Ch.550550. Luck Eventually (3)

“The laborers are starting to clear the debris from the outer wall…!”

“Six knights appearing in the eastern sector! We need reinforcements immediately!”

“Three siege towers and two ladder carts are approaching the wall…! We must stop them right now!”

The night battle was brutal.

“The outer wall is lost! Focus on stopping the knights who dare to set foot on the inner wall rather than there!”

“Then what about those siege engines…!”

“What’s the status of the mages?”

“They need more time to destroy the siege engines protected by defensive magic—they’ve already used a lot of mana!”

“Urgh…! What about the sentries? What about them!”

“They’re scattered fighting the knights rampaging across the walls…!”

“Damn it!”

Not just those who had studied knighthood through swords and warfare for years, even decades. Not just mages intoxicated with becoming the glorious protagonists of the battlefield. Even the most ordinary foot soldiers were fighting like madmen with the willpower that postponed death.

Even if they filled the walls with new personnel. At this point, when the situation had already devolved into chaos. Unless the enemy entered a lull first, it was clear they couldn’t quell this confusion now.

“Archers with capacity, light your arrows on fire! I’d appreciate if the mercenaries who joined the battlefield through sacred contracts would help as well!”

The defense captain quickly wrapped an oil-soaked cloth around an arrow and held it to a torch’s flame.

Feeling the dizzying smell of oil rising from the blazing flames.

She aimed her bow at the enemy’s siege engine.

“Fire! Keep shooting until that siege tower catches fire!”

After the first rain of flames was scattered toward the enemy, it became a trance-like state.

On the high, narrow walls where life and death passed in an instant. The battle between those trying to claim it and those defending it.

Their combat continued until dawn broke after the night passed.

“…We’re out of arrows.”

“……”

“Staff officer, what are you doing? We’ve barely pushed all the knights down to the ground, and at this moment when we should be using this opportunity, you’re not even bringing arrows.”

“……”

“Staff officer…!”

After carefully observing the enemy’s movements in the brightened light. Only then did she look at her staff officer.

“Ah—”

She let out a sigh at her staff officer’s condition, which was more serious than she thought.

The staff officer’s left arm had long since gone limp, becoming merely a burden attached to his body. Moreover, his entire body was covered in blood. Had he not quickly recovered his wounds through potions, it wouldn’t have been strange if he had already fallen into a critical state and lost consciousness.

The shadows under his eyes on his gaunt appearance clearly showed his critical condition.

“…You must retreat.”

“……”

“General, your body is already covered in wounds.”

At the staff officer’s words, she finally looked at her own condition and only then realized that her appearance was also far from normal.

Not only had she fought until her mana was depleted. She had consistently ignored minor wounds and focused on wielding her bow and sword. Instead of her clean and dignified appearance, she now looked like a ruffian she had never seen before.

“The enemy’s battering ram has reached the gate. Soon the inner wall will be breached as well.”

“If we destroy the battering ram, we can buy more time—”

“Two more battering rams are prepared behind, and around them are the allied forces’ mages and knights. With our troops’ exhausted state, we’ll have to accept significant losses.”

“……”

“It would be more appropriate now to help with troop deployment in the outskirts of the city and coordination of the defense line, rather than the wall.”

As her staff officer said, the enemy’s battering ram was already pounding the gate fiercely.

At this point, to jump into the enemy’s formation would be—she was not a Master who could change the tide of battle single-handedly. She was merely an exhausted Expert knight.

Throwing herself into that den where several fighters of comparable skill existed. It would be no different from volunteering for a dog’s death.

“…I have no choice.”

For a moment, she just silently gripped her sword handle roughly, humiliated at having to surrender the baronial walls she had protected her entire life.

She spat out words filled with resentment.

“Defense force! Retreat in order! Move to the defense line, regroup, and prepare for the continuing battle!”

Since the wall would soon be breached, if you don’t want to be trampled by the incoming enemies, quickly pull back.

At her roar, the defense force and mercenary groups finally began to retreat quickly to the rear.

CRASH—!

Finally, even the inner wall’s gate was destroyed, and the door leading inside was thrown wide open. Soon, the outskirts of the city became a scene of carnage.

“Those bastards!”

Rather than engaging the defending troops as soon as they broke through the gate. They were focused on destroying various buildings and facilities.

Their goal was not to test the military strength between the two sides, but to drive the barony to an irrecoverable state of collapse. Seeing their true intentions so clearly, everyone swallowed curses as they stood to block the enemies.

“Behind this is not only the city’s main facilities, but also the refuge of the domain’s people! Don’t let the enemy take even one step forward!”

