Shadow of the Evil God

"If it weren't for that fight where everyone was detained

I was stuck at Denton University and the Kingdom Military Academy, and they came in handy a few months ago."

"So, you already have a complete plan to participate in the war in the north?" Urbino felt his mind tingling. "And you're not just accompanying the army as a mage—you'll provide them with the initial supplies?"

"As far as I know, father, due to financial problems, His Majesty hasn't offered many options to those heading north in recent years. I happen to be adept at lobbying and possess the right credentials to provide support. As you know, nobles with military backgrounds have always looked down on court nobles, and even my skill at making friends wouldn't have helped. No matter how I think about it, the best approach is to connect with the most outstanding peers of this generation and offer them different options. That way, I won't be isolated and helpless in Olidan in the future."

"It seems this line has been severed due to force majeure," Urbino added, adding to what Diana hadn't said. "I'm very sorry about this. But I can tell you this: if you hand over this backlog of supplies to me, and wait until everyone is released next year, I can financially support you in this endeavor."

"Next year? But I heard that the mayor of Noien is no longer loyal to Dominy, and the Sasule people will also trade with Olidan. Once the financial pressure is relieved, it will not be my turn to provide different options. The external environment is always changing. The same thing in different circumstances can be an indispensable helping hand or an insignificant speculative behavior." Diana looked at him and said.

Of course, Urbino knew that the environment was indeed changing.

Just a few months ago, mercenaries affiliated with Olidan launched a riot, looting many local villages. After the incident, they framed the Beastmen for the crime. As the perfect scapegoat, the Beastmen never jumped out to claim that they were not responsible.

It wasn't just the unpaid mercenaries who broke military discipline, but the looting was also initiated by noble officers. They weren't short of money or food; they were simply trying to relieve boredom. Men went to the northern battlefields to conquer enemies, even alien races, and gain glory. However, due to financial constraints, many were forced to remain idle in their garrisons. Over time, this situation led some to recruit unpaid mercenaries to loot and kill in war-torn areas.

Once the financial problems are alleviated and military supplies become sufficient, these people will be able to vent their emotions on the real battlefield instead of damaging their relationship with the southern forces of the empire in the rear.

“If you put it that way…” Urbino pondered, “this batch of supplies won’t be used for what you’d like anyway. Is that something you’ve already grasped?”

"As far as I know, father, it's just not going to be used for what I'd like it to be, but that doesn't diminish its value. Should I praise you as a great politician? You keep emphasizing that I can't use it, but you never mention another thing—that you can't ask His Majesty to pay for these supplies, and you don't even want to pay for them yourself. For the sake of our relationship as father and daughter, please don't use such rhetoric, okay?"

Urbino almost blushed.

"Well, how about this?" the Duke said, "In order not to disappoint my good daughter and to ensure that they are put to their original use, I will sign your name to this batch of supplies. Although I can't support the northern battlefield, you can support Gonzales, whose situation is more urgent. What do you think?"

"Gonzales is indeed in a critical situation, but do I need to tell you the quality of the officers you sent to support Gonzales? I spent a considerable amount of money to obtain those supplies in Itris. We carefully discussed every purchase list, and it even includes materials for my own battlefield mage—"

Diana became more and more excited as she spoke, and even took a deep breath in the middle of her speech.

"I hate to be harsh, but will you give the artillery to the newly conscripted farmers, Father?" she asked. "Or should I retell you the ambush on the edge of Gonzales?"

"They just needed a qualified commander. As for the casualties at that time, I think it was just that some people did not obey the newly appointed commander and acted on their own for their own honor. There are many ways to control a newly taken over army. Sacrificing a group of people and letting others see their fate...this is one of them." said Urbino.

"Are you defending him?"

"Perhaps it's because you know so little about military command."

"I do know a little about military command, but so far you're the only one defending Cesar."

"Isn't this enough?"

"I admit that this is indeed sufficient, and there is indeed no one in Olidan who is more qualified than you to judge military affairs...except that he was appointed by you personally."

"Isn't it enough that I appointed him personally?"

