Chapter 183 - Episode 177: Combat Preparations
Two days after the meeting with Jeremy. In the Arqvist territory, preparations were underway to launch a surprise attack on the Lancel Kingdom army.
According to reports from Radley and his team, who were monitoring the enemy's invasion force, the enemy's reconnaissance was indeed limited to patrolling the areas around the campsites and the invasion route, with no signs of them approaching the inhabited areas of the Arqvist territory. This, too, was evidence that the enemy completely underestimated them.
According to the surveillance team, the invasion force would likely begin their march in two days. While there was still time remaining, it could hardly be said that they had a luxury of time to make perfect preparations for the invasion.
Even as the entire capital city moved busily with defense and evacuation preparations for when the time came, the most hectic place was the territorial army barracks. In the training grounds there, combat preparations for each unit were being carried out.
Men of the territory who had chosen to fight to protect their homes and families learned how to handle crossbows and how to form ranks under Pence's guidance.
Meanwhile, Dant organized the territorial army soldiers preparing for close-quarters combat, conducting formation training once again.
Under Rick's leadership, operational checks were performed on a total of twelve ballistas, and explosive fire arrows were prepared. A few selected soldiers, recognized for their marksmanship, performed checks on the new weapon, the sniping crossbow.
Gustav and the other Claymores practiced charging in formation using siege shields.
Outside the army barracks, others were preparing for battle in their own ways: the blacksmith Damian increased equipment production in parallel with evacuation preparations, and the magic tool crafter Daphne created certain items upon Noein's request.
Noein also visited the army barracks as much as time permitted, inspecting the preparations of each unit and speaking to as many people as possible. By spending time with the soldiers himself, the lord sought to boost morale.
Then, an unexpected voice called out to Noein.
"Noein-sama... you!"
Noein turned around at a voice he should not have heard here, a look of astonishment crossing his face.
"Cl-Clara!?"
Clara, who had been outside the territory for social engagements and was supposed to be evacuated, was there. In the dust-filled army barracks, she ran toward Noein, unconcerned that her clothes might get dirty.
"Why are you here? You should have received word about the situation here..."
"Yes, I heard the details from Bart-san in Retovik. My father also told me that it would be better to remain in Retovik."
"Then why... the capital city of Noeina might become a battlefield. You knew it was dangerous here, right?"
The Lancel Kingdom army was coming to wage a war of aggression. They intended to ruthlessly trample the Arqvist territory. If the plan Noein had devised failed and they were defeated, and if the evacuation of the capital city of Noeina failed, it was not hard to imagine how miserable the fate of the lord's wife would be if captured by the enemy.
"Yes, I returned knowing that... I am your wife. I am the lady of the Arqvist territory. There is no way it would be right for me alone to remain escaped to a safe place, leaving my husband and the people behind."
Clara spoke while looking straight at Noein.
"There are things I can do here as well. While you all are fighting, the lord's wife staying behind can be a support for the women and children. If it comes time to evacuate, the fact that I act together with them will encourage the people, even if only slightly."
Having said that much, Clara smiled.
"...Besides, whether we defend the capital to the death or abandon it once to evacuate, if I am here, it will be harder for my father to cast aside the Arqvist territory. Of course, my father is also a lord and a noble, so there are limits to how much he can act on personal feelings... but he should try to help the territory where his own daughter is, as much as possible."
Noein's eyes widened slightly at Clara, who had stated this so boldly.
In other words, she had turned herself into a hostage against her father, Viscount Arnold Koenitz. If Arnold cast aside the Arqvist territory, it would be the same as abandoning Clara. In order for Arnold to save his own daughter, he would have no choice but to provide assistance to the Arqvist territory itself.
Noein instinctively burst out laughing at Clara's courage in executing such a daring choice without regard for her own safety.
"Puhaha, I see, I see. That's a good move. That's my wife for you."
"I am honored by your praise. I am happy to be of use to you."
Noein felt a surge of affection for Clara, who appeared to be merely a refined lady at first glance, but had become completely steeped in the spirit of the Arqvist house.
...
"Your Majesty, the concentration of all forces for the invasion unit is complete. The final troop count is approximately 3,000. We can complete the march preparations within the next day and begin the invasion into the northwestern part of the Lordberg Kingdom the day after."
"I see, good work... It is roughly according to plan, is it not, Ewald?"
Cadne Lancel I, the third king of the Lancel Kingdom, questioned Count Ewald Rotfeld, the general of the Lancel Kingdom army who served as the practical commander for this royal expedition.
"Yes. The time required so far and the scale of the units are as planned, and the morale of the soldiers is being kept high. No prominent problems have occurred. It can be said as evidence that the gods of Albaran are blessing Your Majesty's royal expedition."
The force of over 3,000 gathered this time consisted of the national army, including the Guard who were deeply loyal to Cadne, royal palace mages, and mercenaries who had contributed to the suppression of domestic nobles of the anti-Cadne faction during the political chaos accompanying Cadne's accession.
A battle where victory was as good as promised through a surprise attack by a large force of elites. A guarantee from Cadne that in the occupied noble territories of the enemy nation, they could enjoy looting, killing, and raping as they pleased. The will to fight among the soldiers was raised to the highest possible degree.
