Chapter 91: Burst from the Trees
The battlefield was somewhat cleaned up and the cavalrymen were laughing happily over spoils and loot, but there was still no word on how the main force’s battle had gone. Michael seemed to trust my father-in-law’s abilities but was slowly getting anxious.
"Brother-in-law, should we send cavalry to check?"
"I sent Anton, so if something happens he’ll come report."
"Our duchy army is elite among elite, but the county forces are totally unreliable."
"However unreliable, they’re still border troops, so they’ll play their part."
Through nearly 100 years of history, border forces had fought endlessly against Burgundian guerrillas, so they were capable troops in their own right. But Michael, who distrusted the regions, seemed to find even regional armies unreliable. His position was that the duchy army representing the center should stand above regional forces.
Anyway, I fed my subordinates well and let them rest.
They’d accumulated fatigue from continuous battles, so I let them recover even a little.
That way they’d have more strength when deployed in combat. Everyone switched to reserve horses. I also brought out Mont Blanc instead of the tired Schatten. Michael looked at Mont Blanc enviously, stroking his neck like a smitten lover.
"Count Épinay gave you a really wonderful gift."
"Brother-in-law, your horse is an excellent horse too, so you must feel left out."
"Baldr is a good horse, but this one just looks so noble, you know."
Mont Blanc snorted as if Michael were annoying him. I’d just fed him sugar cubes, so that’s why he reacted this mildly—with his normally sensitive temperament, he would’ve already shown Michael his fancy front hooves flailing. While we were tediously waiting for battlefield news, Anton finally arrived.
Anton, who’d ridden like the wind, reported to me:
"Message from the duchy army’s commander! Orders to immediately pursue the defeated enemy!"
Fortunately, our side had won.
The window for the rear raid had passed without the raiding party showing up, so Count Épinay must’ve sensed its failure. Anton explained that the enemy had tried to regroup their formation while retreating, but when the left wing’s mercenary force broke off, the shockwave of defeat spread uncontrollably.
After that, well, they’d have been too busy running away.
"I’m leaving you in charge here. Fiel, August! Assemble the unit!"
"I’ll clean up the garrison well, so bring back some good loot!"
Leaving the garrison to Michael, I hurriedly led the light cavalry north. Some cavalrymen complained about continuous deployment, but most were happy for the chance to grab more loot. If the enemy was fleeing in defeat, which direction would they run? North, obviously.
Thud thud thud thud thud!
So I retraced the path I’d taken the day before. I planned to get ahead of the enemy first so the fleeing troops wouldn’t notice us. The path I’d used when raiding the enemy’s raiding parties and supply bases served as our guide once again. I surveyed the surroundings through my Commander Scouter.
Fleeing enemy units gradually started being detected.
And the moment I confirmed Count Épinay’s location, I searched for the optimal route.
The optimal route was the Commander Scouter’s third function—designating a target to generate attack and retreat routes like navigation. Through this function, I’d shaken off reconnaissance forces and returned safely. This time, conversely, an optimal route to attack Count Épinay was generated.
Rather than heading straight to the plains, we turned onto a completely unknown side path. That side path was a forest trail, but fairly wide for light cavalry to move through. I felt bad, though, because the cavalryman carrying the standard flag seemed very flustered. Normally, even when using forest trails, you don’t go this fast.
Through the Commander Scouter, I could see this forest trail was getting closer and closer to the plains.
And those plains were full of fleeing enemy forces.
We’d gotten close to the enemy before we knew it. My heart started pounding.
But none of the cavalrymen knew that.
They just rode hard following my lead.
"Beren cavalry! Draw swords!"
When I drew my cavalry sword, the cavalrymen were startled but drew their swords as ordered. Why suddenly draw swords? That’s what they’d be wondering. But there was no time to explain. All that was visible ahead was the wall of bushes marking the end of this forest trail. I attempted jumping on horseback for the first time in my life.
Mont Blanc was a very fast horse with smooth handling that gave a thrilling sensation like a sports car. I matched Mont Blanc’s rhythm and sent the jump signal he knew, just as Winter had taught me. Then Mont Blanc very elegantly leaped and cleared the bushes.
And what I saw were the shocked faces of infantrymen as cavalry suddenly burst from the trees. I felt it all in slow motion, and my reflexively swung cavalry sword slashed the nearest infantryman’s face as I passed. Our cavalry charged relentlessly through infantry scattering in panic.
"Enemy cavalry!"
"Aaaah!"
Crash! Crash!
Infantry knocked down by horses were mercilessly trampled by the hooves behind them. Cavalry swords swung everywhere, cutting down infantry. The enemy was completely unprepared for us bursting out like this. So we killed them very easily and quickly.
But killing enemy soldiers wasn’t the objective.
The target was Count Épinay, and for some reason, the cavalry escorting him were very few. That was unfortunate for the count. I’d been ready to charge and accept casualties, but his escort cavalry numbered only about 10 riders. Naturally, Count Épinay was shocked when he spotted us.
"Fiel! To the right!"
When I pointed right with my right hand as our signal, Fiel’s squad broke off that way. Then I pointed left with my left hand, sending August’s squad left. I led the remaining lieutenants and cavalry straight ahead. Simply put, we surrounded them so they couldn’t escape.
Naturally, the enemy cavalry weren’t idiots—the moment we tried to surround them, they charged toward August, who’d moved left, trying to break through before the encirclement closed. But August’s sword cut down the lead rider, blocking the breakthrough. In that gap, the encirclement was completed.
The enemy cavalry was reduced to five.
"Count Épinay! Surrender!"
When I urged surrender from the front, Count Épinay—not even wearing a helmet and looking at me with bewildered eyes—recognized the crest on my standard flag. The count’s plump beard, dyed red with rage, trembled. Plus I was riding Mont Blanc. He couldn’t possibly fail to recognize me.
"That crest! And Mont Blanc! You’re Streit!"
"That’s right. Thank you for the wonderful gift."
"Ta gueule! You dare insult the noble lord of Épinay! You damn horse thief! Because of you, all my plans were ruined! I swear to God, I will never forgive you!"
Count Épinay shouted furiously, but with no soldiers around to protect him, his words were empty. Most of the enemy army were mercenaries, and they were too busy saving themselves to rally around him. The Burgundian infantry had also scattered in all directions the moment we appeared.
Regrouping fleeing soldiers was nearly impossible.
"Surrender. I don’t want to commit the sin of killing a noble."
"The great nobles of Burgundy do not surrender!"
Refusing to surrender despite being surrounded—did he have something to rely on?
I clicked my tongue quietly and was about to attack when enemy cavalry appeared on my Commander Scouter. Through the scouter’s information, I could tell they were Count Épinay’s personal guard, but I didn’t know why they were only showing up now.
"Fiel! August! Block the enemy cavalry!"
"My men have returned! Hartmann, kill that bastard!"
Of all times for enemy reinforcements to appear. And there were quite a few of them, too. I ordered Fiel and August to intercept, and while they bought time, I charged to capture Count Épinay. My cavalry sword collided with the sword of the knight called Hartmann.
And Count Épinay seized that opportunity to attempt his escape.