"Flying Horse Squad, we've broken through the enemy's right flank and are advancing to the enemy's main line!

　In the main camp of the Imperial Army, the officers received the news and looked at each other and nodded to each other.

　The same is true of the commanding general, who seems satisfied with the news.
　Things are progressing just as we predicted in advance. This means that the victory of the Empire is becoming more and more certain.

''All right, tell the right wing troops!　Tell them to go on the offensive!

Are you sure?　The enemy's left-wing troops are largely unharmed. We can expect a fair amount of resistance.

　There was a reason why the officer dared to give the advice.

　The Imperial Army, which had positioned the left flank as the core of the attack from the pre-planning stage, had placed the heads of the leading noble families and their children together in the right flank, where they could expect the least amount of damage.
　Even though the Imperial side had an advantage in terms of strength, you never know what will happen on the battlefield.
　In this battle where victory was in sight, shouldn't the aggressive offensive of the right wing troops that could cause damage to your people be avoided? The officer advised him to do so with the words behind his words.

'Never mind. The enemy will soon be reduced by half anyway.

　But the general was firm and immediate in his response.
　Because the general had been informed by the military leadership that the officers were unaware of certain information.

''The territorial troops assigned to the left wing of the Royal Army are supposed to retreat for the purpose of rescuing the main camp from being attacked by the flying horse squadrons - that's what they are supposed to do. Even if the right wing troops are not accustomed to fighting in a real battle, there is a three-fold difference in strength between them, and if the only ones left are the militia and other extras, it won't be a decent battle.

I see. ......, so that's right on schedule too?

　The officer closes his eyelids, convinced by the information he was informed of for the first time.
　He may be filled with a sigh.

　It is a tricky thing to be a nobleman on the battlefield.
　They react excessively to the deaths of their own relatives, while at the same time spreading dissatisfaction around them if they don't have a chance to make a difference.
　If they are placed in a safe place, they clamor to be given a fighting chance; if they are placed in the middle of the battlefield, they complain that the head of the family is dead or that the heir is injured.

　As a commander in charge of the army, he would like to avoid even bringing his troops with him, but he can never ignore the troops they have mobilized, and he can't do something that would cause the powerful nobles to resent him for no reason.
　As a result, they had no choice but to deploy their troops to the right flank, where they would suffer the least damage, while using them as a deterrent to the enemy.

　But it could be said that the victory was already decided.
　The right wing of the kingdom was in turmoil, and it was only a matter of time before the flying horse squadron attacked the enemy's main camp.
　In addition, the enemy's left wing troops are known in advance to have their strength cut in half.
　In this situation, the general decided that even if he ordered the aggressive offensive to the right wing of the Empire, the damage would not be so great.

''What about the enemy's cavalry and central forces?''

　After deciding that the right-wing troops on his side were fine and separating them from his thoughts, the general asked for information about the unharmed enemy troops.

''Ha. It seems that they have pursued the flying horse squad that broke through the front line and are heading to the rescue of the main line. The mercenary-like troops on the frontline in the center are indeed intact, but there are reports that the main force in the center and the cavalry troops in the rear have turned their attention to the flying horse squadron.

Huh. That's convenient. The left flank can overrun the enemy's right flank without any hindrance. The left-wing troops can overrun the enemy's right-wing troops without any hindrance, which is why they can't reach the Tobi-tai even if they chase after them. It seems that the enemy's unit commander doesn't understand that we are only creating a squadron.

"I'm sure he's not going to be able to say that if he's going to be attacked by the royal family's main camp.

　Is it the margin of victory? Another officer smiles and says defensively, "Well, I guess so.

I can't help but feel sorry for the generals of the kingdom. I can't help but feel sorry for the generals of the kingdom.

　The general who was responsible for toying with the royal army laughed aloud with amusement.





　The imperial right-wing troops suddenly stepped up their offensive.
　The number of troops on this occasion is 3,000 for the imperial right wing troops to 2,000 for the kingdom's left wing troops. There is no doubt that the Imperial side has the upper hand.

