The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 296
A battle unfolding on a widely spread plain.
Tetorara never thought that Ars would choose such a simple battle strategy.
In most cases, Ars would conduct meticulous preliminary work before engaging in battle.
This meant that he was going to push forward with pure strength and moment-by-moment tactics without any tricks.
‘There must be something more!’
Tetora had presumed this, but her thought was wrong.
Ars was genuinely trying to engage in a pure strength battle without any deeper strategy.
Of course, this was a strategy possible only with confidence.
Ars judged this form to be ideal.
He had determined that the enemy commander Tetora had won the psychological warfare with Sophia and had rashly advanced northward into the open plain.
“Each officer, concentrate on commanding your soldiers!”
The officers aligned themselves according to Ars’s instructions.
“Charge!”
Liande’s military force pushing forward in full force.
The military might of Ars’s vassals mobilized in total was beyond imagination.
In the vanguard of the cavalry, Anton, Ash, Lysithea, and Lucretia were charging forward, and in the rear infantry, Ilya, Gaspar, and Gunther were leading.
Moreover, there were Liande officers led by Ferge Elaine.
Ars himself, protected by Eonia and Yumir in the rear infantry, infiltrated into the battle zone.
“Uaaah!”
Kwaddeok! Anton tearing through the enemy’s battle formation.
Kwakwakwak! Ash, Lysithea, and Lucretia quickly thrusting their spears and following behind.
As the cavalry tore through, the infantry attacked the gap, throwing the western army into great chaos.
“The enemy’s momentum is unusual! The vanguard is collapsing!”
“Urgent report! Ligaret, the military commander at the vanguard, has been killed! The officers are seeking instructions!”
Tetora was pale, staring at the scene.
“What, what is this…?”
Something similar had happened in the past Beckavia War.
Juras had lured the opponent to an open plain and then concentrated their forces to crush the enemy head-on. [TL/N: Good times.]
The buster call shown by Crossing.
Ars had perfectly reproduced that using his own vassals.
Of course, there were differences.
While Juras had created variables by sweeping through the enemy lines with a maximum of 20,000 troops, Ars simply charged in with everything.
Afterwards, he delivered detailed tactical instructions to his officers, moving the troops on the battlefield like chess pieces.
“Tell Anton not to go too deep! Withdraw to the side and reorganize the cavalry formation!”
“Yes sir!”
“Have master Ilya enter the operation position and hold that position, blocking infantry support! Tell Gaspar and Gunther to attack the enemy’s archery unit under that cover!”
“Right away!”
Ars adjusted the battlefield by issuing instructions to his well-trained special forces members.
“I’ve laid the groundwork… Now it depends on how the opponent responds….”
Tetora’s best option here was to make up for it through tactics and counter-attack. The second-best option was to regroup her troops and retreat.
“What are you planning?”
The enemy commander Tetora Anistri made a choice that went beyond Ars’s expectations.
She concentrated her attack on Gaspar and Gunther’s infantry units that were attacking the archery unit.
Her intention was to firmly protect the archery unit and prepare for a counterattack.
‘Not a bad judgment?’
However, this was something Ars had already anticipated and instructed Ilya to hold the position.
Ilya raised her spear and shouted.
“Raise your shields! I will not allow enemy approach!”
Ilya’s unit persistently endured.
Tetora bit her lip tightly.
“Break through somehow! I said break through!”
Her elite troops were deployed.
Skilled warriors were surrounding Ilya and launching a fierce attack.
At the moment Ilya was in crisis, deogeodeok! deogeodeok! Anton’s cavalry, which had quickly reorganized on the side as per Ars’s instructions, tried to stab the enemy’s flank and rescue Ilya.
“Hrrrng!”
Kwaddeok! Anton, who had blown away an enemy warrior’s neck, reached out to Ilya.
Ilya grabbed his hand and leaped up, boarding behind Anton. They escaped the battlefield and, with just 100 cavalry, completely destroyed the enemy’s archery formation.
“It’s over.”
Ars, confident of tactical victory, grabbed the reins to finish things. His intention was to seize the enemy’s nape to prevent proper retreat.
But then.
“…?”
Ars, feeling a sudden eeriness, looked towards the rear of the enemy lines.
