Parkes Region located on the Maiel Mountain’s northern slope.
Because big and small rivers, forest, and hills were situated, it was a suitable place to set up numerous traps or spring ambush, surprise attacks.
“Setting up of each legion’s camp has finished, your majesty.”
Viscount Greg Sinaiz, one of Kallum Rinse’s right-hand men and the one who newly came to take on the joint seat of chief commander of the Kallum Lukan Allied Army, byname KaLu Allied Army, made the report with a completely flushed expression.
Kallum who was having a drink with Lukan Diez in the giant center barrack cheerfully smiled and nodded his head.
“Then set up the traps as the strategy.”
“Yes. Understood, your majesty. I will also convey down each legion’s individual ambush plan.”
Greg quickly answered and then moved his steps out of the barrack.
Lukan who was holding up his wine cup spoke in a bright voice.
“Certainly, the Maiel Mountain here is a good place to face and fight enemies, sir.”
It was true.
Currently, the KaLu Allied Army had set up the main army’s camp on the Maiel Mountain’s northern slope facing the Parkes Region straight and had placed each legion on the hills extending gentling to the sides along the mountain.
From the Lancephil Fief Regiment’s position who had to attack all the way from the plain below the mountain, it could be called quite undesirable, and truly troublesome and headache-inducing topography and formation.
That wasn’t all.
‘There is the Lochi Castle on the Maiel Mountain’s southwest.’
Lochi Castle.
The capital of the Porter Viscounty and one of the core strategic point of the Rinse Kingdom’s South, it was a place rich and fertile enough to currently act as the South Rinse Kingdom’s temporary capital.
Thanks to it, they could smoothly supply the rations and supplies to the Allied Army that boasted its large-scale number.
A cold smile hung on Kallum’s mouth.
‘If we tightly place traps on the rivers, forest, hills, and the mountain and spring ambush and surprise attacks……’
Even the Lancephil Fief Regiment, however strong it was, could only receive a large blow.
“Hahaha. The people of the world would probably have point and call us cowards if we left a place like this and do a castle defense battle stuck in the Lochi Castle.”
Lukan emptied his cup and let out a hearty laughter.
Kallum sourly smiled and nodded his head.
‘There still hadn’t even been one time where the main armies properly clashed.’
The true war began from now.
Choosing a castle defense battle from the start would mean the same as Kallum and Lukan being afraid of Roan.
‘On top of that, we have much bigger number of soldiers.’
Meaning that there wasn’t a need to be afraid ahead of time.
At that moment, Lukan raised his cup up high.
“If even the reinforcement we requested to our kingdom arrives at this situation…… this battle, no, the war will be an absolute victory, sir. Hahaha!”
A voice full of confidence.
“That truly is rea.s.suring.”
Kallum toasted his cup with a delighted expression.
It literally was a joyful drinking party.
After who knew how long, outside of the barrack suddenly turned noisy.
Soon, Greg showed up from the entrance.
It was an urgent-looking expression, no, it was a face bleached white as if a man struck with an acute indigestion.
“Y, your majesty!”
“What is it?”
Kallum frowned.
An uneasy feeling rose up at a corner of his heart.
Lukan too was of a slightly tensed expression.
Greg slightly lowered his head and answered in an urgent voice.
“Tha, that is…… th, the enemy army has appeared across the Parkes River!”
Boom.
Kallum and Lukan’s faces instantly froze stiffly.
“Enemy army? What do you mean enemy army?”
A disbelieving expression.
There currently existed no enemy army that might appear in the Parkes Region.
Greg dryly swallowed once and then powerlessly answered.
“It’s the Lancephil Fief Regiment.”
Boom!
An even greater shock stormed.
Kallum and Lukan couldn’t continue their words with half-dazed expressions.
‘Lancephil Fief Regiment? Roan Lancephil? Why are they here……?’
Kallum simply couldn’t understand the current situation.
According to the messengers’ reports, Roan and the Lancephil Fief Regiment definitely should be marching towards the Warford Castle.
Even if they had changed their marching direction, arriving this fast didn’t make sense.
