Chapter 433: Great Goldonian War: Part 2 (2/2)

Celia straightened her back excitedly, breathing so hard that the air exhaled from her nose could almost propel her body into the air.

I draw my Dual Crater from its sheath and point it at the battlefield.

「Defeat the approaching enemy. Don’t stray too far from the main army.」

「Yes!!」

Celia hops onto her horse.

Her battalion, also waiting in the wing, also moves into action at tremendous speed.

I warned her not to wander off too much, but she’s too excited to hear me.

「Hmm. It’d be nice if she didn’t act too recklessly.」

「The state of battle won’t be affected even if a battalion gets annihilated.」

「Celia-san. She’s become a real beauty, eh?」

I wanted someone to agree with me and got back Leopolt’s expressionless comment and Gido’s irrelevant remark in return.

I’m sending out Celia, who always replies to me properly, so it can’t be helped.

Without her by my side, I feel lonely.

「The independent battalion is engaging with a 1000-strong enemy unit…… fumu.」

A slight amount of surprise crept on Leopolt’s face―― no, I just sensed it.

「She partially surrounded them in less than a minute. Incredible.」

As Gido said, Celia’s battalion immediately enveloped the enemy as soon as they clashed, breaking into their respective companies and flanking with cavalry when the enemy tried to escape through the sole opening in the rear.

「They’re moving further. Assaulting the enemy as they try to regroup.」

Leopolt’s eyes widen―― well, let’s just imagine the eyes in his heart opening.

「A breakthrough this time……」

Gido was truly in awe.

As the enemy was trying to rebuild their formation, Celia broke through with cavalry in a triangular shape, then dispersed to launch a fierce attack, causing a complete rout.

Celia’s battalion would later run from place to place, defeating many squads larger in size than her own or she would divide the army into their companies and deter multiple enemies from moving, contributing greatly.

Even if I looked objectively at the achievements by similar sized squads, Celia’s battalion has undoubtedly done the most.

Knowing she has accomplished a lot herself, she seems to be gradually fighting more flashily.

「Cutting through the middle of a 3000-strong enemy unit followed by an encirclement in the rear…… a risky move. But it’s a big success.」

「Amazing! Isn’t that the best result even including the battalions of the Royal army?」

Gido is pumped up.

Leopolt watches Celia without any emotion in his eyes.

「Currently it may be first class. However, she has ignored Lord Hardlett’s warning.」

「No need to be petty when Celia’s doing her best.」

Some concern clouds my face.

Celia had been working actively around the main army until now.

But she has moved away in search of enemies with greater numbers or in an attempt to pursue more effective attacks.

Celia’s battalion is an independent detachment designed to operate separately from the main army, so there shouldn’t be any problems normally.

Considering the enemy’s state, I can understand how she views this as an opportunity to expand her accomplishments, regardless of the potential risks.

I’m getting a bad feeling down my neck though.

Just in case, I ride Schwartz with my Dual Crater drawn.

「The enemy is getting more confused, plus it looks like she’s about to win. Ah, she’s heading for another enemy.」

Gido follows me, along with the escort unit, his voice sounding optimistic.

Leopolt speaks without stirring.

「The Royal army’s offensive is also progressing steadily. At this rate, a normal unit won’t be able to recover. If the enemy continues to watch idly, the frontlines will collapse. In that case……」

Before he could finish, several flaming arrows were shot up in front of us.

They were a bright red color, reflecting the urgency of the situation.

Then, I see messengers sent out by multiple squads.

「Appearance of a large cavalry force! It looks like a powerful army with chariots!!」

「……they’ll send the army held in reserve as reinforcements. The cavalry of the central army…… so they’ve come.」

Things turned around.

The enemy utilized their mobility to penetrate the center of the Royal army and make their way towards us.

The sound from countless hooves stomping the ground was overwhelming to allies and enemies alike.

Our bow cavalry and Aless unit don’t push further than they have to and start retreating.

It was more dire in the front.

Those who were pushing unilaterally were forced backwards and some even showed signs of being routed.

Although the 105th army tried to stand their ground, there wasn’t much they could do against cavalry with superior numbers, and they also had to slowly fall back. Eventually, they gave up entirely on holding their position and returned to the plains where the inverted stakes are to fortify their defences where the cavalry can’t charge.

