Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Wave after wave of harassment stirred up a fiery anger among the officers and soldiers of the Aldor army.
Although the Aldor archers were also desperately fighting back, their targets were moving—orcs cavalry galloping on horseback—while the Aldor army's formations were easy targets for the orcs.
Shooting arrows from horseback was no challenge for these orcs, who had grown up on horseback.
"What's going on? Are we just standing here taking hits?"
Discontent spread among the various formations of the Aldor army. Many couldn't understand why they weren't being allowed to attack despite the situation.
"Your Highness!" Monterlit once again approached Catherine with urgency, "If we keep going like this, our troops' morale will break down quickly!"
Hearing his anxious tone, Catherine looked over the army.
Sure enough, the infantry formation in the center and the knights on the left wing were starting to become restless.
She hesitated.
The armies of the Blackstone region still lacked some patience.
To counter the mobility advantage of the orcs cavalry, she had carefully chosen this battlefield.
Sunset Valley, as its name suggested, was a narrow space between two mountain ranges.
Though the valley was slightly wide, it could still somewhat limit the orcs cavalry from moving in large numbers to the left or right.
Several hours before the main army departed from the camp, a cavalry of over two thousand under the command of Klein and Leicester quietly left the camp. Their goal was to sneak around through mountain paths and attack the orcs from behind when the two main forces were engaged.
However, to avoid detection by the orcs scouts, they had to take a longer route, which was why Catherine had insisted on holding off.
According to the original plan, they were to wait until the agreed-upon time and then launch their attack together.
This plan, developed by generals familiar with orcs tactics, had an element of risk.
Of course, if the orcs abandoned their usual tactics of harassment and instead launched a full-on assault, that would be ideal for the Aldor army.
The Aldor forces, with their numbers and armor, would crush the orcs's attack, and the flanking force would automatically take on the task of cutting down any fleeing orcs.
As one of the senior generals commanding this battle, Monterlit was aware of this plan.
However, he still held a different view—he believed that even without the flanking force, the main force facing the orcs directly could still defeat them.
The orcs's harassment tactics gave him the reason to urge Catherine to attack sooner.
Catherine checked the time again. There was still an hour until the agreed-upon moment to strike.
Perhaps Klein and his men had already reached their designated position? After all, there had been a contingency built into the plan.
Should they attack now?
Or wait?
As the supreme commander, Catherine found herself in a difficult dilemma.
At that moment, there was sudden commotion on the left wing, and a cheer rose from the soldiers.
Catherine looked over and saw a knight suddenly leap out of the formation, wielding his lance to kill a orc cavalryman who had come too close.
The knight's action didn't violate the orders, as he hadn't strayed far from the formation and quickly returned after taking down his target.
No one would let an enemy walk right into their death.
But his unexpected move greatly boosted the morale of the army, though it also made them even more restless.
Catherine realized that if she didn't allow her soldiers to do something soon, many might lose their composure.
"Attack!"
She finally issued the command!
When the order was relayed by flag to the entire army, the Aldor troops erupted in cheers.
The morale, which had been repeatedly shattered by the orcs's harassment, was instantly restored, and everyone was full of fighting spirit.
The army quickly mobilized.
According to the plan, the left, center, and right formations all surged forward toward the orcs.
The long-awaited infantry in the center raised their lances and hastened toward the returning orcs cavalry.
The cavalry on the left and right flanks closely covered the infantry's sides to prevent any flanking attacks from the enemy.
The progress seemed smooth, as many orcs cavalry who hadn't expected the Aldor army to suddenly counterattack were caught off guard. They and their horses were impaled by the dense forest of spears.
This inflicted considerable casualties on the enemy, which further boosted the morale of the Aldor forces.
"Kill!"
Monterlit, who was commanding the infantry in the center, was greatly excited. He waved his great sword, encouraging the soldiers to keep charging forward.
He couldn't help but feel bloodthirsty—if they defeated the orcs here, he would earn the first victory of the battle and become a shining new star in the kingdom's military.
Imagine, in the wake of the fall of the Watcher Fortress and the loss of the kingdom's northeastern territories, they could sever the orcs's western expansion—what an enormous honor.
The infantry, spurred on by his urging, marched even faster.
On the orcs's command line, Calem stared wide-eyed at the battlefield.
"The human army has finally attacked!"
He coldly addressed his generals, "The warriors of the plains will defeat them and slaughter them! But… that army from Crystal Glare is a threat!"
A orc wearing an eye patch and with a fierce expression shook his reins. "Lord Calem, I request permission to lead a force to tie them down!"
Calem looked at him approvingly. "Courageous, One-eyed Warder, but be prepared for a one-way trip. Ordinary human soldiers may be weak against us, but those men are skilled knights, no less formidable than the Great Chief's Eagle Feather Warriors."
Warder's remaining eye gleamed with a dark light. "That's exactly what I desire, Lord Calem. Warder and his warriors need enemies worthy of them to prove themselves."
Calem nodded solemnly.
"Take my sword!"
His servant immediately handed him a sword.
"This long sword I acquired from a human merchant for a hefty price. Though not a divine weapon, it is forged entirely from fine steel and is a rare and excellent blade. I now present it to you!"
A flicker of excitement passed over Warder's stern face as he solemnly accepted the blade.
Clang!
He eagerly drew the sword, its gleaming reflection momentarily blinding him.
Unable to contain himself, he exclaimed, "A fine blade!"
The blade was engraved with intricate patterns. If there were someone who understood the craft, they would recognize it as a recently created form of the Aldor script, a kind of anti-counterfeit measure.
But Calem always believed the inscriptions were just ornamental.
(End of the Chapter)
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