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The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 24

The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 24

Our army held a feast from morning until well past noon.

There were several reasons why I held the feast, but the first was to consider the fatigue of the army.

When a feast is held in the morning like this, soldiers naturally fall asleep for a nap due to the feeling of fullness and the relaxed tension.

I allowed the soldiers to enjoy the sweetness of a midday nap.

“There are other purposes, but this is also an important factor.”

At my words, the Red Knight Anton exclaimed in admiration.

“I see. You’re thinking of conducting a field battle!”

“That’s right. The 10,000 reinforcements coming this way will try to join them under the cover of night.”

This is because they are certain that we will interfere if they try to join during the day.

In the current situation where Sophia Veron’s army is reluctant to come out of their hideout, it’s also risky for Beckavia to join forces in broad daylight.

“They’ll use their own marching route to join at night, fearing that we’ll defeat the reinforcements individually. The marching point will probably be here.”

The officers automatically nodded at the point I pointed to.

“The Loharden intersection. It’s quite a detour, but the road is wide, making it effective. It makes sense.”

“Yes, it makes sense. And that’s why the opponent will be predicting it too.”

“…Pardon?”

“I mean Sophia Veron will know that we’ll try to raid Loharden intersection.”

“Then won’t those reinforcements avoid coming to Loharden intersection?”

“This is where psychological warfare begins. The feast was a preparation for this.”

The feast that lasted from morning to afternoon.

Seeing this, Sophia will become conscious of a full-scale field battle. In that case, there’s a high risk of confusion in the command system if a large-scale field battle is conducted in rough terrain.

Especially in a situation where reinforcements need to be joined, fighting in rough terrain would inevitably lead to a surge of stragglers.

So, they would likely prefer to engage in field operations at the open Loharden intersection.

Understanding the opponent’s psychological behavior and reading the next move, this was the basis of how I operated the army.

“What do you plan to do? Should we move to the Loharden intersection? Or…”

“We’re going to the  Loharden intersection. The direction of this war… Will be determined there.”

This operation was the decisive move I had prepared to reach checkmate.

The Loharden intersection was a main road that Beckavia had developed for efficient trade.

This road, with large paths leading to AlVard in the southwest, CaLliper in the south, and the Crossing Republic in the southeast, was also convenient for army marches.

BecKavia’s 10,000 reinforcements were heading towards Carrington using this road.

And just as they were about to approach the vicinity of Carrington.

“Enemy raid! The enemy is approaching!”

An emergency alert was raised among the Beckavia reinforcements.

The 3rd General Telltale, who was in command, shouted as if he had been waiting for this moment.

“Don’t panic! The troops should respond to the enemy while checking the markers for field battle!”

Telltale hurriedly tried to assess the size of the enemy force.

“Damn it! It’s too dark to see clearly…!”

The moon being covered by clouds, making it darker than usual, was interfering.

However, this soon ceased to be a problem.

It was such a large army that its size could be easily confirmed even in that darkness.

Roughly estimated at 40,000.

“Madman…! To mobilize the entire army for a night raid!”

The boldness was beyond measure.

To mobilize the entire force for such a sudden attack?

This raid point is further north than the Carrington front line. In other words, it’s inside Beckavia’s territory.

Once inside Beckavia’s territory, they can’t expect supplies.

The opponent had entered enemy territory completely disregarding their supply lines.

If Sophia had used this to march towards the Crossing Republic direction in reverse, cutting off the supply lines and threatening the territory, Crossing would have been in chaos.

But Sophia ultimately didn’t do that.

That part was important.

‘He’s perfectly reading Princess Sofia’s psychology…. This mercenary Wade. He’s a frightening guy.’

But Sophia’s response wasn’t bad either.

“Save our brothers──!!”

An army of 20,000 came to support under the command of the 4th General McCauley Coon.

Sophia had sent a large army of 20,000 as support, taking into account that Ars would give strong power to this raiding force.

This was a thoroughly calculated move.

She even anticipated that Ars might attack the main camp taking advantage of the gap left by the 20,000 troops.

In that case, she planned to use the army of 30,000, joined with reinforcements, to strike the enemy’s flank.

Sophia’s perfect command, to respond to all situations.

“They’re finally here!”

Telltale’s face lit up.

He immediately sent a retreat signal.

Although Sophia had sent 20,000 reinforcements anticipating a strong raid, the opponent was crazier than expected.

“McCauley! We’re at a disadvantage here! We need to retreat and join the main camp!”

“Yes! The princess said that if we enter the mountainous area, the enemy won’t be able to pursue us any further!”

“The Gariton Mountains? Good! I’ll open a retreat route in that direction!”

Telltale begins to command the retreat in earnest.

And at that moment.

“…There you are?”

Ars identifies where Telltale is, as if he had been waiting for this.

Bang! Ars, Ilya, and Eonia’s trio break through in a single point.

Telltale had to grit his teeth.

‘We’ve been hit…! They were waiting for me to command the retreat!’

