Chapter 101
Chapter 101
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 101
Chapter Title: Defiant Advance
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"Let's go! Drive out the enemies!"
"They may outnumber us, but they're just mercenaries scraped together with money! They're no match for us!"
Officers from the 5th Legion, including Kai Schuh, dashed through the advancing troops, rallying the soldiers.
"Deputy Legion Commander Axel Lübeck's orders! Halt the advance!"
A messenger arrived bearing Axel's command, but...
"No! This is our golden opportunity while the enemy hasn't formed proper ranks!"
"What...!"
"Go back and tell him! We're pressing on!"
Kai, who had earned Volker's trust second only to Florian and now stood as the representative of the discontented officers, bellowed at the messenger to pressure him.
The messenger was stunned by Kai's response, which ignored the order entirely.
"This is insubordination! The deputy commander will..."
"Ha. You want us to follow the orders of that guy who's selling out Lord Volker and now trying to sell us out too?"
"...!"
"The Red Dragon Legion may have crossed Ceres Pass, but we've fully pacified Al Kante. We have no reason to yield to them—so why should we keep bowing our heads?"
"..."
"Go back and relay our intentions."
Under the officers' fierce glares, the messenger fled like a scared rabbit.
"...Is this really okay?"
"Are you worried?"
"..."
Baron Kurt Brohner, standing nearby, asked cautiously.
Kai glanced at the officers wearing expressions of unease similar to Kurt's, then flashed a grin.
"What's the problem? His Majesty ordered the conquest of the Esperia Kingdom, and we're carrying it out, aren't we?"
"That's true, but..."
"What matters is the result. As long as we keep racking up achievements, even Victor, who's so favored by His Majesty, won't be able to touch us lightly."
"What about Deputy Commander Axel and Baron Palz?"
"Oh, you mean Victor's lackeys?"
"..."
Despite Kai's confident retort, the officers' faces didn't brighten.
They had gained confidence from fully seizing what was practically an empty Al Kante.
And on that confidence, they had moved their forces alongside Kai as promised.
"...Then we have to win. We only control about 6,000 troops."
"The enemy has nearly 10,000 cavalry alone..."
Now facing a daunting battle head-on, the officers couldn't shake their worries.
"...Haha. Now that we're on the battlefield, your concerns are growing, eh?"
Kai gave a small sneer at the officers.
"I told you before. Do you really think it's fine to betray General Volker?"
He shot a hard glare at the shaken officers.
"To him, we're nothing but a band of traitors. Just as you turned your backs on General Volker so easily, Victor will discard us without a second thought."
"Legion Commander Victor surely..."
"Don't you get it yet? As long as we keep following his lead, we'll always be at his mercy, begging for his favor."
"That..."
"The choice is yours. You can pull back now. But this is our only chance to prove our worth to His Majesty."
The officers, harboring lingering unease and dissatisfaction, fell silent at Kai's pointed words.
"And besides, we won't be fighting alone."
Kai smiled again to lighten the mood.
"Victor hasn't completely excluded us from the battlefield. That means they still need us, and Deputy Commander Axel has no choice but to watch our backs."
"...I see."
The officers' expressions softened slightly at the assurance that the rest of the Imperial Army would move too.
"They'll move eventually. And when they do, won't the credit for victory go to us at the vanguard?"
As if confirming Kai's words...
"The Red Dragon Legion is on the move!"
"...Really?"
"Didn't I tell you? They have no choice but to move."
"..."
Word spread that the Red Dragon Legion and the rest of the 5th Legion's forces were advancing.
"...Yeah, whatever. We just need to win!"
"Let's do this!"
"Backing off now would be foolish anyway. Charge!"
Kai hadn't presented a clear strategy for victory, but it was enough to push the officers already committed to the field.
In the end, the officers convinced by Kai regained their confidence and raised their spirits.
Volker was a general sensible enough not to mistreat his key officers, so Kai's 4,000 troops were elite forces including 2,000 cavalry.
True to their elite status, they led the 5th Legion's vanguard.
"Follow me! Charge!"
"What's this? Advancing?"
"Should we follow?"
"Uh... maybe we should."
When the vanguard shouted the advance and set off, some of the soldiers waiting behind followed hesitantly, resulting in nearly half the 5th Legion's forces moving out.
"The enemy on the left flank is climbing the hill!"
"...What about the Red Dragon Legion?"
"They're moving toward the left flank forces. They're still too far to join immediately."
"Perfect chance. Execute Plan 2!"
Sancho didn't miss the opportunity to target the 5th Legion's strength first, prioritizing them over the dangerous Red Dragon Legion.
