Dungeon Defense (WN)

Chapter 94: A King and his General (7)

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News that the crown prince had slapped the imperial princess like some servant spread throughout the entire castle in an instant.

The imperial castle of Habsburg was on the small side. The castle garden could accommodate, at most, a thousand people, but if you consider the amount of territory and prestige the empire has, that was definitely lacking. The current emperor had attempted to expand the castle several times now. However, the nobles would always refuse to invest money into the imperial family and the imperial family didn’t have enough spare funding to try and renovate the castle with their own money.

Absolute monarchy has collapsed. ……Imperial Princess Elizabeth stopped. She had stopped in the middle of a marble corridor that sparkled like glass and stared at the scenery between two pillars. The sun was setting on the city. An amber glow was flowing into every alleyway. For a moment, the world became surreal as the serenity and the splendor of the setting sun opened like curtains in the distance.

Imperial Princess Elizabeth muttered.

“They say that there is something that glows brighter as the world gets dark……was it not the empire?”

The nation that once boasted absolute fame a hundred fifty years ago was now gone. The empire was falling into ruin in the most unsightly way. She had deliberately taunted Rudolf the Crown Prince, but she didn’t think he would have such a short temper. He was a foolish man. These rumors won’t benefit him at all.

All the people of the empire will know that the imperial princess wished to go to battle, but Rudolf the Crown Prince had firmly refused from his side. In other words, he had sealed the possibility of rumors going around saying that the imperial princess intentionally held her troops back so that the crown prince would fail.

The empire is in need of surgery. Its flesh must be cut open and the rotten parts must be torn out firmly. There is a chance that the patient might die due to the scale of the surgery. Most importantly, the 50,000 soldiers mobilized for the expedition led by the margraves and the crown prince will be sacrificed……. This is most likely a responsibility the doctor must carry. This thought went through the 17-year-old imperial princess’ head as she stared down at the city lit by the setting sun.

* * *

The empire’s massive army has begun to move. ―This piece of news shook the Plains Faction. 20,000 in the main army, 20,000 mercenaries, and 10,000 from the margraves, an army with a total of 50,000 soldiers was marching towards us in Brandenburg. Commander Barbatos called for a meeting as soon as we obtained this piece of information.

The 19 Demon Lords of the 6th legion gathered in the conference room. No one was panicking at the size of the army that was approaching us. It simply felt like something that was expected was finally coming. Beleth and a couple of other Demon Lords were clearly excited. We all had a glass of wine in our hands filled with the wine that Barbatos had poured out for us personally.

Barbatos smiled as she spoke.

“We’re skipping the appetizer and going straight to the main course. The property owner is offering to treat us luxuriously, so it’d be rude as guests to refuse. There’s no need for a siege. We’ll end it all in a single battle.”

We didn’t have a strategy meeting this time. The 6th legion intended to destroy the enemy forces of 50,000 soldiers with their 18,000 soldiers. A battlefield more advantageous for us has already been selected and our formation was complete. The 6th legion was going to intercept the enemy forces with Barbatos’ unit, Beleth’s unit, Zepar’s unit, etc. I was naturally a part of Zepar’s unit.

“Comrades. What do you think an army requires?”

Barbatos spoke haughtily.

“An army requires victory. An absolute victory. An overwhelming victory. Comrades, I don’t want some normal victory. I don’t want a battle where we win on one half but lose on another. I want a thorough victory!”

She shouted.

“A victory that will prevent them from ever underestimating us! I wish to see all the people of the empire with their limbs severed, tongues cut off, and innards spilled. I want the blood of 50,000 imperial soldiers to create a scene of red covering nature. Through this battle, I want to make those humans realize that humans could never win against demonkind. Comrades―would it be fine for me to be hopeful? To hope that you all will have an indomitable will.”

Someone shouted, “For blood!”. The other Demon Lords followed suit as they shouted as well. I also followed along in a loud voice. For blood! For blood! For blood!…….

“Good.”

Barbatos raised her right arm.

“Comrades, your commander will always stand at the forefront. When your formations break, the enemy’s cavalrymen shake the world with their hooves, and you look forward with despair as the single word ‘retreat’ comes to your mind, know that I, Barbatos, will always be there in front of you. When you are ordered to charge and you look forward, I, Barbatos, will always be running ahead of you all!”

She gulped down her wine. The other 18 Demon Lords drank their wine as well. There was a moment of silence. After drinking her wine in a single gulp, Barbatos tossed her glass on the ground. The glass shattered into pieces.

“For victory!”

Our march began.

Four days later, the 6th legion of the Crescent Alliance arrived at the hilly region of Austerlitz. This was the path towards the capital from the northern end of Habsburg. If the crown prince and margraves’ expedition force ignore this place and go around us, then we’d have a direct path to invade the capital. This is a key point the Habsburg Empire has to protect at all cost. 

We continued to pay attention to our enemy’s movements as we continued our advance. We figured out which of their generals were participating and the layout of each unit. According to the information we had gathered, although Crown Prince Rudolf von Habsburg is the supreme commander in name, the person actually giving commands is Margrave Fritz von Rosenberg. We managed to get these pieces of information easier than expected, so the members of the 6th legion started to have their doubts. They suspected that this might be false information.

“This information is not fake.”

“Why is that?”

I gave several reasons in response to Zepar’s question.

I know that all of this was deliberately leaked under the connivance of the third imperial princess. According to the information I gathered through the Keuncuska Firm, the crown prince striking the imperial princess is one of the biggest topics in high society that has been circulating recently. The Habsburg nobles looked into the reason behind this incident, and, after utilizing their information networks befitting for nobles, they discovered that it was related to the participation of the expedition force. Due to this process, the list of generals participating in the expedition force was passed around. Therefore, this list of generals was acknowledged by the members of Habsburg’s high society.

