Tower Of Karma: Chapter 69 – Battle Of Flanders, Budding Stars

tl: i’ve picked this up, but i’ll probably only going to be translating this every now and then. haven’t even bothered to make a page for it yet. well it’d still be more than the previous translators, i found out that they were splitting the chapters (at least according to the raw source i found), so while we’ve ended up on chapter 69, it’s actually only still chapter 34. and i don’t even think the last translator listed on novelupdates even fully finished this chapter.

i’ll be more inclined to translate this regularly if all the people who’ve read this before are interested in reading this again. i’m a fan of this sort of strategic, military series, so it’s a shame that the previous translators haven’t done the best job to put it nicely – it seems to me that a lot of the negative reviews can be attributed to the quality of the translation. that also decreases my motivation a bit, because i feel like those who want to start reading this might not want to slog through the earlier translated chapters. however, it’s unlikely for now that i’ll go back and translate from the start – each chapter is pretty bloody long. so i can at least understand why they split things up, but at least label it as chapter parts rather than make up chapters..

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“What a perfect view, White Mask!”

　The best location to overlook the enemy’s main camp and keep, to some extent, the entire battlefield in sight. He had completely fallen into Wolff’s thoughts. If you were going to attack anyway, you should be thinking of wanting to attack from this kind of excellent position. So did Wolff. 

“As expected of the Wild Dog. To think you’d be able to make it from there all the way to here. I’m so stunned I’m speechless.” 

　This place was the exact opposite of where the key position of the battlefield was at. Of course, partly due to this being the final stage, the battlefield itself has become focused on fairly small scaly skirmishes, but even so, it was highly unlikely for a normal squad of around ten people to be able to intercept. 

“Liar. Didn’t you think I’d catch up?”

“Well. You also thought I’d be moving like this, huh?” 

　They had been mutually responding with their desperate plans. Therefore, both of them stood here with the trust that the other would be acting in this way. 

　White and black stared at each other.

“We may think differently, but the answer we have is the same.”

“What’s left is the difference in the pieces we have, our conditions, I’m on top in everything else!”

“Well, I wonder. You seem to think you’ve seen through everything… But is this all there is?” 

　William smiled. Wolf’s grin faded. 

“You still hiding something? Stop joking. In a long fight like this, there ain’t no way you’ve still got cards you haven’t played. Your main cards, Anselm, Gregor, Gilbert, and you, haven’t they all been shown?” 

“I haven’t shown Gilbert yet, right?”

　William chuckled. The smile got on Wolff’s nerves. That expression hidden by the setting sun. A smile only Wolff could see.

“The key defender is Gilbert. Anyone’d think that way, yeah? The only card that can match a serious Ywaine is Gilbert. Still, when that guy gets serious, he won’t be able to do a thing.” 

　Anselm, Gilbert, or even William himself. Other than these three, there was no one else with the potential to stop Ywaine. Of these three, Anselm would be the most improbable. Precisely because it was the critical moment, the lion’s fangs will shine. In front of that, surely the black flame would not be able to last a single moment.  Not even sword, or even a pile of corpses may prevail against the king that was the lion. 

“Ah, even I might be eaten by that lion if I took him on. All the more so for Anselm and Gilbert. Intelligence, military prowess, a monster that possesses both of these qualities in abundance. He’s also stronger than you, right?” 

“Yeah, of course, stronger than you too.” 

　Because of that, he had the decisive role. At the turning point, the lion that had been sleeping until now would rise in a different dimension. A mere general cannot defeat a king. 

“I know that well. And even if I stop the lion, if I let a piece like you go unchecked, I’ll  lost in the end. It was inevitable that it would end this way.”

　Quality of the pieces won out. Hence, Wolff obtained victory. The Black Mercenaries were unrivalled. 

“Because you’ve shown me something good. In this long battle, your abilities.” 

　William understood. The Black Mercenaries were strong. More so than anyone he’d ever dealt with thus far. An intelligent, cunning, and strong pack of wolves. 

“Ohoh. Well, you guys were close. Though there won’t be a next time, by all means–“

“That’s why–“

　William interrupted Wolff and spread his hands wide.

“–to win, even I had no choice but to gamble.”

　Wolff’s eyes widened.

“It’s my victory, Wild Dog.”

　With William’s declaration of victory, fire rose from the main camp on the Nedelux side. That meant that the main camp had fallen. This mountain battle had been decided by Arcadia.

“No, way.”

　The colour drained from Wolff’s face.

　　　　　○

　The one who had dominated the centre was Gilbert.

