Chapter 262
Southern Front ⑯ — Battle for Ishtar
(Ishtar in Flames)
Translator : PolterGlast
The battle between the Imperial Army Left Wing and the Demon
Territory Count's faction had already reached its fourth day. The sun rose,
painting the earth especially crimson, as if portending the fierce battle of
the day.
The Aegis area defended by Takuhir and his
troops saw an eerily peaceful day.
In the opening battle, Takuhir and his forces had
been purely on the defensive, but from the second day onwards they switched to
the offensive, continuing into the third day with harassment attacks solely
using catapults. The attacking First Prince, thoroughly weary of dealing with
this, finally made no moves beyond the Kingdom Army's range on the fourth day.
Though the First Prince himself was having his nerves grated
on, he endured through the fourth day without making a move of his own accord, eagerly awaiting news of battle results from the main
offensive in the Ishtar area. It cannot be denied that he had received
communication from Harry, the chief commander of the detached force,
stating they would launch an all-out attack starting today, and his concern for
those results distracted him from attacking.
On the other hand, Takuhir also refrained from
attacking, matching the enemy army's silence. Utilizing this interval, he
observed the First Prince's movements in detail from atop the castle walls and
via manned balloon reconnaissance, steadily preparing to execute his decisive
move.
Also, at the barrier gate defended by Count Gorman, there
was no major movement as Viscount Kyrias, attacking from the outside,
withdrew his army when the Imperial soldiers attacking from the inside
retreated. Kyrias himself fully understood the folly of attacking the
barrier gate from only one side, so he quickly withdrew his army when the
shouts heard from the opposite side fell silent.
Amidst this, the only ones showing active movement were the
detached force led by Duke Harry, who had designated this day as the
decisive day, the day of destiny, and was fully prepared, and the Ishtar
Defense Army led by Alexis waiting for them.
"Report! A large Imperial Army is advancing towards us.
Th-Their numbers: about 8,000 to 10,000 infantry! About 3,000 Iron Cavalry!
It... it's a massive army!"
Even when the scout rushed into the Ishtar Defense
Army's tent with a pale face, Alexis remained calm.
"So they've finally come. They've launched an all-out
attack to capture this place with their entire force. With these numbers, and
this disparity in strength, they will surely attempt a siege."
"Commander, how do you intend to respond to this? "
While many generals paled upon hearing the enemy's numbers,
Viscount Cornell, who had listened nonchalantly, asked.
"The enemy's main attack will likely be the East Gate,
which was the main battlefield in the previous offense and defense. This time,
they will likely crush the defensive walls where ambushes lurk, and conversely
attack along them."
Saying this casually, Alexis spoke to the three men
who were the only ones besides himself remaining composed.
"Count Solis, please lead 700 men to defend the
East Gate. This will likely be the fiercest battle. I ask you to prioritize
minimizing casualties and buying time."
"Understood. In short, the plan is to ensure we don't
lose, correct?"
Alexis nodded
with a smile and continued.
"Viscount Cornell, please lead 400 men to the
South Gate. Regarding coordinating with the East depending on the situation,
please use your own judgment and act when necessary."
"Certainly. Brother-in-law, I'm counting on you."
Alexis was not
worried about this coordination between East and South. Rather, he was
convinced in his heart that they would perform beyond expectations.
"Aral-san, please lead 300 men to the North Gate."
Having spoken that far, Alexis took a breath. He
looked around, confirming the reactions of the generals. Even those who had
slighted and opposed him up to this point seemed to accept his words
obediently.
"I will protect the West together with the Longbowmen,
while providing support to various locations as a mobile unit. Please minimize
friendly casualties as much as possible. This is absolute, so I beg of you.
Now, please raise the balloon. Red-Red-Z Flag."
"Yes, sir!"
"Brandt-san, I entrust about 200 Longbowmen to you exclusively for the
West's defense. Defending the aqueduct is top priority, but from atop the
Western defensive wall, which is the highest position, please check the enemy
soldiers within reach."
"Understood. I will defend the aqueduct to the
death."
The number of Mages directly under Takuhir is
limited. Even more so since they are dispersed across the Western Front, Aegis,
and Ishtar.
