Episode 95: Mob A Watches the Battle with the Villainess

As we looked on from our vantage point atop a small hill, the Second Prince Faction began their assault on Luluden’s northern wall using catapults.

I hadn’t been briefed on their specific strategy, but I hadn’t expected them to resort to such sudden brute force. One thing was clear: the Second Prince Faction—or rather, Duke Schlestein—had no intention of reclaiming Luluden unscathed. As far as he was concerned, as long as the city fell, that was good enough.

The Luluden garrison responded to the bombardment by sending their soldiers on a frontal charge.

They were likely soldiers whose minds had been broken by Amy’s brainwashing. Common sense dictated that in a situation like this, the standard move would be to retaliate with their own catapults, fire arrows, or ballistae to destroy the siege engines. Alternatively, they could have hidden troops in the forest to launch a stealthy flanking maneuver.

"How terrible," Ana muttered, her brow furrowed as she peered at the scene.

"By now, obeying Amy’s orders has likely become their only priority," I noted.

"Unbelievable. Even a soldier is a person of this kingdom. To discard them like that..."

The fact that she could give such orders without batting an eye was exactly why that woman had become The Witch.

However, the look on Ana’s face was one of pained complexity. She genuinely cared for the people—even these soldiers being sent to die in vain—so it wasn't something she could just rationalize away.

I turned my gaze back to the battlefield. Hundreds of soldiers were charging in formation, shields raised. The Second Prince Faction intercepted them with a hail of arrows, but the way the enemy charged without a single thought for their own lives was, frankly, terrifying.

I could see the Second Prince Faction’s army being gradually pushed back, intimidated by the sheer intensity of the Centlaren soldiers, who didn't hesitate to use the corpses of their own comrades as shields.

Eventually, they reached one of the catapults and succeeded in wrecking it. The man who struck the final blow thrust his fist toward the sky and screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Long live the Saint!"

The cry reached all the way out here, despite the distance. Hearing that, the Second Prince Faction’s army seemed to lose even more of its nerve, and I could see the unrest spreading through their ranks.

With the interception efforts faltering, the enemy reached a second catapult and destroyed it as well. Once all the catapults had been silenced, the city gates swung open, and a massive wave of cavalry surged out. They were clearly seizing the opening created by the Faction’s hesitation.

The Second Prince Faction’s archers and mages tried to retaliate, but they couldn't blunt the enemy's momentum.

The Faction's infantry units immediately stepped forward, forming a dense wall to intercept the charge. However, they weren't heavy infantry, and they lacked the weight to stop the impact. The enemy cavalry tore through their ranks with ease, shredding the front line.

"That’s... not good."

Seeing their advantage, the Centlaren side deployed even more troops, mostly infantry units this time.

Just then, a signal fire rose from the main camp. They were calling for the strike already.

"Uh, that’s a bit faster than I expected."

"It is the commander-in-chief’s judgment. We have no choice. Allen, let's do it."

With that, Ana began her chant. I didn’t have a specific role in the spell, so I simply placed my hand gently on her back to let her know I was there for support.

"Grand Holy Snow Awakening!"

As Ana called out the spell’s name, she channeled her mana into the Ice Spirit Stones we had embedded in the ground. In response, the stones—arranged in a massive circle around the Royal Capital—began to glow with a brilliant light as they drank in her power.

An instant later, a violent blizzard engulfed the entire area surrounding the city.

The storm died down as quickly as it had arrived, leaving the soldiers standing there with snow piled high on their heads like snowmen.

The snow covering their faces crumbled away a moment later, and the soldiers all returned to their senses. They began looking around in confusion, clearly having no idea where they were or why they were standing on a battlefield.

Stripped of their zealotry, they immediately surrendered and were taken prisoner by the Second Prince Faction.

Seeing the path clear, the Second Prince Faction’s army charged toward the city gate. The guards stationed outside had likely been cured of their brainwashing as well.

However, the soldiers who had been on guard inside the buildings were naturally unaffected by the spell. The gate remained firmly closed, still held by Amy’s diehard fanatics.

The Second Prince Faction brought out a battering ram and began hammering away at the gate. In response, the defenders simply swapped out the "useless" soldiers for fresh fanatics, who lined the top of the wall and began raining attacks down on the Prince’s army.

"Is it just me, or is the Second Prince Faction kind of... weak?" I asked.

"No, that's not it," Ana replied. "The proficiency of the soldiers themselves isn't bad. It’s the person giving the orders who is the problem. I know they're in a hurry and can't afford a long siege, but it seems their bait was too small to draw out the big fish."

While we were talking, the unit at the gate was repelled. Watching their momentum crumble, the Second Prince Faction’s soldiers began a full retreat back toward their main camp.

"Ah, jeez. It can’t be helped. Looks like we'll have to step in."

"I agree. Allen, Jerome, let's go."

"L-Leave it to me!"

We mounted Jerome and took flight, soaring toward the Royal Castle.