How to Survive as a Genius Spy in the Game Chapter 78 - Counterattack (3)

Carlyn led 2,000 cavalry in a flanking maneuver. They initially sped up, then gradually slowed down behind cover.

They remained cautious not to alert the enemy.

While the outskirts of the plains around Akiten Castle were slightly elevated and partially obstructed from view, the likelihood of the besieging force noticing them was low. Nevertheless, this was a measure taken for safety.

Upon reaching the designated point, Carlyn surveyed the battlefield using his Winds’.

The Western Army was still engaged in the siege. The Empire’s main force was now nearing the area.

Soon, they would target the gaps in the elevated terrain, tidy their formations, and the cavalry would charge.

As expected.

A few minutes later, troops lined the elevated terrain while cavalry units advanced on both flanks.

‘By now, there should be no chance of them directing their attention this way.’

Given the sudden attack, it would be chaotic for the enemy to respond, and there was no room for them to counterattack.

Carlyn raised his hand, preparing the advance.

A low, resounding blast from the Imperial horn echoed across the battlefield. The Western Army, engaged in the siege, fell into disarray.

This was because Carlyn had already dealt with all the hidden scouts that the Western Army had positioned in anticipation of additional Imperial reinforcements.

The Western command appeared flustered. The order for the besieging troops to fall back came a beat too late.

Although the troops began retreating belatedly, it was already too late.

‘Regardless of what response they might have given once communication with the scouts was lost, it would have been too late.’

The attack was directed at the elevated terrain. The lead 2,000 cavalry were suddenly right before the Western Army.

The retreating soldiers shot arrows, but their disorderly formation didn’t pose a significant threat.

Instead, Western magicians who had been involved in the siege directed spells toward the cavalry.

In an instant, the battlefield lit up with iridescent hues. However, it was expected that magicians would be interspersed within the cavalry. Magically enhanced troops were essential here.

Magic countered magic. The cavalry burst through the Western Army’s front line with their substantial momentum.

The soldiers who couldn’t withstand the impact of the shock tactics fell. The cavalry withdrew in a diagonal formation before losing their charging momentum.

As they regrouped, they turned sharply towards the Western Army’s flank, dealing with the few straggling enemy soldiers.

Attention was now on the cavalry. Imperial foot soldiers closed in, narrowing the distance. They pushed forward resolutely amid the chaos.

The Western Army had only now prepared their remaining troops.

Day and night, the siege continued. It was due to this that the troops were divided in half to rest.

Approximately 10,000 soldiers from the Western Army stepped forward to aid their retreating comrades.

As the soldiers started moving, counting down 15 seconds, Carlyn drew his sword.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As Carlyn set off, the 2,000 cavalry units surged forward simultaneously, their horse hooves thundering with noise.

Uuung- One of the cavalry blew a horn.

Amid the chaos of the Western Army, another wave of confusion spread as a result. This time, the confusion was even more devastating.

The enemy might have assumed there could be additional forces behind the cavalry.

Of course, the absence of reinforcements didn’t matter. The brief hesitation of the 10,000 support troops that were on their way was enough.

The 2,000 cavalry units assaulted the enemy’s core.

The enemy’s main forces were essentially nonexistent. Breaking through was remarkably easy.

The noble commanders were the targets.

Most of the nobles in this world were stronger than commoners, but unless they were Sword Masters, they couldn’t stand against 2,000 cavalry charging at them.

Furthermore, Carlyn was among them.

Being the first to arrive at the enemy’s main force, Carlyn used his Winds to incapacitate the key commanders he had already identified.

With a single swing of his sword, he disarmed them, and a punch rendered them unconscious. It was up to the following cavalry units to finish them off.

It was not a difficult task. Dueling with Sword Masters proved exceptionally effective for Carlyn, given that he had improved quite a bit himself. He was eager to test his progress by sparring with Rudehrn again.

‘Anyway, this should be a big morale boost.’

Even without considering that, the Western Army, whose morale had already hit rock bottom, no longer exhibited any combat will.

This surprise attack had completely shattered them.

Dealing with the troops stationed at the enemy’s main force didn’t take much time.

