Reader’S Regeneration Life [EN]: Chapter 370

370―――――

Counterattack

The task of transporting the wounded from the previous battle was nearing completion.

With the enemy’s offensive momentarily subdued, Nudia’s reserve forces filled the vacated positions, prepared to assist when the main army shifted the defense line in a few days.

As soon as the wounded were evacuated, the Hispana and Nudia forces swiftly prepared to retreat, aiming to depart by the following night before the enemy detected their movements and launched an attack.

“I’ll head out first, Sion Claussen.

You can finalize the details with the Nudia commander.”

“We’ll meet at the new defense line, Ive Ghie Lestion.”

Ive, effectively Nudia’s second-in-command, departed the defense line ahead of the main force.

Despite his military authority, he recognized that his presence wouldn’t significantly aid in commanding, given the designated officer in charge. This assessment proved accurate.

After Ive’s departure, Sion entered the Hispana command headquarters.

While the headquarters wasn’t as cluttered with maps and documents as before due to the impending retreat, the atmosphere was more serious than ever, with all the commanders assembled.

“How are the retreat preparations progressing?”

“Over half are complete. We dispatched the first group along with the wounded during their evacuation.

Approximately 2,000 soldiers will proceed to Nudia’s secondary defense line to scout a suitable location for establishing a camp.”

“Good.

Then, can we proceed with the retreat by tomorrow?”

“7,000 soldiers will depart first in the early morning, followed by 5,000, and finally 4,000 will move, securing the rear.”

Despite the casualties from the previous battle, a force of approximately 20,000 remained.

After all, battle casualties don’t occur the instant forces clash; they escalate exponentially when the lines collapse and control is lost.

It was impossible for such a large number of soldiers to withdraw simultaneously, and even if feasible, the enemy would immediately detect the change. Therefore, a phased retreat was the logical approach.

“Hmm.”

Duke Volko, who had been studying the map, comparing the current defense line with the designated secondary defense line to the west, looked up at Sion, seemingly having reached a decision.

“Sion Claussen.”

“Yes, Duke.”

“Lead the initial retreat with 7,000 soldiers in your capacity as vice commander.”

“…It’s not ideal for the commander to remain behind.”

“What’s more crucial than engaging the enemy is a swift retreat, establishing a new defense line, and preparing accommodations for the soldiers.

You understand this best, don’t you?”

“…”

“Moreover, the enemy sustained considerable damage in the previous battle.

They are unlikely to pursue, even if they desired to. And even if they disregard that and advance, our increased number of scouts should provide ample warning.

I believe prioritizing the rapid construction of a new defense line with the main force is paramount at this moment.

What do the others think?”

In response to his question, most of the commanders nodded in agreement.

Since not all of Hispana’s forces were withdrawing, but rather half were advancing to prepare the defense line and encampment, they deemed it more important to stay behind and prepare for any potential contingencies.

Sion recognized the validity of Duke Volko’s reasoning and nodded.

“Understood.

I will depart for the defense line first thing tomorrow morning.”

“The subsequent forces will be dispatched that night.

Given your advance, you must arrive promptly, scout the location for the soldiers’ encampment, and complete its construction.”

“I will do my utmost to avoid any delays.”

On the ground, the northern warriors, particularly those skilled in horsemanship, and in the air, the griffins, were tasked with reconnaissance.

A system was in place for rapid communication, enabling them to quickly relay warnings of any approaching enemy, so Sion believed they would be safe.

“…Master.

Is something troubling you?”

Despite this, Sion’s expression remained troubled. Rishicata cautiously inquired, prompting him to sigh.

“The enemy is too quiet.

They aren’t scouting our positions or attempting to gather intelligence.”

“Could it be that the damage they sustained was so severe that they require time to recover?”

Rishicata’s suggestion was plausible.

Indeed, the Holy Prussen had suffered significant losses in the previous battle, forcing them to retreat.

The damage was so extensive that they could have been annihilated had the battle continued. In addition to losing many celestials and experiencing a drop in morale, Sion believed they would undoubtedly need time to reorganize.

‘I’m concerned about the other celestials, but they aren’t employing any stealth tactics, and the terrain offers no concealment.

The northern warriors’ and griffins’ early warning system is difficult for celestials to penetrate.’

Sion was sincerely grateful that there was no fraudulent thing like transparency magic.

