Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 296

296―――――

Lies with sincerity, acting with absurdity.

It had been almost 50 years since the Hispañan regular army had advanced into Nudia beyond the defensive line set up at the Count Clausen border territory.

There had been several surprise attacks by the Count Clausen border territory’s army on Basura County in the past, but those were only conflicts between the two territories, so I will exclude them.

However, unlike the Nudian main force that had previously rushed into Hispaña, the Hispañan army was maintaining a steady marching speed, giving the Nudian side time to accurately assess their size.

At the same time, it could be interpreted as a sign that if they intended to fight, they should prepare defenses, and if not, they should quickly seek dialogue.

Originally, they should have blocked the roads leading to each region of Nudia to set up defenses or engage in a decisive battle, but unfortunately, the entire army had suffered tremendous damage before. Nudia was withdrawing from some of their western territories and setting up a defensive line much further back.

Among the Nudian armies, the main forces were soldiers from the north, adjacent to the Land of the Dying [a region known for its harsh conditions and high mortality rate], and the west, bordering Hispaña.

And in this battle, the Nudian 1st Army was mainly composed of soldiers from the west, but unfortunately, the entire 1st Army was annihilated, so there were no troops left to defend the west.

“…So, it is reported that the enemy has reached the vicinity of the roads leading north and central from the west without much resistance.”

“What about the other scouts’ news?”

“The Hispañan side is preparing to stabilize supply lines.

It’s a bit far from Basura County, but we hoped Basura would show some movement, but they are struggling just to defend their territory.”

“Tsk.

Foolish people.

Hispaña doesn’t care about Basura and has entered our land, but the one guarding the border says such a thing.”

Then, a cavalryman next to him cautiously spoke up.

“I wonder if the rumors are true.”

“What rumors?”

“That Basura County secretly colluded with Hispaña, so they would not touch the territory and just pass through, and Basura County would not engage in any hostile acts against Hispaña.”

It was quite a plausible rumor.

Even the Nudian cavalrymen nodded, agreeing with their comrade’s question.

The cavalry captain frowned and said sharply, “Don’t carelessly spread such rumors.

That might be the picture Hispaña wants.

Even from Basura County’s perspective, they must have felt abandoned for a while, and if such rumors spread, they would have no reason to stay with Nudia.”

“Ahem.”

“I’m, I’m sorry, Captain.”

“I agree that it’s very suspicious.

But don’t show it.

If you show weakness, you’ll be bitten right away.

Hispaña is unparalleled in that aspect right now.”

The cavalry captain was one of the few who survived from the former 1st Army.

While Ive volunteered to act as bait to lure the Hispañan army, he, the 1st Army commander, and the staff managed to break through the northern barbarians’ attacks and escape to Nudia.

‘Hispaña has become a completely different opponent than before.

Just the mention of Sion Clausen makes Ive worry so much and secretly fear him.

If we face them head-on in a battle of strength, we will definitely lose.’

The reason he joined this small cavalry unit was similar.

If there’s no chance of winning in a direct fight, there are plenty of other ways to wear them down.

Even their 1st Army had to keep bleeding from these attrition attacks after entering Hispaña, so Hispaña couldn’t be immune to it.

‘We know this area much better, and above all, Sion Clausen isn’t everywhere.

We have to strike where he isn’t and tie them down.’

One of the reasons was that the soldiers in the western part of Nudia had disappeared due to the annihilation of the 1st Army, but the reason Nudia deliberately retreated the defensive line was to draw Hispaña in.

If you don’t completely break the morale with a decisive victory, the attacker will eventually be worn down in the defender’s territory, covered in wounds, and have to return home.

Nudia also tried to deliver a decisive blow, but was caught in reverse and suffered a major defeat, barely escaping back home, so they had to return the favor.

“Where are the other cavalry units now?”

“They are constantly checking each path responsible for the supply line.

They said they deliberately let today’s first convoy pass and are aiming for the next one.”

“…Hispaña’s supply train is a bit different than usual, right?”

“That’s right.”

The most important thing in war is to fill the soldiers’ bellies, so it’s only natural.

