Chapter 28
Chapter 28
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: The Blood-Soaked Battle of Strebr Fortress (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The next day, the battle curtain rose with the assault of the Valkan Empire's 5th Legion.
The fact that the 5th Legion's heavy infantry was escorting the siege towers remained the same as yesterday, but the defenders of Strebr Fortress were baffled by the siege towers' slightly different appearance.
"Don't panic—fire! It's still just something we have to smash anyway!!"
Regardless of their appearance, the reality was that they had to kill the enemy to survive, so the fortress defenders quickly regained their composure and began unleashing fire arrows at the command of the wall defense captain.
The siege towers began to burn, but the Valkan heavy infantry blocked the incoming arrows and continued shoving the flaming towers toward the moat.
"Puhahaha! You idiots, fire away all you want... Guess I should've told the kids to pick up more arrows. Kuhahaha!"
"5th Legion Commander? What in the world is that..."
At the crown prince's question, Derian, the 5th Legion Commander who had been mocking the Theseito forces, replied.
"Watching yesterday's battle, I realized that ordinary siege weapons wouldn't easily overcome that double moat. We could do it, but the light infantry casualties would be too high. So, I disguised dirt-hauling carts as siege towers."
"So, those things are filled with dirt and sand?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Since they were modified from regular carts, it didn't take much time, and as they only needed to look like siege towers from afar, we didn't need water-soaked iron hides. We just let them burn at the moat's edge and dump the packed dirt inside."
"Hoo~ Well done. Thanks to you, 5th Legion Commander, that moat will be filled in no time."
The crown prince watched as yesterday's double moat was filled by the disguised siege towers, and with four more siege towers approaching Strebr Fortress, he felt somewhat relieved.
"Once all those are emptied, I believe the moats will be fully filled. Requesting permission for sequential deployment."
"Good! 1st Legion Commander, 4th Legion Commander! Once the moats are filled, prepare for siege immediately after the 5th Legion finishes. Have the 5th Legion's archer unit provide covering fire as well!"
"Understood, Your Highness!"
From the command tower of Strebr Fortress, Count Redelmo observed the battlefield.
"Hoo~ Even the Valkans have some sharp minds among them."
"The Valkan 5th Legion Commander is a commoner engineer who rose to legion commander. He must have proven his abilities to reach that position."
Once the moats were fully filled and the imperial archers set up behind walls of shields to rain arrows, the Theseito troops firing from the walls began falling one by one.
"Hmm... In that case, we'll have to prepare that a bit earlier. Withdraw the archers from the walls! There's no need to sacrifice them at this point!"
"Yes, sir!"
"The enemy's arrows have stopped! It's like they've run out!"
"This is our chance! 1st and 4th Legions, charge! Raise the ladders and climb the walls! Engineers, quickly move the siege towers while the arrows have stopped! The first soldier to reach the walls will receive a fortune and a baron's title!"
Prince Franz's orders echoed across the battlefield via amplification magic, and the imperial troops rushed to the walls with bloodshot eyes.
"They're really not shooting arrows?"
"Out of the way! I'm climbing first!!"
"What nonsense! I'll be first and claim the reward!"
The legion soldiers shoved each other to climb first. Dozens of ladders were propped against the walls, each swarming with over ten soldiers scrambling up swiftly.
"Now!!!"
At the Theseito defense captain's shout, black liquid erupted powerfully from gaps in the walls. The sticky fluid clung to the legion soldiers scaling the walls and sprayed even the troops waiting below.
"Wh... what is this? It's sticky yet slimy..."
"O... oil! Get down! Get down! Hurry!!!"
"Retreat! All troops, retreat!!!"
As the ranks descended into chaos with soldiers scrambling down the ladders, the legion commanders and Prince Franz watching from afar furrowed their brows.
"What are they doing? Retreating without orders? We should attack when their arrows stop..."
Whoosh!! Flames erupted in a massive blaze before Prince Franz could finish berating the commanders.
"Kuaaaah!!"
"S... save me!! Uwaaaah!!"
The flames spread enormously, igniting over a thousand soldiers at once. Their screams plunged the imperial army into pandemonium.
"Now! Fire!!"
Amid the deafening screams and the acrid stench of burning comrades, a torrent of arrows rained down on the terrified imperial rear.
"Uwaak! Arrows!!"
Hearing the screams from arrows suddenly pouring down on his own troops, Prince Franz advanced to the front lines to assess the situation.
"What the hell is that? The walls must be scorching hot from the fire—how are they shooting arrows...? No, that's it!!"
What left even Prince Franz stunned was the defense tower rising from within Strebr Fortress. Positioned far higher than the walls, Theseito archers safely loosed arrows from it. The imperial counterarrows barely reached the walls, let alone the tower.
"Maintain formation! Raise shields and block the arrows while retreating slowly!!"
Despite the commanders' hoarse shouts, the already broken morale led to a disorganized retreat. Arrows caused even greater casualties, tangling ranks as soldiers shoved, tripped, and trampled each other to death.
But the imperial army's nightmare was far from over.
Count Redelmo, who had been watching, ordered a sortie.
"Cordelia! Charge out! Looks like they've forgotten the prowess of our Theseito forces. Show those Valkans exactly what true Theseito troops are made of!"
Upon hearing Count Redelmo's order, Adjutant Cordelia grabbed the rope from the command tower and leaped down.
