Chapter 153
Inside the Luxurious Tent.
Several individuals in sophisticated attire gathered around a table, holding wine glasses. On the long table were several magical video globes, projecting the faces of similarly dressed nobles.
The tent’s side wall was adorned with a map. In the middle of the table, a model of the terrain and troop placements was set up, indicating a strategic meeting in progress.
However, the atmosphere resembled a banquet more than a meeting.
“Hahaha, then shall we officially begin the meeting?” said a noble with a distinctive twisted mustache, smiling.
He was Baron Brox, who owned the territory adjacent to Raul’s main stronghold, Calix Castle.
“How are the troop deployments?”
One of the figures in the crystal ball replied to his question.
“Well, the troops have been stationed at the border for a while now. The reinforcement troops all arrived yesterday.”
“Well, we might be overdoing it a bit with the deployment… If we scare the young brat too much, he might hole up in his castle.”
“Either way, it doesn’t matter, does it? It would be nice if he came out, but we’ll see, hahaha.”
None of the attendees seemed tense. That was because they were confident of their victory.
“Everyone, please calm down. Has there been any special movement? By now, he should be trying to make some sort of move after receiving our declaration of war.”
“Hmph. What can he do? We see a few scouts on horseback now and then, but he’s still holed up in the castle like a rat.”
Since deploying their troops to the borders, Raul’s movements had been entirely defensive. They knew he had already summoned all the residents into the castle and recalled the troops sent for subjugation.
“Let’s review the situation. Young master Raul currently holds four territories. The confirmed troops in Calix Castle are roughly 5,000, and about 3,000 in the others.”
“Hah, less than 15,000 in total? No need to even calculate.”
“As you said, we have over 25,000 troops. We are vastly superior in numbers.”
Moreover, if Raul chose an open-field battle instead of a siege, he would have to leave defensive troops behind, effectively doubling the advantage. That’s why they proposed open-field engagements.
“Not just in numbers, but considering the knights, there’s no way we can lose. They have at most 100 knights, even with support from the Count; they’d struggle to field 150.”
“Haha, we have over 250 knights on our side. It’s a sure victory!”
“Our backers provided an additional 30 knights yesterday, all armored users.”
“Oh, we can’t lose even if we wanted to, hahaha.”
With over 280 knights, their numbers rivaled those of a prestigious martial house’s knight order. While qualitative differences existed, the numbers alone were formidable.
More than half of these knights belonged to the nine baronies, while the remaining 120 were provided by sponsors and mercenary knights.
Under normal circumstances, no single viscount could match this force. Not even if he was the youngest son of a distinguished martial house.
“No matter how I think about it, we might have to resort to a siege. He wouldn’t dare leave the safety of his castle unless he’s a fool.”
“That doesn’t matter. With this many troops, besieging a few scattered castles will be a simple task. Hahaha.”
As the loosely structured strategy meeting wrapped up, the real discussion began.
“Now, let’s talk about what comes after the battle. Any changes to the plan?”
Cough
“Some adjustments might be necessary. The duration of troop deployment has been extended, and the costs…”
“Are you changing your tune now?”
“Well, things have changed quite a bit from our initial discussions!”
“About the Francois mines…”
The previously jovial atmosphere swiftly transformed as the lords’ voices grew louder. With nine noble houses involved, complex negotiations were inevitable. Their argument didn’t last long, as a messenger burst into the tent.
“Urgent report! Young master Raul’s forces are exiting the castle and heading our way!”
“What? Hahaha. The youngster clearly doesn’t understand the situation. Report in detail.”
The tent fell silent once more as the messenger continued the report. The time for battle was drawing near.
*
Clink, clink, clink.
Down the main road, thousands of troops marched in orderly formation. Nearly 7,000 strong, this was the main force that had departed from Calix Castle three days prior, led by Young master Raul.
Although their uniforms varied, their keen military discipline clearly marked them as elite soldiers.
The troop composition was as follows:
Calix Castle’s territorial troops: 1,500
Mercenary unit: 1,500
Raul’s personal cavalry: 1,000
Troops mobilized from the First Knight Order branch: 500
Player units: 2,000
Totally, 6,500 soldiers.
Additionally, there were 200 knights adorned in white armor with the golden hawk insignia of the First Knights, and 50 knights from the Iron Bear Knights in silver armor marked with a brown bear emblem.
The cavalry in white armor led the formation, followed by the knight order, territorial troops, player units, mercenary units, and guild troops.
The marching pace was leisurely, and the soldiers showed little signs of fatigue. This was because Raul had deliberately ordered a relaxed march.
“Report. The enemy has taken a position on a hill approximately an hour away. Their forces appear to be around 12,000 strong.”
“What’s the condition of the enemy camp?”
“The central unit seems to have completed their preparations, but the left and right flanks appear disorganized and weary.”
“Well done. Report immediately if there are any changes in the enemy camp.”
“Yes, Master!”
After the messenger left, Raul gathered his officers.
“You called for us?”
The assembled individuals included Kane, Dalton, Ken, and the other unit commanders.
“The enemy is now an hour away. As expected, their forces have merged.”
