Hakai no Miko

"I'm still trying to get out of this city and intercept the Crusaders."

To the words of the Ethereal Horse, everyone looked at each other.

The other day, the Ethereal Horse had just said the same thing. And the ambush proposed there said it ended in failure, but I didn't see his sincerity in repeating the same thing here again.

Said the Ethereal Horse, looking around at the faces of everyone who had shut up.

"Of course, I don't think my thoughts are absolute. Other good ideas...... eh, if you have any thoughts or doubts, don't hesitate to say it!

You can't keep your mouth shut if you're urged to speak that far.

First, Gallum, who actually saw the Crusaders and felt the difference in their power with his skin, disagrees.

"I don't think it's very possible for me to intercept that great army outside the city..."

"I agree," Zoog agrees. "Do we need to force ourselves out of the city and intercept? I think we'd be better off rounding up the interior of the country like we originally planned."

Even though Zoan's two males held their mouths and voiced their negative opinions, there are voices to be heard in tune from the other Zoans.

"After all, shouldn't we raid the rear cities and fortifications and disrupt a country like Holmea?

"I think that's a good idea to get the most out of our Zoan legs"

But the Ethereal Horse denied it.

"I don't think I can use that hand anymore. - The Crusaders are already approaching this city. Even if we now vandalize far rear, the Crusaders will come to reclaim this city before turning back. In the absence of all the main Zoan, we can't protect the city very well."

Once the Ethereal Horse separated the words here, he looked around at the faces of everyone on this occasion and then affirmed:

"And if they get this city back, it's our loss!

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

"What's up? Are you surprised the traitors are trying to get out of the city and intercept us?

Marius, whose surprises and doubts have appeared on his face in Darius's words, rushes to cover his lower half of his face with his palm and fixes his expression.

"Oh, my God, I'm sorry for your loss. My lord."

No matter how close I say personally, during military operations I have the position of commander-in-chief and commander. Marius bowed his head and expressed his gratitude.

Besides, Darius raises one hand lightly to tell him not to worry.

"Hmm. Just in time. - It's Marius. How do you think the traitors will get out?

Occasionally, Darius may throw these questions at a young officer. Marius, too, was able to play this Darius, so when he relieved his physical tension, he often thought about it before returning the answer.

"Right. - If I were the leader of the rebels, I'd use the Zoans to stir up our rear."

The specifics Marius went on to say were to bypass the crusaders and raid the fortifications and villages in the rear. This is roughly the same measure once conceived by the pale horse.

"Sure, that's a threat. - But I, the leader of the rebels, behold, I will not."

"Why not?

"It's no longer until Bornis, only a few more. Even if the Zoans go backwards, I will drop Bornis first. That way, the traitors are done. I don't know. I'm not an enemy."

As Darius says, it is already only a short distance to Bornis. Keeping it this far, just because the Zoans are gone doesn't mean we can turn back without achieving anything. First, after recapturing the city of Bornis, we will head to the crusade of Zoan, who turned backwards.

That was also known to Marius, but we didn't even know why that would lead to Zoan's loss.

"But Zoan was originally a species that was sleeping on the plains. Doesn't it matter if they take back the city they attacked?

Instead, Marius thought, as the presence of the city of Bornis was enough for Zoan. If Zoan boasts the mobility of a horse if it is a short distance as the ability of a race, it is much scarier not to define a particular base and to be roughed up in the shrine around Holmeer.

"Right. If this revolt was a retaliation for Zoan's invasion of the plains,"

"And say?

To Marius's inquiry, Darius giggles, as if he remembers something funny.

"The leader of the rebels, who led the Zoans, said he made a big fuss."

The speech made by the head of the rebels in the city of Bornis was also heard by Marius.

"Then I'm hearing it, too. Whatever, make a country of the Fae..."

"Then it's time!

Darius said it out strongly.

"Only Zoan would be able to loot and go around the cities and villages without setting a base. But some of them are Dwarves and Dinosaurians. For a short period of time, they have the strength to keep moving and fighting without a base to rest. And if the Dwarves and the Dinosaurians fall into the army, the significance of the Fae nation set up by the rebel leaders will be lost."

Darius laughs with his nose.

"If you lose the significance of a group, it's just a bunch of burglars. Just a bunch of bandits would do a lot of damage to the villages, but they're not terrible opponents."

Darius was sure.

What is truly frightening is the population, even if it is a minority, acting towards solid goals. And the rebels who now occupy Bornis are exactly that horrible group.

Initially, it was an ambush on that river that convinced Darius, who had overwhelmingly decided whether the rebels were just a burglar or a force truly hostile to Holmea.

