3
The soldiers gathered on the wind-swept plain. There was no sound, save for the clinking of armor. They waited quietly for the signal to attack.
“Aldia, the main army is on the move. We’re ready over here, too.”
“Mm. Our heavy infantry is also fully prepared.”
Leading the mage corps was Petra, standing calmly at the head of her unit. Tasked with cornering the enemy in the city’s interior was Ambros’s heavy infantry, their iron-clad defense their greatest weapon. All preparations are complete.
“It’s about time we begin.”
I scanned my eyes over the troops. Each unit was ready for battle. We were watching for our moment, ready to advance the instant the main army clashed with the enemy.
“Both of you, I’m counting on you to lead.”
When I spoke, Petra and Ambros nodded in unison. Dressed in the official uniforms of the Provisional Elite Corps, they were no longer academy students. They were fully-fledged soldiers, standing on a battlefield.
“Leave it to me. I’ll burn every last street and block every escape route, just as we planned. I’ll teach them the true terror of magic!”
“Our heavy infantry will be the cornerstone of our defense. We won’t let a single scratch reach the troops behind us. So go, Aldia! Fight without worrying about us!”
They’re so reliable.
“Right. With you two here, I can fight with everything I’ve got.”
“Of course!”
“You can count on us!”
I had two brilliant friends fighting alongside me. If I let the enemy push us back here, I’d never be able to face Princess Valtrune. The right flank, which I commanded, had fewer soldiers than the main army or the left flank. To avoid being drawn into a war of attrition, we needed to watch the enemy’s movements and strike their weak points.
“Maneuver carefully so they don’t realize our flank is thin. If the main enemy force turns on us, we could take heavy losses.”
Even if the enemy assault intensified, I planned to repel them by force… but I wanted to keep our casualties to a minimum. And alone, there was a limit to how many I could protect. That’s why I was counting on the units led by my two friends to hold the line.
“Then it’s up to us in the mage corps to put out some serious firepower!”
“Exactly.”
In this battle, how much of a presence Petra’s mage corps could establish would be critical. I’d prepared plenty of magic recovery potions, just in case they ran low.
“We must win this battle. This is the Provisional Elite Corps’s first campaign. Let’s make it a glorious one!”
Marquis Rigel had barricaded himself in his territory in a hurry, so he hadn’t been able to gather a proper fighting force. He only thought of saving his own skin, not even evacuating his citizens. A man like that had no hope of repelling our army.
“Aldia! The main army has begun its attack!”
At Petra’s voice, I took a deep breath.
“Alright… Right flank, advance!!”
Following the order, Ambros’s heavy infantry began marching toward the city. It was a slow advance, but there was no need to rush. It would be some time before the enemy soldiers began to rout. Petra’s mage corps also began their incantations to seal the escape routes.
The cavalry unit I led fanned out, moving to cover a wide area. The main army has the advantage, just as expected. Even without Princess Valtrune having to fight, they’re showing no signs of being pushed back. I glanced over at the left flank, commanded by Ritziareite. They were also carrying out their mission smoothly, cutting off the enemy’s supplies and blocking all escape routes. I could see the dragon units launching repeated surprise attacks. Thanks to his hasty preparations, Marquis Rigel’s army had an extremely small number of dragons. We had complete control of the air, allowing us to do as we pleased.
“The enemy is coming this way, too!”
Ambros’s great voice echoed across the right flank.
“Lord Aldia, their numbers aren’t that great.”
“So it seems…”
“Should we charge with the cavalry?”
“No… Let’s leave this to the mage corps.”
Enemy soldiers were waiting for us near the entrance to the city, ready to intercept. Since they were defending a narrow point so stubbornly, it would be most effective to wipe them out with magic.
“Petra, if you would!”
“…All mages, fire!”
At Petra’s command, multiple fireballs shot into the city. The enemy soldiers were engulfed in flames, falling one after another.
“We did it!”
“Their numbers are down! We can take the city entrance!”
The soldiers raised their weapons to the sky, cheering the mages’ success. We need to hold that entrance. I gave the signal to the cavalry, leaving a minimum number of scouts behind as we prepared to charge.
