Chapter 49 (1/2)

49.CONFUSING BATTLEFIELD

Willian was surprised. He imagined they were going to change their strategy. He expected it to be the apex of idiocy. Because of that, he intended to act as a balancer so that he could deal with anything the enemy might try. It was because of that that he slowed down his marching speed. He didn´t let anything escape his eyes. He thought so.

“This… What is happening?”

The spectacle he was watching from that spot that had a good view was the spectacle of the white being exterminated by the blue. Until yesterday, it had been the opposite of that spectacle that was unfolding. Today, it suddenly was completely turned around. Their standing, the precision in their movement…

“Willian! How will we move?”

Karl´s desperate voice expressed the ugliness of the situation.

“Sorry. Let me think a little. Give me a bit of time.”

Willian had his eyes shut behind his mask. Needing nothing but just a bit of time, he was diving into his deep vast sea of knowledge. Holding everything stored inside him, he studied the situation.

““First of all, I can´t imagine Nehderks army had been easing up on us until yesterday. There is no reason for them to do that, and I couldn´t smell any kind of trick of the sort in their movement. They were not playing dead. This is the first thing to consider.””

Nehderks was extremely scared of making a mistake. Because they were a conservative country, commanders hated the most to suffer defeat and have their career damaged. They feared failures, so they wanted to win at all costs. Although they were also scared of mistakes, they were much more scared of changing their methods. The people of their kingdom had this type of mentality, and this influenced their military. (TL note:I can´t find some explaining this expression anywhere, so I just going by the context from what I found in google ->一度レールから外れる<>

“”Besides, why did they suddenly change their strategy today? Thinking about their desperation charges, they were clearly too focused on the results. It couldn´t be helped that their [bad side] would be completely in display along their advance. With how Gregour and Anzerm are being pushed back, it can be seen that the enemy is taking note of where to emphasise and lay destruction. From that, I can without doubt declare that the [head] has changed. Someone who isn´t Anatour is moving this army.””

The army movement before Willian´s eyes was completely different from yesterday. He couldn´t think of them as the same enemy. He couldn´t think of them as the same army. He couldn´t think of them as having even come from the same country.

“”To begin with, why can them move like that? Even though they are deviating from the way the army of Nehderks has been moving… Have them been sparing time for doing these kind of drills regularly? If so, then their crus.h.i.+ng defeats they´ve been having until yesterday would be impossible. I can´t understand. The change in their movement…. I can´t understand.”

For the first time Willian headed out to the battlefield, he was a.s.saulted by a fear whose nature he couldn´t understand. All the enemies he had faced until now, and even that Strakules, had never made any deviations in their strategies. Although his strength had indeed surprised Willian, he didn´t have any parts about him he couldn´t understand. However, his opponent this time had.

“It really feels bad to leave it like that without understanding what´s happening though.”

Willian muttered those words. His closed eyes opened.

“Karl, let´s move.”

It was a battlefield that required mobility. Until yesterday, they were supposed to be the ones having the advantage on that. However, that advantage was now backfiring.

“”There is no mistake about them having gathered their combat strength at the two ends of the battlefield being a bluff. Anzerm and Gregour aren´t opponents one can easily ignore. The proof of that is how they are sending forces even at Anzerm, who had set his defensive position. They are doing that in order to keep them stranded. And so, their goal must be…””

Before Willian´s eyes was their main army. Looking to the sides along them was their battle line. Their fighting force was focused in the two ends of it. Because of that, there was a gap open. It was a very indistinct gap that only Willian, who had complete understanding of the terrain, noticed.

“”You´ve really been doing as you wished. Allow me to take it from you. To take your head!””

Willian was angered at how he had been led by his nose. The White Mask moved out.

Gilberto couldn´t move. He knew that his allies were losing. Looking at it superficially, they were at a situation they immediately needed to be sent reinforcements to rescue them. However, by looking at it in the long term, it was simply impossible for Gilberto to move. He was the link between the mountains and the flatlands. If Gilberto was to move from there and partic.i.p.ate in the battle, he would leave an opening at this vital position.

“Gilberto-sama.”

“Don´t say anything. If we move, we will be eaten. That´s the kind of opponent we are facing.”

Their position being captured would mean that the defeat of the whole battle would have been decided. Although right now they are separated by the river, if he lets his position fall, Nehderks would be able to advance into the borders of Arcadia pretty much without needing to care about the river. They would lose the buffer zone of the mountains, which was a natural stronghold, and which would also become a strong strategic point for Nehderks.