Chapter 394
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Southern Front ⑩ –At the End of
the Escape
Translator : PolterGlast
A little before Takuhir and the others arrived at Big Bridge, there was a man who had
been wandering from place to place in the southern part of the Empire's new
territory, continuing his bitter struggle. His name was Grat fou Griffonia.
He was considered the next Emperor of the Empire and had confronted the Sura Principality army with a total force of 30,000,
but he was a man who, along with the severe blow of defeat, had lost many of
his subordinates whom he should call sworn allies.
「Your Highness, according to the
scouts' reports, approximately 20,000 of the Sura Principality army have advanced to a distance half a day from here. We
can no longer call this place a safe zone. Please withdraw quickly...」
Prompted so by his remaining subordinate,
the Third Prince had to make a
bitter decision. Since the defeat of that day, he had been wandering around the
southern frontier while waiting for his scattered allies to regroup. However,
the Principality army, which had once headed for Big Bridge, was moving again to solidify their control over various
regions.
「20,000, huh... To think I have to
retreat against an enemy of that level, I have also fallen low... So, in which
direction do you think it is appropriate to move?」
Under the Third
Prince, who said so with a lonely expression as if mocking himself, there
were now only 8,000 cavalry and 4,000 infantry.
Even so, at the beginning of the rout, he only had 5,000
cavalry under his direct command, so it could be said that he had recovered
significantly.
『Even so, there should still be many
scattered allies in the southern part of the new territory. Right now, I must
rally even one more person...』
However, there were many injured among the regrouped
soldiers, and the combat power capable of fighting properly was less than 10,000. Because of that, he currently resigned himself to the
situation of wandering from place to place as if running away from the enemy
soldiers.
「Let me see... we very much want to
head north, but the enemy army's patrol network is strict there, and it is a
situation where we still cannot make contact with Big Bridge.」
Sieghart was
probably fighting a solitary struggle surrounded by an enemy army several times
his size. Thinking about that, the Third
Prince's heart ached.
「The signal fire towers on the north
side are probably completely destroyed, but... what about the east side?」
「If our Eastern Army was able to
retreat as planned... there is a possibility! It is highly likely that the Turncoat Kingdom army that invaded from
there is prioritizing pursuit and postponing the capture of the surrounding
areas.」
Hearing those words, the Third Prince, who had closed his eyes and was deep in thought,
opened his eyes wide.
「Then we shall aim for Big Bridge while making a large detour
to the east. The primary objective is to let him (Sieghart) know that we
are still alive and well!」
Having resolved so, the Third
Prince left a cipher indicating their next destination at the hidden supply
base as usual, and began to move, taking the injured soldiers along. It was a
travel distance incomparable to before, a journey filled with hardships, moving
while burdened with injured soldiers and constantly being vigilant of the enemy
army.
※
One day, more than ten days after they began their movement
towards the east, a scout soldier brought up an astonishing report.
「R-Reporting! A little further ahead
from here, a military force moving east has been confirmed! Their numbers are
approximately 15,000!」
「Tch... has the enemy army's reach extended even to this
direction? What has happened to Big
Bridge (Sieghart)?」
Although the Third
Prince raised a voice of grief, the scout's expression was bright.
「Forgive the delay of my report, Sire! They are carrying injured people and look exactly
like a line of defeated soldiers. Their vigilance of their surroundings is also
perfunctory, and they are desperately aiming east as if terrified of pursuit.」
Defeated soldiers? As if terrified of pursuit? The Third Prince doubted his own ears at
the report. And rightly so. Because they too knew neither of Takuhir's
participation in the war nor the victory of the Second Siege Battle.
「Hmm... If I make him bear the
hardships alone, I will lose face. If they are fleeing defeated soldiers, it
would be possible to win by a surprise attack even with a small number of
soldiers. Now is the time, from here on we will defeat them individually and
sever any anxiety for the future!」
「But Your Highness! We are carrying
many injured soldiers, much less Your Highness's own body...」
「That is exactly why. If we strike
them (the Turncoat remnants) down here, at least the entire eastern area
will become a safe zone. To send out as many as 20,000
soldiers to the southern frontier means the Sura Principality army is still alive and well; if that's the case,
it won't be possible to enter Big Bridge
Fort bringing along the injured soldiers. Therefore, there is a need to secure
a safe zone for them to hide themselves in. Because I am no longer allowed to
let the soldiers die pointlessly. Above all, I myself...」
Saying so, he reasoned with his subordinate who was
hurriedly trying to pacify him, and issued an order with an expression filled
with resolve.
「I will select only 5,000 cavalry capable of enduring a battle to first strike them! The remaining infantry shall escort the
injured soldiers and retreat further east to the vicinity of the former Empire territory, and wait for the soldiers' recovery!」
After declaring so, they hurriedly departed.
