Santairiku Eiyuuki

"Good. Good. The only losses to our army are 100 Tundan soldiers and 300 medium cavalry (catafract). Both levels are ready for replenishment."

"... you can't pull out subtle allies and mercenaries, Your Majesty. Half the mercenaries are dead."

After the recovery of the casualties and the escort of the prisoners, Carolina put a scratch in Elquille's words.

In fact, mercenary damage is considerable.

"Mercenaries are not included in our army. Mercenaries are disposable in the first place. It's like work to die."

"Well, I know what you're trying to say..."

Elquille thought of mercenaries as things like disposable cameras.

Expecting image quality from disposable cameras is a foolish act.

The advantage of disposable cameras is that they can be disposed of.

The same applies to mercenaries.

Compared to an army called the Standing Army or the Civilian Army, morale and proficiency fall.

But it doesn't cost maintenance like a standing army, and it doesn't affect the country's industry by mobilizing like a civil army.

Above all, unlike the standing armies, which incur nurturing costs, or the civic armies of soldiers = citizens, it is unlikely that they will affect national power no matter how many deaths, and they can hire and replenish as much money as they want.

If used from the outset on the assumption of disposability, it is not a bad army.

Or given that you have to pay me later...

Rather, it would be better for you to die and reduce the number.

"So... what do you do after this? Your Majesty. Do you want to invade the hinterland?

"Um, don't remain a little nervous about turning to attack that you're still a mercenary that won't be a thing to use. Let's not fail to sweep the rebel forces off the coast. In a few months, the Rosa Island offensive will be over, and we're going to fully invade the hinterland after that."

Erkühl then made a surrender recommendation to the urban state that this time revolted.

Give me the rebel mastermind, and I'll forgive you only this time.

But if you don't offer the mastermind... kill every inhabitant of the city.

The deadline is four months away…

This proclamation shook the inhabitants of the Taurica Peninsula, regardless of their enemy allies.

Because… it was known to the Allied soldiers who had served that Erkür had relentlessly trampled the mercenaries who had fled with cavalry.

That man does it for real.

All the inhabitants were convinced.

As a result, the powerful were captured at the hands of the inhabitants...

It was offered to Elquille.

And all who dwell on the coast of the Taurica peninsula were to pledge allegiance and obedience to Erkür.

Meanwhile, in the interior of the Taurica peninsula, it was to be divided into two factions.

It was divided between the pro-Lemrians, who no longer had the art of winning the war against Erkür, but had to surrender and have some rights recognized, and the anti-Lemurian, who nevertheless should resolutely resist.

When this happens, it is impossible to act in alignment.

Elquille sees it as an opportunity...

He began his manoeuvres against each and every urban state and successfully cut the interior of the Taurica Peninsula.

"I don't know what to do..."

Stefan Shaikoski was troubled.

Stefan had been entrusted with the rebel right-wing infantry... but at a stage when the right-wing cavalry was destroyed by Carolina, he was beginning to withdraw.

The generals ordered stillness...

Stefan dared to ignore this and, conversely, advanced the retreat against the general.

but that was unacceptable.

From Stefan's point of view, the formation broke down at a stage when the right-wing cavalry was already devastated, as well.

After this, the Carolina-led Medium Cavalry (Catafract) circles behind him and destroys the Left-wing Cavalry as well.

In that case, it is self-evident that you can be attacked all you want with a medium cavalry (catapult) on the sides and behind you.

It was Stefan's opinion that it should therefore be withdrawn within less damage, but it was unacceptable.

I had no choice but to get my men out of here.

Thereafter, the known rebels were destroyed.

Stefan mocked in her heart that it would happen because it would make a mistake.

Well, here's the problem.

The number of soldiers led by Stefan had decreased to 800 at the stage of Stefan's departure.

But we have to deal with the rebel soldiers who escaped...

Its troop strength had reached 400.

