Episode 31
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There is a big difference between the perspective of an unrelated third party looking from outside the battlefield and the perspective of a party on the front line looking from the battlefield.
The field of vision narrows, the mind becomes clouded, and the pressure and anxiety that come with the position cloud the judgment. There are not many who can stand on the borderline of life and death and maintain the same level of composure as a third party.
At least that fact was not an exception, even for the world’s most chaste swordsman, Sir Milvas.
“For St. Magdalene!”
“Charging!”
A deep charge to quickly put an end to a desperate situation.
As we pursue the retreating enemy commander and cavalry, the distance between us and the rearguard gradually increases.
Dale of Saxony, who was retreating, turned his upper body to look at Sir Milvas and his knights who were pursuing him from below. He let go of the reins on his galloping horse, and he was in the posture of a skilled horse archer drawing his bow.
The finger was pointed this way.
‘magic……!’
It wasn’t hard to anticipate the action: the Parthian shot.
“Ice Bullet.”
Taang!
Blue magic swirled from Dale’s fingertips, and a blast of cold crystals struck down.
“What nonsense you’re talking about!”
Even if he is the best Dale in the world, his opponent is also a knight of the highest level who can use the Aura Blade. In front of a body that far surpasses human limitations, even an ice bullet would be meaningless.
“Heeeeeel!”
However, no matter how invincible a knight is, that does not mean that the horse he rides is invincible.
One of the war horses ridden by the Auror Knight of the Count’s family fell over without even letting out a scream.
Kuung!
One of the knights fell from his horse and rolled around on the ground. It was virtually impossible to inflict damage on the Auror Knight by merely falling off his horse, but in a chase like this, losing his horse meant that he could not continue the battle.
‘That kind of accuracy on a running horse… …!’
Sir Milvas could not hide his shock at the sight of the blow just now.
The eldest son of the Saxon family possesses unparalleled talent in swordsmanship and magic. But in the end, he is only a 3rd circle wizard!
Although he is a full-fledged wizard, he is still not yet at the level of being able to do ‘the part of a man on the battlefield’. Furthermore, unlike knights who train with the premise of being active on the battlefield from the beginning, the gap is even more severe in the case of wizards.
Even high-ranking magicians often give up their distance and are defeated by ordinary knights.
But that wizard, maintaining perfect balance on a galloping horse without reins, and shooting the horse with precision using projectile magic?
Even if projection magic itself is like that, hitting the target with projection magic is by no means in the realm of ‘magic’.
A skill that cannot be imitated without a combination of horsemanship and archery.
Given the weighty responsibility of being the commander in chief, it was by no means reckless or bluffing to offer oneself as bait.
“Rise, wall of ice.”
Kuung!
It is a confidence that comes from one’s own overwhelming capabilities.
As Sir Milvas and his cavalry charged, a wall of ice suddenly appeared.
He didn’t think he would let his guard down against the young eldest son of the Saxon family. No. He was absurdly underestimating his opponent’s capabilities.
The enemy’s top commander himself is offering himself as a ‘bait’ to buy time for his subordinates in the true sense of the word.
A battalion of Auror Knights are tied up and left in disarray against a mere young wizard.
The enemy cavalry, which had been retreating and reorganizing its battle lines, turned their horses around.
To protect their young commander. And to repay Dale’s efforts by risking his life to buy time on the front lines.
“Don’t let their swords touch your Majesty!”
“Give your life and become a shield!”
“Charging!”
Sir Milvas could sense this when he saw their spirit. And he couldn’t help but laugh. After all, the opponents were no longer the ragtag band of Baron Greenbelt disguised as the Night Raven Knights.
‘Trap within a trap… … .’
The ‘Black Cavalry’ has been encountered countless times on the battlefield and has proven its reputation every time.
And their goal was never to defeat the Auror Knights of Sir Milvas and the Earl’s house.
The official commander of the Count of Brandenburg, ‘Philip’, is making the worst mistake and overcrowding the central forces on the right wing, causing the collapse of the front line with his own hands. It is Sir Milvas who feels impatient and pressed for time, and the goal of the Black Cavalry is to protect their commander until then.
