Chapter : 67

The southward advance of the Southern Heretic Subjugation Force was immediately relayed to the Mangtong City Council.

Thanks to this, as the vanguard led by the Bellua Margrave approached the city of Mangtong, the Mangtong City Council engaged in a continuous and fierce debate.

Some argued for surrender.

Others argued that with ample preparations, they should resist from within the city walls until winter arrived.

The general consensus was that they could not dare to stand against the Southern Heretic Subjugation Force.

However, the opinion of Modric, the Chairman of the Mangtong City Council, was different.

“We must go out and fight!”

“What are you talking about? They say the vanguard alone has nearly 5,000 troops! We must fight them from within the walls, everyone!”

“Nonsense-!”

Chairman Modric scoffed and shouted.

“Who is leading that vanguard? It is the Bellua Margrave! What money could that brute from a ruined domain possibly have to gather 5,000 soldiers! It must be a false rumor.”

“But the recent rumors are truly extraordinary, Chairman!”

“That’s right. Rumors abound that he performs various miracles and possesses incredible swordsmanship. Besides, the number of troops he’s leading is nothing to ignore! A whopping 5,000.”

The council members expressed their concerns, citing the rumors about the Bellua Margrave and the size of his army. But their words no longer reached Chairman Modric's ears.

“Hmph, do you think miracles are real? It’s clearly an exaggerated false rumor. Is this the first or second time we’ve heard such stories? Just go out to the city marketplace and you'll find endless tales of someone catching an ogre, or catching a troll!”

“W-well, that is true, but….”

“Besides, 5,000 men? How do 5,000 soldiers just materialize out of thin air? It’s obvious that most of them are just insignificant serfs dragged along.”

In truth, there was some sense in Chairman Modric’s words.

At most, it had been around two years.

Even giving a hundred concessions and saying he had taken control of the domain in that time, it was far too short a period to train quality soldiers.

And 5,000 men?

The cost of hiring just 100 soldiers was breathtaking. In that case, how could the Bellua Margrave possibly mobilize such an army?

He must have scraped together peasants from who-knows-where.

“Besides, isn't such information usually exaggerated? At most, it would be around 1,000 men.”

It was common for the numbers of mobilized troops to be exaggerated in rumors.

Therefore, Chairman Modric's assumption seemed rather plausible.

Of course, this was an absurd misunderstanding that arose because the Prince-elector of Bohemia had not controlled the flow of information.

“Ugh, then what is your plan, Chairman?”

“We must go out and face them.”

“Abandoning the city walls?”

“Yes!”

The council members were terrified, but Chairman Modric saw this as an opportunity.

A chance for him to rule the city of Mangtong for life-!

To do that, he needed a meritorious achievement that no one could refute, and the Bellua Margrave’s vanguard was the perfect target.

‘I will mercilessly crush the vanguard before the main force of the Southern Subjugation Force arrives.’

Then, if he returned to the city in triumph, seized control of the council, and led an alliance against the Holy See via the sea, his position would be secure.

“Besides, don't we need at least one victory to persuade those who are on the fence between us and the Holy See?”

“Mmm, that is true, but….”

As the council members showed signs of wavering, Chairman Modric drove the final nail in the coffin.

“So trust me. I plan to take the 20 knights from the Holy Empire that my family specially hired with me.”

To take the 20 specially hired knights from the Holy Empire with him-! In a word, it meant he was betting everything he had.

“Very well. Then let us deal a blow to the vanguard.”

“Excellent! A very fine choice-!”

In the end, the Mangtong City Council had no choice but to approve the interception of the vanguard of the southern heretic hunt.

And this was.

The full story of the event where several hundred soldiers appeared before the Bellua Margrave.

* * *

“Hmm….”

Unbelievably, the enemy had abandoned their advantage and come out of the city.

Something that wouldn't have happened unless they were insane had occurred.

“Are they perhaps crazy? Human lord.”

“Baa~. Lord-nimu. What is going on, baa? Is this perhaps another miracle you’ve performed?”

“Still, we don’t know. There might be troops ambushed beyond that hill. Of course, if that's not the case….”

And it seemed I wasn't the only one with such thoughts. Although there was a somewhat strange(?) opinion in the mix, most were puzzled by the decision of the city of Mangtong.

It was only natural, as the difference in military strength was too great.

No matter if the enemy had 400 well-armed cavalry, my army numbered 5,000.

Furthermore, these were not soldiers hastily conscripted from serfs, but soldiers I had painstakingly trained for two years.

On top of that were the 2,000 elite mercenaries I had meticulously hired.

No matter how much cavalry was called the flower of war, in a disparity of this magnitude, they were nothing.

“Calm down. As Magician Agpiel said, couldn't there be an ambush? Surely they wouldn't have come with only cavalry?”

“Hmm? Surely not, human lord. Where would you find guys who operate their army with such finesse?”

“But there seems to be a point to it. Captain Konrad. My lord. I will go and find out.”

“Alright, go on.”

At my words, Biden led a contingent of cavalry to scout the surroundings.

There was no harm in being cautious.

But a short while later.

Contrary to our worries, the expression on the returning Biden's face was one of clear bewilderment.