"...All units, advance."
"Yes, sir!"
Axel, realizing it was too late to control Kai's forces, reluctantly led his troops to follow.
"We'll move out too and support the 5th Legion."
Victor, unwilling to waste his forces pointlessly, detected the Kingdom army's focus on the 5th Legion and shifted to support them, but...
"The Red Dragon Legion is coming around to our rear?"
"Yes, sir."
To Kai, that movement looked entirely different.
"...Look. They're not attacking our vulnerable opposite flank—they're rushing to finish off the enemy we've weakened!"
"The legion commander is sending support..."
"Before they steal our role, we need to rack up solid achievements!"
"...No helping it, then."
"Pick up the pace!"
Before the misunderstanding could be cleared, Kai raised his voice, dismissing the messenger, and the officers' agitation grew.
As a result, the 5th Legion's advance accelerated.
Toward that 5th Legion, the Kingdom army troops surged.
"Charge!"
"For Esperia!"
As planned, a small force of heavy cavalry charged down the slope toward Kai's cavalry.
"Charge!"
"Waaaaah!"
The mercenary infantry, who had banded together to engage, fought the 5th Legion infantry and, per Sancho's pocket strategy, gradually widened their formation sideways.
-Boom!
"Argh!"
"You needed twice as many to beat us!"
Kai's cavalry, superior in both quality and numbers, pushed back the Kingdom heavy cavalry despite the unfavorable terrain, but...
"Enemy cavalry!"
"Form up! Square formation!"
The relatively freer light cavalry targeted the 5th Legion's flanks and Axel's supporting forces, drawing their attention.
"The enemy is retreating!"
"Yeah, mercenaries always do this!"
Meanwhile, the central mercenaries battling the Imperial infantry began their retreat on Sancho's orders from the hilltop, luring the 5th Legion infantry deeper.
"They're collapsing too fast. Something's fishy!"
"...No, we pursue until they're pushed off the hill! Go!"
One officer suspected it was too early for collapse, but since they were indeed pushing back the mercenaries with superior gear and skill...
Kai, briefly doubting the enemy's intent, weighed the gains and ordered pursuit.
The 5th Legion infantry, convinced of victory, sped up to chase them.
"The enemy is pursuing!"
"This is the pocket. ...I see. Now it's our turn!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Kingdom officers on site judged the lure successful and prepared to envelop the protruding enemy infantry.
Regular troops hidden behind the mercenaries rushed down to hit the flanks, and the retreating mercenaries wheeled back to pin the 5th Legion.
"Enemies on the flank! Regulars!"
"The front is reforming too!"
"Suddenly? ...Damn it. Halt the pursuit! Hold formation—reinforcements are coming!"
The 5th Legion officers couldn't keep up with the Kingdom army's swift maneuvers, and the vanguard only stopped the chase after already being surrounded.
"Keep advancing! We have to rescue our allies!"
"Cavalry coming from the left!"
"Dieter! Protect the flank! Don't let them break through!"
Axel's forces struggled to rescue Kai's, but with only infantry left, they were stalled by the Kingdom light cavalry hammering their sides and couldn't gain speed.
"...They're running."
"They turned tail the moment they saw us."
"Ha..."
Moreover, the light cavalry maximized their mobility, avoiding the Red Dragon Legion cavalry that arrived first and relentlessly harassing only the 5th Legion.
"Damn... come at us if you dare! No matter how many, we won't yield!"
They even checked Kai's cavalry, slowed by the clash with heavy cavalry, leaving the 5th Legion bound hand and foot, forced to await Red Dragon Legion aid.
"Hold on! Reinforcements are coming!"
Kai, feeling unease as things didn't go as planned, desperately commanded his cavalry without losing hope.
"...Did it work?"
"Impressive, sir."
"Not over yet. We need to watch a bit more, but..."
A smile crept across Sancho's lips as he observed the chaotic yet systematic battle.
"Not bad at all."
He was especially pleased with the cavalry moving just as he intended.
-Tatata-tatang!
Even amid this, the Red Dragon Legion steadily advanced, skirmishing to push back the Kingdom cavalry circling nearby as the 5th Legion wished, but...
"...The 5th Legion is on the verge of encirclement. Increase speed?"
"No."
Despite the smooth advance, Victor's face was edged with barely contained fury.
"They need time to realize what they've done."
"..."
Having confirmed Kai's actions, Victor no longer saw the 5th Legion as allies to stand back-to-back with.
The officers, seeing Victor like this for the first time or after a long while, quietly bowed their heads and followed his orders.