Volume 6 Release
Commemorative Special Episode
Battle Towards the
Liberation of the National Territory ① - Gord's Tactics
After Takuhir and others
departed the Lute Kingdom heading towards the liberation of the Vile
Kingdom, Crajyu, who was unexpectedly backed as King, energetically
began to move to answer those expectations. For them, the first and foremost
top priority issue was to sweep the detached forces of the Istoria Orthodox
Theocracy Army that had crossed the national border and invaded from three
directions out of the Lute Kingdom, and ensure the peace of the national
border.
「Now
that the liberation of the Royal Capital has been achieved, we are thinking of
carrying out the responsibilities entrusted to us by Archduke-heika, but regarding this, what are
General Gord's thoughts?」
King Crajyu spoke with
courtesy to Gord, who was merely a single general.
「I
believe it is exactly as Heika says.」
To that, Gord replied with
few words, being somewhat taken aback, while recalling the issues Takuhir
had left behind.
・ To push back the enemy army invading
from three locations.
・ To have the home defense unit
restore governance over the Lute Kingdom in the rear and make it a safe
zone.
・ By doing so, completely block the
retreat path for the defeated remnants to flee back.
To accomplish these three points,
the home defense unit could not simply sit and defend the Royal Capital.
「First,
I believe accurate information on the fighting strength of the invading enemy
army and their invasion points is necessary. In addition to that, I think it's
also necessary to rally allied fighting strength.」
Gord deliberately did not put it into
words, but what Takuhir entrusted to King Crajyu was not easy. To
begin with, compared to the other two countries, the national territory of the Lute
Kingdom stretches long and narrow from north to south, and therefore it has
an extremely long national border line with the Istoria Orthodox Theocracy.
Just maintaining that defense line is tough, yet the current situation is that
they have already received invasions from three different locations. On the
other hand, allied fighting strength is greatly lacking, and it's hard to say
it's sufficient to fight. That is exactly why Takuhir left the elite
unit of three thousand cavalry of the Demon Territory Knights led by Gord
behind as support.
「Fumu...
according to intelligence thus far, the enemy army has invaded three locations:
the northernmost part of the kingdom, the central part, and the southern part
near this Royal Capital. Approximately two thousand enemy soldiers have crossed
the national border and advanced from each, seemingly building bridgeheads
within the country.」
「Oho...
two thousand, is it. If so, there is also the method of defeating them in
detail with a double number of four thousand.」
「However...
the distance is the problem. From here to the enemy at the northernmost tip is
a distance of at least over a hundred km; even if we hurry the cavalry
horses, it will take two days to engage the enemy, and if we are to rush there
by long march after continuous battles...」
「......」
Gord understood the issue King Crajyu
spoke of and fell silent. A cavalry might be one thing, but for infantry to run
that distance while engaging in continuous battles would not only require time,
but the exhaustion would be great, and one would have to say it's extremely
tough. Perhaps understanding such thoughts of Gord's, King Crajyu
showed a smile for a while, and then took on an expression of having made some
sort of resolve.
「Therefore,
I would like to make a request to General Gord; could you take on the
defense of the Royal Capital? From here on, we must sweep the enemy armies in
order from the south while saving the people, completely restore the governance
of this country, and then entrust the future to Archduke-heika.」
Gord felt a sense of unexpectedness. As
a major premise, many of the cavalry horses lent by Takuhir when they
mobilized as an expeditionary force up to now were provided as replacement
horses for General Golpa as he went from battle to battle. Therefore, at
the current point, the cavalry does not even reach one thousand cavalry. That
is exactly why it would be natural to seek assistance from Gord, who
possesses three thousand cavalry. However, King Crajyu seemed to be
considering bringing the battle to a close and settling it strictly as his own
responsibility.
「Please,
I ask that you do not hold back. Taking on the furthest northernmost enemy army
is the role of us, who are entirely cavalry, and it suits military logic as
well. However...」
Saying that much, Gord paused
for a beat. Because from here on is his intention, something Takuhir
implicitly requested.
「In
order to have proper guides and to show that we are an allied army, we need
about a hundred to five hundred cavalry to accompany us and participate in the
battle lines, but...」
There were two meanings to these
words of Gord's. One, to guide Gord and the others, who are
unfamiliar with the geography, accurately without being discovered by the
enemy, and to preemptively prevent accidents such as mistakenly being attacked
by allies. Two, that the national territory recapture battle to be conducted
from here on should be accomplished by the hands of the Lute Kingdom
soldiers. If they were to have it subjugated by the power of another country,
it would not be their achievement, but rather they would end up bearing a
feeling of indebtedness. However, if King Crajyu's subordinates are
mixed into the battle, they can boast that the victory belongs to the Lute
Kingdom Army, which in turn becomes Crajyu's victory. These track
records would provide a push as Crajyu's achievements when he newly
governs the three countries.
「I
am grateful for your consideration. But if so... to use Archduke-heika's valuable soldiers for the
liberation of our homeland...」
Crajyu, realizing that intention, choked
on his words with an appearance of holding back while being grateful to Gord.
