Chapter 164 – PRESENCE (1/2)

CHAPTER 164 – PRESENCE

The Aegina Kingdom’s regular army.

The five thousand soldiers that the Thousand Knight・Flying Hawk General leads are currently attacking a certain fortress.

Just a while ago, that fortress had been occupied by a group of bandits.

Their name was “Red Beak Gang”.

They did not do many crimes, and because they were a small force of only about a hundred people, it was a gang that was left alone. However, there are currently five thousand of Aegina’s regular soldiers pushing towards them.

Inside the tent protected by 5000 men, that Issigonis whispered.

「To think that I will fight a battle with this much difference between forces」

「Did you say anything?」

What reacted to Issigonis’s whisper was a young girl that was not suitable for this place.

The Aegina Princess, Selene Mi Aegina.

She is accompanying the army as a Martial Lieutenant.

……nominally, that is.

Issigonis answered the selfish princess who made him fall into this situation with a tone that suppressed his emotions.

「It was nothing. I just thought that it’s about time for the scouts to return」

「Fu〜n」

Selene did not seem interested.

After a while, just like Issigonis’s excuse, the scouts came to report.

Selene narrowed her eyes and tried not to look at that man who was dirty all around because of infiltrating, and Issigonis treated him normally.

「How was it?」

「It is confirmed. There are a total of 200. All of them are inside the fortress」

「It increased compared to the previous information huh. Well, even so, it’s still only 200」

「Basilios!」

Issigonis shouted with a loud voice and one young man rushed in from outside the tent.

「Ha!」

「Order the whole army to initiate the attack」

「The whole army?」

The young soldier asked “are you sane?” with his eyes.

Issigonis glanced at Selene(without her noticing).

「It’s victory. All nothing but victory」

Basilios gave a bitter smile.

After making the expression “Lord General have it hard too huh”.

「Understood. I shall send that order」

He said and left.

「Issigonis」

「Yes」

「What should I do?」

「I believe it is alright to just stay here. I will be staying here as well. As a commander, one must steadily wait at times of victory. When in defeat, one must run away」

「Run away?」

「Yes. It would be a serious thing if the commander in chief were caught or killed. My job is to lend all of my authority to a subordinate and immediately escape」

「Fu〜n」

Selene said with no interest.

“She probably doesn’t understand it”, Issigonis thought.

That is fine as well. It is only a promotion-game by a royalty.

The reason why a huge army was moved is because of the thought of not wanting the soldiers to die because of that game.

It became 5000 vs 100ーー200, but there should be almost no fatalities with this difference between numbers.

It is also not impossible to have no casualties if they stick with long-range attacks.

(I hope that this thing ends in a hurry)

While thinking of that, Issigonis waited for the report of their victory.

The report of their victory would not come no matter how much he waited.

The sounds of battle have yet to stoppedーーthe battle has not yet ended.

The battle continued far longer than what Issigonis expected.

“What is happening?”, it was that time when he started to have doubts.

「Report?!」

Basilios rushed into the tent in a hurry with unsteady steps.

「What happened?」

「The first 500-men cohort, wiped out!」

「What did you say?!」

「What? What’s going on?」

Ignoring Selene, he asked Basilios.

「What do you mean by wiped out? What happened? What have they done? Is it magic? Was it a trap?」

「No, they clashed head-on……and they were wiped out」

「Head-on……? Don’t tell me!」

Issigonis became pale, and asked.

「T-The opponent is? Is it a man? I-Is it a man wielding two swords?」

「We do not know」

「Find out immediately! If it’s a man wielding two swords, immediately order retreat! This is a highest grade command that you do not need to confirm!」

「Eh? B-But the opponents are just 200ーー」

「In this situation, can’t you understand even you’re told about a man wielding two swords?!」

Issigonis shouted.

His calmness from earlier disappeared.

Seeing that Issigonis’s expression, the young man Basilios had a pale face.

「ーーDemon Sword Wielder!」

「That’s right」

「Understood!」

Basilios rushed out of the tent.

After a while, he returned to report.

「General! It was not a man wielding two swords. The bandits’ leader is a woman with long hair」

「I-I see……」

Issigonis clearly looked relieved.