“Perhaps……?!”
Kallum’s face bleached white.
Lukan who was at his side let out a short groan.
“Hhm. It seems those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds had the Maiel Mountain here as the goal from the start, sir.”
The only theory that could explain the current situation.
Kallum shook his head with a hollow expression as if he didn’t want to believe it.
“Do you mean that they moved first even before we moved the main camp to the Maiel Mountain, sir?”
There was only that method timewise.
Lukan couldn’t freely answer.
For he himself too couldn’t be certain that such a thing was possible.
At that moment, a soldier showed up through the barrack’s entrance.
“Th, they came, sirs!”
A very short and urgent shout.
There was no more a need to particularly ask what he meant.
Kallum and Lukan stood up from their seats and went out of the barrack.
Fwooosh!
Instantly, a cold mountain wind hit their faces.
A wide-open panorama opened up before their eyes.
“Ah……”
Below the mountain slope, a large-scale legion was crossing the Parkes River.
At a place far away enough to be difficult to completely grasp the flags and the clothes.
But grasping the legion’s ident.i.ty wasn’t difficult.
‘Lancephil Fief Regiment.’
An incredible pressure and spirit were felt from the legion far away.
The Kalu Allied Army’s main camp was wrapped in silence.
Kallum’s gaze swept the camp’s left and right.
Ordinary soldiers as well as commanders, knight, and even many n.o.bles all came out of their barracks and stared below their camp with half-dazed expressions.
‘Lancephil Fief Army?’
‘Really?’
‘Why is Roan Lancephil here?’
A situation where everyone had heard the news of Lancephil Fief Regiment’s march.
The air of death curled up across the entire camp.
At that moment.
“All of you wake up!”
A thunder-like shout exploded out.
“Um?”
“Eh?”
Everyone with startled expressions turned their heads towards where the voice was heard from.
Kallum and Lukan were also the same.
At the place everyone’s gaze headed stood a woman wearing a st.u.r.dy armor.
“The battle still hasn’t even started! Our numbers are advantageous! Our formation too is advantageous! There is not a one need to be afraid beforehand!”
A voice shaking and echoing the entire camp.
The woman freely boasting a bold spirit was the very Elva Dionell.
“R, right. T, there’s no need for us to be so afraid.”
“We’re the Allied Army, the Allied Army. Our numbers too are almost twice as many.”
“On that of that, we’ve already set up formation. And at a much more advantageous location too.”
“It’s a condition good enough to fight in. Our chance of victory is much higher.”
Numerous n.o.bles, commander, knights and soldiers opened up their limply hung shoulders and raised their voices.
They had begun to slowly push off the sense of defeat and fear at Elva’s shout.
‘The spirits thankfully are rising.’
Elva’s gaze turned towards Kallum.
It meant now was Kallum’s turn.
Naturally, the gazes of soldiers who were staring at Elva too turned towards Kallum.
Heated gazes.
“Huu.”
Kallum exhaled a long sigh.
The color of his face that was bleached white at Roan and the Lancephil Fief Regiment’s appearance too had regained its colors.
With a small wave, he called together the commanders.
“The b.a.s.t.a.r.ds crossing the Parkes River are Roan and the Lancephil Fief Regiment. It definitely is a much faster appearance than we thought. But that does not mean the situation had turn disadvantageous even so. We still hold the chance of victory.”
It wasn’t an eloquent speech.
Originally, Kallum wasn’t a person to step up before a crowd and let out a loud voice.
But now wasn’t the time to simply spare himself.
This battle could possibly become his final battle.
“All army make the preparation to advance. Also send the message to each legion situated to our sides. Since we could not set up traps, we will separately set up an advanced camp below the mountain slope.”
Instructions poured down.
Kallum glared at the Lancephil Fief Regiment.
“They will be tired from the forced advance.”
Furthermore, a situation where they had just began crossing a river.
In numerous ways, it was an advantageous situation to the KaLu Allied Army.
Kallum added on with a fierce light in his eyes.
“Form a vanguard with left and right wing’s cavalry and attacked the enemy army.”
“Yes! Understood, your majesty!”
