Reincarnation into the Barrier Master

"Hey, there's been a mistake!　I'm not going to let that happen!"

Rucker yells at the people around him. Meanwhile, he is carefully watching the movement of Agartha's long spearmen deployed in front of him. A black mass far off in the distance, several kilometers away: ....... If that group is going to attack us, we must take a defensive posture immediately. However, there is no movement on the Agartha side. He turned his attention back to his own army.

"Where the hell are they all looking!　Send out the scouts and have them check again!"

"No, my king."

Sanena, the commander-in-chief, steps forward to meet Rucker as he shoves his way through a crowd of soldiers.

"Perhaps it is possible..."

"What?　You dare to taunt me!"

"Never like that."

Sanena shakes her head in surprise. Then she put on a serious expression again, lowered her voice, and continued.

"Linos, King of Agartha: ....... The king is also known as the King of Wards.

"......"

"As you know, the king is said to be able to change the environment within the warding at will, as well as to have a defensive power that will not accept any attack if he masters the skill of warding. Therefore, it may be possible to ward a complete stranger and give the effect to be seen by the King of Agartha.

"That is what is known as divine skill. It is a skill that even our Lord Goddess Klimiana could not attain. You say that the King of Agartha has obtained it?

"Think soberly, my king. Agartha...... among other things, has a powerful ward over the city. No one with an evil thought can enter the city. He can put wards on such a vast city. You must be a great wielder.

Indeed, yes.

"My king!"

Just as Rucker regained his composure, a messenger on horseback approached him in a great hurry.

"I am speaking, sir!"

What's going on?

The southern gate of Hiyama is now under attack by an army led by Agartha King Linos himself. He asks for immediate reinforcements!

What?

King, whether or not the King of Agartha himself is commanding the army attacking the south gate, we will be cut off if he seizes that place. I think it is imperative that we head for Hiyama, kick out the forces attacking the southern gate, and then pull back to the fort!

Rucker gritted his teeth with a frustrated expression on his face, but when he looked over at the generals, he opened his mouth in a low voice, as if muttering.

"It's unavoidable. All troops, head for Hiyama. We are retreating."

With these words, the army of the Kingdom of Subkriner immediately turned its heads toward Hiyama.

The troops from Agartha who were attacking the south gate of the fort immediately withdrew from the area as soon as they heard that Rucker and his men were arriving. This allowed them to return to the fort unharmed.

However, Rucker could not hide his surprise when he heard the report about the attack of Agartha's army after the retreat was completed. The Agarthans surrounded the south gate and attacked with their new weapon, the magic gun. The attacks were sporadic and lacked power. However, the accuracy of their hits was high, and all of Agartha's attacks hit the soldiers of the Subcliner Kingdom.

Naturally, the defenders did not sit idly by. They fired bows and arrows and magic from inside the fortress, but the Agarthans had no luck at all, and their attacks were all blocked by the armor and boundary stones they were equipped with.

The soldiers guarding the south gate were surprised at the accuracy of Agartha's attacks, and at the same time, many of them were afraid because of the hardness of their defenses. Rucker loudly encouraged these soldiers.

"Do not be afraid!　I am in this fort now!　As long as I am here, this battle will not be lost!　Remember!　Every battle we've ever fought!　Have I ever been defeated?　As long as I am here, this battle is not lost!"

His confident demeanor made the soldiers feel that they could handle it. However, the morale of the soldiers was soon to be shattered by the words of the messengers who arrived one after the other.

"Sir!

What?

"A force led by Agartha King Rinos himself is approaching the west gate of the fort.

"!!?"

"!"?"!!!　The army led by the king of Agartha, which retreated from the south gate earlier, is heading this way again!"

"Sir!　The Agartha army deployed on the east side has started to move toward the east gate!　The King of Agartha himself is in command!

I say!

Enough!　I don't want to hear it!"

Rucker exclaims, his face flushing bright red. His face was already distorted. However, one of the messengers continued to speak to him.

"No, my king, you must listen to me. An urgent messenger has just arrived from home. His Holiness Pope Vieille has left Aphrodite to pay a courtesy call on our country!

What?

His Holiness the Pope himself is going to our country to console His Majesty the King and the people of the Kingdom of Subclina for the recent battles and to give his blessing!　The delegation has already departed from Aphrodite. Your Majesty the King, please return home as soon as possible!"

When did His Holiness the Pope leave Aphrodite?

Two days ago, sir!

Two days ago?

"As soon as we received His Holiness the Pope's envoy, the Vizier, Ron zan elber, had his horse ready. The messenger who rode through the night and into the day has just arrived!

"The king!　Please return as soon as possible!"

With these words, Sanena, the commander-in-chief, stepped forward in front of Rucker.

"It would be extremely rude for the king not to be here at this time when His Holiness the Pope himself is visiting our country. It is our country that has repeatedly paid courtesy calls to His Holiness the Pope!　Return our troops!　To the Kingdom of Subcliner!"

"U,U,U....... Oh, you ...... King of Agartha, Linos ......."

Rucker shouted so loudly that he drew the sword at his waist and smashed the chair he had been sitting in in half. His shoulders were shaking violently for a moment, then he caught his breath, sheathed his sword, and looked at the commanders in the lineup.

"All troops, pull back! The outside of the fort is surrounded by Agartha's army. Therefore, our retreat will be by sea. Get the men on board at once! The embarked ships will head north. Bypass the Kingdom of Burial and head for Sublinar.

"With all due respect, Your Highness, that would take ...... days."

It's the safest way to get our soldiers home.

"But ...... it will not be in time for His Holiness the Pope's visit."

"Sanena."

"Ha!"

Tailor a horse.

"Is it a fast horse ......?"

It's a five-day boat ride from Aphrodite to my country. Perhaps your ship is on its way to the Birmo Empire. Tomorrow he will rest in Emosine, the capital of the Birmo Empire. You must take the fast horse to Emosheen in Birmo. There you will meet His Holiness the Pope and ask him to postpone this courtesy visit to ......."

"...... Yes, sir, I did."

"This is a time sensitive matter. Prepare to withdraw immediately!

At Rucker's words, the commanders bowed their heads.