Must win and return.
That was the command of the callow young lord-in-waiting. Keldric, still wearing his helmet, snorted dismissively.
‘Easy for you to say.’
As Lord Lothar said, no matter what, they had to win. This battle could not be lost.
Though what battle could ever be allowed to be lost, this one was especially crucial.
If they lost this battle, they would surely be pushed all the way back to Belam.
They had established Yalta in the rear as an intermediate base, but frankly, if Baron Gottfried’s forces pushed in during a retreat, they wouldn’t stand a chance and would have to flee all the way to Belam.
‘Be sure to win and return! Ensure those bastards never see the sunlight again!’
Lord Lothar probably said that in a fit of pique at the messenger’s audacity, but the fact remained that defeat would be disastrous.
Keldric wasn’t worried about losing.
Not out of arrogance, but because he didn’t want to jinx things from the start and hinder the fight.
“Lord Keldric. Nervous?”
Lord Rutger, fully armed like Keldric, rode his horse up beside him.
Keldric glanced down at Lord Rutger.
He was already large, and riding the massive Avelin made him a head taller.
“Not at all.”
“So it seems. Well, it would be strange if a knight of your size were nervous.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is. I heard Lord Volpen had three sons, but you are by far the best.”
Lord Rutger seemed to know about Keldric’s father, Lord Volpen.
Which was only natural. Vassal knights couldn’t live without knowing each other’s faces.
Keldric glanced back at the Military Camp where the knights were gathered.
Come to think of it, Hilmer, nominally a vassal knight of Baron Yaben, was nowhere to be seen.
Perhaps Carlton Village had already been attacked. Keldric tried to hide his unease.
A vassal knight serving in his lord’s army was an obligation, but it was possible if Baron Yaben had excused Hilmer.
But even so, he probably wasn’t absent for good reason.
Besides, the fate of Fritz and Joseph was also uncertain. What had happened to them? Had they been executed according to Baron Yaben’s judgment?
‘Damn it.’
He didn’t know anything, but he wanted to know so much. None of which had anything to do with the battle right in front of him.
Keldric lightly bit the inside of his cheek, trying to focus.
“Let’s move over there. It looks like we’ll have a much better view.”
Lord Rutger led the way. Keldric followed, turning Avelin’s reins.
As he said, the battlefield was visible at a glance from the top of the slightly sloping hill.
Keldric roughly took off his helmet. He wasn’t going to fight right away, and it was just obstructing his vision.
“How many troops do we have exactly?”
“Two hundred and thirty-six.”
A decent number, considering they had suffered a defeat. Keldric’s gaze turned to the crowd lined up in front.
Soldiers and mercenaries with different armaments were mixed together.
Traces of effort to line up and maintain order could be seen, but it was best not to expect too much.
Once the battle started, it would likely turn into a free-for-all. There was no point in maintaining perfect ranks in that situation.
“I’ll be going now. I look forward to a glorious charge with you.”
“Likewise.”
Lord Rutger turned his horse and rode away.
He was the oldest of the knights. Being the oldest, without being senile, meant he was experienced.
Lord Lothar seemed to trust him greatly because of it. Keldric didn’t dislike calm knights either.
“Lord Keldric.”
As Keldric stood on the low hill looking at the soldiers, Alyssa rode up to him.
Arno and Helga followed behind with anxious expressions.
“Alyssa?”
“…I will pray for your safety.”
Tension was evident on Alyssa’s face.
Which was understandable, as this was Alyssa’s first time going to war as well.
Keldric patted Alyssa’s shoulder a couple of times. Then he tucked the large, can-like helmet under his arm.
“Do you think I’ll lose?”
“That’s not it. But…”
“That’s all I need to know.”
He had no intention of losing in the first place. Keldric would advance only for victory.
Even if it was a small battle, if he did his best every time, Keldric would be rewarded accordingly.
That was what they called a glorious victory.
“By the way, I heard there’s a mage on their side.”
Keldric’s navy blue eyes rolled, then turned to Baron Gottfried’s forces lined up in front.
The tents where Baron Gottfried and his aides were probably located were not clearly visible. But if the rumors were true, there would be a mage like Alyssa there.
“How should I deal with a mage?”
Keldric asked casually. Alyssa seemed to think for a moment, then shrugged and replied.
“The best way is to quickly approach and subdue them from the start, and if that’s not possible, there are two other ways.”
“What are they?”
“Close the distance while hiding from the mage, or have another mage twist the magic.”
She said that magic was a form of awakening to the truths of the world and borrowing its power.
What Alyssa was saying was to slightly twist that process.
“For example, it’s common sense that fire is needed to boil water, right?”
“That’s right.”
“If I’m in the middle of boiling water with fire, and a mage from the Floating Water School puts out the fire with magic, that’s twisting the magic.”
The mage intervenes and twists the result that should naturally occur: ‘the water boils.’
It could be applied to magic.
Alyssa often used the principle that friction ignites fire, so if the enemy mage reduced the friction, the magic would not activate.
Keldric nodded slowly, understanding. Indeed, battles between mages were complicated.
“Then, can I leave their mage to you?”
“That’s…”
“I’m joking. We should deal with them together if possible.”
Keldric had never faced a mage in his life.
But mages were people too. Who wouldn’t die if you stabbed them with a longsword?
“The stronger the mental fortitude, the greater the resistance.”
There was a reason why mages couldn’t push back knights and rise to the rank of ‘fighters.’
Knights were beings united by self-love, honor, and conviction. That, too, could be called mental fortitude.
Keldric nodded in agreement. Then there would be no problem.
However, since mages could kill many people at once, it was obvious that they should be targeted first.
“Be careful too.”
“Thank you for your concern.”
“Don’t dismiss it. I’m genuinely worried. It would be quite difficult without you.”
And sad too. Keldric muttered the last part softly.
Whether Alyssa heard it or not, she turned her head slightly to hide her face.
“Anyway, I should be going now.”
“Good luck, Lord Keldric.”
Keldric replied briefly with a wave. Then he headed straight for Lord Lothar’s tent.
“Lord Keldric! Prepare for battle immediately!”
The battle was at hand.
☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩
Jorgen tried to calm his trembling breath.
The soldiers lined up in front of him looked like a tidal wave. The numbers were probably not that different, but it was strange.
‘Fucking hell, you idiot.’
After spitting out a mouthful of phlegm, he readjusted his grip on his sword with a rough hand.
It was always nerve-wracking before a battle. This was common to veteran mercenaries and rookies alike.
With his own neck on the line, no one was bragging about how many people they had killed.
If you didn’t know any better, it was best to fall back when a knight charged.
Knights existed to kill mercenaries.
No, it was better to be honest. Knights existed to massacre mercenaries.
“Fucking hell, hoo…”
Rough breaths from tension, occasional garbled prayers.