Tragic news: I forgot to set the scheduled posting time.
There are many times when things don’t turn out as expected, and reality doesn’t align with our plans.
Well, to put it simply, this feeling of “this isn’t what I was looking for” can occur at any point in life.
Ah, I want to go on adventures. I can’t help but reminisce about the busy season when I was unable to set up a table or participate due to the overwhelming workload.
As I keenly felt the desire to explore anew, I leaped up at the sound of the warning bell.
Because I had fallen asleep while staying alert, my sleep was rather light, and I awoke instantly. Grabbing my beloved sword that I never let go of, even when sleeping, I rushed outside without taking the time to don my armor.
“What’s going on!”
As I stepped out of the inn, the member who had been keeping watch on the northern side came running. Apparently, he had been running at full speed, as he was out of breath, yet he loudly reported that a large-scale enemy attack was coming from the northern part of the estate.
“A large scale? Be more specific!”
“It’s a dispersed line! There are also small clusters of close formations scattered among them! It’s hard to make out clearly!”
“Alright, good work! Hurry and organize the evacuation!”
I almost let out a loud sigh in front of my subordinates but caught myself. Calm down. If the leader loses composure, the rest will follow suit. Maintain a composed and dignified stance.
In order to expedite the evacuation of the estate residents, I had to send this person running to the volunteer guardhouse and the estate master’s house for further instructions. We couldn’t keep everyone crowded in the square’s defensive formation forever. Today was the third day since the swift horses were dispatched, and the guards had already been sent home.
Damn, they’re watching too closely, and they’re too smart. It’s quite troubling when they come back with a countermeasure after just one attempt.
Without even going back for my armor, I ran to the north and leaped onto the tower I had previously ascended. A volunteer guard, who had been busy transporting arrow quivers in preparation for defense, looked surprised, but I had no time to spare.
Finally, I couldn’t help but let out a sigh.
In the dimness illuminated only by the faint crescent moon, the shadows of our enemies advanced mockingly, as if mocking us for losing the blessing of the God of Night Shadow.
There were five units of small battle formations, each with five to ten people. In front of them was a sparse formation of skirmishers. Roughly estimating, it was almost like they were intended as sacrifices.
Skirmishers are traditionally employed to engage in ranged attacks using bows or similar weaponry in front of close formations, weakening or disrupting the enemy’s main forces before the main formations clash. In this case, the enemy’s skirmishers were equipped with makeshift slings and a few random bows.
However, the spacing was too large. If they got overrun, they’d be scattered in an instant, and the distance was too great for them to retreat back to the rear after skirmishing.
No, they weren’t planning on retreating.
They were undoubtedly formed to step on our unexploded grease incendiary landmines from the previous raid, aiming to neutralize them with minimal casualties.
With a total of around eighty soldiers, almost half were being used as expendable stones to protect the main force. What a cold and rational judgment. This was a strategy only possible with the undead, who know no fear and follow orders. If they had been ordinary conscripts, a mutiny would have been inevitable.
The regret of being unable to disable either the remote activation or the contact fuse due to the need for affordability and mass production is painful. On our side, we can only either fully activate them or keep both active.
Moreover, reactivating a mine we’ve made inert means having to retrieve it and re-infuse it with magical power.
It was a necessary compromise, but being able to switch functions would have allowed us to ignore the skirmishers, let the main force approach, and then manually detonate the mines with a laugh. This design choice to reduce the workload in favor of quantity has turned out to be a mistake.
“Erich! There are some members coming, but we’re short-handed because of the evacuation… Wait, what happened to your armor!”
“Save me, Siegfried! I didn’t have time to put it on!”
“Are you stupid? Dammit, someone, get me some armor! Are you going to let the leader fight in regular clothes!?”
Someone responded to his command and left the line to fetch it. It was true that I needed to move swiftly for a better judgment of the situation, but it was reassuring not to wander without armor, even though I was worried about having the time to go back later and retrieve it.
“Sorry!”
“No excuses, just give the orders already! We’ve currently got eleven people gathered! The rest are evacuating and strengthening defenses!”
Indeed, Siegfried, you also haven’t fully donned your armor, have you? Even the small steel armor you’ve purchased is not enough with just the top layer. Everyone is scrambling, so no preparations are complete.
This is unfortunate. Due to plans for a long battle and to reduce stamina consumption, we had decided that only the torso and head armor would be worn for guarding duties, which backfired. Armor is exhausting even when just standing still, so we had been optimistic that there wouldn’t be a need to regroup too early.
“How long will the evacuation take!”
“About half an hour! We’re prioritizing the north, but since we’ve already moved the valuables, it shouldn’t take much longer for just the north!”
