Chapter 321
Chapter 321
The Iron Emperor — Chapter 321
Earl Pelloman nodded in agreement with Marquis Luchia's observation and added his own words.
"They say Gauri won the war against North Roselin through stratagems, but looking at this fortress, it seems they have enough strength to hold it outright."
"Mm. The walls were staggered so the gate was hidden, and those bastions jutting out at intervals let defenders strike soldiers climbing the wall from three sides. The casualties were heavy."
"Yes."
Earl Pelloman bowed at Marquis Luchia's remark.
"Have the magic corps' losses been assessed?"
"Six personnel were killed in total."
"Hmm."
Marquis Luchia's brow furrowed. He did not worry over other troops, but wizards were different. Only a small number of people with the gift could become wizards, and they required long years of training before they became a usable combat asset. The loss of a single wizard was equivalent to losing a thousand soldiers.
"However, the enemy's magical strength also appears to have been annihilated. Tomorrow should be considerably easier."
"Mm. In any case, we will withdraw for now."
At Earl Pelloman's words, Marquis Luchia nodded and turned away. The knights and Earl Pelloman fell into line and followed behind him. The long day had come to an end.
"What are the losses?"
Geom Muhyul's voice was weary as he asked about the damage.
"The archer corps suffered approximately seven hundred casualties. General infantry losses, including spearmen and others, also approach a thousand. And the wizards..."
"They’re... all gone?"
Muhyul's lips parted with effort as he sought confirmation. Munseol, who was delivering the report, hung his head and answered.
"That is correct. After the enemy's so-called Sun Burn spell, they tried to block the barrage of magic that followed all at once, and in the end they all..."
"Their sacrifice is what allowed us to hold."
A bitter voice escaped Muhyul's lips. They had been wandering wizards by origin, but they had given absolutely everything they had.
Each had settled in Gauri for different reasons, but after learning that Archmage Siaron Risel was there, the wizards went about smiling. Opportunities to learn had been scarce for them, and Risel freely taught them everything he knew. That was why they willingly risked their lives even in a battle where death was plainly visible.
Four wizards alone had poured out everything to block the dozens of enemy spells raining down. Their sacrifice had prevented the archers from being annihilated and allowed the fortress walls to hold relatively intact.
"What of the Pyeonjeon archers?"
"Of the thirty-odd personnel, only five remain."
"I see."
The sacrifice of the Pyeonjeon archers had effectively prevented the additional magical attacks that might otherwise have followed.
"It’s as good as losing more than half our fighting strength..."
Of course, six thousand troops still remained in Gaemun Mountain Fortress. But more than two thousand of them were scratch troops composed of young men and elders from nearby villages. On top of that, they had now lost the magical strength that could at least partially block enemy magic and the Pyeonjeon archers who had effectively checked the enemy wizards.
In the end, when considering overall combat power, it was no exaggeration to say more than half had been lost.
"Magic introduces more variables into warfare than I imagined."
"Yes..."
At Muhyul's murmur, which was half to himself, Munseol, who sat across from him, answered weakly. From the beginning, they had possessed no concept of magic.
Of course, there had been the existence of Yeon Hwi-garam, but that was an exceedingly rare case. Warfare itself had never involved spellcasters in large numbers, and commoners often did not even know sorcery existed.
But in this place, wizards existed, and their presence altered the face of war. Naturally, wizards had been present when the great army of North Roselin came before, but they had not displayed anything like the power shown today.
"A larger problem is that the hobgoblins' position was destroyed by the enemy offensive. Direct communication is now impossible."
"Understood. Go now and tend to the soldiers."
"I shall carry out your command."
At Muhyul's words, Munseol raised a military salute and descended from the gate tower.
"So we have endured but one day."
Watching the sunset fade into the blue night, Muhyul let out a troubled murmur.
"Summon the commander of the magic corps."
"Understood."
At Marquis Luchia's command, a messenger slipped out of the barracks. A short while later, a middle-aged wizard with an exhausted face entered, placed his hands together, and offered a salute.
"You called for me?"
Even his respectfully spoken words were thick with fatigue. It was no wonder: during the advance, he had maintained Fly magic and scouting magic continuously to guard against the constant Gauri raids. And the magical power he had poured out in the siege battle that immediately followed was no small amount.
"The enemy magical strength appears to have put up considerable resistance."
At Marquis Luchia's commiseration, Count Saliman Tain, the magic corps commander, held something out with a stiff expression.
"What is this?"
Marquis Luchia asked with a puzzled look. It was an arrow, but it was far too short to be called an arrow. It would not be an exaggeration to say it looked like a toy children used.
"It was not magic that struck them."
At Count Tain's words, Marquis Luchia's face hardened. What Count Tain was telling him was that several wizards had been killed by this short arrow.
"They were struck by that small arrow?"
"That is correct. And it is said to have penetrated their shields."
"I cannot comprehend it."
"I am equally bewildered."
At Count Tain's reply, Marquis Luchia briefly considered potential applications for the small arrow, then shook his head and spoke again.
"Can you mobilize a portion of the magical strength?"
"There are a few reserve personnel, but..."
"We will carry out a night raid with the magic corps."
"A night raid, you say?"
Night raids employing magic occurred from time to time. When it came to means of swiftly destroying enemy supplies, what could be faster and more certain than magic?
"I judge that the enemy's magical strength will have been shattered by the daytime assault..."
At Marquis Luchia's question, Count Tain nodded and answered.
"Certainly, except for when the initial massed attack went in, I did not sense any further magical presence."
As he spoke, his eyes fell upon the short arrow in his hand. Something about it nagged at him.
