Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"Heh, it's too late. You are already too late!"
"The great General Calem and his warriors have already wiped out your weak army!"
"Ha ha ha!"
The orc before them was extremely weak, his eyes losing their spark, but his words were still full of sharp sarcasm.
Leicester pulled his sword from the orc's body and kicked him to the ground.
The towering figure collapsed to the ground, breathlessly.
Austin Klein furrowed his brow.
"Although this guy talks big, he gives me a bad feeling."
"Quick, get on your horses. We need to assist the Princess."
Klein and Leicester led a small army that had secretly left the camp before dawn.
They traversed winding mountain paths and thorny forests, making a large detour before finally circling behind the orc army.
The orc scouts had a vast range of patrols, and the journey was both arduous and dangerous.
Fortunately, they had not been noticed, as the main orc force was focused on attacking the main body of the Aldor army in the valley.
According to plan, their army would launch a direct attack on the orcs' rear.
At the entrance to Sunset Valley, they encountered an orc cavalry unit tasked with guarding the rear.
The Aldor army immediately launched an attack, eliminating them, with only a few escaping.
The enemy's mocking laughter urged them to move faster.
Klein's bad premonition soon came true when they arrived at the battlefield, breathless from their ride. What they saw was a scene straight out of hell.
The cavalry left wing and infantry formations supported by the Blackstone army had collapsed.
In the center of the valley, Aldor soldiers were scattered, running in all directions. What was worse, many of them were knights, and the orc light and heavy cavalry were mercilessly chasing them, like wolves hunting sheep.
It was an apt comparison, as the Aldor soldiers who had lost their organization were like lambs, unable to mount any serious resistance.
The orc cavalry, though not many in number, slaughtered the helpless Aldor soldiers as if playing with their prey. From their relaxed posture, it was clear they considered these soldiers no threat.
"My God!"
Klein was stunned by the sight before him. He prayed to the Lord of Light, hoping this was all just a nightmare.
Before, the worst-case scenario he had imagined was the Aldor army being suppressed by orc cavalry, but still maintaining basic formations, and then a counterattack when he arrived.
Now, a counterattack was nothing but a joke.
"There, Her Highness!"
Leicester pointed to the distance. Yes, it was Princess Catherine.
Klein suddenly remembered the most important thing. If the Princess of Aldor Kingdom fell or was captured in this war with the orcs... he couldn't bear to imagine it.
Following Leicester's finger, Klein saw the Aldor soldiers surrounded by orc cavalry.
The Royal Capital Knights' banner was still flying high among them.
The Princess should be safe!
"All troops, listen up! Immediately break the siege for our comrades!"
The 1,500-strong cavalry raised their hooves and charged towards the surrounded Royal Capital Knights.
Calem quickly noticed the unexpected guests and waved his command flag to gather forces to intercept.
But now that victory seemed assured, everyone was busy looting the battlefield—some grabbing war spoils, others capturing fleeing enemies to turn into slaves.
Although Calem's army had won, they hadn't shed the habits typical of armies of this time.
Or rather, because they had won, they felt confident enough to act this way.
As a result, the forces sent to stop Klein's detachment were only small groups of scattered scouts, posing little obstruction to their advance.
When they got close to their comrades under siege, Klein could faintly make out the situation.
Apart from the Royal Capital Knights, there were many Blackstone soldiers, likely gathered here after being defeated elsewhere.
Klein shouted, "Prepare to charge!"
With all his strength, they halted their horses and quickly formed a tight, orderly formation—three rows, each with 500 riders.
The orc cavalry surrounding the Royal Capital Knights was still organized, but upon noticing the incoming human cavalry on their flank, they immediately sent part of their force to intercept.
Klein forced himself to remain calm, issuing commands methodically:
"March at a slow pace!"
The cavalry moved forward at a steady pace, like three moving stone walls, the dust rising in an orderly fashion.
"Quick pace!"
The warhorses increased speed, their hooves creating a thunderous sound.
"Full speed ahead!"
The knights extended their weapons and urged their steeds into a full charge. As they did, the three walls of cavalry began to break apart, though they still retained some semblance of their original formation.
As they collided with the orc cavalry, the scene was chaotic. The warhorses collided at high speed, but just before impact, one rider would often veer off to avoid a head-on collision.
The bloodiest part came when the two sides passed each other, causing injuries on both sides, with many falling and being trampled underfoot.
The Royal Capital Knights, still holding high their morale, fought valiantly. Many of them came from noble families, had received intense martial training from a young age, and were skilled in horseback riding, combat, and archery. With their superior armor, their individual combat power was still greater than that of the orcs.
Since being surrounded, they had already repelled several waves of orc attacks.
The orcs had no way to break through, so they resorted to firing arrows from a distance, but the Royal Capital Knights returned fire with their own bows.
"Klein! Leicester!"
Catherine, who had been preparing for the breakout and was about to lead her forces, noticed the approaching detachment and realized they were here to rescue her.
A wave of joy filled her heart as she immediately changed her course, heading towards the reinforcements.
Everyone prepared, gripping their weapons tightly.
"Charge!"
At the sound of the command, the horns blared.
A massive cavalry charge surged forward, not in perfect formation, but still with tremendous force.
Meanwhile, Klein's side pushed forward with even more intensity.
The orcs were now being attacked from two sides, and the encirclement was suddenly breached.
After a fierce battle, the two Aldor armies merged into one.
"It seems that the enemy to the northwest is the weakest. Let's head that way!"
Catherine immediately agreed with Klein's suggestion.
Taking advantage of the fact that most of the orcs were busy looting and chasing down fleeing soldiers, the Royal Capital Knights fought while retreating, finally escaping this hellish battlefield.
(End of the Chapter)
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