Oukoku e Tsuzuku Michi

Chapter 34: Southern Sortie

「Southern Noble’s Rebellion」 「Margrave Alnode’s Uprising」

Shocking news flew all over the capital in an instant, whether you were a commoner or a noble, it became a hot topic. It is no exception within the palace, in the bureaucracy the cabinet minister is comically flustered and panicking while running around.

「Then we will hold the emergency Imperial Council. The topic for discussion this time is...」

「Don’t do those unnecessary things! What else is there but determining the steps to suppress the rebellion!?」

One yell from the king caused the place to fall silent.

「Normally this council is not necessary either. The rebels are rousing their troops, and we are going to suppress that. Isn’t that all there is!?」

The king stood up from his seat as if the conversation was over but the ministers hung on.

「But Your Majesty, even you ask to suppress them, the Margrave has already gathered a few thousand troops. The soldiers are gathered from the border zone so the border security is in a critical situation...」

「They are not planning to overturn the king’s authority. They are just baffled by Your Majesty’s, um, severe directive...」

The ministers’ attitudes are indecisive.

「What are you trying to say? You want me to compromise with the rebels, lowering your heads in the hope that you will be forgiven?」

「But, at the present time our country does not have a method to suppress them, if this is prolonged there will be a gap for Arkland to be taken advantage of!」

These foolish ministers, isn’t it due to your incompetency that has caused the situation in Arkland to get more severe!

「Your fears are unnecessary. It is for that reason we have the central army.」

「But...something that was gathered in such a way-」 「You there!」

Publicly repudiating the army that the king sponsored is taboo, there is no minister with enough courage to rock the boat so to speak.

「Let’s first have the central army head towards those guys and try to suppress them. If the army is defeated, we will think of something new. This council is over! I will give the departure order myself!」

The king said nothing else and flew out.

「Oh dear, what a troublesome guy...」

「Going himself is just like the rebellion for the throne.」

「Well, if his toy that he boasts about gets broken maybe he will be able to look at reality a little.」

It is unthinkable to expect victory from an army that has just been established and existed for less than two months and is now being sent into enemy territory. I can only hope that they fight a decent fight and still maintain the authority and power after the battle.

The ministers breathed out a sigh and thought to themselves about the peace conditions after the battle.

「Radhalde...I mean Erich. The first campaign is finally upon us.」

「Yes. I will do my utmost to meet His Majesty’s expectations.」

The king spoke in a calmness without showing an ounce of passion on his expression to the ministers. The appearance of him being agitated is also all an act, we all knew what he was like in the first place.

「This time’s purpose for departure is not only that of victory. We need a prompt and overwhelming victory. One that not only makes the rebels tremble in fear but also all the nobles.」

「I understand.」

「It was just revealed to me, but once we have finished cleaning up the inside we should prepare for Arkland getting attacked. For that reason we cannot spend time on a small rebellion like this.」

「Arkland is it?」

「Crush those nobles so utterly and completely that there will be no one who would think of opposing me again.」

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Erich nods silently.There is no need for mercy, what we are seeking is impact and fear.

「Let’s depart!!」

The army commander Erich gave the command at the front with his sword drawn. The leaders of each squad repeated the order and the central army started marching in a neat column. The troops that have expanded up to 5000 people are well-ordered and marched beautifully, the residents in the capital all stopped their work and gathered in the main street.

「Agor, don’t be so nervous. Other than giving the order to depart, the captain is me. You just need to assist me with all you’ve got.」

「Yessir! This isn’t good, the weaknesses of the company keep coming to mind and causing me to worry.」

「For you it’s been awhile since your last experience?」

「Yeah, when I was young I participated in a tournament in the empire but I was a private that time, I have no actual experience in leading people.」

「Even so it’s important that you have gotten to feel the atmosphere of the battlefield. If you find a gap in the command feel free to tell me.」

Agor nods and joins the other cavalry, giving out orders.

