Chapter 199: ???????????????????????? (7)

Chapter 199: Return (7)

‘What kind of *sshole guys are they. . .?’

Johan was dumbfounded for a moment, at a loss for words. The current situation was not like they were facing each other on an open field in broad daylight. It was an ambush outside the town.

Naturally, the opponents would be confused and chaotic.

And yet, there were guys who couldn’t handle it and ran away?

“It seems the knights on the right wing brought soldiers who were inadequately trained or lacked experience.”

“How shameful.”

Iselia and Suetlg clicked their tongues, but were not too surprised.

In the first place, Johan’s standards were rather peculiar. Johan basically wanted his subordinates to have a high level of training and tight discipline.

Of course it’s not bad if soldiers are well trained, but it’s not something you can have just because you want it. It was realistically impossible.

Most of the soldiers participating in the conscription were mercenaries or conscripts. It was impossible to move as one body in this situation, synchronizing hands and feet through daily training.

Wealthy feudal lords could keep mercenary corps for a long time and train them like private soldiers, but the lords here were far from that. Why would they waste money on something they didn’t even need?

If they didn’t have the orderly ability to fight each other, the battle would ultimately be greatly affected by the abilities of individuals like knights.

With just a few skilled knights among the enemies, this kind of thing could easily happen.

“It seems the enemy can fight better than I thought.”

“If we leave them alone any longer, it will completely collapse.”

It was upsetting, but Johan prepared to go help. If the right wing was breached, things could get bigger. Visibility was poor due to the darkness. Fear was infectious.

“Centaurs, it’s time to fight! Follow me!”

Happy shouts burst out behind Johan at his call. The time for battle had finally come.

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“Do not back down! Those Peninsula b*stards are cowards who do not even know how to wield weapons! Even if you get hit, you will not get hurt!”

“Sir Felix! Please provide some support over here! There are too many enemies!”

“I’m on my way now! Hold on!”

The knights from the Holy Empire, under the emperor’s command, were fighting fiercely in the town.

Despite readily rushing into the town with Adviko’s boastful words, what awaited them was an abrupt ambush.

As expected of seasoned knights, they were fighting well even against such a surprise attack, but the enemies pouring in from all directions put great pressure on them. They could not even guess how many enemies were hidden in the darkness.

The first ones to start running away were the inexperienced mercenary recruits.

“Don’t scatter! Maintain formation against the fence! I’ll behead any deserters!”

As some of the mercenaries tried to flee, a knight stepped forward and cut them down with his sword. Only then did the others take notice and divert their gazes.

“That idiot mongrel Adviko!”

“Did you send a request for reinforcements?!”

“I sent it, but it will take some time! We have to endure!”

“It’s as if Adviko conspired with a petty thief to bear this. . .!”

They had no idea what Adviko did or how they were found out. The knights raised their weapons, vowing to capture Adviko by the collar when they returned as they retreated.

“My brothers! Crises like today are neither the first nor the last. Raise your swords and seize glory!”

The surrounded Empire knights raged like beasts. They pushed back even the ambushers with their momentum. As the mercenaries fell while bleeding, soldiers hurriedly ran over to report.

“The empire knights are over there!”

“They’re terribly feisty! Go and show them your skill!”

“Yes!”

A knight also stepped forward from the Baron’s side, but collapsed miserably against the joint attack of the empire knights. The baron’s face was dyed in bewilderment.

“. . . . . .”

At that, the empire knights’ morale rose even higher. Hearing the cheers from the opponent’s side amidst the chaos, some of the ambushing mercenaries mistakenly assessed the situation and began to flee.

There’s something about that guy!

“Sir Khoti, be careful. Seeing Sir Aneat collapse, he may be using some strange magic.”

“I know. I’ll be careful.”

Just because they were knights didn’t mean they always insisted on decent methods. They would poison their swords and sell their honor to evil magic. The Empire knights suspected Johan’s sword was cursed with evil magic.

