I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 73

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#73. Change of Hands

 

The follow-up forces led by Thoroughbred, the Family Head of Purosange, arrived at the scene.

 

By then, it was already too late.

 

“What, what is this?”

 

Thoroughbred had to doubt his own eyes.

 

Whiiiiing…

 

The cold wind pushed away the bloody stench emanating from the corpses.

 

The Rangers that the Purosange Family had been so proud of were already one with the dirt, snow, and ice fragments.

 

Grotesquely torn fragments of human bodies hung like fruit from the tips of sharp rocks and tree branches.

 

There were hardly any corpses maintaining their proper form.

 

The most intact ones were barely at a level where you could distinguish the upper and lower halves of the body.

 

“What the hell happened here! Why have my Rangers ended up like this!?”

 

“….”

 

The surrounding Knights hesitated.

 

One Old Knight answered with a devastated heart.

 

“Only a Frozen Horror could create such a horrific scene. From the looks of it, it seems like a specimen that became an adult long ago went on a rampage.”

 

“Frozen Horror? Why are you bringing up that monster? That thing inhabits the Frozen Wasteland, far from even the Coniferous Forest… Don’t tell me?”

 

Thoroughbred’s expression changed drastically.

 

He looked around the snowy field where corpses were scattered.

 

“It’s not a trap by those Mörsolt bastards, is it?”

 

“Though it would be difficult, if they have the means to lure an adult Frozen Horror to this place… it wouldn’t be impossible.”

 

At the Old Knight’s answer, Thoroughbred kicked a rock with his foot.

 

Crash—bang!

 

Hard rock shattered and was pulled out onto the dirt.

 

The ambition to not only make Purosange independent from the Northern Five Houses but to grow it into a kingdom.

 

The first step of that plan began with annihilating Mörsolt’s Trading Company.

 

But it had gone wrong from the start and now showed signs of going completely awry.

 

After venting his rage for a long while, Thoroughbred looked back at the Rangers of the Follow-up Forces with a pale face.

 

“Where is Pinin? Where is my Son?”

 

“….”

 

No one could answer those words.

 

They only slightly turned their gazes that had been directed toward the Floor toward the North.

 

“?”

 

Thoroughbred didn’t miss the direction the Rangers’ gazes had momentarily turned toward.

 

Soon, he saw a Cloak hanging on the middle of the Hill.

 

The Cloak that Pinin always wore.

 

Next to it, the boy’s Bow was caught on a Tree Branch.

 

Going a little closer, he could also see Pinin’s favorite Dagger embedded in the tree trunk.

 

And beneath that….

 

“Son?”

 

Thoroughbred’s voice trembled.

 

He collapsed to his knees on the Floor where dirt and Snow were mixed and frozen.

 

“My Son?”

 

Thoroughbred reached out a trembling hand toward the reddish something scattered on the Floor.

 

When they cleared away the snow and dirt, a blue and rock-hard frozen lower body was revealed.

 

It was the pants and military boots that Pinin had been wearing before going to the battlefield.

 

“Ugh—aaaaaaaaaaah!”

 

Thoroughbred screamed.

 

All the Rangers standing behind him dropped their heads to the ground.

 

The Purosange vanguard that had been pursuing Mörsolt was completely annihilated.

 

From the beginning, they had intended to plunder Mörsolt’s merchant group and manipulate the scene to escape responsibility.

 

But the result was the complete opposite.

 

Mörsolt’s merchant group was armed with stronger military force than expected, making plunder impossible, the scene was immediately discovered, and they were caught in reverse by the very scheme they had tried to orchestrate.

 

Though he didn’t know what methods they used, Mörsolt had lured in the dangerous high-level monster Frozen Horror to annihilate Purosange’s pursuers while slipping away themselves in the process.

 

Pinin, who died in the process of pursuing Mörsolt, had not died fighting against the unjust tyranny of the feudal lord family, but had become a fool who died trying to hunt a powerful monster without knowing his place.

 

Naturally, there was no evidence left that could be used to confront Mörsolt.

 

…Crack!

 

Thoroughbred ground his teeth.

 

He ground them so hard that several molars broke and blood began to flow out.

 

“Where did those Mörsolt bastards go?”

 

“We’re currently investigating…”

 

The moment the Old Ranger was about to report.

 

Grab!

 

Thoroughbred seized him by the collar.

 

“If you’re still investigating, when exactly are we going to pursue them? Huh!? Should we wait until next year when the snow melts!? Should we do it when my son’s corpse has completely rotted away!? When exactly!”

 

“F-for now, they seem to have fled to the east, but we’re not certain yet…”

 

As soon as the subordinate finished speaking, Thoroughbred shouted.

 

“I saw tree branches broken in one direction on the eastern slope earlier! It could be those Mörsolt bastards or our survivors, so we advance in that direction!”

 

The eyes of a father who lost his son first are terrifying.

 

No matter how brave the Purosange Rangers are, they cannot object to Thoroughbred’s orders right now.

 

Because they might end up taking all the blame for this defeat if they’re not careful.

 

Right at that moment.

 

“Baron Thoroughbred. We cannot pursue any further.”

 

One person from behind the Rangers stepped forward.

 

A woman wearing a purple robe.

 

She had beautiful features, but her eyes held an undeniable cold aura and cruelty that made men step back rather than draw them in.

 

Thoroughbred swallowed his saliva.

 

“Shedyoldis…”

 

She is a mage who serves as a retainer in the Purosange Family.

 

She was also the one who had treated Pinin when he came with his wrist severed by Featherback previously.

 

With Shedyoldis’s appearance, Thoroughbred’s momentum slightly subsided.

