Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Khan's Praetorian Guard
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I recounted my earlier memory to the Duke. The hill I'd climbed out of frustration. And the dust cloud I'd spotted from atop it. It was so distant that even I could barely make it out faintly—if not for that hilltop vantage, I might never have noticed it at all.
With bait dangling right in front of them and our forces feinting an imminent attack, the Imperial scouts had no choice but to pull back passively. In that scenario, the reason for a flanking maneuver was obvious. They were gearing up for encirclement tactics—one of their go-to strategies.
"Hmm... I'll dispatch my scouts and devise countermeasures."
I shook my head urgently. Sending out scouts now might tip them off and force a change in plans.
"You mustn't send out scouts. Pretend you haven't noticed and let them be."
The Duke stroked his chin at my words.
"Shouldn't we at least confirm if they're truly flanking? They could just be after our supplies."
"A fraction of their army would suffice for supplies. No need to commit thousands. This flank is unequivocally aimed at our main force."
"Then what do you propose? Speak."
I met the Duke's gaze with confidence.
"If you entrust me with a cavalry detachment, I'll give those flankers a nasty surprise."
There were hills nearby. Leverage the terrain right, and we could hit them where it hurt.
The Duke accepted my pitch in short order. He detached a cavalry unit and placed it under my command. The Duke I'd observed thus far was the consummate general—far removed from his initial impression. I survived on past-life knowledge, but he was a pure product of this world.
This world's natives weren't dimwitted by any means. It was purely an information gap. Facing him in war with equal intel? I'd bet on defeat long before victory.
"Move as quietly as possible."
The cavalry under my lead wrapped their horses' hooves in cloth, advancing at a walking pace. They'd even cloaked their weapons to avoid moonlight glints, slipping through the night to the hill's rear.
These riders hailed from assorted units, bound to obey the Duke's appointed commander. The catch? It wasn't rigid top-down obedience but a structure held by loose mutual respect...
I fretted whether they'd hold formation in the heat of battle because of it, but what choice did I have? Fight with what I'd been given.
"Finally, some real action..."
These young cavalrymen—victors in all twelve prior skirmishes yet meritless—buzzed with excitement ahead of the clash.
"Ugh... so cold..."
Hunkered in hiding, no fires allowed, we shivered through the prairie night clutching our cloaks. Sleepless from the chill, more than half stayed awake, bundled up.
"Captain! Got any good stories?"
One rider prodded me. Good stories...
"Come to think of it, weren't you a mercenary, Captain? How'd you end up a noble?"
"Well... My first gig was jumping into a war."
I laid out my tale freely, from mercenary days to now. Nothing worth concealing.
These fresh-faced young nobles hung on every word, eyes aglow. They cheered my Cligrove exploits, fumed at Sarisa Count's betrayal and my desperate escape.
How many would survive this war's end? Hell, could we even win? If the plan panned out, yes. No wild cards.
"Everyone, get ready. Sun's coming up."
Dawn crept from the horizon.
"They're on the move too."
As if sunrise were the cue, Imperial and Elf armies lurched forward in unison. Their motions were far clumsier than usual. After twelve defeats, a failed diversion—how would they react?
Riding to the hilltop, the two hosts sharpened into view.
"Encircle the army with wagons as best you can. That'll blunt their arrows."
"Soak the cargo in water! They might loose fire arrows!"
On the Duke's command, Imperials dragged wagons into a perimeter. Even noncombatants gripped self-defense arms behind them—clueless fools would sense the real fight brewing now.
Plus, the frontal Elves drew nearer by the moment. The field rang with footfalls and hooves alone.
"I demand parley with the commander!"
Decai sought a meet between lines pre-battle. The Duke's proxy flipped him the bird.
"Surrender now, and you'll keep your lives! Refuse, and it's death!"
Arrows whistled at the envoy ranting point-blank. Warning: scram, or next volley connects.
"Position knights and heavy cavalry on the wings. Shield the longbowmen and crossbowmen."
Formations locked, Elves opened fire. Imperials wouldn't advance first. Their cavalry—thousands strong—split wide, peppering arrows at the Empire.
"Shields up!"
"No shield? Duck behind one that does!"
Troops evaded per officers' bellows. Unlucky screams pierced the air, but casualties stayed light. The entrenched Imperial camp laughed off mere arrows.
Flank archers balked at the knights and heavies posted there. Wheeling to shoot invited instant charges—catastrophe. Arrows weren't bottomless, either.
"Lure their horse. Word from the flankers?"
"Hawks on arrival. Should be soon."
"Draw out their cavalry max, flankers hit rear—they'll buckle. Let's see 'em turtle through arrows fore and aft."
Decai squinted at the huddled Imperials. Strike when the front wavered, and they'd shatter. As he scanned the field, a hawk soared distant.
Screeeee—
Its shrill cry cut the sky. Elves' keen sight pegged it instantly: their own, signaling flank success.
"Signal's here! Flags up!"
"Aye!"
Red banners snapped on Decai's word. Encirclement on—Elves ramped aggression, pinning forward knights and heavies to sever them from main, no retreat.
At last, the long-way flankers burst behind the Imperials.
"Elves! Elves in the rear!"
Rear ranks yelled at the sudden Elves, but Imperials held steady. They'd anticipated it.
The clueless Elves assumed panic and charged the back pell-mell. It might've worked—sans trumpets and cavalry erupting from the hill flank.
Toooooot—
"Charge!"
"Death to the Empire's enemies!"
Merlin flew like wind, ferrying Kyle to the Elves' van. Kyle unleashed a massive diagonal sword arc; the Elf he locked eyes with flung up its shield in haste.
Crack!
Yet a full-swing 10kg blade pulped the leather shield and sheared the arm clean off.
"Gah!"
Rear-striking Elves tumbled into disarray. Cavalry was the commander's bait, no?
Boom! Kyle's Imperial riders crashed into them.
"Fall back!"
"Ambush!"
A cooler head would've clocked the attackers as half their number at best. But few stay icy in a blindsiding raid.
To rattled Elves, Empire horse looked doubled. Worse, rear Imperials surged weapons-hot. Their famed battle smarts? Useless here.
"Flee and die!"
"Empire on all sides!"
Neiiigh!
Fleers tangled with fighters' mounts—falls amid the fray. Trampled under birthright steeds amid thousands of riders.
And their wretched spectacle reached Decai atop the hill.
"...Where the hell did those bastards pop from?"
"......"
His aides clammed up. No one knew. But a commander couldn't slack. Decai barked follow-ups swift.
"Behead yesterday's Imperial watchers. Signal main: all-out charge on Empire scum."
"General! That'll rack up body counts..."
"They outnumber us!"
Aides chorused dissent. Frontal slugfest? Win, sure—but gutted. Decai saw different.
"You think I don't get that? We do it anyway. Main charge fights front, cuts losses—buys flankers regroup time."
He jabbed at Imperial lines.
"Most ain't proper troops. Center? Rabble. Smash 'em outright, momentum's ours. I half-guess that Duke's ploy with this setup... but can't hand him the full prize."
"......"
"Last: I lead the charge myself. Me and the Kesik charging—trust it now?"
Elves protesting fell mute at Khan's Praetorian Kesik and General Decai spearheading. Unification wars? They'd flipped countless lost causes.
"Trumpets! Let all know I'm sortieing!"
Tooooooot—
Majestic blasts heralded ~300 riders. Golden full plate gleaming: Khan's war engines, the Kesik.
"Forward, prairie kin! Freeze those Empire swine to the bone!"