The Lord of Altomura

—32nd Day, 9th Month, 1,546th Year, Continental Calendar.

King Souma's war, which began on this day, came to be called the Three

Front War because the battle took place in three locations at the same time,

or the One Week War due to its brevity.

Because of its incredible importance to both the Elfrieden Kingdom and

the Principality of Amidonia, there are many historical idioms that came

from this war. The expression "Lord of Altomura" was one such historical

idiom.

◇ ◇ ◇

It happened in the city of Altomura, in the southwest of the Elfrieden

Kingdom.

It was a walled city in the middle of a grain-producing region, but

Altomura was now besieged by a force of 30,000 troops from the

Principality of Amidonia. Altomura had a garrison of only 5,000, and the

city would surely fall in a matter of days if the enemy troops chose to press

the attack. Even so, the new king had sent his forces to fight the rebellious

General of the Army, Georg, so he was unable to send reinforcements.

Everyone must have believed the fall of Altomura was only a matter of

time. However, with the Amidonian force laying siege to the city making no

move to attack, a strange silence fell over the area.

Why had this situation arisen?

This was the work of one man. Right now, that middle-aged man was in

the main camp of the principality's army, bowing and scraping before

Prince Gaius VIII. The man was thin and scrawny, with an easily-cowed

look about him.

His name was Weist Garreau.

He was the lord who ruled over Altomura and all of the area around it.

Weist, who had a manor in Altomura, should have been the one heading

up the effort to defend the city, but now, of all things, he was here

prostrating himself before Gaius VIII.

Gaius sat on a camp stool, the Crown Prince Julius at his side. Then, still

seated on his camp stool and glaring down at Weist, Gaius spoke.

"I see... So Altomura will open its gates to us without resisting."

"Y-Yesh! We have no intent of resisting the forces of the Principality of

Amidonia!" Weist answered, the words catching in his throat a little.

Gaius narrowed his eyes. "...Let us hear your reason."

"I don't need a reason. It's impossible to defend against a force as

massive as yours! Altomura is a city built on the plains of a grain-producing

region, not terrain that can be easily defended. Our only defenses are the

castle walls anyway, and we only have a garrison of a few thousand. In a

situation where there is no hope of reinforcements from the capital, if such

a massive force were to attack, the city would fall swiftly and inevitably!"

Gaius glanced to Julius, and Julius responded with a silent nod. He

could see no contradiction between Weist's words and their own

understanding of the situation.

Having decided that there were no lies in his words... "Hmm," Gaius

grunted. "And so you say you wish to surrender to us?"

"Y-Yes. If defending ourselves is impossible, we are left with no choice

but to cling to your mercy."

When he heard Weist's words, Gaius grinned wickedly.

For Gaius, Weist's surrender was a godsend. He had dispatched troops to

take advantage of the discord within the kingdom, but if the kingdom were

to unify under either Georg or Souma, the weaker principality would be at a

disadvantage. In order to prepare for a situation like that, Gaius would like

nothing more than to take the city without suffering the loss of any troops.

"Very well," he said. "Then open the gates at once."

"P-Please, wait for a short while."

Gaius's brow twitched with displeasure. "Why?"

"C-Currently, the castle is divided between one faction that doesn't want

to fight and another faction that wants to resist to the bitter end," Weist

explained. "There are those in the resistance faction who say that 'The

Amidonians will kill us all even if we surrender,' and some among the

faction that don't want to fight suspect that is the case, too."

"I see... and are you one of them?" Gaius asked.

"P-Perish the thought! I am here to beg for our lives. I must never doubt

the man I am negotiating with!" Weist hastily explained, breaking into a

cold sweat as he did. "I-I trust you, but it's an opinion that some in the

castle hold. That is why, first, I have come to your camp to hear your

thoughts, Your Princely Highness."

Gaius thought deeply about Weist's words. While he saw nothing wrong

with them, still, was it wise to trust this man?

While Gaius was thinking, Julius, who was standing next to him,

interjected.

"Even without persuading those in the castle, we can take Altomura at

any time."

"Yes. I am already well aware of that," Weist replied to Julius, showing

him the same obsequience. "However, there are many fools who do not

understand that. Surely, His Princely Highness would not wish to lose any

of his soldiers due to those people's foolishness. If you will guarantee us

our lives, I will go and bring everyone in the castle around to the same point

of view."

As Weist's head bounced up and down like a grasshopper, Julius felt

nothing but disgust for the man.

Are the nobles of the kingdom all so peace-addled? Julius thought. It

must be because there were no great wars during the reign of the last king.

Perhaps it is little wonder that a fierce general like Georg would give up on

this country.

While Julius was thinking that, Gaius slapped his own knee. "...Very

well. If you open the gates, I will guarantee the safety of everyone in the

castle. Return inside at once and convince your people."

When he heard Gaius's words, Weist thanked him as he rubbed his

forehead on the ground. "Th-Thank you! I will excuse myself at once!"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Weist quickly left the main

camp. As he watched the man scurry away like a mouse, Julius asked Gaius

a question.

