kscans

CHAPTER 5 WARS OF NATIONS – Episode 6 Summoned (Part 1)

t/n: the title ‘召還’ can be roughly translated as military recall where a lord call his soldier to face threat, or feudal obligation where a lord summon his vassal to fulfill his obligation, such as attending a council, or military service. in this chapter part, bardo is being summoned to the capital for inq—–[spoiler alert!]

1

This time, Bard woke up after two days. Karz had carried him away from the Queen’s hideout and let him rest. He was in terrible condition, but gradually recovered. In this dim forest where he couldn’t even tell the position of the sun, Karz confidently determined the direction and led the way. On the day they left the forest, when he asked how many days had passed, he was told it was the twenty-third day. They stopped by at Try to resupply food, and there were people who recognized Bard, so they ended up staying overnight at the house of a village official. He asked about the war situation, and although they knew that a country called Shinkai had started a war, they optimistically predicted that they would be repelled before reaching the imperial capital. They arrived at Lordvan Castle on May 8th, proving that Karz’s calculation of the date was correct.

Seifert was not there. He had been summoned back to the capital. Since Vice Commander Maitalp had died in the previous demonic beast attack, there was no commander or vice commander here now. Knight College Dolby, the second battalion commander, was serving as the acting commander. He was a knight who had fought alongside them in the defense against the demonic beasts and knew Bard well. His name was also on the Sword Offering List.

College was astonished to learn that Bard and Karz had gone to the forest to meet the Queen of Manuno. It was not surprising. Meeting Queen Manuno was not only reckless but also seemed like a plan that would make one question their sanity. Stepping into the Great Forest itself was something that any sane person would not even consider. Especially right after the incident where Manuno led a major invasion of demonic beasts. Bard had told Seifert about it, but it seemed that Seifert hadn’t informed College.

Jurchaga had returned seven days earlier than Bard and the others. If it were anyone else, it would be hard to believe that they could gather information about the situation in Thula and Seion so quickly. If one go from Lordvan Castle to the capital of Gaineria and then to Thula, it would be nearly 180 ri. The distance a person can walk in a day is about five ri. In other words, it would take 35 days for a one-way trip. Moreover, they would have to pass through Gaineria, which is in the midst of war, and go to Thula and Seion, which are under occupation. Of course, it is not known in advance which route is safe and where the necessary information can be obtained. He had left three days earlier than Bard and the others, but even so, he had returned in exactly 70 days. Not only had he conducted reconnaissance in Thula and Seion, but he also had a general idea of the situation in Parzam and Goriora. It was truly astonishing. But well, it’s Jurchaga, so it’s possible for him to do such things. Indeed, what Julelan said about him being a talent that any ruler would desperately want is not just flattery. Especially in times like these, his usefulness is almost illogical.

“Oh no, it’s not like that. Gaineria can’t really be said to be in the midst of war. And as for Thula and Seion, there is no war at all. Well, for now, let’s start with the situation in the capital of Thula.”

Jurchaga’s report began.

2 (t/n: jurchaga narrates again)

I entered the capital of Thula. But I had already gathered most of the necessary information before that. Well, I wanted to confirm it, or rather, experience the atmosphere on the ground. Also, I wanted to see the defensive walls from the inside in preparation for when I sneak in someday. Huh? No, it’s not about war. I can’t have you forgetting about my main job. (t/n: just so you remember, he’s a thief)

Now then. Let’s skip the troublesome explanations and just hear the conclusion, or rather, what I found out. In the end, it’s just a matter of what’s happening and what’s going on.

In mid-January, Shinkai declared war on the five countries: Parzam, Goriora, Thula, Seion, and Gaineria. The timing of the arrival of the declaration of war messengers differed for each country, but it was roughly between the 10th and 30th of January. Thula and Seion were completely caught off guard. After all, Shinkai is located northwest of Fargo and Ezite. If Shinkai were to attack, they thought it would first be a war with Parzam. However, on February 4th, the Shinkai army suddenly attacked the capital of Thula. Ignoring Fargo and Ezite, they even bypassed the Mordos Mountains and directly struck the capital of Thula.

The main force was left behind, and it seems a cavalry-only advance team arrived. Their advance was incredibly swift. Along the way, some of the nobles noticed the Shinkai army and dispatched messengers, but the messengers arrived at the capital of Thula almost simultaneously with the advance team. This advance team consisted of only 200 cavalry, but they challenged the king to battle on the plains near the city. He could send as many as he wanted. The king of Thula became furious and personally led 200 knights into battle. There were also about 600 infantry. But in no time, they were scattered by the Shinkai army, and the king became a captive. The Shinkai army’s assault was just too fast, making escape impossible.

