Reincarnated into a Game As the Hero’s Friend

Chapter 50

Translator: Nisarah     Editor:  Fleeting, Nisarah

It has been 2 days since it was confirmed that the demon of Veritza Fortress will attack the capital. In the situation where the kingdom was back to the capital, not a wall, the army led by Crown Prince Huber started to move.

As expected, an army of death did not tire. They kept advancing regardless of day or night

Still, they only have infantry so they are quite slow. The battle will probably start tomorrow morning.

The military advisor was Count Shandel, the person who became the leader of the area magic experiment corps back when the Veritza Fortress got attacked. He was one of the Crown Princes trusted retainers and also one of the people who had the most knowledge regarding the demon army in the Veritza Fortress.

Its hard to judge if The fact that their enemies, the army of death, were slow was a blessing or a curse. Though it was also thanks to it that the kingdoms army was able to choose the timing of their battle. They choose the dawn, which is the most perfect time to fight the groups of moving corpses. No matter what, they must not battle the army of death at night.

How is our supply?

Everything has been prepared, including 15 days worth of supplies.

How is the situation with the enemies?

Our enemies are composed of skeleton warriors and living death. There has been no change to their movement speed.

Thats all? What an amateur.

Though the army of death wont tire, they have weaknesses.  Compared to the demonic beasts that they were used to dealing with, living deaths were slower. The living deaths were even slower than humans. As for the skeleton warriors, they had wits but their endurance was far weaker compared to the living deaths.

If the enemies were planning to make use of the army of death as a proper army, then the enemies needed to take into consideration their weaknesses and make a suitable plan, but there has been no sign of them doing so. It seems like the enemies were nothing but a mix of individual demons without any trace of unity. At this moment, Hubertus was sure of his armys victory.

Alright. Lets start the war council. Gather everyone.

Yes!

After they received the Crown Princes order, messengers under Count Shandel split up to gather the army commanders. It did not take a long time for everyone to finally gathered.

Ironically, this time, The usual eager nobles from the military faction were obedient, while the usual obedient nobles from the civil faction were eager. 

The military faction was silent not because of fear, but rather because the reckless action of the son of their former leader, the deceased Marquis Knap, was seen to be the main cause of this battle. Of course, they did not dare to be as brash as usual.

On the other hand, the nobles of the civil faction were eager because there was no way they could let the demons lay waste on the land surrounding the capital. It was a simple, yet reasonable reason. Usually, the Crown Prince needed to work hard in order to skillfully handle the two factions but this time, after experiencing the demon outbreak incidents and the capitals defense battle incident, the nobles from both sides were rather behaved. 

That was why the fact that the nobles of the military faction were obedient was perhaps a blessing for the Crown Prince.

Everyone has gathered.

Good work. Then, I shall explain the battle tactic that will be used tomorrow morning.

The Crown Prince immediately got to the point. In a meeting for discussing battle tactics, there was no need for him to give a long formal speech. The Crown Prince left for the battlefield with a feeling of strong conviction to prevent the capital from being overrun by the demons. With his previous experience in the demon outbreak, the Crown Prince was also careful not to let his guard down.

There has been objection to deploying an army outside of the capital wall, and there has also been a choice of going to the battlefield yesterday, but the kingdoms executives decided that a day of preparation is needed.

After all, the army needed to exterminate the enemy before sunset. Fighting an army of death in the evening is a foolish thing to do. Thats the consensus that the kingdoms executive has reached before.

This was the basis of the current war council. The Crown Prince explained the battle tactic that will be used, and voices of surprise rose up.

Well, what a creative idea.

I am not sure if this tactic can be used in every battle, but at least I believe it can be used for this one.

Is it you, Your Highness, that thought of this tactic?

Marquis Norpoth, who, just like in the battle against the demon outbreak, will once again play a part in this battle raised the question. The Crown Prince answered with a short Its Duke Seyfart that thought of this plan

I see! As expected of the Duke.

He has a flexible mind despite his age.

Enough comment. Lets work on the details for this plan.

