READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 77
Episode 77: The Annexation of Gildoruk (4)
“We won!? Seriously!?”
Upon hearing the news of victory, Sosua couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise. She had thought there was no way they could win, so her shock was genuine.
“H-how did we win?”
Reos answered Sosua’s question with a proud grin.
“They must have been terrified of our strength. The enemy forces crumbled after just one clash.”
“Huh?”
“They’re nothing but barbarians from the frontier! They may have brute strength, but they’re no match for our wisdom and courage!”
Reos seized the moment to loudly boast about his achievements. Sosua listened with interest but kept an eye on Ryoshua’s reaction.
(As expected, Ryoshua shows no signs of disturbance…)
Sosua realized that if this victory were genuine, Ryoshua would have shown some reaction. The fact that he remained completely unfazed suggested that this was likely a ploy by the Zabeiru Military.
(We’re amateurs… they’re seasoned warriors… Then the real battle is yet to come.)
As this thought crossed her mind, Sosua felt a chill. She was certain that the next battle would be the final one. This realization weighed heavily on her heart, knowing her life might soon come to an end. Yet, she had no choice but to act to save her subordinates.
“Lord Markein, you’ve done well. This victory allows us to surrender. The chances of saving your lives have increased. The value of surrender has risen, so now is the time to act.”
The reaction from her vassals was far from supportive.
“Your Majesty! What are you saying!? Those barbarians are no match for us!”
“Lord Markein is right! We’ve seen the limits of their strength! We must eradicate Zabeiru and show them where true justice lies!”
“Absolutely! We are the victors; there’s no reason to submit to the defeated!”
Led by Reos, the vassals voiced their opposition one after another. Sosua struggled to suppress the urge to yell at them. Drunk on victory, they had completely lost their composure and were blind to reality.
Why had the Flastarl Empire’s invasions been repelled time and time again?
Why had the Central Nobles been crushed by the Zabeiru Military with little resistance in the first battle?
Of course, it was clear that the Zabeiru Military had employed strategies to prevent the enemy from unleashing their full strength. They had slaughtered most of the Central Nobles early on, leaving the rest too disorganized to resist.
But that didn’t mean the Zabeiru Military was weak. Sosua believed that even if they fought head-on, the Central Nobles stood no chance against them. Despite having the strength to win outright, the Zabeiru Military went to great lengths to create favorable conditions for victory. To Sosua, that was far more terrifying.
However, Reos and the others, intoxicated by their victory, had lost sight of this obvious perspective.
(It’s unstoppable now… This next battle will be the end, huh?)
Sosua almost sighed at the thought but kept it to herself. The situation was already set in stone, and she had resigned herself to her fate. Still, as a queen and a member of the Royal Family, she felt compelled to fulfill her duty. But her sense of duty and her feelings were lost on Reos and the others, who were blinded by their triumph.
“Just watch, I’ll take Yuan’s head in the next battle!”
Reos’ declaration was met with a chorus of cheers from the vassals.
“…I look forward to it.”
Sosua finally managed to squeeze out a response, suppressing a sigh as she watched her vassals’ enthusiasm.
Ryoshua and the others watched Sosua’s demeanor with meaningful glances.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
“Good work, everyone.”
At Yuan’s words, the staff officers all bowed their heads. Their expressions showed no trace of defeat; instead, they wore fierce smiles.
For these battle-hardened veterans, victory was about meeting the final condition, and in this battle, that condition was securing Sosua. As long as that was achieved, losing a single battle meant nothing.
“Well, it was decided from the start.”
“A few minor injuries. The losses are negligible, if not nonexistent.”
“Exactly. Normally, they’d be too fragile, making one suspect some kind of strategy… but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.”
The staff officers exchanged wry smiles. Reports had already come in about the enemy’s overconfident state, leaving them with no choice but to chuckle.
“Alright, let’s settle this in the next battle. Show no mercy. Teach those amateurs what real war is… or rather, its horrors.”
“They won’t live to see the next one.”
At one officer’s reply, everyone’s faces broke into predatory grins. To the Zabeiru Military, the remnants were nothing more than overconfident herbivores—prey to be hunted.
“If they come at us tomorrow, it’ll be over by then.”
“Understood!”
Everyone nodded at Yuan’s words.
And the next day…
Shortly after breakfast, the gates of Rekuryaku Castle opened.
“Woooooooh!!”
The Remnant Army let out a battle cry and charged at the Zabeiru Military. Their faces were filled with contempt for their enemy.
“They’ve got momentum. Fall back!!”
Baron Hartos, the Zabeiru commander facing the charge, immediately ordered a retreat, and the Zabeiru forces began to pull back in an orderly fashion.
“Hahaha!! Cowards!!”
Encouraged by Baron Hartos’ retreat, the remnants charged forward without a second thought. The amateurish remnants couldn’t distinguish between a retreat and a rout. A rout is something forced upon you, while a retreat is a deliberate action. The remnants, being amateurs, failed to recognize the difference.
“As expected of Baron Hartos. He’s not flustered at all in this situation.”
“Indeed, that’s Hartos for you.”
Yuan admired Baron Hartos’ tactics, which were nothing short of masterful. The line between retreat and rout is thin, and under certain circumstances, a retreat can easily turn into a rout. Yet, Baron Hartos executed the maneuver flawlessly.
“Alright, that’s enough.”
As Hartos continued to retreat, the remnants recklessly pressed forward. The hastily assembled remnants had varying speeds, causing their formation to stretch and thin out.
Boom!! Boom!!
In response to Yuan’s words, drums began to sound.
The drums echoed across the battlefield, and simultaneously, the Zabeiru forces began to move. They struck the elongated remnants from the side.
“Flanking attack!!”
“Don’t panic!!”
Some of the remnants tried to turn and face the flanking attack head-on. However, the Zabeiru forces reacted instantly, with another unit striking from the side of those who had turned.
The remnants, of course, couldn’t keep up with the Zabeiru Military’s coordinated movements.
“Eek!!”
Someone screamed, but their cry was quickly drowned out by the Zabeiru Military’s battle cries.
“Gyaaaaaah!!”
“Guwaaaaaah!!”
The remnants’ screams echoed across the battlefield.
“That one looks like a commander!! Kill him!!”
The Zabeiru soldiers swarmed toward a man who appeared to be a commander.
“Eek!!”
With those final words, several spears pierced the commander’s body, and he fell instantly.
Boom!!
As the drums sounded once more, the Zabeiru forces began a new maneuver.
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