Chapter 354
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Unexpected Enemy
Translator : PolterGlast
Three days after Takuhir
and the others departed Kusanagi, those entrusted with the defense of
the Dukedom and the Empire advanced
to Count Astray's mandate territory, which was closest to the border
with the Istoria Orthodox Theocracy. In addition to the 16,700-strong
defense army of the Westlights Demon Territory Dukedom, Viscount Durul's
8,000-strong army, totaling 24,700 people, were assigned to the task, laying
out a formation along the outer edge of the Third Prince's mandate territory.
On the left wing,
closest to the border, were the 3,200-strong former Kingdom territory garrison army commanded by Gail. In
contrast, the right wing was formed by 4,400 troops, combining the various
noble armies with mercenary groups. Slightly behind them the central army positioned itself with
7,000 troops, and further east of that, the 8,000-strong Empire Army commanded by Viscount Durul
took up positions. Their objective was, first, to buy time for the territory
residents to evacuate, and second, to break the vanguard of the invading enemy
army and make them lose their fighting spirit.
〈South〉
〈North〉
Normally, against an
enemy army whose total number is predicted to be 50,000, they are
overwhelmingly inferior in numbers and it wouldn't even be a proper match, so
it was desirable to adopt scorched-earth tactics while repeating strategic
retreats, intercepting them by relying on Izumo's defense net. However,
if they did so, many territory residents would be sacrificed in the process,
and the Empire's northern frontier
would be trampled by the invaders. This was something they wanted to avoid at
all costs.
Therefore, even now,
under Masrur's command, a 1,200-cavalry new territory garrison brigade
composed entirely of Empire citizens
was patrolling the anticipated invasion area, urging the evacuation of the
territory residents. And... the Espionage and Disruption Unit left behind by Raphael,
who is participating in the expeditionary army, was scattered across the border
area, striving for reconnaissance.
The left wing led by
Gail laid its formation in a corner of the highway passing through the
forest, hastily making preparations to execute the Dublin tactic, an impregnable
defense formation.
「It
seems we'll somehow make it in time for the construction of the defense line.」
Watching the
soldiers busily moving around for the construction of barricades advancing
before his eyes, Gail let out words of relief.
「That's
right, we'll somehow make it. Even so, Commander, this battle feels somewhat
frustrating.」
「Hahaha,
I understand Lord Mars's feelings. But from here on out, it is not land
where our intentions extend.」
Saying so while
smiling wryly, he dared to suppress his own feelings. Even the place they are
currently in is not originally land owned by their camp. However, because it is
the mandate territory of someone who is an ally of their lord, a certain degree of freedom is
allowed. But...
「Strategically,
normally, if we advanced to the exit of the border and laid a formation to
semi-encircle the exit, we could compensate for the difference in numbers,
but...」
「Don't
say it, Isaac, everyone would very much like to do so. Even Viscount Durul,
who is a fellow Empire citizen.」
Yes, south of the
place where they laid their formation was a domain border, and it was land
owned by a Count house of the First Prince's camp. Therefore, even when
Viscount Durul requested stationing troops for interception, he was
rejected for the incomprehensible reason of his lord's absence.
「Is it
someone else's problem to them? It seems they have absolutely no awareness that
their own territory will be engulfed in the flames of war.」
「Hahaha,
just as Mars says, they have no awareness... or rather, it's the
opposite. Just like Frontier Count Clantiff in the west during the
previous battle on the western front. To them, the invading army is
reinforcements, and the Third Prince's camp and we who are allied with him are
the enemies.」
「That
must be it. They probably have some secret pact to let them pass through their
territory without doing anything anyway.」
No matter how much
unsettling movement the border area showed, the Count house in question
maintained an eerie silence all along. What that means is already clear.
「So,
how is the evacuation status of the territory residents on this side?」
「Yes,
according to Lord Masrur's periodic report, it still doesn't seem to be
going well. Currently, the territory residents whose evacuation is complete in our
assigned war zone are 60%; 40% still cannot abandon their farmland and crops,
and it seems they will remain in various farming villages or hide in the nearby
mountains and wait it out until the harvest.」
「Tch!
Doing such foolish things... do they want to die? Tell him to continue
persuading them patiently. We can't exactly burn down the fields and drive them
out, after all.」
Gail
involuntarily had no choice but to click his tongue. To them, the greatest
enemy was 'time'.
「I
myself was a farmer living in a frontier farming village until I immigrated to Teigoon,
you see. It's not that I don't understand their feelings, but...」
Saying so, Isaac
floated a serious expression. The crops they had cherished for several months
will be harvestable in about half a month, although it would be an early
harvest. The farmers hated abandoning such farmland and evacuating to the rear.