「They’re strong.」

I unconsciously admire the enemy’s ability.

「They’re probably the enemy’s most elite unit. They’re worlds apart from militia. Without them, our winning percentage would be 80%.」

Leopolt adds a “but” at the end of his sentence.

「This is desirable. We forced them to play a trump card faster than they wanted to, which greatly reduces the danger of being flanked from the rear or side.」

I sense a bit of satisfaction from Leopolt’s expressionless face.

However, the next report would make me forget about him.

「They divided us in front! Independent battalion, isolated!!」

「What!?」

「Uwah!」

I throw Gido aside so I can see.

The enemy’s cavalry and chariot unit is trying to break through the side of our formation.

My personal army and the 105th army, trained by Myla and Celia, put up a fight to stop them.

As a result, the enemy cavalry had no choice but to move around us, which separated us from Celia’s battalion, who chased another enemy and strayed from the main army. They probably don’t have time to deal with a fast enemy.

I look over and see Celia’s battalion desperately trying to return, but it’s practically impossible to bypass a highly mobile unit like cavalry.

Celia makes a panicked and half-crying face.

Right now, the enemy is merely pushing everyone back so Celia’s unit isn’t being aggressively attacked, however, I’m sure the enemy will surround and annihilate her squad once they get things sorted.

「We’re going. Gido, follow me.」

My foot kicks Schwartz in the stomach.

Gido, who has fallen off his horse for some reason, gets back on and hastily trails behind me.

「Lord Hardlett.」

Leopolt addresses me only.

「I’m going to save Celia. It’s the top priority.」

The big picture is also important, but all is lost if Celia gets killed.

I have to help her no matter what. There is no room to argue.

We stare at each other for a few seconds.

「……if you get attacked, cooperate with the bow cavalry to disrupt the frontlines rather than rescuing her directly.」

「Why?」

「The independent battalion is no more than another small unit. If the enemy is trying to overturn the state of battle, they shouldn’t spend time deliberately wiping out a single squad. If a larger threat appears, they will naturally prioritize that instead.」

I see. If we create a ruckus in the enemy lines, Celia can escape on her own.

She has that ability.

「Got it. I’ll do that.」

With that said, I make my way slowly across the battlefield, my Dual Crater in hand.

「I’ll go along the current route and use your strategy.」

Schwartz ran off before I could hear his response.

First, I’ll join up with the bow cavalry.

「The Royal army is engaging the enemy in front. Shall we detour around them?」

「As if we’ll bother with that. What if we don’t make it in time?」

I lead the escort unit straight down the middle of the battlefield.

Those fighting are apparently militia, so their combat seems disorderly, with the enemy slightly ahead after their morale was raised by the arrival of their reinforcements. The commander is shouting gallantly.

「The great cavalry army led by General Maestus himself has come! Our victory is guaran――」

I have no time to waste fighting small fry, but he was annoying, so I lop his head off in passing.

「Me too―― seei!」

Gido rides by an enemy and swings his sword through his neck.

As both commanders fell, the nearby enemy soldiers could only stare dumbfoundedly.

「Move if you don’t want to be crushed. Stand in front if you want to die.」

「Hiiih! The commander and vice-commander, so easily!」

「Not good! Step back!」

A path opens up for us when the sea of conscripted soldiers parts.

That’s perfect, since I can’t afford to kill every single rank-and-file soldier.

「Watch out! Look to the side, Chri――」

I don’t worry about checking each individual’s face, although a soldier is slow to move out of my way.

Schwartz doesn’t hesitate to run forward and send him flying.

「Uwaaaaah!!」

「Aaah!? ――toph got hit!」

The screaming soldier comes crashing down pretty hard and dies―― or I thought he did. He luckily plunged head-first into a pit of mud, which softened his impact, only causing him to be stuck with his feet flailing in the air.

Gido tilted his head curiously for some reason, but our priority right now is meeting with the bow cavalry and saving Celia.

「No time to be distracted. We’re picking up the pace.」

I yell at Schwartz who turns his head back for some reason.

Bow cavalry and the enemy cavalry.

Recently, I’ve been fighting against encampments and before that, it was surface warfare, so it’s nice I get to face cavalry this time.

「I’ll save Celia and then proceed to win.」

The battle is reaching its climax.