　Appearing on horseback, Gilbert had rushed directly at the enemy’s main line in one shot. They charged at a speed that humans could not match. 

“I will not let you pass even at the cost of my life!” 

　In front of the howling Anatole, Gilbert’s expression turned cold. He signalled to a subordinate to hold the reins and leapt off his horse. Maintaining his momentum, he rolled and pulled out his sword.

“A sword is no match for a spear! Die!”

　Anatole’s murderous intent gushed out. It was sharp and clad in death.

　Even with one arm, Anatole’s spear was brilliant. Lamentations of the dead came at Gilbert. That spear attacked with overwhelming speed. The distance between them was far greater than that of the sword. 

“That would be true for ordinary men. Stay back, lout.” 

　Cut.

“How, did, this…”

　One moment. In one moment, Gilbert severed the spear in half. In the process he had also sliced Anatole. The “Wailing Spear” collapsed and fell.  

　At that moment, the Nedelux army was dead.

“Splendid, sir.”

　HIs subordinate ran and directed Gilbert’s horse beside him. This time, Gilbert jumped on it without even looking.

“For something like this, no praise is necessary. It wasn’t a big deal.” 

　In the end, Gilbert only had eyes for the Nedelux’ main camp. He had to seize it as soon as possible. Rather than protecting the vital position, he had to end this war quickly. 

(It’s no big compared to…… that guy who has to stop that lion. It’s only a matter of capturing the main camp.)

　Gilbert looked for an instant back at the vital position he had been intending to defend. Now, it had yet to be set ablaze. This was proof that they were still holding on. He could still make it. 

“Take them down quickly! Follow me!”

　Gilbert’s entry into the battle shifted the centre of the battle in one fell swoop.

　　　　　○

“Gilbert has penetrated through the centre. Well, well, as expected of his power. It wasn’t something the ‘Wailing Spear’ could handle.”

　Wolff was not looking at the centre. He did not even hear William’s words. In order to crush the centre, only a little more support had been needed. He understood that. And the ones capable of that were only William and Gilbert. And with William here, the one at the centre would be Gilbert. That was fully understood. 

“What’s, going on?”

　What he didn’t understand was–

“Don’t make a face like that, Wild Dog. Why don’t you smile more like you did earlier?”

　What he couldn’t understand was–

“Why, hasn’t that fallen?”

　In contrast to the main camp of Nedelux, the key camp had not even caught fire yet. It was an unbelievable sight. That renowned “Lion Duke” Ywain. How could anyone other than William, Gilbert, Anselm or Gregor stop Ywain? “

“Didn’t I tell you? It was a gamble. Even I honestly had no confidence. I was planning to polish him up a bit more, so I was thinking it might be a bit early. But in the end, it looks like he’s done well.”

　William smiled kindly.

“Haven’t you finally made yourself into something useful, young master?”

　　　　　○

Everyone knew him only by name. The name of that young man. He had never been defeated. His presence on the battlefield was a mystery. However, as the White Mask became more and more famous, the young man’s reputation was reversed. After all, it was the White Mask’s achievement, wasn’t it? That was what people ended up saying.

　Since his childhood, the young man had grown up with no one expecting much from him. The kindness of his parents hurt him. He hated himself for not being able to even take the place of his older brother. He had no talent as a merchant, and when he tried to enter a military school to improve his military skills, he could not even be admitted. There was no way anyone would have something like expectations for him. 

“S, still not yet huh?”

　The young man had a massive inferiority complex. In his entire life, he had never won anything, and he had never gained anything with his own hands. He was a parasite living on his parents’ money. He thought of himself in that way.

“A little more, a little more. Just a little bit more and Lord Gilbert’s side will be settled!” 

“Determination, determination!”

　One day, the young man encountered a light. It was more dazzling and more beautiful than any light the young had ever seen. The young man was fascinated. The owner of that light definitely had something he did not have. He had thought so.

“Everyone’s doing their best! So I’ll also do my best!”

It was true that the owner of the light had something that the young man did not have. However, it was not something glamorous like the young man was imagining. it was muddy, the result of desperate struggles. Day and night, he only thought of how to improve himself. To shine, he had chosen a different path. It was the crystallisation of his daily efforts.  

　The young man knew.

“No, I’m afraid… Lord Karl, you would just waste arrows if you use the bow.” 

“Don’t say that. You’re terrible, Ignatz.” 

　Karl von Taylor knew.

　So Karl made an effort. To get as close to him as possible. To shine just a little brighter. For the sake of the one who told him he could do it, the friend who believed in him. 

“Enough, Then what am I supposed to do?”

“Please stand.”