He had to admit that this explanation brought him a shameful sense of relief. After all, he was busy with Noyen's affairs and had little time to deal with Gonzales's mess. In fact, Urbino had never thoroughly investigated Cesar's abilities, and the people he had assigned to him inevitably included many unreliable individuals.

Just send this person to Gonza

Reiss had enough going on.

"Then let's prove everything with actual results." Diana did not give up, and was as tough as ever. "If something unexpected happens to this batch of supplies, and that person is still hiding in the barracks and unmoved as always,

Can I take the command from him in person with the document you signed? Can I tell him to say goodbye to Gonzales and stay at the palace, and tell him that there are more suitable people to take over this place?

"But you..."

"I have my own way of communicating with those guys locked up in the military academy. It's not much different from them actually sitting in their tents and commanding. I don't think you care who leads the army to victory, do you, father?"

Chapter 110: Find Someone to Pray to

......

Come to think of it, the Olidan army had only come to Noien for a brief visit, returning to their respective lands within a month. They'd barely even drawn their swords, let alone guns. Therefore, Cesar had never witnessed the spectacle of two vast armies facing each other in a seemingly endless battle formation. Now, in Gonzales, the situation was even more devoid of symbolic significance, like banners and military formations.

Then again, Cesar himself had no desire to lead his troops into battle, much less to be involved in a major battlefield. The problem with getting too close wasn't just the high risk of being killed, but also the high risk of losing control. If the bloody transformation that had occurred on the streets of Noyen happened again, he would likely be exiled to the wilderness. After all, here, there was no chaotic massacre to hide the truth.

He removed his helmet and brushed his sweat-stained hair with his fingers, feeling a surge of anxiety. He was halfway up the mountain, the best vantage point in the area for observing the surrounding terrain. Within his sight was a swift stream, one that hadn't been marked on the crude maps in Gonzales's governor's palace, but Dog had spotted it, and he assumed the rebels knew about it, this hidden path.

The view from this spot fully captures the secrecy of this freight route, as well as its particularly vulnerable terrain. The river isn't deep enough for smugglers and caravans to wade through, but the narrow path makes it impractical for large-scale mineral transport. If a recent arrival in Gonzales were looking for a hidden route to transport goods, this would be a worthwhile option—assuming there were no insurgent spies near the Governor's Palace.

Will there be none?

There will definitely be.

Valedo's private complaints had revealed Cesar's request for supplies. This information didn't spread far, mostly limited to the lesser nobles in the camp. However, due to the nobles' extensive connections, especially their habit of exchanging secrets to foster friendship, the news naturally reached the ears of inquiring spies without even needing to be spread deliberately.

Cesar personally believed that he didn't need to deliberately reveal the shipping route. The spies would already have gathered most of the information from the leaky Fort Gonzales. After that, they would combine the existing information and make inferences to determine the shipping route that best matched the actual situation. It was precisely because the spies had painstakingly gathered this information, rather than simply letting him know, that this information was particularly valuable and authentic.

In any case, if they didn't guess the shipping route, Cesar would just assume he had successfully received a shipment of supplies from the Duke. If they did guess it and set up an ambush here, then things would have turned out to be exactly what he wanted.

The moment he learned that the team was on the road, Cesar summoned Valedo alone and told him part of the plan. Since they had been frequently gathering the team for training recently, this meeting did not stir up any waves or reactions.

After that, he asked the knight, who was eager to prove himself, to prepare for action and take their cavalry out under the pretext of training - without informing them of the destination or the marching route in advance, and eventually they changed course in the woods and marched along the freight route.

Without a carriage and no privacy, Cesar was doomed to be unable to relieve his boredom on the road. He asked Firth if there was a spell that could conceal their figures and create false images, but she just stared at him with a look of shock and said there was no such thing.

Putting aside Firth's suspicious response, they quickly passed through the intricate woodland and reached their destination, following the path found by the Faceless Ones. Although the cavalry team turned many corners, they never went in circles or got lost once.

Considering he still hadn't studied the Essentials of Military Strategy enough, Cesar delegated detailed battle command to several officers once they reached the general location. Besides the heavy cavalry commanded by Varedo, there were also two light cavalry units armed with muskets. Given the current situation, the less he commanded, the less likely it would reveal his lack of military experience.

