The Third Son of a Medieval Knight Family Chapter 110 - Knight of Ascension (45)

Yugrichi’s intentions seemed clear. Bypass the castle and once again set the entire eastern region—no, the entire principality—ablaze! Though Roshtov Castle was built at a strategic location, there were many routes to bypass it if one looked carefully.

It was commonly known that the barbarians’ siege techniques were terrible, so unless there was an absolute necessity to capture Roshtov, anyone with insight could predict they would make a flanking maneuver.

“That’s why we’re forced to face them in battle. If we can’t block them here, another catastrophe is bound to happen…”

The words one noble uttered with a headache represented the intentions of most of the expeditionary force. Everyone desperately wanted to fight relying on the castle walls.

No one wanted to abandon the advantage of occupying favorable high ground. However, that was only if the enemy would oblige. Once they let those composed entirely of cavalry escape, there would be a gap that would be difficult for the infantry-centered expeditionary force to catch up to. And that would mean the expeditionary force’s strategic defeat.

“But opening the castle gates and confronting those barbarians is also difficult. You know how strong and cruel those barbarian bastards are.”

“Are you showing fear toward the enemies now? It seems you don’t have much awareness that you’re participating in a holy war?”

“I’m trying to have a realistic discussion. And it seems the last defeat has completely vanished from your mind? The disgraceful behavior you showed then is still vivid.”

“This fellow…!”

“Please stop.”

When Viktor threw out a word, the nobles who had been arguing all fell silent at once. Though he was just a single commander who hadn’t received the supreme commander’s position like the deceased Vasilev, the sight of high-ranking nobles following a mere knight’s words as if serving a king was truly spectacular.

The respectful gazes that friendly knights who could barely participate in the meeting while standing were sending him was enough to gauge his status.

However, for Viktor who had spoken, it was not something he particularly welcomed.

‘What on earth is the Count thinking…’

The Count, who should have been leading and dominating such meetings, had been maintaining silence from the beginning.

The words he had given him before entering the conference hall were also meaningful.

‘There are forces who think I’m incompetent and constantly try to find fault to undermine me. However, in order to win the war, I must drag them along as well. Since you have popularity, please help keep the meeting centered so it doesn’t flow in strange directions.’

‘However, Your Excellency, I lack the qualifications. The rightful person who should lead this expeditionary force is precisely Your Excellency.’

‘Hehe, if you think so, please follow my words. Only then can things be accomplished according to that revelation you claimed, can’t they?’

Viktor, who had been reflecting on the brief conversation, glanced at the Count sitting in the seat of honor.

He was observing the situation with a mysterious expression that was difficult to read. He seemed completely different from the Count who had been evaluated as hearty, somewhat passionate, but easy to understand and comfortable for subordinates to serve.

‘Claimed, indeed…’

Viktor stopped his flowing thoughts as he savored that word. Countless nobles and commanders were looking only at his mouth. Viktor stood up from his seat, bowed his head politely, and carefully chose his words.

“Both of your words have merit. I happen to have an opinion as well, so if it’s not presumptuous, may I say a word?”

“Ah, by all means. Everyone is paying attention to your words! Speak quickly. Did God send you another revelation last night?”

Facing the expectant gazes looking at him with his usual composed face, Viktor continued his words.

“Realistically speaking, a field battle with them will be an arduous fight. However, considering our expeditionary force’s strategic objectives, a defensive battle relying on the castle has no meaning. Haven’t we already sufficiently achieved the preservation and reorganization of our forces?”

The expeditionary force’s objective was simple. Don’t let them pass beyond Roshtov Castle! And beyond that, the ultimate purpose of the war was to kill the Grand Chief and completely destroy the barbarian forces.

“That’s right. If they scatter beyond the eastern region throughout the entire principality, it will obviously become very troublesome. Those people aren’t particularly interested in castles and land. They’re just blinded by plunder and murder. It would be undesirable to just watch that with our eyes wide open.”

As the noble who had proposed going out to fight logically organized the situation, Viktor bowed his head toward him, then opened his mouth again.

“I completely agree with that. Therefore, I think that no matter how difficult a fight is expected, going out to face them in battle should be the premise.”

The reaction of those present was mixed at his words.

“Hmm… but abandoning the advantage of relying on the castle walls is also questionable as a commander…”

“Have you been listening? Unless those bastards have lost their minds, they won’t charge into the castle on horseback!”

“Ah, well that’s true, but…”

That’s when it happened.

“Sir Viktor, may I ask one question?”

When Mikhail, who had been quietly listening at the back seat, raised his hand, the nobles gave him sharp looks.

He had completely fallen from grace due to the previous incident. However, Mikhail continued speaking without caring about such gazes at all.

