Since the moment it was decided that I would participate in the battle to capture Centena, I had been thinking about it constantly. I had even suggested it to Kosworth several times, but every time he dismissed it, saying there was no other way.
I am a prince, too. There are parts of this situation where I must make up my mind. I understand that much, but still, when my own life is at stake, I can't help but wish there was something, anything, I could do to change it.
"Brother! We must retreat! This battlefield... it's impossible to win anymore!"
That was my last piece of advice. I said it straight to Kosworth, but he flushed with anger as soon as the words left my mouth.
"Istana, now is the moment of truth. Perhaps you're feeling anxious after what happened at the Werner Fortress, but this time, the main force of the Scuderia Kingdom is absent, and we have reports that the most feared guardian of the Scuderia Kingdom has already fallen. Our artillery and wyverns are still in reserve. We have only just begun..."
Kosworth tried to explain calmly, but I couldn't hold back my frustration and cut him off.
"No! It has nothing to do with the Scuderia Kingdom’s royal knights or the Fertio Marquis! That terrible fortification magic has become even more formidable! In just a few months, it's become far stronger! And the immortal knight, he must be here...!"
"Silence!" Kosworth shouted, his voice sharp and commanding. "I understand your concerns, but we have not yet deployed our full force! Even knights can die if hit by direct cannon fire! For now, stay quiet and watch!"
Kosworth shouted down my suggestion, and at this point, there was no way he would listen to me. All I could do was fall back, as he had ordered, and silently pray for things to go according to his plans. I wanted to run away, but if I did, I would face far worse reproach than my brothers. Besides, there was nowhere to escape to.
Kosworth
"Kosworth-sama! The Centena wall has been repaired again!"
"...Impressive craftsmanship. It seems that it can't be broken unless the cannon hits consecutively."
Though I couldn't see it clearly from this distance, it seemed the wall had been heavily damaged by direct cannonfire. If we could hit it in quick succession, it should collapse entirely, but it was being repaired one section at a time. It would not be an easy task.
"Shall we deploy the wyverns?"
I was asked by the captain, and for a moment, I paused to calculate the battlefield movements in my mind.
"...Yes. I had hoped to disrupt their crossbow aim first, but the priority is breaking down their walls. If we don't, our knights will be wiped out before they can get close. As planned, the wyverns will split into two groups and come at Centena from both sides in a wide arc, dropping black orbs. With that, a few should reach Centena. Then, we’ll follow up with a concentrated cannon barrage from the sky, and take advantage of the confusion to storm in through the broken walls. Understood?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Understood!"
With that, I gave the orders for the next phase of the operation. The captain responded with a firm nod and set the plan in motion. As I watched, a new report came in.
"Kosworth-sama! Five cannon hits have struck the walls! With each hit, the wall is crumbling, but within seconds, it’s being repaired again! The repaired parts are now resistant to cannonfire!"
"What?!"
I couldn't believe it. It wasn't just fortification technology; there had to be something else at play.
"Either way, it’s clear that the longer we wait, the more disadvantageous this becomes," I muttered, my mind racing. I took a deep breath and steeled myself. If we can't win here, the Kingdom of Yelinetta will be finished.
"...Deploy the last earth dragon. I will join the battle myself."
I commanded. The Yelinetta knights nodded gravely, while the Shelvia Alliance's forces responded with uncertain replies.
Immediately, the mage unit formed up, and the artillery troops were lined up outside the formation. The earth dragon was sent ahead to draw attention, while magic and artillery would be used to strike Centena from a distance. By dispersing their focus, the hope was to ensure the black orbs from the wyverns would hit their mark.
As I stood in the midst of the preparations, I felt a strange shift in the air.
"...Has something changed in Centena?"
I muttered, scanning the battlefield. Then, something strange caught my eye. A strange sight appeared on the far side of Centena.
"Kosworth-sama!"
At the same time, I heard the voice of Towncar, who had been leading the front lines, riding back toward me. His face was tense, and as he approached, he spoke.
"Kosworth-sama! Enemies have appeared from Centena! Our knights have already clashed at the forefront! The center has been breached, and our formation is collapsing!"
"...So, that sight wasn’t a mistake?" I replied, almost distantly, as I processed the information. Looking back at Centena, I could see people being thrown through the air by the earth dragon. The screams and shrieks reached us from across the battlefield. Towncar stared at me, unsure of what to say.
"Give me more details about the enemy numbers and the situation."
"Y-yes!" Towncar replied, gathering his thoughts.
"The enemy consists of two towering knights! They are wielding long, spear-like straight swords and large tower shields that cover almost half of their bodies! It’s hard to believe, but they appeared to fall from the walls and attacked our knights at incredible speed! With just one or two slashes, they cut down five or six knights and continued running!"
As I heard the report, I couldn’t help but laugh nervously. This was getting increasingly absurd.
"I expected the worst. Proceed with countermeasures."
I commanded, and Towncar bared his teeth, seething with frustration.
"That will sacrifice many of my knights!"
"It’s better than the entire army collapsing. Act quickly."
"…But it will be our Shelvia Alliance knights who will suffer!"
Towncar roared with fury. His words left no room for debate, and I turned my gaze elsewhere.
"Deputy Commander, convey the orders in Towncar's stead! Use earth magic from the mage unit to stop them! Then, use the artillery to wipe out those two knights!"
"Understood!"
Ignoring Towncar’s protests, I issued my orders to the Yelinetta Kingdom’s deputy commander, who immediately rushed to relay them. Towncar stared at him in disbelief before speaking again.
"...Can we win, Kosworth-sama?"
"There’s no other choice. We must win—both for Yelinetta and Shelvia."
Towncar, still gritting his teeth, nodded reluctantly. I could hear the tremble in his voice as he accepted it.
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