183 – Eastern Franchi Expedition (18)

At my command, the flag bearers of the Elias Legion signaled with flags and horns to return to battle.

As soon as the signal went up, the commanders of knights and infantry began to peck at their subordinates who were slacking off the battlefield.

“This is an order from His Excellency Count Elias! You lowly serf child! Do you sleep on the battlefield? Get up right now and hold the window straight!”

“Soon the knights are coming! If you have any desire to return alive, follow my orders! Gather in groups of 10 and set the spear! Captain of the Ten Commandments!! standard!”

“Knights, check your horse! Tighten the strings of the stirrups hanging from the saddle, and make sure your lance and sidearm are ready to use! If you don’t do it right, you’ll see your weapons break like branches on the battlefield!”

At the command of their superiors, the knights inspected their horses, weapons, flags and armor that would enhance their honor, and the soldiers wore thick cotton clothes on their arms and legs to increase their chances of surviving.

With the help of a servant, I also put on the armor I had put off for a while, then took my lance and shield and climbed on top of my horse.

I’ve climbed the horse I’m riding now countless times in my life, and I’ve ridden many times before the war…

However, the trembling and overwhelming emotions of the moment I stand at the crossroads to seize victory in the war that puts my life, no, my family’s fate on the line, and my hair stands on end and my body trembles from the tension that I might fail.

Especially this time, it is a situation where you can directly deal with the knights of Count Akitel, who remain as a symbol of fear.

Of course, there is a trembling feeling and a desire to run away, but…

Nevertheless, as the family head of Count Ilias, I have the duty to show my bravery in order to assure you that I will share wealth and honor with the knights and vassals who have sworn allegiance.

And, as in the past, Count Elias will rise to glory, and I will remain a nobleman and general who fought with honor and won on battlefields where everything could be lost with one wrong step.

No, you have to stay.

“Baron Shepard, I will spearhead our armies in this war. So, you guard the Legion’s headquarters.”

Having said that, I rode my horse to the front of our camp.

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Most of the soldiers there muttered, their faces all white, as if they thought of the first brutal war they had ever experienced.

“Aren’t you going to die like this?”

“Shut up. If I say that for no reason and the Count in front of me hears it… ‘There will be only death for a coward who lowers the morale of the army.’ After you say that, your head will run away.”

“under… If you knew it would be like this… I’m going to confess to Ellie… ”

Some professional soldiers or mercenaries were appeasing the frightened soldiers.

“Don’t be afraid, as long as you hold the spear straight, you won’t find it. My little ones.”

“We’re in the rear, so we’re sucking honey, so what are we so worried about? don’t die Not hurt.”

“If you don’t think about running away, you’ll come back alive.”

At times like this, toxic nobles mobilize their own troops, killing the weakest looking serf among the conspicuous serfs and even killing those who sound intimidated.

When one such weak serf is removed as if he were rotten away, the other serfs are seized with greater fear of being killed by their allies.

Then, in order not to be killed by their allies, they are forced to charge towards the enemies in front of their eyes.

All nobles use and discard serfs in war as if they were consumables, but…

Now we must use the serfs to withstand the knights’ charge, just as His Excellency the Marquis of Creutel did in the past.

And without giving them good weapons or armor, the best support I can give is… It’s all about showing that you’re fighting alongside the soldiers.

So I spurred on my horse, advanced to the front of the knights’ stormtroopers to the left of the serfs, and said:

“Before the enemy knights come, march in front of the foot soldiers. Tell the commander among the soldiers that I risked my life to stand in the vanguard. Also, when I march, I will carry a flag with a coat of arms that symbolizes me.”

“dismissal… Why is someone like the Count of the Eline Empire trying to be at the forefront of the knights’ charge? Then you can go back.”

“Baron Shepard, it is an honor to die as a knight. And if we lose this war… Our family has no future. So, in order to raise the morale of the serfs and knights, I must be in the vanguard. don’t you know?”

“I owe nearly 100,000 gold coins, and if I lose here… When the huge collection of Hamburg merchants comes in, the future of the family… ”

Not long after Baron Shepard’s grumbling, the knights planted a flag on my lance, and I raised it, causing the flag to flutter, and I rode off.

Slowly, at a slow pace, just two steps away from the foot soldiers.

As I passed in front of them, at first the soldiers didn’t say anything and just watched blankly.

