Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Baited into the Trap
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Gerhard, at Victor's request, dispersed his forces and moved with the utmost care for concealment.
Combined with Victor's thorough blockade and harassment of their scouts, the Imperial Army's reported size to the Kingdom forces advancing on the Shene front under Bevis Lefebvre's command was just around 20,000.
Confident in their numerical superiority, Bevis's troops pressed on.
-Boom!
"This can't be happening!"
Contrary to the reports, the Kingdom army encountered an Imperial main force exceeding 30,000 strong near Lake Apitello.
"It's over 30,000 at a glance! What was all that nonsense about barely 20,000? And Gerhard himself has come this way!"
"The enemy's raids were intense, making scout operations difficult. So..."
Viscount Mathieu Delong, responsible for reconnaissance, stammered excuses in a dazed half-stupor.
He felt as if he'd been possessed by a ghost.
They'd dispatched scouts as usual, but fewer than 5% returned—that was the start of it.
Mathieu had varied their routes and timings, prioritizing survival above all, but the results didn't change.
He'd even sent small strike teams to hit the ambushers targeting their scouts, but the Imperials never pursued deep, as if they knew everything.
This was due to Victor pinpointing scout positions via his minimap and ambushing them, though the Kingdom army had no way of knowing that.
For the Kingdom army, with its small regular force, scouts were assets as precious as officers, so Mathieu nearly abandoned reconnaissance altogether.
At best, he'd roughly gauged the enemy scale with a hard-won dwarven telescope, but one scope couldn't cover everything.
"Nonsense! Since when did the enemy just stand by and watch?"
"...My apologies."
Mathieu bowed his head under Bevis's rebuke.
It was frustrating that the Empire's scouting had suddenly improved so dramatically, but he hadn't fulfilled his duty regardless.
"...The battle plan was a fake. Send messengers to Count Etoile and Count Chartier! Tell them the plan was bogus, and over 30,000 troops are deployed here!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Hoo..."
Bevis dispatched messengers with the enemy intel to his allies, then seriously contemplated retreat.
The Kingdom army, inferior in troop quality, suffered heavy defeats whenever clashing with equal numbers of Imperials—not to mention under the famed Gerhard's command.
Moreover, the terrain where they'd encountered the Imperials was a wide plain ideal for cavalry.
For a Kingdom force with only a handful of light cavalry, it was a nightmare battlefield.
Yet Kingdom marches were slow by nature, and retreating after contact was even harder than advancing.
The distance between the Imperial and Kingdom armies was a mere 3 kilometers now.
Even perfectly trained regulars struggled to retreat in such conditions; a conscript-heavy army like theirs would lose cohesion the instant they turned, likely collapsing entirely—Bevis knew this well.
"What's the enemy's deployment like?"
Instead of ordering retreat, Bevis prepared to engage the Imperials head-on.
"Around 7,000 on the left flank, 15,000 in the center, and 10,000 on the right. Their cavalry is mostly on the right."
"Hmm."
The Imperials had adopted a textbook deployment emphasizing their right flank, prompting the Kingdom officers to debate countermeasures.
"Place our main force on the left to defend!"
"No. Deploy to our right where they're thinner—exploit their gap!"
With a shortage of officers, the Kingdom army couldn't manage fine maneuvers at small-unit levels, so their meeting focused on initial deployments.
"The enemy center and right fly Gerhard and Friedrich's banners; the left has an unfamiliar one. Their armament looks relatively weak, so how about concentrating our attack there?"
"An unfamiliar banner... Yeah. That sounds good."
With intel on the 1st Temporary Legion holding the Imperial left flank, consensus formed to target it as the main point of assault, given its apparent vulnerabilities.
Conscripts could only maintain morale with a clear numerical edge, making it the Kingdom army's sole viable strategy: pit their main force against the enemy's thinnest spot for a quick rout.
"There are several small woods around the enemy left flank—easy for hiding troops. They might be using it as bait for an ambush."
"An ambush..."
One officer raised the possibility of Imperial trickery, but Bevis figured even accounting for that, this offered the best shot at victory.
The Imperials had to defend Roshel, Shene, and Triel with around 50,000 total.
"They've already shown over 30,000. They might be baiting, but they need troops at Roshel and Triel too, and the woods aren't large enough for big numbers. With our cavalry, we can block their left's retreat and annihilate any ambushers."
Bevis assumed 32,000 was their limit; a massive ambush would mean defeat anyway, so he discounted it.
