"Good, good, good. Our losses are only 100 Tundan soldiers and 300 medium-armored cavalry (cataphracts). Both of which can be quickly replenished.
　"...... Don't casually leave out the allied and mercenary armies, Your Majesty. Half of the mercenaries are dead.

　After the recovery of the dead and wounded and the escort of the prisoners was completed, Carolina commented on Hercule's words.
　In fact, the losses of the mercenaries are considerable.

　Mercenaries are not part of our army. In the first place, mercenaries are disposable. Dying is their job.
　Well, I understand what you're saying. ......

　Hercule thought that mercenaries were like disposable cameras.
　It is a foolish act to expect image quality from a disposable camera.
　The advantage of disposable cameras is that they can be used and discarded.

　The same is true of mercenaries.
　Compared to standing armies and citizen armies, their morale and skill level are lower.

　However, like standing armies, they do not cost money to maintain, and like citizen armies, their mobilization does not affect the country's industry.
　Unlike standing armies, which cost more to train than anything else, or citizen armies, where soldiers are citizens, there is little chance of affecting national power no matter how many die, and as long as you have the money, you can hire and replenish as many as you like.

　If you use it on the premise that it is disposable from the start, it is not a bad army.

　Or rather, if you think about the fact that you will have to pay them later: ......
　It is more profitable for you to die and reduce your numbers.

　So ...... what do you want to do after this?　Your Majesty. Should we invade the interior?
　"Well, I'm still a little nervous about going on the offensive with useless mercenaries. Let's just wipe out the rebel forces from the coast for now. In a few months, the siege of Rosa Island will be over, and after that, we'll make a full-scale invasion of the interior.


　Hercule then recommended that the city-states that had rebelled this time surrender.
　If you give us the ringleaders of the rebellion, we will forgive you this time only.
　But if you don't give us the ringleaders, we will kill all the inhabitants of the ...... city.

　The deadline is four months from now at .......

　This proclamation made the inhabitants of the Taurica Peninsula, friend and foe alike, tremble.
　Because it was known by the allied soldiers who served in ...... that Hercule had mercilessly crushed the fleeing mercenaries with his cavalry.

　That man is serious.
　All the inhabitants were convinced.

　As a result, the leading figures were captured by the inhabitants and ......
　They were presented to Hercule.

　All the inhabitants of the Taurian coast pledged their allegiance and obedience to Hercule.
　Meanwhile, the interior of the Taurica Peninsula was divided into two factions.

　The pro-Lemurian faction, which believed that there was no way to win the war against Hercule, and that the only way was to surrender and be granted some of the rights, and the anti-Lemurian faction, which believed that there was still a need to resolutely resist.

　In this situation, it would be impossible to act in unison.

　Hercule saw this as an opportunity and went to ......
　Erkur saw this as an opportunity and launched a campaign against each of the city-states, steadily carving out the interior of the Taurian Peninsula.







　Now, what to do: ......

　Stefan Sheikoski was troubled.
　Stefan had been in charge of the rebels' right flank infantry, but had started to retreat when the right flank cavalry had been destroyed by ...... Carolina.

　The generals ordered them to stand still, but ......
　Stefan dared to ignore this and advised the generals to retreat.

　But it was not accepted.

　From Stefan's point of view, the formation was as good as bankrupt when the right flank cavalry was already destroyed.
　After this, the medium cavalry (cataphracts) led by Carolina would move in behind him and destroy the left flank cavalry.
　If this happens, it is obvious that the flanks and rear will be attacked by cataphracts.

　Therefore, it was Stefan's opinion that we should retreat ...... while the damage was small, but it was not accepted.
　He had no choice but to quickly escape with his men.

　Then, as expected, the rebel army was destroyed.

　That's what happens when you pull the trigger wrong,......, Stefan sneered in his mind.

　Now, here's the problem.
　By the time Stephan left, the number of soldiers under his command had been reduced to 800.

　However, by combining the rebel soldiers who escaped from there, ......
　The number of soldiers had reached 400.

