episode_0101

Turn back time, before the Empire declared war.

A secret meeting was in progress at the War Department building in Dedorant.

“… If we do this, we have to throw at least 20,000 friendly troops to the Empire. Then they will come in without thinking of traps.”

“Your Majesty. This 20,000 is also the minimum number. If we consider counterattacking appropriately and retreating after defeat to avoid suspicion, the damage to our forces will be far more than 30,000.”

Prince Georg III nodded to the opinions of each commander and staff member.

30,000. That’s definitely a lot of damage. We should just throw them all away.

If I say I don’t feel sorry, I’m lying. It feels like giving up my life.

But there’s nothing we can do. Right now, this is the best Dedorant can do.

This was the best way to draw the Imperial Legion in as deep as possible and take them down in one fell swoop.

“Secretly turn back the main force near the border without the Empire noticing.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And move the elites stationed in Los Tanica to the Imperial front without being noticed as much as possible. They absolutely must not be discovered. Even if they are discovered, it must be later.”

“Is there any possibility?”

Dedorant has been fighting battles and wars, big and small, for over ten years.

Sometimes we won and at other times we suffered defeat.

In the process, experience was gradually accumulated, and this was true not only for commanders but also for ordinary soldiers.

As soon as the order was given from above, the most elite troops retreated to the rear.

The positions were filled by troops sent down from Atria or by reserve troops.

These guys also had decent power, so it must be a shame for Dedorant to lose them.

Since 30,000 is not a small number, it was even more natural to feel that way.

But in order to completely deceive the empire. In order to get what they want in one go.

The Dedorant Command was willing to give a handful of their own flesh.

This blood money will soon be repaid with interest.

“The Imperial Army is advancing. It is a large army consisting of 11 legions.”

“The border has been breached. The Atria forces and reserves that were previously set aside are falling apart.”

“Information may leak out. Don’t waste too much time.”

Even as all sorts of reports came in, Dedorant Command waited and waited.

Since Dedorant and Atria have merged, it’s not strange to use their forces.

They are said to be reserve forces, but they have quite a bit of combat experience, so I wouldn’t be too suspicious.

You have to wait a little longer. You have to come in a little longer. A little longer. A little longer.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Western Legion began to build a salient at speed.

The speed was much faster than that of the Eastern, Southern, and Northern corps that were together.

The empire probably intended to use them as spearheads and storm the capital at once.

This is the land of Dedorant. Naturally, Dedorant is more familiar to me than the Empire.

It affected ordinary soldiers, military commanders, and scouts.

It was natural that Dedorant would receive information a little faster than the Empire.

“The Imperial Western Legion is separated from the other Legions.”

“It is believed that the Imperial General Staff is advocating a more aggressive offensive. The Imperial attack speed has become much faster than before.”

The time is ripe. The moment we have been waiting for has finally arrived.

Prince Georg Sistania, the third prince of Dedoland, gave direct orders to the entire army.

“I command the proud sons of Dedorant to begin a counterattack on all fronts at dawn.”

Elite soldiers crouching all over the front line, waiting only for the order.

They had no choice but to grit their teeth as they watched their allies sacrifice themselves.

It was natural for them all to rush in like an angry mob when the order was given.

The situation was turning very favorable for Dedorant.

Both the Imperial War Office and the General Staff had clear goals in mind for their continued victories.

To receive Dedorant’s surrender before the New Year’s ceremony and end this war in victory.

Accordingly, the Imperial 1st Army was also moving at maximum speed.

There was another legion, the Western Legion, which had a strange sense of rivalry with the other legions, at the tip of the spear.

The legions belonging to the East and the South are already the main characters who have achieved great victories.

Since they have already enjoyed the greatest glory, the Western legions cannot help but shrink in comparison.

Didn’t the Northern Legions, although small in size, win a decisive victory over Novogord?

The Imperial Command was momentarily more excited than cool due to the continued victories.

The Western Legion’s greed to achieve victory and fill the final war with their own glory.

Such parts were added and added again to Dedorant’s evil-mouthed bait.

“Ignore those who dig inside. Cut off the waist of the imperial bastards!”

“No matter how much the Imperial Legion is isolated, it cannot even exert half of its original combat power.”

“These guys must have put their lives on the line in this battle. We need to break their spear blades instead of just blocking them!”

The Western Corps, which was prominent, and the Eastern and Southern Corps, which were responsible for the two wings.

In the meantime, Dedorant’s elites charged in with terrifying momentum.

Yang Wing, who had grasped the situation, tried to prevent the Western Corps from being surrounded by any means necessary.