“I will go first!”

Sir Khoti’s swordsmanship was known to be solid and flawless within the Empire. It was so firm that the knights who faced him would become anxious without realizing it and make mistakes.

With Sir Khoti, even if the enemy had a magic sword, he would be able to withstand it for a while and find out its identity.

“I am of House Barver. . .”

Before he could finish speaking, Johan charged in like lightning. Caught off guard by Johan’s attack at an unthinkable speed, Sir Khoti was startled.

But his battle-hardened body moved on its own without him realizing. Sir Khoti bent back to avoid the first attack.

‘Ugh!’

The sound from above was so fierce that his bones chilled. Sir Khoti hurriedly raised his sword to restrain Johan.

It wasn’t an ancient Empire heirloom, but Sir Khoti’s sword was a decent heirloom that had been passed down through his family for generations. Thanks to the magical aura embedded in the steel, the sword was sturdy and slick.

But no matter how good the sword, it was meaningless if the wielder couldn’t handle it. As he swung it to restrain Johan, the sword he was using to parry suddenly slipped out of control and Sir Khoti was so startled that he let go of it.

‘Good instincts.’

If he had held on, he would have died, stabbed by his own sword. Now empty-handed, Sir Khoti rolled to the side. The watching knights were dismayed.

Even Sir Khoti couldn’t withstand him?

“Your Excellency the Count! Let me help you!”

Perhaps his mind cleared a bit since Johan had come and pushed everyone away, the Baron shouted. His guards also gathered around again, and the knights brought some more men to prepare to fight again.

“Count? . . .Count Yeats! Was it Count Yeats?!”

Before Johan finished speaking, Iselia took down a knight. The price for taking his eyes off his opponent.

Johan didn’t let up either and targeted another one. Sir Felix, aware of Johan’s reputation, tried his best to avoid clashing swords with him directly and kept circling around.

Johan took out Warhammer and threw it. Sir Felix tried to block it in surprise and collapsed vomiting blood.

“I surrender. I have no confidence in defeating the Count!”

The Empire knights around them gave up on further fighting and lowered their swords. When actually facing him, it was suffocatingly intense. Three knights had already fallen and were writhing on the ground.

Seeing the knights surrender, the mercenaries around also quietly lowered their weapons, gauging the situation.

In fact, looking at the situation, they could have kept fighting. There were still many soldiers left, and many knights remained, so if Johan dodged well and broke through the encirclement, an opportunity could have emerged.

However, having lost in battle, the Empire knights honorably chose to surrender by custom. Although it may seem foolish at first glance, such customs held greater value to the knights.

“Sir Knight! Reinforcements are coming! Adviko-nim has sent support, so please hold on a little longer!”

A messenger ran over shouting from afar. It seemed he still didn’t have a full grasp of the situation. Due to the noisy surroundings and many still fighting, he thought the knights were still battling.

The Empire knights looked at the messenger with bewildered and embarrassed expressions.

If reinforcements are coming, they should have come sooner, not after we’ve all surrendered!

“You surely won’t go back on your surrender?”

“. . .T-That won’t happen.”

Although they spoke like that, their dissatisfied feelings showed as the knights stammered.

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Upon hearing the request for support, Adviko was surprised and urged his soldiers. He didn’t expect to have to use the soldiers he had kept on standby like this.

This was not just a problem of a few hundred people getting annihilated if the expedition group got caught. It was about many of the Emperor’s knights getting caught. From Adviko’s perspective, who didn’t want to make regretful noises towards the Emperor’s side, this was the worst situation.

“Wake up the mercenaries and get them moving! Request support from the remaining knights as well. Move as fast as possible!”

Although it was chaotic and frantic, Adviko succeeded in preparing the soldiers quickly. Troops close to the entire army dashed towards the town in the darkness.

Including Adviko, no one could have expected that they would clash against each other so greatly in such an unexpected situation!