Chapter 40 – Come To Me (1/2)

Before dawn Hifumi, who came back with the soldiers using the rail car from Rhone to Arosel, told Origa, who had been waiting for him, to advance at once as planned and fell asleep.

In the time the feudal lord was sleeping, Alyssa, commanding the Toono territorial army, was busy preparing with the goal of executing the next military operation.

A part of the soldiers helped the common city residents to load their belongings on numerous carriages and to migrate to farm villages to the side of the highway leading to Fokalore.

As the move was something Hifumi had ordered, Origa was deeply moved emotionally, Kasha was full of doubts, and Alyssa agreed without having heard the reason.

“They will be a hindrance if they loiter around. If a number of them is swallowed up by the battle, the tax yields will decrease.” (Hifumi)

With Hifumi stating this as reason, Origa was impressed, Kasha was able to consent, and Alyssa grasped it by saying “I guess if that’s what Hifumi says, then it has to be correct.”

Although it was partly a forced migration, with even the soldiers having an easygoing mood and having explained to the residents that it was inevitable due to the war, the move steadily made progress.

Facing the residents, Alyssa said 「You will be able to come back the day after tomorrow.」 While they were only half-convinced by such words, the residents came to grips with it thinking Such a child has enough composure to try calming us down, huh?

The portion of soldiers, who stayed up all night to prepare for the battle, were still within their dreams.

The soldiers, continuing by taking shifts, lined up several vehicles on each of the two rail tracks and installed spear throwers on the rear wagon of the rail cars.

The wagons before those were used to transport the reserve spears while at the same time acting as driving force.

“Do you understand the strategy?” (Origa)

“Etto, once the enemy approaches a visible location, escape with the rail cars while attacking with the spears throwers. As much as possible ambush and snipe at the troublesome magic soldiers. Once we arrive at Fokalore, we close the gate and once again attack with the spear throwers.” (Alyssa)

“Did I get it right?” as Alyssa looked up to the face of the only slightly taller Origa, she was gently smiling.

“Yes, there seems to be no problem. Well then, after I go to join up with Hifumi-sama, please take care of the remaining preparations.” (Origa)

“Roger!” (Alyssa)

Kasha smiled bitterly following Alyssa, who ran off at a fast pace, with her sight until she was out of view while murmuring,

“Somehow there isn’t the mood as if it was before a war.” (Kasha)

“Although one might say that we are inferior to them, it is just a ‘handicap.’ There should be a considerable number of reinforcements from the capital arriving at the time we return to Fokalore. At last, the course of events will lead to nothing but the Vichy army withdrawing after having their numbers diminished.” (Origa)

“I will put my trust into them.” (Kasha)

She didn’t say into whom though.

“That’s only natural.” (Origa)

As Origa started to walk with a displeased snort, Kasha continued to display an expression full of mixed feelings.

(Handicap, huh? If nothing is done, my time to talk with Origa will disappear, but …) (Kasha)

Up until this day, today, the chances for Kasha to speak with Origa had increased little by little.

Although Origa still displayed the same cold attitude towards her, it wasn’t like she completely ignored her.

At the current rate they might return to their original relationship slowly. She also held onto the fleeting hope of them both possibly going back to their free adventuring days once again someday.

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Around the time all preparations were in order, the ground shook with the sounds of feet from people and hooves from horses coming from the direction of Rhone.

“They are coming!”

The soldiers of the territorial army standing watch at the exit towards Rhone warned their allies of the nearing enemy by waving a flag.

As they confirmed the sign of comprehension by their colleagues on top of the gate towards Fokalore, the soldiers on watch withdrew at full speed.

They were told to escort the evacuees on their move to the farm villages.

As a matter of fact there was absolutely no motivation for them to risk their lives in the war.

Because crossing swords with the enemy was the Lord’s duty and enjoyment, they wouldn’t be forgiven if they stole that opportunity.

Around the time when the soldiers on watch left the city with such an excuse, Hifumi waited for the enemy in a daunting pose between two rail cars with installed spear throwers.

In his hand he held the kusarigama. (T/N: sickle and chain weapon)

The hem of the hakama was tied by using a simple string. The katana hung at his waist.