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have even suggested the idea of retreating like this.

Of course, he was still uneasy, so he deployed several times more scouts than usual.

Zan and Eos had already led the cavalry back in advance to prepare to delay the enemies’ pursuit in case of an emergency, and there were hundreds of warriors detached from them as scouts, so he thought that would be enough.

“And one more thing.

Lilith hasn’t returned yet.

She was supposed to be back by now.”

“Perhaps she has her own reasons.

Lilith mentioned she might be a day or two late, didn’t she?”

“…That’s true.”

“Lilith also said, if you’re truly concerned about her, focus on your tasks.

Don’t waste time worrying and dragging your feet, only to be caught off guard.”

Rishicata’s words resonated with Sion, prompting him to nod.

Indeed, ambushing the enemy’s rear was difficult to time precisely, and delays were possible.

He remained concerned, but the contract of servitude remained intact.

Therefore, Sion resolved to expedite the retreat preparations, attributing the situation to minor complications.

“Ah, come to think of it, where’s Ludwig?”

“He mentioned he had something to discuss with Duke Volko.”

As he spoke, Ludwig, the commander of the Hispana Second Army and Duke Volko’s son, was engaged in a private conversation with his father.

It wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

Just a discussion about the future direction of the war and how Hispana could win this war.

“How was it when you clashed with the enemy this time?”

“They were very strong.

The Holy Prussen’s paladins, their martial prowess was definitely the epitome of the knight I had dreamed of.

But…”

“But?”

“…They were too blindly devoted.

It was as if they didn’t care about the outcome of this battle, and it felt strange that they were just fighting to kill or die.”

“That’s the true nature of those who believe in the Doctrine of Light now.

Those who were talking about good and justice until yesterday are now wielding their swords because they don’t believe in the light, and they’re shouting that it’s enough just to die for it.

That’s the 모습 [state/appearance] of the self-proclaimed paladins who had been claiming to protect the continent from evil until recently.

Doesn’t it make you feel disgusted?”

Duke Volko growled and spat as if he was really about to vomit.

Ludwig used to say that he didn’t like insulting knights or honor, but now he just showed a nonchalant reaction.

Duke Volko was quite surprised by his son’s change.

He had been shocked by Sion, but he thought it wouldn’t last long, and he would probably return to his old self in a short time, but his son had grown up in an instant.

‘…That guy.

He’s been living in his own well until now, but when someone shows him the real world and the 모습 [state/appearance] of real people, he immediately comes to his senses.

If he had shown that 모습 [state/appearance] earlier, this father would have worried less.’

It was a mistake to leave the family and travel around the kingdom, going to every battlefield.

As a nobleman, it was as important to bring peace to the country as it was to bring peace to the family as a father, but he was too focused on national affairs and was too indifferent to his own child.

In the meantime, his only son grew up with only vague fantasies without knowing anything about the battlefield.

Because his father was successful on the battlefield, because the knights next to him looked 멋있어 [cool/impressive], because the glory they enjoyed and the honor they shouted were splendid, he naturally became interested in them.

“He will become a marquis worthy of his era, not inferior to the March of Sion Claussen.”

“…”

“I was too hard on him in the past, so I have to be able to protect myself if I don’t want to be retaliated against.”

Duke Volko and Ludwig both knew that it was a trivial joke.

He was declaring that he would really be different from now on, that he would become an heir worthy of the next head of the Redenen Marquis family, so Duke Volko smiled in front of his son for the first time in a long time.

“Never lose to Claussen.

You can’t win, but you can’t lose either.

It’s a battle of pride.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

“When you head to the secondary defense line, help Sion and put effort into building the encampment.

Soldiers are also people, so they can exert their strength when fighting if they have a comfortable place to rest.”

He wanted to say more, but Duke Volko only mentioned extremely businesslike content.

He didn’t bring up any conversation between father and son.

“You’re leaving early in the morning, so you should go and rest.”

“I will.”

“There’s no need to come and say goodbye separately.

Take care of even one more soldier during that time.

Don’t forget, Ludwig.

You are a child of the Redenen Marquis family.

Don’t do anything that would be ashamed of that name.”

Duke Volko was about to stop nagging because his son was doing well, but he ended up nagging again because he was doing well.

But Ludwig just smiled and nodded, making it clear that he would no longer disappoint his father.

‘When this war is over, I can hand over my position to this guy now.

