CHAPTER 7 - III -

 

The beleaguered defenders from the town of Cullen were surely delighted to see us attack their enemies.  We could hear their cheers as we zeroed-in on the mercenaries.  Arrows and magic spells rained on us once again, but the paladins quickly chanted magic barriers enough to protect their pair from the incoming projectiles.  However, just as we’re about a few distances away from the spear wall and with the enemy bracing for our ‘charge’, the Marquise of Monfort suddenly turned her horseback.

 

“!!!”

 

“Go Kuro!  Shoot at those bastards!”

 

“Well, fuck—” I quickly discharge one shot on the opposing line.  I doubt if it hit anything, for I’m not even trained to ride a horse, much more to aim and attack simultaneously.  The Marquise of Monfort just galloped back to safety, and the constant shaking and moving made my aiming the inaccurate gun difficult to achieve.

 

I could hear explosions of magic spells, and countermagic spells being exchanged by the paladins and the enemy line.  Regardless, like what I expected, our formation was quite difficult to hit.  And with an extra paladin in-charge of protecting the rider and the horse, we could minimize our casualties to prepare for the real assault, which would come in later…

 

From the corner of my eyes, we could see people bursting in flames just as they were hit by our magic spells.  The archers and magicians from the other side were desperate, and they kept on shooting at us in a chaotic fashion, which inadvertently hit their own men.

 

The enemy line tried to march towards our harassing formation, but, like in the Cantabrian circle of Earth, we would bait them into a disorganized charge, and then cut them down with deadly precision.

 

They’d be forced to retreat from their starting points.

 

“It’s effective, you bastard!  Hahaha!!!” I heard the Marquise excitedly told me.

 

That pattern of attack, charge, and retreat continued for a few more times before the mercenaries finally learned the futility of their attempts to counter us.  They stood their ground, hopelessly defending against the magic attacks we’re raining down on them.

 

Perhaps they’d just wait for us to exhaust our mana?

 

Their magicians tried to negate our magic, followed up by their archers, but we also prepared for our own magicians to cancel their spells, so they were blatantly exposed to our incessant ranged attacks.

 

“Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!!!”

 

Terrible cries of help echoed throughout the battlefield as the mercenaries were cornered by our simultaneously harassing actions, and the town defenders sallying forth to aid our attacks.  Men after men erupted in flames or suddenly exploded into bits of blood and flesh after being hit by rock bullets.

 

They could only stand by and watch as their right flank desperately defended against the town militia attacking them, while the front was preoccupied with our offensive.

 

It is a heartening sight.  We can actually win this without waiting for reinforcements if we can keep them dazed like that.

 

Perhaps this was the first time these people saw a ‘Cantabrian circle’ maneuver?  It was indeed quite perplexing to watch and aim for the attackers, doing circular maneuvers at an irregular pace.  I bet if this was a more disciplined and experienced army, we’d be long dead by now.

 

“Kuro!  Have you finished reloading that demon weapon?”

 

“!!!” I was brought back to reality by the Marquise of Monfort.  We’re about to go once again to the frontlines, but I could not load my gun just yet.  Well, it’s difficult to load a matchlock with all the movement…that’s why a regular musket-armed cavalry of Earth would always take two or more guns with him to battle, plus a sword.

 

“Can you slow down?  This weapon is difficult to load when we’re moving!”

 

“What the heck are you saying?  Do you want us to be sitting ducks?”

 

“Well, damn!  I can’t fight like this!”

 

“What the hell, Kuro?” the Marquise blurted out.  She quickly deployed a magical shield to protect us just as we appeared at the front of our enemies.  That deflected a projectile or two before she maneuvered once again to retreat to our rear.

 

“Oops!  Fuck!”

 

I was panicking.  The lead ball I was trying to load into the gun barrel fell completely onto the ground, and in my attempt to grab it, I lost my balance and slipped down from the Marquise’s horse.  

 

Well, I’d be damned.  It looks like I pissed off an entire army…

 

 

I fell on the ground when I tried to grab hold of the lead bullet I was loading my gun with.  Luckily, I braced myself for the impact, and thus avoided invalidating injuries.

 

However, it is still painful to move…

 

But that was the last of my worries, for the enemy—upon seeing that I fell, took that as an encouragement for their side, and broke into a charge.

 

The paladins who saw what happened stopped and attempted to come back for me.  In doing so, they broke the formation, and so were their ranged attacks.

 

However, I shouted at them, “Continue the fucking attack!  Hit the bastards and run!”  I didn’t know what entered me at that moment, but my primary concern was their continuous offensive and not my safety.

 

“Grrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!”

 

The mercenaries, thirsty for blood because of the incessant long-ranged attacks from the paladins, charged down on me to avenge the cruel deaths of their comrades.  My heart was beating wildly; I almost forgot about my injuries from falling off the horse.  

 

It is a hair-raising, terrible sight…an entire army of angry men rushing towards me, wanting to tear me apart.

 

I braced my gun and prepared to fight to the death.   No time to load the bullet and the gunpowder!  A mercenary finally reached me and thrust his spear in my direction, which I quickly parried, and then counter-attacked.  I slashed his neck with my bayonet.  Another one followed, this time with a sword.  But I also parried it with my gun’s stock, then crushed his skull.

