Chapter 106
Chapter 106
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: The Trap Springs Shut
-----------------------------------------------------------------
With more than twice the available troops, especially boasting a large number of light cavalry, Sancho exploited this advantage in textbook fashion.
"Waaaaah!"
"Louder!"
"Hraaaaaah!"
The core tactic was to pressure the enemy's rear and flanks with light cavalry, herding them toward the center, then annihilate the encircled foes with an all-out assault leveraging numerical superiority—a method the kingdom army often employed in field battles.
Most enemies, wary of cavalry mobility and charges, could be easily maneuvered simply by having the light cavalry advance and retreat while keeping their distance.
"The enemy isn't moving."
"...This won't be easy."
The kingdom army facing the Red Dragon Legion struggled from the very first step.
-Tatata-tatang!
"Hup...!"
"Pull back further!"
The riflemen encircling the formation's perimeter seemed to know the cavalry had no intention of charging, holding their ground and firing without retreat.
They maintained about 150 meters of distance, inflicting minimal actual damage, but the small bows carried by the light cavalry couldn't pierce the Red Dragon Legion's armor either.
The kingdom army's cavalry lacked any means to strike the Red Dragon Legion at this range as well.
"Damn it, us too...!"
-Tatata-tang!
Some cavalry had risked enemy cavalry raids to slip into the Red Dragon Legion's rear, but the riflemen surrounding every unit left no blind spots.
The Red Dragon Legion checked the cavalry with staggered firing, minimizing gaps in their barrage.
"Urk!"
-Hiiing!
"Ugh, the horse got hit!"
Like getting soaked in a drizzle, lucky hits from bullets gradually whittled down the cavalry.
"...Can't we just charge?"
"Hold position. If you want to run off and commit suicide alone, I won't stop you."
"..."
The cavalry on the scene, well aware that a reckless charge would leave them riddled with holes, could only circle endlessly around the square formation.
"What the hell are they doing right now?!"
"The enemy keeps advancing! Why aren't they fighting properly?!"
To make matters worse, the Red Dragon Legion maintained its square formation and steadily pushed forward, forcing the cavalry back. Kingdom army officers watching from the hilltop raised their voices in frustration.
"From up here, it's wide open—we can see the gaps..."
"Even as they advance, those gaps hold steady, so the enemy must be maintaining them intentionally. We can't just rush in."
"Ugh... Let's just charge! We've got over 20,000 infantry—what's there to fear?"
"...!"
Weary of the stalemate, the officers leaned toward Alfredo's bold proposal over Sancho's cautious approach.
"Baron Alfredo Blas. You seem brimming with confidence. If you'll lead the vanguard, I approve the charge."
"..."
Of course, Alfredo quietly sat back down at Sancho's single remark.
"It's a shame the royal cavalry isn't here. If they were..."
"It would've been nice if they broke the formation... but what can we do? If the enemy cavalry had returned intact, our situation would've been even worse."
Sancho felt the same frustration.
If they couldn't halt the Red Dragon Legion's advance like this, the kingdom army would be pushed off the hill.
After much deliberation, Sancho decided.
"We need to attack now! While they haven't closed those gaps—that's our chance!"
"...Relay to the cavalry. All cavalry except the 3rd and 7th units disrupting the rear are to join the infantry in annihilating the two lead enemy units. Instruct the infantry to attack on signal as well."
"Understood!"
In the end, following Alfredo's fervent argument, Sancho ordered an attack on the lead units by exploiting the gaps between the Red Dragon Legion's forces.
"Finally...!"
"Time to give them a taste of bitterness!"
As excited officers shouted, several messengers carrying Sancho's orders departed the command tent.
Around the same time.
The kingdom army officers on the front lines were also rifling through their pockets of strategies, discussing ways to break the Red Dragon Legion's solid square formation.
"Can we charge?"
"Their advance speed is no joke. We'd struggle alone—we need to move with the infantry..."
Various opinions emerged: preemptive charge, hold position for a prolonged battle, and more.
"...So we have no choice but to go through those gaps."
"That's my take. No chance of breaking through head-on."
With no vulnerabilities visible except the intervals between Red Dragon Legion units, their conclusion mirrored Sancho's decision.
They couldn't be certain those intervals were true weaknesses, but it seemed more realistic than charging the square formation directly.
"Order: penetrate the left gap and hit the rear of the enemy lead unit!"
"So it came to this."
"I trust His Excellency's judgment."
Sancho's orders arrived shortly after, aligning with the field officers' assessment, so they prepared to break through accordingly.
"Whew..."
Unsure of what lay behind each square formation, but confirming the enemy was prepared even on the flanks, they waited tensely for the charge signal.
"Charge!"
"Waaaaah!"
A small infantry detachment went in first, probing the gaps between formations.
-Flutter.
"Our turn now! Let's go!"
The cavalry waiting on both sides of the Red Dragon Legion charged in alongside them.
-Tatata-tatang!
"Gahk..."