Strangers came to the defense line to block the enemies’ entry.

“It’s dangerous, you should be inside! Why are you out here!”

“I-I’ve chased away wild boars while farming outside! I know how to use a spear to some extent, so I thought I could help…!”

“I brought potions that remained in our shop! I’m sure they’ll be helpful to you all…!”

Not only the domain’s people who had benefited from healing through cooperation with the mercenary guild.

Even the homeless mercenaries who had been pushed to the back alleys of the barony. They all came with different determinations to repay what they had received from the baronial house.

“What help… you’ll only be in the way taking up space, so stay back!”

“But—”

“Damn it! The enemies are coming in! Everyone, take up arms!”

When enemies fortunately broke through the defense line in an instant.

Those without weapons picked up stones from the ground to throw. Women with hastily made spears closed their eyes tightly and desperately thrust forward whenever enemies approached.

Unless they were former mercenaries, everyone had poor skills. Fighting recklessly like this, they would only serve as meat shields.

“Even those who have never properly wielded a sword are fighting like this! Does it make sense that those we should protect are helping us!”

“Don’t just block them, drive them away! Pour everything into the attack!”

The sight of people from the same domain fighting while risking their lives.

For the baronial forces who existed to protect them and ensure the domain’s peace, this was the greatest motivation.

Despite their exhausted bodies, they continued to fight.

“…Urgent news has arrived from the opposite side of the barony!”

“Urgent news?”

“The lord and elite forces have now caught the enemy from behind!”

As soon as the news of the lord’s return was heard.

“The lord has come to the battlefield!”

“Hold on somehow!”

The morale of the barony soared as if it would pierce the sky.

* * *

“Teia!”

“Yes, my lord!”

“Focus on Viscount Akion, take half the mages and find the key figures!”

“I obey!”

I attached mages with devastating firepower to the assault team with excellent mobility.

Even if we push back all these forces. We absolutely cannot let Akion, the mastermind behind all this, escape.

I need to catch him and beat him up a bit. It doesn’t suit my temperament to let him slip away without doing that.

“The knights and remaining mages will eliminate all enemy forces surrounding the wall!”

“But this number—”

They’re quite numerous indeed.

Certainly, like ants discovering a fallen candy on the ground. Their numbers are disgustingly large.

But eliminating those who truly tried to bring down our barony. Those who interfered with us when we’re busy just preparing to fight demons. That’s beneficial for us too.

They’re just soldiers who will become the power base for those who create discord between the Empire and the Kingdom. Isn’t it better to reduce their numbers as much as possible?

“Do you think we can’t handle this?”

“……”

“Eliminate them.”

“I will comply.”

They’ve been blowing their horns hard announcing our arrival.

Now it’s time to stir up that battlefield.

‘It’s not like it’s a battlefield full of demons and Demonkin.’

There’s no better place for me to excel than in this kind of chaotic dogfight.

“Charge! Reduce the enemy numbers as much as possible, and enter the domain to help our allies!”

I gripped the reins of my horse tightly and began to pick up speed.

“Half build defensive magic! Half prepare bombardment!”

I nocked an arrow to my bowstring.

As I took my stance with the rough tension characteristic of a war bow, my heated head cooled down.

‘First, those damn siege weapons.’

As if they intended to destroy all the walls. From siege cannons to towers to battering rams. They really brought quite a lot.

‘That’s even better.’

I could instinctively sense that there were many skilled fighters who were particularly adept at emanating killing intent around those siege weapons to protect them.

Wheeeeee—!

Three arrows that screamed like hawks soaring through the sky were shot in an instant.

“Sweep them away!”

Intense magic poured down where the arrows fell.

It seems they had applied magic to the siege weapons as well. They didn’t collapse immediately, but in such a tattered state. It would be quite difficult to use them.

Moreover, while they might have carefully prepared the weapons. There was no safety measure for the individual lives of the soldiers. Having confirmed sufficient damage.

“The assault team will now break away! We’ll turn our horses toward the expected escape routes within the domain!”

“Break away!”

“Assault team! Break away!”

Teia, whose helmet was grazed by an arrow.

He raised the corners of his mouth as if things had gotten interesting, and began to increase his speed.

As the forward-facing magic spear shone brilliantly in the morning sunlight. I was filled with confidence that the assault team would surely accomplish something significant.

If that’s the case, now it’s our turn.

“Knights and mages! Prepare for collision!”

Since there are quite a lot of them rushing in groups trying to block us.

As I lowered my posture and began to stare at the enemies while spreading killing intent.

Whoosh—!

