Chapter 398
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Southern Front ⑭ –Return of the
Banner
Translator : PolterGlast
Although they suffered the heavy blow of losing
approximately four thousand allies due to the cowardly traitors (Turncoat
Kingdom), the generals of the Sura
Principality, convinced that they overwhelmingly held the advantage in
numbers, sent in a pursuit unit of ten thousand cavalry, while the main force
hastily changed course and besieged Big Bridge Fort once again.
When the encirclement was broken, it would have been a simple
matter if the holed-up military force had fled to the Empire
side, but the Empire Army, clinging to the fort with lingering affection and
showing the will to fight, looked comical to them. With their
commander-in-chief, the Third Prince,
struck down, and their supply lines on the Empire
side cut off by an ally (the First
Prince), they had no future. They were merely sitting and waiting for
annihilation.
The generals took up positions further outside the paddy
fields surrounding the fort, deploying 10,000
soldiers each to the east, west, south, and north to set up camp. However, they
did not notice those who were wriggling in the darkness just outside of that.
「Raphael, we will activate Operation
『Fire Dragon』
as planned. How far should we
advance?」
「Sir, we have dug trenches spreading
to the left and right in the area ahead. From there to the enemy camp is
approximately 500 m; if it is 『Fire
Dragon』, I believe the first shot will be sufficient even from that
point.」
Raphael, who
answered so, had left Takuhir's army with his subordinates upon exiting
the fort, scouted the surroundings in preparation for their return, and after
the sun set, secretly dug trenches in cooperation with Earth Mages.
「A perfect answer. Then, the first
shot will be fired two at a time from four locations, aimed at eight locations
on the left and right of the enemy camp. If the enemy flees this way because of
that, blind them with Leila's Light
Magic, and then fire a volley of Estol
Bows. From the second shot onwards, fire one by one, advance, and drive
those bastards away. Shooting commanders, receive your armaments from Bart, enter the left and right
trenches, scatter every 50 m, and begin preparations!」
「「「Yes, sir!」」」
※
Unaware of Takuhir and his forces' entry into the
war, the various armies of the Sura Principality held the thought that
they were besieging the fort with an overwhelmingly large army, and many of
them had let their guard down. Although they suffered some damage due to the
shameless ones (Turncoat Army), there was no changing the fact that they
were in an overwhelmingly advantageous posture.
Although the parties concerned were no longer present, they
had sent a messenger to the First Prince
who had taken Ende, denouncing the betrayal of the army they had been
informed was an allied force, and holding the Empire
side partially responsible for it. The panicked First Prince would likely lead his entire army and join the war in
the near future, probably to make excuses and demonstrate his own innocence. If
that happened, combining with the army sent out in pursuit to punish the
cowards, it would become a large army of 80,000
in total. Victory was already as good as confirmed.
In their camp, where they had fallen into a deep sleep
partly due to such carelessness, a high-pitched sound that seemed to tear
through the atmosphere suddenly echoed. Following that... a loud boom they had
never heard before resounded, greatly vibrating the air along with a fierce
shock.
「Uwah, wh-what is that!」
「My ears, my ears!」
「The sky, the earth, they are
roaring!」
Some of the Sura Principality soldiers, attacked in
their sleep, even lost their strength to stand out of sheer astonishment.
Astounded by whatever it was that exploded in close proximity to their camp
from the first shot, those who jumped out of their tents were assaulted by the
second shot.
「Uwah!」
「The fire, the fire is
attacking...」
「My eyes... my eyes!」
Those who took the flash of the thing resembling a launched
firework that exploded at a low altitude in the center of the camp head-on,
those who were terrified of the scattering sparks and ran around trying to
escape, and those who fainted from the sheer sound of the shock appeared one
after another; agonizing cries of the Sura Principality soldiers spread
in the area, resulting in an unmanageable state of confusion.
※
The enemy army were not the only ones astounded by this
sight. The Third Prince, who had
intentionally wished to come out to the front lines, felt as if he had learned
what true terror was for the first time at this moment, and was dumbfounded.
However, he was still on the better side; among the accompanying Empire soldiers, there were even those who lost their footing and
couldn't stand up. Moreover, behind them, the Empire
Army's horses neighed from too much surprise, with many rearing up and acting
violently, and others being held down as they tried to run off.
