Chapter 188
Chapter 188
The Iron Emperor — Chapter 188
The command staff, including Marquis Mandonel, arrived at the place where the returned soldier was resting. The soldier huddled under a blanket, trembling with some unnamed terror. Remembering that the imperial military observers were standing behind him, Marquis Mandonel felt his temper flare at the soldier's disgraceful state.
"Is this the man?"
Marquis Mandonel's brusque voice rang out. But the reaction he got was anything but normal.
"Hyaaagh!"
"Wha—what the—!"
The soldier under the blanket stared at Marquis Mandonel with terror-stricken eyes, planted both hands on the ground, and began frantically crawling away in desperate escape. The soldier's sudden action startled even Marquis Mandonel himself, making him recoil.
"Your Excellency, you must cover your mouth with your hand when you question him."
A knight with an awkward expression approached, covering his own mouth with his hand as he spoke. Marquis Mandonel tilted his head and looked again at the soldier, who was still thrashing in panic.
"He's trying to eat me! He keeps shoving my head into his mouth and pulling it out! Just kill me, pleeease!"
The soldier's eyes were bloodshot, drool running from the corners of his mouth, his body shuddering uncontrollably—clearly not in his right mind. As the situation grew more difficult, Marquis Mandonel summoned a wizard.
"You called?"
"We'll have to use Mental Magic on this soldier."
At Marquis Mandonel's words, the wizard showed a hint of surprise and objected.
"That is forbidden..."
"What is forbidden is performing such acts upon enemy nobles. This man is an ally, so there is no issue."
"......"
Using mental magic to uncover the sights and thoughts a subject has witnessed was possible with a certain degree of preparation. Moreover, in a case like this where the subject was mentally unstable, the probability of success increased.
The problem was the aftereffects.
For someone subjected to mental magic, going insane was considered one of the milder outcomes; in most cases, the subject's blood reversed its flow and they died on the spot. Even if they survived, becoming a simpleton was virtually guaranteed. For that reason, performing this magic on enemy nobles or soldiers was prohibited.
Nobles were difficult to target because of Continental Law, but soldiers were feasible. However, it invited condemnation and could be used as a pretext against you, and the intelligence you could extract by casting mental magic on a single common soldier was extremely meager. Moreover, the wizard who cast the mental magic would, as a backlash, be unable to use magic for fifteen days. It was a spell dreaded by both caster and subject.
"I am sure the military observers from the Three Great Empires will understand as well."
When Marquis Mandonel demanded an answer from the imperial military observers standing behind him, their heads nodded without the slightest hesitation.
"Even if it were to be performed on the Gauri horde, there would be no problem. They are not a state recognized by the continent, after all."
When Viscount Mabel of the Holy Empire stepped forward and spoke, the military observers of the other two empires nodded as well. What they needed, in any case, was information, not the well-being of some Roselin soldier. Marquis Mandonel, having anticipated exactly that, had asked the question for form's sake.
"Did you hear that?"
"......Understood."
Now that things had proceeded this far, the wizard slowly nodded his head.
A short while later, once the magic circle was prepared, the wizard cut his own finger and drew blood.
"Oum Sala di Krei Um Taha!"
The droplets of blood activated the magic circle, making it glow red. In response, the soldier's trembling body gradually stiffened, and his pupils slowly lost focus, going slack. Watching this, the wizard's incantation grew louder, and he raised one palm to hover over the crown of the soldier's head. Simultaneously, he extended his other hand and brought it to a large crystal orb.
"Control Brain!"
Whoosh!
As the red energy of the magic circle fully enveloped the soldier's head, the wizard looked at the crystal orb and shouted again.
"Replay Memory!"
Control Brain magic, or Replay Memory magic, was the act of forcibly dragging out memories the subject wished to hide or that had been sealed away by terror. Such an act inevitably came with side effects. That was why the wizard could not help but be reluctant.
"Hmm."
Inside the crystal orb, images of the reconnaissance unit on the move appeared. Marquis Mandonel and the nobles watched the scenes, rendered exactly as they had been painted on the soldier's eyes, with expressions of gravity.
'Form a defensive formation! A pack of orcs!'
A voice rang out from within the crystal orb.
The reconnaissance unit's response was swift. But that was just the beginning—monsters sprang out at every turn in the road. On top of that, soldiers were dropping, struck by darts that flew in from somewhere.
