Shadowed Gaze: The Highserk War Saga - Chapter 78

“Everyone, thank you for gathering swiftly in response to the crisis facing the Dalimarcus family.”

Edgar de Dalimarcus swept his gaze over those assembled before him. Not only the members of his own family, but also influential figures like Baron Josh of the Ador family, a vassal to the Dalimarcus, had gathered in the campaign tent at the field encampment.

Among them were factions from the former Highserk Empire, who had become allies over the past year. A man dispatched from the Highserk Empire’s dispatched army was present, a battalion commander known as Hadro.

Edgar had once perceived this tall, slender-limbed man, with his indifferent manner of speaking as fragile, as if he could be broken with a strike. However, having witnessed his work in the demonic territories and the buffer zones, Edgar had since revised his rash judgment.

Despite the destruction of their homeland, the other generals maintained discipline and organization, striving to preserve their troops’ combat capabilities. In the Libertoa region, there were even factions of remnants larger than the island nations facing them.

Whether it was a national trait or something else that kept them from disintegrating and rallying together was unclear, but their existence was one of the main reasons Edgar chose to engage in armed conflict with the Meizenaf family. The military council moved forward, with Edgar giving only brief acknowledgments in return.

“The Meizenaf’s troops have made the site of the fourth expedition’s failure their supply depot and are extending their route straight to the Karoloria mines. Their numbers exceed 6,000.”

A murmur ran through the council. Edgar had mustered a force of 3,200, less than half their number.

“It was expected, but over 6,000 nonetheless.”

“It’s certain, according to multiple sources of intelligence. The Meizenaf family is openly displaying their gathered troops, and they have also hired a considerable number of mercenaries.”

Numerically speaking, the opponent was nearly double in strength. The Dalimarcus family, already at a disadvantage in terms of numbers before the war began, found it difficult to hire mercenaries, as they were flocking to the highly regarded Meizenaf family.

Mercenaries, being tradespeople who risked their lives in battle, weighed their lives against the rewards and chose which lord to support. Therefore, the few mercenaries who came to the Dalimarcus family were either eccentrics, rebels, or lured by the amount of the reward.

“When will they arrive?”

“According to the lookouts, we should encounter them within three days.”

After some thought, Edgar asked Baron Josh, who was in charge of construction, a question.

“Josh, what is the capacity and defensive setup of the supporting castle?”

“The supporting castle can accommodate 700 people. We have earth ramparts, dry moats, and obstacles against infantry, but the walls are just wood and mud at best. They could withstand a few fireballs at most.”

The total number of troops gathered was 3,200. Given the lay of the land, this number wasn’t insurmountable. However, even if they could win a war of attrition, the long-term prospects were grim. After all, the Meizenaf family had many vassals and connections to the central government. Even if repelled once, they could quickly reassemble their forces and attack again. The Meizenafs, always greedy for wealth, and their head Odilon de Meizenaf was no exception.

Edgar had experienced this firsthand, having been forced into unfavorable land and water rights for generations due to the power dynamics. Therefore, now, with the support of the magic silver mines and the Highserk Empire’s military factions, was the last chance for Edgar and the Dalimarcus family, a chance that could not be missed.

If the Meizenaf family were to take control of the magic silver mines, the Dalimarcus family would no longer be able to oppose them and the disparity in their strength would grow even further.

“700 conscripted soldiers and Josh’s cavalry will enter the supporting castle. The remaining troops will meet the Meizenaf family at the field encampment at the base of the mines.”

“You’re not deploying the army in front of the supporting castle?”

A question arose from among the family members. They likely meant that dividing their already numerically inferior forces would increase the likelihood of being defeated in detail.

“The supporting castle will serve to lure out the enemy troops. In a situation where the flanks or rear are threatened, we cannot afford to leave it unattended without dedicating a single soldier.”

To control the Karoloria vein, a central location for both military and civilians was necessary, and the best situated place already had a supporting castle built. Odilon, who was reluctant to waste money, wouldn’t choose to abandon an existing castle. Rather than building a new one from scratch, he would prefer to use the existing supporting castle.

“I see, so the supporting castle is to serve as a lure for their forces, and in the event of an early decisive battle, I, along with my cavalry, will turn to a counterattack.”