"Hahaha, you are skilled not only in military command but also in flattery, Ewald... By the way, does the fact that there are no prominent problems mean that minute problems are occurring?"
While maintaining a dignified expression and voice, Cadne asked with a slight anxiety leaking into his eyes.
"We have lost two reconnaissance teams so far. One of them was found eaten to death by monsters in a forest slightly away from the campsite. Likely an Orc or a Hobgoblin. The other team's bodies have not been found, but they likely suffered a similar fate."
"I see, so reasonably powerful monsters still appear around here..."
"This area is still technically the depths of the Bezel Great Forest. However, the defense of this campsite is perfect. In particular, Your Excellency's tent is constantly guarded by the Guard and multiple mages. There is not a one-in-ten-thousand chance of danger. The death of reconnaissance soldiers is something that happened frequently during the process of creating the invasion route. I judged that it was not necessary to bring it to Your Excellency's ears."
Cadne was somewhat nervous in this way, but in other words, it meant he was cautious. Ewald thought that as a ruler, this was not necessarily a bad thing.
"If you say so, then fine. However, I wish to face the invasion the day after tomorrow in perfect condition. It would be troublesome if the campsite were attacked by monsters and the soldiers were depleted before then. I'm counting on you."
"Yes. I shall ensure that patrols around the campsite are thorough so that such a thing does not happen."
When Ewald answered and bowed respectfully, Cadne nodded with satisfaction.
"..."
Leaving the king's tent, Ewald looked over the campsite where preparations for the invasion were progressing.
Ewald thought that he had been born in a lucky era.
For the military nobles of the Lancel Kingdom, the past sixty-some years had been an era of endurance. They had been given almost no opportunities to demonstrate their military prowess.
In this land where many tribes once stood in disorder and was laughed at by surrounding regions as a land inhabited by barbarians, the first king had finally constructed a unified state. The lords who decided to serve the Lancel royal family rejoiced. They expected that opportunities to further expand their influence, and opportunities to achieve even greater military feats, would arrive.
However, the first king chose the path of focusing on internal affairs. He chose the path of stabilizing the newborn nation. Ewald's grandfather's generation followed this, while harboring dissatisfaction inwardly. They believed their era of fighting had ended with the unification of the kingdom. They hoped that an era of battle would await the next generation, the generation of their children.
That expectation was betrayed once again. The previous king also became a moderate, becoming a notorious existence among the military nobles. Ewald's father's generation aged while doing little more than handling domestic conflicts or skirmishes with small surrounding nations, and eventually retired without ever being blessed with a great war. The dissatisfaction of the military nobles swelled to the limit.
And then, the next generation. Just as the first prince, who was once again a moderate, was about to inherit the throne, King Cadne murdered the second prince—who was a moderate like the first prince—and the flow changed. The moderate line was overturned, and the era of expanding influence into neighboring countries, the era of war, had arrived.
The military nobles rejoiced. Ewald was so happy he nearly shed tears. He thought that the military power they had maintained would finally be put to use.
King Cadne was still a young king, and it was said that he was harshly criticized as a tyrant by the people and some civil officials. However, from the perspective of military nobles like Ewald, he was an ideal monarch.
In the first place, the first and previous kings had spoiled the people too much. To squeeze as much tax as possible from the people to expand military armaments and expand influence as a state was the duty of the king and the nobles. It was wrong for King Cadne, who sought to correctly fulfill that duty, to be called a tyrant.
Since the time he was the third prince gaining experience in suppressing regional conflicts, King Cadne possessed the courage to stand on the battlefield himself to inspire the soldiers and raise morale. He was not so daring as to cross swords with the enemy on the front lines, but considering he was the child of that cowardly previous king, this was more than satisfactory.
Furthermore, his decisiveness and ability to act since obtaining the throne were quite impressive.
The overly bold strategy of cutting an invasion route through the Bezel Great Forest, while using the conflict in the southeast bordering the Lordberg Kingdom and even the subsequent great war as diversions. It was a move that could be called a gamble, but the military nobles rejoiced that such a grand operation was being executed by the entire nation. They were excited thinking about how much military merit they could achieve once this operation succeeded.
Regrettably, it would have been perfect if they could have obtained victory in both the great war of the year before last and this royal expedition, but he would not be greedy. If he could make this most important royal expedition a success, everything would be rewarded.
His decisiveness in leading the first wave of the invasion himself while entrusting the actual troop deployment to Ewald, the general, was also good. The fact that he properly understood how he should be carried as a figurehead on the battlefield could also be called King Cadne's wisdom.
Facing war with the entire nation, executing strategies that only someone in the king's position could, and not meddling in the tactical aspects, leaving them to the general. As a king born from the peace-stained Lancel royal family, King Cadne was a talent for which one could wish for nothing more. His lack of experience due to youth could be supplemented by generals like Ewald as he grew from here.
By having King Cadne as their king, their lives had changed. The day after tomorrow, they would change even more significantly.
While suppressing the urge to let a smirk appear on his face as he imagined the coming battles, Ewald returned to the command of his unit.