Time, time, time—it is all we lack. In truth, the situation could have been worse without the werewolves on lookout in the tower, since the darkness could have delayed our discovery of the enemy or allowed them to crawl right up to us.
Frankly, given this situation, we would much prefer to abandon the outer edges and fortify in the center. But until we’ve gathered the estate residents, this is impossible. From my position of command, considering the future, losing even a single non-combatant would be tantamount to losing.
The self-defense volunteers and willing men are expendable in battle if it comes to that.
But if someone unable to fight, especially children or the elderly, dies due to lack of resources, it will be unbearable. Morale will hit rock bottom, and even if we fortify, it will not stand for long.
Why are we forced into such a disadvantageous position?
“Alright! We’ll meet them head-on…”
Ah, no, wait a moment.
“What? What’s wrong!?”
“Just give me a moment, just a little time to think!”
Why are they so steadfastly coming from the north?
Surely they know there are terrifying landmines buried there. While not fully covered, we’ve made trenches all along the borders.
Why would they press forward from the north?
Initially, we assumed enemies were hiding in the northern forest, which led to the current defensive arrangements. Indeed, the enemies hiding in the northern forest had, upon seeing our preparations, chosen to rush us for a quick battle.
However, does it make sense for them to come from the north now?
Normally, one would avoid an area that previously received a heavy counterattack. Moreover, the trenches are incomplete on the other sides. If I were in their position, I would bypass the north, heading west where the farmland stretches out and buildings are not clustered near the borders.
No, it would be better to hassle us from all sides while dispersing skirmishers more thinly. Animated corpses can perform five times the work of regular soldiers, given they move as a group. If that’s the case, it would be unwise to focus on breaking through a single point in our fifty-odd able-bodied defenders.
Time, please give me time to think. Dammit, stop distracting my thoughts! Don’t conjure up visions of the fiendish GM turning over an hourglass in real time, tightening our thinking time!
This is half intuition, half conjecture.
But it’s exactly the kind of strategy I would use myself, and one that would be utterly frustrating to encounter.
Our enemies are no fools here. Within such a short period, they’ve reorganized their forces and attacked at an inconvenient time. Simply dispersing animated corpses simultaneously would make me appear foolish for dividing my own forces…
“…Siegfried!”
“What?!”
“Can you hold them off?”
The question lacked a subject and object, but my comrade understood without asking.
“…You lot! Don’t tell me you can’t fight without an amulet on your blonde hair! What do you think?”
“Shut up! Let’s show you how it’s done!”
“Don’t underestimate the blonde hair! Since you’re the one who forged our weapons, show a little trust!”
“Our group isn’t a bunch of snot-nosed brats from some private academy!”
Uncouth battle cries erupted, full of the adventurer’s lively spirit. Some flashed obscene gestures, while others raised their spears high and roared. Surveying them, Siegfried let out a snort.
This was not his usual expression of dissatisfaction but rather one of satisfaction, boasting of the compatriots before him.
He dramatically drew his sword, pointed it at me, and roared.
“That’s right, uptight fellow! Stop getting ahead of yourself. If you’ve got something to take care of, do it! We’re not just your “add-ons”! We’ll hold them off for at least half an hour!”
It was a refreshingly bold declaration. Siegfried judged that with himself, the upcoming Lady Kaya, eleven men, and the archers on the tower, they could hold off the enemy troops for half an hour.
Unlike last time, the enemy will now proceed carefully along safe routes because our landmines only detonate when multiple people are within their range, which I cannot configure under current circumstances.
Even if they are thinned out, the skirmishers will be their limit. Dozens of undead will still reach them.
The trenches will limit their advance routes, but the battle will be tough.
However, he judged it to be manageable.
They are not merely rowdy adventurers hired for a mere fifty asses per day.
They are far more than mere hangers-on to the golden hair’s every move — resembling goldfish excrement.
They are honored adventurers of the Sword Friend’s Association.
“Leave it to you! Once the evacuation is complete, withdraw if I don’t return!”
“Shut up! Don’t worry about it! If you find anyone along the way, feel free to pick them up!”
There’s nothing more admirable than having comrades you can count on so completely. It is such a blessing to have a battlefield where you can fight without regrets.
“Mister! Here’s your armor and shield!”
A member with sure footing… was it Mathieu who went to fetch the armor? He set the armor chest down at my feet, and the members gathered around to help me put it on. Smith Master’s armor design prioritizes both defensive capability and ease of donning, which is very helpful in urgent combat situations. With help, one person can get fully armored in ten minutes, or with assistance, within five minutes, ready for battle.
“Then, it’s in your hands.”
“Yeah! Hurry up and go! If you linger, we’ll finish everything ourselves!”
