Chapter 351
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Southern Front ② Big Bridge's War of
Nerves
Translator : PolterGlast
In the Big Bridge
Fortress, located at the linchpin of the Griffonia
Empire's new territory, Sieghart,
said to be the Empire's preeminent
wise general, had entrenched himself. At this time, the main unit led by the
Third Prince and the southern army had already been defeated, but this tragic
news had not yet reached them. According to information from the signal fire
towers, among the Sura Principality army, the army that invaded from the
furthest north had stopped its march at a distance of about a day before Big Bridge, and this could also be
confirmed directly by scouts dispatched from the fortress.
「Now then, I suppose the enemy
intends to stop temporarily and align their pace. They didn't have to be so
reserved, we're ready to welcome them...」
Gazing west from the watchtower and muttering so, Sieghart
had only a military force of 2,000 men with him, and even though he had taken
in the 10,000-man western army that had retreated in response to the enemy's
invasion just the other day, his main military forces were still dispersed in
various places.
『Is he missing a screw in his head?』
Seeing Sieghart smiling in such a situation, not a
few people thought so.
「Then, shall we begin preparing to
invite them to a banquet?」
Saying so, Sieghart issued a strange order to his
subordinate soldiers.
「As an arrangement for the banquet,
first prepare the ingredients. Normally I would want to wait another 10 days,
but could you divide the work and start harvesting the surrounding paddy fields
right now?」
「Y-Yes... huh?」
Not minding at all that his subordinate unconsciously let
out a strange voice, Sieghart continued.
「Listen, start the harvesting from
the outside south and north, heading east and west respectively from four
directions. Be sure to harvest towards the passage leading to the fortress.」
「Y-Yes...」
「The part of the deep fields in front
that is currently filled with water can be left as is, but could you draw water
into the other places immediately as soon as the harvesting is finished? Return
everything to muddy fields, don't forget this.」
「Yes...」
「Finally, two important things.
Perform the work by squads, and be sure to always leave one person as a
lookout. If anything happens, I'll raise a flag on the watchtower. And, to the
squads that work fast, I'll give gold coin rewards to everyone in the squad. Of
course, including you guys and your commanders, okay.」
「Y... yes!」
Watching the subordinate—who had looked completely
bewildered just a moment ago—suddenly burst with motivation and dash off, one
of my close aides, who had been harboring doubts about this approach, couldn’t
help but speak up.
「Your Excellency the Chief of the
General Staff... what is the meaning of your order just now...?」
「No particular meaning, I suppose. If
the enemy comes, we'll refill them with water, and if that happens we won't be
able to harvest anyway. Besides, it's best to secure as much food as possible.」
「I-Is that all?」
「I'm
sure the enemy is keeping a close eye on us, just as we are on them. If we
carelessly start harvesting right under their noses, what do you think will
happen? Even flooding the fields won't seem natural unless there's a plausible
reason for it, you see.」
「I see! We casually perform the
harvest, and furthermore, we are trying to plant summer crops in preparation
for a long encampment. You intend to make them think so?」
Compared to the close aide whose face broke into a smile as
if he understood, Sieghart's expression was not entirely bright. Because
to him, the enemy army’s true intentions felt unsettlingly eerie.
The enemy army that invaded from the center, which normally
would have been expected to attack here first, had vanished somewhere. As if
coinciding with that, the 20,000-cavalry main unit led by the Third Prince and
the 10,000-man southern army had lost contact and could not be reached.
『I think Lord Grat will be
fine even if the worst happens, but...』
To dispel the anxiety he couldn't wipe away, he dared to
resort to means that invited the enemy army's movements. Furthermore, on a
not-so-distant day, the army deployed to the east will also retreat. Bringing
along the Turncoat Kingdom army... That is precisely why he wanted to
grasp the location and movements of the enemy army, formulate countermeasures,
and if possible, reduce their numbers even a little. Because even at this
point, Sieghart still had some chances of winning.