Looking south from this point, the river valley cuts through the hills that obstructed the view, but one can vaguely discern the outline of the area beyond the mountains, and even see the freight convoy approaching. It wasn't long before the convoy, unsuspectingly, began crossing the river. There were soldiers protecting the convoy as a decoy, but they weren't numerous, not nearly as many as the knights who had been decimated by a few volleys.

Therefore, there would not be many rebels ambushing the convoy.

At the same time, Cesar also saw the changing outlines of the woods. Many people moved under the lush trees, disturbing the quiet of the woodland. If you didn't pay attention, you would think it was just the wind blowing, but the soldiers he brought with him were as still as statues for almost a few seconds.

He looked down at the entire forest, waiting for a group of ambushers who were undetectable when they were still to move and reveal their tracks.

Several messengers who had observed the movement from a high altitude began to run and spread the news.

The cavalry began to mount their horses and load their muskets, preparing to launch a surprise attack in multiple groups. Unfortunately, there were no longbowmen skilled in mounted archery in the ranks, otherwise the volleys would have already begun.

In this era, muskets still had to be fired at close range.

Compared to charging into battle, the feeling of looking down from a high vantage point wasn't bad. It felt more like looking down at a few ants crawling through the woods, a silent pantomime, but he could clearly see the entire terrain and everyone's movements. This alone was much more helpful in assessing the situation than charging into enemy territory.

Cesar glanced at the freight convoy still crossing the river. Due to confidentiality concerns, the convoy knew nothing about what was happening, and they remained in the dark. In fact, until the cavalry entered the woods, only he and a few officers knew about the entire ambush.

Were they the first people he had sacrificed of his own free will? The thought made him even more irritated.

At this moment, Cesar wanted to find a monk and kneel down to pray, asking her to forgive his sins. It was meaningless, but it would make him feel better, even if it was hypocritical, he would accept it.

Cesar sat on the rock, pursing his lips, trying to wrestle away from the subtle feelings he was feeling. After all, it was he who had orchestrated everything and brought them to this deadly place in order to fulfill his plan.

Lately he has been increasingly feeling the need for something comforting.

"Is something wrong, Master?" The dog leaned forward. Though unmoved, this creature could always see through his emotions, like a book. The biggest shift in his perspective caused by the Faceless One was that the emotions and psychological changes people thought they hid deep inside were like an open book in this world. There were always people or other beings who could see through them effortlessly.

So, how do you keep secrets hidden? How do you make yourself forget them?

Cesar wanted to bite his fingers too.

"You just stay here with me," he said.

"Don't you need me to deal with those who are difficult to deal with?" she said, holding the rifle in her arms.

"You've already participated enough." Cesar looked at the river valley below. "If victory depends on you even if the battlefield situation is so favorable, then we might as well not fight this battle. I'll take you on the run. I'm not good at judging battlefield situations, but..."

"I believe you're better at judging battlefield situations than those who are well-versed in military strategies." Gouzi tilted his head, studying him, his tone strangely gentle. "I don't know why, but that's true."

Cesar stared at her: "Are you actively comforting me?"

"I think you should be more proud of yourself..." She put her lips close to his and whispered softly in his ear, "It's like cleaning up pests and rats. It's not killing them, but getting rid of them. It's just that some guys have to be sacrificed. But it's a necessary price to pay, isn't it?"

Cesar realized that the Faceless One might appear to lack a mind of her own, but something else ingrained itself into her very being, something deeper than thought or wisdom itself. Somehow, this didn't surprise him, or even disgust him. Perhaps it was because, compared to complete silence, some strange attempt at something would actually make her more alive. After all, she was trying to offer an explanation for his way of thinking.

"I'm glad you want to defend me, but I'll leave it aside for now and talk to you later," he said.

The dog blinked its indifferent eyes, looking innocent, with no other expression.

Chapter 111 Can't you talk to the dead?

