Episode 330 An all-out war with Devon, the beginning (3)
Devon’s soldiers who lost their comrades rushed at them vigorously, but they were exhausted and there was a limit to their pursuit.
On the other hand, Celia soldiers were able to rest well in the castle.
As a result, my physical condition was already at its best.
As the distance gap gradually widened in the pursuit, the impatienced Devon centurions made an irrational number.
He rides ahead on horseback and slaughter soldiers.
“This body is the centurion of Seohyang-gun in Devon! Is there no one in Celia who can deal with me!”
He spoke with great enthusiasm, but it was impossible for Celia’s soldiers to stop.
They didn’t launch an ambush to catch a centurion.
Instead of stopping, the running speed was getting faster and faster, so the Devon soldiers gnashed their teeth and chased after them.
Ray glanced back to confirm their location.
‘Not yet.’
Although it came within range, it is difficult to see the effect properly by shooting a rain of arrows now.
Standing at the very back and repelling the attacks of the centurions, he secretly spilled oil.
The water flow in the canal was not strong, but there was a certain amount of current, so the oil flowed downstream.
And downstream there are Devonian soldiers.
After confirming that the leading soldiers had safely passed through the canal, Ray shouted backwards.
“Shoot!”
Peeing-! Piing—!
As soon as his order was given, the archers waiting in advance fired their bows.
A rain of arrows that could fill the sky was pouring down towards Devon’s soldiers.
Devon, who was not prepared for anything, had no choice but to be hit mercilessly by the arrows.
When the flaming arrows hit the oil-mixed canal, fierce fire rushed down the water and attacked the soldiers.
“Aagh!”
“Boo fire! Get out of the canal!”
At the cry of some of them, the second party hurriedly tried to leave the waterway, but the arrows did not let them go.
Quite a few Devon soldiers died from arrows penetrating the armor.
“Retreat retreat! All troops retreat!”
Sensing a sense of crisis, Cheoninjang ordered a retreat.
However, the war situation was already taken by Celia.
It was very easy to organize Devon, whose formation was disorganized due to the continuous arrows.
I was exhausted and my morale was low.
They cut down Devon’s soldiers as if they were straw bales.
It was the night Celia took her second win from Devon.
* * *
A small meeting was held in the Holy Land.
“Report.”
As Pope Eclay sits at the table and speaks, High Priest Deor spreads the parchment with a hard expression.
It’s just three sheets of parchment.
Considering the amount of manpower and funds invested so far, it was a disproportionately small amount of information.
They said, ‘Is this all it is?’ When I threw a gaze, the high priest Deor lowered his head.
“Twenty people died even to get these three sheets.”
“…”
“…I don’t have anything to report on… but they are a group that is quite closed and has been secretly working for a long time.”
“Is it old?”
“yes. They are influencing guilds and guilds as well as in various fields without knowing or knowing. A young group would never have this level of ability.”
“Mmm.”
The same was true of Proxia, but there is a limit to what they can know.
Not only is it difficult to dig up information, but even if you manage to dig it up, there is no guarantee that it is unmanipulated information.
Iriel, who had been quietly listening to the story, inspected the parchment.
“I don’t think I can just leave my hands alone. It would be good for us to move properly.”
No one objected to her words.
Until now, they thought it was nothing to worry about.
But not anymore.
In many ways, they were promiscuous and even artificially created periods of fertility.
It was no longer in a position to cover the means.
“That’s right. You could say it’s too late now. I’ll give you the right to create the High Priestess of Deor. With that, gather information as quickly as possible.”
When Pope Eclay gave the order, he fell to his knees.
“All right.”
Seongguk began to check the dark forces in earnest.
* * *
A grand banquet was held at the castle.
Thanks to Ray, who was newly appointed as the general manager, the battle with Devon was truly a great victory.
With only 4,000 soldiers, they killed more than 2,000.
Even so, the damage Celia suffered was only about a hundred people.
If this is the difference in a single battle, Devon should consider retreating.
Ray wants them to drop the troops.
If so, they would be able to think of a means to end the war without a war of attrition.
But I know it’s not even close to this.
It was a time when something was needed.
‘It is necessary to have room to negotiate.’
It is safe to say that Devon, who occupied Crian Castle without loss, had no room to back down even after suffering a loss of 2,000.
There were only two options left.
Forced to withdraw or ask for negotiations.
If possible, it would be better to come to an agreement with each other, but if you cannot afford it, you have no choice but to recall them.
“Things keep bothering me.”
At the moment he was contemplating whether he should kidnap the princess and come to an agreement, the chiefs of the ten seals approached him.
These were the people he used as his subordinates when he was a centurion.
He is very careful in his actions, fearing that it would be disrespectful to even say hello to his superior, who has now become the general manager.
