After the knights start moving, they just suddenly slow down and look confused
Dias wasn't sure what they're planning
Klaus informs him that a messenger is being sent from Diane's army to the left/right wing (Eldan and the mercenaries)
Dias "What!? I don't understand! What is their tactic here!?"
Klaus (What if it's not a tactic?)
Eldan side:
The knight coming to Eldan obviously ask "dafuq?"
Eldan "It's TEA TIME" and basically lie that his father tells him no matter what you must always have tea time like a proper noble, and that's why he's enjoying his tea rather than ordering his army.
The knight "wut, you going against the decree?!"
Eldan points out he has properly supplied them with resources as per the decree and even have his people here.
Knight "Then, right now, order the army-"
Eldan "I don't think there's a need for it tho~ Shouldn't just the knights over there be enough tho~ The opponent only have TWO people~ What kind of shameless act is it to order 1000 v 2"
"But well, if you still want me to cooperate then please wait until tea time is over"
Mercenary side:
Leader "....I did think it was weird that despite the pay being so good nobody was taking the job...but to think the princess's target is that Dias" and went on a little long complaining.
Then he just turn to his mercs and say "We're withdrawing"
At first some was surprised, but after the leader explains how fighting Dias would basically turn all the mercenaries in the kingdom into your enemies since many of them were saved by him during the war and stuffs, and also that Eldan group isn't moving either. But hey, if anyone want to go in after what he's said, feel free.
Mercs be like "Welp, if boss say so" "Yeah, once you think about what's gonna come after.."
Then the messenger finally arrived, and as soon as he opens his mouth the leader just give him back the bag of payment "Here, I'm returning the pre-payment"
Messenger "Eh?"
Leader "Welp, bye"
And so Dias change plan to just mow them down (non-lethally....although considering some of the image I'm not sure those guys are still alive...)
Aruna has her job to do.
And back in the village, granny Maya do a fortune telling and tell the others yeah they'll be fine.
Eldan ask how Karmalot (or whatever his butler's name is) what's his evaluation from seeing Dias fight.
tl;dr is fucken terrifying, and how well the small dog tribes are fighting really make him shameful at how he evaluated them as unfit for combat before
there's a page of Klaus "I'm going to survive this fight! Then I'll get back to her!" then a knight sneak up on him and Dias shouted KLAUSSSS
next page Klaus repond "u called sir!?" and swat away that knight without even looking
and Dias concern wasn't that anyway "there's a snake near you foot! watch out!"
Klaus "Oh shit it is!"
Meanwhile Diane is getting pissed at things not going well and was about to use that wand thing.
But Aruna snipe it out of her hand from stealth, follow by doing a few shots to make her get off the horse
Aruna then have the dog tribes with her go recover the wand and the horse, while she herself is going to chase Diane off into the forest and plan to terrify her so hard she'll never try any of this shit again.
Personally she think it's better to just kill her off, but since Dias dislike killing unnecessarily, she's gonna follow her husband's wishes.
Then during that the new group show up and knock her out and take back the royal seal.
Aruna gave a warning shot.
The leader of the group read the mood and immediately shout that they're not enemies, in fact they're his allies.
He is here under of the order of Richard, Dias's...disciple? student? (that's his words, he used both since he's not sure the exact relation between them)
In fact he even brought a bag of money to give Dias in his support.
Also, "I understand you might have some grudge against this girl, but handing her to Richard-sama would have better result for Dias-san! Please believe me!"
A short silence, then an arrow sniping another bag of money on his belt.
Guy "O-okay! I'll give you that bag too! You can do whatever you want!"
No more arrow coming
Guy "Alright! Let's go!"
After they're gone Aruna come to retrieve the bag, and her judgment result was that they're white + red so she's not sure what to think of that.
She ponder stuffs for a moment then decide to head back, indulging in some fantasizing on how Dias might be tired from the battle and how she'll help him relieve of the fatigue.
p.s. in case people forgot, Richard is the 1st prince, shown in ch 17 to....got some EDUCATION by Dias.
p.s.s. while reading ch 17, I figure out who the guy that took Diane away is: https://mangadex.org/chapter/1014207/31