"Was that all right? He didn't seem like that important of a person..."

"Hmph. Once he opens the gate, we will be the ones in control." Gaius

wore an evil smile. "I have no use for a little mouse that flatters his

enemies. Once he has outlived his usefulness, I will part his head from his

body and use it to decorate the gates."

"...I see." Julius backed down, seemingly satisfied with the answer.

When Gaius rose from his camp stool, he sent orders to his generals,

saying, "When the gates of Altomura open, enter the castle and occupy it at

once."

However, even once the sun had gone down, the castle gates showed no

sign of opening.

"Argh! What is taking Weist so long?!"

Having been left waiting, Gaius was growing irritated.

His generals looked to one another, worried that their wrathful prince's

anger might be turned upon them. Julius was the only one there who was

still calmly analyzing the situation.

"Did he fail to bring around everyone in the castle...?" he wondered. "Or

perhaps, we may have been deceived by Weist."

"Damn! How about we attack them with all of our forces now?" Gaius

seemed ready to launch an all-out attack immediately.

Seeing Gaius like that, Julius offered a word of advice using the calmest

tone he could manage. "Please, wait. If the enemy has been plotting

something, there may be a trap waiting. If we consider the possibility of an

ambush under cover of night, I believe we should tighten our defenses and

wait for dawn, then launch the attack at first light. We can take a city like

that in half a day."

When Julius pointed all of that out, Gaius lowered his raised fist.

"Urgh... It seems I have no choice."

Gaius accepted Julius's advice, ordering his generals to attack at dawn.

Even as he was relieved that Gaius had held off on the attack, Julius had a

bad feeling about Altomura, somehow.

The revulsion Julius had felt towards Weist. Had that feeling really come

from the obsequious posture Weist had shown?

When that man was grinding his forehead against the ground and

prostrating himself before us, what expression was he making where we

couldn't see? Was he relieved that we wouldn't attack? Or perhaps...

Was there... something more to it?

Julius felt as if he was being pulled deeper and deeper into the depths.

As if he were being toyed with by someone unseen...

I smell someone other than Weist Garreau here....

As he looked towards Altomura, it was creepily silent.

—1st Day, 10th Month, 1,546th Year, Continental Calendar.

The dawn broke on the next day. The night raid that Julius had feared

never occurred.

Gaius VIII went to order the armies to attack, as planned. That was

when it happened.

"Wooooooooooooooooo!"

A roaring battle cry suddenly rose up from inside the castle at Altomura

where all had been quiet before.

It was a spirited cry, enough so that Gaius hesitated to give the order to

attack. What had happened in Altomura? It had been so quiet up until

yesterday. Reinforcements couldn't have arrived, could they? Various

possibilities flashed through Gaius's mind, but he could make no decision.

Meanwhile, a single horse raced towards the Amidonian camp from

Altomura. Riding atop the horse was Weist Garreau. When Weist

dismounted, practically falling from his horse, he was greeted by an angry

Gaius and prostrated himself before him.

"Weist! You cur, what happened to our agreement to open the gate?!"

Gaius roared.

Weist shrunk into himself even more. "I-I cannot apologize enough! The

people in the castle have given in to desperation. It is taking some time to

persuade them."

"Enough! I don't want to hear excuses!" Gaius drew the sword at his

hip, pointing the blade at Weist's neck.

"Eek!"

"I'll lop your head off and send it to those inside the castle as a

warning!"

"W-With all due respect, Your Princely Highness. I hesitate to say this,

but... we cannot make rational decisions when surrounded by an army of

tens of thousands like this..." Weist fumbled to explain while clearly in a

state of terrible panic. "J-Just now, the war cry you heard from Altomura

was the voices of those saying, 'The Amidonians will never keep their

word, so let's take as many of them with us as we can.'"

Since Gaius had, in fact, had no intention of keeping his word, he found

himself at a momentary loss for words.

If every soldier in the castle was prepared to die, it was far too risky to

force the attack. Such soldiers were like machines: they would fight to their

last breath, taking as many of the enemy with them as they could manage.

In a straight-up fight, his allies would take major losses. Amidonia's victory

was still unshakable, but because their victory was so unshakable, he didn't

want to waste manpower here.

Unable to just watch any longer, Julius spoke up. "Father, fighting

death-crazed soldiers will cause major losses. We should avoid that. Why

not make a display of your magnanimity, then ask Weist to attempt to

persuade them once more?"

Weist leapt on Julius's suggestion, as if thinking, My life is saved!

"Th-This time, I'll not fail! I swear, I will convince the people in the

castle!" Weist cried.

Gaius thought for a moment, but ultimately decided to let Weist handle

it. "Very well. Consider this your final chance."

"Y-Yes, sir! Leave it to me."

"Hmph... Still, how am I to show my magnanimity?"

"For that, why not break the siege as soon as I return to the castle?"

Weist asked.

Weist's suggestion enraged Gaius. "Break the siege, you say! Do you

take me for a fool?!"

