When the main body of the Rastinel dared to assault the center of the enemy flank, there was movement elsewhere.


　This was on the right flank of the center. This is where Count Dowd Bow, who was deployed right next to the main body of Rastinel, is.
　...... It is already known that the horizontal line of Nadar's army was unintentionally stretched out horizontally by Ceylan's ploy, so that its vertical line - the so-called vertical depth - became shallow.
　The Earl of Dow's Bow was quick to follow the main body of the Rastinel led by Louise, who saw this as an opportunity to surge forward. The main body of the Rastinel had already managed to penetrate deep into the enemy flank, but the troops commanded by Count Dows Bow had stopped moving, unable to penetrate the wall of infantry.


　The resistance was fierce and they could not break through.
　The situation was not quite a stalemate, but it was lacking an offensive force.
　The landscape was a hazy yellowish-brown as dust rose from the horseshoes.
　The Earl of Dowd's Bow, astride his horse, shouted angrily and impatiently at the squires and lieutenants surrounding him.


What the hell are you doing?　Don't you dare break the front!

But the enemy resistance is unexpectedly strong. ......

Come on!　If we continue like this, Rustinelle's soldiers will take all the credit!


　...... Currently, Count Dowd's Bow is ranting and raving about the fact that his troops can't break through the enemy's front. This reminds me of some pig-like count, but whatever.
　Count Dowd Bow's mind was already occupied with taking credit.
　Indeed, taking credit for a battle is the mission and mission of a military nobleman. If he didn't take credit, he wouldn't be able to earn a large amount of money, and he wouldn't be able to make up for the war expenses he had spent on the current campaign.
　So, it was inevitable that he would start to get impatient.


　However, there was another reason that drove him to take credit.
　These were the several blunders he had made before the battle.
　He made a careless remark in front of the Crown Prince Ceylan.
　And during a military conference, he made a comment that did not contribute to the operation.
　Ceylan didn't seem to care that much about it, but it was still a blunder. Therefore, the Earl of Dow's Bow had to make up for it with his military prowess at all costs.


　But with the troops out of action, that was naturally not going to happen.


Why?　Why can't we break through such a poor battle line?　The enemy's flanks have already begun to collapse!

But the magic of the mages who came to reinforce them was so powerful that the infantry alone couldn't handle it.

I'm not sure what to do.　I'm not sure what to do.　If we let this opportunity slip away, we'll lose the credit!　And you!　You know what will happen!

"Hee!　I understand!　All of you, give it everything you've got!


　As soon as the adjutant gave the order, not only the infantry of the troops but even the cavalry surrounding the Count joined in the ill-advised assault. The Count's troops succeeded in cutting through the enemy's front and penetrating deep into the flank, just like the Rastinel's army.
　No matter how strong their resistance was, they could not withstand an offensive that took no account of damage. The enemy's front was being swallowed up by the Count's troops in no time.


"Ha-ha-ha-ha!　You can do it!　Yes!　Keep moving!　Keep moving!　Let's use this momentum to raise the enemy's head!


　I can ride a winning horse now. Count Dowd Bow was dreaming of such a fake victory when...


"Message for His Excellency the Count!　There's been an incident on the right flank of our side!

"Right flank"?　What? I don't care where it is!

But it seems that our troops are slowly collapsing!

"Crumbling?　By the Nadar?

No!

Why?　What the hell is going on?


　Because of Ceylan's plan, the Nadar army is nearly dead. There is no reason for a victorious ally to collapse on its own, and no reason for a defeated Nadar army to collapse on its own.
　The Count of Bow is confused by the bizarre events. However, even in the midst of all this, the thought process of calculation was fully functioning in his mind. Should he move on to deal with the enemy soldiers that would be pouring in from the collapsed area, or should he ignore them and charge ahead and take credit for the headlines?


　Even if the right flank collapses, it won't do any real harm to your own troops. In the meantime, there are several units and lords commanding them. There is no need to give up the credit and go on the defensive, but rather, if we break through the enemy flank here, we can deal with them later.


　Just as Count Dowd Bow was about to give the order to 'charge', the messenger troops came into the auburn landscape again.


