Episode 101 Revolutionary Defense War – Archduke Leopold (2)
The battle started early in the morning and continued until after noon.
I was watching the sight of Archduke Leopold’s first line of defense collapsing and the imperial army being routed.
The French flag, which the Revolutionary Guards, who were at the forefront, planted on the obstacles of the collapsed enemy defense line, is waving and the revolutionary army continues to advance.
When you look down, Eris is wearing instantly recognizable white robes, protecting, encouraging, and following the soldiers on the second line of the offensive.
Eris still seems to have a lot of potential, and the battle situation is very good.
Or rather, it’s okay…
“You’re winning very smoothly, Your Excellency the Marquis.”
I furrowed my eyebrows at Chief of Staff Werther’s words.
“It’s too smooth.”
I turned the telescope and looked at Archduke Leopold’s flag still waving unwaveringly in the distance.
The aspects of the battle were clearly passed to us. Even though we are lacking in troops, we already have a clear advantage in terms of strength and momentum.
At this point, the Archduke must either decide to retreat or take a gamble, but the Archduke honestly responds to the battle of strength and is consistent in a defensive battle.
With the battlefield under control by the Chasseurs, retreating will only lead to being hunted, so are you holding on to inflict even a little more damage?
Even if they belatedly requested reinforcements from Duke Gunhild, the road was blocked by the Chasseurs. It would be next to impossible for a messenger to escape alone, so that wouldn’t be possible either.
“That’s strange.”
“yes? “It’s almost completely according to His Excellency the Marquis’s plan, but…”
Werther spoke as if he was puzzled, but I furrowed my brows and spoke again.
“The Archduke is too relaxed.”
The situation of the war is clearly an outsider’s maneuver.
The imperial army was completely cornered, but there was no sense of urgency in the Archduke’s movements.
In this situation, shouldn’t we at least bring out the cavalry hidden in the middle of the camp and try to resist?
No matter how experienced and skilled the Archduke is, how can he remain so calm and inactive in a situation like this?
I felt cold sweat running down my spine.
I put a lot of effort into trapping the Archduke, but I can’t shake off this uneasy feeling.
“…Anyway, the first line of defense has collapsed, so if we just collapse the second line of defense, this battle will be our victory. The Revolutionary Guard’s magic power has already been depleted, so turn them back and replace them. “We cannot waste precious power in vain.”
“I understand, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
In a battle like now where the cavalry is fighting behind barricades, there is nothing special for the cavalry to do, so unless the enemy deploys cavalry, I don’t have to go out and fight directly.
It would be nice if the battle ended like this, but I have a strong feeling that it won’t happen.
He was a famous war hero of the Germanian Empire to begin with. It would be even weirder if it collapsed in vain like this.
“Is there any special report from the Chasseurs? There’s something. Obviously…”
“Your Excellency the Marquis! “This is a report!”
“Then what is it?”
“It’s Duke Gunhild’s army! Duke Gunhild’s army is approaching the battlefield!”
Werther’s face turned pale, and a chill ran down my spine.
“What? How much would it be if they didn’t even send a messenger?”
“It looks like around 30,000!”
30,000?
Not only a part of Duke Gunhild’s army has returned, but the entire army that departed is coming back?
Count Mirbeau’s army is moving through the enemy’s occupied territory. Is that all there?
“How is that possible! Apparently, it’s been three days since we left for the north, so how have we already ended up here?”
It was only after hearing Werther speak in a trembling voice that I understood the situation.
“…I wasn’t heading north from the beginning. “I pretended to do that.”
If you understand it that way, everything is explained.
If he had received such an order from the beginning and pretended to head north, then headed south, he could have made it within this time, which means Duke Gunhild would have returned even though the passage of messengers was blocked.
I thought I had successfully tricked Archduke Leopold and narrowed the power gap for a decisive battle, but did I expect that to happen and took a gamble?
“It’s crazy. I somehow thought it was easy. … I wonder if Count Mirbeau is coming.”
Damien must have figured out the situation by now, but will he come?
Even if it does come, it is doubtful whether it will be able to arrive on time.
Moreover, Duke Gunhild has 30,000 troops. Can he turn the tide of the war with only 10,000?
What is the situation with the Count of Baden? If he couldn’t completely disintegrate him, Count Baden might actually stab Mirbeau in the back.
“What should I do, Your Excellency the Marquis?”
Thoughts are becoming more and more confusing, and even the calm Werther is panicking.
It would be best if it were possible to destroy Archduke Leopold’s army before Duke Gunhild arrived, but Archduke Leopold is not such an easy opponent.
