Chapter 347 347-Defeat
As the reforms progressed, more and more people were drawn to the ranks of the musketeers, lured by the promise of better pay and subsidies.
This investment now bore fruit.
Ing Empire equipped its most skilled musketeers with specially crafted rifled muskets, transforming them into an elite unit of sharpshooters.
Charles, caught off guard, witnessed many of his knights being unhorsed by bullets from unseen sources.
The origin of these lethal shots remained a mystery to him.
However, Charles, not being a distinguished military tactician, underestimated this challenge.
His troops launched a full-scale charge, with even the artillerymen beginning to move their cannons forward.
Many soldiers of Fran Kingdom saw their comrades suddenly struck down by unseen bullets and never rise again, casting a shadow of terror over the ranks.
Then, Duke William led his private heavy cavalry in a surprise flank attack from a side path.
After withstanding the frontal assault of Ing Empire's pikemen, the knights of Ing Empire decimated numerous soldiers of Fran Kingdom.
Charles's defeat was swift.
The retreat was initiated by a nobleman in white, whom Charles did not recognize.
Disoriented, Charles shouted at the man in white, "Who are you? Are you Duke Flamen or Marquis Garon? Why don't I know you? Are you one of my vassals?"
The man in white glanced at Charles with a meaningful look but ignored his questions, continuing to command the retreat of Fran Kingdom's troops in fluent Fran Kingdom language.
The situation was baffling.
The demoralized troops of Fran Kingdom, upon seeing the order for retreat issued by the man in white, didn't bother to question his allegiance; their sole focus was escape.
They knew that with a noble's command to withdraw, they would likely avoid punishment.
Among them was a knight of Fran Kingdom, embodying the spirit of chivalry.
Filled with indignation at the collapse on the battlefield, he rode his white steed, wielding a gold-trimmed heavy lance, and charged towards the mysterious man in white.
Adorned in heraldic armor emblazoned with his family's crest, the knight, confident in his skill honed through daily training, believed that his charge would spell the end for the man in white.
However, as he neared his target, a sound stopped him in his tracks.
It was too familiar – the sound of a musket, as common as the unsheathing of a sword.
He was convinced that musket fire could not harm him.
But then, a creeping weakness overtook him, and darkness clouded his vision as he fell from his horse.
The knight had been shot down by an Ing Empire sniper hidden in the brush, rendered incapacitated.
It was only at this moment that King Charles of Fran Kingdom realized the man in white, standing on a high ground of their own formation, speaking fluent Fran Kingdom language, was actually an Ing Empire agent.
Or at the very least, a Fran Kingdom native turned spy for Ing Empire!
Charles was utterly baffled, but the harsh reality taught him a brutal lesson at the hands of Ing Empire.
Witnessing the battlefield's collapse, he had no choice but to issue a retreat for all his forces.
After regrouping, he found that out of the troops he had led into battle, only four thousand remained, most of them wounded.
Their bodies bore marks from splattered mud caused by exploding shells and injuries inflicted by cold steel.
Unable to contain his emotions, Charles recalled the treacherous Ing Empire's terrifying snipers and their cunning spies.
He secluded himself in his tent, covering his head with a blanket, and wept under it.
This was his first humiliating cry since reaching adulthood.
Outside the tent, people called for Charles.
He emerged from under the blanket, wiping away tears, and composed himself.
As a king, he had to maintain his regal demeanor in front of his people.
As he opened the tent, what awaited Charles was not comfort or reports, but a cold, sharp spike!
Caught off guard, Charles was pierced by the spike.
He fell to the ground in excruciating pain, hands clutching his abdomen, his expression twisted in agony.
As his consciousness began to fade, the day's irony weighed heavily on him.
His vision grew brighter even as the light in his eyes seemed to dim.
In the moments before losing consciousness, Charles heard several furious roars filled with revenge and anger.
His royal guards, enraged, ordered the soldiers to apprehend someone.
It dawned on Charles that he had been assassinated.
Fortunately, the royal physicians arrived in time, saving his life.