Fortunately, thanks to years of effort and greatly enhancing
their power, Count Solis, Count Gorman, and Viscount Cornell
had managed to secure several of their own Wind Mages each in time.
And the Demon Territory Count himself had succeeded
in gathering Mages from all over the Kingdom and, through aptitude
checks conducted a year before the battle, increasing that force to nearly
double the original number. Takuhir and the others had desperately kept
this hidden, to the extent that even the Kingdom's central government had
absolutely no grasp of the reality.
"The rest depends on how well those in their first
battle can perform. Well, except for those originally under the Demon
Territory Count, almost all Mages fighting on each front of the
Kingdom are in their first battle anyway."
Muttering unconsciously, Alexis reconsidered just how
exceptional the existence of the Demon Territory Count and his
subordinates was in this country. All his actions until now, all his movements
over the past 10 years, seemed as if they had been aimed at this very moment.
"Now, I suppose I should do my best to live up to
expectations even a little. So Chrisia won't laugh at me..."
Thus began the fiercest battle with the Imperial Army Left
Wing, the Defense of Ishtar.
In advance, the defense units at each gate were told not to
push themselves if they could no longer hold, and to retreat to the inner
district. Because their current troop strength was far too small to defend the
vast defensive line of castle walls. Although the Commander-in-Chief had
deployed far more soldiers than initially planned, it was still not enough.
Alexis and the
others' objective was to hold out as long as possible and wait for victory in
the Aegis area. This was the basic strategy.
Under the instructions of Duke Harry, the Imperial
Army commander who attacked fully prepared, the Imperial Army's main force of
3,000 attacked the East Gate, while 2,000 infantry were placed at each of the
other gates, commencing attacks from all four directions.
"The
defensive wall extending to the right has been scaled!"
"Left
defensive wall—we can't hold them back! The enemy forces are advancing along
the top of the wall!"
"Front
of the gate! The enemy is lining up shields and bamboo and advancing; bows are
ineffective against them!"
Count Solis was chased by the ever-changing war
situation and the responses to it.
"Let
them have the defensive walls on the left and right! In fact, it suits our
purpose better if the tops of both walls are packed with enemy soldiers. Focus
only on one thing: preventing them from scaling this outer wall! Front! I am
calling for reinforcements now, so hold your ground for a while and do not let
them gain a foothold!"
Count Solis shouted from the command post, urging on
the entire army.
"Tch, busy work. No time to even breathe. To think I
have to respond and issue instructions to several places
simultaneously..."
It was a busyness that made even Count Solis,
accustomed to war and having traveled many battlefields, unintentionally
grumble.
Just then, a group of cavalry appeared.
"Count, sorry to keep you waiting. We'll sweep the
front for now, then move to support the South, so please continue as you
were."
Alexis had
deployed 200 Longbowmen to each location except the West Gate as individual
forces, and was moving on horseback around various parts of the defense line as
a mobile unit with 100 Longbowmen himself.
"Everyone, rain spears on the enemy's hardest spot! Ring the bells!"
Alexis, being a Wind
Mage himself, could use an attack called 'Spear'—although not as powerful
or as far-reaching as Christoph or Aura, it had a longer range
than normal and significantly enhanced power.
"Begin three strokes!"
After the command, on the third stroke, 300 significantly
enhanced arrows from the Longbowmen assaulted the Imperial Army as if spears
were piercing them. Their arrows pierced through shields made of combined
bamboo and the large shields standardly equipped by Imperial infantry,
shattering them and piercing the soldiers holding them.
"Prepare for second volley to follow. Count, please
burn down the connecting bridge in time with the second volley."
The reloading speed of Longbowmen is clearly faster than
Crossbowmen. Matching the second volley fired in succession, the fire released
by Count Solis ignited the bridge that had been sufficiently soaked in
oil since the previous day, and the defensive wall where oil had been poured
and combustibles laid underfoot.
The fire spread in an instant, and looking from the East
Gate, it looked as if two paths of fire had been created. The connecting bridge
and the top of the defensive wall were engulfed in flames, burning down along
with the Imperial soldiers who were launching an offensive from there.
"Kuh! Such vicious acts... Pull back the forces
attacking the East Gate for now. It might not be just the defensive walls;
there may be traps everywhere."