The council proceeded to discuss the enemys movement, the arrangement for the army, the appointment of various commanders, and various signals that would be used on the battlefield. Everything that must be discussed needs to be discussed now. After the discussion was over, the Crown Prince gave an order for everyone to do maintenance on their own weapons and armors, after that he declared that the council was over.

The next day, the curtain for the battle finally opened at the Hildea Plain, near the capital.

Haha. To think they dare come out, how foolish.

The Black Mage, Bellis, who stood almost at the center of the whole demons army, laughed scornfully as he saw the human army that was stationed outside the capital.

In a certain sense, Welner was right about the fact that the demon army had pulled their punch. After all, most demonic beasts were stronger than average human soldiers, and their number far exceeded the number of human soldiers. Not to mention, the army of death wont tire.

There was no way they could lose, that was what was inside Belliss mind as he gazed at the army of Bain Kingdom.

Well, they can struggle as they wish as even those humans will become nothing but a part of Dreax-sama army.

Bellis ordered his army to advance. At that moment, a dragging sound, a sound of bones hitting each other, and various other sounds that would not exist in a normal army can be heard. The putrid smell of several thousand corpses will without a doubt make normal humans throw up.

Mmm, what a pleasant aroma.

Yet Bellis did not feel disgusted by this smell. He rather felt ecstasy as he stood in the midst of the putrid smell of corpses. For a devil like Bellis, the smell of corpses was pleasant. Coupled with his confidence about his victory, Bellis feel like he was going on an excursion, rather than a battlefield

It was this overconfidence that made Bellis not investigate the situation of his enemy, as he merely gave orders to his army to advance. It was what will later cause his fall.

Not long after the sun rose, the center of the kingdoms army and the army of death clashed. The kingdom army has created a convex formation, while the army of death has created a uniformed line formation.

The center of Bain Kingdoms army advanced, then stopped in front of the army of death to form a formation.

This center was mostly composed of young infantries. They may not have much experience, but they were the most energetic. They might hold fear for the skeleton warriors and the living dead, yet they were not cowards that will run in a battle. 

Start the attack!

Push!

The ones that led the center were the new Viscount Krank and Viscount Mittag. In the battle against demons outbreak, both families lost their family heads and important vassals. This time, the kingdom lent them many young hoplites[1] and spearmen to lead.

(Note: Hoplites are infantries that use spears and shields)

The way the two viscounts fought was the extreme opposite. The new Viscount Krank, Avant Simon Krank, was good at group fights. He first divided the dead army into several groups before annihilating each group with his own men.

On the other hand, the new Viscount Mittag, Vojtek Raved Mittag, was someone who perhaps could become a great general given time. He fought in the frontline using his mace and shield while commanding his men.

Viscount Mittag was filled thirst for vengeance for the death of his brother, the previous Viscount Mittag. He and the new Viscount Krank knew no fear as they aggressively killed the enemies. It was to the point that the vassals of the two young viscounts were having a hard time holding their lord back.

Dont be impatient. Our role is only to hold the enemy while slowly retreating. Our time to counterattack will come later.

Baron Kupfernagel, the person that led an army between the two viscounts, calmly gave his command. The experienced Baron Kupfernagel was aware that retreating here is an integral part of the tactic. He can be said to be the highest commander of the vanguard.

Since he was just a baron, the number of men directly below him was few, yet he had participated in the retreat battle at the Veritza Fortress and had also been training in group battle tactics. He was one of the people that the Crown Prince regarded with fierce trust.

The army of Count Shandel supported the center from behind, and the elites from the Royal Guard were on standby behind Count Shandels army. The formation will not easily collapse, no matter how hard the army of death tries. On the contrary, the army of death was forced to advance following the rhythm set by the kingdoms army.

The center of the kingdoms army was slowly retreating, but its two flanks did not fall back. Gradually, the center armys convex formation became a concave formation. Slowly yet surely, the center of the army of death began to lean to the center and gathered there.

Then, the center and the vanguard of the kingdoms army stopped, causing the formation of the army of death to mirror a bad drawing of an isosceles triangle. At the same time, the flanks of the Bain Kingdoms army started to move.