Chapter 406
(Kyle Calendar Year 515: Age 22)
Southern Front ㉒ - Matsuyama...
Translator : PolterGlast
At a position 500 to 700 meters from the south city wall of Big
Bridge Fort, the cavalry of the Principality of Sura Army was
deployed, watching the progression of the siege battle together with their
generals. And then, a scout with a changed complexion came tumbling into their
presence.
「E-Enemy attack! An enemy attack from
the southeast direction! The patrol unit seems to have been smashed in a single
blow; their numbers are over ten thousand!」
「What! What do you mean over ten
thousand!」
「At this late stage... there's no way
such an enemy could exist!」
At the exceedingly absurd report, the generals floated
displeased expressions and bellowed at the scout. However... the dense dust
clouds rising in the rear backed it up as fact.
「Kuh... Issue orders to the cavalry!
Annihilate the unrefined lot who would throw cold water on our victory.」
「Immediately recall the soldiers who
were securing a retreat path with shields!」
These two orders were immediately executed, but precious
time was wasted before they were issued, and moreover, the movements of those
who were convinced they were in a safe zone were sluggish.
※
When Weiss and the others, who had advanced rapidly
along the highway, crossed a hill overgrown with shrubs, the enemy army
deployed 700 meters ahead entered their field of vision.
「Entire army, charge towards the
enemy cavalry! While applying pressure from the east to the west direction,
cooperate with the infantry unit and push the enemy army towards the north!
However, absolutely do not go downwind.」
Weiss
understood Takuhir, with whom he had fought together for many years,
very well. How his lord would handle tactics in this situation...
「Send a signal to the detached force
deployed on the west side! Coordinate with us and semi-encircle them!」
Grat was also
steadily issuing instructions to complete the semi-encirclement. Because the Principality
of Sura Army had proceeded with reclamation starting from the hidden paths,
it resulted in them pushing themselves into a mortar-shaped death trap. Without
even knowing that this was exactly the trap Sieghart had drawn up to
ensnare the besieging army in the event of a siege...
※
When I confirmed the figures of the Demon Territory
Knights and the cavalry led by the Third Prince from the watchtower,
I immediately issued instructions.
「Magic Cannons, fire suppressive shells! Send the signal!」
「Sending signal; raise the red flag!」
Simultaneously with the raising of the red flag, Mark's
hand swung down on the city wall, its giant arm drawing a large arc, and dozens
of suppressive shells cleaved through the air.
「Following that, hurry preparations
for the second volley! The flagbearer, as soon as the blue flag goes up, return
it by raising the red flag and issue the firing instructions!」
Saying only that, I directed my gaze toward the point of
impact. Mark's control and Carleen's impact guidance functioned
perfectly, and the suppressive shells rained down on an area almost perfectly
centered where the enemy cavalry was lined up.
「As expected of Carleen.
Perfect guidance.」
Muttering so, I checked with the telescope to confirm the
situation at the point of impact. What entered my vision was... Those falling
off their horses screaming while covering their eyes, horses letting out neighs
and galloping madly, those standing dumbfounded not understanding what was
happening, and those merely running around screaming—the area around the point
of impact was truly a crucible of chaos, and the screaming people were
gradually spreading downwind.
「Orders to Christoph and each
unit of the guards deployed on the city walls: rapid five strikes of the bell
three times, followed by three strikes!」
The order was immediately executed, and the soldiers who had
been hiding in the shadows on the city walls began to move hurriedly. Each unit
of the guards crouched down holding suppressive shells in their hands,
and the Longbow soldiers nocked their longbows. And on the third
strike... When the suppressive shells were thrown down all at once toward the
enemy army swarming below the city wall, screams raised by the enemy army
echoed from various places below, and the base of the city wall became a
hellish scene overflowing with agonizing cries. The enemy soldiers deployed on
the hidden paths, who were holding their shields overhead and still trying to
push the paths wider, were also mown down by strong bows flying from the left and
right, exactly as if being swept by a whip of thorns. And... the Long Spear
unit under Christoph's direct command bathed what looked to be enemy
commanders—whom they had taken aim at beforehand with the telescope—in an
attack that could be called iron spears. Those who took a direct hit were blown
away by the intense force of the arrows, and the points crushed by the Long
Spears gaped open with fallen men and horses, exactly as if the gates of
hell had opened.
