[Towncar]
“...Indeed, as Lord Koswarth says.”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
“If we win here, everything will go according to plan.”
The urgency of the situation made it difficult to resist, and I found myself agreeing to strike back, pulled in by the rising voices.
“Aah, there’s no escape now... Who would be foolish enough to march into enemy lines when we’re at such an advantageous position? There’s surely some terrifying weapon they have...”
From atop the castle walls, I could hear the murmurs of Istana, Koswarth's younger brother, as he muttered while gazing at the direction of Centena, toward the mountain road. Perhaps it was the result of two defeats, or maybe it was the unsettling report from the scouts that had him on edge.
Either way, it was clear that he and Koswarth had very different dispositions.
“...Are we going to be okay?”
The anxiety spread, and one of the subordinates, disturbed by Istana’s words, voiced his concerns. I understood the worry, but we had already made the decision to resist. Voicing doubts now wouldn't change anything.
I forced a smile and shook my head slightly.
“How would I know if we’ll be okay? But, there’s no running now. If we have to fight, then we need to think about how to win.”
“...Yes, sir!”
Though the hesitation hadn't completely disappeared, it seemed my words had at least steered him forward. I had hoped to reassure him, but in truth, I was just as uncertain. The weaponry of the Scuderia Kingdom, their fighting style, were beyond what we had imagined, and entirely unpredictable. Honestly, I had begun to regret not having formed an alliance with Scuderia Kingdom instead of Yellenetta.
But it was too late for regrets. It was frustrating to realize that things had unfolded exactly as Koswarth had planned, but the moment we took up the defensive posture based on his suggestion, the battle had already been decided.
In this situation, if we took Koswarth and Istana’s heads and sought peace with Scuderia, it would likely be seen as a betrayal by our allies, and we could never be trusted again.
“...From the flames we saw earlier, it seems the Guardian of Scuderia is still active.”
In siege warfare, at least five times the enemy's forces are needed to break through their stronghold. That’s why the Kingdom of Yellenetta had reinforced its army by allying with the Shelvia Alliance, significantly increasing its strength. Though they had suffered a heavy defeat, most of their knights were still alive. In contrast, the forces that had appeared from Centena numbered only two thousand five hundred—maybe three thousand at best. How could such a small force carry out a successful siege?
“Is it just a diversion? Or do they truly believe they can fight with this disparity in numbers?”
Centena could have won simply by focusing on defense. So why had they chosen to go on the offensive? The answer would soon become clear.
As I stood on the castle walls, watching the mountain road in the distance, I saw riders coming down. Although the distance was far enough that their cannons couldn’t reach, I quickly recognized them as knights from our Shelvia Alliance—scouts who had been stationed in the mountains.
“About twenty cavalry from Centena! They’re our scouts!”
I nodded shallowly as I heard the report, but a puzzled thought gnawed at me. These scouts were all familiar with the area. They could never be found easily, and even if they were, they should have been able to escape. Why were they now heading straight toward us?
“Lord Towncar! Smoke! Smoke coming from the mountains!”
“Fire...? Normally, that’s the last resort of those who are cornered...?!”
I shouted, but the report didn’t make sense. The smoke must have been caused by powerful fire magic. The scouts had likely judged that the fire was spreading and made a hasty escape.
If the trees caught fire, there was a risk that even Centena could be affected. How could they take such a desperate action? The mountains were gradually turning red, the smoke darkening the sky. The mountain path, which had been narrow, was now seemingly blocked by the flames.
But then, from behind the smoke, Scuderia Kingdom's knights appeared.
To avoid cannon fire, the cavalry spread out widely to the left and right. Then, strange-shaped wagons followed, and behind them, a line of infantry knights emerged from the smoke.
In the blink of an eye, the enemy force, just as reported, had lined up in front of the burning mountain and began advancing toward us.
“It’s a diversion! Fire the cannons!”
At the center of the castle walls, Koswarth shouted, and some of the cannons that had been deployed began their barrage. The cannonballs shot through the air, but as expected, they were too far to land with any precision. The shells hit the ground far in front of the enemy, sending tremors through the earth.
Still, it seemed we might have been able to disrupt their advance. If they saw that explosion right in front of them, they might hesitate before continuing their march. I held onto that faint hope.
But the enemy was far from the soft target we imagined.
The earth trembled, and black smoke billowed from the streets, as the enemy force marched boldly through the chaos. One of the cavalry knights raised his voice high.
“What a welcoming gesture! On behalf of the Kingdom of Scuderia, I express my gratitude! Now, to return the favor, I, Viscount Panamera Carrera Cayenne, will present an interesting spectacle! Prepare to be amazed!”
To my surprise, the voice was female. Despite the distance that made it difficult to see clearly, it carried loudly and clearly. Her blonde hair fluttering in the wind, holding her sword high, she looked like a warrior maiden.
“Panamera... Could it really be the infamous ‘Witch of Ash and Dust,’ Viscount Panamera?”
“Why... Why would such a terrifying woman be here...?”
“Could it be that she’s predicting our moves, splitting off from the main army and heading to Centena...?”
Some of the knights were unable to hide their shock and confusion at the appearance of the Witch of Ash and Dust, a figure notorious for her ruthless reputation. But now wasn’t the time to be caught up in surprise.
“Fools! Fire the cannons immediately! Don’t let them do anything!”
For some reason, they weren’t using their ballista. We didn’t know why, but there was no time to waste. We had to seize the opportunity.
It seemed that Koswarth shared my thoughts. Immediately after I shouted, he too ordered the cannons to fire.
“Full barrage! Don’t let them get any closer!”
Koswarth yelled, and the cannons fired in unison, an unprecedented display of firepower. Dozens of cannonballs flew through the air. Their destructive power could rival that of ten of the strongest mages.
As expected, a massive explosion erupted in the center of the road, sending shockwaves through the area. Even from a distance, we could feel the intensity of the blast.
“...Did they retreat?”
“How can we see anything through that smoke?”
I saw some of my subordinates talking quietly amongst themselves. I couldn’t blame them. I was praying, too.
Though the flames were low in the distance, the smoke still billowed up toward the sky.
Then, unexpectedly, through the smoke, I saw a single horse leap over the flames, emerging from the fire.
“Hey! It’s here! Only one person!”
“That blonde woman!”
How had she controlled her horse through such a huge explosion? Panamera had effortlessly jumped over the fire and emerged from the wall of smoke.
Her figure, mounted on her horse, was nothing short of inspiring, a true warrior.
“You all seem quite frightened! If you manage to defeat me, this battle will be yours! Come at me!”
With that declaration, Panamera rode forward, galloping ahead as the knights gathered their resolve.
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