69 - The One Who Is Deceived Is Also at Fault
The Demon King's Army and the Laurel Kingdom Army face each other on the battlefield. Today, once again, the warriors will spend their time in fierce combat. Battle spirit rises. Without a command, and regardless of which side, the people at the front line began to move slowly.
Their pace gradually quickened. By then, the rhythmic sound of drums could be heard from the Laurel Kingdom Army's position. The warriors' running pace gradually synchronized with the rhythm of those drums. It was not just the Laurel Kingdom Army. The warriors of the Demon King's Army did the same.
"Uaaaaaaaaah!!"
"Uoooooooooh!!"
Once they reached a position where the enemy's expressions were clearly visible, war cries erupted from both armies. These were cries to shake off the fear of battle and to embolden themselves. The two armies collided. In the initial clash, the Demon King's Army, possessing superior individual strength, pushed forward, but the Laurel Kingdom Army held their ground. They maintained their formation, lining it up in multiple layers, forming a sturdy array, and simply continued to endure the Demon King's Army's attacks.
"Break through!"
"Smash through them!!"
The Demon King's Army attempted to pierce through that formation. However, even when the vanguard of the Laurel Kingdom Army fell, the rear units immediately filled the gaps, preventing the front line from collapsing. And just as the Demon King's Army grew impatient with this situation...
"Let's goooo!!"
Fumiya and the elite units of the knights leaped to the front line. Demon race members were struck down. The Demon King's Army lacked the movement to quickly fill those gaps. They had not undergone training for group combat. Fumiya and his comrades further pried open the gaps they had created. The moment a hole appeared in the Demon King's Army's front line...
"Retreat! Fall back!"
Following the command, Fumiya and the others retreated. In their place, what attacked the demons was a tornado unleashed by Akemi. The raging tornado wounded the demons at the front line.
"Counterattack! Counterattack!"
Voices rose from the Demon King's Army. In response to those voices, magic unleashed by the Demon King's Army flew in from the rear. However, it was a bit too late. Several spells exploded in mid-air. They had hit the Laurel Kingdom Army's defensive barriers.
"Push them back! Scatter those small fry quickly!"
Impatience grew within the Demon King's Army. They were pushing, but they simply couldn't completely break the Laurel Kingdom Army's formation.
"Open up! Hurry! Magic is being unleashed!"
Instructions came from the rear of the Laurel Kingdom Army. Following them, the front line of the Laurel Kingdom Army opened to the left and right. Magic is coming. The Demon King's Army braced themselves, thinking so. However, no magic was unleashed from the Laurel Kingdom Army's ranks.
"...They tricked us! Push forward! Pursue the enemy!"
The Demon King's Army pursued the retreating vanguard of the Laurel Kingdom Army. However, they did not realize that this, too, was an enemy ploy. Logs stood lined up. The soldiers of the Laurel Kingdom Army passed through the gaps between them. In their place, an uncountable, massive amount of arrows floated in the air.
"...Endure it!!"
The demons simultaneously took defensive postures suited to themselves. Toward them, arrows as thick as a human arm rained down. Even among the sturdy demons, there were those who could not withstand the attack. Figures could be seen collapsing to the ground here and there.
"...I feel they've become even stronger."
King Dracul watched the battle from a short distance away. He was searching for an opportunity to slay the Hero, but he was anxious seeing his allies being pushed back considerably.
"They are repeating the same thing over and over. Perhaps they are getting used to it?"
A subordinate answered King Dracul's mutter.
"And what does that make us, who allow the same thing to happen?"
"That is..."
"We need a more absolute leader. As it stands, they are merely fighting in tribal units."
If it were tribal units, it would be better. Among them, there were even those fighting completely as individuals. That played right into the Laurel Kingdom Army's hands.
"You mean, if the Demon King were to come to the front line?"
The only one who could give orders across races and tribes was the Demon King. But that Demon King had not come to the front line. A commander-in-chief should not easily go to the very front. In the Laurel Kingdom Army, Sieg was also deep within the ranks. It couldn't be said to be wrong.
"A war of attrition... no, I will try to suggest it next time."
The Laurel Kingdom Army was utilizing their numerical superiority to wage a war of attrition. But was that really the case? Was it not the Demon King who was waging the war of attrition, sacrificing his own? Such a doubt crossed King Dracul's mind.
