Chapter 173 ·The Spreading War in the Southern Empire (2)

“Ahahaha! ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍It's a great victory, Shatien!”

Miles ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍shouted with delight.

Although ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the commander of the Holy Empire's Imperial Army attempted to retreat, troops had already been deployed in every direction.

No ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍matter how quickly he tried to rally them, it was impossible.

With ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the heavy cavalry spearheaded by the elven knights tearing through them and the infantry led by Miles swiftly detouring to cut off their line of retreat, the Imperial Army floundered inside the encirclement before being captured in their entirety.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍enemy commander managed to break through the encirclement with a handful of knights and escaped, but that wasn't important.

“Surrender! We surrender!”

“W-we will surrender according to custom. Please, grant us honorable treatment…”

Because captured nobles and knights were plentiful instead.

Those who had fought back fiercely laid down their weapons and raised both hands high the moment their commander's banner fled the battlefield.

Had they resisted to the bitter end, considerable casualties would've been suffered, making this quite fortunate.

“Huff, huff. Sir! We lost their commander! I'm sorry. Should we switch horses and pursue them again?”

Covered from head to toe in blood, the elven knights gathered, panting heavily as they spoke.

Puffing with regret over missing the commander, they looked at Shatien.

Given permission, they looked ready to switch mounts and dash off like madmen right away.

“No! It's fine. It's fine. Sirs, take some rest now.”

Shatien hurriedly stopped them.

Even if they gave chase now, capturing the commander was virtually impossible.

Rather, clumsily pursuing risked running into enemy relief forces and getting wiped out.

The enemy advancing this far meant other detachments operated in the vicinity as well.

And sure enough:

“Hmm. According to the captured nobles, the front line has already collapsed, hasn't it? They said separate detachments were moving quickly and flanking around. The unit we encountered was part of that detachment.”

“Could the Emperor be aiming for an encirclement and annihilation, Master?”

“Likely. The Emperor is far more impatient than thought. Moreover, it seems he recovered his strength in a short period, to the extent of organizing detachments numbering in the thousands like this. While we can't fully trust their words, there seem to be two or three more units for now.”

The Emperor was certainly daring.

No, one might even consider it reckless.

Stretching already deficient forces thinly to execute an encirclement.

What would he do if defeated in detail due to an excessively thin troop disposition?

Of course, moving so boldly was probably how he defeated Count Shatin in the previous pitched battle.

Had this daring maneuver faced no issues, he could have cut off Count Shatin's retreat and annihilated the remaining forces.

“Provided we didn't know, that is.”

“That's right, Master.”

“Those bastards exposed their vulnerability on their own. It seems they kept our presence in mind. They wanted to force Count Shatin into submission before we could join up. That haste will be the cause of their defeat.”

Quite unfortunately for him, that was.

Shatien thought he could present quite a terrible nightmare to the Emperor.

While lost in thought, the gates of the distant fortress opened, and someone rushed out.

“Thank you, Your Excellency! Thank you so much for saving us, Count Shatien! The lord has invited Your Excellency and your army inside.”

It was an envoy sent by the lord defending the fortress.

* * *

The fortress was cozier than expected.

The scale was fairly large, enough to garrison over a thousand men, and various water systems and granaries were lined up inside, making it well-suited for enduring a prolonged siege.

‘Hmm, at this scale, supplying our side would be convenient too, wouldn't it?’

Looking around while being guided, Shatien thought to himself.

Given the massive size of the army, units were still entering one after another, meaning he had to worry about resupplying the rear guard arriving later.

Fortunately, if the lord of this fortress helped, there would be no need to worry about that issue.

Of course, that lord wouldn't help for nothing unless he were crazy.

He would definitely have to persuade him by offering a carrot somehow…

“Is there anything particular we can offer?”

“Ahem. Still, since we saved him, wouldn't he try to help out of gratitude, Mage Agphiel?”

“Haha. Do you still not know the greed of landed nobles? Besides, with war clearly set to expand on a larger scale, they'll become even greedier considering soaring wheat prices.”

It was so valid and accurate that Shatien couldn't offer any rebuttal to Mage Agphiel's scolding.

Wasn't there a saying that one's mindset differs before and after visiting the latrine?

Just as Agphiel said, the gratitude in the lord's heart might have vanished long ago.

*Bang!*

“Damned Emperor! How can he act with such villainy? Isn't that so, Lord Count?”

“Hmm… Indeed.”

“I simply cannot bear it. Had they merely attacked, it would be fine, but those bastards burned down all the cultivated fields! For the Imperial Army to pull off stunts fit for barbarians! The world has truly gone to ruin. To utter ruin.”

For some reason, the lord's grudge seemed far greater than expected.

Thoroughly drunk, the lord began loudly denouncing the Emperor despite his retainers trying to dissuade him.

Until eventually:

“Lord Count. You mentioned you raised an army to fight the Emperor, didn't you?”

“……?”

“Due to the duty assigned to me, I cannot join you, but I will gladly help. I shall support your army with rations. Please use as much as you need!”

