Chapter 00184: Pocket Encounter (3)
# Pocket Encounter (3)
Chapter 184
Novel: AFK Game: Portal to Another World
Chapter 184: Pocket Encounter (3)
Count Fran was tired of running.
He was isolated and without aid, seeing no hope, as if the sun had vanished and his world had turned to gray ash.
So, Count Fran turned his horse around, drew his sword, and shouted:
"I am not a great lord, but I am a lord loyal to the King. My knights, I do not ask you to follow me to hell, but please remember this: the Avarus Demon Kingdom will never fall!"
He spurred his horse, intending to wade through the shallows and face the oncoming cavalry head-on.
Even if it was just one man, even if he only wounded one, he, as a lord of the Avarus Demon Kingdom, would have fought until the very end.
He had not shamed the oath he had sworn before His Majesty the King.
The knights who had just been preparing to flee saw their lord turn, and without hesitation, they all pulled on their reins and quickly followed.
Count Fran believed himself to be an imperfect lord, but his men did not think so.
At the side of this lord, who was now prepared to ride to his death, there would be no shortage of knights who supported him.
They roared, "For the Kingdom," and followed closely at their lord's heels.
Even with death so near, it was not enough to frighten away the knights' iron-like will.
The squad turned swiftly, hooves clattering on the wet stones.
For a moment, their momentum seemed even greater than that of the attacking cavalry.
But just then, a feathered arrow pierced through the curtain of rain and struck Count Fran's left arm.
The powerful force of the blow yanked Count Fran directly from his horse.
He tumbled across the shallows, his helmet flying off.
"My Lord Count!"
His knights rushed to help him up.
Count Fran's head was battered and bleeding from the cobblestones, and soaked with water, he looked exceptionally wretched.
His sword had fallen into the water that barely covered his feet, and a corner of its blade was chipped.
Are you going to take away even my final dignity as a lord?
On a nearby hillside, Isaac, having put away his longbow, looked at Count Fran kneeling in the water and felt a twinge of pity.
To rob a warrior who had already prepared for death of his glory was an act Isaac despised most.
But this was not a sparring match on the training grounds; this was war.
He remembered something his grandfather had once told him.
In war, there is no glory to be spoken of.
"Tell the other cavalry squads to hurry up. This is where Count Fran will meet his end."
Seeing Isaac's grim mood, the herald nodded and went to deliver the message.
The heavy rain was slowing the cavalry squads' advance.
For now, they had only managed to drive Count Fran to the designated location.
With the forces at hand, they couldn't quickly annihilate Count Fran's troops, and capturing him alive would be even more difficult.
Yes, although he felt a hint of pity, he had no intention of changing the plan.
If there were no war, Isaac would have quite liked to associate with someone like Count Fran.
Perhaps they could have even become friends.
But in war, the will of the nation was the highest creed.
Count Fran was willing to dedicate himself to his country, and Isaac too was willing to dedicate everything to his beloved motherland.
Even his own conscience.
"Hee-yaa!"
The neigh of a warhorse echoed through the valley.
It was incredible, because there were cavalry everywhere below, and the sounds of horses should have blended together.
Yet this one neigh was as striking as a ray of sunlight piercing through dark clouds.
Immediately after, Isaac saw a lone rider on horseback emerging from the thick mist in the distance.
He instantly recognized the prominent rose crest on the person's armor, saw their short hair as red as blood, and made out her face.
"Princess Viola?! Impossible, absolutely impossible! Wasn't the Canyon Path blocked off long ago!"
The location where they had surrounded Count Fran was indeed not far from the Canyon Path leading to the Leon Territory, but that sole land route had been personally blown up by Viola months ago.
Even if the Subia Demon Kingdom Army worked at full capacity to clear it, it would take several months just for a carriage to barely pass through.
To have it fully operational and smooth was not something that could be accomplished in a short time.
This was why, even though the Coalition of Four Nations knew Viola was in the Leon Territory, they hadn't launched a direct assault by land.
After all, the time it would take to clear the Canyon Path was better spent conquering other lords who had not yet surrendered.
Viola, who should not and could not be here, was now reflected in Isaac's eyes.
But after a brief moment of shock, Isaac was overcome with elation.
Capturing Count Fran would, at most, mean taking Half-Moon Fortress, which they hadn't bothered to attack anyway.
It was like icing on the cake, making little difference overall.
But if they captured Viola, that would be a different story entirely.
Not only could they pull a move like Boss Cao and hold the Son of Heaven hostage to command the nobles, but if the Subia Demon Kingdom were more ruthless, they could even have Viola marry their own crown prince and justifiably annex the entire Avarus Demon Kingdom.
As for whether Viola was willing?
That was no longer for her to decide.
"Quick, have the First Cavalry Squad below turn around. Don't clash with Viola head-on, bait her into pursuing. Send another message to the Third Cavalry Squad, tell them to advance at full speed. Mobilize the Fourth Cavalry Squad, which is in ambush, to enter from the right flank and attack her side!"
Thanks to the unscientific existence of magic, it was possible to achieve short-range communication like a modern army, despite being in a medieval cold weapon era war.
Isaac issued a series of commands, but within seconds, the herald ran back with a look of disbelief.
"A report from the Fourth Cavalry Squad!"
"Has the Fourth Cavalry Squad entered the field?"
"No, the Fourth Cavalry Squad was attacked by an unknown army and is currently engaged in a fierce battle."
"What?"
"Report, the Third Cavalry Squad has been ambushed. They are asking the General for instructions."
"Report, the Second Cavalry Squad encountered an unknown enemy force three kilometers away and is trying to shake them off."
The string of reports left Isaac completely bewildered.
He quickly opened his map, but this situation was not written on it at all.
"Could it be that the one who walked into a trap was actually me?"
...
Inside the Canyon Path, about two kilometers from the riverbank, Wendy stood before a sand table.
"The form of an army is like water. The nature of water is to avoid heights and seek the low ground; the nature of an army is to avoid strength and strike at weakness. Water's flow is determined by the terrain, and an army's victory is determined by the enemy. Thus, an army has no constant momentum, and water has no constant form. One who can achieve victory by changing and adapting to the enemy is called divine."
She reached out, picked up a game piece, and placed it on the sand table.
"The Divine Realm where the Lord resides has so many wondrous creations, but I never thought it would have such an incisive thesis."
"You should just speak the translated version. It's too much trouble, I don't understand."
Standing to the side, Audel looked rather reluctant.
If it were blueprints for a machine, Audel would be very interested, but military strategy wasn't her specialty.
"I know you don't understand, but I just wanted to see you look troubled. So satisfying. I've finally gotten my revenge."
"..."
When they were young, Audel would often babble about profound magical theories in Wendy's ear.
Now, she had finally found an opportunity to torture her back.
"You really hold a grudge."
"Please, call me someone with a superior memory."
Wendy gently touched her temples, as if listening intently to something.
"Mhm, alright, stop complaining, it's time to work. Have Zola's team move along the river. They can block one of the enemy's cavalry squads there. Tell her there's no need to annihilate them, just make them flee in disarray. Then, tell Shelly's team to turn southwest and cut off the enemy's attempt to regroup."
"I think you have a problem with resource allocation. I'm a High-Ranking Mage, you know..."
"Hurry up and send the message. Don't forget, the Lord said you have to cooperate with me fully."
Audel pouted reluctantly, but still sent the orders out via a Communication Spell.
Looking at the sand table, especially at the most prominent red piece on it, Wendy appeared exceptionally excited.
"The grandson of the Tiger of the Kingdom and the granddaughter of the Lion General. It really has a sense of fate. Heh, let me see if you are worthy of being my opponent!"