In the worst case scenario, the army would launch an offensive against Archduke Leopold and be flanked by Duke Gunhild with an exhausted army that would completely collapse.
I was silent for a moment and then opened my mouth.
“…Stop the offensive for now.”
Should we retreat from here?
If we are defeated here, Damien, who has at most 10,000 people, will not be able to stop them alone, so not only will we give up the supply route we blocked, but also the Alpine trade route.
The moment I thought that.
As soon as the horn sounded in our camp and the retreat flag was waved, a signal flag was raised in the archduke’s camp as well.
Signal for the start of the offensive.
“under.”
I burst into laughter as I saw Archduke Leopold’s command flag waving in the distance.
The Archduke was waiting for this moment and preparing a counterattack.
If you start retreating now, they will pursue you fiercely and cause serious damage.
“It’s an airborne shift.”
Now that things have come to this, we will somehow stop the offensive of Archduke Leopold and Duke Gunhild.
Naturally, I looked at our troops spread out on the wide plain, unable to set up anything other than cover because they were going on the offensive.
A defensive battle with 50,000 against 90,000 in an empty plain?
…Can I endure it?
* * *
The tide of the war was completely reversed.
Our army retreated and reorganized its battle lines, giving up Archduke Leopold’s first line of defense, which it had occupied for the most part, but Archduke Leopold launched a counterattack without giving him time to catch his breath.
The artillery on both sides is exhausted, and gunfire only erupts sporadically, while waves of white surge endlessly toward this side.
“Stay in line!”
“Long live France!”
While the infantry on both sides exchanged fire and finally charged and engaged in hand-to-hand combat, I was galloping along with my horse at the flank of our army.
“Revolutionary army! Charge!”
“Follow His Excellency the Marquis! Long live the revolution!”
I drew my sword and cried out as the cavalry on both sides violently shook the ground and shook my body as I rode.
“For Franzia!”
When I cut off the spear pointed at me with my sword and raised it again, the enemy cavalry that was charging from the front fell from its horse, spouting blood.
As soon as he did that, he caught the sword swinging from behind and quickly deflected it and stabbed it, causing the other enemy cavalry to collapse.
As I was frantically cutting down all the enemy cavalry in front of me, at some point the enemy cavalry retreated and the area near me was empty.
I could see Duke Gunhild’s infantry approaching behind the enemy cavalry.
When I turn my gaze, I see Archduke Leopold’s cavalry galloping furiously from a distance to help Duke Gunhild’s cavalry.
“Your Excellency the Marquis!”
Gaston jumped in and cut off the cavalry that was charging at me while I was only looking at it for a moment.
I looked back again and saw the Revolutionary Guards rushing out and setting up camp to protect the flanks, and I shouted to my men with magical energy.
“The next enemy is coming! Quickly destroy the enemy cavalry in front of you!”
“ancient!”
I immediately kicked the horse’s butt, rushed forward, and began to randomly cut down the enemy cavalry that was faltering.
“Follow His Excellency the Marquis! Crush the enemies!”
As Gaston and other cuirassiers joined in slaughtering the enemy cavalry, the enemy cavalry, overwhelmed by their momentum, became frightened and soon turned their horses and began to run away.
As soon as I saw it, I screamed.
“Rally up!”
“Assemble the cavalry!”
Duke Gunhild deployed his cavalry first with the intention of attacking our flank while we were engaged, but Archduke Leopold’s cavalry was in the center of the enemy lines, avoiding the Chasseurs.
“The assembly has been completed, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
“Okay, we’re leaving right away!”
“ancient!”
If we hadn’t had cavalry to respond, we would have been helpless, but because we didn’t, the enemy had sent in cavalry one after another, and we defeated Duke Gunhild’s cavalry first, giving us time to deploy our reserves to the flanks.
As I retreated, I turned my gaze to see Duke Gunhild’s troops running in columns, not in an orderly row.
It’s a mess, but there are 30,000 troops stretching endlessly beyond the horizon.
The Revolutionary Guard consists of at most two regiments. We need more troops to stop that.
When I quickly turned my gaze towards our troops, I saw that the 10,000 infantry that the main unit had kept in reserve were moving to the flanks.
As expected, Desai and Werther. My body feels comfortable because it makes appropriate decisions on its own even without me.
I quickly turned my eyes to look at the wires and
then- “Fuck you.”
I saw the central army, which was fighting desperately against the Archduke’s main force from the front, fleeing one by one.
“cell! Take your troops and keep Archduke Leopold’s cavalry in check! “Send a messenger to Morel so that Duke Gunhild’s cavalry cannot attack our flanks!”
