Genjitsushugisha no Oukokukaizouki - Volume 19 - Chapter 2.1

Chapter 2: The Pride of the Brilliant Commanders

Meanwhile, on the Royal Friedonian Army’s eastern flank...

Here, too, the Great Tiger Empire was launching a fierce assault. The attackers were Mutsumi, the Partner of the Tiger, and Gaifuku, the Shield of the Tiger, while the defenders were Liscia and...

“Now, warriors! Let’s show the enemy what dark elves are made of!”

“With our strength of arms, we will strike down the invaders who threaten this kingdom and the God-Protected Forest!”

...the dark elf warriors led by Aisha’s father Wodan, his younger brother Robthor, and Velza’s father Sur.

Once the dark elves had finished their mission obstructing the Great Tiger Empire’s advance, they joined the main force and placed themselves under Liscia’s command. Dark elves were excellent archers. Their arrows intercepted the enemy’s long-range magic attacks and pierced through one advancing soldier after another.

Now that I think of it, Sir Sur has even shot down cannonballs before... He’s so reliable. As she watched the dark elves fight, Liscia was reminded of the war that had taken place in the first year after Souma was summoned. Back then, Ludwin, Halbert, and Kaede had only been able to defend the fort they had shut themselves in to buy time because the dark elves had arrived to back them up. We’ve really got to be grateful to Aisha for building ties with the God-Protected Forest for us...

From atop her horse, Liscia shouted at the men under her command, “Everyone, you can’t let the dark elves outshine you! All of us, as residents of this country, regardless of race, need to protect our families and homes! That’s what this battle is all about!”

“““Yeahhhhh!””” Liscia’s men shouted in response to her orders.

Then Sur and his daughter Velza, who was Halbert’s secretary, raced over to her.

“My queen!”

“Lady Liscia!”

They had been hiding in the woods, watching the enemy.

Knowing this, Liscia asked, “Sir Sur, Velza, how is the battle going?”

“Ma’am, an individual who appears to be an enemy general is giving commands near the front line,” replied Sur.

“It’s a woman with long, dark hair riding a horse,” added Velza. “In all likelihood, she’s...”

“Madam Mutsumi, yes,” Liscia finished, immediately recognizing the description.

Fuuga Haan’s wife had come to the battlefield. That showed how serious the enemy was, but...Liscia decided it would be dangerous in all sorts of ways to leave her unchecked. So, she immediately gave orders.

“Sir Sur, please ask Sir Wodan to take command for me for a while.”

“Huh?! Y-Yes, ma’am! Understood.” Sur blinked for a moment, not fully understanding what he had just been asked to do, but seeing the seriousness in Liscia’s eyes, he quickly agreed.

After watching Sur race off to carry out her request, Liscia turned to his daughter.

“Velza. Guide me to where Madam Mutsumi is.”

“R-Right!”

◇ ◇ ◇

“Haaah!”

“Guh...!”

With her longsword wreathed in flame, Mutsumi cut down one of the Kingdom’s knights. With his chest torn open, the man fell from his horse with agony on his face. After confirming her enemy was dead, Mutsumi calmed her horse and raised her voice to address her allies.

“Don’t bunch together! Take advantage of our numbers and force the enemy into a wider battle so they can’t concentrate their forces! That will be the strategy the Kingdom’s forces will hate the most!”

When an army had fewer troops than its opponent, it sought to concentrate its forces and divide the enemy, aiming to reverse the numerical advantage in localized areas and defeat the enemy. Throughout history, smaller forces have lured larger forces into a bottleneck, then whittled them down from the sides to achieve victory. To prevent this, the larger force must send in many units simultaneously, leaving the smaller force no opportunity to concentrate its strength.

In short, they had to launch a total offensive, which was the strategy Mutsumi was employing.

The eastern flank, commanded by Liscia, had been using their powerful archers to eliminate enemy units one by one. However, by launching a total offensive, the Empire’s forces could prevent the Kingdom’s dark elf archers from regrouping. The Kingdom would have to split up to provide supporting fire where needed, which would limit their ability to pressure the enemy as much as they had expected.

With that done, Mutsumi pointed her longsword forward and shouted at her enemies, “Withdraw if you value your lives! Come at me if you value your honor! I will cut down all who oppose my husband—the heroic Fuuga Haan—and his great ambition!”

Her bold, dignified appearance made the Kingdom’s soldiers gulp. After all, when Mutsumi had been in the Union of Eastern Nations, she had been known for her wisdom, bravery, and beauty. No shortage of royals, nobles, and knights had sought her hand in marriage. Now that she was Fuuga’s wife, she fought beside him much of the time and didn’t stand out as a result, but her capability as a commander was equal to Shuukin’s.

Just as the Kingdom’s forces were faltering in the face of Mutsumi’s intensity, they heard the sound of hoofbeats closing in from the distance. The sound was awfully clear on this noisy battlefield. Mutsumi turned to look, and there was Liscia, making a dynamic entrance as she rode in on a white horse.

“Ah! Lady Liscia?!”

“Madam Mutsumi!”

Clang! As their horses ran past each other, Liscia greeted Mutsumi with a thrust of her rapier, which Mutsumi blocked with her longsword.