Episode 178 Krafte War – City of Fire (9)
“Mobilize everything! “Everyone who can move picks up the gun!”
The command staff was very upset.
“What is your position?”
“I’m a supply soldier, sir!”
“very good. From now on, you will be an infantryman. “Bring your gun and follow me.”
We swept away all the troops remaining in the command post and gave them muskets.
Since there is no one left behind, we have no choice but to mobilize all who have intact limbs, including the non-combat units and even wounded soldiers with bandages on their bodies.
The command center suddenly became a mess, and Shandra had a confused look on her face, so I quickly approached her.
“Wow, what is this….”
“Shandra! I need your help! “I might die. Will you help me?”
“Oh, even though I don’t have to do that, I’m having a hard time trying to translate as a liaison officer!”
Even though Shandra said she might die, she was more pleased and followed me.
Anyway, being a warrior is good.
I found Chief of Staff Alexandre Werther among the soldiers rushing here and there, and immediately grabbed him and asked:
“Chief of Staff! “It looks like mobilization is almost over, so how much is the total number of troops?”
“Including the remnants of the eastern defense line, the total number is 3,726, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
“Here’s a report! The 172nd Infantry Regiment has returned to headquarters! The regimental commander is a warrior! “The total number of people is 324!”
Werther, who heard the report from the urgent messenger, smiled awkwardly and corrected himself.
“…Now there are 4050 people.”
…The regiment has a capacity of 1,000 people, so there’s no need to ask where the rest went.
I answered simply.
“That’s cool.”
“It’s cool.”
Werther and I looked at each other and laughed.
“Let’s think positively, and the remnants of the defeated soldiers will continue to join us. So, how many Krafte forces are currently attacking from the east?”
“It is impossible to know exactly because the reports are so numerous, but we estimate that the number is over 30,000.”
“What about the Imperial Knights?”
“I think there are about 100 people, including Count Wittelsbach. They can’t all be knights, and the number probably includes elite cuirassiers. “It would be there anyway from the perspective of ordinary soldiers.”
Well, in their eyes, he looks like a monster, so he will only be seen as a knight.
“Shandra. “You must have fought against them in the last battle. I guess that’s the maximum they can mobilize, right?”
As we engaged in a decisive battle with the Krafte army, Shandra and the Iberica brothers faced the Empire’s reinforcements.
I guess I figured out their approximate size back then.
Honestly, it would be good because it would be difficult if the king pulls out another hidden card here.
Shandra seemed to think for a bit and then nodded.
“Probably right?”
“….”
You’re probably right.
Her expression almost stiffened for a moment, but considering Shandra’s free-spirited nature, I guess it’s true.
“There is no back. We have requested reinforcements from all directions, so we just have to hold out somehow. “I leave the command to you, Werther.”
“The enemy is in a clear beheading operation, but the commander-in-chief wants to stand on the front line?”
I also smiled bitterly at Werther’s somewhat absurd question.
“But if I give guns to soldiers who are not combatants and remnants of the defeated army and tell them to block from behind a safe place, will they stop?”
“Haha, it won’t be blocked… I understand, Your Excellency the Marquis. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“…I’m not confident, though.”
Thinking about Christine, who is under siege and worried about not hearing from her, I have to force myself to survive.
“Just try. Let’s go Shandra. “Of all the people left here, you are the most reliable in battle.”
Shandra smiled and joked.
“I’m glad about that. I would have been more motivated if Sir Gaston had been left behind…”
“Of course.”
Why did I send the gas cylinder and go through all this trouble?
The same goes for Mirbo, who was convinced that Nambu was the main attack and ran towards Nambu…
I sighed softly and raised my head.
“This is not the time to argue about this and that. If we hold on, we win; if we get bullied, we lose! let’s go!”
* * *
“Hurry up and move the carriage!”
“Prepare for shelling!”
In a huff, we moved the cannons that had been used to clear the passage for the Karoq and Iberica brothers to advance, and loaded them with pellets and aimed them at the eastern road, where the Krafte army would soon arrive.
