Chapter 115
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Battle of Soelden Plains (5)
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While Martin Meyer was rampaging at full tilt, the Red Rose Mercenary Corps was desperately busy fleeing.
The sight of them tucking tail and running away looked a bit ridiculous from the sidelines, but for those involved, it was a dire situation where they wouldn't escape total annihilation if they didn't flee fast.
Everyone was doing their utmost, casting aside any pride to run for their lives.
"Fuck, if you don't wanna die, run! Run!"
"Retreat, retreat!"
"If those monster-like bastards catch us, we're done for!"
On the other hand, it was mortifying for a mercenary corps that prided itself as first-rate to be fleeing like weak puppies with their tails between their legs.
But every member of the Red Rose Mercenary Corps was justifying their actions to themselves right now.
'We did all we could, but we had no choice but to lose. Our reputation will hit the dirt, but if we survive, we can rise again.'
Meanwhile, the Black Brothers Mercenary Corps pursuing the Red Rose Mercenary Corps was ramping up their momentum to chase down the fleeing foes.
"Catch those bastards and kill 'em!"
In this relentless chase, some unlucky or less sturdy Red Rose mercenaries got caught by their pursuers.
"Fuck, spare me!"
The Black Brothers soldiers had no intention of letting anyone they caught live.
The captured ones were swiftly killed with blades through their throats.
"Die!"
"Argh!"
Garibaldi, captain of the Red Rose Mercenary Corps, shed tears of self-reproach, blaming his own shortcomings for bringing about this disaster.
Deep down, he wanted to wail in despair.
He had left his desperately poor parents at just 18, become a mercenary, and over thirty long years, clawed his way up bit by bit to finally reach the rank of a first-rate mercenary corps captain.
But this one failure had cost him countless comrades who had trusted and followed him...
'Our corps' reputation won't hit rock bottom, but it'll plummet to nothing compared to before...'
As Garibaldi's thoughts reached that point, he bellowed out in a surge of boiling rage.
"Fuck this!"
While fleeing like mad, a ray of light-like news reached Garibaldi.
"Captain, the bastards chasing us from behind suddenly lost all their steam! We're saved now!"
Garibaldi froze at the words, while the surrounding mercenaries cheered in unison.
"Fuck yeah, we're alive!"
"I don't know what happened, but if they're not chasing anymore, that means we're safe for now... What the hell went down?"
"Who knows? Maybe those chasing fucks tripped over themselves and bashed their heads in."
Just moments ago, they hadn't known when they'd be caught and massacred from behind, but suddenly, a lifeline had dropped from the heavens.
The Red Rose mercenaries, seeing a path to survival, cheered wildly, hugging each other and even bursting into tears.
"Captain Garibaldi! We're alive! Let's get the hell outta here while we can!"
Antonio, who had suffered the humiliation of hitting Martin Meyer and the White Beard Mercenary Corps only to get it back twice over,
kept clutching the golden cross around his neck even as he fled, offering prayers to Deus.
"Deus, thank you for saving our mercenary corps."
Garibaldi saw this and briefly considered turning his men around to attack the enemy, but his mind quickly gave a realistic answer.
'Right now, their pursuit has just temporarily halted by some stroke of luck.'
"We've already lost a lot of men. By convention, retreating without permission from the Medici Republic's commander won't count as disobeying orders or desertion... Let's just pull back like this..."
As Garibaldi was about to issue the order to head home and rest up, a messenger from the White Beard Mercenary Corps hurriedly appeared before them.
"Where is the captain of the Red Rose Mercenary Corps?"
The Red Rose soldiers, including Garibaldi, couldn't fathom why the White Beard Mercenary Corps had sent a messenger.
After all, just moments ago, they had been fleeing this battlefield as fast as possible...
Seeing the sudden arrival of a messenger from the White Beard with some request left them unable to respond properly.
"Who the hell are you?"
"I'm Albert from the White Beard Mercenary Corps."
