Chapter 263 - Episode 256: The Opening Battle ①
A week after the Western Army of the Lordberg Kingdom completed its assembly and began combat preparations—constructing fortifications and instructing soldiers on how to handle Angel's Honey—a report arrived from the reconnaissance team that there had been movement from the Betumia Republic Army in the southwest.
About ten days after that, a force believed to be the Betumia Republic Army's western invasion unit approached within visual range of the Lordberg Kingdom's Western Army, which had set up camp on the Valerian Highway, sandwiched between hills to the southeast of Viscount Barassen's territory.
"...Is the number roughly as predicted?"
"It seems so. Slightly more than 20,000."
While overlooking the enemy from the main camp, Noein exchanged words with his staff officer, Frederick. Since the terrain was a gentle slope descending from north to south, Noein and his group, positioned at the northern end of the battlefield, were in a position to look down upon the enemy.
The Betumia forces numbered approximately 21,000. Among them were about 4,000 archers, 15,000 infantry, and 2,000 cavalry. It was a massive army, just as the prior intelligence had indicated.
Opposing them, the Western Army's position was a narrow pass located between two forest-covered hills. The entrance had a decent width, but it narrowed as one proceeded north, falling below 50 meters at its narrowest point.
At the main camp in the rear of the formation stood the commander Noein, staff officer Frederick, Yuri—who served as Noein's assistant and also as a staff officer—his direct guard Matilda, the communications officer Konrad, and the Guard led by Pence. The elites of Viscount Koenitz's territorial army also protected this main camp.
Infantry units stood by from the center to the left and right of the vanguard; in the event of melee combat, these units would move forward and clash with the enemy. The center of the vanguard was manned by the ballista unit, the crossbow unit, and the archer unit, tasked with paralyzing as many approaching enemies as possible using Angel's Honey.
Furthermore, in the very front line, golems hidden behind Siege Shields were lined up, and interspersed among the crossbow unit, Claymore golem users protected by great-shield soldiers gazed toward the front line.
Additionally, at the entrance of the narrow pass, log shields were installed at regular intervals in two staggered rows. This was designed to prevent the enemy from rushing in with their superior numbers, while allowing crossbowmen to hide behind the log shields to weather enemy arrows and other attacks in an emergency.
A tense atmosphere drifted through the entirety of the Western Army now that they finally faced the enemy. It was only natural, as many of them were conscripts—men scraped together from the territorial populace.
"Lord Noein. As the commander, it might be best to address the officers and soldiers."
Frederick made this suggestion to Noein. The Betumia forces were still some distance away, preoccupied with organizing their units. If he were to speak, now was the last opportunity.
"...You're right. Yuri, call everyone. And Matilda, the Voice Amplification magic item."
"Yes!"
"Yes."
Noein gave instructions to his two aides, mounted his horse to raise his line of sight, and received the Voice Amplification magic item from Matilda—the one he always used when giving speeches in the plaza of the capital, Noeina.
Then, Yuri called out to the entire Western Army.
"Attention! Words from the Commander of the Western Army, Viscount Noein Arqvist!"
Yuri shouted with a voice loud enough to echo throughout the entire Western Army camp using only his natural voice, and the soldiers turned back toward the main camp.
Confirming this, Noein held the Voice Amplification magic item to his lips. With Noein's own vocal volume, he could not possibly do what Yuri had done.
"...The strategy we are about to employ is a special way of fighting unseen in the history of the Kingdom—no, perhaps in the history of the southern Adleon continent. I, Noein Arqvist, am the one who devised it. Some of you may harbor doubts about this strategy. Many among the nobility likely feel dissatisfied."
Noein spoke while looking over the silent officers and soldiers.
"However, I promise you. If you follow me, I will certainly stop any further invasion by Betumia and repel the enemy. I will protect the estates of the noble lords, and the lands and families of the soldiers. There is nothing to fear. There is no need for anxiety. If you believe in me, it will be alright. I will make you win... that is all."