“……Aren’t you two just awful?”

　Karl von Taylor was the defender of the vital position.

　　　　○

　Ywain was amazed. This was his first time experiencing something like this. On such a small battlefield, to guard just one defensive position. 

“Why, why don’t the arrows end? How long will this rain continue!?”

　Ywain could not recall a single battlefield where such an enormous number of arrows fell. No, maybe not even in the entire history of war. At least, on the scale of such a mountain battle, this was unbelievable. 

“Ywain. When will be good for our attack?”

“Ever since they met our first charge, it’s been like this you know? When we get close, it rains arrows like crazy. We’ve been doing feints again and again, but no matter how many times we make them fire, the arrows don’t stop.”

　Ywain had no choice but to be silent. The time to do something like attack is when the opponent’s arrows run out, or at least only when they lighten up. However, there was no sign that this was going to happen at all. 

　The arrows never ran out. Their momentum never waned.

“All around us, it feels like a meadow of arrows. How much is all this going to cost?”

　It was too cost-ineffective. There was no excuse for this nonsense. 

(No matter how much they call you a “Lion Duke”, there’s nothing to be done in this situation. What kind of ridiculousness is this?) 

　This was neither a heroic act nor some bullshit. 

　It was just a lavish push with money. But this kind of absurd show could only be pulled off by Karl. His family was one of the leading richest in Arcadia. And there were few family members, so the money they had amassed was unimaginable. In terms of assets alone, the Taylors were a wealthy family that even the Osvalds and Kruegers could not match. He was the heir to the jewel king Lord Taylor.

“But it’s because this is all I can do right now.”

　William’s plan. Karl was the last piece. He was happy. Finally, he was being needed in the true sense of the word. Even if it was for money, if that allowed him to be useful, then this was what Karl was here for. 

“If a mere upstart can be of use to everyone, then–“

　A wind blew. A blue wind. Invigorating, gentle, it seeped through the soldier. It gave the soldiers a sense of calm and peace of mind. Even though their opponent was a lion, they could fight calmly. A calm, composed, solid battle progressed. 

“I’ll pay whatever it takes. If I can live up to anyone’s expectations….. it’s a small price to pay.”

　Karl von Taylor.

　The last card that had been lying in wait shone brightly.

　　　　　○

　Wolff trembled. What was supposed to be their decisive move, Ywain. In terms of strength in war, above himself. He should have been the strongest card in this mountain battle. However, the result was that he was being suppressed by the mediocre card known as Karl that Wolff had dismissed,

“Did you train…………?”

　After great pains, Wolff wringed out words. Hearing that, William smirked. 

“Yeah, he’s a guy bad at remembering things, but he at least is obedient. Enough to pass as a student.” 

　Listening to William’s answer, Wolff’s blood boiled.

　Wolff had never thought to train mediocre people. Rather than train, it would be better to hire the best from the beginning. He had never thought of anything but that. That was why in the Black Mercenaries, especially the key personnel, there were no ordinary people. There were no other than talents chosen by Wolff. 

“It’s not just, an attack with money. You can’t leave the most important mission to someone only with money, right?”  

“A bastard like you is guiding the formation, right? Or Anselm?”

“You’re off. The formation made by Anselm was incomplete. The one who had been finalising the formation all this while had been Karl. Besides, you’ve already engaged in battle with Karl, you know?” 

　Wolff thought for a bit, but he had no such recollection. Wolff had seen Karl in the first confrontation, and saw him as one of the average people. That was the only recognition he had. 

“Not just that, in the second half of the war, including my own unit, Karl took command of all the centurions. If I said that, would you be a bit surprised? Mr. Wild Dog.” 

　Wolff’s eyes widened.

“That’s, madness!? That’s impossible!

　William laughed.

　”Hey, hey. I’m the captain of a ten men squad in Karl’s century, you know. To begin with, Karl’s the one in-charge.”

　William’s revelation left Wolff only in astonishment. He surely had a strong feeling of disbelief. The person with whom he had engaged in fierce battles against was someone not even in his sight, someone he didn’t know, so it was understandable that he did not want to believe it.

“Well, don’t look like that. I’ve thoroughly instructed that guy in only defensive strategies. Compared to offence, defence is more about knowledge and effort. For that guy who’s acquired all that, in defensive battles alone, he can stand beside you or me, that’s all.” 

　It was William who developed him. He made Karl into a first-rate commander. An ordinary man, an ordinary man who originally was not counted as a piece, was turned into a man who could hold off a lion. 

“Still, it’s not like he was entirely lacking in talent. Do you feel it? This wind.”

