kscans

Chapter 148 - Chapter 17: First Half – The Decisive Battle Begins

"The enemy army has appeared across the river."

I saw a knight wearing the mantle of a liaison officer rush into the large pavilion where the kingdom's flag fluttered. Excusing myself to Fulsy, I stepped out of the carriage.

The sky was a clear autumn blue, with the wind blowing slightly from the east.

Two enormous catapults flanked the carriage, with a third positioned a short distance away. The old knight Fabius was shouting orders to his men. Looking ahead, I could see cavalry and infantry units lined up in neat formations.

From our position at the kingdom's main camp, a grassy plain stretched eastward until it met a small river. The bridge that had once spanned it was already destroyed.

On the other side of that river, a host of black flags was massing. I extended my senses further east. Though blocked by the forest, I knew Kurtheite was there, where Mia was likely waiting.

According to our scouts, the Imperial army numbered around eight thousand. Their main force, the sorcery unit, consisted of over one hundred and fifty mages. Considering the troops needed to garrison Kurtheite and other occupied territories, it seemed they had committed their entire mobile force to this battle.

Our own forces numbered just over fifteen thousand, combining the Royal Guard led by the king himself from the capital and the First Knight Order, which had been confronting the Empire in the Grynisias Ducal Territory. The duke's castle was apparently all but empty.

On this flat terrain, we had nearly double their numbers. Yet, the Imperial army's formation across the river showed no signs of wavering. In contrast, the moment our soldiers saw the black flags, they grew fearful. Many of the men here had faced the Empire before. The terror of being relentlessly battered by fireballs from a distance must be ingrained in them. Incidentally, the shields they carried were painted green. It was, in the truest sense, just green dye. We hadn't been able to produce enough IG-1 for that many shields, even if it was mass-producible.

I brought my gaze back to my immediate surroundings. As expected, the knights near the headquarters stood tall and straight. With the king present, they can't afford to look pathetic, can they?

"Ricardo Vinder."

Tembelg, commander of the First Knight Order, approached on horseback. The shield he carried was painted green. This one was the real deal.

"Your selection of the battlefield and your luring of the enemy here. Impressive work."

Though we had the ultimate lure in the king, Tembelg's efforts were likely a major reason we could set the stage for battle in this specific location. All I did was specify the terrain necessary to use that.

"You'd better be prepared for the consequences if this doesn't go as you've said. We will only follow your orders up to that line."

Tembelg's riding crop pointed to a tree standing just short of the river. If the enemy got any closer than that, their magic would reach our headquarters. Therefore, if that line was breached, Tembelg intended to retreat.

"I understand. More importantly, I'm counting on you for that other matter."

"I just need to ensure the words you told me reach the enemy commander, correct?"

"Yes."

The Imperial army's formation was complete. It was a long rectangle, with a group in distinctive robes holding short staves in the center rear. Infantry surrounded them in a U-shape, with cavalry units on the left and right flanks. There were no horse-dragons. Looking closely, I saw the front-line infantry carrying what looked like sandbags. It seemed they had also come prepared.

Tembelg headed for the front line, while I moved back toward the catapults. There were three in total, two brought from the Royal Capital and one procured from Grynisias Castle. The individual differences between them were too great, so only the two from the capital could be used with ballistic calculations. For the third one, relying on Fabius's experience and intuition would yield a higher hit rate.

"How are the preparations?" I asked the old knight.

"I am endeavoring to keep them... business as usual."

Fabius's stern face relaxed just a fraction. The outcome of today's battle rested squarely on his shoulders. If we didn't win, there would be no post-war negotiations to speak of.

◇◇

The Imperial army began to move. They looked formidable indeed. Zah, zah, zah, zah. The sheer presence of the massive force approaching with synchronized steps was frightening. Even knowing we had superior numbers, it was terrifying in a way completely different from facing a giant dragon.

Upon reaching the river, the Imperial vanguard started tossing sandbags into the narrowest part of the channel, to the left and right of the bridge's wreckage. I saw Fulsy nod from the carriage and gave the signal to Fabius.

Daaaan! Shurushurushuruuuu.