“I will obey your orders, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
“You there! “Go to the headquarters right now and tell them that I will take care of the center and that the reserve unit reinforce the sides!”
“Yes, Your Excellency the Old Marquis!”
“Move! movement!”
Gaston and the trooper pointed at me immediately moved and I shouted to my men who were watching me.
“Follow me! “Built time for the collapsed Chinese army to recover!”
“ancient!”
I immediately got on my horse and ran down the hill.
Sure enough, the departure of the central army, which started with one or two people, accelerated in earnest, and by the time we almost arrived, the collapsed revolutionary army was running away.
“Get out of the way if you want to live!”
“Huh! “Your Excellency the Marquis!”
As soon as the fleeing soldiers frantically dodged, the imperial army, who had barely achieved victory after a difficult struggle and was taking a breather, was shocked to see me and the cavalry charging in.
“Charge! For Franzia!”
“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu shoot!”
Even though several of the imperial troops fired urgently, there were only a few cavalrymen directly under my command who could not block it, and the enemy soldiers, trembling and raising their bayonets in a messed up formation, were cruelly defeated by the cavalry’s charge.
“Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!”
He splits the back of a line infantryman who was trying to turn his back and run away with his sword, and the bayonet thrown from the side splits him in two with the arm holding the gun, causing the soldier to scream and fall.
Sweat flows continuously and blood-soaked clothes splatter here and there stick to each other, creating a soggy and unpleasant feeling.
“Your Excellency the Marquis! Enemy cavalry is approaching!”
While cutting down the enemy troops in a trance, he turned his gaze to the urgent cry of his subordinate and saw the enemy cavalry charging towards him.
The cavalry that Archduke Leopold had saved so far is rushing towards us, who have blocked the infantry.
I looked right back.
The retreating central army was barely being recovered while I was holding off the enemy, and I could see the last remaining reserve unit just getting ready to be deployed.
If we leave here now, the enemy cavalry will attack our unprepared infantry.
When I saw Gaston’s troops rushing towards us beyond, I gathered all my magical power and shouted.
“Rearrange your ranks!”
“Rearrange your ranks!”
While the cavalrymen, who were frantically cutting down the collapsed imperial army, came running in a huff and gathered towards me, the imperial cavalry galloped furiously and almost approached me.
I shouted at the top of my voice as I felt the vibrations of the ground reverberating from the cavalry, which was twice as many as ours in number.
“Gentlemen, you are the pride of Francia! “Are their cavalry scary?”
The cavalrymen, breathing heavily and claiming to be descendants of the kingdom of knights, answered loudly all at once.
“no!”
I shouted, swinging my sword at the enemy cavalry charging from the front.
“Then prove it! Charge forward! For Franzia!”
“For Franzia!”
No more words are needed. Just kick the horse’s butt and charge forward, leaving your body to the heat of the battlefield.
“Long live Her Majesty the Queen!”
“Sieg hail Kaiser!”
Along with the roar of the crash, the terrible sound of the bones of the clashing war horses being crushed rang out, and I felt a feeble resistance against the sword I swung with the force of the charge.
“horsepower…!”
The mithril sword, which had the highest magic absorption rate, ignored the enemy’s resistance and cut it down, but other cavalrymen began to fight, clashing swords here and there.
“under! “You’re still immature!”
I split another charging cavalry with my sword and blocked another’s sword, but screams and noises echoed everywhere.
Unlike the enemy cavalry that has been unilaterally massacred so far, it is an elite cavalry unit trained by Archduke Leopold himself and capable of manipulating magical power.
Our cavalry may still be better, but they are on a par with the enemy because they are exhausted from repeated battles.
As I was unable to overpower them with my skills, it was only for a moment that I began to be pushed back by a much larger enemy.
“Your Excellency the Marquis! “They are strong!”
Meanwhile, I shouted as I cut open another cavalryman’s stomach while avoiding the flying sword.
“Kill at least one more person every time you open your mouth! “The gas tank is coming!”
“The author is the Marquis de Lafayette!”
“Kill the Marquis!”
“Fuck.”
While I was fighting frantically, slashing and stabbing the swords of the enemy cavalrymen who were rushing at me with determination, screams erupted from all over the place.
Sweat flows like rain, and the sword, which felt moderately heavy at first, gradually becomes heavier.
“Tsk!”
He barely managed to block the sharp sword that was stabbing him, but he almost fell off his horse while dodging the sword that flew at his head.
He gritted his teeth and stood up immediately, recoiling and splitting the body of the enemy cavalry, causing the enemy to let out a sigh.