From here on, things get strange. The ministers who remained in Thula were surprised and tried to negotiate for the return of the king and pay a ransom. However, General Bakou of Shinkai refused to comply with their demands and did not make any further attacks. Instead, he began to wait in that location. The next day, wagons carrying supplies for the Shinkai army arrived. By this time, the feudal lords of Thula had gathered with their knights. But General Bakou calmly kept his troops waiting. On the third day, the main Shinkai force arrived. They had around 500 cavalry, 900 infantry, and a supply troops. The ministers and feudal lords of Thula sent messengers to determine the conditions of the war, thinking that the battle was about to begin.

What do you think happened next? Shinkai returned the king. Without any conditions. Not only that, but they also released all the knights they had captured. Everyone watched in astonishment as the king returned to the castle, smiling. As soon as they arrived back at the castle, the king reportedly said that he was impressed by the virtue of General Bakou of the Shinkai Kingdom. He announced that he would hold a banquet to entertain the general and requested the attendance of the feudal lords. The king truly treated General Lugurgoa and the Shinkai army’s officers to a feast. Some people thought that they would take advantage of the opportunity to kill the invading generals at the banquet. Others thought that the king would be threatened and forced to sign a highly disadvantageous surrender document. But neither of those things happened. Something incredibly strange did happen, though. There was a large black carriage, and the nobles of Shinkai were riding in it. The king ordered the ministers and feudal lords of Thula to greet them. One by one, they entered the carriage. The Shinkai army received plenty of provisions in Thula’s capital. And then, without leaving a single soldier or officer behind, the Shinkai army departed towards Seion. After that, the king praised the feudal lords and dismissed them, but he issued one strange order. From now on, if the Shinkai army passes near their territory and does not attack from there, they are not to interfere in any way.

The distance from Thula’s royal capital to Seion’s royal capital is exactly 25 koku-ri. Even with a slow horse-drawn carriage, it would take three days to reach it. By the time the Shinkai army arrived at Seion’s royal capital on the third day, the battle was already over. Huh? You think the story is strange? It’s not strange at all. Because Shinkai had a separate detachment.

General Ryukai led a separate detachment of 200 cavalry, which arrived in Seion’s capital three days earlier. They issued a challenge to battle on the plains outside the city, just like Thula. The only difference was that the next day was designated as the day of battle, and in the meantime, the feudal lords near the capital gathered, so Seion’s forces swelled to over 500. Of course, there were also infantry attached to them, so it was a formidable force. The king, of course, also went to the front lines. It wouldn’t be acceptable for him to hide in the castle while accepting such a challenge. Well, he thought that even if something happened, he could quickly escape to the castle since he was at the rear of the large army. However, the strength and speed of the Shinkai army were unimaginable. They quickly surrounded the enemy’s flanks, and the king was captured. After that, it was the same as with Thula. The main force that had moved from Thula arrived, and the king was released, Shinkai was given a hearty meal, and provided with provisions before being sent off. Of course, the important people were invited to the large black carriage.

Now, after this, Shinkai divided its army into three. General Bakou, General Baen, General Batotsu, and General Gaksoku led 400 cavalry as Bakou’s main force to invade the Goriora Empire. General Ryukai, General Radou, General Sonki, and General Buntai led 400 cavalry as Ryukai’s main force to invade the Parzam Kingdom. General Choudou led 100 cavalry to invade the Gaineria Kingdom.

General Bakou, while resupplying in Thula, ransacked cities in the southern regions of the Goriora Empire. By the end of February, he had seized Kobsi Castle, all the while calmly dealing blows to the Goriora knights attempting to recapture it.

General Ryuukai invaded the northern Thula city of Orvus, capturing it by early March.

In Gaineria, the combined forces of the Eighth Knight Order and knights from various nobles, about eighty riders in total, confronted General Choudou. However, they were easily defeated. General Choudou swiftly advanced upon Gaineria’s capital.

It was then that an urgent recall order was issued to General Jog Ward, who was stationed there. I remember this well because I was there too, on February 28. By that time, the wounded knights had also recovered.

Returning with fifty knights, they clashed head-on with General Choudou’s forces. It’s said they took General Choudou’s head and claimed about half of his subordinates.

So, you see, Gaineria is currently jubilant with victory. We don’t know when the next enemy will arrive, but technically, we’re not at war right now. Thula and Seion are providing food to Shinkai, but it’s not like they’re giving it away for free. They also seems to serve as a base for Shinkai’s replenishments and such. So, it’s not exactly wartime or occupation. It’s a rather peculiar war, isn’t it?

