Running Away From The Hero! (Remake)

Evade the Hero CH 285 TL (329)

Side Story – Memories of a Princess (58)

#73 Their Situation: The Situation of a Certain Villain

It was actually simple to boost Duke Laisha’s reputation: Make people admire him. In other words, manipulate public opinion.

In my previous life, I often saw how the media shaped beliefs. Here, there’s no TV, so we must rely on other methods.

It’s true we have magical video tools, but they’re mostly for military use. Ordinary folk can only see such magic screens in the Imperial capital, perhaps during knights’ sword competitions or academy festivals. That’s about it.

So, swaying Merdea Kingdom’s public opinion seems tough. But having no TV has one advantage: The trust in any direct “information” can become incredibly strong.

Rumors, of course, spread like nonsense. But genuine “information”—paid reports from merchant guilds or data obtained through mercenaries—cost money. Commoners, after all, have to pay a hefty price for information, so they trust what they buy. It’s expensive, so it must be true, right?

And there’s another type of information: Things people see and feel for themselves. Without media to confirm facts, personal experience becomes the strongest proof. People believe what happens right before their eyes, even if another person insists otherwise. Human nature is to trust their own senses.

So, how do we make ordinary soldiers believe in Duke Laisha? Simple: Let them witness his achievements firsthand.

It sounds easy, but it’s painfully difficult—because we’re dealing with Duke Laisha. What can he show these soldiers to win their hearts?

The answer: Nothing. We can’t find anything he’s good at!

If we tried everything, maybe we could raise newborns, brainwash them into pledging loyalty to Duke Laisha, and hope they never learn the truth. Even that might fail once they understand the world and see his incompetence.

But we can’t give up on our plan. We need faith in Duke Laisha. Left on his own, he’d tumble into ruin. Even if we interfered, he’d greet the Grim Reaper easily. We must step in, help the soldiers trust him, so they’ll follow him.

It’s a hard task, but we have a powerful trump card:

“Remember, only normal magic bombardment for Duke Laisha’s area—keep him safe,” I said.

“…Understood.”

The mages looked confused, but the top officers already knew the plan. Once it succeeds, we’ll explain why we did all this.

“Then, move out,” I said.

They left with uneasy faces, while I nodded in satisfaction. I’m not sure how effective this will be, but hopefully Duke Laisha’s popularity will soar.

According to our spies, the Merdea troops are terrified of our so-called “impossible-to-block” magic attacks. It’s truly unfair. They can’t hit us back, yet we can keep hitting them. If I were in their shoes, I’d run off to another country.

New tactics can change history. Someday they’ll find a solution, but until then, we’ll exploit it. This plan is similar. We’ll use magic bombardment—disguised as ordinary spells for Duke Laisha’s unit, and devastating unstoppable attacks for other units. As all other troops fall, Laisha’s remains untouched. Once they experience survival under his command, they’ll grow to trust him.

He’ll become that single hero who blocked what even the late Marquis Arisetias could not. Rumors will spread, raising Duke Laisha’s worth. If Laisha were smarter, people might suspect him of secretly working with the Empire. But he’s too foolish for that. Negotiating or conspiring requires brains and bargaining ability. Laisha doesn’t have that, so no one will suspect him. They’ll just assume he’s miraculously gifted.

We trust Laisha because no one would guess we’re helping him on purpose. Who would imagine the enemy boosting their foe?

So go on, Duke Laisha. The Empire supports you! We want you as the Supreme Commander of Merdea Kingdom’s forces. For that, both the Princess and I are willing to do anything.

#74 Their Situation: The Situation of a Certain Soldier

White flakes began to fall from the sky. Snow. Winter had come.

The long war had dragged on through another year. So many things happened—no, it was inevitable they would. Most Kingdoms on the continent joined the war, and countries vanished by the day. Waking up each morning, we heard that thousands died, that some land perished, or some country won something. It was our new normal.

Another new normal was the Empire’s bombardment:

“Karan Empire forces are coming!”

“The enemy’s bombardment will start!”

Day after day, that terrifying routine repeated. At first, we thought their magic was unstoppable. But not long ago, someone discovered a way. Now we know the Empire’s magic bombardment had actual mass, real substance, and could be blocked by physical barriers conjured by sorcerers.

The hero who revealed this secret was none other than Duke Religius Lu Laisha—the current Supreme Commander on the Karan Empire front. He belonged to the historic Laisha ducal family of the Merdea Kingdom.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Our defensive magic shields held strong. Without Duke Laisha’s discovery, we would have endured countless tragedies. The Empire’s magic once seemed like a miracle of evil. Now, at least, we have a way to defend ourselves.

Who would have imagined that magic could carry real mass? Only Duke Laisha could deduce such a bizarre concept. Our Kingdom suffered enormous losses—Marquis Arisetias, entire armies gone—before we learned this secret.

Rumor says the Empire is full of devil-worshipers. They supposedly sacrifice prisoners daily, drinking their blood. The Peace Temple fled, unable to face their cruelty. The Imperial Princess who leads them is said to be just a young girl, a teen even younger than my daughter. Yet she rules over these monsters.

It’s terrifying. But we’re not afraid now. Because we have Duke Laisha. Even when every other army lost to the Imperial Princess, Duke Laisha won victories. The enemy fears him, avoids confronting him. Once, another unit was under the Princess’s attack. The Empire could have wiped them out, but the moment Duke Laisha’s reinforcements arrived, they fled.

That shows how much they fear him. Rumor has it the Kingdom’s upper ranks are finally giving him the respect he deserves. Sure, in the past he failed many times, and people didn’t trust him. But who wins from the start? Despite repeated defeats, he never gave up. Thanks to that perseverance, he uncovered the Empire’s secret and broke the Princess’s winning streak.

Duke Laisha said: “Even if you fail ten times, if you win once and take it all, you are the winner.”

Indeed, he’s a victor. Despite all scorn, he fought relentlessly and survived. The Empire tried to topple him but failed. He turned the tides and changed the war’s course.

The Empire is powerful. The Princess’s army is monstrous. But we have Duke Laisha. With faith in him, we can stand against these monsters.

Everyone believes that now. Our soldiers’ thoughts reached the Kingdom’s top leaders.

<By royal decree, the vacant position of Merdea Kingdom’s Supreme Commander is granted to Duke Religius Lu Laisha.>

A King’s Order was issued. Duke Laisha officially became the Kingdom’s highest military leader. From the lowest reputation to the Kingdom’s top power—he achieved the impossible.

Yet he didn’t stop. Newly appointed as the Supreme Commander, he stood before the troops and declared:

“From now on, we counterattack! How long will we cower in fear of the Empire? Now is the time for us to strike them!”

Attack the Empire. First target: Fesra Fortress—twice the source of our losses. It’s the stronghold of that witch-like Imperial Princess.

The moment that would decide the fate of both the Empire and Merdea Kingdom had finally arrived.