“Let’s say we engage in field battle as you suggest. However, the enemy consists entirely of cavalry. Though the expeditionary force has much larger numbers, most are infantry forces. Unless there’s a way to lure them to some bottleneck, it would be difficult to catch up. If the enemies avoid all battles and run to the rear, what do you plan to do?”

It was a valid point. Even the nobles who had been glaring at Mikhail as if they would devour him to find fault with his words had to agree this time, with some unconsciously nodding their heads.

“The troop numbers are overwhelming. With this many troops, there can be no difficulty in encirclement and annihilation. As long as we’re not ambushed like last time. Don’t you know basic military tactics?”

However, the young noble who had been directly humiliated by Mikhail in the great hall seemed to have come out grinding his teeth, refuting his words.

Having apparently studied to some degree, his fluent-sounding words made the nobles’ faces seem swayed again, but Mikhail only responded calmly.

“That’s absolutely not the case. Even if the troop difference is more than ten times, it would be difficult to encircle cavalry in such open terrain. That’s why it’s a more difficult situation. It’s not simply defense, but we need to prevent passage itself.”

“How can you be so confident about that?”

“Experience.”

“…”

At Mikhail’s light dismissal of the rebuttal, the young noble’s face became even more murderous, but Viktor had no intention of letting another disturbance arise.

“That’s an accurate point. Actually, aside from such problems, if there’s no proper tactics when we leave the castle and face them on the plains, there’s a high possibility of defeat again.”

At Viktor’s calm and firm voice, Mikhail slightly relaxed his facial expression and said.

“Hearing you say that, it seems you have a solution after all.”

“Yes. Saying we should go out and fight without any countermeasures is a naive idea. It will be a difficult fight, but there are definitely methods.”

“Ooh… as expected!”

“Is it a revelation? It must be a revelation?”

“What kind of method… should we pray and sing songs as written in the scriptures after all?”

‘What are they talking about?’

While inwardly finding the nobles who suddenly started spouting nonsense absurd, Viktor steadily continued his words.

“Before that, there’s one thing I need to get a definite promise from all of you. Everything is for victory in the holy war. For that purpose, no matter what moves I prepare, can you follow them?”

“Hmm.”

At Viktor’s words that even carried a somewhat ominous atmosphere, the nobles glanced around at each other. No matter how much he was a knight who received revelations, the clause ‘no matter what’ carried a resonance that was difficult to readily accept. It was when the nobles were hesitating for a moment.

Bang!

“Such meaningless questions are pointless.”

“Sir Vino.”

Vino, who had been sitting quietly with a smiling face until now, stood up and shouted strongly.

“Continuing to state the obvious is not a good habit. Since we’ve already participated in the holy war, we’ve decided to definitely follow the words of one who received revelations to lead us to victory. Even if it seems incomprehensible at first glance, or even if it appears to be a path of heresy!”

Vino’s eyes were blazing with the light of fanatical faith.

“There will be providence there. You just need to convey the Lord’s will without hesitation. Don’t worry. There will be no dissent. Isn’t that right, everyone?”

“Hahaha, that’s right. As Sir Vino says. We’re prepared!”

Not many could face that ominous gaze head-on. Regardless of their inner thoughts, when all the commanders and nobles shouted with one voice that they would follow Viktor’s proposal, he once again thought that the ways of the world were unpredictable.

‘Well, where there’s loss, there’s also gain.’

Though Viktor had been regretting fabricating the miracle from being so tormented, at this moment he was grateful. Even that insane Vino, who had not a trace of affection to attach to.

“Listening to it, it’s surprisingly simple. Ultimately, to catch the feet of enemies whose mobility is overwhelming compared to our forces, we need to induce or restrict their movements.”

“So how exactly?”

“I’ve prepared two moves.”

Viktor folded his fingers as he continued his explanation.

“First, the first one. We’ve made contact with the harassment unit. They’re currently hiding near the castle while preserving their forces.”

“Come to think of it, they existed…!”

The harassment unit led by Yelchin hadn’t shown themselves while the main force’s situation worsened day by day, so everyone had momentarily forgotten their existence. Contact had only been established recently.

“They seem to have their own circumstances… but an unexpected ambush force should be able to restrict the enemies’ movements.”

“Good… but wouldn’t they be insufficient alone?”

When someone threw out a question in a still doubtful voice, Viktor folded his remaining finger.

“And one more thing. I’ve positioned part of the vanguard, our allies, in a location where the enemies won’t detect them. The enemy absolutely cannot pass them. In other words, they will play the most important role in this battle.”

Murmur murmur. People whispered at the unexpected words, and a smile formed on Mikhail’s lips. It was a smile only those who guessed the identity could make. Vino tilted his head and asked with a pure face.

“They absolutely cannot pass… could you tell us what scheme you have?”

“Because they’re people the enemies know too well, and who know the enemies too well. Yugrichi absolutely won’t be able to just pass by the provocation of those I’ve prepared.”

