Chapter 405
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Southern Front ㉑ - The Trap of
Temptation
Translator : PolterGlast
Confirming that the First Prince's Army had begun to
rout and the cavalry had begun their pursuit, I made my next move. Leaving the
relief efforts and subsequent vigilance of the north defensive wall entirely to
Wals, I took my direct unit and the Special Fire Corps—which had
deployed to the west side of the north wall—and moved through the fort to the
south city wall. And the south city wall was... right in the midst of a fierce
battle.
「Listen up! Right now, focus solely
on repelling the enemy forces clinging to the walls! Wait on standby with the
ballistas and catapults in their current state! Draw them in as much as
possible!」
「Push them back! Don't let them climb
up! We're short on arrows! Hurry with the resupply!」
「Do something about that battering
ram! Even a sturdy city gate won't hold at this rate!」
At the main camp where Sieghart was stationed, orders
from various commanders flew about, and messengers who had received
instructions rushed out one after another, making it quite noisy. I mean... are
they struggling quite a bit? What is the meaning of this? When I looked at Sieghart,
who was sitting silently in the back of the command post, he was as calm as if
the current war situation was someone else's problem, and smiled at me.
「I have been waiting for you. For Archduke-heika to have come here means... the
north has been settled?」
「Yeah, the First Prince's Army
lost over half its numbers and began to rout. I mean, it seems like things are
developing in an uncharacteristic way on this side...」
Saying so, Sieghart stuck out his tongue and laughed.
So he is planning something after all?
「As expected, Takuhir-dono saw
right through it. I dared to draw them in so that the enemy army's attention
wouldn't go to the north...」
I knew it! I mean, for what purpose?
「Could you first tell me the situation?」
「Yes, seeing the north city wall in
flames, they must have panicked greatly. They hurriedly attacked the south side
in earnest. The enemy army waiting at the 500-meter mark first lined up
soldiers holding shields over the hidden path on the south side, and under that
cover, twenty thousand men surged forward at once, carrying sandbags to expand
the path.」
I see... a forceful push by orthodox tactics. That's how
seriously they're attacking this time.
「Now that the path has been expanded,
over twenty thousand soldiers are clinging to the south city wall. Around ten
thousand enemy soldiers are still expanding the foothold near the city wall,
but our arrows are blocked by shields and are less effective than expected...
Approximately five thousand, centered around cavalry, are waiting at the 500-meter
mark.」
I see... they're concentrating over thirty thousand soldiers
to attack the south city wall. Taking an attack from that number in one place
is a heavy burden. The surrounding paddy fields, which are the strength of this
fort, have conversely become their defensive wall even if we try to attack from
the east and west...
「So... what's the plan from here on?
When do we begin a full-scale counterattack?」 「The rest is up to Denka, I suppose... What is General
Weiss doing?」
「Because
someone from somewhere asked me to 『babysit』, he is moving with Denka.」 「Ah, then it should be fine, I suppose?」
Hm? What is fine? What is Sieghart picturing? I still
hadn't understood anything.
「Issue orders to all catapults and
ballistas! Upon the signal, transition to a counterattack all at once. After
the simultaneous volley, fix your aim on the enemy army's retreat path and deal
with them. We settle things with this!」
Sieghart stood up
vigorously and issued the order in a tone completely different from his relaxed
demeanor thus far. And then, he knelt before me exaggeratedly.
「I am repeatedly terribly sorry, but
I wish to rely on the power of Archduke-heika once more. I would like to
request the activation of operations 『Gate of Hell』, 『Whip of Thorns』, and 『Agonizing Cries』.」
No... what is with that naming? It was mentioned jokingly in
the strategy meeting, but I thought it was a joke, so I haven't approved such
naming. Look... the staff officers of the Imperial Army are all looking
at me with frightened faces.
「I absolutely do not agree with the
naming, but the operation itself is understood.」
That's right, if you give it names like that, they'll just
call me the Demon King even more! From the enemy army would be one
thing, but even from allied forces...
