第１０５３堀：皇帝と皇帝 (Part2)
"Haa... haa..."
"Fuu... fuu..."
Even so, we both felt our breath growing ragged. But there was no time to stop. If we stopped, if we rested, our heads would be rolling on the ground the very next instant. It was an extreme state where one could not afford even a moment of carelessness. Yet, in the midst of it all, both the old man and I were smiling.
"Tch, look at that grin. Have you gone senile, old man?"
"Hah, look at your own face before you speak."
Hah, I knew that well enough. I felt a sense of exhilaration—not quite as intense as when I played with Aslin and the others, but it was there. I had called Schans back from that "Great Mountain Range Adventure," and she had been worried, sensing what we were about to do. Still, she knew better than to interfere, having spent enough time by Yuki’s side to understand that she shouldn't show herself here. That was right. And that was exactly why I had to return.
"I promised my best friend that I would win this battle and return. Be a good lad and offer up your neck."
"That is the same for me. I have made promises to the many who support me. I will make the Hein Empire shine once more."
"As if such a convenient thing would happen!"
"It is simple enough: I only need to defeat you!"
We roared at each other, and the clash of blades accelerated once more.
However, this old man... during our previous dialogue, he hadn't possessed this kind of spirit. He hadn't even stepped to the front lines, and I had assumed he would admit defeat the moment he was surrounded. That was a massive miscalculation. This old man had not yet given up on rebuilding his country. It seemed the corruption permeating the Hein Empire had nothing to do with him. He was still working straight and true for the sake of his nation.
Well, that was precisely why defeating this old man was equivalent to defeating the Hein Empire itself. He was the very backbone supporting the nation... No, perhaps it was because this man reigned that it was the Hein Empire at all. Therefore, if he fell, the empire would crumble.
Still, actual warfare wasn't as romantic as all that. It was a place where blood, flesh, lamentation, pain, and sorrow were born. There was no mercy there, only the cold, hard facts.
"Your Majesty!"
Subordinates from both sides rushed toward us simultaneously.
"What is it, Schans? Even if you stay by my side, you won't be much help in this fight. This old man is truly strong. Fall back."
I gripped my spear, keeping my gaze locked on Emperor Hans as I spoke. Schans wouldn't stand a chance against this monster of an old man. No, she would be the first to be cut down. The basics of battle dictated that you crush the support first. He wasn't such a soft-hearted old man that he wouldn't do that if given the chance. But fortunately, the other side was also occupied with someone called Wave speaking to him.
Should I strike now? As I pondered my next move, Schans spoke in a calm tone.
"No, it is finished. The encirclement is complete."
At those words, we both shifted our gazes away from each other to look around. My Zurabl army had fully surrounded the Hein Empire forces, and the fighting had ceased. I see. So this was the end of it.
The conversation from the other side reached my ears.
"Your Majesty, I am truly sorry. We could not break through the center."
"...It is fine. Victory and defeat are common in war. And the units that attempted the breakthrough?"
"Half have fallen in battle. They are currently pulling back, looking for a gap to slip through this encirclement..."
"Order the entire army to surrender. I will not permit any more needless deaths."
"Your Majesty!?"
The old man had accurately assessed the situation and given the order to General Wave. Hmph, he must have realized that even if he continued fighting, the only one with a chance of surviving was himself—and only on the condition that he defeated me.
"There is no need for you to die alongside me. Above all, I am not the type of man to cut down an opponent who fought this hard after they have surrendered, am I? Well?"
As he said this, the old man turned a bright, clear smile toward me.
"Of course not. I would not perform such a filthy act as beheading those who fought bravely once they have surrendered. Rather, I would like to borrow your strength to govern the Hein Empire in the future. You wouldn't want any unnecessary chaos, would you?"
"Indeed. Victory and defeat are decided, and it is the way of things for the loser to follow the winner. Wave, notify the entire army. Disarm immediately."
"...Yes, sir."
The voice with which Wave accepted the order left a strange impression on my ears. After a beat, I slowly raised my spear high and shouted.
"...Raise the victory cry!"
*Uwooooooh...!*
And thus, the great decisive battle with the Hein Empire came to an end. Now, all that remained was the aftermath... Damn, it felt like there was so much to do.
"What, I don't mind helping you out a bit before you cut off my head."
"You damn old man."
The way he said that with a grinning smirk... he was truly a slippery one. Would it have been better to just cut his head off right there?
With this, the decisive battle was concluded. Now, it was just a matter of how well we could handle what came next. And, being an emperor myself, I understood things that others couldn't. An old man and a young girl. Though our forms were different, perhaps we had understood something all the same.