※
Meanwhile, the Turncoat
Kingdom army, heading for their homeland leading injured soldiers,
continued their movement while aiming for the border by the shortest route,
trembling in fear. Although they had received a cowardly surprise attack, they
too had annihilated as many as 5,000 of the Sura Principality army. However, their
new enemy still possessed a military force of over 50,000.
If those were to turn from the south and they received a pursuit, annihilation
would be inevitable. They had no time to delay. And then...
「Enemy attack! A Sura Principality cavalry unit from the south!」
Receiving this report, the generals who had been leading the
defeated soldiers had their faces twitch with terror. The 12,000 soldiers were exhausted from battle and the rout, and in
addition to that, because they were in the middle of a movement bringing along
nearly 2,000 injured soldiers, with no defenses to hinder cavalry right
now, if it was a field battle, they would be unilaterally trampled even if they
were facing 10,000 cavalry.
「The number of enemies!? Approximate is fine, so report their combat strength!」
What returned to that question was a despairing answer.
「I cannot say accurately. However...
judging from the dust clouds, it seems to easily exceed 10,000 cavalry!」
「O-O-Over 10,000
cavalry! It's out of the question. From here on, we will aim for the border
with all our might. Abandon the slow baggage wagons, and run through while
maintaining a circular formation.」
This was an order that could be called ruthless. In addition
to weapons and provisions, injured soldiers were also riding on the baggage
wagons. They had no other choice left but to leave the dead weights behind as
bait for the enemy army, and retreat while laying out a defensive formation
with only the soldiers capable of fighting.
※
Upon pursuing the routing enemy army, the Third Prince had devised a plan to
disguise their small numbers. The 5,000 cavalry
were having their respective horses drag several dead branches tied with ropes.
Due to those, they raised thick clouds of dust that doubled their numbers, and
were approaching the enemy army.
「Listen well, pay no attention to the
baggage wagons they abandoned! Do not stand in the way of the routing enemy
army; concentrate solely on whittling down their rearguard and outer flanks! Charge!」
Being veteran soldiers who had thrown themselves into battle
with the Sura Principality numerous
times, they followed the Third Prince's
instructions and repeated a battle where they solely concentrated on whittling
down the enemy army's numbers and increasing the dropouts. Much less, the enemy
army fleeing while terrified of the illusion of numbers during their rout had
extremely low morale as well.
Like this, finally, the soldiers of the Turncoat Kingdom who had also lost their control as an army routed
in defeat. In the end, it was a disastrous scene where only less than a mere 5,000 soldiers who had lost their provisions scattered and fled
towards the border.
「Any further pursuit is unnecessary.
They are already equal to having lost their function as an army. It is our
victory! We will head west from here, and change course to a signal fire tower
from which we can make contact with Big
Bridge.」
The Third Prince,
who had raised decisive war results in a battle of a mere few hours, withdrew
the soldiers under his command.
「Your Highness, will you transition
to a mopping-up operation from here?」
「It is unnecessary, because soldiers
who have lost their escape route and scattered can be repelled even by the
infantry attached as escorts to the injured.」
「What shall we do about the enemy
army's injured soldiers? Up until now...」
「Leave them abandoned. It may seem
cruel, but we do not have the leeway to hold prisoners either. Now is not the
time for a Matsuyama. Just burn the
provisions they abandoned, and leave the enemy army's injured soldiers
abandoned on the battlefield.」
No one offered an opinion against the Third Prince, who said so with a bitter expression. Because even
they had given up on accompanying their injured soldiers, and separated them
along with a portion of their precious combat strength... Without provisions,
the fate left for the soldiers abandoned on the battlefield was harsh. Because
even if they did not lay a hand on them, they were destined to eventually
perish.
The Third Prince, having won the battle, led his cavalry and swiftly advanced west, then entered a place established on top of a slightly elevated mountain that was operated as a supply base cum signal fire tower. And then, they would raise a signal fire towards Big Bridge indicating the Third Prince was alive and well. This would later end up becoming the prime mover that invited a new battle, but for them, it was also a war result they had finally managed to win.
-----
Thank you for my Patrons !!
[Platinum]
-
[Gold]
B random
Nepheos
[Silver]
Corey Hicks
Creris
Frédéric Bertrand-Hudon
Jake Seagraves
Matthew Fraser
Tbaum56
Xavier O'Donoghue
Anton Lim
Baelee
Christopher Feliciano
Ctdela
Curious Panda
nick nasca
SD Fox
Sébastien Dionne
Z
Read Advanced Chapters only on my Patreon
-----
