-A lot of them! A A lot of nekomimis coming towards us! Soares replied, shaking more at each passing second.
-What do you mean a lot? I asked confused fifty? One hundred? Two hundred of them? Mark, what is the estimate size of the enemy army?
-I t t think there might be - the general then made some math approximately ten thousand, however there are even more and more appearing coming from behind the hill.
-Damnation! I exclaimed, suddenly noticing that the situation wasn t good at all take the portable communicator and leave that place as quick as possible! Head to the less obvious path back to the Veronese territory!
-Sir! Yes sir! Mark replied, taking the device in his hands and pressing some buttons in a panned right in front of the camera Your Highness, we will leave now this place and will contact you through the communicator soon.
The noble and the General left the place, leaving the camera online and connected to me; as soon as they closed the door behind them a voice could be heard saying self-destruction sequence activated, programmed to be set in ten nine eight that was when I understood they were going to destroy anything that could be used by the nekomimi and would try to come back safely to the kingdom where, maybe, they would be more secure; as soon as the countdown reached zero, I was expecting for a very strong fire to begin, however the image simply disappeared in sequence, I pondered that for some moments until the communicator rang, taking me out of my thinking:
-Richard! Here is Soares! the noble said, sounding as if he was running we just exploded the base! Apparently the nekomimi weren t coming towards us!
-What do you mean you exploded it? I asked astonished, how did they get explosives? and if they weren t coming towards you, where they seem to go?
-Your Highness! Mark replied when he took the communicator from Soares regarding the explosives, we had royal orders to use them in case there was an invasion on their behalf, there are several places in Verona, which just the king and I know about where there are stock of it in emergencies cases!
-I understand Mark I replied, noticing that made sense, considering just the king could authorize the use of explosives at that time, aside myself no problems regarding that, but to where the nekomimis seem to be heading to?
-If I am not wrong Your Highness, I think they will try to use the Strait of southeast Verona that connects their territory to ours so as they don t need to cross the northeast desert he then stopped and thought for a moment which, at this time of the year, would be impossible in those conditions to cross even by nekomimi, seeing that the heat and the lack of water would kill them in the second or third day.
- I understand I replied, thinking in a quick strategy, looking to a map that was hanging at the wall if they follow through the Strait of Verona, they can avoid all the desert area, reaching the city of Vilnore right to the north of there, the only one that stayed in that middle-of-nowhere place after the earthquake that happened twenty one years ago, with direct connection to southeast Verona, Mark how long do you think that would take an army to march from the point you are seeing them to Vilnore?
-Judging the average my troops can march five days if they make haste or even four with a little bit of luck.
-Curses! That won t give us enough time to evacuate people from the city I replied, thinking in an evacuation plan and even if we sent the army to that place, not only we would endanger the people living there, as well if your projections were real, we would need at least five men for each nekomimi, which would be more than the double of all troops assigned for that whole area -The nekomimis have serious problems into dealing with tools as we humans easily do, correct? Soares asked, at the exact moment I heard a vehicle being turned on which means, climbing one wall made of stone would be something they wouldn t be able to do very well, right?
-Which is the wall s we are talking height? I asked, because I knew that depending the size, that wouldn t be a problem to them at all because if it is small, they will pass easily through it.
-Around one hundred meters (around 300 feet) of difference Mark replied, continuing in sequence in the past there was a part of the continent here that was obliterated by sequential earthquakes, especially the one twenty one years ago, a path was reopened at that time because we still didn t have the popularization of aerial transportation, now it is rarely used, aside from poorer people traveling by car that want to visit relatives on the opposite side of the Strait.
-Great, that would actually even prevent a human army to go through it climbing - I replied after thinking for a little while but why would you want to know that?
-I have this car still filled with explosives Your Highness Mark replied the nekomimi will take around eighteen to twenty four hours to each by paw the entrance of the Strait, I can place the explosives strategically with Soares help with a little bit of luck in fourteen hours, do I have authorization to carry on with my plan?
