Night of the Soulless Heathens – 293



#293. Celestial Fire 7

The scouts who had gone out to check the enemy’s movements returned one after another and reported.

“A force of at least four hundred men is looting the northern sawmill.”

“To the west a force of Bree soldiers some four hundred strong are raiding a cattle farm killing people and eating pigs.”

“It seems like there are three hundred no four hundred from the northwest.”

A force of similar size splits into three and pillages the villages.

The faces of the soldiers who heard the news darkened.

First of all the number one thousand two hundred is overwhelming.

With this force it is possible to destroy a small countship.

Moreover this movement is problematic.

Even soldiers who are ignorant of military strategy can now understand.

The fact that the force was split so precisely shows that the Breedles were not just barbarians gathered to pillage but an organized army that received orders and moved under someone’s direction.

Besides the troops you see now may not be all there are.

There is a possibility that a follow-up unit or reserve unit has been formed.

“Sir Azadin.”

Aramis called Azadin.

“Can a hippogriff fly?”

“of course.”

“Then would it be possible to ask Fireglyph for support?”

“I can make a request but the path to Fireglyph is blocked by enemy forces. No rescue will come.”

“It’s the opposite. If troops come out from Fireglyph we’ll be surrounding them from the front and rear. Isn’t this a golden opportunity to surround and destroy the enemies?”

“…what?”

At that moment Azadin could not hold back any longer and almost swore.

If we gather all of Fireglyph’s forces there will be about a thousand. However Bree’s numbers are much higher and the dense forest makes it difficult to take advantage of the humans’ strengths.

Aramis suggests using hammer and anvil tactics by surrounding them from the front and rear but even if Fireglyph’s forces were like that how could they be a hammer and anvil with the small number of troops under Aramis’ command?

“It’s a crowd!”

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“Whether it’s encirclement and destruction or hammer and anvil you need at least equal numbers to hold the line.”

Even the veterans and servants were surprised by Aramis’ proposal and rose up in opposition.

“Is that so? Are you saying that it’s not okay even if we are the ones being just and the other person is the one being evil?”

“that….”

“Hmm.”

Everyone looked embarrassed.

In a place as rigid as the King’s Church this could be interpreted as follows:

‘You’re talking nonsense about losing? Do you want to be treated by military law? Winning or losing is not your problem. If your superiors want you to take it you should take it even in front of a million-strong army.’

It is a dogmatic statement that rejects the personal judgment of subordinates.

But Aramis was asking that question with sincerity.

“Are you serious?”

“…I guess I was rude. After all I just woke up.”

“You just woke up?”

“…I told you not to say anything.”

Aramis tilted his head in embarrassment.

‘She’s like a child. Come to think of it Izmilla also used to be naive about the ways of the world. Of course Izmilla wasn’t like this… But are all Celestials like this?’

I think I can understand a little bit why the Knights kept the existence of the Celestials hidden and secret.

“Sir Aramis. Excuse me how old are you?”

“Why do you ask? That’s not important right now.”

“Is this a secret that can’t be told?”

“Rather than that… it’s difficult. It seems like you’re doubting my wisdom just because I’m young.”

“No it’s the opposite. It’s not that I doubt your wisdom because you’re young but rather that your words and actions make me doubt your wisdom so I’m asking your age.”

The surrounding knights and servants were speechless.

Azadin had said out loud what they were too scared to say.

“What is this insult to me?”

“Forgive me if I offended you. I must have been rude in gathering my wits to save as many people as possible. By the way are there any other Celestial Fire troops nearby? I don’t think you’re the only ones here.”

Azadin changed the subject so as not to let Aramis’ emotions flare up.

“The captain is in South Shackleton.”

“heartbreak?”

“I am speaking of Lord Karna the leader of the Celestial Fire.”

“Lord Karna. He is here?”

Azadin’s eyes lit up when he heard those words.

This was originally a journey to investigate the leader of the Celestia Fire Karna. But who knew he was this close?

‘No but if I were to go there I would have wanted to see St. Mallory’s too but if I end up meeting him here… But now is not the time to put my personal desires first.’

Azadin asked Aramis.

“Ask Lord Karna for assistance. Ask Fireglyph for reinforcements after you join Lord Karna.”

Aramis seemed reluctant but the other knights and soldiers welcomed Azadin’s offer.

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“Okay then shall we go right away?”

Azadin tried to move right away while he was at it.

But everyone opposed Azadin’s proposal.

“Huh? Right now?”

“Everyone is exhausted from the continuous fighting.”

“I know you’re tired but the Bree guys know we’re here.”

“There were no enemy scouts?”

“It’s not a scout it’s a dryad that died a little while ago that’s been possessed by the Bree wizard. It’s dangerous if we don’t move immediately.”

Azadin insisted that they must move immediately but everyone was skeptical of his words.