Plus, doubting if troops would obey orders to assault Gerhard's 15,000 center or cavalry-heavy right.
"Viscount Mathieu Delong, dispatch scouts to check the woods for ambushers. Signal immediately if you spot any."
"Yes, sir."
Bevis ordered Mathieu to prepare countermeasures,
"12,000 including reserves on our right, 10,000 center, 9,000 left. 2,000 cavalry support the right; another 2,000 back the center and left."
He went all-in, placing ~14,000 including reserves and cavalry on the right to counter potential ambushes.
Typically reserves went center to shore up weak points, but to boost morale, their right needed to overwhelm the Imperial left.
"..."
The Kingdom officers exchanged glances at the order,
"I'll command the right personally. Baron Daniel Renault takes center; Baron Georges Arto, the left."
Bevis took the riskiest role himself.
With retreat impossible, it was his resolve to inflict maximum damage.
"Yes, sir."
"Understood."
The highest-ranking Bevis volunteering for danger silenced objections; they obeyed.
"Baron Jean Farrado, lead the right's light cavalry to support my flank and target the enemy left's side. Baron Charles Becker, take the rest of the cavalry and support our center and left."
"Yes!"
"As you command."
"Baron Daniel Renault, disrupt their center's support to our left as much as possible."
"Confirmed!"
"Baron Georges Arto, your role is crucial. They've concentrated on their right—hold against it."
"Defense favors the defender! I'll stop them."
"...Right."
Bevis swallowed bitterness, issuing detailed orders.
He'd already pegged victory chances as slim upon misjudging their size.
Georges claimed he could hold, but Kingdom infantry barely able to wield spears couldn't stop elite Imperial medium cavalry.
Nor could 10,000 green troops pin 15,000 skilled foes easily.
But with no word yet from Gaston and Auguste halting their advance, Bevis hoped they'd swiftly beat a smaller Imperial force and retake the Bildornew River bank.
If so, he'd gladly be the sacrifice.
"Let's go. Show these Imperial bastards Brotan Kingdom's might!"
"Yes, sir!"
Resolved to bleed the Imperials dry, Bevis rallied his officers and headed to command the right flank.
"Allow me to explain the situation."
I unrolled a map simply marking the local terrain and began confidently, as always.
"The Brotan Kingdom army has split into three. Their commander, Count Bevis Lefebvre, leads 15,000 on their right. Under him, Baron Daniel Renault commands 10,000 center; Baron Georges Arto, 10,000 left."
Referencing the tactical map, I placed markers for enemy and our forces.
"Their intent is obvious."
As Gerhard said, officer shortages and weak control made the Kingdom army inflexible, their plans transparent in deployments—unlike us.
"Exactly. As intended, they'll focus on our left, held by the 1st Temporary Legion and 8th Army's 7th Infantry Regiment."
"Hmm."
Having led conscripts extensively in Ruth Kingdom, I could predict the Brotan response—mostly conscripts themselves.
"Just as you said. Maximizing local superiority somewhere to sustain morale?"
"Yes."
Without reward promises or force edges, conscripts crumbled fast—especially attacking.
To counter, they'd seek local superiority; placing the obscure 1st Temporary Legion left lured their concentration there.
"We'll proceed as planned, then."
"Yes. Once battle joins, our left feigns defeat and retreat, luring their right deep. Then center reserves, reformed left, and the hidden 10th Army cavalry regiment on our left rear encircle and smash them—the Kingdom army collapses instantly."
"..."
"Can the 1st Temporary Legion pull it off?"
Safely retreating then counterattacking after facing the main enemy was tough for average troops.
8th Army officers doubted the 1st Temporary,
"No one can outperform the 1st Temporary Legion."
"...? Understood."
10th Army officers who'd seen their training chimed in; doubts faded.
"Then our right attacks their left, left advances to flank their center."
"Yes. They've put most cavalry on their right. 8th Army's 2nd and 3rd Cavalry Regiments can shatter it, right?"
"Of course!"
Regiment leader Franz Oliver of the 8th Army 2nd Cavalry responded with assurance.
"Good. No need to delay."
Gerhard stood, drawing his crude, worn sword instead of his baton.
"Commence battle. To your positions!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Right away, Commander!"
Officers scattered with vigorous replies; I waited, rising last.
"Deputy Commander Victor. See it through to the end."
Gerhard said lowly as I exited the tent.
"I'll show you why they call me Invincible."
"Heh."
I had no intention of half-assing a battle deciding everyone's fate, revealing my confidence without humility.