Episode 22
“Let’s Go!”
Puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.
With the sound of a long trumpet, the gates opened and the forces of the McLane family, led by knights on horseback and armed with heavy armor, came out of the castle.
53 knights.
Approximately 550 horsemen were regular soldiers, not conscripts, and could also be considered knight trainees.
And nearly 5,000 conscripts.
It was a large army with a total force of over 5,000.
Within three days of declaring war, McLane’s territory had mustered troops beyond its limits.
Among those conscripted, young boys with fluffy fur were often seen.
Moreover, a quarter of the conscripts were carrying bamboo spears and wearing flimsy wooden protection without even proper equipment.
It is no exaggeration to say that we literally just guessed the number of people.
‘Can not help it. ‘The invaders have staked their fate, so we must use everything we have.’
Padric tried to justify the excessive conscription and turned his gaze to the sky.
Riding a huge black horse that was half the size of a normal knight’s horse and wearing a red-feathered helmet, he waved at the front of the family.
“Waaah!”
The residents of the territory cheered when they saw them like that, but the expressions on their faces beneath the forced cheers were full of anxiety.
“few?”
“They say he came within a day of the street.”
“I’ll see you in half a day.”
“yes.”
There was tension in the conversation between Padric and Heinkel.
However, contrary to their intentions, their faces looking back at Young Ji-min were calm.
It was a disguised appearance to appease the military and Yeongjimin’s anxiety a little.
However, that relaxed expression disappeared shortly after leaving the castle gate.
“Where did Logan go?”
“…I left the castle gate with the mercenaries first thing in the morning.”
“why?”
“I know that too…”
“What?!”
Padric’s face distorted at Heinkel’s answer.
“Why didn’t you stop it?”
“Confucius has the authority to lead the mercenaries. And…”
“I guess you’ve shown a bit of sincerity recently, right?”
“….”
“Heinkel, you’ve loosened up a bit too.”
“sorry.”
Looking at Heinkel who hastily lowered his head, Padric let out a deep sigh.
“Ha… I guess people don’t change easily.”
“yes?”
Heinkel looked puzzled by the sudden lament, but it was not a statement of blame for him.
“I guess I was expecting too much from Logan.”
“….”
“He probably ran away. Exclude him from the force.”
Heinkel lifted his head sharply at Padric’s stern tone.
Although it was only a short time, the archduke I saw while training together was by no means that type of person.
But before he could say anything, someone shouted right next to Padric.
“That can’t be possible!”
A boy who was forced to wear heavy armor that seemed slightly larger than his own body.
Ronian, a genius who became a force user before his fifteenth birthday, opened his red eyes and screamed in protest.
“There’s no way you would do that!”
Ronian recalled his older brother who had visited him during training not long ago.
– Not yet. I can’t control it yet.
When I asked him why he was sighing sadly, he showed me amazing skills even for someone who is still inexperienced.
It was a secret skill that no knight, including his father, could show.
– I’ll teach you soon too. Let’s save our family together.
From then on, it was clear that my brother sensed something bad was going on.
There was no way a brother like that would abandon his family like this and run away.
“Brother, you were already expecting war. There’s no way that could happen…”
Ronian raised his voice as if it were his job and stepped forward to support Logan.
But Padric just frowned at the sight of his little son like that.
“Ronian, don’t think about supporting Logan. It’s true that he’s not here anyway.”
“No! There’s no way your brother would run away like that!”
Ronian was only trying to take Logan’s side, but his loud voice actually added to the buzz around him.
“The Archduke ran away?”
“Was that rumor true?”
“The lord’s son?”
Murmur.
In the chaotic atmosphere of the soldiers, Padric shouted at Ronian.
“Whatever it is, he’s not here right now! He missed the battle that decided the fate of his family! If that’s not running, then what is!”
“….”
No matter how he tried to refute, Ronian had no basis for refutation.
He just stiffened his face with an aggrieved expression.
Padric looked at Ronian like that and spoke in a cold voice.
“A nobleman is a true nobleman only if he fulfills his duties as a nobleman. Anyone who abandons the most basic duty does not deserve to be a nobleman!”
The most basic duty of a nobleman is to protect the people of his territory from external threats.
It was even more important in the McLane family, a knightly family.
After saying that, Padric grabbed Ronian’s shoulder.
“So, Ronian, you must take on the role of your older brother. Never waver!”
