The Deserter Knight Commander
The man standing clearly ahead… was Cromwell’s figure.
Even with a decent distance between them, Leah Richard could identify him instantly thanks to that overwhelming, unparalleled holy power of his.
Does that mean… he’s waiting here as a trap?
She still didn’t know exactly what the man’s strategy was or what he was thinking.
But since it was Cromwell on the other side, he certainly wouldn’t have shown himself without forethought.
After all, it had been Richard who moved the troops she could command, precisely to prepare for such a “trap.”
Even as thick fear coiled in her chest, she forced herself to maintain her composure at all costs.
First, my own forces number seven hundred. If Cromwell has brought the entire rebel army here, their numbers will be only slightly more than ours.
By sheer headcount the forces were roughly even, and when considering the soldiers’ individual skill levels, the Empire actually held the advantage.
But Richard’s judgment was clear: the enemy held the high ground and Cromwell was there in person. This was nowhere near enough.
If I charge clumsily, I’ll just get slaughtered in return. So the only option now is to request reinforcements.
As soon as word of the traitor Cromwell reached them, William would gladly march to join. General Neto, who had been lukewarm at best, would cooperate as well.
From their perspective, Cromwell was nothing more than a thorn they wanted removed as quickly as possible. It was only natural.
With that decision, Richard immediately summoned her adjutant and issued orders.
She chose the side facing the Cromwell they could see right now.
Time is on our side anyway. Once support arrives we’ll be in the lead. No point in taking unnecessary risks and suffering a setback. Plus, wiping out the rebels completely here will make seizing the now-vacated Fort Stanwix all the easier.
Leah Richard reached the conclusion that she would turn the enemy’s own tricks against them and sweep the board clean.
Meanwhile, watching that scene unfold, the man…
Cromwell began to wear a quiet smile at the corner of his lips.
*
Imperial general Leah Richard led the soldiers into view.
The moment she appeared, I couldn’t help but smile silently to myself.
These were Imperial generals I had encountered in the game for ten years—subordinates, superiors, or comrades alike.
And among them, Leah Richard had been at my side since the very beginning of the game.
With that knowledge, my prediction had been spot-on: she had led the full force here.
She had been on patrol duty today under William’s command, but that only made it all the more obvious that she would race ahead of everyone else.
Among the Imperial generals present, she feared my betrayal more than anyone else.
In this situation, it was only natural that she would arrive first and foremost the moment something suspicious appeared.
Next,
As soon as I revealed myself with the holy power of my aura, Leah Richard held her troops in place rather than launching a reckless charge.
While watching that, the rebel adjutant standing beside me wore an expression of pure amazement and whispered in a small voice.
“Oh… he really isn’t attacking. Just as Commander Cromwell said. He’s merely waiting us out.”
“He’s naturally cautious. He’s been one of my subordinates for a long time, so he won’t move rashly. He’ll probably wait until the reinforcements arrive.”
“Then… has the plan succeeded?”
“It looks that way. But there’s always the ‘but’ factor, so stay on high alert. Until the signal is raised, we must hold this position at all costs.”
“Yes, understood. Commander Cromwell.”
After nodding slightly at my words, the adjutant resumed his inspection of the soldiers’ conditions and continued maintaining the defense line.
Watching that, I began slowly expanding the range of the holy power flowing through my entire body.
Soon, the Imperial soldiers Richard would summon would swarm here like ants.
To hold them off for even a short time with the current force I had gathered here, I would inevitably have to use my full power.
Fortunately, my 200% holy-power recovery buff meant no real trouble should arise, but caution was never unnecessary.
That was the moment I finished preparing to unleash my abilities for the coming battle.
“It’s here…”
Multiple lights began to brighten in the darkness.
I realized William’s army had arrived faster than I had anticipated.
-Dung! Dung! Dung!
-Bwoooong!!
At the same moment, the bugle calls and drums announcing the enemy’s advance rang out.
With an urgency that could not wait a single second, they charged toward us alongside countless torches.
With the situation advancing exactly as planned, I felt a thick surge of satisfaction and spoke to the adjutant beside me.
“The enemy will be here soon. Prepare the troops.”
“Understood. Deploy into full defensive formation!”
Following the adjutant’s orders, the soldiers formed a tight formation and thrust forward their rifles, creating a makeshift but serviceable defense line.
Though the dense forest hid their position from the enemy, the scale of the allied troops gathered here looked absurdly small compared to the enemy forces visible ahead.
Our forces, centered on irregular militiamen, numbered two hundred.