For Ars, who had already read that the Beckavia army would retreat to the Gariton Mountains, reading Telltale’s retreat command was child’s play.

Ars instantly grasped this point and read Telltale’s exact position through the unit’s command and the movements of the soldiers.

“General! We must retreat immediately!”

McCauley spoke urgently, but Telltale shook his head.

“No, I’ll buy time here.”

“What!?”

“The enemy is desperately trying to bite off just me. That means the retreat route for the others is opening wider. McCauley, what’s important now is not one military officer, but as many soldiers as possible. Our mission now is to deliver as many troops as possible to Princess Sophia! So go!”

“Ugh!”

McCauley, biting his lip so hard it bled, left his position and began to retreat the troops.

And soon after.

Thud thud thud thud! Soldiers being swept away.

Telltale comes face to face with three spearmen displaying overwhelming might.

Recognizing Ars in the gray helmet among them, he growled.

“So you’re Wade…! Well, are you enjoying wagging your tail for Crossing?”

“I don’t have a tail, but… You must be the 3rd General Telltale, right?”

“Yes, I am Casola Telltale of Beckavia! How about it, Wade! Do you have the courage to fight one-on-one like a man! If you defeat me, you could gain fame that shakes the continent.”

“Anyway…. If you’re trying to buy time, why don’t you try to be more creative?”

“…”

As Ars said, this conversation was merely buying time.

To somehow buy time for other soldiers to escape.

And Ars.

“Hmm. Hmm. Hmmm.”

Even knowing it was buying time, he was calmly watching the situation.

Only then did Telltale begin to feel a terrible ominousness.

“…You. What exactly are you plotting?”

“You don’t need to know. More importantly, I think it’s time now. Eo, take care of him. As I said before, don’t hurt his face.”

Eonia, who was on horseback, pointed her long spear at Telltale.

Telltale, also on horseback, was measuring the distance while holding out a halberd with a crescent-shaped blade.

“Ha! The last Valkyrie of the Kuravel Holy Kingdom has become a dog of some mercenary rabble, the Holy King in heaven must be wailing and pounding the ground!”

“Mercenary rabble? You lack discernment. My lord is destined to become Emperor.”

“What nonsense, I can’t even laugh! Huaaah!”

Clang! The halberd swung with great force.

However, Eonia easily parried the attack and pushed Telltale back. There was a clear difference in skill between the two.

Soon, thud! A spear piercing the heart.

Eonia, with a cold smile like a queen, declared, “Your death was not in vain. Rejoice and close your eyes, for you have become a stepping stone on the royal road my lord will walk.”

“Cough!?”

Telltale’s eyes rolled back and he died.

Ars approached Eonia and said, “Royal road this, Emperor that? I told you not to say such things.”

“Ah, yes! I couldn’t help it…. I’ll be careful.”

The cold queen-like demeanor was gone, and Eonia was crouching down, not knowing what to do.

* * *

Crossing’s army has launched a night attack with 40,000 troops.

Upon receiving this report, Sophia swallowed hard.

“Madman, he’s not in his right mind….”

40,000 meant he had launched a night attack with his entire force, which wasn’t a sensible choice even for the attacking side.

“So? How far did the enemy troops pursue?”

McCauley, now in tatters, said in a weak voice, “They pursued us into the mountain area. It seems they gave up the pursuit around the middle of the mountain area. Currently, they appear to be regrouping their forces in the Gariton Mountains.”

“As expected….”

“Princess, just in case, let’s prepare to send reinforcements to the supply route. If the enemy breaks right from the Gariton Mountains, they could aim straight for our supply lines.”

“Who do you think I am? I’ve already prepared for the defense of the supply routes. I’ve also concentrated scout forces on the supply route side. If the enemy targets the supply route, we’ll get a report right away.”

If they really came down aiming for the supply route, it would be time for a counterattack.

The enemy has entered Beckavia territory ignoring their own supplies. If we could draw them in by stalling for time, we could annihilate them all at once.

If that situation arose, she would thoroughly crush them.

“More importantly, right now we need to root out the sneaky rats that have slipped in.”

Sophia thought that Ars would have planted a large number of spies taking advantage of this battle.

Even now, stragglers from the night battle were trickling into the camp like a string of sausages, so there was a high possibility that spies were mixed in.

She gathered the officers and shouted, “We’re going to drastically reorganize the camp! Thoroughly verify the identity of the soldiers and immediately exclude anyone suspected of being a spy, forming them into a separate unit!”

This operation will consume about a day for the Beckavia army.

And at dawn the next day, Sophia had to face a report that made her doubt her ears.

“Urgent report─!!”

A soldier with a pale face begins to report.

“The Caecilian Fortress and Gebson Castle have fallen to the enemy!”

At that moment, the Beckavia camp was enveloped in a murderous silence.


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The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road

The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road

Score 9.2
Status: Completed Type: Author: Released: 2022 Native Language: Korean
I ended up possessing Ars Elaine, a supporting character in the game. Struggling to prevent my death, I pave my way.

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