Presently, the central army has three cavalry companies, with the 180 heavy cavalry and excellent skill and my company as the main force we will not be shaken. Depending on the timing of the order it is possible that we may be able to influence the state of battle of the whole army.

Either way I am quite sleepy. Before leaving from being on standby yesterday, since the girls would be unable to see me for a while, Carla and Nonna especially, have been asking for me so I have not been able to sleep at all.

As a farewell gift I splendidly made love to the girls, when they finally they got to a dangerous state they fainted and I told Miti and Alma to wipe them down, but the kids didn’t know the result of interactions between men and women.

「Onee-chan, what is this sticky stuff?」

「Th-that is...a man’s love so to speak...or seed if you will...」

「What a weird smell.」

「Don’t do that Alma! If you sit there you will get pregnant!」

「Eh?」

As I remember such things I start to laugh. I don’t directly deal with children, but I can’t say that it is a good environment for children to learn.

「Aegir-sama. What’s wrong?」

All of a sudden Celia is lined up beside me. The cavalry is assigned large warhorses so even when lined up beside Schwartz there is not much difference in height as before. Yesterday, she was asleep in the corner of the bed so she doesn’t look sleepy.

「I tried too hard yesterday and I didn’t get much sleep.」

Celia’s face instantly reddened.

「I-I even told you to take care of yourself yesterday...no it’s because those two were seeking you out so desperately! I know we’re friends and all, but losing consciousness and screaming is just like a sexual beast!」

「Don’t say that. It’s because I went at them too hard that they became like that, it’s usually the guy who is in the wrong when you look on top of the bed.」

「Uu~, and also it’s about those two but recently, it seems like they haven’t been using ‘that medicine’, are you aware?」

Celia is sharp, she is properly paying attention to our movements before and after our conducts.

「Ah, I know about it. It seems they want children so that’s why, I already bought a house and thought it was fine. We have mutual understanding so don’t worry.」

Celia makes a complicated face and thinks about it.

「So that’s why those two were like that...I would also do that if I grow up a little more...」

「You would be fine being pregnant and waiting at home?」

「I wouldn’t want that.」

Schwartz, as if saying he’s had enough, neighed. That voice caused the surrounding horses of the nobles to get slightly disturbed. Schwartz’s size is still special even amongst the large warhorses that the 1st division cavalry has gathered. His love for women is still apparent from before and he would not let the squad touch him so Celia was taking care of him in the meantime, but now he has an exclusive female caretaker looking after him.

「Celia it’s a war this time.」

「Yessir! I will show you my performance.」

「That would be nice...」

It would trouble me if you sought achievements and ended up dying for it.

「When you become an adult woman you will bear children. So don’t die on me.」

「Fue! I-It’s a great privilege!」

Getting to the enemy headquarters of the rebel army of Margrave Alnode with a regular march would take 7 days. But the Margrave’s territory is within a wide area so to reach the city it would take another 2 days. The geographical advantage is completely in the enemy’s favor so we have to have remarkably strong vigilance. Until then let’s pet Celia’s ass as we comfortably head there.

7 days later Margrave Alnode territory Erich main force

「It’s out of our expectations to conduct field battle right? I surely thought that it would be confined within the city.」

The Margrave’s army will be in a place close to the interior’s entrance, spread across a small hill.

「They should want to avoid burning the city during the confusion of the war. But it is convenient for us.」

From what I saw the Margrave’s army is mainly infantry and has few cavalries. Capturing the city is assumed but the ones who will fight in the field will do so with an advantage.

「Quickly assemble our formation. Their position is high; their arrows will reach first so be careful. Those who have shields should go to the front.」

I don’t know if it’s because of the results of training but they are moving while taking the orders and made the formation. It did not look like the movements of an army that has been established for just two months.

On the other hand, the Margrave’s army has the same amount of numbers but is disorderly, it looks like they are clumping together like a dumpling. Seeing how we have assembled a formation and is starting to advance, they are hurriedly rearranging their ranks. But their movement is sluggish, if you look carefully their ranks are like a crooked line.