3

Bard expressed his thoughts, saying that whoever or whatever was inside that large black carriage seemed to be able to manipulate people’s hearts. It sounded like a ridiculous story, but there was no other explanation.

“Yeah, I think so too. And then, I remembered something that the girl who worked for the Toad family said. She mentioned that there was a big black unfamiliar carriage parked near the Toad’s place for a while.”

“What?” Bard said, narrowing his eyes. Then he asked when that happened.

“I think it was around last June. It’s just a small piece of information I heard, so I didn’t ask for many details.”

But this was a breakthrough. They finally found a clue. The problem now was when Bard’s stay at the capital was decided to be at the Toad residence and how many people knew about it. It was also important to investigate whether Julelan could predict that Bard would go there.

However, what was truly puzzling was the strength of the Shinkai army. Bard asked Jurchaga why the Shinkai army had been so successful in battle.

“That was the most mysterious part for me too. So I did some research. First, their horses are incredibly good. And their horsemanship is unbelievably skilled. The knights’ armor is ridiculously light and sturdy. Take a look at this.”

Jurchaga handed him something to examine. It was leather armor. Moreover, it was made from the hide of demonic beasts! Different types of demonic beast hides were stitched together to create the armor. It made sense. It was lightweight and had high defense.

“Anyway, the Shinkai army is mainly cavalry. The infantry only cleans up after them. In other words, all their soldiers are knights. And all the knights wear demonic beast leather armor.”

What incredible strength. What a formidable force. But how did Jurchaga manage to obtain such armor?

“General Jog Ward gave it to me. He said to show it to the old man. Oh, by the way, Jog Ward was asking if there were any further instructions.”

Bard briefly thought about what the next instructions could be and realized. That man had said he would follow Bard Rowen’s command until this war was over. So he must still believe that “this war” was not yet finished. He was still as strange as ever.

“And also, deliver this message. The secret to the strength of the Shinkai army lies in their weapons. They only use polearm weapons. And they don’t try to capture the enemy knights, they go straight for the kill. They’re unbelievable.”

Jurchaga had inspected the weapons that were confiscated from Shinkai knights. He had measured their length and blade size with a string, providing Bard with detailed information about the enemy’s weapons. They were all extremely long. There were various shapes, such as a spear with an axe attached, a sword attached to the spear’s handle with a curved blade, and a weapon with a weighted wedge attached to the spear’s tip. A weapon that looks like a giant scythe with a long handle. A weapon with a spiked iron ball attached to a chain at the end of the long handle. The knights of Shinkai swing these weapons freely, sometimes thrusting or throwing them. They have many weapons that can bypass shields and strike from different angles, with a much longer range than swords, making it impossible for knights with standard armaments to fight against them.

Swords are the weapon of knights. Everyone thinks so. There are knights who use battle hammers or battle axes, but weapons with long handles are considered unsuitable for knights. Knights who use weapons like morning stars may be seen in tournaments, but not in actual combat. It’s strange when you think about it. In old knight stories, duels start with spear battles, go through various weapons, and end with sword and shield battles. So, they should have fought with various weapons in ancient times. Even now, in wars that take the form of group duels, they use charging spears for the initial attack. But that’s as far as they go. The decisive battle is always fought with swords. Also, there are no knights who swing spears. Spears are meant for thrusting, not striking.

However, swinging a spear is actually a very useful tactic. Bard once successfully repelled Gwendell’s knights by having his subordinates swing spears when their fortress was attacked.

He had always thought about it. If he could create a knight order that could swing spears freely with both hands while riding on horses, they would be invincible. Of course, it would require long and rigorous training. But that dream of Bard’s actually existed.

No, it surpassed Bard’s dream. After all, they all wear demonic beast leather armor. While having a good defense, their bodies are light. Just imagining their mobility sends shivers down one’s spine. Knights who wear full-body armor and hold shields would only look like easy targets to them.

And then, there are the horses. Bard realized after coming to the Central Plains that the knight orders here prefer horses that are sturdy and have thick legs. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to support heavy knights during long marches. But horses that can move quickly actually have thinner legs compared to their body size. The horses used by Shinkai’s knights are probably high-speed, agile horses with slender legs. They may have slightly less endurance, but they would show unparalleled performance in decisive battles.

They can’t win. The knight orders of the Central Plains can’t defeat Shinkai’s knight order. At least not in open field battles. Except for the royal army directly under the King of Parzam.

