“Strange, huh……ording to the information, wasn’t General Curio supposed to be in the northern regions of Gaul? By our estimates, he shouldn’t still be back until two or three weekster.”
“Even if you say that, himing is already fact.”
Bartolo and Tonino give off a sigh.
The two had just received that report this morning.
The Rozel Kingdom is guaranteeing Prince Aldo and has crossed the border.
Their troops number around 15,000. Amongst them are 1,000 cavalry.
The United Army now has more than 20,000 soldiers.
The Carlo faction and the former Aldo faction’s great nsmen havebined so the numbers have swelled. The number of cavalry has even exceeded 1,200.
Since the Rozel Kingdom has arge cavalry force, the DeMorgal Kingdom had begun raising cavalrymen since long ago in order to resist them.
Thanks to that, they now have this much cavalry.
The United Army is superior in numbers. The problem is quality.
Since the United Army is, ording to it’s name, a united army, it’s difficult to speak about whether they could coordinate.
The Rozel Army, on the otherhand, are elites.
In the first ce, Gallians are 10-20 cm taller than Adernians.
Gallians have more power over Adernians when ites to hand-to-handbat.
“Honestly speaking, I’m not worried at all about losing when ites to general’s abilities. However, I’m bothered about the difference in quality.
“There’s no way we could say we could coordinate that much after all…..Although we could disregard difference in quality if this were to be a siege battle…….”
It’ll be a political disadvantage if this were to be defensive. It is best tactically speaking but it’s a poor move strategically speaking.
“It hurts that we’ve used up all the bomb spears…….”
“If you teach us how to make them, we’ll make them here, you know?”
Tonino frivolously says to Bartolo who’s racking his brains out worrying.
Even if, for example, they were taught how to make the spears, without the magicians to make them, teaching the method would be pointless.
The materials for bombspear are gunpowder and ignition magic form as a substitute for detonators.
Since they are in the process of instituting a system of mass producing gunpowder, there is enough supply of it to be had. However, the production of ignition devices can’t catch up.
The training of magicians capable of handling the new field called magic still not ending ys a big part in this. Tetra getting pregnant was also a huge blow.
Furthermore, bomb spears are quite heavy. It’s only natural since, in addition to the conventional throwing spears, bombs are attached on the tips.
You can’t bring a lot of them in the battlefield.
“There’s nothing to do but meet them in the field and destroy them, right? We have the advantage in numbers anyways. If we manage to pit them in an encirclement, then we’ll win.”
It’s only natural that Bartolo also knows that General Curio is a brave general that likes center assaults.
Therefore, they should just surround the enemy before their center could get prated.
Since they have the numerical advantage, they should be able to put that into good use.
“Lord Carlo, what do you think?”
“I don’t understand anything at all. Do as you please.”
Bartolo and Tonino exchange nces.
As such, the sh of the two armies have been decided.
“Oioi, Lady Mario. The enemy number much more than the info told us you know?”
“It’s Merlin. Perhaps, the surrounding nsmen’s soldiers have been merged with their army. This much is within expectation, right?”
When Mari asked, Curiocently smiles.
“Of course.”
It’s not always a bad thing when the enemy increases their numbers. There are advantages to that such as the enemy’s movements getting loose.
Furthermore, the enemy is a united army. The Rozel Army has the upperhand when ites to cohesion and cooperation.
War is about covering your ally’s weak points, destroying your enemy’s strong points, and piercing your enemy’s weak points.
IT’s not necessary topletely win on all points to win.
The enemy general Bartolo is a famous general known for his specialty encirclement and nk assaults.
Therefore, they should just go through the enemy before they get encircled or nked.
Since it’s necessary to position a lot of soldiers on both sides in order to perform an encirclement and nking attack, the center would certainly be a sweet spot for pration.
That’s where they will pierce the enemy.
They have two trump cards in this battle. One of them is a first for Adernians.
As expected, even a famous general shouldn’t be able to immediately create a countermeasure.
“Alright, proceed as always. …..Lady Marurun, I’ll entrust control of the ves to you.”
“Understood. Leave it to me. Also, it’s Merlin.”
In order to take full advantage of their manpower, the United Army took up an extended military formation on both sides.
