The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 299
From the first day of the war, Svenner’s army began to advance in full force.
“My lord! The enemy is breaking through!”
“I will deploy the battle formation! Prepare the formation as we discussed!”
“Understood!”
I was planning to spread out the classic V-shaped goose formation to withstand the enemy’s momentum, but the enemy surprisingly stopped in their tracks.
“…?”
The party that stopped was creating a V-shaped formation, just like us. From my perspective, it looks like an inverted V (∧) shape.
‘Are they trying to imitate our tactics?’
In the game of Go, there’s a strategy called ‘mimicking Go‘, where you copy the opponent’s opening move to create confusion.
To avoid this mimicking strategy, you must either place a move directly in the center or make a powerful move that prevents the opponent from continuing their mimicry.
The enemy’s intention was right there.
They wanted me to make the first tactical move.
‘Or are they simply looking for a test of strength?’
That would be somewhat burdensome. Right now, my only armed personnel are Anton, Lucretia, and Big Brother Ferge.
Yumir is also present, but Yumir’s role is essentially just being my bodyguard.
‘Then let’s try a tactical move.’
I called Lucretia and assigned her 1,000 cavalry troops.
The weakness of this V-shaped goose formation is the sides. If the waist is cut, the front and rear will be divided and isolated.
To exploit this, I entrusted Lucretia with the cavalry to strike the enemy’s flanks.
At the same time, the enemy also dispatched their cavalry.
“Are you going to imitate this too…?”
Boom! Each side was struck by cavalry.
Since it was the same tactic, the results were inevitably the same.
“Then let’s create a difference. Anton!”
I instructed Anton to attack the right side with 10,000 troops, where Lucretia was striking.
Accordingly, the enemy also advanced 10,000 troops from the left side.
The situation would be decided by how well each commander performed.
* * *
With a single stroke, Anton cut down the enemies and roared fiercely.
“Woooooo!”
He knew very well why Ars had entrusted him with 10,000 troops.
It meant Ars trusted him, in other words, a powerful endorsement.
“You’ve gone too far forward! Retreat for now!”
“No, I’ll continue! I’ll break through to where Lucretia is!”
Despite his officers’ dissuasion, Anton pushed forward with his military might.
Anton was pushing forward like a bulldozer.
Then, at that moment.
“Uh-cha!”
“…!?”
Clang! Anton deflected the spear flying towards his chest high into the air.
Zap! Anton frowned while looking at his tingling hand.
Soon, he spoke to the man with an unusual aura standing before him.
“Did you throw the spear?”
“…”
The opponent smiled and raised his sword.
“Good, I’ll face you!”
Anton attacked, intending to end it in a single blow, but their duel extended beyond 10 rounds to over 100.
Anton was gaining the upper hand, but the opponent tenaciously endured.
“Haaaa!”
Clang! The opponent, who had struck Anton’s sword with all his might, stepped back while gasping for breath.
His entire body was covered in wounds, but there were no fatal injuries.
Anton was purely impressed.
“Not bad. To be able to hold out this long against me…”
In fact, this was beyond Eonia, comparable to Elena or Ilya.
“Of course. I’ve grown quite a bit too, Brother Anton.”
“…!?”
“I thought this would be enough for a good match with Brother Anton… You’re truly remarkable.”
“Don’t tell me… Are you Aggert?”
Aggert removed his helmet and smiled.
“Hehe, it’s been a while. But don’t go any further.”
“What…?”
“There’s a trap ahead. Brother Ars probably knows about it too.”
As soon as those words fell.
“Message from headquarters! Retreat immediately and prepare your formation!”
“See?”
Lucretia’s cavalry was also pulling out.
“…”
Anton stared intently at Aggert.
“Aggert, come to our camp. Olaf said it would be more helpful for you to be in the Svenner camp, but I disagree. It’s dangerous to stay. More importantly, don’t commit the mistake of raising your blade against your lord!”
“…I’d like to do that, but I’m sorry, Brother. I have something I must do here. Until I finish that task, I must keep my blade ready.”
“Next time we meet on the battlefield, I might have to kill you.”
“I hope so. Dying by Brother Anton’s blade would be acceptable.”
“Sigh… I don’t know what this ‘must-do task’ is, but finish it quickly.”
Anton sighed and turned his back.
Pip-pip-ping! Soon, arrows from the Svenner camp descended, and Anton quickly retreated.
Aggert also pulled his helmet back on and turned around.
* * *
The battlefield, now fixed by imitating Ars’ tactics.
Calvern raised the corner of his mouth.
“Doesn’t seem like he wants to take risks.”
If Ars had tried to reverse this battlefield situation by pushing recklessly, he was planning to cut off his lifeline right there.
But Ars did not take the bait.
‘Aggert also seems to have let the enemy go.’
Everything was as expected.
There was no immediate urgency.
The battlefield was in two places.
In the plains, it would inevitably become a tactical and strength battle with few variables.
On the other hand, the forest on the left where Sophia and Tetora were facing off had many variables.
The result there would change the situation in this battlefield.
“I’m back.”
Aggert cautiously looked at Calvern.
Calvern chuckles.