 

Oh wow!  I didn’t expect I can make that movement!  The Marquise of Monfort’s training actually paid off!

 

I’m pretty desperate.  The thought of killing someone never occurred to me during this moment, only the will to survive this onslaught.

 

Another pair came, the man and his comrade also attacked me with their spears.  I swung my gun to parry their thrusts and pinned down their weapons.  Then I drew my dagger and planted it firmly and in quick succession on the exposed necks of the men.

 

Blood splattered on my face, but I never wavered.  I wanted to live, and they won’t kill me easily.

 

A swordsman then closed in on me and thrust his rapier with a precise aim to the heart.  In my despair, I grabbed his weapon barehanded, attempting to deflect it away.  Fortunately, its edges were blunt; still, it lightly cut my palm.  It was painful, but I moved it out of my way and punched him in the face.

 

“!!!”  The man, maybe because of his rage, barely flinched.  He also countered with a punch, though I narrowly blocked it with my other hand.

 

Our struggle caused us to fall to the ground, hotly contesting for my life.

 

The swordsman followed up his attack with his dagger.  I was surprised, and with my other free arm occupied in holding my gun, I could not react in time.

 

Fuck, looks like this is it!

 

“!!!”

 

I was surprised to see the swordsman’s head suddenly flew off his neck, and his blood subsequently soaking my face as his decapitated body fell on top of me.

 

Horses were charging once again, and this time, they were charging for real.  The Marquise of Monfort led the flying column, and they zeroed-in on the disorganized mercenary line.  The enemy’s line dispersed, with their morale breaking completely in the face of the paladins’ cavalry charge.

 

And then, just as my companions were killing their share, another cavalry column appeared at the rear of the mercenary lines.  At first, I thought it was the enemy reinforcements I fear, but good thing it was just another relief force.

 

They surrounded the enemy and mercilessly cut everyone down.

 

The entire town of Cullen was in a jubilant uproar.  Not only they survived, but they also avoided being pillaged by these lawless men.

 

It was only after the battle that I felt the injuries I received from falling off the Marquise’s horse.  My muscles were sore, and so I fell down to the ground, exhausted from the desperate struggle.

 

The Marquise’s words earlier came back to my head, “Be careful with whatever you wish for, you know.  Or you might end up getting more than what you initially expected.”

 

I guess that’s enough adventure for now…

 

 

“You’re pretty banged up.”

 

“Hey!  Be careful!  It’s painful to move, you know?”

 

“Well, that’s your punishment for doing stupid things.  I specifically ordered before never to intervene in any circumstances save for self-defense, right?” Maddie replied as she fixed bandages on my injuries, “What if you got killed?  I’d be a widow even before I get married.”

 

“Sorry…”  Though I expected that she’d be angry for a different reason…

 

“Of course, you also put our mission in jeopardy as well.” Maddie answered, “What if someone saw your actions as meddling in their internal affairs?  That would diminish our influence and impartiality in the negotiations.”

 

“Yep…it’s really a mistake.” Well, no matter how ‘righteous’ our feelings and our fight were, I couldn’t deny the fact that this was politics.  And in politics, it’s not limited to the ‘good’ and ‘bad’ sides only…there were a lot of gray areas.  What seemed to be harmful to now could be beneficial later…

 

But still…the images of those children earlier burned in my mind.

 

“However, Kuro…” Maddie rested her head next to mine, “Personally, I admire your courage to stand up for your beliefs whenever it is challenged.  If I was also in your place, I might not stop myself from taking action.”

 

“I’m really sorry…the Marquise was stopping us.  I opposed her.”

 

“It’s fine.  I know the Marquise wanted to act, as well.  But my instructions prevented her from completely allowing and supporting your decision.” she gave me a head pat, “Despite that, let me and Lily fix this mess.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“It’s fine.  However, just like what you said, I won’t heal your injuries right away.  The people would have to come first.”

 

“Alright.  Thank you for your hard efforts, Maddie!”

 

“I love you as well, Kuro.  I’ll send Lily over to check on you later; she’s worried sick when she learned you fought.”

 

“Will you tell her I’m sorry about that?”

 

“I will.  But, rest for a while.”

 

The Saint then went out of the tent that was set up to house the injured after the Battle of Cullen.  There were actually several others that were erected to serve as makeshift hospitals just outside the town proper.  The townsfolk of Cullen, grateful to our aid, gladly gave their supplies and medicines to help the less-fortunate folks from the pillaged villages.

 

“…”

 

I stared at the ceiling of the tent I was in.  Deep inside, I was having mixed emotions.  I’m happy that I’m still alive, and no limbs were missing.  There was also that faint sense of achievement since I came out of a battle that almost killed me.  However, feelings of guilty conscience would take over from time to time.

 

I know those mercenaries deserved their ugly fates; even so, to think I killed them…with my own hands.

 

“…”

 

And with no feelings of remorse.  Is this the point where the more I murder people, the less affected I become?

 

Well, I’d just focus on the fact that I did that to survive.  It’s kill or be killed out here, and I couldn’t afford to show any mercy to anyone who’d rush in to murder me.

 

I probably should get some sleep, I guess?