Darius lay down two squadrons led by Bogus, so to speak, a prototype.

If the rebels are merely governed by hatred and enslaved anger that has invaded the plains, they will just recklessly plunge into the Crusaders. Even with a somewhat contemplative head, it is either, at best, doing everything possible in the city of Bornis to destroy and plunder before returning to the plains, or invade the Holmeer country in search of the next prey.

But if the rebels were serious about creating their own country, Darius was staring at the only opportunity to attack the Crusaders in order to defend the city of Bornis.

And it became real.

"Dwarves and Dinosaurians can't be truncated if you want to create a country like the head of the rebels say. And most importantly, we cannot abandon the city on which it is founded in order to create a nation."

Darius's tone was trembling with joy as he said the enemy was not just a burglar, but a terrible hostile force.

"But why don't we just get a new base to replace Bornis?

Even from Marius' eyes, Bornis is no longer a wind front lamp. Even without adhering to such Bornis, it seemed better to get a newly based village or city.

"That's what I call impossible."

But Darius denies it, too.

"In this case, they said the number of Zoans who attacked Bornis was less than a thousand. Given the situation of the Zoans, who must surely drop the city, there is probably no doubt that it is the maximum force they can put in at the moment."

Darius remembers his sorrow as he learns that he is the biggest factor in the apoptosis of Zoan, who once was supposed to have tens of thousands of warriors.

"Zoan, known as the plain champion, will also be bad at siege warfare. On top of that, it is impossible to drop a city with strong walls in just under a thousand. That's why I fanned the slaves and opened the city gate more than inside. - No, I couldn't help but drop it.

But it is also clear to cities throughout the Holmeer country that the revolt of slaves was already involved in the fall of Bornis. I can't use the same hand anymore. "

In fact, in the city of L'Oma, closest to Bornis, surveillance of subracial slaves was tighter.

"But more importantly, if the rebel leader is serious about the country, Bornis will never be abandoned,"

Besides, Marius tilts his neck small.

"Why is that?

"Look at the map. The Sorbiant plains are surrounded by rugged mountains, except in the south. They are equal to the protective walls that protect the plains. And the city of Bornis, on the south side of the plain where the barrier breaks, is the gateway to the Sorbiant plain.

If we hold Bornis, the Zoans will not be able to return to the plains, nor will they be able to leave them. Conversely, if the rebels hold Bornis, we will not be able to reach the plains. In other words, holding Bornis down is tantamount to controlling the death of the plains "

Darius spread his arms wide open.

"And the Sorbiant plain is a vast plain. If we can pioneer this, we will turn it into a barn land sufficient to feed millions of soldiers. Moreover, the value of the granaries on the plains, surrounded by mountain barriers and not threatened by enemy forces, is immeasurable.

The Sorbiant Plains are the very foundations of the country.

And if thou wilt try to interest the kingdom, I will also try to obtain the plains of Sorbiant. Not to mention for the Zoans, the plains are the lands of their fathers. I can't help but get this back.

For that reason, the rebels cannot abandon the city of Bornis. "

To Darius' words, Marius was convinced enough to be. If you ask me, there won't be as much land to raise a new country as the Sorbiant Plains.

Other than that, the city of Bornis is in a good position.

west of Bornis is Jeboa, the maritime state.

This country was developed by trade as a maritime hub in the Inland Sea of Benes. It is therefore a well-known fact that the Merchant Guild is strong and for once it is a puppet regime by the Merchant Guild, although it is wearing a king. And the Merchant Guild, which holds the real power of the country, is only interested in making money, and has never before shown its willingness to expand its territory.

This Jeboah would not threaten to attack even if he thinned the defense of the western side of Bornis, and he would be able to direct all his modest troops towards the Holmeer State.

The more I thought about it, no city seemed more convenient to the rebels than Bornis.

"So why don't we cage in Bornis?

If this is such a convenient city, the rebels will try to protect it even if it is not. Then Marius thought that he would cage the disadvantage knowingly.

But Darius laughs it off a lot.

"That would make it easier for me."

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

To the value of Bornis, spoken by the Ethereal Horse, those who were in the room were immediately speechless.

"… indeed, if this city is worth so much, the enemy will go straight for it"

If Gallum says so remorsefully, Zoog shrugs his head.

"In that case, even a few don't want to crack a warrior. Not to mention to the rear turmoil, which I don't want to be effective. Then it's better to keep an eye on the warrior's damage and stick it in the rear of the Crusaders."

