Chapter 264 - Seventh Story: Mortimer
June.
Margrave Mortimer, who held territory near the forest on the border with northern Sertoria, confirmed the sealed letter from his liege, the King of Medioland, and sighed at the harshness of the orders. He was told to face Sertoria with ten thousand reinforcements from the continent and the two thousand troops he currently had in his territory.
Sertoria's standing army was about ten thousand. Given the nature of the country, if it became a defensive war, the front-line units alone would easily exceed three times that number. He wished he could at least use all seven thousand of his own troops.
When the mobilization order was issued, the majority of the Mortimer army, which had been active in the Cantas conquest, was stationed in the Morandine border region, and only the main force of two thousand had returned to his territory. The remaining five thousand had not yet returned.
"Excellency. What kind of orders did His Majesty give?"
When asked by one of his staff, Mortimer silently showed him the command document.
"T-This is... Excellency. Is this not excessive interference? No matter how much he is the King, he cannot give instructions to divide your military strength. Even for His Majesty, is he not disregarding you, a Margrave, too much?"
"Well, yes. I could refuse on those grounds."
"Then?"
"No. I am considering accepting it."
"But, Excellency!"
"Now, listen."
Mortimer calmed his enraged staff member. The man was being loyal to his master in his own way. It didn't feel bad.
"This war will only truly begin in earnest once His Majesty breaks through the Regnentes border. It was the same last time, but in the end, we were repelled. This time, we are deploying the army on an even larger scale, making it look like we are cutting off the coordination of the West Coast nations to defeat them individually. However, in reality, it is a one-point breakthrough."
"In other words, our army is..."
"Yes. We do not need to aim for the control of Nakanohara like last time. We just need to draw them in. The generals in the east don't even need to do that much."
"Can we win with such a strategy?"
Even if a hole was made with a one-point breakthrough, if the follow-up didn't continue and they couldn't deploy behind the enemy, they would just be surrounded and annihilated.
"I cannot speak of it in detail now, but His Majesty has devised a method to sever the coordination of the West Coast nations. If that succeeds, we will be able to defeat them individually. We will move after that."
"In other words, even if there is a flaw in His Majesty's plan, we can just withdraw and strengthen the defense of our own territory."
"That is correct. First, let us see how His Majesty handles things. Summon all the staff. I will also explain the details of the strategy to the reinforcements from the continent. Oh, there's no need to rush. Also, I will send a letter to the army returning from Morandine. Prepare a magic circle."
"Understood."
Mortimer sighed, wondering how he was going to make ten thousand foreign soldiers listen to him with only two thousand of his own.
At Mortimer's explanation, the staff members questioned King Seldic's strategy itself. Seldic was leading twenty thousand troops, including reinforcements, but even if he broke through the Regnentes border and seized the basin, it would be a battle in the plains after that. If reinforcements from not only Regnentes but also Primordia, Sertoria, and Medioland arrived, they would have no choice but to retreat, being outnumbered. A retreat through the basin and the forest region could lead to total annihilation.
"His Majesty intends to use a special corps to crush the enemy's reinforcements individually. Once the Regnentes border is broken and the enemy's reinforcements are crushed, our army will also begin breaking through the Sertoria border. First, we will feign an offensive and find a way to gather the Sertorian army near the border."
Another special corps? In Primordia, it was fine until they seized the fort, but they didn't just have it taken back; the land route was crushed.
The staff members looked up at the sky exaggeratedly.
It's those people from the Ruined Town again...
The raid on Nakanohara by the Revenants, who had boasted it would fall in one night, had also failed. How many times did they have to fail before they were satisfied?
On the other hand, it was the generals of the reinforcements who bit at the mention of a special corps.
"Is this special corps a group of magic experts? Have they already infiltrated beyond the border?"
They didn't know about battles using magic. Those who had come to the island as mercenaries knew, but this time they were regular soldiers of a nation. It could be said they understood nothing.
"I cannot speak of the details at this time. However, you may understand it as such."
The reinforcement generals stirred. They said they definitely wanted to see the magic of the rumored ultra-high-level mages.
"Our army also has magic units. Ultra-high-level mages as well. If you like, I can show you."
"By all means, please."
Mortimer summoned a mage who had also participated as one of the main members of the Demon Lord subjugation force and instructed him to give a demonstration to the reinforcements from the continent.
"Well then, since [Skill: Prominence] would cause a fire, shall I show you [Skill: Maelstrom] and [Skill: Cocytus]?"
