I Became the Teacher of the Imperial Family’s Bastard

018. Extermination War (3)

The so-called orc commanders were not just those who gathered orcs together.

As mentioned earlier, they rank themselves by ‘force’.

In other words, to establish a hierarchical structure and form a group, they must possess a power different from other orcs.

Thus, the size of the group also indicates the rank of the commander.

If they command hundreds of orcs, they are a commander; if they command thousands, they are a champion; and if they command tens of thousands, they are a lord.

Therefore, in the past, they were one of the ruling species.

If the founding emperor of Orteaire had not killed their lord, the land of the orcs would have been much larger than the current plateau.

…that’s the gist.

So, the first thing that came to my mind was the events of my past life.

‘Has there ever been an orc of commander rank?’

At least, not in my memory.

But I cannot trust this memory, as during this period I was already imprisoned, and most of the information my sister gave me was limited to the political situation.

Considering that the danger level of commander-ranked orcs varies by rank, it is possible that the one who appeared now was not strong enough to threaten the system, so my sister did not bother to mention it.

Anyway, a crisis is a crisis.

The reason orcs were not dangerous was ultimately because they could not form groups.

But that premise has been broken.

An orc that forms a group is a level that requires about three times the force of the same level to contend with.

Then Erilda said,

“Let’s return. We can’t proceed with the subjugation without knowing the enemy’s strength. We need to return to the system and bring additional forces. Our forces consist of ten knights, two wizards, fifty soldiers, three staff members including myself, and even His Highness and Prince Pharos. If it’s a commander level, we can somehow manage, but if it’s a champion level, the situation will be terrible.”

In simple calculations, that’s true.

Even this figure was possible because of the strategic weapon, Sword Master Sir Drenor.

“Your Highness, please issue the withdrawal order immediately. This is dangerous.”

It was the moment when Erilda summarized it that way.

“No, we will proceed with the investigation as it is.”

“Your Highness?!”

“It’s not a subjugation. I said we will proceed with the investigation.”

The Crown Prince dismissed Erilda’s opinion.

She had no time to argue.

“Sir Drenor, you must personally investigate the main enemy forces and command entities.”

“I will take four knights.”

“If it’s a commander level, execute them immediately. If it’s a champion level, come back and report. Even if you can capture the champion itself, it will be difficult to handle the troops gathered below with just five knights.”

“Yes.”

“Then depart. Sir Ringer, gather the soldiers and strengthen the camp’s defenses. Sir Gunter, take one knight and five soldiers to evacuate the villagers in the nearby village.”

“Yes!”

“Sir Gale, go to the lord’s castle immediately and get reinforcements. This is an order in my name.”

“Yes!”

In an instant, the plan was set, and the knights and soldiers began to move busily.

The only ones left in the command tent were me, the Crown Prince, and Erilda.

Erilda’s expression, staring blankly at the Crown Prince, twisted.

“…Hey, are you crazy?”

The informal speech came out immediately.

Even though I was still there, it didn’t seem to matter.

“Do you think this is a normal situation? Do you think this can be solved by just showing off? These are orcs. With commander-level entities mixed in! At least a hundred units of troops on their side!”

Bang!

Erilda slammed the desk.

“Do you not realize that you are the crown prince? Do you think you can become a grandmaster just because you are good at swordsmanship? What will happen to the empire if you die? Leave it to that idiot second prince? Or the pathetic third prince? Or should I take over? Huh?!”

“Calm down.”

“Do I look like I can calm down!!!”

She shouted so loudly that the entire barracks seemed to shake.

I wonder if the soldiers outside can hear this… No, the soundproof artifact is working.

“Do you think your life is yours? No. As long as you are the crown prince, your life is never just for you.”

Sparks flew from her eyes.

Yet her tone somehow resembled a plea.

The crown prince remained silent, just staring at Erilda.

Erilda spoke again.

“Withdraw.”

Only then did the crown prince respond.

“Denied.”

“This is really insane…”

“If we return to the capital and reorganize the troops, it will take at least two weeks. Even if we gather all the troops from the nearby territories while defending this position, it will take four days to form an army. And what about the orcs in the meantime? Do you think those commander-level entities will just sit still?”

“That is…”

“Just by intruding into the territory, they made the scouts look like that. And they are orcs. They are not a generous race that will let us go just because we leave their territory.”

The Crown Prince unfolded his arms.

Then he stood up and spoke.

“Just three or four days. Even if we leave for that short time to prepare our defenses, the nearby villages of the people will be scorched. Even if this is an excessive worry, even if it is a mere possibility, we must not leave.”

A sound argument.

However, it is a judgment accompanied by risk.

Erilda pointed that out.

“Look at the bigger picture. Look wider. Your life, the empire you will build, is more important than a few villages. This is an inevitable sacrifice.”

That’s it.

The reason why Erilda was notorious during the war.

She sees even people as numbers.

She sees everything else as numbers.

Thus, she calculates the most optimized conclusion based on gains and losses.

Whether it is her unique nature or something else, I do not know.

She received much criticism.

But one thing is clear.

Erilda’s judgment extended the life of the dying empire by several years.

‘Rationally thinking, she is right.’

