"Raviara, all we have to think about is defeating the enemy in front of us."
Raviara apologized for her words.
"Right now, my friends are fighting to the death. We''re just trying to buy time until we can use our guns. We shouldn''t be thinking about anything else at this time. We have to make sure this battle is ours to win."
"Right. Raviara will do her best!"
Orcus, Noen, and Maichel are all brave men who have been fighting in the front lines for a long time. I do not expect them to be beaten so easily, but the enemy is just across the river.
We have to be prepared for a hard battle because we are going to fight the enemy on their home ground after being exhausted.
Once you enter the enemy''s territory, you just have to hold on. The longer you are in the enemy''s territory, the more dangerous it will be. However, I think that the Orcs are going to jump out.
The rain will be strong enough. It was not a good weather for guns.
--You look grim-faced. That''s unusual for you.
Odanobunaga stands tall. I''m worried about not being on the battlefield.
--You are the one who should be the High King. Your usual forward-looking fighting style is wrong. It''s not the same as running away!
I know that in theory. But you''re the one who gave me the strength to actually want to go into battle.
--The High King did not decide on his profession. In fact, I feel annoyed that he made it a profession. Akechi Mitsuhide and Sen no Rikyu both have their professions. Now, it would be funny if this Machar frontiersman''s occupation is Takeda Shingen.
Oda Nobunaga said something that bothered me a little.
Tell me about this Shingen Takeda. I think I have mentioned it several times in the past.
I know I''ve mentioned him a few times in the past, but-- well, he''s a cash cow, isn''t he? But then again, there is no law against a profession being mean to a human being. Very well. Takeda Shingen was a hero born in a mountainous region. Anyway, he was an eerily good fighter. Not all of his large army, but some of his best fought on horseback.
I have been listening to Takeda Singen for a while now, and I feel that he is similar to our enemy, Machar Frontier Count Cytred.
--But, as far as his political conception is concerned, the High King was much more lofty. Shingen''s policy of expanding his power was slowly coming to a dead end in his later years. Even if he had lived longer and not given it to his son Katsuyori, the situation would have been close. As I said, the High King was three steps ahead of him.
I don''t know about his political plans, but he is a very capable man.
I wonder if the others who went in are all right.
After a while, a not-so-good news came in.
Mistletoe, the warwolf''s trumpet, has come to report.
Raviara was still there, so I had startled her, but it was all right. It was such an urgent matter.
"Orcus-sama''s troops are having a hard time against the enemy forces, and we have been forced to retreat.
"I see. That means we''ll have to prepare a corps of rear-echeloners until the weather clears up."
"The strongest of our enemies is Tarsha, sister of Sightred, Count of Machar''s Frontier. She is not very old, though, and is only twenty-one years old.
Come to think of it, I think there was a female legionnaire, but I didn''t think it would go that far.
"Originally, she had a son-in-law who was the son of a powerful vassal, but since his son-in-law died three years ago, she seems to be managing one of the legions that he led."
It''s not just the frontier count, but his sister as well, so it''s not much of a story.
The rain is still heavy. If they attack us now, we won''t be able to defend ourselves in time.
"Mr. Arsrod, Laviala here is coming out!"
"Okay. Okay. But I can''t leave you to my wife alone.
I stand up right then and there.
"I''ll get out of here. I''ll take a shot at him and make him back off, and then we''ll get what we came for."
●
The river water was very cold.
It made me realize how far north we had come. Compared to here, King''s Landing is far to the south, so I am not used to this temperature. It''s no wonder that the side that launched the first attack couldn''t show their strength.
I''m leading an army of only 400 men. I''m attacking with an army of only 400 men. I am strong enough to hold my ground once I recover. This time, Raviara is with me.
Raviara, there is no need to get any closer to the enemy than necessary. Just shoot them with your bow and arrow.
"Yes, sir, I understand!"
Raviara''s eyes are more serious than ever.
"But was there really any point in this guy following us?"
Oh, and the dwarf Ortumba is in the army. They are crossing the river, careful to keep their guns dry.
"I can manage with just one gun. Besides, you have to use it a little bit in actual combat to understand how good it is.
I never thought I would have to use it on such an occasion.
We joined up with Noen''s team just as they were under heavy enemy fire.
"Noen Laud, we''ve come to temporarily join you!"
"Ah! I''m sorry! We cannot show any more shame, so we will return fire with everything we have!"
This should temporarily boost the morale of our allies. But it is still not enough to drive them back.
Fortunately, the enemy is a quick attacker, lightly armed and easy to shoot.
Raviara immediately fires an arc-shaped bow.
The bow pierces the chest of one of the enemy soldiers.
The accuracy of Laviala''s bow is terrifying. It is no exaggeration to say that she is an archer by profession!
The next shot was also a hit to one of the enemy soldiers. Other archers also fired arrows to hold off the onslaught of the enemy.
"Okay, I think we''re getting somewhere here. Noen, hold them up for a while longer! We''re heading for the Orks!"
The Orcus unit consists of the largest number of soldiers. If we can hold them off here, we''ll be all right. We''ll move to the side with Raviara and the others.
It''s true that the main body of the Orxes was in a pretty rough fight here as well. They are being attacked like a man who has poked the beehive.
"We''ve got to cut off the source."
"Raviara will do it, Mr. Arsrod."