by Ryota Hori
But as many tactical texts outlined, that tactic was a terribly dangerous one. Splitting one’s forces makes each individual group easier to eliminate.
He’s not wrong to understand that. But he’s a bit too hard-headed. Though I suppose it stems from his lack of experience...
He was better than Meltina, who still made her displeasure blatantly clear by glaring daggers at Ryoma, but Mikhail couldn’t be called too bright, either. That wasn’t to say he was dumb. He was born to a high-ranking family of knights and given the appropriate education since his infancy.
But that was all he had. Knowing how to play by the book was important, but if one was to win a war, acting outside of established tactics at times was necessary.
“I see. Quite shrewd of you, Sir Ryoma... You see well into the opponent’s mental state and circumstances. But this chance won’t last long.”
Helena’s words made everyone present in the room stir in surprise. Seeing their reaction, Helena heaved a small sigh.
I suppose that’s how the chips fall...
Very few people read the state of affairs between battles, and only those blessed by the gods with the prudence to do so were given the right to sip from the goblet of triumph.
“What are you implying? Sir Ryoma, Helena, what are you talking about?”
“Now would be the easiest time to attack the enemy’s territory, Your Highness.”
Ryoma answered Princess Lupis’s question the moment she asked it, but that did little to clear her doubts. She still wasn’t clear on why exactly now would be the best time to attack.
Ryoma began explaining things as simply as possible, so as to make his thoughts clear to the clueless members of the conference.
“I originally proposed we lure the enemy toward the capital, since I thought attacking the enemy ourselves would be too difficult. But the situation has changed.”
Since the perilous crossing would leave their forces open for attack from the enemy, both Duke Gelhart and Princess Lupis were left staring each other down from opposite sides of the river, neither of them crossing into the other’s territories. Considering the difficulty of the march and securing a line of supply, luring the enemy closer to one’s base and intercepting them there would be that much simpler.
But the war situation took a swing in an unexpected direction with General Albrecht’s surprising choice, and while it only birthed a very slight possibility, it was a chance that could lead to them ending the war in one fell swoop.
“I don’t think General Albrecht joining forces with Duke Gelhart is a problem at all. If anything, I believe they both made a huge blunder by doing so.”
As Ryoma’s voice echoed through the conference room, everyone stood completely still. It was proof people placed absolute faith in what he had to say. Though, truth be told, only a few people, among them Helena and Chris, truly realized the meaning behind Ryoma’s words.
“I don’t quite understand... The enemy’s forces are bolstered. In what way is that a blunder?”
Princess Lupis and Meltina nodded deeply at Mikhail’s question. True enough, if one were to simply examine the situation on the surface level, his opinion would seem valid. The enemy’s forces growing would normally be seen as a great negative.
Indeed, normally...
“How is it not? It’s certainly troubling that they have more soldiers now, but that would pose problems of its own for them. Mikhail, knowing General Albrecht, do you think he’d accept Duke Gelhart’s orders, no matter how badly cornered he is?”
That question finally made the light of understanding light up in Mikhail’s face.
“It goes without saying, doesn’t it? If General Albrecht was the kind of man who would simply obey other people without a fuss, we wouldn’t be in this situation. At first, he would no doubt grapple with Duke Gelhart over the right to lead...”
A small sigh escaped Mikhail’s lips.
Both aspired to take control of Rhoadseria and were likely to go into a power struggle over it. They also both had haughty, intolerable personalities. They were unlikely to be willing to walk side by side peacefully.
“Well, neither of them is stupid. Eventually they’d come to a compromise... But if we were to strike now...”
There was no need to finish that sentence. The most important part of running a war is the right to command. One can gather the largest army imaginable, but without a resolved general to command it, victory wouldn’t come. History has proven that more than enough.
In simpler terms, you could liken it to changing positions within a company. If a section manager and the head of a department were to give conflicting orders, which order would the workers follow? In most cases, they’d obey the head of department, since he’d be higher up the chain.
But what if it were the company president and the head of a department? The president would be given priority. Almost anyone would be likely to agree with that. Unless some unusual circumstances are at play, the higher-ranked individual will have their orders prioritized.
But what if a company had two presidents? They would both be the boss, and if they were to give conflicting orders, those below them wouldn’t know what to do, as they couldn’t discern which order they should abide by.
The situation now was comparable to that. If Duke Gelhart was enough of a man to grant General Albrecht command over his troops out of respect for his superiority as a military commander, or if the General was gallant enough to realize just how small his forces were and would obey the Duke and his superior numbers, Ryoma would by no means be optimistic over this situation.
But Duke Gelhart and General Albrecht were lowly human beings. Haughty and intolerant. And since Ryoma knew this well ahead of time, he concluded that now would be an opportune moment to attack.
“So that’s what you mean... I see.” Princess Lupis’s eyes lit up with understanding.
Once explained, his reason was perfectly understandable. Princess Lupis had been associated with both men for many years, and Ryoma’s explanation clicked with many of her recollections of the two. The other people present also seemed to agree. But there were still doubts remaining.