「Christoph! Take command of the ultra-long-range annihilation attack
using 『Long
Spear』 (Gate of
Hell)! Have the Special Fire Corps annihilate the core of the enemy
cavalry unit 500 meters away in one fell swoop with 『Long Spear』! The other Longbow soldiers will execute long-range
suppressive fire (Whip of Thorns)! Deploy soldiers to the left and right of the
south wall, and mow down the enemy soldiers holding shields on the hidden path
with attacks from the flank! Lilia and Katarina, support the left
and right Special Fire Corps respectively, and guide the arrows!」 「「「Yes! (Yes!)」」」 「Mark! Load the
suppressive shells into the remaining Magic Cannons on the south side
and prepare for scattered fire (Agonizing Cries)! The target is the cavalry
unit deployed 500 meters away, but set the range to 600 meters. It's a
headwind, so Carleen, I'm relying on you for precision guidance!」 「「Understood.」」 「Balt!
Distribute the suppressive shells to the Main Camp Escort Army, and once
each unit has received them, deploy them to the south city wall. Simultaneously
with the start of the counterattack, smash them into the enemy forces clinging
to the walls, rendering them unable to fight (Agonizing Cries)!」 「Yes!」
Seeing that, Sieghart was grinning. It almost felt
like they were serving as decoys themselves in order to create this situation.
Somehow... it seemed like everything was set up for me, which I was slightly
dissatisfied with, but in the current situation, we can annihilate the enemy
army in one fell swoop. At this point, I feel like we can preserve the final
concealed weapon that I haven't even told Sieghart about yet, so the
ends might justify the means.
「Then let us also do what we must.
Dispatch units to the beacon towers from the north to the northwest! Have them
relay the beacon signaling the start of the operation!」
Hm, what's that? Start of the operation... is he still
planning something? I wondered for a moment, but first things first: immediate
preparations. From atop the watchtower, I observed the state of each member
taking their positions and the movements of the enemy army.
※
Around this time, Weiss and the Third Prince
had made a large detour around the outer perimeter of the fort and were
secretly trying to emerge on the southeast side. And the turned unit of ten
thousand men moved to the southwest side and went on standby while weaving
through the edges of the surrounding paddy fields. Their banners still belonged
to the First Prince's Army, so to the Principality of Sura Army,
they appeared to be allied forces. This was also part of their stratagem. And
on the side of the Principality of Sura... At a distance of 500 meters,
out of range from the fort, two generals were watching the progression of the
war situation.
「Quite stubborn, aren't they. They
just won't fall when we're one step away...」
「What is happening on the north side?
Don't tell me they've beaten us to the punch?」
「It's frustrating that we can only
see flames and smoke from here. However, I sent out a scout there just earlier.
The war situation should become clear soon. But... doesn't the defense on the
south side also seem somewhat unfocused to you?」
「True... Thanks to catching them off
guard, perhaps, there is no counterattack from ballistas or catapults. Most
likely, they are short on hands due to the defensive battle in the north.」
「Then we must also strengthen our
attack. If we let that guy (First Prince) beat us to it like this, our
face will be completely crushed, and we will have to yield a step in the
post-war negotiations as well. Even though the nuisance (Turncoat Kingdom
Army) has finally disappeared.」
「True... Shall we go all out here?」
It was at that time. A report came in from a scout who was
assigned to patrol duty in their rear.
「Reporting! A massive amount of dust
is rising from the southeast direction! It appears an army equivalent to ten
thousand cavalry is heading this way!」
Receiving that report, the two generals were completely
unperturbed, looked in the southeast direction, and frowned. And they let out a
large sigh.
「Tch, they finally returned, huh.
Truly, where were they wandering about at such a crucial time...」
「Well, since they made it in time at
this point, let's say it's fine. With this, our army is fifty thousand, and
including that guy's, a total of eighty thousand. That should be a sufficient
number to threaten that guy even after the war.」
Indeed, they were making a huge misunderstanding. They thought that the ten thousand cavalry who had set out earlier to pursue the cowardly traitors of the Turncoat Kingdom Army had finally returned to camp. Never doubting their overwhelming superiority even at this point, they continued to expose their backs entirely defenselessly to the approaching enemy army. And then, true ill tidings would reach them... With this, the long-lasting offense and defense of Big Bridge would finally welcome its final phase.
-----
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
-----
