CHAPTER 8 - II -
The Duchess of Henristone told me about the sentiments of the other nobles. While I expected this turn of events, it’s not like I could do something about it. The senior commanders of the Coalition: the Duchess of Henristone herself, Lily, the Prince of Stadtsberg, the Counts of Brooke and Tillie, and the Duke of Greene, wanted me to stay in command, even though I offered to defer to someone of noble birth.
“Well, if they knew how to fight those undead bastards, I’d defer.” the Prince of Stadtsberg declared.
“These nobles are all talk anyway.” the Count of Brooke said, “What if we tell them you came from the same world as the hero, Cassandra David?”
“I don’t wish for that to happen, Your Grace.” I told him, “If they learned I’m someone from another world, their expectations would rise to impossible levels, and I’m afraid I could not deliver.”
“Well, true…” the Count of Tillie added, “It’s pretty hard to have someone’s expectations on you.”
“In any case…” Maddie unsheathed her sword, “I’d like to challenge those preposterous nobles a lesson.”
“Stop it Maddie—I mean, Your Holiness!” Lily was quick to stop her, “We don’t need divisions in our army right now. If they wanted to leave, just let them. Don’t provoke the others to do the same.”
Well, I guess that put Maddie back to her senses. At least she listens now.
“So, anyway, what should we do about these nobles?” the Duchess of Henristone returned to the point of the matter.
“Like what I said…” Lily suggested, “Let them be for a while. Sir Kuro would show to them his qualifications as their commander real soon.”
“And I would like to help him a little, Princess Lilyhaven.” Maddie had a nasty smirk on her face, “Let us see what would happen once I did what I had in mind…”
Well, again, I already expected such reactions from the other members of the nobility when I was chosen to lead the army instead of someone from their own ranks. The nobles, even back on Earth, most were a pretty handful. With their whims, they caused a lot of destruction and death, and a severe crisis like this one wouldn’t keep their jealousies and rivalries at bay.
“…”
Not wishing to embarrass Maddie and the others who believed in me, as well as to increase our chances of victory, I talked to Sir Dane Bellingstein.
“Oh? Mister Kuro!” the Chancellor greeted me, “It’s been a while since we last saw each other! I didn’t know you already become a paladin of Her Holiness!”
“It’s a bit in a hurry, Your Excellency.” I answered, “All because of the necessity brought about by the situation.”
“Yes, I heard about the battles you took part in.” he nodded, “I’d say you did pretty well back there! I’m impressed, now I have something to say to my grandchildren that I fought with the legendary Fist of the North Lands.”
“Haha! Thanks for the compliment, Your Excellency!”
“Anyway, is there anything you need, Sir Kuro?”
“Oh, about that…you brought your Gryphon Knights corps with you, right?”
“Why yes! You know the men, they were confined to garrison duties in Sekhtem. When I told them you wanted help, they were more than eager to come.”
“Thank you for that, Sire.” I told him, “Now, if I may request one thing…”
“Sure, what is it?”
“Can you not fight in the frontlines?”
“Huh?” the Chancellor was shocked by my request. Knights were usually the first ones to attack, and the last ones to retreat…if they would ever be required to retreat, “Surely, you jest, Sir Kuro! You know the sentiments of my men!”
“I sure do, Your Excellency!” I explained, “However, you won’t be fighting on the frontlines, Sire, at least, here on the ground.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ll have your corps be the first ones to attack, not on the ground, but you’ll bombard the undead from the air.”
“Oooh…tell me more about it.” the Chancellor was intrigued by my idea.
Now that I got him hooked, I explained to him the concept of ‘tactical aerial bombing’, a tactic used by the modern air forces of Earth.
On May 4th, the day we would begin the offensive, a fully armored, battle-equipped Maddie showed up at my tent to check on things.
“You sure got everything covered, Kuro,” she commented while inspecting.
“Yep. And hopefully, I’ll deliver the victory for this one.”
“I know you would.”
“Well, it’s only one victory if it’s the case.” I explained to her, “We don’t know the extent of Seirna’s damage to Chersea with her undead, so it’s still a long battle ahead of us.”
“It’ll be fine!”
“Hopefully…”
“Hoh? Is my paladin doubting himself once again?”
“Hm? Not really. I’m just nervous, that’s all.”
Maddie smiled at me, “Don’t you always conquer, Sir Kuro? And now I got something for you to help you to your victory.”
“What’s that?”
She then gestured to her escort paladin, the vice-captain Dame Atkins to present to me a package she brought along. It was kind of heavy, and the clinking sound while I moved made me suspect that inside was something made of metal. I opened the box, and…
“Whoa!” I exclaimed, “This is one set of badass armor, huh?”
