xxi

The combined command of the Imperial and Directory forces is located outside the range of most of the opponent's magic and light medium artillery. The headquarters was a large makeshift wooden house, built right in the middle of the post road leading to Gistov. On the left side of the entrance to the headquarters is the iron bottom diagonal cross flag, and on the right side is the green cross flag of the Directory Army, and the tables and chairs inside are also divided into two sides, which do not interfere with each other.

"The Halberd Division has sent another group of fresh troops! The attacking troops have suffered heavy losses and cannot continue the attack!"

"Regroup the team, and in fifteen minutes the 3rd Regiment on the right flank will be responsible for organizing the next attack!"

Danika leaned in the corner of the headquarters tent and leisurely watched the noisy staff officers. The aristocratic officers of the Imperial Volunteer Army and the youthful staff officers of the Directory Army kept coming up with plans, arguing, quoting scriptures, and finally reaching one reluctant compromise after another.

The tactics of the Emperor, which was based on "offensive" and "breakthrough", were so incompatible with the tactics of the Free Army, which emphasized "firepower" and "defense", that even the actions of a single company would be at odds. The Imperial staff always tried to pack as many troops as possible in a small area, while the Directory staff emphasized the need to increase the length of the front as much as possible with the overlapping artillery fire of both sides, and no one could convince anyone. When someone came to consult her opinion as the supreme commander "Marshal Govar", she always smiled and prevaricated, not saying yes or no, just asking them to think more. Her actions cushioned the tension in the headquarters well, and everyone felt ridiculous when they saw that Govar was still calm.

Of course, no one knew that she was only doing this to avoid the attention of the Secretary of State for Security.

Sid and Nasser also watched the work of the officer corps from the tent, and from time to time made some suggestions as an "adviser colonel officer". Somehow, he lost his right hand, and since Jett, the only High Priest, had been killed in battle, no one could restore it. Upon the arrival of the Minister of Security, he immediately took over all aspects of affairs except the actual combat and began to implement the plan of retreat to the west. The feint attack on the remnants of the halberd division entrenched in the original camp lasted for two days, and the forward of the Central Army, which was rushing here, was also ambushed. These actions succeeded in making the main forces of the Central Army entrenched in Vodkagrad think that they would rely on Kengrad to resist, wasting an extra day and a half to gather troops scattered across the Central Plateau.

Everything looked very well going until early this morning when the retreat plan began to be actually executed.

Major General Eugen, who had been very cooperative, suddenly led the soldiers of the two rear regiments to break away from the retreating group to the west, and liberated about half of the prisoners of war to join his ranks. The force he had taken with him was so large that if left unchecked, the entire legion could be wiped out. When they heard the news, Rasta and Edith, who were actually in charge of the team, both dropped their water glasses.

"That guy...... Am I really underestimating him? Destroy him before the main force of the Central Army arrives tomorrow!"

In the end, this was his purpose...... Speed up the retreat, Emperor *, and retreat to Gistov before Hull catches up!"

The two disagreed. In the end, Sid made the decision to defeat Eugen's rebels here, hence the current battle.

"The sixth offensive begins! Eight Imperial companies thrown into reserve, strike at their left flank, which lacks fresh troops, and break through from the direction of the river! As soon as they break through, drive them down the mountain!"

Danika listened to the final plan, boredly playing with the medal on her chest. In fact, she knew about Eugen's idea a few days ago, but she didn't tell anyone. She didn't fully trust the Imperials who were currently fighting alongside her – especially the Secretary of Security and his agents. At all times, she kept enough secrets to keep herself safe, such as this matter, such as her disguise magic.

She stood up and stretched. "I'll go to the front to have a look. ”

"On the front line, your Excellency, beware, the enemy over there has another new force. ”

Sid glanced at her, and it made her feel a little empty in her heart. After smiling and coping, she walked quickly out of the oppressive headquarters and headed to the front with her own guard platoon. Heralds swept past her, announcing the order to attack, along with spellcasters dressed in various robes. "Govar" was not supposed to go to the left flank that the emperor was responsible for, so she went to the right flank, which had just been repulsed.

Danika thought that she would be able to accept the horrors of war with blood on her hands. But when she actually faced the team after five failed attacks, she realized that what she had seen before was far from the end of hell.

Before the eyes of the maiden were seven or eight hundred soldiers wounded in the morning battle, including a colonel and more than a dozen lieutenants, and the corpses wrapped in white sheets were neatly laid out behind the line of defense waiting to be transported, like a heavy wall. It was only by instinctive acting that she did not collapse in front of such a sight - Radetz, Govar should have seen more corpses in her life than she had seen living people in her life.

"Your Excellency, can you say a few words for us?" begged the commander of the 3rd Regiment, who had just lost a third of his subordinates. Danika couldn't refuse. She nodded, and the guards immediately ran to the highest flagpole nearby, raising the Directory flag. The soldiers crowded around and looked up at her standing under the flagpole with numb eyes.