In the meantime, the remnants of the eastern defense line continued to join, and our troops numbered close to 10,000, but it was still a mixture of hastily constructed defense units and remnants.
I couldn’t expect them to last long against Krafte’s strong army, so my idea was to reduce the enemy as much as possible by bombarding them with pellets before an engagement broke out…
But the moment Krafte’s army began to appear on the other side of the road, I He immediately spat out an insult.
“Oh shit.”
This is because in front of the rushing Krafte army, there were many revolutionary soldiers running away from them.
Is this really the intention?
Since they couldn’t wipe out their allies with a barrage of bullets, did they intentionally let them escape ahead of them?
No, that is excessive.
It would have been difficult for even the Krafte army to do something like that on purpose, and it may have just happened because the Krafte army advanced quickly in such a gilded war situation.
But…
“What should I do, Your Excellency the Marquis?”
“…damn.”
Even leaving aside the elite level, the difference in troops is overwhelming. If we don’t bombard them with pellets here, it’s over.
However, if even the fleeing revolutionary army is captured and wiped out, what will happen to the morale of our soldiers, who are already full of defeated remnants and non-combatants?
The worry was short-lived.
“I believe, Werther.”
“yes?”
“We will block our troops until they all run away, so shoot when I give the signal!”
“What are you talking about, Your Excellency the Marquis? Reckless-”
“Shandra!”
“yes?”
“Follow me!”
“Huh?”
Even though I had no idea what was going on, I followed him and took Shandra with me and started running towards the enemy lines.
It’s a street fight. Even though it is a central city road, the space is not that wide.
“Huh huh, His Excellency the Marquis!”
“Run without stopping! Join the defense line!”
“Oh, I understand!”
When they saw me, they were frightened and ran away, but instead of trying to stop, they pushed the revolutionary soldiers away and ran with their swords drawn.
“The Marquis of La Lafayette?!”
Why is Krafte so embarrassed?
The soldier, who was so embarrassed and didn’t even think about raising his bayonet, was slashed with his sword, and blood spattered – and when he glanced sideways, Shandra seemed to have caught on to the mood, and was dancing around, chopping up Krafte’s soldiers.
“It’s the Marquis de Lafayette!”
“Juk-keaaak?”
The sensation of cutting off a human’s arm felt like nothing special, and even then, I quickly looked at my enemies.
What about the knights, Count Wittelsbach?
“Hey- ah!”
Even if the Krafte army is a strong army, that’s based on regular soldiers and non-knight soldiers can’t catch me.
He splits off stabbing bayonets, cuts off arms, cuts off throats, and slices bodies, and throws a dagger at anyone who stops when they see their comrades being butchered, driving them between the eyes.
As the dozens of Krafte soldiers who were running towards me were instantly wiped out, I could see the Krafte soldiers faltering even for a moment.
When I glance back, the remnants of the revolutionary army are still running to where the cannon is.
“It exploded really slowly!”
It was only after Shandra and I went on a rampage, slaughtering Krafte’s army for some more time, that I was belatedly able to find Count Wittelsbach.
I saw him standing behind me, holding a sword, looking intently at what I was doing.
“under.”
You know how scary chivalry is, right?
How much time had passed, when I was breathing a little harder from frantically cutting down the oncoming Krafte army, I heard Werther’s voice.
“That is enough, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
“Get down Shandra!”
“Wow, you pamper yourself so much!”
Shandra and I kicked the nearest enemy soldier, widened the distance, and as soon as he fell to the ground, an earth-shattering gunfire erupted.
Krafte, who was preoccupied with the sight of me and Shandra moving around before our eyes, was hit by a barrage of buckshot.
Even though they are elite soldiers, they cannot even scream properly, and everyone ends up in a hive with blood being sprayed equally.
“Ha, if I make a mistake, I could almost die.”
I clearly lied down and lowered my posture as much as possible, but I could clearly feel that the magic barrier was shaking precariously with just a few fragments scraping the floor.
However, there was no time to relax and feel relieved, so I jumped up as soon as the shelling had passed.
“Is Shandra alive?”
“He’s alive…”
What?