"Don't stop! If we halt, the allies behind us die!"
"Uwaaak!"
"Keep running, run!"
The cavalry plunged into the thickening gray smoke.
"This way! Everyone, follow me!"
Except for a few who lost their way in the smoke, the cavalry reached the midpoint of the gaps between units.
Unfortunately for them,
"Rifles!"
"What?"
-Tatata-tang!
The Red Dragon Legion, spaced just right to avoid friendly fire, opened up on the intruders.
"Aaaak!"
"What do we do?!"
"Keep advancing! Don't stop!"
The cavalry pressed toward the unit rears, absorbing fire from both sides, but the rear riflemen finished their volley and melted away between the advancing pikemen.
The cavalry officer scanned the surroundings.
The small infantry detachment that had charged with them hadn't even reached this point, shredded by concentrated fire.
-Tatata-tang!
The allied cavalry charging from the opposite side faced the exact same predicament.
Moreover, other enemy units—previously distant—were closing in while maintaining their square formations.
The cavalry that had been checking them had retreated under attack from the Red Dragon Legion's own cavalry, but those trapped in the enemy's midst had no way of knowing.
"...Ha."
He let out a hollow laugh.
They were already caught in the trap, with no way out.
"...We charge."
"Uwaaaaaah!"
The surviving cavalry few charged the glaring pikemen for their allies' sake.
"In!"
-Stab!
"Kraaak..."
"Ugh..."
Regardless of their resolve, the lightly armed and armored light cavalry inflicted no damage on the formation and were crushed.
"Run! We have to close with the enemy!"
The main infantry force, which had begun its charge upon seeing the cavalry move, was faring no better.
-Tatata-tang!
"Argh!"
"Don't drop your shields!"
Starting from afar, the infantry—armored soldiers in the lead—wasn't fast enough.
The Red Dragon Legion riflemen, knowing this, didn't retreat until the enemy was nearly upon them, forcing the infantry to endure prolonged fire.
Before the infantry could widen the gaps between Red Dragon Legion units, the enemy closed them first by advancing.
"Push!"
-Thud. Crunch!
"Kyaak!"
"Rush in! Grab them!"
Soldiers who somehow closed the distance were greeted by pikemen spear tips.
"Enemy approaching!"
-Tatata-tang!
Confirming the lead unit was the target, rear Red Dragon Legion units advanced, positioning like chess pieces to target the kingdom army.
The kingdom army, aiming to encircle the lead units with superior numbers, struggled against the flanking pikemen and exposed their sides to the approaching units' fire.
Even the riflemen thought to have fallen back moved independently to join the barrage with other units.
"U, uwa..."
"Don't panic! Stick together!"
"Shut up! G-get out of the way!"
"What? U, uwaaak!"
The kingdom army's morale, made up largely of mercenaries, plummeted rapidly, with some shoving comrades aside and fleeing on their own.
-Tang! Tatatang!
"What?!"
"The rear! Enemies in the rear too!"
Confirming most cavalry neutralized, the Red Dragon Legion cavalry ravaged the kingdom army fixated on the front.
"What the hell... Damn it, retreat—no, reposition!"
"What?"
"Look at the satchels! The charge failed—we're already taking fire from the rear!"
"We need to keep pushing..."
"Take it up with Lord Sancho! We're falling back to this point!"
This spurred the mercenary captains hesitating over heavy losses; using the satchels Sancho had distributed as an excuse, they withdrew to the rear.
They claimed it was for regrouping and counterattack, but it was effectively unauthorized retreat.
"Where are those guys going?"
"...Retreating?"
"Shit... We retreat too!"
One mercenary unit's retreat triggered others nearby without hesitation, collapsing the kingdom army's formation in an instant.
"...Hold the line! If we turn back too, our allies are done for!"
Some regular troops tried to weather the Red Dragon Legion's counterattack to cover the retreat, but
-Dududududu.
"Raise your pikes...!"
-Kwaaang!
The infantry, disorganized in close quarters, couldn't withstand the 1,500 medium cavalry charge.
Troops waiting in the rear turned tail instead of advancing further.
"...We lost?"
"No way... This can't be!"
Kingdom army officers, who had been elated expecting an easy win, paled at the sight of their routing allies.
"Haa..."
Sancho lowered his baton limply, which he'd been waving relentlessly.
He'd anticipated a tough victory and positioned reserves for retreat, but defeat wasn't welcome even for him.
"Why are they running?! The battle isn't over yet!"
His displeasure showed on his face as he approached Alfredo, who was still yelling as if oblivious to the situation.
"Baron Blas."
"..."
"Do you get it now? Why I said we needed to buy time?"
Alfredo bowed his head, unable to meet Sancho's eyes.
His mind, already bereft of forces, swirled with anxiety and worry.
"No more objections, I trust. We'll fall back to Ordoba."
"..."
The officers, having paid with half their strength for this lesson, silently acquiesced. The kingdom army's remnants retreated to Ordoba.