“Ambros! The cavalry is taking that passage. We’ll cut them down; you take care of any survivors!”
“Right, leave it to us!”
The cavalry charged across the plain, driving straight toward the burning enemy soldiers. A countless number of arrows flew at us, but such blind firing had no chance of hitting.
“Don’t flinch! Show them what you’re made of!”
“UOOOOOH!”
Cutting down enemy soldiers, the cavalry unit carved a path forward. The violent sounds of battle rang out loudly.
4
It could hardly be called a battle; it was a one-sided slaughter. The enemy soldiers, cut down defenselessly, died trembling in terror.
“R-Run!”
“It’s over… We can’t hold this place anymore!”
“Don’t be stupid, if they get through here, we’re all… Gah…!”
There was no mercy. I cut off the enemy’s heads, one after another, and pressed forward.
“Keep advancing. The enemy commander’s head is close.”
“Yes, sir!”
The enemy was to be cut down. Pity was unnecessary. My sword, swung with single-minded focus, tore through flesh and broke bone. Watching the enemies’ faces twist in terror, I cut them down, one by one. Even though we had charged in with only a small cavalry unit, their lack of training meant… we faced no real resistance.
“Lord Aldia, we’ve secured the passage up to the intersection. Shall we set up a temporary position?”
“Yes. We can’t let them take it back before the heavy infantry arrives. Set a wide perimeter. If it’s too hard to defend, narrow the area and make the formation deep and thick.”
“Yes, sir!”
After receiving their orders, the cavalrymen silently began to form a defensive line. All the while, Petra’s mages continued to launch fireballs into the city from a distance. At this rate, the enemy wouldn’t be able to spare any forces for us; they’d have their hands full dealing with the fires.
“Hold them! Don’t let them in!”
“Let the world hear of our army’s glory!”
The cavalry moved like a whirlwind, cutting down every enemy soldier who tried to reclaim the passage. Eventually, the enemy’s momentum died down. Just as we had more or less secured the area…
“Aldia, did I keep you waiting?”
“No, perfect timing. Cavalry, hand over the line to the heavy infantry. Reform your ranks; we’re heading deeper into the city.”
Ambros’s heavy infantry had arrived. With this, the right flank had taken complete control of a section of the city. Petra’s mage corps also pushed their line forward, beginning their assault on the city’s interior.
“Keep firing! Don’t give the enemy a moment’s rest!”
She’s a demon, I thought… then again, I was probably one to talk. My black sword was slick with enemy blood.
“Ambros, continue to protect the mages and advance the line. I’m going ahead to raise hell inside.”
“Understood.”
He was a man skilled enough to have been a guard captain in the Kingdom’s army. I had no doubt he could hold this position.
“I’ll have my men report on your status. If it gets dangerous, call for me immediately.”
I moved to the front of the cavalry unit.
“Listen up! Do not stop for any reason. We ride through. Swing your weapons, but keep moving! If you do as you were trained, we’ll seize this territory quickly.”
I repeated the tactics I had drilled into them over this short period. The mounted soldiers nodded, readying their various weapons—swords, spears, and axes.
“Lord Aldia, the charge formation is ready! We can go at any time!”
One of the cavalrymen reported. I took a deep breath.
“Cavalry, charge!!”
The sound of horseshoes thundered chaotically, shaking the ground like a small earthquake.
“Enemy attack!”
“Hey, they’re already inside! Push them back!”
Too late. You can’t easily stop a cavalry charge.
“Cut down every last one of them!”
“Sir!”
“We’re charging!”
“Forward!”
It was a reckless charge, but the enemy was struggling to respond. We tore through the collapsing enemy lines.
“Once you’re through, we attack the next point!”
“Sir!”
The defeat of Marquis Rigel’s army was near. The enemy forces were crumbling, and our advance into the city was proceeding smoothly. Leaving a mountain of crimson corpses behind me, I turned my sword toward the next group of soldiers.
