Revolutionary Period – Preface (2)
“Fire!”
As the artilleryman ignites the fuse with an ignition rod and retreats, covering his ears, the cannon bounces back with a roar.
Through a telescope, I looked at the sight of shells fired from cannons flying and hitting the castle walls.
“Keueuung-”
The artillerymen, with great effort, push the cannon, which had been pushed back, forward again, and cool and wipe the heated muzzle with a baton.
Then, he prepared to fire again with the charge and stopper, and pushed the shell in with a whimper.
“launch!”
The fuse is lit again with the ignition rod, and when the artillerymen withdraw, the cannon bounces back with a roar and fires a shell.
I can clearly see that the artillerymen, who are doing the slow, repetitive, but extremely difficult work, are becoming increasingly exhausted.
I lifted the telescope again and looked at the sight of artillery shells hitting the castle wall and debris falling from the half-cracked wall.
Most of the villages of Count Lionel’s territory surrendered without much resistance, and the count is prepared to fight in the capital fortress of the territory.
We have already surrounded the fortress and been under siege for six days, and the fact that there is not even a sign of surrender is proof that Count Lionel is a respected lord in his own right.
My taste buds are bitter because I remember how good I was at the last strategy meeting.
While I was lost in thought, the cannon roared again, and with a rumbling sound, one axis of the castle wall collapsed, raising a cloud of dust.
I sighed lightly, handed the telescope to my adjutant, and turned my head.
“Get ready to charge.”
“Prepare for the old plunge!”
–
Those wearing the uniforms of the unified revolutionary army march with muskets on their shoulders, followed by those conscripted from the western region wearing irregular clothing.
The sound of flutes and drums mixed with the mechanical footsteps of the soldiers echoing across the plain surrounding the castle walls.
The moment I approached the collapsed castle wall.
“launch!”
Arrows were fired from the archers who stood up in unison from the intact castle walls on both sides.
“Ugh!”
“Ahh!”
I immediately drew my sword and struck down the flying arrows, but the musketeers in front were hit by arrows and fell down screaming.
“aiming!”
However, those who have trained intensively in a short period of time are not shaken to this extent.
Even if a comrade next to him falls or the person in front of him falls, he still maintains the formation, mechanically lifts the musket, pours gunpowder from the bag, and pushes a bullet into the muzzle of the gun.
“launch!”
Soon, gunshots rang out one after another, and a thick cloud of black gunpowder smoke was scattered before my eyes.
This time, screams erupted from the top of the castle wall, and several unlucky soldiers fell to the bottom of the wall, screaming and struggling.
As if it were a game, the enemies on the wall attacked and our gunners alternated between attacking, repeating this several times.
Falling down is not a word in the game and does not come back when the game is over.
After an absurd game in which the only difference was that, the walls became quiet, and the spearmen and swordmen who received my instructions stepped forward.
I also got off my horse, stood in front of them, and chanted.
“preparation.”
I glanced nervously at the men holding cold weapons and the soldiers urgently inserting bayonets into their muskets.
“Charge!”
“Waaaaaa-!”
I run ahead with my sword drawn, and the soldiers follow, shouting.
A few arrows flew as if there were soldiers still alive on the wall, but the screams of the fallen were drowned out by the shouts of the charging men.
“Geochang! Stop it!”
Soldiers with spears emerged from the gap between the remains of the collapsed castle wall and blocked the road.
“omg!”
However, their resistance was in vain as I jumped in and cut the spear into pieces.
“Follow the Marquis!”
“Long live the Republic!”
Soldiers rush into the spear soldiers who have lost their ability to stop, screams erupt and blood splatters.
“Ugh!”
He swung his sword, cut open one soldier’s chest, plunged it into the neck of another soldier, and twisted it out.
“Hee hee!”
“Kruk-”
He kicked the enemy, who was hesitating clumsily, and knocked him down, and when he slashed his sword horizontally, the soldier who was running behind him grabbed his neck and ran away with blood foaming at his mouth.
“You!”
As the soldiers started to retreat and avoid me, the knight rushed towards me with his armor clanking.
Compared to me, who wore only a military uniform and a light breastplate, the appearance of a heavily armed knight, which was quite natural just a year ago, seemed quite natural.
“Lafayette! A traitor to nobility!”
The knight roared and charged at him, twisting his body to avoid the spear that was thrown at him and stabbing him with his sword loaded with magical power.
The magic that the knight threw his spear into the air in an urgent attempt to protect himself was broken in vain by my sword.
“Kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk…!”
The armor, which could not block a direct bullet and only restricted movement, could not protect the owner who was stabbed in the joint by a magic-encrusted sword.