-Yes, however keep the number of deaths in their side to a minimum I replied, saying what Mark should do this war began thanks to a bug misunderstanding and I don t plan on making it an innocent bloodshed because the malice of a vindictive nekomimi, I will just do that in case I need to choose which side to save.
-Alright Richard, I shall initiate the process of placing and detonation of the explosives, as soon as it is done, I will contact you!
The screen went blank when the clock was showing approximately two pm; then time began dragging and wouldn t pass in no way at all, not even the eventual presence of Enmie and Chi could take out of my thoughts the image of the nekomimi that commanded the troops of her race against the human s one, my worry towards her was huge, but with my vassals was also as great; when the time to choose between honor and heart, which of the two should I follow? , I thought still not knowing I would be able to do the right thing.
As we still didn t have news regarding the General s operation, I decided to sleep earlier because there was nothing left to do on that day; the night was way colder than what would be expected to the end of spring, after the usual morning routine I received a message in my phone coming from Mark warning they were about to begin with the Strait detonation, I was going to the conference room when Chi called me, asking in sequence:
-Master, my sensors detect a small anomaly in the weather she then showed some graphs through a small portable visor she had on her hands it isn t anything too serious for now, however I believe it is something that should be analyzed more in depth, can I access Verona s weather monitoring satellites for some days so I can make a more precise reading from what is going on in Earth at this moment?
-Of course Chi-chan I replied fondling her head feel free to do so!
-Thanks master! Chi thanked me, bowing in sequence as soon as I have the results of my research, I shall report you with what is found she then headed towards Verona s meteorological research sector whereas I directed myself to the royal communications room.
-Oh Your Highness, it is fortunate you didn t take long! Mark said as soon as our images appeared in our respective devices the nekomimis had to stop the march thanks to the beginning of the night, however they are already very near! the General then pointed to the other side of the Strait I need to detonate the explosives now if we don t want to have victims.
-You are right! I replied quickly, after noticing though the camera that far away the nekomimi troops already neared the Strait I, king Montecchio Richard, give you authorization to initiate the plan!
-Sir! Yes sir! Mark said, saluting in sequence Soares, brace yourself for impact! taking in sequence a device that seemed like a remote control and pressing a button in it.
A big explosion was heard in sequence, which made a considerable sized cloud of dust and debris to raise, blocking both my vision as well as the noble s and General s one; around two minutes later the cloud dissipated and showed that, effectively, the Strait had been totally destroyed, blocking completely the passing of anything troops through it, be it nekomimi or human; with the camera I noticed their scared faces probably thinking what had happened, when suddenly they began screaming and running to the opposite direction they had come through, that was when two things came to my mind, making me ask:
-First, what might have happened so as they just turned around to their tails and fled like that? while I saw the nekomimi running through the same path they had came from.
-I don t know, maybe they are scared of the explosions? Soares replied, observing them through binoculars.
-I don t know, it seems weird to me they are acting like that I said, going to the next point that was bothering me Mark, you said that at that time around ten thousand nekomimis were marching towards you, however what I could notice through the camera was that, there wasn t more than five hundred of them about to cross the Strait, what might have happened to the rest?
-Now that you mention it - Soares replied, continuing there were actually much less people of that race a few moments ago then when they came towards us at the observation base why do we have that much of a difference ?
-General Mark I called him at the moment I thought about the probable reason as far as I know the base was strategically place in the first and only road that left Mewrusal m that was big enough for a whole army to pass through, however the Strait is the only way to reach Verona? I asked, already knowing the answer.
