The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 256
All my vassals were gathered at the base.
Some were vomiting, seemingly nauseated from experiencing teleportation scroll for the first time.
When I appeared, Yumir approached.
“Young master! Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
Although my stomach was a bit queasy, it was much better than when I first used the teleportation scroll.
“Ars, what are we going to do now?”
Ash asks with a troubled face.
“We have no choice. We have to retreat.”
The subjugation failed. That meant we also had to issue retreat orders to the external personnel who served as decoys.
Sophia immediately began that task.
She shot colorful flares into the sky while making a sad face at the sight of the magic stones that had been depleted by more than half.
It was both a signal of mission failure and a signal to retreat.
I immediately instructed Gaspar as well.
“Gaspar, please enter alert status immediately. The enemy might attack this place right away. Everyone else prepare to retreat! We’ll quickly leave this base!”
We had to move quickly since there were carriages with babies staying at this base.
“Ars, should we have the carriages with the babies depart first?”
I shook my head at Gunther’s question.
“Right now the external personnel are in the middle of retreating so the surroundings are chaotic. We might be attacked by monsters. We’ll move in formation to escort the children’s carriages.”
Everyone didn’t seem discouraged despite being defeated troops. It was thanks to having no casualties.
However, their vigilance towards the dungeon seemed to have clearly increased.
This defeat must have been shocking to those who thought dungeons weren’t anything special.
They could rationalize it by saying it couldn’t be helped since the enemy had far greater numbers, but in the end, it was that single white-armor elf who annihilated us.
“Elaine, can we talk for a moment?”
Elena signals to me with her eyes, seemingly wanting to talk about that white-armor elf.
Beato also seems to have grasped their identity and looks like she wants to discuss it immediately.
“Later. Retreat comes first right now.”
After getting ready, we hastily began leaving the forest.
I thought it wouldn’t be difficult to get out since we knew the way we came, but this was a big mistake.
“…Stop!”
Gaspar, who was leading the front, noticed something strange and stopped the carriage procession.
He headed toward a nearby tree and touched a marking carved there.
Soon he tells me.
“Ars, looks like we’ve fallen into a trap. We’re going in circles in the same place.”
“…Tch!”
It seemed to be that strange formation again. Since this is a dungeon made of magic, there’s a possibility that the destroyed stone pillars were instantly restored.
“Can’t be helped. For now, I’ll use Teleportation Skill with this place as our base.”
“That would be reasonable. There’s a high chance of enemy attack after all.”
However, the enemy was already right upon us.
Phwip! Arrows flying from somewhere pierced the heads of the horses pulling the carriages. This caused the carriage procession to come to a halt.
“Everyone prepare for battle! The enemy is coming!”
At my command, everyone showed their fighting spirit in their own way.
While mages like Erina and Leitin were terrified, the frontline personnel were bristling with killing intent.
They were burning with fighting spirit as if now that teleportation scroll was meaningless, this was the real battle.
“Khah! A battle where lives are at stake, now this is getting exciting…!”
“I agree.”
Gaspar and Master Ilya emanating murderous battle spirit.
Not just Ash and Gunther, but Eonia and I were the same.
For us who had wandered battlefields, this situation wasn’t pressure at all. On the contrary, we were filled with the momentum to devour them.
“How can such people…”
“Am-amazing.”
Rinoa and Anduha were overwhelmed by that spirit and couldn’t continue speaking.
Swish! Ancient elves appearing one by one. They established an encirclement and slowly closed in.
The enemy overwhelmingly outnumbered us. They even brought monsters from subjugated dungeons, their numbers reaching several hundred.
‘This is bad…’
I couldn’t see any breakthrough.
‘At this rate we’ll be annihilated. What should I do?’
At that moment, the encirclement stopped and the white-armor elf who had annihilated us stepped to the front.
She began saying something toward us.
Beato tried to interpret this somehow but failed. The enemy raises their hand as if about to give the order to attack.