Speed and agility. Defense and breakthrough power. And the difference in attack range.

The armies of Thula and Seion couldn’t keep up with the invasion speed and power they had never imagined. There was no time to even let the king escape.

And Shinkai’s army, who had become accustomed to defeating the Central Plains soldiers, couldn’t handle Jog Ward’s troops. Because Jog also seeks light armor and lightning-fast battles for his subordinates and trains them accordingly. Moreover, no matter how long Shinkai’s generals’ weapons are, they can’t match Jog’s black sword. Hm, hm. Perhaps, this is… The concept of war is about to undergo a major transformation. It can be said that battles determine victory or defeat. There are forms and etiquettes to winning and losing. But… But what if the battle is about how to kill the opponent? That’s exactly what Shinkai’s way is.

A cavalry unit of horse and rider soldiers who only use long-handled weapons with high killing power. Moreover, both the horses and humans are constantly being replenished. This army must be regarded as having a terrifying destructive power that cannot be measured by numbers alone.

Bard couldn’t help but say to Karz, who was listening to Jurchaga’s story beside him. “It was quite an achievement for you to have defeated several generals when you faced Shinkai’s army before”, to which Karz unexpectedly replied.

“No, at that time, Shinkai’s army did indeed use good horses, but only the generals and squad leaders wore demonic beast leather armor, not everyone. And they didn’t use long-handled weapons. They used swords. Overall, they weren’t that strong.”

So, at some point, Shinkai’s army changed their way of fighting. That’s not something that can be done overnight.

“But still, to face Gaineria with only a hundred riders. Even though they are a formidable army, it feels like they are underestimating us a little too much,” said Knight College Dolby, the acting captain of the knight order. Bard pondered the reason behind this statement. When he overlapped this question with another question, he found the answer. The other question was about the invasion of Thula and Seion being too weak. It was obvious to anyone that the behavior of the king and the nobles was strange. And if that was the case, the surrounding vassals and lords wouldn’t overlook it either. The current situation wouldn’t last forever. So why did they leave it as it is, without establishing a strong army and ruling properly?

Because it’s not necessary. Shinkai knew that a large army of demonic beasts would attack from the east. Naturally, Gaineria would be the first to fall in the Central Plains countries. Then, Thula and Seion would be trampled upon. There was no need to conquer or rule a country that was destined to be devastated. It was enough to leave behind the fact that they had attacked and won. What Thula and Seion were probably being asked for was to serve as a bridgehead for invading Goriora and Parzam, nothing more.

If you think about it the other way around, you’ll understand. What would have happened if there were no demonic beast attacks and the order of attack was from Parzam? Even if they successfully destroyed Parzam, there would still be untouched Seion and Thula, and even if they conquered them, there would be Gaineria, and further north, the giant country Goriora. In the worst case, these countries might send reinforcements to the battle against Parzam. However, they attacked and quickly captured Thula and Seion while the attention and military power of the Central Plains countries were directed towards the demonic beast attacks from the east. As a result, they were able to invade Goriora and Parzam in a short period of time, capturing the major cities of Parzam and Goriora. Thula, Seion, Gaineria, and the like no longer mattered.

In short, the war has been going according to Shinkai’s plan. If there were any slight deviations from the plan, it would be that the TriNation coalition forces gathered at Lordvan Castle managed to repel the demonic beasts. It would be good if that could be of some use in the future battles.

But regardless, Bard thought that his role was over. He learned from Queen Manuno that there would be no more demonic beast invasions. All that was left was to return to the capital and report. That’s when he suddenly remembered something and asked Knight College Dolby if he had heard of the Patarapoza calendar. Knight College Dolby replied that he didn’t know about such things or expressions. It seemed that it was not widely known. Could it be a calendar used by the demi-human races?

After hearing the reports and considering the issues, Bard said that he would leave for the capital tomorrow. Jurchaga’s report was from at least a month ago, so the war situation must have progressed. But Bard believed that Shinkai’s army would have been stopped in Parzam, unlike in other countries. Because the current Parzam Royal Army, which had undergone military reforms, probably had a good compatibility with Shinkai’s army. Shinkai’s cavalry could be stopped by heavy infantry and spearmen. If they clashed, even with demonic beast armor, knights wearing full metal armor would have the advantage. So Bard didn’t worry about the battle between Shinkai’s army and the Parzam army. Instead, he had to inform Julelan about the meeting with Queen Manuno. It was too delicate and ambiguous to be conveyed through letters or messages.