第２１５掘：周りの動き (Part2)
"I said we should maintain the status quo, but even with our current forces and the reinforcements, we are still overwhelmingly outnumbered by the enemy army. We can't increase our numbers any further, and I don't want to lose the territory we worked so hard to expand. Even with three Magic Sword Users, the higher-ups aren't optimistic enough to think we can hold off an army of over 100,000 in a defensive position. If that were possible, they would have just sent a single Magic Sword User to conquer mountains of land by now."
"I understand what you're saying, Jessica, but if you had to guess, what kind of move do you think Zilba will make?"
"That is..."
Jessica faltered, unable to provide a clear answer.
Well, of course she wouldn't know.
But, just like Shera, I understand where Jessica is coming from.
King Fionha isn't such a fool that he would let the fruits of this great victory go to waste.
I can't give a definitive answer either, but I can narrow it down to a few possibilities.
We can't increase our numbers, the enemy has the overwhelming advantage in strength, and yet, we can't retreat.
Maybe "narrowing it down" is the wrong way to put it; it’s more like, this is the only option left.
In battle, it’s crucial to give your allies a reason to fight and to make the enemy perceive that attacking is too costly.
That manifests in the soldiers as morale.
So, wouldn't they just send someone famous—someone called a "VIP" or a "genius"—to join the fray?
If a celebrity known throughout Zilba arrives to join the three Magic Sword Users, the enemy’s movements will surely slow down.
"Well, no use thinking about it. The Zilba mainland will come up with their own answer, and as for the city of Betan, we can handle things however we see fit."
"I suppose that's true."
"At the end of the day, all this talk has been without us, the mercenary group, being factored in."
Exactly. In the end, the power balance of Mercenary Group >>>> Zilba Empire and Enaria Holy Kingdom remains unchanged.
No matter how the enemy moves, we can just make the necessary adjustments.
***
**Side: Zilba Empire King, Fionha Reiga Zilba (Zilba VIII)**
"Hmm... The speed with which we seized the Enaria Holy Kingdom's territory was magnificent, but perhaps it has only served to provoke the enemy."
In my hands, I hold the report from General Miffy regarding the occupation of the Enaria territory, along with another report stating that a massive enemy army is heading our way to reclaim it.
It is only natural, I suppose. An army of over 100,000, led by the Enaria Holy Kingdom’s strongest blade—the unprecedented dual-wielding Magic Sword User, General Prism.
"Should I maintain the defense until further notice...? They must have some strategy in mind, but I cannot dispatch any more occupation forces to reinforce them."
Still, we finally found a foothold into Enaria; it would be a shame to have it taken back so easily.
Should I strip forces from other fronts and send them to the Enaria sector?
No, the enemy is already closing in.
The fact that this report took a little over a week to reach me means it wouldn't be strange if hostilities had already begun.
It’s too late to send reinforcements now...
"Should I order them to strip the occupied regions of their utility, rather than committing the folly of wasting soldiers...?"
A scorched-earth policy.
Honestly, this strategy yields little benefit and places a heavy burden on the soldiers who have to carry it out.
While I phrased it as "stripping the cities and forts of their utility," it essentially means making them uninhabitable.
Seize the food, poison the wells, set fire to the houses.
If we do this, the reclamation army will be forced to stop to provide relief to the cities.
However, this is not something people should be doing.
But if things continue as they are, it is clear that the enemy will easily take back the territory we seized.
If I don't successfully withdraw the Magic Sword Users and those mercenaries, we will be the ones in a dire predicament.
"It cannot be helped..."
Just as I steeled my resolve and prepared to write the order to execute the scorched-earth policy, another report arrived.
It stated that the enemy had been caught in a natural disaster—a collapse—and had been all but wiped out.
I thought this was a divine mandate to conquer Enaria, but upon reading the report carefully, that didn't seem to be the case.
They were caught in the collapse, but most of the enemy survived and fled into some ruins.
The report concluded that since they didn't know where the Enaria army would emerge from the ruins, they would fortify their defenses and prepare for the enemy.
"So, we have bought some time. But the enemy will surely send reinforcements upon hearing this report as well..."
I could send further reinforcements, but calling back armies from other regions would take longer than it would for Enaria.
That would be pointless.
"Then, if I send one more outstanding individual, can we buy enough time?"
Even if the Magic Sword Users are strong, three people cannot stop an army of 100,000.
However, they can serve as a deterrent.
But at present, that deterrent has been nullified by the presence of the dual-wielding General Prism on the enemy side.
Therefore, if I send another talented individual from here, wouldn't that be enough to make the enemy hesitate?
In the meantime, I can get the reinforcements there.
"But the problem is, whom to send..."
I certainly cannot send Air, who serves as my personal guard.
The generals with established names are all away.
As I was agonizing over this, I heard footsteps in the hallway, and the door to my office was thrown open violently.
Seeing that Air didn't react, it didn't seem to be an enemy...
"Father!! I heard that some mercenaries were wreaking havoc in the castle, so I rushed back!!"
"Go to General Marly, the Magic Sword User, immediately!!"
"Huh? No, wait, Father, what about the mercenaries?"
The one who appeared before me was my tomboy daughter, the 5th Princess Miffy, who has almost no claim to the throne.
***
And so, the decisive battle has merely been postponed.
However, the situation is becoming increasingly chaotic.
The Enaria invasion force is in the palm of Yuki's hand.
A strange Dullahan is also Yuki's prisoner.
Enaria's reinforcements.
The appearance of the tomboy princess.
Yuki's workload has suddenly increased.
How will he cook up a solution to this troublesome situation?!
No, surely the enemy will perform a miracle and corner Yuki and his group!