episode_0114

This was a time to solidify resolve and a time designed to achieve a minimum level of unity.

It also meant to check the person’s face to avoid swinging a knife at them for no reason later.

“This is the first battle this fall. Seeing as the weather is getting colder faster than expected, it might be the last of the year.”

“Your Majesty, is there any information we should know?”

“Maybe it’s because Rudolph recovered well from the last battle, but there doesn’t seem to be much difference in troops. But I believe we can overcome it with bravery.”

Even among soldiers, they are not all the same.

Although there are many different types, I personally divide them into three groups: professionally trained soldiers, knights, and mercenaries.

Of course, conscripts not mentioned here are not treated as soldiers.

This isn’t a surprise conscript hatred, but honestly, it’s a bit… No, it’s not quite enough.

Those filtered out in that way devoted their lives solely to combat, and earned a living through their ability to cut down people.

The emperor’s word “troops” had that meaning.

The opponent is neither a barbarian who raids the coast periodically nor a bandit who plunders with scanty armament.

It was a well-armed army, some of whom were well-trained and well-armed knights. Even I, who lived as a knight, was not an easy person to encounter.

“It may be a difficult fight, but I have no doubt that they will give me victory.”

“I will fight and risk my life to repay that trust.”

“For the protector of all churches and the rightful crown of the Remus Empire!”

“Then let’s go and take down the fake emperor and pope!”

A ceremonial morale boost was carried out, and the knights left the place one by one.

I, who had been pushed far inside, tried to go out together, but stopped for a moment when someone grabbed me from behind.

“This is a message from His Majesty to you.”

The emperor’s messenger handed me a piece of parchment.

It was of good quality, soft and easy to dry, and had a picture on the inside.

The face of an elderly human being was contained within it. It was similar to the one I saw every time I looked at my face reflected in the stream.

I could guess who it was right away. Perhaps he was a human who should be the target of this battle.

“This is a portrait of the Count of Ravenna. Just in case you didn’t know, I kept it in mind.”

“Please tell His Majesty that I will keep this in mind.”

First of all, I literally remembered the face.

And after wrapping the picture neatly and putting it in my arms, I followed the other knights.

*****

There was no formal call for surrender or appeasement.

When both self-proclaimed emperors came to the battlefield, such talk was tantamount to admitting defeat without even fighting.

Instead, preparations proceeded smoothly on their own.

“Are you ready, sir?”

“Yes. If so, where is the seat assigned to me during the first assault?”

“You can run to the front. It is also a position given by His Majesty the Emperor himself. Congratulations.”

An errand boy rushed to me and told me the news.

If you’re at the front, you have to be faster than everyone else so you don’t have to worry about moving forward later. However, before leaving immediately, I checked the state of my armament one last time.

It was dangerous if even a fragment entered, so I checked until the last moment to make sure no corner of the armor was loose.

I lightly pressed the area around my neck to check whether the necklace was hanging properly. He saved my life once last time, but this time I just hoped that something like that wouldn’t happen in the first place.

Finally, I glanced back. When I narrowed my eyes, I saw a small figure waving from the camp far away.

In response, I also waved my hand loudly. As if confirming what I had noticed, the girl jumped slightly.

After finally checking their equipment and weapons, the knights climbed onto their horses one by one.

And after confirming that everyone was ready, they all moved to the designated location.

The early morning sky was clear and slightly cool, and the wind was light.

When I looked down from the sky, I could see at a glance that there was a small wall hanging down on the other side of the smoothly sloping field.

Those that moved occasionally and had pointed spears raised were knights who were also waiting for us.

There was a small stream to my left and a thick forest to my right.

Unless they had to get off their horses and walk, there was only one path given to the knights. It was good to know because it was so intuitive.

There is only one path, and the environment is not particularly favorable to anyone.

In some ways, it could be said to be a fair fight. It is a battle in which victory or defeat depends entirely on the strength of the army itself.

“So, I said it was Lord Raven.”

“That’s right. I heard that the Sir is one of His Majesty’s knights. I hope to see you alive in this battle.”

“The seat is in front of me. I hope you live up to Your Majesty’s expectations.”

Before the battle, a subtle exploration battle began between the knights.

It was not intended to keep in check or to hit people in the back. If he did that sloppily, he would likely be the first to die on the battlefield, and everyone understood that fact.

Such ugly checks were mainly carried out only at the moment when the spoils were divided and glory was given to the lord.

Right now, it was just a moment where I was casting doubtful glances here and there about who the driver would be running next to me and whether I could trust him to run by my side.

Of course, some people were looking at me.

This was because the emperor had ordered me to be one of the foremost knights. Honor was a limited resource, so something like this was expected.

It was something that would be proven in practice anyway, so there was no need to worry about it now.

I looked away and led Sancho to the assigned seat. The drivers who came first and were waiting took a quick look at me and said.

“You are the knight who stands in the center, right? Did you say your name was Raven? Anyway, please come next to me.”

