It was probably true that the Hundred Years’ War had raised French knights’ skill levels. But the Duchy of Beren was no pushover either. We’d defended the nation through countless threats from France and Burgundy. Most of our retreats stemd from external factors, but Beren’s tenacity in holding out until then was its true strength.
Still, coldly speaking, it was clearly a mismatch. Burgundy was Europe’s wealthiest nation with massive accumulated wealth, powerful enough to wage civil war against the French royal family. For , Burgundy was the greatest threat to my future.
But since I couldn’t exert influence on the grand scale, inflicting damage on the enemy through border skirmishes like these was the only option available to right now. The mont I confird that Bayon’s psychology showed deception, I realized the pitched battle was a sche to draw out our main force.
"So what you’re saying, brother-in-law, is that just as you raided their supply base, the enemy will probably lure our main force with a pitched battle and send a raiding party to attack our garrison and supplies?"
"After destroying the garrison, they’d strike the duchy army’s rear. That’s what I’d do. As long as the enemy’s light cavalry remains intact, we need to prepare for a raid."
Over a hundred raiders had been picked off by my forces in the northern plains, but Burgundy still had over a hundred light cavalry left. I’d based this judgnt on the enemy reconnaissance force’s size as shown on my Commander Scouter. The intelligence we’d secured from the supply base also indicated they had 800 horses.
I didn’t know the ratio of reserve horses, but there had to be at least two per rider, aning the cavalry numbered at least 300 to 400. Of those, a hundred raiders had been picked off by my guerrilla unit, and another hundred were reconnaissance forces combing the area trying to catch my unit.
Even excluding the reconnaissance forces, that left around 200.
I couldn’t tell what percentage were heavy cavalry or how many pack horses the supply transport used. So I estimated the enemy raiding party at sowhere between 100 and 200 riders. Michael and Fried seed surprised by my estimate.
"It’s a reasonable assessnt, but there’s no proof the enemy will raid."
"I trust my brother-in-law’s judgnt. Think about what he’s accomplished so far."
"His achievents..."
Michael seed to have developed strong faith in by now. Fried also reflected on my accomplishnts and ca around, agreeing that my estimate was trustworthy enough. Simply having Michael from the War Minister’s camp and Fried from Count Euz’s camp backing was sufficient.
All agreents about the next day’s battle were reached, and both sides’ nobles left satisfied. After they cleared out, only a handful of people remained in the empty audience hall. Count Euz and my father-in-law looked puzzled that the three of us hadn’t left and kept waiting.
We’d actually been waiting for the nobles to leave.
To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings about hogging achievents again.
And the fewer ears listening, the better we could maintain secrecy.
"Fried, have you got sothing else to say?"
"Sir Streit is concerned about an enemy raid."
"An enemy raid? What’s this about?"
Fried and Michael reported on the possibility of enemy light cavalry raiding the duchy army’s garrison. Count Épinay’s letter displaying anger was ant to draw our main force into a pitched battle. If an enemy raiding party attacked our garrison and supplies in the gap, we could suffer serious damage.
Count Euz said to :
"It’s possible. But Sir Streit, are you certain there’ll be a raid?"
"I’m certain. We need to prepare for the enemy’s deceptive tactics. If I were the enemy commander, I’d burn down the garrison and supplies, then attack the duchy army’s rear to break their formation."
"Hmm, if you’d been the enemy, we’d be in purgatory right now."
If Bayon’s psychology hadn’t shown deception, I wouldn’t have thought to prepare either. But I had my scouter, and through it I could gather so intelligence, which let catch on to their sche. It wasn’t an absolute judgnt, but I trusted my instincts and the scouter’s information.
After careful consideration, my father-in-law decided to station 50 duchy spearn and 50 archers at the garrison. I also requested 25 Rosenheim soldiers. They’d serve as shield bearers to protect the archers. Count Euz decided to detach part of his county’s light cavalry and assign them to .
