Chapter 86 : Chapter 86
Chapter 86. Operation Meatball (5)
As announced, Roden's party headed to the Imperial Army's assembly point the next day.
Fortunately, they didn't have to travel in shackles like slaves or criminals.
As a consideration, they were able to ride in a cart pulled by a donkey.
“What are you making?”
Nedhab asked, and Roden, who was carving a block of wood with a carving knife, answered from the rattling cart.
“It's something to conceal our identities completely.”
Three days later.
They finally arrived at the Imperial Army's assembly point.
A large number of soldiers had already gathered at the assembly point.
Not only soldiers, but also a considerable number of knights, whose aura was clearly formidable, could be seen.
It seemed that Roden's party was the last to arrive.
Roden surveyed the scene at the assembly point and handed out the wooden blocks to his companions.
“Everyone take one. Don't ever take it off your body.”
Meanwhile, the Imperial Army commander was talking to a sentry.
“Halt. Who are you?”
“I am the 1st Platoon Leader of the Vinchih garrison. I have brought a cook as ordered by the higher-ups.”
“Ah. A cook. What do they make?”
“Meatballs.”
“Oh. Sounds delicious. Anyway, you can enter. If you go that way, you can meet the Support Commander.”
Roden's party tensed up upon hearing the sentry's words.
The reason was none other than this.
The commander of a unit this large was usually a 5-star knight or higher.
That meant that the Support Commander they were about to meet could see through their ranks.
Zailo opened his mouth, tense.
“Isn't this…….dangerous?”
“It will be dangerous. Meeting the Support Commander itself probably means they are making a final check of the entertainment personnel's identities. But what if there are five knights who have learned aura? All hell will break loose.”
Roden calmly answered Zailo's question.
It was the worst.
At this rate, they would be facing a 5-star or higher knight in the middle of enemy territory without any weapons.
But unlike the tense Zailo, Chevalier noted Roden's still-calm demeanor.
And he asked.
“By any chance, is this wooden block a countermeasure for this?”
Impressed by Chevalier's question, Roden answered.
“You're quick on the uptake. That's right. I've carved a secret technique into the wooden block so that even a 5-star or higher knight can't gauge our ranks.”
What Roden had enchanted into the wooden block was aura freezing magic.
It was originally mana freezing magic, but he had slightly modified it to freeze aura.
Ultimately, an opponent's rank could be determined by observing the flow of their aura.
For that reason, using aura freezing magic made this impossible.
“Ah. That's a relief.”
“No wonder you were so calm.”
“Couldn't you have told us that a little sooner?”
Watching his companions relax, Roden spoke.
“It's no fun if I tell you early. Anyway, I see him over there. The person called the Support Commander.”
As Roden had said, a man with an extraordinary appearance walked towards the cart.
The Imperial Army commander saluted tensely.
The Support Commander acknowledged the salute with a nod and asked.
“Where are you from?”
“I am the 1st Platoon Leader of the Vinchih garrison! I have brought a cook as ordered by the higher-ups!”
“Hmm.”
The Support Commander scanned Roden's party in the cart with sharp eyes.
It was clear that he wasn't just looking.
He was meticulously examining even the flow of their aura to see if there was anything suspicious.
However,
“This must be the last one. You've worked hard to bring them.”
The Support Commander showed no particular reaction and encouraged the Imperial Army commander.
He had ultimately failed to discern Roden's party's identity.
Thanks to this, Roden's party overcame the crisis and was able to naturally blend in with the Imperial Army's support unit.
***
A few days later.
Roden's party moved towards Velia Castle as part of the Imperial Army's support unit.
Around Roden's party were bards, actors, and strongmen.
In addition, the figures of other cooks could also be seen occasionally.
However, since it wasn't time for the entertainment event yet, they couldn't confirm each other's skills.
More importantly, there was a hurdle they had to overcome to reach Velia Castle.
'The Allied Forces' support unit.'
Roden had reported that the Imperial Army's support unit was gathering to save Velia Castle.
So, it was highly likely that the Allied Forces had also assembled a support unit.
Therefore, a battle between the Imperial Army's support unit trying to enter Velia Castle and the Allied Forces' support unit trying to stop them was inevitable.
'And in this battle, the Allied Forces' support unit must be defeated.'
Only then could Roden's party naturally enter Velia Castle.
However, this was only if the Allied Forces trusted Roden.
“What choice do you think the command made?”
Chevalier asked, and Roden, after much thought, opened his mouth.
“I'm not sure. They might have thought that simply stopping the Imperial Army's support unit would be more advantageous in capturing Velia Castle.”
He had definitely sent a letter to Tobias through Federico.