「Besides,
living in a massive and powerful country like the Empire probably leads to arrogance in itself.」
The words uttered by
Aral accurately pointed out what lay behind their hearts. For the Empire, which had constantly expanded
its national land, there was no history of being attacked by foreign enemies,
except for the faraway southern frontier. That was the same for the former Roland Kingdom. Even when the Kingdom was destroyed, the Royal
Capital fell in a blitzkrieg, and since it was almost an unconditional
surrender afterwards, the people were not visited by the flames of war, and the
transition to Empire
territory was carried out smoothly. As a result, their awareness of them as an
external threat was quite low, and having never experienced their own homeland
being trampled under the hooves of invading horses, they lacked a true sense of
personal involvement in the upcoming battle—a fact that was proving to be a
major source of anxiety for Gail and the others.
「For
the time being, have the units that have a prospect of completing their defense
line construction assist Lord Masrur's unit.」
『Well,
even if we help, the situation probably won't change greatly.』
Gail
swallowed the words that floated into his mind.
『If
only this precarious equilibrium would continue for another month, no, about
another 20 days...』
This wish of Gail's
was not granted. On the 5th day after they took their positions, the situation
changed suddenly...
「Urgent
report! It's a major incident! According to the report from the espionage unit,
a 30,000-strong enemy army has crossed the border and begun invasion!」
「They've
come... first, calm down! Did we not know in advance that they would invade?
Have the entire army prepare for battle, guide them in front of our formation,
deliver a single blow, then turn around and sequentially retreat...」
「No,
Commander, the ones who invaded are not only enemy soldiers! Advancing at the
forefront are people without weapons! Among them, the figures of the elderly,
women, and even children can be confirmed.」
「Wh...
what did you say!」
Lugner, who
knew the weakness of Takuhir and the others—their 'naivety' in valuing
territory residents—had struck this secret plan to defeat the enemy renowned as
the strongest.
「Teachings
of God to the heathens, liberation of our brethren, God's iron hammer to the
Demon King...」
Chanting so in
unison, the ones overflowing from the border one after another were a unit
composed of refugees suffering from starvation who had flowed into the four
southern counties ruled by Castro, and their number exceeded 10,000.
Those at their forefront held things like placards and banners.
『We
hold no military force, we are those who follow God's teachings.』 『We discard the means of fighting, and advance following
God's will.』 『Not battles to flaunt power, but
discussions.』 『Non-armament and non-violence are
exactly our God's teachings.』
「Advance!
We shall become apostles preaching God's teachings! To advance one step becomes
a merit dedicated to God. We shall liberate the people suffering under tyranny
with prayers to God! Along with you, the Pope himself is walking the path
reaching to God's side!」
If observed
carefully, hundreds of men with crude swords hanging at their waists were mixed
in this group, inciting the people, but amidst the large number of walking
people, there was no one who could confirm their figures from the outside. As
if under mass hypnosis, they stated words praising God in unison, and advanced
their steps without flinching.
※
At the bizarre
nature of the invading enemy army, the main camp of Gail and the others
who received the report was in an uproar.
「A
group of people is marching aiming for us!」
「A
messenger from the ambushers lying in wait ahead! They are inquiring whether it
is permissible to continue the operation!」
「Commander,
your instructions!」
「Guh...
atrocious... To line up people without weapons and use them as shields...」
Gail was at a
loss for judgment on how to issue orders. Behind the human wall of people,
enemy soldiers are probably hiding. That could be easily predicted. But to
repel the enemy army, they must first shoot the people deployed in front
advancing towards them. If they continue the operation and launch an attack,
they will sully their master's honor as 'ones who massacred innocent people'.
Not only that. In
the Special Fire Corps and the Izumo Garrison Army, there are many
soldiers originally from the Istoria Imperial Kingdom. If it is said
that they struck down the people of the Imperial Kingdom who held no
weapons, what would they think?
「At
what distance are they? Not in length, but in time.」
「Yes,
because they are bringing along the elderly, women, and children, it will
probably be about half a day...」
「Then I
will immediately head to the central army in the rear and seek instructions
from the Supreme
Commander, so make this thoroughly known to each unit! Do not attack.
Especially to the vanguard lying in ambush on the front lines, convey that in
an emergency, they are permitted to let them pass, or even retreat to the
encampment.」
Issuing that order, Gail
straddled his horse and aimed for the main camp. From here on, a gruesome
battle pressing the commanders for ruthless decisions was about to begin.
◇ Demon Territory Dukedom Defense Army Composition
Central Army 7,000
troops
·
Izumo Garrison Army: 5,000 troops
·
Special Fire Corps Residual Group: 2,000 troops
Left Wing Army 3,200
troops
·
Former Demon Territory Count Domain: Gail
2,000 troops
·
Frontier Count Domain: Mars 600 troops
·
Kyrias Domain: Aral 300 troops
·
Count Cornell Domain: Danke 200
troops
·
Armed Vigilante Corps: Isaac 200 troops
Right Wing Army
4,400 troops
·
Marquis Gorman Army: 1,700 troops
·
Marquis Solis Army + Mercenary Group:
1,700 troops
·
Count Falmus Army: 1,000 troops
Mobile Army 2,100
troops
·
New Territory Garrison Brigade: 1,200 troops
·
Espionage and Disruption Unit: 800 troops
·
Headquarters Escort Army Residual Group: 100
troops
Viscount Durul Army: 8,000 troops
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