Chapter 123: Battle Of Crecy Plains (8)
Imperial bastards, die here!
Long live the great republic! Long live Deus! May the Reich Empire, which brands us as heretics, be cursed!
Colonel Ange is leading the vanguard, fighting alongside us! Knights, take courage! Do not spare your lives!
Currently, the republics knights, having failed to achieve significant success in the second charge and being outnumbered by the empires infantry, are making the situation increasingly favorable for us.
Since their doctrine centers on charging, they, being cornered, have had even the high-ranking officers, who usually wouldnt stand at the front lines, from colonels to star-bearing generals, come out to encourage the troops.
The morale of the Francois Republics army was still reasonably high, resulting in a somewhat balanced ongoing battle.
Those insects sure do talk a lot!
Your generals seem to be terrible with a sword. Tell them to go home and look after their grandchildren!
Victory is already ours! Push forward in groups of three!
Surely, if the battle continued like this, our numerically superior forces were likely to win.
However, if the battle continued against knights in steel plate armor and with soaring morale among elite soldiers, there could be significant casualties among our relatively less well-armed infantry.
We need to think of a way to lower their morale as soon as possible.
As I was contemplating ways to minimize our casualties, an officer approached me and said,
Major General Yeager, the flag of General Baegang of the Republic is visible in the direction of the 12th Brigades advance. What will you do? Will you break through the center as is?
Normally, I might have gleefully pursued him, but the best way for our unit to achieve greater merit now is to go after the neck of the commander, who is likely in the safest spot in the center.
Ignore such a minor general! Now is the time to urge our troops to strike at the neck of Duke Balua, who is comfortably commanding under the protection of the republics knights.
Understood! Everyone, continue to advance towards the center of the enemy knights! Forward!
With those words, we continued on our path, gradually approaching the enemys center, and as we got closer to the center, the armor worn by the knights became more ornate, and their combat capabilities also increased proportionally.
From these circumstances, it seemed that the deeper we went, as I had expected, the highest-ranking person among the republics soldiers was likely inside.
And, as if to prove my thoughts, a star-bearing general appeared in front of our unit, wielding a sword and encouraging the knights.
Just a little longer, and the infantry will come to support us! So, hold on! We must endure with the spirit of Elang and assault! I, General Fernando de Montpellier, am fighting with you, and even if we die here, we will all die together! So fight with all your might!
General Montpellier, saying so, boosted the morale of the republics army by cutting down the empires soldiers with his sword.
Long live the General! Long live our great General!
The republic will never be defeated! We will surely win!
Victory shall be with the great republic!
The knights under Montpellier, who were blocking our unit, unlike the surrounding Francois guys, were thoroughly defending their area without being pushed back despite being outnumbered.
Seeing this, I inwardly thought it was quite admirable, even though they were the enemy.
After all, facing death as a general to protect the commander-in-chief and avoid the worst situation was a courageous act only a true soldier could do.
But in war, it was enough for a soldiers duty to be not massacring civilians or looting more than necessary.
As a general of the Reich Empire, it was obvious that I must use everything at my disposal to save even one more soldiers life.
Hear me, brave soldiers of the empire! That General Montpellier over there is an excommunicated general of the republic, and his only reason for risking his life in this battle is
Being a general of a country, the reason for trying to win by any means would be for the benefit and safety of his own country.
The Francois Republic is ruled by excommunicated heretics, so they would not want divine justice to be realized on this Francois land! Thats why a gentleman as high as a general is fighting at the front and inciting everyone!
As a Major General of the Reich Empire, I was willing to do anything to win, except for idiotic acts like massacres.
So lets see how the morale they had barely raised crumbles with a single blow of incitement under the authority of excommunication.
And to this incitement, the general in front of me, unable to bear it, loudly retorted to me,
You bastard, how dare you spew such nonsense?! Youve blinded the eyes of His Holiness the Pope
Silence, you excommunicated heretic. Now, soldiers of the Reich Empire, the time has come to bring divine punishment upon these evil knights of Francois who have defied the will of God! And knights of the republic who have unwillingly followed these heretics. Lay down your swords and surrender now to find enlightenment!
Nonsense! Dont listen to that evil mans words! Hold out and resist to the end!
The general seemed to be doing his best to counter my incitement, but the knights were already being overwhelmed by our numerical superiority.
They were exhausted from the long battle, both physically and mentally.
In such a situation, if someone provided a plausible reason for surrender, it was only natural that their barely raised morale would plummet.
And just as I anticipated, the knights lost their previously desperate momentum.
The knights of the Reich Empire have struck from the rear! Enemy knights are surging in from the back!
It was as if the heavens were telling me to capture the high-ranking person, the commander-in-chief, entrenched here, with the arrival of our knights further demoralizing them.
I couldnt miss such a golden opportunity.
Attention, all of the 12th Brigade! The battle with the Francois Republic will be completely ended here by us today! Everyone, charge at once!
So, while the republics knights were in disarray, I encouraged the soldiers of the brigade to advance forward.
Now, judging that it was safe for me to lead from the front, I drew my sword and stepped forward to lead directly.
Brave soldiers and officers of the 12th Brigade, I, Peter Yaeger, will take the lead.
At the forefront, I killed the knights who were part of the commanders guard and wore armor with splendid capes.
The first one who approached swung his sword too broadly, exposing his neck, which I stabbed through the gap under his helmet.
Next, I thrust a dagger into the armpit of one trying to smash my helmet with a mace, piercing his heart.
Killing the enemy knights one by one, I soon came across Duke Balua, wearing a helmet adorned with feathers.
Seeing me, he drew his sword and shouted loudly.
Even if I have to face defeat, I will take your head! Come at me!
A crazed noble addicted to knight chargesa commander-in-chiefwas challenging me to a duel? Was he a fool?
No, in this situation, to turn the tide of disadvantage, it would be best for the commander-in-chief to personally show himkilling the general of the empires army that put the republics army in danger.
So, if I had the skill and ability, I would prefer to fight one-on-one and honorably win, taking his life as I did with Ludwig.
But in the current situation, it would be a better choice to hand over the excommunicated nations commander-in-chief to the Inquisitor and His Holiness the Pope.
Soldiers of the 12th Brigade, beat him with poleaxes and maces, knock him out, and capture him alive. Hes trash, no different from an excommunicated heathen, unworthy of any honor.
Upon that order, my soldiers charged fiercely, as if they were on fire.
If we kill that bastard, we can change our fate!
Charge!! Charge!
Follow the Major General!
And I also advanced, suppressing the commanders guard alongside them, and soon I was extremely close to the duke.
Die, you trash, worse than an empires dog!
Thinking you can kill me with a sword skill that couldnt even kill a fly is a hundred years too early.
I blocked his sword with my left-hand glove and then struck his waist with the mace I carried on my left, causing him to lose his balance.
I hit the duke hard in the chest with the mace, knocking him to the ground, and instead of pointing my sword at his neck as customary when capturing a commander, I stepped heavily on his body with my left foot and shouted.
I, Peter Yaeger, have captured the enemy commander, Duke Balua!
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