“I see what you are getting at now. Your assumptions are likely correct, Sir Ryoma,” Count Bergstone said. “But even if we set out now, would we get there in time?”
True, Duke Gelhart and General Albrecht were both arrogant and impatient, but they’d both held the positions of the strongest people in this country for years. They were no fools. This opening to attack only existed for this moment, as they’d only just joined forces. If the two were to discuss things and reach an understanding, that opening would disappear.
“May I ask something?” For the first time since the conference opened, Chris, who had been sitting silently in the seat beside Ryoma’s, parted his lips to speak.
“And who might you be?”
“My apologies. I am Chris Morgan, an aide to Lady Helena,” Chris replied to Count Bergstone’s question, bowing his head. “There’s something bothering me, so I thought I should ask.”
“I see, so you’re the one...”
Several other people nodded at Count Bergstone’s words.
He sat at Helena’s side as if it was obvious for him to be there, so no one dared ask, but everyone was quite curious as to who he was.
But Chris paid no mind to everyone’s attitude, turning to gaze at Ryoma with the documents he brought with him in hand.
“I believe your analysis of the situation is accurate, Sir Mikoshiba. But still, it is all too sudden. We’ve come to make preparations for the defensive line, in accordance with our original schedule. Even if we call in the troops now, organizing the ranks and preparing provisions and supplies would take us four to five days. Considering the troops’ speed, we’d only reach the river Thebes in twelve to fourteen days. Do you believe the enemy will remain in discord until then?”
Chris’s eyes shone with a provocative light.
“Are you saying we hav
e no time?”
Chris nodded quietly at Count Bergstone’s question.
Chris’s words were accurate. A chance means nothing if one cannot grasp it in time. Their original plan was to intercept the nobles’ army in the vicinity of the capital, and large amounts of provisions were stocked up in the capital’s storehouses for that purpose.
The same held true for the troops’ formations. Sending troops out to Heraklion would mean all their preparations were for naught, and that would require them to reorganize their formations from scratch.
Of course, there were some aspects they could reuse, but it would still take quite some time to reorganize everything. Ryoma was well aware of this, though.
“True, moving all our forces right now is impossible, and if we try to force it, it’ll be pointless, since we won’t cross the Thebes before the General and the Duke reach an agreement. But if we take just a small number of soldiers... A cavalry unit of around two thousand knights and mercenaries, we have a good chance of arriving on time.”
Chris’s estimated number of days was based on the assumption that the forces would be knights and soldiers traveling on foot—the slowest possible march speed. But if they were to have only those capable of thaumaturgy riding on horseback, they’d be able to move much faster and arrive without requiring that much rest or using any spells. They would arrive much faster than anticipated.
“But... Even if you do cross the Thebes with two thousand soldiers, what would that achieve?” Meltina raised the final problematic point in place of Chris, who fell silent. “The enemy has over sixty thousand men on their side. No matter how many tricks you pull, I don’t see you winning with those odds.”
It was certainly possible for two thousand cavaliers to cross the river Thebes in a few days’ time, but once they did, they’d be firmly in Duke Gelhart’s territory. Meltina’s words were true, even while teeming as they were with spite, but Ryoma understood that even better than she did.
“I considered that too, of course. Two thousand would be no match for a force of sixty thousand. But if the rest of the military begins their preparations soon after the cavalry leave the capital, it would take them ten days to cross the Thebes. Even if we take our time preparing, it would take two weeks. And I have confidence that with two thousand men, we’ll be able to hold a position until that time.”
Ryoma’s words were brimming with confidence, and his attitude made everyone present fall silent.
Is he mad?
It was only natural that Chris would cast a suspicious glance at him. He’d just suggested using two thousand troops to hold back a force thirty times that size. This wasn’t a suggestion one could easily agree with. But they couldn’t deny it altogether, either. Helena watching over Ryoma’s confident, unwavering smile with a grin of her own forbade them from doing so.
“Do you have a plan?” Princess Lupis’s words broke the silence, to which Ryoma nodded.
Ryoma didn’t believe he’d be able to hold back the enemy in a head-on battle, either, but he didn’t want to see this chance pass them by. If they let the opportunity slip, General Albrecht and Duke Gelhart could yet form an alliance against them. And once they did, the Thebes would become a virtually impassable obstacle for them, making the conflict drag on much longer. They would have to strike now, even if it might be a touch reckless.
The gazes of everyone around the table naturally focused on Princess Lupis. All the arguments had been exhausted, and all that remained was her verdict.
Can we really win if we attack them now? Doubts surfaced and disappeared in Princess Lupis’s heart. Is it really possible to hold back a force of over sixty thousand with a mere two thousand?
The princess pondered Ryoma’s words, knowing full well her judgment would sway the fate of the country. With that pressure bearing down on her, Helena broke her long silence to give her the push she needed.
“I believe we should go with his plan. Twiddling our thumbs right now would not make our situation any better. And like he said, the way things are now, I believe we ought to go on the offensive.”
With Helena, who had survived countless lethal battlefields, giving her advice, Princess Lupis reached a decision.