He's enough to set a trap against this ambush. The Heavy Squad carrying military materiel would be protected by an iron wall. Even with the raid there, the payback is visible.

Zoog shrugged his shoulders to look at Gallum, who turned his blame eyes to see if he was willing to kill a warrior for nothing and said, "There's no way you're serious about it".

"But I still think it's impotent to leave the city and intercept..."

Garam and Zoog will be speechless in the words of Banukkah, who says he doesn't seem so confident.

"After all, isn't it a good idea to cage in this city and wait for the enemy's momentum to fade?

To Dvarin, who said so, even if surrounded by 10,000 troops, the city was complacent that it would not be dropped so easily. On the contrary, he even felt that if the Crusaders were to attack him badly, they would destroy him on the contrary.

"No. I think that's the bottom line"

But Aoima calls the cage castle a downward ploy.

"I would do this. - You're going to be in formation where the arrows don't reach, and you're going to call on the people of the city. 'I'm here to help. Come on, let's fight together. Let's open the gate.'"

The Ethereal Horses have comforted the inhabitants of the city as much as possible, as Marcronis has advised, but with their support, it is not that easy. To the residents of the city, the Ethereal Horses are invaders who have suddenly attacked the city. Being quiet now without disobedience is simply afraid of the Ethereal Horses. If you can, it's like stuck in a house and waiting for a storm to pass.

If the Crusaders were here to speak of the liberation of the city, the inhabitants would raise their hands and welcome it.

"Enough to fear, such as the people of such a city! People like dust and mustard, you can easily get rid of them if you stare at me!

Instead of Dvarin stuck in words, it was Jaharngil who spoke so lavishly. to him that makes his nose rough, but Soma shakes his neck to the side.

"Even if you hold it down with fear, it's temporary. The more you can hold it down, the greater the anger will be in some residents.

If there are 10,000 inhabitants of this city, half of them are men. If one of these days a third of the men can fight without an old child, that's more than a thousand and five hundred. But if the whole city were to bee up, it would add up to women and children who could not otherwise fight, and that number would be thousands. Thousands of enemies inside, too, while dealing with seven thousand crusaders outside the city. I don't see how I can win. "

I didn't argue with this just because that Jahangil would seem to regret it either.

Garam gives his opinion instead.

"So, shouldn't we just withdraw to the plains and try to get the time right?

As Ethereal Horse said, I could understand that a caged castle could not be done.

But you shouldn't have to risk forcibly intercepting the crusaders because of that. It hurts to abandon the city I dropped because of it, but once I left here, I thought waiting for a chance was one hand.

But also, the Ethereal Horse denies it.

"I think that's just putting off doom"

◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆

"After all, aren't the Zoans likely to retreat to the plains?

It was still unthinkable to Marius that the rebels would try to get out of the city and intercept themselves, as Darius put it.

If you do think about the purpose of the rebels, I don't even think you're going to abandon Bornis. But even if we lose Bornis, if we defend the Sorbiant Plains, it seems that the rebels' purpose will be achieved. I thought that then, rather, without adhering to Bornis, there would also be a retreat to the plains.

"Sure, that would be the smartest choice"

After their retreat to the plains, the Zoans will bring them to a lasting battle by means of a thorough anti-war.

It takes advantage of the vast Sorbiant plain, and makes a stubborn attack on the long stretched supply line of the Holmeer National Army to invade the plain, making it a snag. If food and other supplies are delayed, that alone will cause the morale of the soldiers to fall apart and they will not even be able to fight satisfactorily.

The only way to counter this measure is to expand the sphere of power to the plains one by one, while building a number of plain-based fortifications.

But to implement it Holmea will require enormous funding and labor, as well as decade-long hours, which will cause significant delays in Holmea's plans to exploit the plains.

And the Zoans just have to wait patiently for the opportunity to invade outside the plains again.

"But I believe that the means is merely an extension of life."

The problem is the difference in local power between Zoan and the Holmeer country.

The Zoans, who have been uprooted from the plains until now, have greatly lost their power to any clan. It is also evident from the fact that in the war between Zoan and the Holmeer countries in the Sorbiant Plains thirty years ago, Zoan assembled more than 20,000 warriors, but less than a thousand when he attacked Bornis.

And in the countries of Zoan, where we have to continue to fight the Holmeer while we live hunting, and Holmeer, where Zoan is pushed into the plains by Bornis, the difference is only widening and narrowing. When that difference became decisive, it was now time for Zoan to be doomed, and the plains would be entirely of the Holmeer nation.

"Then I think that the rebel leader dares to attack with knowledge of the danger."