Player Who Became A Constellation [EN]: Chapter 99

Chapter 99

“……!”

The cavalry, unable to break through the ‘frozen’ sandbags, tumbled forward.

“What…!?”

As the leading cavalrymen fell one after another, those behind them turned pale.

“What is that… ?”

“T, turn around…!”

Faced with an unexpectedly solid defense, the cavalry changed direction.

While they hesitated, they became targets for the ballistae [large, ancient crossbows].

“……!?”

The advancing militia slowed their pace.

They saw the cavalry, who had charged towards the enemy lines, fleeing in terror.

After the cavalry, it would be their turn.

The fear of ‘death’ dominated their reason.

“Uwaaaah!”

“Run away!”

“Don’t run! What, what are you doing! Their attacks are focused on the cavalry! Now is our chance! Charge!!”

The knight shouted, but no one listened.

As fear spread, the inexperienced militia were busy running away.

“…Retreat!”

“Run away!”

“Who said you could! Don’t run away! Those who desert will be punished by military law!”

However, as the ballistae began to target the infantry, even the knight hesitated and stepped back.

“The enemies are fleeing?”

Perre licked his lips, watching the retreating Ronia army.

“Ah, that’s good then.”

Perre’s eyes gleamed.

“…Grind them all to dust.”

The tank unit began to move.

The horseshoes, studded with sharp metal, pounded across the icy ground.

The ballistae mounted on the tanks targeted the fleeing militia.

Bolts were fired, piercing several militiamen.

The tanks even ran over them without mercy.

Ignoring the human will to survive, they passed over them all.

Trampled under hooves, torn to shreds by bladed wheels, they became rags.

“Run away! Scatter!”

“They’re chasing us!”

Despair and frustration filled the cries of the Ronia army….

“Wipe them all out!”

“Haha! What is this? This is the most fun I’ve ever had hunting!”

Joy echoed among the Nord army.

There was no need to be afraid. No need to hesitate.

Because no one could stop them!

The Ronia cavalry was completely annihilated, and the archers had long since disappeared.

The infantry, composed of militia, were too busy running away to fight back.

The Ronia soldiers remaining in the fortifications were speechless as they watched the massacre.

They were terrified, but they couldn’t bring themselves to look away.

“…Those bastards.”

Marquis Farnham was so stunned that he forgot to give orders.

This was not a war.

It was just a one-sided massacre.

Most of them were ordinary Ronia citizens, made up of commoners.

The foundation of Ronia, forcibly dragged into conscription, was being thoroughly trampled.

“Stop….”

“Kill them!”

“I’ll show you what happens to those who oppose Asgard!”

“For Valhalla [Norse afterlife for warriors]-!!”

“Hahaha!”

Marquis Farnham gritted his teeth at the madness-filled laughter.

“Stop it…!!!”

Marquis Farnham drew his sword and mounted his horse.

The knights were startled and looked at Marquis Farnham.

“Move all the troops. Protect the retreating soldiers!!”

Marquis Farnham shouted urgently.

“Immediately… protect the people with all your might!”

Marquis Farnham’s desperate cry echoed across the battlefield.

***

The Nord army did not advance any further.

Even they couldn’t think of fighting against the movement of over ten thousand troops.

In this frontal engagement, the Ronia army had to accept the result of 800 militiamen killed, 1,020 wounded, and 350 cavalrymen annihilated.

The knight went to the command tent to report the situation.

Marquis Farnham had his head buried in the command table.

The smell of alcohol permeated the area, and bottles and glasses were scattered on the floor.

The knight sighed softly as he saw this.

Thousands of soldiers had died because of one mistake in the order given as commander.

‘The guilt as a commander must be indescribable.’

However, he couldn’t continue like this.

He had to report the extent of the damage and receive the next orders.

Advance? Or wait? Or retreat?

He had to choose one of these three.

“Marquis Farnham.”

The knight tried to shake Marquis Farnham awake.

Marquis Farnham’s body swayed.

The bottle in his hand fell.

With a ‘clang,’ red wine stained the floor like blood.