Even so camping on top of a hill is a big advantage, for the approaching infantry the falling arrows cause them to fall apart, the soldiers who failed to be block the arrows with their shields fall down. Firing arrows from the top of a mountain would also extend the range, and because the difference in height will also increase the power it will easily penetrate the leather armor that the normal infantry wear.

For a while, the allies in vanguard were being shot one-sidedly but without dropping the speed of our march and continuing to advance, the enemy is also in range of our own archer squad.

「Continuously fire, shoot ceaselessly!」

Arrows from our ally archer squad were also fired and a shootout between both armies’ archers began. The arrows from the Margrave’s army are pouring down spread over a wide range, whereas our ally archers match the timing of firing their arrows and their aim with each other, focusing on piercing a single area.

Different from the infantry, the archers could not protect themselves with shields so they were exposed to the attacks defenselessly. The archers of the Margrave’s army who were hit by effective concentrated firing fell one by one, the counterattacking arrows are visibly decreasing.

Gathering together, the enemy archer squad fell back. They are probably hiding under the large shield in the back, if it’s according to the theory then the long spear unit who has superior defense will come out now.

「Now, give the order for the first division cavalry company to charge at the center of the enemy. Maximum speed!」

The order was told immediately using hand signals.

「Captain, it’s the order to charge.」

Agor straightened his back and reported.

「All units form the wedge formation and charge! Follow me!」

「M-me too!」

Because breakthrough training was prioritized, the formation specialized for breaking through is the wedge formation due to its fast expansion. The distance to the enemy is just a little, it will not be a problem if we sprint at full speed. Even amongst a company that has gathered horses that excel in speed, Schwartz shakes them off and continues to accelerate.

The allied infantry and archer squads deployed in the front quickly open up a path, slipping past that gap 200 units broke through like a hurricane.

「Look! The enemy’s switching of the archers and the spear units won’t make it in time. Let’s breakthrough just like this, don’t slow down!」

The Margrave’s army vanguard consists of a mixture of the escaping archers and the long spear units which have gone to the front, but they are not forming a decent rank. In addition, the archers who were afraid of the oncoming heavy cavalry, without obeying orders, arbitrarily fired arrows which spurred on chaos. There is no way to miss this opportunity.

Sometimes sporadic arrows come flying at us but they pose no problem. The distance is 50 meters, when it became a few seconds before contact the entire squad yelled together.

Ooooooooh!!!

To the enemy army, the voice that reached them was like hearing the screams of the demons.

Southern Noble Camp

「I haven’t heard of any of this!」

We shouted unanimously while pointing the spears at them. The nobles that have been conscripted from the village was only told to bring a spear, and also to feed yourself. It was the same when the king’s army were advancing towards us, as long as I didn’t get careless during the faceoff everything would be fine!

During the shootout with the arrows in the beginning, I was hiding under the shield but my allies were all falling over. I also borrowed a bow to use, but those who are shooting from a high place are definitely at an advantage!

The archer squad ran away, so we were ordered to set up our spears and head out. We went out in a hurry, but the archers who were running away got in the way so we couldn’t set up decently! While we were doing so the enemy cavalry came running at us. Everyone wore their own rugged armor arbitrarily like noble knights and came at the place where I’m at in a straight line. Damn it! It would have been fine if you went a little to the left or right before!

Those guys in the archer squad are panicking and shooting away but there is no effect, moreover those that stop to stand to aim their arrows are getting in the way of our long spears and we cannot properly set up.

「Move faster! You’re in the way!」 「Don’t push!」 「They’ve already coming!!」

Those guys shouted their war cries, and the surrounding allies all got scared and prepared to run away.

Is it no good? As I thought that, there was a guy amongst those flying at us riding a large black horse cutting those in the front and moving ahead towards us. The guys who tried to block his path were trampled and crushed by his horse, making croaking noises like a frog. They died a pitiful and quick death. My comrades from the same area surrounded him with spears and tried to pierce him, but they were chopped in half by an axe-like spear. Momos and Tyler...even though they were good guys.

