Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The King's Flight and Capture
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When the infantry of both sides clashed, the Empire's cavalry circled the flanks, pressuring the kingdom army to keep them from stretching their lines any further.
The cavalry, divided into two wings of 4,000 riders each, didn't even need to charge straight at the kingdom forces.
-Thundering hooves...
"What is that sound... H-heck!"
"Ugh... My head's ringing..."
The massive sound of hooves pounding from every direction, the vibrations felt through their entire bodies despite the distance—it all stirred anxiety in the conscripts.
"C-cavalry!"
"...Those aren't monsters, are they?"
"We have to fight those things?"
When the cavalry appeared—knights clad head to toe in armor, towering over three meters tall—the conscripts, who had no real battle experience, felt terror just from watching them move around the perimeter.
"Uwaaack!"
"Eek... G-get out of the way!"
"I'm on the inside! Get out here!"
As the Empire's cavalry herded them like sheep, the soldiers meant to hold the flanks shoved their way inward, desperate to put any distance between themselves and the horsemen.
"The enemy is attacking!"
"U-uaah...!"
This tendency accelerated as the Empire's infantry on both wings advanced, piling on the pressure.
"Attack the enemy's center!"
"What? Where are they going?"
"Move! I'm going too!"
To make matters worse, Guillaume's orders to concentrate everything on the center had the conscripts fleeing unhesitatingly toward the heart of their own lines.
With their first task complete, the Empire's cavalry leisurely shifted to the kingdom army's rear, preparing to charge.
"...Lord Loran Berry. Take the enemy cavalry on the left."
"Understood."
"For His Majesty the King!"
"Waaaaah!"
Unable to stand by any longer, Damien split his 3,000 cavalry into two groups and moved to the flanks, hoping to draw the attention of the Empire's riders.
Some of the Empire's cavalry reacted to the kingdom horsemen's maneuver, which seemed aimed at the thinly spread Empire infantry flanks, and turned to intercept. Damien and Loran goaded them with javelins and arrows, luring them away.
For the kingdom's cavalry—outnumbered and inferior in quality—the best they could hope for was to lure the enemy riders off the main battlefield together.
"Enemy cavalry heading this way!"
"Good. Lure them in and fall back!"
Assessing the full strength of an enemy force encountered suddenly on the battlefield was no easy task, and it was next to impossible for cavalry under orders to stay grouped to split up effectively and pursue a divided foe.
Damien and Loran figured at least half—or more—of the enemy cavalry would give chase.
The kingdom's light cavalry were confident in their speed, so they kept distance from their pursuers while galloping in the opposite direction from the main force.
However, the Empire's cavalry was under Victor's command.
"...Damn it all."
The pursuing Empire cavalry numbered only about 1,000 each.
"We need to get back to the battlefield! Move!"
The kingdom riders had half considered wheeling around to engage if only a small force followed, but 1,000 was too many for the poorly equipped kingdom troops to handle.
Desperate to draw out more enemy cavalry, the kingdom horsemen veered toward the Empire infantry lines, but the pursuers maneuvered skillfully, pinning them down instead.
"...Tch."
Damien realized at some point that their roles had reversed, but there was nothing they could do.
"Charge!"
"For the Dragonia Empire!"
"Waaaaah!"
The remaining 6,000 or so Empire cavalry struck the kingdom infantry's flanks and rear.
"Enemy cavalry hitting our rear!"
"Eee... Charge! Charge! We have to break through the front!"
Guillaume, figuring the thinnest enemy lines were straight ahead, screamed for a charge—but it turned out to be a fatal blunder.
"Ah, push forward! Hurry!"
"Further forward? ...How?"
"Go! I said go!"
Assaulted by cavalry and flanking infantry, the kingdom soldiers crammed inward to escape the enemy,
"Waaaaah!"
"Reinforcements have arrived! Everyone, push harder!"
but the Empire forces, bolstered in the center by their reserves, held firm.
"Enemy infantry attacking from the flank!"
"Flank? Y-you incompetent fools!"
With cavalry support, the Empire's wings crushed the kingdom's and then wheeled to hit their flanks as well. As the kingdom center stretched out, the Empire formation took on a gourd-like shape, gradually squeezing the noose tighter.
"Get out of the way, out of the... Uwaaack!"
"Watch the weapons!"
"Don't push, please, please! Stop pushing!"
Like slamming down a lid, the Empire cavalry pressed the rear, leaving the kingdom lines so cramped there was barely room to stand.