'How can goblins be this cunning!'
When half the soldiers had fallen, one knight shouted, his voice raw with strain. The expressions of the nobles watching the projection were equally grim.
"This is simply unbelievable."
"We knew there were many monsters... but for even their behavioral patterns to be different..."
The staff officers exchanged words, each face more serious than the last. Just then, the images in the crystal orb began to whirl rapidly.
"What is that?"
The scene in the crystal orb shook violently. What appeared on screen was a herd of dozens of minotaurs.
"To move as a herd..."
Large-type monsters do not engage in herd behavior. Even when they do, the established theory was that they never exceeded three to five individuals. But the minotaur herd on the screen was far beyond that number.
"Hurk!"
"Oh no!"
When the soldier's gaze spun around as if trying to flee, what appeared were still more minotaurs. The screen suddenly flipped upside down. Within the image, his ankle appeared, caught in a minotaur's grip. Then a gigantic face drew near. The ferocious minotaur's mouth opened wide.
"Ugh."
The nobles could do nothing but furrow their brows. The crystal orb went dark. The soldier's head and part of his chest had been crammed inside the creature's mouth. The nobles watching the crystal orb could not shake the sensation that they themselves were suffering it. Then a dull, muffled noise reached them.
A sound like pounding.
At the same moment, as if he had been spat out of the mouth, the crystal orb brightened again.
With that, the soldier's consciousness had been severed.
"Kiiieeeek!"
"Ughk!"
A shriek burst from the soldier's mouth as he suffered the mental magic, and bloody tears streamed from his eyes. Soon, blood reversed its flow and gushed from his ears, nostrils, and mouth. The wizard hastily stopped the magic and slumped down, gasping for breath, while the soldier collapsed on the magic circle, expiring as blood erupted from all seven orifices.
"......Clear it away."
Marquis Mandonel's face was filled with gravity. He had just experienced the dangers of the Reganza Mountains firsthand, indirectly.
Leaving the corpse behind, the nobles walked back toward the command tent, no one speaking a word, merely moving their feet in silence.
From that very night onward, the various reconnaissance squads began to return in groups of three or four. At most, a force of twenty or so soldiers would return together, but there were also reconnaissance units from which not a single man came back.
Fortunately, though the soldiers who returned were trembling with terror, they had not gone mad like the first soldier who had arrived, so it was possible to learn how events had unfolded. It was only the approximately seven hundred soldiers who had gone to reconnoiter the main road leading toward Gauri who had been attacked and annihilated by the enemy; all the rest had fallen prey to monsters.
Of the ten reconnaissance units, each composed of a hundred soldiers, three never returned at all, and the remaining returnees together did not exceed fifty men. The reconnaissance had been an utter failure.
"Hmm."
"It will be difficult to continue dragging out the time like this. On top of that, we have already reached the point of expending over sixteen hundred troops."
Even as Marquis Mandonel's low groan hung in the air, a flood of practical problems poured from the mouths of his staff officers. As they had all anticipated, the continual drain on war expenditures was a worry, and the fact was that they had sustained the loss of sixteen hundred troops before even fighting a battle worthy of the name.
"That is one thing, but the pressure from the military observers' watchful eyes continues to be a concern."
"Hmmm."
Ostensibly, this war had been launched on the pretext of suppressing the remnants of South Roselin, but without the tacit consent of the Three Great Empires, it would have been impossible. Moreover, Marquis Mandonel's evaluation would be conducted based on the military observers' reports, and by its outcome, whether he could pursue his own advancement would be decided.
"It cannot be helped. There is no choice but to force the march by a direct advance."
"Would that not be dangerous?"
The operations staff officer stepped forward, objecting to Marquis Mandonel's remark in a tone of concern. But Marquis Mandonel shook his head and began to push his point resolutely.
"The greater part of the forces we have lost so far was due to monster attacks. On top of that, the entire number of men we lost directly to the Gauri army was lost on the main road, the very route the Haian Kingdom exploration party once took under Gauri guidance."
At Marquis Mandonel's words, the staff officers could not help but nod. Every one of the small number of reconnaissance soldiers who had returned had only fallen victim to monster attacks.