Considering the Crown Prince’s abilities, what he is displaying here is mere bravado.

But you see.

I know that Crown Prince all too well.

The answer was obvious.

“Then let me ask.”

“…What?”

“How many sacrifices are justified for the greater good?”

The prince’s voice fell coldly.

Erylda flinched.

“What do you mean…?”

“You said sacrificing hundreds of villagers was for the greater good. Then I asked, how many sacrifices can be tolerated for that grand cause?”

Kallios approached Erylda.

Erylda stepped back hesitantly.

It already seemed like the momentum was lost.

“One territory? Or one province? If not, then the entire southern empire? What is the standard of sacrifice to protect my life?”

That is the prince’s nature.

He is an idealist, and a man capable of realizing those ideals.

During the war, on the day of the main camp’s invasion, I had a fierce argument with Erylda instead of him.

One of our soldiers was captured.

The prince, upon hearing that, rushed into the enemy camp without hesitation and eventually rescued him.

Numbers are meaningless.

To him, everyone was a subject to be saved equally.

This time, it is no different.

“Erylda, the greater good cannot cover up immorality. Because eventually, that rough shape will be exposed. I have realized that.”

In that moment, I felt the Crown Prince’s gaze turn towards me.

And then, silence.

Erilda couldn’t add any more words.

The Crown Prince chuckled at the sight and patted Erilda’s shoulder.

“I do not die. Trust your brother on the battlefield a little more. Above all, isn’t that so?”

“······.”

“This is a ritual. I am here to prove that I am the successor of the founding festival. But if I return crying because there are many enemies, how much would my prestige be diminished? How disgraceful would it be to worry about my safety over the lives of the people? That is not right as a Crown Prince, nor as a knight.”

The Crown Prince said that and left the tent.

The last words he left were these.

“I entrust the command to you. In that area, you can do more than I can.”

The Crown Prince and I made eye contact.

Immediately, the Crown Prince mouthed to me,

‘Take care of it.’

“???”

…What am I supposed to do?

* * *

The Crown Prince was busy wandering around to secure the tent afterwards.

What was there for me to do? I just sat still.

That was a few hours later.

“Young Lord.”

Erylda came to me.

Her face was full of worry, yet she seemed to have made up her mind about something.

“Please stop the Crown Prince.”

“How can I? A mere vassal cannot defy the lord’s command…”

“You can. Because you are Pharos.”

Oh dear.

“Reconsider and oppose. You can exercise that authority as the Young Lord of Pharos.”

Well, that’s true.

It is a means to correct the royal family’s wrong judgment, and although some prerequisites are needed, at this moment, all those conditions were met.

The paperwork could be handled later as it was an urgent matter.

“Please. I…”

Erylda bit her lip.

Finally, she spoke.

“…If it’s a favor I can grant, I’ll do anything.”

My gaze turned to Erylda’s hands.

How does she see me, I wondered, as her hands clasped together in front of her belly trembled.

“Brother must not die here. There is no one in the royal family who can replace him. No, probably not in the next generation, or the one after that.”

Is it loyalty, or is it personal feelings?

I thought about it, but the conclusion was neither.

That was ‘calculation’.

I admit it.

“Yes, the Crown Prince cannot be replaced. He is so exceptional.”

Erilda sees the Crown Prince as numbers.

I know the Crown Prince I saw.

That man cannot be replaced unless the founding emperor rises from his grave.

He was such a talent, and even in the future I saw, maintaining his position as Crown Prince was the most important proposition.

But, you see.

“I will refuse the request. I have nothing to ask of Her Highness the Princess. I am not inclined to do so.”

This is a rejection.

“Why!”

Erilda snapped at me, flaring up.

But what I had to say was decided.

“Isn’t it Your Highness’s choice? In my view, it is more in line with the greater good.”

…That is the superficial reason.

And to add one more thing.

“You need to gain practical experience. The Crown Prince too.”

I do not intend to raise him like a flower in a greenhouse.

In the future of the empire, a war is certain.

The king of the barbarians is the Grand Master.

To face that dreadful being, we need power of that magnitude.

‘Training in the jade palace was too sluggish.’

The crown prince and I honed our swordsmanship in the jade palace.

We had countless sparring sessions and numerous duels.

But what made us grow more than those ten-plus years was just three years of war.

Such desperation is what the crown prince needs.

If it truly becomes dangerous?

Then I will step in and whisk the crown prince away.

‘As long as a Lord-class doesn’t appear, it’s fine.’

They are a different race.

Moreover, they are orcs.

Given that premise, I had one method.

I roughly explained that point.

However, it seemed this was not the answer Erilda wanted.

Does she dislike even the slightest possibility of danger?

“…Please reconsider.”

Erilda knelt.

She lowered her head.

She spoke as if in frustration.

“No, this is…”

What could be so frightening?

There was no need to ponder.

This woman was quite consistent, making her easy to understand both then and now.

“…I’d rather die. But not my brother. The empire will collapse without him.”

Erilda Orteair loved the empire.

Had she been born in a different era than the crown prince, she could have ascended to the throne and become a wise ruler.

To that extent,

– Live. Not me, but you live.

She placed Orteair above her own life.

That was her only reason.

End

ⓒ papapa.

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