In the conference room, the head of the regiment summoned several captains of the Wind Cavalry Regiment (Uncle Leaf, the second captain, Sister Cana, the third captain, the fourth captain, Elder Walde, and the alternate captain, me) to discuss the battle situation. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Little Lacey has just returned, let's briefly talk about the situation. The Knights and Mercenaries of Tayek have not moved," said the Commander, pointing to the battle map, "one of them is stationed at the castle of Zhordian and the other near the ruins of Roquetar, and the military has launched several attacks on the Knights, but they have all been repulsed. ”

"They're strong?" I asked.

"No, the main thing is that Tajek is holding out and not fighting, and the military headquarters are all tentative attacks - it is strange that we withdraw our troops from Tajek and do not pursue them."

"What the hell......" Leaf muttered and scratched his head.

"The mercenary group suddenly sent a surprise attack to the Ground Cavalry a few days ago, and after defeating the Earth Cavalry, they retreated back to the Castle of Jardian-what do you think?"

"How's Jana's supply?" Old Wood was as steady as ever.

"The castle had a lot of supplies, but after the battle, Tayek attacked so quickly that they were almost all of them—and supplies were constantly being sent from Tayek. It is conservatively estimated that their existing supplies will last at least half a year. Sister Jana explained.

"Waiting for other countries to respond?" I asked tentatively.

"No," Old Wood shook his head, "Northridge has always been friendly with our country, I have seen Prince Raven when he came to marry our princess, and he is definitely a reliable partner, as for those tribal allies in the west, they are scattered sand, and they don't have the decent military strength to participate in the war at all—not to mention that Hagia Sophia is in our country, considering the close relationship between the church and our country, attacking our country may offend the church, except for the current Tayek, who would dare?" ”

“……”

The whereabouts are unknown.

At the beginning of the war, the Talleyk raid was very rapid, and it was obvious that the mercenary group was going to attack our capital with the strongest surprise and the fastest speed, and the Knights were responsible for the mercenary group, which was unconventional but reasonable.

But then it was incredible.

There is no reason for the well-prepared Tajek to be satisfied with merely encroaching on part of our territory, and it is impossible for Tajek not to be unaware of the combat effectiveness of our main knights. But it seems that they have voluntarily given up the great advantage of the chaos in our country caused by sudden attacks since the beginning of the war - is it possible that they are really prepared to rely on the stronghold castle and our main force to fight hard?

There is also the move of the mercenary group - it is clear that the ground cavalry group has been defeated, so it means that the road to the imperial city has been opened, why not take advantage of the victory to pursue it? Even if they are afraid of the other knight regiments of our main force, they can at least advance the battle line by at least half and cause even more confusion in the troop dispatch of our * department, but the mercenary regiment withdrew after the battle, which is also outrageous.

Could it be that their purpose is not the capital?

"Ahh

"What did little Lacey think?" Sister Jana asked.

I shook my head, "There are too many oddities, but I have an ......assumption," I looked up at the regimental commander, uncertain, "as if they were giving us time." ”

"Give us time?"

"Well, regardless of their purpose, just from the results: the initial raid caused tension in our military headquarters, and the unusually mercenary group-based attack method made our strategy of blocking the knights and containing the mercenary group into a joke, the offensive routes of the knights and the mercenary group were so far apart, and a large number of troops were transferred to block the knights, and when it was found that the enemy was actually the main force of the mercenary group, the only thing the military department could use was the knights who were near the imperial city as a reserve - so the ground cavalry was sent to resist the mercenary group."

"Well," the regimental commander nodded, "and then?" ”

"The mercenaries retreated after defeating the Ground Cavalry, and I think they were just boasting of their prowess. Judging from the results, it seems that nothing good has been gained, but ......," I hesitated, finally clearing my mind, "but it should be the same shock to our military headquarters - the four knights, known for their defensive strength, have been easily defeated!"

"Boasting of force? Do you expect us to surrender? Lief couldn't help but laugh.

"No," I explained, "it's just telling us that it's not okay to beat Tajek without giving it our all." It is entirely possible that the mercenary regiment led by the Burial Corps will be able to attack the edge of the Imperial City as quickly as possible at the beginning of the war - but they don't, because even if they capture the Imperial City, they may not be able to withstand the counterattack of the surrounding knights. Now that the Knights were easily defeated, it proved that it would take at least two or even three of the four Cavalry Regiments to deal with the Tajek Mercenaries - what about the strength to fight the Tajek Knights? We only have four cavalry regiments in our main force! If I were the commander-in-chief of the military headquarters, I would absolutely issue a mobilization order and gather all the forces of the reserve - now the two armies of Tayek are only on the defensive, not offensive, just giving the military department the time to mobilize the most - they are ready to annihilate us in a decisive battle! ”

"Ridiculous ......" After listening to my analysis, the regimental commander spat out the word in a daze, and judging from his incredulous expression, it was obvious that he agreed with my point of view, but he agreed with a conclusion that was extremely absurd.

