Chapter 145: The Battle of Nant
From the city of Otan in the Nant Marquisate, Acting General Sarah’s army marched westward toward Nant’s port. Their path was filled with promise and determination.
Acting General Sarah, adorned in a blue cloak embroidered with the white lilies of Silesie, moved through enemy territory with an air of triumph. The hearts of the people swayed entirely in her favor.
In every village they passed, the locals offered their respects, presenting freshly severed heads of the marquisate’s officials and tax collectors alongside the beautiful wildflowers that bloomed across the hills. These offerings were made to Acting General Sarah with reverence.
Generously rewarding the villagers with the gold she had seized from the former rulers, Acting General Sarah witnessed a surge of young volunteers joining her cause. Their commitment was unwavering.
As they advanced, the ranks of the volunteer army swelled, and resources flowed abundantly. It was a march reminiscent of ancient heroes: ‘We came, we saw, we conquered.’
Yet, Acting General Sarah remained vigilant. She knew victory of this magnitude was expected. With the people firmly on her side, information would flow freely. While advancing toward Nant city, she analyzed intelligence and assessed the situation.
News arrived from the displaced pro-Sarah populace of Nant: the city’s defenses were weaker than anticipated, but Castilia’s reinforcements had already arrived. The exact size of the bolstered Castilian forces remained uncertain.
「The defenses of Nant are surprisingly resilient.」
「Acting General Sarah, I have a bad feeling about this.」
Milk, who stood guard, clutching his magic rifle, said so. His anxiety remained unspoken, but there was much to fear. Apart from the relentless Zephyranzas Mercenary Corps of two thousand, the local noble forces were now mere remnants. However, Castilia’s army was a different story.
Though known for its weak land forces due to its naval prowess, Castilia boasted three advance mages in its employ. The unknown variables loomed large.
Know thy enemy and know thyself; in a hundred battles, you will never be in peril.
Among their allies, Acting General Sarah’s main force has swelled to twenty-five hundred, including the thousand Third Corps led by Commander Zawa Haruto, two thousand volunteers under Captain Alan, and the core of her own army. They’ve prepared so many matchlock guns but they aren’t enough.
In terms of sheer numbers, she commands a force of five thousand five hundred.
Despite their lack of training, their spirits are high, bolstered by both matchlock guns and cannons.
Nant city defenses, once they breach them with their cannons, will crumble like paper.
Despite these favorable conditions, Acting General Sarah has refrained from ordering an all-out assault on Nant city walls.
「…We can’t discern what’s happening inside.」
「Yes, surprisingly, Deputy Magistrate Geoffrey enjoys considerable popularity among the defenders. We attempted negotiations for defection or surrender, but our offers were declined.」
「Understood. Thank you for your efforts, Alan. Now, I need you to do one more thing for me. Dig some pitfall.」
「Of course.」
Though Alan likely thinks they should attack without delay, given their formidable army, he bows his head silently. He’s no foolish officer who would risk displeasing his superiors. While he speaks freely when there’s cause for pride, he remains reserved when things aren’t going well—a trait that serves him well.
Alan may not offer sage advice, but he diligently executes the tasks assigned to him, making him a reliable subordinate.
Meanwhile, Sarah contemplates, and beside her stands the indecisive Zawa Haruto, arms crossed, lost in thought.
Positive suggestions come from Alan, Milk handles the worrisome aspects, and Zawa Haruto grapples with his own musings.
The ragtag assembly of staff members has surprisingly found balance through shared combat. Perhaps this is the nature of a military organization.
Given their lack of knowledge about the enemy’s strength, Sarah opts for caution.
What approach would Lyle-sensei recommend? Breaking through the walls with cannons and launching an assault seems like a last resort.
First, preparations. Set traps meticulously around us, and then surely engage the enemy with long-range fire.
If they demonstrate that the city walls are futile, the enemy is more likely to sally forth rather than sit idly and die.
At that moment, they’ll ensnare them in our well-laid traps.
Lost in these thoughts while diligently working on their preparations, she was astounded to hear that the enemy had suddenly opened the gates and launched an assault.
