Chapter 72 : Chapter 72
Chapter 72. Rear Disturbance (7)
Since the cavalry's disruptive maneuvers had become futile, the Special Task Force Company was able to maintain a relatively smooth distance from the pursuit unit.
The cavalry tried to interfere with the Special Task Force Company several times, but each time Roden stepped forward and used Wyvern Fear, rendering their efforts meaningless.
On the contrary, the enemy's fear of Roden only grew.
“You failed to interfere again?”
The new pursuit commander, Bomel Dorf, asked back in disbelief.
The cavalry commander nodded at his words.
“Strangely, whenever the horses encounter the enemy commander, they are startled and flee.”
“Ha.”
Bomel let out a sound without realizing it.
The cavalry commander's story was that surprising.
Even for Bomel, who had accumulated various experiences in the north through numerous large and small battles with various ethnic groups, this was a first.
The cavalry commander cautiously expressed his opinion to Bomel.
“In my opinion, I suspect that the enemy commander’s level is higher than we think.
Otherwise, there is no reason for the horses to be this frightened.”
It was a rumor circulating not only among the cavalry, but throughout the entire pursuit unit.
That Roden was not actually a 4-star knight, but a tremendous powerhouse with an aura level of at least 6-star.
Since they only knew that he had easily subdued Muhib, but did not know his exact level, it was a reasonable misunderstanding for the pursuit unit.
If his level wasn't that high, it would be impossible to frighten the renowned warhorse, the Holsteiner, like this.
But Bomel shook his head as if there was no need to think twice about this story.
“I have never heard of a story where a high level of aura startles horses into fleeing. There must be another reason for this.”
Bomel pondered the reason carefully.
The first thing that came to mind was the Glockner Swordsmanship's secret technique.
There were all sorts of Superior Swordsmanship in the world, and the secret techniques of those swordsmanship were also diverse.
Considering this, it was natural to associate the horses' fright and flight with a secret technique.
‘However, the one thing that bothers me is that this is the first time I've heard of such a secret technique in the Glockner Swordsmanship.’
The Glockner family, along with the Pulieci family, was one of the two main pillars of the Allied Forces.
As such, the Glockner family was active on various battlefields, but there had never been a single report of such a secret technique being used.
‘It's possible that it hasn't been reported yet, or that I simply haven't obtained that information, but it doesn't make sense that a secret technique of the Glockner Swordsmanship, which is so useful to the enemy and disadvantageous to our allies, is unknown.’
For that reason, Bomel had no choice but to think of other possibilities.
‘Could it be magic?’
Although there wasn't much interaction with mages, as they tended to be reclusive and live in their own world of the mage tower, he wasn't ignorant of the existence of artifacts.
And if an artifact was being used, it was entirely possible to create such a situation.
After all, magic had a wider variety of effects and functions than secret techniques.
However, how Roden possessed an artifact was a mystery.
For a knight, it was extremely difficult not only to obtain an artifact, but also to become friendly with a mage.
It was only natural, as mages as a whole had a strong tendency to despise and ostracize knights.
It wasn't for nothing that it was hard to see a single mage in this war.
‘Moreover, the enemy commander is of a renowned swordsmanship lineage. It's impossible for him to obtain an artifact.’
Therefore, Bomel couldn't help but be confused by the current situation.
A magical situation had unfolded several times, but it wasn't as if magic was actually used.
That's what he thought.
In conclusion, Bomel had not noticed in the slightest that Roden could use magic himself.
Bomel, who had been pondering for a long time, spoke to the cavalry commander.
“In any case, the important thing right now is to interfere with the enemy’s movements somehow. Other than that, there is no way for us to succeed in the pursuit. So, I'll have to ask the cavalry commander to continue to take the trouble.”
Bomel spoke in a gentle, persuasive tone, but the cavalry commander's expression turned pale upon hearing his words.
It was because it meant that he had to continue to interfere with the Special Task Force Company even if the horses went wild and fled.
***
“Even when the Company Commander steps in to chase them away, they keep coming back. They are truly tenacious bastards.”
Olinto shook his head as if he were tired.
It was inevitable.
Not only did the horses get frightened and run wild, but in the process, some riders fell and lost their lives, yet they seemed to have no intention of retreating.
Because of that, the movements of the cavalry, which had almost lost their meaning, were gradually gaining meaning again.
The fact that the pursuit unit was getting closer and closer to the Special Task Force Company was proof of that.
Chevalier coldly pointed this out.
“At this rate, we might be caught by the pursuit unit before we can return to our base. We need to come up with some countermeasures.”