Ronian nodded weakly as he looked into his father’s eyes, which were similar to his own but filled with incomparably intense power.
Looking at that face, Padric turned around with a sigh.
He also couldn’t have felt good about treating his only son like a child without one.
However, seeing the soldiers whispering here and there, whose morale was visibly down, such feelings were a luxury.
‘Maybe they should have kicked me out then.’
When I showed signs of remorse, I regretted having false expectations when I pretended that I didn’t.
Even though the face of his dead ex-wife was glimmering, I should have made up my mind.
If that were the case, the morale of the soldiers before this dark war…
“No, no.”
Padric shook his head and dismissed his weak thoughts.
How could a knight on the verge of war think like this?
Far away.
As I bit my lip, the fishy scent of blood spread into my mouth, and I immediately came to my senses.
‘Okay…’
It wasn’t important right now what my son was like or what his military history was like.
“We must win.”
So, I had to protect my family.
Because that was the biggest purpose in his life.
The will became a fighting spirit and raised Padric’s spirit endlessly.
A lord who pledges victory while bleeding from his bitten lip.
“We will win! For sure!”
That will and momentum were conveyed to those around them.
“yes!”
As the fighting spirit spread rapidly, Padrick, who read the slightly changing atmosphere, shouted loudly with full of energy.
“All-army breaking news!”
* * * Dung. ridge. ridge.
The enemy army moves in unison with the loud sound of drums.
Just watching the enemy troops line up in far greater numbers than our allies lowered the morale of the soldiers.
Besides…
“I heard the Archduke also ran away.”
“Shh!”
“You’ll be in big trouble if you say things like that! It’s a rumor, it’s a rumor!”
“What are the rumors? Look for it too. Can you see the face of that red-haired bastard?”
Unintentionally, another rumor was added to Logan, further lowering his morale.
However, there were people who did not believe the rumor and instead refuted it with a light in their eyes.
“Shut up! Our Confucius is not the type of person to do that!”
“What is that guy?”
“That damn maid.”
“Why is the nobleman’s servant here?”
“I have to add at least one hand. Can’t you see the difference in our troops?”
Despite Rick’s angry shouts, he was unable to stop the rapid decline in the allies’ morale.
“Why can we…”
“…can we win?”
“No, will I be able to survive?…”
As the anxious air spread like a contagious disease, the soldiers’ murmurs grew louder.
Padric raised his sword and shouted in a voice like thunder.
“Do not be afraid! We will definitely win!”
At the same time, as the knights raised their swords, a sharp force erupted from the knights.
In particular, the force emitted by Padric, a senior knight, was clearly visible to those nearby.
An intangible power that spreads like crazy.
That comforted the hearts of the frightened soldiers and somehow instilled courage in them.
Soon, cheers rang out from all over the McLane camp.
“Waaah!”
The shouts that kept up with the enemy’s spirit encouraged each other.
The appearance of being muttered with anxiety just a moment ago has definitely decreased.
‘This is okay.’
Padric raised the morale of his troops by showing off his military power.
And seeing that the enemy didn’t react in any way gave me hope and confidence.
‘There are definitely no senior knights.’
Padric cheered himself up like that and kept an eye on his enemies.
Soon, the two camps encountered each other less than 1km away.
“I will cut off Baron McLane’s head to avenge my ancestor’s vengeance! Descendants of sinners, stretch your necks and receive my sword!”
Haman Tethron, a blond-haired middle-aged man who stepped to the front of the enemy camp, shouted excitedly and drew his sword.
Then, Padrick came out from the McLane camp.
“Good! I’ll take that sword! Let’s compete against knight against knight!”
A cry that echoes across the plains.
The spirit and confidence contained within it once again raised the morale of the allies.
Unlike Padric, who went to the front of the camp alone, Haman Tethron went inside their camp.
Soon, about 100 knights in heavy armor rode in front of the camp.
“My knights are my swords. Take them, Padric McLane.”
Padric smiled and responded to the voice of Harman Tethron coming from behind the enemy lines.
“Don’t you have the courage to go out alone? My face is burning because you’re hiding!”
At that shout, laughter erupted throughout the McLane camp.
The moment the momentum gained, Padrick shouted loudly again without delay.
“Let’s destroy the ragtag group of people who have a cowardly lord!”
His sword is aimed at the enemy camp.
“All forces charge!”
The war has begun.
