Ch.627Encouraging a Ragtag Bunch

While Ka’har’s catapults hammered away at the wall, Landenburg’s catapults were equally busy.

“Fire!”

As the commander standing beside the catapult raised his sword to indicate the target, a massive pile of stones was launched toward the approaching siege tower.

Most projectiles traced trajectories that would clearly miss their mark—the siege tower was much narrower than the wall and difficult to target precisely. Still, several boulders were aimed directly at the upper and middle sections of the tower.

“They’re targeting the siege tower! Increase speed!”

A warrior shouted at the top of his lungs. His tone sounded quite urgent.

Understandably so—while the siege engine appeared sturdy, it was ultimately just a wooden tower that would inevitably sustain damage from direct catapult hits. Enough damage would cause it to collapse.

Of course, the enemy knew this as well.

“Not a chance!”

With a familiar battle cry, a middle-aged man leaped into the air, kicking at the void as he launched himself toward the incoming boulder. He wore armor that seemed only minimally adequate and carried two massive true swords.

“Kaaaah!”

Orhan spun his body in midair and kicked the catapult’s projectile as if it were a soccer ball. The boulder that met his foot shattered into pieces with a thunderous boom.

“What the hell is that…?”

“Are we seriously expected to fight… ‘something’ like that?”

Imperial soldiers gaped in disbelief at the sight of someone deflecting catapult fire with a kick.

“Don’t worry about that. You’re not the ones who’ll be fighting him.”

I approached a soldier who was muttering in disgust, patted his shoulder, and gave him a reassuring grin.

“H-h-hieek! S-sorry, sir! I’ll correct my behavior!”

…He didn’t seem particularly reassured.

Perhaps he suddenly realized he’d spoken words that could damage morale in front of a high noble with authority equal to the military commander-in-chief. Had I been a strict or violent man, such words could have warranted immediate execution.

Anyway, Orhan thoroughly defended the siege tower from the catapult attacks. After several rounds of fire, the commander of the artillery unit, realizing it was pointless to target the siege tower, had no choice but to change his target with a frustrated expression.

Instead of the siege tower, he aimed at enemy catapults and soldiers far from Orhan.

With each release of the catapult, projectiles thundered through the air and embedded themselves in the ground, sending up sprays of mud mixed with blood and flesh.

Ka’har soldiers who had been approaching with shields raised against arrow volleys returned to the prairie soil amid screams.

Not a single shot missed.

The tens of thousands of infantry already formed a mass nearly the size of a decent wall, making it easy to hit them with stone projectiles—no need for careful aiming.

– KWAAANG!

The deafening explosions continued for some time.

Still too far for arrows to reach. Dozens of boulders ceaselessly cut through the air, spreading destruction.

Ka’har’s catapults targeted the wall itself or the towers and platforms where archers were stationed, occasionally hitting and sending unfortunate archers plummeting below.

The Empire’s catapults, as if avenging the archers’ deaths, were literally pulverizing Ka’har’s infantry.

Oil-filled containers set ablaze would have been more effective against infantry than boulders, but unfortunately, we didn’t have oil to waste on artillery exchanges—a slight regret.

Eventually.

“Now! Ballistas, fire at will!”

After what felt like thirty minutes but was actually less than ten, the enemy finally approached within range of our other weapons.

Ballistas mounted on the wall released a rain of arrows more like javelins than arrows. The massive projectiles pierced through the approaching infantry, shields and armor included.

Though not as powerful as catapults, they were several times faster and sharper. Soldiers with giant arrows embedded in their abdomens writhed like insects pierced by needles before going limp.

“Return fire! Crossbows begin firing!”

As if unwilling to just take hits, Ka’har began firing ballistas at the wall in retaliation. Unlike the Empire’s fixed emplacements, theirs were large crossbows mounted on wheeled carts.

They didn’t have many—perhaps they’d used most of their timber for siege towers—but they had enough power to skewer soldiers on the wall.

“Kuuugh!”

“AAAAGH! My arm! My arm!”