"You know what the most subtle part is?" Cesar continued, "I only repent after the deed is done, just like a murderer who places flowers on the deceased's tombstone after killing someone."

As he spoke, he observed the fighting in the valley. Due to the high ground, he couldn't clearly see the blood splattering everywhere, nor the wailing soldiers and the mutilated bodies scattered on the ground, but he could clearly see the overall development of the battle. Regardless of how he felt, the ambush was going smoothly. As soon as the large number of rebels began to loot the wagons, they were mostly killed by volleys of musket fire from the light cavalry. The remaining ones tried to resist by leaning against the wagons, but were also scattered by the heavy cavalry.

For a cavalry captain, Varedo was overly aggressive, seemingly enjoying the slaughter. However, having suffered a similar ambush before, it was only natural for him to retaliate with vengeance. Within minutes, the majority of the task was accomplished. The rest simply involved securing the prisoners and hunting down the few deserters who had fled into the woods. If he had chatted with Gouzi a little longer, the battle might have been over before he even turned back.

He felt very satisfied, and the guilt he had just felt became insignificant.

"That's wonderful," Gouzi whispered, gazing at the distant battle scene with a sense of enjoyment. Her chest rose and fell slowly, as if she could touch the bloody scent there, so excited that she couldn't breathe. A strange fire smoldered silently in her eyes, and a faint but strange smile played at the corner of her mouth.

She moved forward a little, as if to take a step forward, looking down

Cesar stared at her silently, watching her take another step forward before she stopped and turned her gaze back.

He just stared at her, watching her retreat with a hint of reluctance, squatting beside him with her knees hugged. Then, she lowered her chin

She placed it on his legs and put her hands on him.

"Are you angry?" she whispered, raising her eyes. "How can I ask for your forgiveness? I know you always ask me to be restrained, but there's so much tempting blood and..."

Cesar placed his hand on the dog's head. "My anger isn't genuine. However, I must ask you once again to exercise restraint. Although your instincts may not be enough... Try to remember what I said, okay?"

"I often don't understand what you say." Gouzi glanced at him sideways, his eyes filled with genuine confusion. "Even if I ask those I've eaten, or search through their memories, I still can't get the answer. Compared to them, you seem to have something different."

"I want you to be more specific."

"I think your anger is real, but you say it's fake."

Cesar smiled and caressed her cheek affectionately. "I treat sudden emotions as impulses, many of which don't stand up to scrutiny and aren't worth doing anything about. Only after I've seen, thought about, and judged them do I consider them real."

He stood up as he spoke, looking down at the rebels who had jumped into the river in the distance. It seemed the cavalry couldn't catch up to them. Initially, he considered letting Gouzi use her incredible marksmanship to shoot them down one by one, but then he gave up. She clung to his waist tightly, her face pressed against his chest, and didn't want to move away.

As he thought, the dog still didn't understand what he was saying, but was confused by the fact that he was clearly angry but claimed not to be really angry. This idea was reflected in his actual behavior, which was to hug him tightly until he was sure that he would not leave him.

If Analik is considered a natural phenomenon, then the Faceless One is actually made evil by nature. Therefore, in the midst of all evil, she is actually innocent. How can people declare guilt against a non-human being that lacks human values ​​such as evil and good?

Cesar had no reason to be angry with her, so no matter how many times he would tell her that his sudden anger was false and not worth speculating. Before the dog could think about anything, all he would do was keep her by his side and prevent her from exercising her nature unscrupulously.

"Come down with me," he said, stroking her head. "Capturing these prisoners isn't the end of the story. The most important thing is to get something out of them when we get back to Gonzales."

When they returned to Fort Gonzales, they brought not only a freight convoy and a dozen prisoners, but also more than a hundred relatively intact corpses placed on the convoy's supplies.

There are many reasons for transporting these bodies back, mainly for further examination to identify their identities and the sources of the weapons and equipment on them.

Secondly, Cesar wondered if Fils's knowledge of so many forbidden spells included communicating with the dead. Previously, she'd lacked the resources and environment to explore certain spells, and now, in the desolate Gonzales, there was no one to supervise or monitor them. If she knew, then with so many corpses in the camp, she'd surely be able to find a few to talk to.