"Yes, that will do."
Immediately, he raised his right hand and released [Skill: Maelstrom] toward the forest. A mass of water surged from nowhere, becoming a great wave that knocked down dozens of trees. Furthermore, several giant icicles flew out, piercing the fallen trees and instantly freezing the surroundings.
"S-Splendid. So this is magic..."
The reinforcement generals swallowed hard, staring at the mage as he bowed.
"What you just saw was offensive magic. I narrowed the output somewhat, so the power was slightly reduced, but if I were to go all out, it would be more than double the power of what you just saw. There are also many other spells, such as magic to instantly heal the injured and magic to protect our army from enemy magic attacks. There are about fifteen hundred magic soldiers in the army I command, and about three hundred in the unit here now, active in attack, recovery, and support."
"That is reassuring. Since we cannot use such a thing as magic, we shall rely on you for support and recovery."
"I understand. His Majesty has also instructed me to assign them generously to your units. Rest assured."
That was easy. We only have one ultra-high-level mage, but we have seven high-level mages. We've also been assigned Aerial Scouts and Aerial Knights, so there should be no need to worry about their movements.
Mortimer smiled inwardly as he watched the reinforcement generals peppering the mage with questions and bugging their eyes out at the [Skill: Fire Ball] magic.
The enemy might have magic soldiers lurking in the forest.
Just by saying that, no one opposed the policy of maintaining a defensive posture. Naturally, the staff members didn't believe such a thing, but it was better to have fewer losses.
"We shall release scouts into the forest, advance slowly, build field positions, and ensure a steady advance while securing provisions. In the event of a sortie, the vanguard shall consist of two thousand men, including a thousand archers supported by our magic soldiers. Please lend us your archers and engineers. Next will be our main force of a thousand, followed by two thousand reinforcement cavalry. As a rearguard to guard the highway, there will be four thousand reinforcement infantry, and the remaining three thousand will remain in this land to secure an escape route. Until the vanguard clears the forest, our army shall lead the way, so please be active after we break through the forest."
The reinforcement generals were delighted just by him saying that. In the plains, the damage from magic could be suppressed to some extent by spreading out, and numerical superiority would tell. Last time, they hadn't even been able to break through.
"His Majesty's special corps should also be deployed ahead of us. We shall break through the border forest by taking advantage of the enemy's confusion."
Mortimer's worries before the meeting ended in vain, and the policy was decided easily.
"Release the scouts; do not neglect the exploration of the forest. We shall renovate and expand the forward positions near the border. Make it so they can accommodate five hundred soldiers, and make it so another five hundred can be stationed in the surrounding area. After placing a thousand men, we shall gradually move our forces. It is unlikely they will start the war from their side, so rest assured."
Saying that, he first began cutting down trees. He could have done it beforehand, but during a war, the allowance for soldiers would come from the Royal Palace. He carried out the construction with the labor of the commoners, used the saved costs to secure provisions, and used the time for training. He had already summoned merchants. Equipment also needed to be renewed.
"Everyone, please train in coordination with the magic soldiers. Approach while preventing damage, and time your charge. Also, not only our army's but the enemy's archers are excellent and have a long range. You should also train in how to defend against them."
The reinforcement generals were pleased with this measure and immediately worked hard at training in the plains. After the renovation of the positions was finished, they would advance. It was the renovation of their own country's positions. It wouldn't be a reason for war. Mortimer intended to stick to a policy of taking his time to the end.
A month later, upon receiving the report that the fort renovation work was complete, Mortimer increased the force at the forward positions to a thousand as the first wave. Most of them were his own troops, and he kept the majority of the reinforcements from the continent on standby.
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The departure of the Mortimer army was immediately brought to Adolf in Nakanohara.
It had already been announced in the King's name that the front-line commander against the Engrio army was Adolf.
Using the Mayor's office in the town hall as a temporary headquarters, representatives of the Kingdom Army garrison, the Town Guard, the vigilantes, and the head of the hunters who also served as scouts were constantly holed up in the basement meeting room.
"Hey, Hans. I understand the Mayor doubling as the commander-in-chief, but is it okay to use the town hall as the headquarters?"
Owen, the head of the Nakanohara Town vigilantes, grumbled to Hans, the Captain of the Town Guard. In his hand was a glass of wine poured for him by Hanna, who had been appointed as the Mayor's secretary.