A strike at the command center. As the 10,000 support troops changed direction in disarray, 

Now all that remained was to deal with the remaining scattered enemy forces. With the enemy completely disrupted, this was an easy task.

Carlyn led his cavalry once more.

“Aaargh!”

“Run!”

The Western Army, having lost its command center, consisted of retreating soldiers—half of whom were fleeing and the other half dropping their weapons in surrender.

Even if some individuals had combat will leave, it didn’t matter.

With the tide of victory clearly in favor, even from Akiten, the remaining troops emerged.

Their numbers were small. It was evident that they had scraped together whatever was available. The battlefield was soon completely cleared.

It was an overwhelming victory.

The soldiers of Akiten appeared fatigued. They were worn out from the battle, but their expressions were exceedingly bright.

“Your Highness, the glorious princess! We have received immense grace. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”

Even though Count of Akiten’s dark circles were prominent, and he looked worn, he shouted loudly and bowed deeply.

A siege involving magicians as well. The castle walls were on the brink of falling. It must have been quite a taxing ordeal.

“Doing what must be done as the Imperial lineage responsible for the Empire. If anything, I apologize for not receiving news of the attack sooner. You’ve been through a lot.”

Erendil patted Count Akiten’s shoulder, and the count looked at the princess with eyes full of emotion.

“Your Highness, there’s no need for you to apologize. You are mistaken. You arrived right on time. In fact, I had anticipated that the castle walls would be breached tonight.”

“Your swift arrival was indeed on point. To tell the truth, we were expecting the walls to be breached tonight.”

“All the effort in getting here quickly was worth it.”

Indeed, the castle walls looked precarious. Despite their relentless journey, it was touch and go.

They were also considering the possibility that the castle might have already been captured.

“You’ve endured well. It seems there were many magicians. Succeeding in defending the fortress alone is a remarkable achievement.”

“Fortunately, we recently hired magicians from the Empire’s Magic Tower to reinforce the castle walls. They were a great help.”

“Such a thing happened?”

Erendil nodded thoughtfully.

“I should meet them sometime.”

“Yes. Meeting Her Highness the Princess would be a great honor. For now, let’s proceed inside. The condition inside the castle is not ideal, but please forgive any rudeness…”

“How can one be picky in such dire circumstances? Moreover, after a week-long journey, I would be delighted by any place.”

Carlyn was slightly impressed by the princess’s words. The 16-year-old princess’s response was rather impressive.

Duchess Lyurik and Emmet were also looking at the princess with similar expressions of admiration.

“Waah!”

“Hail to the princess!”

As the princess led the way, followed by Count of Akiten and Duchess Lyurik, they were met by an overwhelming crowd of cheers.

Faces filled with fatigue crowded the path leading to Count’s mansion, showering flowers before them. The princess looked at them with a smile.

‘Not bad.’

Carlyn genuinely thought so. People were looking at them with faces full of smiles, and they genuinely seemed to like them.

Was this what it was like to be a hero? Even for Carlyn, who was experiencing war for the first time, it was a heartwarming feeling.

* * *

During the interrogation of the Western Army commanders, we were able to hear quite surprising news.

The King of Rohalak had conscripted all the families of the subjugated kingdoms and brought them to join his forces on the battlefield.

It was a measure to prevent commanders from deserting the battlefield when the situation was unfavorable.

Though lost in the game against the Empire, Rohalak didn’t unite the West for no reason.

If he saw something strange on the central battlefield, it meant he would kill all their family members. He could do this now that he held tremendous power.

‘Nevertheless, the plan to strike at the core won’t change much.’

The composition of the troops was mostly merged from several kingdoms in the West.

This was also to prevent organized desertion on a kingdom-by-kingdom basis. They would be each other’s overseers.

Of course, there were downsides. Even if the commanders tried not to retreat, the soldiers’ perspective was different.

They wouldn’t listen to someone who wasn’t their own king. Unlike the Empire, the morale dropped quickly.

This battle was the same.

However, if you had to choose between the two, the country would prioritize the safety of the family.