The waiting soldiers helped her don her armor the moment she landed. Fully equipped in an instant, she mounted her horse and spurred it forward.
The gates opened, and Theseito's medium cavalry burst forth. As a defensive fortress, their numbers were few—around a hundred riders—but to the disorganized, fleeing imperial troops, they were a nightmare incarnate.
"Show the Valkans the might of Theseito!! Make sure they never dare approach this place again!! Strebr will be the empire's graveyard!!!"
"For Lord Redelmo!! For Theseito!!"
The charging Theseito medium cavalry overran the imperial rear. Lances and heavy horses crushed the panic-stricken imperials, annihilating the legion soldiers.
"Save our troops! 58th Archer Unit, keep firing! Don't spare the arrows! Archers, fire at will!!"
"51st and 52nd Heavy Infantry, charge and form a phalanx! 59th Cavalry, sortie! Cut through the enemy's center!!"
Nevertheless, thanks to 5th Legion Commander Derian's apt commands, the imperial forces prevented further losses.
Seeing the Valkan Empire's light cavalry sortie, Cordelia judged that further pursuit risked encirclement and ordered a retreat.
"Tch... the 5th Legion, huh... A bit disappointing. I thought we could wipe out at least one infantry unit."
"Don't worry too much, Adjutant. After tasting bitter defeat today, won't they tuck tail and head home? Hahaha!"
"I hope so... Let's withdraw for now!"
The second day of the Battle of Strebr Fortress ended, leaving countless imperial corpses behind.
"...What are the casualties?"
At Prince Franz's grim voice, 1st Legion Commander Baron Hasau reported in a low tone.
"1st Legion's 12th Heavy Infantry half-destroyed, 13th, 15th, 16th Light Infantry annihilated, 4th Legion's 44th Light Infantry annihilated... 45th and 46th Light Infantry..."
"Enough!! What's the total troop loss? Summarize it."
Baron Hasau flinched and stepped back at Prince Franz's outburst, and 5th Legion Commander Derian continued the report.
"Approximately 5,000 casualties. 1,500 light infantry perished on the walls, and about 1,000 died retreating, trampled by our own troops."
"...And the wounded?"
"Around 1,000 are too severely injured for combat and have been sent back home. Another 1,500 should be fit for duty after a few days' rest."
"Sigh... That's about 4,000 troops lost since yesterday... And we haven't even scratched that damned fortress!!"
As Prince Franz vented his rage, the legion commanders and staff officers kept their mouths shut.
"First, request a one-day truce under the pretext of retrieving bodies. Cite disease prevention—they'll accept it."
"Your Highness! Giving them time risks reinforcements arriving!"
At the staff officer's remonstration, Prince Franz unleashed a ferocious aura never seen before, seizing the man's throat and drawing his sword from his waist.
"Kuhuk... Your Highness..."
"So... do you have a way to breach that fortress with continued assaults? Some brilliant stratagem to break their defenses? I hope you're not suggesting we just throw soldiers' lives away in blind attacks. Otherwise, I'll cut your head off right now."
"Kuh... I... I spoke out of turn... Please forgive me..."
Prince Franz dropped the staff officer to the ground and issued further orders.
"All staff officers, devise plans by tomorrow to strike that fortress somehow! Fail, and you'll lead the vanguard in the next assault!!"
The staff officers saluted under his savage glare and exited the tent.
"Legion commanders, tend to the troops and comfort the wounded. Morale must be rock bottom—distribute special rations and alcohol to boost spirits, gather elite soldiers, and clean the battlefield by tomorrow."
"A wise decision, Your Highness. It's essential to prevent morale from plummeting further at the sight of mutilated comrades."
"Sigh... At least the 5th Legion Commander understands. Send the short-term truce letter first. That way, we can clean the field safely..."
That night, a document bearing the imperial crown prince's seal for a short truce was delivered to Strebr Fortress. Count Redelmo chuckled and replied, permitting unarmed personnel to approach for body retrieval.
"My lord, was it necessary to accept? Leaving the bodies would have been more intimidating."
"Well... As they say, there's a risk of disease... We should let them hold funerals. Besides, dragging this out benefits us. Local lords will send reinforcements, and by now, aid should have departed from Kamaden Castle."
"But if reinforcements arrive and drive them off, won't your achievements diminish? Even if we must push harder...!!"
Bang!!!
"Adjutant Cordelia! Don't misunderstand! War is no one's path to promotion! It's only honorable sacrifice for the homeland!! Me, you, our fallen soldiers since yesterday, even the Valkan troops!! All sacrifice for their countries. So, personal glory means nothing if it reduces that sacrifice. My duty and will is to repel the enemy with minimal losses and maximum gains."
"Forgive me, my lord. I spoke out of turn."
As Cordelia bowed deeply, Count Redelmo patted her head and helped her up.
"You're still young, so such ambition is natural. But to win wars, value soldiers' lives. That's how nations and futures endure. Even victory means nothing if too many die. Remember my words!!"
"Yes, my lord!! I'll engrave your advice like gold and jade into my bones."
"Hahaha, no need to go that far... Let's have a light drink! May our fallen soldiers rest in peace today... And may the countless slain enemies find peaceful slumber in death..."
"Yes, my lord!"
Cordelia gazed at her superior with eyes full of respect as she slowly raised her glass.