Chapter 69 (1/2)
Well, as expected, I only managed to finish one chapter this time. It didn't help that it rained the whole week All Saints/Souls day fell.
Lol. Jk. Haha. Managed to finish another one. The next chapter was about half as long as this chapter so I tried finis.h.i.+ng it and got it done. Yey. ﾟ.+:｡(≧∇≦)ﾉﾟ.+:｡
Nanas.h.i.+ finally gets a name in this chapter.
Guess who the author/voters named Almis' horse after? Huehuehuehuehue
Also, I tried moving TLN's into the end of the page cause I though maybe they were distracting in the middle of the page. Thoughts?
Chapter 69 - Seven Days War VI
Author: 桜木桜 (Sakuragi Sakura)
Translator: Isekai Shousetsu
Disclaimer: This is a fan translation only. All rights belong to the author. Since the translator is around JLPT N2-N3 only, he cannot guarantee the translation is free from error. If you enjoy the story please support the author by buying the light novel or by visiting the manga serialization even if you can't read j.a.panese.
Links:
Next Chapter: Double Release
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Early hours of the third day.
Blouse, who was occupying Dress village, receives the report that Blouse town has fallen.
He hurries to recover Blouse town.
The logical thing to do was first remerge with the main De Morgal army.
However, because the Blouse Clan is a march responsible for the border with the Rosyth Kingdom, he is not that familiar with the offensive capabilities of cavalry. Therefore, he figured that if the enemy numbered only 500 then his forces would be enough to take them down. [TLN1]
Furthermore, he's not in a mental state of being able to deliberately wait since it's his own manor that has fallen and his own clansmen captured.
Thus, while leaving behind 500 men to protect Dress village, Blouse heads for Blouse town forcing his 1500 infantry to march.
On the third day, the Rosyth Army in the town of Blouse packed up all their loot and prisoners and departed the town late in the morning.
Since they also obtained more horses, they managed to bring more loot.
Although their speed has slowed because they're carrying lots of loot, it's still way faster than infantry's marching speed.
Then around noon, they encounter the two hundred De Morgal cavalry.
”A battle immediately, huh. Nice. We'll show you the power of the Equus tribe!!” (Muzio)
Immediately, the Equus tribesmen vigorously run off. They then take out their bows and fire simultaneously.
One by one, the De Morgal cavalry get pierced by arrows killing their momentum.
The Equus tribesmen then return their bows on their backs as they get closer with the enemy cavalry. They then wield their swords and spears and then a.s.sault the enemy.
The Equus tribesmen, born to be cavalrymen, slaughter the enemy cavalry one by one. They are using saddles provided by Almis.
The unsaddled De Morgal army simply has no chance of winning against such an enemy born to be cavalrymen, using saddles, and wielding swords and spears.
Just like that, the De Morgal cavalry is destroyed - 100 dead, 80 captured, and 20 deserted.
In contrast, the Equus tribesmen have 3 dead and 5 wounded.
It was a one-sided battle.
”I guess you don't need us anymore, huh?” (Virgar)
”Oi, stop saying stupid things!” (Roswald)
Roswald silences Virgar.
”Now then, let's press them for information. There's no way there's only 200 of them.”
Muzio interrogates the captured enemy soldiers.
They managed to make them spit out the number and current objective of Blouse's detached force.
Although Blouse left early in the morning, there is quite a distance between Blouse town and Dress village.
Most likely the two forces will meet before the day is over.
Though the Rosythians are using wagons, they are ((still)) carrying ((considerable amounts)) of loot and prisoners.
Early hours of the third day, Fort Terrier.
At present, the De Morgal Army War Councilmen are disagreeing considerably with each other.
Namely regarding whether they should retreat or whether they should continue the siege as is.
Since the town of Blouse has already fallen, many see the need to immediately retreat.
However, the clansmen also cannot retreat that easily.
At any rate, there is money at stake in the war.
There's no way they could retreat without even a little profit gained.
As it is, they are even fears of bankruptcy.
”Let's retreat.”
Carlo, who has remained silent up until now, declares.
Everyone falls silent.
”Ar, are you sure!?”
Tonino askes Carlo with a trembling voice.
If they retreat now, then Carlo's succession would become impossible.
”It couldn't be helped, right? I think we should just retreat now before we receive even greater damage. Let's just be grateful that we still haven't suffered a lot of losses. It's not that late to regroup after we repulse the enemy from the Blouse territory, right? I think that's a better prospect than being stuck in a rut here.”
The chief, Carlo, calls for retreat.
The generals, Tonino included, could only stay silent.
”Understood. Then let's begin preparations to retreat. I'll take up the rear.”
The council ends at Tonino's words.
They then begin said preparations.
”It looks like the enemy has started preparations to retreat.”
”I see. Then, let's begin preparations to pursue.”