「That guy’s the commander! Shoot him down!」

A noble drew his sword and was going to say something but one thrust from a spear killed him. The other cavalry came one after the other like an avalanche and defeated my friends.

There’s no way we can win! I threw my weapon and my heavy armor and everything away and ran as fast as I could. I don’t want to die in a place like this! I have a wife and son waiting for me in the village!

Erich Headquarters

「Commander! The first division cavalry company has broken through the enemy’s center completely, the enemy is crumbling!」

「The difference in skill is showing, if they can assemble their spears in a line quickly it won’t go so easily.」

Even so, it’s amazing. In one hit, the enemy’s formation is torn to pieces. Especially Aegir who is cutting down the people around him in the front, people and their parts are flying around in the air like dancing leaves. Disgusting screams rose from the scene. His fighting style is to break the enemy’s heart.

「From the looks of their armor they should be farmers that were conscripted or recruited. If something like that was happening in front of their eyes, they would have no choice but to run away.」

The staff officer was impressed as he said it.

「That’s right. Even I would run away if something like that came out, I wouldn’t want to die.」

The enemy’s formation was punched through by the cavalry and the center is collapsing just like a cave-in. In order to save the center, the right wing and left wing of the army change their directions.

「It’s here. Infantry unit advance, crush the enemies.」

「There is no longer a need for any tricks. The enemy is already preparing to flee. We can just use strength to push them out.」

「That’s right. Let’s order the whole army to conduct a full scale attack! Let’s draw the curtain on this thing.」

The time the entire infantry unit starts advancing, my first division cavalry company has already broken through the enemy’s formation, and coming out from the back.

「I have completely broken through the enemy! Let’s change direction and charge at the enemy again!」

Celia talks excitedly about her merits in battle.

「No, We will go to the back just like this.」

「Why?! Even though the enemy is exposed and in a defenseless state...」

「If we rush in again it will be a free-for-all and they won’t be able to use the bows, on top of that there is also the danger of hitting each other and the infantry will not be able to move as they wished. It’ll be fine if we remain here, just by having enemies on their ass will be enough of a threat for them.」

Agor also nodded, it was correct as a tactic. But, it’s boring to wait and do nothing.

「All troops, hit the transportation unit at the back but do it while not leaving the enemy headquarters!」

Seeing the result and before running away it wouldn’t hurt to take the supplies.

The transportation unit would typically have escorts along with them when carrying goods on missions but troops of that caliber cannot stop our heavily armed cavalry. If they wanted to run away it would be without pulling the slow horse-drawn carriage, the driver and the escort troops were flung around in a festival of blood and the large amounts of foods fell into our hands.

Destroying the transportation unit, and while returning to our ranks, the enemy retreated on top of the hill. The main force of the central army should be pushing them back, to take flight or to retreat those who are unable to make a decision are those that will fall down. Let’s make it easier for them to understand soon, why don’t we?

「Is it about time, let’s go one more time Agor. Let’s settle this.」

There’s already a standard free-for-all going on so there won’t be any arrows being fired. The allies have remaining strength and so they could send several people bouncing and flying around, but if we settle things quickly it would result in reduced damage.

「Everyone, take a horizontal position. Crush the enemies haphazardly.」

The soldiers have high morale and raised their weapons and shouted, they charged in a single horizontal line.

The cavalry broke open the center, in addition to retreating while taking the entire infantry unit’s attack, the Margrave’s army is completely destroyed by the cavalry that charged at them from behind after having been pierced through once already. As a result of the ferocious pursuit of the entire central army, out of all 5000 of the troops over 2000 were turned into corpses and they suffered a crushing defeat.

Even the supreme commander, Margrave Alnode’s eldest son, Viscount Dodoria has died and many nobles followed after. In one battle the southern noble alliance suffered a large and fatal blow.

The march of the central army does not stop. Straight ahead, towards the southern city Zaal where Margrave Alnode set up his residence, they resume their advances.