This very fact further fueled Sir Milvas’ impatience.
‘We must break through the Black Cavalry and capture the eldest son of the House of Saxony before the situation worsens.’
In any case, the ‘Auror Knights’, who are considered the most powerful among the Night Raven Knights, are not here.
Before they can collapse Baron Pucker’s left wing and perform a full flanking maneuver, they must capture Dale, who is performing acrobatics using himself as bait.
“Charging!”
Despite the fact that his battle horse was already exhausted after several gallops, he did not care. He also did not care that after the excessive pursuit, the distance between him and the follow-up force that was supposed to protect him had grown too great.
Little by little, but steadily, the White Auror Knights, who had begun to become isolated, began to charge again.
* * *
The 1st Squadron of Cavalry, led by Sir Milvas, the Sword of Purity, eventually succeeded in reaching Dale.
Even if it’s not in the form they wanted.
After an intense pursuit, they were surrounded in the middle of enemy territory by the Knights of the Night Ravens of the House of Saxony.
‘You still have a habit of overestimating the power of Auror Knight.’
Dale looked at the Auror Knights of the siege Order of St. Magdalene as if it were someone else’s business.
As knights gain experience and wisdom through battle, it is processed into a form called ‘battle doctrine’, which defines the identity of the knightly order.
The Holy Swordsman was his guard in his previous life, and because of that, Dale had seen a lot of the Knights of St. Magdalene, which he led, whether he liked it or not.
Their strengths and weaknesses, and even the many secrets that cannot be seen from the outside. What they value in battle, what they think based on, and how they make tactical decisions.
As clearly as looking at the palm of my hand.
Overestimating the power of the Auror Knights has long been a chronic problem for the Knights of St. Magdalene.
The image of a Sword Master slaughtering enemies one-on-one on the battlefield is close to the vain ‘literature of knights’ in this world. Furthermore, above the Auror Knight is the realm of the ‘Auror Master’, and even among the Auror Masters, not all have the realm of the Sword Master.
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“A detachment of Aurors disguised as knights of Baron Greenbelt have broken through the enemy’s left flank!”
“The additional cavalry in the center succeeded in breaking the enemy’s wings and making a flanking maneuver!”
“We have captured the left wing commander, Baron Parker!”
After hearing the report from the center and right wing of the friendly forces that the messenger had brought, Dale calmly raised his head. He left behind the endless stream of victorious reports.
“It seems that Prince Philip was quite displeased.”
Dale opened his mouth, mocking.
The forced breakthrough failed, and Sir Milvas and his knights were isolated in the enemy camp. The 50-man battalion of Auror Knights were now reduced to about a dozen. Those who remained were far from being able to fight.
“From the beginning… …did you set a trap to draw us in?”
Sir Milvas asked in a weak voice.
“The battlefield is always chaotic, and no one can control and predict all the chaos.”
Dale shook his head.
“In the end, it is your own foolishness that leads to self-destruction in the midst of repeated confusion.”
Beyond, I look at the enemy’s main force, completely crushed, surrounded, and winged.
The wires were completely broken, and screams were heard from all directions. There was the sound of steel clashing with flesh, steel with blood, steel with bone.
“Would you like to beg for your life?”
Amid the echoing screams, Dale asked.
“Will you kneel down in misery and beg for a ransom for your life?”
Still with his face covered by a black helmet, he did not hide his blatant mockery.
“To those who kneel and beg for their lives in gold… … I will gladly show mercy, in keeping with the traditions of this great empire.”
It was a very common practice for a captured knight to pay a ransom and be released. However, no one could easily respond to Dale’s taunts, which fanned the flames of the act as an unspeakable humiliation.
“… … Don’t make me laugh!”
One of the surrounded Auror Knights spat as if he could never bend.
“Oh, is that so?”
Dale snapped his fingers.
Phew!
The night crow knights surrounding them thrust out their spear tips without a moment’s hesitation. It was not even a scream, but a sound like air being let out of a balloon. Blood sprayed out like a fountain.
“Then you should die.”
Dale said, his voice devoid of even the slightest emotion.
“How is Sir Milvas?”
“… … .”
“After all, the one who will be solely responsible for the defeat in this battle is not me, but the innocent Prince Philip.”