That he was entering Velia Castle.
However, for the Allied Forces, trusting Roden and feigning defeat was a big risk.
It would be difficult to be sure whether Roden could open the gates of Velia Castle without being discovered by the Imperial Army.
It would be a disaster if they feigned defeat and let the Imperial Army's support unit into Velia Castle, only for Roden to be discovered and unable to open the gates.
The Imperial Army's strength would be strengthened, and their morale would also be boosted.
In other words, it meant that the time to capture Velia Castle could be significantly delayed.
In the end, for the Allied Forces, feigning defeat was a gamble.
But sometimes, in order to win a war, you have to throw the dice.
This was why Roden couldn't easily answer what choice the Allied Forces had made.
In conclusion, the Allied Forces' choice could only be known in the upcoming battle.
How much time had passed since then?
Finally, the Imperial Army's support unit encountered the Allied Forces' support unit.
The exact scale was unknown, but their numbers were comparable to the Allied Forces' support unit.
It was a tense situation.
However, since a large-scale battle was already predicted, the two did not back down and clashed.
“We are the proud sons of the Empire! So let's show the enemy a taste of our might! All troops, charge!”
The Imperial Army's support unit was the first to charge.
As the Imperial Army's support unit, which had to break through the Allied Forces' support unit and enter Velia Castle, it was a natural choice.
Thus, the cavalry of both sides clashed first.
And as if to prove that the famous warhorse Holsteiner was not famous for nothing, it was the Imperial Army's support unit that gained the upper hand.
However, the Allied Forces' support unit was only pushed back by a small margin, and their spirit was not completely broken.
It was a part that showed how much preparation the Allied Forces' support unit had made for this battle.
In the meantime, the infantry of both sides clashed after breaking through the arrows of the archery units.
The Allied Forces, who had learned the defense-oriented Mediale Kingdom Swordsmanship, and the Imperial Army, who had learned the offense-oriented Ingens Empire Swordsmanship, exchanged fierce blows.
And in the early stages, it seemed that the aggressive Imperial Army was gaining the upper hand.
However, as they continued to hold out, the tide gradually turned in favor of the Allied Forces.
For that reason, perhaps thinking that they couldn't continue like this, the knights of the Imperial Army exerted their strength.
As a result, the atmosphere shifted back to the Imperial Army's side.
Terne watched the scene and spoke.
“It's a back-and-forth battle, no joke.”
Zailo took his words.
“I know. It definitely doesn't feel like they're feigning defeat.”
Certainly, the battle was still tense.
And at this rate, it seemed that the Allied Forces did not trust Roden and had decided to stop the Imperial Army.
Thus, the two sides clashed fiercely without giving an inch.
Above all, the clash of the knights of both sides was impressive.
They fought a desperate battle to gain the upper hand.
'Especially in a battle like this, the performance of the knights is important. Both sides are well aware of this fact.'
As a result, the number of knights who lost their lives one by one increased.
They died because of a lack of skill, because they overexerted themselves, because they fell by mistake, or because they were hit by a stray arrow.
However, it was not a one-sided slaughter, as the knights of both sides fell in similar numbers.
“I think it's certain now. That our allies didn't trust us.”
Chevalier muttered, and Roden nodded his head.
At this point, Roden couldn't help but think the same.
It was only natural, as the number of Allied knights who had died exceeded ten fingers.
'If even this is an act for a natural feigned defeat, all the actors with us here should retire.'
It was a situation where he couldn't help but think that.
That was how tensely the two sides confronted each other and fought fiercely.
However, the balance that seemed to be maintained forever was tilted to one side in an instant.
To end the battle, the strongest of both sides jumped into the middle of the battlefield.
Jorje Bakrac, the commander of the Imperial Army's support unit, and Craig Thompson, the commander of the Allied Forces' support unit, were the two.
“It's a battle of 6-star knights! Everyone, back away!”
“Finally, the two giants clash! Get away quickly!”
The soldiers of the Imperial and Allied Forces quickly moved out of the way of the two men.
If they were to block the path by mistake, they would be swept away by the 6-star aura and lose their lives.
Thus, facing each other, it was Jorje, who exuded a terrifying aura, who spoke first.
“It seems I've met a worthy opponent after a long time.”
Craig also exuded a formidable aura and received Jorje's words.
“I hope this will be a battle that can satisfy this sword.”
As if any more conversation on the battlefield was a luxury, the two men clashed their swords.
***
A short while later.
The Allied Forces' support unit retreated with the sound of the retreat bugle.
Among them was the Allied Forces' Support Commander, Craig, who was bleeding with his shoulder pierced.