"Ridiculous," Lief nodded with a wry smile, "but it's the only conclusion that explains Tayek's movements—"

"And," I continued, "that would explain the cavalry I had just strife. ”

"Huh?"

"That team is constantly attacking the grain convoy and the assembled lord's private army, and on the surface it seems to be obstructing the build-up of our army's combat readiness, but--can it be achieved with just one team to prevent full * support?"

"You mean they're covering up?"

"Well, I don't want us to feel that the gathering of troops is very smooth, although the demons who undertook the task have other plans, but the purpose should be achieved."

"That's ridiculous," thought the regimental commander, "if it's really what you think, then Tayek won't make a move until we gather our troops, and I'll report your idea to the military department, but—" the regimental commander smiled bitterly, "I don't know how many people in the military department can believe such a ridiculous idea?" ”

"Don't say it's the military department, even I don't believe it." I shook my head unconfidently, "The purpose of the explanation is to explain, but how to annihilate us?" It's simply impossible! Don't report it - just think it's my thoughts. ”

"At least Lacey thought of a possibility," the regimental commander patted me on the shoulder approvingly, "the military headquarters meeting is held almost every day, and no result has been discussed, that group of combat staff officers!" Rubbish! ”

"It's just—what are we going to do? What if it's really like what Lacey Jr. said? Sister Jana asked.

"I'll go to the military headquarters now, Cana, and you go find that old bastard of St. Wood."

"Huh?"

"How is it possible to annihilate us in one fell swoop, relying solely on the strength of Tayek's army? It's still magic, and you ask the great sage if there's any magic he can do - tie that guy here if possible! ”

"Sister Cana still needs to be tied? Didn't the old man come over after a little temptation? I couldn't help but interject, "Ah! It hurts! ”

In the midst of everyone's laughter, I was knocked hard by Sister Cana.

"Lacey," the Captain smiled and helped me pull away Sister Jana who wanted to continue chasing me, "you take a few people to reconnoiter the ruins of Roktar - just in time you can take care of your personal affairs by the way, and the mercenary group will leave it to Liv." ”

"Oh, understood!"

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"No wonder several counterattacks organized by the military department failed." Looking at the enemy camp in Tayek in the distance, I sighed.

"yes, I'm glad I came to see it in person, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to solve this mystery, haha." Akers agreed.

"Alright, rest, Zamka, you go to the sentry." I stretched and lay down on my back.

"Hey! Red-eyed idiots! What sleep now? And, why did the counterattack fail?! Lages beside him said dissatisfiedly.

"Promise, don't forget to promise." I replied lazily.

The team snickered.

Lagers was stunned for a moment, and finally couldn't help but shout: "Miss Ben doesn't care! Tell me! Or just roast you with a fireball!

When the team set out, I happened to run into Lagers, who wanted to drag me to the court banquet, and after a while of nonsense, the troublesome princess insisted on joining my team.

Take the princess to scout in the enemy camp? I guess only we bastards can do that—Osin's argument for persuading me to agree was: "After all, the princess is a magic swordsman, and she knows more about magic than we do, so she might be useful when scouting—we don't have a magician." ”

I'm more inclined to believe that the actual reason for this group of bastard players is: another headache for the captain, there is a good show to watch.

Actually, what really softened my heart was the words of Lagers: "I am a princess, I have the responsibility to do something to protect the country, and I don't want to be protected by everyone all the time." ”

A few years ago, I wanted to protect Xiao Di but couldn't do it......

However, in consideration of the princess's willfulness, I put a condition on my way to Lagersis to join: obey the command and not cause trouble.

Now it seems that the agreement is not valid for the wayward princess.

"Okay......" I said, settling up, "promise I'll explain it to you without interjecting." ”

The distant Tayek Knights camp did not choose to be stationed in the ruins of Roktar, but chose to be stationed in a nearby mountain.

This is easy to understand, these mountains have often been used as bases by bandits in the past, and there will naturally be no shortage of water supplies. The barbarian nation of Tayek itself is in the middle of a mountainous range, and those soldiers are of course best at mountain warfare - who can resist a group of barbarian soldiers rushing down from the mountains with huge axes in their hands?

As for our Dorakia, the most boastful force is a powerful cavalry regiment, and although the infantry phalanx is not weak, it is not at all comparable to Tayek in individual combat ability. Our tactical thinking has always been to fight the enemy in the plains as much as possible, but Tajek held on to the mountains - took the initiative to attack the mountains? The cavalry can't gallop, the infantry can't open the phalanx, and it's a few troops that have been temporarily mobilized, so it's no wonder if they don't lose!

Still, there's one thing I'm still concerned about.

The Tayek camp is too scattered.

Although it is not very clear from the distance, the way the east and west clusters are arranged always feels strange - how can they take care of each other when they are so far apart? The outermost one, I dare say, is an hour after the battle began, and the nearest camp reinforcements may not be able to catch up.

It is best to get close at night and observe carefully.

"That's it......" Lagers scratched her hair as if she didn't understand, "what could be the reason?" ”

"I just don't understand it, so I have to go and see it at night!" I resisted the urge to knock her on the head.