All worries are gone. Backed by the reliable voices of my companions, I set off running.
Firstly, to the west.
The estate has forests on both the north and west for logging purposes, but the western one, compared to the northern, is much thinner —— probably due to timber harvesting —— and farther away, hence it was ranked slightly lower in terms of vigilance.
Moreover, the trenches had not reached this area, and due to inventory issues, the landmines were also sparse. The signal whistles were placed here, but at this point, they’re practically useless.
On the way to the border, I encountered several families. Upon hearing their brief reports, it was evident that the Self-Defense Association and the Sword Friends Association watchmen were already cooperating in evacuating residents, leaving only two men on the lookout tower, with the rest scattered throughout the estate assisting with evacuations.
Based on the mental map in my head, there are likely only two more families left to evacuate. These two are relatively close and should have been organized to move together for safety’s sake.
At the same time that I thought I needed to hurry, a doubt crept in that my assumptions might be wrong.
Are enemies also not coming from the west? Or are they concentrating all their forces on the north…
Suddenly, the warning bell resounded across my anxiety, piercing the air. The source was directly ahead, from the west where I was headed. Straining my ears, I could hear the shrill sounds of the signal whistles mixed with the <Keen Ear> skill, and a great pillar of fire erupted in the distance, driving away the night.
Someone had stepped on a landmine.
Releasing the pent-up energy I had stored for the sake of endurance, I ran at full speed, pushing myself to the brink of stumbling. Just as I approached, I could see a group running toward me with their torches held high.
I couldn’t mistake the man leading them. It was the stout half-bull man, Etan, who had been stationed at the western watchtower tonight. He must be assisting in the evacuation of residents, but it was quite an intense scene.
On his back, securely tied with ropes, was an elderly man unable to walk quickly. In his right arm, he was holding two children, while a torch, serving as his flashlight, was held by the kids. In his left hand, he was carefully cradling a heavily pregnant woman, and upon closer inspection, there was another child on his shoulders!
Behind him was a family carrying only the bare essentials, with a little goblin, Karsten, bringing up the rear. Despite his small frame, Karsten was doing his best to encourage any villagers who were slowing down from fatigue.
I cross-referenced the familiar faces of the residents and their residences in my mind. This was the last family in the westernmost part of the estate who were the farthest from the center.
Well done! If this family can return safely, the west will be clear!
The group also noticed me and started shouting. Good, let them continue ahead, while I will go and rescue the group at the watchtower who must be under attack… No, wait, I hear something.
The sound of the ground shaking, the heavy breathing, and the pounding against the earth were sounds I have more than enough familiarity with.
It was the thunderous galloping and battle cries of warhorses that had become ingrained in my eardrums over days in the saddle. Emerging much faster than our mutual approach, a squad of mounted soldiers now came into view. They were carrying long spears and wearing heavy armor that only a mount could bear, the mainstay of the battlefield—the heavy cavalry, and complemented by ten lighter cavalry soldiers.
Cursing under my breath—these bastards! They dispersed, infiltrated, and regrouped inside! And they prioritized speed by ignoring the watchtower!!
At that moment, I felt a mixed complexity inside me.
On the one hand, it gave relief that it wasn’t mere paranoia, but on the other hand, bringing in such decisive force was going overboard.
This can’t possibly be the right cavalry to deploy when attacking a minor estate. What on earth are they thinking?
Curse it all, I can’t get there in time. If this continues, they’ll be trampled to such an extent they’ll become indistinguishable from the ground.
The time it will take for the front cavalry to attack, there’s no time to hesitate.
This is the perfect opportunity to unleash my full strength. It’s not about showboating for vanity or dramatic effect; honestly, if I held back here, I’d never breathe freely again in the future.
In that case, it’s perfect. Siegfried and the others are also giving it their all.
Then, let’s throw my all into this.
The absurd and overwhelming brute force, indulge yourself in it fully.
There’s no need to hold back. Rest assured, I’ll collect my fee later… …
【Tip】 Heavy cavalry. While they don’t have the same absolute dominance as in the past due to the prevalence of dense formations, they still possess powerful breakthrough and impact abilities, as well as incomparable mobility.
Deploying them to attack an estate-scale target, their breakthrough and mobility can overwhelm the defense capabilities of small outposts easily.
No one ever said the previous raid was the climax…
I once participated in a middle-scale campaign that had five major climactic events.
Also, very belatedly, but the January volume of my book “Mr. Henderson’s Gospel” was up for voting in the Light Novel News Online Award.
Having completely forgotten to announce it, I assume many have already voted, but if you would kindly consider casting a vote, it would be greatly appreciated.
Voting is open until February 28, so thank you for your support.