“Ugh….”
“Don’t back down! Even the Marquis is tired!”
I know damn well. How many people are obsessed with me?
One, two…four?
I think I caught five of them, but it feels extravagant to think that there are still so many left.
My eyes sting from the sweat pouring down like rain, and even the warhorse, which breathes heavily, is increasingly unable to move as I wish.
If I do this wrong, I will really die.
“Protect His Excellency the Marquis!”
“Follow General Gaston!”
The moment I thought that, I heard Gaston’s thunderous shout, and screams and shouts began to erupt from the flanks of the enemy cavalry that was pushing our cavalry.
I immediately gathered all my magic and shouted.
“The gas tank is here! “Push!”
The eyes of the cavalrymen who were pressuring me turned to the side for a moment, and as soon as they could, I rushed forward, swinging the dagger from my belt.
“Keuuk!”
“Ugh!”
“Shit!”
When the two of them fell off their horses at the same time after being hit by a dagger and being cut by my sword, the remaining two also made eye contact and then turned their horses’ heads and started running away.
“Hahaha….”
Damn, it’s so hard.
“Your Excellency the Marquis! Are you okay!”
“Oh, as you can see, I’m fine – ugh.”
While I was trying to answer Gaston’s call, I suddenly groaned in pain.
When I put my hand on it, my left shoulder was bleeding profusely, as if I had been cut while dodging just now.
I guess he didn’t even know he was injured because he was covered in blood and nervous to begin with.
“Marquis-”
“Shut up, Gaston. “Is this something to advertise in a neighborhood room?”
“I’m sorry.”
I spoke while looking at the Archduke’s cavalry, which eventually collapsed and retreated, and our infantry, which had been reconstituted and was advancing to block the center.
“I will find Her Majesty the Queen. Gaston Now that the central army has been deployed, please retreat. “I will leave command of my unit to you for a while.”
“I accept your orders, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
I rode the horse exhausted.
Blood continued to pour from the shoulders shaking due to the rough breathing and movement of the warhorse, causing pain, but even more than that, the countless warhorses and cavalry lying on the cold ground caught my eye.
While the infantry bought time to collect the middle army and held off the Archduke’s cavalry until Gaston’s cavalry arrived, nearly half of my cavalry was turned into cold corpses.
I believe I made the best choice at every moment, but was it really the best?
No, now that the fierce battle is in full swing, even such a thought is almost a luxury.
I consciously turned my gaze and saw the Revolutionary Guards and 10,000 infantry units continuously defeating Duke Gunhild’s line infantry advancing from the flank.
Right now, we’re defeating them who came running in a panic, but if Duke Gunhild comes to his senses, how long can we last?
The Chinese army somehow managed to recover and the Archduke’s cavalry was defeated, but the sacrifices of our army were severe and there are no more reserves.
Despite the confusion in my mind, I marched forward and saluted those who saluted me.
In times like these, military uniforms stained with blood are rather comfortable. To them, I will not be seen as a wounded commander, but as a commander who is fighting with them on the front line, sweating blood and sweat.
After riding for a while, I was able to face Eris.
The queen, dressed in pure white robes, is protecting the soldiers alone, saying that she needs at least one person to fight, and even sent Lord Beaumont to the cavalry.
“your majesty.”
“Marquis?”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
I got off the horse, walked over, and gently lifted the veil that Eris had been wearing under her hood.
“oh.”
Eris’ face looked very tired, but she didn’t look like she was going to die soon.
“…I think it’s true that your abilities have become stronger.”
“Even though I said so…”
Eris looked a little sulky and I smiled bitterly.
“You’re the kind of person who doesn’t take care of yourself. Ugh.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Yes, my left shoulder.”
Eris, startled, looked at my left shoulder carefully, then stretched out her hand and closed her eyes.
There is a bright light, a warm tickling sensation, the bleeding stops, and new skin grows on the wound.
After finishing treatment, Eris wiped the sweat from her forehead and opened her mouth.
“Who says someone doesn’t take care of themselves?”
“Haha, I’m sorry, lung-”
My voice was cut off by the roar of a shell flying.
Eris just glanced away and stretched out her hand to block it with a golden barrier.
However, at that moment, I clearly saw Eris frowning slightly and clutching her chest.
“…side effect?”
“…Maybe.”
“Since when has it been like this?”
“A long time ago?”
Eris’ purple eyes were still calm as she answered like that, and at that moment I almost spilled out all kinds of words, but I consciously kept my mouth shut.