“As expected, there is something….”
Eonia tilts her head.
“Lord Ars, what’s wrong?”
“Entire army, retreat! Retreat and reorganize formation!”
“What!? But if we retreat now….”
“Interference has come in. Quickly spread the order to retreat!”
Liande’s troops retreating in unison.
Ash, who was the first to retreat, bursts out in frustration.
“Why are we retreating? I was preparing to capture the enemy commander with Lysithea.”
“If you did that, you wouldn’t have returned alive.”
“What?”
At that moment, Lysithea, with her good eyesight, widened her eyes looking at the enemy’s rear.
“What is that…?”
A force of 10,000 troops quickly advancing from the enemy’s rear.
They were Svenner’s troops.
Ash frowned.
“Svenner? Weren’t they confronting Sophia in the center?”
“There was a detour force. They were waiting for an opportunity to ambush our rear or attack our supply depot.”
“How could you secretly detour a force of 10,000? How….”
“Sea way .”
“What is the sea way?”
“Didn’t you receive the report earlier? The enemy established a supply route through the sea route. Svenner’s troops were secretly aboard there.”
Ars retreated without regret, considering it a significant achievement just by making these troops appear.
Still, the results were outstanding.
In this battle where 70,000 met 70,000, Liande suffered 5,000 casualties while inflicting 15,000 casualties on the enemy, achieving a visible military success.
* * *
The front line where the western army is experiencing defeat and temporarily reaching a stalemate.
From our perspective, this wasn’t bad.
This is because the fortress construction work in the Luden Mountain range, which is the core of the land route, was steadily progressing under Olaf’s command.
The enemy used the underhanded method of establishing a supply route through sea routes, but supplying via sea routes is not as easy as it sounds.
While it might work once or twice, it’s difficult to continuously supply troops numbering in the tens of thousands through sea routes.
That’s why I wanted to quickly capture Renova where I am stationed.
“So that was your intention from the beginning…!”
Sophia exclaimed in admiration.
“That’s right. That’s why I drove them out with a massive power struggle. To be honest, I was planning to cause even more damage and completely annihilate them… But the enemy’s response was faster than expected.”
The enemy commander is Calvern, the special operations general, and Hasikuran, the second general of Svenner.
The Svenner’s commander-in-chief Zemuto is undoubtedly engaged in battle with Kaien in the central front.
Rutger, the commander of the northern front, strokes his chin and speaks.
“It’s a shame we couldn’t cause more damage to the enemy. If possible, we could have ended the war situation right there. In the end, a standoff has been created.”
Rutger fidgets with the map and then slams down the warships of the eastern territory.
“Since it has come to this, it would be good to take measures to prevent the enemy from freely using sea routes. The Crossing fleet is currently resting, so how about using that to block marine supplies?”
“There’s no need to be too hasty. We can do this when Olaf finishes fortifying the Luden Mountain range. Until then, it’s better to maintain this standoff and wait for changes in other fronts.”
“You mean Kaien’s battle…”
“Rutger, since we’ve found a replacement for the commander of the north, please join Kaien’s unit. I hope you can support him in battle and relay information to me.”
“Is that really okay? A commander to replace me…”
The implication is whether such a person exists.
Sophia was in charge of the central area, and Olaf was in the process of fortifying the Luden Mountain range.
I’m also in a situation where I can’t move from Renova.
“They exist. Though I can’t say if they’re reliable.”
It was Altior Saleon.
He, who had been pardoned, was preparing to return to the front lines.
* * *
As the front lines temporarily reached a stalemate and I gained some breathing room, I went to Grancel to meet with Altior Saleon and also see the children.
Grancel, which was previously Saleon’s territory, was now being governed by a new administrator.
Although the Saleon ducal family, who had attempted a rebellion, was completely fallen, their mansion still remained in that location.
Currently, Grancel could serve as a bridgehead for all defenses in the northern, central, and southern regions of the continent, and was being utilized as a military stronghold.
For that reason, it was considered the safest place within the kingdom.
Therefore, Erina, Estelle, and the babies were staying here.
In the garden of the Saleon mansion, Ryuna and the other children were running and crawling around and playing.