"The Gauri forces living here will not be much different from us. As our wizards assessed, the regions through which they can move will be the border zones of each monster species, and the sole route along the main road—the one where the seven hundred troops were struck—will be the only one. Even if there are others, do you judge that they could move large bodies of troops through them?"
Marquis Mandonel's thinking was correct. In truth, except for the core of pure-blooded Gauri troops, no matter how elite the forces they had become, it was no simple matter to break through the central monster zones. This was basic common sense, and Marquis Mandonel was merely reminding his staff officers of it.
"To begin with, this war was never one we contemplated losing. The only question is with how few casualties we will achieve victory!"
"Understood. Then when shall the march begin?"
"Prepare on the understanding that it begins the day after tomorrow. However, even as we advance, take care to deploy flank security detachments to the left and right in case of the unexpected. Be that as it may, the terrain puts us at a disadvantage, and this point must not be overlooked."
"Yes, Your Excellency."
The staff officers bowed their heads and answered Marquis Mandonel's admonition.
Three days later, a great army of fifty thousand Roselin main-force troops with twenty thousand supply troops began its march. By chance, this day fell on the final, tenth day of the warning Go Jin-cheon had issued in his letter, demanding they withdraw.
It did not take long for word of the Roselin army's movements to spread.
This intelligence relied on the mutual-sense ability unique to hobgoblins; the goblins, who occupied the lower rungs of the Reganza Mountains food chain yet boasted the highest numbers, were tantamount to a single surveillance net. Of course, they did not control every last one of those countless goblins, but the hobgoblins' presence made the acquisition of intelligence sufficiently possible. In fact, even just this was tantamount to possessing an excellent reconnaissance unit.
Meanwhile, the front-line mountain fortress positioned to stop them was Gaemun Mountain Fortress, which effectively exploited sheer cliffs rising on both sides like folding screens. It might seem strange that the name of a fortress meant to block the enemy meant "Open the Gate." But to the people of Gauri, the fortress's significance as the vanguard stronghold from which Gauri would advance onto the continent outweighed its defensive meaning. To them, Gaemun Mountain Fortress was virtually a gateway for marching forward.
"Move lively, now!"
Eulji Uru, charged with the defense of Gaemun Mountain Fortress, sent his booming voice ringing off the cliffs on both sides. Everything from head-sized boulders for defending the fortress to stones for stone-throwing battles had been piled high.
Stone is the most primitive weapon and, at the same time, the most easily procured. Moreover, though their resources had increased, they could not afford to waste large amounts of iron in a war whose duration no one knew.
"This side's short on the rock pile!"
"I said bring the ash and dirt!"
Shouts flew as people hurried about in all directions. It was not only rocks. Everything from the rock shards produced when the mountain fortress was built to the ash from cooking fires and dirt lay piled here and there. All of these were excellent defensive tools.
"Did you scrape up all the leftover charcoal?"
"All gathered in one spot!"
They had no choice but to be busy.
Though it was a natural fortress of heaven-sent terrain, the regional characteristics meant that only five thousand men could be stationed here at a time. Still, they were confident. Of course, that confidence emanated from the roughly two hundred pure-blooded Gauri lineages that belonged to Gaemun Mountain Fortress. To them, an army of seventy thousand had been a constant presence. Even in the Tang period, hadn't the foe launched provocations with several times that number?
The command staff's immense confidence was easily transmitted to the soldiers.
"Where is Hailon!"
"Here, General!"
At Uru's call, Hailon came running swiftly. His eyes, too, were full of confidence. Or rather, in a certain light, had not the series of battles large and small brought him a chance at a reversal of fortune! In Hailon's manner, one could even glimpse a small thrill of anticipation.
"I'll be trustin' this to ye, Hailon. Take charge of this fortress's center."
"General, what do you mean by that!"
When Uru entrusted him with such a weighty assignment, Hailon asked back in astonishment. Though he had gained much experience and learned a great deal by following the Gauri people, a true defensive siege was all but a first for him. But Uru, as if there were nothing to worry about, called over several subordinate commanders.
"These deputy officers here will assist ye, Hailon. So don't ye worry. Just block the entrance and don't let a single one of the bastards climb up. Even if they enter this valley, they can't come more 'n five or six thousand at a go, so fight without frettin'. What? Ye got no confidence?"
