Chapter 61
Chapter 61
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 61
Chapter Title: The Battle's Tide
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As the melee between infantry began, the archers also opened fire toward the rear.
To block the enemy's shooting, they primarily targeted the opposing archers or the rear infantry formations first. The number of archers wasn't significantly different on either side, so while the two forces engaged in a war of attrition, the true flowers of war finally made their appearance.
"For the glory of the Royen family!"
"We shall be victorious!"
"Waaaaaah!"
The sound of hooves from knights on both sides, now accelerating in earnest, shook the earth.
If the infantry's chaotic battle was a shield to maintain formation, the knights were the spear aimed at the enemy's vital points. Especially the lethality of knights massed in a cavalry formation using Aura was the era's greatest weapon, and depending on the situation, they could dismount to support the infantry's ranks.
"The enemy approaches! We go as well! We dedicate victory to Baron Zelkerd!"
"Waaaaaah!"
And likewise, the cavalry on Baron Zelkerd's side began to advance. However, perhaps sensing they were outnumbered in knights, Zelkerd's cavalry avoided a head-on charge against enemy cavalry and instead headed toward the opposing infantry.
'Is that their plan?'
Seeing this, Sir Bent, a knight of the Royen Barony, judged that since they were targeting common soldiers anyway, his side with greater numbers held the advantage. With the Delmain Barony's knights and mercenaries guarding both flanks, dealing with them would be easy, so he charged toward his prey.
"Good, let's crush the enemy archers first, then the infantry's rear..."
Screeeeeeeeeech!
Just as the archers' formation was about to come fully into view, a high-pitched bird cry tore through the air of the battlefield, announcing its presence.
The cry of a griffin. The horses, sensing the appearance of a natural predator, began to slow their gallop and grow confused. But the Royen Barony knights, having received prior intelligence, calmly soothed their mounts and attempted to regain speed.
'This much is nothing. Our horses trained on battlefields teeming with magic won't be frightened.'
'What happened last time was because it was a dark night and we were caught off guard. We've prepared thoroughly and trained enough—there's no chance!'
"It's appeared! The griffin! It's Alterio! Coming from the flank! And the rider is... Zelkerd's daughter! Heidi!"
As they calmed their horses and charged, Heidi and Alterio suddenly emerged from the bushes on the flank.
At the sight of the griffin fully armored in steel plate, the Royen Barony knights signaled to Sir Bent at the forefront of their formation.
In response, he judged that the armor's weight would subtly slow them down and decided to continue charging to shake them off.
"Hmph! A griffin with only one wing can't fly anyway; no matter how fast it runs, it'll be slower than us! So let's outrun and shake them off..."
"Fly, Alterio!"
"D-did I just fly?"
Sir Bent stared with a horrified expression at Alterio, who had truly soared high into the sky.
To be precise, it wasn't flying through the sky but merely leaping high into the air. However, the height was considerable, so to the knights' eyes, it appeared as if the creature had taken flight.
'Hmm, it's slower in a straight charge, but it makes up for it with a sturdy body, muscle mass, and lightness relative to its frame. No wonder it's a creature of the skies. And with a predator's physique, its elasticity is excellent too. Another joker card has been added.'
'As expected of Lord Beonald!'
Thanks to his ability to not just mitigate weaknesses but also discover strengths, Alterio, with its exceptional jumping power, was able to pounce upon the rear two-thirds of the Royen Barony cavalry's position.
Knocking down one horse and immediately stabbing its rider through the throat with her lance, Heidi, seizing this perfect opportunity, drew upon her Aura and unleashed a lance technique she had learned from Beonald toward the front of the cavalry formation.
"The martial art of the Imperial Knight Order, First Form—Lion Clone 'Lion Clone'."
A golden Aura-wind, as if echoing with a lion's roar, blasted its force in all directions, pushing back horses and knights alike.
The momentum was so overwhelming it even startled the knights at the very front. Common cavalrymen and even nearby low-ranking knights tried to draw upon their Aura to block it, but they were mercilessly swept aside.
"Wh-what kind of monster is this...?"
"Archers! Now! Fire this way! I'll handle the knights!"
"Damn it all, what the hell!"
At Heidi's cry, which rang out like a roar, the archers being chased by the knights' charge immediately nocked arrows and began firing. Meanwhile, Heidi began stabbing her lance through the fallen knights on the ground, killing them instantly, and started pursuing the rear ranks.
Amid the chaos, Sir Bent, seeing a chance to reclaim his honor, shouted to the captain leading the knights.
"Sir Lutton! I will stop that wench. Grant me this opportunity to restore my honor. It's impossible for low-ranking knights to stop that monster."
"Hmm... Very well. I leave it to you. But you must win!"
"Yes!"
With permission granted, Sir Bent immediately turned his steed and charged toward Heidi, lance raised high.
Advancing while dealing with knights, she spotted Sir Bent charging toward her, readjusted her grip on her lance, and charged with Alterio.
A knightly duel on horseback. Now fully grown, Alterio, with a height rivaling that of a horse, fixed its gaze on the charging steed and roared as it charged.
Screeeeeeeech!
"Come at me! You monster!"
"Haaaaaaah!"
