episode_0136

=====[Einfeld West]=====

Einfeld.

It was one of the county counties located in the southwestern part of the empire.

The wide plain that spreads out to the west of the territory was a place where bloody battles between different races took place in the past, and even to this day, demons of the necromantic race often appear.

It was the first time that such a large number appeared at the same time.

“That’s a lot… .”

Leopold muttered in bewilderment as he looked at the legion of command servants beginning to appear over the horizon.

There were at least a thousand human-sized monsters. They were slowly advancing, dripping with magical energy.

As I watched them stagger and walk in unison, it felt as if black waves were rolling in.

Most of the monsters that made up the group were ‘rotten sick’.

Monsters that look like rotten flesh stuck to human bones and internal organs.

They were not a naturally occurring species.

A medium-sized nemesis species, a human corpse brought back to life by the ‘Whisperer’ ability.

That was the identity of the rotten sick person.

Their strength and speed were not much different from those of ordinary soldiers, but due to the nature of the commanding species, several times more numbers were needed to subdue one enemy.

Unless it was an attack containing holy power, they would regenerate it as if they had been injured, and even if it was an attack containing holy power, they would not regenerate it, and they did not care about ordinary wounds.

A necromancer can be incapacitated by cutting off its limbs to remove its fighting ability, or by inflicting damage to the point where it disappears completely.

In a group war like this, it was the most dangerous monster.

It wasn’t just small monsters that appeared.

Between the groups of soldiers, huge shapes were bulging out.

From relatively small ones that are two or three times the size of a human to medium-sized species that look dozens of times larger.

Mixed remains.Whisperer.Grave predator. fleshy fluid. Skeleton snake.

They were all powerful monsters that even knights found difficult to deal with.

Prince Leopold himself came with the army to subdue them, but the morale of the soldiers was not very high.

As expected, the number of soldiers was only eight thousand. The number was less than half of one corps.

Even so, due to Isabella’s manipulations, they were not soldiers from the elite 1st or 2nd corps, but rather from the 3rd corps, which lacked combat experience.

If it weren’t for the saint candidate and the saint army dispatched by the Church of Elfinel, they wouldn’t have even dared to fight.

“Prince Ludwig. Can I ask for some tactical advice?”

Leopold turned his head and looked at Marquis Ludwig, who was standing one step behind him.

He put aside the arrogant illusion that he had military talent.

If you look back on the history of the empire, there were many people who left behind a legendary stigma due to such illusions.

They overestimate themselves even though they don’t even have war experience… Foolish people who push absurd strategies with determination.

Normally, it would have resulted in the death of the entire army and been included in the history books of the empire as a traitor.

Leopold had no intention of suffering such humiliation.

‘There is no need for me to think about military strategy myself in the first place.’

The era in which military talent was valued as a monarch’s qualifications came to an end a long time ago.

Ernst demonstrated his military skills to the fullest, but in Leopold’s opinion, the ability needed for a monarch was not a good military leader.

Even if he didn’t come forward, this place was full of people who had proven themselves with their achievements.

Imperial Shield, Ludwig von Landenburg.

The one chosen by Elfinel, Lacey Elmain Stadolph.

Paladin Richard, the knight commander of the Holy Legion she led.

Any one of the three would be more strategically competent than Leopold himself.

“The denomination’s advice will be more accurate than mine. Since I also have almost no experience in combat with monsters… It’s hard to say anything yet.”

Although Ludwig’s actual power was higher, Ludwig respected Leopold in a polite manner.

Since they had decided to support Leopold, there was no reason to undermine his authority.

—-

“First of all, a water battle is meaningless.”

Richard, who came up to the castle wall after receiving Leopold’s call, looked down at the plain and confirmed.

The blunt statement denied the imperial tactics from the very beginning.

Leopold felt puzzled.

“Isn’t it more advantageous to fight along the walls? I don’t think the rotten sick would be able to climb the castle walls… .”

“As long as there is a skeleton snake, it is impossible.”

Richard pointed to a huge monster in the distance.

Thousands of vertebrae were intertwined in a spiral, and from a distance it looked like a snake covered in pure white scales.