“Meet the General.”
Ray laughed at the hard tone.
“I changed my class, did the people change? Speak comfortably as before.”
Originally mercenaries, they don’t like to be formal.
“ha ha ha. I was waiting for you to say that. How uncomfortable.”
“So what happened?”
“I didn’t come because I had something else to do, I just came to congratulate you. Since you have made a contribution this time, it is not unreasonable to get a title. ha ha ha.”
“What do you do with the remaining territory? If there is surplus land, we should start farming.”
Ray really thought so.
It’s better than getting a title and being tied to Celia.
But to the deacons, it seemed like an ordinary joke.
“You are still there. Your Majesty will surely appreciate the hard work of the Manjangjang.”
Even if you know, I hope you pretend not to know.
When Ray looked away, they smiled and looked over the castle wall.
Where the smoke rose, Devon’s army was still majestically seated.
It feels strange when the military enters a place that was peaceful not long ago.
It was the moment when they realized again that they were really fighting a war.
“I don’t want you to die.”
He spoke calmly, but his voice was heavy.
Looking straight into their eyes, Ray replied.
“That won’t happen.”
“You should have another drink with us. I still can’t forget the taste of the alcohol I drank after that day’s battle. ha ha ha.”
“Please save me, General. I always talk about it every time I drink because of just that one battle, and I’m going to go crazy.”
Ray grinned at the sound of his subordinate dying.
“Are you going to do it one more time?”
Then, full of laughter, they shook their heads.
“I could do it at the time because I didn’t know, but now I can’t. I’d rather kill you.”
The experience of wandering through over 10,000 soldiers was not a pleasant one.
Or rather, it was hard to wake up from the pressure of not knowing when death might strike.
Even now, thinking about it, they wondered how they survived in that environment, so they said it all.
Ray made eye contact with them one by one and said.
“Believe in yourself. The fact that I am alive so far is not thanks to anyone’s help, but only thanks to your abilities. What am I saying, isn’t mercenary a gathering place for such people?”
They are mercenaries to the very core.
No one else praised them because their superiors acknowledged their abilities.
“Even if you compliment me like that, I won’t do it again.”
After clearly drawing the line, Ray clicked his tongue.
“I hate mercenaries because they are quick-witted.”
* * *
Devon lost over two thousand men.
They dumped the corpses into the mountain to prevent the monsters from getting entangled, and they had to reorganize their posture again.
Having been ambushed twice, Devon soldiers now remain heavily armed at all times.
That’s how quickly I got tired.
It was the mind of the Cheoninjang that they would rather open an all-out war.
Fortunately, reinforcements are coming from the home country, so if you hold on until then, Prion Castle will be as good as captured.
Reinforcements were dispatched from Devon.
Directing them was the Sword Master with his right foot.
His sword is known for its toughness.
It is said that even any sword master on the continent needs to be prepared to receive the sword from Balo.
Such a person served as the commander-in-chief, and Klein, the son of the King of Devon, served as the deputy commander.
It’s good until here.
However, if it was a problem that an unexpected person was involved, it was a problem.
Klein touched his forehead.
“Sileia, why are you here? Explain in a way I can understand.”
Is there someone in the barracks who only watches the troops go out?
What the hell does this mean?
As much as Klein was embarrassed, Valo was equally embarrassed.
No matter how skilled she is, war is not for the princess to intervene.
It’s a place where you could die if you’re not careful.
he let out a deep sigh.
“What are you thinking, Princess Silea?”
“I stopped following you.”
Cline’s mouth fell open.
I almost knew another attractive point of my younger sister at her confident words.
Confused, he gulped down the cold water.
“Even when things go wrong, they go wrong for a long time. It’s too late to go back, and I can’t take them to the battlefield.”
Klein, who was not an enemy and was in a dilemma because of his sister, was deep in thought.
“I will follow. Please let me follow you.”
I talk to my younger sister, who still firmly adheres to her will, as if she is worried.
“Sileia, this is war. In other words, it is a fight in which flesh splatters and soldiers die. My brother doesn’t want you to look bad.”
“It does not mean that I will directly engage in battle. This time I will really only be in the barracks, so please let me see it from a distance.”
“It’s embarrassing to see you, who isn’t usually stubborn, come out like this.”
When Klein looked at Valor, he didn’t seem to be particularly sharp.
“Whew… We can’t go back like this. I will be by your side, so follow Princess Silea’s opinion.”
“…Even if I have ten mouths, I have nothing to say. Duke with my feet.”
“it’s okay.”
Klein, who had been looking at Sileria for a while, cautioned her.
“You understand? Never leave the barracks. If we cannot keep this promise, we will have no choice but to withdraw.”
Who would say no?
Silea hid her happy expression and replied with a firm expression.
“I will keep that in mind.”