At that moment.
“That’s far enough.”
It was a dry voice. The old man who owned that voice slowly walked out while leaning on his staff.
An old man who suddenly appeared.
I knew that face.
It seems the white-armor elf did too.
She says quietly.
“Vindalin…!”
Vindalin shook his head wearily.
“If your intention was to make me come to the front by being so frustrating, then you’ve succeeded perfectly, Ars Elaine.”
“…While that wasn’t my intention, if that’s how it turned out then that’s fortunate. I wanted to talk with you anyway.”
Vindalin speaks as if scolding.
“Why did you try to fight? I should have taught you how to communicate.”
“Then why didn’t you teach me in more detail? I made what I thought was the best judgment.”
“Heh heh….”
Thwack! Vindalin struck the ground with his staff and spoke to the monsters.
“I will mediate, so withdraw your forces!”
His command seemed to have a strange power as the monsters hesitated.
When the white-armor elf conveyed something to the other elves, the encirclement gradually began to disperse.
A momentary lull.
People who were curious about the old man’s identity approached me.
Sophia asks as if representing them.
“Who exactly is that old man?”
“You know, the Great Sage Vindalin at least.”
“Stop joking around.”
“I’m not joking.”
Everyone was dumbfounded. After all, Vindalin was someone from hundreds of years ago who was called humanity’s savior.
“How can that person still be alive now?”
“Because he’s not human.”
“…?”
At that time, Vindalin, who had been talking with the white-armor elf, gestured for me to come closer.
When I approached, the elf frowned deeply. It was clear she wasn’t favorable towards me.
Vindalin sighs and says, “She thinks you’re using Mirabel’s children like slaves. That’s why she just tried to kill all of you and rescue Mirabel’s children.”
“Why would…”
“In the era when this one lived, humans enjoyed using elves as slaves and boasted of it as a show of ability and honor. In her perception, that’s what humans are.”
“Hmm…!”
When he put it that way, I had nothing to say.
“Anyway, we need to clear up the misunderstandings between both sides.”
Vindalin, who knew the ancient elven language, began explaining about me. The elf’s brow furrowed as he seemed to be explaining that I was Eonia’s husband.
It seemed like her hostility lessened slightly as if she had finally accepted it.
Vindalin sighs and tells me.
“Now Ars Elaine, I need to explain to you. About this place called the Cradle of the Swamp.”
“I vaguely guessed. It’s a fortress created by the elves to protect that wooden cradle, right?”
“If you knew, why didn’t you try to talk?”
“Because I couldn’t know if talking would solve anything. Moreover, there were people risking their lives acting as decoys outside. I couldn’t let their sacrifices be in vain.”
“Whew! Whatever the case. I’ll tell you about the history of this place. No, showing you would be faster.”
Thwack! When he tapped his staff, vivid visions arose in my mind. It was exactly like what I felt during the Life and Death Match.
* * *
In the ancient times.
Dragon Olkin, who governed hope, sought harmony between races.
For this purpose, he enabled humans and other races to have children together.
He identified elves, beast-folk, dwarves, and halflings as suitable races for this seeding.
He hoped that as they had children with humans and prospered through generations, the discord between humans and other races would end.
Although he used his power to enable them to have offspring with humans, not everything went according to plan.
Especially the elves, who extremely despised humans and adamantly refused to form relationships.
Recognizing this, Olkin searched for a qualified elf to become their new leader.
That’s when he noticed an elf couple living in this swamp.
This couple did not discriminate against humans. They treated wounded humans who came to them and shared their food.
Noting their kindness, Olkin bestowed his power and revelation upon them.
-The child born here to you will lead the elves and achieve the great cause of peace among all races!
Olkin announced this to other elves as well.
The elves came to this swamp wanting to crown the couple as their new rulers, but the couple, who had no desire for power, firmly refused.
Meanwhile, humans dispatched an army to this place.