"Dispatch!　We've found the cause of the total collapse of the right flank!　The cause of the total collapse of the right flank has been discovered! It's due to the enemy cavalry's single-cavalry attack!

"One cavalryman?　How can that be?

"The cavalryman is Gillis Empire ranger general Bargh Gulba!

"What?


　Hearing the words of the messenger, Count Dows Bow's confusion became even more extreme.


　--"Balgu Gulba!


　Of course, the Count knows this name.
　But he wondered why the Empire's strongest soldier was here.
　Wasn't the Empire supposed to be here in the first place?
　These thoughts stirred in my head even more.


The troops on the right flank are already in a panic due to the onslaught of Bargh Gurva!　For now, it seems that Baron Ronel and Count Shalman are leading the fight back, but there is no denying the possibility that they will be swallowed by Bargh Gurva at this rate!


　As Count Dowd Bow was unable to speak, his second-in-command raised a voice that resembled a scream.


"My lord!　If we continue like this, there's a risk that Bargh Gurva will come towards us!

"Na, na, na, that's ...... not good!


　The Count remembers. The Count remembers the tremendous grandeur of Balug Gulba. The despair it brought.
　A raging bull, riding a giant horse, destroying everything in its path with two battle-axes reminiscent of relics of ancient times. The most fearsome thing about his general is that he has an unparalleled natural disposition, comparable to that of the princes of other countries, that makes magic ineffective. It is said that even a national mage with uncommon power can barely wound him.


　It is said that the King of the Kingdom of Rynor, Shinru Kroselord, would have to travel to defeat it. He is an object of utter terror to the western lords who are the bulwark against the Empire.


　Count Bowe was already in high spirits.
　Unless the strike force had prepared in advance to fight the Empire, he had assumed that the Empire would not enter the war.
　It would be insane to fight such a thing without preparation.
　It would have been better to be held accountable for his arbitrary actions.


"d*mn it!　I can't stay here!

Sir?

I'm retreating!　Fall back!　We can't afford to die here!

You are disobeying His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's orders!

No!　Even if I leave now, the victory of the Kingdom's army will be unassailable!　Fall back now!

Sir Bow!　Wait for me!　My Lord!


　I'm sure you've heard of it, but I'm not sure if you have.


　...... The most unfortunate ones here were the infantrymen who were following him and the infantrymen who were right behind him.
　The most unfortunate thing here was that the infantrymen who were following him and the infantrymen who were right behind him could not change direction in time due to the sudden retreat, and they were crushed.


　"Shame on the nobility of this kingdom!


"You disgrace to the nobility of this kingdom!　You disgrace to the nobility of the kingdom!

Heeeyyyy!　You guys!　Keep that boy away from me!　What the hell is that crazy monster doing here?　d*mn it!　Get out of here!　Don't come!


　While Polk Nadar was whining and screaming at Deet's roar.
　On the left flank of the vanquishing army, Poluk Nadar was lowering his troops to the rear under Deet's pressure.
　Shortly after Barg Gulbah left, Deet's troops succeeded in cutting through the enemy flank.
　Deet, on the back of his force, threatened Poluk Nadar's rear, and Poluk Nadar was forced to move his forces back to the west.



　



　Currently, Poluk Nadar's front was being pushed back by a detachment of Rastinel commanded by Diet and some of his flankers.
　Nadar's army is already in a state of flux, and its retreating backbone extends to the entire army. The morale of the army had dropped so low that it was likely to destroy itself by desertion as soon as it got the chance.


　A total collapse was now inevitable, and reports of it might reach Ceylan at any moment.
　The victory of the vanquishing army had already been decided. The work of Ceylan and the Kingsguard is almost over.


　--But just as Ceylan and his Kingsguard were recovering from the attack on Barg Gulbah and pushing the enemy infantry into the leftmost flank.
　Just as he was expecting to receive a report of the total collapse of the Nahdar army, an extraordinary report arrived at Ceylan's door.


"Your Highness, the Dauphin has been informed!　The rightmost part of the right flank and the center right flank have collapsed!

"...... what?


　The message continued to explain to Ceylan, who sounded suspicious after receiving the unexpected report.


