The Story of Hero Among Heroes ~The Founding Chronicles of Arestia

Weekly chapters (2/2)

Sad news, no new update for this novel from the author.
Last month, the author made his first status update after months without news. He said that he is an irregular author with busy job, but he will try to work for new chapter whenever he have free time.

I’ll check the author page regularly if there will be new update in the future. Let’s hope this will be another long hiatus.

In another note in case you missed it, I’m re-posting this novel to Travis Translations from beginning. (Rechecking if there is any mistranslation and edited the typo while re-reading them).

Enjoy the chapter.

Translator: Raizu
Editor: Shirayuki

Chapter 183 – Dragon Claw Mark

While Ares was attacking Dormadia…

Sigurd and Darius led the 2nd and 3rd armies respectively, and headed towards the Byzerd region.

The Principality of Byzerd spread across the eastern part of the continent.

Sigurd would strike from the north while Darius planned to invade from the south.

And, after liberating all the countries, the strategy was to rendezvous in the Duchy of Byzerd, Garian.

This group of small countries in the eastern part of the continent are said to have originally started when Arcadian nobles and Royal families escaped from the Central Continent and proclaimed themselves kings in various places.

They pioneered this uninhabited wasteland and laid the foundation for their prosperity.

The number of countries that surrendered to Byzerd’s military annexation was about eight. Sigurd was in charge of liberating the four northern countries and Darius was in charge of the remaining four southern countries.

They marched with thunderous speed, taking one city after another and liberating it.

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In the northern part of the east continent, there existed a country the same size as the Kingdom of Istrea. The name is called Lieve Kingdom. Adjacent to Byzerd, they were allies since the founding of the country. This country was also called the Kingdom of Lieve Knights, because noble knights protected the country.

However, when Zachard became King of Byzerd, it was to this Lieve Kingdom that he first bared his fangs.

When he became king, the Lieve Kingdom was the most vocal in denouncing his legitimacy. And he resented them for it.

Although Lieve Kingdom was smaller in comparison to Byzerd, their military prowess was actually quite comparable. No matter how strong Byzerd’s military was, the Lieve Knights would not fall that easily… or at least that was what everyone in Lieve thought.

Simon, the King of Knights, was extremely talented, and his mighty knights will stop Zachard’s madness. Protecting us…all the people recognized it, and wished for it.

However, the result was contrary to expectations and crushed people’s wishes.

The power of the invading Principality of Byzerd was overwhelming.

It was only through one battle.

Taking all kinds of retaliation head on, eating through them… it can be said that the current method of fighting that Byzerd employed…

Yes, there’s no strategy at all as it was just a…

『Forceful Push』

But, it’s like the army Zachard led was no longer human. They were more ferocious than monsters.

The Byzerd army pretty much annihilated the Lieve Knights in the very first battle.

At first, Lieve Kingdom fought well under the leadership of the King of Knights Simon.

[Don’t think of them as people! Think of them as beasts!]

With that order, he changed his tactics one after another like hunting wild beasts.

The strategy worked and the Byzerd army took severe losses. The Lieve Kingdom’s forces believed that their victory was nigh.

However, Zachard’s solo charge turned the situation around.

He slew any knights in his path like he’s stamping on ants. Thanks to the sight of his brutal charge, Byzerd army regained their momentum and ferocity.

With their strategy failing, Lieve Knights gradually crumbled under the pressure of the beast-like Byzerd army.

[Is he…a monster?]

All of the Lieve Knights who were there… no, everyone, including the Byzerd soldiers trembled in fear upon witnessing the power that surpasses common sense.

As if running through an uninhabited field, Zachard plowed through Lieve forces, quickly reaching Simon, the King of Knights.

[Usurper King! I, Simon the King of Knight, hereby cha…]

Simon never managed to finish his sentence.
Without batting an eye, Zachard beheaded Simon in a single swing of his prized halberd.

When Simon fell under Zachard’s hand, the Lieve Knights almost immediately fell into confusion. In just a few days, the entire Lieve Kingdom was conquered by the momentum of Byzerd army.

Thus Lieve Kingdom became a vassal state to Byzerd Principality. What awaited them was unimaginable tyranny.

As a start, the entire royal bloodline was slaughtered.

And for the people, destruction, torture, looting, slaughter, rape… it’s pretty much a one sided free for all.
The out of control Byzerd army ravaged the Lieve Kingdom.
Turning the once virtuous and peaceful country into hell on earth in but a few days.

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Gaston Grievous, who was active as a knight under Zachard’s direct command in Byzerd, was entrusted with such Lieve Kingdom.

He was originally a man who ransacked Baizerd as a leader of bandits. However, by chance, he saw the bravery and cruelty of Zachard, who was still one of the princes on the battlefield, and was captivated by him.