But as we passed halfway through the ranks of infantry, everyone cheered, and as we finished the march…

“Long live Count Elias!!”

“Long live the Elaine Empire! Long live His Excellency Count Elias!!”

The cheers of the soldiers echoed.

Of course, the reason why they shout like that is because of the atmosphere created by some windbreakers…

At least, I would have thought that I was in a dangerous war like them, so the thought of running away would have decreased a lot.

Not long after I returned to the vanguard of the knights, the dust began to rise from beyond, the silhouettes of knights in silver armor.

Soon after, about 2,000… No, the sounds of the horses’ hooves mounted by the enemy’s knights, numbering about 3,000, began to resonate deafeningly.

Also, seeing the subtle vibrations, like the shaking of the ground during an earthquake…

Soon the enemy knights will come in to attack.

“Your Excellency, the enemy knights are approaching. Shouldn’t you be leaving soon?”

“I will do that. However, we intend to stab them in the flanks when they begin to charge in earnest against the infantry. Therefore, the knights of the allies released their wedge charge formation and increased their horse’s speed to get as close as possible. And the closer you get to the enemy, the more you will line up little by little.”

After that, I spurred the horse and started driving it a little faster.

Then, naturally, the ranks of the knights under my command began to widen, and the knights around me shouted and spoke accordingly.

“Pay attention to His Excellency’s flag following the lead! When His Excellency lowers the flag, you should gradually reduce your speed and form a wedge formation!”

“Don’t miss the opportunity to gnaw the sides of the tasty enemy knights!”

“This is a much easier tactical maneuver than the last time we hit headquarters! Surely there aren’t people who won’t be able to do this?”

In line with the words of the advanced knights, the knights began to move in line with my movements.

I made a great turn to lead the scattered knights and pierce the enemy’s flank.

Did the enemies not notice us making a big turn, or was it impossible to change formation even if they noticed?

We continued to move forward without ever loosening our wedge formation to break our infantry.

“Turn left! Prepare for an all-out assault!”

Soon after, I lowered my flag and prepared to charge, and the knights began to slow down accordingly.

Only then did the enemy knights withdraw their rearguard troops to try to keep us in check…

We have already completely grabbed the enemy’s side, and if we push forward like this, we will be able to inflict enormous damage on the enemy.

“All troops, prepare for shock!”

After that, I lowered my helmet’s face shield and charged at the enemy knights.

The lance broke with a crackling sound, knocking an enemy knight off his horse, and the knights behind me knocked the rest of the enemy off their horses and began stabbing them to death.

Unable to respond to the unexpected charge, they began to be swept away like sand washed away by waves.

Knights falling from their horses and their horses screaming as if they didn’t want to die, and we continued to escalate our case.

When the charge stopped, the knight who seemed to be the captain of the enemy army put down his lance and gave an order as if shouting.

“Damn it, you fucking Elias bastards! retreat!! Go retreat and reorganize!!”

We have already broken the brunt of 3,000 knights, and we have yet to hear that other knights are coming around us.

If you drag the enemies to the place where Count Isra is and attack them like a pincer from both sides, you can inflict damage close to annihilation.

Also, assuming a certain amount is left to check the knights of the Creutel Legion and the Orléans Legion… They will not attack us recklessly.

“Immediately send a messenger to Count Isra and tell him to lead the knights and chase the knights here! We’ll go after them first!”

So, take advantage of this gap and destroy 3,000 enemy knights as quickly as you did when raiding Marquis Simon’s headquarters and return.

**

“Your Excellency, Marquis of Creutel, information has come in from the spies who were monitoring the Counts of Elias and Isra.”

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Most of the corps communicate with each other through messengers, but what have these idiots done?

“Let me tell you.”

“It is said that the knights of Count Ilias and Count Isra chased after the knights of France, and broke away from the main unit.”

… … Although I gave them confidence, beauty and various bribes so that they could shovel like that.

How could you have made such a stupid choice out of blindness after making just one great feat in this war?

Well, right now, this is just the limit I can protect on my own, so there’s nothing really bad about it. Rather, it is in a state where it has come true as planned and prepared, so should we say it is a good situation?

No, since we can reduce the number of other nobles who will be potential enemies if we become independent from the Elline Empire, so long as we escape this crisis…

It will make your future plans much easier.

Anyway, I said with a look of anguish on my face.

“Then let’s go. The situation is not good.”