Chapter 105
"Zegabain-sama, the western gate is opening," his aide reported, and Zegabain narrowed his eyes.
"Well, let's see what happens..." Even as he said that, Zegabain was nearly certain of victory. Whether Wickhart had betrayed them or this was a trap, the gate had opened.
All that remained was to grind them down with sheer numbers.
"The soldiers are marching out. It appears it was a trap, after all."
"It makes no difference. Our task remains the same. More importantly, is the Wild Rabbit banner there?"
"I don't see it. There is one unfamiliar banner, though. A moon and... a swallow? An unusual combination."
"It doesn't matter as long as the Wild Rabbit isn't there. It was a trap, but it's fortunate that they at least revealed the Battle Princess's movements. Tell both units on the left and right to envelop them as planned and make sure none escape."
"Yes, sir."
Looking at the Rudek soldiers filing out, there seemed to be about four thousand in total. We had twelve thousand. It wouldn't even be a contest.
"We made it in time, somehow..."
Zegabain looked up at the sky and watched the snow grow heavier, then muttered to himself.
"The entire army is ready."
"Good. Then begin!"
Zegabain pointed toward the Rudek soldiers, and the battle of the fourth day began.
As Zegabain had ordered, the soldiers moved slowly but surely to encircle the Rudek troops.
An aide observing the movements of both armies tilted his head slightly and reported, "The enemy appears to be splitting its forces, despite being so few."
"No. They'll use heavy infantry to hold off attacks from both sides, then target our central force with cavalry. The troops left in the center should all be cavalry."
"I see."
"So it's truly a do-or-die battle... No, a suicide charge with no expectation of survival. Either way, there's no way they'll pierce our army with the troops they've left and bring their swords within reach of me."
Zegabain's words were not born of overconfidence. They were an extremely objective assessment. His aide looked at the Rudek soldiers with a hint of pity and said, "Indeed."
That was as far as Zegabain and his aide's composure lasted.
Immediately afterward, they were shown an unbelievable sight.
Of their four thousand soldiers, more than a thousand at the front melted away and vanished in an instant, as though they were snow.
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At that same moment, Rudek began to move as well.
"Then I wish you good fortune. Yuimei, I'm counting on you."
With those words, Boldras-sama led nine hundred soldiers to meet the unit on the right.
Another heavy cavalry unit, together with nine hundred cavalrymen detached from Yuimei's cavalry, took position against the unit on the left.
The remaining 1,800 of us in the Roa Unit and Yuimei's cavalry, 2,200 horsemen in all, formed the striking force.
We could not afford to take our time, not with Boldras-sama and the others buying us time.
"Roa-dono, give the signal to advance." I nodded silently at Wickhart's words, then pointed at the enemy ranks through the driving snow and shouted, "Charge!!"
The cavalry accelerated as one. The white, soft ground was trampled black beneath their hooves.
Zegabain's unit rushed toward us.
The enemy was naturally waiting for the initial strike. They would halt our charge, then surround and crush us once our horses lost their momentum. It was a standard tactic against cavalry.
But Zegabain's unit did not know.
"Crossbows! Ready!"
At my signal, the Roa Unit pulled out their crossbows and leveled them horizontally.
"Wickhart!"
"Yes, sir!"
To make the most of the crossbows, I left judging the firing distance to Wickhart.
When we drew close enough to make out the expressions of the enemy soldiers through the snow,
"First volley! Fire!" At Wickhart's command, bolts flew from the cavalrymen in the front rank.
It was an accurate crossbow attack from an unexpected distance.
Completely caught off guard, Zegabain's soldiers fell one after another. But the attack was not over yet.
As the first cavalrymen charged into the area hardest hit by the crossbows, those behind shifted their aim.
"Second volley! Fire!!!"
The nearby Zegabain soldiers, still looking toward the direction of the first attack and unable to understand what was happening, were struck by bolts and fell one after another.
This happened four times, plunging the front line of Zegabain's unit into utter chaos amid heavy casualties.
"Good! It worked! Now keep going straight for Zegabain!"
Frein rallied the soldiers, while Ryuzel, at the front, drove his spear forward and carved through Zegabain's troops.
"Come on! Anyone who wants to be run through by this spear of mine, get up here!" Ryuzel roared with ferocity and tore through the enemy at tremendous speed!
At my side, an enemy soldier who approached in the confusion went literally flying through the air. Dick's club had sent him soaring.
Seeing their comrades smashed and sent flying, the enemy soldiers grew even more confused.
The Roa Unit advanced all the way to the rear, but Zegabain's elite heavy infantry moved to block our path, and our momentum began to falter. Beyond them, I could see Zegabain mounting his horse to flee.
Just as I thought things were going badly, two shadows leaped into the front line!
"How about that?!"
"Take that!!!"
It was the Yuimei twins! They swung their morningstars around and attacked the enemy soldiers! When the spiked iron balls struck their faces, even the heavy infantry had no chance.
Yuimei cut down heavy cavalrymen one after another as they reeled from the morningstars.
"Roa!"
"Go finish this!"
They shouted as they carved a path open!
"Thanks!"
I dashed through that path and finally broke completely through Zegabain's unit.
"Roa-dono, allow me to clear the way."
Wickhart swiftly fired his bow, picking off the Zegabain aide as the aide tried to block our path.
Zegabain judged that turning his back would be dangerous as well. He wheeled his horse around, brandished his spear, and glared at us.
"Wickhart! You despicable coward! I'll have your head displayed on that fortress!"
As Zegabain charged toward us shouting, all he could see was Wickhart and his bow.
I aimed the one crossbow I had deliberately held in reserve at Zegabain and pulled the trigger firmly.