episode_0119

Mayer’s Crisis (1)

While Yuno was busy training the soldiers of the Prinz Army and preparing for war, the Mayer Army in the rear continued the guerrilla war very smoothly.

“Captain Mayer! I discovered a new food storage!!”

When Cordelia sent a magic message to Mayer, who was beaming at the great achievement of taking out three supply units the day before yesterday, Mayer’s complexion brightened.

“Well done!! Sir Cordelia. What is the location?”

“It is hidden in the forest west of Yukan Castle. You have to go a little deep and there are about 50 guards guarding you, so please tell Gerard to be careful”

“Okay. We’ll have them depart immediately… Estimated time of arrival… If it’s the light infantry led by Gerard, they’ll be there in 6 hours, so they’ll probably arrive around this evening”

“Yes. Then please ask”

As soon as the communication ended, Mayer called Gerard into his barracks.

“Gerard Cheonjang. Immediately take half of the light infantry and 50 rangers and depart for Yukan Castle. It is said that there are about 50 defenders guarding it, so we will have to keep an eye out to see if anyone escapes.”

“Yes. Captain. Shall we do the same as last time this time?”

“Of course. You must never forget”

“I will keep this in mind”

As Gerard bowed and left, Mayer leisurely drank a cup of coffee and enjoyed a much more peaceful afternoon than when he was at the estate.

And a few hours later. McMorin, who had gone to distribute the food he had obtained when robbing a supply unit the day before to nearby villages, reported that another supply unit had been robbed on his way back.

“Uncle Mayer. Aren’t they going to give us food to eat like this? There are only two weeks’ worth of food left for our kids”

“Don’t worry. In any case, we have to gradually reduce the food we have stored up. When are you going to march to the eastern region with all your food? One month from now is the date promised to His Majesty. I have to leave in two weeks”

Their current location was right in the middle of Adriatic and the eastern region, so it would have taken the imperial army about a month to travel, but Mayer said they would cover it in two weeks, and McMorin also accepted that crazy claim as if it was natural.

“Well… Then, I will instruct you to make the food stolen from now on into preserved food. By the way, it seems like Heinrich is starting to get on his guard as well? I was surprised when a cavalry unit suddenly attacked me while I was setting up a supply unit. Fortunately, there were no casualties…”

“Hmm? Cavalry?”

“Is that so? Since we were on our way to deliver food, we only took 50 people with us, and we almost collapsed. Still, our kids have definitely improved their skills… Mister?”

As Meyer suddenly looked serious, McMorin’s face also hardened.

“McMorin. Bring Ajin in right now!”

“What’s going on?”

“I don’t have time to explain to you! Quick!”

“Huh? uh! okay. I’ll bring it to you right now!!”

Mayer’s mood was so serious that even he, who usually sneered at Mayer’s general instructions, immediately followed them.

McMorin quickly found Ahjin and brought him in, and Master Ahjin was also startled as soon as he saw Mayer, so they became very curious about what was going on.

“Crrr! Mayer, what on earth is happening…”

“Ajin. How many rangers remain in the camp now?”

“There are approximately 200 left. Gerard took 50 people earlier, and 50 people are out scouting”

“Please take all of those two hundred and follow Gerard right now! Time is running out! Gerrard is in danger!!”

“I understand! I will leave immediately”

Ajin, who ran out of the Mayer barracks, roared and summoned the rangers.

“Crying!! Everyone, prepare for battle and gather in 3 minutes! We have to get to Yukan Castle in 2 hours!”

“Yes!”

It was a harsh order that required the light infantry led by Gerard to cover a distance that took six hours in two hours, but the rangers immediately obeyed Ajin’s orders, who had protected them so far.

When Ajin led the Rangers to battle, Meyer instructed McMorin to empty all barracks and prepare to move the camp.

“Huh? Why all of a sudden? You didn’t really see anything from the rangers who were out scouting, right?”

“Raise a signal for them to retreat as well. The enemy will attack soon. And… you know? Always do what I tell you to do”

“Ah… I got it”

McMorin dismantled the barracks as instructed by Meyer and began moving his position to the planned location.

“Huh? What is this?”