“It would be difficult to bump into someone while running, so try standing a little further away.”

It was the most honorable position and a mission for a brave knight.

Naturally, it was given to the person in front who could withstand the impact and was confident that it would not run away.

On the battlefield, knights of all kinds are mixed together.

There is a wealthy knight who brings along a line of squires to assist in battle, and professional personnel to take care of the horses.

On the other hand, there are knights who meet the minimum requirements with only one horse and one suit of armor.

And I have only one horse, Sancho, and no meager assistant or squire.

Dulcinea was not yet familiar with the battlefield. Also, I didn’t have a servant to entrust my horse to, so I didn’t bother to bring him.

So, if you ask me, I was biased towards the latter case, but there was no one who ignored me.

Experience is proof of ability, and how will it appear to others that you have sufficient experience but are poorly armed?

First of all, if you look at it alive and well, its history is one-coin Nodes, but its equipment is poor. That could only mean that it was handmade stagnant water.

Sure enough, the driver standing next to me also said this.

“… I’ve heard it through rumors, so I guess it’s trustworthy. I’ll gladly leave it to you.”

“I will make sure that your expectations are not in vain.”

Confidence exuded in each word. There was a good reason for this.

There are two main differences between knights and other military types.

It is the power of one’s body, which has been honed for at least ten years, and the mobility achieved by riding a horse that has experienced countless battlefields.

No matter how good a wizard, archer, or soldier you are, you cannot have it even if you die and wake up.

Therefore, this open plain became a place where a knight could demonstrate his capabilities to the fullest.

It is different from siege warfare, where you have to suck your fingers in front of a castle wall, or hand-to-hand combat in a narrow space. It was safe to say that it was a battlefield prepared only for knights.

For an unknown free knight, it was a place to write down a recruitment portfolio, and for a knight like me who already had a master, it was a test to prove its usefulness.

That fact didn’t come as a burden. If a knight directly supported by a saint could not perform well, the name knight would have to be given up, even if it was out of shame.

“Stand in line. The time will come soon.”

As soon as someone said that, a trumpet sound rang out across the plains.

It meant leaving. We at the front of the line moved forward slowly. Soldiers holding spears followed, but the distance gradually increased.

Instead, servants were following along with extra horses.

But they too were falling behind little by little. It meant that the moment of decisive battle was not far away, and some of the people around them were breathing heavily due to the nervousness that came from that.

Most of the people who showed signs of nervousness were beginners with little experience, and seeing this, the knights who had been on all kinds of battlefields laughed and shouted.

“You can let go of your worries! Just follow the plan.”

“Ha, what are your plans…? It’s not even protected.”

That much was correct. We had no plan whatsoever.

All knights have strong egos, and they never work together to carry out any systematic strategy.

Since each person serves a different lord, orders are not heard unless the lord shouts right next to his ear. Even if the staff puts their heads together and comes up with a plan of the century, it will not be followed.

However, there was the first and last moment when those with large egos came together on the battlefield.

-Paang!

“Everyone heard it, right? depart! Hey!”

“What are you doing, procrastinating like a slug? If you want to run away like a fool, do it yourself! We are going.”

“May Europa take pity on my soul. If I die here, let’s meet again in God’s Kingdom!”

just now.

The magic fireworks fired from the rear flashed with a roar like a firecracker.

At the same time, you can feel the vibration of the horse’s hooves pounding the ground. Walking quickly turned into running.

The sight of silver-glittering armies rushing towards the enemy’s lines at once always makes my heart race.

As the speed increases, the excitement does not subside, but the feeling of being slightly pushed by the acceleration only gives you a sense of exhilaration.

We were the people who were furthest from agreement.

Nevertheless, it occurred to me that the reason we were so united, even if it was only once, was because we could not forget this cavalry charge.

“Let’s go too.”

-Purring!

In that unrealistic sense, I forgot my fear of death even for a moment and tightly held Sancho’s reins.

Even at this time, people who were obsessed with fear had either stopped working as knights or were no longer alive in this world.

Fight, move, fight again.

And this is repeated until they settle down in one place using their master as an anchor or lay their exhausted bodies on the ground.

The life of a knight was originally like that.

From the beginning, wasn’t the symbol of a knight a sword and a horse? A sword to symbolize battle, and words to find the next battlefield.

That identity has not changed much even now that they have the Count of Canossa as their lord.

No matter how long it has been since I settled down, I haven’t already run out of Alpen.

As expected, I don’t seem to be the type of person to stay in one place for a long time.

I had lived like that for half my life, so it might have been inevitable. I guess it’s already become a habit.

However, that feeling of liberation was short-lived, and soon the knights who had looked like small walls from afar were approaching right in front of us.

I took a deep breath and adjusted the spear so that it would not twist and stab its owner. I lowered my posture so as not to lose my balance, and at the same time counted in my head.

Three, two.

And one.

-Kwagwagwagwang!

A loud roar erupted along with a heavy repulsive force felt from the window.