The Red Rose mercenaries judged from his tall, sturdy build, the fine horse he rode, and his proper armor that he was undoubtedly a former knight.
'What kind of business is this that they'd send at least a senior mercenary as messenger?'
Albert was quickly escorted straight to Garibaldi.
"Captain Dalton of the White Beard Mercenary Corps saw the Red Rose Mercenary Corps in peril and swiftly redirected forces to flank and ambush the Black Brothers Mercenary Corps in support."
The Red Rose mercenaries erupted in cheers at the news.
"No wonder, fuck. I was wondering why those sons of bitches stopped chasing our near-dead asses."
"We owe you big time."
"If it weren't for you, we'd all be goners."
There was no pretense in their praise.
They had truly been pulled from the brink of total annihilation.
"And right now, the enemy is reeling from our sharp strike exploiting their gap, getting one-sidedly pummeled. I know you've taken heavy losses, but how about joining forces to smash the Black Brothers Mercenary Corps?"
Antonio's face flushed with genuine shame at those words.
If Martin had seen it, he would've sneered, 'Why's this thick-headed fuck suddenly turning nice?'—it was that swift a change in demeanor.
The messenger stuck faithfully to his role, and since the Red Rose leadership had their own guilty history of propping him up, they didn't call out Antonio's attitude.
"In this battle, shamefully, we've lost nearly 20% of our forces. Reorganizing properly before fighting again would be impossible. I'm truly sorry to the White Beard Mercenary Corps, but we can't help you in this fight."
With that, Antonio scratched his head and bowed.
"Moreover, our corps has given the White Beard Mercenary Corps no small insult before, yet you came to our aid anyway. We're truly grateful. I'll personally apologize to Centurion Martin and Captain Dalton later."
As the messenger turned to leave upon hearing this, Garibaldi halted him with a booming voice.
"We'll support the White Beard Mercenary Corps."
The Red Rose soldiers shot him looks screaming 'Are you nuts?' and sighed in disbelief.
"Captain, have you finally lost it?"
"Don't you know how many of our guys died?"
"We can't handle it like this."
Garibaldi sighed at them and shook his head vigorously.
"They say the White Beard boys are pushing hard right now. If we lend a hand, won't that drive the Black Brothers insane? We're down to half our normal strength, but even that much help counts, right?"
They all reluctantly nodded.
"Yeah, that's true."
"Plus, if we retreat like this, we're just a band of defeated stragglers. But if we link up with the White Beard and smash the Black Brothers? Boom—instant 'veterans who fought tooth and nail to snatch victory.' Sure, retreating saves more lives, but how do we live down our trashed rep and worth, you idiots!"
Antonio chimed in.
"No one in the Medici Republic army doesn't know we insulted the White Beard Mercenary Corps. Yet they came to support us. Ignore that and retreat? What label do you think our corps gets then?"
Antonio had initially viewed the White Beard with great displeasure, but as an officer in a first-rate mercenary corps and a swordsman who had reached the expert realm,
he possessed his own pride, self-respect, and sound judgment of situations.
That's why his heart had leaned toward the proposal from the White Beard that had saved his life.
"Antonio's right. Gotta avenge our boys too, fuck."
Even Antonio, who had just said they couldn't help, flipped and declared they'd join, instantly reversing the mood.
The messenger smiled at the scene and boomed,
"If you accept our proposal, fire three Fireballs into the sky."
"We'll do it."
A few minutes after that exchange, the Red Rose mages launched three Fireballs into the air.
And this signal was clearly visible to Martin Meyer as well.
Meanwhile, I, Martin Meyer, was still slicing through the endless waves of morons charging at me.
"Die, you worthless trash!"
One down, and two or three more rushed in right after—the battle wasn't shifting as fast as I'd hoped...
But at this rate, our corps might just take the enemy captain's head too.
As I focused on the fight, Karin shouted loudly from behind.
"The Red Rose Mercenary Corps just fired three Fireballs into the sky! It means they've halted their retreat and will support our allies!"
Now everything was in place.