Stone projectiles launched from the catapults, arcing down toward the Imperial infantry who were trying to build a sandbag bridge. Despite it not being a flat training ground, the projectiles seemed to be drawn right into the enemy's cluster. But then...

Hyun... Hyun, hyun...

...Gan, gagan!!

A flash of light erupted from the Empire's rear guard, and three fireballs shot upward. The balls of flame collided precisely with the three stone projectiles, knocking them aside in a shower of sparks. With a series of splashes, the deflected stones fell into the river. The enemy soldiers, who had paused their work for only a moment, resumed their task.

Incredible. Their projectiles flew in an almost straight line. Even if our range is longer, it's meaningless if they can do that.

"This is the best-case scenario we predicted. We can proceed with Plan 2."

I sent a signal to Fulsy. Ceramic pots, painted with a green polka-dot pattern of IG-1, were loaded onto the left and right catapults. The only difference between them was that the right pot was marked with an 'I', and the left with an 'E'.

While this was happening, the Imperial army finished their sandbag bridge. Their infantry crossed one after another, forming a vanguard on the plains, on the same side of the river as us. They don't seem to mind having their backs to the water. I suppose it's because unless they cross the river, we won't be in their range, and once they get close enough, they can do as they please from outside our own range.

Then, finally, the robed mages began to move. They gathered in an oval shape behind the sandbags, preparing to cross.

I raised my hand. Tembelg's knight order began to advance. And Fabius cut the catapults' ropes.

Dodododod.

Daaaan! Shurushurushuruuuu.

Two ceramic pots flew through the air, soaring over the charging cavalry. They traced a much higher parabolic arc than the stone projectiles from before. It must have been an easy target for the enemy. Just as they began their descent from their highest point, they were intercepted by wavering red fireballs.

The fireballs shattered upon impact with the ceramic pots. In the next instant, the pots themselves broke apart with a crash.

The oil-and-water mixture that had been inside was flung out, raining down upon the sorcery unit along with shards of pottery and the small stones used for agitation. A fine mist of oily droplets descended upon them, green from the right pot and red from the left.

Daaaan! Shurushurushuruuuu.

Doooooooon!!!

A stone projectile slammed into the Imperial soldiers who had just finished crossing the river, mowing down several of them. There was no interception.

"The enemy's magic signature has been halved, no, it's even lower!" Fulsy shouted from the carriage.

Even from here, I could see the chaos among the robed group in the enemy's rear guard. They were desperately rubbing at their arms. As if oil-based ink comes off that easily.

In the center of the mages, a small female sorcerer was giving orders. So that's their commander. Under her direction, the sorcery unit began to regain its composure. The next thing they would do is...

Boff. Bo, bon!!

Several flames erupted on the enemy's left flank. Mages whose robes had caught fire were screaming. Around them, other mages clutched their arms.

"Their magic went haywire just as I'd hoped. What a shame," I said to Fulsy, who had stepped out of the carriage.

"...A proper mage would not stand for such a tactic," Fulsy said, giving me a reproachful look. Well, this was the result of me trying to figure out how to disrupt the flow of magic as much as possible. You can walk carefully down a road full of potholes, but you can't do the same on a road where potholes and protrusions are placed at random.

"But I have no sympathy for the Empire that kidnapped Mia," he added.

"Exactly. Let's have them be thoroughly crushed."

The cavalry corps closed in on the confused enemy vanguard. In their center, a spear pointed toward the heavens.

"The enemy's magic is lost! There is nothing to fear! Advance, advance, advaaance!"

With Tembelg at its heart, the Knight Order crashed into the enemy army. A few pathetic fireballs flew toward them, only to be blocked by the green shields of the vanguard.

Another volley of unintercepted stone projectiles flew into the enemy ranks. While their effect against several thousand soldiers was limited, it must have been a great shock to take damage from an attack they thought harmless, especially while being charged by knights.

The First Knight Order scattered the faltering enemy infantry and cut deep into their lines. I saw the first of the knights cross the bridge the enemy had built. It seems we've won.

Now, all that's left is to pray my message gets delivered properly.