　From the start of the war until now, the battlefield where the Kingdom's left wing troops and the Empire's right wing troops have been fighting on this battlefield has been at a standstill.
　But that is precisely because the Imperial offensive was passive.
　The kingdom's left-wing troops were barely able to overcome their numerical inferiority, but if the Empire intensified its offensive, that balance would be destroyed in the blink of an eye.

　The ratio of strength was originally three to the imperial right wing troops, while the kingdom's left wing troops were two.
　It's natural that if you fight properly, you will be pushed out.
　Moreover, for the Kingdom's side, an unexpected event added to the worsening of the situation.

''What?!　You are going to roll your troops out of here knowing that you are outnumbered!

　The one shouting is the troop commander leading the militia of the kingdom's left wing troops, and the target of his anger is the messenger soldier kneeling in front of him.
　The soldier who came to deliver the message from the Tria territory army, which also constitutes the left wing troops, to the troop commander continues to report.

''Haha. ''I heard that two thousand enemy cavalrymen, which broke through the right flank, are approaching the main camp. In order to protect Your Highness at the main camp, the Tholian army has no choice but to go to your aid.

"But we can't hold the line if they're out of it now!　I'll do it!　Bring me a message from the Tholian Territorial Army!

　The soldier replied bitterly.

That's ......, and if you just tell him, he'll just duck his head. ......

Are you saying you're not here already?

Ha!

　The troop leader spoke up with a thought that had crossed his mind.

"...... It's not a false alarm, is it?

We are certain that the men who came with the message belong to the Tholian Army. Several men have seen their faces.

　If so, it cannot be dismissed as false news.
　That raises the possibility that the information that the main camp is in danger is true.

　After five breaths of thought, the troop commander gave instructions to the second-in-command, who was standing beside him.

............ Send a message to the Tria Army from here. It's not that the main camp is in danger, but that doesn't mean it's completely defenseless. Even if there is an order from the main camp, there is no way we can abandon this battlefield.

　However, the words that came back from the second-in-command caused the troop leader to raise his voice again.

''It seems that the Tria territory army is already retreating. I don't know if we can send a message in time to send a message now: ......

What?





　With the advance of the Tholian Territorial Army, the ratio of our forces to the Imperial Right Wing's 3,000 to the Kingdom's 1,000 left wing troops.
　There was no way they could fill the gap left by the departure of the Tholian Army, which made up half of the Kingdom's left-wing troops, and the Kingdom's side was being pushed by the offensive of the imperial right-wing troops.

　Originally, the kingdom's left-wing troops that the Tholian Territorial Army had left were mostly militia, unlike the territorial forces that were regularly trained in battle.
　They are mostly militias, unlike the Territorial Army, which has always been trained in battle. It's just a matter of time before the scales are tipped in the balance when the strength ratio is three to one.

It's not a problem. It's the imperial army!

　In the midst of a squad of schoolteachers positioned in the rear of the Kingdom's left wing troops, Rai turned his gaze to the approaching Imperial soldiers while blocking the sunlight with his palms.

''I can tell when I see that.''

　It wasn't Kirill who answered back, but his classmate, the Viscountess Eleanor.
　Contrary to her brusque tone, a slight tremble mingled in her voice.

　Kirill and the other students of the academy had been called up as student soldiers and incorporated into the rear of the left wing unit.

''It's finally here, isn't it?''

　Wordlessly Kirill stared at the Imperial Army.
　Thanks to the strange stalemate, Kirill and the others hadn't been involved in the battle until now, but as expected, they couldn't stay on the sidelines until the end.

''Everyone get in line!''

　The silver-haired troop leader on his horse raised his voice.

"The fate of my kingdom hangs in the balance in this battle!　I don't expect you chicks with no experience in battle to take out the enemy, but you should be able to hold them off!　Do everything in your power to suppress the enemy's offensive!