※
Three days after the soldiers stationed at the Big Bridge Fortress began harvesting,
the situation began to move all at once. Sieghart, who had been holed up
in his office since morning that day, was having a late lunch while working
when the sun had passed its zenith. Sieghart was particularly fond of a
food called 'Onigiri' (rice balls), which Takuhir had adopted as combat
rations in this world. Realizing that this would allow him to eat while reading
a book, he had sought out Takuhir's guidance ever since tasting it for the first time in Kusanagi. He then adopted it as a
military ration and ate it himself at every given opportunity. To
the point where he went out of his way to obtain seaweed (nori) through
merchants from the far-off Piette Merchant
Federation for this purpose... Though, recently, the purpose has
changed from 『while
reading a book』
to 『while
working』...
「As expected, it can't beat the taste
of the seaweed I ate in Kusanagi. Lord Takuhir said he personally
instructed the manufacturing method over there... I need to devise a little
more regarding the saltiness of the Onigiri too.」
Alongside his meal, or rather alongside his work, he
muttered such impressions. However, as if to break that relaxed atmosphere, the
sound of hasty footsteps running in echoed outside the room.
「Report! The enemy army has begun
moving from the west side.」
「I see, they've finally come...
Signals and bells immediately. Incidentally, about how much of the harvest is
finished?」
「Yes, immediately! Excluding the deep
fields, about 80% is...」
「I see, it'll serve as just about the
right amount of bait... Then, shall we begin preparations for welcoming them?」
Those words even had an atmosphere as if a long-awaited
person from afar had finally arrived, but immediately after, his expression
completely changed. He laughed, emitting a bloodlust enough to surprise his
surroundings.
「We have to entertain them plenty...」
※
Around the Big Bridge
Fortress, paddy fields spread starting from the fortress, and because water had
been drawn in from the places where the harvest had finished, the water surface
reflected like a mirror reflecting the sky, fantastically projecting the
fortress in the back as if it were floating in the air. The Sura
Principality soldiers, who appeared from two locations on the west and
south sides of that fortress, began to surround the fortress from a distance,
maintaining a distance of about 2 km.
「Even so, this number, it's not just
20,000. Double... no, there might be even more.」
Sieghart's
observation hit the mark. Appearing before them one after another from the rear
was the entire Sura Principality army currently intact, a military force
of a staggering 65,000. They began to surround the Big Bridge Fortress in multiple layers, leaving only the east side
of the fortress open for siege.
「S-Such a thing...」 「To think it would be to this extent...」 「How many times our number are there...」
The elites led by the Third Prince could also only be
astounded by the appearance of an enemy army truly more than five times their
number.
「Chief of the General Staff, what is
the meaning of this!」 「This
number, where is His Highness? What of His Highness's army?」
The flustered commanders pressed Sieghart, but even
so, he calmly watched the deployment of the enemy army.
「They are intentionally leaving the
east side open because they fear we will become desperate soldiers if
completely surrounded. Contact with His Highness's army has been lost, but I
think there is a possibility the enemy has laid an encirclement net outside our
visible range and cut off contact.」
Sieghart answered flatly. It
was right at that moment.
「Hey! Don't tell me that's...」 「Wh-what did you say!」 「What does this mean! Why is it in their hands!」
A great commotion and screams erupted among the generals
protecting the fortress, including the soldiers. On the highway extending east
and west from the fortress, from its west side, a horse-drawn wagon with a
pillar tall as a man tied to it like a cross was advancing slowly. Tied to that
pillar was armor reflecting the sunlight and shining in rainbow colors, armor
known by anyone in the Third Prince's army. And simultaneously, a loud cheer as
if to split the earth erupted from among the Sura Principality soldiers.
「「「「「Your Highness!」」」」」
Conversely, groans resembling loud screams rose from the
fortress side.
『This is bad...』
Only Sieghart accurately saw through the enemy's
scheme. That does not mean His Highness was struck down or taken prisoner. His
Highness never wears this armor on a chaotic battlefield. Because armor that
stands out exceptionally becomes a mark showing the existence of the general's
head to the enemy. To dare to show off the armor instead of the person himself,
that likely means they only managed to obtain the armor. And, although
localized, it means His Highness's army was defeated or suffered corresponding
damage.
While the Empire side fell
into great confusion upon seeing Klimt's armor, a single knight raising
a flag written 'Military Envoy' advanced along the highway from the west side,
and upon arriving in front of the fortress's city walls, shouted in a loud
voice.