"They seem to be retreating. What shall we do?"
The front line of the Demon King's Army was showing signs of retreat. Unable to endure the attacks from the catapults, they intended to put distance between themselves and the enemy camp. And if they did that, the Laurel Kingdom Army would charge again. It was a repetition.
"There is a high possibility the Hero will charge. Stand by here."
"Yes, sir."
If it became a pursuit, the Hero would almost certainly appear. Thinking this, King Dracul decided to remain in place. And, just as he expected, the Hero leaped out, but...
"Fall back!"
"Eh!?"
"That is Mad Dog Geel!"
It wasn't just the Hero who had leaped out. There was a knight showing an attack as wild as, or even wilder than, the Hero's. King Dracul immediately saw through who that was.
"Is this not a perfect opportunity!?"
An opportunity to simultaneously slay the Hero and Geel, one of the Three Pillars of the Laurel Kingdom's Knights. That was what the subordinate thought, but he was wrong.
"If you have the confidence that you can definitely slay that one, then you may stay."
"...That is..."
Geel was slaying allies one after another. It wasn't just overwhelming strength. Besides the Hero and Geel, there was another powerful enemy. Shards of ice danced through the air. Then, ice spears pierced through the bodies of his allies. Comrades who had half their bodies frozen and were unable to move were sliced apart by Geel's sword. Geel and Cecil were showing a combination even greater than Fumiya and Akemi's.
"A user of freezing magic... and a highly skilled one at that. Did the Laurel Kingdom have such a mage?"
King Dracul did not know Cecil's name. He simply learned that there was a skilled mage.
"Let us withdraw for now."
"Indeed."
This was no place to be trying to slay the Hero. The Demon King's Army was being overwhelmed by the Laurel Kingdom Army and continued to retreat in a form that was almost a defeat. Even if they waited for the Hero in this situation, they would only be left behind. What awaited them was death. The group of the Vampio race led by King Dracul retreated along with their allies.
◇◇◇
The Demon King's Army had retreated their front line significantly. In response, the Laurel Kingdom Army's pursuit did not stop. Slay as many enemies as possible while they can be slain. If they are counterattacked, they can simply retreat again. Even if ten allies are slain, if they slay one enemy, they win. Moreover, they were currently in a position of pursuing a retreating enemy. It was a perfect opportunity to reduce the enemy's numbers.
"Pursue them! Do not let them escape!"
The Laurel Kingdom Army was riding the momentum. It would be fine if they were being skillfully lured in, but the Demon King's Army had no such ploy. They were in a state of retreating with all their might to create room to reorganize their posture. However, even if the main body of the Demon King's Army had no ploy, that wasn't the end.
"Gwah!"
"Ngh!"
The soldiers pursuing the Demon King's Army cried out one after another and stopped in their tracks.
"What happened?"
A knight, surprised by this, called out, but no soldier answered the question. On the contrary, they collapsed to the ground one after another. All that remained were long spears extending from the ground.
"...W-what?"
The knight did not understand what was happening. He simply let out a cry of surprise and stared at the spear-tips extending into the air, but that was a mistake.
"Ngh, u, uaaaaaaaaah!!"
A spear-tip had pierced him from behind. It was protruding from his stomach.
"...U-undead... it's the undead!!"
The soldiers around him could see who had done it. Corpses that had emerged from the ground. They had pierced the knight with spears.
"Be careful! Undead are in the ground—"
The undead's spear attacked the knight who had issued the warning as well. It wasn't just this knight. Undead appeared all over the battlefield and attacked the nearby knights and soldiers.
"Fall back! Fall back and reorganize!"
The Laurel Kingdom Army fell into great chaos due to the suddenly appearing undead. Some soldiers turned their backs and fled without reorganizing their lines.
"Mages! Do something about the undead!"
No matter what instructions were given, there was no way mages were among the pursuit force that had been running at full speed. Pursuit was not the role of mages, nor would they have the stamina to keep up.
"...Shall we launch a counterattack?"
The situation had completely changed. For the Demon King's Army, it was a chance for pursuit.
"Stop. If we pursue, we will only be waited upon by the enemy again. There is no need to deliberately turn this into a losing battle."
"But..."