When I turned around in horror, I saw Shandra lying on the floor, bleeding from her shoulders and back.
In the meantime, my heart was pounding because there was shrapnel in my arm, probably because I was protecting my head.
“Marquis, are you human? “How can you withstand that with a magical barrier?”
“…Damn it, apologize later!”
Did I overestimate Shandra’s capabilities? Or did he lose his senses as his strength became stronger?
Either way, I felt a cold chill at my obvious misjudgment.
However, the situation did not even give time to panic.
“Your Excellency the Marquis, the enemies are coming again!”
I immediately shouted at Werther’s urgent cry.
“I know because I have eyes too!”
Despite the fact that his colleagues who were running ahead of him had turned into faces that you couldn’t even open their eyes, Krafte started running right away without any delay.
At that rate, they will reach us faster than the artillery can reload!
“Excuse me.”
I immediately picked up Shandra and started running towards the defense line.
“Wow, it’s comfortable. Hehe, I wanted to receive a hug like this from Sir Gaston.”
“…Seeing the joke being made, it looks like it’s fortunately worth living.”
That’s what I say, but I don’t have the courage to say anything to Shandra, who was injured while participating in my reckless actions to save the revolutionary army.
…Even Gaston is surprised to see her like this.
“Don’t worry too much, Marquis. I guess I haven’t done enough yet. “The king has ordered me to help my brother, the marquis, with all my might, so this is a proud wound.”
“…I will definitely repay you for your dedication. Werther! Get some people and escort Shandra to the south! “You need to be treated by Her Majesty the Queen!”
“I understand, Your Excellency the Marquis! “Command will be transferred immediately!”
I handed Shandra over to Werther and immediately turned my head to look at the defense line.
Thanks to the risk of being caught up in the bombardment of bullets and buying time, the soldiers who had fled in a hurry took a moment to catch their breath and rejoin the ranks under Werther’s command.
At least right now, in their eyes, their respect for the commander-in-chief, who jumped into the enemy lines to save them and bought them time, appears to be stronger than their fear of Krafte’s army.
If you do this, it’s worth it.
I shouted as I pulled out my sword.
“All units ready to fire!”
“Ready to fire!”
“Aim for the first row!”
The momentum of the revolutionary army, which raises their guns in unison, is so consistent that it is hard to believe that they are the remnants of the defeated army.
The momentum of the Krafte army as they rush along the road filled with the flesh and blood of their comrades who were bombarded with shrapnel is amazing, but they are only humans made of cloth.
“Wait, wait!”
There is no need to shoot at maximum range unless you clearly know that the enemy has no ammo.
“A little more!”
“Waaah-!”
“Glory to Krafte!”
Now that the battle cries of the enemies could be heard without filtering, I lowered my sword and shouted.
“Fire the first line!”
The distance is at most 50m, so even if you aim properly, it is harder to miss.
The muskets fired all at once, and the Krafte army, who had been charging ahead, fell helplessly.
“Don’t stop! Charge!”
“For your majesty!”
Despite this, he quickly gave instructions in front of the Krafte army, who was about to rush in without losing momentum.
“Sit in the first row and aim for the second row!”
The gun is aimed with a clanging sound –
the distance is now only about 30m.
“launch!”
Once again, the muskets spewed fire all at once, piercing through the Krafte army that had come right in front of them.
The bullet fired at close range went straight through the soldier and caused enough damage to those behind him, instantly turning the enemy’s ranks full of holes.
It’s a battle of momentum here anyway!
“Charge!”
Without hesitation, I jumped in first, and almost without delay, a shout came from behind me.
“Follow His Excellency the Marquis!”
“Long live the revolution!”
* * *
On the roof of a building a bit far from the eastern defense line.
Gilles de Lionel, who was looking down at the revolutionary army, led by the Marquis de Lafayette and attacking the outnumbered Krafte army, fiddled with the dagger in his hand and then thrust it back into his waist.
“…Finally.”
Gilles de Lionel muttered softly and immediately jumped off the roof and began to walk towards the battlefield filled with shiny hostility and tribulation.