“Understood. Ryoma Mikoshiba, I entrust command of an advance party of two thousand troops to you. Defend it to the death until the main force arrives!”
This moment would go down in history as the moment of the start of the first act of the Battle of Heraklion.
With Princess Lupis’s decision, the dispatch of troops was decided upon, and the conference was concluded, but Ryoma, Lione and Boltz gathered in one of the castle’s rooms.
“I swear, boy, the balls on ya...” Lione cracked a smile when Ryoma finished his report. “Ya didn’t have to tread on thin ice like that.”
She wasn’t truly criticizing him, though, but rather speaking like an older sister who had to clean up after her mischievous young brother’s blunders.
“Missing the chance would just make the war go on that much longer, though...” Smirking, Lione took a swig from a bottle of liquor.
“Your suspicions are pretty concerning as well, and it’s probably for the best if we finish this war as fast as possible, lad.” Boltz was chewing on some beef jerky they had as a snack to go with the alcohol.
Lione and Boltz, with their rich array of experience, understood the flow of the war Ryoma talked about all too well.
“But lad... How are you going to ward off sixty thousand troops?” Boltz gently asked the biggest question.
Boltz held great respect for Ryoma, but it wasn’t out of blind faith. It didn’t take a mathematician to understand that two thousand troops stood no chance before sixty thousand.
If Ryoma Mikoshiba wasn’t the one helming this operation, Boltz would have gathered his men and hightailed it by now. If the young man had some stratagem that would make the impossible possible, he wanted to hear it.
“Well, it also depends on how well you handle things. I’m gonna have to ask you two to attend to certain matters, and our victory depends on how you perform.”
With that said, Ryoma already knew their prospects for victory.
There’s no telling how the variables turn up, after all... We have to hurry up and get our preparations in order...
How much they could prepare ahead of time would go on to decide whether this ended in victory or defeat for them. And this didn’t just apply to war. Even things as mundane as studies or sports required preparation. An adequately prepared individual has the leeway to make more choices.
Though conversely, being prepared didn’t necessarily mean one would get their desired outcome. Preparations were meaningless if one missed the chance to put them into use.
“Oh! You mean that?” Boltz raised his voice in surprise at Ryoma’s remark. “I mean, it is impressive, but... Do you really think we could block them off with just that?”
“What’re ya shivering like a fawn for? The boy had ya train for it, so you’ll be fine.”
Boltz went pale at the idea, but Lione replied with a calm voice.
“Our newest hires are ready too, right?”
“Yeah, all good. They were pretty shocked at first, but I beat the order of things into ’em! Ya can rest easy on that front.”
Ryoma’s orders were rather unusual for this world’s mercenaries, but Lione followed through on her role.
“In that case, I think we’ll be fine, Boltz.”
Hearing Ryoma’s words, a relieved smile spread over Boltz’s face.
“Well, we placed our bets on ya, boy. All we can do now is pray yer not a dud.”
Lione’s tone was relaxed, but her eyes were dead serious. After all, she was a person who led and held responsibility over people, however few, as a brigade leader.
“I can promise you that much,” Ryoma could answer with a shrug.
He was simply a man, not a god or hero of any kind, so he couldn’t say he’d win without a doubt...
Once Lione
and Boltz left his room, Ryoma received a report from the Malfist sisters.
“Master Ryoma, the arrangements you requested are complete.”
“Thanks,” he nodded gently at Laura’s words.
The expenses were quite high, but their lives were on the line. He didn’t know if he would actually make use of this, but it was better to have an ace up his sleeve if possible.
“And as for your other instruction... We found them.”
Ryoma’s lips curled up at Laura’s words.
“Were they mixed into the mercenaries?”
“Just like you said they’d be, in a newly hired mercenary group.”
“That’d make sense... Make sure to keep your eyes on them, all right?”
“Yes, we’re keeping a careful watch on them. Me, Sara and one of Lione’s men are working in shifts to that end.”
“Do we know who sent them?”
Sara shook her head wordlessly.
“I see... Well, that’s fine. Let them run free for the moment. We’ll have a use for them sooner or later.”
“Shouldn’t we dispose of them as soon as we can, Master Ryoma?”
“No, better to have as many cards as possible in our deck. Besides, if we disposed of them now, whoever sent them would just dispatch someone else.”
Killing spies is an exhausting task in that regard. Just like rats and vermin, the only way to take care of them definitively is to strike at the source.
“As you wish.” Laura bowed her head silently.
The next day, the cavaliers’ horses roared as they rode out of Pireas, their animal instincts picking up on the scent of approaching war. Even without regard for the fact they were bred as war horses, they vigorously kicked against the ground as their heads shook.
“Let’s go!” Sharing Laura’s horse, Ryoma raised his voice, and the surrounding mercenaries set out at once.
“““We depart! Begin the march!”””
“““Ooooooooooh! Glory to the Kingdom of Rhoadseria! To victory!”””
With countless fists swinging into the air, they filled their harnesses with prana, activating their endowed thaumaturgy. Their objective—Duke Gelhart’s dominion, Heraklion.