But this huge encirclement, prepared with sharpened swords and gritting teeth, was by no means an easy task.

Even for the Imperial Legion, it was not easy to stop that enormous force.

Above all, the goal of this operation was to strike the enemy’s heart in one fell swoop.

So, rather than pushing the enemies back simultaneously on all fronts, the method was to quickly create protrusions and then thrust spears through them.

Originally, they would have been cautious considering various factors, but the reason was that they had gained confidence due to Dedorant’s decoy and the Empire’s victories that had continued for nearly two months.

“Chief of Staff! Urgent report from the front! Dedrant’s counterattack!”

“If the counterattack is at a similar level as before, wouldn’t it be possible to suppress it?”

“No! This is an offensive of a different level than before! The advance of the Eastern and Southern Corps, which were in charge of the two wings of the 1st Army, has stopped. It is said that it is difficult to even defend the area, let alone advance!”

It was natural that the back of the staff’s head would get cold when they heard the news.

The Western Legions had already entered deep into Dedorant territory.

And in an army, it is more difficult to go back than to move forward.

This is especially true when there are enemies not only in front of you, but also on your sides and behind you.

“Contact the Northern Legion! They need to help the Eastern, no, Southern Legion immediately and push back the enemies! Send all the magic troops as well! If the retreat route is cut off, the Western Legion will be isolated without supplies!!”

“Chief of Staff! The counterattack of Dedorant has begun in the Northern Army Corps area! They say you don’t have the strength either!!”

“What the heck! All the elites of Dedorant gathered here? They said there were at least 20,000 elites on the Los Tanica side!!”

Before long, a rough picture of the incredible situation began to emerge.

Information that the Special Forces Department had gritted its teeth and gathered, and even news sent from Los Tanica some time later.

In summary, Dedorant has been aiming for this since long ago. No, even before the war started.

After the start of the war, he threw in 30,000 troops to induce the Empire to let its guard down.

It made them come in with confidence, with their doubts put aside and their minds at ease.

However, this is clearly the land of Dedorant. It is a terrain they are more familiar with than the Empire.

As the distance grew, gaps in the information that the Special Forces Agency could obtain also emerged.

The gap was further exacerbated by the fact that even from Los Tanica, immediate news could not be sent.

The Dedorant Army, which had been lying in wait everywhere, took advantage of the gap and stood up.

Like a pack of wolves crouching here and there in the grass, waiting for their prey.

When the god found the prey that had strayed from the pack, he bared his teeth and pounced on it.

“Dedorant side magic unit discovery report!”

“Location is!”

“According to the report, this is the flank of the advancing Western Corps!”

“Damn it! It’s obvious they’re trying to surround me!”

Even if all of them are cavalry, it is by no means easy to retreat right away.

Moreover, it is nearly impossible for an imperial legion consisting of a large number of infantry to retreat immediately.

The Empire also mobilized its magic legions to provide fire support.

However, in this operation where speed was of the essence, it was difficult for the Western Corps, which served as the tip of the spear, to operate.

In the end, only a small number of magicians could be brought along, which became a huge problem.

Magic can only be countered with magic. And if it’s the same magic, the more there are, the better.

That is, in the current situation, the one at a disadvantage is, cruelly enough, the Empire.

“You must retreat quickly before each path you entered is taken away!”

“Leave the 9th and 14th Corps behind, and take out the 1st and 5th Corps first! If they’re all trapped in the encirclement, there’s no answer!!”

The entire Dedorant army attacks like crazy in an attempt to close the encirclement somehow.

The Eastern, Southern, and Northern Legions of the Empire fight against them to prevent their allies from being trapped inside.

Finally, the Western Corps, which had advanced so far that it was in danger of losing its retreat.

In a precarious situation for everyone, it was Dedorant who drove the wedge in first.

“Follow me! Sweep away all those insolent imperial puppets!!”

Prince Georg, the Third, personally appeared on the battlefield. And the elite Dedorant guard.

They struck the imperial forces from the north and finally succeeded in closing the siege.

“Chief of Staff! Urgent news from the front! No more on-site defense! They say the damage is massive!”

“Not yet…! The Western Corps hasn’t even retreated properly!!”

“If things continue this way, even the Eastern Corps will be in danger!”

Eventually, the Imperial Command had no choice but to shed tears and order a retreat along the entire front.

Unlike the Eastern, Southern, and Northern Corps, whose rear was relatively safe, the Western Corps was not.

In particular, the future of the two legions that inevitably had to remain within the encirclement was already decided.

*

A week later, news was delivered by a small group of people who had barely escaped the encirclement.

[ Imperial Western 9th and 14th Legions. Annihilated ]