While he was bored and thus swung the counterweights on both sides around, the soldiers, who had boarded the rail cars, set up the spear throwers and waited impatiently and nervously.

The Vichy army plunging forward had to drop the speed within the uninhabited city. As they discovered Hifumi’s figure, the order to halt was given.

At this point of time, the Vichy army had decreased to an amount of around 9000 due to the people, who ran away from the damage in Rhone, and those who went to round up the evacuating masses affiliated with the city in one place.

This matter had become yet another fuel to fan the flames of Buer’s anger.

Being the vanguard, Buer, wearing an armored helmet, straddled his splendid horse and glared at Hifumi.

“What is it youngster? Don’t be a nuisance. Get away from there!” (Buer)

After merely saying two words, during the third word, Buer’s fury erupted.

The last words were shouted in anger.

Hifumi, who was grinning broadly and laughing, straightened his back and performed a beautiful bow.

“I am honoured to meet you for the first time. I am a viscount of Orsongrande governing the territory of Toono, my name is Hifumi.” (Hifumi)

“You said Hifumi? It’s you bastard, huh?!” (Buer)

“Oya, for some reason it seems my name has become famous even over there in Vichy.” (Hifumi)

Looking over his shoulders, Origa returned a 「That’s only natural!」 on top of the rail car.

The members of the territorial armed forces laughed.

“What’s so funny!” (Buer)

Even as Buer shouted in a thundering voice, Hifumi’s smile didn’t falter.

“Before the war I instructed all of them ‘I’ve put an easily recognizable mark on the forehead of the enemy’s supreme commander.'” (Hifumi)

Due to Hifumi’s words, the chamberlains on both sides of Buer made a face displaying 「Oh no!」

The next moment Buer raised a roar.

“I-It was youu~!” (Buer)

Within a second Buer let the anger guide him and dashed forward with his horse. Hifumi lightly hit the tip of the horse’s nose by throwing the counterweight.

While holding down the horse, which acted violently due to the surprise, the rail cars started to move. Hifumi leisurely jumped on top of it and the speed increased.

“After them! Don’t let them escape!” (Buer)

Upon Buer’s instruction the group of horse-riders in the vanguard, including the chamberlains, spurred their horses into gallop. But they were pierced by spears, regardless whether it was soldier or horse, one by one, within a moment.

“Raise the speed after properly hitting them. We will have them run for a while.” (Hifumi)

Origa and Alyssa conveyed the instructions of Hifumi, who was sitting on top the rail cars, to the soldiers sequentially.

Urged on by the voice of Buer telling those, who were stumbling, falling over or such, to avoid the fallen soldiers or even tread on them, but no matter what to chase them, Vichy’s soldiers frantically advanced forward.

There was a lot of cavalry in the vanguard troops. Even with Buer running wildly without concerning himself with those trailing behind, the distance spread steadily.

Lured by the group that was eagerly pursuing at the front, the entire army of Vichy started to advance by running fast. At the time the end of the line left the city of Arosel, they were assaulted by a large quantity of spears hurled at them from both sides of the highway.

There was no one left to put the soldiers in order as the rear group fell into chaos due to the unforeseen surprise attack. One by one they abandoned their pierced comrades and scattered in all directions trying to to escape.

At the time the spear attacks, which concentrated their aim on the magic soldiers gathered in the last division, ceased, the magic soldiers were almost completely annihilated. In the end, of the Vichy army, around 2000 cavalary went ahead, around 5000 infantry alongside the archers chased after them while being separated and the survivors of the rear scurried home.

The territorial soldiers lurking close to the highway in order to ambush the enemy, after letting the troops from Vichy, who were chasing after Hifumi’s group, pass, they cleared away the corpses and dealt with the surviving enemy soldiers. From thereon the last remaining task was for them to meet up with the citizens taking refuge in the farm villages.

“Who was the clumsy fellow, who hurled the spear until the opposite side of here?”

“100 people were done in.”

“I skewered 3 people or something like that all at once!”

In the faces of the soldiers, who were clearing away the corpses by using their hands while severally talking, there wasn’t any fear of losing nor any tragic feeling about the war.