『That's what would happen, isn't
it... in that world, even children are intimately familiar with it, but if you
see it for the first time, and from up close, you'd be surprised. Even I
(Nishida) was surprised by the extreme sound and shock when I watched a
live-fire demonstration of a matchlock gun, even if it was just blanks. At this distance, the vibration of the air is also
incredible, and they have never felt such a thing before, so all the more
reason...』
While feeling slightly sorry at that state, Takuhir
issued orders in rapid succession.
「Continue, prepare the third shot!
Advance the units two by two, and send a signal when the Wind Mages are in position!」
「Signals have arrived from both Right
Number One and Left Number One!」
「Third shot, fire! Continue by
advancing Right Number Two and Left Number Two and prepare the fourth shot!」
「Please wait on the fourth shot. A
portion of the enemy soldiers who have fallen into a frenzy are heading this
way!」
「Prepare the fourth shot regardless,
other than that, intercept with Estol Bows! Attack along with the signal of
light. After that, we will leave the trenches, advance, and conduct pursuit!
Drive those bastards on the right side to the western enemy camp, and the ones
on the left side to the eastern enemy camp!」
After that, advancing their position even further forward,
they continued their merciless attacks, ignoring their allies (Empire Army officers and soldiers) who were dumbfounded in the rear.
And when the 10,000 Sura
Principality soldiers deployed on the north side
scattered and fled, and that confusion spread to the military forces camped in
the east and west, Takuhir smiled and spoke to Grat, who had a
pale face.
「Now then, Your Highness, the
preparations to enter the castle are complete. It seems our allies' confusion
has also settled, and they have advanced following our signal. Let us run
through the flower path and enter the
castle.」
At the end of where Takuhir pointed saying so, lamps
were beginning to be lit again in the hidden passage by Sieghart. And
from behind them, the Demon Territory
Dukedom Army and the Empire Army that
had been kept on standby were joining the front lines.
※
In fact, startled by the explosive sound, Sieghart
himself, who was watching the situation from the fort, was also dumbfounded by
the incomprehensible situation just like the soldiers around him, and was
confused for just a moment. However, he remembered the words the Archduke had left before departing, and immediately regained
himself.
『The return entry will be slightly
noisy, you see. Next is the flower path to welcome His Highness. Please prepare
grandly. Also, it would be better to keep His Highness's return a secret from
the enemy for a while.』
He reprimanded the frightened soldiers and carried out what
he was supposed to do.
「No, this is... what on earth did the
Archduke...」
About to say so, Grat remembered his promise, shut
his mouth, and pulled himself together. Straddling his beloved horse brought by
the soldiers in the rear, he shouted in a loud voice.
「I will gratefully accept the flower path Lord Takuhir has
prepared! Entire army, follow me!」
「Together with Your Highness!」
「Now, let us march!」
「Platoon, follow!」
The succeeding Empire Army
officers and soldiers also regained themselves, and followed after their lord.
And following behind them was the Demon
Territory Knights Order, who had driven away the enemy army and secured
safety. And... the party that accomplished their entry into the fort was
welcomed by cheers with stifled voices. The soldiers all ran up around Grat,
knelt, shed tears, and bit into their joy. There, Sieghart let out a
large sigh and approached looking languid.
「Your Highness... welcome back.」
Merely short, the words uttered so contained a flood of
emotions. Grat understood that as well.
「Sieghart, I have caused you various hardships.」
「That's the truth. Even though I was
finally sleeping soundly, there is this noisiness before dawn. Being roused out
of bed, I'm so sleepy...」
In the eyes of him who said so and exaggeratedly yawned,
tears were about to spill over, perhaps due to sleepiness. The truth was not
sleepiness or anything, and he had been waiting for his lord's return without
sleeping a wink...
「Hahaha, when the battle ends, I will
let you take the afternoon naps you desire to your heart's content. For this
time only, I give you my thanks from the bottom of my heart.」
Saying so, Grat slowly pulled him whose hand he had
grasped, and put his arm around his shoulders.
「I did get your pledge, you know. To
begin with, it's been nothing but overwork up until now, to the point I think
I've done a lifetime's worth of work. Please absolutely do not forget.」
「Ah, I know. For a while, I will not
be able to raise my head to you and Lord Takuhir. To reward that as
well, from here on I will strike the invaders and the enemy. Also to reward
those who threw away their lives and confronted them to let me escape...」
Thus, the banner returned to Big Bridge Fort. And with this day as the boundary, the momentum for a counteroffensive would rise all at once.
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