Even if the Vampio race did not pursue, there was no telling how other tribes would move.
"Convey what I just said to the tribal chiefs on the battlefield. Those who still do not stop cannot be helped. It is their own fault."
"Understood."
The subordinates scattered in all directions. As a result, their persuasion succeeded. Among the tribal chiefs on the battlefield, many trusted King Dracul. They obeyed obediently. Those who did not, seeing that other tribes were not moving, could not be certain of victory if they pursued alone. Consequently, they followed the others.
"...We were saved this time, but."
If they knew undead were present, they could deal with them calmly. And they would not neglect preparations. It would not work in the next battle, the subordinate thought.
"Is that so? That may not be everything."
"Is that so?"
"On this battlefield, many times more dead have fallen than the number of undead that appeared. I think it's normal to assume there are more, no?"
"...True."
Many times more undead might be buried in the ground. Moreover, it might not be limited to this location. In that case, the subordinate also thought that they couldn't be dismissed as mere undead.
"When thinking that, I wonder if they can come forward as they have until now?"
"...Is that it?"
"I don't know, but I think it wouldn't be strange if it were a ploy for that purpose."
If the Undead Legion intended to challenge a decisive battle, they wouldn't have released them in small doses like this. King Dracul thought it was not a ploy to decide victory or defeat.
"Assuming that's the case, what are they thinking for next?"
"If I knew that, I wouldn't be struggling. Besides, the fact that it's not easily understood makes them reliable as allies."
"...Yes. That is true."
There will be something more ahead. For the disadvantaged Demon King's Army, that might be a salvation. King Dracul's subordinate thought so. And he wasn't the only one who thought so.
◇◇◇
The Laurel Kingdom Army suffered an unexpected defeat. In the main camp, a meeting about this incident was immediately held. An element that had not existed until now, the undead, had been added. Necessary corrections had to be made quickly. That was the thought of the commander-in-chief, Sieg.
"The number of undead that appeared is unknown exactly, but probably around two hundred. The number was by no means large."
"Our army was thrown into chaos by that number. The cause?"
Confirm the cause of defeat thoroughly and prepare countermeasures. Sieg believed that this repetition made an army strong.
"The enemy was hiding underground, and we were completely caught off guard. I believe we shifted to a rout without recovering from that chaos."
"Underground, huh... something that can only be done because they are undead."
"Yes. Attacks from unpredictable places. I think that was a major factor. Furthermore, because they appeared one after another from the ground, I believe the soldiers suffered the illusion that a considerable number were lurking."
They didn't know how many would appear. One hundred could become two hundred, two hundred could become a thousand, and a thousand could become two thousand. It was merely a possibility, but the soldiers feared that possibility. They feared staying in place and being too late to escape.
"An illusion... is it truly an illusion?"
"Do you actually think there are more in number?"
"How many died on this battlefield? What percentage of them were turned into undead?"
"...I do not know."
There was no way to know what percentage were turned into undead. Twenty percent, fifty percent, or more. This too was a possibility, but there was no information to think beyond possibility.
"Now, this is difficult. We don't know where or how many are lurking. There is the option of advancing while being prepared for surprise attacks, but I wonder if there is any meaning in doing that against undead."
The Laurel Kingdom Army was challenging a war of attrition. But to be slain just to defeat undead would be a mere waste of life. The fact that this thought surfaced was exactly as King Dracul had anticipated.
"There is also the option of advancing carefully while performing purification."
That would take time. The battle with the Demon King's Army was not everything for the Laurel Kingdom. Everyone present knew that.
"...We have no choice but to do that. As a result, that will lead to ending this battle sooner."
This decision could only be made by the commander-in-chief, Sieg. It was a decision typical of Sieg, who preferred steadiness. To the point where anyone would know that Sieg would decide this way. With this, the meeting reached a break. They were supposed to move to the next agenda, but...
"It's an emergency!"
A knight rushed into the tent where the meeting was being held, looking panicked.
"What is it!?"
"Undead have appeared! Right in front of the front line's camp!"
"...They are fast. They moved before we could treat the corpses. How many?"
"About a hundred have been confirmed."
"...Organize about a thousand and deploy them immediately. Do not let your guard down. And mages as well. While slaying the enemy is one thing, have them burn the corpses that haven't been turned into undead. Mobilize the soldiers as well."