- No Your Highness Mark replied, exclaiming in sequence there is the path we were forcing them to use by exploding the Strait, however taking that detour would make the trip bigger in almost two weeks My Saint Meow! Don t tell me that -Yes, the five hundred nekomimis that were marching through this path, and would arrive in five days to Vilnore were baits I explained, having their plan suddenly clear in my head they would make a lightning attack at that place, making us believe there were a large scale attack happening at southeast Verona I concluded then we would move the troops to there and, knowing the nekomimi destructive potential, make it a good part of our men, leaving the northeast completely exposed and unprotected for an attack of a much bigger scale -My Saint Meow - Soares commented, suddenly understanding making that place one huge massacre -Mark, that means the nekomimis must be marching non-stop to that direction aiming to attack us! I exclaimed, asking in sequence we have to move as much men as possible to the northeast border! Do you think it is doable in fourteen days?
-I believe it is Richard, with the exception of the contingent that stays on the most occidental part of Verona, far to the capital s west Mark pondered for some instants yes, I believe it might be possible even using Artolia s city infrastructure for making it a base and storing supplies!
-Understood I replied, ordering in sequence I, king Montecchio Richard, order you to round the troops and head to the northeast border and protect it from any invasion, no matter what it takes!
-But Richard Soares interrupted in sequence if we do that, we will have Verona completely unprotected!
-I agree! I then asked Mark could we then take those troops that are on the west and send them to Verona, correct? As I find it very unlikely that the nekomimis could try an invasion through the sea, they don t have an unblocked exit to the sea that is able to reach us directly nor conditions to operate big ships without humans to guide them.
-Yes Your Highness, the men that are watching the west coast could easily head towards the capital Verona and Mark finalized I also believe it is very unlikely an attack through the sea, anyway the Veronese sea has a monitoring system that will alert us about any ship that sails through there without our knowledge.
-It is decided then, you can start the operation Good Winds I ordered, directing my attention to Soares and you will help him in this task, understood?
-Yes Richard! he replied, saluting in sequence you can count with me!
Those were the two longest and most restless weeks of my whole life, at each passing day, I felt closer and closer the sound of the battler together with the horror that follows the bloodbaths and corpses left out in the open, just imagining those things made me feel like a failure for not having felt that destiny was heading towards this direction; however what made me feel even worse what that I knew a lot of innocent people were about to lose their lives and all I managed to think was how is my little nekomimi? Is she doing a medical following of her pregnancy with a nekomimi doctor? , it was at that instant that I felt a strong and really painful claws sinking into my arm, when I came back to, I groaned in pain:
-Why the hell did you do - that was when I noticed it was Enma that was right in front of me oh Enma, sorry I hadn t seen you there, why did you sink your claws in me like that?
-Because you seemed to have become catatonic! I have been calling you for over five minutes now! the kitsunemimi replied, she was together with Enmie I am here to ask about the invasion she sat together with the usagimimi in the sofa in front of me.
-Well, according to the last report sent by Mark this morning I replied, remembering what had been told to my this morning the nekomimis are less than ten miles (16 km) from the border and our troops, meaning that maybe today we might already have the unavoidable combat how I wanted to have thought something to avoid all this - I commented with sorrow, looking to the ground I did not wish to involve my vassals in a war that was motivated by a personal vengeance!
-I don t know how to explain this to you Richard Enmie replied, looking with tenderness at me, which were quickly substituted by a far look however I believe that this battle now won t happen, this war will be decided with just one fight but not with today s one -May Saint Meow listen to you Enmie I exclaimed, looking to the sky unaware of how prophetic was going to be my next statement I know that, if there is a fair God over there, something shall happen that will prevent this reasonless slaughter from happening!
-That is exactly right Richard! I agree completely with - Enmie was replying but stopped midway through it at the exact moment her rabbit ear twitched, as well as Enma s fox one, making her look at her kitsunemimi girlfriend it cannot be - to which the other just replied with a nod Richard quick! We need to leave here right now! the usagimimi shouted, standing up with a quick hop.
-O Of course Enmie-chan! I replied doing the same, because I knew that Enmie wouldn t make this much of a ruckus for something small but what is going on?
-An earthquake! Enma shouted, at the exact moment everything began shaking as fiercely as it did twenty one years ago.