Everyone here, including me, is fighting for our lives despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered.
Eris doesn’t want or listen to people telling her to protect herself because she’s the queen.
“…You know your body better. “I believe you didn’t ignore my instructions.”
“I know, Marquis. “You are my supporter and my most trusted subject.”
“…I believe it, Your Majesty.”
Eris smiled brightly and extended her gloved hand towards me.
“I believe it too, Marquis de Lafayette. “I know you will do your best to protect my country and its people.”
With a bitter smile, I took Eris’ hand and kissed the back of it.
“I will follow your orders, Your Majesty.”
As soon as I got up and turned around, I felt a warm light envelop me behind my back, infusing a little bit of energy into my tired body.
I got on the horse, bowed to Eris, turned the horse’s head and started running.
In order to last a little longer in this hopeless war situation.
* * *
As the sun sets after a brutal battle.
Both sides have long since used up all the cards in their hands, and the exhausted army is fighting with evil and cruelty, both friend and foe.
Archduke Leopold was observing the battlefield with a telescope.
The enemies are making countless sacrifices, but the existence of the saintly queen, who blocks artillery fire and treats the wounded, is still alive and well.
The revolutionary army, which cries out to protect its homeland and revolution, maintains strong morale despite its overwhelming inferiority.
The middle army, which had been defeated with difficulty, was retaken after the cavalry of the Marquis Lafayette invaded and showed off its bravery. Although the cavalry that was cherished and cherished was deployed to capture the Marquis Lafayette, the result of the cavalry battle was defeat.
Although the enemy cavalry suffered severe damage and was weakened, the Archduke’s army was already exhausted and was making slow advances and retreats.
Duke Gunhild, who had arrived at the flank, launched a hasty flank attack with cavalry but failed, and continued to suffer defeat as he continued to deploy his troops in the same formation they had marched in.
At least, after Archduke Leopold’s urging through a messenger, a proper offensive was launched, albeit late, and it was successful.
The powerful elite infantry that wielded their magical power held out for a while, but the revolutionary army on the flank, which numbered only 10,000 men, eventually began to waver under the general offensive launched by Duke Gunhild, which numbered 30,000 men.
however.
The Archduke could not take his eyes off the man seen through the telescope.
The enemy’s commander-in-chief, who even lost his warhorse during the fierce battle, jumped into the flank that was beginning to collapse and fought frantically on the front line with the Franzian flag in one hand and a sword in the other.
The commander-in-chief is fighting at the forefront, covered in blood and carrying a flag, but there are no soldiers who can run away alone.
Archduke Leopold, who saw that even the flank that he had worked so hard to break down was being restored and Duke Gunhild’s offensive was faltering, he closed his eyes tightly and lowered his telescope.
He took advantage of the Marquis de Lafayette’s trap and lured him into a trap.
The enemies who should have been defeated long ago are persistently holding on, but it is visible that they have eventually reached their limit.
The armies of the Archduke and Duke Gunhild have been defeated countless times, but they have enough troops to replace the defeated units and continue the offensive again.
So in the end, this battle will end in victory for the Empire.
however.
Archduke Leopold looked away from the battlefield and looked down with blurry eyes at the field of corpses that covered the plain.
Even if we win like this, can we call it a victory?
Enemies are fighting to protect their homeland. They are fighting to protect the government they established.
Their queen is personally on the battlefield guarding the soldiers, but she is sending countless of her subordinates to death in order to take away the throne she intended to dedicate to Kaiserin.
Archduke Leopold was overcome with despair and closed his eyes tightly.
If only he had the same military power as the Marquis de Lafayette, he would have been able to take the lead and fight alongside his men.
If so, would I have felt at least a little bit at ease?
“Your Majesty the Grand Duke!”
It was an urgent cry that broke the Archduke from his thoughts.
“What’s going on?”
“The army is approaching from the northwest!”
“northwestward?”
The Archduke’s thoughts stopped.
It’s a battle already won.
We have created the worst battlefield where the enemy cannot retreat and are barely trying to win after countless sacrifices, but another army?
Is it Count Mirbeau? However, due to the distance, there is no way we can arrive within this time.
If it’s to the northwest, is it the army that departed from Lumiere?
Enemy reinforcements? Or reserve unit?
No matter what, if the troops were sent in haste, they would not be at the level of a proper regular army. It has to be that way.
“What army? “What about your medical history?”
Before the messenger could answer Archduke Leopold’s desperate question.
A thunderous roar that resounded throughout the battlefield, carrying overflowing magical power.
[Lafayette, my brother! This Crocs has come to keep his promise!]