“Thanks to Sir Carl’s victory in battle.”

This was Duchess Lyurik’s statement during the post-meal gathering.

It was a remarkable victory with casualties on our side not even reaching 500. Emmet responded to the statement with a smile.

“That’s right. It was a resounding victory that wouldn’t have been possible without defeating all the scouts.”

“I mentioned this before the battle as well, but I couldn’t have imagined that it was possible to do it alone.”

The Duchess still had a doubtful expression. In fact, it was almost an impossible task.

If it weren’t for my Winds.

It wasn’t just one or two scouts. I had to accurately pinpoint the enemy’s location and enter from an angle to assassinate them.

Perhaps thinking Erendil might not know the reason, Emmet explained further.

“If the scouts had been caught, we would have lost a considerable number of troops. Even though the enemy’s morale dropped quickly, the quality of their troops wasn’t poor.”

“I agree. The cavalry charge wasn’t as deep as we thought, meaning the enemy responded well even in confusion.”

“Yes, if they had the capacity to respond, it would have been a tough battle. Morale included.”

The Duchess and Emmet exchanged words. I shared the same opinion. The most important factor was the soldiers’ morale.

Morale had a greater impact than one could imagine. Even in the game, losing morale often led to a defeat, even with larger numbers.

Although the game might not be entirely similar to reality…

This time, it was a similar case. The loss of will in Combat after two surprise attacks led to a decisive victory.

“You’re learning a lot, aren’t you? Schurtafen did well, but I didn’t expect it to be so effective. Thank you for your efforts. Schurtafen, come and have a drink.”

Erendil nodded in approval as she addressed me while I was quietly listening.

Since the superior had offered, I downed the drink in one gulp.

After that, Erendil directed her gaze towards the mages who had taken their places on one side of the banquet hall.

Those sent from the Empire’s Magic Tower looked quite tense. It was only natural, considering that they were in the presence of the princess and Duchess Lyurik.

The mages from the local households wouldn’t have come all the way to the West for fortress reinforcement work.

They had the talent to become mages but lacked resources. This gathering was a tremendous opportunity for them as well.

“You all provided significant assistance in the fortress defense.”

“As Imperial mages, it was our duty.”

Erendil smiled.

“Of course. There’s nothing that’s naturally certain in this world. It was an excellent and praiseworthy accomplishment.”

I was surprised by Erendil’s words. She had used the words I heard during my meeting with Duchess Lyurik.

But to use it in this context. Well, should I say she was sly like a fox?

Duchess Lyurik’s expression, who was listening nearby, wasn’t bad either. She must have thought similarly.

“I should hear your names, mages. I’ll have to see you when we back to the Empire.”

This was my advice to her. They had abilities but lacked power, so treat them well.

If just one of them turned out to be a decently talented individual, it would be a success. It was a gesture of goodwill from our side as well.

“I am Pashkin.”

As the mages introduced themselves, I couldn’t help but widen my eyes.

He’s Pashkin?

I couldn’t recognize his face. The Pashkin I saw in the game had long hair and scars. He was quite a notable mage during the war against the devil worshipers. I never expected him to be here.

“I see, you were the most dedicated.”

“Your gracious words, but it was the result of all of us working together.”

They clapped their hands, saying they were not just colleagues, although it might not have been the most proper behavior in front of the princess, the atmosphere was good, so she could pass it off with a smile.

“I don’t know about that. Your camaraderie looks good.”

Subsequently, discussions about the process of the fortress defense, the challenges faced, and praises for Erendil were exchanged, and the atmosphere grew more convivial.

Meanwhile, I subtly indicated to Erendil that it would be good to bring in someone named Pashkin.

That should be enough to convey that he seemed remarkable.

He wasn’t an individual you’d lose out on if you recruited him, and I was confident he would listen to me to some extent.

Two days after the battle.

Pashkin accepted the princess’s proposal, and we focused on reorganization with a positive atmosphere, until the messenger from the main force arrived with disturbing news.

“His Highness the Third Prince fell into an ambush and suffered a crushing defeat. About 35,000 troops that successfully captured Omisan are heading this way.”