"Next, we give the floor to His Excellency Marshal Govar!"

If it were the real Radetz, what would Govar say on such an occasion? She didn't know, so she had to tell the truth about her thoughts.

"I saw your morning fight. You are valiant warriors, and you always have been. The morning battle was not because you were not brave enough, but because the enemy was as heroic as you. ”

In fact, the expressions of those soldiers were numb, their faces were covered with dust, and they were not heroic at all. Their expressions seemed to ask her, why are we charging here repeatedly?

"I don't want to talk about the meaning of this battle, I don't want to talk about the setbacks of the morning, and I don't care too much if the betrayer can be killed. None of these things make sense to you who are fighting bloody battles here. ”

She didn't want to win—that would mean that everyone she knew on the other side would die. She also didn't want to fail – that would mean she would fall into the hands of an adversary herself. Even if the opponent in front of him is completely wiped out, the war will not end here. Those who should retreat will still retreat, and those who should pursue will still pursue, and nothing will change. She only wished that she could stop this battle as soon as possible, a battle that was meaningless to either her or the soldiers in front of her.

"There's only one thing I want to say to you: survive. Survive with your comrades-in-arms. I'll ask the equipment department to take out all the healing potions and scrolls and use them all here. Equipment can be recrafted, and you only have one life. I don't want to see any more bloodshed. May we all be able to spend the weekend in Gistov, over. She waved her hand wearily and called for the logistics officer.

To her surprise, the crowd cheered. The excited lieutenants repeated the short speech, which was transmitted to every company on the right flank. The morale of the soldiers, who had been depressed by the two reinforcements they had received twice, rose again, and the soldiers who had received the healing potion were filled with courage again.

"Long live Marshal Govar!" "Down with the traitors!"

These cheers were heard in the ears of Soleydon and Eugen on the hillside like a nightmare.

The dust and fog from the cannonballs mixed with the various smoke released by the mages, obscuring the commanders' vision. At least, the situation along the river was no longer visible from the position of Naimon.

Eugen had already rushed over with the last reserves, but the offensive against the opponent was only a drop in the bucket. This unit is only able to make up three regiments in numbers, and its equipment and firepower are far from the level it should be. After a morning of fighting, no more than two-thirds of the guns were still firing, but there was no time for the gunsmiths to repair them.

"Lieutenant, the enemy is coming. The positions along the river had fallen, and the positions at the foot of the mountain could no longer be carried, and they begged us, the fresh troops, to make up for it. ”

Adjutant Anne trotted over to report. Naimon set his sights on the hillside more than 100 meters away. There was also a strangely colored mist that announced the outcome of the previous battle. He picked up a flintlock pistol with a bayonet from his position, fired a shot into the air, and made sure that the previous master, who had already died, did not load two bullets and reloaded it and carried it on his shoulder. He suddenly noticed that his lieutenant's blonde hair was still exposed to the wind, without any protection.

"Where's your helmet, Annie?"

"Yikes. I didn't think I needed it, so I didn't bring it out. Anne scratched her head, not saying the real reason: it was cold and stuffy to wear a helmet in early spring. She has mastered enough magic to handle most pistol and rifle bullets two hundred and fifty years later, and is not afraid of the lead particles of this era.

"Can you be careful once in a while? Today is a fight against yezhan, and there are a lot of stray bullets, not as good as defending the city. Naimon grumbled, taking off his helmet and forcing it on her head.

Anne pushed the somewhat large helmet upwards and showed her eyes, "What are you doing here, Soleton?"

"Nothing. It's just that I think it's cold and stuffy to wear a helmet this season, so you can put it on for me. Naimon looked away and looked down the mountain. The Directory army under the mountain organized a regiment of nearly 2,000 troops. "This time the other party is menacing. You go to Eugen and see if there are any reserves that can be pulled over, okay?"

Anne naturally understood his actual intentions, and saluted: "Understood, I will try to mobilize troops." ”

"Be sure to bring in some reinforcements. If you can't find it here, go to our camp. If you can't find reinforcements, you don't have to come back. Naimon ordered coldly, pointing to the hillside behind him, "This is the order, let's go." ”

Seeing that he had to pretend to be businesslike, Anne forced a smile and turned away. "I am afraid that he and that man still have one thing in common: they are both the same unfrank guys. However, it seems that I am not qualified to speak of him. ”

The girl flicked her fingers and quietly activated the magic on Naimon's body. The purple light representing the protective magic flickered, and the boy was unaware of it. All his spirit was focused on the battle in front of him.

