Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Trustworthy Elves
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I realized anew, in several senses, just how trustworthy the elves were.
On a battlefield where tens of thousands of lives hung in the balance, grinning for no reason was something to avoid.
"Haha..."
The enemy forces that had sneaked around to the rear collided with my reserves deployed to block their path, then turned back toward the main battlefield as if giving up.
Watching Vittorio's series of maneuvers unfold on the minimap, I couldn't help but chuckle.
"What's so funny, General?"
"This battle looks like it'll wrap up nicely too."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. The elves stepped up aggressively. The dwarves held strong as well."
And the overall situation was favorable enough that there'd be no need for excuses.
The dwarven forces up front had effectively blunted the orcs' charges, draining their momentum.
The elves of Labria in the rear lacked the breakthrough power to punch through us at the valley entrance, so after a brief clash, they withdrew swiftly.
The orcs in the rear had initially focused on the Imperial forces blocking their path, but their attention scattered immediately when ambushed from other directions.
With the allied encirclement reinforced and no weak points left, the orcs inside had no chance of breaking out on their own.
"...Did we win?"
"Too early to let our guard down, but it's almost over."
The orcs, stripped of most emotions, weren't fully susceptible to confusion or fear from ambushes, so their resistance remained fierce.
But securing an encirclement in advantageous terrain was already a great position.
Their large builds, once a strength, now hindered each other, leaving the trapped foes to be whittled down helplessly.
Intentions aside, with the elves aggressively striking the flanks of the densely packed orcs, annihilation didn't seem particularly difficult.
"They'll never surrender. Focus on total extermination."
"Understood!"
In the end, the plan had executed smoothly this time too, and now I knew the elves were always like this.
So I didn't resent Vittorio or feel much regret.
"...This should be interesting."
I was just a bit curious how he'd interpret what had happened to him.
---
"I was worried the bows might be too small, but the power is impressive."
"...Is that right."
Victor hadn't bothered explaining the intent behind his reserves' movements to the other officers, so the Imperial troops carrying it out simply saw it as a routine ambush proceeding as planned.
"..."
But the elves couldn't read those thoughts.
For whatever reason, Salvatore had no choice but to suspect the Imperial forces perfectly positioned to thwart their plans.
"Yes. And the timing of the ambush was perfect! Look at them floundering around, clueless!"
"I see... Hmm..."
Once suspicion took root, Stefan's innocent demeanor only heightened their unease.
They kept glancing nervously at the Imperial officers.
"...Ugh."
Vittorio and the elves around him were suffering just the same.
Mental communication was undeniably useful on the battlefield—which was why the elves, who rarely used messengers or other signals, relied on it so heavily.
But with most non-combat troops thrust into battle unexpectedly,
"Tch..."
"My arm...! No, it's fine."
the downsides emerged: confusion in the links, cries of pain or agony bleeding through from elves on the front lines.
"Ugh, urgh!"
"Commander!"
Vittorio, as overall commander, was especially strained, bombarded by mental reports and issuing orders while his mental energy drained rapidly. Maintaining focus was growing impossible.
-Boom!
"Push! We're almost there!"
"Raaah!"
Regardless of the elves' turmoil, the allied troops unaware of their scheme pressed the orcs with rising momentum.
The dwarves had dismissed the first Imperial-elf ambush on the opposite side as irrelevant to their sector.
But the second, close enough to see with the naked eye, swiftly boosted their morale.
"The enemy's center is collapsing!"
"Keep firing!"
The orcs, who had endured with tough hides and resilient vitality, gradually crumbled under the relentless volleys from the Imperial longbowmen.
-Swish. Thwack!
"...Their movements are different, that's for sure."
"Fast. Incredibly so."
The elf warriors joining the Imperial reserves showcased their signature agility, cutting down orcs left and right.
-Thud!
"Charlie!"
"Damn it... Help! I can't hold them alone!"
Blood was spilled facing multiple orcs, but the horde filling the valley was thinning rapidly.
-Thud thud thud thud.
"Charge!"
"Let's go!"
In response, the allies committed all reserves, including the Imperial cavalry from the rear, to mop up the orcs' scattered resistance.
"The end's in sight. Ha..."
"This was just their vanguard, right? ...Whew."
Karigo's main force remained, so it wasn't total victory yet.
But the Battle of Bertie Forest was an allied triumph.
---
With the orcs fighting to the last, the battle didn't end until late evening.
Accounting for half a day's accumulated fatigue, the representatives gathered at central command agreed to hold the full debrief the next morning.
They returned to their tents to savor victory, collapse into sleep, or otherwise recover.
"..."
But late that night, Vittorio alone sought out Victor's lit tent.
"What is it?"
"I need to speak urgently with Commander Victor about today's battle."
"...Understood."
He crossed the Imperial camp calmly stating his business,
"...Hey."
"...? Oh, why are you here?"
"Is this Commander Victor's tent?"
"Yes, it is."
"I'd like to talk with him."
"Uh... Please wait a moment."
"Mm."
Suppressing his rising frustration, he called over a nearby soldier and relayed his intent.
"You're cleared to enter."
"Good."
Vittorio had braced for outright refusal, but fortunately, Victor granted the audience.
Irked even by the need for permission, Vittorio steadied his expression with a deep breath and pushed open the tent flap.
-Rustle.
Seeing the flap move, Victor set down his papers, rubbed his face, and relaxed his features.
"...I thought it was a mix-up. What do you want?"
"..."
Vittorio's haggard face caught the tent's firelight.
He glanced at Anna and Erika beside Victor,
"I have private questions. Could you ask the others to step out?"
He requested a private meeting with uncharacteristically polite elven courtesy.
"...Anna. Take Erika and wait outside."
"Got it. Come on."
"Ah, okay."
Victor, who had been staring piercingly at Vittorio's face, grinned and sent them out.
-Rustle.
"Listen, Victor."
"What?"
Vittorio peeked outside, confirmed no one nearby,
"Just how much do you know?"
"Hm?"
He asked vaguely, assuming Victor would grasp the implication.
-Step. Step.
"...If you don't want to answer, let me rephrase. Is there something you want from me?"
"..."
But Victor merely stared silently at Vittorio, now inches away.
His enigmatic expression offered no reply.
"Say something, will you?"
Unlike Victor's leisure, Vittorio couldn't hide his desperation.
He knew coincidences didn't repeat twice.
He needed to gauge how much Victor had pierced his intentions.
-Tap. Tap. Tap.
Victor drummed his fingers on the table while eyeing the intrusive face,
"Well. I'm not sure exactly what you're getting at."
Then slapped the desk and stood,
"Now..."
"'Did you plant a spy inside to scout our movements?' Or something."
"...!"
As he stepped to Vittorio's side, murmuring softly.
"'How did you know our position?' Maybe."
"..."
"'Did you read my mind and position troops accordingly?' Lots of good questions come to mind."
Standing beside him, Victor placed a hand on his shoulder,
"Think carefully. What you should ask, and what answer you need from me."
He whispered to the now-rigid Vittorio.
"I'm not thrilled right now... but we won, so if you ask the right question, I'll give a decent answer."
A bead of sweat dripped from Vittorio's hand to the floor.