Sir Milvas did not answer.
After just silence, he knelt down softly. Trying to avoid a humiliation worse than death. The steel plates of the armor clashed and made a creaking sound.
“… … !”
It’s not that I’m particularly afraid of losing my life. It’s not that I despise my honor. I just had to live to tell the story.
The danger posed by the eldest son of the House of Saxony was far beyond their imagination.
Besides, Auror Knight is a precious force that can never be wasted. As long as there is work to be done while alive… … It is by no means an honorable death to offer oneself a dog’s death for petty self-esteem.
“Everyone, get on your knees now!”
The swordsman Milvas raised his voice as if shouting.
“We surrender according to the traditions of the Empire and demand fair treatment as prisoners of war!”
“Are you going to get on your knees and beg for your life?”
Dale asked, his expression and emotions hidden behind his black helmet. Milvas nodded, gritting his lips so hard that they bled.
Rather, it would be best for the enemy to fall for their ridicule and volunteer for death, which is what they truly desire.
Dale’s laughter disappeared like a lie as he realized that his provocation had no further meaning.
Like an actor coming down from the stage after finishing a play.
“… … .”
An ominous silence continued beyond the black helmet. It was an ominous silence devoid of even the slightest emotion.
“Those who survived here.”
After a silence, Dale finally opened his mouth.
“There is no one.”
“… … !”
At the unexpected words, gasps were heard everywhere.
“Kill them all.”
Even the night crow knights who guarded Dale were no exception.
According to imperial custom, it was common for captured knights to be ransomed and released.
Yet Dale’s voice was extremely stubborn, and his orders were absolute to the Saxon Raven Knights.
There may be momentary turmoil, but there is no hesitation. The virtue of knights lies not in doubt but in execution.
It was Dale’s charisma that ultimately made his lord’s complete trust possible.
The Night Raven Knights, armed with black armor, simultaneously swung their spear blades and sword tips.
Phew! Phew!
When the knights of the Count’s house, who had finished disarming and kneeling, moved, it was already too late.
Except for one person, Sir Milvas, the Sword of Purity.
He barely managed to snatch his knight sword, and a snow-white aura swirled around the blade.
“Do you think you’ll collapse like this?”
A flash.
He swung the hilt, and the pure white aura on the blade exploded. It was a fierce sword that bordered on frenzy, and at the same time, a monstrous sword worthy of the reputation of a high-ranking knight.
It was a level of incompetence that Dale, as of now, could not even dare to approach. However, Sir Milvas’ sword never touched Dale.
“Protect Confucius!”
“Don’t let that bastard’s sword touch the prince!”
Kaang!
Black knights rush to block Dale’s path, risking their lives to serve as shields.
Dale watched his tantrum without moving an inch, his expression devoid of emotion.
Without lifting a finger, he remained the ‘supreme commander’ of the battlefield, leading the Night Raven Knights.
Phew!
In a final struggle, a sword took advantage of the gap and slashed into Sir Milvas’ thigh. His posture collapsed.
Phew! Phew!
Next, countless spear blades were thrust down to pin him down.
And towards Sir Milvas, who was stuck and stuck on countless spear blades, unable to move even a finger… … .
Dale took a step forward.
He brought his head closer and opened his mouth as if whispering.
“──Do you remember my death?”
“… … ?”
Sir Milvas felt puzzled for a moment by the incomprehensible words.
“I remember your face there that night.”
Dale continued speaking without paying any attention.
“Your master stabbed me in the back with a blade, and you were there too.”
Leaving behind the cold, pent-up hatred, indifferently.
“I will ask you again, young knight.”
At first, I couldn’t understand what he was talking about.
“Do you remember my death?”
But soon, as my consciousness quickly faded, I was struck by a shock that made my blood freeze all over my body.
“Ah, ahhh… … !”
Sir Milvas raised his voice belatedly. No, he tried to raise it.
Phew!
A beat faster than that, Dale’s ‘shadow cloak’ disguised as a black surcoat rose up.
“Ugh, ugh… … .”
A sound like air being let out of a balloon rang out. It was a meaningless, empty sound until the very end.