"Isn't it fine? Anyone can come and go here. We can even call the Archbishop or Bishop Catherine. Imagine if we made the Kingdom Army garrison the headquarters. The Archbishop would have to report to the Royal Capital Great Church every time he entered or left."
Hans, who doubled as the Captain of the Town Guard and the Vice-Captain of the Kingdom Army garrison, was drinking beer.
"You're quite relaxed, aren't you? Even though Engrio has issued a mobilization order."
"You're drinking yourself, aren't you?"
"I'm having a drink poured by the second-place beauty of the Nakanohara Madonna, after all. I've got to enjoy it."
"She's your own daughter!"
Angus, the head of the hunters, was drinking the beer his daughter Hanna had poured for him, and was being called out by her.
"Speaking of the Madonna, what's Jeanne, who was in eighth place, doing now? Is she still catching rats?"
"She finishes the rat catching before dawn and goes to the fields in the Flatlands. Wasn't she getting the bait from the Bird's Head Tavern?"
"Lately, she's been taking a week's worth at a time and storing it in the icehouse. She's setting traps every day, after all."
"It seems the Class of 175 has scattered as well."
Angus, hearing the conversation between Owen and Hans, asked his daughter.
"Does that mean Jeanne and the others won't be coming to the front lines this time?"
"I don't know. The Marcelo Company is a place where people get special requests from the Royal Capital, after all."
Just as Angus said, "That's amazing," the door opened and Adolf arrived.
"Hey, Commander-in-Chief. From what I heard from these two, it seems Margrave Mortimer is taking his sweet time."
The one who spoke first was Owen.
"According to information from the Royal Capital, the enemy's first objective seems to be Regnentes. This side is secondary this time. That's because last time, thanks to everyone's hard work, we prevented them from breaking through the border forest."
"Does that mean we're just observing for a while?"
"No, that's not it. Since I've had you all gather, I have a request."
"A request?"
Adolf's request was based on a request from the Royal Capital.
He wanted the vigilantes to handle town security and measures against criminals in place of the Town Guard.
"You can only arrest them in the act, but it's a measure to prevent crimes by well-meaning citizens. When the Kingdom Army and the Town Guard were away for the Demon Lord subjugation, crimes in the town increased. It's been decided to do this throughout the Kingdom as a countermeasure. They especially want us to do it in Nakanohara."
"Well, we can go as far as hauling them in, but what about the trial?"
"The Resident Affairs Department at the town hall will handle it. It's not much, but we'll also provide an allowance. Can you do it?"
"Sure thing. So, what's the Town Guard going to do?"
When Owen looked at Hans, Hans looked at Adolf.
"Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama are recruiting a volunteer army. They'll be part of that."
"A volunteer army?"
"Hans, please give a detailed explanation."
According to Hans, the Town Guard gathered from all over Sertoria would serve as the defensive force for a certain village. The location couldn't be said, but it could be imagined.
The force was a thousand. It was the entire Town Guard of each town and village, also known as the Kingdom Army First Legion. After assembling in Nakanohara by town and conducting simple training, they would apparently join Henry-sama and the others.
"The Kingdom Army will deal with Margrave Mortimer. Since the Eastern Plains Corps and the Central Army should be coming as reinforcements, it'll be a standoff for now until they show signs of breaking through the border."
"Aren't they going to set magical beasts on us like before?"
"Countermeasures are being established, centered on the Kingdom Army and the mountain hunters. I can't speak of the details, but they say there's no problem. Besides, the southern hunters are stationed at the forest exit as the second wave. There should be no need to worry."
Mountain hunters meant the Jaeger units. Naturally, the members in the meeting room understood the meaning of the words. When Owen agreed, it was Angus's turn.
"For the time being, is it okay for the northern hunters to just hunt magical beasts? I heard a large amount will be needed for dried meat."
"Yes, that's fine. If possible, it would be appreciated if you could also gather wild vegetables and mountain fruits."
"Understood. I'll make sure we do it within the range of that boundary line."
"Right now, the Marcelo Company is connecting the mountain huts and the town's warehouse with teleportation. If you transport them to the mountain huts and have them attached to iron rings and sent over, the town will buy them."
"Well, that's a help."
When the meeting ended, it was time for a toast. Hanna went around pouring drinks for everyone, and at Adolf's suggestion, she poured wine into her own glass.
"Then, to the peace of Nakanohara and the further development of the people of the Kingdom of Sertoria."
"Cheers!"
The five of them drained their glasses in one breath, and as they set them down, they exchanged smiles with one another.