I Don’t Need a Guillotine for My Revolution

Chapter 157: Krafte War - The Battle of Barua (3)

“Tsk, damn it all! Get a messenger to Damien De Millbeau! Tell him to stop the pursuit immediately and go on the defensive!”

“Y-yes, Your Excellency the Marquis!”

I ground my teeth as I watched Chief of Staff Berthier quickly dispatching the messengers.

The powerful blessing bestowed by Eris, using several divine power amplification crystals, had granted the entire army the same protection from bullets as the Revolutionary Guard.

It was a truly astonishing power, and I had expected it would be enough to seize the initiative, even against the Krafte Army.

In fact, it had been quite effective against their skirmishers, who had given Damien De Millbeau a hard time in the initial engagement, leading me to believe it would be effective against them.

Was even that a gross underestimation of that Great King?

According to reports, the Krafte Army had never deployed a large number of light infantry, aside from the Schützen skirmishers, in a full-scale battle.

So we had mistakenly assumed that, with the Schützen, they had not raised a large number of light infantry, using them only as auxiliary troops for ambushes.

“…Those bastards, it’s not that they didn't raise light infantry.”It wasn't that they had few light infantry, it was that their line infantry could also perform the role of light infantry.

Before long, I saw the Revolutionary Army's line infantry retreat, with their light infantry engaging in a firefight with the enemy line infantry.

Given the timing, the order must have been given before my messenger arrived.

Was it Millbeau? Or Davi’s counsel? Either way, their quick judgment is commendable. Entrusting them with the vanguard was the right decision.

“What's the situation with the enemy artillery?”

“We can’t confirm due to the heavy smoke of the cannons! But judging by the impact grouping and the frequency of enemy fire, it is certain we have inflicted considerable damage!”

Certainly, while the sound of cannons roared ceaselessly from our position, only sporadic cannon fire was heard from the enemy's camp, and even that was being blocked by Eris's barrier.

It is impossible to know whether their artillery has actually suffered serious damage or if they are in the process of moving to avoid counter-battery fire.

But just moving towed cannons to avoid bombardment requires immense effort, and the enemy artillery will quickly become exhausted. In any case, we have more than achieved our objective.

In the initial infantry battle, it was we who had suffered damage, but in exchange, we had inflicted heavy damage on the enemy's artillery.

At that moment, a messenger came galloping.

“Messenger! Your Excellency, Marquis Lafayette, a report from Lumiere!”

Lumiere. There was a piece of news I was waiting for.

“Ah, yes. Where is the army of the Iberian Brotherhood?”

Karok and Shandra would be arriving with 50,000 troops from the Iberian Brotherhood.

I had requested that the reinforcements they sent join us a little later, to be used as a card to turn the tide of battle in the latter half.

As long as our forces are much larger, if we can just keep the war situation even, it will be possible to turn the tables in one fell swoop with Shandra's arrival.

“They will arrive in about six hours, Your Excellency the Marquis! However, there is one more report!”

“Another report?”

The messenger handed me a letter, and I frowned as soon as I saw the seal of the Aquitaine family.

If Christine were to send an urgent report by messenger while the battle was in full swing, it wouldn't be good news.

“…Ha.”

I broke the seal and, upon confirming its contents, put my hand to my forehead.

“What is it, Your Excellency the Marquis?”

I let out a dry laugh and handed the letter to the worried Chief of Staff Berthier.

“Reinforcements from the Germania Empire are coming towards Lorraine? The Imperial family’s interests shouldn't align with the Krafte Kingdom’s, so why—”

“They weren't sent by the Empire. They were sent by the feudal lords.”

Damn it, I should have thought of this beforehand.

The Krafte Kingdom is the head of the anti-emperor faction within the Germania Empire.

It was possible that the feudal lords, having preserved their strength by not cooperating in the Empire’s war, would now support Krafte's cause here, hoping to gain from Krafte, who was sure to become the next emperor.

They had been testing the waters until now, and with Krafte's victory seeming imminent, they decided to get a foot in. Was that their intention?

“The commander is Count Albert von Wittelsbach? Wasn’t he pro-emperor, having even participated in the last war?”

My lip twisted.

Count Albert von Wittelsbach.