“They really only brought cavalry.”

“……”

Upon hearing the report, my vassals and I were at a loss for words.

Was that really all they had?

And to be so full of themselves with just that. It was so pathetic it was beyond laughable.

‘I must have been seriously underestimated.’

However, I had no intention of being careless. On the contrary, I planned to establish an even more thorough and overwhelming advantage.

Since they had come out of the city, they might have some trick up their sleeve.

“Deploy the army. Assume the planned formation, and have the archers and crossbowmen ready to fire at any moment. Today, this place will be the grave of those cavalrymen-!”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Leave it to me, human lord!”

* * *

Meanwhile, the army of the city of Mangtong, facing the Bellua Margrave's forces, was in turmoil. The vanguard was much larger than they had expected.

“It seems the reports were true? There’s no end to them in sight.”

“That’s right. And though they are mostly infantry, their spears are long and they have many crossbowmen, so it seems it would be difficult to dare an attack…?”

“Wouldn't it be better to just return to the city of Mangtong and hold out behind the walls?”

The men, especially the knights from the Holy Empire brought by Chairman Modric, felt this way even more strongly.

They had thought it was an exaggerated rumor…. but it turned out to be true.

With their rich combat experience, they knew very well how dangerous it was to fight such well-trained infantry.

However, Chairman Modric dismissed such opinions.

“They are still all infantry. If we shake them up with the cavalry and then charge all at once, they will crumble on their own.”

“B-but they look quite elite….”

“Hah, if it really comes down to it, can't we just break through the infantry phalanx and capture the Margrave himself-! Isn't that your specialty?”

Well, he wasn't wrong.

From the looks of it, the vanguard's cavalry strength was around 20 at most. If they charged with heavy cavalry and aimed for the Margrave, it would be difficult for them to stop it.

In fact, it was something that often happened in the wars within the Holy Empire.

“Right, we have to earn our keep….”

“We will try as long as we can.”

In any case, on open ground like this, the cavalry held the initiative. After all, infantry could not match the speed of cavalry.

If they kept circling and harassing them, and the enemy showed an opening, a simultaneous charge would surely make them collapse like a sandcastle.

Of course, Chairman Modric's opinion was not based on such tactical considerations.

‘If I go back like this, it’s over.’

It was for purely political reasons.

He had gone to the trouble of persuading the Mangtong City Council to lead the army out, only to return with no gains?

That would make him a laughingstock.

It was an affair that could lead to impeachment, with no honor or benefit. Therefore, once he had come out, he had to produce results.

Thus, Chairman Modric commanded in an anxious voice.

“Send a knight to challenge them to a duel. They are insignificant rabble, so we must crush their morale by blunting their edge before the battle.”

* * *

“Do you know that commander over there?”

“He seems to be the Chairman of the Mangtong City Council. He is originally from a knightly family of the Holy Empire. He probably has quite a few knights from there under his command.”

“Hmm….”

I nodded at Magician Agpiel’s words.

I now understood why he was so confident with only cavalry stranded out here.

‘I should order the phalanx to be formed even more tightly.’

Against knights from the Holy Empire who were masters of the lance charge, the phalanx could be broken. Of course, it would only be a part of the multi-layered phalanx.

“Signal them to advance slowly. Send an order to Captain Konrad to fire the crossbows when the cavalry gets as close as possible.”

“Yes. Understood.”

After briefly coordinating the front-line units and giving the signal to advance, my army began to move slowly.

The ten units, each consisting of 300 men, moved with their long pikes held high, looking like a porcupine.

Soon, when we clash with the enemy, the results of my investments will become visible.

Just as I was thinking that, a knight burst forth from the enemy lines.

“I am Johan, the third son of the House of Wittelsbach! Is there no brave warrior there to face me-!”

It was a challenge to a duel.

Instantly, both armies halted their advance and watched with interest.

In the world of [Pangea Universalise], duels were not unfamiliar.

They were a culture as common as everyday life.

Victory could raise the morale of one's own army and, conversely, lower the enemy's.

“What, is there no one? You have nothing but cowards over there! Uahahaha.”

“Booooo-!”

As the enemy knight jeered, my soldiers booed back, glancing behind them. They wanted a knight from our army to step forward as well.

“Hmm, it seems we must respond to the duel, my lord. If you permit, I will go.”

“Baaaaa! A duel! A duel, by all means!”

“Hmm….”

I didn't want the army to be swayed by an unnecessary, uncertain variable, but it seemed the soldiers' hearts were set on something else.

Indeed, who would like being treated as a coward? Thinking so, I nodded my head.

“Alright, I permit the duel.”

“!!”

“Then I will go.”

“No, sir. The honor should be mine! My lord, please send me.”

The few knights I had clamored to be sent.

But I shook my head.

“No, I will go.”

“Bwha?”

“What?!”

“No, that is….”

My vassals were bewildered by my words. I, instead of speaking, gripped the hilt of my longsword.

The moment the enemy knight challenged us to a duel.

-Wooooong!

An immense vitality was surging through my body.

As if telling me to crush that bastard right now.

“I will take the duel.”