Chapter 341
My Villains Episode 341
59. plateau(1)
It took three days and half a day..
The battle was over in a couple of hours at most, but it took a considerable amount of time to recover the troops enough to continue the march..
That's right, the damage suffered by the Dragon Knights and the Blood Mane Mercenaries was so enormous..
Of the 1,600-strong army from Antram, as many as 350 people died, and as many soldiers suffered major and minor injuries and needed medical attention..
Moreover, even the supply cart was burned to the ground, so it was natural that it would take time to clean it up..
The only consolation I can take is that the damage to my men was minor. During the initial assault, except for two mercenaries who lost their lives to blind javelins and arrows, only a few people were injured..
Even Fritz, who had stormed in among the enemy cavalry, returned without a single scratch. He followed Utequai and struck at the enemy's back, and was greatly benefited by wearing the 'Emperor's Bestowal', a precious magic tool and full armor..
In addition, the horse-shaped golden statue (yellow gold statue) created by Utequai with the unique effect 'Hand of Greed' attached to 'Hand of Mammon' has disappeared..
It looks like a clever one of the enemies who ran away took it, but I feel like it would be such a waste to die. It must have weighed a lot, so how did they carry it??
Anyway, none of the men were seriously injured, so as soon as they finished simple treatment, monk Okan was sent to the main headquarters. Isn't it important to decide whether the army moves or not only after the damage to the main unit is resolved?.
Many of the elite soldiers of the Arriaga family that made up the main force were also killed or injured. The bombardment of the dragon knights was well prevented by the wizards' quick response, but they suffered great damage from the cavalry's reckless charge and the sudden appearance of a gang of trolls..
It would have been better to move to a nearby village or castle to sharpen one's discipline, but unfortunately that was not possible. It was for a completely unexpected reason.
In front of a large tent with a golden drapery embroidered on white. There were more than twenty people who could be considered the main force of the army gathered here, including lords, knights, wizards, and officers..
While they were talking amongst themselves, the tent entrance was opened wide and a middle-aged man appeared..
“General McNeil.”
“What happened??”
As the armed men gathered together, General McNeil opened his mouth with a bitter smile..
“The Count's judgment is that he needs time to gather his troops..”
“Is that so?.”
The earl MacNeill referred to was, of course, Os, the grandson of the Marquis of Avon and commander of the army from Antram..
Yes, Count Orth. That 16-year-old boy was the biggest reason why we were still hanging out on the hill with the cold wind blowing..
The minor lords and knights of Antrum just nodded and no one spoke..
but. It would not be a wise move to compromise the judgment of the one who would one day become their master..
“But General McNeil.”
But that's a story about ordinary people, and the boy who came out of the ship casually expressed his doubts..
“……Please speak, Baron Lujan..”
“Why can't the Count convey that simple meaning directly? “We are not baby birds, so why should we only be looking at the general’s mouth?” Just like when we first met in the forest, the boy, Baron Lujan, had matted hair and was dressed in leather clothes with dirt here and there. Of course, despite that, his hazel eyes were as bright as flames..
Even after meeting those eyes, General McNeil answered calmly..
“He says he needs time alone to organize his thoughts..”
“Organize your thoughts?”
“yes. Since we lost a lot of troops, shouldn't we change our plan?.”
“Yeah, that's exactly what I want to say. Don't we need to come together to change the plan?.”
“If you are talking about military medicine, how many times have you already heard it?-”
“Count Ost was against the decision made by the military doctor. Then, can I at least ask what that means??”
I burst into laughter without realizing it. It's just a matter of prestige, etc..
Well, it’s not something you can’t understand. In the last battle, we did not lose a single soldier and our contribution was also great..
Ruyan's unit protected our right wing, but the enemy's left wing, which was in front of us, was captured by knights including me. Thanks to this, even as thousands of cavalry swept across the battlefield, not a single cavalry charge was received..
Of course, that doesn’t mean Lu Yan was only sucking her fingers..
He quickly read the battle situation, moved his troops, climbed the opposite hill, took up position, and fired fierce fire. Our army pushed back against the enemy with a barrage of arrows on its back..
When the Bloodmane mercenaries were in trouble, it was Baron Ruyan who most actively pursued them..
He tore open a magic scroll he had obtained from unknown sources and cast the 'Spider Web' spell. The number of people who got caught and fell from a horse or fell with a horse amounts to about 150..
As a result, Lu Yan took over three hundred soldiers without losing a single soldier..
While Lu Yan's approximately 100 soldiers showed off their elegance no less than that of the marquis' personal soldiers, the units of other minor lords were mostly bombarded by dragon knights rather than being active during the battle.
It collapsed immediately..
It was natural for the young baron to expand his position..
General McNeil, who probably understood this situation better than anyone else, still answered with a smile on his face..
“The commander of this army is not Baron Lujan, but Count Ost..”
“what?”
“This means that it is not essential for the Count to ask everyone, including the Baron, for their opinions..”
‘If it’s a ramen, it’s a ramen.’
Lu Yan could have felt offended by that simple yet powerful message, but he just shrugged his shoulders..
“……okay. I'm worried that you'll bear such a heavy responsibility alone, but I can't stop you..”
General McNeil's mouth twitched slightly at those serious words. The young baron, reading the middle-aged general's expression, smiled and continued speaking..
“Good thing for me. There was so much loot that I needed time to sort it out..”