The Empire’s greatest knight, who had been defeated by me in the last war.

And that man is leading the army of feudal lords from the anti-emperor faction here.

“Either he wanted to make up for his lost confidence after losing to me, or he thought the emperor was a lost cause and decided to switch sides. …Or both.”

“What will you do?”

At Berthier’s question, I gave a bitter smile and muttered.

“There is no other way.”

I quickly took out a piece of paper, scribbled an order, signed it, and handed it to the messenger.

“Go to the army of the Iberian Brotherhood, which should be on its way here, and deliver this to Shandra.”

“Yes, I receive the order of His Excellency, Marquis Lafayette!”

Since we have scraped the bottom of the barrel for our forces for the decisive battle with Krafte, the Lorraine direction is left with only a few garrisons.

No matter how important the decisive battle with Krafte is, we cannot simply give up the key strategic points of Francia’s northern defense.

It’s a bitter pill to swallow, to deploy the reinforcements I had hoped would arrive at just the right time like this, but there’s no choice but to send them here.

I turned my gaze again to the light infantry on the frontline, who were skirmishing, slowing the advance of the Krafte infantry.

Numerically, the light infantry are at a disadvantage, but thanks to Eris’s protection, they are managing to hold their ground for now.

…However, the crystals Eris has are being rapidly depleted, and the light infantry alone cannot fight a full-scale battle with line infantry.

When the light infantry eventually reach their numerical limit, they will have to be replaced by the line infantry, but can our infantry stop their monstrous counterparts?

We’ve dealt a blow to the enemy artillery, so for now, the odds are even.

If we can’t somehow create a variable here.

“…How are things with Gaston and Morel?”

*

“Your Majesty the Great King, the artillery losses are severe. Casualties are about 20%, and over 30% of the cannons are either destroyed or in need of repair due to enemy fire.”

“This is quite troublesome. The artillery is the most crucial branch for completing the symphony of the battlefield, yet it has been hit so hard from the very beginning.”

“It is the first time for our army to experience an irregular tactic of holding back, focusing solely on counter-battery fire, and blocking our shells, Your Majesty.”

As the Great King and his staff conversed leisurely, a messenger came rushing in.

“Your Majesty the Great King, the ammunition consumption on the frontline is extremely high! We have already expended over 20%!”

“Hmm…”

Karl II stroked his chin and replied.

“Indeed, they are different from the Empire’s army.”

The Krafte Army is, in essence, an army operating on the fundamental premise of absolute qualitative superiority. Therefore, despite their many troops, they do not prepare a particularly large supply of ammunition.

This is partly because the Krafte Army boasts superior accuracy, which makes each shot more valuable, but also because in most cases, they have broken the enemy with overwhelming discipline before even using up all their ammunition.

For Krafte, which operates a large standing army commensurate with the country's size, there is insufficient funding to prepare a generous supply of ammunition, nor have they ever felt the need.

However, these opponents do not break easily, and even have the audacity to ignore our fire, thanks to the Saintess Queen's protection.

“This battle may well test the limits of our army’s capabilities, Your Majesty.”

“Haha, hahaha…”

Hearing his staff officer’s words, the Great King gave a low laugh.

“Yes, such a challenge is precisely what makes a victory worthy of praise, is it not?”

The Great King picked up his cane, struck it hard on the ground, and looked down at the operation map as he spoke.

“Our artillery has suffered great losses, but their Saintess Queen will not be able to perform such miracles indefinitely.”

Even the Great King had been a little surprised when their light infantry, blessed with a miracle, had driven back his Schützen, but they were completely unprepared for the skirmish tactics of his line infantry.

For now, their light infantry is buying time for their line infantry to reorganize, buoyed by the Saintess Queen’s protection, but if they lack the doctrine or training to respond, the outcome will not be different even if they engage again.

“Once the Saintess Queen’s power is exhausted, the infantry battle will surely end in our victory.”

The enemy's artillery has suffered severe damage, but as long as they focus their artillery on counter-battery fire, the damage they can inflict on our infantry is, paradoxically, limited.

In the end, as long as we hold an overwhelming advantage in the infantry battle, Krafte will have the upper hand as time goes on.

“Therefore.”