“Marquis-”

The knight’s face hardened.

A dagger was stuck in Marquis Farnham’s chest, and a suicide note was visible in his hand.

The content was simple.

[All units retreat from the frozen land. I take responsibility.]

“…Sir?”

The knight swallowed hard and stepped back.

Marquis Farnham had finally succumbed to the guilt and taken his own life.

***

Loki narrowed his eyes.

Perre and about 400 wounded Nord soldiers stood behind him.

They had fought quite fiercely, as they all had bandages stained with blood on their heads or limbs, and some even wore eye patches, perhaps having lost an eye.

“You say they overturned and rolled over?”

“…Yes, well… that’s right. Haha!!”

Perre said with a hearty laugh.

He never imagined that the entire central army would move to rescue the militia.

Thanks to that, the tanks had overturned and tumbled on the ice while making a hasty turn.

“Fortunately, this time my neck didn’t snap! Huh! I guess that’s why people should learn how to break a fall.”

“The report… ?”

At Loki’s words, Perre smacked his lips.

“20 Nord soldiers died at the outpost, 6 tanks overturned, and 18 soldiers on board died. 145 of the mobilized soldiers were injured, and all 12 catapults were taken by the enemy.”

“…I see.”

Loki uttered a subtle sound.

‘I never thought the commander would charge in himself.’

He had gone to the front lines, even risking his life.

His desire to save his allies must have been that desperate.

“What are you going to do now?”

The main force of the Ronia army was about to arrive.

They had to find a way to stop them.

At Perre’s words, Loki simply said.

“Send ‘him’.”

***

The commander of the central army, Marquis Farnham, had committed suicide.

The suicide note contained an order to retreat, but the knights disobeyed the order.

Because they might be held responsible if they carried out that order.

‘Given King Ash’s personality, all those with knightly titles will have their heads cut off.’

They would hold not only themselves but also their families and relatives accountable.

They couldn’t retreat, nor could they move forward.

While the knights were agonizing, someone came to the Ronia camp.

A man was coming through the fog and blizzard, leading a horse and cart, followed by numerous wounded Ronia soldiers.

And the man who led them-.

“L, Lord Hallum!”

It was Lord Hallum, who had been missing.

Surprisingly, he had escaped with allied soldiers who had surrendered and been taken as prisoners, and had seized the enemy’s supply wagon.

“Good heavens!”

“He escaped from those vicious barbarians!?”

“I want to rest…, I want to rest.”

“A, understood! First, treatment-!”

The knights took Hallum into the main camp.

Unaware that they had brought in a venomous snake….

***

A few days later, the main force of Ronia arrived.

A man in his late 40s with blond hair and blue eyes, his face full of scars, was in command.

His name was Marquis Cabal Parano.

He was the one who had maintained neutrality during the East-West War, and he was chosen because of his extensive battlefield experience.

Marquis Cabal heard about Marquis Farnham’s suicide and Lord Hallum’s news at the same time.

Marquis Cabal held a simple funeral for Marquis Farnham.

He looked at the Ronia army with great concern.

He heard that both the vanguard and the central army had been caught off guard by ambushes and had not been able to put up a proper fight.

‘I should observe the situation and prepare to withdraw to the homeland.’

There should be no further loss of troops.

However, Marquis Cabal would not be able to avoid responsibility if he retreated like this.

‘At least let’s set foot on the barbarians’ homeland!’

If he did that, he would have some excuse for King Ash.

The Ronia army, with the vanguard and central army combined, advanced into the frozen land with 65,000 troops.

And…

“……?”

Marquis Cabal ‘occupied’ the frozen barrier without any loss of troops.

***

‘What is this?’

Marquis Cabal was bewildered.

He even wondered if he was dreaming.

That was because, even though the vanguard and central army had struggled so much, their main force had occupied the enemy’s outpost without any damage.

“T, there’s no one here!”

A soldier who had barely climbed over the barrier by connecting several ladders shouted.

“E, empty! There are only traces of the bastards fleeing!”

