141 Episode 13 After the Battle of Astia (1/2)

”That's three, isn't it?

Hercule muttered to himself as he watched his own troops rushing to the open city walls.

Hercule was steadily dropping cities one by one near the border between the Lemurian Empire and the Bulgaron Kingdom.

He only attacked cities that were close to the border line, and never invaded deeper into the cities.

”Your Majesty, aren't you aiming for the capital of the Bulgaron Kingdom?

Karolina asked.

Karolina thought that Hercule was going to invade deep into the Kingdom of Bulgalon and strike a blow, but Hercule's military attack was very reluctant.

”They'll just move the capital further north if we drop it. It's useless. It's more important to define the border.

Hercule had no intention of invading the depths of the Bulgaron Kingdom.

The risks are high and the benefits are small.

It was more important to draw a favorable border for the Lemurian Empire.

We will regain all the cities we lost during the time of the previous emperor. Then we will re-stabilize the borders.

Basically, borders are drawn by mountains and rivers.

The reason why the Bulgurons can so easily invade the Lemurian Empire is because they have dominions outside the natural borders of mountains and rivers (inside from the Lemurian perspective).

Hercule is planning to push it up so that it cannot be easily penetrated into the country.

Once we have a certain amount of cities, we'll build the Great Wall and string them together like beads. Then they won't be able to get into our side so easily.

That's going to cost a lot of money.

That's what security is all about.

Hercule also really wants to drive the Bulgurons out of the Bulgarian lands.

Then we can make the Hystere River our border line again.

The Hysteria River is one of the largest rivers in the Western Continent, and it used to be the borderline between the Lemurian Empire and the barbarian world.

Now, it has been completely abandoned and flows through the territory of the Kingdom of Bulgaron.

If it were as big as the Hysteria River, there would be no need to build a Great Wall. ......

There is no point in begging for what is not there.

”Your Majesty!　Your Majesty, the reconnaissance team is reporting!　The army of the Kingdom of Bulgalon is approaching us!　Their number is about ninety thousand!

”Ninety thousand. ......

Karolina gulped.

The number is too huge.

Hercule, on the other hand, seemed unfazed.

”I was expecting a hundred thousand. Surprisingly few. It seems there are some reluctant clans after all.

If they penetrate deep into the Bulgaron Kingdom, all the clans of the Bulgaron Kingdom will unite to challenge Lemuria in battle.

However, the clans of the Bulgaron Kingdom will not unite just because the territory of the Lemurian Empire was originally taken back.

The clans of the Bulgaron Kingdom will not unite over the reclaimed territory of the Lemurian Empire, as it has nothing to do with the clans of the northern part of the Bulgaron Kingdom.

I'm sure you've been trying to draw them in deeper, but they got impatient and attacked you. Fine, I'll beat you back.

Hercule smiled fearlessly.

First, he had them dig dug shelters around the city walls and placed a battalion of halberd troops in front of the city gates on the north, south, east and west sides.

Then, he had all the archers go up to the top of the wall, and had the rest of the soldiers wait inside the wall.

After confirming that the Bulgaron Kingdom had positioned itself in front of the western gate, Hercule left the halberd units in the north and south-east as they were and positioned all the remaining soldiers in front of the western gate.

The enemy numbered about 10,000 infantry and 80,000 cavalry.

Hercule said, looking at the soldiers of the Bulgaron Kingdom from the top of the city wall.

The Kingdom of Bulgalon was a nomadic nation, but that did not mean that they did not use infantry.

Sometimes they hire mercenaries and sometimes they dismount from their cavalry to fight because they need infantry when they attack castles.

But 80,000 cavalry is an enviable number.

However, considering the national strength of the Bulgaron Kingdom, the number of cavalrymen that can be mobilized at one time is at most 100,000.

If you lose these 80,000, the Bulgurons won't be able to conduct military operations for the next few decades.

Obviously, the Bulgurons are the ones who are being pushed into a corner.

It would be a great help if they would agree to peace.

Thus began the Battle of Astia.

A week has passed since the battle between the Lemurian Empire and the Kingdom of Bulgalon, the so-called Battle of Astia, began.

The Lemurian Empire had the upper hand in the war, and the Bulgaron Kingdom was unable to break through the Lemurian Empire's defensive positions.

In addition to the trenches restricting the cavalry's movement, the pike wall created by the Lemurian infantry blocked the cavalry's assault.

In addition, the arrows fired by Lemurian archers from the top of the walls would reach farther than the arrows fired by the light cavalry of the Bulgarson from their horses, making them one-sided shots.

And occasionally, the Lemurian cavalry would launch a counterattack. ......

There were many casualties in the Kingdom of Bulgalon.

”I'm sorry, but we of the Territorial Clan are going home, King Bulgalon.