“Haha, they must have run their feet raw to get there. It must have been quite a sight.”
Dalton said with a gleeful grin.
“Well, they didn’t have much choice. Being potentially defeated in detail must have been a concerning scenario for them.”
Among the six territories that declared a territorial war, three baronies adjacent to Calix had deployed their forces in this direction.
Since Calix Castle was Raul’s main stronghold, they concentrated their troops here. The issue was that instead of merging into a single unit, the enemy forces had spread out and set up separate camps.
In an open-field battle, they likely intended to divide or encircle Raul’s forces. However, the situation did not unfold as they expected.
Contrary to their estimate of around 5,000 troops, Raul had deployed nearly 7,000 soldiers despite leaving a garrison at the castle. Expectedly, they chose to merge their forces hastily rather than risk facing Raul’s significantly stronger force separately.
“But why did you give the enemy time to regroup?” asked Sir Lamont, the deputy commander of the Iron Bear Knights, who had come to support.
Count Melvin had offered more support, including additional knights from the Golden Bear Knights, but Raul refused.
The main actors of this battle had to be Raul and the First Knight Order.
“Ah, I haven’t explained that to you yet, sir Lamont.”
Raul’s strategy in delaying their march was to end the battle decisively in a single engagement. If he attempted to defeat them in detail, other noble lords might choose to retreat upon hearing the battle results.
This could lead to a prolonged siege against a well-prepared castle, with the possibility of royal intervention suspending the territorial war.
Thus, Raul intended to annihilate the enemy in one large-scale battle before spreading his forces to simultaneously conquer the three territories.
“Are you serious? No matter how elite our troops are, the enemy’s forces nearly double ours…”
Having only recently joined Raul, sir Lamont had not yet grasped the full extent of his forces’ strength, which made him voice his concerns.
Moreover, intelligence reports indicated that the enemy had about 150 knights, which further fueled his apprehension. After hearing the operational plan, sir Lamont could only stare in disbelief.
While he reluctantly nodded given that Raul held command, he couldn’t hide his unease. To him, Raul’s strategy seemed utterly preposterous. Facing no opposition from the other officers only solidified Sir Lamont’s resolve.
‘If it comes to it, I’ll ensure Raul escapes, no matter what.’
*
Thump, thump, thump.
Bwoo!
Raul’s forces arrived at the battlefield and both sides began to form up for battle. The Baronial Alliance’s 12,500 troops faced off against Raul’s 7,000.
A total of 20,000 soldiers stared each other down from a distance of about 500 meters.
“Holy shit, this is insane!”
“Hearing the numbers didn’t seem like much, but seeing them in person is something else!”
Unlike the tense soldiers, the players excitedly gasped and chattered, creating a chaotic atmosphere. Even though the battle was being broadcasted live, standing on the actual battlefield was a different experience altogether.
“Hey, do you think we can really win this?”
“I don’t know, they clearly outnumber us…”
“Guys, the broadcast is analyzing the battle situation right now!”
Despite the imminent battle, the players were noisy and disorderly. There was a stark contrast between the soldiers whose lives were at stake and the players who saw it as just a game.
Meanwhile, self-proclaimed experts in the broadcast booth were predicting the battle’s outcome.
“In terms of numbers, the First Knight Order is certainly at a disadvantage. In medieval warfare predominantly consisting of hand-to-hand combat, overcoming such a numerical deficit is difficult.”
“Then are you predicting defeat for the First Knight Order?” the caster asked.
The expert shook his head.
“Not necessarily. Notice the composition advantage the First Knight Order holds. The Baronial Alliance mostly consists of infantry, whereas the First Knight Order has nearly 1,500 cavalry. That tactical advantage could level the playing field despite the numerical disparity.”
Another expert chimed in.
“Additionally, look at the quality of armor and weaponry. Both sides lack uniformity in their troops’ equipment in general, with a wide variety of outfits among them.”
“Yes, that seems to be the case.”
“Yet, if you look closely, the First Knight Order’s units, excluding the mercenaries and players, are uniformly equipped with high-quality armor and weapons, indicating they are regular or standing troops. On the other hand…”
The camera shifted, zooming in on the Baronial Alliance’s forces.
“Do you see this? Most of them are wearing flimsy leather vests over plain cloth. Their weapons are just crude wooden spears. Clearly, these are conscripts.”
Naturally, the expert predicted a victory for the First Knight Order.
‘Well, their analysis isn’t wrong,’ Raul thought, a smirk playing on his lips as he briefly scanned the analysis channel before the battle.
However, they completely missed the point.
The battlefield in Connect was fundamentally different from a medieval battlefield where sheer numbers and equipment quality decided outcomes.
What truly determined the battlefield’s outcome were:
– The knights, the flowers of the battlefield.
– Armored users, considered strategic weapons.
– And the presence of superhuman entities capable of overturning the battle scenario.
Raul was confident in his superiority in all three aspects.
Clip-clop.
Riding a pure white horse, Raul moved to the center of the battlefield, clad in white armor and a blue cloak adorned with the golden hawk.
Sunlight streamed through the clouds, illuminating Raul like a spotlight, and a confident smile graced his lips.
(To be continued)