Chapter 273 - Episode 266: Things That Must Be Done ①
It had been four days since the Western Army of the Kingdom of Lordberg halted its offensive, wary of the one hundred or more golems lined up in the enemy's front row. The legion commanders of the Republic of Betumia's western invasion force were divided in their opinions.
"...No, really, no matter how you look at it, that's strange. It's an enemy bluff."
"And what do we do if it's NOT a bluff! Over a hundred golems rampaging with mindless brute force... if we thrust our soldiers into such a place, how many casualties will there be? We've been told to keep the death toll as low as possible!"
"Exactly. Besides, the soldiers have seen how those golems rampage. If we order them to charge into a place where that many are lined up, morale will plummet again!"
"Just think about it! If they have that much combat power, why aren't they attacking from their side? It wouldn't explain why they only mobilized about twenty of them during the battle on the second day, holding the rest back."
The cause of the conflict was none other than the golems in the enemy camp. There was no way there were a hundred skilled puppet mages capable of moving golems like that. The opinions were split over the idea that most of those golems were merely hollow puppets... Currently, the "golems are hollow" faction held a slight advantage.
"...Grand Legion Commander Foster-kakka, I believe it is time for you to make a decision. You must steel yourself and launch the offensive."
"No, we should err on the side of caution. We should either engage in a war of attrition, or if we are to attack, request reinforcements in the rear and prepare high-firepower assets to ensure victory over that horde of golems."
"..."
As the legion commanders continued their fruitless discussion while looking back toward the front—Irene grinned.
"Both of your opinions are certainly not wrong. Therefore, I have decided to incorporate both. We will launch an offensive against the enemy. And yet, we will err on the side of caution."
"Foster-kakka?"
"I don't quite understand the meaning..."
Irene continued to the legion commanders, who wore puzzled expressions.
"The moment the opinion arose that most of those golems were merely hollow, I used a dialogue mage to send a request to the headquarters of the western invasion army. That request was granted, and it was decided this morning that reinforcements would be sent to this front line... Two thousand slave units composed of local residents. That is the content of the reinforcements."
"What!?"
"...I see. Certainly, if that's the case..."
Some were shocked by Irene's words, while others nodded, intuiting her intent.
The slave units of local residents were, as the name implied, citizens of the Kingdom of Lordberg within the controlled territories mobilized as combat slaves.
Since they were originally commoners, they didn't make for a proper fighting force, but by taking their wives and children hostage and saying "if you don't obey, the hostages will be killed," they would listen obediently, making them reasonably useful. Since they were not Betumians, the fact that it was no loss to use them up until they broke was a major advantage.
In fact, slave units had been used to a certain extent since the start of the invasion last year as easily obtainable local labor. As porters for luggage and odd-job workers, or as meat shields and disposable suicide squads lined up in the front row of the battlefield.
"I will have the two thousand slave units charge the enemy camp. Although most are originally farmers, if this many attack all at once, the enemy won't be able to defend easily. They will surely use the golems. If only twenty golems move, as they did the other day, it means the enemy was bluffing. Additionally, by forcing them to fight their own compatriots, we can wear down the enemy's morale."
"A wonderful plan. As expected of Foster-kakka, whose name thunders through the Republic of Betumia's army."
"Let us crush the enemy's bluff!"
With a prospect of solving the mystery of the enemy army's golems without exhausting Betumian soldiers, the legion commanders, who had been accumulating stress from this stalemate, praised Irene in high spirits.
"It will take three days at the fastest, even using magic carriages, for the slave units to arrive from the western invasion army headquarters in Count Ahatz's territory. When the carriages return, they will transport all the wounded from the previous battle to the rear, so proceed with preparations in the meantime."
Many of the wounded by the mysterious poison used by the enemy remained in the camp because transport hadn't kept up, and many soldiers were being allocated to their care. To make the unit lighter, transporting the wounded was an urgent matter.
"That is all. This fruitless military council is over. The soldiers should have rested enough. Put them to work for the next battle... Dismissed."
.....
Eight days after the Republic of Betumia's army had been intimidated by the wooden dolls mixed in with the golems and stopped their offensive.
