21st Century Archmage

Sch-sch-sch-schwip! Ba-ba-bam! Kuaaaaaaak!

“Block them! Block!”

Sch-sch-sch-schwip! Baaaaam! Boooooom!

At the castle of Marquis Pepeon, one of the important defensive points at the Bajran Empires western border, the remaining imperial forces that fled from the Krantz Kingdom and the Skyknights and soldiers of the Western Corps, which had been thinned by the surprise attack of the Kuviran Kingdom, put up a desperate, bloody defense.

However, they had reached their limits. Not long after they were denied reinforcements from the Imperial Family, the local lords stopped sending reinforcements, and a few days ago, there were even nobles that deserted the battlefield.

The Bajran army found itself helpless before the indiscriminate barrage of attacks by the kingdoms. The Krantz Kingdom had managed to keep a full force of Skyknights, and with the wyverns of the Kuviran Kingdom, they had around 600 total. All of them were in the air, blackening the sky and hurling Blessed Spears at the Bajran Skyknights, who numbered less than 100.

That wasnt all. Catapults were destroying the sturdy walls of the Marquis castle. Boulders with their range greatly enhanced by mages were hurtling mercilessly towards the walls.

Craaaaaash!

Under the concentrated fire of the catapults and the spears thrown by the Skyknights, the castle walls eventually reached the limits of their mana shields and were destroyed.

“The wall has collapsed!”

“Chaaarge!”

“Seize the castle walls in one go!”

“YEAAAAHHHHHHH!”

The 100,000 soldiers of the two kingdom armies charged towards the castle with high-flying morale, paying no heed to the battle ensuing in the air above. The ground rumbled with their steps.

“……”

The Bajran soldiers, who should be defending the walls, stood and watched the approaching enemies, unable to even think about shooting down arrows. The fierce siege had continued for over half a month. The exhausted soldiers wanted it to end now. They were already unable to muster anymore courage, beaten down by the cravenness of the nobles and the incompetence of the emperor they and the rest of the Empire had judged as a tyrant.

“L-Let us retreat.”

“If we stay here any longer, we will die miserable deaths.”

The owner of the castle, Marquis Pepeon, had already fled two days ago under the pretext of seeking help from the Emperor. The people guarding the castle now were the commanding officers of the Imperial Western Corps and the nobles of the surrounding territories. But these men, who had resisted bravely for many days, quietly proposed fleeing when they saw the walls crumble and their wyvern numbers falling sharply.

“What do you mean, leave. Its already too late.”

The proud Commander of the 2nd Imperial Army, Count Eroit, looked at the sky with a calm voice. They had disappeared without a trace. Not a single one of the empire wyverns resisting with the last of their blazing will up until moments ago could be seen. And with Bajrans Skyknights gone, the wyverns of the two kingdoms fell into an orderly formation as they flew threateningly over the castle.

“Argh… how could… our empire…”

“Haah… If this place falls, the capital will be endangered.”

The nobles that had stayed behind to fight still had a tiny bit of loyalty to the Empire. They sighed as they bitterly remarked on the Empires perilous future.

“Weve done all we could.”

What could the commanding officers do when the soldiers had already lost their will to fight? There were still around 50,000 soldiers on the walls, but without the help of Skyknights, they were merely walking targets.

“Brave soldiers, you have all done well!” Count Eroit used mana to shout from the fortified commander watchtower. “Its over now. Put down your weapons. You can… stop now.”

The meaning behind his words was clear. Wet tears welled in Count Eroits eyes as he shouted. The Empire could disappear, but there was no need to make the innocent soldiers die. Thanks to one terrible emperor, an empire that had enjoyed hundreds of years of prosperity was on the verge of collapsing like a house of cards. Those soldiers didnt have the obligation to spill their blood for such an empire.

“I recommend you prepare yourselves as well,” Count Eroit said, turning to the others in the watchtower.

“…..”