CH 108

This operation was plain and simple.

Muzio will taunt Ledus into a one-on-one fight and provoke him. Then, he’ll return to formation.

There a wall just high enough for Equus cavalry to jump over will be waiting. They’ll then pretend and pass it off as a mistake in preparations.

When the enemy cavalry comes charging over, they’ll immediately retreat towards an area where they’ve scattered oil and alcohol which they’ll ignite at the suitable time.

All the oil and alcohol will burn vigorously in a moment, so they’ll only stop the enemy temporarily.

But that much is enough.

In the midst of the confusion, gunpowder, with magically powered time formulae, will explode.

These will be embedded into the ground. In other words, they’ll be rudimentary mines. They would’ve energized it with magic beforehand, leaving only the part for igniting it. When the time comes during the retreat, they would just channel the remaining required magic.

It’s not like they couldn’t make mines that would explode upon being stepped on but, as Tetra put it, the mechanism will become complicated. In other words, she just had a hard time with childbirth and doesn’t have the energy right now for that.

Besides, with the plan, they themselves might trigger such mines plus cleaning them up after the war would be troublesome.

In addition to that, the timed gunpowder wouldn’t immediately become a problem should they fail to explode.  Since they’re pretty much of the same construction as the bomb spears, it’ll just be a matter of the magic’s channeling speed becoming late.

By the way, this mine’s killing capacity is extremely inferior. It’s only natural for something that is directly struck to the enemy to have a much higher lethality than something buried into the ground.

The point of this weapon is to confuse the enemy soldier……. especially, cavalry with noise and smoke.

“Now then…….since the enemy has fallen into the trap, I’ll go and once again fight Ledus one on one.”

“We’ll win even if you don’t do that you know?”

I declare to Muzio who’s about to go forward. It’s not necessary for Muzio to fight anymore.

“Well, it is a fact that I’ve run away once. Even if you said it was for the operation, it doesn’t really reflect well for me. Besides, at this rate, rather than my victory, it’ll be a victory for the gunpowder, wouldn’t it? At the very least, I would have to take Ledus head by myself.”

Yes, certainly, that’s correct. If we helped out too much, it’ll just become a stain in his honor.

“Are confident you’ll win?”

The problem is whether or not Muzio can win over Ledus. Even I can tell Ledus has quite the martial ability but…… I can’t judge him accurately with the little time we’ve had.

“Of course, he’s not a match for me.”

Muzio declares so. He then kicks the horse on the belly and dashes off. He draws his bow and fires at Ledus……….the arrow passing just a little over his ear. You can even say there’s quite the leeway between the two.

Well, there’s a possibility Muzio’d be branded a coward if he had struck Ledus with an arrow on the back after all. He might as well fight him face to face and win as that would be much more of a show.

Do your best, Muzio.

Muzio throws words at Ledus who had turned his back to escape.

“Hey hey, equestrians don’t show their backs you know?”

They’re the very same words Ledus said to Muzio.

Ledus grounds to a halt and faces Muzio.

“You coward. What sorcery did you use!?”

“There is no cowardice nor sorcery in war. Aren’t you the one who taught me that? Now then, let’s have one more fight.”

Muzio declares so and swings his sword at Ledus.

The sound of sword clashing violently resonates in the field.

“Oi, why didn’t you shoot me at the back!?”

“Idiot, do I look like a coward who shoots the enemy in the back?”

“Tsk……I’ll make you regret this, you piece of shit!!”

Ledus raises his arms and swings his sword down on Muzio. Gradually, Muzio is getting driven to a corner.

“Haha, you idiot! If only you had shot me on the back, then you would’ve already one!! Go regret and burn in hell!!”

“……just this?”

“Uughh!!”

Muzio swings his sword and repels Ledus’ attack. Ledus’ body bends from the force making him almost fall from his horse.

“Just this, you small fry?”

Muzio kicks the belly of his horse and in a moment shortens the distance between him and Ledus. Every time Muzio swings his sword, Ledus’ horse gradually falls behind.

“I didn’t even need to use my divine protection!!”

The sharp sound of swords clashing reverberates into the atmosphere. Ledus gives in and his sword flies away into the sky, rotating, and then landing into the earth, piercing it.

Muzio then declares to the dumbfounded Ledus while pointing a sword to the tip of his nose.

“This is your specialty sword technique? It’s not even worth anything.”

Muzio swings his sword aimed at Ledus’ neck.