“Well, it’s a paladin’s armor set, made of mithril! Not only do I hope it fits, hopefully, but it would also further carry you to victory, Sir Kuro. You’re now an official member of the Paladin Corps.”
“Wow…thanks!”
“You didn’t let me have that sword of yours fixed.” Maddie explained, “So, I decided to have an armor set made for you.”
“It’s fine, Maddie…” Nostalgia made me touch the memento Luisa left, “It’ll be a memory of the cost of my failure…”
“It’s okay, Sir Kuro! Don’t be downcast, you still have the battle to lead!” she patted my shoulders to cheer me up.
“Ah, it’s all in a day’s work, Your Holiness! Thank you!” I immediately put it on to show her. Good thing it fits perfectly, and I could move around just the same as when I’m not wearing any armor.
“Yes, and don’t worry, starting now, I’m always with you!” Maddie suddenly began blushing.
“Aren’t you? I mean you’re here with me right now.”
“No, silly!” she laughed, “That armor set was made from my armor set, the ones I wore back when I was a general in Lily’s army. Don’t you like the idea? You’ll fight while I protect you using that armor.”
“Oh…haha…that…s-sure is nice, Maddie. Thank you.”
Well, I guess I’ll just focus on the battle ahead, instead of dwelling on my cute, but possessive girl…
And so, equipped with the armor that Maddie gave me (well, I only wore the cuirass, since I’m not used to wearing a full armor set when fighting), we opened the Battle for Huirot.
“It’s been a while since we could go to our homes in peace and with security.” Maddie gave her address to the men to raise their morale before going to battle. To make the impression that she fully supported me as the overall commander for this operation, she stood beside me while speaking, “Now, this will be the day we will take back what is ours!”
I could feel the tense air coming from the men. It’s as if the more they hear Maddie talk, the greater were their desires to come at the enemy and take their share of the kill.
“I bless you with all the gods for this noble undertaking.” Maddie gave her final benedictions, “In my most holy name, go forward warriors of Chersea!”
For us to proceed smoothly if ever we encountered the Saint of the Flame, the Human Saint came with us. I commanded her personal Paladin Corps guards, and the entire army, as we ventured deep into the dark territory.
“For Chersea and the Saint!”
“Rrrraaaaaaaarrrrrrggggggghhh!!!”
The simultaneous war cries of the multitudes of men were enough to give me goosebumps. However, it was the sight of the Gryphon Knights flying in a ‘V’ formation like bombers in the sky that ultimately got me going.
Maddie then chanted the spell that lifted the barrier. However, there was no running, for it was forbidden.
“…”
There was a strange silence since the barrier dissipated. The only sound that I hear was the cries of the gryphons as they ventured into the darkness.
And then the skies lit up.
The Gryphon Knights had the orders to start their bombing run once they saw the undead hordes. It’s a good thing that Seirna gave her zombies glowing eyes, so we could make those creatures out in the dark. Cherseans were not accustomed to the dark, and it was pretty helpful on where they should direct their attacks.
“!!!”
The first explosions due to incinerate spells being rained down by the Gryphon Knights illuminated the dark side of the battlefield. At once, I ordered the commencement of the attack.
“Begin your spells! Hit them far from the back.” Well, I purposefully had the magicians hit the zombies walking behind the first waves. This was because it would be difficult for the warriors at the front to fight a burning zombie—it might injure them, too.
Like a series of fireworks, the flame wall we planned was lit up and separated the first wave of the undead from the rest of the horde.
“Brace for attack!”
The undead first wave ran towards the shield-wall, attracted by the sounds of our stomping feet, designed to do exactly just that.
“Deploy the traps!”
The warriors began chanting their spells. The first spells to go were the ‘Slashing Wind’ spells that cut-off the lower limbs of the zombies. Those who got past the wind spells were skewered by the ‘Earth Spike’ spells, activated a little later by the second line of warriors. There were still a few of the zombies who continued running to the shield-wall, and it was dealt with accordingly.
“YYYYEEEEAAAAAHHHH!!!” the soldiers cheered, but we all knew we’ve only just begun.
“Everyone!” I waved my hand; I was standing in front of them for everyone to see, “Forward!”
Despite the thunderous command, the army began advancing slowly and at steady paces. Not only we deliberately did that to attract the undead to our positions, but it was also done so as not to break the formation while the magicians and the Knights Corps in the sky were bombarding the grounds.
Think of it as a ‘creeping bombardment’.
“Maddie…” I turned to her, for she stood beside me. She only nodded.
Soon, the weapons of the warriors were emanating with white light, Maddie’s symbol as saint.