“His Excellency Count Lionel… ugh… ahhh!”
The knight tried to pull out the sword from his waist as if he was struggling even after being stabbed by the sword, but when I twisted the sword away, he fell to the floor helplessly, blood pouring out.
The body that was struggling to get up somehow soon lost strength and became limp.
“Ah, Baron Gasley!”
“That’s ridiculous…!”
The knight I killed may have been the commander, but a stir immediately spread among the enemies.
Was this man like Baron Dumont to Count Lionel?
No, that pot-bellied man couldn’t do something like this.
I smiled bitterly and looked at the battlefield.
Before we know it, the enemies are retreating towards the inner castle, and only our allies who shout in victory and those who are lying here and there and groaning in pain remain.
I found Eris, who had entered the inner room a little later.
She knelt right there and tried to use a prayer, so I quickly walked over and grabbed her shoulders to help her up.
“Eris.”
“Marquis Hu?”
“I guess they’re not trying to save everyone, even enemy and ally.”
“That is…”
“Treat only confirmed friendly wounded soldiers and enemies who have declared surrender.”
The face is not visible because it is covered with a veil. But I can tell from her expression that she is embarrassed.
“But the people who die while you are treating them one by one like that….”
“What guarantee is that the enemy you revived will not harm the ally next to you?”
It may be harsh to this saint, but since she has decided to join the army, she has no choice but to make her fully aware of her position.
“What if we save everyone here without having anything to do with the enemy, and when you are exhausted, the enemy surprises you? “What if I, the commander, get hit by a blind arrow?”
After silence, Eris nodded.
“…I understand, Marquis. “I will do as you command.”
“Okay, saint. “Please do the rest.”
“…sorry.”
A wry smile came out in her voice, which was uncharacteristically weak for Eris.
“What’s wrong with a saint who wants to save people? “Those who decide who to save and who to kill are bad.”
He turns his back on her and continues.
“…So leave the responsibility to me.”
–
After collecting the unit and reaching the inner castle, a middle-aged man with a familiar face was standing in front of the castle gate.
“…Count Lionel.”
The count, dressed in light armor, held a sword and shield and pointed his sword at me.
“Marquis Pierre de Lafayette. Leo de Lionel challenges you to an honorable duel.”
Duel duel.
I sighed softly.
“Why should I accept a duel?”
“If you win, my vassals and soldiers will no longer shed blood and will surrender without delay.”
“I apologize to the Count, but even if we fight like this, Lionel’s defeat is certain. I don’t think there’s any need for me to risk my life. Lionel’s soldiers, your defeat is certain. “I will not hold anyone responsible who surrenders.”
Despite my words, those watching this way from the castle walls did not waver.
Indeed, these are the loyal people who are following the people despite being isolated and attacked during the civil war.
It would have been better if Count Lionel had been a traitor like the Duke of Lorraine.
As I clicked my tongue, Count Lionel spoke again.
“I understand that the war against foreign powers is continuing in the North. Aren’t you desperate for both the soldiers’ lives and time? “Nevertheless, if you are a coward who makes choices without honor, then the scope of the Republic’s influence that betrayed the nobility ends there.”
“Ha….”
“Marquis.”
Anyway, during the siege, I received news from a messenger that the southern army was opposing Archduke Leopold, and I was very disturbed. You know my situation very well.
“What can I do? “You have to get along.”
As I stepped forward with my sword drawn, shouts erupted from both my soldiers and Lionel’s soldiers, regardless of who was first.
It felt somewhat like a skit, so I smiled wryly.
It seems like he only smiles bitterly on this battlefield.
“Your Excellency Count Lionel, who displayed valor on the same battlefield as his predecessor, the Marquis. “I believe you will keep the promise you made on the honor of a knight.”
“…I salute the Marquis for fighting for his knightly honor and the lives of his men. “On my honor, the promise will be fulfilled.”
Simple words were exchanged and a moment of silence.
Count Lionel jumped in front of me quickly, despite the fact that he was holding a sword and shield.
“Tsk!”
As soon as I hit his sword with my sword, the shield makes a bloody sound as it cuts through the wind and pushes me back.
I immediately jumped back and avoided it.
“Ooooooooo-!”
Count Lionel cheered and charged forward with his shield in front of him.
“Holy shit.”
As soon as I grabbed the shield with my left arm wrapped in magic, my arm creaked and I screamed, and as soon as I could frown at the pain, my sword collided with the sword that Count Lionel swung at my neck.
“Did someone who clearly knew that a war against foreign powers was going on in the North encourage the peasant uprising?”
Count Lionel twitched his mustache and wrinkled his brow.