A Bargh Gulbah suddenly appeared on the right flank of the allied side, daring to assault the allied infantry troops. The allied infantry units were unable to respond to the assault and were destroyed, with the effects spreading to the rear. Currently, Count Shalman is in command, and he is constantly replenishing his troops to somehow hold them off.


　Then, Eulide opened her mouth.


"I understand the situation on the right wing. But the problem is the other one, the center right wing. Why did that area collapse?

"...... Euled, what troops did you put there?

"The . It was Earl Dowd's troops that were attached to the right flank of Rastinel's main army.

That's the guy. ......


　The Earl of Dow's Bow. It's the same senior nobleman who was always poking and prodding at Ceylan when he had an audience with him or during military discussions.
　The messenger said that the unit he commanded had collapsed, but the main body of the Rastinel was in the center. As long as the one next to it has already broken through the enemy's flank, it's unlikely that the one near it will collapse.


But Count Bowe's troops were unable to break through the main body of the Rustinels, and then he suddenly turned around and left the front line himself!　The allies in the rear were unable to respond to the sudden retreat and suffered damage.



...... is probably fine. Do you know why?

I'm guessing it's because the panic of the ...... appearance of Barg Gulbah has spread and they're afraid of its fury.

I didn't know that was going to happen here. ......


　Ceylan's voice sounded as if he was biting down on a bitter bug.
　It's true. The battle is already at its climax, and victory is just around the corner. And yet, here we are. Even though the vanquishing army was no longer defeated, the general was not happy to see the line of battle broken.


I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but it's a good idea.

This is ...... not good.


　Euled frowned slightly at the report, and Ceylan asked.


Euled, what do you mean, "bad"?　The game is already decided. Count Bowe's retreat should not shake the victory of the vanquishing army.

"Yes. Although this will not directly affect the victory or defeat, the fact that we are bothering Her Excellency Louise means that it will take more time to settle the matter. Besides, there's something else I should be most concerned about.

What's that?

That this is an imperial ploy.

I'm guessing ....... With Bargh Gurva in action, there is no doubt that the Empire has taken some sort of measure.


　Yes, Ceylan and Euled are right, the appearance of Bargh Gurva is naturally due to the Empire's schemes. There is no doubt that there is some kind of plan in motion on this battlefield that we are unaware of.


　After confirming this point with Ceylan, Ewlid looked thoughtful for a while, and then said


"Your Highness. Your Highness, take the Kingsguard and withdraw. I'll take the rest and head to close the hole.


　With that, he urged Ceylan to retreat.
　When Ceylan heard the suggestion, he first called out to the messenger, not to Ewlid.


"......, Dispatch. How are the other lords doing?　I want to know what effect Count Dowd Bow's withdrawal has had on them.

What?　It seems that the lords commanding the troops have not been dragged down by the Count's withdrawal, but many of them seem to be upset by the sudden departure.

"Then, Euled. If I retreat to this point, won't my allies collapse in a chain reaction?　Even if this does not happen, there is no denying the possibility that morale will drop significantly.

No, I don't think so.

Why not?

Your Highness. The Nadar army has been cut off from the battle line and is already dying. As I said before, even if part of the defeating army collapses, we will not lose. This retreat can't directly affect the outcome of the war.


　I suppose. As soon as the center cuts off the enemy flanking line, victory or defeat has already been decided. No matter how good the general was, he would have said that it was impossible for the Nadar army to recover from that point. Just because Ceylan had retreated, it did not mean that they would have to flee as well. Just because Ceylan is retreating doesn't mean that we have to run away too!


I'll say it again. Although the right flank has collapsed, it has only affected a small part of the army, and the Nadar army is outnumbered. There is no room for the Nadar side to retaliate, as the defeating army is already surrounded by an atmosphere of victory. What's more frightening is--

"Barg Gulba. No, the Empire. ......

Your Highness. Now that the Empire has shown itself, it's inevitable that it's taking some sort of action. As your personal bodyguard, I can't let your highness stay on the battlefield like this. Please hear me out. ......


　Yes, it's quite possible that the measures the Empire has taken are to the detriment of Siran. If you think about what the imperial army wants to gain even if they have to enter the war, it is Ceylan's head. In fact, we can say that there is nothing else.