Imperial Princess Elizabeth had probably done this intentionally. Her goal is to give us this information……As usual, her ploys are wicked.

“The margraves’ troops are in command and not the main army. The generals of their main army will undoubtedly be displeased by this fact. Regardless of the situation, Margrave Rosenberg is a defeated general. He had helplessly lost his territory to us. Why would such an incompetent man act as the supreme commander……? The commanding officers of the main army most likely do not acknowledge Rosenberg as their commander.”

There were blocks that looked like the knights from chess placed on top of a map that was spread on top of the conference table. Each piece represented each and every unit of our enemy forces. I split them into two groups as the main army and the margraves’ army.

“There is also a variable of 20,000 mercenaries here. They were hired by the crown prince. Even if Margrave Rosenberg has the right to command, they are a unit that will move according to the crown prince’s desire if he ever decided to command them. The main army has 20,000 soldiers and there are 20,000 mercenaries. A total of 40,000 soldiers. Even if the margraves take command, they are inferior in numbers with their 10,000 soldiers. The generals of the main army will most likely try to persuade the crown prince and take the right to command from Rosenberg.”

Barbatos grinned.

“In other words, their line of command is an unstable mess.”

This is as far as my role goes. I’m capable of grasping the situation of the enemy forces and interpreting it, but I’m incompetent when it comes to using that situation in order to achieve a tactical victory. That was the job of Barbatos and several other high-ranking Demon Lords. They’re warriors who have gone through numerous battlefields, after all.

Barbatos spoke.

“We will use the enemy’s disunity. Before Margrave Rosenberg’s right to command is shaken, we will bombard them with assaults. This will cause them to desire a quick victory. They’ll probably run at us like some rutting male horses. If they see a point in our army that seems the weakest, they’ll obviously try to focus that spot with all their forces. Therefore.”

She moved a knight. It was the knight that represented our forces.

“We will provide them with a high ground that’s advantageous for them. Here, we will deliberately let them have the high ground at the center.”

There is a hilly area in the center of Austerlitz. It is called Pratzen Heights on the map. Zepar mused to himself before speaking to Barbatos.

“Your Excellency, if we give them the hills, then the enemy cavalrymen will have free reign.”

In this era, cavalrymen are a monstrous group that goes beyond imagination. Even in my original world, they were considered the ultimate weapons, but in this world, cavalrymen also have skills and auras. Normal infantry couldn’t possibly compare to them. Thus, every war that happens in this world always revolves around the cavalry. 

If the enemy forces gain the high ground, then it would become easier for them to charge at us since it’d be downhill and not up. This isn’t the only advantage as it will also become possible for them to see every unit on the battlefield with ease, which allows them to act more systematically with other troops. That’s why it’s important for us to take the high ground first.

“I know. I’m letting them go wild for a bit.”

However, Barbatos refused this common sense. She elaborated as she pointed at a certain terrain on the map. The area she was pointing at was where a bunch of lakes were located.

“I have fought around this area 200 and 500 years ago. I know this terrain rather well. There are a lot of lakes, so there is a rather thick fog every morning. I intend to start the battle at dawn and end it before the afternoon. Their vision will be obscured, so they will be unable to move with much freedom.”

“But Your Excellency, does that not also mean that if the battle is prolonged, their cavalry will be able to charge at us freely?”

“That’s why I said we’re going to end it before the afternoon, you brat.”

Barbatos grinned slyly.

“Trust in me as much as I trust in you. I assure you that Austerlitz will become the imperial army’s mass grave.”

Throughout the entire meeting, Barbatos remained firm with her decision. There were Demon Lords who said that the risk was too high, but once Brother Beleth and Brother Zepar agreed with her, the flow of the conversation drastically tipped in her favor. In the end, we decided to not dispatch any of our troops in Pratzen Heights. 

“We will split our forces into three. The center, the left wing, and the right-wing. I, Barbatos, will take the center, the left wing will be managed by Beleth, and Zepar will take the right wing. The outcome of this battle will be determined by the right wing.”

Barbatos turned to Zepar.

“Zepar. I will be assigning the least number of troops on the right wing.”

General Zepar slowly nodded his head.

“As I thought, I will be acting as bait.”

“Yeah. You have to appear like the weakest part of our forces to the humans. That way those bastards will get erect and chase after you. Zepar, your goal is to keep your asses safe until the end of the battle. Don’t let those human bastards near your butt.”

Zepar saluted.

“I will defend the right wing with my life.”

“Comrades, our battle will end with a single sharp blow. It will be a battle with everything on the line. I will not forgive any clumsiness. Fight while bearing the pride of Demon Lords.”

We all saluted. Barbatos returned our salute.

Two days later, the imperial army arrived at a corner of Austerlitz. 

They positioned themselves at Pratzen Heights as if it were the most natural thing to do. Will things proceed according to Barbatos’ prediction, or will the battle proceed in the most basic form? I’m not skilled enough in tactics to make an accurate guess. Even Laura seemed half and half about Barbatos’ plan. What can we do but believe?

I mobilized my <Death Knights> and stood at the right wing with General Zepar. I feel like a difficult battle is going to unfold……

***

TL Note: Thanks for reading the chapter. Sorry, I might slow down a bit because of a sudden increase in more time-consuming assignments. I had it easy last week so that’s why I was able to translate faster than usual. I’m not sure how much it’ll affect my speed yet, so we’ll have to wait and see. Other than that, uh, this was a somewhat annoying chapter to translate. 

See you guys in the next chapter.