Therefore, both the attacker and the defender are bound to focus on destroying the supply line.

To prevent that, when a transport unit departs, a large number of escorts are always attached to it.

However, Hispaña only placed a suitable number of personnel on the transport unit and continued to send the rest out, creating the impression of wandering around looking for something.

‘If we attack the transport unit, they will come and engage us right away, and the transport unit will go its way, is that it?

If they do that, the transport will be faster and the combat units will continue to gain combat experience, so it would be good.

But to use that kind of tactic without knowing our numbers?’

If the Nudian side’s surprise attack was small in number or similar, it would be one thing, but if the number of combatants was twice as large, the transport unit and even those who were fighting could be suppressed.

Could Hispaña be using such a method without knowing that? There were many suspicious things.

‘What’s the trick this time?

What are they hiding?’

The cavalry captain couldn’t recklessly go in because he had been burned so badly in Hispaña.

If they were to lose again here and suffer a major blow, they would have to stop disrupting the enemy’s supply line for a while, and the burden would fall entirely on Nudia.

“Captain.

We have received a message from our cavalry unit.

The transport unit has departed from Clausen and has just entered Nudia.

They will hold the combat unit back, so attack the transport unit to seize supplies or, if impossible, burn it down.”

“Their sacrifice won’t be small.”

“Isn’t it inevitable?

Either way, someone has to do it, and that someone might be us soon, so there’s no point in worrying.”

“…Okay.

It can’t be helped.

Send a messenger to tell them to do their best and fight well.

Don’t forget to tell them that we will do our best too.”

“Understood.”

The Nudian cavalry unit then moved secretly, searching for the best place to ambush.

At the same time, they did not forget to use deception tactics to avoid the griffins that had been bothering them.

And about an hour later, the Nudian cavalry finally caught the front and rear of the transport unit.

“Charge!”

“If we cut that off, our allies in the back will be more comfortable!”

“Show those who invaded Nudia what you’re made of!”

They had already finished scouting this area, so they knew there were no ambushes and that the terrifying northern barbarians were not there.

The Nudian cavalry had nothing to fear and had even created a perfect escape route, so they confidently attacked the Hispañan transport unit and began to push them hard.

“Don’t panic, form a formation!”

“Our troops will be here soon anyway!”

The Hispañan army, as a group that had won victories in the past, did not panic and immediately formed a formation.

They placed the baggage carts that needed to be protected the most in the center, formed a circular formation, maintained a proper distance from each other, and showed their will to grind down any enemies that entered.

Meanwhile, a young knight who was in charge of the Hispañan supply line, Ludwig, the son of Marquis Volko, who is currently the military commander, and the heir to the Redenen family, was urgently riding his horse to the place where the transport unit was heading.

“Annoying bastards.”

Ludwig bit his lip.

The enemy’s tenacious attacks, targeting the transport unit, continued when he was about to forget about them, and he had to personally sortie more than seven times a day to stop them.

The method of the combat units surrounding and attacking the enemies from all sides to completely annihilate them while the transport unit bought time against the ambush was, of course, suggested by Sion Clausen.

However, in this operation, the commander’s on-site command ability and the organic cooperation ability of each unit were very important, and if even a little bit went wrong, the transport unit could be annihilated and the combat units could suffer serious damage.

‘Sion Clausen recommended me for such an important position, me.’

He thought of himself, who had shouted to fight him once more because it was an unfair fight in the past.

Although he had experienced actual combat, he had only ‘observed’ some small-scale battles following his father, Marquis Volko, and even then, he had stayed in the relatively safe rear.

Therefore, in the past, Ludwig only thought of war as a very honorable, solemn, and grand duel.

A magnificent and tragic fight in which one side and the other side bet everything.

Leaving behind many stories that would be talked about for generations to come.

‘You foolish son!’

However, after witnessing the true face of war, Ludwig sincerely rebuked himself.

It was neither honorable, nor solemn, nor grand.

It was just a miserable, sad hunting ground where all sorts of means to win were rampant.

Eat or be eaten.

Survive or fall down and die, that’s all.

Everything he thought was unjust didn’t matter at all.