Despite it being around noon, the clash of weapons imbued with golden and blue Aura flashed with sparks, illuminating the battlefield.
Though Heidi possessed monstrous strength, Sir Bent, with seasoned skill and experience, dodged her attacks while simultaneously using his horsemanship to deftly evade Alterio, which was targeting his horse.
"Kkh!"
'As I thought! That monstrous brat might be one thing, but this girl is manageable! Besides, that bastard isn't around right now! I'll definitely kill her!'
Unlike before, where avoiding the fox led to encountering the tiger, this time the tiger was absent. Confident, Sir Bent swung his lance to eliminate the still-maturing Heidi.
And Heidi, sensing through the feel of her weapon swings and her Aura that this was the enemy she had failed to defeat last time, resolved with equal determination to swing her lance at Sir Bent for her own honor.
'This time, I will win with my own hands!'
As blue and golden Aura stirred hot winds, the battle grew increasingly fierce.
Time-wise, barely an hour had passed, yet casualties on both sides already numbered in the hundreds. Mercenaries gradually began joining the fray, and the battle situation grew ever more intense.
Watching Zelkerd's army hold out better than expected, Lady Meyra, seeming frustrated, asked Sir Zed beside her.
"Why is the battle situation even? With 1.5 times the troops, what in the world is this? Sir Zed! Explain."
"There's no need to be impatient, my lady. As you can see, our forces have formed a reserve, preserving their stamina, while the enemy has committed their entire force to the battle. Look, the mercenaries left in reserve are running to protect the archers from the knights. But in contrast, we have the Delmain Barony's knights and troops preserved on both wings."
"Hmm... I see."
"So there's no need to worry too much. No matter how skilled the enemy is, war is still war. A full-scale battle on this plain is straightforward."
"But the Delmain Barony's knights and troops still aren't moving. Aren't the archers being chased over there?"
"Hmm...?"
Just as Lady Meyra said, while the Royen Barony knights seemed to be penetrating deep into the rear and fighting fiercely, Zelkerd's cavalry was also plunging into the rear, gleefully ravaging the archers.
Normally, in such a situation, the Delmain Barony's knights and soldiers held in reserve on both flanks would have moved to completely suppress them, with the main force's reserves deployed if needed.
"...What's going on? Why isn't Sir Alrun moving? He shouldn't be someone incapable of making such a basic judgment."
Given Sir Alrun, the Delmain Barony's finest knight, and his strategic insight, his not moving now made no sense. Sir Zed found it strange as he looked toward that camp, where Sir Alrun appeared to be timing his charge, advancing his entire army.
Viewed this way, it seemed like he was sacrificing the archers to penetrate the enemy lines, but the gain from doing so wasn't particularly great.
"My lady, I'll be back shortly. The situation is odd."
"Sir Zed?"
Sensing the situation was unusual, Sir Zed quickly ran toward the main camp.
And back in the center of the battlefield, where infantry were locked in fierce combat. The Zelkerd army was fighting very well, but it was still tough going. With fundamentally fewer troops, the infantry found the fight extremely difficult.
"Lord Beonald, how about withdrawing once to rest?"
After Heidi's ambush unhorsed knights and infantry, and even the enemy knights held in reserve were deployed to support them, Baron Zelkerd, the supreme commander himself, had now entered the battlefield. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Beonald, he swung his sword and shield against enemy knights.
Worried about Beonald, who had been fighting since the battle began, he advised him to withdraw for a moment. But Beonald, seeming utterly unconcerned, beheaded an enemy knight with a surge of violet Aura and replied calmly.
"Hoo~ This war began because of me. So shouldn't I fight from beginning to end? Hah!"
"Stamina management is also a crucial element in war, Lord Beonald."
"I still have reserves."
"Well... I suppose with the light of victory gradually becoming visible, even strength you didn't have will surge forth. Hmm!"
Thud!
Just as Baron Zelkerd said, the enemy cavalry had already been shattered by Heidi. Enemy knights remained, but their numbers were insufficient to produce destructive power.
Of course, the archers and mercenaries were being slaughtered, but as they scattered and fled, they held out, slowing the rate of their depletion.
Effectively, the enemy's spear—their knights and cavalry—had been broken.
'Meanwhile, our knights who penetrated the enemy camp are now actively performing.'
Zelkerd's cavalry was enthusiastically ravaging and trampling the archers, then crushing even the Delmain Barony's main force that came to aid, taking an overwhelming offensive.
Yes, the difference between knights and cavalry. The tide of this war had already begun to turn in their favor.
The enemy still had mercenaries and cavalry left, so it might be a bit tough, but having lost their main infantry and knights, Royen was essentially already defeated.
'There's one strange point. Why are the mercenaries just standing by while our cavalry and knights ravage the archers?'
Baron Zelkerd felt the same doubt Sir Zed had harbored.
He couldn't understand at all why the enemy reserves weren't being deployed.
On this small plain, they should have moved their infantry or done something to protect their archers from his cavalry at any moment, yet they seemed to be merely watching, as if abandoning them.
Puzzled but still cutting down enemy soldiers, he noticed Beonald beside him looking at something in the distance and muttering softly.
"We've won."