　Fearing that they would be killed by Hercule, the mercenaries took refuge with Stephan, who was currently alive and had a certain number of troops.
　As Stefan, there was nothing to be gained by helping them, so he wanted to get rid of them, and at first he did. ......
　But like baby birds following their parents, they followed Stefan.

　I had no choice but to take care of them.

　If they were baby birds, they would be cute, but they were nothing but cute mercenaries.
　It's not good for Stefan.

　The first thing that needs to be solved immediately is ......
　The first thing we need to do is to secure food and other supplies.

　The next step is to get out of the Lemurian Empire's territory and retreat to the interior of the Taurian Peninsula.
　The mercenaries will be relieved if we retreat that far.

　The former can be solved by looting the villages.
　Or rather, there is no other way.

　As for the latter, ...... mercenaries march at an extremely slow pace.
　At best, they can advance 10 kilometers a day.

　Can they really escape? ......
　Stefan wasn't so sure.

　It's true that the Lemurian army is also made up of mercenaries.
　But they have cavalry.

　Cavalry can easily march twenty or thirty kilometers in a day.
　In addition, mercenaries are not skilled enough to take on medium-armored cavalry (cataphracts).

　If they meet on the plains, they will inevitably be defeated.


　So, the possible options are ......







　A group of mercenaries have taken over the village. ...... Interesting.

　Hercule looked at the map and listened to the report. ......
　A smile appeared on his face.

　The village that the mercenaries are occupying is located about two days from the city of Rivertche, where Hercule is currently located.

　That's puzzling. I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you.

　Karolina tilted her head.
　In response to Karolina, ...... Hercule shook his head.

　"Look closely. This village ...... is surrounded by forests and rivers. The only area where there are no forests or rivers is on a slope, and there are differences in elevation. And the village itself is of a certain size.
　The only part of the village without forests and rivers is a slope, and the village itself is of a certain size. You mean ...... cavalry protection?
　I suppose. He probably thought that if he ran away, they would catch up with him. ...... I guess they took a gamble. They want to make peace with me.

　If you try to escape, ...... the cataphracts will eventually catch up with you.
　I'm not sure what to do.
　But if you fight them properly, you will still be defeated.

　The best option is to hunker down in a relatively defensible place and try to get Hercule to concede. ......
　This is the best option.


　"So, Your Majesty,......, what should we do?
　If I give in to a mercenary, it's on my face. Let's get rid of them as soon as possible.

　Hercule said and stood up.
　Just when the mercenaries have been rehired and reorganized, the ...... army is back on its feet.

　Just in time.

　"Let's go. All troops, move out.







　Captain, are you sure this is a good idea?
　Yeah, no problem.

　Following Stefan's orders: ......
　The mercenaries were destroying the houses in the village.

　They used them to make fences and stakes to strengthen the village's defenses.
　Some were digging trenches.

　"Look, if you don't want to die, move your hands. We can't escape like this. If you run with a few, you will be lynched by your neighbors. If you run with hundreds, you will be overrun by cataphracts. There's no way out for you now. You have no choice but to stay here.

　Stephan told the mercenaries over and over again.
　The mercenaries don't want to die either.
　The mercenaries have low morale and are quick to flee ...... because they are afraid for their lives.

　Nowadays, if you don't fight, if you don't work, you die.

　Only in times like these is the morale of the mercenaries high.

　Well, if they had shown it in the battle of Riveroche, this would not have happened.
　But I guess that's too late now.

　"But are you sure, Captain? Wouldn't it have been better to let the people go and kill ...... them?
　"Do you think you can kill all those people?　If the Emperor of Lemuria is going to hear about it, it's best to make it look as good as possible.

　Stephan used force to force the inhabitants to leave.
　Those who resisted were killed, of course, but he ordered his mercenaries to leave those who fled quietly untouched.

　There was an idea to capture them as hostages, but ......
　The Emperor of Lemuria is not the kind of person who would be moved by a hostage, so I decided against it.

　If anything, he'd probably shoot the hostages through.




　The so-called "Battle of Karol Village" was about to begin.