Chapter 63: The Battle of White Mountain (Bilá Hora) 4

News about Anhalt’s disgraceful retreat made me and Count Turen exchange looks like “we knew it would happen.”

“So? That Anhalt?”

“Yes, it seems he was terrified by General Tilly’s attack and fled.”

“Then the Palatinate forces must be…”

“Yes, most are likely dead or scattered by now.”

“Hmm… as expected…”

Count Turen nodded as his subordinate officer spoke.

Although the Palatinate forces didn’t have many mages, their army of 7,000 being routed so miserably was serious enough to be considered a decisive turn in the war.

Yet, my father’s expression remained completely unfazed by this news.

No, at this moment, his face even exuded a sense of ease, as if everything was going according to plan.

Seeing my father’s demeanor, I spoke with a firm voice:

“It means the time has finally come.”

“Indeed. Come, let us hurry out and finish our task according to your plan.”

“Yes, Father.”

Following my father, a profound sense of anticipation arose within me.

It was not merely the anticipation of a mage’s first battle.

It was anticipation for what was to come.

The thrill of being the architect of a plan unfolding perfectly, frighteningly according to design.

After the final inspection outside the tent, Count Turen emerged.

At this moment, the overall battlefield situation was unfavorable for the allied forces.

With the Palatinate forces decimated, the Imperial army began turning the tide that had been advantageous for the allies. Tilly and his direct subordinates were particularly active, gradually overwhelming the scattered Bohemian forces.

Of course, the Imperial army also suffered considerable damage in the process. But the initial force disparity meant victory was tilting towards them.

However… Count Turen felt profound elation at this situation.

‘Indeed… everything is proceeding as Santana said. Then this must be our turn, the turn of the Andreas household.’

With that thought, Count Turen looked behind him once more.

There were 3,000 troops who had been waiting here since the battle began, including mages under the Andreas household and elite forces Turen had painstakingly trained over the years.

Troops Count Turen took immense pride in, no matter how many times he saw them.

Standing at their vanguard, the Count finally drew his sword and roared like a lion:

“The time for revenge has finally come! The entire army, advance!”

With those words, Count Turen and his forces quickly rode out, swiftly piercing through the fog towards their targets marked by the iron pillars.

“From now on, it is a race against time! We cannot allow the enemy to recover. With this single momentum, we will finish everything!”

“Yes, my lord!”

“For Bohemia!”

“For the Andreas household!”

The Bohemian forces that had infiltrated the defenses were mostly being subdued.

Although the powerful Bohemian mages known as the 13 Nobles still fought on, their magic power was gradually depleting over time, showing signs of reaching their limit.

Meanwhile, the same was true for General Tilly and his mages, who had used successive spells against the Palatinate forces. Tilly in particular was almost completely drained after using the Mana Sphere earlier.

Nevertheless, Tilly still had some leeway remaining.

With the Imperial army’s numerical superiority in soldiers and mages compared to the initial clash, the attrition of stamina and mana was evening out between the two sides as the intense battle dragged on.

Both were considerably fatigued from the fierce melee.

At times like this, the individual combat prowess would determine the war’s outcome, giving the advantage to Tilly’s elite Imperial forces with superior training.

‘Though the start was somewhat uncertain, it seems we’re gradually seizing the upper hand… Good. If we defeat the remaining Bohemian forces and march straight to the castle, the heretical Bohemians, gripped by terror, will immediately surrender…’

With such thoughts, Tilly steeled himself to mop up the surviving Bohemian troops.

At that moment…

“Waaaaaah!!”

“Advance! For the glory of Bohemia!”

“Wipe out these vile Imperial dogs!”

Sudden raucous shouts rang out.

Tilly whipped his head in that direction, his face etched with profound consternation.

“! Wh…What is that again?”

Tilly, who had been barely subduing the pesky Bohemian forces here and there, was now beset by another emerging Bohemian army, filling him with grave concern.

‘Reinforcements for the enemy? Damnit… of all times, they had to show up in such numbers…’

The thick fog made it impossible to fully gauge the enemy’s size.

However, even the forces immediately visible did not seem vastly outnumbered by Tilly’s own troops.

More critically, unlike his own weary soldiers or the other Bohemian forces, these troops showed not a hint of fatigue.

They looked completely fresh, as if they had been resting until now.

And most alarmingly, at their vanguard was a mage wielding a sword coated in condensation – Count Turen himself.

“There is the Imperial dog, General Tilly! Come, face me!”

Upon spotting Tilly, Count Turen bellowed in a thunderous voice.

Recognizing Turen, Tilly’s face twisted in rage as he retorted:

“So it’s you, Turen! You demonic bastard who led the good people astray into heresy! Today, I will tear out your heart!”

With those words, the two charged at each other on their horses.

-Pajijik!!!-

Their mana-infused swords clashed, sparks erupting from the mana backlash.

“How dare you barge in here! This place shall become your grave!”

“You filthy heretics!!!”

Swinging their swords with immense killing intent, intense flames erupted with each exchange, the mana shockwaves staggering the surrounding soldiers.

Though it seemed an intense duel, Tilly and Turen’s thoughts were completely opposite in that moment.

‘Damnit… Under normal circumstances, I could instantly dispose of a rebel leader like this, but of all times, my mana…’

‘He has clearly weakened! I can win! I will take Tilly’s head right here!’

Though Count Turen was a formidable 7th rank High Mage, defeating the 9th rank Archmage Tilly head-on was almost impossible under normal circumstances.

However, General Tilly was now severely depleted compared to his usual self.

The Mana Sphere and previous battles had drained his mana reserves almost completely.

No matter how powerful, a mage with no mana left was merely an ordinary human.

In this debilitated state, it was almost impossible for Tilly to properly handle Count Turen relentlessly swinging his sword.

And eventually…

“Haaaah!”

“Kuk!”

-Chaeng!-

The next moment, Tilly’s sword, a renowned blade bestowed by the Emperor, shattered with a sharp sound.

With his mana depleted, it could not withstand the condensation, pathetically cleaved by Turen’s strike.

Their fates were decisively sealed.

Turen then approached Tilly with his raised sword.