The morale-boosting Directory took advantage of the mountain shelter and encroached on the defenders' fortifications little by little. Although the soldiers of the Halberd Division are a fresh force, they lack training and have no will to fight, and often turn around and run to the chest wall further back after a moment of engagement, and even the assault company can only barely fight with the opponent's ordinary company. As a lieutenant commander, Naimon can only follow the team to fight and retreat, lest he become a prisoner if he is one step slower. Several times he was nearly hit by stray bullets, but for some reason, the bullets kept sticking to his side.

Thirty minutes later, he and his team retreated to the ridge, the last line of defense. The artillery that had been placed on the ridge had almost all been destroyed, and the only two remaining guns had been withdrawn behind the ridge and were being towed in the direction of the city of Kengler. Almost all of the flags were gone, except for the last three flags on the ridge still fluttering gently in the saltpeter-smelling breeze.

"Can you still hold on, everyone? The other party is also at the end of the crossbow, as long as we support our reinforcements a little longer, they will come!"

Eugen had a reluctant smile on his face, and he still tried to make a look like "the situation wasn't that urgent."

"The end of the crossbow...... bar. ”

Naimon had no smile on his face for a long time, and the shouts of killing from the foot of the mountain were shaking his eardrums. The black-pressed infantry line was divided into six rows and pressed up in turn, and the projectiles that rained down alternately advanced under the cover of the magician. This time, the other side invested almost all the reserves, and more than half of the officer corps of the defending army were killed and wounded, and Naimon was surprised how he had managed to withdraw here alive.

"Luckily, Anne is gone. The trouble for women to be soldiers is here, and they can't be captured. He thought as he stabbed the bullet into the chamber with a bullet stick.

"Soleton, I'm back. The voice sounded behind him at the right time, almost causing him to swallow the lead bullet in his mouth.

"Second Lieutenant Sefir, didn't I tell you to find reinforcements?, why are you still here?" Naimon waved his hand anxiously, "If you don't go, the last line ......of defense will also fall!"

"I've found reinforcements, so I'm back. Anne climbed the chest-high bulletproof wall and stood on the highest point on the mountain, pointing into the distance, "It doesn't look like this war will be so easy to decide." ”

"It's too dangerous, come down!" Naimon didn't bother with the reinforcements she had said, and rushed under the breastwall to grab her ankles.

"It's okay. It is impossible for their guns to hit at such a distance. Listen, that voice. Something seemed to flicker in the blonde girl's eyes, "They're finally here." ”

The lieutenant followed the direction of her finger and looked in the opposite direction from the top of the hill. In the distance was a red line that appeared at the end of the road along with the smoke and dust raised by the horses' hooves.

The gunfire fell, and neither the Emperor* nor the Directory continued their attack. The blue-black infantry left their bodies behind and panicked to find a place to hide......

This time, reinforcements really arrived.

*** ***

Trample. Trample. Trample. Trample.

Two kilometers.

The people watched intently at the approaching cavalry, and they all held their breath and stopped firing, but nervously reloaded.

Pedal. Pedal. Pedal.

Fifteen hundred meters.

The sound of horses' hooves became clearer and clearer, and even the cornerstone of the post road trembled. I don't know who was the first to see the flag of the comer, and cheered. The cheers on both sides were very different.

"Interre Division! It's the Second Division!" the joy of the defenders came from the bottom of their hearts,

"Red Devils!" and the slightly senior veterans of the Coman Army all looked different.

The flag on the horizon is called "Red Sea", which is a squiggly line of turquoise blue on a red background. The unit was called the 2nd FF 'Entlave' Division of the Free Army, which was second to none in the whole army, and was built up with equal weight of gold.

The huge military expenditure of the Interre Republic is all supplied to this division, and in terms of pure firepower and equipment, this division is the best equipped unit in the world, even better than the first "Republic" division, which is known for its elite. This division of 18,000 men needed an equal number of men to maintain its supply, and there were more than 40,000 horses alone, and each soldier had more than two horses. At the necessary moment, all the soldiers could be turned into cavalry - a luxury unimaginable for other troops.

This is also the reason why the battle-hardened Viscount Vlasol, Rasta, and his Imperial Advisory Corps miscalculated the time when the division would arrive on the battlefield. The entire Empire/Directory Coalition Command is in disarray, giving orders to retreat. The contrast in force is reversed, and everyone knows what it means. Rasta himself carried his sword and rode through the second-line companies, shouting a few words like madness.

"Always be ready!" "Accept the retreating front-line troops!" "Supporting the past is victory!"

There was a strange glow on his saber "Honor", and it was unknown which special effect was working.

Stepping on the da-da......

One kilometer.

The sound of horses' hooves had become dense, like a sweeping storm. The number is difficult to calculate at a glance, but there are at least two or three regiments of strength.

Lieutenant Colonel Hull Tedwood led the charge at the forefront of the division, and beside him was Pluto Luther, dressed in a red military uniform. Seeing this, Anne understood why Hull had come so quickly and so coincidentally. For the sake of this moment, the 2nd Division even allowed its own forward to be routed. It's a game of speculation, and whoever counts last hand wins.