If a desperate enemy has their strongest card left in their hand, in the end, they will have no choice but to play it.

The Great King’s lips twisted into a smirk.

“Marquis Lafayette will try to settle this with a cavalry engagement.”

*

Rolling hills stretched on either side of the vast plain where the infantry of the Revolutionary Army and the Krafte Army were clashing.

Along the gentle slopes, the sound of galloping hooves and gunshots echoed ceaselessly.

While the Chasseurs and Hussars skirmished across the rolling hills, Prince Heinrich, in command of the Krafte cavalry, was busy commanding his troops and studying the operation map.

“The deployment of the light infantry to points A1, A2, and A3 is complete, Your Highness!”

“Yes, good work.”

Prince Heinrich gave a light nod.

This was the cavalry engagement that took place after the initial battle in Alsace.

The Revolutionary Army, trusting in the superiority of their Cuirassiers, had pursued the Krafte cavalry, only to be ambushed by the light infantry and suffer severe damage.

For them, after fighting a long reconnaissance battle and assessing the terrain, the very idea of an ambush in their own territory must not have occurred.

…To be precise, it was because the Krafte Army had led them to think that way.

The battlefield here in Barua is different from Alsace.

The Krafte Army has just advanced, and of course, they had no time to reconnoiter the terrain.

However.

Justin von Wittenfeld had secured a considerable number of informants within the Revolutionary Army.

Many of them probably don't even know they are Krafte informants, but the trivial information leaked by a large number of them, when aggregated over time and combined with a key spy’s information, can be reconstructed into a meaningful form.

Thanks to that, the map in Prince Heinrich’s hands not only had a detailed drawing of the nearby terrain but also the ambush points according to the Great King’s plan, organized as A1-4.

They had the terrain information from the time of the first cavalry battle, but they had continued the engagement for several days to make the Revolutionary Army believe they had grasped the terrain during the fighting.

In this battle, Prince Heinrich’s job was to distract them with the Hussars and divert their attention with a feint, and meanwhile, to move the light infantry to the ambush points.

The Revolutionary Army, as the Krafte Army had just entered the battlefield, would not even imagine Krafte would once again launch a surprise ambush after perfectly grasping their own terrain.

Especially not in a state of crisis where they felt they had to do something with their strongest card, the cavalry, with the infantry battle on the main front pushed back.

A sense of crisis narrows one’s vision, and impatience makes one mistake last-minute plausible bait for a hard-won comeback opportunity.

-I, Karl II, Great King of the Krafte Kingdom and Margrave of the Empire, do hereby command. Should the Revolutionary Kingdom of Francia be victorious in the war against the Krafte Kingdom, the next king of Krafte shall guarantee to join the Revolutionary Kingdom of Francia as an ally in the war against Abyss Corporation within the next 30 years.

Prince Heinrich recalled his Great King's order and narrowed his brow.

It was absurd.

The Great King, who treated him more like a subordinate and successor than a nephew, was in every way more a tyrant than a wise king.

But who would dare to question the words of the undefeated Great King, who had raised Krafte, a mere electorate, to a great power comparable to the Emperor of the Empire?

Even if it was the absurd command of a capricious and eccentric old man, the order of the greatest Great King had to be followed.

Prince Heinrich’s face hardened.

If the Great King’s whim cannot be stopped, then he must not allow himself to be defeated.

If that happens, the respected Great King of Krafte will remain an undefeated legend, and he will become the next emperor of the great Germania Empire and the king of Krafte, a splendid monarch following in the footsteps of Karl II.

Prince Heinrich clenched his fists, sweaty with tension.

“…Relay to General Leberecht. It's time to cast the bait.”

“Yes, as Your Highness commands!”

If they can just properly deploy their strongest hidden card, the cavalry, this battle will end in Krafte’s victory.

*

The rolling hills.

Captain José Vachet was waiting on a hill.

As in the last engagement, he was mounted on his horse, looking down at the Chasseurs and enemy Hussars exchanging fire as they disappeared into the distance.

Amidst the constant, sporadic gunshots of the ongoing engagement, José Vachet slowly closed his eyes.

-Damned Krafte bastards.

The words he had muttered sent a chill through his chest.

