Chapter 414
My Villains Episode 414
64. fog(1)
It's a dream again.
It seems like I've been dreaming a lot lately. It wasn't like this when I first fell into this world. Every day was as dangerous as walking on thin ice, so the nights were usually dark and dreamless..
These days, I guess I've gotten used to it, but I often have useless dreams. The daily life of life coming and going and washing the body with blood has not changed, but it seems like my mind has become at ease. Maybe this is also the help of an artist..
Last time I had a dream, I watched it for a while with the intention of just watching, but today I'm not in the mood. Is it because the musty smell that is characteristic of a student living alone stings my nose?.
“••••••AC.”
Even though it's been quite a while since I've been living in a cramped studio, I feel a sense of boredom rather than longing. So I quickly skimmed through everything I could see..
slurp.
The vivid yet hazy scenery spreads like paint on a palette. If you're going to listen to me this well, it would be better to find and show only what I want to see in the first place. Why does this guy's dream arbitrarily select scenes and bring back shit memories?.
While the scenery was falling apart, I worked harder to erase the messy entrance and the fire door where the umbrella was attached. For some reason, I thought I would open the door and Jiwon would appear. I definitely miss that child in my heart, but I don't want to see him. I can't bear to look. I'm worried that my head will become heavy due to useless dreams..
“-uh,”
It was then. Just before my eyes were immersed in complete darkness, an unexpected face popped out..
Ellen opened her mouth silently. He looked quite different from when I saw him in my dream about two months ago. At that time, she was wearing a somewhat sloppy outfit with a breastplate that clearly did not suit her, but now she was wearing a colorful robe with intricate black patterns on a white background and a small tiara. Where had the birch wand he used before gone, and was he holding a black quarterstaff?.
Ellen looked up at me with a sleepy face and then opened her eyes wide. The guy said something, but I couldn't hear anything. The dream was already on the verge of being erased, and my consciousness had risen to the border of reality..
“Ellen.”
Beyond my struggling hands, Ellen opened her mouth wide. Even though I struggled with the feeling of floating above the water, I did not take my eyes off the guy. And finally, I read the light pink lips..
Just wait, wait, I'm on my way now.
“……ah.”
As soon as I woke up, the sound that came out of my mouth was closer to a sigh. I sat on the blanket blankly for a while with only my upper body upright..
Perhaps because the tent was pitched roughly, a cold wind seeps in. It's already mid-March, but the morning weather is still cold. Suddenly, I miss Atalanta’s tent. Aside from being fancy, it was very cozy..
That heavy and bulky piece of luggage was left behind in Auduenne beyond the Bay of Blades. In a situation where one soldier and one weapon were lacking, it was impossible to load a tent or something like that onto the ship. Of course, if I had known in advance that spring in Obdorf would be this cold, I would have gone to great lengths to bring it..
I don't know if it's because of a dream, or because I stayed up late last night, but my mouth feels scratchy. In order not to wake the women who were sleeping soundly on either side of me, I carefully got up and drank the water bag. The tip of my tongue was still dry.
“Ugh… … . mudfish. I'm dancing.”
The bundle lying on the blanket was talking in its sleep. He fumbled for the spot I left empty. Then, when I touched Atalanta beyond, it stuck to me. Atalanta, who was laughing lazily, slowly raised her arms and hugged the small head of the bundle..
As I watch the two naked beauties clinging to each other, my irritation subsides. I stood there alone and was debating whether to dig in, but then I left the tent wearing a sword belt with two swords on it..
“Ha, today is also shit..”
The weather in this town is really terrible. Even though there is gentle sunlight around noon, a humid wind blows in the late afternoon, and a cold north wind blows from midnight to dawn as if it is still winter..
The most shitty thing is the fog. The fog rises before dawn and barely subsides as the sun rises in the sky. It is so dark that you cannot see even a few tens of meters in front of you. Even today, the sky is full of clouds, so it looks like the fog won't go away all day unless it rains..
“lily.”
As I looked toward the east where the hazy dawn was rising, an old man approached me and offered a military salute. I looked at him for a moment and then opened my mouth..
“ghat?”
“This is Gotrop.”
“Oh, that's right. Gotrop.”
Among the prisoners taken in Froshafen, I had about a hundred of them with intact limbs, and Gottlob was one of them. Since he was a sergeant in the port garrison, he assigned the soldiers he had with him and made them sergeants..
Similarly, prisoners belonging to the security unit were assigned to a man called the commander of the security unit. The gate guard with the largest number of pages was split in half and placed in the hands of two senior officers given by Sir Langbolt..
In this way, a unit of a little over a hundred people led by four non-commissioned officers was completed, but in less than a week it was reduced to eighty people. After subtracting how many people were dead or injured and how many people were left behind on the way, that's how it ended up..