“Hmm? Why exactly…”

And at Viktor’s following answer, Vino’s face gradually contorted. The nobles’ horrified faces and voices were a bonus.

However, one couldn’t say two things with one mouth. They had already promised to follow whatever moves Viktor made. In the end, even Vino, after hearing the detailed circumstances, weakly swore once more to follow Viktor’s opinion.

---

While the expeditionary force was lighting the beacon of counterattack after overcoming defeat, galloping sounds echoed. The dust wind blown by hundreds, thousands of horses galloping in unison covered all directions.

It was a large-scale maneuver that would be difficult to see easily even in a lifetime in these desolate steppes. And at the very front of that group, the ruler of the steppes, Yugrichi, who boasted muscles that never weakened despite his age, was riding his horse.

“Grand Chief!”

“What!”

Since they were in the middle of galloping, they had to shout with all their might to communicate with each other.

“Are we really going to that castle! Wouldn’t it be better to turn around and plunder the principality’s lands! Your subordinate warriors are also harboring doubts!”

Not questioning the course once the Grand Chief had decided it. That was the iron rule of the warriors who followed him, but this didn’t apply to the man shouting at Yugrichi.

“Achar! My son!”

“Yes, Grand Chief! I’m listening!”

The last direct descendant of the Grand Chief remaining in the army. Yugrichi looked at his second son and slowly opened his mouth.

“What do you think was the reason your older and younger brothers failed!”

“I don’t know well!”

Achar was honest. He was straightforward about everything and didn’t know how to hide his inner thoughts well. Though he was the most clever and wise in strategy among his brothers, it was also why he wasn’t particularly mentioned as a successor.

The eldest, Vashi, was cruel and had a foul temper but was cunning. The third, Tumen, boasted unnecessarily and was easily caught by personal feelings, but knew how to scheme. Both had the virtues necessary as rulers of the steppes in their own ways. However, Achar lacked such aspects.

“They had greed and ambition, Achar! These are absolutely necessary to become the ruler of these steppes!”

“What are you talking about! I’m saying we shouldn’t charge into the castle!”

“Listen quietly! Achar, but they failed because of that greed and ambition! They were too overconfident in themselves! They forgot why I am the Grand Chief! Why our White Deer tribe could rise to the position of the greatest tribe of these steppes!”

“Father! Please give guidance to your foolish son! No matter how I think about it, attacking the castle seems difficult for us!”

‘Tch, a warrior who would stand above others should know how to hide his inner thoughts…’

Yugrichi looked somewhat disapprovingly at his last remaining son who had honest and pure aspects, then opened his mouth.

“I have no intention of attacking the castle! They will come out on their own!”

“Indeed, because they’ll be wary of us breaking through and plundering the rear!”

Seeing Achar, who understood such talk quickly being as smart as he was, Yugrichi nodded.

“That’s right! Even if they’re nobles with no territories in the east, if we scatter throughout the principality and start plundering, there will be many who won’t find it amusing! As long as they’re constrained by country and territory, they will definitely come out to intercept!”

“But will it be alright? The only general who fought us head-on and won, that knight called Viktor, went to them! Moreover, the troop difference is considerable, so it’s dangerous to face them directly, father!”

“Ha, you do have a good head on your shoulders. But do you think I’m just running without any chance of victory!”

Yugrichi glared fiercely and shouted. At the momentum bursting from his body, even the horses of his escorts momentarily became frightened.

“I’ll give you the answer from before! The reason your stupid brothers failed! It’s because they didn’t follow the method by which I succeeded!”

“…”

Yugrichi looked at the castle that was getting closer and closer, and the principality soldiers camping below as expected, then turned his head again.

“Thinking that the enemy cannot use the moves you can use is arrogance! Arrogance brings carelessness and carelessness brings defeat! They probably won’t even know why they were defeated in the last ambush!”

The white, thin mourning flags unique to the White Deer tribe that his escorts carried on their backs chaotically embroidered the sky.

“Great spirit of the White Deer, the preparation for the tribal rite is complete.”

With the Grand Chief’s murmur, the flags began to flutter even more fiercely. It was very fast and strange movement even considering that the horses were galloping at an appropriate speed. Achar looked around with trembling eyes. Even he, who had lived near his father and tribe his whole life, was seeing such a strange thing for the first time.

“Something is approaching, father!”

Yugrichi exhaled deeply. Then whitish smoke flowed from his mouth and slowly covered his entire body.

“Bow your head, my son. The White Deer stands beside you.”

The reason Yugrichi could become the ruler of the steppes. The reason the White Deer tribe could become the greatest tribe of the steppes, surpassing numerous other distinguished tribes. His tribe preserved the secret methods of ancient sorcery that were now known to be used by no one except witches. Yugrichi had risen to the position of Grand Chief by handling those secret methods better than anyone else in the tribe. And finally, the White Deer descended upon the battlefield.