“????”

Listening from the side, Mage Agphiel opened his eyes wide in sheer shock beyond bewilderment.

Did that lord lose his mind?

“……”

“……”

Lately, Agphiel felt his advice kept missing the mark for some reason.

* * *

― Halt, halt!

Units continued to arrive.

Before long, checking the massive army densely packing the plains beyond the fortress, the lord gasped in horror, but what could he do?

He had already spoken the words with his own mouth, and too many eyes were watching to take it back now.

In the end, biting the bullet, the lord was busy opening his granaries and diligently filling Shatien's army with provisions.

“Heh-heh-heh. He's practically shedding tears.”

“It seems he didn't realize it would be this large.”

“What noble would imagine moving an army of eight thousand? And alone at that. You are the peculiar one assembling such a massive force.”

“It's simply the nature of a mercenary corps.”

Shatien shrugged his shoulders.

It was possible because they were a mercenary company endlessly seeking war.

Lords only hired when necessary, so the basic standing force they maintained was small.

“By the way, what will you do? Since even the rear guard has fully arrived, it is time to move.”

“I'm pondering that very part, Master.”

No matter how much he thought about it, the Emperor's capability as a commander seemed greater than anticipated.

Initially, he planned to simply join Count Shatin, but doing so felt wrong.

Since the Emperor showed bold maneuvers leading his troops, Shatien himself needed to respond in kind.

“So this is the conclusion you reached?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

First, Shatien split the army in two.

An infantry-centered force of five thousand led by Miles, and a cavalry-supported force of three thousand led by Shatien and Master Joachim.

The infantry led by Miles would march directly north to assist Count Shatin.

“Miles. Morale among Count Shatin's forces won't be good due to successive defeats. Please block the Imperial Army's assault as much as possible. You may retreat if push comes to shove, but just ensure Count Shatin's army doesn't disintegrate entirely. Mage Agphiel beside you will accompany you, so he will assist regarding that.”

“Me?”

“Do you dislike it? I ask of you, Mage Agphiel.”

“Ha, you've grown quite brazen.”

Yet Agphiel didn't mind such brazenness.

‘Ugh. Besides, I do need to recover my lost prestige.’

His pride had been quite wounded after his advice repeatedly turned out completely opposite lately.

Using this opportunity, he would clearly show what power this sage's advice held.

Of course, Shatien didn't care about Agphiel's sense of indebtedness in the slightest.

“Then what do you plan to do with the remaining troops? Why are you trying to flank around like the Emperor?”

“Oh!”

Fitting for his master.

Shatien nodded.

“…Are you crazy, you brat?”

Master Joachim was quite bewildered.

Both sides flanking each other to strike the rear?

Was war some game of tag, pulling such jokes?

“Since the Emperor pulled off an unconventional maneuver, shouldn't we show him one as well? If our army appears from behind, the Imperial Army will be vastly panicked.”

“Well… That is true, but…”

Joachim replied with a lukewarm tone.

If the Imperial Army's detachment stretched out to flank, wouldn't the flanking destination practically be enemy territory?

With bad luck, they could get surrounded in reverse.

Furthermore, arriving later than the Imperial Army meant getting defeated in detail first.

“Which is why we must maneuver faster. I already attached all the slow pikemen to Miles anyway. We will deliver a fatal blow with light infantry and heavy cavalry capable of moving as fast as possible.”

And that wasn't all.

Carelessness.

Shatien intended to set up the board thoroughly so the Imperial Army would let their guard down and miscalculate accurately.

Shatien immediately split the cavalry into small groups, roughly twenty to thirty riders per unit.

Then, patting each elven knight on the shoulder, he spoke:

“Sirs. The success of this operation rests upon your shoulders. I will trust you.”

“Ahahaha! Don't worry, Sir! We'll prove that trust without fail!!”

“Indeed! We will repay you with magnificent deeds of arms, Sir!”

Hearing they were entrusted with a heavy duty, the elven knights shouted with excitement.

Shatien earnestly instructed the elven knights not to kill all the enemies, but to leave survivors to report.

They would charge madly into the Imperial Army's rear to shatter supply lines.

Done in a way that anyone would mistake them for a small detachment cutting supply routes.

The enemy commander guarding the rear or the Emperor receiving reports would surely think that and drop their guard.

And after the elven knights dashed out first:

*Dum, dum, dum.*

“Advance!”

The three thousand light infantry led by Shatien began moving swiftly as well.

The objective was the rear of the Imperial Army.

No supplies, and very lightly armed.

Light infantry that would surely be crushed easily if facing combat immediately.

However, that could simply be seized along the way.

The Emperor wouldn't even imagine that the enemy would arm themselves with the supplies he had ordered brought along.

“Ehehehe.”

“You brat… Don't you dare go around telling people you're my disciple.”

Looking at his disciple, Master Joachim spoke in disgust.

Why on earth had he raised such an insidious bastard as a disciple?

It was enough to make him shake his head in disbelief.

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