𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝟗: 𝐑𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐞 (𝟐)

The outcome was practically decided with the first blow.

We lost more than ten percent of our forces with the initial attack.

If you think about it rationally, the only option left is to retreat.

Their initial charge was thwarted, causing confusion, then they were hit by a flank attack led by General Kytes’ cavalry, followed by an assault from the infantry as they started to scatter.

In terms of both position and momentum, a turnaround from here is impossible.

If I were the commander, I would issue an order for a full retreat without any shame or concern for appearances.

Without any calculation, just “Run!”

But the Royal Army does not flee.

Despite the desperate situation, they are still stubbornly resisting.

“This is bad… this…”

“What is it, Mother Nel?”

Miliaria tilts her head at my muttering.

Anyone can see that we have the advantage, so she must be questioning my words.

“They’re not running away. What do you think?”

“Huh? Now that you mention it, it is strange, isn’t it?”

Turning the tide of battle from here is nearly impossible.

Even if I were commanding the Royal Army, I wouldn’t be able to come up with anything. So, the only option is to run.

If you don’t like the term “run,” you can say “retreat and regroup,” or “reorganize your forces,” or whatever you like.

If they continue to fight like this, they will simply be annihilated.

“Could they be… buying time?”

“I doubt it. If they had allies who could come to their aid, they should have joined forces with them and fought.”

Even if they stagger their attacks, they will only become targets for defeat in detail.

I can’t believe that the commander of the Royal Army doesn’t understand that much.

“In that case…”

“To my eyes, it looks like they’re aiming for a mutual destruction. Like a ghost trying to drag us down to the depths of hell.”

“No way…”

Miliaria shakes her head, but the sharp-witted girl must have realized the possibility.

She looks pale.

The number of allies fighting in the previous battle was ninety. The enemy was over two hundred. Even if it takes two of them to take down one of us, there will still be more than twenty of them left.

“A war of attrition…”

Miliaria’s voice is hoarse.

This is the worst-case scenario. Both the enemy and our side will suffer heavy losses.

This is the situation that we, the strategists, or the so-called staff officers, try to avoid the most.

It’s correct in terms of strategic calculation. Thinking about how many of our own need to be sacrificed to take down one enemy.

“Mother Nel. We have to do something.”

“There’s nothing we can do.”

I shook my head.

All our forces have been deployed.

We don’t have anything as luxurious as reserve troops.

The only ones here now are thirteen wizards and monks, plus me and Meg. With only two of us capable of close combat, there’s nothing we can do.

“If only we had more soldiers… fifty… no, even thirty would do…”

I let out a complaint that lacks any sense of reality.

Just then.

・・・

『”𝒜𝓌𝑒𝒷𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈.𝒸𝑜𝓂” – 𝒟𝒾𝓈𝒸𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝒶 𝒸𝒶𝓅𝓉𝒾𝓋𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒, 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒶𝒹𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓊𝓇𝑒, 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒾𝓃𝒹𝓊𝓁𝑔𝑒 𝒾𝓃 𝒶 𝒸𝑜𝓁𝓁𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝓇𝒶𝓃𝓈𝓁𝒶𝓉𝑒𝒹 𝓃𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁𝓈 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 “𝒹𝒶𝒾𝓁𝓎 𝓊𝓅𝒹𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓈” 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑒𝓍𝒸𝓁𝓊𝓈𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝒶𝒸𝒸𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝓉𝑜 “𝒶𝒹𝓋𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒𝒹 𝒸𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇𝓈”.』

・・・

“Good news, Vice Commander Nel! Exactly thirty of them have just arrived!”

A voice echoed.

A group burst onto the battlefield with a torrent of momentum.

The flag they were waving depicted a grim reaper’s scythe.

It’s the emblem of the mid-tier adventurer clan, the Undertakers.

“Vice Commander Nel! We’ve come to help!”

“We’ve been running without sleep, so everyone’s high. We can’t follow complex instructions.”

“You guys…”

Joshua and Nicole.

Former members of the Gold-lined Butterflies, comrades who shared the same hardships.

“It feels good to owe a favor to the up-and-coming Hope.”

The black-haired swordsman who showed a grin was Nazar, the leader of the Undertakers.

I don’t know the circumstances, but it seems the Undertakers have come to our aid.

We’re saved.

Truly saved.

With this many troops.

“Now, give us your orders, strategist.”

At Nazar’s words, I nodded and pointed to a spot with my longsword.

“Charge and trample them.”

It’s an extremely simple order.

“OK! Guys! Let’s roar!”

[Woahhhhh!!]

With a shout, the Undertakers charged.

“Everyone! Reinforcements have arrived!”

At Asuka’s quick notice, our allies, who had been weary of the endless war of attrition, were revitalized.

If we achieve a great feat here, the majority will be decided at once.

That’s the situation.

“Asuka, doesn’t that look like a commander?”

While defeating the kingdom’s soldiers one after another with sword and magic, Salieri points out in a silly voice.

She’s incredibly strong and has no hesitation in killing Lintrite people, so her achievements stand out.

The only ones who are doing as well are General Kytes and Asuka.

“That guy!”

“We’ll take care of this.”

“Thank you!”

The hero runs down the path opened by the brave.

Heading straight for the Royal Army’s commander.

Mowing down the enemy soldiers who stand in his way as if they were grass.

“Captain-like person! I’ll take your head!”

“You cheeky little girl! I’ll strike you down!”

Asuka skillfully dodges the spear thrust at high speed from horseback.

Twice, three times.

On the fourth thrust, it seemed to finally pierce her body.

“Too bad!”

The spear tip gouges the ground, and Asuka’s body, which had dodged with a forward somersault, was standing on the spear.

The knight is surprised by the unexpected situation.

He can’t let go of the spear in a split second.

As it is, she runs up the enemy’s weapon and jumps, her sword flashing as she spins sideways.

With a look of astonishment on his face, the commander’s head flew through the air.

“Captain-like person! I’ve taken him down!!”

The red-haired hero who caught it in mid-air proudly holds it up.

The allies all let out a war cry at once.

“Good. We’ve won.”

I, who had been watching Asuka’s feat from afar, clenched my fist slightly.

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