Josh realized his role and voiced his confirmation.

“The lord of the support castle faces a difficult choice. Considering their proficiency, there’s no one else but Josh who can be entrusted with this task.”

There was no falsehood in Edgar’s words. Among the troops of the Dalimarcus domain, excluding Edgar’s own cavalry, Josh’s forces were the most proficient, excelling in breaking through enemy lines.

“However, this will thin our main force’s defenses.”

Josh’s concern was valid for the past Dalimarcus family, but not for the current one.

“Fortunately, we have the mercenary group led by Lord Hadro.”

Involving outsiders in a conflict between lords could invite unwanted interference from the central authorities. Officially, they were a ragtag group of mercenaries, but in reality, they were the army of the Highserk Empire itself. They had not voiced even a single complaint about their uncomfortable position of not being able to fly their own flag.

“Leave it to me. My team will accomplish any task given to us.”

“There’s a saying: “Give a finger and they’ll take the whole hand.” It’s best not to have excessive expectations.”

Edgar was aware that some, including Josh, were dissatisfied with the Highserk soldiers being given important roles.

“Is there a need for many words on the battlefield?”

During the military council, Hadro, who had been silent until then, spoke to Josh in a flat tone. It was an indirect way of calling him a chatterbox.

“What, you dare to insult me?”

“We have shown our worth through action. Words are unnecessary.”

With that, Hadro closed his mouth again. Josh’s face showed visible anger. If Edgar were to defend either Hadro or Josh, it would only widen the gap between the two.

“Let’s leave it at that. We are before a decisive battle with the Meizenaf.”

Josh did not hide his displeasure, but he was not foolish enough to continue sulking. He began smoking a cigar, exhaling purple smoke.

Edgar regretted his past actions. He had left Josh behind as a precaution, while he himself had gone to deal with a great rampage. If they had been together on the battlefield, there would have been no talk of overestimating Hadro and the Highserk soldiers. They continued to fight unflinchingly, even if their limbs were torn off, their guts exposed, or their eyes gouged out. Their ferocious fighting was not inferior even to a great rampage.

Edgar could never forget that scene after the battle, the smoldering blue flames, and the spreading monsters. A hundred monsters sunk into a sea of blue flames, burned to ash. It was a revelation that such powerful beings existed in what were thought to be minor nations.

Even among the three great nations, how many could achieve the same feat? Edgar, who had spared no personal expense to hire for the Dalimarcus family, could ultimately not find such a person.

He didn’t believe for a second that the person was dead or severely injured. Edgar suspected he was carefully hidden within the Highserk military faction. Would Highserk deploy them to defend the lifeblood-like mithril mines?

After the great rampage, Mayard had left the Four Nation Alliance and Felius fell. There were several theories, but the prevailing one, agreed upon by Crest and Libertoa, was that the foolish act of the Felius king had caused the great rampage. The truth didn’t matter to Edgar. Because of the great rampage, the remnants of the Highserk Empire had helped Dalimarcus family secure mithril mines. Even if it a further payment was required, they had even contributed soldiers t defend the Karoloria Vein.

This was indeed a divine opportunity. The conditions were perfect. It was enough for Edgar to bet the fate of his entire family on this one-time opportunity.

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The Karoloria vein was a mining site carved out of demonic territory, with transportation routes opened to the Dalimarcus domain and what was called the buffer zone, the former Highserk territory. According to what Walm had heard from the regular troops, the Meizenaf family had transformed a base built during a previous expedition into a supply depot and an outpost, connecting it to the Karoloria vein.

The road was made passable for large armies, and with the declaration of war right before the full-scale operation of the mine, it was clear that this was a well-prepared and deliberate action. The Dalimarcus family, although inferior in mobilization numbers to the Count Meizenaf, had strengthened their defenses near the mine, anticipating conflicts with monsters and future skirmishes.

In the main camp at the foot of the mine, defensive lines had been established. Multiple earthworks and timber were arranged to provide depth, indicating a preparation for a prolonged battle rather than a short field engagement.

In a world different from Walm’s previous one, where mechanical technology was not advanced, the unique abilities of this world, “magic” and “skills,” gave a significant advantage in construction and civil engineering, allowing work that would take weeks by human power alone to be completed in a much shorter time.