"Of course, I am not telling you to take reckless risks. I mean simply to strike them lightly—to confirm, and also to disrupt the enemy's rest. The objective is to deny them sleep. Do you understand my meaning?"
At Marquis Luchia's words, Count Tain bowed and replied.
"Understood. To that degree, there should be no problem."
"I leave it to you."
"Then I shall take my leave..."
As Count Tain saluted and withdrew, Marquis Luchia's brow creased in displeasure. He did not like it.
"If only he would simply obey orders..."
It was tiresome having to explain every circumstance one by one, but what rankled even more was having to always phrase orders as though making a request.
"In any event, it seems we must leave this evening to the magic corps and ensure the soldiers can rest soundly."
"See that it is done. We will need our strength to go over Gaemun Mountain Fortress tomorrow, will we not?"
"Yes."
"How far has the rear echelon come?"
At Marquis Luchia's question, Earl Pelloman's expression brightened.
"They are said to be a day’s march away. Unlike the advance force, which was harassed by the enemy on the way, the rear echelon has faced no enemy attacks, and only small monsters appeared sporadically, so they were able to make good speed."
"We must ensure the rear echelon can rest comfortably."
One corner of Marquis Luchia's mouth lifted. At this, Earl Pelloman raised a salute and parted his lips.
"Tomorrow, we will surely capture Gaemun Mountain Fortress."
"We must. Now, rest well."
At Earl Pelloman's confident reply, Marquis Luchia smiled pleasantly and even offered a pleasantry he normally never bothered with. Some damage had been incurred due to unexpected resistance, but compared to the results that would follow, it was not significant harm at all.
And so the first day's fighting passed.
* * *
"Move quickly!"
Night comes early in the forest.
The Reganza Mountains were no different. No—night fell even sooner here.
Holy Empire soldiers were lighting torches here and there, erecting the barracks where they would lay their exhausted bodies to rest. Though they were said to have come smoothly, it was a forced march beyond doubt. Even without the knights' urging, every mind was filled with finishing the barracks quickly so they could go inside and sleep.
The Holy Empire camp soon sank into silence. So great was their exhaustion that the sound of snoring shook the night air from all quarters. Even the soldiers on sentry duty were nodding, their eyes half-closed. Likely they trusted in the alarm magic the wizards had set.
Thwip! Thud!
The sound of something flying in and striking flesh rang out, and the half-closed eyes of a sentry flared wide. With his eyes opened large, the sentry slipped into eternal slumber.
"Mmph!"
Shhk.
A soldier moving while stifling a yawn had his mouth clamped shut by a tough hand, and a blade tore through his throat. Before long, only the sound of snoring remained at the picket line.
And then, flames like shooting stars poured down upon the Holy Empire army's barracks.
"A-a raid!"
"Fire!"
The result was far too devastating for a single moment's carelessness. Flames shot up and screams rang out. Even the pressing weight of sleep had no choice but to flee before a threat to life. Soldiers who had been sleeping like corpses rose and began milling about in confusion. Arrows rained down on them like a shower.
"Where in the world is the enemy!"
"The enemy is on all sides!"
The nobles were equally panicked. All they could see in every direction were soldiers screaming and flames flicking their red tongues.
"Wizards, put out the fires!"
"The wizards have already..."
"Why did the alarm magic not go off!"
As if in answer to a noble's howl of a question, war cries full of madness rang out from the dark forest.
"Slaughter every last one!"
"Uwaaaaah!"
Behind Eulji Buru, who came charging in swinging a massive great axe, Gauri soldiers with eyes blazing with fighting spirit surged toward the Holy Empire soldiers.
They had arrived at this place one step ahead of the Holy Empire army. Naturally, they had also watched the wizards setting the alarm magic.
Alarm magic, like a trap, only triggered when someone crossed or touched the warded location. There was no chance the Gauri soldiers who had seen the wizards placing it beforehand would stumble into it.
"Khyaap!"
Buru's great axe split the moonlight and fell, cleaving a single body into two.
"Heeek! A, a demon!"
"Well, I reckon I'm a demon."
Drenched in red blood, Buru's ox-like eyes brimmed with killing intent as he wove among the soldiers and butchered them. There was no mercy in the Hwandudaedo blades of Cheon Yuhwa and the deputy commanders following behind him. Without even offering a chance to surrender, they simply drove the soldiers before them and cut them down.
"Count Juen has fallen!"
"Viscount Kal!"
As Buru burst into a large barracks, deaths followed in an unbroken chain...
The moment a command officer's death was confirmed, the Gauri soldiers proclaimed the enemy commander's fall. The cries of the Gauri army, ringing out amid screams and death, plunged the Holy Empire soldiers deeper into chaos.
"Form ranks and hold them!"
"Die!"
"Urk!"
Gauri soldiers swarmed like a hive of bees upon the very knight who was urging the soldiers and attempting to form them up. Showing the mettle of a knight, he instantly steadied his startled heart and parried the attackers' onslaught.
"The wretched bast—!"
"Gek!"
Perhaps his skill could not keep pace with his surging fighting spirit, because an imperial knight's sword slipped through and bit into the belly of one of the Gauri soldiers who had charged him.
"Wh-what!"
The problem was that the stabbed soldier grabbed the knight's arm and refused to let go. The Gauri soldiers' fury poured down on the panicked knight. An axe that came from nowhere sheared through the armor and severed the arm gripping his weapon, and the spearheads that followed punched through his solid plate and embedded themselves in his body.
"Die!"
"Kurgh-agh!"
Even though the knight's eyes had already rolled back white, the Gauri soldiers continued to stab with their spears, the sight calling to mind vengeful spirits. Before them, the fallen Gauri soldier, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, wore an expression of vindictive satisfaction.