Chapter 462 - Episode 445: The Battle of the West
The Western Defense Force of the Republic of Betumia army, tasked with combat operations in the southwestern region of the Kingdom of Roadberg. Its commander was General Steve Barrel.
During the first invasion of the Kingdom of Roadberg seven years ago, Steve had been entrusted with the major role of commander for the royal capital conquest force, but he had failed miserably. Furthermore, he was held responsible for arbitrary actions during the operation and was demoted from General to Great Legion Commander.
However, for Steve, the greatest tragedy was not this demotion.
His younger brother, who was far younger than him and had served in the invasion as a novice officer, had died. He was only eighteen. Born into a military family, their father had died early and their mother had died of illness; Steve had raised his precious younger brother as a surrogate parent.
At the time, his brother had been in the western invasion force. His brother was killed by the golem units commanded by Viscount Noein Arqvist—the current Grand Duke Arqvist—who commanded the enemy's western army. He had been told this after the war by General Irene Foster, who had become the supreme commander.
Since then, Steve had sworn revenge. He would definitely kill Grand Duke Arqvist one day. He lived harboring such hatred.
To achieve revenge, power and status were necessary. With that thought, he devoted himself to military service. Casting aside his former frivolity and self-indulgence, he accumulated achievements in conflicts with Betumia's neighboring countries and in suppressing riots that had come to the brink of civil war in various parts of the country. He acted as the hands and feet of his superior, Irene, who was close to him in age, handling the grittier battles.
And so, he returned to the rank of General. He understood that his reappointment was based on his position as a convenient pawn for Irene. Even so, he didn't care.
He waited for several years. Finally, the opportunity for revenge arrived. The re-invasion of the Kingdom of Roadberg. Steve understood that this was a compromise operation with a low probability of success, decided for political reasons. But still, he didn't care. As long as he could invade the Kingdom of Roadberg, that was enough.
Steve requested to fight in the western part of the kingdom, where Grand Duke Arqvist was likely to be, and Irene granted that wish. And now, Steve was on the soil of the Kingdom of Roadberg.
Of course, he knew that this was a misplaced grudge. On the battlefield, killing and being killed is a daily occurrence. His brother had become an adult and followed in his footsteps to become a professional soldier. If that was the case, dying in battle was unavoidable.
However, Steve could not reconcile this emotionally.
His brother was different from him. He was different from Steve, who had become the kind of filthy soldier often found in the upper echelons of the Republic army, having entered into cozy relationships with members of the Wealth-Nation faction's parliament. His brother had been a pure youth. He was not a person who deserved to be crushed to death by golems in an invasion operation that sought only the profits of the Wealth-Nation faction.
Originally, the ones to be hated should be the Wealth-Nation faction. However, there was no way he could defeat such a powerful group, a vested interest class where parliamentarians and wealthy elites were unified.
Therefore, Steve turned his eyes away from reality and burned with hatred for Grand Duke Arqvist. Understanding that his own end as a filthy soldier was this pathetic sight, he looked only toward a revenge that seemed within his reach.
Commanding the army while harboring such twisted emotions, Steve—
"...I wasn't told it would be like this,"
he muttered, enveloped in despair, facing the enemy that appeared at the end of his march.
.....
The Kingdom of Roadberg Western Army, consisting of nobles from the kingdom's southwest and some northwestern nobles. A great legion of approximately twenty-four thousand, including the Lancel Kingdom army as reinforcements, marched east through the southwestern part of the kingdom.
And they encountered the ten thousand men of the Republic of Betumia's Western Defense Force. In terms of numbers, the kingdom's side was more than double. It was an overwhelmingly advantageous battle.
Marquis Lubomir Galdwin, the nominal commander-in-chief of the Western Army, and the nobles serving as his staff looked out at the enemy from the Western Army's main camp.
"To think the day would come when we could face the great nation of Betumia with such a difference in combat power. It is like a dream."
"Indeed. The situation is this advantageous. Victory will be unwavering."
The great nobles of the kingdom's southwest who spoke these words were not being careless. These remarks were also intended to reassure the still-young commander, Marquis Galdwin.
"...Then, may I... begin the battle?"