Even if it's a hundred now, there is a possibility it will increase. Sieg decided to simultaneously execute the organization of a sufficient number and a plan to prevent further increases. The knight leaped outside upon receiving the order.
"For now, the meeting is adjourned. It's better to be vigilant. Everyone, please return to your positions."
A repeated defeat would not be permitted. He decided to face even a hundred or so undead with a perfect system. The participants left the meeting room one after another. Finally, Sieg moved to a place where the front line was visible, accompanied by his guard knights. Only the sentry knight remained. The surroundings became noisy. Information about the appearance of the undead was spreading. But it had nothing to do with the sentry knight. Staying in this place was his job. However, the commotion approached from the other side.
"U-um... I-I was asked... s-so I came."
The soldier had run at full speed. While out of breath, he tried to convey his business to the knight.
"What is it?"
"I was asked to bring the surrounding maps. Where are they?"
"If it's maps, I believe they are inside."
"May I go get them?"
"No. No. I cannot let you inside without permission."
It was a tent used for military councils. Confidential information was also kept there. It was not a place one could enter and exit freely.
"Then, could you get them for me?"
"Me? That's impossible. I cannot enter inside on my own either."
"No way. Then I cannot fulfill my order. It's alright. The one who ordered it was the aide of Myriad General Sieg."
"Even so... then bring that person here."
He couldn't believe it just by words. He wouldn't be able to serve as a sentry if he did.
"I think they ordered someone like me because they couldn't leave their post?"
"Even so, this is the rule."
"I see... then I will tell them that. Please don't say you didn't know later, okay?"
"It's fine. Myriad General Sieg will understand."
Breaking rules was one of the things Sieg hated most. The sentry knight knew that. He judged that even if he sent the soldier away, he would not be scolded.
"I hope so. Well, I'll go back. I just need to bring something that proves I was ordered, right?"
"Yeah, that's right. If you have that, I can let you through."
"Understood."
The soldier ran away at full speed. Whether he was enthusiastic because he received an order from a superior, or anxious because he couldn't fulfill it, he was certainly desperate. He was still a young soldier. The knight thought it was natural for him to be so. He even wondered how his own first battle had been. He was a sentry who just stood still. To kill boredom, it was common to forget time through delusions. This time was the same. How much time had passed? The knight came back to his senses at the sound of approaching footsteps. He thought the soldier from before had returned, but...
"Did you see anything?"
This time it was a mage wearing a robe.
"See what?"
"Did anyone approach?"
"...What do you mean?"
"There was a reaction on the magic tool. Magic should have been used around here."
"Magic..."
The knight could not understand the mage's talk. The explanation was too brief.
"There are traces that an intruder used it. I came to confirm that."
"An intruder!?"
Hearing the word intruder, the knight finally understood the mage's purpose.
"Search inside the tent. Quickly!"
"A-ah."
The knight hurriedly entered the tent. But there was no one inside. The knight turned around to tell the mage.
"Hey? Don't enter on your own."
The mage was standing there.
"...Is it this way?"
Ignoring the knight's words, the mage began to walk. Holding something that looked like a magic tool, the mage searched inside the tent.
"Hey. Don't move around on your own."
"Be quiet. There is still a reaction."
The mage walked around, pointing the magic tool in his hand in various directions. Occasionally, he stopped in one place and thought about something with a difficult expression.
"Please step away a bit."
"I cannot do that."
"...I see. Then, this is at your own risk."
The mage crouched on the spot. When he stood up, both of the mage's hands were full.
"That is...?"
"Move aside. Honestly, I don't know what kind of magic tool it is. Anyway, I want to leave this place."
"I-I understand."
The knight stepped aside so as not to hinder the mage.
"...Ah, that's right. If possible, I want you to tell your comrades about this. Tell them I'm heading to the south exit and I want them to follow me."
"That is..."
To do that, he would need to leave this place. The knight hesitated to grant the mage's request.
"...Fine. I'll ask someone I meet on the way."
"Sorry."
The knight did not know what the mage intended to do. However, he felt sorry that he could not be of help to the opponent who exuded an urgent atmosphere. Even so, as a sentry whose job was to stay, he could not leave this place. He could only watch the back of the mage as he walked away.