5
This agitated feeling just wouldn’t subside. How did it come to this? I stared blankly at the Princess’s army surrounding me. I am Gangr von Rigel. As the head of the Rigel family, I held great influence within the Empire. My back-alley business, wringing money from the commoners, was on track, and everything was smooth sailing. …And then, it all happened.
“Marquis Rigel! The Princess’s army has begun its advance! A clash is unavoidable!”
Dammit! That cursed little whelp! To think she’d frame me! I’ll never forgive her!
“Get out there and meet them! Slaughter every last man who dares to oppose me!”
“Y-Yes, sir…!”
As the soldier scrambled away, I plopped down onto the sofa. Well, fine… Luckily, the city streets are a tangled maze. It would take them a good while to reach this place. I’ll have the soldiers deal with the enemy head-on, and if things get dicey, I’ll just use them as a decoy and escape from the opposite side. Hehe… I won’t go down that easily. No matter how hard that simple-minded whelp racks her little brain, a child is a child. I’ll teach her the importance of respecting her elders.
“Just you wait, you little whelp. After I crush your army to dust, I’ll make you suffer a fate worse than death. Hehe… come to think of it, that princess is quite the beauty. I wonder what kind of face she’ll make when I defile her…” I’ll make her regret angering me!
“Marquis Rigel, we have a huge problem!”
As I was indulging my fantasies, another soldier rushed in, shouting.
“Now what is it! I’m in the middle of planning!”
“B-But, sir… I must report this immediately!”
This is insufferable! I was just imagining the sight of that insolent princess, broken and ruined. My mood soured, but I listened to the soldier.
“…Hah, spit it out.”
“Sir… This is very difficult to say.”
“Don’t waste my time! Out with it!”
I roared, and the soldier flinched.
“The truth is… the ambush unit we had hiding in the nearby forest to strike the princess’s army from the rear… has been annihilated.”
“….What? What did you just say?” The ambush unit… annihilated? That was impossible. They were my most elite soldiers, hand-picked for that unit. I’d poured a fortune into training them. They weren’t your average grunts. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.
“You… I am in no mood for your jokes.”
I pressed him with a menacing voice, and the soldier took a step back.
“B-But, sir… we lost contact. A scout was sent to confirm… and he reported their total destruction.”
“Couldn’t he have been mistaken?”
“No, sir, that’s impossible… He wouldn’t have been so certain if he was!”
Don’t tell me… the ambush unit was really wiped out? But why… They weren’t easy to find. This means it’s highly likely their position was leaked.
“…Tch, how?” Where did they get the information on the ambush unit in the forest?
“Marquis Rigel! Our army is being pushed back! Our dragon soldiers were targeted early and have been wiped out. We’ve completely lost control of the air! At this rate, it’s only a matter of time before the enemy reaches this location!”
“——!?”
“Your orders, sir! We must devise a countermeasure immediately!”
My mind was a complete mess. Why is nothing going right? It was as if they were reading my every move. It was sickening. If I didn’t do something, my territory and I would be finished.
“…A retreat? No… I don’t even know if I can buy time.”
I had to escape, but I was surrounded. I couldn’t move. —No, wait. Come to think of it, I still have my trump card. If I send him to the front, he can change the tide of this battle. He’ll slaughter any normal soldier. Even if they have strong fighters, they won’t escape unscathed. Heh… I can’t let them off this easy. I have to make them suffer a little. Yes, I’ll let that monster run wild.
“You, soldier!”
“Yes, sir?”
“Summon Note. I’m sending him into battle.”
“L-Lord Note!? But… sir, he’s…”
I had no time to worry about appearances.
“Release him from the dungeon! Tell him if he distinguishes himself in battle, all his crimes will be pardoned! Go, now!”
“Y-Yes, sir! Right away!”
Note was locked in the underground dungeon for his involvement in smuggling narcotics. He’s a walking monster, a first-class brute. I wonder if they have anyone over there who can stop him once he’s let loose, running on pure instinct. Hehe… What a foolish princess. She must not know about the monster lurking in my domain.
“Hehe… Fuhahahaha! I’ll slaughter them all, the princess included!” They’ll all die regretting they ever made an enemy of me! In the end, I will be the one who wins!
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