The Count’s Youngest Son is a Player

Chapter 239



Tak.

A golden rose model was placed on the map spread out on the table. Various models were scattered across the map.

The golden rose, emblem of the Delamian Household.

The purple amethyst, representing the Boyd family.

The blue eye of the Gallegos family.

The orange fist of the McGregor family.

Models representing the cities of the Brennan Republic clearly illustrated the current power dynamics.

“Hmm.”

An elderly man with snow-white hair stroked his beard as he looked down at the map. Next to him, a young man placed a sheet of paper with numbers on it.

『Estimated Votes』

Gallegos – 435

Delamian – 396

Larsen – 64

Neutral Others -105

“This is troublesome. I don’t want to give those Larsen brats any leverage.”

Despite his words, the old man’s face appeared unbothered. His voice also seemed calm.

“At the moment, we are trying to pull as many neutral houses to our side as possible. We must ensure Larsen doesn’t hold the casting vote.”

The young man pointed to several neutral families as he spoke, and the old man nodded slightly. The old man’s name was Exard Delamian.

The head of the Delamian Household and an ambitious man aiming for the title of High Chief in this election.

The young man beside him was Lipork Delamian, his eldest son. Lipork was highly regarded in the family for his considerable skills and was recognized as the heir.

Despite their votes being fewer than their competitors, there was no hint of anxiety on their faces.

They simply looked at the map with an expression of interest.

“It was within our expected range, but we suffered a bit too much loss. What do you think?”

“In the short term, it is certainly a loss. However, the overall trend still leans in our favor. Neutral votes will eventually side with the strong.”

For some reason, he seemed confident of their victory.

“Yes. The outcome is more important than the process. The losses so far can be considered investments. But still…”

Bang.

A new model was plunged into the map. Placed in front of the blue eye models was a purple hawk.

“A small variable can sometimes ruin a big deal. What do you plan to do?”

“I’ve already asked Sir Elderwick to handle it. Using such a force against mere outsiders might be overkill, but we must ensure the job is done properly.”

“A wise choice. It’s standard to make efficient investments, but sometimes a bold bet is necessary. It’s about time we showed our hand.”

The Delamian Household’s sword began to target the Purple Guild.

***

Southern Brennan Republic, near the city of Dreyni.

“Charge!”

“Kill them!”

Bang! Clang!

More than ten thousand soldiers collided on the plains in a massive battle. In the middle, where the two armies faced off, both vanguards clashed.

“Are you going to let these foreign mercenaries push you back? Don’t fear them, their fancy skills are nothing special! Push forward!”

A rough-looking man, likely a mercenary captain, swung his poleaxe while urging his men forward. Other mercenary leaders, similarly distinctive in their armor, goaded their troops on.

“Those guys are walking treasure chests! Just grabbing one of their items will set you up for life! So don’t hold back and tear them apart, you damn bastards!”

Amid a sea of harsh curses and violence, rookie mercenaries were driven to the front lines, serving as human shields while seasoned mercenaries looked for opportunities.

These were the mercenary forces hired by the Delamian Household.

When players rallied behind the Purple Guild to support the Gallegos family, the Delamian Household recruited their forces through the Mercenary Guild.

“Don’t underestimate them just because their gear looks shabby and their levels are low!”

“Stay in formation and don’t take them lightly!”

Guild officers on the player’s side shouted frantically to maintain order in their ranks.

However, the front-line players seemed swept up by the heat of battle, ignoring their commanders’ orders and diving headlong into the mercenaries.

“Die, you bastard!”

“Back off, you low-level scrub! You’re not worth anything!”

In terms of individual combat ability, the players had the upper hand. They had superior physicality, equipment, and less fear of death, as expected.

However, the rate at which both forces depleted was not significantly different.

“… Ahh, these treacherous scum!”

“Healer! Where’s the healer!?”