Noein, who had been idling as a commander for the past few days and had been sleeping in his tent until late in the morning, thinking he should sleep as much as possible while he could, was gently shaken awake by Matilda.
"Noein-sama, please wake up. Frederick-sama is calling for you."
"...Ngh, I understand. Let's go."
Noein woke up immediately and sat up, taking the cup Matilda offered and drinking a sip of water to shake off the drowsiness. Afterward, he threw on his military jacket and left the tent with Matilda.
Upon entering the headquarters tent, Frederick immediately conveyed the matter.
"Noein-dono, the enemy has started to move. They will likely attack this afternoon."
"...I see. Well, if we held out for over a week with a bluff like that, it's a successful result."
Noein exchanged words with Frederick as he left the tent and walked through the main camp, moving to a place where he could overlook the enemy army.
If they engaged the enemy, it would inevitably be noticed that most of the golems were hollow, but they had managed to stop the enemy's offensive for over a week. This was sufficient as a time-buy until the small units for guerrilla warfare could infiltrate the southwest.
"The enemy seems to have called for reinforcements; they'll likely use those troops."
"It was about two thousand people, right? I wonder what kind of unit they are..."
Using the secret mountain path provided by Viscount Barassen, Noein and the others had sent reconnaissance teams even behind the enemy lines. According to those reports, a force of about two thousand soldiers had been transported from the rear a short while ago.
Looking toward the enemy, it indeed seemed that the formation was being organized with different soldiers than before placed in the front row.
"...That new unit, their equipment is awfully poor."
"Eh... you're right."
At Frederick's words, Noein, whose eyesight wasn't very good due to his reading habits during childhood, narrowed his eyes and answered while looking at the enemy camp.
"Rather than soldiers, those are just farmers. They aren't wearing proper armor, and their weapons are just iron farming tools... I see, so that's how it is."
Having realized the true identity of the new enemy unit, Frederick's expression became as if he had chewed on a bitter bug.
"Those are citizens of the Kingdom of Lordberg. They've likely been forcibly conscripted."
"...I see. It's a terribly malicious, but clever strategy."
Noein answered while frowning. Using citizens of the enemy nation, who are not missed if they die, as slave soldiers and throwing them at the enemy army to check for traps. The content was not something to be praised, but in terms of cost, it was extremely efficient.
The soldiers of the Western Army also began to notice that those lined up in the enemy's front row were fellow citizens of the kingdom. At the situation where farmers of the same Kingdom of Lordberg were lined up as enemies, a stir ran through the entire Western Army, which consisted of many conscripts.
It was only natural. From the farmers' perspective, if they lived in a different place, they might have been on that side.
"...This is bad."
"Yeah, if we ordered an attack in this state, a drop in morale would be unavoidable. It would be best if we could avoid fighting... but if we gave a demand for surrender, do you think that unit would respond?"
"I don't. If I were a Betumian general, I would take the families of those Lordberg citizens hostage and tell them, 'If you don't fight, the hostages will be killed.'"
"True, I would do the same."
While the two were talking, the commotion grew louder, and meanwhile, the enemy steadily proceeded with preparations for the offensive.
"We have no choice but to fight, don't we..."
Even if they paralyzed that slave unit with 'Angel's Nectar,' the enemy would likely abandon them without a second thought. If that happened, Noein and the others would be the ones burdened with two thousand wounded. The Western Army, which had fallen below five thousand five hundred, could not possibly care for them all.
In other words, they had no choice but to kill those two thousand—the citizens lined up while being threatened by the enemy. No matter how much emotional hesitation there was, or how much the soldiers tried to avoid it, what must be done was decided.
"...It can't be helped. I'll go to the front."
"Noein-dono?"
"At times like this, the general should be the one to get his hands dirty. That is the duty of one who stands above others... Matilda, the 'Voice Amplification' magic tool."
"Yes, Noein-sama."
Noein held the 'Voice Amplification' magic tool offered by Matilda to his mouth.
"...Everyone!"
Noein raised his voice toward the entire Western Army.