Chapter 89 : Chapter 89
Chapter 89. Operation Meatball (8)
While Roden's party was busy preparing food.
Federico was leading the Infantry Platoon towards Velia Castle.
“……I don't know if the Company Commander is safe.”
To avoid suspicion, the Infantry Platoon had deliberately waited a few days after Roden's party left Vinchih before moving out.
However, they were almost at Velia Castle.
This was because the Imperial Army's support unit had moved slowly, conscious of the Allied Forces' support unit, and had even fought a fierce battle along the way.
For that reason, they could join the Allied Forces after just a few more hours of walking.
“The Company Commander will be safe. He's the Company Commander, after all.”
Hugo from the 3rd Squad answered Federico's mumble.
And Manolo from the 2nd Squad added.
“That's right. The Company Commander will never fail.”
The Infantry Platoon's faith in Roden was firm.
They didn't think this simply because Roden had led them to become knights and had passed on the superior swordsmanship, which was as good as a family heirloom.
They believed in him because they had seen him overcome all trials and succeed in his operations, even in the midst of numerous crises.
Above all,
“The Company Commander has an inexhaustible spring of secret techniques. So he will lead this mission to success without any problems.”
The soldiers of the Infantry Platoon believed in Roden's abilities like this.
For reference, the one who had just spoken was Antonio from the 1st Squad.
Hugo, Manolo, Antonio.
These three were the soldiers who had reached the rank of 1-star after Nedhab, Federico, Zailo, and Terne.
At the same time, they were also soldiers who were currently aiming for the rank of 2-star.
Anyway, Federico, who heard the three's words, had no choice but to agree.
“Yes. The Company Commander will succeed. The skills of the four people assisting him are also formidable.”
Needless to say, Chevalier, who had finally reached the rank of 3-star in Vinchih, was skilled.
Nedhab, Zailo, and Terne had already reached the rank of 2-star long ago.
Federico was the only knight of 2-star rank who could not participate in this operation.
Federico continued.
“And the Company Commander's rank is so great that he can envision success even without the four of them.”
That was right.
In fact, it was not only the soldiers who had achieved rank advancement in Vinchih.
Roden had also finally reached the rank of 5-star.
Hugo, who quickly grasped what Federico was saying, answered.
“Yes. So don't worry too much. Above all, aren't we about to join our allies soon?”
In fact, there was a reason why the Infantry Platoon was hurrying.
Surprisingly, about half of the thirty ordinary soldiers in the Infantry Platoon had reached the rank of 1-star.
In other words, it meant that the Infantry Platoon had become a unit that could be called the strongest, no matter what other unit came along.
There would be no other case in this world where half of the ordinary soldiers had reached the rank of 1-star.
“Hugo, you're right. Let's not worry unnecessarily and hurry up to be of help to the Company Commander.”
Thus, Federico quickened his pace, and a few hours later, the Infantry Platoon finally joined the Allied Forces.
***
And that dawn.
The vanguard battalion, now joined by the Infantry Platoon, moved towards the north gate with the main battalion and the support unit.
Then, they waited for the north gate to open at a suitable distance.
[After entering Velia Castle, I will open the north gate immediately that dawn, so please wait. I will send a signal with a fire arrow before the north gate opens.]
The letter that Federico had sent on Roden's behalf.
It was only natural, as this additional message was written in the letter.
However, the expressions of the main battalion commander and the support unit commander, who had received the contents of this letter from Tobias, were indifferent.
They had come here after seeing the confident content of the letter, but their expressions said that there was no way the gate would open.
In the end, the main battalion commander, Linor Mustafi, let out a sigh and opened his mouth.
“I don't see why we have to waste our time like this.”
At those words, Tobias retorted furiously.
“Waste of time! If you have time for that, just look at the sky. A fire arrow will soon cut through the air.”
“What fire arrow. You're the one who should come to your senses. The moment you decided to feign defeat and not stop the enemy's support unit, the possibility of capturing Velia Castle was as good as gone.”
Linor said, as if chiding Tobias.
But the one who was stung by these words was not Tobias, but Craig.
“Ahem. Are you saying that all of this is my fault for choosing to feign defeat?”
Craig openly showed his displeasure, but Linor did not back down.
“Why? Did I say something wrong? I still don't understand. Why you chose to feign defeat? While getting injured in the shoulder.”
“I told you. Even if we stopped the enemy's support unit and continued the siege, it would be the same, we wouldn't be able to capture Velia Castle.”
“That's your pessimistic judgment that the Allied Forces will collapse within six months. In the first place, if you're so pessimistic, why did you even participate in this war?”
“The reason I say the Allied Forces will collapse in less than six months is because of people like you! People like you who are aggressive in everything, closing your ears even when you hear a rational reason!”