* * * ‘Let’s break through the vanguard first!’
Padric became the leader of the front line and rode his horse fearfully.
His role was most important in overcoming the absolute inferiority of the troops.
There was a chance of victory if he broke through the vanguard and disrupted and destroyed the enemy knights.
That’s why he put his life’s energy into charging his lance, which would be the first collision.
The intention was to completely destroy at least two or three knights in the first attack.
Padric’s horse, strengthened through the Force, gained speed, and the energy in the spear also gradually became stronger, emitting a distinct red light.
Doo doo doo doo.
As soon as he got close to the enemy camp, Padric caught the eye of the knights wearing thick heavy armor just like the knights of his army, and the leader of the enemy who stepped forward in front of them.
‘hmm? shield?’
No matter what the main weapon was used, the basis for charging was the spear lance.
This was because there was nothing better than a lance to utilize acceleration and concentrate destructive power at one point.
Of course, there was no reason to insist on using a lance if you could exert power with any weapon.
However, I did not expect that the leader who came out in front would clash with his lance while holding a shield.
‘You think you can withstand my charging? dare?!’
The anger that was welling up amplified Padric’s momentum to the point of bursting.
Ugh.
The plan was to crush him right away and impale the knight following him.
Wow!
A loud roar echoed throughout the battlefield.
But the results were very different from what Padric thought.
“Pfft!”
Padric hesitated, enduring his throbbing wrist.
Although the impact was dispersed in all directions using force control appropriate for an advanced level, the exhilarating pain spread throughout the hand holding the lance, and the impact of the collision was transmitted to the horse.
He tried to disperse it as much as possible, but if the impact had been a little stronger, his sturdy Rottweiler would have broken its legs and collapsed.
Of course, the other party was not safe either.
Unlike Padric’s horse, the opponent’s horse could not survive the shock and fell down, and the lead knight fell from his horse and was bleeding under his helmet.
It was clearly not a light wound, but Padric could not hide his shock.
‘You blocked it?!’
The opponent’s mouth, visible under the helmet, had a deep smile despite the flowing blood.
“Cough. This is incredible, Baron. I prepared so much, but now it’s like this.”
As I listened to his bullshit, my anger boiled even more.
He shouldn’t have stopped here.
“Ugh! Shit!”
“Take on us as a team of two! Kill them all!”
“Do you think you’ll win?”
Because of this, the McLane knights, whose advance had stopped, were being unilaterally pushed back by enemy knights who were twice as numerous.
‘no. ‘It can’t be like this!’
I could imagine the unfavorable battle situation that would follow as if it were drawn to my eyes.
Padric felt like he was going crazy. I had to kill him right now and get my momentum back.
“I’ll kill you! You!”
Trying to ignore the cry in his head that it was already too late, Padric put down his lance and raised his sword.
Heehee!
The huge black horse carrying him rushed towards the enemy knight at once.
Padric’s sword swung with a bright red glow.
Quaaaang!
However, Padric’s sword once again failed to achieve its purpose.
The two knights who suddenly appeared blocked him with their greatswords and spears, accompanied by a roar.
“Baron, you should play with us.”
Moreover, the one who took the lead at first also took out a long sword with blood wiping from the corner of his mouth.
As I felt a sense of crisis, a cold wind began to seep into my head, which was hot with anger.
The words of the man holding the shield came to mind again.
“…So you guys are the ones who prepared this for me?”
Padric’s cold voice shook slightly.
“How do you like it?”
Padric glared at the first knight, who raised his eyebrows and smiled slyly.
He could be confident just by blocking his own lance charging.
‘A high-ranking knight. I can’t believe there was a high-ranking knight…’
Although he was inexperienced, he was definitely a high-ranking knight.
So he would have been able to stop himself.
I learned clearly what Harman Tethron believed in and was so proud, but it was painfully too late.
‘The other four are at least mid-level knights.’
Underneath the helmet, Padric had a gloomy look on his face.
‘If I am blocked, the knights are blocked, and if the knights are blocked…’
The main camp, which is already at a numerical disadvantage, will be crushed by the enemy’s troops.
Even though the Knights were the main force, there was no chance of victory in that case.
The worst-case scenario of the knights being hunted while surrounded on all sides naturally came to mind.
“You can’t do that!”
The anger that broke through the despair was released as a fierce slash.
But….
Quaaaang!
The enemy was not easy.
