Volume 3 Chapter 18 (1/2)
Chapter 3 Episode 18
Editors: mr.tanen/n.o.ble Blue
Early 10th Month, the Year 2812, Western continent calendar: (Eastern Invasion 2)
Sardina’s aim was to destroy the Kingdom of Zalda's main force.
If they managed to destroy the kingdom’s Royal Knights, all that remained would have been the private soldiers owned by the regional n.o.bility.
With that, the subjugation of the Kingdom of Zalda by the Ortomean Empire would advance drastically. Sardina had carried out several plans in order for them to occupy the entire kingdom as soon as possible…...Before the beast in the north awakened.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Indeed.... I was careless that time... While predicting Mikos.h.i.+ba’s movements, I accidentally made a mistake during a critical moment... But in a sense, it was a good lesson. Whatever advantageous situation I create, there may always be a place where even a slight carelessness can become the cause of death...)
Sardina stared at the map spread across the desk inside the main tent. The face of a certain man appeared inside her mind.
A young man who seemed to be much wiser than someone his age ought to have been.
At first glance, he looked gentle, but hidden inside was the form of a ferocious beast.
The eyes of the man who Sardina and Saitou confronted in the past were cold and cruel, he was a man with strength like a fine steel sword.
A man who was capable of breaking free from the net she had wrapped around him, using only his strength, and escaped the empire's pursuit.
(If that person was the commander of the enemy force then...)
Such meaningless a.s.sumptions filled Sardina's mind.
She had thought about the plan again and again to ensure victory. However, the shadow of that man would stubbornly refuse to disappear from her mind.
”Your Highness... It is about time... Is it alright for me to issue the signal?”
Sardina who had drifted into the sea of thought was returned to reality after hearing her adjutant's words.
”S-Sure, Indeed... We should send the signal.”
So as to not let the people around her become aware of her anxiety, she ordered them in a calm manner.
(What am I doing?... If I go on like this, I will end up repeating the same mistake from back then... Right now, I should concentrate more on the current situation.)
The victor of this war had already been decided.
To achieve all this, she had been plotting various schemes and tricks. However, there was always the possibility that a little inattention or rashness would overturn the situation.
Even if she had won on this most crucial of battles, it did not mean that the war was over.
(I... Will not lose! Absolutely... Not lose.)
Sardina supposedly was part of the superior side, steadily progressing to this point by using a number of plans and strategies of her own design.
After this, all that was left was to issue the final push. In spite of this, her heart continued to beat intensely.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
”Deputy General! The signal!” The gong resounded from the headquarters!
One of the adjutants who followed by his side raised their voice after hearing the sound of the gong.
Saitou silently listened. Although it was hard to distinguish it from the enemy’s shouting all around him, the sound of the gong managed to reach his ears.
”Indeed, there's no mistake... This is the signal pattern Her Highness Sardina described before. Everyone should know what to do, yes?”
”””Yes, sir! Ready to go!”””
Having received their orders, Saitou's adjutants scattered to various places.
”Listen up! Just like this, we will withdraw to the back! Ring up the bell!”
Following Saitou's shout, the sound of bells informing of the retreat echoed throughout the battlefield.
”Retreat! It's a retreat!”
”Do not panic! Don't be confused! Withdraw while protecting each other!”
It was not easy for them to cooperate without knowing what was going on, since when in battle one does not have the power to completely act alone either.
Even though they lacked organisation, the soldiers began to withdraw one after another and retreated towards the rear-line headquarters.
While retreating, they kept paying attention to see if there was an ally who was in peril, and if so, the nearest knight would go help. There was no need for them to kill the enemy, they only had to fall back safely.
At the time of issuing the retreat command, the difference between the offensive side and the defensive side would become clearly visible.
Only one thing was important for the Ortomean knights, and that was to minimise their casualties.
While on the other hand, the Zaldian knights’ priority was to increase their enemy’s casualties.
For different purposes, the swords of both sides clashed against each other.
………………………………………………
”General Belharres! Ortomean soldiers have begun to withdraw!”
When the voice of the messenger coming back from the front lines echoed in the tent, all the previous noises that were dominating inside the tent began to recede.
And by the time they understood what the messenger had to say, all the clamouring returned once again.
”What?! Is that true?”
Everyone inside the tent understood, that this war was one that could bring about the fall of their nation.
Comparing the national strength of the Ortomean Empire to their kingdom’s, it was obvious that they were in for disadvantageous warfare from the start.
However, an unexpected opportunity had presented itself! The enemy showed signs of retreat. It was natural for the adjutants of the General to think that unless they wagered everything right now, they wouldn’t have another chance for victory.
”Ortomea has drawn back their troops he said! If that is true, then, this is as good an opportunity as it gets for us! We should be pursuing them immediately!”
”Your Excellency! Please give us your order to pursue them! This is a testimony that G.o.d has not yet forsaken our Zalda!”
High spirited words sprung up one after another. While stroking his long white beard and nodding his head from listening to his adjutants' advice, the highest commanding officer of Zalda, General Belharres took his time to contemplate the situation.
While the adjutants around him proposed to advance enthusiastically, it was only himself who remained calm.
”Father... What should we do?”
A man asked General Belharres.
Unlike the other adjutants, his words seemed to indicate that he was more interested in hearing the General's opinion, rather than voicing his own.
The one who addressed the General was a man that looked like the 20 years younger version of him.
The adjutants then stopped their chatter and directed their sharp gazes towards the young man.
Despise, ridicule and stares filled with negative emotions overflowing from them.
Usually, when people were to find themselves under such gazes, they would shrink back, but this man seemed to be impudent enough in a bad way.
He did not flinch even though he was under such glaring from the adjutants.