　I'm not going to be able to get a good look at them," he said, showing no compassion for the students' lives.

Who do you think it was that prevented them from gaining real-world experience?

　A voice blurted out near Kirill.
　It was a small voice, so it didn't seem to reach the troop leader, but several students shook their heads as if they agreed.

　Kirill could understand what the students were trying to say.

　The squad leader's name is Hanslick.
　He is the second son of the Remshade family, an aristocrat who is famous for his military family.
　He himself is a graduate of the school with excellent grades, and that's probably why he was chosen to command the student soldier unit.

　On the other hand, he was also famous in another way.
　He was the one who caused the school's students to be restricted from extracurricular activities.

　When he was the most senior student before graduation, Hanslick and his classmates got lost in the Caussus Forest.
　As a result, they were all rescued by mercenaries hired by the school and the Remshade family, but this was the reason why students were banned from going on off-campus expeditions.

　The students of the academy, who had been able to gain real-world combat experience through expeditions at their own risk, were now unable to engage in real combat.
　The fact that the culprit, Hanslick, would mention to the students about their lack of battle experience is quite out of line.

　However, such complaints would have been made without the presence of the enemy.

　As the soldiers formed up, they were attacked by enemy soldiers who had broken through the friendly forces in front of them.

''Vanguard, reduce the enemy's momentum!　The sorcerers will attack the enemy one by one!

　Hanslick's instructions flew and the vanguard clashed with the enemy soldiers almost simultaneously.

　The sorcerers' attack magic flew from the rear guard towards the halted Imperial soldiers.

　It was by no means a high-density attack.
　There were less than forty students in the magician course originally incorporated into the unit.
　Moreover, in the school, it's all you can do to fire your magic at a motionless target placed twenty meters away.
　It's a good thing that you're a moving enemy soldier, and even more importantly, if you shoot your magic at a distant opponent, the hit rate is negligible.

　But if dozens of spells are released simultaneously, some of them will reach the enemy.
　Red flames and bluish transparent ice cubes passed over the vanguard's head and were sucked in towards the enemy soldiers.

　Most of the students turned pale at the sight of a soldier being choked to death by having his head burned alive, or a soldier who had been pierced through the chest and fell, only to be decapitated by his allies and die.
　Some of them crouched down on the spot and began to vomit.

If you don't have time to vomit, fire as many shots as possible!　Get up if you don't want to die!

　Although Hanslick's reprimand flies in the face of the reprimand, there is no way that a student who hasn't trained properly can adapt to the battlefield in a straightforward manner.

Eleanor, are you okay?

　Kirill turned to his blue-faced classmate next to him and called out in concern.

''Hey, what's okay?　Wow, I'm nothing!

　Eleanor is stout and brave.
　But her face is on the verge of tears.

　Unlike the other girls, Kirill thought it was only a big deal to be able to be skinny.

''Yeah, okay,''

　Kirill ended the conversation with a few short words and turned his gaze to the enemy and began to chant.

''The burning flames are the proof of my power and pride ---- fireball (Grist)!

　The fireball that was generated flies off in the direction Kirill is pointing and begins to burn the soldier's body as it lands.
　Kirill's face is twisted at the sight and he holds up his staff again.

"The crush that pierces is the unshakable spear of a valiant knight ---- rock (Dessel)!

　Out of the corner of my eye, a pointed rock crush stabbed into the side of the enemy soldier who was about to slash at him from behind.
　To the soldier who collapsed with a look of anguish, Rai, who had dealt with the enemy in front, turned around and stabbed him in the end.

　With a thumbs up, Rai turns to Kirill to thank him for his support.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier.

''Don't hesitate ......

　As for the crime of murdering people, you can think about it after you've survived.
　For now, I'll just think about myself and my friends returning to King's Landing alive.

　With that thought to himself, Kirill unleashed a barrage of attack magic on the Imperial soldiers.

　This is how the war began for Kirill.