CH 185

After receiving reports from his allies, Raidorl decided to divide his forces and send them towards the army of the Undead in the north and south.

Raidorl had 3,000 cavalry troops. If he wanted to divide his forces evenly, he should divide them into 1,500 each.

“Wait, Your Highness. If we divide our forces carelessly, both sides may suffer catastrophic damage. I think we should concentrate our forces in the south.”

Then – the general, Darren Garst, paused for a while and continued. The eyes of everyone present were drawn to the neat-looking warrior, who looked like an actor.

“The enemy has a large army. Ours is a small army. In order to bridge the gap, we should concentrate our troops on one side. According to what I heard from the locals, the road in the north is narrow and full of wasteland. It will be possible to hold off the enemy with fewer troops. In the north, the army should be thin and use the terrain to buy time. Then the southern army, with its concentrated strength, can defeat the enemy in a short time, and then go to the north for reinforcements.”

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea, ……but wouldn’t it be very dangerous for the troops headed north if we took that step?”

“Yes, in the worst case, they will be decimated. But…. is the best way to protect the refugees in the rear and win the war against the enemy!”

Darren makes no secret of the fact.

The plan he proposed was to turn the northern troops into “dead soldiers”, attracting an army of 10,000 with very few men.

(TL: I would prefer to change to decoy but the raw is this (死兵). Let me know if you want me to change it) 

If it worked, there was a high probability of victory over the enemy to the north and south, but there was no guarantee that the soldiers used to hold them back would return alive.

“As I’m sure you understand…..our enemies are many times more numerous than we are. There is no way we can win unscathed. If we want to win, we have to be prepared to sacrifice a certain amount of our own troops if we refuse to use the refugees as bait.”

“…… Yes, you’re right. I guess you’re right about that.”

Raidorl curiously agreed at Daren’s suggestion.

Even Raidorl doesn’t believe that the world runs on niceties. There are times when he has to cut someone else down to save someone else.

It is the job of the sovereign to make that decision……

“……Taking responsibility for their sacrifices is also the responsibility of those who are above others. I should be prepared to do the same.” 

Raidorl knew this would happen when he decided to avenge his brother and take the throne. He’s not going to turn his back and run away now.

“I shall follow Darren’s plan. Of the whole army, 2,500 shall be sent to the south and the remaining 500 to the north.”

“…………”

“The question is, who will take command of the troops in the north?……”

“Your Highness! Leave it to me”

There was a man who raised his hand at the right moment.

It was Justy Oigist, a thousand-horse chief with a serious, rotten face and an even more stern face.

“I have just advised you to abandon your safeguards to save the refugees. Knowing that this would endanger His Highness Prince Raidorl, ……Then I feel obliged to take on the most dangerous task of all!　Please leave the interception of the enemy to the north to the Justy Oigist! Let me buy you time so that your Highness can destroy the enemy to the south!”

“I’m not… no. I’m serious about this! I definitely want to do it!”

Justy was followed by Neferte Athena, who was standing uncomfortably close to him, and who raised his hand voluntarily.

It’s not hard to see why Justy, a brave warrior, would do the right thing. But, no one expected that Neferte, the exiled crown prince, would be running for office, and everyone in the room looked at him in surprise.

“I am the prince and I have abandoned my homeland to come to this country. Not because of a cowardly wind that I have run away from! I have come to this country to destroy the evil undead and to reclaim my homeland! It is my country’s fault for allowing the witch of the earth to return and create so many undead. I ask that you give me this opportunity to humiliate you!”

If the Kingdom of Athena had been able to defeat the undead created by that witch, the army of the undead would not have come to the Kingdom of Zain. Athena is partly to blame for this situation.

In spite of this, Neferte, a survivor of the Athena royal family, would be trampling on the prestige of the royal family if he stayed in the safety zone without taking the front line.

As the crown prince of Athena, Neferte is about to take on the most dangerous role in order to protect the pride of the royal family.

“……You think barking is something cool? I thought you were a child, but you are still the crown prince of a country.”

Taking in the boy’s strong intentions, Raidorl turns his serious gaze on Neferte.

The reason why Raidorl allowed Neferte to follow him was not that he expected him to be a force to be reckoned with. It was just that he didn’t have time to chase back Neferte, who had followed Justy.

“As long as he didn’t get in the way” – which Raidorl thought but there was no way he could disrespect a boy who had shown his commitment to royalty in this way.

“I’m sure you understand. This is more dangerous than you think.  It is a role that is close to that of a dead soldier who must fight to the death and not be allowed to flee in order to protect his friends to the south and the refugees in the rear. If it is necessary for victory and to protect the people, …… I will abandon you and Justy. Do you understand that, and are you sure to raise your hand?!”

“I do understand. I don’t have a country, parents, or even a single vassal, but I’m prepared. I would give my ……heart to defeat the witches of Earth and reclaim my country.”

“Then, I have nothing to say to you. I’ll even use your life to defend this country.”

Raidorl shook his shoulders in amusement and accepted Neferte’s proposal.

The boy in front of him is no longer a guest, no longer a protected person. He is now a part of the army, a force to defend the country.

Then Raidorl will not care for him. He is going to use him to the fullest. 

“…… I’m also using your power for the revival of my country. We both are using each other.”

“Use them and be used by them. It’s good to be black-hearted, isn’t it? I like you more than being a polite prince.”

Raidorl and Neferte  no longer mend their ways, but speak to each other without discernment.

It was a crude exchange of words that one would not expect from the representatives of an allied nation, but it strangely brought them closer together.

“It’s settled. I’ll lead the main army to crush the enemy in the south!　Justy the Thousand Horsemen and Prince Neferte will lead a detachment to hold off the enemy to the north!　Does anyone have any objections?”

Naturally, no one interrupts and nods profoundly back.

Raidorl laughs, his lips lifted in a smile, and declares the battle to begin.

“Now, it’s time to fight back. I’ll crush them until they forget how to revive so that they won’t come back to this world again!”