Vol 3 Chapter 17 (1/2)
Chapter 17
Chapter 3 Episode 17
Editor: mr.tanen
Early 10th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (The Eastern Invasion 1)
Around the time Mikos.h.i.+ba Ryouma was learning the way to master the magic arts, the clouds of war were covering the skies of the neighboring country, the Kingdom of Zalda.
The Ortomean Empire, the sovereign of the Western continent’s central regions, finally bared its fangs and started the invasion of the eastern parts of the continent.
One side fought for the sake of development and hegemony. The other fought for their very survival.
Set on the Notiz plains bordering the two countries, the battle where defeat wasn’t an option for either side was about to start.
”What's the status?”
At the imperial invading army’s headquarters, Sardina glanced over the huge map spread in front of her.
On the map, red and black coloured pieces were arranged in some sort of formation.
”According to the report, the main force is progressing en route as planned, Your Highness. The report also mentioned that three of our vanguard troops are facing against the Zaldian Royal Knights at the east of the Notiz plains.”
Saying so, Saitou repositioned the red pieces facing against one of the black pieces at the east of the Notiz plains from three directions.
These pieces represented the friendly and enemy units.
The red pieces represented the empire’s forces, while the black ones represented the kingdom’s.
The number of red pieces placed in the center was 15. Five were placed far away to the north and five more the south.
Each piece represented a troop of 1000 soldiers, which meant that around 25,000 soldiers were deployed on the field on their side.
”What about the enemy?”
Saitou arranged the black pieces near the border between the Notiz plains and the mountain area.
The number of pieces was 20.
”An army, composed only of knights, they number about 20,000”
Following Saitou's words, Sardina lifted the corners of her mouth.
She smiled like a hunter who was convinced that her prey had fallen into her trap.
”Good... They seem to have moved the entirety of the forces under direct command of their king... Just as planned.”
”Well, Your Highness, we have been doing our best to create the situation where they do not have any other choice after all...”
Following Sardina's words, Saitou replied while shrugging his shoulders.
”Only five days have pa.s.sed since we declared war... Which means, there wasn’t enough time for them to properly recruit soldiers.”
As a result of their successful efforts at information manipulation, the Kingdom of Zalda was unable to grasp the movements of the imperial army.
The kingdom had a mountainous area that served as their natural protection.
However, much like this time, if they failed to notice the advances of their enemy's army, their natural barrier could very well turn into a liability instead.
The area where the steep mountains were located was a treasure that yielded abundant ore mines, but was an unsuitable locality for placing soldiers.
Deploying an army there without any preparation and strong positioning would only cause a disaster.
”On purpose, we leaked the numbers of our main force, coupled with the limited time they had, it forced them to mobilize the Royal Knights in haste with no other support, and draw them towards an open field.”
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Sardina praised Saitou's ingenious scheme from the bottom of her heart.
Even though she was an Imperial Princess of the Ortomean Empire, she also had great talent for leading armies to war.
The enemy side reluctantly understood this fact all too well as well.
The Kingdom of Zalda's total military force numbered approximately 70,000. However, that also included the conscripted commoners and the n.o.bles’ soldiers.
The force that the Zaldians could mobilize in such short notice was the combatants under direct royal command, which numbered approximately 25,000 men.
Having failed to grasp the enemy's movements, led to having no time to arrange the n.o.bles’ soldiers and to conscript the commoners, which in turn led to having only a third of their actual strength to stop the foreign invaders.
Zalda's military command was caught by surprise and ended up being impatient. They then desperately endeavored to gather any and all information available regarding the enemy's forces in order to find a breakthrough for their current predicament.
They tried to find out about the enemy's general, their number of soldiers, the enemy's expected advance route...
They also gathered innumerable bits of other information. Then they a.n.a.lyzed them and devised some measures. By then, they noticed something.
The ‘fact’ that the size of armed forces under Sardina's command was not so large, and that even if they could mobilize the army under the King's command alone, they could still expect to come out of it victorious.
At first, the Zaldian military command was thinking of pulling the Ortomean army into their country and dealing with them in their own turf. However, there was a big flaw to that strategy: if the war was fought within the Zaldians' territory, then even if they won, the consequences would still be quite drastic.
Even after taking into consideration the sacrifices that would be made if that were to happen they were going to go ahead with it until they received the momentous report that the contingent that Sardina led appeared to not be large. This made them change their plans in consequence.
If they presented battle in the open fields near the border, the kingdom’s territory and population wouldn’t need to suffer too much.
No one likes losing.
Besides, the creature known as human always chooses the option where they don’t lose anything if the option is presented.
The Kingdom of Zalda’s military command then took their army towards the Notiz plains while leaving 5,000 knights behind as reserve.
However, little did they know, that it was Sardina who made them think like that. The ‘truth’ that they knew would go on to become the lie that would eventually defeat them.
”What about our detached forces to the north and the south? It's going forward as planned, right?”
Sardina turned her sharp gaze towards Saitou.
For now, the trap her side had set was working perfectly.
However, Sardina understood from her experience, that a small carelessness could turn everything upside down.
That was why she always did her best to be cautious.
The experience she got from going through many battlefields, and the setback and lesson she had learned from Ryouma made Sardina grow into a meticulous yet daring military leader, into what could be considered an ideal commander.
”Yes, Your Highness. We have been informed that both units are waiting for our orders and in position.”
Hearing Saitou's report, Sardina felt satisfied. She smiled and nodded her head.
”Good... Then execute the next phase, you remember the arrangement right, Saitou?”
”Yes, Your Highness. Please leave it to me.”
Saitou's tone of voice was the same as ever.