*Clang*

“Great Warrior Chief…….If you could please step aside.”

“There’s no way I can do that.”

The Chief strongly hits Muzio’s sword.

Muzio’s horse slowly shifts.

“I heard you are my grandfather’s great friend. You are one of the few great warrior chiefs of our tribe and, for me, a valuable and necessary person. If you immediately cut off that usurper’s head then I will forgive you.”

“Lord Ledus is my important grandchild and the Lord of this tribe! I won’t let you have his head! ……. There’s no way I’ll hear the words of a man who has sold his soul to those bunch whose lives will end with just having barely scratched the surface!!”

The chief closes the gap in an instant and swings his sword. Muzio readily parries it.

The sounds of metal clashing resonate as Muzio’s horse retreats three steps back.

“You’re as strong as ever, chief. The old age hasn’t gotten to you, I see?”

“I’m much more weaker compared to my heyday, you know. However, Lord Muzio, you are also strong. If you and the me of the same age were to have fought, I would have probably lost. However……right now, I’ll definitely win!!”

The two exchange blades violently. Little by little, Muzio is losing ground. Impatience is slowly appearing on Muzio’s face.

“I got you!!”

The chief swings his sword aiming for Muzio’s neck.

However, that sword never did cut Muzio.

It completely stopped just a few centimeters from Muzio’s neck.

“………It’s cowardly so I don’t want to use it often but…”

A strong wind blows making the chief’s horse struggle. The chief looks at Muzio with a surprised expression.

“……Oh wind”

As Muzio mutters so, knives that Muzio had brought hidden throughout his body begin floating into the sky. There are twenty of them.

“I’ll say this in advance but, these knives are soaked with the sap of wolf’s bane. …..I’m sorry but, it’s your fault you’re too strong.”

Muzio declares so as he instantly closes the gap between them and swings his sword.

The chief carelessly parries it.

Then, the twenty knives assault him at the same time.

The chief swings his left hand and strikes down a knife with the metal bracelet in his wrist.

The knife flies away for about five meters and stops. Then, it attacks the chief again.

“gguah!”

The third knife pierces the chief on the back making him fall from his horse. The remaining knives then rain down on him.

After a while, the chief groans a little but then becomes silent. After confirming his death, Muzio turns his sight on Ledus.

“Uugh…..”

“You’re next.”

Muzio closes the distance between him and Ledus as he brandishes his sword.

Ledus panickedly brings out a dagger……. but it’s already too late!

Woosh.

Ledus head flies from his body. Muzio picks it up and raises it high for everyone to see.

I, Muzio, Lord of the Equus tribe, has slain the enemy general Ledus!! Everything is over…..so surrender now!!”

Muzio looks around him.

Muzio’s subordinates are already in the process of cleaning up the enemy cavalry who had already fallen down to the ground.

Thanks to Muzio’s declaration, the few cavalrymen who had continued resisting lose their strength and sit down on the spot.

As such, the battle had been decided.

“It seems the battle is won.”

“It seems so, Leader.”

Ron nods beside me.

Gram is covering me with bow protection while Roswald is fighting with the Equus cavalrymen.

The battle’s been decided so theres really no need for Ron himself to go into battle. That’s why I’m keeping him here by my side as an escort.

“That said……Without Bartolo, our strategy have completely relied on bombs huh.”

It’s somewhat making me feel bad.

“Isn’t it fine? We won after all.”

Ron laughs it off with a grin. Well, I guess there’s that.

“Big brothe…….My King! We captured a woman with a Gaulish accent!!”

Roswald shouts as he draws near.

Behind him is a sorcerer bound from the back.

Roswald drags the woman before me.

“King Rosyth, I was just threatened by Ledus. My family have all been taken prisoner………please, save them!”

The woman looks at me with upturned eyes – her cleavage is showing through the gap of her clothes.

……..Without previous information, I might be deceived by this, huh.

“We’ll have you reliably talk about Rozel, alright?”

When I said so, the woman’s expression immediately changed.

She then opens her mouth just a little.

Ron thrusts a dagger there.

“You can bite off your tongue later. We’ll first have you talk about everything but don’t take too long okay?”

“ugguhh…..this pri……”

The woman scowls at me strongly.

Now then, the problem is “A Heart Detonation Sorcery that would make her spill out secrets” but……only Julia knows about such sorcery, huh.

“Rachaela!!”

Muzio embraces his fiancé.

The two exchange a kiss. …….You two, there are 6,000 soldiers behind you. But I guess you can’t see them, huh.