A bold one made the mistake of shooting an arrow at me.

“Well.”

Who do they think they’re shooting at? I shifted to the side by turning the reins at the exact moment they shot the arrow.

Through my mana-enhanced vision and reflexes, I easily caught the shaft of the incoming arrow.

‘Still, it’s quite heavy.’

Thanks to the crazy act of catching an arrow shot from a longbow with my bare hand. Feeling my arm being pulled back by the arrow’s force.

I placed the arrow I had caught directly onto my bowstring.

“Tania, Elvis.”

Pinch-style archery.

Pinching the string with my thumb and index finger, I infused magic into the firmly held arrow.

“Make it extend as long and strong as possible.”

BOOM—!

The arrow shot like lightning literally erased the enemies.

Thanks to having stuffed myself with mana potions to the point of nausea on the way here. With mana to spare, I could only smile at the power that returned in proportion to the mana I put in.

Even after seeing my attack, they seemed to have gone mad.

‘That look.’

A knight emerged with eyes like those of the two lords we captured in the barony—dreamy yet vicious, as if intoxicated with something.

“Baron Carpel! You cannot advance any further!”

The knight babbled nonsense as if drunk.

“Do I need permission to enter my own home?”

Seeing him take out a small round pill and attempt to put it in his mouth.

I immediately recognized that it was the elixir the supply soldier I had erased earlier had mentioned.

“Everyone, throw yourselves to block the path! Buy time, and I will bring down those enemies along with their war horses!”

In battle, those who prioritize their own glory are usually the first to die.

Despite having undergone deep training to become an Expert, the fool who showed heroic psychology that didn’t suit him ultimately.

“Kugh…!”

Despite having a large wind hole punctured in his abdomen by the arrow I immediately shot.

“Keuugh…!”

After chewing and swallowing that pill, the man who should have died immediately. While leaking mana through the hole, he fully imbued his weapon with a powerful sword energy.

‘Viscount Akion… you brought something nasty.’

That strange sight evoked a sensation similar to when Demonkin engage in their nonsense.

I immediately gave orders to our spirits and mages.

“We’ll break through straight to the gate! We’ll first drive out the enemies inside the domain! Open the path to the gate!”

Sweep them away.

Simultaneously, mage bombardments and natural disasters that sucked mana dry and scattered it covered the battlefield.

“Enter through the gate! Hold the flags high so our allies don’t mistake us and attack!”

We quickly entered the domain and swept away the enemies who were attacking the defense line.

“Knights, from now on we will eliminate the enemies who have infiltrated.”

With Hanelrn at the forefront, the barony’s finest knights began to cut down the enemies on the battlefield.

Not only Hanelrn who was sparring with none other than Diolia. The presence of these individuals, each with seasoned skills, was sufficient to reverse the situation that had been pushed back.

I too quickly checked the state of the defense line and realized.

“…My lord, I sincerely apologize for failing to defend the wall.”

A familiar face.

One of those standing behind the platform before the domain war was declared.

Being the defense captain, she must have rolled on the frontlines more than anyone. Through the knight whose exhaustion was evident. Along with how hard they had held out against the strange soldiers who charged even with their bodies pierced.

“You did well enough. I was right to entrust this to you.”

“No, this disloyalty must—”

“I said it’s fine.”

“…I am grateful for your mercy.”

“What’s the damage to the domain?”

“Apart from the destruction of the outer and inner walls, and the trampling of buildings in the outskirts, there’s no major damage yet.”

“Ah.”

Based on what I heard from the defense captain I happened to meet.

‘If the losses are only this much, rather—’

It seems like we could actually use this after the war.

So after finishing the situation check, with the knights and mages joining forces to sufficiently push back the enemies and morale soaring.

I stood at the vanguard again holding our family’s flag and shouted.

“The viscount’s domain has already been defeated by our forces, and the baroness is occupying it!”

Now that we’ve arrived, there’s nothing to fear.

“We move beyond defense, and from now on, we will eliminate the remnants of Viscount Akion’s forces!”

Let’s quickly end this war first.

* * *

“Lady Tasha, it’s dangerous outside the castle…!”

“I must go out.”

“The domain war is still raging, where on earth are you trying to go…! The lord ordered us to keep you safe!”

“Safe, you say?”

Tasha’s eyes flashed sharply.

The knight who looked into those pupils imbued with special divine power was startled by an indescribable pressure.

Having confirmed such a reaction, Tasha declared.

For the complete victory in the domain war.

“…I sense something strange near the lord’s castle. Right now, the only way for us to become safe is if we stop them.”

That none other than now, she herself must move.