Chapter 167 - Episode 162: Attack Commences
"...Come to think of it, this is the first time I'll be fighting an offensive battle."
The day of the operation to recapture Karenu Village. While waiting in the forest stretching to the east of the village, Noein muttered a thought that had occurred to him.
Though it was an internal conflict, he was dressed for combat in a helmet and robe, and Matilda, in full equipment and carrying a small shield, stood guard right beside him.
"It's true that you've only ever been on the defending side until now, Noein-sama."
Radley, who was waiting beside Noein, responded. Being skilled in close-quarters combat, he was equipped with a spear rather than a crossbow.
Whether it was the war with the Kingdom of Lancel or the fight against the bandit group, Noein had been on the defensive. This was his first time conducting a siege.
"Well, there's no need to worry. Normally, the defender has the advantage in a fortress assault, but we've got golems. On top of that, we have the breach shields. Those things are practically cheating."
"You're right. A siege weapon that doesn't stop no matter how many arrows are fired... I'd absolutely hate it if I were the one being attacked."
"The enemy probably can't stand it. Though it's their own fault for invading the territory in the first place."
"Ahahaha, no doubt about that."
The weakness of siege weapons is that the soldiers transporting them are left defenseless, but golems neither die nor get injured no matter how many arrows hit them. Even if there are fire attacks, which are a weakness, the breach shields protect them.
In the first place, Damian had developed the breach shields so that golems could charge into enemy lines while blocking fire arrows and the like. Using them as simple siege weapons was a secondary application.
"...So Gustav and Cecilia, you don't have to be so nervous. We have an overwhelming advantage, and the territorial soldiers will protect you both properly."
"Y-Yes!"
"Th-Thank you very much... thank you!"
Noein spoke to the two golem users who were frozen stiff beside him. Although they had some practical experience fighting monsters as training in the Arqvist territory, it seemed they couldn't approach a group battle against humans with a light heart.
Gustav and Cecilia would also be charging into the village to fight with their golems, but to protect them as precious mages, two shield-bearing soldiers had been assigned as guards for each. Unless they were desperately unlucky, they likely wouldn't die.
'Excellency Arqvist, we will begin the attack on Karenu Village shortly.'
Just then, the voice of Yuri, who was acting with the main force, echoed in Noein's mind. Since the army of Baron Wikander's territory was listening, he maintained his tone as a retainer.
"Understood. I'll make sure we're ready to move at any time on this end too."
'Please do. I will report again once the main force has sufficiently drawn the enemy's attention.'
"Yeah. I think it'll be fine, but be careful not to die."
'Ha. There is no need for concern.'
Then, the sensation of magical power connecting in his mind was severed. It seemed Yuri had ended the 'Far-Talk'.
"Is it starting soon?"
"Seems so. Well, we'll be attacking a bit later. Just have them start getting ready slowly."
"Understood... Hey, you lot! Get ready so we can storm in at any moment!"
" "Ha!" "
Radley barked orders, and the waiting soldiers responded by bracing themselves and re-checking their equipment. Noein thought to himself that with Radley's rough tone, they sounded almost like bandits or something.
"...Matilda, I'm counting on you."
"Please leave it to me. I will not let a single finger touch Noein-sama."
When Noein smiled at Matilda beside him, she returned the gesture while maintaining an expressionless face.
At that moment, the battle cries of men echoed from the northwest direction from where Noein and the others were. The army of Baron Wikander's territory must have begun the attack.
"...It's started."
"Quite lively. They're really fired up."
Noein and Radley spoke with a relaxedness as if they were listening to the sounds of a festival. It wasn't that they lacked motivation; rather, it was a tone born from relaxing their shoulders while remaining focused.
"Whoa, it really started..."
"I-I-I can hear the sounds of fighting..."
On the other hand, Gustav and Cecilia seemed to be getting even more nervous and restless.
Shortly thereafter, a beastman soldier who had gone to scout the state of Karenu Village by moving through the treetops came to report.