"Red-eyed idiot, guess what? Didn't Captain Hironi and Sister Cana praise you for your cleverness? Can't you even guess this? ”

“……”

"Okay~ Princess," Lao Bai helped me out of the siege, "There is so little information, how can you guess if you call the captain?" Come, eat some freshly roasted jerky. ”

"Hmm...... Just guess what's wrong, can't you? Lagersis still unyielding with jerky.

"I can't do it according to the captain's character! He needs intelligence, does intelligence understand? Akers glanced at me with a smile, "Princess, why do you keep sticking to the captain?" Do you also favor him? Give up, give up - our captain already has a master. ”

"What! He's Miss Ben's—" Lagersis hesitated for a moment, then changed her words, "Is he Miss Ben's Bodyguard Knight, of course, you have to pay attention, this time just to see how capable he is." ”

"And after that?"

"After that? After that, of course, it was to wait for him to establish meritorious deeds - how could Miss Ben's knight of the guard not have a title of nobility? At least a baron, no, a viscount! ”

"Poof! Hahahaha! Sir Threstine, Sir Threstine! Not bad, not bad! Akers smiled and leaned in and slapped me on the shoulder, "Good title!" Good title! ”

"It's still the title chosen by the princess herself!" Oshin couldn't stop laughing, too.

“…… Is it that funny? Lagersis was visibly confused, "What are you laughing at?!" Can you guys stop being so mysterious?! ”

"If you want to establish merit here, getting a reward is the biggest joke~ Miss!" I replied with a smile.

Lagersis blinked her purple eyes blankly, looking even more inexplicable: "Why? ”

"We're all mercenaries! - The captain is only half a team," Osin explained, "or we wouldn't be a special detachment of the Windsriders." ”

"Wouldn't it be nice to make it official?"

"The point is - we don't want to!" Akers threw a piece of jerky into the air and easily reached out to catch it, "How good is a mercenary?" There are not so many rules and not so many etiquette, so comfortable. ”

“……”

"Look at the captain, with his ability, as long as he goes to the Lief squadron, it is definitely very easy to get a reward, if you rely on his brain, it should not be difficult to mix with a civilian staff officer in the military department, but he is with us, and he is carrying out some assassination and sabotage missions - these tasks are against the spirit of chivalry and cannot be made public! Of course, I can't take credit for it. ”

"Then why not—" Lagersis still didn't understand.

"Attention, attention, attention! Cialis and I only like money, Oshin likes gambling debts, and Lao Bai likes corpses, captain...... Although he didn't mention it, everyone knew that there was definitely something more important to him than building merit to train himself so urgently. ”

"For Ogi's sake, huh?" Lagers turned to me and asked, a little lonely in her eyes.

I nodded.

"Yes, after becoming a nobleman, the red-eyed idiot can't go to her freely."

"Hmm."

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"Bastard, what the hell are they doing in Tayek?!" Oshin scolded, "You didn't sleep all night?!" ”

"I've been waiting all night...... "Ax yawned tiredly, and turned his head to look at Lagersis, who was leaning on me and was asleep, "The captain has a beautiful woman to accompany him all night, I am so envious!." ”

"Do you think it's easy for me to stay in this position all night?" I replied angrily, and then pushed Lagersis awake, "Hey, Miss! Get up! ”

"Huh?" Lagersis opened her eyes in a daze, "Done?" ”

"No, they don't sleep all night, and we can't get in at all." Oshin sighed and asked me, "Captain, what should I do?" Wait another night? ”

"No," I shook my head, "you see, the camps that had been noisy all night were silent, and it seems that they must have been preparing something during the night - let's dig tunnels. ”

"Dig a tunnel in the mountains?!" Lagers was surprised.

"For example! Isn't their behavior similar to that of the tunnel excavation team during the siege? ”

"Oh-"

"The outermost camp at the foot of the mountain is easy to explain, weren't they the only ones who didn't move last night? Their mission was supposed to be to intercept the spotted scouts, and scouts from any camp they would have to pass through when they retreated. And those warning magic arrays that Lagersis found—"

"Tajek is really preparing something, and he doesn't want us to find out yet."

"Alright, don't venture into it. Our mission is accomplished. ”

"Done? It's as simple as that?! Lagersis was a little dissatisfied, "Didn't you do nothing?" There are also personnel and equipment in Tajek~ Didn't you go to investigate the formation? ”

"Princess, do you really treat us as scouts?! Those who have specialized scout investigations, we are just looking at the suspicious places in Tajek. Akers replied.

"Ah...... So boring. ”

"Princess, if you're bored, you'll go with the captain in a while~" Osin began to make a bad move.

"Huh?"

"The captain should be going to a place in a while, you can follow, and a few of us will go back to our lives first, right? Captain? ”

"......" I glared at Orsin.

"Huh? Red-eyed idiot, where are you going? ”

"Haha~ This is the captain's hometown~ At this time last year, the captain was also-"

"That's it! Bastard! Get out of here! I cursed.