Meanwhile, I swung my sword and sent the man''s head flying.
"The traitor is down! This fortress has now fallen!
A war cry is heard from every corner of the city. This must have discouraged the enemy army from fighting. If they can still fight now, they''re good!
The enemy soldiers are falling from the opposite side of the front we attacked. It seems there was an escape route after all.
But Kerala''s army is waiting there.
The generals are gathering around me. Raviara returned with sweat beading on her forehead.
"Thank you, Mr. Arsrod! This will make Master Arsrod''s power known in the vicinity of King''s Landing! I''m sure everyone has realized how powerful this regent is!"
"You look like you''re finished, but you''re not. The archers, in particular, still have one more job to do.
Just because the enemy does not have the will to fight does not mean that we will not fight.
"Put the archers on the opposite side of the fort. If Kerala blocks the escape route and any enemy soldier tries to go back to the fort, shoot him dead. This time, the attack will be from a higher ground, so we will have a better chance to get a good shot.
"Mr. Arsrod is relentless. I''ll have it ready in a moment.
"I need to discourage them from confronting me. I''ll be d*mned if I''m going to be holed up down the road."
Soldiers who had tried to escape were shot dead and tumbled down the escape route near the slope after being hit by arrows from the ground by Kerala. The path was so narrow that not many could make it back. Only those rare ones are shot dead by Raviara''s troops.
"Well, we don''t have much time to waste. We''ll meet up with Noen''s detachment."
I immediately resumed the progress of the army. It''s hard work, but it''s just the outward journey.
The return trip will be more exhausting.
I want to make sure that everyone here makes it back to King''s Landing, but we''ll see what happens.
But now let''s see what happens.
No more lords resisted us, and we safely joined Noen Laud''s army of 5,000 men in the largest city in the region.
We seized one of the buildings, gathered the generals, and immediately asked Noen about the results of the battle.
"We engaged in two battles in a small village, but we won completely. I can show you the enemy''s head.
Not now. The real work begins now. You''ve taken hostages from the lords and ladies who have shown their obedience, haven''t you?"
Yes, we''ve taken care of that. Of course, we treat them as our guests.
Then there was no problem, and the conversation quickly turned to turning the army back to the side of the Cathedral of Orsent.
Where will the enemy be waiting for us?
"They have a big army over there. They need a large area to fight. And if we go back to King''s Landing, they''ll have a hard time. We can''t burn the capital to the ground. Then, we have a rough idea of what to expect.
There is a river called the Soreto, which is quite wide. They will collide in the plains near there.
"Noen, how tired is your army?"
"It''s nothing to worry about after a little rest. You can still do it. In fact, I''m even more energized now that we''ve won the war.
"Good, that''s good. It''s hard when you can''t do your best in the real thing."
Still no update from Lappa. I ask Kerala.
"Our forces have joined up, 13,000. How much for the cathedral?
"I don''t think they''ve made careful preparations, so I doubt they have more than 15,000 right now. However, since they will be gathering believers from all over the area as soon as possible, the number will surely exceed 20,000 if they take their time. I think it will be somewhere around 25,000.
"Roughly twice as many as here."
Some of the generals'' faces clouded at the mention of twice as many enemy soldiers. Hey, hey, you can''t work for me if you''re afraid of twice as many enemy soldiers! I looked again, and sure enough, it was the same person who had been assigned to my post since I arrived in King''s Landing.
"You seem to have something to say. You will not be punished, so say what you like."
"It is dangerous to deal with twice the number of ....... I think it would be better to have His Majesty the King propose a truce here: ....... It must be difficult for the cathedral to defy His Majesty the King so brazenly."
--Well, he''s a very clever fellow, isn''t he? The court and the generals are worth using like that. You''re not wrong. Choose this one.
Oda Nobunaga is also a very solid thinker.
Your idea is worth considering.
"Thank you, I''m so happy!"
"But I''m not going to take that option. I''m just going to bump into them."
"Nah. ....... The enemy is twice the size, and we''re probably tired from the march. ....... It could be a dangerous outcome. ....... It is dangerous to take such a gamble. ......
The general is trembling, as if he is afraid to fight the cathedral. Those who were based in the vicinity of King''s Landing know firsthand the power of the cathedral.
"Let me make one correction. I am not taking any chances. I''m more than capable of winning, and I''ve been doing it for a long time. If it were a real gamble, I would have failed several times and I would not be in this position.
I looked down at the man, laughing.
"Being a regent is not as easy as it sounds," he said. The clergy must return to their own domain. No more spears and bows and beaks in their beaks.
I have heard many stories from Oda Nobunaga. Religious forces are more powerful enemies than lords. We must at least keep them from taking advantage of us.
I intend to be better than anyone else. That''s what it means to be king. A regent or a king who is beholden to the high priest all the time is not the way to go.
"I am sorry for my presumptuous words. ......"
However, I do not feel like going head-to-head with an enemy twice my size.
We will have to play tricks. Well, we have the manpower to do it.
"Don''t worry. "Don''t worry. I''m not really angry. In fact..."
Thanks to your suggestion to use the king to make peace, we have a good idea.
"I am grateful to you. Don''t be afraid to speak up and tell me what you think. I''m on your side."