「I proclaim to the Empire Army! You are under our complete encirclement.」
As he waved the flag simultaneously with that voice, the Sura
Principality soldiers advancing to the outer edges of the paddy fields and
surrounding them also raised a loud cheer in unison. That low, earth-rumbling
cheer plunged those holed up in the fortress into terror.
「And the enemy general, the Third
Prince, was struck down by us.」
The flag was waved again, and a loud cheer even greater than
before enveloped Sieghart and the others.
「We too do not desire a futile
battle. Open the gates and surrender immediately. It is our utmost mercy. We
too will treat you with the courtesy of 'Matsuyama'. Furthermore, if you
do not respond to this advice, not a single person will be able to survive this
battle. If you desire a futile battle even after your master is struck down, we
too have no choice. We will not leave a single soldier alive!」
After being told so, the fortress fell silent as if dead.
Other than everyone dumbfoundedly muttering something like delirium... A sense
of despair was overflowing within them.
「They got us... Since they've done
this much, we have to return appropriate courtesy too. Um, are the preparations
ready?」
Muttering dispassionately, Sieghart showed a smile to
the woman standing next to him, who retained a childlike innocence unsuited for
a battlefield. When she nodded with a slightly tense face, he stepped up onto a
dais where strange, conical things pointing in four directions were set up, and
took a deep breath.
「Listen! Brethren born in the Empire, seeking to protect our
motherland from cruel and atrocious people!」
Sieghart's voice
echoed throughout the fortress, no, even to the Sura Principality
soldiers surrounding them. Because the sound Mage girl was amplifying
his voice using the four massive megaphones.
「Do not be deceived! That is a bright
red fake made to imitate Lord Grat's armor! Hypothetically, if His
Highness fell into their hands... Why do they not show us His Highness's
corpse? Why do they advise us to surrender before even fighting? Lord Grat
is alive and well!」
「「「「「Oooooh!」」」」」
At the cheers erupting from various parts of the fortress, Sieghart
paused for a beat.
「Do not be deceived by the sweet
words of the invaders! What did they do in Ende in the past? Who
unjustly invaded the city and massacred even young children!」
「「「「「It was them!」」」」」
「We are merely in an unfavorable
position right now. That is all. Our calculations for victory are fully in
place! I will dare to declare here. Just as Lord Grat
liberated Ende in the past, it is we who will ultimately be victorious!」
「「「「「Long live Lord Grat!」」」」」
Here Sieghart signaled the girl with his eyes. And
she nodded slightly.
「I proclaim to the Sura
Principality soldiers dancing to the tune of the Empire's malcontents and committing unjust invasion. When did you
become the running dogs of the Empire?
What just cause do you have? You are merely atrocious invaders. You will come
to realize from now on that you yourselves are standing on the brink of death right
here and now.」
Perhaps the sound Mage changed the directivity, this
time the voice echoed loudly to the Sura Principality soldiers
surrounding them. Realistically, there is a limit to the volume of a human
voice, although there are individual differences. Even the one boasting a loud
voice calling himself a military envoy, much less the voices of the Sura
Principality generals who were infuriated by Sieghart's words and
raised their voices in various places, only reached a limited range. Much less,
there is no way it could reach the Empire Army
far away. Only Sieghart's words echoed unilaterally throughout the Big Bridge area.
「From here on, the Empire Army will only walk the path of victory. Passing through a
path paved with the corpses of Principality
soldiers. I convey this to the Principality
soldiers with mercy. I won't tell you to surrender. If you value your lives, if
you wish to live and see your families and loved ones again, you should return
to your motherland right here. You will come to know firsthand that this is no
big talk. Judgment for the Principality,
victory lies with the Empire!」
「Long live the Empire!」 「Long
live Lord Grat!」 「Judgment
for the Principality!」 「To
our victory!」
The hearts of the Empire soldiers,
whose morale had withered once and were on the verge of panic, recovered due to
his words. They have no way of knowing that Sieghart's words were a
'bluff'.
Enraged by these words, the army of the Sura Principality launched a sweeping assault, pouring in all at once from every direction except the east. And so, the conflict that would come to be known as the Struggle of Big Bridge began.
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