At Uru's blunt question, following on his explanation, Hailon's eyes briefly showed tension, but he immediately straightened his posture, raised a military salute, and shouted out.
"General! As you have commanded, I will ensure not a single one sets foot here!"
For Hailon, this was the day when, in his entire life, all the authority of a commander truly fell upon him. In fact, this had already been settled through prior discussion. It was, in part, the reward for Hailon's efforts, and also the outcome of everything he had built up until now.
Though this place was a critical region, Great Generals like Uru could not take charge of it. The nation was growing larger and required ever more talented individuals. That was why he had been chosen. Should Hailon lead this defensive battle to success, among the people of Gauri, countless young men dreaming of rising in status would of their own accord come knocking on the military's gates.
Those who come of their own will, and those who come against their will.
The difference between the two was stark.
Gauri was rigorous about corruption. Not only was it that they, better than anyone, knew why nations fell, but they also knew well how much harder it was to sustain a nation than to build one. Cases such as Gauri, Silla, and Baekje maintained themselves for over half a millennium, yet the states of the neighboring Chin peoples never managed the same.
Why, one dynasty called Jin, which oddly bestowed a new, strange title—Emperor, not King—upon its ruler, collapsed within a mere fifteen years. Since the founding of Gauri, their dynasties had repeatedly collapsed and been rebuilt on their own. That spectacle served as an excellent object lesson for the people of Gauri. Of course, besides that, there was no shortage of dynasties that did not even last a hundred years.
To the people of Gauri, their appearance had been nothing but a source of mockery. Yet when Gauri itself fell not because its strength had been exhausted and it was defeated by Tang, but because the nation's power had been dispersed, Go Jin-cheon and the commanders under him engraved that lesson upon their minds and governed the state accordingly.
A war that must be fought, whatever the case.
But to Gauri, this was an opportunity.
It was the first step toward an eternal empire spanning a thousand years. It was nothing less than the opening act of a great struggle to realize a dream they had failed to achieve. It was not a war whose meaning lay merely in defense.
Go Jin-cheon, who had previously smashed the North Roselin army and plundered all the supplies of an army of eighty thousand, had, from that moment on, essentially been preparing for war. To be sure, the sudden influx of population had consumed many resources, but thanks to hunting by existing residents and Gauri's advanced agricultural knowledge, the food supply had self-sufficiently surpassed their needs without major trouble. On top of that, among the provisions the Gauri army had brought when they crossed into this place, the presence of rice played a crucial role in securing high caloric intake.
Moreover, they had been procuring large quantities of surplus food and other supplies through the trading company maintained within the Haian Kingdom.
Of course, this was not solely for the present war.
The fortresses of Gauri always held a year's worth of provisions stockpiled, enough to eat and fight. It was also one of their countermeasures: so long as they did not collapse through a prolonged war, they would not lose. That they might die by an enemy blade they could accept, but to die for lack of food was, to them, virtually inconceivable.
"My General, where will you be moving?"
Even amid the frantic preparations, Hailon found a moment to seek out Eulji Uru, his eyes full of curiosity as he posed the question. This was because Uru, who had entrusted Hailon with the weighty task of holding the fortress, was not preparing to return to the capital of Jolbon but was rather making some kind of preparations while leading the troops that had arrived only a short while ago.
"I'll be exiting the fortress gate and movin' into the forest. Meanin' I aim to sever the enemy's supply line."
At Uru's offhand words, Hailon's eyes went round.
"If you enter the forest, how can you evade the eyes of the monsters? No matter how elite the troops, if a skirmish with the monsters causes chaos, the enemy could notice. Furthermore, under His Majesty the Yeolje's orders, did a directive not come down that the large monsters are not to be committed to direct battle?"
"Don't ye worry."
In truth, even if they deployed the large monsters at the front, their numbers might fall short of protecting a large body of troops. The number of troops capable of handling the large monsters was still limited, and they were also a secret weapon that must not be revealed to the outside just yet. Yet still, Uru spoke with absolute conviction.
"General Uru! The Uljeol has arrived from the main fortress!"
"The teacher's come?"
Their conversation was cut short by the news that Risel had arrived. In the end, Hailon was unable to resolve his doubts about the operation Uru was preparing. However, the work given to him alone was already overwhelming, so he set aside his questions and ran out together with Uru to greet Risel.