The commanders all answered in one voice.
Kallum looked into each of their eyes and threw out the words as if chewing and spitting out each and every word.
“If we win this battle, we can place the capital, Miller, as well as the kingdom’s center and the northeast region into our grasp. If we win this battle……”
Strength naturally went into his fists.
“I will bestow treasures together with the t.i.tle of viscount.”
“Oh……”
The faces of numerous commanders flushed red.
Thick ambitions rode their hearts and swept around inside of their bodies.
Kallum struck his chest with his right fist.
Thud!
A heavy sound hit the ears.
“Fight! Fight and win! Win and attain rich and honor!”
The instant his words finished, the commanders, knight, and n.o.bles all raised up their fists high.
“Waaaaaah!
Cheers burst out.
Together with short salutes, they soon returned to their places.
“Battle preparations!”
“Prepare for battle!”
“I will confer gold to those with outstanding achievements!”
“Fight! Die! There will be honor beyond that!”
The voices of commanders shook the camp.
Kallum’s orders were soon pa.s.sed to other legions’ camps.
Uuuuuuu.
Including the main army’s camp, the spirit of the KaLu Allied Army situated on the Maiel Mountainside dramatically changed.
The one who noticed such change first before anyone else was Roan Lancephil who was staring at the Maiel Mountain from the Parkes Riverside.
‘Huhuhu.’
A faint smile floated up on his mouth.
Through the Kalian’s Tears, the busily moving appearances of the KaLu Allied Army were clearly visible.
“My lord. The crossing of the river is smoothly advancing.”
Austin came up and reported the legion’s situation.
Roan lightly nodded his head.
“Austin. I will entrust the entirety of the crossing of the river and the setting up of the camp. Complete them without any fault.”
“Yes sir!”
Austin stepped back with a salute.
Roan, still observing the KaLu Allied Army’s camp with the Kalian’s Tears, gave hand signals.
“Semi, Harrison, Brian, Pierce.”
Quietly calling voice.
Semi, Harrison, Brian, and Pierce who were overlooking each troop’s soldiers quickly approached.
Including Austin who had separately reached an order beforehand, they were the five of the six peerless heroes who would one day echo and shake the world.
“Prepare to receive guests.”
At the quiet order, faint smiles hung on the four’s mouths.
They ran to the troops they each led and made battle preparations.
Roan separately led the newly organized Amaranth Troop and moved a step ahead.
‘Maiel Mountain too has been a long time.’
The reminiscence felt anew as he looked at the Maiel Mountain loftily soaring before his eyes.
The place he met the biggest turn as he came to live his second life was in fact here, the Maiel Mountain.
‘Since I came to earn the Flamdor Mana Technique and the Reid Art of Fighting, Spirit King’s Tear and Biate’s secret cave here.’
In one line, it could be called the place that made the current Roan.
Roan glared at the KaLu Allied Army’s camp.
‘Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds must think they themselves have occupied the advantageous locations in advance.’
However, that was a clear misjudgment.
The smile hanging on his mouth turned much thicker.
He opened up his right hand and raised it before his eyes.
Above his palm, the KaLu Allied Army’s camp situated on the Maiel Mountain and along its slope were seen in his eyes.
A feeling as if the b.a.s.t.a.r.ds’ camp was entirely on top of his palm.
No, that was not simply a feeling.
Roan slowly wrapped his right palm together.
The Maiel Mountain and the KaLu Allied Army’s camp hid inside his fist.
No, it was swallowed.
“Now……”
Roan’s voice rode the wind and flowed on the battleground.
“Should we shake the board?”
Finally, the awaited moment unfolded before his eyes.
Roan Lancephil versus Kallum Rinse.
The battle with the fates of two kingdoms amongst the three nations were about to begin.
*****
“Kukuk. Sir Clay really is amazing.”
“You said it. Even that Count Roan Lancephil said to be great is ultimately playing around on top of Sir Clay’s palm.”
“Since they went to attack not us but the South Rinse Kingdom as Sir Clay’s prediction……”
“That means the Lancephil Fief here is at a defenseless state.”
