The First Clash
Early February. The long winter had finally reached its end.
Jeanne was preparing to face the enemy at Peale Castle.
The enemy would surely come here.
Jeanne, who had received the direction of Rotinzel troop movements from the Black Wing, circled the fortress once.
The soldiers of the fortress were well-armed, and mercenary forces from across the kingdom were still gathering at Peale Castle even at that moment.
With soldiers converging here, the enemy could simply ignore Peale Castle. But a fortress that had not fallen was never something an invader could ignore.
Leaving an unconquered fortress behind meant the enemy would use it as a base to harass the rear indefinitely.
Moreover, from the Rotinzel perspective, crossing the sea, cutting off the long supply line would be a major problem for the Bluisol army.
Yet they could not advance while capturing each fortress one by one. Rotinzel therefore chose the lightning strike method, rushing straight toward the capital in a single path at maximum speed. They planned to capture the king in a swift, decisive battle and end the war.
But two variables had appeared.
One was that the king of Bluisol had abandoned the capital and fled. The other was that the resistance of Bluisol proved far stronger than expected.
The first issue was something Rotinzel had originally planned for. They had aimed to swallow the entire territory of Bluisol within half a year. If the king escaped, he would become a prisoner or flee beyond the border into the empire. In either case, Bluisol would fall into their hands.
Yet the second issue became an even greater obstacle. The northern route through Ileon was blocked, and the sea route to La Rochelle was also blocked.
Following the original plan, they should have advanced as far north as possible to occupy Bluisol, then slowly moved south to clear the fortresses in sequence. But one had twisted, and the others followed.
Particularly La Rochelle and Peale Castle were important because in Jeanne's previous life, these two fortresses had remained Bluisol's final bulwarks.
Even after half the kingdom was taken by the enemy in less than half a year following the outbreak of war, they had held on for six years thanks to the city of La Rochelle left behind.
Jeanne asked the Black Wing once more.
How long will it take for the enemy to arrive?
This time, since they would prepare thoroughly by arriving first, she received reports on the enemy's movements every two hours from scouts and the Black Wing.
It seems it may take up to a week.
The assassin dressed entirely in black clothes said to Jeanne. He was a boy who had only recently become an assassin even in the Black Wing, quickly adapting to Ines's regime and carrying out his duties.
Jeanne nodded.
The Rotinzel army, having moved with full preparation to properly capture the fortress, advanced at a slow pace.
Instead, they had brought everything including supplies and siege weapons as promised.
As reinforcements gathered, the garrison of Peale Castle reached approximately four thousand seven hundred men. That was a considerable military force for a single fortress.
However, the enemy had roughly forty thousand or more.
Facing nearly ten times their numbers made Jeanne's expression darken.
Even with the advantage of the mountainous terrain, the disparity in military strength was significant.
Jeanne called Divin and Laurent to the conference room. If they discussed other methods for victory, some viable strategy might appear.
But Divin rejected most of Jeanne's suggestions with a dark face.
Cutting off the supply line?
We will do our best for now, but it likely won't mean much.
If it were a prolonged battle, that would be different, but with the enemy intending a swift, decisive end, disrupting supply lines would not deliver a meaningful blow.
They would certainly have brought enough provisions for about a week.
Leading a decisive battle is also impossible.
The opponent was Aaron Occident. He valued his own safety. An opportunist like that would never accept a scheme that endangered him like the one that had befallen Nicolas.
The Black Wing was still in the process of reorganization, making it difficult to deploy assassins.
In the end, we must confront them head-on.
It seems that will be necessary.
Jeanne sighed and glanced at Laurent. He was listening quietly to the conversation between Jeanne and Divin, as if pondering something.
Yes. As long as we save Laurent, our goal will be achieved.
Laurent dies on the final day of the battle for Peale Castle. If we can prevent that, it will become a great strength for Bluisol in the future.
Even in a standard defensive battle, Jeanne was confident.
Support arrived from La Rochelle.
This time the support was a large quantity of weapons. If only military support had also come, but since they were still confronting the Rotinzel navy at Plamont, sending troops was difficult.
Knowing the situation, both Jeanne and Laurent were grateful just that they had sent weapons.
The people also joined to defend the fortress.
From the mountains near Peale Castle, they chopped and shaped as many trees as possible to create crude but numerous throwing spears and arrows.
They too knew what would happen if they lost this battle.
Within the fortress, only elderly men, women, and children who had not been conscripted remained.
Can we not help?
They asked Laurent if there was anything they could do to become a force for Peale Castle. Laurent entrusted them to Divin.
Divin gave them roles as well. He provided them with torches, horns, and made the number of soldiers inside the fortress appear larger, raising morale.
Divin also selected some soldiers with strong voices and taught them songs.
Word reached that the enemy was near.
All gates through which the fortress was entered or exited were sealed, and preparations to face the enemy were completed.
***
February 7, Year 419 of the Bluisol calendar.
A thousand-man vanguard of the Rotinzel army arrived before Peale Castle.
As was appropriate for a vanguard, they did not attack Peale Castle but instead confronted the mercenaries moving toward it and scouted the surrounding environment.