「Please
do not worry about that point. If we sat and did nothing, we would receive a
reprimand from our lord. Because our lord is the kind of person who, once he
decides to save someone, dives headfirst into the front lines without even
caring about the danger to his own body...」
Saying so, Gord smiled wryly.
If he spoke his true feelings, he didn't want to let his lord (Takuhir)
do anything dangerous, but up to now, more than once, he has shaken off
restraint and dived into the foremost front lines for the sake of his
subordinates. Here, Gord, to put things right, stepped forward before Crajyu
once again and knelt, paying his respects.
「We
shall undertake the duty of eliminating the enemy army that invaded the
northernmost tip of the kingdom. Heika, how about a strategy where you
repel the enemy army near the Royal Capital, and after that, change direction
and pincer the enemy army in the central part from the south and the north?」
「Gratitude...
I express my gratitude anew to the General and the soldiers under his command,
starting with Archduke-heika.」
Saying so, Crajyu also bowed
his head deeply anew towards Gord.
『It
seems this person, too, just like Takuhir-sama, does not act arrogantly
about his status, cherishes his soldiers, and does not consider them
consumables. That is exactly why even in that battle, he dared to make the
decision to surrender while leaving surplus fighting strength, huh...』
Seeing that figure, Gord felt
he understood the reason why his own lord trusted King Crajyu, the
reason why he was trying to entrust the three countries to him as the new King.
And then... On that very day, two armies aiming for different battlefields
departed from the Royal Capital of the Lute Kingdom. One unit was a five
thousand-strong infantry unit led by Crajyu, who became the new King.
The soldiers he led were five thousand at the time of recapturing the Royal
Capital, but due to the new King's call, two thousand five hundred new soldiers
had gathered. They reorganized them and departed after leaving two thousand for
the defense of the Royal Capital. The other unit was three thousand cavalry of
the Demon Territory Knights led by Gord, and five hundred cavalry
of the Lute Kingdom Army attached as guides. Their objective was to
avoid the enemy army that invaded the central part following their guidance,
dash all the way to the northernmost tip in one go, and intercept the enemy
army. And from here on, the battle of those remaining in the Lute Kingdom
begins.
※
Gord and his unit dashed through the
highway, aiming straight for the northernmost tip of the Lute Kingdom.
There is one reason they hurry ahead: to open battles before the enemy learns of the
fall of the Royal Capital of the Lute Kingdom, and strike the flanks and
rear of the off-guard enemy army. In the central part of the Lute Kingdom
where the enemy army had advanced, they deliberately avoided the highways and
continued north while proceeding through bypaths following their guides. And
then... on the evening of the day after departing the Royal Capital, they had
run over a hundred km and arrived all the way to the northernmost tip of the Lute
Kingdom.
「From
here on, there is a fear we might get caught in the enemy's patrol net.
According to the report from the scout that went ahead, the enemy army is
approximately two thousand! It appears they have built a barricade midway on
the highway sandwiched by forests, constructed an iron-wall defensive
formation, and are strictly on guard!」
At this report, Gord
unconsciously clicked his tongue. Because he predicted that the enemy army
confronting them ahead was the regular army of the Istoria Orthodox
Theocracy.
「General
Gord, what shall we do?」
「Most
likely those guys possess Longbow soldiers. The numbers themselves are
not large, but if they enter a defensive posture with their sure-kill
formation, they are quite troublesome opponents...」
This prediction of Gord's was
correct. The Istoria Orthodox Theocracy soldiers who advanced into other
areas were all 『hasty』
soldiers who had been hurriedly summoned, but those who invaded from the
northernmost part were battle-hardened regular soldiers who originally
undertook border defense. Therefore, although few in number, a Longbow
soldier unit of about five hundred men was also deployed.
「It
seems it will be tough with frontal tactics. We probably have no choice but to
use the concealed weapons entrusted to us by Takuhir-sama. Immediately
call Mark, the special weapon control commander!」
When entrusting matters to Gord,
Takuhir had bestowed a secret plan upon him. That was the special forces
unit led by Mark. Originally, receiving Takuhir's trust, Mark
was in the position of exclusively handling special weapons, leading an
exclusive unit that operated weapons using gunpowder and command control of the
Diffusion Magic Cannon. Of course, on this expedition they didn't bring
catapults, and with Yoltia absent, they couldn't launch
annihilation attacks with the magic cannon to begin with. However... there were
other concealed weapons they could carry. Gord addressed Mark,
who stepped forward responding to the summons, with resolve.
「This
time, in facing a formidable enemy, I want to borrow the power of the unit you
lead. We will confuse the enemy army and then strike their opening. How about
it, can you do it?」
「Yes,
if it's 『confusing them』,
I believe we can handle it without a problem. I consider that we were
deliberately entrusted to General Gord precisely as Archduke-heika's intention.」
Regarding the use of highly lethal
annihilation weapons, starting with the Diffusion Magic Cannon, an
unwritten rule exists even within the Demon Territory Dukedom. Only Takuhir
can issue the order to fire attack means that could become a one-sided
massacre. The karma of bearing the weight of numerous lives taken by the
attack—because Takuhir has decided that he himself will bear it.