"Yes. First, both armies will advance to close the distance and exchange fire with bows, crossbows, and ballistae. After that, the infantry will charge when the opportunity arises. Depending on the situation, we may also move the cavalry."
"We shall provide counsel regarding the timing of moving the troops, so please be at ease."
"Your Excellency, if you do as you have learned in your military studies until now, there is nothing to worry about."
The staff nobles and the assistants of the Marquis's house spoke to Marquis Galdwin, who wore an anxious expression as this was effectively his first battle. They had to raise the young leader of the faction before them into a full-fledged commander through this battle.
"Lord Galdwin. This is my first battle as well. Let us do our best together."
Furthermore, Queen Henrietta Lancel, who led the Lancel Kingdom army as reinforcements, offered words of encouragement. This was the first time she had personally gone to the battlefield.
"...Then, advance."
At the order of Marquis Galdwin, who had been encouraged by everyone, the Western Army began to move. The great army of over twenty thousand advanced slowly.
In response, the Republic of Betumia's Western Defense Force also moved. Although defense was their primary mission, they could not avoid taking the offensive if they were to suppress the advance of the Kingdom of Roadberg.
Once the vanguards of both sides were within range, an exchange of arrows by archers began. The Kingdom of Roadberg Western Army had approximately three thousand. The Republic of Betumia's Western Defense Force had one thousand. With this difference, the result was almost one-sided. The Betumian archer units were thinned out in an instant, and the density of their arrows diminished.
However, the Betumian generals were not so foolish as to continue a sluggish exchange of arrows in such a situation. Shortly after the infantry and archers, the bolt-thrower units finished their advance and began launching exploding pots.
This alone brought a certain amount of damage to the Kingdom of Roadberg's side. Originally, over a hundred bolt-throwers had been gathered to annihilate the golem units of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist. The attacks unleashed from them were fierce.
"...Excellency Galdwin. I believe now is the opportunity. The advance of the ballista units."
The one who suggested this was the eldest son of Earl Frederick Koenitz. Currently the practical person in charge of the earldom, he served as the representative of a unit that had joined the Western Army from the kingdom's northwestern nobles.
"Understood... Ballista units, advance until the enemy is within range."
Marquis Galdwin's order was transmitted through the officers, and the Western Army's ballista units began to move.
The ballista, developed in the Grand Duchy of Arqvist—which was still just a noble territory at the time—and spread throughout the Kingdom of Roadberg, had undergone its own evolution within the kingdom over the last few years. It was the birth of the mobile ballista, where a ballista was installed on the bed of a wagon, providing a certain range of motion.
Unlike the Grand Duchy of Arqvist, which had a small territory and only needed to protect key urban areas, the Kingdom of Roadberg had to protect a vast territory. To effectively utilize the ballista, which was a powerful weapon, this method was devised.
The mobile ballistae deployed in the Western Army totaled two hundred, combining the holdings of each noble territory. This was actually double the number of the Betumian side, who had to transport large bolt-throwers from across the sea.
That many ballistae advanced rapidly by wagon and deployed. Because they were installed and had a secured range of motion, they quickly aimed at the Betumian bolt-throwers.
On the other hand, because the Betumian bolt-throwers had wheels attached to the bolt-throwers themselves, it took time to readjust their aim.
As a result, the Betumian bolt-thrower units were half-destroyed by the first volley of the ballista units. The subsequent volley struck the Betumian archer and infantry units.
While the enemy was greatly intimidated by the massive firepower, the Western Army's infantry units began their advance. Nobles ranging from Viscounts to Barons stood in command of each unit of several hundred to a thousand men. There were not only southwestern nobles but also northwestern nobles.
"The enemy are weak soldiers, and their formation is broken from the attack of our ballista units! There is nothing to fear! Advance!"
The one who shouted this to his subordinate soldiers, himself mounted and raising his sword, was Baron Noah Wikander. He was now known as an up-and-coming, capable noble in the kingdom's northwest. He also held the position of Grand Duke Arqvist's brother-in-law.
"Do not fall behind the southwestern nobles! Crush the invaders!"
Similarly in the northwest, Baron Tobias Oggoren, who was held in high regard as Grand Duke Arqvist's close friend, also raised a large sword and advanced his horse.
When they finally collided with the enemy's front line, they skillfully wielded their swords from horseback, slaughtering the enemy.