Taking advantage of the chaos, the Ing Empire launched a frenzied campaign of conquest while the fate of Fran Kingdom's supreme commander, Charles, hung in uncertainty.
Under the tacit approval of Duke Oralan of Fran Kingdom, the wounded soldiers received medical attention, while the uninjured remained on standby in the outskirts.
Five days elapsed before Charles finally opened his eyes.
He lay in bed, covered with thick blankets, a fire burning steadily beside him, within the safety of the royal palace.
A maid, witnessing Charles' awakening, hurriedly, yet joyfully, informed the Queen of Fran Kingdom.
The Queen suggested to Charles that he admit defeat, but he, unwilling to concede, attempted to rise and don his armor.
The attempt was thwarted by unbearable pain, forcing him back onto the bed.
The Queen, seeing his condition, spoke with compassion, "You need at least a month or two of recovery before you can think of fighting again. Don't push yourself."
Charles, clenching his fist in frustration, pounded the soft mattress.
Meanwhile, Howard's campaign was progressing smoothly.
After several sieges and a victorious battle in a valley against hastily conscripted troops, the complete occupation of the Nedolan region by Howard's forces seemed imminent.
However, danger loomed as an assassin, hidden in a barrel cloaked in shadow, awaited Howard and Bosiden.
As they approached, chatting and laughing, the assassin sprung from his hiding, launching a cold and ruthless strike at Howard.
But Howard, well-informed and tactically savvy, parried the attack with his sword, thanks to Portia's warning and his own preparedness.
Kaido's loud cries alerted the mercenaries of the Briar Mercenary Group, who promptly arrived and eliminated the assassin.
With a snort of disdain, Howard remarked, "Hmph, nothing but petty tricks and insignificant schemes."
Kaido, still shaken, was speechless, his chest heaving with heavy breaths.
Bosiden, concerned, advised Howard, "Your Majesty, continuing like this is too dangerous. Perhaps we should accept their peace terms and withdraw from the war."
As Howard walked out of the wine cellar, he replied calmly, "No rush."
Bosiden, sweating, said anxiously, "Your Majesty, this is the third assassin this month. I underestimated Ing Empire's strength. I never imagined their musketeers would be so formidable. Fran Kingdom is already faltering on the frontlines. We can't keep going like this."
Howard remained unswayed.
Six or seven days later, on a morning, an emissary from the empire arrived.
Howard recognized the man as an old friend – Prince Maximilian of the Empire, a powerful figure within the Habsburg family.
Maximilian was far from foolish; he was widely recognized within the Habsburg family for his skill in managing imperial affairs.
Maximilian conveyed the Imperial Empress's message, urging King Howard of Oungria Kindom to negotiate peace with Ing Empire.
The terms were to cease hostilities after acquiring all the territories of the Duchy of Nedolan in Hagg region.
Howard knew that the Empire and Fran Kingdom were not on good terms, and this was the Empire's strategy to pull the rug from under Fran Kingdom, leaving them to face Ing Empire and the remaining Nedolan territories alone, hoping for Fran Kingdom's defeat.
This cold and calculated move was very much in line with Nora's shrewd style.
Howard gazed at the face of the Imperial Prince, remaining silent, attempting to exert some pressure on the man.
However, Maximilian, a person of significant authority and strong will, did not falter under Howard's imposing stare.
His eyes met Howard's, neither aggressively confrontational nor shifting away in unease.
Howard turned to Bosiden and inquired, "What do you think?"
Bosiden believed that the King of Fran Kingdom, having ignored Howard's advice and recklessly engaged in battle with the Ing Empire's army, had brought defeat upon himself.
He felt that it was perfectly reasonable for Howard to withdraw from the war now, and no one could justifiably blame him.
Howard gave a barely noticeable nod in response, then turned to Neplon, who stood nearby, and asked, "And what about you, Lord Neplon?"
Neplon disagreed, stating, "If Ing Empire defeats Fran Kingdom, they will likely seize further territories of Fran Kingdom. This is an unjust act, and I believe a wise king would not allow such a thing to happen."
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