Although the ratio was low, magic had also given humanity a great leap forward in terms of firepower. Some individuals, with their skills alone, were comparable to small arms or heavy artillery. Even a respectable enbankment could be easily breached if it was just a single line.

Moreover, the technique of covering weapons and the human body with a magical barrier provided rigidity, elasticity, and various resistances, making it difficult to stop a charge with just the firepower of magic soldiers.

The unit in which Walm belonged was not part of Edgar’s main force but under the command of Baron Josh Ador, who was related to the viscount. The support castle, built about a kilometer away from the main force, served as both a spear and shield against the enemy. For the Meizenaf family, ignoring the support castle to focus on Edgar’s main force meant risking a counterattack from the castle, potentially striking their flank or rear.

Though it indeed meant dispersing their forces, Walm speculated that Baron Josh’s unit had been detached due to the limited capacity of the supporting castle, which could at most accommodate 700 people. Hence, the main force couldn’t entirely enter the castle.

Furthermore, this was a struggle for control over the Karoloria vein, and mere defense in the castle wouldn’t lead to a victory for Viscount Edgar. Walm believed that the supporting castle was being used as a bargaining chip, compelling the Meizenaf House to make a choice.

“Empty moats, inverted wooden spikes, and stakes; the castle made of wood, huh…”

It was unclear to Walm whether the castle was built upon a mound or atop a hill, but the ground around it was raised by about one meter. With the addition of the moat, the difference in elevation could be as much as two meters. Inverted wooden spikes and stakes were installed in the moat and on the sloping parts.

Inverted wooden spikes were obstacles with multiple sharpened branches, designed to impale the flesh of any unwary approacher and slow down attacks on defensive structures. In forests abundant with flora and fauna, these could be procured in large quantities, and were extensively used in the Libertoa frontline, where Walm first saw combat.

The construction wasn’t bad, considering that it had been less than a year since the Karoloria vein was discovered. This was evident in the competent construction of the supporting castle, a symbol of the region.

From Walm’s experience, the wooden walls could withstand a few direct hits from magic but would be half-destroyed if subjected to concentrated attacks from magic soldiers. Hence, inverted spikes and stakes must have been installed as additional defenses.

It was said that the island nations, which had been far from war for a long time, had not forgotten their knowledge and seemed to have been gathering information about warfare.

“It feels more like a fort.”

“The viscount’s main castle was made of stone, but this one is made of wood and earth.”

Behind Walm, a young soldier was following along. Feeling like a tour guide, Walm pressed his temples, feeling a headache.

The role of the supporting castle was significant; it had to act more flexibly than the main force. It seemed to house about 200 regular soldiers, but the majority were just citizens gathered for the war effort. Not all were inexperienced in combat, but this thought still brought Walm unease.

There was no tower in the fort, just barracks and residences, and a few warehouses. At its core, there was only a two-story command post and a watchtower to overlook the surroundings.

A fort without horse exits or ramparts was shallow and fragile. If the walls were breached, it would devolve into close-quarters combat, and the enemy could overpower them with sheer force. The only strategy was to wear down the enemy before they could attach themselves to the wall, and after attachment, prevent a breakthrough by sparingly deploying troops.

Walm was assigned to the left corner of the supporting castle, while the main force was camped behind the right side of the castle. Considering this, it was a highly dangerous position. It would take time for support from the main force to arrive, and the likelihood of a lateral attack was slim. Walm understood he was expected to be part of the defensive firepower.

The problem was that the young soldiers, Kuwen and Karim, supposed to be assigned separately within the castle, were right beside him. It seemed to hold no deeper meaning; they were merely assigned together by chance upon entering the castle.

Not just the youths, many soldiers were nervously peering over the edge of the walls, looking around restlessly.

Among them were regular soldiers, but most were commoners. None of Baron Josh’s elite guards were stationed on the walls.

They were likely reserved as a fighting force for emergencies or a decisive force for counterattacks. It was a common tactic to deploy valuable elite troops in bigger groups for greater impact, rather than gradually wearing them out.

However, for Walm, who would be on the receiving end of this attrition, it was not a comforting thought. He would have preferred experienced soldiers on both sides, but he knew this was just a faint hope, seeing the nervous glances around him looking towards the distant enemy.

Translator – Lyxxna