Baron Oggoren's territory had rich grasslands, and cattle grazing was one of its main industries, but protecting livestock was synonymous with fighting external enemies. Baron Oggoren, who had fought monsters and wolves that targeted cattle himself, hid his usual gentleness on the battlefield and fought bravely.
Through the encouragement and struggle of these front-line commanders, and the fighting spirit of the infantry, the Kingdom of Roadberg Western Army gained the upper hand even in close-quarters combat.
Just as the outcome was about to be decided, the Betumian cavalry units moved. A group of approximately one thousand cavalry approached at high speed from the enemy's right flank.
"Excellency, let us borrow the strength of the Lancel Kingdom army here."
The one who suggested this was Earl Ahatz, one of the central figures of the southwestern nobles. Marquis Galdwin nodded and turned toward Henrietta.
"Her Majesty Henrietta. I ask this of you."
"Yes, leave it to me... Marquis Paradir. I rely on you."
"Yes!"
Marquis Auguste Paradir, the top of the Lancel Kingdom's military who accompanied Henrietta as her staff, issued practical instructions.
Out of respect for Henrietta, the Queen, the command of the cavalry units was entrusted to the Lancel Kingdom army. A total of two thousand cavalry from the Lancel Kingdom army and the Kingdom of Roadberg Western Army charged out to counter the enemy's cavalry units.
However, in a battle between cavalry, the side that moves first has the advantage. The Betumian cavalry units—this elite force commanded by Steve himself—attempted to slip through the pursuit of the two thousand cavalry, who were more numerous but less maneuverable, to directly attack the Western Army's main camp.
What was unexpected for Steve was that among the enemy cavalry units was a peerless mage who would carve her name into history—Viscount Chloe Tajinette.
"—!"
Chloe, who stood at the head of the two thousand cavalry units, unleashed attack magic upon the Betumian cavalry as they passed each other. She scattered a large amount of fist-sized hail toward the front of the enemy formation.
One does not escape unscathed after taking such a hit while mounted. The group at the very front, including Steve, were thrown from their horses, or tumbled along with their horses, and even those who didn't go that far continued to stop and stagger.
If the leading group's movement stagnated like that, the following cavalry naturally could not move. They came to a standstill on the spot and fell into great chaos.
There, the cavalry units of the Kingdom of Roadberg Western Army and the Lancel Kingdom army, superior in number, attacked. Once it came to this, the Betumian cavalry were outnumbered and were defeated one after another.
.....
"Damn it! What the hell is happening!"
In the vortex of chaos where Betumian cavalry hunting was unfolding everywhere, Steve shouted, his brain reeling from the impact of falling from his horse.
Nothing went well. Everything was too different from the prior information. With this much of a difference in combat power, what was he supposed to do and how?
His only hope was this flank surprise attack by the cavalry units. It was a common tactic with no ingenuity, but it was the only move he had.
Just as he thought he had finally seen a sign of success by exercising his ability as a commander, this happened. He couldn't help but curse.
"Excellency Barrel! It is dangerous here! For now, move!"
There, one of his aides who was still intact called out, pulling Steve and pushing him onto an empty horse.
"Excellency! The formation of the main body has also completely collapsed! We can't hold here anymore! Let's flee!"
When Steve looked as told, the main body consisting of infantry, archers, and bolt-thrower units was also about to be swallowed by the enemy army, which was double their number.
"...Damn it all!"
Is this how it ends? Despite swearing revenge and burning the flames of hatred to return to the Kingdom of Roadberg, he faced a crushing defeat without even being able to fight Grand Duke Arqvist.
Steve had come here knowing that this re-invasion was nothing more than a political battle and that he was just one of the political pawns of the supreme commander, Irene, but even so, he couldn't help but feel frustration at this wretched state of affairs.
Steve gathered the surrounding cavalry with his aide and fled with over a hundred riders. Now that the main body had been swallowed by the enemy army, it was no longer possible to even return to the main camp.
While the cavalry units fell into a state of annihilation, the soldiers of the bolt-thrower units, who abandoned their bolt-throwers, as well as the infantry and archers, began to flee on their own discretion, and the Betumian Western Defense Force collapsed entirely. They were forced back all the way to the final defense line near Ostraich in one fell swoop.