Two months ago official Nus was called back by the Royal court to submit the report. Even though he had written multiple times that the situation wasn’t suitable to leave the post, still…

 

“If those bastards weren’t… They have nothing else to do, other than blaming each other, even when the kingdom was losing the war.” Nus couldn’t stop cursing the nobles of the royal court.

 

To make matters worse, he tried to return as soon as he had heard but it was too late. Before he could even leave the city of Hapcheon to cross the river, waves of soldiers came running from the city of Na.

 

“The City of Na had fallen.” Captain Fret had reported to him as he returned to the city of Hapcheon.

 

“Tell me everything, don’t miss out a minute detail.” Official Nus was fuming inside the room. Other than him, Captain Fret and few other scribes were present. 

 

One of the scribes who had recorded the entire story of the war continued to speak. “He slaughtered almost 100 of his captives. We were able to save only four.”

 

“Only four where are they? I need to talk to them face to face.”

 

“After evacuating the city we haven’t found them. They were not in a situation where they can move.”

 

“You said they ran back to the city but couldn’t leave the city.” Nus stopped to think for a moment, “Were there any skirmishes in the city?”

 

“None. None important.” 

“Not important? I will decide what is important and what is not.” It was harder for him to control his temper anymore, “Tell about those which are not important. No, bring me the person who had met those four.”

 

One of the scribes ran to find the person leaving Nus and Fret behind.

“How did that devil survive?”

“Captain shouldn’t you be the one answering that question.”

Fret shook his head, “I have seen him entering the tunnel. Even if he had a magic teleportation device he wouldn’t be able to activate it under the effect of the fluctuating magic energy.”

 

“Captain, there is no ‘if’ in a war. The result is he survived.”

“No one should survive the explosion.” Even it was hard to believe he had seen the devil with his own eyes.

 

“You were there at that time. Tell me, Captain, did the city successfully explode?”

“Explode?!” Thinking about it Fret couldn’t help but shook his head ‘Right, the city didn’t explode.’

 

Due to strong mana interference, Fret was unable to teleport for a long distance. When he reappeared around 7-8 km away. Around 3-4 minute after that the ground had started to shake.

 

“No there wasn’t any explosion. It was like an earthquake.” A bad premonition rose in his mind, “It was that magic talwar. It can control gravity. But how can he…”

“How can he know? It was those people whom we had sent to make the city explode. He had those magic triggers from them too. Captain, are you sure that the devil is not a magus knight?”

 

“Even if he can control mana, the process is crude. Even if the empire's mana manipulation process is not as sophisticated as ours, it is still an advanced process.”

 

Fret thought for a moment before adding, “I don’t think the devil has any training of a magus knight, and his control over the earth mana might be due to the magic weapon.”

 

Nus wanted to ask something but the scribe returned with three people. Fret didn’t know two them but the last soldier was the one who had reported about the torture to the general.

 

“These are all?” Looking at them, Nus frowned.

“Officer, we are trying to find more. But these three were the one who gave the first aid.”

 

“Tell me everything in detail, don’t you dare to leave any information.” Nus’s voice made them shudder in fear.

 

“They said they were tortured day and night, since the day they were captured. It was not just…”

“Where? From where they were captured?” 

 

The three of them looked at each other not knowing how to answer.

“You also didn’t ask from which division they were from!” This time they didn’t dare to answer.

 

“Continue.” Nus was one steps away from exploding.

 

“They tortured them day and night.”

“Why are you mumbling the same thing again and again? Don’t you know anything else?” Nus slammed on the table spilling the cheap wine everywhere.

 

“Cuts, There were cuts all over their body.”

“They were dirty. Bleeding from everywhere.” Another one chimed in.

 

“Cuts!” Hearing the word, the rage of Nus died down for a moment before exploding again, “They just had cuts all over the body? Nothing else?”

 

The soldiers didn’t understand the question, neither did Fret. It further elevated Nus’s anger, “You idiots, If they were tortured they should have had bruises all over the body, not blood. Even if there was blood it should have been clotted not fresh blood.”

 

“Were they enemies?” Fret didn’t dare to believe the truth in front of him. On the other hand, Nus didn’t pay any attention to him, “What did they say? Other than torture.”

 

“There were many more other soldiers who were held captive and they were…” When he had reached this point he wanted to stop yet it was too late. A flying mug hit his forehead, turning the view before his right eye red. Even then he didn’t dare to cry out loud.