The Rosyth army will leave behind 500 soldiers in the fort. The other 7000 soldiers take offensive positions. The vanguard consists of the Elite 500 Ars Hoplites.
They open the gates and begin intense pursuit at the same time the De Morgal army turned around to make their retreat.
They a.s.sault the enemy with bomb spears and gunpowder infused sling projectiles. Furthermore the gunpowder was mixed with powder of hallucinogenic gra.s.s which scatters upon impact and causes illusory flames to appear.
In the last territorial war, the only practioner was Soyon. This time, however, several Rosythian sorcerers are also in action.
Although the sorcerers in the De Morgal army devoted themselves into trying to cancel the illusions, the entire army has quickly fallen into panic.
Soldiers whose morale had fallen and understood that defeat was inevitable scattered about and fled the battlefield.
The army's formation breaks and, exacerbated by the Rosyth army's continued attacks, causes a chain reaction which severely damaged the De Morgal army.
By the time they somehow managed to shake off the Rosyth army and scurry off back into the Blouse territory, the 25,000 strong De Morgal army was reduced into 20,000 soldiers.
In order to strike another blow, the Rosyth army has invaded the Blouse territory.
The nearby villages, having heard of the De Morgal army's defeat, immediately bowed their heads and capitulated.
Night.
”It seems that the detached force has destroyed 200 enemy cavalry. It was a complete victory. Tomorrow, they will face enemy infantry. They report that after that, they would be able to rejoin us by evening.”
The Rosythian clansmen gets fired up as I read out the report.
The atmosphere calls for an immediate celebration.
”That said, what is the enemy thinking dividing his force like that. Is he stupid?”
Bartolo frowns. No matter how you look at it, the enemy should not have sent his remaining 2000 infantry into Blouse town.
He should have remerged with the retreating main army at Dress village and then attack the enemy.
”It couldn't be helped. The commander of the force sent at Dress village was Blouse, after all. In other words, he's the lord of the territory.”
If you were in his situation, you wouldn't be able to stand by knowing that your own territory is being ravaged. At any rate, he had four times more soldiers, so he probably thought that he should try to recover his territory anyway.
Thus, the one week war meets it's fourth day.
Fourth Day.
Ten thousand soldiers of the De Morgal army somehow managed to arrive in Dress village by night while being intensely pursued again in the morning.
There, they make camp.
All the defensive equipment there have been destroyed by the Rosyth army so they have to begin from scratch.
”Good grief, that Lord Blouse……why the h.e.l.l did you sortie….”
Tonino breathes out a sigh.
He has just received the report that Lord Blouse has sortied to recover Blouse town.
However, for the De Morgal army whose present size had been greatly diminished, those 2000 soldiers are extremely valuable. Although Tonino had sent for a falcon courier and ordered Blouse to go back immediately, it doesn't seem like he's returning.”
”Lord Tonino…..the reply from His Majesty King De Morgal has come….”
Tonino had asked for reinforcements from King De Morgal on the morning of the third day.
This was the reply to that request.
”I see. Your gloomy face gives away the answer, huh.”
Tonino reads the king's reply.
In summary, the King does want to come to the army's aid. However, the Rozel Kingdom seems to have invaded the country so he couldn't maneuver freely.
They are now rus.h.i.+ng to organize an emergency army.
It says that they should hold out for a little while longer, three days at the least.
”What do we do, Lord Tonino?”
All the clansmen look at Tonino.
All of them are looking pale.
”First, let's have the troops rest. Then, we wait for the return of Lord Blouse's 2500 troops. After that, we'll settle this with a field battle. Our soldiers are unsurpa.s.sed in this field up until now.”
Not only has Dress village no forts, it also had its defense equipment destroyed.
Rather than fight here, it would be better to just settle it in the fields.
”Will the enemy wait for us?”
”The enemy too probably won't be able too move until their detached force arrive, right? In other words, the victor will be decided on whose force returns first.”
(Almis POV)
In the Rosyth Army
”Sakura, I have been worrying about I'd somehow lose because you're here. However, you've shown what you're made of. As I thought, you're not an unlucky horse, right? Right?”
I talk to Sakura.
Since she had no name, I named her Sakura.
I named her because horsemeat is……..It's a joke, don't bite me.
Her mane reminds me of the sun which is a.s.sociated with j.a.pan, and from there I got the name. Since she's a girl after all.
………Although she's forbidden to scatter easily. [TLN2]
”Almis, Bartolo and the others call for you.”
”I understand. I'll be right there.”
I return to camp with Tetra.
”Will we attack as it is?”
”If we strike now then we'll be able to defeat them!”
Ordovices and Perm press me with excited faces.
Actually, the Rosyth Army is currently riding the momentum. Right now, I believe the men could even win against an enemy with twice as many soldiers as ours.
However, I think it's safer to err on the side of caution. A cornered mouse will bite a cat after all.