“Oh, Sir Ars! You’ve arrived?”
Erina, who was watching the children with a happy expression, approaches with quick steps.
Her son Lucius, held in her arms, makes a grimacing expression due to the jostling.
“I had a moment of free time.”
“Ms. Yumir and Ms. Eonia are here too. Please come in.”
As we entered the mansion’s reception room, the head butler Joan brought out tea.
Seeing her face brought back old memories.
“It’s been a while, Joan. It feels like just yesterday when I was receiving butler training from you…”
“Actually, it hasn’t been that long. It was about 7 years ago.”
Joan shook her head with a calm expression.
“I thought you would become great, but I never imagined you would become the king.”
“Haha, you never know what life will bring. What is Altior doing right now?”
“He said he does not have the face to meet you.”
“How rigid.”
It seems Altior has designated this battlefield as his place of death. Like he’s burning his last spark for an apology.
Erina looks worried and makes a sad expression.
Clink! Joan sets down a teacup in front of me. Steam rises, and the fragrance of cookies subtly flows through the reception room.
Ryuna, as if sensing it like a ghost, comes rushing in.
“Dad, I want to eat cookies too!”
Eonia shakes her head.
“Taking advantage of Yumir’s absence… Come on, Ryuna, wash your hands and face before eating.”
Eonia takes out a handkerchief and wipes Ryuna’s face.
Ryuna begins to eat the cookies greedily, as if wanting to finish them before Yumir arrives. Not content with that, she seems to be storing some in her pocket to share with her siblings.
“It’s dirty. I’ll prepare cookies for the younger siblings, so just eat by yourself.”
“Okay!”
My words seem to have been interpreted as permission to eat without limit has been granted, and she increases her pace.
When I touch her belly, it goes soft! And I feel her pudge.
“Ew! Don’t touch my belly.”
Ryuna throws a tantrum and squirms. It seems she’s also conscious of her weight gain.
Suddenly, she perks up her ears and quickly returns to sit obediently in my arms.
Soon, with a click! The door opens, and Yumir appears.
“…”
Yumir narrows her eyes and glares at Ryuna.
Ryuna, with an innocent face, mimics Erina and pretends to drink tea.
Yumir sighs deeply. Recently, she’s been complaining that Ryuna has become too clever, taking after me.
“Master, a special forces member is requesting a meeting.”
“From the special forces? Understood, I’ll go right away.”
I was about to leave Ryuna behind, but perhaps because we haven’t met in a while, she doesn’t want to be separated.
So I carry her as is and head to meet the special forces member.
The special forces member was sent by Juras, who was commanding the northern front.
“This is a message from Juras. The northern and central fronts are in a stalemate, and he hopes you can disrupt the situation in the southern front.”
“Hmm, we were also waiting for a change in the situation in the north and central regions, so it’s quite a coincidence. Is the situation there that difficult?”
“The enemy has changed tactics to a siege.”
“Indeed, since we attacked in the south, the north and central regions would have strengthened their defenses asymmetrically. However, the southern region is also not in an ideal situation. We’ll likely move when the enemy tries to recapture the Luden Mountains, or we might try to block the enemy’s marine supply lines through Crossing’s navy.”
“Juras has a message regarding that point as well.”
“…?”
It was as if he was reading my mind.
“Currently, Crossing’s naval forces are absent.”
“Absent means…?”
“They have already entered into an operation.”
“…I see. So you mean we need to draw attention to ensure the success of that operation?”
“Juras hopes that you will play that role.”
Although I’m unsure what operation Juras has planned, it was undoubtedly a strategy to strike at the enemy’s weakness.
“Am I approved to use all means in this process?”
“Yes, authorization has been granted.”
Authorization to exhaust all internal spies in enemy territory.
This meant the operation was that crucial.
I accept and begin formulating a plan to annihilate the enemy. I am entering a direct confrontation with the cross-racial hero Calvern.
Hi guys, please check out the new novel I picked “I killed the Demon King. It was a mistake.”
TL NOTE:
Schedule: Everyday
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read up to 50 chapters ahead of two novels with one sub, you can do so via patreon.com/ChibiGiant. OR by unlocking chapters.
You can also Rate this series in your free time @NovelUpdate.