An army of lizard-like creatures, armed and ready, charged alongside the enemy forces.
The addition of these monstrous beings caught them off guard, and though their inexperienced volunteers were clearly flustered, they didn’t falter.
「What in the world are those monsters?」
「They seem like demons—far stronger than orcs or ogres.」
Even Milk, usually composed, appeared genuinely alarmed. Against ordinary monsters, a volley of gunfire from our riflemen would suffice to send them to their demise.
Even if they didn’t perish outright, the sound alone would disorient them, rendering them ineffective in battle.
These ferocious lizard beings, clad in tough leather armor, had reinforced bone structures beneath their scales. They advanced undeterred by their bullets.
Having relied primarily on long-range attacks, they were ill-prepared when they breached their perimeter.
The peasant militia, faced with these grotesque lizard creatures, fled in panic.
Finally regaining my composure, Sarah recalled the knowledge stored in Lyle-sensei’s extensive library.
「Ah, reptilian humanoids—Reptilians. They inhabit desert regions and belong to the demon race. So, Castilia employs Afri continent demons.」
「General, if it comes to close combat, we shall lead the charge.」
Baron Zawa Haruto, who had been observing silently with his arms crossed, finally sprang into action. He ordered the Third Corps to engage the enemy’s three thousand troops with equal ferocity.
Though often criticized for his indecisiveness, Zawa Haruto had risen from a common soldier to a knight and eventually to the rank of Corps commander—a true warrior.
Zawa Haruto, mounted on his warhorse, charged fearlessly into the midst of the ferocious reptilian Reptilian horde, swiftly dispatching several of them.
His relentless assault halted the enemy’s momentum, and the seasoned soldiers of the Third Corps, shouting, 「Don’t let our commander die!」 followed suit, leaping into the fray.
Observing the soldiers courageously charging after him, Zawa Haruto grinned with determination. His role here was complete.
By leading this decisive charge himself, he had bolstered our troops’ morale. Though typically a cautious man who valued his own life, Zawa Haruto knew when to risk it—he was a knight through and through.
His demonstration of personally slaying the lizard creatures reassured our allies that these foes were not invincible.
Now, avoiding unnecessary danger, Zawa Haruto stepped back, urging the soldiers onward while keeping a watchful eye on the battlefield. His strategic withdrawal was a testament to his cunning.
「Indeed, they are not unbeatable! We have the upper hand; aim carefully and fire!」
Captain Alan promptly issued orders to his highly trained two thousand riflemen. If a single shot wouldn’t suffice, they’d encircle and pepper the creatures until they resembled pincushions. Alan’s regiment had practiced this precise maneuver repeatedly.
Gradually, even their inexperienced volunteers regained their composure, and the enemy’s assault lost all momentum.
The enemy force, bolstered by the reptilian Reptilian unit, found themselves gradually pushed back. Victory seemed within reach for Sarah’s army.
「Good grief, I thought it would work out and we’ll eventually win with just that. I guess I was wrong.」
Just when it appeared we had the upper hand, a man with silver bangs cascading over his forehead emerged from the enemy ranks. Clad in golden armor, he strolled forward.
Though his entrance could have been dramatic, there was no need to wait for an attack. Our riflemen unleashed a barrage of gunfire, but the bullets seemed to bounce off the brown cloak he wore.
Indeed, it was a flashy display, utterly meaningless and invincible. 「Enemies who enjoy such vulgar, treacherous, and foolish theatrics…」 Sarah immediately recalled what Lyle-sensei had written in his books.
She shouted at the top of her lungs, warning her allies.
「Everyone, cover your guns with waterproof cloth! That one is an advanced mage!」
Sarah now witnessed an advanced mage for the first time.
Despite being taught by her teacher to ‘kill them immediately upon sight’ the sheer destructive power of this Balance Breaker, the advanced mage Revenant, was unimaginable without firsthand experience.
「In the name of Revenant Arima, I command you! Mighty azure waters! Sweep away our enemies with a torrential waterfall!」
「Great Deluge Magicccccc!」
The deluge swept through Sarah’s army of five thousand five hundred.