In the mêlée, especially one involving many combatants, the mercenaries’ real-world experience and battle tactics shone through. While players focused on the immediate opponent, mercenaries assessed the entire battlefield around them.

They exploited openings in the flanks when opportunities arose, and the players’ responses to sudden ambushes were woefully inadequate.

“What are our guys doing? Why does it feel like I’m fighting three alone?”

“Seriously. Can’t people handle the enemies they’re marking? Is it that hard to take down one mercenary?”

Issues with coordination and lack of combat experience prevented the players from utilizing their strengths fully.

Boom, boom, boom.

Drums sounded from the main camp, causing both players and mercenaries to glance around before cautiously falling back.

“Retreat signal! Don’t all pull back at once, withdraw slowly!”

A commander on the player’s side shouted while the Delamian mercenaries orderly retreated without needing instructions.

“It’s the second day, and we haven’t achieved much. It’s another stalemate today, and our casualties are higher than anticipated.”

Han Seohyun, cradling her fox familiar, Eunbyeol, watched the retreating players with a disappointed look.

“It’s a kind of psychological warfare. If one side had buckled, reinforcements would have been sent immediately. It’s frustrating but understandable.”

Bae Dohyun’s words were met with a nod from Seohyun.

“Do you think the outcome would’ve changed if we had joined the battle?”

“Maybe. But this battlefield is different from the previous ones. There are more troops and knight orders involved. Let’s trust the command’s judgment for now.”

Bae Dohyun, Han Seohyun, and other Purple Guild members had not yet been deployed in the battle.

Unlike other players, they were staying in the camp where the knights resided.

“Excuse me! Where can I find Sir Bae Dohyun?”

A messenger from the main camp arrived. After hearing the news, Bae Dohyun gathered the guild members.

“Looks like we’ll finally be getting into the thick of it tomorrow. Prepare for deployment.”

“Whew~. Finally, we get to fight? I was getting restless.”

It seemed the guild members were bored from merely observing for the past two days. As rankers, many were concerned about their standings.

Taking a day off meant they could fall behind their competitors, so it was natural for them to be anxious.

Of course, they had brought various training tools and spent their free time sparring to keep their skills sharp. But nothing compares to the experience gained from real combat.

“We will be facing the enemy’s cavalry and knight order. Set up your equipment primarily for mounted combat. Prepare for the possibility of clashing with knights, so steel yourselves.”

The guild members had varying reactions to Bae Dohyun’s words.

Some seemed eager for the challenge of fighting knights, while others appeared apprehensive about facing such formidable opponents.

“You all know there’s no need to be greedy for merits, right? If an unbeatable opponent appears, hold on as long as you can and report to your team leaders. I trust there are no fools here who would throw their lives away out of foolish bravado.”

“Yes, Master!”

“Understood!”

The Purple Guild was no longer just a mere player guild. They were the representatives and the face of the outsiders who had entered Connect; every action they took was under scrutiny.

Their gameplay would be watched by countless viewers back on Earth, and the ruling elites of Connect would gauge the players’ capabilities through them.

Bae Dohyun wasn’t just nagging; he was emphasizing their responsibilities. As the strategy meeting concluded, Bae Dohyun called Ilwoo aside.

“Tomorrow, I’d like you to lead the guild members.”

“… Huh? But you’re here, so why?”

Ilwoo looked puzzled, and Bae Dohyun spoke in a low voice.

“Tomorrow I might have to move separately. If I leave during the battle, I want you to take care of the guild members.”

“Got it. I’ll handle it.”

Bae Dohyun’s occasional solo actions were nothing new. Ilwoo didn’t pry or ask unnecessary questions, knowing this was typical behavior for Bae Dohyun.

After giving Ilwoo some instructions, Bae Dohyun returned to his tent.

Ssshhh.

From the seemingly empty tent, a shadow emerged and transformed into a human figure.

“Is the information solid?”

“Yes, I confirmed it myself.”