“It can dig into the ground and destroy the foundation of a castle wall. If he goes on a rampage, this small castle wall will collapse in an instant. The troops around the castle walls will be completely annihilated… The morale of the soldiers will also plummet, so defeat is inevitable.”

“Then you are saying that you have to make a turn on the plain… The loss of troops will be serious… .”

Leopold sighed.

I thought that if it was a water-based battle, I could somehow deal with this force, but the situation where the walls became useless was an unexpected situation.

Moreover, since the entire area around here was a vast plain, it was impossible to ambush the knights and attack them.

The only thing left is to face them head on and engage in a power struggle.

It was an all-out war, a tactic in which the damage to the soldiers could not even be estimated.

“In other words, wouldn’t that mean that once you subdue that Skeleton Snake, there would be no problem with a defensive battle?”

Marquis Ludwig, who was listening to Richard, calmly gave advice.

“What can you do with that guy in the middle of the monster army?”

“Hmm… .”

Marquis Ludwig stroked his beard.

‘The cavalry breakthrough… ‘It would be impossible.’

The empire’s war horses and knights have always been brave.

So much so that they fearlessly charge into a phalanx of long spears, which would normally be the natural enemies of cavalry.

However, they also had limitations.

Even the charging warhorses, holding up the sharp spear blades with their barding, cannot withstand the magical energy spewed out by the monsters.

I couldn’t give a priest’s blessing like a human could.

Additionally, enemies are also different from people.

They will not die from being pierced by a lance or trampled by a war horse, nor will they be demoralized and run away, so they will tenaciously hold on to the cavalry’s ankles.

Instead of breaking through, it was nice to see that it was only halfway dug in and then left behind.

‘In that case, we’ll have to use an inducement.’

If we can’t get there from this side, we have no choice but to make the enemy come.

“The most elite knights are formed as a reserve in the rear, and the front is tightly blocked with a castle corps with strong stopping power. If it is a monster that digs into the ground, it will burrow underground and aim for the rear.”

Although it would mean putting a lot of burden on the Seonggun Corps, this was the optimal appointment.

They were the only troops that could even stand against the monster army.

If you protect yourself with the miracle of a barrier and recover from your wounds with the miracle of healing, even those guys won’t be able to break through for a while.

‘They are armed with religious passion, so they will not retreat even if they die.’

Dying while fighting a monster is tantamount to martyrdom for the Holy Legion.

Death is promised to be accepted into Elfinel’s paradise, so it will be welcomed.

On the contrary, if the soldiers of the 3rd Corps with low morale were deployed to the front, there was no doubt that they would not be able to hold out for long and would all die or be routed.

Marquis Ludwig continued his explanation.

“The moment it pops out behind our troops, I think we can focus our reserves on eliminating it. There is a possibility of popping out from the center of the formation… If you do that, you will be surrounded on all sides as soon as you come out, so it will be more likely that you will aim for the rear.”

“What do you think, Sir Richard? Do you think it will be possible as Prince Ludwig thinks?”

Ludwig’s explanation seemed quite plausible to Leopold.

However, you cannot be sure about these issues until you hear the opinion of an expert.

As Richard, an expert in subjugating monsters, happened to be here, it was natural for Leopold to want to confirm his judgment.

Richard thought for a bit and then nodded.

“Um… Considering their behavior, I think this operation has a high chance of success. The problem will depend on how quickly you can defeat the Skeleton Snake.”

“On my side, the force that can be deployed is two 30-year-old knights. Would it be possible if the blessings of the imperial knights and priests were added to it?”

Although it was relatively shabby for an elector, his fiefdom, Landenburg, was far to the east.

As this subjugation itself was an unexpected battle, the only available force was a small number of escort troops brought with them when heading to the islands.

“If there are two masters… Since Elmaine Stadolph is also there, I think it might be possible.”

Fortunately, Richard nodded.

“I see. In that case, after subduing the Skeleton Snake, you can slowly retreat into the castle and engage in a defensive battle.”

Ludwig laughed lightly.

The sharp eyes were still keenly observing the monsters’ positions, but it seemed like at least one hurdle had been overcome.