If the enemy raid was real and we stopped it, we could deal massive psychological damage to the enemy. Moreover, since most of the enemy troops were rcenaries, their morale was likely to crumble after the destruction of their supply bases, making our chances of victory higher than ever. Still, I had no intention of letting my guard down.
Once all the operational planning was finished and we were heading back to the garrison, Michael said to :
"I’m thinking of commanding the garrison defense myself."
"You yourself, brother-in-law? Wouldn’t it be better to join the main battle?"
"It’s more fun and interesting working with you. Defending a garrison needs a commander like . Besides, I’m actually better at defense than offense."
"Really? You seed to handle the offensive pretty skillfully at Feuzen."
That was news to . Defense was definitely harder than offense. The mont your line broke was when armies in this era collapsed entirely. Michael said maintaining formation and blocking enemy attacks ca much more naturally to him. By his logic, there couldn’t be a better candidate for garrison defense than him.
The only issue was that his status was too high—defending a re garrison seed beneath him. Originally, I’d planned to leave the task to August, who’d defended Feuzen while leading the residents. August was an excellent cavalryman but also had the ability to command infantry.
But if Michael stepped up, operating the light cavalry would be much easier. Having Fiel and August with gave peace of mind. And fortunately, the cavalry commander’s lieutenants, who’d been assigned to as both supervisors and advisors, still hadn’t returned to their unit.
They’d probably had trouble getting back because of the spoils dispute. Since I was using them anyway, I might as well keep them until the end. Setting aside their obsession with loot, the lieutenants’ command abilities were solid, making them far better than leaving the job to just anyone.
"Sir Wolfgang!"
When I arrived at my tent, Oscar and Ted, who’d been standing guard, rushed over with bright faces. Seeing my subordinates’ faces felt wonderful. It almost gave the illusion of coming ho. How nice it would be if Hilda were here to welco too. But the war wasn’t over yet.
"So glad you’re safe."
"Did anything happen while I was gone? By the way, where’s Maria?"
"Maria’s uncle is looking after her."
"Huh? That kid had an uncle?"
"The ssenger who brought Maria volunteered to be her guardian."
So the ssenger who said he knew Maria’s dead parents had stepped up as her guardian? Oscar said it was far more stable having the ssenger look after her than doing it himself, so he’d simply handed everything over. The garrison wasn’t exactly a good environnt for Maria.
And the next day, this place could beco a battlefield.
So I called for the ssenger. It was late, so Maria was asleep.
The ssenger’s na was Anton—a common na.
"So, you decided to beco Maria’s uncle?"
"Yes. I wanted to be there for Maria after she lost her parents and beca an orphan."
Naturally, his alignnt was justice (good). Justice and honesty are different concepts. If honesty stems from a straightforward heart without lies or pretense, justice cos from an individual’s proper sense of duty. That’s why I liked people with a sense of justice.
Moreover, Anton was a good rider.
Working as a ssenger ant he had excellent horsemanship.
Could there be a better candidate for a vassal cavalryman?
"Can you keep looking after Maria?"
"I’d like to, but I’m from Euz."
"Maria’s from Euz too. No one’s going to complain if you co along."
Since it was clearly a recruitnt offer, Anton hesitated before asking :
"What would I be doing working for your family, sir?"
"I’m planning to personally train vassal cavalry."
"Cavalry? I’ve worked more as a ssenger than a cavalryman."
"Don’t worry about that. I’ll make you into a fine cavalryman."
I’d already agreed to delegate the cavalry training to August.
He’d trained Baron Constance’s cavalry before.
With a knight of August’s caliber handling the training, the results couldn’t be just ordinary cavalry.
Anton looked uneasy, but thinking of Maria, he eventually accepted my offer. Coming from a ssenger background, he’d naturally feel pressure about serving as cavalry, but overcoming that depended entirely on his own resolve.
And I believed Anton was soone with that kind of resolve.
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