Although he was a subordinate, nearly ten of the soldiers he was with were killed, and he was not particularly impressed. To my own surprise.
It doesn't matter if they are soldiers who were injured or left behind because they were sent to secure a base, since they considered it fortunate that they were left out of the advance. On the other hand, the men who died while attacking the two castles guarding the Daybal Road - 'Untrier' and 'Zirna', which were not very large fortresses - were poor victims who had been sacrificed through no fault of their own. But nothing is wrong. Are my nerves dulled by being soaked in blood? Or is it because I unconsciously tried not to get attached?.
“Do you have anything to report??”
“Yes, the troops are now-”
“Wait a minute, before that... … . Hey, you. Get some water here..”
The young soldier, who must have been twenty years old, said, ‘Yes, yes!’ He answered and quickly ran in that direction..
“The unit is resting after clearing the battlefield overnight..”
Gottlob didn't seem very happy to be my subordinate. However, everything I was asked to do was done fairly well, so I had no complaints. He was annoyed even when I handed out the loot and was indifferent even when I gave him combat allowance, but judging from the way he had a twinkle in his eye when it came to matters related to his subordinates, it seemed like he wasn't such a bad guy..
Anyway, the battlefield he was talking about meant cleaning up after the battle that took place last night. A group of enemy soldiers who were approaching the Eisbovald at night were taken with them by twenty cavalrymen, and they were destroyed and chased away to the west..
The young soldier dipped his hand into the bucket of water he had scooped up. It is lukewarm because it was mixed with boiling water. After washing my face and rinsing my mouth once, I asked Gottlob:.
“so? I got something?”
“I got some old grain, a few cows, and some supplies..”
“How many prisoners did you take? Where do these kids come from??”
“If you walk northwest for about half a day, there are three or four villages. They gathered together and came down there to respond to the mayor's summons..”
“They were conscripts after all..”
I thought of the soldiers from last night.
It was about one hundred and fifty years old... … . No, I think there were more than two hundred people. When the bicorn ate the face of a country nobleman, who I didn't know was a magistrate or a knight, they screamed and scattered..
Let alone being a threat, they were grumpy warriors who did not even have the will to cut, but even those guys could become quite annoying enemies if they climbed up the walls, wielded crossbows or long spears, and were under proper command. Having fully learned this fact through previous experience, they relentlessly chased those who were running away, cutting off their heads and stabbing them in the back..
It wasn't a very pleasant experience. Because I couldn't see their eyes..
“After hearing from passing merchants that the enemy was just around the corner, they waited for the night and moved secretly..”
“okay… … . had a hard time.”
I was lost in thought as I gave a half-hearted compliment..
When we left Proshafen five days ago, our army was quite large, numbering more than 1,200 people. However, while traveling north, they attacked two fortresses and five villages surrounded by wooden fences, and their numbers decreased in one way or another..
Less than a hundred people were killed or seriously injured. What we came across on the way was a small fortress and a village surrounded by wooden fences, but there was no way there would be no damage during the battle. Atalanta and several battle mages broke down the castle gates and walls, and Sir Langbolt and I fought in the vanguard, reducing casualties to this extent..
In addition, about four hundred were left behind at each base to protect the supply route..
Thanks to this, only about seven hundred troops arrived in front of 'Isbowalt', a city shrouded in fog in the distance. And Eisbowald was too large a city to be completely surrounded by this number..
Of course, since it is a city located on a major trade route, the surrounding area is completely flat, and it is quite far from the border, so the walls are low and there is not much of a standing army, so the difficulty of conquering it will not be high..
The problem was that the city's weight class itself was significant. The population is quite large, so it is possible to recruit more than 2,000 conscripts, and although it is not famous throughout the continent, it is also the headquarters of a fairly famous magic school, and it is a martial arts dojo that operates for mercenaries, adventurers, soldiers, etc. It is said that there are several.
So, we couldn't just rush in and blow down the castle gate and force our troops in, like we had done in the past few days. I don't know if I could win using the same method, but it was obvious that my troops would be cut in half..
It is questionable whether Atalanta will be able to open the gates in the first place..
In order to cast the 'Sphere of Void', which is powerful enough to destroy a castle gate or castle wall, you need enough time. But wouldn’t our siege method have been known to Eisbowald as well? It seems unlikely that the wizards lurking in the city will just watch over Atalanta, who is gathering arcane power. Previously, soldiers with shields were attached and battle wizards provided cover to buy time. However, it will not be easy to handle multiple wizards pouring out attack spells at once. In magic, defense is twice as difficult as attack..
To make matters worse, there is even fog..
Of course, fog gives an advantage to attack over defense in a siege. But the problem is that we are not a military unit under a single command system. Sufficient meetings and preparations were needed to carry out an operation in such a thick fog..