“Are you saying we should leave the villagers behind?”

“That’s right. The townspeople are tired too…”

“We can use the horses to pull the cart. Then we can escape with the villagers as well.”

Azadin proposed that the knights should travel on horseback and pull the carts with their steeds.

Then the knights were surprised.

“Why would a knight dismount for the sake of such lowly things?”

“We are fulfilling the sacred duty entrusted to us by the Holy Trinity by simply rescuing them.”

“Sir Azadin. It seems that you have little experience as a knight… and have not had enough time to properly learn the attitude and conduct of a knight.”

“I know you are very talented as a messenger but… your qualities as a knight are lacking.”

The knights who had been on his side when he had suggested they take refuge against Aramis now opposed Azadin’s proposal.

“If we get some rest we can deal with those savage Breeds. We can’t just move around like farmers pulling our precious warhorses.”

“No damn it. You’re not even the knights of the King’s Church what the….”

Azadin said that and then closed his mouth.

The world considered the knights of the King’s Church to be more powerful than the Knights of Salvation but Azadin revealed this reputation within the Knights of Salvation.

But I couldn’t help but feel heartbroken when he said such pitiful things right in front of me.

Azadin could clearly see why the knights were so opposed.

It’s one thing to look down on farmers but the real reason is that they care about their own safety.

If the knights are on horseback they can run away at any time but if they dismount they must share the fate of all the refugee troops.

Since it seemed unlikely that Breed would capture knights or nobles alive and collect ransom the knights refused Azadin’s demands for the sake of their own survival.

‘Damn. This is annoying in its own way. If it were the enemy I would just take them down and take away their command.’

On the Chadra Plateau Azadin crushed the forces that opposed or attempted to undermine him and took command.

But Aramis is a person who cannot do that.

Although he has some shortcomings Aramis is a very friendly person to Azadin a member of the herald clan. It is self-defense to overthrow someone hostile to you and take away their power but it is an unacceptable evil to overthrow someone friendly to you.

In the end Azadin had no choice but to compromise and begin preparing for evacuation by gathering carts from the village with cooperative vigilantes and loading them with food and other items.

*********

Although the members of the Rescue Knights opposed Azadin’s proposal they too were afraid of a night attack.

Their rejection of Azadin’s offer was a rational decision based on their own self-interests and in no way was it an underestimation of Bree’s threat.

“Hey stand guard well.”

So the knights gave orders to their servants.

“Have the soldiers stand guard in rotation.”

The servants to the soldiers.

Also the soldiers looked down on each other based on their rank and age.

Eventually the vigilantes and the least experienced soldiers were left to stand guard.

As midnight passed and dawn approached dark clouds began to gather in the sky.

It started drizzling after midnight.

And while the drizzle was clearing away any sign of movement Bree’s scouts were caught in the alarm line as they tried to infiltrate the village.

-Noisy!

It was a warning line that Azadin had laid out all over the village harassing the soldiers and villagers who were so exhausted that they seemed ready to collapse at any moment.

“Looking at the bridle it seems like it would be difficult for them to move low due to their body structure so let’s put the warning line down at this height!”

The legs of the Breedles provide excellent jumping power and fast movement speed but they are not able to change direction freely. The horns on their heads make it difficult for them to crawl or crouch.

He didn’t stop there he gave instructions to reinforce the ropes with metal pots pots frying pans and other pieces of squeaky pottery and this worked.

The sound of the dishes being cooked couldn’t be heard much because of the rain but they noticed something caught on the wire they were holding.

“It’s the enemy!”

At the same time as someone shouted Breedle’s spear attack began.

*********

Azadin also woke up from his slumber.

“Oh you motherfuckers.”

I don’t know if it was an insult to Bree who came at this hour or an insult to the knights who ignored Azadin’s insistence on moving so desperately.

“I feel heavy.”

Normally I would sleep soundly alert to Arael’s voice but this time Arael’s voice didn’t work properly so I slept lightly and even when I slept it didn’t feel like I slept at all.

But I had to move.

When Azadin came out of the building he saw Bree soldiers swarming across the forest path and the river.

Even if they couldn’t two mixed units of eight hundred people came rushing in.

“I’m screwed.”

I really didn’t want to say anything that would make people lose their confidence but the situation is not favorable.

Even if Azadin himself escapes alive the villagers and soldiers cannot avoid being annihilated.

If this happens the knights will be able to escape on horseback.

The center of the village is paved with stones so that horses’ hooves won’t sink when it rains but the forest will become muddy and you won’t be able to escape on horseback.

Of course since Bree’s feet are also made of hooves their mobility will also be reduced but if they lose mobility together it is always the smaller ones who will suffer.

Azadin is now at a crossroads of belief.

Will you fight to the end to save your people? Or will you run away to live alone?