When Noein declared this without a hint of hesitation, some wore expressions of relief at his calm tone, while others still looked anxious.
"You spoke quite definitively."
"Words are free. We are overwhelmingly disadvantaged in numbers. I have to be spirited, if only with words."
Having dismounted from his horse, Noein answered Yuri, who had spoken to him. Noein himself did not know if this operation would succeed, but that did not mean he could let the soldiers know his true feelings.
"It is a good thing for the commander to show confidence. It seems a fair number of them have come to believe in victory."
This time, Frederick spoke as he lined up beside Noein.
"Indeed. I'll make the rest believe through results... It looks like the enemy has started moving, so let's prepare for combat on our end as well."
"Understood... All personnel, prepare for combat! Prepare for battle according to the orders of your respective unit commanders!"
Frederick raised his voice, and both officers and soldiers turned back to the front and began to move. Looking toward the Betumia Republic Army, the units believed to be the first wave of the offensive were completing their alignment.
At the same moment the entire Lordberg Kingdom Western Army readied their weapons, the enemy began to advance.
...
The Betumia Republic Army's western invasion force, totaling over 20,000. Its commander, Grand Army Commander Irene Foster, was a heroine known as one of the most militant figures in the current Republic Army.
In her mid-thirties, she was the youngest among the Grand Army Commanders participating this time. However, her daring personality was highly valued, and she had been entrusted with the western invasion force, having already achieved the concrete result of capturing the Marquis Galdwin territory—the largest in the southwestern Lordberg Kingdom—before the onset of winter.
"Setting up camp in a narrow pass sandwiched between hills to avoid a clash on the plains and compensate for their numerical disadvantage... well, it's a safe tactic, but in the end, it will be nothing more than stalling for time."
With a height quite tall for a woman and features that were beautiful yet radiated a certain severity, Irene muttered in a tomboyish tone, her spirit seeping through.
"They are, after all, the army of a barbaric nation still in development. This level of strategy is likely their limit. Considering the national power of the Lordberg Kingdom, if we crush this unit, the northwestern Kingdom will be defenseless. Once that happens, we simply overrun them as we please."
Beside Irene, an adjutant—a veteran officer separated from her by a generation—spoke.
"No doubt. Then let us crush them immediately... Advance!"
Following Irene's voice, the Betumia Republic Army's western invasion force moved forward. Although it was a unit with a high ratio of volunteer soldiers who were amateurs, they had been operating as a unit since last autumn, and could now march with reasonable order.
"First, the archers! Show them the power of the composite bows that the Betumia Republic prides itself on!"
Composite bows, which combined multiple materials such as wood, animal tendons, and metal to increase power and range compared to normal bows. Four thousand archers equipped with these—which the Betumia Republic had only recently become able to mass-produce and deploy—fired arrows simultaneously toward the Lordberg Kingdom army's position.
...
"As I thought, they're coming with a tactic to whittle down numbers through long-range combat. Just as predicted."
"This is convenient for us."
Looking down at the Betumia Republic Army advancing with archers deployed in the front, Noein spoke with Frederick, who stood beside him.
The battlefield was such that Noein's position was atop a gentle slope, giving them the advantage in an archery duel. The crossbow unit Noein possessed was equipped with scatter-shot arrows while maintaining range without weakening the string tension. There were also forty ballistas. In terms of the number of arrows they could fire, they were not losing to the enemy.
They could shower the enemy with Angel's Honey unilaterally from the start of the battle. However, Noein's thoughts were negated by an unexpected action from the enemy.
"!?!"
"They're already preparing!? The distance is still too great. There's no way it would be a proper attack from that far..."
Frederick spoke beside the surprised Noein. Just as those words suggested, while still at a distance far too great for the range of a general Lordberg Kingdom bow, the Betumia Republic Army's archers released their first volley.
The four thousand arrows launched into the sky in a high arc reached from the vanguard to the center of the Lordberg Kingdom Western Army, raining down relentlessly upon the soldiers.