　The fragrant wind. If you calmed down, you would understand. You would know where this feeling–

　Wolff understood.

“Ha, haha. What a defending general needs is a sense of stability. I see… This I like. 

　The cause of his defeat. The identity of the new piece. 

“Right? Even though you or I can pull people along, we need some effort to keep them with us.That guy does it naturally. He’s somebody well-liked.” 

　William and Wolff strungpeople along by showing strength. But Karl was different. He didn’t have strength to show. He doesn’t have the strength to attract people to him. Even so, Karl could stand as a General because he was well-liked by his subordinates. ‘I want to support this General’. Karl had something that made them feel this way. This was a power that William and the rest did not possess. 

“It wasn’t planned, but it turned out the same as the first battle. You who knew of us, and me who didn’t know of you. You lured us out, slipped into the empty space and took our head. Now it’s the other way around. You were lured out and Gilbert punched through the space that was made.  But you do understand? The star of today is–“

“Karl von Taylor. I’ll carve that name. Well, I won’t forget even if I don’t.” 

　Strangely enough, Wolff did not feel any resentment in his heart. He had gained a lot from today’s loss. There was much to learn. Even some small feeling of gratitude. 

“Ah–, but I’m still frustrated. With all this, I’m still irritaed. At myself too, at that grin on your face. And I’m also pissed off at that mask.”

　Of course it was frustrating to lose. But this time, there were too many things to learn. The one who gave him this lesson was someone from the same generation, and an opponent he one-sidedly viewed as his rival. Various feelings were aroused in him. And swallowing them all down–

　The wolf laughed.

“So. To tell you the truth, my job ain’t to win the war.” 

　Wolff took a deep breath. Of course, he had been determined to win. He had visions of winning and getting the job done, and part of him was drunk on how cool it would be to achieve that. There was pride. To begin with, it was pride that caused his defeat to Stracules and again when his pride rose that he was defeated by William (and Karl). But wolves learnt from defeat, to not lose a second time. To bite back even if defeated. 

　And above all, today’s main goal was not to win.

“Oh. Do mercenaries have a job other than to win battles?” 

　William’s face was full of agression, He was itching to hear if there were going to be excuses for losing. But–

“Of course there is, that sort of thing.”

　Muderous intent swelled. The figure of a black wolf licking his lips in front of him. Facing today’s main dish, the heartbroken wolf bared his fangs in a grin.

“The job is to take your head!”

　William’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Nonsense. Who would ask such a mad thing–“

“Rudolf Le Hersburg. The heir to the Grand Ducal family. You’ve heard of him, right?”

　William understood the situation and swallowed hard.

　The House of Hersburg.He had known of its immensity since he was a mere slave. It was said that about half the wealth of Nedelux was connected to the Hersbergs. It was also said that even the Royal Family of Nedelux could not defy the Hersburgs. Above the law. That was the House of Hersburg.

“Why would such an individual, whom I’ve never met do that to me?

“Who knows. Well, I somehow get it. You’re dangerous. You know that, don’t you?　You and I are both trying to destroy this world. In different ways, though.”

　Wolff ruffled his hair. From here he would be getting serious.

“I’ve been hurt quite a bit this time. I was hired, you know? Because they saw you as more of a problem than me, yeah? Well, that’s how it is. I’ve been pissed off from he start. My, our, ‘feelings’ have been taken lightly. That’s the only thing I won’t concede.” 

　The locket on Wolff’s chest shone. That was the very thing that drove the wolf forward.

“I’m the one who will consume the world. Not you. I’m the one who will seize the heavens!”

“…………”

　William silently drew his sword. Wolff also drew his sword in response. Black and white stared at each other. To duel. Invisible sparks scattered between them. They were the same kind. Having now understood each other, neither could retreat. 

“Both of us haven’t got good natures. Let’s expose everything!” 

　Wolff went on the move. He closed the distance in an instant and swung his sword at William.

“I don’t mind, but prepare yourself.”

　He simply received it without moving an inch. William glared at Wolff.

“I’m not satisfied with this war either. And I’m not going to get angry until I at least take your head!

　Like that, he swung his sword forcibly and repelled Wolff.

“Same for me. After all, I don’t feel like I’ve lost at all. Killing you here will be the least I can do. If I don’t do that, it won’t be worth it!” 

　Both men rushed into each other at the same time. Their swords violently clashed. The two swords scattered sparks. 

“Wild Dog!”

“White Mask!”

　White Mask and Black Wolf. To settle their score, the two began to fight in an unnoticed corner of the battlefield.

　A swarm of dead and a black wolf clashed.

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