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 74

Chapter 74   The Battle with the Republic (Part2)

Unified Calendar 566, July—

The Owen Alliance Kingdom’s army of 45,000 clashed with the 60,000-strong Fletcher Republic’s forces in the southern region of the Rudmilla Plains.

Fletcher Republic Headquarters—

The Supreme Commander was General Kimberly Collette. This general had once been captured by the Kingdom’s army but had returned to the Republic in exchange for a hefty ransom. However, he had spread a rumor that he had escaped by knocking out the gate guards.

“The enemy’s attack has begun!”

“Hmm.”

Upon hearing the report of the battle’s start from a messenger, the general climbed a wooden tower built for observation to survey the battlefield.

“What…?”

As he watched the battle unfold, deep furrows appeared on the general’s brow. The charge led by Cade’s dragon knights on the Kingdom’s right wing was overwhelming, and the Republic’s right wing was being relentlessly pushed back.

Just as he realized his forces were in trouble, another messenger rushed up.

“A request for reinforcements from our right wing!”

“Send the reserve forces to the right wing!”

“Yes, sir!”

The general was frustrated. Despite having a numerical advantage—60,000 to the enemy’s 45,000—the Republic’s army, accustomed to peace, showed remarkably low morale. Moreover, the Kingdom’s vanguard troops were former allies of the Republic, which further dampened the spirit of the lower-ranking nobles who sympathized with their former comrades.

“Charge! Do not retreat!”

The situation for the Republic’s forces was dire. Not only was their morale low, but their combat skills also fell short of their opponents.

The Republic, being a populous nation, had always been able to field more soldiers than its enemies, so they had rarely faced significant opposition. This had led to a decline in the necessity for rigorous training.

This gap in skill was especially apparent on the right wing, which was tasked with facing Cade, a region where mercenary work was a primary industry.

“The right wing is in trouble! At this rate…”

The staff officers urged the general. It seemed only a matter of time before the right wing would collapse if left unattended. Cade’s soldiers, resembling battle maniacs, were steadily and relentlessly encroaching upon the Republic’s right wing with a crazed ferocity.

“…By the way, what about the enemy’s left wing?”

“The enemy doesn’t appear to be very motivated.”

The general, not relying solely on the opinions of his staff, also sent out scouts to investigate thoroughly. As expected, the enemy’s left wing was engaged in only a passive exchange of arrows and magic, without any aggressive maneuvers.

“Very well. Extract units from our left wing and send them to reinforce the right!”

“Yes, sir!”

Thus, the Republic’s army gradually began reallocating troops from the left wing to reinforce the right.

◇◇◇◇◇

Owen Alliance Kingdom, Rillburn Marquis Family Headquarters—

I was astride Comet, a dragonet, surveying the battlefield from above.

“Marshal! It seems the enemy troops are once again shifting towards the right flank.”

“…I see.”

The forces under my command numbered 5,000. In contrast, the enemy force directly opposing us exceeded 10,000.

However, that number was steadily decreasing. The faces of the enemy soldiers on the front line were beginning to show signs of unease…

“Marshal, isn’t it about time?” Adelheid suggested to me.

The moment had arrived.

“Fire the signal flare! Prepare the Nataraja squad for the assault!”

“Yes, sir!”

A signal flare made of magic stones shot into the sky, shining brilliantly. This was a signal to encourage the enemy troops to avoid conflict.

It pained me to turn their blades against former allies on the battlefield. But… what if they chose not to fight? Yes, if they simply refrained from battle. I had sent letters and generous bribes to the enemy nobles beforehand, urging them to avoid conflict.

“Relay the order for the Nataraja squad to charge!”

“Yes, sir!”

The messenger rode off like an arrow. Nataraja’s dragon knights had been instructed in advance to bypass the enemy forces from the left and circle around behind them.

“Next, we move out! Adelheid, I leave the rest to you!”

“Yes, sir!”

I raised my right hand, signaling the preparation for the charge. Leading the charge were approximately 500 mounted knights.

“Charge!”

My knights attempted to flank the enemy from even further to the left of Nataraja’s squad. As expected, the enemy focused on countering Nataraja’s maneuver, leaving my unit’s advance unchecked as we moved forward.

“Crush them!”

“Don’t stop!”

My knight squad successfully maneuvered behind the enemy lines, targeting the commanders in the rear with our archery. I could see their commanders frantically dismounting, trying to escape.

Even without killing them, we had surely disrupted their command structure. I bypassed the enemy’s right flank and pressed forward toward the rear of their central forces.

We approached an area filled with large tents and flags, with heaps of supplies piled high. This was unmistakably the enemy’s main headquarters.

“Set it ablaze!”

We ignited the enemy tents and flags with magic and enchanted tools. The ropes securing the horses of high-ranking officers were all cut.

“Don’t stop! Follow me!”

“Yes, sir!”

Amidst the ongoing skirmishes, my knights dwindled, one by one. By the time we reached the enemy republic’s main headquarters, fewer than fifty knights remained by my side.

“To arms! To arms!”

We engaged the enemy’s headquarters guards, but it seemed they had already sent most of their forces to the front lines, leaving only a small number to protect the camp.

“Die!”

My knights and I cut down the enemy guards. How many enemies had I struck down with my sword at this point?

Even though my sword was made of mithril, it no longer felt sharp. It was as if I were bludgeoning the enemy rather than slicing through them.

“Who are you?!”

Inside the massive tent at the enemy headquarters, there was no sign of the enemy’s commander—only high-ranking officials and women. The women were likely hostages from various noble families.

The officials drew their swords in resistance, but they were no match for us. I kicked them aside indiscriminately, tying them up as I went.

“Hey! Where is your commander?!”

“…H-he’s already fled to the rear.”

A bruised official responded with a trembling voice.

…I see. He escaped. But the battle isn’t over yet…

“Commander! You’re safe!”

Nataraja came rushing up from behind. She had also lost track of many of her troops, but reuniting with the dragon knights was a significant advantage.

“Those on horseback, take the hostages and return to camp! Those on dragonets, follow me!”

“Yes, sir!”

We had only struck a portion of the enemy’s rear. The enemy’s left flank, where many elite troops likely remained, was expected to put up fierce resistance.