Furthermore, in order to stop an assault on the center, they’ve positioned a lot of veterans there.
Cavalry are positioned on both sides, four hundred Equus cavalry on the right side and eight hundred DeMorgal Cavalry on the left side.
At first nce, the martial power seems to be biased but, if you considered the qualities of both cavalries then the right side would have more power……or something to that extent.
It’s been judged that this is a much less objectionable arrangement than clumsily mixing two different armies with differentmand structures.
This formation did not make use of an oblique line since Bartolo judged that it would be dangerous to use such formation under a situation where they can’t coordinate fully.
In the first ce, such a formation had up until now seeded only twice. Furthermore, themander’s huge inexperience in thest battle was a huge factor.
This battle’s enemy is a famous general.
Rather than poorly using a clever scheme, Bartolo opted for the easy strategy of making full use of their numbers.
“Gentlemen! This is a battle of righteousness!! By the right and nature, the royal throne is mine!! The enemy, Aldo, is a patricidal and fratricidal coward!! He is absolutely unforgivable. God’s hammer will surely smite evil. God is with us!!”
Carlo faces the whole army and makes a speech (written by Tonino and Bartolo).
On the otherside, the Rozel Army also took up an almost perfectly faithful stereotypical formation.
…….At least in appearances.
Cavalry is ced on both nks. 600 in the right nk and 400 in the left nk. This much is fine.
The first to stand out is the 5000 strong battle ve corps in the vanguard.
Their equipment is extremely poor. They only have shields and breasttes as defensive equipments. Their weapons are iron spears.
Furthermore, what’s most intimidating about them are their bloodshot eyes.
They’re wildly breathing through their noses as if to say they’d go rushing into an attack anytime now.
They are Adernians, Gallians, and Germanis peoples that had lost in war against the Rozel Kingdom and had fallen to very.
Although their nationalities are a scattered mix, what all of them have inmon is that their families are held hostage. Furthermore, they were made to takerge amounts of narcotics and they had been casted on with a light curse.
The curse is contagious and has a property that causes sympathy amongst themselves.
While the curse that affected them one by one was small, it will be a different story once infects more than 5,000 people.
The battle ves are sending the United Army looks as if they were the enemies of their parents.
Furthermore, behind these battle ves are 50 ‘things’ covered with fur.
At the very least, these are quadrupedal beings that don’t live in the Adernia penins.
Their particr characteristic is their size. Their height exceeds four meters while their body length exceeds eight meters. Particrly amazing is their pair of giant tusks.
Waiting behind these monsters are Curio and his 10,000 elite subordinates.
Curio is mounted not on a horse but on a dragon, a type of earth dragon called kuryuu (dog dragon) that’s as big as a horse.
Since horses hate the smell of those monsters, cavalrymen cannot ride them to battle.
On that point, since kuryuu are carnivorous animals, they don’t hate the smell of the monsters.
Also,pared to the monsters, the kuryuu aren’t that much different, so the monsters also don’t hate them.
You can say that they’re a perfectbination.
“Gentlemen! Who am I?”
“The Piercing Demon, General Curio!!” Someone shouts.
All the soldiers shout the same in agreement.
“That’s right! Has this General Curio ever lose up until now?”
“Never!!”
“Good!! So long as I am here, we will surely win! Come forth, men, and believe in me! I will surely give you victory!!”
“Long live General Curio! Long live General Curio!! Long Live General Curio!!!”
Cheers that shake the atmosphere. The troops’ morale heightened in one stroke made them united.
All the troops are sending Curio hot gazes. There is no hesitation in their eyes.
“A, amazing…..somehow, I also want to join the shouting.”
Annabe subduedly mutters.
Since the sorcerers are engaged in the operation of the curses cast on the battle ves, they aren’t participating in the speech.
And since all of them are females, they also have the added pure reason of hating the stink of men.
But then again, several sorcerers have beenpletely sucked in by the atmosphere, abandoned their duties, and joined in on the cheers.
“Shouting is all fine and dandy but please do your job properly, okay?
…….Your ‘Divine Protection of Charm’ is amazing as usual, huh.”
“Divine protection…….Was that the effect of the “Divine Protection of Charm?”
“Pretty much. However, it because of Curio’smand that’s why it had that much of an effect.