Soldiers with their chests pierced by crossbow bolts fell behind the wall with deflating screams. Heads were torn off with spines attached and sent flying, while soldiers with arms ripped off collapsed with agonizing screams.

Unlike catapult projectiles that could sometimes be seen and avoided, crossbow bolts embedded themselves in soldiers’ bodies before they could react, tearing apart bone and flesh.

“Duck!”

“Take cover!”

Soldiers hastily lowered their posture and hid behind the wall’s protrusions. It was timely advice. Even crossbow bolts powerful enough to pierce through two or three soldiers would have difficulty penetrating the thick walls.

The ballista operators had to continue returning fire and couldn’t take cover like the others, but the large shields installed at the front of the ballistas were blocking the crossbow bolts to some extent, so it wasn’t a major issue—

– KWAAANG!

Ah, yes. Shields might stop arrows, but they’re hardly effective against boulders.

A ballista hit by a catapult projectile instantly became debris mixed with flesh. Soldiers covered in their comrades’ entrails screamed and trembled, while another soldier with his face pierced by wooden fragments writhed on the ground in agony.

“Uuugh…”

“Lord Elpinel, please save me…!”

Soldiers trembled and muttered desperate prayers. I clicked my tongue with my hand on my sword hilt as I looked around at the soldiers of the 2nd Corps.

Like rookies with little war experience, their morale was dropping rapidly before the siege battle had properly begun. At this rate, by the time they engaged Ka’har in close combat, they might be begging for their lives.

…They’re more disorganized than I expected. Should I do something?

“Lord Median! Danger!”

While I was considering whether to deliver a morale-boosting speech, a knight who had taken cover from the crossbow bolts urgently called out to me.

He must have spotted a crossbow bolt flying toward me. Judging by the single shot, it didn’t seem specifically aimed at me.

“Danger? For me?”

I smiled confidently as I caught the steel arrow aimed at my chest with Frosting. An attack that soldiers might not be able to dodge was far too slow for me.

“Does it still look dangerous?”

“…No, sir! I apologize for my presumption!”

The knight who had called out the warning responded with a tone mixing disbelief and trust. Judging by his thinking I could fall to such an arrow, he must be a rookie who had never seen me fight.

“I didn’t mean you should apologize.”

I threw the caught arrow back like a javelin, and the flash of light, moving at triple the speed it had arrived, shattered the crossbow into pieces.

I didn’t imbue it with the Karma of Murder since it wasn’t time to reveal my position yet, but it was still powerful enough to destroy a mere crossbow.

“Huh…”

The soldiers were speechless at the sight of someone catching and returning a crossbow bolt. Their trembling had stopped, fear replaced by bewilderment.

Good. No need for a grand speech. A few words of encouragement would suffice.

“Listen,” I addressed the soldiers in a calm tone.

“I won’t lie to you by promising that you won’t die or that you’ll survive. Your life and death are in heaven’s hands, not mine.”

Amid the roar of battle, the soldiers silently looked at me. Except for the artillery crews busily firing their ballistas.

“I can promise only one thing: when this battle ends, we will be the ones sounding the victory drums. I will not lose, and as long as I don’t lose, the Empire won’t be defeated either. So hold on. Until I achieve victory. Until the Empire achieves victory. All you need to do is endure. Understood?”

“Yes, Lord Median!”

Knights and soldiers of the 3rd Corps who had experienced the Battle of Einfeld shouted loudly. The rookies of the 2nd Corps, caught up in the atmosphere, joined in. I grinned at them.

“Besides, think about it. Fighting from atop a wall dozens of meters high—how could we possibly lose to dismounted Ka’har warriors? Right?”

“That’s right!!”

The soldiers wiped away their cold sweat and responded spiritedly. I raised the corners of my mouth further and shrugged lightly as if to ease their concerns.

“So don’t tremble pathetically and embarrass yourselves before your descendants. Just keep raining arrows on those fools trying to climb dozens of meters up. Before you know it, it’ll all be over. With our victory.”

The soldiers’ cheers continued.