Chapter 418
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Second Expedition
Translator : PolterGlast
Exactly as Takuhir had declared, three days after his
decision, a large-scale expeditionary force departed from Kusanagi. To
save their homelands from a crisis, the Three-Country Allied Army,
temporarily released from being prisoners, numbered ten thousand cavalry, and
the Demon Territory Dukedom Army, having been requested for support by
them and going to war, had grown to a scale of fourteen thousand cavalry (plus
two thousand Imperial Army cavalry).
Demon Territory Dukedom Expeditionary Force (14,000 cavalry)
・ Demon Territory Knights
8,000 cavalry
・ Special Fire Corps
3,000 cavalry
・ Main Camp Escort Army
1,000 cavalry
・ Northern
Front Unit 1,000 cavalry (Under Gale's
command)
・ Royal Guard Army Iron Cavalry 1,000 cavalry (Former First Prince's Army)
Lute-Vile-Cain Allied Army
(10,000 cavalry)
・ Lute Kingdom Army
4,000 cavalry
・ Vile Kingdom Army
5,000 cavalry
・ Cain Kingdom Army
1,000 cavalry
Imperial Army Dispatched Unit
・ Northern
Front Defense Army 1,000 cavalry (Viscount Durul's
Army)
・ Dispatched
Volunteer Army 1,000 cavalry? (Viscount Kamin's
Army)
「I limited it entirely to cavalry,
but it ended up being quite a number.」
I was letting out a large sigh in the middle of the
long-stretching army column. Originally we were planning for ten thousand
cavalry, or twelve thousand even if it increased, but in reality, it had
swollen to fourteen thousand. As I thought... is this my fault for insisting on
going no matter what?
「Well... it is the result of various
considerations. This time we will also have to rely on transport from the Empire's
side for food, after all. This is the necessary number. As for the army led by
Viscount Kamin, the troop types and scale are unknown since they will
join us on site, but well... there shouldn't be any problems.」
Perhaps hearing my muttering and sensing my thoughts, the Commander
immediately followed up for me. Certainly, right now we don't have a surplus of
food. To support the massive number of refugees, the Demon Territory Dukedom
had already emptied its stockpiles, and we were desperately transporting from
the Kyle Kingdom side to compensate. So what did we do? The answer is
simple. On the day the expedition was decided, Raymond issued a grand
command to the Imperial merchants gathered in Kusanagi.
『To ensure the Four-Country Allied
Army does not invade again, Archduke-heika will dispatch troops, establish a defense base on the border
with the Empire, and send soldiers. The provisions needed on site will
be purchased even if somewhat expensive, so please prepare them urgently.』
As a result, provisions from all over the Empire
would be gathered at the border with the four countries. Fortunately, it is
currently harvest season, and the merchants did not overlook this business
opportunity.
「Of the soldiers led this time, one
thousand will undertake the defense of the supply base together with the Imperial
Army, and three thousand will concurrently serve as guards and rearguard
for the transport unit connecting the front lines and the supply base. We
cannot exactly procure locally, after all.」
I think the Commander's concern is correct. For an
army that goes on an expedition and has its supply lines severed, nothing but a
tragic end awaits. Even more so because if we went to help, requisitioned food
locally, and ended up being resented by the people we were supposed to have
helped, we would lose everything.
「The other thing is, I didn't think
the entire Special Fire Corps would participate in the army. I assumed
the stationed units, such as Mars and Danke, would participate,
though.」
In a sense, this is also a battle to avenge Gale.
Therefore, I think it's no wonder that they, who fought alongside Gale
for many years, desired to participate in the war, and I deliberately didn't
stop them either.