For one reason or another, we arrived at Eisbowald the previous evening, set up camp in the open field overlooking the castle gate, and were waiting for an opportunity. The few cavalrymen were released and the siege was loosely spread..
I poured the water jug on my head, emptied it, shook out my hair, and looked back toward Eisbowald..
“……Tsk.”
No matter how much you narrow your eyes, all you can see is a flickering flame. It must be the torches carried by the soldiers on the gatehouse and walls..
Other than that, you can't see anything because it's covered in fog. Judging by the fact that not even the slightest sound can be heard, it can be assumed that the alert is quite strict..
I have to either cross the wall or attack it today, but the fog is so thick that I can't even think of deploying troops..
Well, the actual command will be done by Lord Langbolt, Atalanta, and Count Aeneas' knights. However, it is up to me to decisively shout ‘charge forward’.
Even in normal times, it's not usually a burden. Moreover, now, to exaggerate a bit, the fog has made it impossible to even see under my feet. I don't want to give the order to storm the castle wall. To be precise, I don't want to deal with the stares that will return immediately after that order..
In my mind, I want to do everything alone, including the siege. If you secretly climb over the wall and kill about 300 to 400 people, wouldn't they be scared and surrender??
Well, of course, before that, I will become a hedgehog wearing about twelve layers of iron netting. Or, you will be surrounded by imperial knights and elite soldiers, hit with a spell, and reduced to ashes..
““Fuck it, I wish there were more pages.” If we had advanced at a leisurely pace, casualties could have been reduced by half or less. If we had made up our minds and increased our speed, we would have been able to hit the supply lines and everything and bring in more troops..
But our choice was neither one nor the other. This is because, while continuing the forced march as much as possible, the supply route was tightly guarded - I'm not sure if it's actually that solid..
In fact, I had no choice. Because that's what Prince Ulkar ordered..
He ordered us to take control of Froshaven and Aisbowald within ten days, and at the same time act as if we were going to completely occupy this region. Only then will the imperial army, who will have occupied High Castle around this time and be intoxicated with victory, be stranded and waste time..
The size of the troops was also appropriate. If we add up all our troops spread across the two regions of Angst and Obdorf, they number approximately 1,500. Although it is not a huge army, it is a bit burdensome to deal with by moving the vassals that Duke Avilambus left behind in his territory. However, it would be difficult to refocus the main force..
If you're going to force the Imperial Army into this awkward situation, you'll have to be a bit hasty..
It was a week ago that we crossed the Bay of Blades and landed in Froshafen. In order to time the follow-up operation planned by Ulkar, the Icebo Balt must be occupied within three days at the latest..
“The outer border was decided to be taken over by the Nudein people. I think we can get ready for battle when the fog shows signs of clearing..”
“Uh, then.”
I was lost in thought and nodded roughly, then suddenly tilted my head..
“But what is our unit’s mission??”
At first glance, it may seem pathetic for a superior to ask a subordinate about his or her mission, but he couldn't help it. Because I was always busy cutting in the vanguard, I almost left the task of taking care of and managing the troops to the non-commissioned officers..
“I think I decided to follow Milgrester through the gate..”
“okay……
The Count Milgrester's household troops were elite soldiers that exceeded Sir Langbold and Atalanta's expectations. As expected of beach men, he had no hesitation, obeyed orders absolutely, and had excellent weapon handling skills..
Their master, Count Aines, also did not act passively in managing his troops, as if he had no intention of just filling up the ranks. He was at the forefront when attacking Untrier Castle, the first gateway to the Daval Road, and when crossing the fence defended by a famous mercenary corps..
What was even more surprising was that, despite fighting so aggressively, only six of Milgrester's soldiers died. Instead, the serf soldiers who had been hastily conscripted died about six or seven times as many, but no one cared..
“The soldiers will fight well... … . In the end, the voice gate is the problem..”
However, even those brave soldiers would not be able to demonstrate their strength as they were struggling under the walls..
I was about to sigh deeply, wondering if there was a way. One Hareskith, an officer among the Nudein warriors, ran to deliver the news..
“……Is someone coming? At the Icebowald?”
“Kub, hunapi. Our warrior caught it. I'm at the command post..”
‘‘Hunapi’ was the title the Nudein warriors called me. I was curious about the meaning, so I asked Atalanta a few times, but she always just smiled without answering..
“You caught it? what is that-”
As I was about to ask a question, I remembered that there are only a handful of Hares kissers who speak Milano fluently..
“Wait a minute, wake up Atalanta and come with us..”
“Kub, hunapi.”
“……But what does Hunapi mean?” The warrior with the black face just smiled without saying a word..
“That's it, you bastard..”
I shook my head and turned around..
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