Bear School Astartes

”Explain in detail.”

The unusual intelligence report immediately caught Veltrest’s attention.

Roche handed the intelligence document to his king and relayed it briefly.

”The Niflgaard people have designated that mountainous area as Mountain 13, and it’s almost completely burned now. They know a major battle is imminent, so they haven’t assigned much force to guard it. We’ve sent our people to investigate whenever there’s a chance, and other kings likely have done the same.”

”Analyzing the existing traces, it seems that a high-ranking Niflgaard noble perished there. The army he brought out of the camp under the guise of a temporary deployment was a mixed brigade.”

”And on their corpses, apart from signs of mental collapse and mutual slaughter due to the mountain fire... there is only one type of extremely, extremely fearsome scar.”

Roche emphasized the word ’extremely’ twice with a heavy tone.

His facial expression was hard to define between gravity and astonishment.

While perusing the intelligence file, Veltrest countered, ”The mountain fire has been burning for several days, and even now, there’s the occasional flicker of fire in the hills. How can the scars be easily seen? Wouldn’t the bodies have turned to charcoal? Also...”

”Weren’t the Niflgaard people the first to arrive? Could this not be their doing, trying to mislead us?”

”Taler considered this possibility.” Roche pointed his fingers at the intelligence file Veltrest was holding. ”But he ultimately dismissed it.”

”Mainly because, what was Niflgaard’s intention in revealing this information? To inform everyone that their unbeatable army was crushed by a single man in a valley?”

”On the contrary, Taler’s men found quite a few people in the valley trying to fake things the other way. They were striving to make the charred corpses bear more types of scars.”

”However, creating the marks from ’injury before charring’ and ’adding new scars to charred bodies’ is quite different, making their attempts impractical and costly.”

Veltrest became a bit more convinced of the intelligence since what the enemy wished to conceal was likely true.

Yet he couldn’t help but grind his molars.

Even with mountain fire as an external pressure, for one person to dismantle a mixed brigade to the point of rendering it ineffective and finally being annihilated by fire... What the hell is going on?!

A mythical tale?

Veltrest shook his head, feeling even the legendary heroes of the Skellige Islands, those force-worshipping brutes, would rarely be involved in such brutality as described in their lore.

After all, a myth still requires believers.

”Also, there are some other matters today.” While the king was lost in thought, Roche assumed the duties of an officer, reporting to the king.

”The guards of the camp reported that during their patrols today, they encountered two Demon Hunters arriving from the enemy-occupied area, along with a few civilians and wounded soldiers, seemingly fleeing for refuge.”

”Demon Hunters?”

Upon hearing the term, Veltrest’s eyes instinctively narrowed, as if recalling something.

”Yes, Demon Hunters.” Roche continued, ”They are two brave souls, having escorted people out of what’s become Hell in Sintra. They didn’t leave their names, seeming anxious to reach a safe haven. The patrol soldiers said they also handed over a large book... a very important book.”

”Oh? What is it?”

”A war record.” When Vernon Roche spoke of the book, his tone naturally turned solemn, as if he were praying in Meretelli’s Divine Hall.

”The book was later given to today’s duty manager, who had studied in Ossenford and immediately recognized its value.”

”It records, from the perspective of Sintra’s overseer Hacksaw, the actions taken by Niflgaard in Sintra after the war began. It contains accurate village-by-village records of the crimes and evidence of atrocities committed during the war, along with extensive lists of victims and family connections.”

”Each incident is clear and unmistakable.”

Veltrest almost instantly became alert and invigorated.

He sprang up from his chair.

”Where is the book now?”

”Still with the duty manager.”

”Bring it here! Now!”

The order was given, and shortly after, a hefty, parchment-bound volume lay on the table.

Veltrest flipped through it quickly, initially with excitement, but as the pages turned, his expression grew more solemn and earnest.

By the end, Veltrest’s cheek muscles were taut from clenching his jaw tightly.

”Have Merigold teleport this book to Vizima. Contact Horn Publishing House and have them prepare for its dissemination. I want all of the North to see this book.”

”For decades, Niflgaard has promoted itself in the North as civilized, advanced, with gentle and polite citizens, and a just and logical system.”

”Let’s show the world what these ’civilized’ people truly do during war and how they differ from the so-called savages in their propaganda!”

”Even we know not to kill children! Even we know not to assault women who have lost their entire families to plague and death! Damn their ’civilized world’!”

Veltrest spat disdainfully on the ground.

”Ugh, disgusting!”

”Once this book is published, let’s see which ’esteemed’ scholar and noble dare to brazenly approach my court arguing for ’civilized’ friendships over barbarism.”

”If they talk to me about international relations and interests, I might respect them a bit. About ’civilization’? Pfft.”

After speaking in righteous indignation, Veltrest’s hand rested on the cover of the large volume, leaving a heavy silence.

He looked down at the book’s ragged cover, not turning back as he spoke to Roche behind him.

”I actually know Hacksaw, Roche.”

”He’s... a typical palace steward. Etiquette-focused, timid and cautious. But now...”

”What happened in Sintra has honed such a person to this extent.”

”So we must win the coming war, Your Majesty.”

Roche stood erect behind the king.

”After our last crushing defeat, everyone knows the Niflgaard people leave no survivors and love massacres. Now even the dwarves in the army are united with us against the common enemy. Because they too understand, the Niflgaard people won’t spare them for being dwarves.”

”Yes, we must win. Because we have no retreat.”