“Captain Vachet! Order from the main force! Enemy Cuirassiers have appeared! We are to detour to the north-northwest and strike their flank!”

Slowly opening his eyes, José Vachet looked intently at his adjutant's face, then gave the order.

“Advance, forward.”

“Yes, sir!”

Among the Cuirassiers following him, there were few old subordinates. Most of them had been sacrificed in the ambush.

-You've been through an ordeal. Rest for now. There will be a procedural interrogation and you will be under surveillance, but if there are no problems, you will be able to continue to serve as the commander of the Cuirassiers.

When he was released by the whim of that warmonger Great King of Krafte and returned to the encampment, Marquis Lafayette said so.

-…Is there no disciplinary action?

-Why, do you wish to be disciplined?

José Vachet spurred his horse and, along with his subordinates, moved along the ridge of the rolling hills.

-I am an incompetent fool. A fool swayed by petty emotions, who lost numerous subordinates, and was humiliatingly captured. Why are you showing such leniency to the likes of me, Your Excellency the Marquis?

What had he been thinking when he said that?

-Is it because you saw me cut down my brother? Is that why you are being so lenient out of pity?

Did he resent him for not being able to publicize the Drone story? No, it was closer to him venting his self-loathing on him.

The noble lord, whom he had expected to fly into a rage and dishonorably discharge him, just stared at him and replied with a smirk.

-An officer of the Cuirassiers is a high-value asset. Unless there was a serious disqualifying reason, it's a waste to dismiss you just because you were swayed once. If I were to dismiss someone just for making a mistake, there would be no generals left in my command.

“Enemy spotted ahead!”

-And I was even more pathetic when I was your age. …So I just want to give you one more chance.

He thought it was absurd, as Marquis Lafayette had already achieved victory in a civil war at a similar age, yet he was comforted by his somehow sincere face.

“Distance, closing!”

Vachet, riding at the forefront, drew his cavalry sword and shouted.

“Prepare to charge!”

“Prepare to charge!”

Vachet and his subordinates charged the enemy, who, already engaged in combat, were caught off guard and panicked when struck on the flank.

“For Francia!”

“Long live the Revolution—!”

His sword, carrying the momentum of a full-out gallop, tore through a weak magic barrier and split an unarmored enemy cavalryman in two.

Amidst the splattering blood, José Vachet moved ceaselessly with a cold, clear head.

What came to his mind was not revenge, but the conversation they had before he left.

-Your Excellency the Marquis. Can we achieve victory against that Great King? I do not want to lose to a man like that, who would create a sea of blood for his own satisfaction…

“The enemy is fleeing!”

José Vachet paused for a moment, then shouted.

“Pursue!”

Feeling a sense of déjà vu, he pursued fiercely, cutting down the stragglers.

-Well, honestly, it's hard to answer with confidence.

He was running, splattered with blood.

The Krafte light infantry emerged from among the trees and bushes and aimed their guns.

“E-enemy ambush!”

The adjutant's loud shout only served to agitate their own side.

-At the very least, I will prevent you from suffering the same humiliation.

The very next moment came.

The Chasseurs charged in from both flanks of the ambushing light infantry.

“Uh, uhhh?”

While the Krafte light infantry were bewildered, Jerome Morelle, who was leading the light cavalry, shouted loudly.

“It's obvious where you would set an ambush here! What kind of idiot gets hit by the same trick twice!”

“Uwaaaargh!”

The general led the charge, and the rushing Chasseurs mercilessly slaughtered the light infantry.

“Charge! Leave the infantry to the light cavalry and crush the enemy Cuirassiers!”

The Francian Cuirassiers, who had been about to charge to support their allies under ambush, turned around and charged at the Krafte Cuirassiers, who were bewildered and in disarray.

“For Francia!”

When their trusted light infantry ambush was counter-ambushed, the unarmored Krafte Cuirassiers were no match for the Francian Cuirassiers.

“Uh, uh…”

The sword of José Vachet was thrust at the neck of his adjutant, who was looking at the scene blankly, stunned on his horse.

“C-Captain Vachet?”

José Vachet looked at his adjutant with cold eyes and declared,

“It's a pity. I am arresting you on charges of collusion with the Krafte Army and treason against the state.”