A deity who noticed Olkin’s revelation and power had sent an extermination force using their followers.
The elves tried to abandon the swamp and flee, but Olkin’s revelation held them back. It was because he had specified the child to be born here.
Even when they wanted to ask about it, Olkin had disappeared by that point, so the elves mobilized all available forces to defend this place.
The same was true for other races living nearby. The elves gathered all neighboring races and beasts in the swamp.
That was the identity of the dungeon called the Cradle of the Swamp and the reason it subjugated other dungeons.
A desperate resistance to protect the baby to be born in the cradle.
Looking at just the battle results, it was the elves’ defeat.
Most elf warriors and sacred beasts died in this process, and the elves, growing their hatred and disgust toward humans, planned to migrate to a remote island.
The name given to the girl born amidst such sacrifice was Mirabel.
Mirabel came to be revered as the leader of the elves.
However, the deity who was conscious of this cast a curse. It was a curse that made only girls be born.
This way, the lineage could end in the near future, and it could plant doubt among the elves about Mirabel’s bloodline.
As per the deity’s plan, the elves came to revere only male children born from Mirabel’s bloodline as the prophesied children, while Mirabel’s female descendants were thought of merely as vessels for continuing the line.
“Huh!”
As the vision in my mind disappeared, my consciousness became clear.
“Do you understand now?”
“So the male child wasn’t important.”
Vindalin nods.
“Yes, being of Mirabel’s bloodline itself was blessed by Olkin. That’s why all of Mirabel’s children were skilled in martial arts and had heroic qualities. The elves, deceived by the deity, ignored these qualities and at most gave them positions as guard captains.”
“But then what about the male child that was born?”
“What are you saying? As I said, due to the deity’s curse, no male children are born in Mirabel’s bloodline.”
It seemed Vindalin didn’t know about my children.
“But one was born? Between me and Eonia.”
“W-what…?”
Vindalin is flustered.
“Is this truly real?”
“I can show you right now.”
Since the carriage with the babies was nearby, I could bring out Ed and Ernie.
Ryuna, curious about what was happening outside, also came out in Eo’s arms.
Vindalin’s eyes widened upon seeing Ed.
“A, truly a male child! How is this possible!?”
“Even if you ask me…”
At that moment, I felt a piercing gaze.
The white-armor elf was intently staring at the twins.
She was fidgeting as if wanting to hold the babies.
Vindalin says with a bitter smile.
“Go ahead, hold them, Mirabel.”
At his words, Beato, Eo, and Elena who were nearby gasped.
Looking at the context, it was clear that this white-armor elf was the first Mirabel.
She was the distant ancestor who was fundamental to Eonia and Elena.
The white-armor elf Mirabel held the twins and smiled contentedly. After learning that I was the father, her hostility towards me had completely disappeared.
Vindalin mutters with a serious expression.
“A male child of Mirabel born in these tumultuous times…. Perhaps Olkin’s revelation is only now about to be fulfilled.”
“Let me warn you in advance, if you try to use my child, I won’t forgive you. I will end that great cause myself, so please don’t concern yourself with the children.”
“Heh, if it turns out that way, nothing could be better. I’ll look forward to it. Moreover, this means we can voluntarily remove this dungeon now. Lay your children in the cradle at the center. When they realize that Mirabel’s descendants have come, the elves and sacred beasts who were guarding this place will disappear without regret.”
The Cradle of the Swamp’s subjugation, which had resulted in total annihilation unexpectedly, but through Vindalin’s mediation, we ultimately succeeded.
We were instead guided by ancient elves toward the wooden house at the center.
Hi guys, please check out the new novel I picked “I killed the Demon King. It was a mistake.”
TL NOTE:
Schedule: Everyday
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 30 chapters ahead, you can do so via patreon.com/ChibiGiant. OR by unlocking chapters.
You can also Rate this series in your free time @NovelUpdate.