To be liberated from this heavy task at last.

It’s been a long, long time.’

Looking at Ludwig, who was going to rest in preparation for his departure early tomorrow morning.

Duke Volko sighed in relief at the thought that he could finally be free from his duty.

―

Under the command of Sion and Ludwig, Hispana’s forces departed westward at dawn. That night, Duke Volko immediately prepared to retreat the next unit.

Fortunately, the enemy seemed unaware of the retreat, but a counterattack remained a possibility.

To prepare for such a threat, the rearguard consisted of the Redenen Marquis family’s elite soldiers, as well as skilled warriors drawn from the east and north.

“…This is a major problem.”

Despite these preparations, the situation took a turn for the worse due to a sudden and severe change in the weather.

The fog thickened, delaying the soldiers’ retreat, hindering the scouts’ progress, and disorienting the griffins.

It was already the middle of the night, forcing them to rely on light, but the fog obscured even that, and the camp was in chaos, with some soldiers standing guard, others preparing to retreat, and still others ready to depart.

“Adjutant.

What’s the status of the northern warriors’ scouts?”

“Half have returned, but the other half are still missing.

We need their reports to accurately assess the situation, but unfortunately, the fog is too dense…”

“What does Nudia say?”

“They claim they’ve never encountered fog like this before.

They say fog doesn’t usually form in this area, so they’re equally perplexed…”

Upon hearing this, Duke Volko felt a chill run down his spine.

This was Nudia’s territory, a place more familiar to the Nudia soldiers than anywhere else.

If even they were unfamiliar with the current conditions, it indicated a deliberate scheme.

Currently, not all soldiers were on alert; some were retreating, while others were maintaining the defense line, creating chaos within the camp.

Clatter!

Clatter!―

Suddenly, the distinct sound of approaching hooves echoed in the distance.

The sound suggested multiple horses, leading Duke Volko to believe that the scouts had become lost and were returning together.

However, immediately afterward, he heard soldiers shouting, “Stop! Stop!” from the front.

Seeing that the riders visible among the soldiers were already dead, riddled with arrows in their necks and backs, Duke Volko cursed under his breath.

‘We’ve been had.’

The moment Duke Volko realized this, fire arrows rained down from all directions.

“It’s an ambush!”

“Formation!

Formation!”

The soldiers responsible for the rearguard were prepared to face the enemy without hesitation.

However, the greatest concern lay with the soldiers scheduled to depart.

These individuals were relatively unprepared for battle.

Attempting to form a battle formation at this moment could 오히려 [on the contrary] exacerbate the confusion.

“Dispatch the soldiers immediately!

They need to evacuate the battlefield!”

“Duke Volko!

Wouldn’t it be better to regroup them and have them form a formation again?”

“The fog is too thick; attempting to reorganize the formation will only increase the chaos.

Instruct the prepared units to evacuate westward immediately.

The enemy exploited the fog to reach this point, but it will also conceal their movements.

If they’re ambushing us like this, they must have brought enough forces to engage our entire army!

We must minimize the damage and buy time!

Form a formation!”

“Form a formation!

Flanks!

Watch out for the flanks!”

If the allies couldn’t see the enemies due to the dense fog, the same applied to the enemies.

Duke Volko intended to use this to retreat the soldiers to the rear.

Preparing those who were not ready for battle and having them form a formation in a short time was nearly impossible.

He judged that it would be far better to remove those who were not helpful in battle and buy time only with the soldiers who had been prepared for battle in advance.

But.

···Kugwaga! Kwajik!

Kwajijik!

“Wh, what?”

“What is that!”

The pure white light that appeared in the fog, and at the same time as that flash, the skilled soldiers who were in the very front row were literally crushed without even screaming once.

At the sudden and unbelievable situation, not only the commanders but also Duke Volko were flustered, and soon something slowly began to take shape in that light.

“…Anyway, Shah is too kind.

She should just kill the sinners she meets.”

As the light subsided, pure white wings emerged, not just one pair but several pairs.

These were beings that could be considered their strongest assets, incomparable to the higher celestials.

The highest-ranking celestial, Lil, swung the two warhammers in her hands and said in a gentle voice.

“Nice to meet you, sinners.

And, goodbye.”

Immediately after the woman’s greeting, a rain of blood began to rise from all directions along with a terrifying sound that tore through the air.