Ch.213Overestimation

“So many…”

Looking at the Ka’har camp from a distance, it was larger than I had expected.

The sight of nearly a thousand tents packed tightly together was almost disturbing, and countless soldiers swarmed between them like a colony of ants.

[White Banner Army, I see. That Amin fellow seems to have brought all of Ordos’ defensive forces… With numbers around five thousand, there must be just over two hundred proper warriors.]

‘White Banner Army?’

[They’re eighteen thousand infantry that Orhan raised for wall combat. They handle spears, shields, swords, and bows. You could use them as cavalry if you put them on horses… but since they’re fundamentally infantry, they won’t perform as well as other units.]

In other words, they’re an all-purpose unit.

Though they might not be as good as specialized units, considering that the Ka’har were originally a nomadic horse people, they probably wouldn’t be particularly inferior to the Empire’s cavalry.

‘Is there any weakness we can exploit?’

[…Even shamelessness has its limits. Are you asking me to teach you how to kill my country’s soldiers?]

‘They’re enemies now anyway. This Amin person doesn’t seem to be on good terms with you.’

Seeing how he unilaterally broke the agreement and attacked while Hersella was in the Empire, I suspect he might have been hoping the Empire would execute Hersella.

[It matters not. Any strategy I could think of, this Ludwig fellow would know as well.]

Hersella didn’t say anything more.

How petty.

—-

“So, how do you plan to fight? Those fellows have infantry, archers, and cavalry all combined.”

“Initially, I planned to defend the wall and buy time. I figured the force of five thousand couldn’t stay there forever, so there would be movement soon. I couldn’t tell whether they would split their forces toward Dane or commit everything to the wall and perish, but either way, it wouldn’t have been a problem.”

Indeed, even with a force of five thousand, crossing the wall would be nearly impossible.

Originally, there would have been no need to risk a field battle; by simply maintaining the standoff, the enemy would eventually have to retreat.

Ludwig stroked his beard and sighed.

“My only miscalculation… was not realizing that time isn’t on our side. I never expected the entire Imperial army to be tied up in civil war. As things stand, if we can’t end the civil war before Orhan’s main force arrives, we’ll have to hold off tens of thousands of Ka’har with just six thousand troops from Landenburg…”

“That would be impossible.”

With just six thousand, it would be difficult to defend this long wall.

If Orhan divided his forces for the attack, at least one section would eventually be breached.

“Indeed. So we, regrettably, have no choice but to advance beyond the wall and strike them. With just the four thousand troops gathered here, one hundred fifty knights, and five Masters.”

Ludwig nodded heavily.

“Didn’t you say six thousand earlier?”

Where did the other two thousand go?

“Just in case they’re merely a decoy to divert our attention, we had to distribute some forces at key points along the wall. There have been no reports of enemy sightings yet, but still.”

That makes sense.

It would be pointless to defend this area well if another position gets breached.

“So it comes down to a head-on battle… that won’t be easy.”

“Still, from what you’ve told me, we’re not entirely without hope. An all-purpose unit means, in other words, that they’re not perfect at any one thing.”

…Is that so?

I suppose compared to troops specialized in one area, their proficiency with each weapon would naturally be somewhat lower.

“The problem is the enemy commander’s capability… he seems quite cunning and competent. He seems to have accurately assessed that we’re the ones in a hurry.”

[Competent? Well, I suppose he might appear that way.]

Hersella burst into laughter inside my head.

======[ Amin ]======

“Damn it, it’s too high…!”

Unaware of Ludwig’s inexplicable high evaluation, Amin was racking his brain in his tent.

The Empire’s wall, which he had witnessed with his own eyes, was so high that he didn’t even dare to attack it. The enemy forces were also more numerous than expected.

While Ludwig assumed the Ka’har army’s stationary position was a strategic delay, in reality, Amin was simply hesitating and postponing the battle.

‘Perhaps I should ignore the wall and strike toward Dane… No, then they would attack our rear…’

The original plan was to lightly probe the wall and then head south, but even with the White Banner Army, a hasty attack would likely result in massive casualties.

On the other hand, if they bypassed toward Dane, they would be surrounded and annihilated between the Dane and Imperial forces. Even Amin could foresee that much.

He considered a compromise of sending only part of his forces, but with the enemy numbering in the thousands, he couldn’t recklessly divide his troops. Amin was caught in a dilemma.

“Lord Amin, the warriors’ discontent is reaching its limit. If this continues…”

“I know! Damn them, they can’t even wait a few days…!”

Not just the enemy, but his own troops were giving Amin a headache.

The number of warriors questioning Amin’s leadership was growing within the unit.

They had eagerly set out for what was promised as an opportunity for honor and wealth, but since arriving at the wall, they had done nothing but wait.

They wanted battle. Even the White Banner Army, Orhan’s elite troops.

If they were to waste time and then retreat meekly when enemy reinforcements arrived, it would be truly shameful.

With a cool assessment of the situation, one would realize this was suicidal.

Indeed, that was precisely why Amin hesitated to move his troops.

However, for most warriors, proving their warrior spirit through enemy heads and plunder was the priority.

This was natural to them.

For hundreds of years, generation after generation, that was all they had been taught.

Orhan could have suppressed their discontent with overwhelming power and leadership… but Amin lacked such authority.

This became painfully clear at the military council held an hour later.

“How long are we going to just watch!”

A warrior approaching middle age slammed his fist on the table in fierce protest.

With a long scar across his cheekbone and a fierce appearance, he was Havar, one of the White Banner Army’s Champions.

True to his reputation as the most aggressive among the Champions, he had been at the forefront supporting Amin’s call to attack the Empire… but now he harbored the greatest discontent.

“Havar…! How dare you raise your voice. Now that you’re a Champion, do you look down on the son of the Ser Khan?”

Amin threatened through gritted teeth, but Havar remained undaunted.

With more than half the warriors dissatisfied with Amin, Havar essentially represented them all.

Since Amin’s army had only two Champions to begin with, he couldn’t afford to mistreat Havar regardless of what he said.

Havar knew this well.

“Wasn’t it the Ser Khan who ordered the attack on the Empire? Isn’t it you, Lord Amin, who is violating the Ser Khan’s direct orders?”

The other warriors nodded in agreement with Havar’s words.

‘Damn it…!’

Amin bit his lip.

The forged order he had presented to create a pretext for the expedition was now coming back to haunt him.

Indeed, to warriors who believed attacking the Empire was the Ser Khan’s secret order, maintaining this standoff could be seen as insubordination.

Not just Havar, but the other warriors seemed to think so too.

They were still respecting Amin’s orders for now, but at this rate, it wouldn’t be long before they imprisoned him as a coward and ran wild on their own.

‘In that case…!’

Finally, Amin decided to attack the wall.

They couldn’t win anyway, but leaving these empty-headed warriors to their own devices would only endanger himself… so he might as well let them fight and die as they pleased.

“…Fine. If you want to fight so badly, then go ahead and fight all you want! Havar! Take three thousand from the White Banner and attack the wall! The rest will bypass toward Dane!”

Amin shouted roughly as he rose from his seat.

Interpreting this as resolute determination, Havar’s face brightened.

“At last…! I will follow your orders!”

The hostility he had so openly displayed moments ago vanished as Havar saluted Amin and left the tent.

Amin glared at his retreating figure before returning to his own tent.

His plan was to let the most thoughtless and aggressive ones die charging the wall, while using the remaining forces to plunder as much as possible from Dane before retreating.

—-

Ludwig’s overestimation of the enemy commander, and Amin’s failure to control his warriors.

As these two misjudgments intersected, a full-scale battle that neither side wanted finally began.