The enemy, however, consisted of elite units alone—more than two thousand in total.
Even with the terrain advantage, this was the classic case of an egg facing a stone.
Normally, anyone would call it insane.
But… to me now.
As a paladin, Cromwell, there was a factor in this disadvantageous situation that would allow me to achieve my purpose.
“Uwaaaaaah!!”
“Kill the rebels!”
“Warriors, charge!!”
The Imperial soldiers charged toward us, screaming into the darkness.
As I watched the mixed appearance of native warriors and Imperial soldiers, I quietly reached out my hand toward the front.
At the same moment, a green aura of holy power erupted from my body.
Although I had never actually used it on a real battlefield, after adapting through simple training, I could now wield the exact same combat ability as the game version of Cromwell—swordsmanship basics included, and far beyond that, holy power and holy magic.
And right now,
Within this strange yet familiar sensation, I began issuing commands to the aura enveloping this entire area like mist, flowing from my body.
*
“Full army advance! Wipe out every last one of them!”
William swung his staff without hesitation and issued the order to charge.
Richard, caught completely off guard by the attack launched without any consultation with her, could only stand there in astonishment.
“! W-wait a moment, General Will… I mean, General William! What in the world is this…?”
“Who’s hesitating? Didn’t General Neto say he would reward me generously if I cut off Cromwell’s head? Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”
“Hey, Will! Stop right now! If we charge like this—”
Disregarding his own words, William charged forward like the native warriors, mind utterly focused on the target ahead.
While watching that, Richard’s brows furrowed as the next situation automatically unfolded in her mind.
Damn it… if I had known this, I would have forced him to listen to reason…
Time had been too short for preparations, and William himself had shown no interest whatsoever in Cromwell’s danger. The truth I had failed to convey finally surfaced in her thoughts.
The nature of holy power—capable of reshaping the world and healing it—had been maximized.
Recalling the ability that only those who had fought alongside Cromwell in the past had faintly understood, Richard decided it was better not to force her way into the slaughter.
Well… in any case, the ones suffering will be William’s subordinates… so I’ll use them as a shield while I move.
*
Imperial general Cromwell, radiating green holy power in front of me, and the rebel soldiers positioned around him.
Despite the distance, it was impossible to distinguish exact numbers, but when I saw the small number of them—far less than half my own forces—I began advancing quickly.
“Kill every last rebel!”
“Slaughter those foolish fools who dare oppose the Empire!”
Imperial soldiers charged up the steep slope in an instant, with native warriors leading the way.
In the vanguard, Mok Tribe warrior Muraka, who had been itching for a fight since his night patrol, ran forward wielding dual axes.
An unexpected and glorious opportunity for battle.
Consumed by the thrill of combat as a warrior, he raced toward the enemy lines faster than anyone else.
And,
“All aim!”
The rebels preparing magic staffs and firearms aimed at the native warriors.
It was a considerable display of firepower, yet Muraka and his comrades ran forward without a trace of concern.
“Fire!”
At the command, the mages’ staffs and the barrels of the ordinary soldiers began spitting flame.
Ordinary soldiers might have suffered severe injuries or died instantly upon being hit.
However, this was only about ordinary soldiers lacking magical talent.
Muraka and his comrades had mastered basic defensive magic as warriors.
Although they might still suffer some damage, blocking such attacks was no real problem, and even if wounded, they could simply dig straight into the enemy lines and turn the tables.
With the protective magic activated, Muraka prepared to counter directly.
“Impossible! Not with this level of—”
But…
“! Kheuk!!!!”
The next instant, a profound sense of unease suddenly filled the air, followed immediately by an overwhelming surge of pain.
Muraka fell to the ground without understanding what had happened.
This… what… is this? It… it must have been magic… but… why?
The magic barrier that could deflect bullets and arrows thanks to his steel-like muscles vanished the moment he drew close to the enemy lines and was struck.
Just like a complex magic circle drawn on sand being blown away by the wind.
Without understanding the cause of this bizarre yet shocking fact, Muraka’s body that had been burning with battle excitement… no, the sturdy bodies of the brave warriors running beside him… fell as cold corpses from a single enemy bullet after another.
Wh-what… what is this…?
William, lost in dense confusion at the unexpected situation, watched the soldiers in the vanguard—meant to defend against enemy attacks and break through—collapse one after another.
The same shock hit the other Imperial soldiers charging forward as well.
Thus, William’s army halted in a moment of stunned paralysis.
And,
While watching that scene,
A thick smile spread across Cromwell’s lips.
As planned…