"The enemy is allocating most of their forces to deal with our main army. Those remaining in the village are about twenty people to monitor the villagers, and there are about five sentries at each direction of the fence."
"Good work. Now go rejoin your squad."
"Ha!"
Watching the female soldier run back to the other soldiers, Noein whispered to Radley.
"Once we enter the village, we'll be facing a little over thirty people for now."
"Forty at most, I'd reckon. Either way, it won't even be a proper fight."
If there were only forty people, Noein's golems could easily overrun them. If they silenced any enemies they failed to capture with the scatter-shot crossbows, there was no doubt they could win without much trouble.
Just as the detached force was about to deploy, the 'Far-Talk' from Yuri connected again.
'Excellency, I believe we have sufficiently drawn the enemy. It is time for your side as well.'
"Yeah. We'll launch a surprise attack now. Tell Excellency Wikander as well."
'Understood. Then, I wish you good luck in battle.'
"Thanks, I'll do my best."
After the 'Far-Talk' from Yuri ended, Noein looked around at the thirty-odd people he led.
"Alright, let's go. Advance!"
Following Noein, who spoke in a volume that wasn't loud enough to be noticed by the enemy but was audible to everyone in the detached force, the soldiers moved stealthily through the forest.
...
"...It's true there are only five sentries on the east side. They even went through the trouble of making footings so they could monitor each direction. That's a lot of effort."
Radley muttered as he looked at the enemy watching the surroundings from atop the wooden fence of Karenu Village... or rather, something that should be called an earthen wall since it was reinforced with soil.
"They're also standing at equal distances along the east side of the defensive wall... there are no blind spots in the surveillance. I wonder if a surprise attack was within their expectations."
"Guess we've just gotta break through by force."
The width of the village surrounded by walls was less than 200 meters north to south, and sentry soldiers stood there every few dozen meters. Noein and the others intended to launch a surprise attack from around the southeast of the village, but with this setup, it would be impossible to charge in without being noticed by the enemy.
"Well, with golems, there shouldn't be any problem... Gustav, Cecilia, are you ready?"
"Leave it to us!"
"I'll show you what I can do!"
Noein laughed softly at the two, who responded with a sort of half-desperate resolve.
"Everyone, you know the order of entry, right? Then... Charge!"
Following Noein's order, the golems operated by Gustav and Cecilia began to run, carrying log bridges. A short distance behind them, two of Noein's golems ran with breach shields deployed.
Behind them followed Noein and the other golem users, along with Matilda and the territorial soldiers acting as guards. Immediately following them were the territorial soldiers led by Radley.
The enemy sentries standing on the eastern earthen wall looked momentarily surprised by the detached force that leaped out from the forest to launch a surprise attack, but they responded immediately. One disappeared behind the wall, likely to call for reinforcements, while the remaining four fired arrows at the golems running in the lead carrying the bridges.
The golems, running with abnormal agility, paid no heed to the arrows fired by the enemy. The enemy likely knew this and was offering whatever resistance they could.
Soon, Gustav and Cecilia's golems reached the moat. They laid the bridges made of connected logs across the moat.
Timing it perfectly, Noein's golems ran across the bridges with the tips of their breach shields facing straight ahead and slammed into the earthen wall. The tips of the breach shields, structured like two joined triangular steel plates, concentrated the destructive power generated by the golems' weight into a single point and pierced the earthen wall.
The golem on the right, which had entered a step ahead, crushed the earthen wall and the wooden fence within it using its full weight combined with the breach shield. A few moments later, when the golem on the left entered, the earthen wall between the two entry points collapsed inward into the village.
The soldier who happened to be atop the earthen wall at the point of attack tumbled into the village along with the wall. Seeing the wall destroyed, the other sentry soldiers hurriedly fled back into the village.
"Alright, the breach is open! Charge!"
With the four golems in the lead, the detached force poured into the earthen walls of Karenu Village.