「Commander Glenn yielded no ground, saying 『Settling the matter of our compatriots is our duty』, and those who had gone on the
expedition to the south also all desired to participate after hearing the
circumstances, after all.」
「By the way, from the Commander's
perspective, what do you think of the First Prince of the Lute
Kingdom and General Golpa of the Vile Kingdom? Do you think
they can be relied upon in actual combat?」
I too have had a short association with them, but as people,
I think they are individuals worthy of praise. And even this time, it is said
that Darek-niisan
was astounded by their tactics centered around their specialty weapon, the
ballista. However... they do not have that specialty weapon right now. Most of
them were burned away, and since they are unsuited for swift troop deployment,
they left the remaining ones behind.
「I too observed their skill during
the process of having countless meetings with them in preparation, and there
should be no problem calling them excellent. They have the magnanimity to grasp
their own weaknesses and convey them without hiding or concealing them.」
Originally, the healthy cavalry they had did not even amount
to ten thousand across all three armies. However, from the first day, they
recruited promising soldiers, and through short-term training, had polished
them to at least the point where they could keep up with the march.
「Beforehand, they submitted a
statement saying that only five thousand cavalry would be able to withstand
deployment as cavalry this time, which General Golpa will lead, and the
remaining five thousand will be led by Denka
Crajyu as infantry on the battlefield.」
Oho... to expose their own weaknesses where they would
normally try to keep up appearances and make themselves look even a little
better. So as not to cause trouble for us, their allied forces, on the
battlefield. Even if they were made into cavalry, if it was 『hasty』 it would be of no use on the battlefield, after all.
「I see. So they properly understand
the battlefield. By the way, why was Denka
Crajyu, despite being the First Prince, made to participate in
this troop dispatch in a form akin to being kicked out of his home country?」
「Because he is excellent... I
suppose. The position of First Prince likely only makes one a successor
to the throne when backed by support. Although, for the sake of having the
throne succeeded backed by the power of influential maternal relatives, driving
an excellent commander who became a nuisance off to the battlefield along with
soldiers brought disaster upon the Lute Kingdom, though.」
Indeed, as I heard, if he, who is excellent, had remained in
the country, the Lute Kingdom wouldn't have been destroyed easily. Is
this also karmic retribution... But this also means the stage is set for the
most desirable outcome if everything goes well.
「Then first of all, as allied forces,
let us observe how they fight. For our future as well, right.」
Perhaps understanding the meaning of my words, the Commander
also nodded deeply.
※
Leaving Kusanagi early in the morning, around the
time the sun set, we arrived at the border region between the Empire and
the four countries. This was the place where Alexis, who led the pursuit
army previously, faced off against the Istoria Orthodox Theocracy Army,
and even after the battle ended, a reasonably constructed encampment remained.
There, mobilizing all the accompanying Earth Mages once again, we pushed
forward through the night to construct an encampment to serve as a base. While
that was happening, we were holding a war council leading the key figures,
but... An uninvited guest arrived there. I didn't even know his name, but it
seemed he was the Count who governed this area.
「This is Imperial Territory,
and moreover the dominion of our Count Jark house! For what reason does
the Archduke occupy my territory, vainly raise troops, and stir up
unnecessary fires of war!」
This right from the start! No, rather, it's refreshing that
he's of a base sort. Now then... what should I do with him?
「How disrespectful for a mere Count
to act thus toward Archduke-heika!
Know your place! To begin with, this troop dispatch is in response to a request
from Grat-denka; if you have
objections, reason dictates you head to the Imperial Capital and state
them directly to Denka!」
Faster than I could speak, the one who raised an angry voice
at the Count was Viscount Kamin. Upon hearing the intent of the troop
dispatch, he had immediately joined us on site leading the Bottakurina Trading Company
fully loaded with food and a thousand soldiers under his command.
「What did you say! What are you, a
mere Viscount, saying and to whom!」
Count Jark turned to Viscount Kamin in a rage.
However, the Viscount responded while glaring at him with eyes full of
contempt.
