From Mercenary to King
Chapter 174 ·A Game of Cat and Mouse
“Is this truly the truth?”
Inside the Emperor's command tent.
The Emperor growled as he looked around at the surrounding nobles.
“Just how negligently did you respond for all our supply provisions to be looted? Cut off the supply manager's head immediately and hold him accountable.”
Although they purchased provisions from the camp-following sutlers, they couldn't purchase everything that way. A certain portion was meant to be filled with stockpiled equipment and materials, yet to have all of that seized.
It was utterly absurd.
“H-however, for some reason, elven knights, who should only be seen in the north, have grouped together and are running wild. It is nearly impossible to stop them with ordinary soldiers, Your Imperial Majesty.”
“Huuuum.”
Hearing his subordinate's half-excuse, the Emperor knitted his brows.
Elven knights.
Why on earth were those bastards, who ought to be stuck in the north, running rampant in this south? Those vulgar pointy-eared bastards, that was. Then, a certain fact suddenly came to mind.
“Shatien…! Is it that insolent mercenary knight bastard?”
“Ah! If it is that bastard who newly became a count, it is entirely plausible. Hearing that he roamed the battlefields in the north alongside Viscount Ragnarsson, he might indeed lead knights of that caliber. Quite certainly.”
“What count? It is an excessive title for a vulgar mercenary bastard.”
The Emperor retorted irritably.
Why should they recognize the title of count for a bastard without even a history to his house? To become a high noble, a family history befitting such status was necessary.
“Still, for someone from a mercenary background, he certainly knows how to assemble an army.”
Attacking the extended supply lines to slow down their march. It was a very appropriate countermeasure. Of course, that was as far as it went.
“Have you located the army led by Count Shatin?”
“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. We seem to have closed the distance to about three days' march. Soon, we will be able to display Your Imperial Majesty's majesty before those bastards.”
“Heh… Good. Move quickly.”
“Then what of the elven knight band running wild in our rear…?”
Wouldn't it be extremely uncomfortable to move with enemies at their rear? Especially when they were striving to sever the supply lines by any means.
However, the Emperor waved his hand dismissively.
“They are merely at the level of a few small detachments anyway. The impact they will have on this war is utterly negligible. In the end, the key is Count Shatin's main force. Once we crush those bastards, everything ends.”
Therefore, they could be ignored.
The real war would take place where they clashed with Count Shatin.
However, the Holy Roman Emperor did not know.
“Kiiiyahooo!”
“Slaughter every single one of them! You foolish Imperial bastards!”
The total number of heavy cavalry, including the elven knights running wild at the rear, easily exceeded a hundred, far more than anticipated.
“Enemy scouts discovered!”
“We have finally caught their movement pattern. What should we do, Lord Count?”
“Increase the pace further! We will firmly block the Imperial Army's rear just like this. The moment they engage in battle, we will show the Emperor clearly what defeat truly is!”
Having made a forced march while raiding supply depots, Shatien's army had drawn so close that they could now spot the scouts of the Holy Roman Imperial Army.
* * *
“Sir Shatien... No, sent by Count Shatien? Hahaha. Welcome, Baron Miles.”
As soon as the relief force numbering five thousand arrived, Count Shatin welcomed Miles with a bright smile.
It served as a great opportunity to rally their continuously dropping morale. Count Shatin immediately threw a banquet to welcome Miles upon his arrival, leaving Miles in an awkward situation amidst the nobles' feast.
“Heh-heh. Smile a bit, will you?”
“Ugh. Great Sage. I don't know if I belong in a place like this.”
“Aren't you a baron now? A baron. So you should enjoy such treatment now, you pathetic mercenary noble.”
“Urrrgh.”
He'd rather go outside and swing a sword; sitting around like a maiden chatting and giggling didn't suit his taste. That was Miles.
“Uh-uh, smile. Smile. Isn't everyone watching? Besides, you are in this seat on behalf of the young noble, Count Shatien. Furthermore, you represent the Sauerland Mercenary Bureau.”
“Ah… Understood. Hehehe.”
Yet what could he do?
Just as Mage Agphiel said, he sat here representing everyone. Thanks to that, Miles played the noble despite having no natural affinity for it, getting drunk on high-class wine exchanged back and forth.
Still, it wasn't without gains entirely.
“What? Your unit will take full charge of an entire wing's formation?”
“Yes. Wouldn't it be better for a single unit to handle one whole flank entirely, rather than scattering apart or mixing with other units here and there?”
“Indeed! That is true. If so, take charge of the right wing. I was troubled because our numbers were insufficient right now, so this is quite fortunate.”
“Just in case, we will also take responsibility for a portion of the rear. Since our mage is present…”
“Hahaha. I have heard stories about the Great Sage of the Forest as well. I am quite envious that such a tremendous mage accompanies you. Then I shall trouble you with the rear as well.”
Like this, he secured everything Shatien had earnestly requested.
At first, he worried that speaking out of turn might cause friction, so this was truly a relief.
And after a few days spent drowning in banquet wine once the troop deployments were sorted out:
“Lord Count! The Emperor... We have spotted the Emperor's scouts!”
“!!!!”
Leading his army, the Emperor had finally located Count Shatin's forces.
* * *
*Dum, dum, dum.*
― Prepare for battle! Form ranks!
Drums resounded, and the shouts of officers rang loudly in their ears. With the Imperial Army appearing so suddenly, everyone was on edge with sharp tension.