 

Only thing resonating in the whole room was Nus’s rough breathing. None of them dared to speak, until...

 

“One of them had said that there would be an attack from the east gate too.”

 

“What?” Nus’s sudden roar made the soldiers shiver in fear.

“The soldier said the enemy was planning to attack by the east gate when we will be fighting by the west gate.”

 

“And how does he know that?” And silence followed. “Idiots. All of you are idiots. Shouldn’t you be verifying the news first?”

“But there was an enemy at the east gate?” 

 

For the first time, Nus turned toward Fret for an explanation. “There was a cavalry of 7000-8000 on the east gate. At that time there were only 200 archers on the east gate, so they had requested for backup.”

 

“So all of them left the west gate unattended?”

Fret shook his head, “5,000 archers were sent. Leaving 2,000 on the west gate.”

 

“Idiots, all of them are idiots. Who gave the order? Was it you?” Looking at the eye of Nus, Fret had felt if he had nodded at that moment, Nus would have beaten him to death no matter what the outcome.

 

‘How dare you?’ Fret would have shouted but he had no energy. A seemingly natural win turned into a devastating loss. 

 

‘Anger gets the best of us. We lost because the enemy was more cool-headed than us.’ Those were the words he was telling himself to justify the loss, but…

 

‘We were playing in the enemy hand all this time. Only if I didn’t have attacked the devil if I didn’t save those four. Was there just four of them or more?’ Fret shook his head, ‘The point is we had lost but…’

 

“How did the enemy cavalry get to the east gate?”

Nus didn’t answer, just pointed on the map. The edge of it was dyed in wine but the place he was pointing wasn’t.

 

“Yeomcheon?” Fret wasn’t sure that was the place Nus was pointing so he asked.

 

“They blow up the Jinsan first?” Someone gave an affirmation. “They came straight by the forest. There was nothing at Jinsan and Jincheon. So nobody could stop them. ”

 

‘No wonder we didn’t notice them. Wait a minute.’ As soon as Fret comprehended the mystery a chill ran through his spine, “From when they were planning this attack?”

 

“Morons, all of them are morons.” Fret wasn’t sure whom Nus was cursing, but didn’t dare to ask. 

 

“I gave them just one job and they had lost the city. If those bastards are thinking that I am going to sit there and watch them gobble up the city, then they are mistaken.”

 

“By pattern, they should be moving out soon, but the battle will stop in the city at least for a week until they move. We have five days at most. Give me the list of the survivors, also the amount of garrison of the city and…”

 

“Where are those Generals?” None dared to irk him more so his outrage continued, “If they are thinking of staying at the home after one failure then tell them to go back home. This country doesn't need cowards.”

 

“What do you want?” If Nus didn’t scream they might not have realised the presence of an extra person in the room. Somewhere in between his outburst, a messenger had entered the room.

 

With a bow, he came forward and gave Nus a scroll and left without a word.

 

Even if he couldn’t see what was written in the scroll, from distortion on Nus’s face Fret could guess the content.

 

“They wanted us not to cross the river? What the hell?” Nus slammed the opened scroll of the table. With one look Fret could understand the reason for his anger.

 

“All of you get out, Now.” It didn’t take a moment before only Fret and Nus were in the room.

 

“On whose side you are, Captain?” 

Fret was dumbfounded. He couldn’t answer, to be precise he couldn’t even understand the question.

 

“Let me rephrase the question. What should we do now captain? Attack or wait for the enemy to attack?”

 

“Attack will be the best option. Even if we try to siege the city it will be in our favour, but…”

 

Nus slammed his hand on the opened scroll on the table, “If you are worried about the capital, let me take care of it.”

 

“But, it looks like the other two countries are aiming for an alliance.”

“I told you, don’t worry about it. What about the poison I have told you to prepare?”

 

“That had been done and distributed between them. They will act soon enough.”

 

“Well then captain, you have one thing to do. Sort out the soldiers who are willing to attack the enemy. Thinking about how eager they are, it might not be much of a problem…”

 

‘No matter how eager they are, going against the royal decree is not something one should do. Even if they succeed the punishment will be severe. Then again…’

 

Fret couldn’t help but take another look at the person in front of him. Something inside him is telling him that Nus is right and he should follow his words.

 

“Don’t worry about anything. Move out to siege the city as soon as you receive my letter” Without giving any chance to answer Nus left the room with the scroll.

At that moment, none of them knew the command would never reach Fret, at least not for a few months.