In the end, Craig couldn't hold it in and shouted, and this time, Linor was stung by those words.
“What! What's so aggressive about me! If it looks that way, it's probably because of you, who ruined this operation!”
Just when it seemed like the two were about to have a big fight.
Tobias, who should have been stopping them, also couldn't contain his anger and chimed in.
“Shut up and look at the sky, you bastards! I told you, you'll see a fire arrow soon!”
Thus, it seemed that the fight would turn into a three-way battle.
The three men, who seemed about to draw their swords at any moment, suddenly stopped their movements in unison.
The reason was none other than this.
Pyuyuyung!
Just like that, a fire arrow had indeed cut through the air.
“……I didn't see that wrong, did I?”
“I don't think so.”
Linor and Craig exchanged words in a daze, and Tobias burst out laughing belatedly.
“Hahaha. Yes. I believed in the Special Task Force Company Commander. All troops, advance!”
Tobias led the vanguard battalion and went ahead towards the north gate.
Linor and Craig followed behind, leading their troops with tilted heads.
'Did the person called the Special Task Force Company Commander really open the gate?'
'Isn't it just someone who accidentally shot a fire arrow by chance?'
But they would soon find out that all of this was not a coincidence.
Drrrk. Kuung.
At the same time as the Allied Forces arrived, the gate had opened wide.
In the miraculous situation, Linor and Craig were startled and looked at each other's faces.
“Hahaha.”
But they soon came to their senses after hearing Tobias's laughter.
Then they shouted.
“Charge! Charge!”
“Kill all the enemies without leaving any behind!
“Don't let a single one escape alive!”
A miracle had happened, so it was time to seize the opportunity.
***
Ding-ding-ding!
Only after the gate opened wide did the emergency bell belatedly ring.
“The enemy has invaded!”
“Stop them! Stop them now!”
“Gather here!”
The Imperial Army, in a panic, armed themselves and went out to face the Allied Forces, but it was useless.
They were no match for the Allied Forces, who had entered the castle with full preparation.
“Gasp! Help me!”
“Someone help me!”
“No! No!”
As a result, in the early stages of the battle, the number of Imperial soldiers inevitably decreased rapidly.
Above all, an unexpected variable held the Imperial Army back.
“My… my stomach hurts so much!”
“Ugh! I'm dying!”
“I can't move!”
In fact, the meatballs that Roden's party had made.
These meatballs were mixed with rat poison.
When inspecting the supplies to get the food ingredients, they had stealthily taken the rat poison that was among them and put it in the meatballs.
Because of that, the 500 soldiers of the Imperial Army who had eaten the meatballs could not exert their full combat strength.
It was only natural, as their stomachs were hurting like crazy.
It wasn't for nothing that Roden's party had been disappointed that they could only make 500 servings of meatballs.
Thus, it was fatal that 500 soldiers had lost their combat strength at a time when it would have been insufficient even if everyone had fought properly.
In fact, it was safe to say that a fight was impossible.
“You bastards! Get a hold of yourselves!”
“Fight quickly! Fight now!”
“Do you want to die here!”
The knights on the Imperial Army's side tried to fight somehow, but the result was the same.
The number of Imperial soldiers continued to decrease.
Roden's party, who was watching this from the top of the castle wall, had a conversation.
“At this rate, we won't have to step in.”
“I know, right.”
Nedhab spoke first, and Roden chimed in.
But then.
“Proud sons of the Empire, gather here!”
Someone shouted in a deep voice.
It was the voice of Jorje, the commander of the Imperial Army's support unit who had injured Craig.
At this, the frightened Imperial soldiers began to gather around Jorje one by one.
And it wasn't just Jorje.
Two other bigwigs of the Imperial Army, who had been sleeping in different places, gathered their troops.
“Come this way!”
“Over here too!”
Thus, the Imperial Army instantly formed three units.
For a surprise attack, it could be said to be a fairly quick response.
However,
“Deal with the left unit first, in order!”
The distance between the three units was too great.
For that reason, if the Allied Forces put their minds to it, it was possible to defeat them one by one.
The order to deal with the left unit first contained this meaning.
“Th-this!”
The battalion commander-level officer of the Imperial Army, who had painstakingly gathered his troops, was flustered.
And there was no winning against numbers.
When Tobias, Linor, and Craig rushed in at once, he died without even being able to use his strength properly, despite being a 6-star knight.
It was hard to believe that they had been fighting before the gate opened, as the three of them had strangely good teamwork at times like this.
“Now, let's destroy the middle unit!”
Thus, the Allied Forces, who had defeated one Imperial Army unit and a 6-star knight, immediately turned their attention to the next target.
Roden, who was watching this, spoke with sparkling eyes.
“There! We're not helping our allies, we're going over there!”