“Dammit. The drunkenness still hasn't cleared.”
Massaging his throbbing head, Miles hurriedly headed toward the right wing. One might have panicked at the sudden appearance of the Imperial Army, but the mercenary company held their ranks without wavering.
The effect of harsh training was truly evident.
“Each unit move to your prepared positions. Form a square!”
“Yes!! Captain.”
“Square! Square! Establish an infantry square!”
They moved in perfect order according to the commands. Carrying long pikes, the soldiers took their respective positions, locking into a tight scrum.
As the halberd units began filling the gaps beside them, a dense square with nowhere to breach was completed.
‘Good!’
Now, even if the Imperial Army crashed in, they could hold the line without much trouble. Of course, the nomadic barbarian warriors of the Eastern Steppes summoned separately by the Imperial Army weighed on his mind, but he heard they were light cavalry. Since even heavily armored heavy cavalry struggled to pierce a pike square, he could afford to feel at ease.
‘Then what remains is the rear, but…’
Glancing back, Miles recalled Shatien's earnest instructions.
That the Imperial Army's detachment was flanking around to target Count Shatin's rear, so they had to defend the rear sturdily without fail.
He said that if the Imperial Army appeared from the rear in the middle of battle, everything could collapse in an instant.
Wasn't that why he drank heaps of alcohol the previous night to persuade Count Shatin?
‘Fortunately, we did send friendly pikemen to the rear. And well… the Great Sage of the Forest is there, so he'll command them well.’
A matter beyond his hands now.
All he could do was trust.
Thinking so, Miles shouted toward the front:
“Prepare for battle! Today, we drive back the Emperor. Let's show the Emperor, and the entire Empire, who we are!”
“Hooo-ah!”
And at that very hour.
Mage Agphiel, whom Miles trusted so deeply, let out a sigh from the rear.
“Damn it. What a mess.”
* * *
He knew full well that nobles were a mess. Had he seen their foolish antics only once or twice? However, to Mage Agphiel, who had watched tactical command from beside Shatien while traveling together, the current situation was truly pathetic beyond belief.
“Huuuum. The troops on the right wing are indeed formidable. They are overwhelming the Imperial Army, aren't they?”
“That mercenary captain named Miles must possess outstanding skill, eh?”
“Uh-uh. They say it is the Sauerland Mercenary Company trained by Count Shatien. It is no ordinary mercenary band. It is only natural.”
A command tent stepped half a pace back from the battlefield.
There, nobles gathered in small groups, gazing at the battlefield and diligently passing judgments.
Although messengers reporting the situation bustled to and fro, it felt as though this place alone was detached from the battlefield's heat.
No, it wasn't an illusion.
Because the nobles—the commanders belonging to the high nobility—were leisurely spectating the war situation.
Just as if watching an amusing play.
‘Truly, I don't like this at all.’
At this ridiculous sight, Mage Agphiel knitted his brows once more. He disliked the way they treated war like a game.
Yet, whether aware of Agphiel's feelings or not, the nobles asked him in reverse:
“Great Sage. What do you think? The center seems to be getting pushed back a bit. Should we retreat now? If there are a few more charges, it feels like it will collapse. Hmm.”
“Uh-uh, not at all, Great Sage. Since the right wing is intact, honestly, we can hold out, can't we?”
“……”
While men fought fiercely at the front at the brink of death, only a few minutes had passed since battle began, yet they were already debating whether to retreat or not.
It gave Mage Agphiel a pounding headache.
‘Oh, Lord.’
He found himself wishing Shatien would return as soon as possible.
“The battle is still in full swing. Advantages and disadvantages are temporary, so please wait and see. If you are so worried, how about approaching closer to the battlefield to assess the atmosphere? That would boost the morale of our troops as well, wouldn't it?”
It was a subtle way of telling them to shut their mouths if they lacked the courage to step forward. Yet somehow, these nobles weren't refined or smart enough to understand such indirect words.
“Aha!”
“Indeed, what an idea. Fitting for the Great Sage!”
“……”
“Come, come. Let us go. Let's go forward quickly and encourage the soldiers. Hahaha.”
Laughing, they clustered together and stepped forward.
“Urrgh. I'd rather die than deal with this.”
If they ended up fleeing back from the front to the rear, friendly morale would only plunge further, giving Mage Agphiel quite a severe headache.
“Haha. Why are you frowning so deeply, Great Sage?”
“Ah, Count Shatin.”
At Count Shatin's appearance, Mage Agphiel hurriedly relaxed his expression. Count Shatin was at least someone with whom words could be exchanged.
“In truth, before coming here, we intercepted a flanking detachment of the Emperor. They said a portion of the detachment was moving to strike the rear of Count Shatin's army.”
“Oh dear. Wouldn't it be disastrous if our rear is attacked?”
“Isn't that why we stationed mercenaries in the rear?”
“Ah… Is that why?!”
Only then did Count Shatin look at Mage Agphiel in admiration.
“In that case, there shouldn't be any problem, right? Haha.”
“No. What if the nobles who stepped forward get startled and flee upon seeing the Imperial Army appear in the rear? We must prevent that.”
“Ahaha. Do not worry. I shall go quickly and speak with them…”
However, sadly, before Count Shatin could even finish speaking:
*Bwoooo-!*
Suddenly, the sound of a horn echoed from behind.
― Waaaah! Deal with the rebels!
It was the appearance of the Imperial Army.
“What the hell??”
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