"Why are you stopping! Break through! The enemy is nearing their limit too!"
Knowing failure to break through meant horror ahead, Guillaume and his officers whipped the troops onward, but the kingdom charge only slowed.
"...Where? Where did they go?"
"Kaaack!"
"Enemies on the side too? Where are our own troops...!"
The Empire had enveloped the kingdom's central thrust, so the kingdom vanguard faced foes ahead, to the left, and right.
It shattered their morale in an instant,
"Don't lose heart! The enemy will break soo—Kaaack!"
"Lord Berto!"
"The count?"
"No, no! Stop the attack! We have to protect the count!"
"Wh-what do we do...?"
"Attack! Attack! We must avenge the count!"
and when Morris, directing the vanguard, took an arrow and fell from his horse, the kingdom troops—rudderless—devolved into a tangle of frantic orders.
"Lord Berto! Are you all right!"
"Ugh... Get me a horse!"
"...Yes, sir!"
Morris survived by a miracle, but it meant nothing.
The kingdom army, plunged into total chaos, could no longer press the attack.
Even the vanguard ground to a halt, leaving them unable to withstand the Empire's tightening encirclement.
"Stop! Everyone stop, I said!"
Guillaume's voice failed to reach the troops.
"N-no... Ugh! I'm being crushed! Don't trample me! Don't..."
"Aaaack! Help!"
"Stop it, stop I said! Halt... Kyaaaack!"
Conscripts recoiling from the enemy or turning to flee utterly wrecked the kingdom formation, impaling and trampling their own in the center.
"No escape now! Fight back!"
"Kill the enemy if you want to live!"
In a last bid, kingdom officers tried convincing the men that resistance was their only path to survival, but the Empire wouldn't allow it.
Relentlessly herding the kingdom forces,
"Th-there! That's an opening!"
"What?"
the Empire, convinced the enemy had lost all will to fight, adjusted their cavalry to leave a narrow exit at the kingdom rear.
"It's a trap! Don't run!"
"Spare me!"
"Ugh, get lost! I'm getting out! Get lost!"
"I'll cut down anyone who flees! Stop!"
"I don't want to die..."
"Mommy, Mommy!"
Thousands hurled themselves at the gap less than 30 meters wide.
Frenzied soldiers ignored all control, jamming forward, and the panic spread through the entire kingdom army in moments.
"Don't run blindly!"
"Go, hurry! Or I'll kill you!"
"L-let me go first, yeah? You said you have no family!"
"I'm surviving first! Out of my way!"
The already chaotic kingdom formation collapsed beyond recovery under the fleeing masses.
-Crunch! Stab!
"Kehuk..."
"The enemy is fleeing! Our moment!"
"Charge!"
"Waaaaah!"
The Empire troops, who had endured the kingdom assault, unleashed their pent-up fury and tore into them.
"I-I survi—"
-Boom!
"For the Empire's glory!"
"Waaaaah!"
Even those who barely escaped through the rear gap fell to Empire cavalry lying in wait nearby.
"..."
From the kingdom center, Guillaume watched the one-sided slaughter in a daze, lowering his arm.
Officers had scattered to control the men, leaving only Antoine at his side.
"This can't... This isn't right. ...A dream? It has to be a dream. It must be."
"...Your Highness?"
Facing catastrophic defeat, he muttered blankly,
"I-I'm the King of Brotan Kingdom. I can't die here."
then tore off his crown and ornate cloak with trembling hands.
"You! Give me your helmet, now!"
"Uh, uugh..."
Terror-stricken, Guillaume snatched a soldier's helmet, donned it, mounted a horse, and bolted for the rear exit.
Antoine chased after him in desperation.
"Your Highness! Where are you going!"
"Don't follow! The kingdom needs me alive! You hold them off to the end! Keep them from advancing further!"
"...Your Highness."
"Eek, uek!"
"Kuhk!"
His mind numbed, he ignored his own men trampled underfoot.
Fixated on that tiny gap, he fled alone—
until he ran into dozens of Empire cavalry.
"You're Guillaume Satiang, aren't you."
"...What!"
-Thwack!
"Ugh!"
"We've captured the enemy king, Guillaume Satiang!"
Acting on Victor's orders, the cavalry successfully took Guillaume prisoner.
"Guillaume Satiang fled and was captured! Cease your pointless resistance and surrender!"
The Empire troops, massacring the broken kingdom army, finally called for surrender,
"...We surrender."
and with Antoine's declaration, the battle between the Empire and kingdom forces came to an end.