To strike precisely at the most effective point, the flood even engulfed part of our own forces—an unrelenting move by the advanced mage Revenant.
Clad in the formidable ‘Black Cedar Armor’, Sarah remained unharmed by the deluge, but many sacrifices were made.
Moreover, the waterproof tents were rendered useless against the flood.
Though not everyone, a significant portion of their forces was swept away, and the front-line volunteers armed with matchlock guns were incapacitated.
Before the enemy’s eyes, Sarah lay defenseless, her vulnerability exposed. Defeat seemed imminent.
「Listen up! We must capture the enemy lady commander alive. She’s rumored to be King General’s mistress—there’s surely a use for her.」
Advanced mage General Revenant, leading a contingent of reptilian warriors, slowly approached the mud-covered, unable to get up form of Acting General Sarah.
Sarah, utterly drained, lacked both weapons and the strength to rise.
「Uoooh!」
To protect Sarah, Deputy General Milk stepped forward, cradling his magic rifle.
Bang! Bang! He shot down one reptilian guard after another.
He was the last hope entrusted by Lyle-sensei—a weapon and armor capable of countering advanced mages.
In addition to the magic rifle, Lyle-sensei had secretly provided a cloak with magic resistance, which weakened the enemy’s magical power.
The magic rifle could still fire even when damp, thanks to its magic-ignited primers. The flood’s magic was diminished around Milk.
Though Sarah might lose, Lyle-sensei had instructed them to let her escape to safety.
Perhaps Lyle-sensei’s parental concern led her to refrain from arming Sarah herself. She likely hoped that she would learn and grow further after experiencing a painful defeat.
Though an apprentice was used as bait, the strategy wasn’t about killing the enemy’s advanced mage.
「Stop! I’ll protect Sarah-chan!」
「Impossible! How can a wet gun work! Guahh!」
Bang! Bang! The tornado-enhanced gunfire struck Revenant, the mage general, piercing both his brown cloak and golden armor. The power was unbelievable.
Revenant, who had been utterly composed despite the battlefield, now appeared flustered.
This magic rifle, crafted by Lyle-sensei—a genius cheat of the Eura continent—was designed with a powerful wish: ‘To annihilate all advanced mages in this world.’
It is no exaggeration to say that it is a weapon made only to kill advanced mages.
Though advanced mages possessed defenses against magic attacks, they were less resilient to physical assaults.
While slow-fired matchlock bullets could be deflected, the combined force of magic power and launch velocity made these high-speed projectiles lethal.
「Uoooh!」
「Stop! Cease this! Halt!」
Ultimately, if the magic rifle strikes the wrong spot, even an advanced mage would die.
Revenant, realizing this, desperately tried to flee.
As if possessed by the lingering spirit of Lyle-sensei, Milk relentlessly pursued Revenant, firing shot after shot. His rifle held twelve rounds in the magazine, so it seemed inexhaustible.
Pakyun, pakyun! The lead projectiles pierced through the revenant’s flesh.
This was the first time he had ever felt the threat of death. Born and raised in absolute safety, he found this sensation refreshingly novel. Despite the intense pain, he grinned maniacally.
「Hyiii! I’m going to die!」
The agonizing scream held a strange sensuality, as if he reveled in the holes puncturing his body, blood flowing freely.
Perhaps all advance mages were a little mad, paying the price for their innate potent magic.
「You’re utterly pathetic, Revenant.」
As the advanced mage general clutched his wounded rear and fled, moments away from being slain, an unexpected figure blocked Milk’s path: the irregular dragon maiden.
With a resounding cry, the dragon maiden deflected the bullets from Milk’s magic rifle with her tough, scaled limbs. Even high-level mages would struggle against these bullets, yet she effortlessly swatted them aside.
Her scales rivaled orichalcum gauntlets of Fist Slave Emperor Dyson in hardness—a testament to her lineage as a martial artist with the blood of the ancient Dragon God.
Are, the daughter of the queen of Rango Island, she is the most legendary even among the legendary dragon maidens.