Five young warriors looked at each other and burst out in freakish laugh.
They were Clay’s henchmen who had each led one thousand soldiers and marched to attack the Lancephil Fief.
Lobuck who was of the head role amongst the five warriors brushed his sword at his waist.
“It has already been over a year since Count Lancephil has left his fief empty.”
However much the Lancephil County’s defenses were thick, it was natural that c.h.i.n.ks would appear in a land the owner left empty.
Furthermore, the Lancephil County’s foundation had greatly shook in the process where Clay was moving his seat to the Webster Duchy. No, externally it was known to had taken a large damage.
Though it of course wasn’t so.
“Lancephil County is a very rich and developed place. Our North Rinse Kingdom can advance ahead the furthest in the three nations race if we can just obtain this place.”
Freakish laugh once again burst out.
Lobuck pulled his reins and simultaneously spurred his horse.
The five thousand soldiers moved very quickly and also furtively.
A small gateway was visible before their eyes.
“Let’s capture it in a breath!”
Lobuck pulled out his longsword and shouted in a loud voice.
“Waaah!”
“Capture it!”
“Attack!”
Other warriors yelled out shouts with completely excited voices.
They were confident that they could easily capture a mere small gateway.
It was the moment the vanguard cavalry just climbed over the hill before their eyes.
Ssweaaaaak!
A rain of arrows and sharp sound of air shattering poured down in front of their feet.
“S, stop!”
“Halt! Halt!”
Lobuck and the commanders were startled and pulled their reins.
“Woahwoahwoah.”
Five thousand soldiers abruptly slowed their speed.
Thanks to that, the spirit of the charge was snapped a level.
No, the spirit being snapped wasn’t the problem.
The faces of the commanders including Lobuck and the soldiers stiffly froze.
The place their gazes headed towards was the front, a wide field that unfolded from below the hill to the gateway.
On the field, about and almost three thousand soldiers were situated.
“Wha, what is that troop?”
One of the warriors asked towards Lobuck.
Lobuck couldn’t easily answer.
He thinly squinted his eyes and tried to grasp the ident.i.ty of the troop that abruptly popped out.
At that moment, Camber who had the best eyes amongst the commanders let out a shriek.
“Huhph!”
With a bleached white face, he waveringly moved back.
“What is it? What happened?”
Loback creased his brows and nervously asked.
“Re, re, re……”
However, Camber simply couldn’t continue his words.
“What is it! Say it out straight!”
Lobuck couldn’t endure and shouted.
“Yeah! Get a hold of yourself!”
“Just what is it man?”
Even the other commanders burst with annoyance.
Only then Camber forcibly regained his calm.
He, with a finger, pointed at the troop in their front.
“That troop is……”
The moment his words reached about that point.
Ssweaaaaak!
A sharp sound of air shattering hit the ears.
Simultaneously.
Puuuuck!
With a gruesome pop, a long spear pierced Lobuck’s head.
“Huhph!”
“Wh, what the!”
The surrounding warriors were shocked and gulped empty air.
They quickly turned their heads and glared at the troop in their front.
“D, did that perhaps come from there?”
“They threw a spear from that far and pierced a head?”
Reactions finding it hard to believe.
At that moment, Camber dryly swallowed and nodded his head.
“I, if it’s that person, he can easily do it.”
The numerous commanders creased their brows at those words.
“That person?”
“Who is that person?”
Pouring questions.
Camber moved far back before anyone noticed and then shortly answered.
“Viscount Reil Baker.”
Instantly, everyone opened their mouths agape.
“Reil Baker?”
“The genius spearman?!”
“Are you sure?”
A half-dazed expression.
Camber wordlessly nodded his head.
Though he couldn’t believe it, he could only believe it.
Reil Baker who had climbed down the Grain Mountains first before Pierce.
He who hadn’t shown up even during the while the throne succession war was continuing had appeared in the Lancephil County.
From far away, Reil’s playful voice was heard.
“Uhahahaha! Bull’s eye!”
< Amaranth (30) > End.
Translator : CSV
Proofreader: Fujimaru