　...... There is no need for Ceylan to retreat if Count Dowsbough's forces have simply collapsed.
　You can simply fill in the holes that have collapsed, and even if you leave it at worst, it will not affect the war.
　However, if the shadow of the Empire is a remote cause of this arbitrary action, that's a different story.
　The Empire's entry into the war was unexpected, and it was so well concealed that it was impossible to notice its machinations until the climax of the war.


　As we have no means to deal with the unexpected, if the plan comes to fruition, it could be exactly what the Empire wants.
　So the best thing to do now would be to send Seyran back to the rear where he would be safe before the plan came to fruition. As long as the ball is not taken, the defeating army will not be defeated.


(I hope this doesn't mean that the plan is already in place when you show up. ......)


　(I hope this doesn't mean that the plan is already in place when you show up. ) While I was feeling a bit of anxiety, Ceylan spoke up.


"...... All right. I'm leaving.

"Yes!　Then several of the Kingsguard will accompany your Highness. Protect them well and send them safely to the rear.


　Ewlid's words were answered by several of the Kingsguard.
　I don't think there's anything important about going to the rear of the vanquishing army.


"Have you brought a change of clothes for His Highness?

Yes!


　Under Euled's direction, one of the guards set up a kind of armor stand on his horse, took out a garment identical to the one Ceylan was wearing, and attached it to it.
　If you look closely, you can see that it's just a piece of plastic.




You can't see it from a distance now.

"I see. This way, no one will know that I have retreated.


　While Seyran and Ewlid were discussing this.


"Noah.

"Yes, Master Arx. Can I help you?

Can you run to the rear first, just in case?　I need you to call for a pickup to receive His Highness.

That's fine, but ......, Master Arx, are you sure about your magic level?

I'm fine. I'm fine, after all, I have this.


　He smiled fearlessly at Noah's concern and pulled a water bottle out of his bag.
　I'll be fine.


"Oh, come on, you brought that with you?

I had it delivered in case something happened.

I had it delivered in case something happened.


　While I was talking about this with Kazui, Ceylan asked me.


"Arx. What's that?

What's that?　Well, it's a drink that restores ...... magic power. ......

What the hell?　Where the hell did you get that?


　I'm not sure if the existence of the Soma drink was a shock to Seiran or not, but he rambled on like a maniac. I'm not sure what to say. "It's not fair to hide it! There was no time for us to say why.
　Ewlid, unable to bear witness to this, interrupted him.


"Your Highness. Your Highness, please keep your mind calm.

"...... Mm, but...

"Arx Raytheft. There's a reason you didn't tell His Highness, isn't there?

Yes, I thought it was too early to tell you that the recovery would be very slight.

How little magic do you get?

A single canteen has less than 400. ......

...... Oh, I see. That's certainly no way to report it. ...... That's right. ......


　He was still disappointed. Ceylan must have also been thinking about his dream drink for a while now.
　When he heard of its impracticality, he was blatantly disappointed.
　But for me, that alone is a big deal.


"...... May I have a drink?

"Your Highness. Not without a taste.

Ewlid. You know I can't be poisoned.

That's true, but...

"............


　I wonder what this conversation is about.
　I'm not sure if I've heard any great stories about this, but whatever the case, I'm going to drink some soma.
　I'm not sure if I've ever heard of such a thing, but I think I have.


Good. Kazui, you're with me and you're covering the Kingsguard. The more mages we have, the better. We'll go for support.

No, Arx. You're coming with me.

What?


　I'm suddenly stopped by Seiran. Why on earth would he do that? I looked at Ceylan, searching for a reason.


"Arx. I don't want anything to happen to you. Do you know what this means?


　That's when it hit me.
　The reason I'm here in the first place is to show that I've been on the battlefield.
　I am not here to fight for my life, and there is no reason for me to risk my life.
　There is no reason to risk your life. You still have a role to play, and it would be bad if you died.


　...... Eventually, the preparations for retreat are complete.
　The majority of the guards split up into two groups, one staying on the left flank and the other heading towards the center-right flank, under the command of Ewlid.
　Noah went to the rear first to call for help.
　Kazui will stay on the left flank to support the Kingsguard.
　I was to accompany Ceylan.


　He looked up at the sky and saw that it was beginning to be covered with gray clouds.