“Feeling good to meet an old comrade after a long time?”
“Haha… I almost died.”
“Looked strong. Anton Quinter… I’d like to fight him once.”
“Are you serious?”
“Why, is that not possible?”
“Rather than saying it’s impossible…. I hope you would refrain from doing so. Because I don’t want to see one of the two dying.”
“Huh, are you saying I might lose? That makes it even more interesting.”
Calvern calls another adjutant and says,
“Deploy the troops. It seems the enemy isn’t interested in cooperating.”
“Understood!”
“And Aggert, I’ll give you a good piece of advice – go around the battlefield and head to the forest. Go and observe the war of Tetora Anistri.”
Aggert furrowed his brow.
“Are you aware that if necessary, I could help Liande? If the western army discovers that, it might cause a huge commotion.”
“The victory or defeat of this battlefield isn’t particularly important, Aggert.”
“What do you mean?”
“There’s an unprecedented hero on the opposing side. Someone more talented than myself is executing a brilliant strategy.”
“Ars is indeed an extraordinary person….”
“Ars Elaine?”
He shook his head.
“He might be the best ruler, but as a general, he’s at most on par with me. What I expect from him is more about the overall picture rather than a single battle.”
That’s why he sent Guderian to deliver such a message, believing Ars would understand.
“On the other hand… Juras Pamilion is different.”
“…!? Have you met him?”
To Aggert’s question, Calvern simply smiled silently.
* * *
The battlefield plains where they collided from the first day of the war.
This was quickly communicated to both armies camping in the forest.
Sophia received the letter through Yumir and nodded her head.
“Thank you, Yumir.”
“Yes, certainly.”
“Before leaving, I’ll have a word with Mr. Gaspar.”
Sophia quirked her lips while looking at Ars’ letter.
“The other side is also hoping for a variable in this battlefield….”
She was feeling a kind of uneasiness.
It was fear of the enemy commander, Tetora Anistri.
In the previous battle, Ars had intervened and dealt a significant blow, but until then, everything had gone according to Tetora’s plan.
If Ars hadn’t intervened and countered, Sophia might have been completely defeated.
“Tetora Anistri…. The notorious demon of the west, what strategy will she unfold….”
Sophia was observing the situation while deploying her troops.
This forest terrain had slopes. There was a space in the central hill where about 8,000 soldiers could be stationed, and occupying and fortifying that point was the key to the battle.
Initially, Sophia thought the enemy would have already secured that point and planned to bypass the battlefield, but the enemy had left that area untouched.
As if they had scattered bait.
Gunther, participating in the meeting, speaks,
“I don’t know what the enemy is thinking, but we can’t leave such a good terrain alone. If you give me troops, I’ll occupy and hold it.”
“If we could do that, that would be good… But something feels off, something….”
“Princess Sophia.”
“I’m not a princess anymore. Don’t call me that.”
“Then Sophia, have confidence. You always said you’re on par with Ars. What would Ars do in this situation?”
“He would read the enemy’s intentions and counter-utilize them. The problem is that I can’t understand those intentions.”
Continuing to ponder what Ars would do, Sophia’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“While we’re focused on the central hill, they might be planning to redirect their troops.”
“Redirect…?”
Ash, who had been silent, shook his head.
“Redirect where? The supply lines are completely blocked, and if troops move to the right plains battlefield, we wouldn’t fail to notice.”
“I can’t be sure, but this is the only intention I can think of.”
If they’re considering troop redirection, it also makes sense why they aren’t occupying the central hill.
If they were occupying the central hill, it would inevitably become their main base. In that situation, redirecting troops would weaken their main base’s strength, and if Sophia launches a full attack on the central hill, they would suffer losses.
“This is to freely maneuver troops. We’ll think about where they redirected later. Right now, occupy the central hill!”
Sophia gave troops to Gunther to occupy the central hill.
That occupation was smooth.
Sophia immediately tried to fortify and create a situation where no battle would occur.
But then that report came in.
“Reporting!”
A pale-faced messenger rushed in.
Sophia’s expression also twisted upon hearing the content.
It was news about Liande’s civilian pillaging.
“That’s impossible! Liande has been plundered and villages burned! This is false information!”
“But the village has actually been pillaged! The citizens even believe our army did the pillaging!”
“No, surely….”
Sophia was speechless.
This meant Liande couldn’t have done it, so this was the enemy’s staged act.
They had dressed a special unit in Liande’s military uniforms to conduct the pillaging.
The area where the pillaging was occurring was a region where Bülang’s nobles were pressuring citizens to surrender.
In such a situation, if news spreads that Liande has pillaged the village, citizens would naturally think Liande has begun suppressing the rebellion.
In this case, they would inevitably have to rely on the west and Svenner.
“Quickly dispatch a reconnaissance unit to evacuate the citizens! We must correct this false information!”
Sophia responded quickly, but the next dawn.
Creak! Wagons filled with horrific corpses arrived at the military camp.
“Ueeeek!”
“Oh, ah…!”
Some soldiers were vomiting, while others were fleeing in terror.
Sophia was also standing pale-faced, just staring.
The demon of the west, Tetora Anistri, had truly bared her fangs.
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.