「To you, who despite your territory
being invaded by an enemy country's army, permitted the enemy army to pass
right under your nose without helping the allied forces that sortied to
intercept them, and permitted the trampling of Imperial Territory! Do
you not even think of shame as shame coming out at this late stage!」
「Y-You traitor! Do you think Glorious-denka will forgive such an outrage!」
This Count Jark was also a person of the First
Prince's faction, but it seemed he still did not know the results of the
southern front. Therefore, he looked even more like a pitiful clown.
「Count Jark, it cannot be
helped since you are on the frontier, but the flow of time is faster than you
think, Count. Glorious, who was formerly the First
Prince, and the masterminds who planned the rebellion against the Empire
have already been swept away, are imprisoned in Griffin, and are
awaiting their day of execution.」
「Haa? What did you say! N-No way,
such a...」
The Count, who had been in high spirits, crumbled at my
words. Because this pitiful man, too, never doubting the First Prince's
victory, must have sided with him.
「Even so, I heard that the Count
governing this land was absent? Because of that, I heard he let the invaders pass while he
sucked his thumb and watched... this is also a mysterious story.」
Here I cornered him all at once. Because rather than having
him maneuver poorly in our rear, it would be much more appreciated if he
remained 『absent』.
「Allow me to speak out of elderly
meddling: the path you should take now is not to criticize us, but to
immediately head to the Imperial Capital and rely on the mercy of Grat-denka.」
Well... I think it's useless even if he relies on it,
though. From the perspective of me, who watched the judgments on the southern
front, the Third Prince will never forgive him. But even so, that would
be the only path for him to survive. Receiving this advice, Count Jark
turned pale and left the room.
※
Having quickly made the unnecessary visitor leave the room,
we returned to the interrupted war council once again.
「First, regarding this base, it is
strictly the territory of the Empire. Therefore, I would like to entrust
the defense to the one thousand men led by Viscount Kamin, the one
thousand men of Viscount Durul's army, and one thousand men from the Special
Fire Corps led by Christoph.」
「Yes!」
「We will make efforts to meet your
expectations.」
「Heika's
command, I have certainly received.」
Placing the Imperial Army is a matter of course, but
placing Christoph here is a marvel of troop deployment thought up by the
Commander. We cannot entirely dismiss the possibility that the Istoria
Orthodox Theocracy might invade from Tria while we are deep inside
the three countries. And it is also necessary to pay attention to the movements
of the Imperial Army of the First Prince's faction. Therefore, we
leave behind a striking force capable of making independent judgments and
dealing a severe blow in a single strike to repel them here.
「Our basic plan
is to first recapture the Lute Kingdom with the main force of ten
thousand cavalry and the Three-Country Allied Army, then recapture the Vile
Kingdom, and push the battle lines south as we march. I would like the
detached force of three thousand cavalry entrusted to Gord to secure the
supply lines and protect the rear of the main force.」
「Yes, understood!」
「According to the information
obtained from Denka Crajyu
(First Prince of the Lute Kingdom), the border line between the Istoria
Orthodox Theocracy and the Lute Kingdom is long. Therefore, if we
bungle it, there is a possibility we could be struck in the back from this
side. I'm relying on you.」
For that purpose, we have Gord, who is strong against
adversity. If the three thousand cavalry of the Demon Territory Knights
he leads are present, they should be able to adapt to circumstances. He has a
track record of answering my expectations more than once and protecting the
land of Kleirat, after all.
「Listen up, everyone. We will not let
those who caused a disturbance and then took cowardly actions escape. We will
corner them and absolutely annihilate them! Just like the Count from earlier, right now they too do not know of
the Third Prince's victory and our triumphant return. That is exactly
why it's a blitzkrieg. Tomorrow we make a long ride and strike the Royal
Capital of the Lute Kingdom!」
「「「「「Yeah!」」」」」
The war council concluded, and the plan
was set. From here on, we will make our first move toward a foreign expedition.
Of course, with no intent of invasion, but in the form of a liberation army
that was asked for assistance...
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