By Duke Harry's retreat order, the Imperial soldiers
withdrew to a safe zone and reorganized their formation.
"Hmph, go ahead and keep exposing your hand like that.
It will be a sight to see how long that lasts."
Saying so, he maintained morale that had not yet waned and
flexibly changed the locations of attack. In response, Alexis rushed
around each gate, chased by the need to support them.
After such fierce battles, even when dusk fell, Ishtar
was still standing, and as darkness enveloped the surroundings, the Imperial
Army withdrew temporarily.
After the day's battle ended, leaving the soldiers'
deployment as is on standby, the main commanders defending each gate, such as
Count Solis, Viscount Cornell, and Aral, were summoned by Alexis
and gathered in the central district.
"Your desperate fighting today was magnificent. I was
impressed, as expected of veteran heroes of renowned bravery. Truly, thank
you."
Saying so, Alexis bowed deeply.
"Not at all, it is thanks to the Commander leading
reinforcements to key points and turning the tide of battle. However..."
"Yes, as Count Solis fears, we used up many
traps in today's battle. I think tomorrow will be an even tougher fight."
"Indeed. Although few, there are casualties among our
garrison as well. Wounded have been moved to the inner district, and the decrease
in combat power is undeniable."
The implication of Viscount Cornell's words
responding to Alexis was significant.
Yes, in today's battle, they had killed or incapacitated at
least 10% of the enemy army's total of 13,000. However, although they started
with about 2,500 allies, they lost a hundred in the first battle and suffered
two hundred casualties in today's battle as well.
Despite achieving great results, in terms of ratio, it was
visibly obvious they would be gradually worn down.
"Moreover, this long castle wall won't necessarily
benefit us come nightfall."
"Count Solis's point is also my concern. If they
attack thinly defended parts where eyes cannot reach under the cover of
darkness, we won't stand a chance. And tonight, the enemy will definitely
attack."
"Indeed, today's attack seemed to have elements of
probing for holes or weaknesses in our defense rather than assaulting to break
this wall. That's why we were able to hold out."
"Viscount Cornell, I was thinking the same
thing. And since we can't defend it, we should just discard
it. Tonight, we will secretly abandon the outer district."
"Wha-! What!" "A-Are you sure?"
"I will tell you two the secret of this city. The outer
district is essentially just bait to lure the enemy. The inner wall of the
central district is built higher, thicker, and stronger than the outer wall,
and the moat is the same. The defense inside is more solid. And while the enemy
is fixated on the bait they struggled so hard to secure, the outer district with
no way of escape becomes a harvesting ground for catapults, and their forces
will be wiped out."
Of the four gathered here, the two hearing this for the
first time were speechless with surprise.
『Such
a nasty strategy, I never would have thought of it.』
When Takuhir first heard the secret of this city from
Mary and Sasha, he was surprised and reportedly uttered those
words. Ishtar was a city hiding sharp claws inside, far removed from its
outward elegance.
"Now, I have a request for Count Solis, who is
also an excellent Space-Time Mage. Could you retrieve all catapults
installed on the outer wall under cover of darkness and redeploy them to designated
positions in the central district? It would be a waste to let the enemy use
them or to burn them to prevent that."
"Y-Yeah, understood."
"Viscount Cornell, please handle bonfires on the
outer wall. As flashy as possible. And please set up these scarecrows in
various places. To make the enemy think we are maintaining strict vigilance.
Once installation is complete, please have all soldiers withdraw to the central
district and redeploy."
"And the Commander?"
"Until the outer wall falls, I will perform a little
camouflage work from the outer district with the Longbowmen. Even if unmanned,
we won't let the outer district's castle wall fall easily."
Saying so, Alexis laughed fearlessly. Count Solis
and Viscount Cornell realized anew the terror of the army led by the Demon
Territory Count, and his city.
That night, late into the night, the Imperial Army carried
out a night attack with their entire force. However, they received tough
counterattacks from Archers holed up in the outer walls at various places and
piled up damages.
And after painstaking efforts, they finally crossed the
castle walls, captured the East, South, and North gates, invaded the outer
district, and raised shouts of victory.
Ishtar's castle
gates burned down from the fire set by the Imperial Army, dyeing the night sky
red. From a distance, it looked as if the city of Ishtar itself was in
flames...
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