「I am sorry, but this is also war.
Forgive me...」
I apologized to them in a small voice. It wasn't quite the
full-power firing of the scattering Magic Cannons, but this was also a
one-sided slaughter. I couldn't feel happy about it at all.
「We crush their will to fight in one
fell swoop here! Ballistas and catapults, transition to full-power attack!
Teach the enemy that there is no path of retreat!」
Seeing our movements, Sieghart ordered a full-scale
attack here. Along with his signal, a merciless attack rained down on the
retreat path (hidden paths), which was the only thing the clinging enemy
soldiers could rely on.
「Gwah, it hurts, my eyes, my eyyyyyes」
「R-Retreaaaaat」
「Kuh, where are we supposed to run
to?」
「S-Sinking! M-My leg won't come out!」
Leaving behind their comrades who were writhing in agony,
some unharmed soldiers attempted to flee, but there was no escape route for
them. And those who stepped into the paddy fields where reclamation had not yet
been completed uniformly had their feet caught in the deep paddies in front of
the city walls, rendering them unable to move.
※
Meanwhile, Weiss did not miss the cavalry in front of
them falling into disorder and confusion. Smiling that his lord had responded
exactly as he hoped, he raised his sword and shouted.
「Chance of victory! They are confused
and faltering. Entire army, push them north all at once!」
「「「「Yeah!」」」」
※
The cavalry of the Principality of Sura Army, which
had heard of the enemy attack and hurriedly prepared an interception formation,
was now unable to move properly and had fallen into a state of paralysis. This
was because hundreds of cavalrymen fell into a state of frenzy in an instant
due to the suppressive shells that exploded in the center during the first
strike, and following that, all the commanding generals and leaders were swept
away by the Long Spear attacks. And the ominous red powder spread on the
wind, engulfing those in the front row as well.
「R-Run away!」
「Where are we supposed to run to!」
Because they were attacked from the south, when they turned
around, paddy fields spread behind them and to their left and right; with the
situation exactly like a last stand with their backs to the water, they had no
choice but to move forward to escape.
「Southwest! Advance and break away
from there!」
Toward an escape route someone or other had called out, they
dashed out trying to flee with all their might. However...
「A new enemy from the southwest!」
「It's hopeless, we're already
completely surrounded!」
「Save us!」
Amidst the echoing screams of the soldiers, one soldier
shouted.
「Ma... Matsuyama!」
That voice instantly permeated through the Principality
of Sura Army.
「Matsuyama? That's right, there's
only Matsuyama!」
「That's it! Matsuyama! With that,
we'll be saved!」
「「「「Matsuyama! Matsuyama! Matsuyama!」」」」
The soldiers of the Principality of Sura, driven into
a corner, threw down their weapons, raised both hands all at once, and began to
show their intent to surrender.
※
I was dumbfoundedly watching an incredibly mysterious sight.
What could be seen through the telescope were the soldiers of the Principality
of Sura Army shouting something all at once, looking exactly as if they
were giving three cheers of banzai.
「No way... a Banzai charge prepared
for honorable defeat...」
For me, who knew the tragic scene from the Pacific War, that
was truly a shuddering sight. If they resisted with the resolve to die rather
than rout, our allies would also suffer a corresponding amount of damage. This
is bad... While I was thinking such things, their great chorus gradually echoed
all the way to my location, just like the roar of the sea.
「Matsuyama, Matsuyama, Matsuyama...」
Huh? What is Matsuyama? What are they shouting? As I thought
so, this time the soldiers of the Principality of Sura who were running
around below the city walls also began to shout similarly. And that circle
expanded, and before anyone knew it, Big Bridge was enveloped in a great
chorus of 『Matsuyama』.
※
What Takuhir had newly brought to this world, the treatment of prisoners of war that he himself called the 『Matsuyama System』, had transcended time and place to deeply permeate even the Principality of Sura. Of course, this was largely due to the achievements of Viscount Durul, who had followed the army in previous battles and strived to improve the treatment of prisoners, but before anyone knew it, it had evolved from treatment of prisoners into a signal indicating surrender and submission, desiring lenient treatment. The wheel of karma brought about by Takuhir had returned to them in an unexpected form.
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