He wants to have that kind of valor himself. And he wants to rampage as he pleases… 

It may have been a natural course of events for him to run to Zachard.

Gaston, who distinguished himself under Zachard, has had many military exploits.
He also possessed the valor of a bandit leader, and a cruelty on par with Zachard.

And that was exactly why Zachard liked him and gave him an important position.

Due to such circumstances, he rose from a mere bandit to one of the generals of Zachard’s army, and finally to the governor of the occupied land of Lieve.

Even after Zachard left, Gaston took over his policy and unleashed further tyranny on the people of the Kingdom of Lieve.

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[Here they are…]

After receiving information that the enemy was about to invade, Gaston chose to wall himself up in the Royal Capital of Lieve Archia.

Archia is also famous as a fortified city. In particular, the castle wall, which is said to be an iron wall, has a history of preventing the enemy’s momentum even in the previous invasion of Byzerd.
At that time, the castle gate on the west side couldn’t withstand the fierce attack, allowing the enemy to enter from there but since then, the castle gate has been renovated and turned into a stronger fortress than before.

Moreover…

[Oy, is the『Meat Wall』ready yet?]

[Yessir! We’ve tied up the residents and forced them to line up at the wall!]

Yes, what he referred to as『Meat Wall』was lining up Archia’s citizens on top of the rampart.

[Our army is stationed in front of the ramparts. Even if it is breached, this『Meatwall』will block their progress. In the meantime…]

[Umu. We should wait for reinforcements and sandwich them… huh.]

Gaston grinned when he said that.

But as he was about to continue talking with his confidant…

[General! The battle situation has changed!]

Came the report. Inspecting the situation, he realized that the enemy army had clashed with his own army.

[Strong…our army is no match for them.]

Gaston murmured as he inspected the situation.

The training and morale are different between the Byzerd army and the Margrave’s army. The results were striking.

[But even with that many soldiers, this castle wall won’t crumble.]

Just right after he said that…

He saw something approaching from the sky.

[What…is that?]

Gaston squinted his eyes…and was at a loss for words.

[Reporting! From the western sky…dragons…!]

Yes, indeed. Flying dragons

[Why are there a group of dragons here…?]

A horde of dragons approaches Archia citadel in a unified movement.

That’s from far above the castle walls. From a height where you can’t even attack with a bow and arrow.

Gaston confirmed the flock of dragons with his own naked eyes. Then realized there were soldiers straddling the backs of the dragons.

[Is that…the enemy army?]

The dragons ignored and flew past the『meat wall』, crossing Archia’s streets, and directly toward the castle. 

[Impossible…this is impossible…the castle walls are useless against that!]

Gaston, who was listening to the battle situation on the balcony of the castle, fled into the castle in a hurry. that moment.

GOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGOGO

An explosion roared through the castle and Gaston was caught in it and blown away.

[W-what…?]

When Gaston looked in that direction, there was a dragon that was different from salamanders and wyverns.

A knight in black was riding on the dragon’s back.

[…..are you the commander?]

The knight dismounted from the dragon as he asked so.

But, Gaston remained silent, keeping his mouth shut.

[I’ll take your silence as a yes.]

The black knight drew the sword on his waist.

『Dragonic Sword Dragonia』

Crafted by Gardor, the best blacksmith among the true dwarves, it is comparable to holy sword or magic sword.

With that sword in hand, the black knight approached Gaston.

[Nuu…..UGAAaaaaaaaAAA!!]

Gaston became frantic and attacked the knight. While directing a ruthless gaze at Gaston, the knight in black swung down his sword.

Only the sound of cutting through the air was faintly audible.

Nothing else but silence could be heard. However…

At the same time, Gaston had stopped moving.

And…

[Huh…w-what…?]

Blood flowed from Gaston’s mouth. At the same time, his torso, along with his armor, began to shift diagonally across his body.

[Huh? My body…has been cut?]

When he muttered that, Gaston, who was split in half, made a loud noise and collapsed from the spot.

While turning a cold gaze to such a situation…

The knight in black… Margrave Second Army commandant Sigurd muttered.

[You should feel honored that you get to be cut down by this sword, scum]

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With Gaston killed, Lieve effectively had fallen under the Margrave army’s occupation.

Sigurd took the rest of the defeated soldiers prisoner, rescued the vassals of the former Kingdom of Lieve who had been imprisoned, and arranged for them to start working on government affairs as soon as they recovered.

He himself continued to march toward Byzerd capital with the second army.

[If we don’t hurry, Darius will beat us to it. I don’t want to hear his gloating if it comes to happen.]

Sigurd began to advance again while groaning.