 

She spoke in a gentle tone.

 

“Now is not a good time. If we resume pursuit, the Rangers’ casualties could become even greater.”

 

“I lost my son.”

 

“You can always have another son.”

 

To Thoroughbred’s barbed words, Shedyoldis responded as if it were nothing.

 

The moment they heard her words, all the surrounding Rangers gasped.

 

But surprisingly, Thoroughbred didn’t show much anger at Shedyoldis’s words.

 

He just swallowed a groan, letting out nothing more than a grunt.

 

Shedyoldis continued speaking in a gentle voice.

 

“Sons can be obtained again, but skilled Rangers are difficult to replace. And besides, losing Rangers won’t bring your dead son back to life.”

 

“….”

 

“Grand Prince Pinin’s death in battle is deeply regrettable to me as well, but that doesn’t mean we should lose other Rangers too.”

 

She approached Thoroughbred’s side.

 

Then she leaned close to his ear and whispered softly.

 

“Remember this, Family Head. Sons can be obtained again as many times as needed, skilled Rangers require a long wait to replace, and a family house, once lost, can never be reclaimed.”

 

“…You’re right.”

 

Thoroughbred nodded his head after a long sigh.

 

Shedyoldis opened her mouth as if praising an obedient child.

 

“Last night, I clearly told you not to march out, but Grand Prince Pinin seems to have somewhat misinterpreted my Prophecy. But since things have come to this, we must handle it well.”

 

“What should we do?”

 

“First, we must wage Public Opinion Warfare.”

 

“Public opinion?”

 

When Thoroughbred asked back, Shedyoldis nodded.

 

“I’ve already sent Spies throughout the Northern Region. They will spread rumors that Mörsolt killed the Grand Duke of Purosange and disguised it as the work of monsters.”

 

“Will that work?”

 

“It’s one of many operations. Family Head, you have something else to do.”

 

“What do I need to do?”

 

Thoroughbred asked urgently.

 

Shedyoldis smiled faintly and looked around.

 

“All the Rangers here will hole up in Purosange Fortress and conduct siege defense.”

 

“Siege defense? Against whom?”

 

“Why, Mörsolt of course.”

 

“!”

 

Only then did Thoroughbred nod his head.

 

“I see. Those fleeing Mörsolt bastards will think I’m pursuing them. Having lost even their eldest son, they’ll believe without doubt that I, blinded by rage, will cross the territory border.”

 

“If I hadn’t offered my counsel, you surely would have done so.”

 

“Those cunning bastards would have been preparing in advance. This was all something they planned. The moment I cross the territory border, armed forces will immediately rush in and push straight to Purosange Fortress without fail.”

 

“Family Head, you are truly wise.”

 

“They wanted war from the beginning. If we stay still, they’ll march to our castle.”

 

“Exactly. So we need to prepare for siege defense from the start. We’ll trust the spies to spread rumors far and wide that Mörsolt invaded first.”

 

“Mörsolt are bastards who can’t let go of honor even if they die. They’re fools who are extremely conscious of how the world sees them, so they’ll have no choice but to withdraw.”

 

“Exactly. Mörsolt is rather old-fashioned. That’s why they live so poorly.”

 

Shedyoldis wore a bewitching smile.

 

Thoroughbred spoke with bloodshot eyes.

 

“The Mörsolt bastards invaded Purosange without justification and killed the Grand Prince. This one rumor is enough. After public opinion is formed, we’ll launch a massive subjugation of those bastards.”

 

“When that happens, the other Northern families will probably support Purosange too. Especially the Levarb Family, who were severely beaten by Mörsolt recently, will come out to support us with both hands raised.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Thoroughbred turned his head and issued changed orders.

 

“Everyone return to the main castle! Prepare for castle defense!”

 

* * *

 

Several days later, the forces led by Thoroughbred returned to the main castle.

 

The Purosange Family’s fortress.

 

This castle is renowned throughout the Northern Region as the highest, steepest, most treacherous, and simultaneously the most solid.

 

Whiiiiing…

 

The Wailing Ramparts where even the wind that could go anywhere in this world cannot pass over and sits down in defeat.

 

It boasts an intimidating presence as if a rocky mountain had been carved out and erected as is.

 

The Northern Region’s strongest iron fortress that no one has ever been able to conquer.

 

Thoroughbred stood before the castle gate with Shedyoldis positioned beside him.

 

“Open the gate!”

 

One Ranger shouted toward the top of the castle walls.

 

For some reason, there were no guards outside the castle gate.

 

Sensing something strange, Thoroughbred stepped forward himself.

 

“What are you doing! The operation has changed and we’ve returned, so hurry and open the gate…!”

 

But the gate did not open.

 

Instead, what came flying was a single arrow.

 

…Thunk!

 

The arrow lodged in the mouth of the Ranger who had shouted first.

 

Seeing the corpse fall beneath the horse, Thoroughbred hastily raised his head.

 

Flutter—

 

Only then did the flags fluttering atop the castle walls come into view.

 

Where the Purosange banners had been positioned, Mörsolt banners were now fluttering from some point onward.

 

And soon after, a boy poked his head out from beside the flags.

 

“What beggars are making a commotion in front of someone else’s house?”

 

Thoroughbred’s jaw dropped when he saw the boy’s face.

 

The shock was so great that he couldn’t tell if this scene unfolding before his eyes was a dream or reality.

 

“If you’re going to beg, you should do it properly.”

 

That boy clicking his tongue from atop the castle walls was definitely the young Mörsolt he had met before.

 

It was none other than Featherback.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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