"No...... Even if there wasn't a reason for this, Hull would have come to earn it, right?"

The Emperor's banner was withdrawn, and all companies retreated in a hurry, lest they encounter the first attack of the Inter Division in full force. The Imperial Volunteer Mages in charge of engineering magic nervously set up the barricades, shifting from an offensive stance to a defensive stance. The clerical support team, which was still on the offensive just a moment ago, all stopped their work, preparing to conserve divine power to treat the casualties.

Assault! Assault! Assault again!

Only the first regiment was a real cavalry regiment, which, instead of firing with a whirlwind, did not hesitate to rush into the center of the enemy's lined up. The other two infantry regiments dismounted, lined up, and loaded their ammunition to clear the enemy in the fortifications.

The Directory troops, which had already stormed the hillside, retreated again, and the "Green River" banner still standing on the field became less and less. If it's in an epic or a knight, the outcome of the battle should be decided at this moment-

"Follow me!"

Rasta roared, and the entire left flank, which had been standing still, moved.

The Emperor* people were not intimidated by the sudden appearance of this new enemy, and they proved their ability and will. Seeing that the entire front was about to be crushed with a sudden blow, the most elite Imperial volunteers rushed over from the riverside position to fill their positions.

"Artillerymen, use weight-loss magic, keep up!"

Rasta personally rushed to the front line with the entire left flank of the army, fighting there with "honor", and the troops also filled the gap left by the retreat of the Directory army. This unit lived up to its name of "volunteer", all experienced veterans, and held off the first round of attacks by the Interre Division by leaning on the breastwork left by the previous defenders.

Before Hull could organize another attack, the mages with silver and gold six-pointed star badges on their chests and the priests with blue and yellow emblems on their epaulettes had already followed halfway up the mountain with their cannons. These artillerymen, composed of nobles and spellcasters, occupied the commanding heights with the mentality of the rear of the palace, and kept firing mud and shrapnel at the position of the Inter Division.

In the face of the reality of the sea of fire, the red uniforms had to temporarily retreat and regroup. Taking advantage of this time, the main forces of the Emperor* and the Directory began to retreat.

"Is this the Emperor*?"

Naimon, who had followed the team to retreat to the woods below the mountain, gasped as he looked at the enemy troops who had just occupied the top of the mountain. In his opinion, the free armies like the Second and Sixth Divisions were already elite enough, but these Emperors were even stronger than them. What he had seen a few days ago was only the weak half of these noble officers' aptly surrendered to, and now he had seen the other half of the terrible surrender of these noble officers. When these people can see the smile of the goddess of victory, they will not hesitate to fight to the last drop of blood.

"Whatever it takes to win, and surrender when it can't. These despised aristocratic lords are not corrupt at all, they are very clever. ”

Even with the boy's poor military common sense, he could judge that if this continued, the enemy army would definitely be able to evacuate safely. In the same way, he could judge that this was a great opportunity - if this rear army was defeated, the enemy forces that had already been reduced to a retreat formation would inevitably suffer three times the current losses. He looked around and found Major General Eugen in the midst of a group of wounded officers.

"Sir, do you want to launch a counter-charge to retake the top of the mountain?" Naimon suggested in a low voice, "If we rely on the Second Division alone to settle the battle, our presence will be too weak......"

Eugen shook his head, stopping him. He quietly broke the pipe in his hand and stared unwillingly at the top of the mountain.

"As long as I had three companies, I would not hesitate to launch this attack; The artillery is gone, the lieutenant is already dead and wounded, the equipment is exhausted, what to charge? Flesh and blood?" Eugen silently turned and looked at the troops around him. Almost all the companies were crippled, and even the four or five companies reinforced by the Halberd Division suffered heavy losses. "There's no need anymore. The battle is over, and all that's left is senseless killing. You and I have fought all the way from Lenny to here, and it should be enough. ”

"No, it's not the end of the fight, it's just the end of the beginning. How this battle turns out will not have any impact on the final end. ”

Anne, who was on the side, joined the conversation. The men were silent, and they looked at the battlefield in the distance without saying a word, until another voice came near.

"But without fighting countless wars like this, you never know when the final end will be. "A group of cardinal cavalry approached them from the rear through the woods. Pluto, who commanded the men, smiled and led his men to take over the line. "You can go down and rest and celebrate the end of the beginning. The dead have been liberated, and we will persevere. ”

He also did not launch an attack on the top of the mountain, and everything that followed was uneventful. Lacking heavy firepower, the Free Army was unable to break through the opposing defenses, and several attempted attacks were in vain.

Four hours later, more than 300 Imperial Volunteers raised their flags and surrendered. By that time, the main forces of the Empire and the Directory had already left more than ten kilometers to the west.