We, the Rosyth Army have crossed the Alva Mountain Range and entered Equus tribelands. It’s not like there’s no more enemies we have to take down but…..this would be for coercion purposes. In any case, Muzio still only personally has 200 soldiers. Furthermore, I still have to crown Muzio by myself.

“Muzio, how long would it take you to gather all the Equus tribesmen?”

“We’ll be able to gather them in the coronation tomorrow. After that, we’ll clean up those who hadn’t come. We have to kill bad sheep after all…Well, a week later then I’ll be able to bring some 2,000 cavalrymen and immediately rush into battle. I’ll have you do your best and hold out until then.”

Is that so?…….

But still, a week, huh. I wonder if we’d be alright?

“My King!!”

A messenger rushes over.

“I have a message from Lord Raymond!”

I open the letter from Raymond.

There’s no change on the front with the Eville Kingdom. They’re retreating little by little.The Belvedere Army is retreating. The Lezzad-Gehenna United Army is winning.I propose attacking the Belvedere Kingdom next.

This is the content of his letter.

It seems the 3,000 men strong Belvedere Army fought with the 2,000 men strong Lezzad-Gehenna United Army and marvelously lost.

It means that we’d certainly win if we were to attack now.

…….I see. If there’s no change in the front with the Eville Kingdom, then attacking Belvedere now would probably be a better choice.

Alright, next would be Belvedere huh.

I guess we’ll right Raymond a letter.

“Those who are thinking that I, Muzio Equus Sulpicius, is not the appropriate Lord of the Equus tribe should immediately leave this place and prepare for war!!”

Muzio declares such to all the clans he have gathered. Several clans……including that of Ledus’ mother didn’t come. In other words this is just for show as everyone here are clans that have already decided to follow Muzio.

It’s only natural that nobody moved in that place.

“Lord Muzio”

I bring over the crown.

I silently place it on Muzio’s head. I’m taller than him so it didn’t take much effort to do so.

“I, Almis Ars Rosyth declare to the Gods that the Equus tribe and Muzio Equus Sulpicius are my sworn friends forever.”

“I, Muzio Equus Sulpicius declare to the Gods that the Rosyth Kingdom and Almis Ars Rosyth are my sworn friends forever.”

I and Muzio proclaim almost the same words.

We then pour alcohol in cups and exchange drinks. It seems this is Equus’ style.

“Now then, I should probably return, my friend. If you could, please do it as fast as possible okay?”

“Of course. I’m not one to return evil for good.”

I lightly bump fists with Muzio.

“Julia, I heard Almis won.”

“Really? He did it!”

Julia and Tetra celebrate. They then talked to their own children.

“……Did you hear? Papa won!”

“Isn’t he great, Fiona? Your papa is the strongest you know?”

A little while after the two celebrated, the two’s faces become clouded.

“…….I want to follow him, huh.”

“We’ll leave the children behind?”

Julia smiles bitterly.

There’s no way they could do that.

“Hmmm, you’re worried, huh. I’m also worried about Almis but….the some goes for the children, yes?”

“Even if you say that, it’s not like we could bring the children either.”

The two are very worried whethere or not they should accompany Almis. For the meantime, they tried to refrain from deciding while the war with the Equus tribe rages but…

“It’s also said that one of the wife’s duties is to wait for the husband………”

“Almis occasionally escapes after all……”

The two couldn’t stop worrying. That’s how the two feels. They are excellent sorcerers so they wouldn’t be a hindrance if every they were brought along.

Or rather, they’d definitely be helpful if they came along. Julia is an extremely excellent sorcerer after all while Tetra can use magic.

“……….I wonder how Almis takes care of his sexual urges.”

“……….Julia, you’re in front of children.”

Tetra embraces her son Ancus tightly as she aired her grievance.

Julia makes a bitter smile while gently caressing Fiona.

“It’s fine it’s fine. They’re not at an age they’d understand. Besides, isn’t Tetra also curious?”

“……..I guess, more is not that good.”

It’s best that it won’t increase.

“If I recall correctly, this time’s enemy is Rozel, huh. There’s that Merlin there.”

“Yes, the world’s oldest sorcerer is there………”

In other words, when it comes to sorcery, the enemy has the advantage.

“Alright, I’ve decided!! When they go to the DeMorgal Kingdom, I’m definitely coming!! Even if he opposes it!!”

“……It’s the same for me. I’m worried after all.”

The two have already decided.