She is also the strongest martial artist cheat of Rango Island.
「Ah, time to escape!」
As soon as Milk realized that his magic rifle was ineffective against Are, he turned around trying to escape with Sarah in his arms.
Despite his recent pursuit of the advanced mage, he now displayed remarkable composure. But against Are’s speed, he stood no chance.
As Milk desperately tried to flee, Are effortlessly cut off his escape routes.
Moreover, carrying the exhausted Sarah would only hinder him further.
「Milk, leave me behind…」
「No way! I can’t do that!」
Sarah, finally regaining consciousness, murmured weakly. She pushed away Milk’s supporting hand and struggled to stand.
「As your deputy, I command you. Deputy General Milk, lead the survivors in retreat.」
「But—」
「Hahaha, as that young man says, there’s no escaping from me. You’ll all die here.」
Are extended her large, blue-scaled limbs. Her ferocious claws, capable of slicing through iron with a resounding ‘jakin’, seemed poised to strike.
When she said ‘die’, it wasn’t a mere jest. Are had a tendency to act on such threats without hesitation.
Sensing the danger, clever Sarah quickly changed tactics. She knew she needed to steer the conversation away from imminent death.
「I surrender. If you want a prisoner, take me. But please, let Milk go.」
「Hmm, are you perhaps the lover of Silesie’s hero?」
Are looked at Sarah’s emerald-green eyes with interest. Her laughter hinted at curiosity. It seemed Are was intrigued by Sarah, the hero’s mistress.
「Yes, that’s right. I am Sawatari Takeru’s beloved. My life is valuable for that reason… If you spare my subordinates, I’ll gladly surrender.」
「Hmm, I see, I see.」
Crossing her arms, Are pondered for a moment. While she should have cut short this leisurely conversation and either killed or captured them, the severely wounded mage general, Revenant, lay writhing in agony. The chain of command had stalled.
「Well, what’s your decision? Will you accept the deal or not?」
「Understood. I just remembered—orders were to capture the hero’s lover.」
Sarah pushed away Milk’s outstretched hand once more and raised both arms in surrender.
She turned to Milk, commanding him to flee.
「No, Sarah!」
「Obey orders, Milk! You’re a deputy, so take the order of your general!」
Perhaps overhearing the conversation, or perhaps not, Zawa Haruto—always strategically positioned in the safest rear during the great flood—galloped forward on horseback. He swiftly seized Milk by the scruff of his neck and carried him away.
Zawa Haruto, the ever-opportunistic knight, would have excelled as a soccer forward, perpetually positioning himself for the best opportunities.
「Excellent work, Zawa Haruto! Keep running as far as you can!」
With Milk still struggling in his grasp, Baron Zawa Haruto retreated to the rear. The cataclysmic flood had dampened the spirits of both friend and foe, leaving the volunteer corps to retreat without pursuit from Castilia’s forces.
Perhaps it was also due to General Revenant, who remained collapsed in critical condition. When all his aides lay slain, it seemed he lacked the popularity to inspire anyone to come to his aid.
Advanced mages often struck fear into soldiers due to their devastating spells. But even possessing such abilities, perhaps promoting them to the rank of general was an impractical decision.
「Are you all right, Revenant?」
「Ugh, Guest General Are, be gentler…」
Unable to bear it any longer, Are awkwardly shoved an elixir vial into Revenant’s mouth.
Her large, dragon-scaled limbs made handling small containers difficult. Despite leaving Revenant’s mouth dripping wet, the potion seemed to have done its work.
「We’ve captured the hero’s lover, so rest assured.」
「Hmm, did we let the enemy escape?」
Revenant, now on his feet, surveyed the battlefield he had thoroughly inundated during the great flood. Pursuing them now would likely yield no results.
「What, did we screw up?」
「It doesn’t really matter. Frankly, our concern lies not in the fate of Silesie’s local nobles. His Majesty the Study King’s primary directive was to secure the lover of the King General. This outcome suffices.」
With a flick of his mud-smeared bangs, Revenant narrowed his already thin eyes, a devilish grin playing on his lips.