It would be the best if they could narrowly avoid being caught, but it would be the worst if they were narrowly caught.
They would have to face the pursuit unit in a direct confrontation with all their stamina exhausted.
The game of wits between the Special Task Force Company and the pursuit unit was already fierce.
At first, they chased and were chased without eating or sleeping much, but they couldn't keep doing that forever.
For that reason, it was very important for one side to run hard while the other rested.
As they engaged in this game of wits every day, both sides were bound to get tired.
And the Special Task Force Company, being the one being chased, was even more exhausted.
Therefore, as Chevalier said, an appropriate countermeasure for this problem was needed.
Roden thought for a moment and then asked Liviano.
“Where are we now?”
At that, Liviano took out a map he had been carrying in his chest.
Then he pointed to a spot on the map and spoke.
“Around here. Near the Gela Hills, in the northwest of the Aequor Plains.”
“Near the Gela Hills… We still have a long way to go to return to our base.”
“Yes. I think we need to move for at least another week.”
“Then let's change our direction of movement slightly. Like this.”
Roden drew a line on the map with his hand.
The three platoon leaders who confirmed the line tilted their heads.
It was inevitable, as the place the line reached was not the allied camp.
On the contrary, it was a place closer to the enemy camp.
And it wasn't just any camp.
It was the camp where the Imperial vanguard battalion was stationed.
“……Isn't it too dangerous to reach this place when we're already being chased?”
In the end, Olinto couldn't hold back and asked this.
But Roden shook his head.
“No. On the contrary, it will be safer to arrive here. It will only take four to five more days to get here. Right?”
As Roden asked, Liviano nodded his head.
“Yes. That's right. If we speed up a little, we might even be able to arrive in four days.”
But the shorter arrival time at the destination was not a sufficient answer.
The reason this place was dangerous was because the Imperial vanguard battalion was close.
For that reason, Olinto opened his mouth to ask another question.
But a step ahead, Chevalier slapped his knee.
“I see. It’s certain that our forces will be safe here. And ultimately, it could be a great help to this war.”
It wasn't just Chevalier.
Liviano also seemed to have realized why Roden had suggested going here.
“Ah. That's right. Why didn't I think of this sooner. Then, starting tomorrow, I will make sure we move in this direction.”
“Yes. Get the direction right. If we make a mistake, our efforts to head this way will be meaningless.”
“I think it might be a good idea to increase our speed of movement so that the other side can't even get their act together.”
“That's a good idea. It will be tough, but let's do that.”
“Yes.”
Thus, Roden concluded the meeting and stood up.
At that, Chevalier and Liviano hurriedly headed to their respective platoons.
It was to relay the matter that had just been decided.
But one person.
Olinto, still not understanding the situation, had a bewildered expression on his face.
“No, wait! Tell me too!”
In the end, Olinto shouted like a scream.
***
Meanwhile.
Taking advantage of the gap created by the Special Task Force Company's successful rear disturbance, the Allied vanguard battalion engaged in a direct confrontation with the Imperial vanguard battalion.
Despite the Allied vanguard battalion's numerical superiority, the two sides were surprisingly evenly matched.
This was because the Imperial vanguard battalion was well-defended.
The decision to renovate an old, abandoned earthen fortress in the Aequor Plains and use it as their camp had been effective.
Tobias sighed as he looked at the Imperial vanguard battalion, which seemed on the verge of collapsing but did not.
“Phew… Are we going to miss this hard-won opportunity like this.”
Tobias was still convinced that the Special Task Force Company had been captured by the pursuit unit and annihilated.
For that reason, he was deeply regretful that he could not seize this opportunity.
Too many lives had been sacrificed for this battle.
“Ah. How pathetic of me to be such an incompetent person.”
Bent approached Tobias, who was lamenting like this, and spoke to him.
“Battalion Commander.”
“Yes?”
“There is still time before the pursuit unit joins the enemy. So, for the sake of our troops’ morale, please don’t give up early. We can win.”
He was right.
It was too early to give up.
If they could somehow get over the walls of the earthen fortress, dealing with the Imperial vanguard battalion would be a piece of cake.
Above all, if the Special Task Force Company had fled from the pursuit unit for their lives, there was still at least four to a maximum of ten days left to attack the earthen fortress.
“I showed a weak side of myself. I apologize. Then, now that we've caught our breath, let's try to attack the earthen fortress again. Are you ready?”
“Yes. I am ready. Just give the order.”
“All forces, charge!”
Thus, at Tobias's command, the Allied vanguard battalion once again launched a siege.
But that day too, the Allied vanguard battalion could not get over the walls.