“Did I tell you? From now on, whenever I speak, listen at once~”

As the heavy footsteps of heavy infantrymen echoed from afar, McMorin’s eyes looked at Mayer in surprise.

“No, how did you find out? I didn’t even see it?”

“Didn’t you say earlier that you were attacked by a cavalry unit? The cavalry is not that active in the Empire. Basically, it’s because there isn’t much grassland, so it’s difficult to raise horses. However, the fact that we deployed those precious cavalry units here means that our location was discovered somewhere”

“Well~ How many food warehouses and supply depots we robbed here… It was about time we started to notice. Is that why you sent Ajin too?”

“Yes. It’s probably a trap. I didn’t think of it when I first heard it, but if our location had been identified, they probably would have dug a trap to catch us”

“Tsk… Anyway, looking at it roughly, it’s only 1,000? Isn’t this worth it? They say there are no archers, but we are confident with the same heavy infantry. Since there are still 500 light infantry remaining, let’s eliminate them cleanly without anyone retreating”

Meyer approached McMorin, who insisted on fighting, and punched him in the back of the head.

“You idiot! Do you think we’re trying to kill the imperial army now? Jaes are also Balkan people like us. Hey! Of course, you have to fight when you fight, but there is no need to fight needlessly. There will be sacrifices on our part… And if you do exactly what I tell you, Heinrich’s formation will actually be shaken. Hehehehehehe”

“Well… I did everything I asked, so don’t worry too much. By the way, don’t you trust me too much?”

“Hmph! So act like I want you to believe me!!”

While Meyer and McMorin were bickering, Gerrard was in great trouble.

A little before the attack on Mayer’s headquarters. Gerard, who had captured the food warehouse, was expressing admiration as he looked at the mountain of wheat bags.

“Hwiyu~ That’s a huge amount of food, isn’t it? They’re protecting this with only 50 people? By the way, Sir Cordelia disappears extremely quickly. I don’t know why Your Majesty is so good and wants to be praised so much. Let’s take a break here…”

“Captain!! Come and try!”

“Hmm? What? I have to send a communication report to headquarters… ”

At the call of the soldier who was transporting the sack of wheat onto the cart, Gerard went that way even though he was annoyed.

“What are you saying?”

“This is strange. It certainly looks like a sack of wheat, but it weighs too much. Could this be…”

Gerard’s face also hardened at the suspicion raised by the soldier, and he took the dagger from his waist and cut down the battery.

Then, all that came out of there was sand instead of flour, and immediately Gerard realized that this was a trap.

“Everyone retreat! Until I give you orders, move your steps towards the west as much as possible! If you get caught, you’d better commit suicide… Damn it!!”

While the soldiers were abandoning the wheat bags they were carrying and gathering their weapons, the imperial army’s heavy infantrymen who had been ambushed in the forest rose one by one and appeared.

“Hahaha, they are quite perceptive! I was really curious about the faces of the rats who were robbing our supply unit… I guess it was you. Where do you belong?”

In response to the enemy commander’s questions, Gerard remained silent and sent a signal to his subordinates to form formation.

“Hoo~ Are you trying to resist a city that has not enough troops and is surrounded? Surrender calmly. If you surrender, I promise to spare your life”

“….There is no surrender! Come on! You lords of the corrupt emperor!”

“If your wish is to die, I will grant it. But they won’t let you die comfortably. Everyone, push through slowly! Show them the fear of the heavy infantry that completed the encirclement!”

Although he was excited, Gerard’s eyes were dark.

Although they were confident in the abilities of themselves and their subordinates, the enemy was basically heavy infantry that was superior in nature, and their number seemed to be about 1,000 men, so they seemed to be twice their size.

‘Plus, as they say, the siege has been completed… Damn it!!’

Even in this hopeless situation, a cool breeze blew through the forest and cooled his sweat, so Gerard gained courage once again.

“Phew~ It’s the perfect day to die… Kids! Even if we die here, let’s fight until the end!!”

Even as he saw the spears and shields of the heavy infantry approaching, Gerard burned his fighting spirit, and soon a brutal battle began.

*McMorin Illustration