However, there are other concealed weapons whose use was restricted as much as
possible.
「Then
we will stand by outside the enemy's patrol net and launch a surprise attack
before dawn. Your unit will conceal yourselves in the forest beside the highway
ahead of time, and release sky lanterns as a signal before dawn, so launch an
attack using the 『Fire Dragon』.」
「Ha!
Understood.」
Receiving the order, Mark and
the unit under his command, together with the Lute Kingdom soldiers
acting as guides, secretly advanced into the forest. Then Gord held
detailed meetings with the Lute Kingdom soldiers who knew the topography
well, bypassed the highway before the sun set and the surroundings were
enveloped in darkness, and disappeared to who knows where.
※
Before dawn, before the still
pitch-black night sky began to lighten, the operation began. Above the
barricade built by the Istoria Orthodox Theocracy Army midway on the
highway passing through the forest, over a hundred sky lanterns, began drifting
while faintly illuminating the night sky. At that fantastical sight, even the
soldiers on patrol were fascinated for a moment.
「Even
though it's a beautiful sight, it's suspicious. Just in case, instruct the
entire army to be on guard and prepare for an enemy attack...」
Before the commander who received
the report finished speaking his order, the situation suddenly changed. Because
fireballs that came flying from nowhere exploded with loud volumes over the
barricade.
「W-What
is that! Fire is raining down!」
「E-Enemy
attack!」
「E-Eek, fireeee!」
「Don't
panic! Everyone to your stations!」
Many soldiers were severely
flustered, having been attacked in their sleep. The commander, who was awake
from the start, raised his voice to deal with it calmly, but everyone had
temporarily lost their hearing from the loud explosions, and his words did not
reach them. During that time, several more fireworks directly hit the
encampment, exploding with loud volumes and scattering magnificent sparks.
Simultaneously, the eight hundred cavalry under Gord's command, taking
advantage of the confusion, approached to about three hundred meters from the barricade, and began
launching long-distance attacks with Estol Bows supported by wind magic from
horseback.
「Attacks
from the front too!」
「A-Arrows!
We'll burn at this rate! Fall back!」
「Retreat!
Retreat to the rear for now!」
The 『Fire
Dragon』 attack, which Takuhir called
『first-sight kill』, plunged the soldiers of the Istoria
Orthodox Theocracy into great confusion. Even if the lethality itself was
low, the roar they experienced for the first time, the sparks filling their
field of vision, and the arrows flying at the same time were enough to break
their spirits. Furthermore, the commander's voice could not reach them due to
the explosion,
and the soldiers whose ears were ringing abandoned the barricade falling over
themselves, and began running to the rear of the highway (towards their own
country) where arrows were not flying.
※
The main force of two thousand led
by Gord had secretly bypassed the highway and hidden in the forest
towards the enemy army's retreat path. Seeing the enemy army in confusion from
the Fire Dragon attacks, they advanced, and hid in the forests spreading
on the left and right of the highway one km away from the barricade.
「Listen
up, draw them in sufficiently before a simultaneous attack. I don't mind if you
let the vanguard escape, but strike the main force of the enemy army! Three
strikes of the signal bell as soon as there's an instruction! After the attack,
immediately switch to spare crossbows and finish them off!」
Even while he was saying so, enemy
soldiers in a state of half-frenzy were rushing in from the barricade side of
the highway. At first, it was a few who fled first; that gradually became a
large group closing in right before their eyes.
「Commence
three strikes!」
When the third strike of the bell
echoed, a total of two thousand arrows were loosed onto the highway from the
left and right of the forest. And without a moment's delay, an attack with
spare crossbows was conducted. After the enemy soldiers, receiving a crossfire
of a total of four thousand arrows, were swept from the highway, they then
entered the next attack.
「From
here on, we activate the 『Yamakawa』
tactic! Entire army, charge!」
With poor visibility, the two thousand men who dared to dismount their cavalry horses and go on foot emerged from the forest and charged towards the barricade. Everywhere the codes 『Yama!』 and 『Kawa!』 were exchanged, and those without a response were struck down by people who didn't even know if they were friend or foe, and even friendly fire occurred among the Orthodox Theocracy soldiers. In this pre-dawn battle, the two thousand-strong Orthodox Theocracy unit that invaded the northernmost part of the Lute Kingdom was annihilated. The war dead were one-third of the total, the wounded from the battle were almost the same number, and the remaining one-third were those who were trampled by confused comrades or blindly ran around in the dark and crashed into obstacles, becoming combat-ineffective. A mere few, less than a hundred, fled into the forest and retreated to their homeland, but it was a disastrous scene that could be called total annihilation. When the sun rose, Gord, after issuing instructions such as rescuing the wounded and burying the dead, personally led two thousand cavalry and galloped his horse south. To support King Crajyu, whom Takuhir considers a sworn ally, and the Lute Kingdom Army he led...
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