The mercenaries, who were afraid to be killed by Erkühl, were able to ascertain their survival so far and turned themselves over to Stefan, who had a certain number of more troops.

I didn't get it where I helped as Stefan, so I wanted to get rid of it, and I got rid of it at first...

Like chicks following their parent birds. They followed Stefan.

I had no choice but to take care of it.

I would be adorable if I were a chick though, but I am a mercenary with no cuteness whatsoever.

Good annoyance as Stefan.

First of all, we need to resolve this as soon as possible…

It is food and other security.

The next step is to get out of the dominant realm of the Lemurian Empire and retreat to the interior of the Taurica Peninsula.

The mercenaries will be relieved if we retreat that far.

The former is solved if the village is plundered.

There is no other way than that.

Next the latter...... mercenaries march extremely slowly.

Precisely around ten kilometers a day would be the limit.

Can you get away with it...

I wasn't sure about Stefan.

Indeed, the Lemurian army is also made up of mercenaries.

But they have cavalry.

It is easy for a cavalry to march twenty or thirty kilometers a day.

In addition, mercenaries are not as skilled as accepting Medium Cavalry (Catafract).

Defeat is desperate if you meet enemies in the plains.

Then the possible options are…

"You have a group of mercenaries occupying the village... Interesting"

Erkühr listens to the report as he looks at the map…

I smiled.

The village occupied by a group of mercenaries, was located about two days from the city of Riverce, where Erqueur is currently located.

"It's inexplicable. Normally, you should run farther. Good stuff...... Did you get in tune by herding it up to 4000?

Carolina tilted her neck.

Against that kind of Carolina...... Erkür shook his head.

"Look closely. This village...... is surrounded by woods and rivers. The only area without forests or rivers is sloped, with high and low differences. And the village itself is the size of it."

"Sure... if you ask me. I mean... cavalry measures, is it?

"I guess. I guess you thought if you ran away properly, they'd catch up to you... Looks like you made a bet. They're trying to make peace with me."

If you try to escape properly... any of them will be caught up by a medium cavalry (catafract).

In that case, total annihilation is assured.

But if we fight properly, we still lose.

Then... stand and cage in a relatively easy place to defend and draw Elquille's concessions...

That would be the best option.

"So, Your Majesty... what do you want to do?

"If you concede like a mercenary, it's about my face. Let's get rid of it early."

That's what Elquille said and stood up.

Just as the re-employment and reorganization of mercenaries was over... we met when the army was back on its feet.

It's just the right time.

"Let's go. All units, out."

"Captain, is this good?

"Oh, no problem"

As per Stefan's orders...

The mercenaries were destroying houses in the village.

And he was producing fences and piles on the material to strengthen the village's defenses.

Another thing was digging trenches.

"Okay, if you don't want to die, move your hands. Running away like this is clean. If you run away with a few people, you'll be lynched by your neighbors, and if you run away in hundreds, you'll be ravaged by a medium cavalry (catafract). There is no longer an exit for you. We have to cage here."

That's what Stefan says, telling the mercenaries over and over again.

The mercenaries don't want to die either.

A mercenary who quickly escapes with low basic morale... but that is because his life is spared.

Now if we don't fight, if we don't work, we die.

Mercenary morale is high only at times like this.

Well, this wouldn't have happened if I had shown that in the Battle of Riverce.

That would be now.

"But is it good, Captain? Shouldn't we have let the residents get away... and killed them?

"You think you can kill all those people? If I were to enter Emperor Lemuria's ear, I would never have crossed my mind as well as I could."

Stefan forcibly evicted the residents by force.

Those who have resisted naturally have killed, but they have ordered the mercenaries not to use their hands when it comes to those who flee heavily.

There was also a proposal to take him as a hostage...

I thought that Emperor Lemuria was not the kind of person whose heart would be moved by hostages, and I stopped.

Either that or they're going to shoot through every hostage.

According to the world, the 'offensive of the village of Karol' was about to begin.