Jeanne, who observed the enemy's movements from the walls, summoned her knights. Several from her second knight order and the knights originally at Peale Castle participated in the meeting.
What about going out to fight?
Nael offered his opinion.
The gazes of Jeanne, Divin, Laurent, Diego, Ethan, and all the knights converged there. Nael was bewildered by dozens of eyes turning toward him.
Why, why are you looking at me like that?
Lord Nael does not seem suitable to become a commander leading the army. Please remain a knight for now.
The vanguard is only a thousand men, right? If we eliminate them to reduce the enemy's numbers, the defensive battle will be easier too, won't it?
The fact that it is only a thousand is already the problem.
Divin struck and disregarded Nael.
The others, as if unwilling to explain to Nael, began the discussion again.
Nael, still with a dissatisfied expression, looked at Ethan who sighed and called him over.
Wait a moment, I'll go out.
Nael obediently followed him.
Before the conference room, Ethan explained.
The total garrison here is four thousand seven hundred. The enemy has one thousand. If we go out and fight head-on, how likely do you think victory is?
With us, we can win.
Fighting with the fortress as a shield means we can face several times the number of troops. But on flat ground, facing two times the number is an unwinnable fight.
Nevertheless, Ethan decided to accept Nael's determination and continued.
If we win, how much damage will our side suffer?
That is...
Even at a 2:1 exchange ratio, our side would be wiped out. Then the main force would simply walk into the empty fortress without bloodshed.
If our side fought so well that with half the damage we drove back ten thousand enemies, and the rear guard is estimated at thirty thousand, then we have to face over two thousand with thirty thousand, do you think that is possible?
...
If we were to win in the first place, the enemy would also reduce their losses and retreat. Normally, if casualties exceed thirty percent, they judge the battle over, right?
...
You didn't know that?
Ethan looked shocked as Nael turned away and avoided his gaze.
Hmm, true. As long as the second knight order can fight, we can bring them in.
Having military strategy as a basic requirement for knights was true, but the second knight order could enter with pure martial strength alone, so this situation was not uncommon.
Embarrassed, Nael shouted unnecessarily.
Ah, I got it. We should just shut up, listen to the discussion, and then go fight.
Nael was quick to understand the situation after all. From then on, he resolved not to waste precious time with his own opinions and entered the conference room with Ethan again.
In the conference as well, rather than proposing new strategies, it was closer to organizing what had been discussed and checking that each could perform their roles from their positions clearly.
With solemn expressions, the knights listened to the conversation.
If we break through, this country will be trampled under the enemy's hooves. Enter the battle with that thought.
Laurent ended the meeting with his final words. The knights nodded in unison.
The battle was truly upon them now.
***
A clash occurred between the Rotinzel vanguard and Peale Castle.
It was not a full-scale battle, but rather a mutual exchange of threatening shots.
Peale Castle was a fortress over several hundred years old. As time passed, the fortress naturally aged, and its weak points had been reinforced several times.
Originally square, the fortress had been expanded and the outer walls rounded, and a circular rooftop was also built to scout and attack the enemy's movements.
This was because round shapes absorbed impacts better and made it easier to dodge when throwing weapons flew.
Thanks to that, they were difficult to capture with only long-range gunfire.
Two days later, the main force of Rotinzel arrived. According to scouts, the main force had around thirty thousand troops.
The main force also spent the first day pitching camp and managing the rear, so Rotinzel did not aggressively launch an offensive.
Moreover, as the days shortened and the sun set quickly, by the time the army was fully organized, night had already fallen.
From behind the mountains at Peale Castle, dozens of torches swayed.
Aaron went out to see it.
Hmm.
His expression darkened slightly.
Is this the enemy's reinforcement, or just a trick?
If that is reinforcement, the total military strength will far exceed the expected number.
It is clearly not just scarecrows.
They may have simply placed civilians, but Aaron was a commander who assumed the worst.
Aaron summoned knights and called a meeting. He asked Hyrace.
Will you conduct a siege?
No. We will fight a decisive battle.
A siege meant surrounding the fortress with soldiers to cut off supplies through the gates and slowly starve the enemy. It had the advantage of victory without inflicting damage on our side, but it was not suitable now.
This was Bluisol's land. They would continue sending support from across the nation to Peale Castle, so for Rotinzel it would mean an ever-increasing number of enemies the longer they stayed.
Moreover, at the end of last year, they had already received a letter from their emperor Edward II because the occupation of Bluisol had taken too long. Even after failing to break through Ileon, if they dragged this out too long, even after winning they risked displeasing the emperor.
Aaron's style was not to fight while bearing damage, but since they had to quickly conquer Peale Castle and advance to La Rochelle, they had no choice but to carry out a serious siege operation.
I will lead.
Aaron nodded. Although Hyrace had not yet shown his capabilities as a commander, his personal martial strength was outstanding.
It was a bit difficult to deploy the one the emperor cherished on the battlefield, but even as the vanguard he was someone who could be kept safe.
Thus, the night of the Rotinzel army deepened.