Even the justifications that were just nonsense to those who listened became the justice that the enemies had to fight and win, and that justice rolled around in Hispaña again as a piece of nonsense.

Ludwig recalled Sion, who had recommended him for this position, feeling that war was just war, and no one could say anything about what happened there.

‘What the hell is that guy?

He’s getting scarier and scarier.’

Even hidden from the family’s retainers, Sion somehow found out and told Marquis Volko to appoint him as the commander in charge of the rear supply line.

Thanks to that, the most embarrassed person was none other than Ludwig himself.

It was a really dangerous adventure to entrust the management of the rear supply line, which was considered the most important place, to someone with a severe lack of practical experience.

“Commander!

There!”

When a subordinate knight pointed his hand, he saw other enemies blocking the road and trying to cut off their support.

This time, they seemed to have come with their knives sharpened, and the enemies’ will to not back down seemed very great.

“…Archers forward!”

But Ludwig was no longer a naive boy looking for what was fair.

As soon as he saw the enemies, he called the soldiers and immediately started shooting arrows, pinning their movements to the spot.

“Our troops will arrive soon anyway.

They are relatively lightly armed cavalry, not heavily armed knights, so aim for the horses first.

It’s enough to just injure the horses!”

The Hispañan side was moving as if they were going to completely devour this side, not just support their transport unit, so the Nudian cavalry were flustered, but they rushed towards them to push into the Hispañan army’s formation.

It was enough to just hold them here, so they had to prevent their forces from reaching the transport unit ahead, even if they were afraid of the arrows.

Despite the enemies’ fierce resistance, the Hispañan army seemed worried about the transport unit ahead.

But Ludwig didn’t seem too worried.

‘What a really tiring guy.

How can he even think of deceiving the enemies in these kinds of situations!’

―

“Captain.

It was a very successful battle.

Didn’t we steal almost all of the enemy’s baggage carts?”

“What about our casualties?”

“We didn’t have many injured because the enemy’s resistance was less than expected, but the side that was blocking the enemy’s support unit suffered heavy damage.

They must have judged that they couldn’t support the transport unit, so they rushed in with the arriving troops, determined to annihilate even our cavalry unit.”

“…That’s not good news.”

“It couldn’t be helped.

Still, we stole this many baggage carts, so it will definitely have a negative impact on the enemy’s supply situation.”

Originally, it was right to burn them on the spot, but even though the west was practically empty, a certain degree of self-sufficiency was needed.

In addition, converting the enemy’s benefits into one’s own benefits if it is judged that it is worth stealing is a universally accepted part.

Hoping in his heart that there would be plenty of hay to feed the horses inside.

It was the moment they tore open the thick cloth to check the baggage carts.

“…Huh?”

“Ah, no, what is this?”

He thought it would be military supplies, or weapons, or even hay.

But what appeared in front of them was nothing they desperately wanted.

Just lumps of heavy things in bundles inside the package, and the identity of those things was…

“T, This!”

It was literally useless trash.

What was hidden and carefully concealed in the cart was just large stones and gravel.

They had been stuffed in so well and even sealed so beautifully that there was almost no sign of it, so they couldn’t help but think it was a cart loaded with war supplies.

The supplies they risked their lives to steal were nothing more than the enemy’s trick, and they had fallen for it, causing their country’s precious cavalry to lose their lives, so they couldn’t help but go crazy.

Even a note that someone had written beautifully and carefully folded was found inside.

―Did you have some fun?

―

“…”

It was a 2nd mental attack that literally drove people crazy.

Not only the cavalry captain but also his subordinates were clearly in a state of exhaustion.

The supplies that they and their allies had struggled to steal were actually just Hispaña’s taunting remarks that mocked them.

Even other allies suffered near-annihilation damage while blocking the enemy unit.

If they charged at the enemy with a burning sense of duty, but the result was like this, anyone would lose strength, be disappointed, and fall behind.

Nudian soldiers could only scream in anger at the man who was mocking them until the end, wondering if Hispaña would even use such tricks on the supply line.

―――――――Afterword―――――――

A big catch!