“…….”

Run away? That can’t be…!

Marquis Cabal knew what the Nord were like.

They were ashamed of running away, so the current situation was unexpected.

‘The fact that the bastards retreated so easily….’

Perhaps their strength had already reached its limit.

‘But if we advance further, it’s like entering the mouth of a snake.’

However, he could not retreat the army in this situation.

He could not return to the homeland immediately after occupying the outpost.

“Marquis. What are you planning to do?”

At the knight’s question, Marquis Cabal pondered.

“Hmm….”

“I heard that the Nord hastily left, and there seem to be supplies left that they had plundered from us. It seems we can hold out for a while.”

“…Did you check it? Could it be poisoned?”

“No. It was somewhat damaged, but… the results of the confirmation were normal.”

“…We can’t go back now.”

Marquis Cabal made a decision.

‘Let’s buy time.’

Not taking a single step out of the occupied territory.

If he only defended this occupied territory, Ash would not be able to say anything if the situation was not favorable and he retreated.

“Take a rest. Report to His Majesty Ash that we have ‘occupied the outpost.’ And ask them to send supplies, etc.”

“Understood.”

At Marquis Cabal’s words, the knight bowed his head.

He prayed that this meaningless war would end like this.

Ignoring the chilling feeling that tickled their backs.

***

The soldiers who had seized Asgard’s frozen barrier were soon able to hear good news.

“Everyone, prepare to withdraw! We will withdraw tomorrow morning!”

“R, really!?”

“Yes.”

“W, we’re alive!!”

The soldiers rejoiced.

The knights looked at them with bright expressions and released the supplies.

The road back was long.

If they didn’t feed them well now, there would be stragglers.

‘Supplies are also coming from the homeland.’

If they encountered them during the retreat, the supply problem would be solved to some extent.

Lord Hallum gathered the soldiers who were resting.

“Everyone gather! Receive your cold-weather gear and get your food! This Hallum cooked it himself for you, so consider it an honor-!!!”

The soldiers gathered.

They received warm fur and porridge to eat their fill.

“T, thank you!”

The Ronia soldiers thanked Hallum.

He was like a hero now.

Not only had he escaped from the Nord, who had been struggling with the vanguard and central army, but he had also taken their supplies and escaped with the prisoners.

His face was full of scars, which were like a symbol of enduring terrible torture.

Surely, if he returned to the homeland, he would be recognized for his contributions.

“Are there any who want to eat more? I’ll feed you with the supplies I stole from the barbarians myself!”

“R, really?”

“I was an old academy classmate of Marquis Cabal. Well, we weren’t close… I’ll distribute the supplies at my discretion.”

Hallum opened the supply box himself and put all kinds of food into the pot and boiled it. At the same time, he took out seasoning from his pocket and sprinkled it in.

“What is that?”

When the cooks asked in a puzzled tone, Hallum curled up his lips and said.

“This is a seasoning made from the pollen of Vandrea, which is only used in the royal family!”

“G, goodness…! Even the powder is worth a gold nugget…!”

“S, such a precious thing…!”

“So everyone, cheer up!”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

The soldiers cheered.

Marquis Cabal, who was patrolling the army, looked at Hallum.

“That bastard is selling my name.”

“Shall I stop him?”

“No, it’s okay. Anyway, we’re withdrawing tomorrow morning, so we can punish him by military law after returning to the homeland.”

Marquis Cabal shook his head. Still, morale of the army is rising thanks to that bastard, so it would be better to leave it as it is now.

Marquis Cabal looked at the food Hallum was handing out.

“…Bring me some of that food.”

“Yes?”

“Vandrea’s seasoning is a precious ingredient that even the royal family has difficulty obtaining.”

At those words, the knight swallowed hard.

“I’ll just have a taste.”

“Understood.”

Hallum smiled brightly as he watched the soldiers eating the food deliciously.

“Everyone, eat your fill and get some rest!”

His eyes flashed with a hint of murderous intent, and he smiled coldly.

“Forever.”

You’ll sleep… haha!