widening the distance, her men prepare for the next shot.

This is an effective way to buy time.

However, it is not the best strategy for the situation.

It could be said that this is a strategy that abandons their own safety but this is the plan Sonia chose.

A half-hearted measure can not save anyone.

Right now, civilian safety is her top priority. If they can clear that objective, they can struggle to break through this situation if they still have power left.

I will see it through to the end today!

Sonia repeats her interception tactics and lures the monsters toward them.

Thanks to that, most of the monsters turned their attention toward them.

Leo and his subordinates who have been freed from the battle move in to protect the villagers from Sonias group.

Among the people who moved in to protect the civilians, Lynfia raises her voice in surprise.

Ojii-san?

Oh! Isnt it the kind young lady I met back then! How are you doing?

Lynfia is confused by the old dwarf who speaks so loudly even though he is being chased by monsters.

He was the old man who got lost in the south. Why is he here?

Why are you here?

I was thinking about finishing my old business you see. It was going well until I entered the forest but I ended up getting lost in it for a week. That was quite a hardship you know.

For a week? Why didnt you take a guide with you

Its hard to find nice and kind people. When I was troubled about what to do, the young lady over there helped me out you see.

Saying so, the old man points at Sonia who is being surrounded by monsters.

Seeing that, Leo immediately reacted.

That womanShe is..

You know her eh? Prince Leonard.

Eh, ah, we are not acquaintances or anythingUm, have we met somewhere before?

I met you once when you were still a kid. Is your father doing well? Recently, the management of this country isnt going quite well though.

Eh, ah, Yes. he is fine but

A country ridden with sadness is no good. A country would be better if no voice calls for me.

The old man slowly got off the horse and looked forward while carrying his white cane.

Within his sight, Sonias group is being surrounded by a large number of monsters. It is no longer possible for them to escape.

Then, the old man lightly swings his white cane and pulls out a katana from inside of it.

Taking a stance, the old man mutters.

[That Guy] will notice so I dont want to swing it too much but.I will not abandon the people that are waiting for my help.

Saying so, the old man casually swings his katana.

No, it simply looked like that but in fact, he has already swung his katana many times with a speed that could be called God Speed.

Then, the slashes that occurred from that accurately cut all the monsters surrounding Sonias group.

Seeing the monsters in front of her fall down in an instant, Sonia looks in surprise at the origin of the slashing attack. The old dwarf stood calmly there.

You are?

My name is Egor. SS-rank adventurer, Egor. People call me [The Lost Sword Saint]. I have come to defeat the Spirit Turtle.

Saying so, the old dwarf cheerfully laughs.

(TLN: The Lost Sword Saint is not a cool name or anything, he simply always ended up lost.)