Finally, of course, his reputation has been getting worse recently. If he doesn't prove something, he really won't be able to stay in Gonzales.

Disappearing from Gonzales with a pathetic reputation and fleeing to the capital of Olidan in disgrace was completely different from arriving directly at their capital. By then, let alone choosing where to go, he'd be lucky not to be chased around.

Cesar led a further examination of the bodies, but they didn't reveal much. They had no distinctive features, and judging by their ethnicity, they were all from the nearby Flanders, either elderly local farmers or criminals and refugees who had escaped from Dominican Republic, west of Gonzales.

Their equipment wasn't anything special; it was standard issue equipment mass-produced by the Oridan military factories. A successful ambush of the regular army would have allowed them to strip much of it from the corpses. The only difference was that they had removed their family crests from their armor, but Cesar didn't understand the Oridan military or the Oridan nobility, so he couldn't discern the purpose of this.

After that, he wrote down the information he had just received in a letter and sent it to Duke Urbino. He did this both to consult with someone who really knew the matter and to take credit for it indirectly.

Some things just couldn't be done too directly, or they would provoke resentment. But he couldn't avoid taking credit, or it would be the same as not having done anything. He hoped no one seeking credit and honor would rush to drive him away from Gonzales, or else he would have to prepare some unethical tactics in advance.

"Can't you talk to the dead?" Cesar asked Fils in the dark basement where the bodies were stored. "I thought this was a very rudimentary..."

"Why don't you just find a small lawyer on the street and ask him to release the person from the prison where the death row is held, and then say that you think this is a very basic lawyer's skill?" Phils stared at him with astonishment.

"Well, I'm an outsider," Cesar said, "then you..."

"I remember I said I would teach you some basic knowledge about magic.

"Fils said suddenly, "If you had any knowledge of our magic, you wouldn't ask me such a bizarre thing. What were you doing the last time I told you this?"

"I, uh, I fell asleep listening to it. Um, that's it.

You know, all that metaphysical stuff sounds so boring."

Chapter 112: Have you ever had sex with this thing?

Cesar casually removed the shroud and examined the body in the corner. While he'd chosen bodies as intact as possible, many were only relatively intact. This one was utterly shattered. The man's face looked as if a warhorse had trampled it, or perhaps a hoof had sunk into his skull through his mouth, crushing it to a pulp. His cloudy eyeballs bulged outward, and his tongue was reduced to shreds of flesh.

When he first woke up in Noyen, he still had some resistance to the dead bodies, but now, like Firth, he seemed to have become accustomed to things that he could not accept before. This feeling was actually very strange, as if part of his body's senses were gradually losing.

"I'll tell you more later," Firth said in her usual gloomy voice. "Things aren't as urgent now as they were in Neuen. If you fall asleep again, I'll use the prisoner torture spell to force you to wake up."

"Is there such a spell?" Cesar said as he closed the shroud. "I thought spells that could manipulate thoughts and minds were enough for you."

"Some people can't deal with it this way, so they have to use more primitive methods," she said.

Cesar had heard many stories from Phils about wizards killing each other. Now, whenever the relevant words were mentioned, the first thing he thought of was the internal struggles among the various wizard schools.

In her words, exploring magic is like blazing a trail through an endless maze. Each school of magic explores in a different direction, and as they diverge, they drift further and further apart. Therefore, the threads of knowledge they acquire are always vastly different. For many reasons, various schools of magic often seek to obtain the secrets of other schools, and conflicts arise from this.

Like the wars of secular humanity, conflicts and struggles between schools of magic are also common, but direct warfare is rare, and most of them are carried out through espionage, assassination, and capture. Among these, the most common is to capture mages of other schools and then force them to reveal the true knowledge and secrets of their own school through various means.

"You mean..." Cesar asked, although he could already guess Fils's answer, "Your spells for torturing prisoners won't be used on ordinary people, but only on your colleagues?"

"At first, mind manipulation spells were more effective than torture. Later, as more and more targeted protective spells emerged, some people discovered that directly using torture instruments was more effective. And then..."