Lu Yan captured over a hundred horses and ten carts of military equipment..
I felt guilty about gulping it down on my own, so I distributed some to Os, Ulkar, and myself, but there was still more than half left..
I watched how he handled it all, and he only kept one horse for himself and distributed the rest to his subordinates. For a thirteen-year-old kid, Tong is a big guy..
As Lujan retreated with a smile on his face, General McNeil glanced at Prince Ulkar's men..
Of course Ulkar was not here. A person as big as a prince can't just hang around in front of someone else's tent..
Of course, Ulkar also asked to meet him separately, but Os continued to avoid the prince after greeting him only once..
No matter how powerful Ulkar was as a prince with an army, Os was also a great lord. I can't force him to meet me even though I don't like him..
So Ulkar sent some knights and officers here on his behalf. Of course, that includes me too..
“The prince wants to leave within today..”
The one who opened his mouth was Sir Hylterre, a knight in gray plate armor..
Sir Hülterre was a man with an intellectual impression and a calm atmosphere that suited him. We drank alcohol together once, and he was truly a gentleman who never lost his posture or raised his voice even once..
“Is there a need to move so quickly??”
“If things had gone according to plan, we should have left two days ago. I don't know what harm the remnants of the Bloodmane mercenaries will cause to the territory..”
Ulkar's original plan was to take a large circle around the plateau to clean up the remnants of the Blood Mane mercenaries..
He planned to form a cavalry force of 150 to 200 men by adding Antrum knights to the guard cavalry he led and clear the rear..
“The plateau is a land full of monsters and frequent wars, Sir Hylterre. “Even if it’s an ordinary village, it’s well-defended, so you won’t suffer much damage from the fleeing bandits.” “They are the Blood Mane mercenaries. They are better at looting than fighting. We can't be praying for the serfs to stop them..”
Sir Hülterre continued speaking in a low, quiet voice..
“I'm not asking you to move the entire unit right away. The infantry will move after controlling the damage, and now I want at least the cavalry to be released..”
There were not many casualties among Antram's knights and cavalry..
Excluding the six or seven who were injured when breaking through the enemy lines and the four or seven who were injured while attacking the troll warriors at the end of the battle, the rest were in a state where they could move immediately if they wanted to..
I'm not bragging, but it's because I worked hard. Of the knights of Antrum gathered here right now, about half owe their lives to me..
However, whatever the circumstances, General McNeil had no intention of giving up his cavalry. This is because we are asked to present a powerful force called knights in a situation where the loss of troops is already very high..
“Three days ago, I saw that not only the prince's knights but also the soldiers were extremely brave..”
“Sir Phoenix and Red Bear, who had the prowess to defeat the enemy vanguard alone, joined the already powerful Silver Prince's personal troops. We can deal with the remnants of the Bloodmane mercenaries without difficulty..”
Well, it's not wrong..
Even if the remnants of the Bloodmane mercenaries suddenly banded together and attacked while on the run, Ulkar would be able to crush them in an instant with the power he had now..
“With the help of Antrum's knights, it's not that difficult, but it can be handled very easily..”
“That is correct. But what can you do, since the Count's resolve is so firm? It's not the best, but wouldn't you be glad that you were given the next best option??”
“Isn't that so?.”
General McNeil's clever remarks could have been a source of heat, but Sir Hülterre calmly shook his head..
“Our enemies are Duke Avilambus and King Burcard, and their army numbers as many as five thousand..”
“It is not a ragtag army, but a powerful and ruthless army made up of dragon warriors, saboteurs dispatched from 'Linhau on the Mountain', a legion of pagan slaves, and magic soldiers. To win against such enemies, you must choose the best move in every situation..”
“It's a reasonable thing to say, but……
After sighing briefly, General McNeil opened his mouth with a bitter smile on his face..
“But Sir Hülterre. It is impossible to rely on only the best strategy from the beginning of a war to the end. If you're human, you're bound to make mistakes..”
“Isn't that so?.”
Upright posture, clear voice, firm tone of voice, unwavering gaze.
Hülterre spoke with sincerity..
“It is not impossible for my lord..”
«eww »
“S3
“I assure you that in war, the prince has never chosen a move that was not the best. “That is why He has never been defeated since He won victory on this very earth nine years ago, at the age of seventeen.” No matter what your impression, mentality, or mood is.
the knight was a knight.
Sir Hülterre was also a man who devoted his childhood and adolescence solely to the war. He was a man who was recognized for his skills among the kingdom's countless knights and earned the nickname 'Painter'..
The words that such a man spoke with such confidence were filled with extraordinary energy..
“……Even if *sigh*,”
General McNeil corrected his trembling voice with a cough. Then, he straightened his back and placed his hand on the magic sword ‘Hogar’ given to him by Marquis Ea Bon..
“A command is a command. The authority to command the knights and cavalry of Antrum lies with Count Orth, and no matter what the Lord says, he cannot go against it..”
The man who was born as a farmer's son and became a general proudly opened his chest in front of the man who became a superman without the help of magic..
Sir Hülterre looked at General MacNeill with slightly cold eyes and nodded..
“ I understand.”
After saying that one word, he closed his mouth..
A cold wind blew and silence came. Those gathered in front of the tent looked at each other as they adjusted their cloaks and overcoats, but no one spoke..
Yeah, it's my turn again.
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