All the Divine Protection of Charm can do at most, after all, is to turn attention towards the holder and improve first impressions of them.
Howeveer, it’s a different story if you mix it with a speech.
So long as you don’t do an extremely poor speech then it’s pretty much guaranteed to seed. Furthermore, if you do a great speech then it’d work wonders.
Also, that divine protection has a sympathy effect that depends on luck.
Curio’s feelings, just like that, are transmitted to the whole army while the whole army’s emotions are also transmitted to him.
If you mix this with another one of the divine protections Curio holds then you’d be able to raise an unrivaled army unafraid of death.
“Curio is, as far as I know, a capablemanderparable up there with Etzel. He’ll surely win.”
By the way, that’s the biggest praise one can get from Mari.
The battle first started with both cavalry assaulting each other.
The United Army’s right nk’s 400 strong Equus Cavalry vs the Rozel Army’s left nk’s 400 strong Gallic cavalry.
The United Army’s left nk’s 800 strong DeMorgal Cavalry vs the Rozel Army’s right nk’s 600 strong Gallic cavalry.
The United Army’s cavalry that excels in both quality and quantity, gradually push into the Rozel Army’s cavalry.
“Have the cavalry fall back.”
At the same time as the tune of retreat resonates from Curio’s flute into the battlefield, the Rozel Army’s cavalry turn their backs on the United Army’s cavalry.
The United Army’s cavalrymen, certain of victory against the enemy, goes into pursuit.
Just like that, the United Army’s Cavalry has temporarily broken away from the battlefield all ording to Curio’s aims.
“Tch, it’s our miss.”
Bartolo clicks his tongue.
“Although you might say it’s just temporarily, their cavalry had been lured into uselessness.
The quality of the Equus cavalry and the number of DeMorgal cavalry outmatched that of Gallic cavalry but unless they fought all of that is for naught.
“Our cavalry outssing the enemy’s cavalry is indisputable truth. As expected, it really was just buying time, huh.”
Getting rendered useless is, to the end, just temporary.
The difference in strength is evident.
If they win the cavalry engagement, then all that’s left is the encirclement.
“All that’s left is how much we can withstand the enemy’s assault, huh.”
However, our infantry is also superior against our enemy’s infantry.
Bartolo has confidence in winning.
“Now then, shall we immediately begin the infantry battle? Our first trump card – Battle ves, begin the assault!!”
Together with Curio’s order, the battle ves, as if beasts set free from their chains, begin their assault aginst the United Army.
“What’s up with these bunch. They’re pretty much naked!”
“Their number is also few, kill them all!!”
The United Army and the battle ves sh.
The ves hade with no armor except their shields and chesttes. They only have loin cloths on their lower bodies
They thought that victory would be decided in a moment. However…..
“Gaaaaaaaa!!”
“What the hell, these guys areing to bite!!”
“Gugigigigigigigigigigigi!!”
“Hii, why the hell are they stilling even though we’ve stabbed them!!”
The battle ves don’t feel any pain thanks to the narcotics.
The only things on the backs of their minds are their families being held hostage and the enemies before them.
The United Army falter unconsciously against the strength of the nemy.
However, it’s something that’s also just a temporary thing.
Since it still hasn’t changed that the enemy’s equipment is poor, it wont change the fact that he’d die if you’ve pierced his heart. He’s still a living person after all.
While the United Army still fought a hard fight, they are slowly pressing against their 5,000 enemies.
They are superior in numbers.
The battle ves sink into a sea of blood while making strange noises.
Their assault has failed.
However, they helped in tiring out the United Army.
“I guess we’ve put the disposable ves to enough good use. Now then…..the second trump card.”
Curio points his sword towards the battle ves’ and the United Army’s struggle to the death unfolding before hime and gives hismand.
“War Elephant Corps!! Begin Assault!!”
The fur-covered monsters…..the elephants, while growling, set their sights on the battle ves and the United Army and begin their assault
Author’s notes:
Since it’s a fantasy, I thought it won’t be strange if monsters existed. (TLN: Isn’t this toote of a though with the Griffon, the spiderwoman, the sorcerers, and all? :P)
Curio, despite saying “I’ve never lost” all the time, had indeed experienced loss. He’s just spouting that lie to ride the momentum.