Meanwhile, my left arm screamed and I kicked the shield away, widening the distance.
The Count straightened his posture and opened his mouth.
“Then was there another way?”
His sword is pointed at me.
“Someday, when the time comes, those rebels will subdue me and my family, and then I had to sit still and wait for the catastrophe to happen?”
“I have laid out a path forward with the Republic. I and the Count of Aquitaine are proving that the lords who have joined us can now join them.”
“Hwaaaap!”
Count Lionel once again charges in with his shield in front of him.
The shield is on the left hand and the sword is on the right hand.
Instead of dodging backwards, I lunged at him, narrowly avoiding the shield, digging to the right, and stabbing his sword into his square.
“Huh?!”
The sword that pierced Count Lionel’s magic penetrated a little into his chest, but the Count quickly turned his body in the short period of time that the magic held, and struck away my sword that was stabbing me.
Tsk, it was shallow.
After we both took a deep breath, the Count spoke again.
“Okay, maybe you’re satisfied with sticking with them. But for what did we shed so much blood in the civil war?”
Blood is spreading on the Count’s chest, but he is still alive and well.
Unlike other knights, he is not easy, perhaps because he is a veteran.
“I lost so many loyal vassals, knights, and soldiers during that long civil war. What was the fight for? Loyalty to the prince? no! “It was a fight to protect Lionel’s territory and Lionel’s honor.”
Count Lionel glared at me with burning eyes.
“Marquis, I have been fighting for such a long time to protect this name and this land that I inherited from my ancestors, long before you even went to war! Even if you make everything else worthless and survive only by saving this life, what is the meaning of such a life?”
“…Even if countless people who don’t need to die die because of what the Count did to leave meaning in his life? Even if that were the case, would those who died for the Count be saved?”
Count Lionel bit his lip, but then answered firmly.
“I am the lord of Lionel. Should we abandon the land built by Lionel’s tears and blood, lest others shed their blood? Marquis Hero of the Republic, praised by the rebels and peasants. Aren’t you ashamed to be Lafayette’s lord of Toulouse?”
“…At least I am not ashamed. “Because of me, they lost what they had built in the past, but they are building new things instead.”
“Yes, Marquis. “We will never understand each other.”
The Count’s eyes never die. In the end, words cannot reach it. I don’t want to deny that his decision was wrong.
At least for him, given the situation he was in, this might have been the best path he chose to embrace those in his circle.
Maybe the gap between him and me is just a difference caused by an impossible opportunity called regression.
I took a breath and adjusted my sword.
The count’s gaze passed by my right hand holding the sword for a split second, and then both of us kicked the ground.
“Lafayette-!”
The moment the count’s shield rushed towards me, I changed my sword to my left hand and pulled out the dagger from my waist with my right.
Move your legs as if you’re going to dig to the right-
“Hwaap-!”
I dodged to the left to avoid the Count’s shield striking me.
“Huh?!”
The bewildered count’s sword clashed with my sword, causing a violent vibration.
While he and I both flinched from the tingling sensation in our arms, the dagger I threw with my right hand dug into the count’s chest, where he had just been stabbed by the sword.
Even though it was a dagger loaded with magical power, it could not pierce the Marquis’ magical protection and strong body.
“Kuh-ah! “Not like this-!”
The moment when the count screamed and tried to resist even though the dagger was halfway into his chest.
I just kicked away the dagger stuck in his chest.
“Kaaaaak-!”
Only when the feeling of the sharp blade tearing through the hard muscles and penetrating into the flesh was transmitted through his legs did the Count let go of his sword and shield and fell to his knees.
“Count Bae!”
“Save the Count!”
The moment when the enemies on the castle wall are shouting urgently and trying to jump out.
“Are you going to tarnish even the last of my honor?”
A loud roar that was hard to believe coming from a man whose chest was in shambles wiped out all the noise of the battlefield.
The knight, who showed incredible fighting spirit and will in the quiet battlefield, lamented in the voice of an exhausted old man.
“Is this the end of that long fight?”
The count let out a helpless laugh, then coughed and looked at the blood flowing from his chest and soaking the floor.
After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth again.
“Jill, my son. That kid. You were against my plan. … I got out of here.”
“Is that so.”
“…Lionel’s land and honor are with me, and Lionel’s seed is for that child…”
The count looked at me helplessly and asked with earnestness.
“Could you just pretend not to notice that child?”
“I’m willing if he just leaves this earth and doesn’t let anyone bleed.”
“…Please, my ancestors, forgive me for my shame…”
The Count could not finish his sentence.
As I saw the gate open and people running out with white flags running out, I slowly stretched out my hand and closed his eyes.
?
