Dragon Knight Chronicles ~ From a mere mercenary, rise to success through tactics! A small harem with the princess and the lord's daughter!? I'll also develop my territory! ~ - Chapter 101

Chapter 101   The Battle of Hardy Castle

Mid-September, Year 567 of the Unified Calendar—

During low tide.

The tide surrounding Hardy Castle receded, creating tidal flats in various places. Though some tide pools remained, a land-based route for advancing toward the castle emerged.

“All troops, charge!”

Seizing this opportunity, the Chad Duchy army began their assault on Hardy Castle. War drums and gongs echoed, boosting the morale of the charging soldiers.

Infantry, led by knights, advanced, struggling through the muddy terrain. But in response, arrows, magical projectiles, and stones rained down from the castle defenders.

“Don’t falter! Advance!”

The frontline commanders of the Chad Duchy army ordered the troops forward, but as they did, infantrymen began to fall in droves under the barrage of enemy projectiles.

The deadly assault from above also struck the mounted knights, who were protected by the infantry. While the knights’ shields could block arrows, magical projectiles and stones killed or injured many of the horses they rode.

With knights falling from their mounts one after another, the attack force suffered severe casualties.

“Retreat! Retreat!”

Seeing the continued heavy losses among the knights, the frontline commanders finally ordered a retreat. However, they were horrified by the damage reports that followed.

The defenders had laid numerous traps across the tidal flats, ensnaring the legs of not only the infantry but also the horses of the knights. Additionally, hidden magical land mines were scattered throughout, further increasing the number of casualties among the attackers.

“Damn it! Those cowards!”

The Chad Duke, enraged by the losses, still wanted to prevent further damage.

“Earl Pan, do you have any suggestions?”

“My lord, we number twenty thousand, while the enemy is only about a thousand. If we continue our attacks day and night, taking care to avoid the traps, the castle defenders will surely wear out. Besides, we can only attack while the tide is out. We should press the assault, despite the losses!”

“Very well, continue the attack, everyone!”

“Yes, sir!”

The Chad Duke’s army launched another major offensive the following day. To demoralize the castle defenders, gongs and drums echoed loudly, and numerous flashy magical projectiles were fired.

“Heavy infantry forward! Begin the advance!”

With heavy infantry bearing large shields at the front, archers and crossbowmen advanced under their cover, gradually closing the distance and engaging in long-range combat.

Earl Pan decided to keep the knights, who would have been easy targets for arrows, in the rear and did not involve them in the frontline battle. Although this decision drew criticism from the knights, it significantly reduced casualties.

“Light the bonfires! Set the night sky ablaze!” “Magicians, keep firing lightning spells!”

The Chad Duke’s army lit numerous fires throughout the night to intimidate the castle’s defenders. Though the magical attacks didn’t cause much actual damage, the loud, flashy spells disrupted the defenders’ sleep, striking the castle walls and surroundings.

“Now, attack!”

Come morning, a massive wave of soldiers was mobilized once again, launching wave after wave of attacks from all sides of the castle. With ample troops at their disposal, Earl Pan rotated the soldiers, allowing them to rest in the rear after their attacks.

“Don’t falter, keep advancing!”

By the fourth day of the assault, the castle’s defenders were growing increasingly exhausted. The frequency of their magical counterattacks dwindled, arrows became scarce, and their accuracy declined.

“Duke, now is the time for a full-scale assault!”

Sensing the fatigue of the defenders, the nobles of the Chad Duchy urged the Duke to launch a final, all-out attack.

“Yes, now is the time to make them pay!”

“Understood!”

A sharp gong rang out from the Chad Duke’s main camp, signaling the knights to charge.

“We’ve been waiting for this! Charge!” “Yes!”

The mounted knights galloped onto the battlefield in unison. This time, the infantry had already cleared the traps, creating a safe path for the advance.

“Take them down! Start the mounted archery!”

As the knights neared the castle, they fired arrows at the soldiers on the walls without slowing down. With the defenders hesitating under this attack, the infantry brought forth ladders, preparing to assault the walls.

“Climb the ladders! Knock the enemy off the walls!”

“Yes!”

As the castle defenders tried to respond to the soldiers climbing the ladders, they became easy targets for the attacking archers who had been lying in wait.

“Don’t retreat! Drive the enemy back!”

However, in a siege battle, the defenders typically have the upper hand. Although the attackers managed to push the defenders to the brink, they eventually had to retreat, suffering heavy losses.

“Damn it!”

The Chad Duke was frustrated by the heavy casualties after the attack, but his irritation grew even more due to another development.

The tide began to rise around the castle. Once again, the sea surrounded Hardy Castle, restoring it to its status as an impregnable fortress.

“Earl Pan, what should we do?”

The Duke, now feeling uncertain, asked Earl Pan for advice. But Earl Pan responded with a confident smile.

“No need to worry. The enemy is nearly out of arrows, and most of their traps have been cleared. The next low tide will be their end!”

“Is that so? Hahaha!”

Hearing this, the Duke laughed in satisfaction.

◇◇◇◇◇

That night—

A man managed to swim across the raging sea from Hardy Castle, evade the tight encirclement of the Chad Duke’s army, and reach the Kingdom’s military camp where General Alcock was stationed.

His name was Percival, a figure who would later be hailed in the Owen Kingdom as a paragon of unparalleled loyalty and valor.