"P-Perish the thought! Of course, it only needs to be for a short time! If

you could break the siege until at least noon, I will use that as a show of

Your Princely Highness's magnanimity and persuade the people in the

castle."

"Hmph," Gaius snorted, "...Very well. From now until noon, we will lift

the siege. Should the gates not open by then, we will take them by force. Is

that acceptable?"

"Y-Yes! I swear, I swear I will convince the people in the castle!"

Once Weist left, as frantic as he had come, Gaius immediately moved

his troops to break the siege of Altomura. Of course, he took measures to

ensure he could capture any unit that tried to take this chance to escape. He

placed a highly mobile unit under the command of Julius and positioned

them at the front.

Hmph, Altomura has but half a day to live...

Gaius looked at Altomura with a gaze full of rage.

◇ ◇ ◇

Meanwhile, at the other end of Gaius's gaze...

In Weist Garreau's manor in Altomura, besieged by the forces of

Amidonia, right now, there was a woman making herself at home and

relaxing.

Despite being in a city besieged by a force of 30,000, the woman was

elegantly enjoying a spot of tea. Having returned from the principality's

camp, Weist explained how the negotiations had gone.

He held a wry grin at the woman's boldness, which no one would have

anticipated from her appearance. His expression showed no hint of the

pathetic display he had been putting on in the Amidonian war camp earlier.

"Was that good enough, ma'am... no, Duchess Excel?" he asked.

"Yes. Well done," she said. "You've learned how to pull off a

psychological act. You're such a good little boy, Weist."

The woman sipping black tea was the Admiral of the Elfrieden Navy,

Excel Walter. Even if she looked to be in her mid-twenties, this woman was

actually a sea serpent who had lived for over five hundred years. Fifty-yearold Weist was still a child to her.

"Duchess... would it be too much to ask that you finally stop treating me

like a child?" he asked.

"From my perspective, all of my marines are children," she said.

"I'm not attached to the Navy anymore, though, you know?"

"Hee hee! No matter how high you are promoted, for as long as I live,

you will be my subordinate and child."

He sighed. "It looks like I'm going to be treated as a child for the rest of

my life, then."

Even once the human Weist was old and grey, Excel would probably

still be youthful and treating him this way. Weist could already see that

likely future.

"Still... our new king must be terrifying if he can send you to be his

errand girl," he said.

"His Majesty does run his people ragged," she agreed. "I know I've

made it clear I'm at his service from the beginning, but, still, he suddenly

told me, 'Take a Jewel Voice Broadcast jewel and a simple receiver and get

your butt to Altomura,' you know?"

During Souma's ultimatum two days prior, Excel had not been listening

from the Walter Duchy, but from here in Altomura. The broadcast could

only show so much of the scenery around her, so as long as she was in a

room indoors, no one would be able to tell exactly where she was.

When Amidonia's spies had reported that the ultimatum had been

issued, they should have assumed Excel was in the Walter Duchy. Souma

had suggested they take advantage of that to secretly bring Excel to

Altomura.

Her mission was to delay the armies of the principality.

It had been anticipated that the armies of the principality would first

occupy Altomura, the central city of the grain-producing region, then sweep

all enemies from the surrounding area to entrench their de facto control of

the territory. So, with the kingdom lacking the leeway to dispatch

reinforcements, the only way to prevent losses was to hold on tenaciously at

Altomura, and to do so in a way that avoided battles as much as possible. In

other words, it was a job for the sly old serpent, Excel.

"Gaius would never imagine that Duchess Excel is here, of all places,"

Weist said.

"It's three days' travel from Lagoon City to get here, after all," Excel

agreed. "I've been here for the last five days, though... Honestly, His

Majesty and the others are working this poor old woman far too hard."

"Please, don't play the old woman only when it suits you," Weist

complained.

"It's fine for me to be self-deprecating," she said. "I won't stand for

anyone else saying it, though."

Only Vargas would be so reckless! was what he wanted to cry out, but he

tucked the words away inside his chest. He may have been over fifty, but he

didn't want to die just yet.

"By the way, Duchess Excel," he said, "I've only bought time until

noon. Was that good enough? Don't I need to buy a little more time

according to the plan?"

"It's fine. If they break the siege until noon, it will take time to fully

encircle us again. Even if they begin an all-out attack, that would surely

take until close to evening."

"I see," he said. "Well, then, I think my job is done here."

"Yes. Well done, Weist. Please, relax and leave the rest to me." Excel

gave him a motherly smile.

Weist had been run ragged by Souma, Hakuya, and Excel, but he could

only laugh at himself for thinking that her smile alone made him want to

forgive everything.

Elfrieden Historical Idiom Lessons: Number 1

"Lord of Altomura"

Type: Idiomatic Expression Meaning: A person who makes promises

they can't keep.

Origin: During the One Week War, Weist Garreau, the Lord of

Altomura, which was being attacked by Gaius VIII of the Principality of

Amidonia, made an empty promise to Gaius that he "would have the gates

opened," in order to buy time.

Usage: That person's a Lord of Altomura. You shouldn't trust him.