“Looks like the Delamian Household is getting desperate. They’re making bold moves.”

The person handing documents to Bae Dohyun was Kane. Anticipating that the Delamian Household would make a move, Bae Dohyun had called Kane to the Brennan Republic.

“This should be interesting. I’m curious to see what the new superhuman is like tomorrow.”

Kane silently lamented for their enemy while looking at Bae Dohyun’s mischievous expression.

‘To think they’d make Master their enemy, such bad luck. Just when they’re probably feeling invincible after reaching a new height.’

On the top sheet of the documents Raul handed over, there was the face of a stern-looking elderly man with white hair and the name ‘Elderwick Drwyn’ written below it.

***

The next day.

According to the command’s strategy, a full-scale battle began. Regular army troops were deployed instead of players, prompting the enemy command to also deploy their regular forces.

Clang! Boom!

Under the hot sun, the regular armies of both sides clashed in the center of the battlefield, while players and mercenary bands once again faced off on the left and right flanks.

With equal numbers, the battle maintained a tense balance.

Thud, thud, thud!

Suddenly, a cavalry contingent emerged from the main camp of the Delamian side. Leading the approximately five hundred cavalry were half a dozen knights in armor marked with the golden rose emblem.

“Enemy cavalry and knights spotted!”

Following the urgent call of the observers, the cavalry of this side also began to mobilize.

“Sir Bae Dohyun, we entrust this to you.”

“Yes, we will handle them.”

The Purple Guild members joined the cavalry ranks, positioning themselves in two columns.

Thud, thud, thud.

The cavalry formed a wedge formation, led by the vanguard knights, charging vigorously toward the enemy cavalry. Seeing this force approaching, the enemy turned their horses around.

“Lances ready! Prepare for impact!”

Whir.

The 4-meter-long spears hanging from the saddles were aimed forward, and the Purple Guild members adjusted their weapons and shields.

20 meters, 10 meters, 5 meters.

The distance between the two sides closed rapidly, and their spears intertwined towards each other.

Snap! Thud! Bang!

Neigh!

The impact shook the entire formation. Some knights in the front ranks were knocked off their horses by the spears, and horses with broken legs tumbled to the ground.

Clang! Cling!

Thanks to the knights in the front line, there were hardly any casualties from the lance charge.

However, the formation itself was disrupted, and the cavalry’s speed was entirely killed.

Knights who fell to the ground drew their swords and struck the enemies, while the cavalrymen on horseback switched to spears and thrust them at their opponents.

“Lowly Delamian scum! Think you can buy skill with money?”

“Southern bumpkins should just stay in the countryside and graze!”

Knights of the Delamian Household with golden roses and cannon knights of the Gallegos family exchanged insults as they clashed.

As befits knights of large families, each was a intermediate-level expert or higher.

But their numbers combined were not even in the tens, and the battlefields were filled with knights and cavalrymen from regional families.

“Don’t charge recklessly! Support our allies!”

“Don’t interfere in the knights’ duels; focus on keeping the enemy at bay!”

Regular cavalrymen without mana blades would be nothing more than meat shields in a knight’s duel. But on this side, there was the Purple Guild.

“Charge! Don’t hold back, crush them all!”

“Let’s go!”

“Come at me!”

With the Purple Guild members joining the fray, the enemy cavalry began to falter, and the knights were gradually pushed back.

“Good, keep pressing them!”

“3rd and 4th squads, circle around and encircle the enemy!”

Buoyed by the momentum of the Purple Guild members, the cavalry commanders attempted to surround and form an encirclement around the enemy.

‘Here they come…’

Bae Dohyun, recovering his lance, glanced toward the rear of the enemy formation, where five knights were approaching swiftly, raising a dust storm.

“Ilwoo, I leave this to you!”

“Got it. See you later!”

Bae Dohyun broke away from the formation and rode toward the approaching knights.

(To be continued)


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